Summer nights were cool, with a gentle breeze!
Gu Yuena's figure traced a cool, solitary profile by the window.
The summer breeze drifted in, teasing her long, moonlight-silver hair as it fell to her waist. The strands swayed silently against her shoulders and cheeks.
She sat quietly on the windowsill, gazing out into the deep darkness of the night, her whole being immersed in stillness.
Yang Teng leaned against the bedpost with his arms folded, watching her for a long while.
Moonlight from outside mingled with the soft lamplight indoors, casting a hazy glow over Gu Yuena's profile, lending it a sense of beauty and loneliness.
After an unknown length of time, Gu Yuena suddenly turned her head slightly, her silver eyes shifting toward him. The lamplight was reflected in them, but they remained placid.
"Had your fill of staring?!"
Her clear, cool voice broke the silence in the room.
Yang Teng grinned, lowered his arms, and strolled over to the table to pour himself a glass of water.
"I can't get enough. You're so beautiful, Xiao Na. I could look at you forever."
"I don't even know how many tens of thousands of years I've lived. You..."
Gu Yuena stopped speaking.
She turned back to the window and gazed outside again, speaking in an even tone.
"Your strength is indeed impressive."
Gu Yuena praised him coolly.
"Even under this plane's suppression, with that heavy seal still inside you, you can still use the power of a Soul Elder to face two Soul Ancestors working in perfect coordination—and even break their Martial Soul Fusion Skill."
Yang Teng took a sip of water, a hint of nonchalance in his roguish smile.
"This is nothing. Once I've earned the plane's recognition to a certain extent and break through to godhood, I'll show you what real strength looks like."
Gu Yuena fell silent for a moment, her voice betraying no emotion.
"Now, I really am beginning to believe that you might be able to make that idea of yours come true—the idea of letting Soul Beasts become gods too."
Yang Teng's eyes lit up. He set down his glass and leaned closer.
"That's more like it! Xiao Na, you have to believe in me. I always keep my word. When the time comes, I'll make it all crystal clear for you and Di Tian and the others. Divine positions? We'll hand them out wholesale!"
Gu Yuena seemed unaccustomed to the name "Xiao Na" and glared at Yang Teng.
Then she slowly shook her head, her silver hair swaying with the motion.
"No. Rather than saying I believe in you..."
Her cool eyes fixed on Yang Teng, holding a trace of indescribable complexity.
"I'd say I believe in your bloodline—and in your father. The master of God Star is an existence even God Kings can only look up to. For your father, making all those things you described a reality would probably be as easy as lifting a finger."
Yang Teng's smile stiffened for a moment before returning, though a flicker of helplessness passed through the depths of his eyes.
He understood what Gu Yuena meant. She acknowledged his potential, but to a great extent, that acknowledgment was based on his having a father powerful beyond belief.
In her eyes, all the astonishing things he had shown so far came from that lofty bloodline. He himself might just be a "young lord" living off the shade of his forebears.
"Tsk!"
Yang Teng clicked his tongue and leaned back against the bedpost, his tone returning to its lazy drawl.
"Think whatever you want. My old man is impressive; I've never denied that. He's a towering mountain, and I'm still climbing at its foot."
He shrugged. "There's plenty of time. The facts will prove everything."
Yang Teng couldn't be bothered to explain. Some things only sounded less convincing the more you said.
Just as the atmosphere in the room settled into a peculiar silence, a knock sounded at the door.
"Yang Teng, Gu Yuena, it's me, Shui Yunxia."
The dean's warm voice came from outside, carrying a hint of formality.
Gu Yuena stood and walked lightly to the door, then opened it.
Shui Yunxia stood outside and nodded to her. Gu Yuena gave a slight nod in return, then stepped aside and walked straight out, leaving the room to Shui Yunxia and Yang Teng.
Her mind was sharp; she naturally understood that Shui Yunxia hadn't come by so late just to check on Yang Teng. She must have something important to discuss.
Shui Yunxia entered the room and gently closed the door behind her.
She first looked Yang Teng over. Seeing his ruddy complexion and steady breathing, so unlike his drained, deathly pale state after the afternoon's battle, she couldn't help but marvel again. Gu Yuena's seemingly simple treatment had produced an almost unbelievable result.
