Take Shui Bing'er Away!

Skywater City.

Once an important city in the north of the Heaven Dou Empire, it was known far and wide for Skywater Academy.

Two years ago, this northern stronghold of the Heaven Dou Empire had fallen to the Sea God Empire.

Skywater Academy had not even had time to relocate before it, too, came under the Sea God Empire's rule.

Today, the advanced Soul Master Academy, which admitted only beautiful commoner women with water-attribute martial souls, ignored its own rules. Under a host of envious gazes, its gates opened to admit a handsome, imposing young man.

"Who's that? Why does Skywater Academy make an exception for him? Even the dean came out to welcome him!"

"If the dean of Skywater Academy came out herself, he must be someone important."

"I've seen him before. He's His Highness Lin Hao, the empire's crown prince."

"His Highness Lin Hao? What's he doing at Skywater Academy?"

"Isn't it obvious? A handsome man, beautiful women—what else could he be here for? Heh heh!"

As the crowd buzzed with speculation, Lin Hao sat in the seat of honor inside Skywater Academy, facing a middle-aged beauty who still retained her charm.

"Dean Shui, have you made your decision?"

"From today onward, Skywater Academy will become part of the Sea God Empire's Imperial Academy, and the members of Skywater Team will join the Sea God Empire's Imperial Team."

The woman was Shui Xinrou, dean of Skywater Academy. Anger flashed in her eyes at Lin Hao's demand, but when she thought of the power behind him, she did not dare resist.

"Your Highness, Skywater Academy has been here for many years. Many teachers and students have grown used to life in Skywater City. If we move to Vast Sea City, I'm afraid..."

"That's easy. I only need Shui Bing'er... and Shui Yue'er too. Everyone else can stay. This place can become the Skywater campus of the Sea God Empire's Imperial Academy, and you can continue to manage it."

Lin Hao spoke without hurry. Shui Bing'er had been the purpose of his visit all along.

The situation across the continent had begun to settle. There would be no major war for the time being.

Although the Sea God Empire had swallowed vast stretches of former Heaven Dou and Star Luo territory, it remained unfamiliar to many ordinary people.

Fortunately, the Soul Master Tournament was only two years away. It was a grand gathering for Soul Masters across the continent, and when it began, every eye would turn toward it.

It was the best possible way to make the empire known.

Lin Hao naturally would not miss it. Besides, Spirit Hall would be offering three Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones as prizes, which made him even less willing to pass it up.

He was already assembling the Sea God Empire Team.

Aside from himself, whose place was tentatively set, its current members were Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling.

That left five places. Shui Bing'er was one of the people he had his eye on.

Shui Xinrou looked at Lin Hao's expression and knew he would not be swayed. She gave a bitter laugh inwardly.

The balance of power was against her. She had no other way out.

"This is the way things are going. Every Soul Master Academy in the empire must bear the Sea God Empire's name."

Lin Hao glanced at the troubled Shui Xinrou and spoke with a detached expression.

On Douluo Continent, besides sects and clans, Soul Master Academies were another vast force in the Soul Master world.

At this time, the Five Elemental Academies operated in the Heaven Dou Empire and trained Soul Masters. Later, Xue Ye even granted them noble titles. Yet when they faced pressure from the Spirit Hall Empire, they had gone so far as to consider defecting to it.

Shrek Academy later overstepped even further, investigating officials and dealing with imperial officers on its own, as if the law of the land meant nothing.

No ruler could tolerate that.

If Lin Hao had been on the throne, he would have ordered those fixed-installation soul-guided missiles dropped too.

Though fists carried more weight than righteousness in this world where strength ruled, Lin Hao still wanted righteousness on his side.

At the very least, the rank-and-file Soul Masters and the common people had to remain in his hands.

They were a major source of faith, after all.

At Lin Hao's words, Skywater Academy's senior staff fell silent.

Just then, Shui Bing'er pushed the door open and entered. Several other figures could be glimpsed behind her.

"Bing'er?"

"Your Highness, I'm willing to join the Sea God Empire's Imperial Academy."

Shui Bing'er looked at Lin Hao and spoke calmly, as though it were an ordinary matter.

But her tightly clenched fists showed that she was anything but calm inside.

"You're much smarter than they are."

Lin Hao regarded Shui Bing'er with interest. At fourteen, she had yet to become a Soul Ancestor; her cultivation was still at level thirty-eight.

Among the talents in the original story, that strength made her stand out even more than the Shrek Seven Devils.

Give her an Immortal Herb and a Sea God Trial, and she would have everything she needed to become a god.

"Now that you've joined the Sea God Empire's Imperial Academy, I'll do everything I can to cultivate you. I'm sure you won't regret it."

"And I'll give Skywater Academy some support as well."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Shui Bing'er visibly relaxed. She looked at Lin Hao and spoke calmly.

"Come with me. I still have things to do on this trip, so you can travel with me and broaden your horizons."

"Now?" Shui Bing'er was taken aback.

"Yes, right now!"

Before long, a carriage left Skywater City. Lin Hao held the reins, while the sisters Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er sat inside.

Shui Yue'er had not been part of his original plan, but since she wanted to come, Lin Hao saw no reason to object over such a small matter.

"We're heading to the Star Dou Great Forest next. Your Soul Power has already reached level thirty-eight. If you can break through before we enter the forest, we can obtain your Soul Ring while we're there."

"Break through?" Shui Bing'er froze, then gave a bitter smile. "How could it be that easy?"

Cultivation only grew harder for a Soul Master. Becoming a Soul Ancestor was no simple task.

Even Shui Bing'er could only say with confidence that she would break through within a year.

"Sister, if Crown Prince Lin says so, he must have a way."

"Right, Crown Prince Lin?"

Shui Yue'er clung to Shui Bing'er's arm and looked at Lin Hao with shining eyes.

She was even more at ease than Shui Bing'er. She had always been a sucker for a handsome face, and at Skywater Academy, there had not even been anyone to fawn over.

Now that she had met Lin Hao, she was naturally beside herself with excitement.

She showed none of the awkwardness of someone who had only just met him. Instead, she acted as though they were old friends.

"This is a Purple Gold Pill. It should be strong enough to help you break through to Soul Ancestor."

Lin Hao took out a bottle of pills and handed it to Shui Bing'er. A faint medicinal fragrance drifted from it. Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er, whose levels were still relatively low, perked up at once and felt the Soul Power within them stir.

"So these are the Sea God Empire's pills!"

Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er stared at the Purple Gold Pill in astonishment. As the Sea God Empire had established itself over the past two years, more cultivation pills had appeared in markets across Douluo Continent.

But demand for those pills far outstripped supply. The moment any went on sale, they were swept off the shelves.

Even Shui Bing'er had never taken a Mystic Water Pill or anything like it.