Peach Blossoms in Spring (Please Read On!!!)

The moment Jiang Che stepped into Sea God Pavilion, he felt several gazes land on him.

In the seat of honor, Mu En still looked like a candle guttering in the wind. He reclined in his chair, his yellowed eyelids drooping slightly, seemingly dozing.

"You're back?" Mu En opened his eyes. A faint smile appeared on his aged face, and a glimmer of relief passed through his cloudy gaze.

"Teacher." Jiang Che stepped forward a few paces and bowed respectfully.

"Mm." Mu En nodded, his gaze lingering on Jiang Che for a moment. After a while, he chuckled and said, "Level 93? Looks like you gained quite a bit from this trip."

Jiang Che smiled too. Mu En truly was a Limit Douluo; he'd seen through the change in Jiang Che's cultivation at a glance. Of course, that was also because Jiang Che hadn't tried to hide it.

"Not bad. This time in the Far North, I not only obtained my ninth Soul Ring, but also encountered some opportunities that raised my Soul Power to level 93."

"Your ninth Soul Ring?" A spark of interest flashed in Mu En's eyes. "How many years?"

Jiang Che didn't hide it. He raised his hand and activated his Ice Dragon King Martial Soul. Nine Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet. The first six were deep, imposing black rings, while the seventh, eighth, and ninth were brilliant red, like three undying flames suspended around him.

The five distinct golden lines on the ninth Soul Ring in particular radiated a heart-stirring pressure. The other elders in Sea God Pavilion were startled, thinking that a Soul Beast had attacked. They only relaxed a little once they sensed Mu En's presence.

Mu En's eyelids flew open, and a fearsome glint burst from his yellowed eyes. His entire presence suddenly sharpened.

He stared fixedly at Jiang Che's ninth Soul Ring. Though he had lived for more than two hundred years, he had never seen a Soul Ring with such a high age in person. For the first time, Mu En's voice held uncertainty. "Th-this is a five-hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring?"

Jiang Che nodded. "I ventured deep into the Far North and accidentally stumbled into a place where I encountered an ancient Ice Dragon on the brink of death. I obtained this Soul Ring from him."

He hadn't told the whole truth, but neither had he told a complete lie. The Ice Dragon Soul Ring had indeed been a reward from the system, but its aura perfectly matched his Ice Dragon King Martial Soul. Saying he had obtained it from an Ice Dragon was perfectly reasonable.

Mu En fell silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. His laughter echoed through the quiet Sea God Pavilion.

"Good! Very good!" Mu En laughed until his eyes grew moist. "A five-hundred-and-sixty-thousand-year Soul Ring, Ultimate Ice, and level 93 cultivation. Xiao Che, you've exceeded my expectations. But what about your other Soul Rings? What happened to them?"

Jiang Che had known Mu En would ask, and gave the explanation he had prepared. "That Ice Dragon was gravely injured and couldn't use its full strength. When it realized it was going to lose, it asked me to help it with a few things. In return, it was willing to sacrifice itself."

"I don't know if it was because our origins were similar, but after the sacrifice, a part of its origin merged with my Soul Rings, causing their ages to keep increasing."

Mu En nodded, accepting Jiang Che's explanation. After all, there was no other way to change the age of a Soul Ring. He steadied his emotions and looked at Jiang Che again, his gaze filled with relief and expectation. "You're only twenty-two, yet you've already reached this level of cultivation and built up such a foundation. You've taken the most crucial first step on the path to becoming a Limit Douluo."

Jiang Che lowered his head slightly. "This disciple wouldn't dare slack off."

"Slack off?" Mu En shook his head with a laugh. "If you're slacking off, then every student in Shrek Academy ought to crawl into a crack in the ground."

He waved a hand, signaling Jiang Che to sit. His tone returned to its usual calm. "All right, tell me what else happened in the Far North. You said you encountered some opportunities. Surely it wasn't just that Soul Ring?"

Jiang Che sat down and briefly recounted his journey to the Far North: his encounter with the Evil Soul Masters from the Holy Spirit Cult, and his discovery of the God-Sealing Platform and the Silent Frost Ice Phoenix embryo in the ice cavern.

Mu En fell silent for a long while after listening, as if recalling something.

"The Holy Spirit Cult..." the old man murmured, a cold glint flashing in his cloudy eyes. "Two Titled Douluo, three Soul Douluo, and ten Soul Saints. They certainly spared no effort."

"This disciple suspects the Holy Spirit Cult may have other strongholds in the Far North," Jiang Che said.

Mu En nodded. "You did the right thing. Hand those Storage Soul Tools over to the Supervision Group. The academy will send people to investigate the Far North. Don't get involved further for now."

"Yes." Jiang Che agreed.

Mu En leaned back in his chair and looked at Jiang Che. "You mentioned a child named Huo Yuhao who also obtained a Silent Frost Ice Phoenix embryo?"

Jiang Che briefly explained what had happened with Huo Yuhao, including how he discovered the God-Sealing Platform in the ice cavern, took the initiative to remind Jiang Che to investigate, and merged with the embryo with Jiang Che's help, gaining a Second Martial Soul. Jiang Che also kept Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's existence secret.

