The Complete Skywater Academy Team

They stopped and started along the way. Ning Rongrong had never left her sect since childhood, except for occasional visits to Heaven Dou Imperial City accompanied by Ning Fengzhi and the others. It was Zhu Zhuqing's first time in the Heaven Dou Empire, and both girls were curious about everything they saw.

Ning Rongrong chattered all the way, bursting with life. She had to investigate everything that caught her interest and refused to leave any place without sampling its local delicacies. Zhu Zhuqing, by contrast, showed a young girl's curiosity too, but the environment she had grown up in had taught her to bury that carefree side of herself.

Ning Rongrong always had to drag her along to play, explore, and eat, and she would go with an expression that said, I really can't do anything with you. Only when she narrowed her eyes in enjoyment over good food, or when wonder shone in her eyes at the sight of something fun, did Zhu Zhuqing briefly become the ordinary girl her age should have been.

Walking along a street in Heaven Dou Imperial City, Yu Tianshuang watched the two girls ahead of him, hand in hand as they darted here and there. Seeing their youthful vitality, he smiled faintly.

The girls stopped in front of a small blackboard outside a restaurant. Ning Rongrong thought for a moment, then turned to Yu Tianshuang and pleaded coquettishly, "Brother Tianshuang, let's have lunch here. I've heard the sect disciples talk about it for ages. This place is famous for its desserts, but I haven't had many chances to come down the mountain, so I've never been here. I have to eat my fill in one go this time. Zhu Zhuqing definitely hasn't tried them either, and she likes sweets too."

Zhu Zhuqing, whose hand Ning Rongrong was holding, blushed at once and protested in embarrassment, "Rongrong, y-you, don't make things up. I don't like sweets. Um... Tianshuang, but since Rongrong thinks so highly of this place, why don't we..."

She glanced around after speaking, not daring to look Yu Tianshuang in the eye, though a hint of anticipation showed in her gaze.

"All right, all right, let's go. But Rongrong, after we eat, you have to return to the sect first and let Uncle Ning and the others know you're safe. After that, you can come to Skywater Academy only if Uncle Ning agrees. Don't make them worry too much. You're a grown girl now."

"Oh, I know, I know. Brother Tianshuang, why have you turned into an old antique too, going on and on like that?"

Yu Tianshuang smiled helplessly as Ning Rongrong returned to her spoiled young lady ways. He couldn't blame her, though. Her grandfather and the others had treasured her in the palms of their hands like a precious pearl since she was little. Once she grew up and matured a little more, she would change on her own.

After lunch, Yu Tianshuang came out with the two thoroughly satisfied girls and gave Ning Rongrong another round of reminders before they parted, though she looked impatient.

"Actually, I think Rongrong is fine the way she is. She's carefree, candid, innocent, and simple. I rather envy her."

After parting with Ning Rongrong, the two were walking toward Skywater Academy when Zhu Zhuqing suddenly spoke, looking a little downcast.

"There's no absolute good or bad about it. Maybe everything you've been through since childhood has made you more mature and sensible than others your age. The hardships and pain you've endured, the childhood happiness you never had, and the guarded heart you carry can make you feel exhausted. They can make you view others as childish from your mature perspective, and they can also make you envy them from time to time: envy how carefree they are, how they don't have a care in the world, how they don't have to look over their shoulders before every step, and wonder enviously why they can be so stupid. But it's enough to envy them quietly in your heart. There's no need for regret, much less resentment. What you have is actually no less than what anyone else has. You have experiences they don't. Aren't those a treasure that belongs to you alone?"

Beneath Zhu Zhuqing's cold exterior lay a passionate heart that was fragile and sensitive. Walking beside Yu Tianshuang and listening to his words, her heart suddenly stirred, and she felt as though she wasn't alone in this world after all. She put away her downcast expression, and her lips, which rarely smiled, curved upward at Yu Tianshuang.

The midday sun filtered through the thin azure clouds scattered across the sky and fell on the girl's long black-purple hair. Her faintly smiling red lips and bright, large eyes fixed the moment in the young man's heart like a painting.

Back at the academy, Yu Tianshuang found Shui Xinrou and explained the situation under her subtle gaze. She then gave him a glance with a hint of indulgence before taking Zhu Zhuqing to complete her enrollment.

The next day, in Skywater Academy's Mimicry Training Ground, Zhu Zhuqing had just finished a match with Xue Wu. With Shui Bing'er's approval, she joined the Skywater Academy Team as well.

The group was chatting and getting acquainted when Shui Xinrou appeared at the entrance with Ning Rongrong, who was dressed in a sky-blue school uniform.

