Departure (Monthly Tickets, Please)

Departure (Monthly Tickets, Please~)

"Splash—"

Su Wen soaked his whole body in the pool, leaving only his head above the surface as he enjoyed the quiet.

It was late at night. Before Xuan Zi returned, the group would not rashly venture deeper into the core of the Star Dou Great Forest, so they had stayed where they were for another night.

Zhang Lexuan and a long-legged senior sister were keeping watch.

As for Su Wen, Ma Xiaotao had dragged him into the same wooden cabin, only to kick him out a few minutes later—Su Wen stank.

No kidding. For half a month, he had been in the Star Dou Great Forest with barely enough clothes to cover himself and not enough food to fill his belly, not much different from a savage. Every day had been spent running around for food. Where would he have found time to bathe...

Hurricane turned into a white ball and was stored in the Sea of Consciousness, hovering quietly. Though Hurricane seemed more like an external Martial Soul and did not consume Soul Power even outside, it appeared to prefer staying inside the Pokeball.

Every Pokeball came with its own space. Though the area was much smaller than the Star Dou Great Forest, it was quiet, safe, and free from disturbance.

Even on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, Wind Baboons were still at the bottom of the food chain. Otherwise, they would not have gathered in groups for safety. Now that it had finally found such a comfortable place, Hurricane had also grown somewhat attached to the inside of the Pokeball.

The summer night breeze was quite refreshing as it brushed over Su Wen's upper body, which was exposed above the water.

Enjoying the rare peace, he took out a small bottle of pills.

"The Marrow Cleansing Pill has the same medicinal properties as the Mysterious Jade Pill Huo Gua used in the Original Work. The name is just more straightforward. And since I got it from Senior Disciple Sister, its effects probably won't be much worse."

Su Wen nodded slightly. The strongest impression this kind of thing left on him was that after swallowing it, his skin would expel pitch-black "impurities." Perfect—he could deal with it while bathing.

"Gulp~"

Without another word, he swallowed it.

A wave of warmth instantly surged out from his abdomen, and the meridians throughout his body became active. Su Wen hurriedly sat cross-legged in the pool and began cultivating according to the meditation method he had learned from Zhang Lexuan during the day, doing his best not to waste the scorching power rampaging through his body.

"Buzz..."

Ripples spread across the water's surface with Su Wen at their center.

They startled a chorus of insects into chirping.

After who knew how long.

Su Wen slowly opened his eyes.

An exquisitely beautiful face abruptly appeared before him, bright eyes curiously sizing him up.

"Hiss..."

Su Wen was startled. He leaned back, but with no footing in the water, his head plunged into the pool. His body flailed with a splash, and he swallowed several mouthfuls of water before the graceful figure opposite him fished him out and pulled him into her arms.

"Sister Tao, can you not pop up like that and scare people?" Su Wen spat out a mouthful of water and said helplessly.

"Heh. I was worried you'd be in danger, so I stood around here bored for three or four hours, and now you're blaming me?" The young woman opposite him poked his head in annoyance. "You think I'm sick, staying up in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

"..."

Su Wen really wanted to nod, but unfortunately, the other party was watching him like a tiger eyeing its prey. Her long, narrow crimson eyes narrowed slightly, giving off a dangerous gleam, forcing him to obey his survival instincts.

"All right, dry off and go back to sleep."

Ma Xiaotao leaped up, her toes lightly touching the ground. Only then did Su Wen realize this beauty had also come here to bathe...

A dazzling expanse of white nearly blinded Su Wen.

"Glug, glug~"

Unable to control his body, he leaned back and fell into the water again, choking on several more mouthfuls.

A silvery, bell-like laugh immediately rang out by the edge of the pool.

Covering his backside and vital parts, Su Wen scurried ashore in disgrace. He was just about to put on his clothes when Ma Xiaotao stopped him. "What are you shy about? A little brat like you is afraid of being seen naked by your big sister?"

As she spoke, flames rose from her palm.

A wave of warmth dispelled the chill of the night and, at the same time, dried Su Wen's dripping body.

