Plotting for the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone!

In the days that followed, Xiao Lin became exceptionally low-key.

He no longer showed off as sharply as before. Every day, he attended class on time, ate on time, and practiced the flute on time, behaving like an utterly ordinary Soul Master student.

Whenever he happened to run into Yu Xiaogang, he merely walked past without looking sideways, pretending not to see him.

Yu Xiaogang, on the other hand, was the one who lost his patience.

That afternoon, Xiao Lin had just left the cafeteria after eating when Yu Xiaogang blocked him at the entrance.

"Xiao Lin!" Yu Xiaogang stood in front of him, his face so gloomy it seemed ready to drip water. "Where have you been these past few days?"

Xiao Lin yawned and replied lazily, "Nowhere. I've just been staying at the academy."

"Nonsense!" Yu Xiaogang glared at him. "I checked your attendance records. You skipped class for several days! Did you secretly go to Soul Hunting Forest?"

"Oh, that." Xiao Lin scratched his head. "I did go, but I didn't find a suitable Soul Beast, so I came back."

He was not telling the truth.

He did not want Yu Xiaogang to know that he had already obtained his first Soul Ring, lest that petty man stir up some new trouble. As long as he did not display his Soul Skill, no one could tell what color his Soul Ring was.

Yu Xiaogang stared at him suspiciously for a long while, seemingly judging whether he was telling the truth. At last, he snorted coldly and said,

"I told you long ago that without my help, you could never obtain a Soul Ring. You understand now, don't you? Only by following me will you have a future!"

"Yes, yes, yes, you're right." Xiao Lin nodded repeatedly, looking incomparably sincere. "Master, you're absolutely right. I'll seriously consider your suggestion."

Yu Xiaogang froze.

He had not expected Xiao Lin to be so agreeable this time, and for a moment, he did not know what to do.

He had prepared a whole bellyful of words to lecture this brat who did not know his place, yet the other party refused to take the bait. It felt like punching cotton, leaving him unbearably stifled.

"Y-you'll really consider it?" Yu Xiaogang asked uncertainly.

"Of course. I've taken every word you said to heart, Master." Xiao Lin looked utterly sincere. "I'll be going now. I still need to get back and review my lessons."

With that, he went around Yu Xiaogang and left at a brisk pace.

Yu Xiaogang was left standing there alone, frowning as he felt that something was off, yet could not say what it was.

Over the following days, this happened several more times. Whenever Yu Xiaogang saw Xiao Lin, he would seize the chance to lecture him about how the support path was the proper way, while Xiao Lin would always answer, "Yes, yes," "You're right," and "I'll definitely change." His attitude was impeccable, but his actions did not change in the slightest.

He still practiced the flute when he should practice the flute and cultivated when he should cultivate, treating Yu Xiaogang's words as nothing but wind in his ears.

Yu Xiaogang ground his teeth in anger, yet there was nothing he could do. After all, Xiao Lin agreed so readily with his words that he could hardly punish him over it.

He could only comfort himself that this boy would sooner or later understand his good intentions and sooner or later change his mind.

And so, while appearing obedient on the surface but doing exactly as he pleased in truth, Xiao Lin began his years of lying low at Nuoding Academy.

Late at night, when all was quiet, he would still go to that little grove and play the flute beneath the moon.

The Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute grew more and more responsive in his hands. One ancient melody after another from his past life was restored by him and incorporated into his Soul Skill training.

Xiao Wu remained his loyal listener, appearing beneath the old locust tree on time almost every night.

She never disturbed him while he practiced. She simply sat quietly to one side and listened, occasionally rising to dance when the mood took her. Under the moonlight, the lingering flute music and her graceful dancing became a unique sight in the back hills of Nuoding Academy.

Xiao Lin's Soul Power also steadily increased through this day-after-day practice.

Level eleven, level twelve, level thirteen...

With every level he gained, his understanding of the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute deepened further. He discovered that this Martial Soul was far more profound than he had imagined.

It was not merely an instrument. It was more like a key leading to some supreme realm. Whenever he played those ancient melodies, he could always sense a mysterious force stirring in the depths of his Martial Soul, as though it were calling for something.

He knew that the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute's true power was slowly awakening.

All he needed was time and patience.

A hidden dragon lay beneath the abyss, temporarily concealing its edge.

When the winds and clouds converged, the day he soared into the heavens would come.

In the blink of an eye, six years had passed!

The morning sunlight pierced through the thin mist and fell upon the small hills east of Notting City.

A young man stood atop one hill, his azure robe fluttering lightly in the wind and his black hair gleaming softly in the morning light. He held a jade-green vertical flute in his hand, his slender fingers dancing lightly over its holes. A melodious tune flowed forth like running water, echoing across the hills.

The young man's features were so exquisite that he seemed to have stepped out of a painting. Most striking of all were those jade-green eyes, clear and deep, as though they held a pool of spring water within them.

The dawn outlined his upright figure. At five feet nine, he was not particularly tall, but his proportions were excellent, and he stood there like a verdant pine standing firm against the wind.

At the foot of the hill stood a huge crowd.

All women.

There were young girls in the bloom of youth, charming married women, and even several elderly ladies with gray hair.

Some carried vegetable baskets, some held washbasins, and some still had children by the hand. Yet without exception, every one of them tilted her head upward and gazed foolishly at the flute-playing young man on the hilltop.

"That sounds so good... What is this piece called?"

"I think it's called 'Gusu Journey'? I heard Old Wang next door's daughter mention it."

"Who cares what it's called? As long as it sounds good! I come listen to a tune every morning before I even make breakfast. If I don't hear it, I have no energy all day!"

"Just look at Xiao Lin. He's handsome, and he plays so beautifully. I wonder which lucky girl will get to marry him someday."

"My husband is beyond saving. All he does every day is drink and play cards. Compared to him, he's practically a pile of shit."

"Shh—keep your voice down. Don't disturb him while he's playing!"

The crowd quieted down and continued losing themselves in the picturesque flute music.

This had been going on for several years already.

At first, only a few female students from Nuoding Academy had accidentally discovered Xiao Lin's secret of practicing in the morning. Then word spread from one to ten and ten to a hundred, until more and more women learned that there was a handsome young man east of Notting City who played the flute exceptionally well.

Over the past year, things had completely gotten out of hand. Every morning, more than a hundred people gathered beneath the hill, and as far as the eye could see was a sea of people—all female.

The men of Notting City were full of complaints about this.

"Damn it, my wife runs out every morning saying she's going to listen to music, then comes back and starts finding fault with me!"

"Isn't that the truth? My wife used to be so virtuous. Now she compares me to that flute-playing brat at every turn. This life is impossible!"

"I heard that kid is about to graduate? Great! Hurry up and leave! If he doesn't, every man in Notting City is going to be shown up!"

"Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva bless him to graduate soon and leave Notting City soon. Better yet, may he never come back..."

Up on the hilltop, Xiao Lin knew nothing of these discussions, or rather, he did not care.

He closed his eyes, completely immersed in the world of music. The morning breeze brushed across his cheeks, carrying the fresh scent of grass and dew. The sunlight warmly wrapped around his body. Everything was just right.

When the piece ended, he slowly lowered the flute and opened his eyes.

Warm applause and cheers rose from below the hill.

Xiao Lin nodded politely toward the crowd, then turned and left, his movements clean and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

He knew that if he did not leave quickly, those enthusiastic "fans" would soon swarm around him. Once that happened, getting away would be difficult.