Gu An looked at Xiao Xiao, whose face was so red it seemed ready to smoke, and offered her a gentle smile.
Utterly deceptive.
"My name is Gu An."
He raised a hand and gestured toward Leng Yaozhu, standing behind him.
"This is Sister Yaozhu."
After the brief introductions, Gu An steered the conversation back to the point.
"When I was passing by just now, I accidentally overheard you talking to yourself."
"You said something about adding a Soul Ring to your Second Martial Soul."
"I came over to stop you so you wouldn't go astray."
Xiao Xiao blinked twice.
She didn't know whether it was because Gu An's face was so devastatingly handsome or for some other reason.
But she actually took his words to heart.
She didn't doubt for a second whether this stranger she'd just met was telling the truth.
She tilted her head, her face full of confusion.
"Why can't I add a Soul Ring?"
Gu An glanced around. People were coming and going along the street; it wasn't a good place to talk.
"It's not convenient to talk here."
"Let's find somewhere quiet."
Xiao Xiao nodded almost without hesitation.
"Okay."
Leng Yaozhu followed behind them. Watching Xiao Xiao trail obediently after Gu An, the corner of her mouth twitched.
This little girl.
She had way too little sense of caution.
Just because Xiao An was handsome, she'd gone right along with him.
With looks like that, no wonder he could get away with anything.
Xiao Xiao hadn't even considered refusing. She hadn't so much as asked, "Where are we going?"
The three of them crossed the street and arrived at a secluded pavilion.
It was quiet all around them, with only the faint cries of street vendors drifting over from the distant road.
Gu An stopped and turned to Xiao Xiao, getting straight to the point.
"You've already entered Shrek Academy. Don't you know what Twin Martial Souls mean?"
He wasn't sure whether Zhou Yi had forced Xiao Xiao to add a Soul Ring to her Second Martial Soul—or whether Zhou Yi had forced her to do it.
Even if she didn't know how powerful Twin Martial Souls were, she wouldn't just go and add a Soul Ring to her other Martial Soul for no reason.
So he continued asking,
"How much does the freshman assessment really matter in your life?"
Xiao Xiao lowered her head and thought carefully.
Then she looked up and answered honestly.
"It only matters when they first assign us to classes."
"It doesn't have much effect on anything else."
In the original story,
Xiao Xiao had wanted to be placed in the same class as Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
The main reason was that Wang Dong's face had caught her eye.
Her lovestruck side had simply kicked in.
But now, Gu An was standing right in front of her.
He'd shattered the rose-tinted glasses through which she'd viewed Wang Dong's face.
Simply put, her big head had won out, and her little bean was more interested in Gu An.
That measly Wang Dong could no longer sway her.
She was being rational as hell now!
Hearing her answer, Gu An spread his hands.
"Exactly. You know yourself that it only affects class assignments."
"Later on, with your Twin Martial Souls, wouldn't it be great if you could give your second Martial Soul Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings across the board?"
"Don't you know the difference between a Hundred-Year Soul Ring and a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?"
"It's just a group competition. Once you graduate, do you think you'll still be attached at the hip every day?"
"Your own future matters most. Becoming stronger yourself is what's important."
Xiao Xiao fell silent.
She lowered her head and could see the tips of her shoes. Her hands twisted together.
She understood the drawbacks of adding a Hundred-Year Soul Ring to the Nine-Phoenix Flute right now.
But...
She looked up at Gu An, her little face filled with distress.
"But Teacher Zhou Yi said..."
"I chose to be a control-type Soul Master, so I have to have a control-type Martial Soul."
"Otherwise, she'll expel me."
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, filled with grievance.
"And Teacher Zhou Yi also said that giving my Second Martial Soul a Soul Ring would confirm that I'm on the control-type path and help the class monitor and Wang Dong in the freshman assessment."
After hearing her out, Gu An exchanged a glance with Leng Yaozhu.
The same thought appeared in both their eyes.
