New Friends, New Classmates

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 made no move to approach them.

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

Time ticked by. 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 passed through his eyes.

The scene before him confirmed that the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had already fused with Huo Yuhao.

Whether the remnant of Electrolux's divine consciousness had also entered Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness was harder to say. He would have to wait and see.

Jiang Yu had little interest in the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, but he did want Electrolux's remnant 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 essential.

But if the original story remained unchanged and Huo Yuhao obtained both the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Electrolux's remnant 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 firmly controlled, even rewritten, and a powerful outsider doomed to be obliterated by the original story were both tragic figures. There was no right or wrong here, only opposing sides.

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

Early on, Huo Yuhao was an excellent target to draw attention. But as Jiang Yu seized more of the opportunities meant for him and his cultivation rose, the God King would inevitably notice.

With one growing stronger at the other's expense, Jiang Yu knew the God King would never tolerate a brilliant new star 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 come one after another.

Time ticked by. Jiang Yu closed his eyes in thought while keeping an ear on Bei Bei's group.

Tang Ya finished absorbing her Spirit Ring and woke first. There was a brief commotion on their side, then it quickly fell quiet again.

Ning Tian completed her absorption soon afterward. The instant her purple Spirit Ring settled into place, the Soul Power and medicinal strength she had accumulated over nearly half a year erupted. Her Soul Power broke through level after level, carrying her straight to level thirty-four.

A flash of envy crossed Wu Feng's eyes.

Of the three of them, Ning Tian had become a Soul Elder at twelve and a half. Jiang Yu's cultivation speed had been deliberately held back by his elders for reasons unknown, yet he had still crossed the Soul Elder threshold before turning ten. Wu Feng alone remained at level twenty-eight.

That was already impressive, but comparisons had a way of stinging.

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

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 Tang Ya's 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 even revealed where she came from. Was she really not afraid of being chopped into mince?

Bei Bei had protected her too well.

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

"So you're seniors from Shrek Academy. Hello."

Ning Tian smiled. Her exquisite face and the gentle smile she had inherited from Ning Yunxiu were like a spring breeze, easing most of the tension between the two groups in an instant.

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

"So you're our juniors! We really are fated to meet. The Star Dou Great Forest is enormous, yet we still ran into each other."

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

Listening behind her, Bei Bei was at a loss.

When would Tang Ya ever stop acting like everyone she met was an old friend?

"We're new students. We're on our way to register," Ning Tian said evenly.

"New students? Soul Elders?"

Tang Ya's eyes widened. She understood both phrases separately, but put together, they made no sense to her.

She was not alone. Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao looked stunned as well.

"Is there a problem?" Ning Tian asked with a smile.

"N-no problem. It's just... this year's new students are incredibly strong."

Tang Ya was practically stammering.

Soul Elders had appeared among new students before, but there were usually only one or two at most. Even then, students like that were very likely to become core disciples in their first year. Once their cultivation met the requirements, admission to the Inner Court was all but certain.

After all, a genius who became a Soul Elder at twelve would have an exceptionally powerful Martial Soul and the backing of a formidable force.

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

"Meeting like this must be fate. Since we've run into each other, why don't we head to the academy together? We can look out for one another on the way."

Tang Ya's thinking was simple. These three juniors were exceptionally talented and seemed easy enough to get along with. She might as well build a good relationship with them now. If one day they had a lapse in judgment like little Yuhao and she could trick them... ahem, inspire them to join the Tang Sect, which had fallen so far, then what?

The Tang Sect would soar again!

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

"Sorry for the trouble, seniors."

Tang Ya brightened. With the two groups now traveling together, she enthusiastically introduced Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao to the three of them. Ning Tian briefly introduced Jiang Yu and Wu Feng in turn, but never mentioned any of their backgrounds.

Shrek Academy was roughly a thousand li away. At their speed, a full day's travel brought the six of them outside Shrek City.

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

Bei Bei gave a soft cough and looked toward Jiang Yu and the girls. "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 enrollment ourselves. Please take Huo Yuhao 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 prettiest, kindest couple in the Outer Court."

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

The moment Bei Bei was gone, Wu Feng, who had been holding her tongue the whole way, snorted. "Those two must be crazy. They gave an interview admission spot to an eleven-year-old with only level-eleven Soul Power and a ten-year first Spirit Ring. Even if they want to build up their sect, they could at least pick someone with talent. Why choose someone so hopeless?"

Wu Feng usually let raw strength do her thinking, but she was hardly foolish when she put her mind to it.

Of the Tang Bei Huo Trio, Tang Ya was the friendliest, but her intentions were also the most obvious.

Tang Ya certainly did not look like a bad person. Still, appearances could deceive, and she had kept trying to probe into their backgrounds. Who knew what she was really thinking?

Ning Tian said nothing. Clearly, she also thought Bei Bei and Tang Ya had made a mistake by using an interview admission spot to bring someone of Huo Yuhao's ability to Shrek Academy.

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

He smiled and began to explain.

"..."