Leaving the Academy to Find Su Tong

As the days slowly passed, Jiang Bai trained and went about his life.

One day, Jiang Bai went to Wang Yan and handed him a leave request with his own name already signed.

The paper was the academy's standard form, black writing on a white background. The reason for the leave and its duration had been neatly written out; all that remained was the homeroom teacher's stamp.

"What's this? You're asking for leave?"

Wang Yan looked over the request, set down the textbook in his hand, and stared at Jiang Bai in surprise.

He had been teaching here for a long time, but rarely saw leave requests like this.

"Mm. Two weeks."

Jiang Bai nodded. There were two weeks left before Huo Yuhao and the others set out, and he had some things to prepare.

"Sure. Remember to come back. I might be busy then, though, so wait until I'm back to give me the form."

Wang Yan said that he might be leading a group to Star Luo City then, and Jiang Bai might not be able to find him when he returned.

As he spoke, Wang Yan took out his homeroom teacher's seal and stamped Jiang Bai's leave request. It was a kind of Soul Tool, and the seal bore an aura unique to Wang Yan that no one else could forge.

"Okay, thank you, teacher."

Jiang Bai took the leave request and thanked him. Getting leave here really was easy.

If it had been Zhou Yi, he probably wouldn't have gotten it.

Speaking of Zhou Yi, for some reason, she had become much more restrained lately. She was also more respectful when she saw Wang Yan. Her teaching style was still the same, and she still wore that sour expression, but she no longer seemed like the fearsome old hag she used to be.

She still kept picking on Jiang Bai in class, though, and even Xiao Xiao and the others sitting beside him got caught in the crossfire.

"You're welcome."

Wang Yan smiled and pushed up his glasses. Jiang Bai was an obedient student who also liked Martial Soul Theory, so the two of them got along well.

That afternoon...

"You're leaving again? Where are you going this time?"

After school, with the sun setting in the west, Xiao Xiao stood facing the sunset with her hands on her hips and her lips pursed. She looked utterly adorable.

The sunset fell across Xiao Xiao's cheeks, which had grown a little rounder, making her look even cuter.

"I'm going back to look for something that'll help with my cultivation," Jiang Bai said. He had already come up with an excuse.

"Oh."

Since it would help Jiang Bai cultivate, Xiao Xiao didn't say anything more. His Soul Power was progressing quickly enough for now, but since he had a Detached Martial Soul, he might hit a wall at the Soul Ancestor or Soul King rank someday.

"Then when are you leaving, Brother Jiang?"

Huo Yuhao asked. He had wanted to spend more time observing Jiang Bai.

"I'll get ready in a bit. By the way, I'll probably pass through Star Luo City on the way back this time. Do you want me to bring you any local specialties?"

Jiang Bai wanted to give them a heads-up now, so they wouldn't be caught off guard later.

At the mention of Star Luo City, the three of them froze for a moment.

What were the odds? They exchanged glances. Jiang Bai would pass through Star Luo City on his way back?

Going by their estimate of the timing, they should already be in Star Luo City by then.

"Are you going to watch the Soul Fighting Tournament?" Xiao Xiao asked excitedly. If Jiang Bai was going to Star Luo City, did that mean he would watch the competition?

"No. I'm just passing through. I'll head back afterward."

Jiang Bai acted as though he knew nothing. Xiao Xiao's expression changed. "You should go watch the tournament! It'll be lively."

"I'll take a look when I get there."

"Great!"

Seeing Jiang Bai agree, Xiao Xiao nearly jumped for joy. She'd make sure he saw what she could do!

"Xiao Xiao, do you still have any Invincible Barriers?"

As half of Xian Lin'er's junior fellow disciples, Xiao Xiao had quite a few Soul Tools in her possession.

"I do. Here."

Xiao Xiao took a round iron ball out of her Storage Soul Tool: a Level Five Invincible Barrier.

"Mm. You still have more, right?"

Jiang Bai took the ball and asked.

"Yeah."

Xiao Xiao took out several more Invincible Barriers and was about to hand them all to Jiang Bai, but he pushed them back.

"One is enough. Just make sure you still have some."

"I'm not going anywhere," Xiao Xiao replied. She wouldn't need them at school.

"Mm. If you're going to do anything dangerous, remember to bring one."

"When would I ever do anything dangerous?"

Xiao Xiao retorted. She'd never do anything that called for an Invincible Barrier. Besides, she was strong too, wasn't she?

She didn't have to fight anyone at school, so she had no use for the things. And even if something really happened, she had Twin Martial Souls—who was she supposed to be afraid of?

After saying goodbye to the three of them, Jiang Bai went to the dormitory entrance. He chatted with Mu En for a while about Bei Bei and Tang Ya, then left.

Jiang Bai looked at Mu En's lazy air and couldn't help grumbling to himself.

Seriously, couldn't the old man show a little concern for the younger generation's love lives?

The Far North was frozen solid, the sky and earth a vast expanse of white.

Feeling the familiar, comfortable cold, Xue Ying grew lazy without even realizing it.

"What did you come back for?"

Looking at the familiar Far North, Ice God asked.

"To help Senior contact your true self. We're so far away from each other out here, and it isn't easy for your split soul to get in touch with your main soul."

"You're so kind?"

Ice God was a little suspicious. Was Jiang Bai really that kind, to help him send a message to his main soul?

"Since we can call each other friends, I ought to trust you a little. So, please help keep watch for me, Senior."

Back at the little house, Jiang Bai took out the Golden Water Mu En had given him. It was a treasure from the Golden Tree, containing an immensely powerful force of life.