After listening, Mu En fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "That child is quite clever. He managed to stay calm in that situation and even reminded you to investigate the ice wall. It shows he's thoughtful and meticulous—not an ordinary boy."

Jiang Che agreed. A boy with a cheat like that was bound to be extraordinary.

"There's one more thing." Mu En suddenly remembered something, and his tone grew serious. "Your return happens to coincide with a major event at the academy."

Jiang Che raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"The Continent-wide Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament," Mu En said. "It's held once every five years, and this time the Star Luo Empire is hosting it. If you still hadn't returned, I was going to have Xuan Zi lead the team. But since you're here, I'll leave the task to you. Xuan Zi can assist you from behind."

Mu En wanted Jiang Che to travel more and show the other senior figures that he was Shrek's future leader.

It would also serve as a warning, letting those who harbored ill intentions toward Shrek know that the academy hadn't declined and still had someone like Jiang Che to shoulder its future.

Jiang Che's heart stirred. He knew about this tournament. In the original story, Huo Yuhao had made his name there, emerging into the spotlight in a single battle.

But was having Elder Xuan lead the team really a good idea? Jiang Che grumbled to himself, remembering the line that had gone viral online: "I am the Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult—Xuan Zi!"

Though Jiang Che knew it was a joke, it was also true that whenever Elder Xuan led a team, the Holy Spirit Cult would attack. A bunch of useless lackeys who hadn't even reached the Titled Douluo rank could run rampant right under the nose of a level 98 Super Douluo.

"Teacher, I've still got a few things to take care of. Could you let Elder Xuan handle the selection of the reserve team? He doesn't have much else to do anyway."

Jiang Che didn't think he needed to personally select the reserve team. He would lead them to the Star Luo Empire himself, and could easily crush that Evil Soul Master. Then there'd be no need for the main team to get injured.

If the main team didn't get injured, what would the substitutes be for? Selecting them himself would be a waste of time.

"That'll work." Mu En laughed helplessly. He knew his disciple well and understood that Jiang Che simply couldn't be bothered to go. He waved a hand, signaling that Jiang Che could leave.

Jiang Che rose, bowed to Mu En, and turned to leave Sea God Pavilion. Then he suddenly remembered that he still hadn't taken care of the reason he'd come in the first place.

He quickly turned back, a smile appearing on his face. Mu En saw it and knew Jiang Che still had something to ask.

"By the way, Teacher, there's one more thing I wanted to mention." Jiang Che spoke ingratiatingly.

"Go on. What is it?" Mu En couldn't do much about Jiang Che and asked with a helpless smile.

"Well... I brought someone back with me. Could you arrange an identity for her?" Jiang Che rubbed his hands together like a child begging for a toy.

"You can decide that yourself. You're a member of Sea God Pavilion, after all. You should be able to handle something this simple."

"Great. I'll be going, then. See you, Teacher!" With that, Jiang Che left Sea God Pavilion.

"Come on, I'll take you to where you'll be staying." Jiang Che came out of Sea God Pavilion and spoke to Ice Empress. "Starting tomorrow, you'll need to get used to human life."

Ice Empress gave a quiet "Mm" and followed Jiang Che down a path on Sea God Island.

Moonlight fell over them, stretching out their long shadows.

Inside Sea God Pavilion, Mu En remained seated in the place of honor. His cloudy eyes gazed in the direction Jiang Che had gone, and for a long time, he didn't look away.

He slowly closed his eyes. A faint smile surfaced on his aged face, as if he could already see Shrek growing stronger under Jiang Che's leadership.

The night breeze swept across Sea God Island, carrying the damp, misty breath of Sea God Lake.

In the distance, Shrek City blazed with lights, the sounds of the bustling streets drifting faintly across the water. Sea God Island, by contrast, was as quiet as a secluded paradise.

Jiang Che led Ice Empress past several buildings to a detached two-story house.

"This is where I live. You can stay on the first floor for now, and I'll take the second." Jiang Che opened the courtyard gate and stepped aside to let Ice Empress enter first.

Ice Empress walked into the courtyard, her yellow-diamond eyes sweeping over it.

The courtyard wasn't large, but it was neat and tidy. Several unfamiliar flowering trees stood in one corner, their fragrance faint. There was also a stone table and a few chairs, with a tea set resting on the table.

"You know how to enjoy yourself," Ice Empress said, glancing at the tea set in a flat tone.

Jiang Che smiled without replying and led her inside.

The first floor had three rooms: a living room, a bedroom, and a cultivation room. The furnishings were simple but tasteful.

Ice Empress entered the bedroom and saw clean bedding on the bed, several books on Soul Tool theory on the table, and a green plant on the windowsill.

"The books were left behind by someone who used to live here. You can read them if you get bored." Jiang Che pointed to the books on the table.

Ice Empress picked one up and flipped through it. It turned out to be an introduction to the fundamentals of Soul Tools, written simply enough for beginners.

"Soul Tools?" Ice Empress raised an eyebrow. "You're interested in those?"

