Mysterious Heaven Skill, Suotuo City

"Lin Hao, the Gravity Control you chose for my second soul skill is so useful. It can control enemies and help me train my body.

"And the Mysterious Heaven Skill Tang San inherited is incredible. Even when his body is utterly exhausted, it circulates on its own to nourish his meridians and internal organs."

Xiao Wu was drenched in sweat and breathing hard as she spoke to Lin Hao beside her.

Lin Hao took out a towel and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Seeing that Xiao Wu was just as sweaty, her face flushed, he wiped her face too.

Then he tossed the towel to Tang San on his other side.

"Of course. I'm going to become a true master of theory someday.

"If you'd followed your original plan and taken a Charm Skill for your second soul ring, that Jade Rabbit martial soul of yours really would've gone to waste."

Tang San caught the towel Lin Hao had thrown him and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Brother Hao! You said you had a surprise in mind for my third soul skill.

"I've wanted to ask for ages. You recommended the Parasitic Blue Silver Grass Seed Skill for my second soul skill, so what exactly should my third be?"

Lin Hao glanced at Suotuo City, now close ahead, and told Xiao Wu to stop using Gravity Control.

"All right, I'll tell you. I'd pair your third soul skill with an Explosion Skill.

"Think about it. You could make the Blue Silver Grass seeds you've planted inside your enemies explode. Add your Blue Silver Vines and Blue Silver Thorn to that, and imagine what it would feel like to have those seeds explode inside you..."

At Lin Hao's words, Tang San pictured a dozen or so Blue Silver Grass seeds suddenly exploding inside an enemy's leg, blasting it to bloody pulp. He shuddered.

Lin Hao saw him shiver and smiled.

"What, is that soul skill too cruel? Want me to suggest a few others instead?"

Tang San hurriedly shook his head and denied it outright.

"I don't think it's cruel. I'm not changing it. I want the Explosion Skill for my third soul skill."

Xiao Wu laughed softly at Tang San's panicked reaction, then turned a bright smile on Lin Hao.

"Lin Hao, since you've already told Tang San what you recommend for his third soul skill, tell me what you'd recommend for mine."

Lin Hao ran a hand through Xiao Wu's soft hair.

"Instant Teleportation would be your best choice for a third soul skill. Ideally, you'd be able to teleport at least thirty meters.

"With those three soul skills, you'd have the upper hand from the start in any fight at this stage.

"Even if you couldn't win, you could use Instant Teleportation to keep harassing your opponent."

They entered Suotuo City.

All three were drenched in sweat, so they needed to find somewhere to stay, bathe, and change before looking for Shrek Academy.

Lin Hao had planned to find an ordinary hotel and book three rooms to spare Tang San any awkwardness.

Then they passed a three-story hotel shaped like a giant rose.

Xiao Wu immediately fell for the Rose Hotel's soft pink exterior. She grabbed Lin Hao's hand and pulled him toward it.

"Lin Hao, Tang San, let's stay at the Rose Hotel! I love it here!"

Lin Hao was more than happy to stay at the Rose Hotel with Xiao Wu.

He let her pull him along and followed her inside with only a show of reluctance.

Tang San trailed behind them. Once in the lobby, he found an empty seat. Everyone coming and going was in pairs; he didn't need to ask what kind of place this was.

At the front desk, Lin Hao spoke first.

"Two rooms, please!"

The clerk hurriedly rose from his chair. He looked at Lin Hao, then at Xiao Wu, before giving Lin Hao a knowing look.

"Sorry, you two. We only have one room left."

Seeing the clerk's look, Lin Hao cleared his throat. He discreetly took out two Gold Soul Coins and tapped them against the counter.

"Ahem! There's a third person with us. He's on his own!"

The clerk swiftly accepted the two Gold Soul Coins from Lin Hao, then followed his gaze to Tang San, who was sitting in the lounge.

Once the two rooms were booked, Lin Hao handed Tang San a room key card and led the blushing Xiao Wu upstairs to the Rose Romantic King Room.

The room lived up to its name: even the bathroom had a heart-shaped bathtub.

At the sight of the tub, Xiao Wu turned red, darted into the bathroom, and shut the door.

"Um, Lin Hao, I'm going first. You'll have to wait."

Lin Hao chuckled at the panic in her voice.

He wanted to be intimate with Xiao Wu. Thanks to their martial souls, both their bodies had already matured.

But they were still only nine years old. Better to wait another three or four years.

That was only their age in this life, of course. Both were far older than that in reality.

Lin Hao's two lives added up to more than thirty years. Xiao Wu was older still—at least ten thousand years old.

She might be a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, but her actual age was certainly under twenty thousand years. Soul beasts could increase their cultivation not only by growing older, but also by eating other soul beasts or consuming medicinal herbs and immortal grasses.

If he couldn't do anything else, a glimpse would be nice. Half an hour later, Xiao Wu finished her bath.

Lin Hao had imagined her coming out with nothing but a towel wrapped around her.

But no!

Xiao Wu had changed into a pink dress and a fresh pair of patterned, white over-the-knee stockings.

She emerged, brushed back her long, straight black hair, and smiled at Lin Hao's disappointed face.

"I'm done. Go take your bath, Lin Hao."

Lin Hao was disappointed not to see Xiao Wu come out wrapped in a towel, but the hot bath had left her cheeks rosy, and she looked adorable.

He rose from the bed, walked over, cupped her flushed face, and kissed her cheek before heading into the bathroom to bathe.

The kiss made Xiao Wu's already rosy cheeks burn even brighter. She watched Lin Hao enter the bathroom.

She stamped her foot, then went to the bed and flopped onto the rose petals scattered across it.

Lin Hao washed quickly. Just five minutes later, he was clean, dry, and out of the bathroom.

Another five minutes later, dressed and ready, he took Xiao Wu's hand and led her out of the room.

They had barely reached the first-floor lobby

when they spotted Tang San in the lounge. He had already bathed and changed and was waiting for them.

He hadn't actually waited long—only ten minutes. Girls took longer to bathe; he'd already learned that at Notting Junior Academy.