The Three-Year Covenant Has Arrived

Star Dou Great Forest, a forbidden zone of life.

At its core lay a vast lake.

The surface was expansive, shrouded in swirling mists. Water vapor rose from the depths, curling through the trees like drifting white silk.

The water was a deep, bottomless ink-green. Occasionally, sunlight leaked through the clouds, striking the surface and shattering into fragments of gold leaf.

This was the Lake of Life, the absolute heart of the Star Dou Great Forest.

At this moment, a figure stood on the shore.

With black hair, golden eyes, and a posture as straight as a pine, he stood in a stance of profound respect.

Before him lay the lake, and before him lay a vast expanse of white fog.

"My Lord, the three-year term has arrived."

As the words fell, the wind over the lake suddenly ceased.

The mist froze in mid-air, and the water became as smooth as a mirror, devoid of even a single ripple.

Then, from the depths of the lake, from the ink-green water, from the unknowable darkness, came a cold, clear voice.

"Has it already been three years? Di Tian, have you found my thirty percent of origin?"

"Reporting to My Lord, I have found that thirty percent of your power."

"Where is it?"

"East Sea City."

"I see. Then I shall reclaim that thirty percent of my power first."

As the voice faded, a gale suddenly surged from the center of the lake, and the clouds and mist converged.

Di Tian stepped back half a pace, his golden eyes lifting slightly.

From within the mist, a figure emerged.

Judging by her appearance, she could only be nine years old.

The young girl had long, ink-black hair tied high, falling into two long, elegant braids. Her purple eyes were clear and spirited, and her features were exquisite and delicate.

She wore a light cyan, Chinese-style off-the-shoulder dress embroidered with pale pink patterns. The wide cuffs were trimmed with ruffles, paired with white and cyan striped leg warmers—she looked elegant and gentle, yet possessed an innate air of nobility.

Di Tian knelt on one knee: "My Lord."

"Rise." The black-haired girl walked to his side. "What of that thirty percent of my origin?"

"It was adopted by a human and named Na'er."

"Adopted? How fortunate."

She stood on the shore, looking down at her reflection in the water. The lake was like a mirror, reflecting a beautiful face.

"Let us go. To East Sea City."

Di Tian rose and followed three paces behind her. The mist on the lake began to swirl once more, like a curtain being slowly drawn shut, hiding the state of the Lake of Life within the clouds.

The two figures vanished into the forest, leaving behind only a trail of shallow footprints that were quickly erased by the dew.

On the other side, Xiao Mu and Na'er stood beside a high wall.

This wall belonged to East Sea Academy. Not far ahead was the entrance, a towering gatehouse built of massive stones that exuded an imposing aura.

East Sea Academy was a large-scale institution, possessing qualifications for both intermediate and advanced levels. Consequently, it was divided into an intermediate department and an advanced department.

The intermediate department occupied two-thirds of the area, but its essence lay in the advanced department, which took up the remaining third.

"Is this East Sea Academy?"

"That's right."

Passing through the gatehouse, the clamor from outside the walls was left behind, replaced by a different kind of sound.

Leaves rustled, and faint human voices drifted from afar.

A wide road stretched out horizontally to the left and right, while the path directly ahead was paved with bluestone slabs, moss growing in the gaps between them.

Xiao Mu tapped the ground with his foot, feeling that the dean must be quite wealthy.

Both of them were enrolled and assigned to Class One of the first year.

Xiao Mu parted ways with Na'er in front of the dormitory building. She stood beneath a parasol tree, waved at him, and then turned to run toward the girls' dormitory.

Xiao Mu watched Na'er enter the building before turning to head into his own dormitory.

Stepping inside, he took in the layout of the room.

Two bunk beds stood against the wall, capable of accommodating four people. There were two rectangular tables, four chairs, and two cabinets.

At this moment, three people were already in the room.

A boy with a center-parted hairstyle stood in the center of the room, hands on his hips, his chin held high. A tall, sturdy boy leaned against the window with his arms crossed, like a silent wall. There was also an extremely thin boy huddled in a chair in the corner, looking as if only a skeleton remained beneath his clothes.

The boy with the center-parted hair saw Xiao Mu enter, cleared his throat, and raised his voice:

"New guy? Listen up, I run this dorm from now on. My name is Wei Xiaofeng, and starting today, I'm the boss of this room. Anyone have a problem with that?"

"My name is Zhang Yangzi, and I certainly have a problem."

Wei Xiaofeng's expression stiffened for a moment, his hands tightening on his hips. He turned toward the thin boy in the corner, "Do you have a problem too?"

"That goes without saying. My name is Wang Jinxi, and I've known Zhang Yangzi for a long time. Are you sure you want to fight?"

The two of them issued their threats without a hint of politeness—two against one. Although Wei Xiaofeng was a two-ring master, he didn't know the strength of the other two and clearly didn't dare to make a move.

A triangle is a stable structure.

For the moment, a fight couldn't break out.

But he desperately needed to establish his authority, so he turned his gaze toward Xiao Mu.

"What about you, new guy? Do you have a problem?!"

Xiao Mu watched this scene unfold, wondering how he had ended up with such delinquent youths.

"Let's go. We'll head to East Sea Park and have a fight so you won't be dissatisfied. If you lose, you'll be responsible for cleaning the dorm from now on."

Wei Xiaofeng froze for a second, as if he hadn't expected the newcomer to take the bait.

"You—"

"What, are you afraid?" Xiao Mu countered. Even though he was a scientist with little combat experience, that didn't mean his actual strength was weak.

Wei Xiaofeng gritted his teeth and said confidently, "Let's go then. I won't hide it from you—I'm a two-ring Great Soul Master. Don't go begging for mercy later."

"Then you'd better remember our wager well." Xiao Mu smiled faintly; not having to clean the dorm would be a nice perk. "Remember, the person who defeats you in a moment is named Xiao Mu."

Zhang Yangzi glanced at Wang Jinxi, "Are we going to watch the show?"

"Let's go."

The four of them walked out of the dorm one after another, heading toward East Sea Academy.

East Sea Park was located not far from East Sea Academy. After leaving the academy and circling around a side street, they reached the park entrance after about a ten-minute walk.

East Sea Park was open to the public for free. Since it was still early, there were quite a few people there for their morning exercises.

Walking into the park, the fresh scent of plants mixed with the fragrance of flowers rushed to meet them, refreshing the heart and lungs.

Following the gravel paths, the deeper they went, the taller the trees in the park became.

Once they reached the depths of the park, there were very few people to be seen, and Wei Xiaofeng stopped in his tracks.

"Let's fight here; it won't disturb anyone else."

"Fine."

The two of them backed away fifty meters, creating distance between them. Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi stood off to the side.

Wei Xiaofeng gave a warning and activated his Martial Soul. His body suddenly grew a few inches taller, and his frame seemed to become incredibly supple.

Beneath his feet, two yellow spirit rings rose simultaneously, their light appearing exceptionally piercing in the shade of the trees. Not only that, but green scales sprouted on his neck, and his eyes transformed into vertical pupils.

The next moment, he hunched over and lunged forward like a phantom snake. His speed was so fast it didn't seem human.

Watching this scene, Xiao Mu didn't move, appearing as if he couldn't be bothered to. He watched the green shadow rapidly enlarge in his field of vision.

Fifty meters, thirty meters, ten meters.

Wei Xiaofeng's vertical pupils already reflected his face as he jeered, "Scared stiff, aren't you? I've won..."

"Is that so?! What makes you think you can defeat me!"