As night fell.
Qing Linyun walked slowly into the senior-grade training ground, the place Wu Changkong had told him about.
A large arena stood in the center of the grounds, its surface covered with special alloy plates that looked sturdy enough.
A ring of protective soul guidance formations was carved around the arena. A faint blue light shone through the patterns, enclosing the entire grounds without a gap.
The barrier ensured that Soul Skills wouldn't fly out of the arena and randomly strike a lucky spectator.
A measuring pillar half a person's height stood at each of the arena's four corners. Supposedly, they could record Soul Power output and Soul Skill strength in real time. Eastsea Academy had spent a fair amount to equip the senior grades with a set like this.
Shrek had them too, though Eastsea Academy's version was clearly simplified. At least it was practical.
He walked a short way around the arena, then looked up at the translucent screen of light overhead. Supposedly, it was quite sturdy.
In Director Long's own words, never mind this bunch of Soul Elders and Soul Ancestors without a single Soul King among them-even if two Soul Emperors fought inside, they probably wouldn't be able to break the barrier.
Qing Linyun couldn't help giving it some thought. The barrier probably wouldn't withstand two blows from him.
Qing Linyun quickly passed the public arenas and came to a door. Behind it was a training ground Eastsea Academy had provided specifically for private teachers.
He pushed the door open and walked in.
From a distance, he saw someone standing beside the arena.
Wu Changkong.
He looked just as he always did, standing motionless by the arena with his back straight and his arms folded across his chest. His statue cosplay was as convincing as ever.
The Douluo version of David.
Moonlight fell on his face. Qing Linyun couldn't make out his expression, but he could feel the coldness that kept people a thousand miles away.
"Senior brother, you're here early." Qing Linyun walked over and greeted him with a smile.
"Mm."
Wu Changkong nodded without saying anything else.
Qing Linyun didn't mind. He walked over and stood beside him.
But after standing there for two seconds, he sensed something was off.
Wu Changkong had answered him, but his eyes had never turned his way. His gaze rested on the arena, though he didn't seem to be looking at it.
There was an indescribable awkwardness in his eyes, as if he were hiding something but didn't know how to bring it up.
Something's not right.
Qing Linyun thought.
What's wrong with senior brother today?
Don't look at me like that. I'm not gay.
He tried making a joke.
"Senior brother, standing like that, anyone who didn't know better would think you were waiting for an enemy."
"Mm."
Another "mm."
Just one "mm."
Qing Linyun was speechless. How was his senior brother so much like a guinea pig without a want or a care?
The doubts in Qing Linyun's mind grew stronger.
His senior brother was usually cold, but he could at least exchange a few words.
Today, something was clearly wrong. It was as if he had something stuck in his throat, unable to spit it out or swallow it down.
Thoughts stirred in his mind, but he showed nothing on his face and spoke again, feigning casualness.
"Senior brother, what made you suddenly think of having me help train those three little fellows? I haven't been much of a teaching assistant. All I do every day is slack off."
Wu Changkong remained silent for a long while.
Qing Linyun didn't rush him. He simply stood there, watching the formation patterns on the arena flicker.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
After a long while, Wu Changkong slowly raised his head, as though he had made up his mind. His voice was heavy. "Junior brother, I need to ask you a favor."
Qing Linyun raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Go ahead, senior brother. We're fellow disciples. Why stand on ceremony with me?"
"Last night, I called Shen Yi."
"Senior Sister Shen?"
Qing Linyun's heart stirred. Shen Yi was Zhuo Shi's disciple, Wu Changkong's junior sister, and nominally his own senior sister.
He was usually very talkative and was fairly close to this junior brother he had picked up.
Well, why only fairly close? Because when they were children, this Senior Sister Shen of his had always beaten him up.
"Mm." Wu Changkong nodded. "I asked her about you."
Qing Linyun didn't reply, waiting for him to continue. But Wu Changkong seemed to be reminded of something and paused before going on.
"I held the communicator and sat there for over half an hour before making that call. I thought it was so late that it wouldn't be right to disturb her."
"And then?"
