Four Conditions

Hum!

With a gentle wave of her fair fingertips, Shui Yuerong sent blue Soul Power flowing through the room. The chill vanished in an instant, and the ice melted away.

She crossed her long legs and folded her arms again, her expression cool and distant. Looking Li Jiuxuan in the eye, she said, "I admit, you're very talented. But you're a boy, so you still can't join Skywater Academy."

Li Jiuxuan fell silent, meeting the plump dean's gaze.

Shui Bing'er looked a little stunned. Her red lips parted, as if she wanted to say something, but Shui Yuerong soon continued, "However, you may stay at Skywater Academy for three years. Once your situation stabilizes, you'll leave on your own."

Li Jiuxuan's expression didn't change. Three years, then. For now, he needed a stable place to cultivate. Only after building a foundation of strength would he have the means to protect himself.

Shui Yuerong paused, lightly tapping her fingertips against her knee. "But I have four conditions."

Li Jiuxuan didn't hesitate. "Please, Dean."

"First, you may only stay in the detached house on the west side of the academy, across Calm Heart Lake from the main grounds."

"Second, you may not share the training grounds with our students. You may only use the old facility across the lake."

"Third, you're only staying here temporarily; you're not an official student. The instructors at Skywater Academy won't be responsible for you. Whether you learn anything or improve your strength during your stay will depend on your own talent and ability."

"Fourth, and most importantly..."

Li Jiuxuan waited for her to state the final condition.

"If you manage to live long enough to reach the rank of Titled Douluo, you must protect Skywater Academy for thirty years."

At those words, the entire office fell silent for a moment.

Shui Bing'er didn't understand the reason behind it. She could only look at her teacher in confusion.

A Titled Douluo, protecting Skywater Academy?

Shui Yuerong offered no explanation. She simply held Li Jiuxuan's gaze, as though this were a deal between the two of them.

And, indeed, it was a deal.

The continent's current situation was tense, with undercurrents surging beneath the surface.

The two great empires and Spirit Hall were the three biggest powers, but their balance of power had long since ceased to be stable.

They were more like three enormous beasts facing off on a spiderweb. Even the slightest movement from any one of them would send the whole web trembling.

In recent years, Spirit Hall's influence had spread farther and farther. It had tripled Soul Master subsidies. Officially, this was to benefit Soul Masters throughout the land; in truth, it was quietly winning people over.

The free Soul Masters, accustomed to such generous treatment, hardly cared about the badges issued by the empires anymore.

Heaven Dou and the Star Luo Empire called themselves allies, but clashes along their borders had never truly ceased.

And behind every conflict, Spirit Hall's shadow was always there, faintly visible.

The Upper Three Sects were not of one mind. Some clung to the royal family, while others stayed hidden away. Each was making careful plans to build up its own clan.

Although Skywater Academy was one of the continent's most elite academies, it still had no Titled Douluo to rely on.

Shui Bing'er was exceptionally gifted and, in recent years, had been Skywater Academy's most promising candidate to become a Titled Douluo. But the Li Jiuxuan before them seemed even more terrifyingly talented.

For now, giving him a place to stay cost Skywater nothing. But if he became famous one day, he could keep Skywater from declining for a hundred years!

"No problem. I agree. If I reach the rank of Titled Douluo someday, I'll protect Skywater!"

Li Jiuxuan agreed without hesitation.

The condition was unreasonable, but he had no other choice.

Given his current situation, he was like a fish on a chopping board, and people would covet him wherever he went.

Since he was already here, he might as well make the best of it. Whether or not he ever became a Titled Douluo, without Shui Bing'er, he would already be dead.

So this wasn't for Shui Yuerong, or even for Skywater Academy. He could simply treat it as repaying Shui Bing'er for saving his life today.

After leaving the dean's office, Shui Bing'er took Li Jiuxuan by the hand and led him toward the other side of Calm Heart Lake.

"Jiuxuan, you really don't need to take the dean's words to heart. Becoming a Titled Douluo, protecting Skywater Academy—all of that is still so far away."

Shui Bing'er spoke to Li Jiuxuan.

To her, she had simply wanted to help this poor boy. She had never thought about getting anything in return.

After all, she had been through the same thing herself. Her childhood had been miserable; if her teacher hadn't saved her, she would have starved to death long ago.

Li Jiuxuan shook his head. "It's okay, sister. I have to become stronger anyway."

After all, everyone in his village had died at the hands of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. How could he leave this blood feud unavenged?!

No matter how powerful the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect was, he would destroy it! That would be his offering to his blood relatives.

At the same time, this was the fundamental reason he had compromised with Shui Yuerong and agreed to stay at Skywater Academy.

"Even so, you don't have to protect Skywater Academy. Don't put so much pressure on yourself."

Li Jiuxuan looked up into Shui Bing'er's beautiful blue eyes and asked, "Why, sister?"

Shui Bing'er let go of his hand and pumped her fist. "Because I'll become a Titled Douluo by then. I'll protect Skywater Academy!"

Her sudden declaration left Li Jiuxuan stunned.

Shui Bing'er gazed toward the setting sun and continued walking, pride on her face. "Skywater is my home, and my teacher is like a second mother to me. Everything I do is for Skywater!"

"So I'll defeat every prodigy, triumph over every rival, and set my sights on the strongest generation in Spirit Hall! I'll lead Skywater Academy to become the greatest academy on the continent!"

Shui Bing'er lifted her chin slightly. The light of the lake shimmered in her icy-blue eyes, making them dazzling.

The breeze lifted the tips of her hair, and a pure, proud smile curved her lips.

Li Jiuxuan stared at her, momentarily dazed.

Shui Bing'er was beautiful—absolutely beautiful!

Beneath her cool, frosty exterior lay a warm and radiant heart!

"Then, Bing'er..."

Li Jiuxuan turned to face Shui Bing'er and held out his hand with a smile. "You can protect Skywater Academy, and I'll protect you..."

Shui Bing'er froze.

The dazzling confidence she'd shown a moment ago vanished. A blush rushed to her cheeks, and she looked flustered. "Y-you little brat, what are you talking about? I'm much older than you. How could you protect me?"

"That's okay. I'll be really strong someday!" Li Jiuxuan said confidently, as though making a promise.

Blushing, Shui Bing'er gave him a reproachful look and took his hand again, leading him toward the other side of Calm Heart Lake. "Don't boast. I'm already level thirty-one, and you've only just reached level ten. You've got a long way to go..."

Li Jiuxuan smiled. Seeing the shy expression on Shui Bing'er's usually unapproachable face, he couldn't help thinking how cute she was.

Still, he really did need to cultivate hard.

First, he had to find a way to obtain his first Soul Ring.

Then he could awaken his first Soul Skill.

On the Douluo Continent, a Soul Ring could be obtained every ten levels. Soul Rings were divided into ten-year, hundred-year, thousand-year, ten-thousand-year, and hundred-thousand-year ranks...

He had Innate Full Soul Power and had started at level ten.

"Wow, that's Shui Bing'er! Who's the person holding her hand?"

Just as Li Jiuxuan and Shui Bing'er were lost in their own thoughts, a cry of surprise came from the side.

Li Jiuxuan turned to look and saw a group of tall, beautiful girls...

Well, girls, of course. There weren't any boys at this academy.

Except him...