"You seem to have recovered quite well."
Shui Yunxia walked over to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down, her tone concerned.
"That battle this afternoon took a heavy toll. If you feel unwell at all, the Academy has the best healing-type Soul Masters."
"Thanks for your concern, Dean. With Xiao Na around, she's more useful than any healing-type Soul Master."
Yang Teng grinned as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "You didn't come all this way so late just to check on me, did you, Dean? Whatever it is, just say so."
Shui Yunxia gathered her thoughts. Her smile faded, and her expression turned serious.
"Yang Teng, since you've defeated Bing'er and Xue Wu, then according to our agreement, you're now a specially admitted student of Skywater Academy."
After confirming this first, she shifted to the matter at hand.
"However, the Academy is facing a thorny problem right now. We need your help and Gu Yuena's."
Yang Teng looked Shui Yunxia straight in the eyes, wearing an intensely serious expression.
Shui Yunxia felt a little uncomfortable under his stare.
"Our Skywater Academy is located within the Balak Kingdom. There's another academy in the capital called Balaque Academy."
Shui Yunxia's tone grew heavy.
"That academy has powerful backing, including direct support from a royal prince, and considerable influence. For years, they've been looking for a chance to swallow up Skywater Academy and bring our unique ice-and-water attribute teaching system and excellent students under their banner."
"In the past, they still cared about appearances and the rules of the Soul Master World, so they didn't go too far. But the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is about to begin, in less than a month."
"Balaque Academy probably feels time is running short. Their desire to absorb us has grown more urgent, and they've begun using harsher methods."
A flash of anger and helplessness crossed Shui Yunxia's beautiful face.
"Under the guise of consolidating the Kingdom's Soul Master education resources and concentrating our strength for the tournament, they've repeatedly put pressure on us. Just this afternoon, not long after your match, people from Balaque Academy came to our door again and proposed a solution."
She looked at Yang Teng and spoke each word distinctly.
"They're demanding a seven-on-seven team battle against Skywater Academy. If we lose, we must voluntarily merge into Balaque Academy and become one of its subordinate branches."
The air in the room seemed to grow heavier.
"To be honest, I'd already been considering this. I've been hesitating over whether to accept."
Shui Yunxia spoke candidly. "In the Soul Master World, strength rules. Skywater doesn't have much chance of winning!"
Her gaze sharpened as she fixed her eyes on Yang Teng.
"But things are different now. We have Gu Yuena and you."
"Gu Yuena is a Soul King, and her true combat strength is probably far beyond that of an ordinary Soul King. And you..."
Shui Yunxia paused.
"With the power of a Soul Elder, you can defeat Bing'er and Xue Wu's Martial Soul Fusion Skill head-on. I now have at least a ten-out-of-ten chance of winning this team battle that will decide the Academy's fate!"
Yang Teng listened quietly to the end. "Dean, from what you just said, does that mean I'm officially a member of Skywater Academy now? The paperwork and everything's all settled?"
Shui Yunxia froze, surprised he would ask that, then nodded firmly.
"Of course. Rules are dead, but people are alive. Talents like you and Gu Yuena are exactly what Skywater Academy could hope for."
After getting a definite answer, Yang Teng smiled with satisfaction.
"Since you think so highly of me, Dean, and acknowledge that I'm now part of the Academy..."
Yang Teng's voice rang out, clear and strong.
"Then, when it comes to Skywater Academy's honor and survival, I, Yang Teng, will give it everything I've got."
A flicker of excitement shone in his eyes.
"Balaque Academy? They want to swallow us up? Then we'll make sure they find out what happens when you kick an iron plate on the team battle stage!"
Seeing the fighting spirit ignite in Yang Teng's eyes, Shui Yunxia rose and held out her hand solemnly.
"Good! Skywater Academy welcomes its first male student."
Yang Teng reached out and clasped her hand firmly.
"Don't worry, Dean."
He smiled, his tone easy but brimming with confidence.
"With Xiao Na and me here, we'll make sure they crawl back with their tails between their legs!"
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