Su Changqing lowered his head and gently kissed Hu Liena on the cheek.
Hu Liena smiled like a blooming flower. "That's more like it. I'm leaving first!"
After watching Hu Liena leave, Su Changqing returned to his dormitory.
Once back in his dormitory, Su Changqing did not choose to rest. Instead, he began meditating, stabilizing the changes in his body after absorbing the immortal herb.
After absorbing the Rainbow Sun Flower, Su Changqing could feel through meditation that his strength had improved considerably. Even if he encountered a Soul Sage-level expert now, he would have the power to fight!
But he was still far from being able to kill Tang Hao!
Time slipped quietly by amid cultivation.
When Su Changqing opened his eyes again, it was already the next morning.
A streak of Golden Light flashed through his eyes before withdrawing.
Feeling the pure, holy, and surging Soul Power within his body, Su Changqing nodded in satisfaction.
It seemed that before leaving Spirit Hall Academy, he should be able to reach the level of a Soul King—a twelve-year-old Soul King.
A smile curled across Su Changqing's lips.
At this rate, he should soon reach the point where he could stand against Tang Hao as an equal!
Time flew by.
A year had passed in the blink of an eye since his return from the Star Dou Great Forest.
Over the past year, aside from occasionally being called out on dates by Hu Liena and summoned by Bibi Dong to speak in the Pope's Hall, Su Changqing had spent most of his time immersed in cultivation.
After cultivating, he would study the Immortal Herb Manual. His life could be said to be extremely regular.
After a year, his cultivation had reached level fifty-three. Bibi Dong had personally taken him to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain his fifth soul ring, which was over seventy thousand years old.
He was confident that, starting from his sixth soul ring, he would definitely be able to withstand a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!
Hu Liena's progress had also been astonishingly fast. After her martial soul evolved, her strength had risen rapidly. Her temperament had lost some of its former seductive charm and gained a measure of nobility and holiness.
Her Soul Power had even risen to level fifty-five!
Reaching level fifty-five at seventeen was absolutely the mark of a genius among geniuses!
Today was the day Su Changqing graduated, and also the day he would leave Spirit City.
He had come to the Pope's Hall to bid farewell to Bibi Dong.
Hu Liena stood beside him, looking at him with reluctant longing.
From the seat of honor, Bibi Dong looked at Su Changqing standing in the hall, a trace of complex admiration flashing through her eyes.
He had only been in Spirit Hall for a single year, yet he had risen from a three-ring Soul Elder to a five-ring Soul King!
And he was a Soul King with two purple and three black soul rings!
In the future, he would absolutely become a level ninety-nine Ultimate Douluo!
"Have you decided? If you remain in Spirit Hall, I will certainly devote every effort to nurturing you."
Bibi Dong's voice was calm and even.
"Yes, Teacher."
Su Changqing bowed respectfully. "We discussed this before. I want to go out and gain experience through my own abilities. Once I return, I will accept Teacher's allocation of resources and full support. Only then can I bring my talent into full play."
Bibi Dong nodded slightly. "Very well. Since that is your decision, I will not stop you any longer. But you must still be careful while training outside. You have not yet reached the level of a Title Douluo, so do not act rashly."
"I will heed Teacher's teachings," Su Changqing replied.
"Go."
Bibi Dong waved her hand and said no more.
A powerful sense of anticipation rose within her heart as well.
She was also curious what heights a genius like Su Changqing could reach if allowed to grow freely!
When he returned, with her other disciple Hu Liena added to the mix, the three of them would surely be able to take complete control of Spirit Hall and overthrow the Angel Family's rule!
After leaving the Pope's Hall, Su Changqing returned to his dormitory and briefly packed his belongings.
After taking one final look at the dormitory, he left.
As he walked out of Spirit Hall Academy, he encountered someone familiar at the gates.
At a glance, he spotted the graceful figure that had been waiting outside.
Hu Liena had no idea when she had arrived there. He remembered that she had not followed him out after he left the Pope's Hall, and he had thought they would not be able to say goodbye!
Today, she wore an elegant white dress, yet it still could not conceal her peerless beauty.
Her curvaceous figure was bathed in bright sunlight, beautiful as a painting.
Su Changqing was somewhat entranced. Hu Liena truly was beautiful today.
"Do you have to leave today?"
Hu Liena came to his side, her voice carrying a faint, barely noticeable sob.
Su Changqing came back to himself and smiled, looking at her gently. "Yes, the time has come. I can't stay at the academy forever. I told you before that I would only remain here for a year."
Upon hearing this, Hu Liena bit her red lips. She knew she could not keep him.
Ever since he had said a year ago that he would leave, she had known this day would come.
Hu Liena took out a carefully embroidered sachet from her bosom. Embroidered on it was a lively little fox with an air of nobility.
She stuffed the sachet into Su Changqing's hand.
"This is my farewell gift for you. You must keep it safe... And when you're out there alone, be careful in everything and take good care of yourself."
She lowered her head and spoke softly, her eyes slightly red around the rims.
Su Changqing tightened his grip on the sachet, which still carried the girl's body warmth and a faint fragrance. A wave of warmth surged through his heart.
"Mm. I'll cherish it, Sister Nana."
The two stood facing each other in silence as the sorrow of parting filled the air.
After a long silence, Hu Liena seemed to make up her mind. She suddenly raised her head, gathered her courage, stood on tiptoe, and swiftly kissed Su Changqing on the lips!
Su Changqing was somewhat stunned by the sudden kiss, but he did not push her away. Instead, he allowed Hu Liena to kiss him.
No one knew how long passed before their lips finally parted.
Hu Liena's pretty face was red as a ripe apple, the blush spreading all the way to her ears.
She pressed her cherry lips together and said nervously, "I... I'll keep waiting for you to come back at Spirit Hall!"
Having said that, as if she had exhausted all her courage, she suddenly turned around and hurried back into the academy, leaving Su Changqing only with her slender, slightly flustered retreating figure.
Su Changqing raised his hand and gently touched his lips. A faint fragrance seemed to still linger there.
He looked in the direction where Hu Liena had disappeared, and an unconscious, gentle smile lifted the corners of his mouth.
"I wonder when we'll meet again, Sister Nana. Take care."
Su Changqing murmured to himself, then put away the sachet and carefully tucked it close against his chest.
He took one final look at Spirit Hall Academy before boarding the carriage.
The carriage slowly began moving, carrying Su Changqing toward Heaven Dou City.
Sitting inside the carriage, Su Changqing had already begun planning what to do after arriving in Heaven Dou City.
He first roughly worked out the timeline. Tang San would probably soon head to Soto City to fight at the Great Soul Arena, and he had not yet met Dugu Yan.
That meant Dugu Yan was most likely still in Heaven Dou City!
Then his next target would be to fight at the Great Soul Arena in Heaven Dou City and draw the attention of Yu Tianheng's group!
Before you continue