Shui Bing'er: A Favorable Impression

Dai Mubai pondered for a moment before saying, "If you trust me, I know of a tributary of an underground river about ten kilometers south of here. A group of Tidecall Pufferfish lives there. They excel at sonic attacks and rapid swimming, and some are around a thousand years old. They should suit your needs perfectly."

Although Shui Yue'er had not said what her Martial Soul was, Dai Mubai remembered it was the Jadeglow Dolphin, so he chose the relatively suitable Tidecall Pufferfish. He had discovered them over a month ago while searching for the Icefire Yin Yang Well.

"Tidecall Pufferfish?" Teacher Gu, who had barely spoken until now, brightened. "They really are Soul Beasts exceptionally well suited for Yue'er."

Shui Bing'er looked at Dai Mubai, with some of the wariness gone from her eyes. "Brother Dai, could I trouble you to take us there?"

"Of course. I'm not in a hurry anyway." Dai Mubai smiled generously.

"Then... sorry for the trouble, Brother Dai," Shui Bing'er said softly.

"No trouble at all. We're making friends, after all." Dai Mubai waved his hand. "Follow me. It's about ten kilometers away."

Two hours later.

Dai Mubai led the people from Skywater Academy to the hidden tributary.

"This is the place."

Dai Mubai stopped and pointed at the river. "The Tidecall Pufferfish are very fast, and I'm not good in the water. I won't be much help from here on."

Teacher Gu nodded. "It's fine. You've already helped us a great deal."

With that, she activated Martial Soul Possession and transformed into a watery blue swordfish, silently slipping into the river.

A moment later, the water churned, and a pale blue pufferfish with two long whiskers by its mouth was tossed onto the shore. It was covered in wounds and barely clinging to life.

"About fourteen hundred years old. Perfect!" Teacher Gu leaped out of the water.

Shui Yue'er gave an excited cheer and hurried forward, drawing a dagger from her waist and personally ending the Tidecall Pufferfish's life.

A deep purple Soul Ring slowly rose into the air. Shui Yue'er eagerly sat down cross-legged and began drawing it in to absorb it.

Shui Bing'er walked up to Dai Mubai. "Brother Dai, thank you so much for this. If it weren't for you, we have no idea how long we would've wandered around the forest."

"It was nothing." Dai Mubai smiled.

Everyone sat around Shui Yue'er and waited quietly.

Two hours later, Shui Yue'er finished absorbing the Soul Ring, and her aura had clearly grown much stronger.

She ran excitedly up to Dai Mubai and thanked him, "Thank you, Brother Dai!"

"You're too polite. I only showed you the way!"

"You helped me so much. How about we help you hunt a Soul Beast too?"

Dai Mubai shook his head. "Thank you for the offer, but I came here to obtain my fifth Soul Ring. Ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts are no joke. It's too dangerous, and I don't want to drag you into it. It would be safer for me to return to the academy and find my teachers."

"What?!"

Everyone was shocked upon hearing that.

Shui Yue'er's eyes widened. "Brother Dai, you... you're already level fifty?!"

Shui Bing'er also revealed an incredulous expression. She considered herself exceptionally talented, a once-in-a-century genius throughout Skywater Academy, yet this boy before her was already level fifty?

Shui Bing'er could not help asking, "Brother Dai, may I ask how old you are?"

"Fifteen and a half. What about you?" Dai Mubai answered frankly.

"I'm fourteen." Shui Bing'er's voice carried a rare hint of frustration.

Shui Yue'er's eyes darted about as she gave a sly smile. "Brother Dai, why did you only ask my sister and not me? Do you have a crush on my sister?"

"Shui Yue'er! Are you looking to die? What nonsense are you spouting?!"

Shui Bing'er instantly blushed crimson, shooting her sister an embarrassed and irritated glare.

"Uh..."

Dai Mubai was stunned as well. How was he supposed to answer that? If he said he did, he would seem frivolous; if he said he did not, wouldn't that be publicly slapping the girl in the face?

He glanced at Shui Bing'er's blushing pretty face, then smiled. "A girl like Miss Shui, so beautiful and extraordinarily gifted, becoming the captain of the Skywater Team at such a young age... I think anyone whose eyes aren't blind would find her hard not to admire."

His words both avoided the awkwardness and praised Shui Bing'er just enough.

Shui Bing'er's cheeks turned even redder, and she lowered her head. "What talent... I'm only level thirty-six, while Brother Dai is already level fifty..."

"That's because I'm over a year older than you. You're already level thirty-six at fourteen. You're the most talented Soul Master I've ever met."

Watching this, Teacher Gu shook her head helplessly and interrupted, "All right, you can talk as you walk. It's getting late. We should head back."

"Yes, Teacher Gu." As though granted a reprieve, Shui Bing'er quickly turned around, the tips of her ears flushed red.

The group began walking toward the outskirts of Sunset Forest.

As they walked, Shui Yue'er asked, "Brother Dai, you said you were going back to find your teachers. Which academy are you from?"

Dai Mubai gave a bitter smile. "A little academy that no one has heard of, called Shrek Academy. But my academy will probably disband soon. Where I'll go after that is still uncertain."

"Shrek?" Shui Bing'er thought carefully but truly had no impression of it.

Along the way, Dai Mubai did his best to maintain the image of an eloquent and graceful gentleman.

The girls of Skywater Academy had spent all year cultivating in an all-female academy and rarely interacted with boys their own age. Now that they had met a handsome and well-mannered youth like Dai Mubai, every one of them developed a favorable impression of him.

Naturally, Dai Mubai enjoyed it as well.

Shui Yue'er, in particular, had completely become a fangirl, calling him "Brother Dai" with exceptional affection.

A day later, the group finally left Sunset Forest and arrived at a fork in the official road.

Dai Mubai stopped and turned to look at the people from Skywater Academy.

"All right, we'll part ways here. You'll head north back to Skywater City, while I'll be heading south."

Shui Bing'er said softly, "Brother Dai, thank you again for this. I hope we'll meet again someday."

"We definitely will." Dai Mubai smiled faintly.

Shui Yue'er waved her hand. "Goodbye, Brother Dai!"

"Goodbye. Until we meet again!"

Dai Mubai waved to them, then turned and strode away.

Shui Yue'er moved close to Shui Bing'er, cupping her face in both hands as she said dreamily, "Sis~ Brother Dai is so handsome and so commanding! I wonder if we'll ever see him again!"

Shui Bing'er watched his gradually receding figure, a faint ripple stirring in her eyes. "If we are fated to meet, we will."

Shui Yue'er asked, "Sis, what do you think of Brother Dai?"

"My impression of him is pretty good!" A wistful look appeared in Shui Bing'er's eyes before she quickly said, "Come on, come on. We need to hurry back to the academy too!"

It had been nearly three months since Dai Mubai had left Shrek.

He also missed that group of companions, and he missed Zhu Zhuqing. Ever since that night of passion, he had missed her terribly.

After buying a fast horse in a town, he galloped toward Suotuo City.

Ten days later, Shrek Academy.

It was morning when Dai Mubai strode across the familiar training ground.

The training ground was empty. The figures who used to train in the gravity field were nowhere to be seen.

Dai Mubai frowned and headed straight for the dormitory area.