Wang Dong'er Gets a Fever

The commotion finally subsided.

The group dispersed one after another.

Tang Ya was still giving Bei Bei the cold shoulder, but before leaving, she and Bei Bei agreed to meet Su Ling the day after tomorrow to head to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion together.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong followed Su Ling, one on each side, all the way back to the Freshman Dormitory.

"Big Brother Su Ling, I'm going back to cultivate now. We have class tomorrow, and Teacher Zhou seems a bit dissatisfied with your absence today. Remember to get some rest early..."

Closing the dormitory door.

Wang Dong walked to the bed and flopped straight down.

"We've been out for so long, I'm exhausted."

Seeing this, Su Ling hauled her up by the arm. "Go take a shower; look at how sweaty you are. And besides, you're lying on my bed."

Wang Dong had been skipping and jumping with joy the entire way back, as if she had eaten honey, leaving her covered in sweat.

"Oh, oh, I forgot you were back."

Su Ling paused, only then noticing the wrinkles on the quilt and sheets of his bed.

"Wait, you slept on my bed last night?"

"Hehe, you weren't here, and my bed is so small and hard. I was afraid I'd roll off if I turned over..."

Wang Dong chuckled, lowering her head to avoid Su Ling's gaze, shyly twisting the hem of her shirt.

"Fine, fine, just go take a shower. You smell like sweat."

Seeing the look of disgust on Su Ling's face, Wang Dong skeptically grabbed her collar and took a sniff.

"There's no sweat smell! You must have smelled wrong!"

Wang Dong's almond-shaped eyes widened. Although she had broken a sweat, there was no foul odor, only the faint scent of cherry blossoms from the body wash Su Ling had bought.

Any unpleasant odor was essentially caused by bacteria, but since a Soul Master's body was constantly cleansed and sterilized by Soul Power, it was naturally impossible for her to smell.

"I say there is, so there is. Go, or you're sleeping outside tonight."

Su Ling kept a straight face. He had seen with his own eyes that Wang Dong had gotten sweat on his sheets; even if there was no smell, it still bothered him.

"Hmph, fine, I'm going!"

Wang Dong was genuinely afraid Su Ling would kick her out, so she scurried into the bathroom.

The bathroom door clicked shut.

From inside came the rustling of clothes being removed, followed by the pitter-patter of the shower.

Su Ling paid no mind. Even though he knew full well that Wang Dong was a girl disguised as a boy, he didn't have any ulterior motives.

Of course, that excluded Zhang Lexuan.

After all, she was the only one who was truly his peer.

Only when he was alone with Zhang Lexuan did he find his thoughts wandering uncontrollably.

Su Ling changed the sheets for a fresh set, then went to the balcony. He sat in a chair, gazing up at the star-filled sky.

A month ago, he was still playing the fool in a remote mountain village, keeping company with pigs, cows, and sheep. He worked when the sun rose and went to bed early when it set, closing his eyes to let his mind wander.

"I wonder how the Village Elder is doing."

Su Ling looked at the moon, recalling the care the Village Elder had shown him over the past six years, feeling a deep sense of nostalgia.

There was one time when the Tang God King had meddled in secret; to avoid exposure, Su Ling had to foolishly get himself covered in wounds, nearly losing his life.

The mountains were full of wild beasts, and every household had to lock their doors and windows tight once the sun went down.

In the end, it was the Village Elder who, disregarding his own safety, braved the night to search for him outside the village, which was how he was saved.

Su Ling kept that debt of gratitude locked in his heart.

"During the break after the freshman assessment, I'll go back to visit the old man."

Su Ling silently made up his mind.

Just then, the bathroom door opened, and a series of pattering footsteps sounded.

Su Ling raised an eyebrow and looked back.

He saw Wang Dong hugging herself, soaking wet, walking out barefoot.

"Little Dong, what kind of game are you playing now?"

Trying to seduce him with a wet look?

"I... I forgot to bring my clothes!"

