Back to school

The days that followed were spent traveling back to the academy, with Jiang Bai and Huo Yuhao on the road.

Nothing else happened on the way back to school, and the two returned to the academy safely.

After they passed through the school gates, Xue Ying appeared in Jiang Bai's arms.

"Ying, ying, ying!"

Xue Ying was already protesting. Every time they went out, Xue Ying had to return to that all-white space!

This was outrageous! Where were the rights?!

"All right, I'll take you out for ice cream later."

Seeing how angry Xue Ying was, Jiang Bai offered some reassurance.

He remembered an ice cream shop on campus from last time. Xue Ying seemed to enjoy its ice cream quite a bit.

"Ying, ying, ying?!"

"Ying, ying."

With Xue Ying soothed, Jiang Bai and Huo Yuhao planned to return to their dorms and freshen up first, but Jiang Bai felt it would be better to report their return.

Mu En had his advantages: he was powerful, he would die soon, and he cared deeply about Shrek's future, especially the possibility that no one would be left to carry on its legacy.

Once Mu En learned that Huo Yuhao had twin martial souls and ultimate ice, he would most likely become his backer.

There was no way he would let a talent like that slip away.

He would most likely make arrangements for Huo Yuhao before he died. Afterward, even with Mu En gone, the Sea God Pavilion would not meddle as long as Huo Yuhao did not threaten Shrek's safety.

"You're back? You're late, aren't you?"

The school year had just begun, and Mu En was still basking in the sun outside the dormitory building. He sensed Jiang Bai's presence as soon as he approached.

"I had permission to take leave. I ran into Yuhao on the way, too. Old man, you'd never guess what happened during his awakening. I guarantee your jaw will drop."

"Hmm?"

Seeing Jiang Bai so confident, Mu En grew curious. What could possibly surprise him?

It was not as though he had never seen a body martial soul awaken. By now, very few things could still surprise Mu En.

"I don't know whether I'll be surprised, but someone's been looking for you for quite a while."

Mu En seemed to recall something and smiled. A certain someone had spent a long time looking for Jiang Bai.

"What?"

Hearing Mu En's words, Jiang Bai tilted his head. Someone had been looking for him for a long time?

"Jiang Bai!"

Xiao Xiao's furious voice rang out from nearby.

"The little lass has been looking for you for ages."

"Looking for me? What for?" Jiang Bai looked in confusion at the angry Xiao Xiao before him.

He still had no idea what was going on.

"Who told you to leave without saying goodbye?"

Xiao Xiao was furious. Back then, it seemed she had been the only one who did not know Jiang Bai had left. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had both known!

"I didn't, did I? Didn't I ask Huo Yuhao to tell you when I left that day?"

Jiang Bai spoke in bewilderment. He remembered telling Huo Yuhao before he left, and Wang Dong had known as well.

"He forgot!"

Xiao Xiao glared fiercely at Jiang Bai. She remembered perfectly well that Huo Yuhao had only told her after she asked him.

Jiang Bai: "..."

Fine. It was all Huo Yuhao's fault.

At the time, Huo Yuhao had thrown all his energy into soul tools, so it was only natural that he had forgotten Jiang Bai's request.

"Uh... you can't blame me for that, can you?"

Back then, Jiang Bai had wanted to hurry home and condense his third soul ring, then deal with matters at the Ice God Hall. His schedule really had been tight.

"If not you, who should I blame?"

I really want to give this rotten guy a good pounding! Xiao Xiao thought viciously.

"You're almost at three rings? Your cultivation's progressing pretty quickly."

Xiao Xiao was now at level twenty-nine, and her aura was already surging toward level thirty. Reaching three rings was only a matter of days.

Jiang Bai remembered that in the original story, Xiao Xiao had only reached level twenty-nine during the reserve team's free-for-all, and had not broken through to level thirty until after the Soul Master Tournament.

Oh, wait.

In the original story, that had also included the soul power boost from her second martial soul's hundred-year soul ring.

"Of course! I'm a genius."

Xiao Xiao proudly flicked her ponytail. She was a genius, after all. Under her teacher's guidance, her cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds.

That was right. Xiao Xiao and Mu En were now student and teacher.

Mu En had said that if Xiao Xiao passed his test, she could formally become his disciple.

In truth, Mu En wanted to take Xiao Xiao as his disciple too.

What a pity. If only I were a little younger, I could take on another disciple. Such a pity...

Someone with twin martial souls was certainly a genius.

However, Jiang Bai noticed a trace of strange energy in Xiao Xiao's right leg.

Unless he was mistaken, it should have been a soul bone, but its power seemed to have been suppressed. Otherwise, Jiang Bai felt Xiao Xiao might already have broken through to level thirty.

What Jiang Bai did not know was that this had been Xiao Xiao's own choice.

Xiao Xiao wanted to absorb a soul ring beyond the usual limit for her third ring, so she had asked Mu En to suppress the soul bone's soul power. She would absorb her soul ring once her physical condition met the requirements.

She was almost ready now. Xiao Xiao planned to wait until Jiang Bai returned before going to absorb her soul ring.

"I'll go back and sort out my things. Yuhao's back too, so let's get together tonight."

Jiang Bai spoke. He had been intercepted as soon as he returned, and now he needed to go back and sort out his things. After so long away, his bed might even have grown cobwebs.

"Yuhao's back too? All right, I'll wait for you tonight."

At the mention of Huo Yuhao, Xiao Xiao remembered that he had been late as well. But why had Yuhao returned just as Jiang Bai did? Had they gone home together?

