Return to Notting Academy

"Although Yu Xiaogang's theories are either wrong or common knowledge, seven hundred years should be the limit for a second soul ring, right?"

Ao Linxi explained, "He only got a small part right. Soul beasts primarily cultivate by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. After a soul beast undergoes human reincarnation, it can condense its own soul ring based on its cultivation level, but the total age of the resulting soul ring cannot exceed the soul beast's original cultivation. Here in the center of the Lake of Life, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is hundreds of times denser than outside, which can amplify the age of the soul ring. Furthermore, with the dragon aura inherent to our Dragon God kin and the power of luck I have bestowed upon you, these factors combined have directly increased Xiao Wu's soul ring age by one hundred percent."

"I see! So that's how it is." Gu Tian exclaimed in admiration, then looked at Gu Yuena beside him, "Wife, open the Space Gate. It's time for us to go back and prepare a surprise for Tang San."

The silver space gate opened once more.

Passing through the water-like ripples, the four figures reappeared on the outskirts of Nuoding City. Half a day had passed since the incident in the Soul Hunting Forest. According to Gu Tian's calculations, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang would certainly put on a show of searching for traces of Xiao Wu, and with the return journey, it would take at least five days before they could meet them.

Taking advantage of this time, Xiao Wu took Gu Tian, Gu Yue, and Na'er for a stroll around the Soul Master Academy. She habitually hunched her shoulders slightly, as if observing the road.

The Soul Master Academy was not large; the main buildings were built around a central playground. To the west of the playground was the administrative office, to the east were the dormitories and the cafeteria, to the north was the teaching building, and to the south was the main entrance.

According to Xiao Wu, the academy was divided into six grades, with only one class per grade. As it was a primary Soul Master Academy, the curriculum was relatively relaxed; classes were held only in the morning, with afternoons typically reserved for self-cultivation.

Each morning usually consisted of only two classes: one for cultural knowledge and the other for martial soul cultivation.

"Brother Gu Tian, the teaching building is up ahead. If we turn left, we'll reach the cafeteria. I need to go to the lawn over there first..." Xiao Wu pointed to a patch of green in the distance, her mood somewhat downcast, "I'm a work-study student, and I haven't finished today's cleaning duties yet. If the teacher finds out I'm skipping work, my meal allowance will be deducted."

Work-study students at the Soul Master Academy were mainly responsible for cleaning. After completing their daily tasks, they could earn twenty copper Gold Soul Coins, which was more than enough for daily meals.

Gu Tian frowned and reached out to stop her.

"You won't need to do this kind of work anymore."

"But..." Xiao Wu hesitated.

"No buts." Gu Tian turned his head to look at Gu Yue and Na'er, "Follow me, we're going to the administrative office first."

Inside the administrative office, the portly Director Su was lounging in his chair, sipping tea.

When Gu Tian pushed the door open and slammed a heavy little bag of Gold Soul Coins onto the desk, Director Su's squinting eyes instantly widened. This golden luster and heavy weight were certainly not something an ordinary commoner student could produce.

"Director, the four of us want to transfer to become regular students." Gu Tian got straight to the point.

"No problem! Of course, no problem!" Director Su nimbly tucked away the money bag and even stood up personally to pour tea for Gu Tian. His fawning smile caused the fat on his face to bunch up. He had always been subservient to such generous gods of wealth. In less than a moment, four regular student certificates representing noble status were laid out on the table.

Gu Tian handed the one belonging to Xiao Wu to her and said indifferently, "From now on, you are no one's work-study student; you are just my classmate. In the future, you don't need to lower your head to sweep floors for a meal, nor do you need to look at anyone else's expression."

Xiao Wu gripped the hard card tightly, a thin mist of tears gathering in her eyes before she knew it. In the Star Dou Great Forest, she was "Sister Xiao Wu," but after coming to the human world, due to the arrangements of Tang San and the Grandmaster, she had always lived cautiously, as if she were inherently inferior. Now, with Gu Tian's casual remark, the heavy shackles on her were completely cast off.

"Let's go, go get your luggage."

There were not many students at the Soul Master Academy; the six grades combined totaled only about three hundred people. With few students, there were naturally few dormitories.

The student dormitories were mainly divided into thirteen rooms. The first six housed male students from grades one to six, and the latter six housed female students from grades one to six.

Dormitory Seven, sandwiched in the middle, belonged to the work-study students. Regardless of gender or grade, everyone lived together under unified management.

The four soon arrived at the legendary Dormitory Seven.

It was a huge dormitory with dozens of wooden beds squeezed tightly together. The air was thick with the smell of sweat, aged dust, and cheap soap. This environment made even Gu Yue, who had lived in the Lake of Life, wrinkle her nose in disgust, her fair little hand waving constantly in front of her face.

