Are You Being So Nice to Nannan Because You Have a Crush on Her?

What? Seriously?

A ten-year spirit ring?

Since when could someone with a ten-year spirit ring get into Shrek Academy?

Was that even right?

After all, as the number one academy on the continent, Shrek Academy had always maintained strict admission standards.

Even new students in the outer court needed at least a yellow spirit ring configuration.

After all, anyone capable of obtaining a letter of recommendation could not possibly be a commoner with a ten-year spirit ring.

To put it bluntly, let alone seeing one, they had never even heard of any Shrek student possessing a ten-year spirit ring.

Li Changqing did not show much surprise. He merely asked calmly, "Can I take a look?"

Huo Yuhao hesitated, then turned to Tang Ya.

Although Tang Ya was somewhat puzzled as well, she still nodded and gave him an encouraging look.

Huo Yuhao took a deep breath. With a thought, a white spirit ring slowly rose beneath his feet.

The spirit ring was a pure milky white, looking no different from an ordinary ten-year spirit ring.

It gave off a faint glow beneath the lights as it slowly revolved around Huo Yuhao's body.

Li Changqing said nothing. He merely stared at the white spirit ring, his eyes narrowing slightly, as though his gaze could pierce through its surface and see something deeper.

At the same time, a lazy yet somewhat grave voice rang out in Huo Yuhao's sea of consciousness:

"Little Yuhao, be careful. I can sense that this human is different from the others. He... seems able to see things that others cannot."

Huo Yuhao was startled and hurriedly asked in his mind, "Brother Sky Dream, are you serious? Aren't you a million-year soul beast? How could a senior possibly see through you?"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice carried some uncertainty as well. "I can't explain it either... it's just a feeling. In any case, be careful around him in the future. Try not to make an enemy of him. But then again, perhaps I'm simply being oversensitive. After all, I'm the first—and only—million-year soul beast on Douluo Continent. How could a teenage boy possibly see through my disguise? What a joke."

By the end, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's tone had become confident again, as though that fleeting sense of alertness had merely been his own illusion.

Huo Yuhao felt somewhat reassured by those words.

Yet for some reason, he still felt that Li Changqing's gaze carried an indescribable meaning, making him feel as though he had nowhere to hide.

Li Changqing stared at the white spirit ring for several seconds before withdrawing his gaze. His expression revealed nothing as he simply said, "Not bad. Keep working hard."

Huo Yuhao hurriedly nodded. "Thank you for the encouragement, Senior!"

Li Changqing said nothing more and turned to continue strolling through the night market.

Ye Guyi and Jiang Nannan exchanged a look, each seeing the same confusion in the other's eyes.

Why was Changqing acting so strangely today?

But they did not dwell on it and immediately followed after him.

Only after the three of them had gone far away did Huo Yuhao withdraw his gaze.

He hesitated, but ultimately could not help moving closer to Tang Ya and asking in a lowered voice, "Teacher Xiao Ya, who exactly is that Senior Li Changqing? I feel like he's anything but ordinary."

Tang Ya was eating grilled fish.

Hearing that, she wiped the oil from her lips with her hand and replied with a smile, "You mean Changqing? He really is extraordinary. Among the students of our year, he's the acknowledged number one genius."

"The number one genius?"

Huo Yuhao's curiosity was piqued. "What... level is he at now?"

Tang Ya held up five fingers and said casually, "Level fifty-four. A Soul King."

"F-fifty-four?"

Huo Yuhao's voice cracked. His eyes went wide, and his entire body froze as though he had been struck by lightning.

A fourteen-year-old Soul King?

Was that even right?

Although he had never received a systematic soul master education, he still possessed basic common sense.

Exceptional peers like Tang Ya and Bei Bei were still hovering around the Soul Elder rank.

Yet Li Changqing had already surpassed them by an entire major realm!

So this was a genius?

Sure enough... he was truly extraordinary.

Huo Yuhao lowered his head and looked at the white ten-year spirit ring beneath his feet. For the first time, an intense desire rose within his heart.

He wanted to grow stronger too—strong enough to be like that senior.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the night market, Ye Guyi and Jiang Nannan were also discussing what had just happened.

Ye Guyi nudged Li Changqing's arm with her elbow, leaned closer, and asked in a low voice, "Changqing, why were you so concerned about that Huo Yuhao just now? You're not the type to casually care about strangers. Be honest, do you know something?"

Jiang Nannan also looked over curiously, clearly interested in the question as well.

Li Changqing kept walking as he explained calmly, "It's nothing much. Earlier, Bei Bei asked me for help, so I went with him to the Star Dou Great Forest to help Xiao Ya obtain her third spirit ring. That was when we found the unconscious Huo Yuhao on the outskirts of the forest and saved him while we were at it."

He paused, then added, "As for that Black Tortoise Divine Pill, it was also the payment Bei Bei gave me before we went to the Star Dou Great Forest."

Jiang Nannan's steps faltered slightly, and a complicated expression appeared on her face.

She took the exquisite wooden box from her bosom and held it out to Li Changqing. "So that's how it was... Thank you, Changqing. But this is too precious. You should take it back. I..."

Before she could finish, Ye Guyi slapped the back of her hand.

Slap!

Jiang Nannan winced and pulled her hand back. The wooden box nearly fell to the ground, but Ye Guyi caught it quickly.

Ye Guyi stuffed the box back into Jiang Nannan's hand, looking as though she was furious at her for failing to meet expectations. "If he told you to keep it, then keep it. Why are you taking it out again? Do you think someone with his monstrous talent and ability even needs this thing?"

Jiang Nannan was left stunned by her words and instinctively looked toward Li Changqing.

Li Changqing shrugged, indicating that Ye Guyi was right. "I don't need it. Just keep it."

Jiang Nannan opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing Li Changqing's calm and unconcerned expression, she eventually put the wooden box away. Lowering her head, she softly said, "Thank you."

Li Changqing waved a hand and said nothing more as he continued forward.

Seeing his utterly unconcerned back, Ye Guyi could not help shaking her head and muttering, "This guy can be terrifyingly generous sometimes, and miserly as hell at others... what a contradictory creature."

Jiang Nannan could not help letting out a soft laugh. The gloom that had built up in her heart over the past few days seemed to dissipate quite a bit at that moment...

"Are you being so nice to Nannan because you have a crush on her?"

At that moment, Ye Guyi suddenly blurted out that question.