"Mm." Jiang Che nodded. "I'm a Level 8 Soul Master now."

A hint of surprise flashed through Ice Empress's eyes. A Level 8 Soul Master was already among the top figures in the Soul Tool world, especially for someone only twenty-two.

"You really do study everything," Ice Empress said, putting down the book. There was a rare note of admiration in her voice.

With his back to Ice Empress, Jiang Che chuckled. "It never hurts to learn more."

He walked to the window and pushed it open, letting the night breeze flow inside.

Moonlight spilled into the room, laying a layer of silvery-white light across the floor.

"Ice Empress," Jiang Che suddenly said, his voice very soft.

"Mm?"

"From now on, this is your home."

Ice Empress was slightly taken aback. Complicated emotions flashed through her yellow-diamond eyes.

Home?

She had lived for four hundred thousand years and had never had any concept of "home."

The Far North was merely her territory, and the Ice Jade Scorpion tribe were merely her subjects. She had never considered any place her home.

But now, standing in this little room and looking at the moonlight outside and the flowering trees in the courtyard, she suddenly felt something she couldn't quite explain.

Was this... warmth?

"Mm," Ice Empress murmured, then fell silent.

Jiang Che turned and left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

He had planned to return straight to his own room, but within the range of his spiritual perception, he sensed a familiar presence.

He paused, then quietly left the house and followed the direction of that presence.

The night on Sea God Island was still. Only the rustle of the breeze through the bamboo grove and the soft patter of Sea God Lake's waves lapping at the shore could be heard.

He rounded a bamboo grove and saw the familiar figure.

Ma Xiaotao sat on a large rock by Sea God Lake. Her fiery red hair stirred gently in the night breeze, and her red dress hugged her graceful figure. She was like a blazing red lotus blooming silently in the evening wind.

Moonlight fell over her, illuminating her beautiful face. It was full of longing, but the moment Jiang Che approached, that longing vanished.

Ma Xiaotao seemed to sense something and whipped around. The instant she saw Jiang Che, her fiery red eyes widened slightly, then filled with overwhelming delight.

"You're back!" she said excitedly.

"I'm back." Jiang Che walked up to her, his silver-blue eyes especially gentle in the moonlight.

They gazed at each other for a moment without speaking. The breeze from Sea God Lake slipped between them, lifting a few strands of her red hair and brushing them across his cheek.

"Are you hurt?" Ma Xiaotao suddenly asked, her face filled with worry. She reached out with both fair hands to pat him all over, afraid he might have been injured.

Jiang Che laughed and caught one of Ma Xiaotao's wandering hands. "I wouldn't say I'm invincible, but I'm not exactly someone who gets hurt easily."

"Hmph! Who knows with you? You said the same thing to me before, but look what happened. You had no idea how many bones you'd broken. If Teacher hadn't let it slip, you really would've kept me in the dark." Ma Xiaotao huffed and spoke imperiously, as if she hadn't just been worried sick about him.

"Heh." Jiang Che gave an awkward smile. Now that she'd brought up the past, he thought it over and realized she was right. He didn't know what to say.

"All right, all right. It's getting late. We should go back and rest," Jiang Che said after checking the time.

"Then will you walk me home?"

"Of course. I'll walk you there!"

Jiang Che walked Ma Xiaotao to her residence. It was in a different part of the island from his own. Ma Xiaotao walked ahead while Jiang Che followed close behind. Every so often, a breeze carried her fragrance to him.

Neither of them spoke. They simply strolled along at their leisure. Before long, they reached Ma Xiaotao's residence, and Jiang Che was about to wait for her to go inside before leaving.

But Ma Xiaotao had only taken a couple of steps before stopping. What Jiang Che couldn't see was that, all the way back from Sea God Lake, Ma Xiaotao had been wrestling with herself.

Now that they had reached her door, she stopped and took a deep breath, as if summoning all her courage. The indecision on her face gave way to resolve.

She turned to Jiang Che and said, "Um, would you... would you like to come in and sit for a while?" After she spoke, her face grew hotter and hotter. Overcome with embarrassment, she fled inside, but left the door open.

???

Jiang Che stood there, dumbfounded by Ma Xiaotao's words. He glanced around at the scene: late at night, a man and a woman alone, a house. Well, all three conditions were met.

Ma Xiaotao's invitation was practically the same as an attractive female coworker who lived alone asking him if he wanted to come upstairs for tea in his previous life. What might happen was plain as day.

Perhaps she saw that Jiang Che was still standing there frozen. Ma Xiaotao peeked out from behind the door and called, "Are you coming or not? If not, I'm closing the door!"

She started to shut it, but Jiang Che knew better than to miss his chance. If he didn't go in now, he might never get another.

Moving at top speed, he appeared at the doorway in an instant and called with a grin, "Hold that door! I'm coming in!"

Ma Xiaotao hadn't even reacted before Jiang Che slipped inside like a loach.

Ma Xiaotao had been afraid Jiang Che wouldn't come in, so she hadn't dared to shut the door too hard. Now that he was inside, she carefully closed it, as if she were afraid anyone might find out.