After leaving the forest, Lin Feng first went to the Spirit Hall Branch to pick up Ah Yin, then found an inn to stay in.
That night, he placed the wooden box holding Ah Yin by the window, shut the doors and windows, and released his two Martial Souls.
The green spider landed on the table, while the golden Angel Phantom appeared beside him.
Lin Feng lifted the restrictions on his two Martial Souls and began communicating with them through their thoughts.
"You can't choose your fourth Soul Ring carelessly."
Bibi Dong looked at Lin Feng and reminded him, "Although you've reached level forty, you'll still need some time to adjust to the improvements from your Soul Bone."
"I know."
Lin Feng nodded and was about to ask more when she suddenly changed the subject.
"There's something else I want your help with."
"What is it?"
"Make a trip to Shrek Academy."
Hearing this, Lin Feng froze.
"What would we go there for?"
Bibi Dong fell silent for a moment, her voice growing unusually quiet.
"I want to see Xiaogang. Flender is his friend. He should know something about him."
Lin Feng looked at her for a long while before finally blurting out:
"You've already lived again, and you're still hung up on Yu Xiaogang?"
The green spider raised her head.
"I only want to see him once."
"And after that?"
Lin Feng leaned back in his chair, looking at her somewhat speechlessly.
"Did he actually like you back then, or did he approach you to gain access to Spirit Hall's records? Have you never thought about that?"
"Lin Feng!"
Bibi Dong's voice abruptly turned cold.
"Think carefully before you say certain things."
"What, you're upset because I criticized him a little?"
Lin Feng did not indulge her either.
"How much have you done for him, and what has he ever done for you? He never came looking for you all those years, but once he needed you, he certainly knew to go to Spirit City."
"I was the one who told him to leave!"
Bibi Dong's spider legs suddenly went rigid.
"You don't know anything..."
"I know that wasn't what you truly wanted," Lin Feng interrupted her. "But we're talking about Yu Xiaogang now, not why you left him back then."
Bibi Dong did not respond.
Lin Feng took a notebook out of his Soul Tool, opened it to a few pages, and placed it before her.
"Take a look at these."
The pages contained several passages of research on Soul Beast habits and Soul Ring selection, with the sources and original authors' names noted below.
Lin Feng had copied these down while consulting books over the past few years. Only after comparing them with Yu Xiaogang's published work had he discovered the problem.
"These conclusions were already in Spirit Hall's old manuscripts before he published them."
Lin Feng pointed to one of the pages.
"Even the order of the Soul Beasts listed hasn't changed. How did it become his own research when he took it out and published it?"
Bibi Dong read for a moment before slowly saying, "Research requires consulting the work of predecessors in the first place. Xiaogang did compile a great deal..."
"Is consulting something the same as taking it outright?"
Lin Feng turned another page.
"He reworded someone else's conclusions, and suddenly they became his own proposals. Did he ever mention who originally did the research or who left those records?"
For a moment, Bibi Dong had no answer.
Lin Feng closed the notebook.
"You got him the records and gave him opportunities, and in the end, he took those things and became the Grandmaster. Yet you still think everyone has wronged him."
"You can't dismiss his ability based on these few pages," Bibi Dong said gravely. "He taught Tang San."
Hearing this, Lin Feng actually laughed.
"Innate full soul power, the Clear Sky Hammer and the Blue Silver Emperor. He certainly chose a good disciple."
"Before taking Tang San as his disciple, he'd already recognized that Tang San had twin Martial Souls. Once that disciple succeeded, he would naturally spread his fame for him."
Bibi Dong said coldly, "You only see Tang San's talent. What do you know of how much painstaking effort he put in?"
"Then let's discuss something you witnessed yourself."
Lin Feng's smile faded.
"In your previous life, what did he go to Spirit City to see you for?"
Bibi Dong's spider legs paused slightly.
"Was it to ask how you'd been doing all those years, or to ask you for the cultivation method for twin Martial Souls on Tang San's behalf?"
After Lin Feng finished, Bibi Dong did not respond for a long time.
Of course she remembered that meeting.
She had hoped to have a proper conversation with him, but when he opened his mouth, he spoke of his disciple.
"He regarded Tang San as his own child. What's wrong with seeking a cultivation method for his disciple?"
"Nothing."
Lin Feng looked at her.
"I'm only reminding you who was on his mind when he came looking for you."
Bibi Dong said nothing.
But Lin Feng was not finished.
"And the Qian Family's inherited Soul Bones. Did you reveal those to him too?"
This time, even Qian Renxue beside them raised her head.
Bibi Dong's voice deepened.
"How do you know?"
"Just tell me whether you did."
"I only mentioned a little..."
Before she could finish, Qian Renxue spoke.
"Mother, that was the Qian Family's inheritance."
Qian Renxue's voice was very soft, yet it left Bibi Dong at a loss for an answer.
Lin Feng continued, "Later, he told Ning Fengzhi what he knew."
"You thought you were only mentioning it in passing, but once those things reached their hands, they became intelligence on Xue'er."
"Enough!"
Bibi Dong abruptly raised her front legs, anger finally entering her voice.
"I only want to see him once. Why must you drag everything into this?"
Lin Feng was getting angry too.
"Because every time you mention him, you only remember the good!"
"He'd already chosen Liu Erlong in your previous life. You've died once, and you even know what became of your daughter, yet now you still want to go back to him?"
Bibi Dong did not speak again.
Qian Renxue lowered her gaze and fell silent as well.
Watching this, Lin Feng slowly let out a breath after a moment.
"Fine. You want to see him, don't you?"
"I'll take you."
Bibi Dong raised her head.
"But once we're there, you can't reveal your identity. And don't start making excuses for him the moment he says a few pleasant words."
Lin Feng sat down again.
"If you don't believe me, see for yourself."
Only after a long while did Bibi Dong answer quietly:
"All right."
A few days later.
Outside Suotuo City.
Following the directions he had asked for, Lin Feng arrived before a village.
A table stood at the village entrance, with a somewhat shabby sign beside it.
Shrek Academy.
Parents and children who had come to register stood in a line, with murmured conversations rising from it from time to time.
Rather than hurrying forward, Lin Feng raised his right hand.
A green light flashed, and the green spider appeared. Under his control, she crawled inside his collar, leaving only a little of herself peeking out to observe the situation outside.
"Looks like we've come at just the right time."
He had barely approached when he heard an argument at the registration table.
A boy had just been deemed ineligible because of his age. After his father's pleas for an exception failed, the man could only say:
"If you won't accept him, then refund our registration fee."
But the old man behind the table waved a hand.
"Once collected, registration fees are nonrefundable."
The father immediately grew anxious.
"If my child can't even enroll, what right do you have to keep our money?"
The old man frowned and called out to the side.
"Mubai, someone wants their registration fee back."
A blond boy promptly stepped forward.
Yellow, yellow, purple.
Three Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet, and the imposing presence of a Soul Elder pressed forward, forcing the father and son to retreat two steps.
"You can have your money back."
Dai Mubai rolled his wrist, his gaze sweeping over the two.
"Beat me, and you'll get a full refund."
Watching this, Lin Feng stopped in his tracks.
Ten Gold Soul Coins.
They had to defeat a Soul Elder first just to get them back?