Return

Faced with Ye Feng's almost blatantly shameless answer, Shui Bing'er fell silent.

Reason told her that she should refuse Ye Feng's request.

But when she recalled the feeling of their hearts resonating after summoning their Martial Souls earlier...

Perhaps... he had not lied to her.

After a moment of silence, Shui Bing'er slowly asked, "Then, how can I help you?"

Ye Feng's eyes lit up. Knowing there was hope, he immediately stepped closer.

"It's still too early to talk about helping me. After some time, I'll take you somewhere that can allow your Martial Soul to evolve."

He did not have any Immortal Herbs suitable for Shui Bing'er on him. He had to return to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well first.

At this, Shui Bing'er frowned slightly, seemingly uneasy.

She had known Ye Feng for less than a day in total, so she could not completely trust him yet.

Seeing this, Ye Feng was not in a hurry.

There was plenty of time. Sooner or later, he would convince this icy beauty.

Three months later.

Outside the gates of Skywater Academy.

A figure in a dark green cloak slowly entered, accompanied by a purple-haired girl.

"Grandpa, is that young master you mentioned inside?"

The purple-haired girl pointed at Skywater Academy's plaque, her little face full of confusion.

Didn't Skywater Academy only accept female students?

Dugu Bo surveyed the surroundings of Skywater Academy and vaguely understood something.

"Yanyan, when the young master arrives, remember to be polite. He saved both our lives."

"I know."

Dugu Yan curled her lips impatiently. "Grandpa, how many times have you said that along the way?"

"Hehe, Grandpa was just afraid you'd forget."

At that moment, two figures emerged from a corner and walked straight toward the pair.

In front was a young man wearing a broad bamboo hat that concealed most of his face, followed by a blue-haired girl with a cool, aloof temperament.

Dugu Bo frowned. Thinking some blond-haired brat was trying to strike up a conversation with his granddaughter, he stepped forward and shielded her, his tone hostile. "If you don't want to die, leave now!"

The young man in the bamboo hat merely chuckled and raised a hand to remove it.

A head of striking crimson hair spilled down, framing handsome features and fair skin. He looked at Dugu Bo with a smiling gaze.

"What, it's only been a few months and you no longer recognize me?"

"Young Master!?"

Dugu Bo's eyes widened as he asked in confusion, "Didn't you say you would come out through the academy's main gate? Why..."

Ye Feng gave a bitter smile and shook his head helplessly.

"Ah, don't mention it. You have no idea what my life in the academy has been like."

Shui Bing'er, standing beside him, seemed to think of something, and a faint smile curled her lips.

Dugu Bo was briefly stunned, then realized something and revealed a meaningful smile.

"It seems the young master's charm is no weaker than this old man's was in his youth."

Dugu Yan blinked her violet eyes as she carefully examined Ye Feng's handsome face. Hearing her grandfather's words, she immediately rolled her eyes.

"Grandpa, just keep bragging. If you had been this handsome back then, how could you possibly have had only Grandma?"

With Dugu Yan's blunt truth laid bare, Dugu Bo could not keep up his old face. He coughed twice to hide his embarrassment.

"Ahem... you child, why are you always tearing Grandpa down?"

Ye Feng could not help but laugh. He put his bamboo hat back on. "All right, Senior. Let's talk somewhere else. There are too many people watching here."

This thing had become essential camouflage whenever he left the academy.

Otherwise, he would be surrounded by a group of "older sisters" wherever he went. It was truly a headache.

The group turned into a quiet alley beside the academy.

Only then did Dugu Bo remember the important matter. He hurriedly gave the purple-haired girl beside him a gentle push forward.

"Young Master, this is my granddaughter, Dugu Yan. Yanyan, greet him."

Dugu Yan curiously sized up Ye Feng and said brightly, "Greetings, Young Master!"

She had heard her grandfather repeatedly emphasize how formidable Ye Feng was.

But seeing that he was merely a red-haired youth not much taller than herself, there was less restraint in her tone and more of the familiarity one had with a peer.

Ye Feng smiled in response, then turned his gaze toward Dugu Bo. "Did your journey go smoothly, Senior? The poison in Miss Yan's body..."

"Thanks to the young master's blessing, we used that soul bone to gather all the poison. There are no longer any hidden dangers."

Dugu Bo stroked his beard with emotion, his green eyes filled with gratitude. "I brought Yanyan here specifically to thank you in person."

Listening to the conversation among the three, Shui Bing'er was shocked.

So Ye Feng really had not lied to her. There truly was a Titled Douluo standing behind him.

It seemed she also had to fulfill her promise.

"It's good that it was resolved."

Ye Feng nodded, then looked toward Shui Bing'er, who had been standing quietly at his side, and introduced her. "This is Shui Bing'er, my classmate."

"Hello."

Shui Bing'er gave Dugu Bo and his granddaughter a slight nod. Her cool voice carried little emotion.

With Dugu Bo's discerning eye, he immediately saw that Shui Bing'er was extraordinary.

Especially the pure, icy aura faintly circulating around her—aside from Her Majesty the Snow Empress, she was nearly the strongest existence he had ever encountered.

He privately praised the young master's keen eye, but smiled warmly on the surface. "So you are Miss Shui. A pleasure, a pleasure."

"Shui Bing'er?"

Dugu Yan looked Shui Bing'er over several times, then chuckled. "I didn't expect to run into Skywater Academy's little phoenix here."

Shui Bing'er said calmly, "I also didn't expect to encounter the Tiantou Snake Girl here."

Ye Feng listened to their exchange with a strange expression. "You knew each other before?"

Shui Bing'er nodded slightly. "We fought once before. I won narrowly."

"Tch."

Dugu Yan curled her lips, but unusually did not refute her.

Against Shui Bing'er's icy chill that could freeze the entire field, her poison truly could do nothing to her.

Dugu Bo laughed and smoothed things over. "All right, all right, let's get to business. Young Master, why did you summon me here earlier?"

Ye Feng turned serious. "I called Senior here mainly because of Bing'er. Although Bing'er's Martial Soul is powerful, it still has not reached the level where it can suppress the Karma Fire within me. Therefore, I plan to take her back to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well."

"I understand."

Dugu Bo did not waste words. With a light sweep of his sleeve, dark green Soul Power surged out like mist and gently lifted all four of them.

"Hold tight. This old man will give you a lift through the air!"

About an hour later.

The group passed through the outskirts of Sunset Forest, ventured deep into its core, and descended directly into a valley.

"We're here. This is the place."

Ye Feng raised a hand toward the rolling dark green Poison Barrier ahead, a smile appearing on his face.

He turned toward Shui Bing'er at his side. "Bing'er, inside is the treasure land I told you about—the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well."

Shui Bing'er's ice-blue eyes watched the dense poisonous miasma, so thick it seemed impossible to disperse, and she frowned slightly.

"This poison formation... is very strong."

"Of course it is. Look whose handiwork it came from!"

Dugu Bo stroked his beard, his tone carrying a hint of pride.

Then he seemed to remember something, and his expression fell. "Of course, before the young master and that person, it is still far from enough."

At that moment, Dugu Yan curiously craned her neck from behind them.

"Grandpa, is this the old nest you used to keep hidden and never let anyone know about? It looks... rather eerie."