Xu Manor's Soup Fragrant, Dew Icy Fire · Within the Exquisite Game, Entrusting the Heart's Hope

Xu Sanshi flicked his folding fan with a flourish, carrying the air of a young master: "Well, the usual, a private room. Bring out our signature dishes, especially that Basalt Soul-Shocking Soup, and be quick about it!"

He turned to the side and gestured for Long Jinyu to enter, his smile fawning. "Junior Sister Long, please! It's my own family's shop, so don't stand on ceremony."

The corners of Long Jinyu's lips curled slightly; it was indeed his family's business.

The two took their seats in the private room.

The soup and side dishes were served quickly. The milky-white broth was piping hot, with nourishing medicinal herbs visible beneath the surface, and the aroma was incredibly enticing.

Long Jinyu scooped up a spoonful and blew on it. The taste was indeed delicious, and it even provided a gentle, nourishing effect on his soul power.

The two chatted as they ate.

Xu Sanshi steered the conversation back to the academy, and Long Jinyu revealed, as if by accident, that he was a special admission student of the Inner Court.

"What?!"

The spoon in Xu Sanshi's hand clattered into the bowl with a thud, splashing a few drops of soup. He widened his eyes, looking Long Jinyu up and down again, his voice cracking in shock.

"In, Inner Court?! Special admission?! Junior Sister Long... oh no! Senior Sister Long?! You... you were hiding your true strength!"

Long Jinyu was amused by his exaggerated reaction. He deliberately drew out his tone, his eyes curving into crescents. "Heehee~ thank you for the compliment, Junior~ Brother~ Sanshi."

That "Junior Brother" made half of Xu Sanshi's bones go soft, but the prestige of the Inner Court brought him back to his senses instantly, a sense of awe rising within him. He leaned in closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a world-shattering secret:

"Senior Sister! Si, since you're from the Inner Court, I must give you a word of warning! There is a... very dangerous Flame Fiend in the Inner Court! She's a red-haired madwoman! Her temper is terrifying, and whenever her Evil Fire flares up, she beats anyone she sees! Since you're new here, you must stay far away from her! It's best to take a detour!"

"Pfft—"

Long Jinyu couldn't help it; he quickly raised a hand to cover his lips, his shoulders trembling slightly. It seemed Xu Sanshi's role as a "human fire extinguisher" was filled with deep resentment.

He cleared his throat, trying to suppress his laughter, and followed the lead. "Oh~ you mean that Senior Sister? I know her. I heard... she often looks for you to 'spar' to vent her Evil Fire? It really is hard on you."

Xu Sanshi looked as if he had found a kindred spirit, slapping his thigh hard. "That's not sparring! That's a one-sided beating, Senior Sister! Sigh, it's a long story full of tears..."

Long Jinyu scooped another spoonful of soup and said slowly, "But Student Sanshi can rest easy. I heard that a new soul master has arrived at the academy who can control Ultimate Ice. I suspect she won't be 'bothering' you anymore."

"Ultimate Ice?!"

Xu Sanshi's eyes widened like copper bells, his voice rising.

"Such a person has come to the academy?! That's great! Heaven has eyes! I finally don't have to be that jinx's punching bag anymore! Do you know that ice soul master, Senior Sister? I must thank her in person for her 'great kindness'!"

Long Jinyu raised his eyes, looking at him with a faint, inscrutable smile. "I know her, of course I do."

Before the words had even faded, he tapped his fingertip lightly against the rim of the soup bowl.

A flash of ghostly blue cold light flickered silently. The steaming Basalt Soul-Shocking Soup in front of him instantly solidified, along with the ingredients inside, turning into a single block of translucent, solid ice. Even the rising steam was frozen in mid-air, forming a strange, icy mist.

Xu Sanshi: "!!!"

His mouth hung wide open, his eyes fixed on the bowl of frozen soup, before he suddenly looked up at the smiling Long Jinyu across from him.

Before he could digest the shock of the Ultimate Ice, a tiny flame with nine-colored light flickered into existence at Long Jinyu's fingertip, gently brushing against the ice bowl.

The solid ice melted instantly, and the steam rose once more. The soup in the bowl was even hotter than before, and the rich aroma filled the air again.

The entire process took no more than two or three breaths.

Long Jinyu blew on it nonchalantly and took a sip. "Mm, the heat is just right."

Xu Sanshi stared blankly at this scene, his tongue nearly tied in knots, his brain crashing for several seconds.

"Sen, Senior Sister...! That Ultimate Ice... is you?!... You... you are actually dual-attributed in ice and fire?! And both are... Ultimate?!"

Such a beautiful... no, such a powerful Senior Sister, and she was actually the savior of that madwoman?! That 'shrew' really had damn good luck!

Long Jinyu set down his spoon, his tone flat. "Mm. The soup is delicious, thank you for the treat."

It took Xu Sanshi a long time to recover. "What are you saying! It is I who should be thanking you, Senior Sister! You are my savior! As long as you enjoyed the meal, that's all that matters! Come whenever you want to drink it! It's on the house!"

Seeing his foolish expression, Long Jinyu felt the time was right and decided to get to the point. "Speaking of which, Student Sanshi, I happen to have a few things I need help with. I wonder if I could ask for your assistance?"

Xu Sanshi thumped his chest. "Just give the order, Senior Sister! Even if it's climbing a mountain of blades or diving into a sea of fire, I will not refuse!"

Watching Xu Sanshi's earnest, heart-on-his-sleeve demeanor, the smile at the corner of Long Jinyu's mouth faded slightly.

"Xu Sanshi... Jiang Nannan..." These two names crossed his mind, stirring up complex ripples.

That "Number One Beauty of the Outer Court," was she not also a talented girl toyed with by fate? If not for her poor family and her mother's illness, and the desperate need for that life-saving money, would she have ever... sold the purity she cherished most?

