Heading North to the Far North!

Shrek Academy, Outer Courtyard office.

"Are you sure you don't need it?"

Mu Jin looked at Jiang Yi, confirming once more.

Her eyes held undisguised concern; he was, after all, the precious treasure of her Class Nine.

If Jiang Yi broke through to become a Soul Elder, Class Nine would have two Soul Elders, a first among the freshman classes.

She was naturally very enthusiastic about Jiang Yi obtaining his third soul ring.

"No need, thank you, Teacher Mu Jin! I have already made other preparations..."

Jiang Yi took the leave slip, waved his hand with a smile, and politely declined Mu Jin's offer to help him hunt for a soul beast.

"Alright then! Stay safe."

Mu Jin did not insist further, but she still gave a thoughtful reminder.

Although this child seemed steady, a place like the Soul Beast Forest was no laughing matter.

"This student understands."

Jiang Yi smiled and nodded.

"Then, Teacher, I shall take my leave."

He bowed to Mu Jin and slowly backed out of the office.

Meanwhile, in another office in the teaching building.

Yan Shaozhe was looking at the red-eyed girl before him with a headache, feeling his temples throbbing.

"What is it this time?"

He looked at Tang Wutong, who was clutching her head with watery eyes, his tone filled with deep helplessness.

"I want to drop out!!!"

Tang Wutong pouted, her voice filled with indignation, her powder-blue eyes brimming with tears.

"That old hag actually dared to hit me... Even my dad has never hit me! She actually dared to hit me!!!"

She sniffled, her eyes as red as a rabbit's, her voice full of grievance as if she had just endured inhumane abuse.

"..."

Yan Shaozhe opened his mouth, but couldn't get a single word out.

He already understood the sequence of events; Zhou Yi had indeed taken action, but wasn't it the podium she had slapped?

If you, Little Princess, pressed your own face against the podium, does that really count as being hit?

"Forget it, Zhou Yi did violate the regulations. I will remove her and find you a new teacher..."

Yan Shaozhe sighed helplessly.

"Will that do?"

Zhou Yi's style of conduct had always been cold and ruthless; the complaint letters from previous students were already piled up like a mountain on his desk.

It wasn't exactly a wrongful accusation.

"Really?"

The previously sobbing Tang Wutong suddenly perked up, looking at the Dean before her with pleasant surprise.

"Mm."

Yan Shaozhe nodded.

Transferring her away was for the best, lest she lose control one day and actually slap this Little Princess of the Clear Sky Sect.

That would be a massive problem.

Some time ago, even Xuan Zi couldn't gauge the true strength of the two experts secretly following Tang Wutong.

"That's great! I knew Shrek was the most fair!"

Tang Wutong's expression turned from cloudy to sunny in an instant, her grinning face showing no trace of the grievance from just a moment ago.

"I'm not dropping out anymore! The glory of Shrek shall be guarded by us—"

Having received the promise, she walked away with cheerful steps, skipping out of the office.

She couldn't wait to share the news with Huo Yutong and the others; this was the power of a big sister!

"What a little ancestor!"

Yan Shaozhe shook his head.

The Clear Sky Sect had always remained in seclusion, but this time they had suddenly sent someone over, and Shrek naturally could not afford to be negligent.

This little girl had likely counted on that, which was why she dared to come to him to file a complaint.

However, facing the powerful Clear Sky Sect, Shrek Academy was still very willing to maintain the relationship.

As for the down-and-out Tang Sect... he found that the Tang Sect Master was quite the rule-follower!

After seeing Tang Wutong off, Yan Shaozhe withdrew his gaze, his figure flickering as he arrived at a secluded terrace.

In the center of the terrace sat a wooden recliner, upon which lay an elderly man with hair as white as snow.

"Finished with your tasks?"

Mu En kept his eyes half-closed, basking in the sunlight, a look of contentment etched onto his wrinkled face.

As one grows older, one simply enjoys soaking up the sun.

"Yes."