Wait, had they gone to meet the parents? Pfft! What am I thinking?!

Xiao Xiao shook her head, shaking those strange thoughts out of it.

Click—

Holding Xue Ying, Jiang Bai passed Huo Yuhao's room. The door was open, and from the doorway he immediately saw Wang Dong pinning Huo Yuhao against the wall.

Three people, six eyes, all met...

Jiang Bai: "..."

One hand silently covered Xue Ying's little head as it peeked out. See no impropriety, see no impropriety.

Wall ← Huo Yuhao ← Wang Dong

The two: "..."

In the end, Jiang Bai considerately closed the door for the two youngsters.

"It's all your fault!!!"

Wang Dong grabbed Huo Yuhao by the collar and shook him wildly.

Gritting her teeth, Wang Dong glared viciously at Huo Yuhao. It's all this guy's fault! Jiang Bai must have gotten the wrong idea! Damn you, Huo Yuhao!

She pinched the soft flesh at Huo Yuhao's waist with one hand.

"Why didn't you tell me about your martial soul mutation?!"

"I didn't want you to worry. Don't pinch me, it hurts~"

Huo Yuhao struggled a little, shifting into a more comfortable position. He did not want to reveal anything about Brother Sky Dream and the Ice Empress, but he genuinely had not wanted Wang Dong to worry, either.

"Who would worry about you?"

At those words, Wang Dong's earlobes reddened, and she flung Huo Yuhao aside.

What is this guy talking about? How could I possibly worry about him? He's just a little two-ring soul master.

Huo Yuhao rubbed his head where he had knocked it. Fortunately, Wang Dong had not used much force, so it did not hurt much.

"All right, I need to go tell Teacher Wang Yan."

"I'll come with you. I have some questions for him too."

Hearing this, Wang Dong decided to accompany him. Would his martial soul mutation affect their martial soul fusion skill?

After Jiang Bai returned to his dorm, the Ice God's Split Soul finally spoke.

"That fellow guarding the door is quite formidable. He should be level ninety-nine, but there seems to be something strange inside him wearing away his life force."

Hearing this, Jiang Bai could not help admiring him. As expected of the Ice God, he had spotted what was wrong with Mu En at a glance.

"Can he still be saved?"

Jiang Bai asked. If he could be saved, Jiang Bai might as well lend a hand.

"He's essentially beyond saving. His body is deteriorating, and his life essence is depleted. Even if his life essence were replenished, it would keep draining away. Unless a deity intervenes, there's almost no way to save him in the mortal world."

The Ice God answered. Unless a deity intervened, given the Douluo Continent's current circumstances, there was no way to cure the chronic affliction inside Mu En's body.

"Mm."

Jiang Bai did want Mu En to live a little longer. After all, among humans, he was currently the only one who could match Long Xiaoyao.

Leaving aside the Clear Sky Sect and Sea God Island, there were only three people who had truly reached the human limit right now, weren't there?

The sun sank in the west.

"Where did Yuhao and the others go?"

Holding Xue Ying, Xiao Xiao looked around. There was no sign of Wang Dong or Huo Yuhao, so she turned to Jiang Bai.

"I don't know either."

Rubbing his chin, Jiang Bai had no idea where the two had gone either. Had they still not returned from seeing Wang Yan? Did their questions really take that long?

"Then let's go take a walk outside first."

Jiang Bai thought it over. Since he had no idea when Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong would return, they might as well go out for a stroll.

"Sure."

Xiao Xiao nodded, then continued stroking Xue Ying in her arms. Hehehe, so soft~

Jiang Bai prepared a letter and slipped it under the door of Huo Yuhao's dorm room. He should notice it when he returned.

Not having a phone is still such a nuisance. Someday, I'm definitely going to make Huo Yuhao cobble one together for me.

Once that was done, the two left the dormitory building and headed toward the market outside Shrek.

"You know how to make medicine too?"

Looking at the medicinal herbs Jiang Bai had bought, Xiao Xiao asked in confusion.

"Yeah. Where else do you think your pearl milk tea came from?"

With that, Jiang Bai took out a cup of milk tea and handed it to Xue Ying in Xiao Xiao's arms.

"Ying, ying, ying~"

"Where's mine?"

Xiao Xiao asked. Why did only Xue Ying get one? Where was hers?!

"You can't drink this one. I'll make you some later."

This cup was full of top-grade ice-attribute medicinal herbs. Even a Soul Ancestor might not be able to withstand it.

For Xue Ying, of course, it was merely a snack.

After strolling around for a while, the two sat down in front of a restaurant. Not long afterward, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong finally arrived.

"Why are you so late?"

Xiao Xiao reproached them. It was already so late—why had they only just arrived?

"It's all Huo Yuhao's fault. He was late coming back, and Teacher Wang Yan lectured him for ages."

Wang Dong immediately sold Huo Yuhao out. That was half true.

After the two found Wang Yan, he had kept them there.

He certainly had not scolded Huo Yuhao. When Wang Yan saw his Ice Jade Scorpion martial soul, his eyes had practically lit up.

As for Huo Yuhao being late? Was that even a problem?

In any case, Wang Yan did not think it was a problem at all. Wasn't it perfectly normal for hunting a soul ring to take that long?

Besides, hadn't he returned before the assessment? Just say whether he had made it back or not!

Wang Yan was the homeroom teacher, after all. Couldn't he explain it however he pleased?