Wang Dong's face flushed red. She quickly grabbed a change of clothes from the wardrobe and bolted back into the bathroom as if fleeing.

The bathroom door closed once more.

Su Ling shook his head with a chuckle, turning back to continue admiring the night view.

Ten minutes later.

Wang Dong'er emerged from the bathroom and, without a word to Su Ling, climbed into bed in silence.

Su Ling didn't pay it any mind, sitting on the balcony to ponder future developments until he finally returned indoors half an hour later.

After washing up, he lay down to rest.

In the middle of the night.

Su Ling was awakened by an unusual sound.

Listening closely, the source was the corner of the room—Wang Dong'er's bed.

"Little Dong, what are you doing making such a racket in the middle of the night? Keep it down."

The words fell, but there was no response from Wang Dong'er's side, which made Su Ling frown involuntarily.

Something was wrong.

Su Ling got out of bed, turned on the light, and looked toward the corner.

He saw Wang Dong'er wrapped up tightly, the bulging quilt faintly trembling as if she were suffering from a chill.

Seeing this, Su Ling couldn't help but feel puzzled.

It was only the beginning of autumn; it shouldn't be that cold, right?

"Little Dong?"

Su Ling walked closer and called out tentatively twice, but Wang Dong'er still gave no response.

Su Ling raised an eyebrow.

He stepped forward and gently lifted a corner of the quilt, only to see Wang Dong'er's face and neck flushed red, her eyes half-open, and her breathing heavy.

"Little Dong, what are you doing?"

Wang Dong'er looked at Su Ling with hazy eyes, pursed her lips, and after a long while, spoke in a stammer.

"I... I feel very unwell... my head is spinning... my body is burning hot, and... I have no strength..."

Hearing this, Su Ling reached out to touch her forehead.

"So hot, are you running a fever?"

"What did you do? Weren't you perfectly fine before?"

Su Ling was a bit bewildered.

Although Soul Masters could get sick, their physical constitutions were generally stronger than ordinary people's. Wang Dong'er was a bona fide Soul Grandmaster, and her essence was that of a God King's daughter.

Logically speaking, she shouldn't be getting sick.

But this wasn't the time to investigate the cause.

Wang Dong'er was clearly in distress.

Su Ling took a cloth, soaked it in water, wrung it out, and placed it on her forehead. He then tucked her in and offered a word of comfort.

"Hang in there, I'm going to find someone."

With that, he left the dormitory.

There was no other way; the system was currently upgrading, making it impossible to open the Strategy Mall to exchange for medicine, and he didn't know how to heal.

Not long after.

Su Ling returned.

Behind him followed an elderly man with white hair.

He had found this elder in the Martial Soul Department's infirmary.

Of course, he had only managed to summon him by using the token Mu En had given him; otherwise, as a mere outer court disciple, he probably wouldn't even have been able to enter the infirmary's doors in the middle of the night.

It wasn't that Su Ling was slandering them, but he had indeed been blocked from entering before he revealed the token.

"Teacher, I've troubled you."

"Heh heh, it is this old man's honor to be of help to Student Su. I shall take it from here."

Having said that, the elder revealed his Martial Soul—a tree emitting a green glow—with seven soul rings flashing behind him. To his surprise, the man was a Soul Saint.

A flash of green light instantly enveloped Wang Dong'er, and the flush on her face faded to a normal, healthy glow at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In just seven seconds, Wang Dong'er had recovered completely.

"This student has already recovered, though it is strange—his body is significantly weaker than a normal Soul Master's. He must have caught a chill earlier, which led to this fever."

"I see. Thank you, Teacher."

Su Ling glanced at the soundly sleeping Wang Dong'er, feeling a bit guilty. Could it be that she caught a chill and developed a fever just from taking a bath?

Come to think of it, this was his fault.

"You're welcome. If there is nothing else, this old man will be heading back."

Su Ling nodded slightly and personally escorted the healing Soul Saint out of the dormitory door.