Reunion

"What's going on? Before the break, Yu'er told me she was going to find a teacher from the Martial Soul Department to help her obtain her second soul ring. It's been a month, so why hasn't she returned yet?" Wang Dong'er asked Lin Shuo with an anxious look on her face.

Lin Shuo shook his head. "Don't worry. After the break started, Yu'er stayed with me for a while before telling me she wanted to head to the Far North to obtain her soul ring. The Far North is so far away that a slight delay is perfectly normal."

"Besides, she has a teacher accompanying her, so there's no need to worry."

"Fine, I suppose I can rest easy then. But be honest, what did you two get up to behind my back?" Wang Dong'er let out a sigh of relief, patted her slightly heaving chest, and asked with curiosity.

"Nothing at all. Let's go, it's time to eat." Lin Shuo stood up and walked toward the door.

Wang Dong'er paused for a moment. "But, Yu'er, she..."

"People are like iron, food is like steel; worrying here won't help. Besides—" Lin Shuo looked back, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly, "Yu'er is already back. She's right outside the dormitory."

Lin Shuo had sensed Huo Yu'er outside the dormitory with his spiritual power just a moment ago, but seeing Wang Dong'er's expression, he found it amusing and decided to tease her.

Wang Dong'er was just about to ask how he knew, when she saw Lin Shuo wave his hand. In the blink of an eye, they were standing outside the dormitory door.

Seeing Huo Yu'er standing there, Wang Dong'er excitedly hugged her. "Yu'er, you scared me to death! I thought you weren't coming back."

Huo Yu'er hugged Wang Dong'er back with a faint smile, then poked her head out to look gently at Lin Shuo. "Big Brother Lin, I'm back."

Lin Shuo nodded and sensed Huo Yu'er's aura. She had gained a great deal during this vacation; not only had she acquired the Water Dragon King as her second martial soul, but she had also absorbed a 60,000-Year Ice Dragon Torso Bone and a thousand-year soul ring. She was now a level 25 Great Soul Master.

After holding Huo Yu'er for a few seconds, Wang Dong'er let go, stepped back half a pace, and scanned her up and down with her powder-blue eyes. "Yu'er, you've changed so much," she said with some surprise.

Not only had Huo Yu'er grown taller, but her figure was no longer as thin and frail as before. Her long, deep-blue hair made her features appear even more delicate and soft. However, what truly surprised Wang Dong'er was the change in Huo Yu'er's temperament. Her once timid and cautious gaze had become calm and resolute, and while her bright Spirit Eye occasionally flashed with a hint of purple, it now held a bottomless depth of power.

She stood there quietly, and the surrounding air unconsciously took on a hint of chill. She seemed like a newly unsheathed sword; though still hidden in its scabbard, it already faintly revealed its edge.

Huo Yu'er felt a bit embarrassed under Wang Dong'er's gaze and smiled, pursing her lips. "I had a bit of an adventure during the break and awakened my second martial soul. My soul power also increased by a few levels."

"What do you mean—" Wang Dong'er was about to exclaim in surprise, but Lin Shuo, who had been prepared, covered her mouth and whispered in her ear, "Alright, don't talk about it outside the dormitory building. There are people around."

Hearing this, Wang Dong'er immediately fell silent and gave Lin Shuo a look to show she understood.

Lin Shuo let go. "Let's go. We'll head outside the academy and let Yu'er grill some fish. We can talk while we eat."

The three of them strolled through Shrek Academy as the setting sun burned the horizon into a gentle orange-red. In the distance, the surface of Sea God Lake shimmered with fragments of gold.

Wang Dong'er walked in front, arm-in-arm with Huo Yu'er, showing off her third soul skill. Occasionally, she would turn her head to look at Lin Shuo, who was walking behind them.

Lin Shuo followed at a leisurely pace, his hands in his pockets, his gaze occasionally falling on the two girls before shifting toward the setting sun as it prepared to sink below the horizon.

The three of them exited the East City Gate and walked along the familiar street. When they reached their usual spot for grilling fish, Huo Yu'er began to prepare the grass carp she had just bought, her movements skillful and efficient. Wang Dong'er and Lin Shuo sat to the side and set up the firewood.

Wang Dong'er watched eagerly as Huo Yu'er placed the skewered fish over the fire. Before long, the fish skin began to sizzle, and a rich aroma drifted away on the breeze.

"Alright, alright, now you can tell me!" Wang Dong'er sat cross-legged on the grass, resting her chin in her hands, her powder-blue eyes sparkling in the firelight. "Yu'er, what kind of adventure did you have? What is your second martial soul?"

Huo Yu'er turned the grilled fish in her hands, the firelight dancing across her delicate face. She slowly recited the explanation she had discussed with Lin Shuo: "After the break started, Big Brother Lin and I left the academy. Originally, Big Brother Lin wanted to help me obtain my second soul ring."

"But on the way, I felt a strong attraction from Big Brother Lin's martial soul. I didn't know the reason at the time. When I woke up the next day, my second martial soul had awakened."

"That's it?"

"Yes, that's it."

Wang Dong'er stared at the two of them, stunned. What did she mean, she just woke up and her second martial soul was awakened?

On the Douluo Continent, no one had ever heard of a second martial soul awakening post-birth, let alone one that happened so casually.

"Big Brother Lin speculated that I might have been born with twin martial souls, but it didn't awaken successfully due to malnutrition in my early childhood. After my body recovered this year, I sensed the aura of Big Brother Lin's Seven-Colored Dragon King martial soul, which triggered the awakening," Huo Yu'er explained, seeing Wang Dong'er's confusion.

"Why would it be triggered by sensing Lin Shuo's aura?" Wang Dong'er's confusion only deepened after hearing this.

"Because my second martial soul is called the Water Dragon King."

Wang Dong'er had a sudden realization. Lin Shuo's martial soul was called the Seven-Colored Dragon King—though she had never heard of it, the name alone made its power clear. Furthermore, she knew Lin Shuo could manipulate the seven elements, and this Water Dragon King sounded like it might be weaker than his.

"So it must have been drawn out by sensing the aura of a superior martial soul," Wang Dong'er said, looking as if she understood everything.

Huo Yu'er nodded gently. Before this, she only knew Big Brother Lin's martial soul was powerful, but she had no concept of just how powerful.

It wasn't until she obtained her second martial soul that she felt the bloodline pressure radiating from him. She knew that according to Tian Meng, her second martial soul was even stronger than the Snow Empress and Ice Empress among the Ten Great Beast Kings, yet she still felt an urge to kneel and submit to Big Brother Lin on the spot.

She knew that when she was in the Far North obtaining her second soul ring, many low-level soul beasts had fled in terror just by sensing her aura.

She took a peek at Lin Shuo's handsome face while he was busy taking a bite of the grilled fish.

Wang Dong'er took a large bite of her fish and mumbled, "Then what happened later? What did you do after your Water Dragon King martial soul awakened? Lin Shuo said you went to the Far North?"

"After that, I went to obtain my second soul ring," Huo Yu'er said softly, putting away the last bamboo skewer. "Big Brother Lin's sister took me there. The process went very smoothly, and my soul power increased quite a bit."