Yao Zi

A thought crossed Xue Qinghe's mind, and a mischievous impulse welled up in him.

He said to Xiao Wu, "Young lady, you were watching me for quite some time just now. You must be rather taken with me."

"As it happens, I'm rather taken with you too. Why don't you come back to the palace with me?"

At Xue Qinghe's words, Xiao Wu and Tang San's eyes widened.

The royal guards exchanged looks as well. Then one stepped forward. "Your Highness, royal marriages are no trifling matter. Everything..."

Before the guard could finish, Xue Qinghe raised a hand, stopping him from continuing.

Xue Qinghe looked at Xiao Wu, his eyes smiling, his manner both gentle and affectionate.

"What do you think, young lady?"

Xiao Wu was about to speak when Tang San pulled her behind him, shielding her completely.

Tang San frowned. "The royal family's relationships are tangled and complex. My sister is only a commoner, and I'm sure she would be unsuited to the position of crown princess or consort. As her older brother, I truly cannot rest easy about this, so I must politely decline Your Highness's kindness on her behalf."

Tang San spoke of politely declining, but his tone brooked no refusal.

"You're her older brother, not your sister herself. How would you know whether she wants to or not?

You're so decisive about this. If your sister wanted to take a better path, would you still stop her?"

Tang San's expression darkened, and he shielded Xiao Wu even more closely.

But just then, Xiao Wu sensed something wrong with the atmosphere. She pried away Tang San's hand, which was gripping her wrist tightly, stepped forward of her own accord, and looked at Xue Qinghe as she spoke earnestly.

"Your Highness, I'm not in love with you. I was only wondering why you were here at the academy."

Xue Qinghe looked at the red marks on Xiao Wu's wrist, a sly glint in his eyes, and chuckled. "So that's what it was. I read too much into it. You're both interesting people. May I ask your names?"

Noticing Xue Qinghe's gaze, Xiao Wu hid her wrist behind her back.

"My name is Xiao Wu. Wu as in dancing."

"My name is Tang San."

"I'll remember that. Since neither of you wishes to come to the palace with me, I won't keep you."

Tang San and Xiao Wu hurried away, afraid that Xue Qinghe would drag them into the palace.

"Your Highness, you..."

Xue Qinghe interrupted him. "I merely noticed that those two were fairly capable and teased them a little. My only purpose was to make their acquaintance. I had no intention of taking anyone back to the palace. There's no need to speak of this to outsiders."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The royal guard acknowledged the order and withdrew.

"Wait. Look into those two."

"What did you say? Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could a Soul Skill like that exist in this world?"

Ye Nanzhu could hardly believe his ears. He stared at Jin Yang's three purple Soul Rings in astonishment and doubt.

"You're saying the ages of all your Soul Rings were increased just today?"

"That's right, Director Ye."

Jin Yang nodded and stepped closer of his own accord, letting Ye Nanzhu inspect his Soul Rings carefully.

"These patterns, this color, these Soul Power fluctuations. There's no mistake. They really are Thousand-Year Soul Rings."

Ye Nanzhu's heart jolted.

Then Ye Nanzhu cautioned him solemnly, "Don't casually tell anyone else about this. I'll personally inform everyone who needs to know."

Afterward, Ye Nanzhu turned his gaze to Jiang Yan.

Under Ye Nanzhu's imposing gaze, Jiang Yan's heart tightened. He nodded with great solemnity. "Director Ye, don't you trust me? My lips are sealed tighter than anyone's! The tightest lips in the Plant Advanced Soul Master Academy."

Jiang Yan spoke with a perfectly straight face and mimed zipping his mouth shut.

"I trust you. I'm simply reminding you not to tell anyone else."

Jin Yang had anticipated how the academy's teachers would react, so he was not surprised.

"Jin Yang, as far as outsiders are concerned, I'll tell them that your unusual constitution allows you to withstand three Thousand-Year Soul Rings."

"It's still best not to let too many people know about your Soul Skill. Remember, going too far is as bad as falling short, and people's hearts are hard to fathom.

Especially if those sects and great families learn of it, they'll stop at nothing to seize it.

And there is no depth to which their methods won't sink. If they imprison you and conduct other experiments, you'll be in trouble.

Then you could cry to heaven and get no answer, plead to the earth and find no help.

You'd never see the light of day again."

Ye Nanzhu's words sounded terrifying, but reality would only be more terrifying still.

"Is it really that scary, Director Ye?"

Hearing Jiang Yan's question, Ye Nanzhu nodded silently.