"Brother Tianshuang, Zhu Zhuqing!"

Before she had even entered, Ning Rongrong waved and called out to the two of them.

"Let me introduce her. Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a level 26 auxiliary system tool Soul Master. Her joining makes up for our weak point of having Hairou as our only auxiliary system Soul Master."

Shui Xinrou spoke as she brought Ning Rongrong into the training ground.

"Hello, seniors."

When Shui Xinrou finished the introduction, Ning Rongrong greeted the group openly and confidently.

"All right, the team now has all its members. Your previous team battles were fought without a full seven-person lineup. Now that everyone is here, I'll set you a goal: before the Elite Tournament begins, earn a team Gold Soul Fighting Badge. Everyone except Hairou and Rongrong must also earn an individual Gold Soul Fighting Badge, and everyone except Tianshuang must reach the Soul Ancestor level."

"How is that possible? My sister and the other two might manage it, but the rest of us are younger to begin with. How could we possibly cultivate to Soul Ancestor before the tournament?"

After hearing Shui Xinrou's unquestionable words, Shui Yue'er was the first to complain.

"If you spent the time you waste stuffing your face on cultivation, I don't believe you couldn't reach Soul Ancestor. As for Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, they're about your age, and Zhu Zhuqing is even a year younger. If you haven't reached Soul Ancestor or earned a Gold Soul Fighting Badge by then, don't blame me for replacing you."

"All right, all right. Why are you being so fierce?"

"That's enough. Get familiar with one another's Soul Skills and abilities today. Starting tomorrow, practice working together in actual combat."

With that, she turned and walked out, leaving the group staring at one another.

"Let's all introduce ourselves, then start getting used to working together and look into some tactics. I'm Shui Bing'er, captain of the Skywater Academy Team, a level 36 Control System Battle Soul Elder. My Martial Soul is the Ice Phoenix. My First Soul Skill is Ice Seal, a single-target control skill that can be cast instantly and has the characteristic of locking onto its target. My Second Soul Skill is Ice Ring Armor, a group defensive support Soul Skill. It can cover a designated individual or group in a layer of frost armor, increasing their defense and slowing anyone who attacks them. When it's shattered, it also inflicts damage. My Third Soul Skill is Extreme Freezing Ray, a single-target damage and control Soul Skill. It summons the Ice Phoenix to fire a freezing ray at a target, damaging and freezing anything it hits."

When she finished, she looked at Yu Tianshuang, signaling for him to continue.

"Yu Tianshuang, vice captain of the Skywater Academy Team, a level 29 Power Attack System Battle Soul Grandmaster. I have Twin Martial Souls: the Frost Dragon and Heavenly Frost Cold Qi. My First Soul Skill is Prismatic Barrier Ice Array. It summons one or five ice walls to defend or obstruct enemies. My Second Soul Skill is Frost Sword Tooth Rain, a group AOE attack that summons dozens of ice swords to bombard a designated location, with an additional freezing effect."

"Xue Wu, member of the Skywater Academy Team, a level 34 Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder. My Martial Soul is Delicate Dancing Snow Satin. My First Soul Skill is Snow Ribbon Impact, a single-target offensive Soul Skill that slows the target it hits. My Second Soul Skill is Snow Ribbon Entanglement, a single-target enhancement buff that wraps the Snow Ribbon around me and increases my attack and defense by fifty percent. My Third Soul Skill is Winter Snow Sacrificial Dance. It can support a target by doubling their attack power and the effects of their ice attribute."

"Yu Hairou, member of the Skywater Academy Team, a level 34 auxiliary system beast Soul Master. My Martial Soul is the Coral Barracuda. My First Soul Skill, Healing Coral, heals a single target and removes negative status effects. My Second Soul Skill, Coral Fish Wall, is a defensive Soul Skill. My Third Soul Skill, Coral Barracuda Bubble, is a group defensive Soul Skill."

"Shui Yue'er, a level 31 Agility Attack System Battle Soul Elder. My Martial Soul is the Jade Dolphin. My First Soul Skill, Wind-Treading Snow-Shadow Steps, increases my movement speed by fifty percent for two minutes, and my attacks also gain a slowing effect. My Second Soul Skill, Dolphin Surfing, is a single-target damage skill that lets me charge at a target and deal damage. My Third Soul Skill, Dolphin Sonar, is a single-target damage Soul Skill that also causes dizziness."

Once everyone had finished introducing themselves, Shui Bing'er decided they would take part in a team battle that afternoon.