Chapter 8

Na'er obediently buried her cheek in his arms, her voice soft and sweet as she gave a quiet hum.

The two embraced silently for a while, warmth filling the air. Xiling then told Na'er to go take a bath first.

Only after hearing the bathroom door close did he look away and turn his gaze out the window, settling on a large tree not far from the street below.

After staring at it for quite some time, he withdrew his gaze and turned toward the kitchen.

Beneath the shade of the tree Xiling had been watching, the surrounding space twisted. A middle-aged man in a black robe silently emerged from thin air.

His brows furrowed slightly, doubt and alarm churning in his heart. "Was that an illusion? How could a human child possibly have noticed me..."

The night grew deeper, and all was silent.

The sleeping Xiling had relaxed brows and a calm, gentle expression.

But Na'er opened her eyes at that moment. She carefully sat up and quietly gazed at the boy's sleeping face, her eyes overflowing with reluctance.

After a long while, she slowly leaned down and gently pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Big Brother, Na'er is leaving. Take good care of yourself. We'll definitely meet again."

As her voice fell, a spatial rift tore open behind her out of nowhere.

Na'er then extended her hand, and a pendant set with a silver gemstone appeared in her palm. She placed it beside the pillow.

After taking one final, deep look at the sleeping Xiling, she resolutely turned around and stepped into the spatial rift. Her figure vanished in an instant, and the room returned to silence.

A moment later, Xiling, who had seemingly been asleep with his eyes shut, had his eyelashes tremble faintly before he slowly opened his eyes.

Looking at the empty space beside him, he could not help but feel a trace of reluctance. He murmured softly:

"So you still chose this path. Then what role should I, as your big brother, play in all this? Na'er..."

Time flew by, and several days had passed since Na'er left.

That day, Xiling's Soul Power Level successfully broke through to level thirty-one.

Three purple-gold Soul Rings slowly pulsed behind him.

Xiling opened his eyes and let out a breath. "I finally broke through. Tomorrow should be when little Wulin enrolls at Eastsea Academy, right?"

"Perfect. I can go meet the main cast from the original story. I wonder how Tang Wulin and Gu Yue will develop without Na'er."

"I'm really looking forward to it..."

Just then, the soul guide communicator on his wrist suddenly rang. Seeing the caller, Xiling blinked, a bad feeling rising within him.

Sure enough, the instant he accepted the call, Leng Yaozhu's unreadable voice came from the other side. "Xiling, have you had fun traveling outside with your little sister these past three years?"

"I heard someone used my name to get quite a few things done."

Xiling's fingers tightened around the soul guide communicator, and he forced an obedient expression onto his face. "Teacher, that makes it sound so bad. Wasn't using your name simply convenient?"

"Besides, I wasn't just playing around. I went out to broaden my horizons and see the world. I didn't neglect my cultivation either, and I reported my progress to you as you requested."

"Oh?" Leng Yaozhu drew out the word, her tone carrying a faintly amused undertone. "So you mean that cultivating by my side wouldn't broaden your horizons or let you see the world?"

"Uh... Teacher, you know that isn't what I meant." Xiling was starting to break out in a cold sweat. By all rights, Leng Yaozhu should have known about everything he had done over the past few years.

Why had she called now to hold him accountable? He was thoroughly confused.

Before he could think further, Leng Yaozhu's voice sounded again through the communicator. Her tone remained aloof and cold, but now carried a touch of grievance.

"Three years. You took the money I gave you and traveled all over, yet never once thought to come see me."

"So in your heart, I'm just an ATM for you to spend money from?"

Though her words were reproachful, there was not a hint of anger in them. Instead, they carried a faint dissatisfaction.

When Xiling thought about it carefully, that really did seem to be the case. He gave a light cough. "How could Teacher be an ATM? You're my most important elder, my benefactor and mentor."

"When the academy goes on break next semester, I'll definitely go to Shrek City to see you. And I'll bring you a big gift."

On the other end of the communicator, Leng Yaozhu listened to her disciple's deliberately ingratiating tone. Her originally cool eyes softened unconsciously, and the corners of her lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile.

"At least you still have a bit of a conscience."

"Since your cultivation hasn't fallen behind, stay put in Eastsea City. I'll personally come over after a while and assess the results of your cultivation while I'm there."

"If I find that you haven't met my requirements, just see how I deal with you."

"I understand, Teacher. I definitely won't disappoint you, and I definitely won't go looking for trouble."

"Mm." Leng Yaozhu responded indifferently before ending the call without hesitation.

Listening to the busy tone from the communicator, Xiling shook his head helplessly and put it away.

The next day, with a recommendation letter from his elementary academy, Xiling completed his enrollment procedures without any trouble. He received two sets of uniforms and was assigned to Class One.

Why had he not received a dormitory key? Because he had registered as a day student while enrolling. His home was so close to Eastsea Academy that there was no need to squeeze into a dormitory.

Before that, though, he wanted to visit the dormitory building and take a look at little Tang Wulin, the protagonist reputed to have the most upright values in the entire Douluo series.

"Mm... If I remember correctly, his dorm is Room 205."

"You're courting death!" The moment Xiling reached the dormitory entrance, he heard a furious roar from inside.

Then the dormitory door was slammed open, and Tang Wulin flew out bodily.

"What a coincidence." Xiling was inwardly surprised, instinctively catching Tang Wulin as he was sent flying backward.

Tang Wulin thanked him, then charged back at the cold and arrogant boy inside the dormitory—Xie Xie.

The final result, of course, was Zhou Changxi being blasted out the window, Yun Xiao trembling in a corner, Xie Xie being punched into the wall and knocked unconscious, and the dormitory being reduced to a complete mess.

Xiling had watched the entire affair with great enjoyment, but he soon stopped smiling.

Eastsea Academy Intermediate Division Academic Affairs Office.

Xiling stared blankly at Long Hengxu, whose face was cold across from him. "No, Director, I was just passing by. It's one thing for them to be punished by getting sent to Class Five, but why am I being sent too?"

Long Hengxu's expression was stern. His gaze swept over Xiling, and his tone showed no mercy.

"Passing by? On the first day of school, there was a dormitory brawl, and you just happened to be passing by? You stood there watching the show the entire time. You neither stopped them nor reported it. You're practically an accomplice."

"Eastsea Academy has strict rules. Any new student who disrupts order on their first day will receive the same punishment, regardless of who recommended them."

Xiling looked utterly helpless. He had genuinely only been watching the show; who knew he would get dragged into it while doing nothing?

Still, this was fine too. He had been wondering how to get into Class Five.

Tang Wulin, who had just finished being reprimanded, was also stunned. Seeing Xiling's innocent expression as he was caught up in the mess, he hurriedly apologized in a low voice:

"I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I got you involved..."

Xie Xie held his head and stood nearby in a daze, looking equally embarrassed.

Xiling sighed softly and waved his hand. "It's fine. You could call it fate. Cultivating is the same wherever we go."

After the five of them left the Academic Affairs Office, Xiling greeted them briefly and departed.

After they had left, Long Hengxu had the secretary beside him retrieve their files, paying particular attention to Tang Wulin's and Xiling's information.

"Nine years old and level thirty-one. What a monster. I hope Wu Zhangkong can teach this little monster properly. After all, he came from that academy."