The Crown of the Goddess Lie Yan

After the banquet ended, everyone returned to their dorms.

Inside the room, the two sat cross-legged facing each other as usual, their palms pressed together.

Ji Jing guided his soul power, merging it with Wang Dong's to circulate in a perfect cycle.

Amidst the steady flow of soul power, the night passed in silence.

Early the next morning, the sky was just beginning to turn a pale white, and the room remained dim.

While cultivating, Ji Jing suddenly felt the soul power coming from Wang Dong's palms begin to surge violently.

He immediately understood that this was a sign of Wang Dong breaking through.

As the final shackle was shattered, Wang Dong was enveloped in a bright blue-gold halo, her aura climbing steadily until she firmly stepped into the realm of level 30.

Wang Dong slowly opened her eyes, the confusion in her beautiful powder-blue eyes quickly replaced by immense surprise and excitement.

"I broke through?"

She felt the abundant power within her, barely able to believe it.

"Ji Jing! I've reached level 30!"

She excitedly pulled her hands back, jumped straight off the bed, and spun around in place with joy.

Watching her heartfelt delight, Ji Jing said:

"Mm, congratulations. The soul fusion yesterday yielded great gains; this breakthrough was only natural."

"Hehe, that's thanks to you too!"

Wang Dong admitted it without hesitation. She leaned toward Ji Jing's bed and asked with a face full of anticipation:

"Right, once the award ceremony is over, is the academy going on break?"

"According to tradition, yes."

"That's great!"

Wang Dong's eyes lit up instantly.

"Then you promised to accompany me to hunt for my third soul ring! Is that still on?"

Ji Jing nodded:

"Of course, no problem. As soon as the break starts, I'll take you to the Star Dou Forest."

"Yay!"

Wang Dong cheered happily.

Visions of the two of them adventuring side-by-side in the vast Star Dou Forest flashed through her mind—no Huo Yuhao acting as a third wheel, just the two of them...

An incredibly bold thought uncontrollably sprouted from the depths of her heart:

What if... what if I take this opportunity while hunting for the soul ring, when it's just the two of us, to confess my identity as a girl to him?

Once this idea appeared, it grew wildly in her heart like a vine.

Her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks, which had just cooled down from the breakthrough, turned scalding hot without warning.

She guiltily looked away, not daring to meet Ji Jing's eyes, her mind uncontrollably imagining what expression he would have once he knew the truth.

Would he be surprised?

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

Or... would he actually... be a little happy?

For a moment, Wang Dong was both nervous and expectant, her heart pounding, and even her palms began to sweat.

As for Ji Jing, he simply watched her cute, conflicted, and shy appearance, taking it all in.

Three days later.

The morning sun bathed the plaza of the Shrek Academy outer courtyard, where the first-year students had gathered.

The award ceremony for the freshman assessment was about to begin, and the focus of everyone's attention was on the three first-year freshmen who had taken the championship as dark horses.

After the rankings and the list of core disciples were announced, the crowd dispersed, but the champion team, Ji Jing's team, needed to find Yan Shaozhe to collect their rewards.

However, just as Huo Yuhao prepared to set off, Ji Jing stretched and said:

"We won't be going up. Wang Dong and I are in a hurry to hunt for a soul ring."

Huo Yuhao was stunned by these words.

Before Huo Yuhao could react, Ji Jing added:

"Those rewards—the soul bones, pills, and such—they're all yours. Go claim them yourself."

"Ah? This... how can I do that!"

Huo Yuhao grew anxious, waving his hands repeatedly.

"I didn't contribute much at all; I can't take it all for myself!"

Ji Jing shrugged indifferently, his expression revealing a sense of nonchalance:

"What's the problem? Just take it if I tell you to."

He glanced at Huo Yuhao and said flatly, "Study your Soul Tool craft well in the future. If you make anything impressive, just use it to pay me back then."

This sounded like an equivalent exchange, but Ji Jing's tone was so plain it carried no expectation at all.

He had no need for Huo Yuhao's Soul Tool, let alone his gratitude.

The only reason he said this was because he couldn't be bothered to deal with those prizes; finding an excuse to push them all onto Huo Yuhao was simply a way to save himself the trouble.

Having said that, he didn't give Huo Yuhao a chance to refuse, instead giving Wang Dong a look:

"Let's go."

Wang Dong nodded immediately without a moment's hesitation.

And so, Ji Jing and Wang Dong turned and walked away side by side, heading straight toward the academy gates without looking back.

They left Huo Yuhao standing there alone, watching their receding figures.

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

Wang Dong looked around, and seeing Ji Jing stop, she couldn't help but ask in confusion:

"Ji Jing, aren't we going to find a carriage? Although Shrek City isn't far from the Star Dou Forest, it will still take a lot of time to walk. Isn't it inconvenient without transport?"

Hearing this, a mysterious smile curled at the corner of Ji Jing's mouth as he said:

"Carriages are too slow. Naturally, I have a faster way."

Before his voice had even faded, the crimson-gold flame mark on his forehead suddenly lit up. With a flash of light, a crown—exquisitely shaped as if carved from the purest crystal and sealing a mass of solidified fire—quietly hovered before him.

This was the divine artifact—Flame Empress Crown.

Ji Jing reached out both hands, solemnly cradled the crown, and slowly placed it upon his head.

The moment the crown touched his hair, the solid crystal instantly melted, transforming into a magnificent crown composed of vibrant, flowing flames.

Wisps of fire danced as if they possessed life, and a long, beautiful ribbon made entirely of flame trailed from the crown, circling and swirling around Ji Jing's body.

Wang Dong was completely stunned.

She widened her large, powder-blue eyes, staring at the scene before her without blinking.

Only one thought filled her mind—

So beautiful.

At this moment, Ji Jing was bathed in the radiance of the flames, his handsome face illuminated like a deity, causing her heart to skip a beat.

Ignoring Wang Dong's daze, Ji Jing raised his hand and waved it casually.

The flame ribbon circling him seemed to receive a command; like a nimble fire dragon, it shot forward, slicing gently through the air.

The space seemed like fabric cut by a sharp blade as a pitch-black rift, edged with burning golden flames, appeared out of thin air and quickly stabilized into a space gate over a person's height.

Behind the gate lay a lush forest scene, brimming with the aura of life.

"Let's go."

Ji Jing said to the still-stunned Wang Dong before stepping into the space gate first.

Wang Dong snapped back to reality with a start and hurriedly followed close behind.