Gu An reached out, just able to touch the pert curve behind Leng Yaozhu, and gave it an annoyed smack.
Smack.
The sound rang out crisp and clear.
One wave followed another.
Leng Yaozhu let out a soft cry, not expecting to be ambushed from behind.
She loosened her hold on Gu An a little and looked down at him, two blushes rising on her cheeks.
Before she could ask, Gu An glared at her and snapped,
"I'm talking business here! You think you can bully me just because I'm young?"
"Just you wait till I'm grown."
Seeing Gu An all puffed up with anger, Leng Yaozhu blushed and laughed instead.
Gu An felt like he'd taken a devastating hit.
It was the sort of thing where the other person ignored your attack and laughed at you.
Before Gu An could flare up again, Leng Yaozhu put away her smile and got down to business.
"I've never eaten an Immortal Herb."
"But I don't need one."
"I've already reached the Limit Douluo realm, and even touched the threshold of demigodhood."
"An Immortal Herb would do nothing for me."
After listening, Gu An nodded and said no more.
His gaze returned to the Earth Vein Profound Root in his hand.
Its golden patterns glimmered on the herb's surface in the firelight.
Without further hesitation, Gu An put the Earth Vein Profound Root into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed.
A warm power rose from his stomach and slowly flowed through his meridians.
It felt as though a pair of invisible hands were gathering the scattered Soul Power in his body, bit by bit, compressing and purifying it.
Gu An closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and began guiding this power through his body.
Leng Yaozhu sat down opposite him, her gaze fixed on Gu An's face, a hint of laughter still lingering at the corners of her mouth.
While Gu An sat cross-legged in the Star Dou Great Forest, his eyes closed as he absorbed the medicinal power of the Earth Vein Profound Root,
Tang Ya was waiting for Huo Yuhao's answer.
The latter looked at Beibei and Tang Ya, a complicated feeling welling up inside him that he couldn't quite put into words.
Ever since he'd escaped from the White Tiger Duke Mansion, no one had treated him like this in a very, very long time.
Looking at the hopeful expression on Tang Ya's face,
he simply couldn't bring himself to refuse.
Especially with all his old and new grudges weighing on him, he was more eager than ever to grow stronger.
The red-haired Titled Douluo, the boy in her arms, and the people from the White Tiger Duke's family—
He looked up at Tang Ya and Beibei and said firmly,
"Sister Tang Ya, I'm willing to join the Tang Sect."
Tang Ya's eyes lit up. Her mouth fell open, then she grabbed Beibei's arm and shook it vigorously.
"Beibei, did you hear that? He's willing to join!"
Beibei was shaken so hard he could barely keep his balance, but he nodded with a smile.
"I heard you, I heard you."
And just like that, Huo Yuhao became a member of the Tang Sect.
The three of them set off together toward Shrek Academy.
They traveled by day, while Beibei and Tang Ya took turns teaching Huo Yuhao the Tang Sect Secret Arts at night.
Mysterious Jade Hand, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track...
Huo Yuhao trained like a madman.
For every move and every form others practiced ten times, he practiced a hundred.
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
When the magnificent walls of Shrek City appeared in their view, Tang Ya let out a long breath and planted her hands on her hips.
"We're finally here!"
Huo Yuhao stood behind her, looking up at the towering city, its walls reflected in his eyes.
Shrek Academy, the greatest academy on the continent.
He would grow stronger here—strong enough to take revenge.
Meanwhile,
in the small village on the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest,
Gu An had long since finished absorbing the Earth Vein Profound Root and returned home.
He was packing his things, his face spelling out four words: utterly hopeless.
Leng Yaozhu stood beside him and patted his shoulder, the corners of her mouth curled up.
Her voice carried an unmistakable hint of amusement.
"Why so down in the dumps?"
"You know perfectly well that your Soul Power at Level 17 was unstable."
"Getting back to Level 14 is the best outcome."
"Just look at how solid your foundation is now."
Gu An sighed, then toppled backward and sprawled on the ground with his arms and legs spread wide.
He stared at the ceiling beam, his voice full of irritation.
"I know that, of course."
"I'm just annoyed."
After he absorbed the Earth Vein Profound Root, the Soul Power inside him had been repeatedly compressed and refined.
His originally bloated and unstable Level 17 Soul Power had been forced all the way back down to Level 14.
His Soul Power Level had dropped.
But he was actually stronger than before.
That weightless, powerless feeling he'd had before was completely gone.
In its place was a solid sensation, as if his power moved wherever he directed it.
His meridians had widened more than twice over.
When his Soul Power flowed through him, it was no longer a scattered stream like before. It had become a raging current confined to a riverbed.