"Don't worry. My lips are sealed tighter than anyone's. I swear on my Martial Soul: if I leak this, may my Martial Soul shatter and may I die on the spot."

Jiang Yan looked at Jin Yang, his face full of worry, as though Jin Yang might be snatched away at any moment.

"There's no need to be so frightened. Although our Plant Academy has no Titled Douluo, we're on good terms with Spirit Hall, and we aren't afraid of other sects and great families causing trouble. You needn't worry too much. Still, there's nothing wrong with being cautious."

Ye Nanzhu spoke as though reassuring the two students.

Jin Yang immediately realized that his life had gone a little too smoothly these past few years-so smoothly that he had forgotten himself and let success go to his head.

He had actually treated something this important so lightly.

Cold sweat instantly broke out on his back, and a chill surged through his heart.

What could he do now?

"What about Spirit Hall? Would Spirit Hall..."

Jiang Yan thought of Spirit Hall. After all, Spirit Hall was now the most powerful force on the whole continent.

With its Titled Douluo numbering in the double digits, could their Plant Academy really stand against Spirit Hall?

At those words, Jin Yang's heart stirred. Spirit Hall? That's right, there's still Spirit Hall. If I join Spirit Hall and gain the protection of Qian Daoliu, a Limit Douluo, every problem will fall into place.

Who would still dare harbor designs on me?

Studying at the Plant Academy and joining Spirit Hall were two things that did not conflict at all.

"How could Spirit Hall possibly do something so despicable? They worship the Angel God.

Think about their great undertaking of enabling every commoner to awaken their Martial Soul. Do you think they'd abandon their faith over a single Soul Skill?"

"All right, I understand the situation now. You two can go back. I still have some things to deal with.

Jin Yang, don't be afraid.

The Plant Academy will always be your home.

We're all one family."

After comforting the two of them, Ye Nanzhu promptly ushered them out.

"A Soul Skill that increases the age of Soul Rings? For Titled Douluo and above, it's merely flowers added to brocade. After all, once their cultivation reaches Titled Douluo, every problem will fall into place."

"It isn't very useful to low-ranking Soul Masters either. If their Soul Rings become too old, it will affect their absorption of the next Soul Ring. The losses would outweigh the gains."

"Only for mid-ranking Soul Masters does it hold real value and significance."

"Jin Yang is relatively safe. Fortunately, only the three of us know, so it isn't a major problem." Ye Nanzhu let out a long breath, rose, and headed toward the principal's office.

"I should leave this matter to the principal to decide. Hopefully, the principal has a way to conceal Soul Rings. If not, we'll have Jin Yang join Spirit Hall. Sigh... there doesn't seem to be any other way."

"Jiang Yan! Stop right there!"

A sharp feminine shout came from behind them, and a tall girl with delicate, pretty features hurried over.

"Where the hell did you disappear to this time? We agreed to meet at the Training Ground. You stood me up, didn't you? I waited a whole two hours for you."

The girl waved a hand. A flaming Thorny Vine burst from the ground, and she grabbed it and lashed it toward Jiang Yan.

Only when the Thorny Vine was in midair did Yao Zi notice Jin Yang beside Jiang Yan, and she hurriedly whipped the vine back.

"Who's this? A new junior?"

"Yes, Senior Yao Zi. His name is Jin Yang. He just arrived today, and he's my roommate now."

"Oh?" Yao Zi sized Jin Yang up with interest. "If you're rooming with Jiang Yan, that means you're a genius too, right? Interested in a fight?"

"Senior Yao Zi!" Jiang Yan hurriedly stopped her. "Don't mess around. Jin Yang is a support-type Soul Master. He can't take a beating from you."

"A support-type Soul Master?" Yao Zi asked in surprise. "Can a support-type Soul Master have such a good physique?"

"He must be naturally gifted," Jiang Yan assured her. "Jin Yang is definitely a support-type Soul Master. There's no question about that."

"Hello, Senior Yao Zi. You're Deacon Yao Hong's younger sister, aren't you? Deacon Yao Hong brought me here to the Plant Academy."

Jin Yang spoke at just the right moment.

Hearing her older brother's name, Yao Zi froze briefly, then spoke.

"Did my brother also tell you to come find me if you ran into any problems?"

Jin Yang nodded in confirmation.

Yao Zi pressed a hand to her forehead helplessly and sighed.

"My brother says that to every Plant Academy student he meets. Thanks to him, I've become the boss of the Plant Academy."