Unexpected Companions, New Students Enroll

To Bei Bei's relief, the worst outcome he had imagined did not come to pass.

Of the three, only the girl in the bamboo hat glanced their way from time to time. Her gaze was hardly friendly, but at least she never took a step toward them.

Bei Bei gradually relaxed. He continued answering Huo Yuhao's questions while keeping an eye on Jiang Yu and the others.

Time passed. Once Jiang Yu had recovered eighty percent of his Soul Power, he opened his eyes.

His gaze swept over Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao, who were talking quietly nearby. An unreadable look flickered in his eyes.

This meant Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had already merged with Huo Yuhao. Of that, Jiang Yu was certain.

Whether the remnant of Electrolux's divine consciousness had also entered Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea was harder to say. Jiang Yu would have to wait and see.

Jiang Yu had little interest in Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, but he did want Electrolux's remaining soul.

Electrolux's greatest value lay in his Necromancy and the Necromantic Half-Plane that came with it. Both would benefit Jiang Yu, who was bound to pursue the path of space and time, though neither was indispensable.

But if events followed the original story and Huo Yuhao obtained both Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Electrolux's remaining soul, Jiang Yu could not allow him to remain once he had gained enough strength to begin facing the threat of the God King.

A child of destiny whose fate was tightly controlled, even rewritten, and a mighty figure from another world doomed to vanish according to the original story were both tragic figures. There was no absolute right or wrong here, only opposing sides.

Jiang Yu refused to become a dog raised by the God King. That meant they could never coexist.

Early on, Huo Yuhao would make an excellent target to draw attention away from him. But as Jiang Yu seized more of the opportunities meant for Huo Yuhao and his cultivation rose, it would become difficult to escape the God King's notice.

And as one rose while the other fell, Jiang Yu knew the God King would never tolerate a brilliant new talent on Douluo Continent who lay beyond his control.

What the God King would do then was easy to imagine.

Warnings involving Wang Dong'er, the Valley of Love Questions, and the Trident would surely follow, one after another.

Time passed as Jiang Yu closed his eyes in thought, still keeping an ear on Bei Bei's group.

Tang Ya finished absorbing her Spirit Ring and woke first. A brief commotion rose from their side, then quickly died down.

Ning Tian completed her absorption soon after. The moment her purple Spirit Ring settled into place, the Soul Power and medicinal energy she had accumulated over nearly half a year erupted, driving her Soul Power through successive breakthroughs to rank thirty-four.

A flash of envy crossed Wu Feng's eyes.

Of their trio, Ning Tian had become a Soul Elder at twelve and a half. Jiang Yu's elders had deliberately slowed his cultivation for reasons Wu Feng did not know, yet he had crossed the Soul Elder threshold before turning ten. Only she remained at rank twenty-eight.

That was impressive in itself, but comparisons stung.

Ning Tian sensed the surge in her Soul Power and could not help smiling. She was about to share her joy with Jiang Yu and Wu Feng, but the moment she stood, her expression shifted. She motioned for them to look behind her.

Jiang Yu turned and saw Tang Ya skipping toward them.

Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao followed behind her, both looking helpless and worried.

"Hello, hello! I'm Tang Ya, from Shrek Academy."

Hearing her bright, lively voice and seeing her open, innocent expression, Jiang Yu grumbled inwardly that this girl was far too trusting. She had approached strangers without knowing who they were and had even revealed where she came from. Wasn't she afraid of getting chopped to pieces?

Bei Bei had protected her too well.

The name Shrek Academy caught Ning Tian's and Wu Feng's interest.

"So you're seniors from Shrek Academy. It's nice to meet you."

Ning Tian smiled. Her exquisite features and the gentle smile she had inherited from Ning Yunxiu felt like a spring breeze, easing much of the tension between the two groups at once.

Tang Ya's eyes lit up when Ning Tian called them seniors. She said,

"So you're our juniors? What a coincidence! We managed to run into each other in a forest as huge as the Star Dou Great Forest."

"By the way, what year are you in? How come I've never seen you at the academy?"

Behind her, Bei Bei was at a loss.

When would Tang Ya ever stop acting so familiar with strangers?

"We're new students. We're on our way to enroll," Ning Tian said calmly.

"New students? Soul Elders?"

Tang Ya's eyes widened. She understood each phrase on its own, but together they made no sense to her.

She was not the only one. Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao looked stunned too.

"Is something wrong?" Ning Tian asked with a smile.

"N-no, nothing's wrong. It's just... this year's new students are incredibly strong."

Tang Ya was almost stammering.

Soul Elders had appeared among new students before, but never more than one or two in a year. Even then, such students were likely to become core disciples while still freshmen, and entry into the Inner Court was all but assured once their cultivation met the requirements.

After all, a genius who became a Soul Elder at twelve was bound to have an exceptionally powerful martial soul and the backing of an equally powerful force.

Ning Tian only smiled. Once Tang Ya recovered, she hurried on,

"Since we've met, why don't we head to the academy together? We can look out for each other on the way."

Tang Ya's thinking was simple. These three juniors were gifted and seemed easy enough to get along with. If she built a good relationship with them now, perhaps one day they would lose their heads like little Yuhao and let her sweet-talk them... ahem, inspire them to join the Tang Sect, fallen as it was.

Wouldn't the Tang Sect take off then?

Faced with Tang Ya's expectant gaze, Ning Tian looked back at Jiang Yu and Wu Feng. Only after both nodded did she reply,

"Sorry for the trouble, seniors."

Tang Ya brightened. Once the two groups joined up, she enthusiastically introduced Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao. Ning Tian briefly introduced Jiang Yu and Wu Feng in turn, but said nothing about their backgrounds or where they came from.

Shrek Academy was roughly a thousand li away. Traveling at full speed, the six reached the outskirts of Shrek City in a day.

By the time they arrived outside the eastern gate, over five thousand people had gathered there. Vendors had flocked to the scene, their cries rising and falling over the dense crowd. It was probably livelier than the city itself.

Bei Bei cleared his throat and looked at Jiang Yu's group. "We need to take Yuhao to register. Would you like to come with us, or go on your own?"

Ning Tian glanced at the bustling crowd, then shook her head. "Thank you for looking after us on the way, Senior Bei and Senior Tang. We can handle our own enrollment. Please take little Huo to register."

Bei Bei nodded, but before he could speak, Tang Ya said cheerfully,

"Take care, then! If there's anything you don't understand or need help with, come find me and Bei Bei... After all, we're known as the outer court's prettiest and kindest couple."

Jiang Yu and the two girls nodded, watching Bei Bei's group disappear into the crowd.

The moment they were gone, Wu Feng, who had been holding back a bellyful of complaints, snorted.

"I swear those two have lost their minds. They gave an interview admission slot to an eleven-year-old who's only at rank eleven, with a ten-year first Spirit Ring to boot. Even if they want to build up their sect, couldn't they at least pick someone talented? Why choose such a dud?"

Wu Feng usually relied on brute force instead of her brain, but she was no fool when she chose to think.

Of Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and Huo Yuhao, Tang Ya had been the friendliest, but her motives were also the most obvious.

She hardly looked like a bad person, but appearances could deceive. Besides, she had kept trying to probe into the trio's backgrounds. Who knew what she was really thinking?

Ning Tian said nothing. Clearly, she too thought Bei Bei and Tang Ya had made a poor choice by using an interview admission slot to bring someone of Huo Yuhao's aptitude to Shrek Academy.

Jiang Yu watched their reactions and understood what they were thinking.

He smiled and began to explain.

"..."