Absorbing Them in Succession

By the time the three returned to Skywater Academy, it was already afternoon. Shui Xinrou went to the office to report to the dean first, leaving the other two to head to the dormitory area and get some rest.

At the fork between the teachers' dormitories and the shared dormitories, Yu Tianshuang was just about to wave goodbye to Shui Bing'er.

To his surprise, Shui Bing'er suddenly turned around and said to him, "You show-off, I'm warning you. The Frozen... the thing in the Frozen Forest, you... you're not allowed to tell anyone. Forget all about it, got that?"

Her tone had been fierce at first, but the moment she mentioned the Frozen Forest, a blush spread across her pretty face. Without waiting for Yu Tianshuang to reply, she hurried away like the wind.

Remembering what had happened in the Frozen Forest, Yu Tianshuang couldn't stop his heart from pounding again. He reached up and touched the side of his face where Shui Bing'er had kissed him.

Shui Bing'er happened to look back and catch him in the act. Her cool, aloof face instantly turned as red as a boiling kettle, and she hurriedly turned and fled.

The next morning, on the way to the Mimicry Training Ground with the other girls, Ye Lingling trotted over in delight and began quietly telling Yu Tianshuang about her daily life while he had been away from the academy.

When they arrived at the Mimicry Training Ground, Yu Tianshuang took advantage of the time they spent waiting for Shui Xinrou to take out the Immortal Herbs and say to the girls, "These are the Immortal Herbs I've chosen as the most suitable for each of you to absorb."

He first took out three sets of Aromatic Silk Beauty and Azure Moon-Sighting Grass and said to Ning Rongrong and Yu Hairou, "Rongrong, Senior Hairou, these two Immortal Herbs are best suited for you support-system Soul Masters. They can increase your total Soul Power and reduce the amount you expend using Soul Skills. Most importantly, they can improve your healing and enhancement effects."

Ning Rongrong gazed at Yu Tianshuang with affectionate anticipation. After he gave her the Immortal Herbs, she said excitedly, "Thank you, Brother Tianshuang! When Grandpa Jian finished absorbing his Immortal Herb, I knew you had more and would definitely give me some. Hehe."

Yu Hairou, however, waved her hands in refusal. "Junior, I... I don't need them. You should save them for someone else."

Yu Tianshuang insisted on pressing the Immortal Herbs into Yu Hairou's slender jade hands. "Senior Hairou, you've always looked after me and treated me well all these years I've been at the academy. Besides, absorbing the Immortal Herbs will also improve the overall strength of our team."

"This... all right."

Unable to resist the temptation of the Immortal Herbs after all, Yu Hairou accepted them and ran off to the side to absorb them.

"Hey, dummy, what about mine? Why don't I get any? Even if there aren't any for me, there should at least be some for Zhu Zhuqing, right? You were the one who tricked her into coming here."

Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face immediately flushed. She patted Shui Yue'er and said shyly, "Yue'er, d-don't talk nonsense. I... I came because I wanted to follow Brother Tianshuang."

Yu Tianshuang turned to Shui Yue'er and took two sets of Heavenly Mountain Snow Douluo Red and Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone from his ring. He handed one set to Shui Yue'er and the other to the utterly bewildered Xue Wu, then said, "These are the two Immortal Herbs best suited for ice-attribute Soul Masters. Sister Xue Wu, Yue'er, take them and absorb them."

"Hmph, I knew it. You dummy, there's no way you'd forget about me."

Clutching the Immortal Herbs with a proud look on her face, Shui Yue'er ran off to the side, satisfied, to absorb them.

Xue Wu, looking surprised, also gave Yu Tianshuang a teasing look. "Oh my, Junior, I thought only your lovely confidantes would get some. I didn't expect you to prepare some for me too. Thanks, hehe."

Faced with Xue Wu's teasing, Yu Tianshuang's stern face turned slightly red.

When the girls heard the words "lovely confidantes," their pretty faces all flushed, except for Yu Hairou's.

He then took out an Azure Moon-Sighting Grass and a Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum and said to Zhu Zhuqing, "Speed is the most important thing for an Agility Attack System Soul Master. The Azure Moon-Sighting Grass can greatly increase your speed and attack power, but defense has always been a weak point for Agility Attack System Soul Masters. You can't withstand a direct hit from a Power Attack System Soul Master of the same level, so this Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum can increase your defense."

Although Zhu Zhuqing had known she would certainly get Immortal Herbs of her own, it still felt somewhat like a dream when she actually saw Yu Tianshuang take them from his ring and put them in her hands.

Thinking of how much these two Immortal Herbs would improve her strength and talent, Zhu Zhuqing felt a little more confident about her future path toward taking control of her own fate.

She couldn't help looking at Yu Tianshuang gratefully. "Thank you."

Ning Rongrong and Yu Hairou were the first to finish absorbing their Immortal Herbs. Ning Rongrong summoned her Martial Soul and examined it several times. When she discovered it had evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, she ran over to Yu Tianshuang, jumping for joy. "Brother Tianshuang, thank you! I never thought absorbing the Immortal Herbs would actually let my Martial Soul break through its shackles and evolve."

Yu Hairou had also finished absorbing hers. Even her normally quiet and refined temperament couldn't hide her excitement as she said, "Junior, my... my Martial Soul evolved too! I... I really can't thank you enough."

Once all the girls had finished absorbing their Immortal Herbs, they discussed going to the Great Soul Arena in Heaven Dou Imperial City for a team battle. They could get used to their new Martial Soul abilities and, while they were at it, practice working together.

The next day, everyone except Yu Tianshuang and Shui Bing'er would be going to hunt for Soul Rings and break through to Soul Ancestor.

"Hey, dummy, I was wondering how Lingling's Martial Soul could have a dispelling effect and why her Soul Power was so much higher than mine. So you gave her an Immortal Herb ages ago. Honestly!"

"And my sister! I was just saying I'd show off my evolved Martial Soul to her, but in the team battle just now, her Ice Phoenix had become so beautiful it left me dumbstruck. Sigh."

"Oh, you! How could Tianshuang possibly have forgotten Lingling and Bing'er? You're the only silly one here, haha."

The girls were all very happy on the way, teasing one another.

The next day, after a sparring session with Ye Lingling and Shui Bing'er, Shui Bing'er walked over.

"You show-off, apart from passively increasing your attack power and making your sword strikes stronger, I've hardly ever seen you use your Dragon Transformation claws in close combat. That won't do. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is known as having the continent's number one Beast Martial Soul because of this very Dragon Transformation ability. How about this? Before Aunt left, she happened to mention this to me and made arrangements. I was going to tell you in a few days, but judging by today, there's no longer any point in you sparring with the two of us."

Meet someone? Who? Could it be someone from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?

Seeing Yu Tianshuang frown deeply in thought, Shui Bing'er understood and said gently, "Don't think so much about it. That person's surname isn't Yu, and they can't really be counted as a member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan either. Don't think so much. Just come with me tomorrow."

After patting Yu Tianshuang on his broad shoulders, Shui Bing'er took Ye Lingling with her and left.