All Alone

Only after Lin Yichen had completely left the arena did murmurs slowly rise from the stands.

Then came a torrent of angry curses.

Many people had lost everything.

As for whether the voices of secret delight mixed in among them would get beaten up, that was another matter.

Shui Bing'er's hand was still being held, but Lin Yichen had not even managed to warm it.

Shui Bing'er was somewhat weak at the moment. Even with Lin Yichen's assistance, sustaining the soul power needed for Ultimate Ice over such a long period was still beyond what a Soul Elder like her could manage.

Shui Bing'er felt a tangled mix of emotions, though no one knew what she was thinking.

Suddenly, she felt Lin Yichen's fan give her a whack on the head.

She was just about to protest when she saw that her head was mere inches from a wall.

At that moment, the wall was only 0.01 centimeters from my forehead, but a quarter of an incense stick later, I would become hopelessly attached to someone.

Shui Bing'er came back to her senses and realized they had already arrived at the betting window.

Yet she herself was still walking forward.

Xiao Rou stood there, both hands tightly clutching her betting slip. It was crumpled beyond recognition, clearly having been kneaded many times.

When she saw Lin Yichen return unscathed and even smiling, Xiao Rou's eyes instantly reddened.

Trembling, she handed the slip to Lin Yichen and forced out a smile.

"You're amazing! I bet right!"

Lin Yichen lowered his head and looked. The odds were one to ten. Xiao Rou had wagered a total of 4,700 gold soul coins. After the Great Spirit Arena's handling fee was deducted, she had made a net profit of 43,000 gold soul coins.

Even Lin Yichen was stunned. He did not seem to have given Xiao Rou that much money.

Xiao Rou seemed to notice Lin Yichen's confusion and gave a slight bow.

"Young master, Xiao Rou used the gold soul coins we earned yesterday to place the bet, so I won too!"

Lin Yichen suddenly felt his heart soften and could not help rubbing Xiao Rou's head.

Then he transferred 38,000 of the gold soul coins to Xiao Rou.

"You deserve this. It's enough for you to live without worry, and since you work at the Great Spirit Arena, your wages also..."

"Young master, I resigned. I quit that job before you arrived. I'll leave in another ten days."

Xiao Rou's voice was gentle when she said this, yet it carried an unquestionable resolve.

Lin Yichen said nothing, only forcing out a smile.

He then gave 4,500 gold soul coins to Shui Bing'er, keeping 500 for his expenses and wagers over the next ten days.

Shui Bing'er had just wanted to refuse. She wanted to say that she had hardly contributed anything to this spirit battle.

She wanted to say that taking only the match-winning fee was enough.

But Lin Yichen still stuffed the money pouch into Shui Bing'er's hands.

"Without your Ice Seal, my act wouldn't have worked. Take it."

She had earned it. If her Ice Seal had not frozen Black Falcon's feet, there would have been no time at all for that illusion to unfold.

Shui Bing'er lowered her head and looked at the heavy money pouch in her hand, no longer refusing.

She took out the Cold Jade Belt and personally tied it around her waist, her fingers lightly stroking the jade's surface.

Lin Yichen tossed the remaining gold soul coins into his storage ring.

"The space is so small."

Lin Yichen muttered, curling his lip.

"If you think it's small, give it back to me!"

The two bickered for a while longer. In the end, Shui Bing'er turned her face away, said, "I'm leaving," and headed toward the exit of the Great Spirit Arena.

After taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped.

"If you need anything in the future, come find me at Heavenly Water Academy in Heaven Dou City."

Lin Yichen watched her figure disappear into the evening crowd of Soto City.

He opened his fan and gave it a shake. The two words "Romantic Wanderer" on its surface stood out especially clearly beneath the setting sun.

Did those words not describe him as well?

So be it.

Xiao Rou pursed her lips and spoke as if she had made up her mind.

"Young master, I want to open a beverage shop in Heaven Dou City. Didn't you say my juice tasted good? Then I'll open a juice shop!"