This girl was a little silly.
Was the brainwashing at Religious Academy starting to take effect?
What type of Soul Master you were was just something you could decide for yourself.
Say you're a control type, and you're a control type. Say you're a Power Attack System Soul Master, and you're one of those.
It didn't matter at all.
Hadn't Wang Dong initially wanted to register as a Power Attack System Soul Master and serve as the control type?
Besides, how was smashing your enemies to death not a form of control?
Gu An looked back at Xiao Xiao, his tone calm.
"Then get expelled. Is Shrek Academy really such a great academy?"
"You can join the academy I'm part of."
At those words, the big eyes that Gu An's beauty had left in a daze suddenly cleared.
Xiao Xiao took half a step back and watched him warily.
"You're trying to poach me."
Gu An didn't deny it.
Xiao Xiao continued, her little face serious.
"Shrek Academy is the strongest academy on the continent. What academy could be stronger than Shrek?"
"And the class monitor and Wang Dong have both treated me very well. I won't leave Shrek Academy."
As she spoke, she puffed out her chest, her face practically declaring, "I'm not stupid, so don't think you can fool me."
Gu An looked at her and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
There was nothing but mockery in that smile.
"Treat you very well?"
"I doubt that. What good academy would mortgage its students' futures?"
"As for your teammates, you shouldn't rush to get a Soul Ring. You should ask Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong first."
"See whether they'll try to talk you out of it or simply follow Zhou Yi's orders."
"You should know which choice is best for your future."
Xiao Xiao's brows knitted together, and she bit her lip.
She still had a lot of faith in their friendship.
After all, they'd fought together so many times, standing side by side ever since the freshman assessment.
Confidently, she planted her hands on her hips, raised her head, and looked straight at Gu An, her voice growing louder.
"Just you wait. I'll go ask them right now."
"They'll definitely try to stop me."
With that, Xiao Xiao turned to leave.
Gu An reached out and stopped her.
Xiao Xiao paused and turned to look at him, puzzled.
Gu An leaned toward her ear, bringing his face close.
Very close.
Xiao Xiao could feel his warm breath brushing against her ear.
Her pretty face instantly flushed red.
At first, the sensation of his breath made her blush and her heart race.
But as the meaning of his words sank in, the color drained from her face at a visible pace.
She whipped around and stared at Gu An, her eyes wide and her pupils trembling slightly.
"Impossible."
"They wouldn't lie to me. They wouldn't ostracize me."
Gu An looked at her, utterly unconcerned. "Why not go ask around the academy and find out?"
Xiao Xiao's chest heaved twice.
She gritted her teeth. "Fine! I'm going now."
With that, she turned and hurried toward Shrek Academy, looking utterly lost.
Her little legs flew.
Leng Yaozhu remained where she was. She watched Xiao Xiao's retreating figure, then turned to Gu An.
She'd heard every word Gu An had whispered in Xiao Xiao's ear. A Limit Douluo could hear them perfectly clearly.
At that distance, it would've been ridiculous if she hadn't.
There was a hint of curiosity in Leng Yaozhu's voice.
"Xiao An, do you really think that'll work?"
"Historically, Spirit Ice Douluo and his wife treated the Shrek's Seven Devils of their generation very well."
Gu An looked away and shrugged.
"Who knows?"
"It doesn't matter either way. I'm just giving it a try."
"It's not like Xiao Xiao is the only option."
"Hopefully, she'll understand."
"If she doesn't, and she ruins her Twin Martial Souls, then she won't be of much use to me anyway."
"I can wait until later and summon Yuan'en Yehui—or your Silver Dragon King disciple, Gu Yuena."
"Either one is better than Xiao Xiao."
He spread his hands, looking utterly indifferent.
It was definitely not love at first sight.
He wasn't some lovesick simp, and besides, older sisters were more appealing.
He'd just happened to run into Xiao Xiao, so he figured he might as well give it a try.
Best if it worked out; no big deal if it didn't.