A warm breeze blew gently, ruffling the lake and sending ripples across its surface.
The ripples shattered the sunlight, scattering flecks of gold across the water.
A crystal of ice shot across the lake's surface, heading straight for its depths.
Cold spread in its wake, and an ice bridge instantly formed on the lake, a meter wide and a foot thick, sturdy and solid.
Although everyone could fly across, walking over Sea God Lake this way was undoubtedly much more elegant.
Cai Mei'er led the way across the ice bridge, with Yu Tianqing and Ling Luochеn in the middle.
"Luochen, your control over the ice element is getting better and better," Yu Tianqing said with a smile, praising the girl beside him.
"It's all thanks to you, Tianqing." Ling Luochеn looked up at him, her smile blooming like a flower.
Ma Xiaotao brought up the rear, watching the shameless couple ahead shower everyone with dog food, a somewhat aggrieved look on her face.
Seeing how lovey-dovey the two were, Ma Xiaotao finally understood why Ling Luochеn had refused to help her suppress the Evil Fire. She really didn't have the time.
If the two were alone together, who knew how many days and nights it would be before they had any time?
But the Evil Fire couldn't wait. It was really burning her heart!
At this point, she couldn't afford to worry about so much:
"Sister Mei'er!"
Cai Mei'er looked back at Ma Xiaotao. "Xiaotao, what is it?"
"I remember that new students have to pass an assessment by Soul Fighting with an inner-court student to join the inner court. Doesn't junior Yu Tianqing need to be assessed?"
"Oh, that. There is such a rule."
Cai Mei'er waved a hand as she walked. "We'll just let Luochen and Tianqing exchange a few moves in the arena. He's already Teacher's disciple, so there's no need to make it such a hassle."
Exchange a few moves? Wasn't that cheating?
They might even come up with the "Qingchen Three Ultimates" while they were at it!
Ma Xiaotao was momentarily speechless. "Sister Mei'er, how about letting me assess junior?"
"You?" Cai Mei'er looked back at Ma Xiaotao, then glanced at Yu Tianqing. Her expression turned strange, and she repeated the question with some uncertainty. "Are you sure?"
Ma Xiaotao proudly patted her chest:
"I'm the strongest of the inner court's new generation. Isn't it only natural for me to test junior's cultivation?"
Ling Luochеn glared at Ma Xiaotao, somewhat indignant:
"Ma Xiaotao, don't think I don't know what you're plotting."
"Hehe, Luochen, already worried about your little man? If you obediently give in to me, it's not like I can't go easy on him."
Ma Xiaotao tilted and bobbed her head, her chest swaying along with it.
"You!"
Ling Luochеn was at a loss for words, but Yu Tianqing held out a hand to stop her. He looked at Ma Xiaotao:
"Very well, then. Let me see how strong my martial niece Xiaotao is."
"Martial niece?"
The address grated on Ma Xiaotao's ears.
"That's right! Xiaotao, Tianqing is your master's junior brother. By seniority, you should call him martial uncle."
Cai Mei'er smiled at the three of them, not at all bothered by the commotion.
"Ma Xiaotao, you wouldn't even call me your martial aunt."
The usually aloof Ling Luochеn also chimed in. Having a classmate who was stronger than her become her martial niece was a very novel experience for her too.
"You, you all!"
Ma Xiaotao looked at the three of them and scratched her head. They were all her seniors.
And what was Ling Luochеn doing joining in?
She'd hooked up with some wild man, and now she really thought she could ride roughshod over her?
Being classmates was temporary, but seniority lasted a lifetime.
Didn't she, Ma Xiaotao the Flame Maniac, have any face to preserve?
Ma Xiaotao clenched her fists. Evil Fire rose, and the temperature around her climbed at an astonishing rate.
With several cracking sounds, the ice beneath her feet shattered and swiftly melted. A pair of fiery red wings unfurled behind her, lifting her body into the air.
"My dear martial uncle, Xiaotao will wait for you at the Soul Fighting Arena. Let me experience your brilliant techniques."
Before her words had even faded, Ma Xiaotao turned into a streak of red light and flew away.
"Tianqing, I got you caught up in this. Xiaotao wanted me to suppress her Evil Fire, and I refused her, so she's making things difficult for you."
Ling Luochеn looked at Yu Tianqing apologetically. Although she had now become an Ultimate Ice Soul Master, her Soul Power was still more than ten levels below Ma Xiaotao's.
In her heart, Yu Tianqing was strong too, but she had never seen him fight at full strength, so she didn't know what his chances of winning were.
"It's fine. Don't take it to heart."
Yu Tianqing waved his hand, seemingly unconcerned.
Fighting Ma Xiaotao on his first day in the inner court suited him just fine.
This was Shrek Academy, where strength did the talking. As the strongest person under twenty, Ma Xiaotao might well be the stepping stone to his fame.
"Seeing you so confident, junior brother, I'll wait and see."
Cai Mei'er had no intention of stopping the two from Soul Fighting. She was a Titled Douluo herself and could sense that Yu Tianqing's Soul Power had reached the peak of the Soul Emperor realm. As soon as he absorbed a Soul Ring, he could break through to Soul Saint at any time.
His Soul Power cultivation was several levels higher than Ma Xiaotao's.
She knew how high Mu En's standards were for taking disciples.
Mu En had taken one look at Yu Tianqing and accepted him as his final disciple, which was enough to show just how monstrous this junior brother was.
She also wanted to see for herself what made Yu Tianqing exceptional, and just how terrifying the combined talents of the Black and White Twin Holy Dragons were.
The three of them took their time, maintaining their leisurely walking pace until they reached the Soul Fighting platforms.
A fiery red figure was already waiting atop the largest platform.
Quite a few students had gathered around it.
It was already the day the inner court admitted new students, so besides those who had come to register, there were other inner-court disciples here.
What was more, during that time, Ma Xiaotao had flown a circuit around the whole of Sea God Island, telling everyone she was going to have a Soul Fight on the platform. Students were still gathering from all directions.
At one corner of the platform, several male disciples were talking quietly. At their head was a long-haired man with a touch of feminine allure, and someone patted him on the shoulder:
"Gongyang, what's going on? You're better informed than the rest of us, so tell us!"
Gongyang Mo raised a delicate orchid finger and rolled his eyes at the person behind him with infinite charm before speaking in a low voice:
"Oh my~ Haven't you heard? Xiaotao and Luochen are fighting over a man!"
"Holy crap, is that true?"
Yao Haoxuan cried out, but when he saw Ma Xiaotao's cold gaze turn toward him, he hurriedly covered his mouth. He leaned close to Gongyang Mo and muttered:
"I heard that man got together with Xiaotao first, then chose Luochen. Is it true?"
"Men are all no good. Can't you see for yourself?"
Gongyang Mo's swaying orchid finger paused, then pointed in a direction:
"Look, isn't that the man, the one holding Luochen?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You know, he really is handsome. Just my type."
Yao Haoxuan's asshole clenched, and he retreated some distance before looking toward the other side of the Soul Fighting platform.
Yu Tianqing was slowly stepping onto the platform.
His steps were unhurried, his confidence soaring, as if he could suppress every enemy.