"She picked up quickly, though." Wu Changkong repeated Shen Yi's words. "She said you looked unreliable, but you got things done. She said you had plenty of connections, but you were lazy and didn't like to lift a finger. She also said that if someone wanted to ask you a favor, they shouldn't beat around the bush. They should just say it."
Qing Linyun couldn't help laughing when he heard that. "Senior Sister Shen certainly knows how to talk about me behind my back."
Though it wasn't all made up.
He muttered to himself.
Having good connections was true, and so was being lazy.
Seeing that he didn't deny it, Wu Changkong seemed relieved and decided to lay everything out. "I want to ask you to do two things."
"Go ahead."
"The first."
Wu Changkong looked at him. "I want to get some top-grade life materials to heal the hidden injuries I'm carrying. We can negotiate the price. I won't make you run around for nothing."
He paused there, his voice dropping a little lower.
"You know about my injuries. Evil Qi is blocking my meridians. I know that if this drags on, I may be stuck at rank 69 for the rest of my life."
Qing Linyun nodded.
He knew about Wu Changkong's hidden injuries.
After Long Bing died that year, Wu Changkong had spent more than half a year tracking Dark Hummingbird. In their final battle, he had been pinned to a wall, and the wound in his chest had nearly killed him.
His injury had been stabilized, but he had spent those years in a daze and neglected his cultivation. Evil Qi had entered through the wound and blocked his meridians, and it had never been completely cleared away.
His Soul Power stalled when it reached that spot. The symptoms had been treated, but not the root cause.
If that injury wasn't healed, he could forget about advancing another step in his lifetime.
On top of that, he had run off as soon as it happened, without even giving Zhuo Shi time to find Holy Spirit Douluo, so the matter had naturally been left unresolved.
"What's the second?"
"The second." Wu Changkong lowered his voice even further. "I want to ask you to help me get a top-grade Ten-Thousand-Year Ice-Attribute Soul Spirit. I'm preparing to break through and become a Seven-Ring Soul Sage."
He paused, then added, "The Heavenly Frost Sword is an ice-attribute Martial Soul. I've been stuck at rank 69 for several years. I've looked for a Ten-Thousand-Year Ice-Attribute Soul Spirit for years, but I haven't come across a suitable one. I can afford one; I just haven't found one."
This time, Qing Linyun was genuinely stunned.
It wasn't because the requests were so difficult.
A Ten-Thousand-Year Ice-Attribute Soul Spirit was something others would struggle to find even at a sky-high price, but for Qing Linyun, it would only take a few more days of checking the system shop. Failing that, he still had the Heaven-Supporting Pillar connection. He could always find a way.
The Heavenly Frost Sword was an ice-attribute Martial Soul. Since Wu Changkong wanted to break through to seven rings, an ice-attribute Soul Spirit would naturally be a better match for his Martial Soul. With matching attributes, the fusion would also be more stable.
What stunned Qing Linyun was how much Wu Changkong had changed this time.
In the original story, Wu Changkong was still holed up at Eastsea Academy as its cold-faced teacher at this point. He was so mired in Long Bing's death that he couldn't pull himself free, and he felt guilty for letting down the master who had raised him. He was also unwilling to return to Shrek to seek treatment.
He wouldn't truly pull himself together until the Skysea Alliance Grand Competition.
Tang Wulin was pierced through by a Martial Soul Fusion Skill unleashed by a pair of twins from some Skysea Alliance academy, nearly losing his life on the spot.
Wu Changkong struck out in anger, and his own strength broke through to rank 70 at that moment.
But now?
The news that Dark Hummingbird had resurfaced, combined with the rumor that the fellow had "escaped with serious injuries," had actually brought Wu Changkong back to his senses ahead of time.
He was no longer muddling through his days in a daze. Instead, he had begun planning to break through and become a Seven-Ring Soul Sage, so he could take that revenge with his own hands.
The butterfly's wings have beaten far enough.
Qing Linyun marveled to himself.
That lie I told actually fanned senior brother back to life.
He actually approved.
He was happy to see Wu Changkong pull himself together.