Advancing to Higher School

Tang Wulin looked at Luo Qing, who was angry and somewhat saddened, and immediately felt at a loss.

"It's not like that. I just wanted to be a little closer to you, Big Brother."

Only then did Luo Qing's expression gradually return to normal.

"So that was it? You should've just said so."

Looking at her eldest brother, who had finally returned to normal, Tang Wulin first breathed a sigh of relief, only for sorrow to follow.

"Maybe you're no longer satisfied with just being big brother and little brother. Then—be my little sister!"

Luo Qing held out his hand to her. Evening was drawing near, and the setting sun behind him cast an endless glow of sunset clouds.

He held out his hand as though waiting for something.

Tang Wulin looked at Luo Qing before her and instinctively reached out her hand.

Their hands clasped lightly, forming a new connection between them.

Old Tang, within the Sea of Spirit, was not particularly happy. Though he had won, he truly did not want to see those daughters looking so heartbroken.

However, he knew of his main body's plans.

In his main body's original plan, Tang Wulin should have been born male.

She was meant to help his main body gain complete control over the all-important planet Douluo Star.

Yet, after he spread information to lure the God of Destruction into attempting to expand the Divine Realm's sphere, thereby triggering a crisis—

Even his main body had not expected the Golden Dragon King to exploit his scheme to usurp authority over the Divine Realm. Not only had it massively destroyed and erased the connection between the Divine Realm and Douluo Star—

It had also drawn over the temporal-spatial turbulence.

Furthermore, the Golden Dragon King had used its life and everything it possessed as the price to activate an ability known as time.

It had nudged one tiny segment within time's causality, sending every fate down a different path.

Tang Wulin had become Tang Wulin, and even the fate his main body had secured through schemes had been thrown into disarray.

Afterward, it had contacted the various planes dissatisfied with the Divine Realm and proactively severed their connections to it.

And those planes had not disappointed the Golden Dragon King's expectations.

They had summoned, from beyond the worlds, a true hope free from control.

That boy before them should be the variable that existed beyond this world.

Old Tang had already seen through his origins, but he had no intention of reporting this matter to his main body.

What a joke.

He was merely a tool. He knew perfectly well what kind of personality his main body had.

Once he reported such a result, he would definitely be forcibly taken over.

Then his main body would repeat the plan from ten thousand years ago, turning this hope from beyond their world into another loyal dog beneath his command.

And the leash used to tie down that house dog would naturally be the daughter he now valued.

How could he possibly agree to that?

Thus, when reporting to his main body in the Divine Realm today, he had merely sent back a few messages.

"Reporting to the main body: everything is proceeding according to plan. The ten-thousand-year grand plan is still being faithfully carried out."

Old Tang knew what would happen to him once this was discovered, but he did not care.

Once his main body returned, he would certainly disappear anyway.

Then it was better to let him return a little later.

After settling everything, Old Tang continued observing that boy through Tang Wulin's perspective.

"Hope from beyond the worlds? I hope you can truly accomplish it."

With a complicated expression, Old Tang ended his observation and returned to the Sea of Spirit to continue his slumber.

Luo Qing was still holding Tang Wulin's hand. Just now, he had seemed to sense someone watching him, but Tang Wulin was indeed the only one looking at him at the moment.

It was probably just an illusion...

Luo Qing thought uncertainly.

Night gradually descended, and the streetlights along the roads lit up one after another.

Summer nights in the small coastal city were so lively. Couples gathered beneath the trees and on park benches, whispering their love to one another.

The children held toys in their hands as well, only to be dragged home by adults who had come for them, ears twisted in punishment.

At last, they reached the intersection where they had to part ways.

Tang Wulin looked at the brother who still accepted her.

"Big Brother, it's settled, then!"

"When I become an adult, I'll definitely show you just how outstanding I am!"

"Then I'll wait until you grow up. I hope you'll really make me see you in a new light."

Luo Qing smiled and waved.

The two parted at the intersection and returned to their respective homes.

After that brief episode, everything proceeded step by step. Time turned on, carrying them into their graduation season.

During this period of training, Luo Qing had constantly been thinking over his previous combos.

From those three combos, he recalled a skill that was especially useful for the light element.

Human eyes saw objects through the refraction of light.

Since he could control the light element, could he control light itself and deceive other people's eyes?

The theory held. It was time to put it into practice.

At first, altering the refraction of light was indeed difficult.

After all, aside from highly concentrated light-element energy, the light that existed everywhere around him was incredibly vast in amount.

That immense quantity of light made precise manipulation extremely difficult. Twisting light to deceive others' eyes was even more delicate work.

But how could that possibly stump Luo Qing once his competitive spirit had been stirred?

He did fail many times in the beginning, but he went from using bent light to conceal objects no larger than a grain of rice—

To developing, a year later, a skill capable of hiding half his body.

He believed that if he continued down this path, he might truly be able to recreate a shadow clone through the principles of light refraction.

This skill was extremely effective against Soul Masters who were not from the spiritual or sensory type.

At the very least, before his strength advanced further, this set of techniques could almost carry him all the way until he became a Soul Emperor.

He had also developed some new ideas regarding his previous combos.

The light sword could be transformed into a coating attached to weapons or his palms.

As long as he compressed it completely, it could gain unparalleled cutting power.

As for Flash Burst, he planned to shape it into small balls of light and scatter them throughout the battlefield, detonating them at unpredictable times.

As for the final torrent, he reduced its damage but gave it the ability to be unleashed without any windup.

In fast, close-range exchanges, suddenly hitting someone with that would be exceptionally effective.

After refining his offensive skills, he had not neglected his cultivation either.

He had now reached the threshold of Rank 29, and today was also the day he graduated from Red Mountain School.

The principal looked at his most outstanding student and revealed a somewhat reluctant smile.

As promotional material for the school, this child had brought them countless new students.

Those students all admired this young man with such remarkable achievements.

Red Mountain School had benefited from his fame, and Luo Qing had become somewhat well-known as well.

"Little Luo, starting today, you will officially set out on the path to study at a new school."

"Your teacher can sense that your future achievements will certainly be extraordinary. I only hope you can hold fast to your original heart and continue forward with determination."

The teacher readily stamped his certificate. Holding his graduation certificate, Luo Qing stepped into the corridor.

Only to find someone already waiting for him.

Seeing him come out, Tang Wulin happily waved her own graduation certificate.

"Big Brother, over here!"

"I'm going to Eastsea Academy too!"

Smiling, Luo Qing poked her cheek again.

"But Eastsea Academy assigns classes based on strength. If the gap between us is too big, we might not end up in the same class."

Tang Wulin shook her head.

"Big Brother, don't underestimate me!"

"I'm no longer the Tang Wulin I used to be!"

"I'm already—Rank 19!"