The Young Lady Had Arrived

The morning sun blazed bright.

Shrek Square was already packed with people, and the buzz of conversation never let up.

"What? Dean Yan took another personal disciple? I wonder which little monster it is this time."

"Don't push, don't push. Let me see..."

"Twelve years old, a thirty-third-rank Soul Elder?! This kid is terrifying!"

"That's Lin Feng from New Student Class Nine. Teacher Mu Jin really struck gold this time."

Not far away, Ning Tian and Wu Feng were walking side by side when they heard the chatter around them.

Ning Tian gently tugged at Wu Feng's sleeve and whispered, "Wu Feng, did you hear that? They're talking about Lin Feng from our class, right? But wasn't he only at rank thirty last week? His cultivation speed... that's just absurd."

Wu Feng's expression remained cool, but shock flickered in her eyes. "I didn't expect him to advance so quickly, either. Still, it makes sense. His first and Second Soul Rings are both Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings. He was destined to be extraordinary."

"Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings?! Are you sure?"

Ning Tian's eyes widened slightly. After confirming it again and again, she couldn't help but see Lin Feng in a completely different light.

She had thought her talent was no worse than Lin Feng's. After all, they were both twelve, and both had reached rank thirty.

Besides, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was one of the continent's top auxiliary-type Martial Souls, and it had once produced a god.

But now, faced with Lin Feng, that faint sense of superiority vanished at once.

As Lin Feng passed Shrek Square as usual, he ran into Ning Tian and Wu Feng, who were lingering there.

"Good morning, Lin Feng!" Ning Tian greeted him with a smile, taking the initiative for once.

Ever since Ma Xiaotao had warned her, Ning Tian had made a point of keeping her distance from Lin Feng, one way or another.

Lin Feng was a little surprised, but smiled back all the same. "Good morning. You two are up early, too?"

He didn't think much of it, taking it for an ordinary greeting between classmates.

The three of them then headed toward the classroom building together.

As soon as they entered the Class Nine classroom, Ning Tian pulled over a chair and casually sat beside Lin Feng's seat.

"Wu Feng told me everything, Lin Feng," she said, blinking with curiosity. "I've been wondering: is your Third Soul Ring a thousand-year one, or a Ten Thousand Year one?"

"Wu Feng, what happened to your promise?" Lin Feng said with a laugh.

"Brat, you weren't so proper when you were taking advantage of me," Wu Feng huffed. "Ning Tian's my friend. What's wrong with me venting to her?"

"Fine, fine. I'm a brat," Lin Feng said, laughing as he came clean. "My Third Soul Ring is a Ten Thousand Year one. A Ten Thousand Year one, all right? I'm going to catch up on some sleep, so don't wake me unless it's important."

"You still dare to sleep? Did you forget what happened with Optimus Pillar last time?" Wu Feng reminded him with a mischievous grin.

Lin Feng jolted, instantly wide awake. He'd almost forgotten his plan to "reward" the little rascal in front of him.

"I'd rather not revisit the past. Guess I won't sleep, then." He rubbed his brow and looked at the two girls. "By the way, I'm planning to go out alone for some training next week. Want to come along? If I remember right, you've both reached rank thirty, too."

"Just the three of us? Without a teacher leading the way... wouldn't that be too dangerous?"

"We don't have to get Soul Rings. We'll see if we find a suitable one; otherwise, we can just explore. Besides, who am I? No need to brag any more, right?"

Ning Tian thought it over, then smiled. "All right. It'll be a good chance to see what Dean Yan's personal disciple can do and broaden my horizons."

"I have no objections," Wu Feng replied coolly.

The new week arrived in no time.

The three met as planned at the gates of Shrek City.

This time, Lin Feng had still snuck out without Ma Xiaotao knowing.

But he'd learned his lesson and left her a letter, hoping it would lessen his "punishment" when he got back.

"My lady, are you sure you're dressed for training?" Lin Feng asked, looking Ning Tian over with a teasing note in his voice.

