Moonlit Encounter

On the way back, Xia Yan noticed that the light in Ning Rongrong's room was still on.

He walked over.

Hearing footsteps, Ning Rongrong opened the door and saw Xia Yan standing outside.

A hint of delight immediately appeared on her pretty face.

Xia Yan!

She ran over and threw herself into his arms. "Mm... Xia Yan..."

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Ning Rongrong replied sweetly, "I missed you..."

But halfway there, another figure followed them through the woods.

The three looked over. Hm? Tang...?

The red-haired shadow immediately burst out laughing. "Hahahaha... We said none of us would come, but in the end, not one of us is missing..."

The two shadows beside him said nothing, turning their heads away.

The final shadow caught up. His skin was already very dark, so he was better able than the others to blend into the night.

He looked surprised. "Hm? Why are you all here?"

The red-haired shadow replied as if it were obvious, "We're going to Suotuo City. Where are you going?"

The shadow at the back said, "There's something I need in Suotuo City. It's only available at night."

He didn't have much money, yet he wanted to buy good stuff. And that good stuff couldn't see the light of day; it only showed up at night.

To brew more potent Deadly Poison, forge stronger Hidden Weapons, and, most of all, defeat Xia Yan!

He had to hurry!

The red-haired shadow clicked his tongue twice. "See? You just don't have any experience. What's this about daytime and nighttime..."

You're obviously too shy to go during the day, so you're making excuses like that.

The shadow at the back looked surprised. "They're available during the day too?"

"Of course!"

"Come on, we'll take you there."

"But why do you smell so sour? You'll have to wash up first when we get there..."

"You're young, so you ought to pay attention to hygiene..."

The last shadow sniffed his arm. He seemed to catch a whiff of something.

Could it be that he'd sweated during the fight today?

Never mind. A wash would take care of it.

Suotuo City really was a big city. They were so particular about things here—even before buying or selling, you had to get cleaned up.

Late at night,

Suotuo City was brightly lit, with crowds streaming along its streets.

On the second floor of a wooden building, Tang San soaked in a large wooden bathtub.

He was curious. He hadn't even said what he wanted to buy yet, so how had Ma Hongjun and the others known?

Why had Dai Mubai, Oscar, and the others split up without saying a word?

Where had they gone?

Faintly, he heard footsteps outside the door. Then the door slowly swung open...

The next morning,

in the cafeteria,

Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai sat together. When they saw Tang San walk over, they wore helpless expressions, utterly at a loss.

Ma Hongjun set down his bowl.

Once Tang San sat down, he finally couldn't help saying, "You should've said earlier that you wanted to buy materials for making weapons..."

"You didn't say anything either..."

Last night, he'd already taken off his pants, only to be driven outside by the commotion Tang San had caused.

Tang San had been wearing a bathrobe and looking wary. He'd even kicked the door in.

A crowd had gathered around them.

In the end, Ma Hongjun had to step in to sort things out.

Tang San looked awkward. "I thought you were going to buy materials too."

Ma Hongjun tilted his head. "Then I wouldn't know. You'll have to find out for yourself..."

Tang San's eyes guiltily flicked toward Xiao Wu before he lowered his head and ate.

As they were talking,

Xia Yan walked into the cafeteria.

Ning Rongrong's pretty face softened. She stood up and hurried over. "Xia Yan!"

Zhu Zhuqing wanted to go over too. There had been a lot she couldn't figure out last night, and she hoped Xia Yan could explain it. But just as she was about to stand,

she noticed that Ning Rongrong seemed a little too enthusiastic.

It didn't seem appropriate for her to go over now.

She could only stay seated for the time being.

Xiao Wu lowered her head and sipped her porridge in small mouthfuls, keeping to herself.

When everyone gathered, Oscar arrived late. He still hadn't broken through to level thirty. After class ended and they were dismissed, Oscar immediately rushed back to cultivate.

Sure enough,

by noon,

Oscar shouted excitedly, "I'm level thirty!"

"I'm level thirty!"

He ran right past Flender's office.

Ning Rongrong clung to Xia Yan, with Zhu Zhuqing beside them too.

Xia Yan answered Zhu Zhuqing's questions. For example, the age of a Soul Ring a Soul Master could absorb wasn't fixed; it mainly depended on the quality of their Martial Soul, their physical constitution, the resilience of their meridians...

Ning Rongrong wanted to hold his arm, but Xia Yan stopped her because they were discussing something serious.

Ning Rongrong could only stand aside and watch him with adoring eyes.

She'd never heard these theories at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Xia Yan was amazing!

Then,

the three of them heard an excited shout from far away: "I'm a Soul Elder!!"

They saw Oscar race toward Flender's office without looking back.

Xia Yan wasn't surprised at all. Oscar should have broken through today anyway.

Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, on the other hand, were extremely shocked. Oscar was only fourteen—a fourteen-year-old food-type Soul Elder!

The three of them followed.

Then they saw Tang San and the others coming after them too.

When Dai Mubai saw Zhu Zhuqing with Xia Yan and Ning Rongrong, his face darkened again in an instant.

Inside the office,

Flender patted Oscar's shoulder appreciatively. "Little Ao, well done!"

"A fourteen-year-old food-type Soul Elder—there's never been one on the continent before!"

"Take the day to rest. Tomorrow, we'll head to the Star Dou Great Forest."

"Yes, Dean!"

"I'm a Soul Elder!!"

Oscar excitedly waved his fist and shouted.

When he saw everyone had arrived, he instinctively looked toward the doorway.

Ning Rongrong was there too, but she was pressed close to Xia Yan, and the two of them looked extremely intimate.

"I'm..."

In an instant,

something stirred in Oscar's heart, like ripples spreading across a still pond. His excited expression froze on his face.

He suddenly felt cut off from all the commotion around him, and the world turned gray.

"Pat." "Pat."

He felt the force and heard the sound of Flender patting his shoulder, while Ma Hongjun shook him excitedly at his side,

celebrating him.

Oscar looked up at Flender's pleased face.

He didn't seem all that happy either...

Oscar could only keep smiling and look at everyone.

Ma Hongjun and the others excitedly celebrated Oscar's breakthrough. Going to the Star Dou Great Forest was no small matter; they had to prepare medicine, dry rations, sleeping bags, and everything else.

Just as everyone left to get ready,

Flender called Xia Yan over alone, leaving only him behind.

Once everyone else had gone,

the office, quieter than ever after the bustle, settled into silence.

Flender still looked pleased, but a hint of reluctance had joined his expression. "In twenty years, you're the most talented student I've ever seen..."

"You're also the finest student I've ever taught..."

He poured Xia Yan a cup of warm water. The white porcelain cup had been so well cared for that it didn't have a single chip.

Xia Yan understood what he meant.

"I understand, Dean."

"I'll go with you to the Star Dou Great Forest one more time..."

No matter what, parting was always sad.

Flender nodded. "All right..."

Though he was reluctant, for Xia Yan's safety, he had no choice but to ask him to leave.

As for Tang Hao, he would deal with him himself.

Xia Yan picked up the white porcelain cup and drained it in one go. "Then I'll head back, Dean."

Flender waved him off. He was no longer a stingy dean; instead, he seemed more like an elder. "Go on back..."

Through his square crystal glasses, he watched Xia Yan's departing figure in profile.

In silence.