"Stupid illiterate, it's 'Of all three thousand waters, I'll take only one ladleful of you'~"
Xiao Wu curled her lip in disdain as she watched the two pink-haired lovebirds flaunt their affection.
"Let's head down too. The teachers have been waiting a long time."
Zhu Zhuqing spoke softly, calmly leaving the room and heading downstairs.
"We might come back to stay here later. Don't do it on my bed."
Tang Lan gave the pair a long look, then turned and left.
Although she had yet to decide whether to listen to her father, even so, she felt no aversion to their relationship.
After all, having three wives and four concubines was perfectly normal in her eyes.
"What... on the bed... Tang Lan!"
Ning Rongrong took a step back, her heart pounding. She was bold, but as a girl, of course she would panic in a situation like this!
"You... y-you can't try anything!"
Ning Rongrong looked at Ning Jiao, stammering as her whole body went weak.
"What are you talking about? We're heading to the Star Dou Great Forest soon. This little bit of time wouldn't even be enough for a warm-up."
Ning Jiao looked in amusement at Ning Rongrong's unusual reaction. To think the Little Demoness could look like this!
"Big talk!"
"Fine, fine, you're amazing!"
Ning Rongrong retorted out of habit, but worried that Ning Jiao might really lose control, she hurriedly changed her tune.
"Come on, let's head out too, before they get the wrong idea."
Ning Jiao shrugged and held out his hand to Ning Rongrong.
"But if we go out now, won't they think you're a one-second wonder?"
Ning Rongrong took Ning Jiao's hand. As she gradually relaxed, her tongue grew sharp again.
"Whoever gets the wrong idea can time me."
Ning Jiao gave a soft huff and led Ning Rongrong out by the hand.
The moment he opened the door, four figures, each with a different style, suddenly tumbled inside, pinning Ning Jiao and Ning Rongrong to the floor.
For a moment, an awkward atmosphere filled the room.
"Ahem. Since everyone's packed, let's get going."
"I was wondering why you were taking so long to come out, so I came up to check on you again."
Liu Erlong got up first, awkwardly straightening her disheveled clothes.
How does this brat walk without making a sound?!
"Xiao Wu dragged me here..."
Tang Lan stood up and rubbed her nose, pulling Xiao Wu up as well.
"You're selling me out just like that?"
Xiao Wu pointed at her own face in disbelief.
"Ning Jiao..."
Last of all, Zhu Zhuqing gazed hazily at the two pink-haired figures beneath her. She seemed to have suddenly come up with a bold idea!
That's right. From the beginning, Ning Rongrong was the one I was close to, so why did I start paying attention to Ning Jiao?
Was it because I didn't want people to think I liked girls?
"Get off already!"
Ning Rongrong pushed Zhu Zhuqing in embarrassed annoyance. All she could say was, thank goodness she and Ning Jiao hadn't done anything out of line.
These bastards really were up to no good!
Ning Rongrong pushed at Zhu Zhuqing's body, then glanced at the big kitty, squashed out of shape...
So infuriating!
How did she even grow like that?!
"Are you all right, Rongrong? Ning Jiao?"
Zhu Zhuqing stood and helped them both up.
As she looked at the two who resembled each other so closely, her expression grew increasingly strange.
"I'm fine. Nice and soft."
Ning Jiao sighed appreciatively as he dusted himself off, giving Zhu Zhuqing an approving thumbs-up.
"Mm..."
Zhu Zhuqing tucked back her hair, showing not the slightest anger.
Instead, her reaction caught Ning Jiao off guard.
"All right, all right! Since we're ready, let's go!"
Liu Erlong shouted again. This time, they really were leaving.
Everyone stopped fooling around and met up with Zhao Wuji downstairs before heading toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
(Padded things out with a stretch about entering the Star Dou Great Forest and searching for Soul Beasts.)
"Fourth Soul Skill, Space-Breaking Seal."
"It has the power to suppress space. In other words, this seal is guaranteed to hit."
Ning Jiao opened his eyes after absorbing the Soul Ring. His level had already risen to 46.
There was no other reason: while he had been stuck at level 40, he had actually stockpiled a few extra levels.
"Teacher Erlong, even without Rongrong's support, I should be able to beat you into the same state as last time now."
"And if Rongrong supports me too..."
Ning Jiao gave a mysterious smile, leaving it at that.
If his main body, Jin Li, was a Dayun truck, then this clone of his was a little Dayun truck as far as women were concerned!
"You freak!"
Liu Erlong snapped irritably. With Ning Rongrong's support, Ning Jiao could probably really smash her into a little pancake now.
"Teacher Erlong, I want a two-thousand-year ring for my third Soul Ring."
Tang Lan gritted her teeth and spoke outright. No one could know just how great an impact Ning Jiao actually absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring had had on her.
She had said she would stop comparing herself to Ning Jiao, but she clearly hadn't managed to keep her word.
"What did you say?"
Liu Erlong exclaimed in shock and doubt. According to Xiaogang's theory, the maximum age for a third Soul Ring was only 1,760 years.
"Teacher, I want to try."
Tang Lan was somewhat stubborn. Of course she knew her teacher's theory, but wasn't there already a precedent for breaking that theory right before her eyes?
"Let her try. A disciple of mine naturally won't be weaker than anyone else."
Yet just then, a deep voice suddenly rang out nearby!
Beneath the large tree where Zhao Wuji was sitting, a melancholy white-haired man emerged, bracing himself against the trunk.
"Who are you?!"
"When did you hide here?!"
Zhao Wuji was both shocked and furious. He had never imagined that his watch could have such a huge lapse!
All he could say was, luckily nothing had happened...
"I merely made use of certain Soul Beast characteristics."
Bai Yu slowly shook his head without explaining further.
He looked at the gathered group with a complicated expression.
"You're... you're... Xiaogang?"
Liu Erlong stared at Bai Yu in disbelief. She didn't know why his appearance had changed, but that stirring of her Martial Soul could not be mistaken!
"Erlong..."
"Some things happened, and... I came to understand some things."
With a complicated expression, Bai Yu nodded gently.
"Teacher?"
Tang Lan was also a little stunned. Her teacher had clearly been so ugly before-how had he suddenly become so much more handsome?
Tang Lan did not doubt Bai Yu's identity. She had an inexplicable feeling that this man was her teacher!
"You bastard!"
Liu Erlong rushed forward and pinned Bai Yu to the ground, holding him tightly in her arms.
Appearances could change, but the connection between Martial Souls absolutely could not be faked!
"How did Grandmaster end up like this? And why is he here in the Star Dou Great Forest?"
"Could he have received a god's inheritance?"
"At the very least, he must have caught a god's eye to have changed this much, right?"
Xiao Wu suddenly tugged at Tang Lan's shoulder, unable to keep herself from speculating.
"So that's how it is!"
Ning Jiao sucked in a breath. Right, why hadn't he thought of that?
He could just pin it all on a god!
"Who is he? How did he catch a god's eye so quickly?"
Ning Jiao asked in bewilderment and uncertainty.
"He's my teacher!"
Tang Lan raised her head proudly. Come to think of it, this was the first time she had ever felt proud to have such a teacher!
Before you continue