The two stood beneath the sunset, neither looking at the other.

"Now that you have money, you've become willful too."

The wind brushed through their hair, stirring ripples and making their bodies itch.

Or perhaps it was their hearts that itched.

"Thanks to you, young master, this humble girl can now be considered well-off."

"You said you want to open a beverage shop? Can I offer two suggestions?"

"Please speak, young master."

"You can call it Honey Snow Ice City. Keep the prices affordable and consider ordinary people more. You can brew milk and tea leaves together, and you can also sell fruit juice."

Xiao Rou finally turned around, because Lin Yichen did not sound like he was joking.

"Milk and tea leaves together? Does it taste good?"

Lin Yichen lowered his head and smiled, then walked away as he spoke.

"Give it a try. We can afford to make mistakes."

"The slogan can be:"

"You love me, I love you, Honey Snow Ice City is sweet as can be."

"Use a round little snowman as the mascot at the entrance!"

With that, Lin Yichen disappeared into the lingering glow of the sunset, leaving behind a bewildered Xiao Rou.

"You love me... I love you...?"

Xiao Rou also turned around. Beneath the fading sunlight, the two went their separate ways.

Lin Yichen returned to Notting especially early that day. Now that he had a storage soul tool, he could naturally travel at 600% of his full speed.

And then Xiao Wu ignored him that night...

She said Lin Yichen carried an icy scent that did not belong to him, and she hated that smell.

For ten full days in Notting City, Lin Yichen lived like this.

He even earned nearly another thousand gold soul coins over the following days.

Because fewer people were betting on him to lose now. Most of those who did were either hotheaded fools or people who had never watched his matches.

Xiao Rou left a day early. When Lin Yichen went on the final day, he found no one there.

Lin Yichen tasted the juice on the final day.

It was faintly bitter.

He did not like it.

After bidding farewell to Xiao Wu, Lin Yichen told her to stay with her brother Tang San from then on.

And during those ten days, Lin Yichen had shown Gangzi no courtesy whatsoever.

Tang San even felt that this man was stronger than his own teacher.

His teacher had never explained those theories clearly.

Great Useless Gang had already earned the right to die!

Tang San's attitude toward Lin Yichen improved considerably.

Gangzi, on the other hand, became even worse after seeing Tang San change his opinion of Lin Yichen.

From time to time, he used his status as a guest elder to suppress Tang San.

He "willingly" made Tang San attend his lessons after class.

It made Tang San extremely impatient, and he even began to harbor a faint dislike for his teacher.

What was he supposed to do about this!

Fortunately, on a certain major decision, Yu Xiaogang actually shared the same view as Lin Yichen!

For example, applying to Shrek Academy after graduation.

What a rare and commendable thing!

Gangzi had finally shown some promise!

Tang San had also witnessed Lin Yichen and Xiao Wu's relationship to the fullest extent, and the tiny bit of improper thoughts in his heart was completely extinguished.

Instead, it truly confirmed what Tang San had once said to Xiao Wu!

I'll be your good big brother for life!

Seeing that things were about settled, that the arrangements here were already in place, and that the greatest obstacle had been removed, Lin Yichen knew it was time to set off for Spirit Hall. His path toward proving the Dao began now!

Moon Palace Branch's characteristics could allow Lin Yichen to conceal his soul beast aura, but Xiao Wu did not have that ability. Going to Spirit Hall now would be sending herself to her death.

So he could only separate from Xiao Wu for the time being.

Lin Yichen could now be considered to have nothing at all. He had come alone and would leave alone.

Only, he now had a ring on him, along with several promises that seemed weightless yet carried great weight.

"With nothing, at least I can roam freely like the wind."

After saying that, he no longer lingered. Turning around, he sprinted toward Spirit City at full speed.

Meanwhile, in Heaven Dou City,

A banner reading "You love me, I love you" was hung on a plump little snowman.