Li Changqing and Bei Bei's Deal

In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the window lattice into the classroom, spreading a warm golden glow across the wooden floor.

Li Changqing had arrived early. Only a few scattered students were in the classroom.

He sat in his usual seat by the window, leisurely flipping through a yellowed soul beast encyclopedia.

Four years of academy life had smoothed away much of his roughness from when he had first arrived, leaving him with a calmer air.

Yet the laziness ingrained in his bones had not changed in the slightest.

Before long, footsteps approached from afar. Bei Bei rushed in, taking three steps in the space of two, still holding an unfinished bun in his hand.

He plopped down beside Li Changqing and leaned over. "Changqing, are you free tomorrow?"

Without even looking up, Li Changqing continued turning the pages. "What is it? What do you want this time?"

Bei Bei chuckled, swallowed the mouthful of bun, wiped his mouth, and lowered his voice. "Xiao Ya's soul power has reached level thirty, so I want to take her to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain her third soul ring. You know that while the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest aren't too dangerous, I'd still feel uneasy if something unexpected happened. Come with us?"

After saying that, he looked at Li Changqing expectantly.

Over the past four years, Bei Bei's cultivation had been nothing short of diligent.

He had always been exceptionally talented, and with the careful guidance of Mu En, the Dragon God Douluo, his soul power had now reached the level of a high-ranking Soul Elder. Even among those his age, he stood out.

But he knew that compared to the person before him, his own accomplishments were hardly worth mentioning.

When Li Changqing had first arrived at Shrek Academy, he had been an unnoticed commoner soul master with nothing to his name and no background whatsoever.

Yet in just four short years, his soul power had broken through to level fifty-four, making him a genuine Soul King.

A fourteen-year-old Soul King.

Although Soul King-level powerhouses were not uncommon at Shrek Academy,

there were only a handful in the entire history of the soul master world who had reached the Soul King realm at the age of fourteen.

What was even more frightening was that before entering Shrek Academy, Li Changqing had been an ordinary soul master without any resources or backing.

That meant every level of progress he had made before then had come from nothing but genuine talent and hard work.

Bei Bei was utterly convinced by that.

So the first person he thought of asking for help was Li Changqing.

Li Changqing finally shifted his gaze away from the pages, closed the encyclopedia, and turned to look at Bei Bei.

He did not agree right away. Instead, he asked leisurely, "I can go, but what do I get out of it?"

Bei Bei froze, then gave him a helpless laugh and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "We're brothers. Why do we need to talk about benefits? What's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours!"

Li Changqing leaned back matter-of-factly, crossing his arms. "Even blood brothers settle accounts clearly. I can't put in effort for nothing. If we run into some big monster in the Star Dou Great Forest, I'll be risking my life."

Bei Bei was left speechless by that, and could only sigh helplessly. "Fine, fine. What do you want? Tell me."

Li Changqing tilted his head and thought for a moment. Then a gleam flashed in his eyes. "I heard the Netherworld Sect has a pill called the Black Tortoise Divine Pill. Is that right?"

Bei Bei frowned and thought back. "I think so. Xu Sanshi is a disciple of the Netherworld Sect. He mentioned it once while we were chatting, saying that even within their sect, they only produce a few Black Tortoise Divine Pills a year. They're extremely rare."

At that point, he suddenly stopped. His pupils contracted slightly, and he abruptly looked up at Li Changqing in shock. "Wait... you don't mean you want that, do you?"

Li Changqing grinned and threw an arm around Bei Bei's neck, pulling him closer like the best of brothers. "Bei Bei, I don't know about anyone else, but don't I know you? One little Black Tortoise Divine Pill shouldn't be much of a problem for you, right?"

Bei Bei rolled his eyes from being squeezed, struggling free from under Li Changqing's arm. He glared at him irritably. "It's true that I have a way to get one, but that mouth of yours... You open it and ask for the most expensive thing possible! Do you know what status the Black Tortoise Divine Pill holds within the Netherworld Sect? It's used by core disciples to break through bottlenecks. Outsiders can't buy it no matter how much money they offer!"

Though he complained, there was little firmness in his refusal.

Li Changqing merely smiled without saying anything and looked at him.

Bei Bei met his gaze for several seconds before finally giving in, his shoulders slumping as he sighed. "Fine. I'll think of something."

He actually knew perfectly well that the Black Tortoise Divine Pill was indeed an unattainable treasure to others...

But for him, it was not really something impossible to obtain.

After all, behind him stood Mu En, the level ninety-nine Dragon God Douluo.

As long as he went back and said a word to Great-Grandmaster, never mind one Black Tortoise Divine Pill—even several more might not be impossible to procure.

Besides, Great-Grandmaster had specifically instructed him four years ago

that as long as it was something Li Changqing wanted, he should give it to him whenever possible.

Although Bei Bei had not quite understood at the time why Great-Grandmaster had said that, he had always trusted his judgment.

Since Great-Grandmaster had said so, there was naturally a reason for it.

So although Bei Bei grumbled a few times, he had already agreed to it in his heart.

Seeing that he had agreed, Li Changqing patted his shoulder in satisfaction. "Then it's settled. Just let me know in advance when we're leaving."

Bei Bei nodded, silently calculating that he would have to visit Great-Grandmaster tonight.

After the day's lessons ended, the setting sun cast a golden-red glow over the upturned eaves and ornate brackets of Sea God Pavilion.

Bei Bei passed through the inner courtyard's corridor and arrived before a quiet room deep within Sea God Pavilion. He knocked lightly twice.

"Come in."

Mu En's aged yet steady voice came from inside.

Bei Bei pushed open the door and entered.

Mu En was reclining halfway in a wicker chair, a thin blanket covering his knees, a yellowed ancient book in his hands. His expression was peaceful.

The sunset slanted through gaps in the window lattice, casting mottled shadows across his wrinkled face.

"Great-Grandmaster." Bei Bei stepped forward and bowed.

Mu En raised his head, a trace of gentleness showing in his cloudy old eyes. "You came to see me so late. What is it?"

Bei Bei did not beat around the bush. "Today, Changqing agreed to accompany Xiao Ya and me to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a soul ring, but he made a condition."

Mu En's brows lifted slightly. "What condition?"

"The Black Tortoise Divine Pill."

Bei Bei paused, then added, "That thing from the Netherworld Sect."

At that, the corner of Mu En's mouth actually curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

He did not answer immediately. Instead, he fell silent for a moment, lightly tapping twice on the ancient book's cover with his fingers, producing two soft knocks.

Only after quite a while did he slowly speak, his voice as calm as still water. "Understood."

Just those three words.

Bei Bei blinked and waited for more.

Mu En still did not look up as he continued unhurriedly, "In three days, give it to him. Tell him you went to considerable trouble to obtain it, and have him owe you a favor."

Bei Bei was slightly startled, then understood Great-Grandmaster's intention.

He nodded. "All right."

Mu En waved a hand, signaling that he could leave.

Bei Bei bowed again, turned, and left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

Outside, the sun had already sunk completely beyond the distant mountains. Dusk gathered from all sides, leaving only a thin line of dark red at the horizon.

The lanterns of Sea God Pavilion lit up one after another, swaying gently in the wind.