Ning Tian gave a soft snort and tugged at the hem of her lavish skirt. "What's it to you? That Shrek uniform is ugly and stiff. I'm sick of wearing it. I'd love to know which tasteless fool designed it."

Her golden bob was styled more meticulously than usual. Though her features still carried that dashing, almost boyish air, a rare softness graced her brow.

In this elegant outfit, she looked nothing like the cool, distant girl she usually was at the academy.

With others, she was always as reserved and aloof as Wu Feng.

But in front of Lin Feng alone, she let down every guard, and her girlish nature showed itself without restraint.

Sure enough, as soon as they passed through the bustling streets, Ning Tian began to slow down.

The dazzling array of shops instantly caught her eye.

With a rare day off outside the academy, she immediately pulled Wu Feng along and began browsing with great enthusiasm.

Lin Feng couldn't argue, so he resigned himself to being their tagalong and pack mule.

"Lin Feng, what do you think of this dress?" Ning Tian held up a dress against herself.

"Looks good." Lin Feng didn't even look up.

"Can't you give me an opinion you actually put some thought into?" Ning Tian muttered.

"Fine. It really does look good," Lin Feng replied helplessly.

He could see it now. Ning Tian was practically treating him like her future boyfriend.

Wu Feng, by contrast, was quiet. She didn't say much, but she tried on just as many clothes as Ning Tian. Even a tomboy like her was a girl, after all.

Just as Lin Feng was sinking into despair, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a shop window.

Hanging there was a lace nightgown just like Ma Xiaotao's.

His heart stirred, and as if possessed, he walked inside.

"Shopkeeper, pack up this black one, this white one, and the pink and red ones, too."

Lin Feng pointed at the silk nightgowns.

Ning Tian and Wu Feng followed him in. At his words, both froze.

"Lin Feng, what are you buying these for?" Ning Tian couldn't help asking.

"Uh... if I said Sister Xiaotao asked me to buy them for her, would you believe me?" Lin Feng tried to bluff his way out.

"Brat! Pervert!" Wu Feng said bluntly.

"Hey, hey, could you at least save me some face in public...?" Lin Feng awkwardly rubbed his nose.

The shopkeeper gave him an "I understand" smile, briskly wrapped the clothes, and handed them over. Lin Feng gritted his teeth and took the paper bag.

"I'm done shopping. I'm not in the mood anymore. Let's go."

Ning Tian suddenly pursed her lips and turned toward the shop door, her voice betraying a hint of jealousy she could barely hide.

"All right, then. Let's head straight to Sunset Forest," Lin Feng sighed.

On the way out of the city, a subtle silence settled between the three, and no one spoke again.

"We're finally here. The air is so fresh!"

Only when they reached the outskirts of Sunset Forest did Lin Feng finally break the silence that had lasted the whole way.

Seeing that the other two still weren't saying anything, he raised the corners of his mouth and added, "Though, why does it smell like a whole lot of jealousy?"

"Quit fooling around and help me find a Soul Beast," Ning Tian finally said. There was still a trace of irritation in her voice. "I want one around fifteen hundred years old."

"Actually, you could try one around two thousand years old."

"Two thousand years? We're not freaks like you. How could we absorb one that far above our level?"

"I have a way," Lin Feng said seriously. "I can transfer some of my life force to help you, which will raise your chances of absorbing it successfully. You know Tang Ya from the Tang Sect, right? Her Third Soul Ring was two thousand years old, and I was the one who helped her."

"Senior Tang Ya? I know of her..." Ning Tian's tone softened. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "All right. I'll trust you this time."

Ning Tian and Tang Ya were both direct descendants of Shrek's original Seven Monsters, so they had kept in touch to some extent. But their sects' circumstances were worlds apart.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was one of the great sects of the age, while the Tang Sect had dwindled until only three people remained—or four, counting Lin Feng, that freeloader.

Once they'd settled on their goal, the three set off toward the depths of the forest.

With Lin Feng's precise Spiritual Detection, they searched for Soul Beasts with remarkable efficiency, soon vanishing among the forest's lush green shadows.