A New Teammate?

Before the Sea God statue.

"Thank you for all your trouble these past few days, Teacher Wang. Once the assessment is over, I'll come find you."

Lu Yi thanked him respectfully, and the other students followed suit.

Their Soul Hunting trip had ended perfectly. It took them a day to return to the Academy.

"The freshman assessment is still more than half a month away. I believe you can all stay," Wang Yan said with a gentle smile. He was not worried in the slightest that any of them might fail.

Then he turned to Lu Yi. "If you have any questions, you can come to me. I spend most of my time in the outer court's Library."

"Got it, Teacher Wang!"

After waving goodbye to Wang Yan, Xiao Xiao called out a farewell to Lu Yi and skipped away.

Lu Yi turned to Ning Tian beside him, about to say goodbye, but she stopped him.

"Wait!"

Ning Tian shed her haughty expression. Now she seemed like a girl next door as she said gently, "Lu Yi, I have a question for you!"

Surprised by the change in her manner, Lu Yi asked, puzzled, "Go ahead, Class Monitor."

Ever since he had successfully absorbed his thousand-year second ring, Lu Yi had noticed a change in Ning Tian's attitude toward him.

Before that, she had always been neither warm nor cold. Aside from the tasks Mu Jin had assigned them, the two had barely spoken. They were just ordinary classmates.

But now Ning Tian occasionally joined his conversations with Xiao Xiao of her own accord.

His roommate's example had taught him not to flatter himself, but he truly felt Ning Tian was trying to close the distance between them.

"What I want to ask is, did Wu Feng cause you trouble before?" Ning Tian finally asked.

As the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's young sect master, she knew the sect was not as glorious as it looked.

Winning over enough geniuses to sustain the sect was every sect master's duty, but avoiding enemies along the way was even more important.

Lu Yi did not know what she was getting at, but he nodded anyway. "She did come looking for me once, but that was ages ago. Why do you ask, Class Monitor?"

After his fight with Wu Feng that day, Lu Yi had no idea what she had told Ning Tian.

But seeing that Ning Tian seemed to know nothing about it, he grew suspicious.

So that was it!

Hearing Lu Yi's answer and seeing his calm reaction, Ning Tian suddenly untangled the question that had occupied her mind for the past two days.

Wu Feng had definitely tested Lu Yi's strength. Ning Tian did not know who had won, but Wu Feng most likely had not come out ahead.

Win or lose, Lu Yi was not someone they should offend.

She had originally planned to have Wu Feng test Lu Yi's strength, then step in herself to smooth things over. Even if she failed to win him over, their relationship would not deteriorate too badly.

But Wu Feng's concealment and her own negligence had nearly created a grudge with Lu Yi. Fortunately, she had spotted the danger in time to intervene.

Apology showed on Ning Tian's face, and her voice softened as she asked with concern, "Lu Yi, I'm truly sorry. Xiao Feng is just too impulsive. You weren't hurt back then, were you?"

With that, she looked at him softly, as though asking for forgiveness.

Lu Yi usually kept quiet and drew no attention to himself, but the speed at which his strength had grown had frightened her.

Better to fear the one chance than trust the ten thousand others.

Shrek's rules encouraged fighting, but they never said the person who got beaten could not bear a grudge and wait for a chance to take revenge!

She worried that revenge was what drove Lu Yi to train so hard.

History had proved time and again that those who swallowed a loss in silence and buried themselves in training struck the darkest blows when they took revenge.

Lu Yi caught the scent of a scheming innocent act.

He had not expected the lofty young lady of a sect to show such a different side of herself.

Since she had gone this far, he was not the type to cling to a grievance. Besides, he had not suffered any loss back then.

"It's fine, Class Monitor. Wu Feng held her strength down to my level. We only sparred, and neither of us was hurt."

Lu Yi recalled what had happened, then felt he had left something out and added, "You don't need to compensate me."

At his words, Ning Tian immediately grew firm again. "How could I not? Wu Feng was wrong, and wrong is wrong. As her... sister, I naturally have to make it up to you!"

With that, Ning Tian took out a card and handed it over.

"This is an internal card for the Nine Treasures Pavilion. It lets you enjoy all its services for free. I don't need it, so you can have it!"

Lu Yi felt no qualms about accepting compensation from the wealthy young lady, but he still put up a token refusal before reluctantly taking it.

"Look at you, going to all this trouble over a little friction. You've really gone out of your way, Class Monitor!"

Lu Yi looked embarrassed, but Ning Tian still noticed the corners of his mouth straining upward.

Seeing how much he liked the compensation, she was naturally pleased.

The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had vast funds and interests in many industries.

Dining, lodging, entertainment, transport, intelligence—they had a hand in almost every trade.

Even given away, the internal card would only be used within their own businesses, granting access to premium services ordinary people envied.

It cost little, yet showed more regard than handing over money directly.

"As long as you're happy with it. I won't keep you any longer!"

Ning Tian had achieved her purpose, so there was no need to stay.

Whatever Lu Yi's future potential, once their relationship had eased, the initiative was hers. Whether to win him over would be her choice.

"Take care, Class Monitor!"

Lu Yi put the card away and headed for the dormitory, unexpectedly cheerful.

Though he sensed Ning Tian might not be entirely sincere, her attitude had been good overall.

Both offers were compensation, but unlike Yan Shaozhe's almost threatening handout, Ning Tian's had at least been grounded in respect.

As for the Soul Ascension Pill from that earlier compensation, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had taken theirs long ago. Lu Yi had still been taking Whale Rubber at the time, so he had saved his.

According to Huo Yuhao himself, the Soul Ascension Pill had raised his Soul Power by a full three levels, from thirteen to sixteen, bringing him up to the level of most of his classmates.

Wang Dong's Soul Power had risen two levels, from twenty-one to twenty-three.

Using Wang Dong as a reference, Lu Yi figured the pill would raise his Soul Power by two levels as well.

That would put his Soul Power Level firmly around the top hundred in their year.

With the right coordination, he and Zhou Sichen, plus a suitable third teammate, would definitely have the strength to fight for a high ranking. Securing a Core Disciple spot would not be difficult.

Lost in those thoughts, Lu Yi reached the dormitory.

He pushed open the door and found Zhou Sichen sitting on his bed... while another classmate sat on Lu Yi's.

"Lu Yi, you're finally back!"

Zhou Sichen's eyes lit up at the sight of him. He sprang to his feet and tilted his head toward the other boy. "There—Old Cao's our teammate now! A mighty level twenty-four. Your buddy did good, didn't he?"

Lu Yi nodded to Cao Jinxuan in greeting.

"Deputy Class Monitor Lu!"

Cao Jinxuan rose and walked up to Lu Yi, looking him straight in the eye.

"I haven't agreed to be your teammate yet!"