Confession

Three months of time slipped away in the blink of an eye amidst the day-to-day cultivation.

Lin Shuo's soul power broke through from level 41 to the peak of level 42. Wang Dong'er was only one step away from level 30, and Huo Yu'er had also successfully broken through to level 20.

After eleven months of study, all three of them had undergone a complete transformation. Their relationship had also grown increasingly close through their time spent together.

By the shores of Sea God Lake, the three walked slowly along the path.

Today was the first day of vacation, and the teaching buildings of the Shrek Academy outer courtyard were already empty.

Wang Dong'er kicked a small pebble at her feet, her tone feigning nonchalance. "Alright, you two don't need to see me off anymore. It's only a month anyway; we'll see each other again when school starts."

However, there was not a hint of ease in her powder-blue eyes. After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly looked up, pointed a finger at Lin Shuo, and put on a fierce expression. "While I'm gone this month, you are not allowed to go out and flirt with other girls. Otherwise, or else..."

Lin Shuo raised an eyebrow, looking at the girl with long powder-blue hair in front of him. It had been nearly a year since enrollment, and Wang Dong'er's hair had grown much longer from the short style she wore when disguised as a boy. It was now tied into a ponytail at the back of her head, with a few stray strands blown loose by the lake breeze, clinging to her slightly flushed cheeks.

"Flirt with other girls?" Lin Shuo crossed his arms over his chest, his lips curling into a half-smile. "I've been at the academy for eleven months; when have you ever seen me flirt with anyone else?"

Wang Dong'er was choked by his words. Her finger paused in mid-air before she quickly scrambled to recover. "Th-that's because this young lady and Yu'er have been keeping an eye on you! What if you let yourself run wild while I'm gone?"

Huo Yu'er stood to the side, watching the two of them go back and forth. A faint smile curved her lips, her deep blue eyes reflecting the shimmering light of the lake as well as the two figures bickering. She didn't interrupt, simply standing there quietly, enjoying this fleeting moment of daily life.

"Remember to miss me. And you two, watch me leave," Wang Dong'er said, somewhat reluctantly, after their bickering ended.

With that, she quickened her pace and walked toward the school gate without looking back. Her powder-blue ponytail swayed in the morning light, gradually disappearing at the end of the tree-lined path.

Where she could no longer be seen, the corners of her eyes turned slightly red.

Huo Yu'er stood where she was, watching Wang Dong'er's receding back, the morning light and the fragmented shadows of the lake reflected in her deep blue eyes.

"Big Brother Lin," she said softly, "I..."

Lin Shuo withdrew his gaze and stared into Huo Yu'er's deep blue eyes. "Yu'er, what about you? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Huo Yu'er was silent for a moment before saying softly, "Big Brother Lin, you saw it when I absorbed my first soul ring, didn't you?"

The lake breeze blew in from the water, lifting the stray hairs on her forehead and revealing eyes that were gradually misting over.

Her voice was very soft, so soft it was almost scattered by the wind, but every word fell clearly into Lin Shuo's ears.

Lin Shuo did not answer immediately. He looked at the blue-haired girl before him; after nearly a year of being together since enrollment, she was no longer the timid little girl from outside the Star Dou Great Forest who would blush just from speaking.

"That big ice silkworm told you?"

Huo Yu'er nodded gently. "Big Brother Lin," she paused, her voice tinged with a hint of caution, "are you... not angry? I hid it from you for so long."

"There's nothing to be angry about." Lin Shuo withdrew his gaze, his tone indifferent. "Everyone has their own secrets. The fact that you are willing to tell me shows that you trust me. That is enough."

Huo Yu'er's eyes turned slightly red, but she blinked hard, not letting the tears fall.

"Big Brother Lin, actually..." She took a deep breath, as if organizing her words. "That big ice silkworm, her name is Sky Dream Iceworm. She isn't an ordinary soul beast; she says she is a million-year soul beast, the Sky Dream Iceworm. She had been sleeping in the Star Dou Great Forest, and after waking up, she found me to survive her tribulation, saying I could become her host."

Having said this, Huo Yu'er glanced cautiously at Lin Shuo and continued.

"She voluntarily sacrificed herself to me and became my wisdom soul ring. She lives in my spiritual sea; she said she sealed her own soul power and spiritual power, and will slowly unlock them as my cultivation increases."

Lin Shuo nodded slightly, showing an expression of surprise on his face.

Huo Yu'er lowered her head, her voice dropping a little. "I'm sorry, Big Brother Lin, I didn't mean to lie to you. Sister Tian Meng said this couldn't be told to anyone, or it would bring a fatal disaster. So I..."

"I said, there is no need to apologize." Lin Shuo raised his hand and flicked her forehead lightly, the force so gentle it was almost imperceptible. "A wisdom soul ring from a million-year soul beast is indeed a tremendous stroke of fortune. Being cautious is the right thing to do."

Huo Yu'er covered her forehead, her deep blue eyes shimmering with moisture, but that moisture held more gratitude than anything else.

Huo Yu'er wanted to say something more, but a fluctuation suddenly came from her spiritual sea.

As soon as Sky Dream Iceworm appeared, her gaze drifted involuntarily toward Lin Shuo.

She wanted to bow, but remembering Lin Shuo's order to hide his identity, she feigned a mature tone. "Ahem, you are the Big Brother Lin that Yu'er mentioned?"

"I am Tian Meng, a million-year soul beast, the Sky Dream Iceworm. Yu'er is my host now."

Lin Shuo's mouth twitched slightly.

Huo Yu'er scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Big Brother Lin, Sister Tian Meng just has this kind of personality; she doesn't actually mean any harm."

"I can tell." Lin Shuo withdrew his gaze, his tone flat.

Huo Yu'er looked at Lin Shuo and Tian Meng, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Big Brother Lin, actually there is one more thing."

"Go ahead."

"Sister Tian Meng sacrificed herself to me and gave me a blank ice-attribute martial soul. So we are planning to go to the Far North to try our luck and obtain a second martial soul."

Lin Shuo looked at Huo Yu'er and said slowly, "Although the Far North has the Three Great Heavenly Kings, there is a place where you can obtain an ice-attribute martial soul even more powerful than them."

Huo Yu'er was stunned, a flash of confusion crossing her deep blue eyes.

"Sister Tian Meng said..."

"I know what she said," Lin Shuo interrupted her, his tone calm yet certain. "What she wants to bestow upon you is nothing more than the Ice Empress or the Titan Snow Demon King."

"But in one place, you can obtain an even more powerful martial soul."

Huo Yu'er blinked, looking as if she half-understood.

She had never heard of these things, but she knew that Big Brother Lin would never harm her.

Sky Dream Iceworm wanted to say something, but held her tongue. The Lord must have his reasons for saying so.

"I know a little bit about the history of the Dragon Clan." Lin Shuo paused, then continued, "The Dragon God, the strongest of the Dragon Clan, once bestowed elemental talents upon the nine most gifted dragon tribes within his kin. After the Water Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King fell, they formed the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well on the Douluo Continent."