The Flame Empress Crown

After the banquet, they each returned to their dormitory.

As usual, the two sat cross-legged facing each other in the room, all four palms pressed together.

Ji Jing guided his Soul Power as it mingled and cycled with Wang Dong's, forming a perfect circuit.

As Soul Power flowed steadily between them, the night passed in silence.

The next morning, just after dawn, the sky had barely begun to turn pale, and the dormitory was still dim.

As Ji Jing cultivated, he suddenly felt the Soul Power coming from Wang Dong's palm grow turbulent and surging.

He immediately understood. It was a sign that Wang Dong was about to break through.

When the last trace of her bottleneck shattered, a bright blue-gold glow enveloped Wang Dong. Her aura climbed steadily until she firmly entered the thirtieth rank.

Wang Dong slowly opened her eyes. Her beautiful, wide pink-and-blue eyes were first clouded with confusion, then filled with overwhelming surprise and excitement.

"I broke through?"

Feeling the abundant power within her, she could hardly believe it.

"Ji Jing! I've reached rank thirty!"

She excitedly pulled her hands back and leaped straight off the bed, spinning around on the spot.

Seeing her heartfelt joy, Ji Jing said:

"Mm, congratulations. You gained a lot from yesterday's Martial Soul Fusion, so breaking through was only natural."

"Hehe, you helped, too!"

Wang Dong readily admitted it. She went over to Ji Jing's bed and asked, her face full of anticipation:

"By the way, once the awards ceremony is over, will the academy be going on break?"

"According to tradition, yes."

"That's great!"

Wang Dong's eyes lit up at once.

"You promised to come with me to hunt for my third Soul Ring! Will you?"

Ji Jing nodded.

"Of course. As soon as the break begins, I'll take you to Star Dou Forest."

"Yay!"

Wang Dong let out a delighted cheer.

In an instant, she imagined the two of them adventuring side by side through the vast Star Dou Forest. No Huo Yuhao getting in the way, just the two of them...

A wildly bold thought sprang uncontrollably from the depths of her heart:

Why not... why not take the chance, while we're hunting for a Soul Ring and there's no one else around, to tell him I'm a girl?

As soon as the idea appeared, it spread through her heart like a rapidly growing vine.

Her heart skipped a beat. Her cheeks, which had just cooled after her breakthrough, suddenly burned hot.

She guiltily looked away, not daring to meet Ji Jing's eyes. Her mind uncontrollably imagined what expression he would wear when he learned the truth.

He'd be surprised, wouldn't he?

Would he be angry that I'd deceived him for so long?

Or maybe... he'd actually... be a little happy?

For a moment, Wang Dong was both nervous and hopeful. Her heart pounded, and her palms grew damp with sweat.

Ji Jing simply watched her adorable, bashful struggle, taking it all in.

Three days later.

The morning sun shone over the outer courtyard square of Shrek Academy, where the first-year students had gathered.

The freshman assessment awards ceremony was about to begin, and everyone's attention was fixed on the three first-year students who had claimed the championship as dark horses.

After the rankings and list of core disciples were announced, the crowd dispersed. As the champion team, Ji Jing's group needed to go see Yan Shaozhe to claim their prize.

But just as Huo Yuhao was about to head over, Ji Jing stretched and said:

"We won't be going. Wang Dong and I are in a hurry to hunt for a Soul Ring."

Huo Yuhao froze at his words.

Before Huo Yuhao could react, Ji Jing added:

"Those rewards, the Soul Bone, the pills, and so on—they're all yours. Go claim them yourself."

"Huh? B-but how can I?"

Huo Yuhao immediately panicked and waved his hands.

"I barely contributed at all. I can't take them for myself!"

Ji Jing shrugged indifferently, his expression careless.

"Why not? If I tell you to take them, then take them."

He glanced at Huo Yuhao and said flatly:

"Just study Soul Tools properly. If you make anything impressive in the future, you can repay me with it."

It sounded like a fair exchange, but Ji Jing's tone was so calm that it carried no expectation at all.

He didn't need Huo Yuhao's Soul Tools, nor did he need his gratitude.

He'd only said it because he couldn't be bothered to deal with the prizes. He'd found an excuse to pass them all to Huo Yuhao and save himself the trouble.

With that, he didn't give Huo Yuhao another chance to refuse. He glanced at Wang Dong beside him.

"Let's go."

Wang Dong nodded without hesitation.

And so, Ji Jing and Wang Dong turned together and walked straight toward the academy gates without looking back.

Huo Yuhao was left standing there alone, watching them disappear into the distance.

Ji Jing and Wang Dong left Shrek City together. The bustling streets gradually receded behind them as the two deliberately took a detour to a quiet, deserted grove outside the city.

Wang Dong looked around. When she saw Ji Jing stop, she asked in confusion:

"Ji Jing, aren't we going to find a carriage? Shrek City isn't far from Star Dou Forest, but it'll still take a while to walk there. Wouldn't it be inconvenient to go without transportation?"

At that, Ji Jing's lips curled into a mysterious smile.

"A carriage is too slow. I have a faster way."

Before he'd even finished speaking, the fiery red-gold mark on his forehead suddenly lit up. With a flash of light, a splendid crown appeared, floating silently before him. It looked as if it had been carved from the purest crystal, with a mass of frozen flame sealed inside.

It was the divine artifact—the Flame Empress Crown.

Ji Jing reached out with both hands and solemnly took hold of the crown, then slowly placed it on his head.

The instant the crown touched his hair, it melted as if it had been made of solid crystal, transforming into a resplendent crown of true flames, shimmering with brilliant colors.

Flames leaped as though alive, while a long, beautiful ribbon made entirely of fire trailed from the crown and spiraled around Ji Jing.

Wang Dong was completely transfixed.

Her wide pink-and-blue eyes stared unblinkingly at the scene before her.

There was only one thought in her mind—

How beautiful.

Bathed in the radiance of the flames, Ji Jing's handsome face looked divine. For a moment, her heart skipped a beat.

Ji Jing paid no attention to Wang Dong's dazed expression. He raised a hand and casually swept it forward.

The fiery ribbon circling him seemed to receive a command. Like a nimble fire dragon, it shot forward and lightly slashed through the air.

Space was like cloth cleaved by a blade. A pitch-black rift edged with burning golden flames appeared out of nowhere, then quickly stabilized into a person-sized door.

Beyond it lay a lush forest, brimming with life.

"Let's go."

Ji Jing spoke to Wang Dong, who was still staring in a daze, then strode through the space door.

Wang Dong jolted back to her senses and hurried after him.