Ready

"Tian Meng! Come out!"

Ning Huan had just breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly sank into his consciousness, probing the Sea of Consciousness as he called out repeatedly.

The only answer was a lazy, cheeky voice.

"Quit calling. Your big brother only just finished up."

"I've put together a summary of what happened after you passed out. Take a look for yourself. Your big brother's going to sleep now. Good night~"

"Snore~ Snore~ Snore~"

"..."

Is this thing a worm or a pig, damn it?

Its whole deal is just passing out the second its head hits the pillow, huh?

Why am I kind of jealous...

Still, it was good that he was asleep. That was better than having him chatter nonstop inside his Sea of Consciousness.

Ning Huan was rather relieved.

He couldn't say how other people felt.

But he really couldn't stand someone going on and on in his ear.

You mean Huo Yuhao?

That was purely an exception.

People like him, who craved affection, were few and far between.

Even when all the Soul Spirits in his Sea of Consciousness eventually filled two mahjong tables, he could still take it all in stride.

That was a talent not many people had.

With that thought, Ning Huan floated above the Sea of Consciousness and couldn't help shaking his head with a smile.

Then he composed himself. With a slight shift of his thoughts, he completely sealed off the area where Tian Meng was.

Afterward, he impatiently summoned the white ball of light and crushed it in one squeeze.

He was so eager that none of his earlier nonchalant composure remained.

There was only one reason: there was something he had to confirm right away!

The memories contained in the ball of light were sparse—so sparse that Ning Huan could review them all with a single thought.

Sixty-three levels of Soul Power, a million-year Sixth Soul Ring, and four ten-thousand-year Soul Rings among his first five...

None of these things could hold his attention for long.

After all, they were gains he had anticipated.

In other words, he would have been surprised if Tian Meng, a million-year Soul Beast, had failed to bring him such improvements.

Of all the memories, there was only one thing that could surprise him. Without a doubt, it was that gray stream of air from another world.

At that moment, it was fast recovering as it slept in some unknown space within the Spirit Bestowal Platform.

It probably wouldn't be long before that fragment of divine consciousness was restored.

Although Ning Huan couldn't say when Electrolux would awaken,

there was one thing he was certain of.

In the future, this once-powerful expert would surely become one of his most capable allies!

"About time I left..."

"Even though my own strength was enough that Tian Meng didn't need to unleash too much spiritual power and reveal our location,"

"staying in the Star Dou Forest still isn't exactly safe. It's just..."

"Where should I go now?"

For a moment, Ning Huan was at a loss.

Go back to the sect?

It was quite a long trip, and he'd have to leave again after only a few days there.

Go to Shrek?

Without Ning Tian by his side, he was honestly a little apprehensive.

Turn around and keep following Huo Yuhao?

He crushed that thought the moment it came to him.

You've got to be kidding!

Who knew whether Huo Yuhao had been under surveillance during his journey to the Star Dou Forest?

There was no need to gamble on how far other people's patience would stretch.

With no other choice, Ning Huan settled for the next best thing.

He got up, straightened his clothes, and headed toward Shrek City.

I may be a coward, but I don't dare go into the academy.

But going into the city should be fine, right?

I might as well take advantage of this free time to explore the continent's supposedly most prosperous city.

With the blazing sun overhead, on two separate paths leading to the Star Dou Forest...

"Mm, why do I suddenly feel so awful..."

"I can't give up. I have to hold on!"

"Mom, just wait! I'll kill that man and avenge you!"

Meanwhile, on the other path...

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell, Xiao Ya?"

"No, I just feel like there's suddenly an inexplicable hollow in my heart... Also, you're supposed to call me Teacher Xiao Ya!"

"Yes, yes, my Teacher Xiao Ya~"

"Beibei, you're asking for a beating!"

"You came."

"Mm."

"You shouldn't have."

"But I came anyway."

"Are you afraid?"

"N-no... Wait! Zhang Lexuan, what's wrong with you? I'm already in Shrek City, damn it. Why are you still sending me a summoning request?!"

Staring at the Spirit Body, which had become more solid than it was three years ago, Ning Huan couldn't help getting a little frantic.

Hadn't this big sister only just settled down for a few days?

Why was she tormenting him again?

Was she born to be a nuisance?

And had she put a tracker on him or something?

Otherwise, how had a summoning request come in the second he entered his hotel room?

"Hey, of course I have something important to tell you."

Seeing Ning Huan's utterly miserable expression, Zhang Lexuan burst into giggles.

Her bad mood from the past few days instantly lifted.

Her beautiful eyes even held a tenderness she hadn't noticed herself.

"Dai Huabin arrived yesterday. He's at level forty-six in Soul Power, just one step away from being a high-level Soul Ancestor."

"His Soul Power test really shocked everyone present. In the end, Dean Yan, who'd been waiting for him for a long time, took him away in front of everyone."

"Oh, that little cat by his side is at level thirty-three. In any other year, she'd be a pretty good genius, too."

At this, Zhang Lexuan suddenly stopped smiling and looked at Ning Huan strangely.

"And those children you asked me to keep an eye on have all arrived, too."

"The others are fine. Nothing particularly remarkable about them. But Wang Dong..."

"Xiao Huan, are you sure he's a boy?"

Ning Huan didn't answer. He merely spread his hands helplessly.

But to Zhang Lexuan, that was the best answer she could have gotten.

"Gasp... You're not planning to..."

"I've told you before, you really ought to wash your brain with stain remover!"

Perhaps because she'd been holding back for too long,

now that she could let loose around Ning Huan so often, she seemed to be turning into a mischievous girl.

If the male disciples of the inner court found out, their faith would probably crumble on the spot, and they'd develop inner demons.

"Don't worry about Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao. Those two have way too much karma between them. Ordinary people can't handle it."

"Just let them love and fight each other."

"But Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu..."

"Yan Shaozhe wouldn't just let them enter the inner court directly, would he?"

At that, Zhang Lexuan shook her head with great confidence, assuring him that his worry was completely unfounded.

It was true that Shrek liked geniuses.

But when it came to many of its rules, it was quite rigid.

And the level of one's Martial Soul happened to be one of the most important criteria.

The White Tiger Martial Soul was among the best of the top-tier Martial Souls, but it was still far weaker than super Martial Souls like the Radiant Sacred Dragon.

In the eyes of the many elders in the Sea God Pavilion, it had almost no potential to become a Limit Douluo.

So no matter how quickly Dai Huabin cultivated, those old fellows wouldn't make an exception for him.

Unless he obtained the legendary inheritance of the Evil Eye Holy King, it was out of the question!

Ning Huan had nothing to say. He stammered for a long while without making a sound, and in the end, all he managed was:

"Pretty damn realistic..."

"Right? Not one of the geniuses guaranteed a place in the inner court is ordinary."

Zhang Lexuan counted them off on her fingers.

"A mutated Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon with light attribute, a Mysterious Underworld Turtle with a half-awakened Black Tortoise Bloodline, an Evil Fire Phoenix, and me."

"Oh, and you'd probably qualify too, if you wanted."

"That's the one thing that's out of the question! I value my life!"

"Hehe~"