But he was still annoyed.
Other people ate Immortal Herbs and their levels shot up.
He ate an Immortal Herb and his level dropped.
What was that about?
Just then, the door to the room beside them opened.
Mother Gu stepped outside.
Gu An's eyes lit up, and the gloom vanished from his face in an instant.
He flipped up from the bed and sat down, grinning.
"Mom, you look so pretty now!"
Mother Gu had just come out, and at his words, a faint blush first crossed her face. Then she reached out without mercy and pinched Gu An's ear with pinpoint accuracy.
"Are you saying your mother's old now?"
"I told you I didn't need an Immortal Herb, but you shoved it right into my mouth!"
Her voice was fierce.
But her eyes were red.
Who knew what had come over her son after he returned? He'd changed completely.
He was taller, his features had matured, and he was even more handsome than before.
And out of nowhere, he'd gotten an Immortal Herb and shoved it into her mouth without a word, forcing her to swallow it.
After the herb entered her stomach, a warm power flowed through her body.
The hidden injuries left by Xuanzi's palm all those years ago, the stubborn wounds that had tormented her through countless sleepless nights...
They gradually melted away as the medicinal power washed over them.
She'd made a full recovery.
Not only that, her Soul Power had taken a great leap forward. She was just one last step away from becoming a Soul Sage.
At the same time, she looked radiant. Her skin had improved, her complexion had brightened, and even her spirits had grown younger.
With his mother pinching his ear, Gu An didn't struggle.
Instead, he took the opportunity to wrap both arms around Mother Gu's waist, pressed his face against her, and put on a pitiful expression.
"Mom's not old at all. You're so pretty."
"But I can't live without you."
"If you didn't want the Immortal Herb, did you want to watch your son be completely tone-deaf?"
His voice was full of grievance.
Mother Gu let go of his ear and gently stroked the back of his head instead.
Of course she knew her son was trying to comfort her.
She'd taught him music herself since he was little, and he had an astonishing talent. He played the flute better than she did.
He'd only said that to put her at ease.
Mother Gu lowered her head and looked at the little head in her arms, her eyes full of affection.
"Leave it to me. I'll teach you properly."
Leng Yaozhu stood quietly to one side, watching the scene.
She didn't say anything. A faint smile curved her lips, but deep in her eyes lay a trace of envy.
She thought of her younger sister.
A sister charged headlong against her younger sister.
The two of them had argued whenever they met, from childhood onward. Three words out of place, and they'd be at each other's throats.
And they'd turned against each other over a stranger.
Now that she'd been summoned to this world, all her former feelings had been stripped away.
Her affection for the people in her memories was gone.
But family was different, after all.
Leng Yaozhu sighed softly to herself.
I hope I can draw my younger sister later.
She felt that, without all those tangled emotional entanglements from before, she and her sister shouldn't become enemies again.
Gu An poked his head out of his mother's embrace and looked at the two women before him.
They were the people he trusted most right now.
He clapped his hands, got off the bed, and stood up.
"All right, since everything's ready, let's set off for Seven Treasures City!"
Mother Gu and Leng Yaozhu exchanged glances.
They smiled at each other.
They would both do as Gu An said.
For his sake, the two of them would even give their lives.
Mother Gu picked Gu An up, while Leng Yaozhu followed beside them, wanting to carry him too.
Unfortunately, she didn't get the chance.
The three of them left.
As they set off for Seven Treasures City, planning to establish an academy,
in Shrek City,
Huo Yuhao had officially joined Shrek Academy.
When he returned to his dormitory,
he finally met his roommate, Wang Dong, who was disguised as a boy—the dog leash Great God King Tang had used to keep Huo Yuhao tethered.
As a result, Wang Dong's high-and-mighty attitude led the two of them straight into a fight without another word.
Right in front of the old Sea God Pavilion Master, Mu En,
they went at each other hand to hand, until Huo Yuhao played dirty and used a Soul Skill.
"Soul Shock!"
One of the four Soul Skills granted to him by the million-year-old Sky Dream Ice Silkworm through his First Soul Ring.
Wang Dong's pupils suddenly contracted. Her head throbbed as if it were splitting open, and she clutched it while stumbling backward.
Defeated.
He'd used a million-year Soul Skill, so there was nothing she could do but take the loss.
The next day, Huo Yuhao officially began classes.
The head teacher of his class was none other than that wicked old woman Zhou Yi, who had inherited Yu Xiaogang's running method!
Just as Huo Yuhao was being driven half out of his mind by Zhou Yi's teaching,
outside Seven Treasures City,
three figures appeared in the sky.