The Ultimate Ice? Ordinary

Ji Jing placed the aromatic Ice-Fire Mint Chicken on a plate, ladled two bowls of milky-white mushroom soup from the clay pot, and finished by quickly stir-frying two refreshing vegetable dishes.

A sumptuous lunch was ready.

"Time to eat."

Ji Jing smiled at Wang Dong, who had been watching with eager eyes.

"Coming, coming!"

Wang Dong cheered, immediately sitting at the table and picking up her chopsticks to reach impatiently for a piece of the golden chicken.

The chicken skin gave a light "crunch" as it hit her tongue, and an intense burst of aroma instantly exploded in her mouth.

Following that was the meat, so tender and smooth it practically melted, brimming with rich, savory juices.

First came the intensity of the spices, then the elegant fragrance of lotus leaves, and finally, a lingering, refreshing sweetness from the mint—a layered, marvelous progression.

"Mmm... so good!"

Wang Dong squinted her eyes in bliss, her cheeks puffed out like a little squirrel that had stolen a pine nut, making her words sound slightly garbled.

Watching her satisfied expression, Ji Jing felt his own heart fill to the brim.

He didn't rush to eat, instead gently ladling a bowl of soup for her and pushing it forward:

"Eat slowly, don't choke. Have some soup to moisten your throat first."

Wang Dong obediently picked up her spoon and took a mouthful.

The soup was rich and delicious, the freshness of the mushrooms perfectly fused with the mellow bone broth, sliding warmly into her stomach and dispelling all hunger and fatigue, leaving only endless comfort and warmth.

In the time that followed, Wang Dong swept the table clean like a whirlwind.

The Ice-Fire Mint Chicken, in particular, ended up mostly in her stomach.

Her little mouth was glistening with oil and her belly was slightly rounded; finally, she leaned back in her chair and let out a contented sigh.

Full and satisfied, Wang Dong seemed to be brimming with energy.

Watching Ji Jing clear the table, she suddenly reached out from behind, wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, and pressed her cheek against his broad, warm back.

Her voice carried a lazy, post-meal languor and deep reliance as she said softly:

"Ji Jing, you're so good... I like you the most!"

This sudden confession made Ji Jing's body stiffen slightly.

He stopped what he was doing, reached back to hold the small hands wrapped around his waist, and responded in a low voice:

"Mm, I know."

Wang Dong rubbed against his back like a spoiled cat.

A moment later, she reluctantly let go, a brilliant smile on her face as she took the initiative to nimbly stack the bowls and chopsticks on the table.

"You made such delicious food, thank you for your hard work! Leave the small task of washing dishes to me!"

With that, she picked up the stack of dishes, walked out of the dormitory with light steps, humming an off-key tune toward the communal washroom.

The few days of cozy solitude passed in a flash, and the bell for the new semester at Shrek Academy officially rang.

The first item on the agenda was the strength assessment.

Students were required to enter the Beast Arena one by one to challenge a soul beast under the watchful eyes of the teachers, with their final scores based on their overall performance, including adaptability, technique, and the use of soul skills.

For the vast majority of students, this was a significant challenge, but for Ji Jing, it seemed somewhat redundant.

His strength had long since surpassed the scope of the Outer Court students, and playing house with those thousand-year soul beasts held no real meaning.

Therefore, he went directly to Yan Shaozhe, the Dean of the Martial Soul Department, and submitted an application for exemption.

Yan Shaozhe knew his strength far exceeded his peers and approved it with a wave of his hand.

Thus, while other students were battling in the Beast Arena for their new semester grades, Ji Jing stayed leisurely in his dormitory, pouring all his energy into the design and manufacture of a Soul Tool.

As night fell, the dormitory door was pushed open gently, and Wang Dong walked in, carrying a hint of exhaustion.

She had participated in the assessment today and had achieved excellent results without any suspense.

She tossed her schoolbag onto the bed and leaned over to Ji Jing, looking at the strange-looking parts on his desk and asking curiously:

"How is the research going?"

"Not bad."

Ji Jing replied without looking up, his hands still rapidly assembling a complex component.

Wang Dong said "Oh" and didn't disturb him, pouring herself a glass of water.

After resting for a while, as if remembering something important, she spoke to Ji Jing with a hint of excitement and surprise:

"By the way, let me tell you something! During the assessment today, that guy Huo Yuhao actually used a Martial Soul with the Ultimate Ice attribute!"

She had expected Ji Jing to be surprised by this news, as an Ultimate Martial Soul was a one-in-a-million existence.

However, Ji Jing's movements merely paused for a fraction of a second before returning to their fluid rhythm, and he responded in a flat tone:

"Average."

It was as if this were merely a trivial matter.

Seeing his lack of reaction, Wang Dong pouted in boredom.

But thinking about it, it made sense; after all, Ji Jing possessed a dual-ultimate fire Martial Soul, so a single ultimate ice was indeed nothing to write home about.

However, she quickly found a new topic, chattering away as she shared various sights and interesting anecdotes from the academy with Ji Jing.

Ji Jing worked with focus, responding with a word or two every now and then, the atmosphere quite harmonious.

After chatting for a long while, Wang Dong rubbed her stomach, tugged on the corner of Ji Jing's shirt, and said softly:

"Ji Jing, I'm hungry. Make me something to eat."

"Alright."

Ji Jing set down the parts in his hands and smiled, helpless yet doting.

Considering the late hour, he didn't prepare any complex dishes, simply boiling two bowls of steaming shredded pork noodles and pairing them with two refreshing side dishes.

Wang Dong ate until she was satisfied. After wiping her mouth with a napkin, she stood up, began clearing the bowls and chopsticks, and started shooing him away:

"Alright, I'm done. You go out for a bit; I need to take a bath."

Ji Jing was long used to this; he nodded and rose to walk out of the dormitory.

He had just pulled the door shut when he turned around and saw a familiar figure standing not far away, seemingly waiting for someone.

That person was none other than the Dean of the Martial Soul Department, Yan Shaozhe.

At this moment, there was a trace of anxiety on Yan Shaozhe's face.

Before Ji Jing could even open his mouth to greet him, the door to the neighboring dormitory opened, and Huo Yuhao stepped out.

Seeing Huo Yuhao, Yan Shaozhe immediately hurried over to meet him.

He had clearly come looking for Huo Yuhao, and it appeared to be quite urgent.

Ji Jing understood in his heart; it was most likely regarding the issue of the evil fire within Ma Xiaotao.

With Huo Yuhao's current cultivation, he wasn't enough to eradicate the evil fire triggered by that ultimate fire, but relying on the properties of his ultimate ice Martial Soul, suppressing it was more than enough.

Yan Shaozhe also noticed Ji Jing standing to the side. He nodded at Ji Jing as a greeting, and then, without further delay, said a few words directly to Huo Yuhao.

Immediately after, a surge of profound soul power enveloped Huo Yuhao, and the two shot into the sky, turning into a streak of light that vanished rapidly into the night.