"Hah..."

Feeling the warm clothes on his body, the embarrassment caused by running around naked gradually faded. But... Su Wen looked over the clothes in surprise, then sniffed them lightly. There was the scent of clothes dried by heat, mixed with a faint fragrance. Clearly, they had already been washed once.

Su Wen glanced at Ma Xiaotao in astonishment.

It was her?!!

This person could actually be so considerate?

"What's with that look?" Ma Xiaotao extended a finger in slight irritation and poked Su Wen's head.

"Nothing. Sister Tao, let's hurry back to the wooden cabin. I'm so sleepy..."

Su Wen rubbed his eyes.

Although refining the Marrow Cleansing Pill had raised his Soul Power by one level, drowsiness still surged uncontrollably into him. Logically speaking, meditation should not make him feel sleepy. Perhaps it was because he had only just awakened his Martial Soul.

Inside the wooden cabin.

Watching Su Wen sleep soundly, Ma Xiaotao no longer felt sleepy. Her long, slender legs were pressed together, and her beautiful eyes gazed softly at Su Wen.

"Sleep. From now on, you're one of Shrek's people..."

Su Wen rubbed against the soft pillow in front of his chest. Only in a daze did he remember that he seemed to have transmigrated. He opened his eyes groggily, only to see a field of white before him. As for this so-called pillow he was hugging, it seemed to be a long leg...

"Awake?"

Following the voice upward, he saw Ma Xiaotao with her arms folded across her chest, a teasing look on her face.

"Ahaha..."

Su Wen scratched his head awkwardly.

He let go of that beautiful leg, while the lingering hint of fragrance still drifted past the tip of his nose.

As expected of Shrek's number-one figure.

"All right, this is your uniform. Senior Sister Lexuan brought it over this morning... yes, that senior sister. She's the number-one genius of the Inner Courtyard, you know. She's only twenty, yet she's already reached the peak of Soul Sage. Her future is boundless." Ma Xiaotao handed him a brand-new Red and White Uniform.

Su Wen tried it on. It fit perfectly.

It did not look long or cumbersome at all, and made him seem quite sharp. Clearly, they had known his measurements and specially tailored it for him.

Was this the treatment given to "one of their own"?

Su Wen grinned.

Everyone in the camp was laughing and joking, giving the place a youthful air.

Seeing Su Wen in the uniform, their gazes grew even warmer. Zhang Yi, who had taken out the awakening stone yesterday, was currently talking with Zhang Lexuan. When he saw Su Wen walk out of the wooden cabin, he came over and slapped him on the shoulder with a hearty manner. "Xiao Wen, from now on we're brothers. If anyone in the Inner Courtyard dares bully you, just give them my name."

"All right, Senior Brother Zhang Yi." Su Wen smiled and nodded slightly.

Shrek was still quite united.

Especially the Inner Courtyard.

"Clap, clap, clap~"

At some point, Xuan Zi had appeared and clapped his hands.

Drawing everyone's attention to him, he still had that leisurely look as he said, "All right, Su Wen has already obtained his first Soul Ring. In that case, we'll hurry along and try to enter the core of the Star Dou Great Forest before sunset. Lexuan will be in charge of the group. As for Su Wen... he'll follow me."

"Yes." Zhang Lexuan nodded slightly.

Su Wen also let out a breath of relief.

That happened to suit him just fine. He had also planned to follow Xuan Zi and act as an "alarm clock," so there was no need to bring it up.

Ma Xiaotao pouted, somewhat reluctant.

Xuan Zi looked utterly speechless. "He's still little. How can he take punishment like this bunch of Soul Kings and Soul Emperors? If you run into a group of ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts, how would you have time to protect him? With you being just a Soul Elder?"

Just as Su Wen was surprised that Elder Xuan was actually so reliable...

"Ahem, besides, Mu En personally instructed me on this. Once we get back to the academy, you can do whatever you like."

Xuan Zi clicked his tongue again.

Oh...

Su Wen suddenly understood. Now that sounded right.