Taking Stock of the Battle, Returning to Nuoding Academy

Flying through the sky with the help of the Blue Silver Domain and the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone, Han Yu fell into thought, taking stock of his current strength.

His Sharingan had only One-Tomoe and could do nothing but see through movements. Before he awakened the Mangekyo, it had little killing power.

In his hands, the Clear Sky Hammer was nothing more than a blunt weapon. With neither combat experience nor fighting techniques, he could not bring out its full potential.

For the time being, he had to keep his Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul secret. He could not let anyone know about it, or they might guess that his God Tree could devour Martial Souls, bringing a fatal calamity upon him.

Besides, Han Yu raised a hand and looked at his arm. The soreness in his wrist had long since vanished; the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone's restorative ability had completely healed it by the time he left the forest.

Ever since the Blue Silver Emperor had become his third Martial Soul, he had a vague feeling that he had awakened a Soul Skill resembling Wood Release, or perhaps a Ninjutsu.

When he had entangled and restrained Zhao Wuji in their earlier battle, for instance, he had merely activated the Blue Silver Domain and added a few thoughts of his own. A thought alone had been enough to produce that effect.

Still flying through the air, Han Yu turned his gaze to the depths of his mind. The Blue Silver Emperor beside the God Tree had grown several times larger, tirelessly producing Soul Power and flourishing. At the same time, the two dark-purple Soul Rings on the branch where the Blue Silver Emperor was embedded were growing darker and darker.

"This is..."

Han Yu drew a sharp breath. He seemed to have discovered that the Soul Rings produced by the Blue Silver Emperor itself would grow stronger as the Blue Silver Emperor continued to advance. For now, they were only Thousand-Year Soul Rings, but in a few days they might become ten-thousand-year rings, or even hundred-thousand-year rings in the future.

"There seems to be a new development."

A large hand formed from mental power gently stroked the swaying Blue Silver Emperor in his spiritual space, silently expressing his approval.

Looking back, his combat experience was woefully lacking, he had no fighting techniques, and he had played his trump cards too quickly.

To put it bluntly, he had been too careless. Ever since he awakened his Martial Souls, everything seemed to have developed beyond his expectations, and he no longer had his previous worries about his life and fate.

"I still need to grow stronger."

Han Yu looked up at the boundless sky and sighed inwardly, his figure flying swiftly onward.

"Sister Xiao Wu."

"Sister Xiao Wu!"

Classes at Nuoding Academy had ended for the day. Xiao Wu was walking back to the dormitory, looking so absentminded that it tugged at the heart. She did not even respond when the people around her greeted her, their boss in name.

"Xiao Wu."

A figure stepped in front of Xiao Wu, and the familiar voice made her look up instinctively. Black hair, a delicate face, the Nuoding Academy uniform, and a Soul Tool at his waist-the familiar sight made Xiao Wu's eyes turn red in an instant, and she threw herself into Han Yu's arms.

"You were gone for so long."

Xiao Wu's voice was tinged with tears as she clung to Han Yu, her mouth muffled against his uniform.

"I'm back."

Smiling, Han Yu gently patted Xiao Wu's back and comforted the little rabbit softly.

It took a long while for Xiao Wu to stop crying. Her delicate cheeks flushed, she nestled in Han Yu's arms, unwilling to come out for a long time. She could feel the gazes of people passing by, but she was worried that she was dreaming and did not want to wake up.

"Come on, have a meal with me."

Han Yu chuckled and reached out to take Xiao Wu by the wrist. The heart of a food lover was stirring within him.

"Okay."

Xiao Wu wiped the tears from her face with her other hand, then burst into a giggle and agreed softly.

A figure spying from a corner nearby had long since clenched a fist so tightly that blood was dripping onto the ground, yet felt nothing. Watching the two head toward the dining hall, the person turned, threw the carrot rice in hand into a trash can, and left.

In the dining hall, Han Yu dug into the food before him. Traveling through the sky all the way had been wonderfully freeing, but also very boring. As far as his eyes could see, there had been nothing but endless sky, and only the sight of people and villages below had brought a little cheer to his boredom.

Xiao Wu's favorite carrot rice sat before her, but she cupped her fair chin in both hands and stared intently at Han Yu across the table. Her face was rosy, her eyes never blinked, and the attachment and affection in her gaze were almost tangible.

"Why aren't you eating?"

Han Yu looked up and pointed at the food in front of Xiao Wu. He had taken great pains to raise this little rabbit well.

Hearing Han Yu speak, Xiao Wu merely shook her head and gazed at him tenderly.

"Eat, go on."

Being watched while he ate made Han Yu feel as though even the food he was chewing tasted strange. Helplessly, he picked up a strip of carrot from Xiao Wu's plate with his chopsticks.

Xiao Wu opened her rosy little mouth and took both the chopsticks and the strip of carrot between her lips. When the chopsticks came away, a little of her silvery saliva clung to them. Her big eyes narrowed to slits, and she was in a wonderful mood.

"You're so fucking gross."

Han Yu wiped the tips of his chopsticks with a tissue in disgust. Unable to eat any more, he simply leaned back in his chair and let out a huge belch.

"What did you say?!"

Xiao Wu was not happy. The smile froze on her face, and the next second she rose and marched over to Han Yu, determined to let him taste her saliva and prove it was not so disgusting.

"Ahem, ahem, ahem!"

The two turned to look. Yu Xiaogang, who had finished eating, was standing beside them, though they had no idea when he had arrived. He was the one who had just coughed.

"This is the academy. It would be better to be a little more mindful."

Yu Xiaogang forced a smile onto his stiff face. After speaking, he nodded to Han Yu in greeting, then turned and went to eat.

Only then did Xiao Wu notice the gazes around them. Her fair little face flushed scarlet in an instant, and she silently returned to her seat to eat her carrot feast.

Even so, her eyes remained fixed on Han Yu across from her.

"All right, eat."

Han Yu got up and went over to Xiao Wu. He reached out to ruffle her smooth, long hair, rested his head on her soft, delicate shoulder, and spoke in a low voice.

The warm breath that came with his words made Xiao Wu squirm in her seat. It was not fear, but shyness. She was so shy that she did not even notice the taste of her favorite carrots, chewing her food like a puppet. Han Yu sat helplessly beside her and waited quietly for her to eat.

Dorm Seven was much the same as always, except that after more than two years, a few familiar faces were gone and a few unfamiliar ones had appeared. That was how the academy was: even though they lived in the same dormitory, the people changed every year. Old faces would always leave, and new ones would always arrive.

"Boss Han Yu, you're back!"

"Boss Han Yu."

Although Han Yu was not as well known at Nuoding Academy as Xiao Wu, who led a group of underlings around all day, a little asking around was enough to learn who the academy's real boss was.