Xu Sanshi had seen plenty of Soul Beasts. He had even faced a thousand-year Soul Beast alone during an Outer Court Soul Hunting lesson. But he had never felt this kind of fear—the kind that came from the deepest part of his bloodline, the instinctive trembling every creature felt when confronted with a higher existence. His legs shook uncontrollably in the ice. It wasn't because he was cold, but because he was afraid.
"Senior Xu Sanshi."
Lin Shuo walked slowly over to the stall, with Wang Dong'er close behind. When she saw Xu Sanshi frozen in place from the knees down, unable to move, the corners of her mouth lifted.
"You're a fifth-year Outer Court senior, and you're stealing a new student's grilled fish right out on the street." Lin Shuo's tone was calm, as if he were stating some trivial fact. "Don't you think that's embarrassing?"
The students watching nearby burst into laughter. Jiang Nannan frowned and turned away without a word. Jiang Nannan was the Outer Court's campus beauty, and Xu Sanshi was pursuing her. Since Jiang Nannan had thought the grilled fish was too expensive and hadn't bought any, Xu Sanshi had charged in to defend the beauty.
Xu Sanshi's face turned the color of pig liver. He wanted to argue, but couldn't get a word out. Lin Shuo was telling the truth, and with his legs frozen so he couldn't move, he was making a complete fool of himself.
"Xu Sanshi, how dare you bully my people?" Tang Ya said, sending a fleck of golden light toward him. Xu Sanshi's body shuddered violently. He glared at Tang Ya through clenched teeth. "You—!"
"Xu Sanshi, you bullied my junior sister. We can't just let this go." A warm, familiar voice sounded from the crowd. Bei Bei parted the onlookers and walked over. His gaze lingered for a moment on the ice around Xu Sanshi's legs. Surprise flickered in his eyes as he looked at Lin Shuo, then his usual gentle expression returned.
"Xu Sanshi, you bullied my junior sister, and you were even beaten by a new student. If word gets back to the academy, do you think you'll still be able to show your face in the Outer Court?"
Xu Sanshi's face turned bright red. Being subdued on the spot by Lin Shuo was embarrassing enough. Being criticized in public by Bei Bei—his fellow Outer Court Twin Star—was even more humiliating than having his legs frozen.
"Senior Xu Sanshi, I heard your Martial Soul is the Mystic Turtle. Hand over a Mystic Water Pill, and I'll unfreeze you."
Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth. He wanted to stand his ground, but no matter how much Soul Power he used, he couldn't break the ice around his legs. And the Dragon Whisker Needle still hurt so much that cold sweat ran down his face.
His hand trembled as he reached into his Storage Soul Tool and pulled out a pill patterned with white lines and wreathed in water vapor. Gritting his teeth, he held it out.
Lin Shuo took the pill, glanced at it, and withdrew his Soul Power. Then he handed it to Huo Yu'er.
"Big Brother Lin, this is too precious—" Huo Yu'er held the jade box, looking at him helplessly.
"Just take it. It's no use to me. Ask her how to use it." Lin Shuo pointed at Wang Dong'er.
"That's a Mystic Water Pill! I want one too!" Wang Dong'er didn't refuse, but she still shouted at Lin Shuo.
"You've got Innate Full Soul Power. This won't do you much good. Senior Tang, Senior Bei, let's go." Lin Shuo waved a hand, making no effort to acknowledge Xu Sanshi.
"That person is your junior sister?" Xu Sanshi wasn't stupid. This new student had frozen him the moment she stepped in, and he clearly couldn't break free. She was obviously not someone to mess with. He'd be better off settling things with Bei Bei in a Soul Fighting match.
Bei Bei nodded without expression.
"Hmph, so what? Come on, let's go to the Soul Fighting Arena and settle this."
The two headed toward the Soul Fighting Arena, one after the other. The students watching followed along. Those two Outer Court Twin Stars often fought there.
Lin Shuo took Huo Yu'er and Wang Dong'er back to the dormitory building. Before they left, he gave the two remaining grilled fish to Wang Dong'er and Tang Ya. Tang Ya went straight to the Soul Fighting Arena with Bei Bei to watch the match. Before she left, Lin Shuo learned why Huo Yu'er had gone out to grill fish, so he told Tang Ya that Huo Yu'er wouldn't need to sell grilled fish outside the academy anymore.
"Yu'er, your grilled fish was so delicious! You have to make me some next time," Wang Dong'er said, her mouth full.
They reached the dormitory building.
"Yu'er." Lin Shuo stopped at the entrance and turned around. "When you get back, take the Mystic Water Pill. Dong'er, help her through it."
"Got it." Wang Dong'er linked arms with Huo Yu'er and waved at Lin Shuo. "Leave her to me. I'll make sure she refines the pill safely."
Lin Shuo nodded and was about to turn back toward his dorm when he suddenly remembered that his Storage Soul Tool still held some of the good things Teacher Nana had given him. He rummaged through it.
"These are two Soul Ascension Pills. Yu'er, take one a few days after you've finished with the Mystic Water Pill. A Soul Ascension Pill can directly increase your Soul Power by about as much as going from level thirty to level thirty-one. They're useless to me now. You two can have one each."
Huo Yu'er took the pill, a thin sheen of moisture rising in her blue eyes. She wanted to say something, but it felt as though something had caught in her throat. She had never heard of the Mystic Water Pill or the Soul Ascension Pill, but she could tell from everyone's reactions that each one was worth a fortune. Yet Big Brother Lin had handed them to her just like that.
"Big Brother Lin..." Her voice trembled slightly. In the end, all she could manage was, "I'll work hard."
Wang Dong'er took her pill and weighed it in her hand, smiling with satisfaction. "Now that's more like it. But I'm not taking things from you for nothing. I'll give you a surprise next time."
Lin Shuo chuckled softly without answering, then turned and walked into the dormitory building.
Three months passed in the blink of an eye, filled with day after day of cultivation.
Lin Shuo sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes half-closed, a faint seven-colored glow surrounding him. He wasn't releasing the light deliberately; it was the aura naturally leaking from his Soul Power as it circulated within him, like a sleeping dragon breathing. Each breath sent a faint tremor through the air in the room.
His consciousness sank into his body, where he could clearly feel Soul Power surging through his meridians. Three months ago, he had been at the peak of level thirty-five. After countless days and nights of diligent cultivation, his bottleneck had begun to loosen. As the final thread of Soul Power flowed into his dantian, a warm force surged out and coursed through his meridians to every part of his body. He shuddered faintly. The seven-colored glow around him suddenly brightened, then slowly withdrew back into his body.
Level thirty-seven. Lin Shuo opened his eyes. A flash of seven-colored light passed through his pure-black pupils and vanished in an instant.
He got out of bed, washed up, and opened the door to Dormitory 108. Morning light poured through the window at the end of the corridor, turning the stone floor golden. Today was the day the new student assessment results would be announced. Wang Dong'er and Huo Yu'er had mentioned it a few days earlier.
In just three months, everyone's Soul Power had increased. Huo Yu'er had gone from level eleven to level eighteen, while Wang Dong'er had reached level twenty-four.