Yan Shaozhe nodded slightly, walked to Mu En's side, and stood still, looking down at Shrek Academy below.

In the far distance, a tiny black speck left the academy, heading toward the north and gradually fading into the vast horizon.

"This disciple has already had him investigated. He hails from the Heaven Dou Empire, born a commoner, and there is nothing unusual about him..."

Yan Shaozhe spoke up suddenly.

"It is just that his cultivation speed is too fast... his innate soul power was only level six when his Martial Soul awakened. Should we..."

"Hmm, do not act rashly! Everyone has their own destiny."

Mu En spoke up suddenly, waving his hand to cut Yan Shaozhe off.

"As long as he is one of our own at Shrek, we need not interfere. This is also the way Shrek survives."

His gaze drifted into the distance, where Jiang Yi's figure had long since vanished.

He had only taken note of this lad while observing Bei Bei. Talent was one thing, but there was still a long road ahead to becoming a powerhouse.

He was a fine whetstone.

It was just unclear whether he or Bei Bei would be the blade...

Three days later. The northern border of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Amidst the vast, driving snow, a solitary figure left the small town and ventured into the world of ice and snow ahead.

"Achoo—"

Jiang Yi rubbed his nose and tightened his cotton-padded coat.

"Tian Meng, are you sure about this?"

He patted the little blonde girl sitting on his shoulder, confirming once more.

After he broke through to level thirty, Tian Meng had volunteered to bring him to the Far North to find a target.

But since things were different from the original story, this Tian Meng was no longer a spirit body; her combat power was comparable to a hundred-thousand-year A-Kun.

That Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell trick was likely something Tian Meng could no longer pull off.

"What kind of talk is that?"

Tian Meng widened her beautiful eyes, tugging at his hair with her small hands as she rode on his shoulder like a horse, her short legs swinging back and forth.

"I am the first million-year Soul Beast of the Far North... returning to the Far North is just like coming home."

No one understood the Far North better than she did.

She knew every Soul Beast clan here like the back of her hand; she could even guess where they would be nesting for the night.

"Why aren't we looking for the Snow Empress?"

Jiang Yi blinked and asked again.

He already had one loli; he needed an older sister type now, and besides, the Snow Empress had two forms.

She could be a daughter, and she could be a mother.

"Nonsense."

Tian Meng was immediately choked up, her momentum deflating by half. She pouted, her voice dropping lower.

"It's not like we could beat her..."

The Ice Empress only had thirty-some thousand years of cultivation; if she worked hard, it might be possible, but the Snow Empress had over six hundred thousand years.

Moreover, that woman could manipulate the ice and snow power of the Far North; she was the true sovereign of the region, not someone to be trifled with.

"That's good then."

Jiang Yi actually let out a sigh of relief.

It seemed Tian Meng still had some self-awareness; if she had kept on bragging, he would have had to consider whether to take the risk.

"Oh, stop talking, let's go, it'll be dark soon."

Tian Meng tightened her legs, clamping them around Jiang Yi's neck as she urged him on with a sweet, shrill voice.

She gazed at the vast snow before her, her eyes filled with excitement, her mouth stretching almost to the back of her head.

Back in the day, Bingbing had pulled up her pants and refused to acknowledge her, chasing her until she was forced to flee the Far North and scramble south.

Today, the Northern Expedition begins!!!

The Far North is located at the northernmost point of the continent, covered in bitter cold year-round; the further one travels inward, the lower the temperature drops.

At first, Jiang Yi was able to rely on his soul power to ward off the cold, but after entering the core area of the Far North, the temperature plummeted once again.

For the remainder of the journey, he could only rely on the protection of Tian Meng.

Fortunately, with the Spirit Detection of Tian Meng along the way, every movement in the surroundings was kept in full view.

The man and the worm trekked through this vast, white world of ice and snow without encountering any danger.

Wind blew and snow fell, blending heaven and earth into a single hue.

Two small figures merged into the boundless snowfield, advancing firmly toward the deeper reaches.