After seeing Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan off, Mo Li returned to his room and meditated and cultivated as he usually did.
Half a month earlier.
He had already felt his spiritual power brimming when he obtained his second Soul Ring. He only needed the right opportunity to advance further.
As for the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Art, although he had never stopped practicing it over the past two and a half years, he still hadn't found a clue to reaching the second level.
Mo Li couldn't help feeling helpless about it.
He could only vaguely sense that he was missing some kind of catalyst, so he continued to practice quietly and let things take their course.
Time passed, and evening came.
The sunset glow lingered, and mist rose among the trees. By the time the birds and beasts had returned to their nests, Mo Li was still sitting quietly on the grass.
His eyes were lightly closed, his breathing steady, as he contemplated the mysteries of Soul Power's circulation.
Just then, a soft hand gently patted his head. Mo Li immediately opened his eyes. "Sister Erlong?"
"Mm."
A clear, familiar voice sounded above him, and the gentle hand withdrew.
Mo Li stood and moved to Liu Erlong's side, turning to look at her.
Liu Erlong's dark hair still fell loose around her shoulders. The sunset illuminated her delicate face, casting a golden glow over it. Her expression was distant and wistful as she gazed toward the setting sun.
"It's almost dark. Aren't you going back inside?"
"I was waiting for you, Sister Erlong," Mo Li replied.
Liu Erlong glanced at him and smiled faintly. "Why wait for me? Is there something important you need to tell me?"
"Nothing important. Aren't you curious about what I talked about with them today, Sister Erlong?"
Mo Li shook his head and looked at Liu Erlong's calm profile.
"That's your private business. You don't have to report everything to me."
Liu Erlong's voice seemed to soften.
"Then, Sister Erlong, were you unhappy that they came today?"
Liu Erlong's expression turned a little strange. She turned and tapped Mo Li on the head. "What are you thinking? You made friends. Why would I be unhappy about that?"
Mo Li remembered what they had said to each other in the Sunset Forest. It seemed Liu Erlong hadn't taken Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling's visit to heart.
And considering how Liu Erlong had acted today, she had been impeccable.
Yet Mo Li still felt that something was off with her mood—just now, and when she left at noon, too. The look she'd given him...
He couldn't quite make sense of it.
Seeing Mo Li staring blankly, Liu Erlong tapped his head again. "What are you daydreaming about? Did you beat that Dugu Yan today?"
"Mm." Mo Li nodded.
Dugu Yan had twenty-eight ranks of Soul Power. That level didn't surprise him. At least before she reached rank thirty, she only needed to resolve the poison from her Jade Phosphor Snake Spirit.
If she were allowed to obtain her Third Soul Ring, the Jade Phosphor Snake's poison would grow even stronger, and she'd have to suffer through a lot more.
"I heard you beat her decisively."
Mo Li glanced at Liu Erlong in surprise. She was looking back at him with an amused smile.
Mo Li gave an awkward laugh. "Sister Erlong, didn't you say you didn't want to hear about it?"
"Right, I didn't ask you. I ran into Jiang Zhu on the way and asked her."
At that, Mo Li suddenly recalled the awkward scene after he'd beaten Dugu Yan that morning. His face turned a little red.
Since Liu Erlong had run into Jiang Zhu and asked about what happened, and Jiang Zhu was so innocent, she must have told her every last detail.
Mo Li cleared his throat. "Of course I beat her decisively. Bringing glory to the academy is our duty."
"I like the sound of that." Liu Erlong smiled.
Then she started toward the place where she and Mo Li often sparred. "Come along."
Mo Li was wondering what Liu Erlong was up to when her clear voice drifted back to him.
"Sister Erlong, why are we here? Are you going to spar with me?" Mo Li glanced at the darkening sky.
"It's getting late, isn't it? How about we do this tomorrow?"
Liu Erlong shook her head. Her clear voice carried a trace of emotion that was difficult to detect. "We haven't sparred today, have we? Let's make the most of the time."
Mo Li reluctantly nodded.
Though he didn't know why Liu Erlong had chosen this time to spar, he immediately focused and prepared for the fight.
Unlike his spar with Dugu Yan that afternoon, Liu Erlong—even with her strength suppressed—put far more pressure on him than Dugu Yan ever could.
So, in the long and hard-fought battle, Mo Li naturally didn't dare let his guard down for even a moment.
The light grew dimmer and dimmer. At one point, Mo Li lightly stamped his foot and launched an attack on Liu Erlong.
"Sister Erlong, that's cheating!"
His shout was followed by a splash as he hit the water.
Only Liu Erlong remained on the shore. One of her arms, covered in red scales, slowly transformed back into a normal arm.
By the time she strode to the wooden cabin, Mo Li had just climbed out of the lake, soaked from head to toe and looking thoroughly disgruntled. He muttered, "Sister Erlong, you broke your promise. You even used Dragon Transformation..."
Liu Erlong heard him but paid him no mind. "Did you wash up?"
Mo Li petulantly ignored her. Liu Erlong didn't seem to mind. She pointed to a wooden basin. "Put your wet clothes there. I prepared a new set for you in your room."
"You think one new outfit is enough to make me forgive you, Sister Erlong? Hmph," Mo Li said petulantly again.
Liu Erlong didn't reply. She turned and went into her room, but the slight curve of her red lips as she turned away gave away her mood.
After Liu Erlong went inside, Mo Li thought for a moment, then turned and went back into the lake. Since he was already soaked, he might as well wash up properly.
When he returned to his room, a set of brand-new clothes lay on the bed, with a bracelet beside them.
The bracelet was red all over, with golden patterns woven through it. It looked like jade, but wasn't, and he couldn't tell what kind of metal it was made from.
After washing up, Mo Li looked at the bracelet. He picked it up, infused it with Soul Power, and focused his thoughts. An object appeared in his hand.
He looked closely. It was a pouch of Gold Soul Coins. He didn't bother counting how many there were before putting them away again, his face bright with delight.
This was clearly a storage Soul Tool.
Mo Li happily knocked on Liu Erlong's door.
"What is it?" Her clear voice came from beside the window.
Mo Li smiled as he answered, "Sister Erlong, what's the occasion? Why are you giving me something so nice?"
"No occasion. I've been meaning to give it to you for a while. I'm glad you like it."
"I do." Mo Li touched the bracelet on his wrist. After spending so much time with Liu Erlong, he naturally recognized it as the one she usually wore.
Of course, she might have had an identical pair, but Mo Li was filled with happiness all the same.
"Mm. Go back to your room and get some rest," Liu Erlong's voice came again.
"Okay."
Inside the room, Liu Erlong looked out the window. Seeing Mo Li return to his room, content, she chuckled.
"Li'er is so easy to cheer up."