[Guess what she's eating]
"Big brother, can I come play with you often from now on?"
The corner of Shi Meng's mouth twitched.
Little tigress, you really are fearless. Aren't you afraid my senior sister will start fighting you?
Sure enough, as though she had radar installed, Hu Liena strode straight over, planted herself in front of Shi Meng, and put her hands on her hips.
"Junior brother, we should head back too."
As she spoke, she glanced at Shui Yue'er, looking a little displeased.
You little brat, why are you standing so close to my junior brother?
With her view blocked, Shui Yue'er also knitted her delicate brows slightly.
This big sister is so stingy. She has such a handsome junior brother, yet she won't even let anyone look at him.
Fortunately, Bibi Dong spoke up in time.
"It's getting late. We should head back."
The Skywater Academy instructor thanked them again.
"Your Holiness, we are deeply grateful for your help today."
"These are the items we agreed on earlier. Please accept them."
As she spoke, she offered up the Skywater Token, the ice marrow and jade marrow, and even a few extra stalks of ice grass.
Bibi Dong glanced at Shi Meng.
Shi Meng immediately nodded, stepped forward, and stuffed everything into his robes, grinning inwardly like a fox that had stolen a chicken.
These are all great finds! Looting successful!
The Skywater Academy instructor smiled at Shi Meng.
"If Your Highness ever has time, you are welcome to visit Skywater Academy."
"Of course, of course. Next time, definitely."
Shi Meng nodded like a chicken pecking grain.
On the way back, Bibi Dong held Shi Meng's left hand, while Hu Liena held his right.
[Energy +1] [Energy +1] [Energy +1]
System notifications kept coming.
Shi Meng narrowed his eyes in bliss.
On this trip, he had filled up on energy, secured his first soul ring, and even earned a wave of affection points.
The only surprise had been his soul power link with Shui Bing'er.
If his soul power was compatible with Shui Bing'er's, they should have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
That connection would prove useful later.
"Meng."
Bibi Dong's voice suddenly reached him.
"Hm?"
"Be mindful of boundaries when interacting with others. You are Spirit Hall's Holy Son. Your status is different."
Shi Meng froze for a moment.
Then he noticed a faint blush on Bibi Dong's face as she looked ahead.
Well, now. You're even jealous of a little girl like that?
I never expected this side of you, Bibi Dong.
Translated, that meant:
Don't get too close to girls outside! (눈_눈)
But to Hu Liena beside them, Bibi Dong's words carried an entirely different meaning.
Her eyes lit up.
Teacher won't let my junior brother get too close to other girls!
Teacher really is on my side after all!
At that thought, she couldn't help puffing out her chest and edging a little closer to Shi Meng.
Sandwiched between these two like cheese, Shi Meng could only feel that the road to Shu was harder than ascending to the Western Paradise.
Walking behind them, Chrysanthemum Douluo saw this and quietly leaned toward Ghost Douluo's ear.
"Old Ghost, back when we were getting beaten up by Lord Time Douluo, we never imagined he'd be like this after reincarnating."
Ghost Douluo didn't answer him.
Don't ask. If you do, the answer is that after being invincible for an entire lifetime, can't he enjoy himself in this one?
Inside Spirit Hall's Worship Hall, Qian Daoliu frowned after hearing Light Feather Douluo's report.
"Innate rank twenty? Appointed Holy Son? Soul hunting?"
The elders in the Worship Hall exchanged looks.
Innate rank twenty? Doesn't that put him on par with the young miss?
Qian Daoliu remained silent for a long time before finally giving a brief instruction.
"Keep observing."
Whatever form that man took in his reincarnation, as long as he had returned, the skies over this continent were about to change.
Meanwhile, Shi Meng was reclining in the carriage, with Bibi Dong on his left and Hu Liena on his right, happily planning his next steps.
Today, he had obtained the first soul ring of his life, and its soul skill was more or less what he had expected.
Sure enough, it was the Dreamseeker's skill set as the Herrscher of Time from Honkai Impact 3rd, a game from his previous life.
His current first soul skill corresponded precisely to the Dreamseeker's basic attack.
What about his future soul skills?
Would they be the same as hers too?
"Once I get my second soul skill, I should have my answer."
"Chicken!" (What are you doing!)
With a shrill, hurried Kun-style squawk, the Thunderfire Falcon's massive body crashed heavily to the ground.
"Junior brother, you can even defeat a five-thousand-year soul beast! You're amazing!"
Looking at the excited Hu Liena, Shi Meng panted and waved his little hand.
"Not at all! You made it behave first, senior sister. Once I saw that, I wasn't scared anymore. You're the amazing one!"
Hu Liena's cheeks flushed.
My junior brother really has such a sweet tongue. He keeps finding nice things to praise me for, when all I did was use a charm soul skill.
In truth, Shi Meng really had dealt most of the damage, while Hu Liena had only kept their opponent under control, but he didn't say any of that aloud.
After all, he was a man destined to become the king of living off women. How could he not offer a few emotionally intelligent remarks?
See? The results are obvious. I've hooked her so thoroughly that her lips are curling up.
"Senior sister, keep watch for me. I'm going to absorb the soul ring here."
"Hold it!"
Shi Meng paused with his blade raised and turned to look. Four people emerged from the woods.
Leading them was a burly young man in his early twenties, followed by three brawny men around the same age.
Well, well. Here come the soul ring robbers.
Hu Liena immediately stepped in front of him, looking coldly at the newcomers.
"Who are you?"
The young man in the lead glanced at her, then at the Thunderfire Falcon on the ground, and grinned.
"We spotted this soul beast first and chased it for three days. You think you can stumble onto a bargain and just absorb it?"
Hu Liena's face reddened with anger.
"Nonsense! My junior brother defeated this Thunderfire Falcon himself. What does it have to do with you?"
One of the brawny men behind the young man burst out laughing.
"What a load of crap. You're two little brats. You'd be lucky to have thirty ranks of soul power between you, and you claim you defeated a five-thousand-year soul beast?"
The young man folded his arms and raised his chin slightly. "My name is Tang Tieshan, a collateral disciple of the Clear Sky Sect. This soul beast is fated to be ours. Get the hell out of here!"
As Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden, with the towering mountain of Spirit Hall backing her and three powerhouses-Bibi Dong, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and Ghost Douluo-protecting her, Hu Liena naturally stood firm and refused to yield an inch.
"We're from Spirit Hall. You'd better think carefully about the consequences of offending us."
"Spirit Hall?"
Tang Tieshan froze for a moment, then turned to his companions.
"What kind of organization is Spirit Hall?"
"Never heard of it. Probably some third-rate sect. Who cares? However strong they are, could they be stronger than our Clear Sky Sect?"
Tang Tieshan sneered, shifting his gaze from Hu Liena to Shi Meng's face.
"Little brother, soul rings belong to those capable of claiming them. A little brat like you, who hasn't even grown his hair yet, would only waste a five-thousand-year soul ring by absorbing it."
Good grief. Did the Clear Sky Sect seal itself away in the mountains so long that it turned into cavemen? They haven't even heard of Spirit Hall?
Shi Meng couldn't be bothered to mock these three. In any case, the moment they tried to rob him, their fates had been sealed.
At that thought, Shi Meng raised his head, a faint smile forming on his lips.
"Did you just say you're collateral disciples of the Clear Sky Sect?"
Before you continue