"You live here?" Na'er asked in surprise, her eyes filled with disbelief, "Brother Gu Tian, the smell here is even worse than the mud in the forest."

Xiao Wu walked awkwardly to a large bed by the window. At this moment, the work-study students in Dormitory Seven, including Wang Sheng, were staring in stunned silence. They had always thought Xiao Wu was cute, but they had never seen two such stunning young girls accompanying an extraordinary-looking boy.

"Third Brother... Tang San and I live on this bed. Because we are work-study students, we don't have extra bedding, so we just use our luggage to separate the middle. Back then, Third Brother said this would save money and make it easier for us to look after each other..." Xiao Wu pointed to the two sets of bedding pushed tightly together, her voice growing quieter.

Na'er's expression changed instantly.

"Sister Xiao Wu! Men and women should not touch! You actually sleep on the same bed as a boy?" Na'er stepped forward, looking at the bed arrangement with almost no gap between them, and stomped her feet in anger, "That Tang San is truly ill-intentioned! If he really treated you like a sister, how could he let you squeeze together with him in full view of everyone? Brother Gu Tian, let's take Sister Xiao Wu away immediately! I feel suffocated staying here for even a second!"

Xiao Wu kept her head down, saying nothing. She used to think there was nothing wrong with it, even feeling that Tang San was taking good care of her, but now that Na'er had pointed it out, she suddenly felt a chill down her spine. If Tang San really had ulterior motives as Gu Tian suggested, then the so-called sibling bond from before seemed quite chilling in retrospect.

She quickly rolled up her bedding and left the oppressive, sweat-smelling Dormitory Seven, leaving the crowd of work-study students behind to whisper among themselves.

As a wealthy student, Gu Tian applied for an independent apartment dormitory.

Pushing the door open, the interior furnishings were not as grand as the villa at the Lake of Life, but they were neat and spacious. The sandalwood furniture emitted a faint, lingering fragrance, and the thick velvet curtains blocked out the noise of the outside world. The most conspicuous piece was the oversized wooden bed in the center of the bedroom, large enough for five people to sleep side-by-side.

That night.

The Soul Guidance Lamp in the room emitted a dim, yellow light, casting a glow through the thin gauze curtains onto the bed.

Gu Yue and Na'er occupied the center of the bed with practiced ease. Na'er clung to Gu Tian's left arm like an octopus, her steady breathing clearly audible in the silent room.

Xiao Wu curled up at the very edge of the bed, separated from Gu Tian by the soundly sleeping Na'er.

She kept her eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Listening to Na'er's faint breathing and feeling the undisguised reliance Na'er had on Gu Tian, a sour taste suddenly welled up in Xiao Wu's heart.

This feeling was very strange. She had only known Gu Tian for a short time, and he already had such stunning girls like Gu Yue and Na'er by his side.

Why am I feeling jealous... I was with Third Brother for so long, and I never seemed to have this feeling... Xiao Wu asked herself in a whisper. She recalled the days sharing a bed with Tang San; back then, she only felt it was mundane, sometimes even finding Tang San's rigid personality a bit dull. But now, just by smelling the faint, lingering scent of the Dragon God on Gu Tian, her heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably.

This scent had a fatal attraction to soul beasts, as if a wanderer who had been drifting for years had finally found a home.

She turned her head to look at Gu Tian.

Gu Tian was not asleep. He seemed to notice Xiao Wu's restlessness; under the dim light, his eyes appeared exceptionally deep. He slowly extended his right hand, reaching over the sleeping Na'er, and gently rubbed the base of Xiao Wu's long rabbit ears.

His movements were very light, yet they made Xiao Wu's body stiffen abruptly, a low whimper escaping her throat.

That tingling sensation spread from the base of her ears throughout her entire body, causing her to go completely soft, her previously tense toes curling up involuntarily. Her ruby-like eyes welled up with mist, and the previously sour mood was replaced in this moment by a sense of sweet pampering.

This feeling was ten thousand times stronger than the rigid concern Tang San used to show.

Then, Gu Tian's hand moved slowly downward, finally coming to rest on Xiao Wu's waist.

"Don't let your imagination run wild." Gu Tian's voice was low and magnetic, sounding exceptionally pleasant in the quiet night, "Get some good rest. Tomorrow, I'll take you to see the bustle of the human world."

Xiao Wu closed her eyes shyly, a satisfied curve appearing on her lips involuntarily. She felt the warmth from that palm, and the last line of defense in her heart quietly crumbled under this gentle offensive.