Lin Kong and his group of eight walked out of Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena, chatting and laughing. The evening wind brushed their faces with a hint of chill, dispersing the heat from their earlier Soul Fighting.
"Huh, where's the dean?"
"Who cares! It's not like he can get lost!"
"True."
Just then, Ma Hongjun's eyes darted around, and a mischievous grin suddenly appeared on his face. He rubbed his hands together in excitement. "You guys head back to the academy first! I'm going to the shop to see Teacher!"
Dai Mubai raised an eyebrow at that and made a halfhearted kick at Ma Hongjun's backside, saying irritably, "Go on, then. Just don't be late tomorrow morning!"
"Hehe, Boss Dai, aren't you coming?" Ma Hongjun waggled his eyebrows, his voice full of insinuation.
"Scram, scram, scram!" Dai Mubai's face darkened as he gave him a shove on the back. "Get out of here!"
"Oh, oh, oh! I get it, I get it!" Ma Hongjun's grin grew even more obnoxious. Before leaving, he deliberately looked back and winked at Dai Mubai, the teasing in his eyes impossible to hide.
Dai Mubai inexplicably felt a twinge of guilt. He instinctively stole a glance at Zhu Zhuqing beside him. Only when he saw her calm expression, as though she hadn't taken their conversation to heart, did he secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
Xiao Wu leaned closer and asked curiously, "What's Fatty going to do? Why's he being so mysterious?"
Dai Mubai cleared his throat and put on a thoroughly solemn expression. "Ahem, he needs to release his Evil Fire regularly, or it can cause problems."
"Pah!" Understanding dawned on Xiao Wu, and her pretty face flushed. She rolled her eyes hard in the direction Ma Hongjun had left, her voice full of disgust. "Off to ruin girls again! How disgusting!"
Never one to mind a bigger spectacle, Ning Rongrong immediately turned her sights on Dai Mubai, raising an eyebrow as she teased, "Fatty was making eyes at you before he left. Say, Dai Mubai, don't tell me you're cut from the same cloth?"
"Shut up!" Dai Mubai looked anxious and hurriedly glanced at Zhu Zhuqing again, afraid she would misunderstand.
How could Ning Rongrong possibly shut up? Her smile grew even more smug. "Look how guilty you are! I hit the nail on the head, didn't I?"
"You..." Dai Mubai choked, left speechless. He glared and was about to argue.
Zhu Zhuqing, who had been silent beside them for a long time, suddenly spoke coldly. Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "Men are all filthy."
"No, they're not!" Xiao Wu immediately jumped to Tang San's defense. She puffed out her chest and said earnestly, "Xiao San is different! He's as pure as ice and jade!"
Ning Rongrong promptly chimed in, the look she gave Lin Kong anything but ordinary. "Exactly! Brother Lin is different too! He would never be like them!"
Watching this, Dai Mubai's mouth twitched again and again. He felt utterly aggrieved, yet had no way to argue.
Oscar hunched his shoulders and timidly raised a hand, trying to make his presence felt. "Um... I-I'm pretty clean too..."
"Who asked you?" Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong shot back in unison, their voices full of disdain.
Oscar's mouth began twitching too. A wave of frustration rushed straight to his head, making him and Dai Mubai brothers in misery.
He looked at Tang San, whom Xiao Wu was defending, then at Lin Kong, whom Ning Rongrong cherished like a treasure in her palm, and couldn't help heaving a long inward sigh. Comparing yourself to others really could anger you to death!
How long had they even known each other? It had only been a single day, from morning to night, yet Lin Kong already carried so much weight in Ning Rongrong's heart.
Oscar lamented forlornly, There's no comparison. There really is no comparison!
After that little interlude, everyone set off back to Shrek Academy.
The evening breeze brushed gently past, and the street stalls outside Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena overflowed with the aromas of assorted snacks and drinks.
Xiao Wu's eyes swept over the stalls selling chilled sour plum drinks. She quietly pressed her somewhat dry lips together, then turned to Tang San beside her and asked softly, "Third Brother, are you thirsty?"
"Mm!" Warmth filled Tang San's heart, and he thought Xiao Wu was showing concern for him. After giving it some serious consideration, he answered earnestly, "I'm not thirsty."
At his answer, helplessness welled up inside Xiao Wu, and she nearly rolled her eyes. Idiot! Complete idiot! Who tries to read a girl's thoughts like that?
If I'm asking whether you're thirsty, obviously I'm the one who's thirsty!
She wrinkled her dainty nose in a huff and turned away, simply refusing to pay any more attention to this wooden blockhead.
Tang San looked at her suddenly chilly expression, utterly bewildered. He had no idea what he had done to upset Xiao Wu.
Watching from beside them, Dai Mubai felt his opportunity had come. He cleared his throat, leaned toward Zhu Zhuqing, and imitated Xiao Wu's tone as he asked with affected gentleness, "Zhu Zhuqing, are you thirsty?"
Zhu Zhuqing lifted her eyes to glance at him and answered concisely, "No."
Rebuffed, Dai Mubai rubbed his nose sheepishly.
Watching nearby, Xiao Wu kept pursing her lips and grumbled inwardly, Another idiot, just as I thought! What's the point of asking a girl whether she's thirsty? Buying it and handing it straight to her-that's how you show some sense!
Ning Rongrong looked at Xiao Wu, then at Zhu Zhuqing, before turning her expectant gaze toward Lin Kong.
Just then, Lin Kong suddenly hooked an arm around Oscar's shoulders and said cheerfully, "Come on, Oscar. Come get something to eat with me."
Oscar froze for a moment, first letting out a bewildered "Huh?" before catching on and saying with delighted surprise, "Oh! Sure, sure!"
Lin Kong looked back and gave everyone a faint smile, a spirited confidence in his expression. "I got a Storage Soul Tool today. That's worth celebrating. This meal's on me! Order whatever you want!"
"Yay! Brother Lin is the best!" Ning Rongrong was the first to cheer, her eyes shining like stars.
"Hehe, then I won't hold back, Brother Lin!" Xiao Wu instantly cast Tang San's cluelessness to the back of her mind and eagerly came over.
Even the usually cool Zhu Zhuqing managed a rare, faint smile and nodded slightly to Lin Kong. "Thank you, Brother Lin."
Watching everyone cheer in delight, Tang San and Dai Mubai exchanged a glance, a string of distinct question marks appearing above both their heads.
???
Something about this script doesn't seem right?
With Lin Kong treating them, everyone happily ordered tasty food except Tang San, who alone was unhappy. Even Dai Mubai cast those thoughts aside and ate at ease.
They chatted as they walked, returning to Shrek Academy in a lively bustle.
That night, Lin Kong meditated and cultivated on his bed.
He discovered that his Soul Power had increased a little!
Why?
Lin Kong began digging into the reason, his mind constantly replaying all the details of the day: fighting Tang San in the early morning, running training that morning, doing nothing much in the afternoon, taking part in Soul Fighting that evening...
Then it had to be!
"The dark blue silver grass devoured Tang San's blue silver grass-no, the Blue Silver Emperor!"
Was that why his Soul Power had increased a little?
In that case...
"I'll have to fight Tang San one-on-one more often!"
This was simply...
Wonderful!
Barring any surprises, Oscar would break through to rank thirty tomorrow, and the day after, they would head into Star Dou Great Forest together, encounter the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny, encounter the Titan Giant Ape, and encounter the Man Faced Demon Spider.
Tang San would encounter an External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances!
"If I can get the Eight Spider Lances, their devouring trait could strengthen the devouring trait of the Dark Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul to an enormous degree. When that happens..."
How could he obtain the Eight Spider Lances?