School Starts

Star Dou Great Forest, core area.

The morning mist rose from the surface of the Lake of Life, dyed into a pale golden veil by the rising sun.

Lin Shuo sat cross-legged by the lake, eyes slightly closed, a seven-colored halo slowly circulating around his body.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion lay at his feet, its tail sweeping across the grass in a rhythmic, idle motion. Its amber vertical pupils were half-lidded, enjoying the rare tranquility of the early morning.

Today was the final day of the break. During these days back in the Star Dou Great Forest, Lin Shuo had not deliberately pushed himself in hard cultivation, choosing instead to spend most of his time accompanying Gu Yuena and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.

The days passed in a plain and peaceful manner, much like a traveler returning home from afar, greedily soaking up the warmth of home.

Yet, cultivation had never truly ceased.

The halo formed by the Star Luo Spirit Pearl grew increasingly solid within his chest, like a dormant seed quietly waiting for the day it would break through the soil.

Lin Shuo could feel that whenever he circulated his soul power, the halo would tremble slightly with his breathing, drawing the surrounding heaven and earth energy into his meridians at a faster pace.

That evening, Lin Shuo opened his eyes from his meditation to see Gu Yuena standing not far away.

The sunset's afterglow slanted through the branches of the ancient trees, gilding her plain white dress with a pale golden edge, her long silver hair drifting gently in the evening breeze.

"Nana," Lin Shuo stood up.

Gu Yuena walked slowly to his side, her purple eyes falling quietly upon his face.

Her cold, ethereal features betrayed little emotion, but Lin Shuo knew her too well; he could tell at a glance that she had something on her mind.

"Leaving today?" she asked, her voice as cool as ever, yet Lin Shuo caught the subtle difference within it.

"Yes," Lin Shuo nodded.

Gu Yuena did not respond, merely lowering her gaze slightly. The sunset cast a shallow shadow of her eyelashes onto her cheeks. Even after two departures, she still could not adapt to Lin Shuo leaving.

Every time he left, the independent space would revert to that cold world where she was the only one. The scars left by the Asura God still throbbed faintly in her chest, but what pained her more than the wounds was the silence of being alone.

In the days without Lin Shuo, she had grown accustomed to being solitary.

But in the twelve years of being with him, she had grown accustomed to the days when Lin Shuo was by her side. She had watched him grow from an infant in swaddling clothes into the handsome youth he was now; she had also watched him take the burdens that belonged to her and shoulder them on his young shoulders without a word.

"Nana." Lin Shuo's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Gu Yuena raised her eyes, meeting Lin Shuo's pure black gaze. Those eyes reflected the golden light of the sunset, and they reflected her own figure. Then, Lin Shuo reached out and pulled her into a firm embrace.

"If you miss me, use the Reverse Scale to call me. No matter where I am, I will return immediately."

"I am always here."

Gu Yuena's body stiffened slightly, then slowly relaxed.

She simply felt the warmth of the embrace in silence. Her silver hair slipped from her shoulder, intertwining with Lin Shuo's short, dark hair.

After a long while, she raised her hand and gently brushed Lin Shuo's cheek.

"Go," her voice was very soft, so light it was almost scattered by the evening breeze, "I will always be here waiting for you."

After saying those words, Gu Yuena did not speak again. She simply stood where she was, her purple eyes reflecting Lin Shuo's figure, as if she wanted to deeply imprint this image into the depths of her memory.

However, Lin Shuo did not let go.

"Nana." He rested his chin lightly on Gu Yuena's shoulder, his voice dropping a few degrees lower than usual, carrying a sense of relaxation he only ever revealed in front of her, "Today is the last day of the break."

"And it's almost dark."

"So?" Gu Yuena's eyebrows arched ever so slightly.

"So I don't plan on leaving tonight. If I set off early tomorrow morning, I'll still be able to make it back to the academy in time."

Lin Shuo finally released her, stepped back half a pace, and looked at her earnestly with his pure black eyes, "It's the last day; I can't just leave you here alone."

Gu Yuena opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately, she didn't.

"...As you wish." She turned around, her silver hair tracing an arc in front of Lin Shuo, shielding her slightly averted face.

The corners of Lin Shuo's mouth lifted slightly.

The surface of the Lake of Life reflected the starry sky above. Those stars were much brighter than those seen in the human world, densely carpeting the entire firmament. Lin Shuo and Gu Yuena leaned side by side against a large tree by the lake. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion curled up on Lin Shuo's other side, its tail twitching occasionally in its sleep.

The first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the canopy of ancient trees, casting dappled golden light onto the surface of the Lake of Life. The mist had not yet dispersed, and a faint vapor steamed off the lake.

Lin Shuo opened his eyes to find his head resting on Gu Yuena's shoulder at some point during the night. Her silver hair brushed against his cheek, carrying a faint, cool fragrance.

He straightened up and saw that Gu Yuena was still in the same position as last night, her purple eyes quietly watching the lake, unsure if she had been awake all night or had just stirred.

"Good morning, Nana." Lin Shuo's voice was raspy from sleep.

"Morning." Gu Yuena turned her head slightly, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, "Is it time to go?"

"Yes." Lin Shuo stood up and stretched his slightly stiff shoulders. In the distance, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion approached, rubbing its head against his leg, its amber vertical pupils filled with reluctance.

"Be good, I'll bring you something delicious next time I come back." Lin Shuo crouched down and rubbed its ears. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion let out a low whimper but eventually let go of his leg.

Lin Shuo stood up and looked at Gu Yuena.

In the morning light, her silver hair was like a waterfall, her purple eyes like water, and her plain white dress drifted gently in the lake breeze. Her cold, ethereal features betrayed little emotion.

Lin Shuo gave her a firm hug.

"I'm leaving, Nana."

"Once everything is over, let's go live in the human world for a while together. Not as the Silver Dragon King, and not as the Lord of Soul Beasts. Just as Lin Shuo and Gu Yuena, to go and see the world outside the Star Dou Great Forest."

After Lin Shuo finished speaking, he did not wait for Gu Yuena to respond, instead using the power of space to depart directly from the Lake of Life.

The shores of the Lake of Life returned to silence. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion lay to one side, its tail sweeping listlessly a couple of times. Gu Yuena reached out her hand, gently stroking its golden fur, though her gaze remained fixed on the direction where Lin Shuo had vanished.

"He will be back soon," she said softly, unsure if she was comforting the Auspicious Beast or herself.

The morning sunlight pierced through the branches and leaves, spilling onto her long silver hair and casting a faint golden halo. On that cold and ethereal face, the corners of her lips curved into an extremely faint arc, one that no one else could possibly perceive.