Jiang Bai swallowed it and sat cross-legged. The life force within him began to surge violently.

The crown inside him immediately feasted, letting none of the life force escape.

"What's that?"

Ice God's split soul circled around Jiang Bai, curiously sensing the changes within him. He had thought that swallowing a treasure containing so much life force would make a lot of it spill out, but not a bit had escaped.

About three days later, Jiang Bai opened his eyes and let out a soft breath.

With Martial Soul Possession, his hair turned pink, his eyes green, and three pale pink diamond-shaped marks appeared on his forehead.

Ten uses of Boss Evolution.

After confirming the number of times he could use Boss Evolution, Jiang Bai returned to his original form and looked at Ice God's split soul.

"How many days?"

"Three."

"Then we still have time."

Since only three days had passed, he still had a little time to get something done.

At the nearest city, Jiang Bai took a piece of shaved ice and fed it to Little Xue Ying, who was tucked inside his robe. Then he ambled over to the Su Clan's gate.

"That little girl is at Level 32 now. It seems her cultivation speed has already been held back by her Ultimate Attribute."

Ice God could easily sense Su Tong's aura and tell what was going on with her.

"How long until she becomes a Soul Saint?"

Jiang Bai could sense Su Tong too, thanks to his Martial Soul.

"If nothing unexpected happens, she should be able to reach it in her thirties."

Hearing that she wouldn't become a Soul Saint until she was in her thirties, Jiang Bai narrowed his eyes slightly. In the original story, she had reached that rank at a young age. It seemed she'd had a few fortuitous encounters.

At the same time, Su Tong, whose Martial Soul was the Heavenly Snow Woman, felt a stir from within her Martial Soul.

"Senior?"

Su Tong was cultivating in her room. She immediately thought of Jiang Bai.

"Ahem. Can you hear me?"

A voice came to her ears, and Su Tong perked up at once.

"I can, Senior," Su Tong answered earnestly.

"Your cultivation speed is very slow."

"I-I'm already doing my best," Su Tong replied softly. She really was working hard, but this Snow Spirit Martial Soul was just too slow to cultivate. It was much slower than her previous cultivation speed.

"But I just don't know why I'm cultivating so slowly."

Su Tong sighed. It had taken her ages to gain this level. It was so hard!

"Do you know about Ultimate Attributes?"

Hearing Su Tong's confusion, Jiang Bai asked. He had a feeling she didn't know that she possessed Ultimate Ice.

"I don't. What's an Ultimate Attribute?"

Su Tong asked in confusion. What was an Ultimate Attribute? Did it have anything to do with her?

Had she really not known? Had her family not known either?

What Jiang Bai didn't know was that knowledge of Ultimate Attributes circulated only among the top forces. Small families elsewhere had no way of knowing about them.

Besides, Ultimate Attributes were extremely special. Even a Titled Douluo couldn't claim with certainty that a particular Martial Soul possessed an Ultimate Attribute.

At most, they could say that the Martial Soul might have one.

"Leave a letter. I'll take you out to find a fortuitous opportunity," Jiang Bai said.

"All right."

Su Tong got out of bed without even putting on her shoes. She quickly grabbed some paper and began writing a letter. Once she finished, she looked around. "Where's Senior?"

"Let's go."

The voice came from outside the window. Su Tong hurried over to open it, and at a glance she saw Jiang Bai in a white robe.

"Senior, I've left a letter."

"Mm. Let's go."

A patch of mist formed into a "white cloud" and settled in front of Su Tong.

Seeing the white cloud outside the window, Su Tong was still a little worried. She stuck out her bare little foot, and gently pressed her pink sole against the cloud.

It felt soft and cool. So comfortable.

Taking a deep breath, Su Tong stepped onto the white cloud.

Wahoo~

So high.

Beside her, Jiang Bai lowered his head and looked at her two dainty feet.

Don't get the wrong idea. He didn't have any ulterior motives, and he wasn't a foot fetishist, much less a wicked lolicon.

He was only worried that the cloud might have foot fungus.

"You just left like that?"

Jiang Bai hadn't sensed anyone following them, and found it a little odd. Su Tong had trusted him just like that?

"Um..."

Su Tong fell silent for a moment, then said, "Senior came to my room without making a sound. My father and grandfather didn't notice you at all. If you really wanted to hurt me, it seems like the Su Clan couldn't stop you anyway."

"So you figured you might as well come along, and if anything happened, you'd be the only one to die?"

That was exactly what Su Tong had thought, but hearing the word "die" still frightened her a little.

"You wouldn't hurt me, would you, Senior?" Su Tong looked at Jiang Bai pitifully.

"Why would I hurt you?"

Jiang Bai took Su Tong and flew toward the depths of the Far North.

Beside him, Su Tong stared at Jiang Bai in his white robe and leaned closer, trying to see his face beneath the hood.

But she couldn't see anything, only a pair of green eyes.

"I'll explain Ultimate Ice to you," Jiang Bai said, seeing how curious Su Tong was.

He still had to make sure the little girl understood what "ultimate" meant.

"..."

He gave her a brief explanation of Ultimate Attributes. After hearing it, Su Tong suddenly understood. So the reason her cultivation was so difficult was that she had an Ultimate Attribute?

"Senior, does that mean I won't even be able to break through to Soul King?"

Hearing that an Ultimate Martial Soul became harder and harder to cultivate, Su Tong began to worry about her future. Would she be unable to break through to Soul King?

Jiang Bai glanced at Su Tong and said nothing more. One sentence made her mind go completely blank.

"You have the potential to reach Level 99, the Limit Realm."

Su Tong: "!!!"