This damned world...

He thought of his own newly awakened Nine-Colored Dragon God martial soul, a starting point that could be called heaven-defying.

And on this continent, how many people were there like Jiang Nannan, or even more miserable, who might not even have the chance to awaken a martial soul? The situation in the Tang Sect era, the hardships of the low-level soul masters...

Should I establish a 'Second Martial Soul Hall' that benefits the masses... or reform Shrek, this so-called 'Number One Under Heaven,' from within?

The thought flashed through his mind, heavy and profound. This was not something that could be decided immediately.

He pulled his thoughts back to the present.

"Unfortunately, I arrived a step too late."

He glanced at Xu Sanshi, who was still unaware of what was in his mind.

That absurd event that had changed both their fates had already come to pass.

Xu Sanshi is not exactly a bad guy; he is merely a fool, pushed around by his family, who committed a grave mistake in his ignorance without even realizing it.

In particular, this blockhead steps on every landmine whenever he pursues his beloved, always bringing up the wrong topics as if he were dancing repeatedly on her open wounds.

"Sigh, forget it."

Long Jinyu shook his head to himself.

"His emotional intelligence is so low that preaching is useless. If I wait for him to figure it out on his own, Jiang Nannan's children will probably be grown and running errands by then."

With that thought, he made up his mind.

"Perhaps these 'manuals' from Blue Star can help pry open that wooden head of his and teach him how to truly respect, understand, and cherish someone. As for the rest, it depends on his own fortune."

Long Jinyu flipped his wrist and retrieved four books from his Soul Tool storage, their materials unique and seemingly not of this world. He handed them over. The text on the covers looked "ancient and profound," radiating a sense of rational wisdom.

Xu Sanshi hurriedly took them with both hands. They felt heavy, and despite his confusion, he tucked them into his storage ring before asking curiously, "Senior, what are these...?"

Long Jinyu pulled himself out of his brief distraction, his tone carrying a hint of teasing and an imperceptible depth: "You've worked hard helping Senior Xiao Tao suppress her Evil Fire; I'm thanking you on her behalf. I hear you're pursuing the outer courtyard's top beauty, Jiang Nannan? These books might be... of great benefit to you."

The moment Jiang Nannan was mentioned, Xu Sanshi's ears perked up and his heart raced. He quickly focused his mind to "look" at the titles of the four books inside his storage ring—

How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Courage to Be Disliked, Thinking, Fast and Slow, and Unity of Knowledge and Action: Wang Yangming.

These titles... they sounded incredibly profound and full of wisdom! Although he didn't understand some of the terms, they felt super powerful!

"Thank you, Senior! Thank you so much!" Xu Sanshi was so excited his face turned red. This was an "exclusive manual" from an inner courtyard "Senior"!

Long Jinyu was amused by his reaction:

"No need for formalities, study them well. Also, these ten Gold Soul Coins..."

He produced a small money pouch.

"This is a special subsidy allocated to Jiang Nannan by the academy's newly established Support Department. Please pass this on for me."

"However, wait until you have finished browsing those four books first. Otherwise... I'm afraid you might frighten the girl."

"Remember, state your purpose clearly, maintain a good attitude, explain patiently, and don't be annoying. If she truly doesn't believe you, do not pester her; just contact me."

Xu Sanshi took the pouch, even more thrilled. This wasn't just money; it was the perfect excuse to get close to Nannan! Senior Long was practically his second parent!

"Senior, you are truly too kind! This isn't just me helping you; you are clearly helping me again!"

"From today on, you are my own sister! My only sister!"

"Don't worry, Senior! I guarantee I'll complete the mission! I will definitely study hard and communicate well!"

"Mm." Long Jinyu nodded, then asked as if casually, "One more thing. Do you happen to know the current Sect Master of the Tang Sect?"

"Know her? I know her all too well!" Xu Sanshi nodded immediately. "She is the girlfriend of my good brother Bei Bei, named Tang Ya. Are you interested in the Tang Sect, Senior? I can introduce you!"

"A little interested, but there's no rush."

Long Jinyu took out a golden card made of a special material (which he had "extorted" from Mu En) and placed it gently on the table.

"After an evaluation, the Support Department has decided to grant the Tang Sect a reconstruction fund. There are one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins here. Since you are familiar with the Sect Master, I'll trouble you to pass it to her for me~"

"One, one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins?!" Xu Sanshi gasped, his hands trembling. The amount was astronomical! He instinctively tried to refuse: "Senior, this is too valuable! Perhaps you should..."

Long Jinyu raised a hand to interrupt, his tone brooks no argument: "Hey~, I trust your character and ability. If the Sect Master has any doubts, just mention my name to Bei Bei; he will understand." His words were heavy with meaning.

Xu Sanshi looked into Long Jinyu's heterochromatic eyes, which seemed to see right through his soul. He felt a jolt, and a surge of pride from being trusted so absolutely welled up within him. He solemnly put away the gold card and straightened his back: "To receive such trust from you, Senior, is my honor! Rest assured, I will handle this beautifully!"

"Mm, good, good..."

Long Jinyu smiled with satisfaction and lowered his head to take another sip of soup.

"...Delicious~"

Xu Sanshi immediately shouted toward the kitchen: "Did you hear that? My sister says it's delicious! Bring ten more bowls! Pack them up! Let my sister take them back to enjoy slowly!"

Long Jinyu: "..."

"There's really... no need~ no need for that~"

He said this while putting on an expression that suggested, "I really can't do anything with you."

But deep within those heterochromatic eyes, a faint trace of a smile flickered, and the corners of his mouth curled up almost imperceptibly, only to be quickly and firmly pressed flat again.