Reunion After Five Years, Changes Over the Years!

"I've been doing all right."

Ji Bai took a step back, revealing the two behind him, and said:

"These two are friends I met on the road. They're also here to enroll. Their Soul Power is at level twenty-nine, and they're both under thirteen. Can I take them straight in?"

"Oh?"

Li Yusong looked Xiao Wu and Tang San over. "You two, pay ten Gold Soul Coins each for the registration fee, then follow Xiaobai inside."

At that, Tang San took out twenty Gold Soul Coins and placed them into a wooden box on the table.

Only then did Li Yusong smile in satisfaction.

You could cut in line to register, and you could even use connections, but the registration fee could not be shorted.

Even his own son would have to pay.

Ji Bai looked at the familiar surroundings and familiar path as he walked slowly forward.

"Thank you."

Xiao Wu quickly caught up, flashing him a brilliant smile.

"It was nothing."

Ji Bai looked back and smiled.

Tang San glanced back and forth between Ji Bai and Xiao Wu, an odd feeling rising in his heart.

After the three left, a handsome youth with golden hair came before Li Yusong and looked in their direction. "Teacher Li, what's the background of that red-haired kid just now?"

"Him..." Li Yusong said as he busily registered people. "He came with Hong Jun. Their Martial Souls and Innate Soul Power were the same, and they had the same flaw too. Five years ago, he left the academy to seek a way to control his Evil Fire on his own. From the looks of it now, he seems to have it under control quite well."

Within Shrek Academy, Ji Bai arrived at an open area and spotted someone basking in the sun. He strolled over and, upon drawing close, found that it was Zhao Wuji.

"Teacher Zhao."

Zhao Wuji slightly opened his eyes. When he saw Ji Bai's handsome face, he froze for a moment before getting to his feet. "You're a newly enrolled student, right?"

Ji Bai smiled. "Teacher Zhao, I'm Ji Bai. Long time no see. It seems I really have changed quite a lot. None of the teachers recognized me along the way."

"Ji Bai?" Zhao Wuji's thoughts returned to five years ago, and the image of the seven-year-old Ji Bai surfaced in his mind. He then looked Ji Bai over again, his mouth falling open in surprise.

"Remember now?" Ji Bai turned toward the two behind him. "They're the new students."

Zhao Wuji patted Ji Bai on the shoulder and laughed. "Not bad! Five years apart, and you've grown so tall! You're sturdy too! If that brat Hong Jun could be like you, Flender would probably laugh himself awake in his dreams!"

"What level is your Soul Power now?"

"I remember you were already around level fourteen or fifteen when you left!"

Ji Bai smiled. "I'm already a Soul Elder now."

"Huh? That fast?" Zhao Wuji stared blankly, his face full of astonishment. "That brat Hong Jun is only level twenty-seven now, yet you're already a Soul Elder!"

"We can talk about me later." Ji Bai glanced back, signaling Zhao Wuji to settle the matter of the new students first.

Only then did Zhao Wuji turn his attention to Xiao Wu and Tang San. Ji Bai, meanwhile, walked beneath the shade of a tree and watched the upcoming assessment in boredom.

However, before long, before the assessment had officially begun, he saw a golden-haired young man leading two beautiful girls over.

One of them had short brown hair cut to her ears, skin as fair and tender as snow, exquisite features, and a well-proportioned figure. Every gesture, every smile radiated the gentle, lively grace and noble elegance of an aristocrat.

The other had long black hair, snowy white skin, stunning features, and a tall, slender figure with a fiery, alluring body far more developed than girls her age. She was coldly beautiful and charming, yet her eyes and brows carried a cool, detached air, as though she naturally kept others at a frosty distance.

The only girl in Ji Bai's memory who could compare to this one was the fiery beauty Huo Wu.

As for Shui Bing'er, the girl he admired, every aspect of her figure was outstanding, though not excessively so.

But among everyone he had met, Shui Bing'er's intelligence was the greatest.

"Xiaobai!"

Zhao Wuji called toward Ji Bai.

Why am I involved too?

Ji Bai froze for a moment, lowered his crossed arms, and walked toward the gathered crowd in surprise.

"Teacher Zhao, what is it?"

Zhao Wuji threw an arm around Ji Bai's shoulder and gave a wicked grin. "Aren't you already a Soul Elder?"

"Fight each of them once. Let that be their assessment! I also want to see how much your abilities have improved over these five years!"

Ji Bai raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

Zhao Wuji grinned and nodded.

Ji Bai extended his right hand and said, "Ten Gold Soul Coins per assessment."

"Damn it! Are you robbing people?" Zhao Wuji's eyes widened. "You didn't learn Flender's strengths, but you learned every last one of his flaws!"

"Just kidding." Ji Bai smiled faintly and walked toward the four people who had gathered one after another.

Once he stopped, he swept his gaze over them before finally looking at the golden-haired youth. "You... aren't here to take the assessment, are you? I saw you in a tree at the entrance earlier!"

Zhao Wuji introduced him. "His name is Dai Mubai. He joined the academy three years ago."

Dai Mubai nodded slightly as he looked Ji Bai over as well.

Ji Bai withdrew his gaze and swept it across the remaining four people before turning back to Zhao Wuji. "What exactly is the assessment?"

Zhao Wuji cleared his throat. "The four of you must each last one incense stick's time against Ji Bai. Then you'll pass the assessment."

"Teacher Zhao, I'm a support-type Soul Master. How am I supposed to take the assessment alone against this senior?" Ning Rongrong, sweet and captivating as an elf, furrowed her delicate brows.

Before Zhao Wuji could speak, Ji Bai said first, "Then take turns supporting the other three and undergo the assessment together. We'll start now. Who wants to go first?"

He retreated several steps and faced the group, his left hand behind his back and his right arm loosely extended.

The four looked at one another. After a while, Tang San volunteered, "I'll go first."

Ning Rongrong smiled. "Then I'll support you. Although I'm only a Soul Grandmaster right now, I can increase your strength and speed by thirty percent."

Tang San asked in surprise, "That much?"

Ning Rongrong gave what appeared to be a modest smile, though a deeply rooted pride flickered in her eyes.

"Senior, please instruct me!"

Tang San spread open his right hand, and a Blue Silver Grass speckled with purple light appeared. Two yellow Soul Rings emerged at the same time.

Seven-colored treasure light bloomed around Ning Rongrong. With a graceful movement, a Glazed Pagoda appeared, shrank down, and fell into her right hand. Two yellow Soul Rings appeared at the same time.

"Heh! Blue Silver Grass!"

Zhao Wuji shook his head with a disdainful laugh.

Ji Bai's Martial Soul was the Fire Phoenix, the natural bane of plant-type Martial Souls. There was no suspense in this assessment.

However...

Tang San's talent did surprise him greatly.

"Xiaobai, go easy on him. Let this kid join us. The academy hasn't recruited a single new student in three years. Even though his Martial Soul is a useless one, his talent looks quite good." Zhao Wuji condensed his voice into a line and transmitted it to Ji Bai.

Ji Bai nodded lightly without the slightest awkwardness.

No new students in three years? That was brutal!