Elemental Ice Ling Luochen (Part 1)

"Free?"

Ling Bai froze. He remembered that when Huo Yuhao had first enrolled, he had been so poor he could barely afford food and had been forced to sell grilled fish at the academy gates to make a living.

"Senior Sister, do the inner and outer academies charge differently?"

"Yes."

Han Ruoruo explained with a smile, "Tuition, meal fees, Simulated Cultivation Ground rental fees... Everything in the outer academy costs money. That is because the outer academy was established at the request of the three great empires. Strictly speaking, it is not truly Shrek Academy. Only the inner academy is the real Shrek Academy.

"Within the inner academy, all those expenses are waived. As for why, once you understand the responsibilities borne by the inner academy, you'll realize that this is actually a form of compensation."

Uncle Mo nodded deeply in agreement and sighed. "You children all have it rough. Young man, have another two buns! Look how skinny you are!"

Without waiting for a response, he added another two large buns to Ling Bai's tray.

"Thank you, Uncle Mo."

Ling Bai thanked him with a wry smile. He had a vague guess about the responsibility Han Ruoruo mentioned. It was surely related to supervisory missions.

Shrek Academy regarded maintaining the continent's stability as its duty and had founded the Shrek Supervisory Group. Evil Soul Masters were their primary targets, and many inner academy disciples and teachers had given their lives for that cause.

That was also one reason the inner academy had so few people.

Ling Bai and Han Ruoruo found a secluded place to sit with their trays. Their breakfasts both consisted of buns and rice porridge. The difference was that Ling Bai had been forced to take four buns, while Han Ruoruo had taken only two.

Ling Bai scooped up a spoonful of porridge. The milky-white, gelatinous liquid held grains of rice that were distinct, plump, and just beginning to bloom, yet melted in the mouth, perfectly complementing the rich congee broth.

"Moonlight Rice?"

Ling Bai tasted a familiar flavor.

Moonlight Rice came from the Far North. It was harvested only once every three years, was extremely scarce, rich in nutrients, fragrant and crisp, and sweet upon entering the mouth.

The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was renowned across the continent for its absurd wealth. Ling Bai often ate Moonlight Rice there, yet Shrek Academy had it too.

Hearing that, Han Ruoruo, seated across from him, teased, "The academy can't exactly mistreat its own students."

"True."

Ling Bai bit into a bun. It was stuffed entirely with meat, with thin dough and generous filling, brimming with juice.

A rich meaty fragrance instantly filled his mouth. After a few light chews, the filling turned into a sweet liquid that slid down into his stomach, warmth slowly nourishing his body from within.

"How is it, Junior Brother? Not worse than the food at your Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, right?"

Han Ruoruo propped her fragrant cheek on her jade-like hand, watching the slight surprise on the young man's face as he chewed. The smile in her eyes rippled like lake water.

Ling Bai nodded slightly. Even he had not expected the meat filling in the buns to be Earth Dragon Meat!

Hundred-year Earth Dragon Meat!

When consumed by Soul Masters, Earth Dragon Meat replenished vital energy and strengthened the body. Outside, hundred-year Earth Dragon Meat sold for fifty Gold Soul Coins per pound, yet Shrek Academy was extravagant enough to use it as bun filling.

Extreme North Moonlight Rice paired with hundred-year Earth Dragon Meat—despite having a palate spoiled by the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Ling Bai could not find the slightest fault with Shrek's cafeteria.

Just as Ling Bai and Han Ruoruo were enjoying breakfast, an elderly figure stepped into the cafeteria. His gray clothes were disheveled and covered in grease, his long-untended hair was a tangled mess like a chicken's nest, and a filthy wine gourd hung from his waist.

The moment the old man entered, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Little Mo! The usual—one thousand chicken legs, plus a jug of wine!"

The wine gourd and Storage Soul Tool traced two perfect arcs through the air, landing precisely atop the counter at the cafeteria window.

Ling Bai instinctively glanced over, wanting to see which outstanding inner academy figure this was.

One thousand chicken legs?

Calling him a glutton would be an insult. He was practically a food barrel!

Han Ruoruo's gentle voice sounded at the perfect moment. "That is Elder Xuan, one of the Sea God Pavilion's elders and second only to the Master of the Sea God Pavilion within the academy. Elder Xuan is very kind to us and has never put on airs. He teaches a class every week. Among the elders of Sea God Pavilion, only Elder Xuan teaches in the inner academy. The others keep to themselves and rarely appear."

"Taotie Douluo..."

Ling Bai studied Xuan Zi, who looked no different from a ragged old man by the roadside. The Godly Taotie Bull's gluttony forced this Rank 98 Titled Douluo to eat constantly, and it had once caused Elder Xuan to make an oversight he regretted for the rest of his life.

"Junior Brother, shall we go after we finish?"

"Alright."

The two left the cafeteria side by side, but Elder Xuan inconspicuously turned back to glance in the direction they had gone. A rare trace of clarity appeared in his clouded eyes.

"That Six-Winged Angel kid from last night..."

Nothing that happened on Sea God Island could escape the notice of this Taotie Douluo. Naturally, Ling Bai's battle with Ma Xiaotao had not been an exception.

Like Yan Shaozhe, he was extremely interested in Ling Bai.

"Elder Xuan, your chicken legs and wine."

Uncle Mo stepped out from the window and personally returned the wine gourd and the Storage Soul Tool filled with chicken legs to Elder Xuan.

"Mm."

Elder Xuan took them, then transformed into an afterimage and vanished from the cafeteria the next second.

On Sea God Island, Han Ruoruo continued showing Ling Bai around the inner academy. Pointing at a tall red building, she said,

"That is the inner academy teaching building. Every weekend, the Soul Tool screen outside displays the teachers and courses for the following week. But whether you attend is entirely up to you, as long as you pass your advancement assessments."

"So free," Ling Bai remarked.

The inner academy's teaching methods reminded him of college in his previous life. It did not matter whether one attended class, as long as one did not fail.

"The Simulated Cultivation Ground. Cultivating inside produces twice the results with half the effort. Your Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect should have one too, right?"

"We do. The Sect Master said the Simulated Cultivation Ground cost the sect quite a bit."

"Haha, the academy also spent heavily to build it. The Simulated Cultivation Ground encompasses nearly every attribute, and the vast majority of martial souls can find a suitable area to cultivate. I remember there's a place rich in light energy, built with the power of the Golden Tree at the center of Sea God Island. I think it would be especially suitable for a Six-Winged Angel."

"Oh? Then I'll have to try it sometime."

After passing the Simulated Cultivation Ground, the two arrived before a cluster of white buildings.

The buildings formed an oval shape, surrounded on all sides by railings, with only one deep entrance that could not be seen through at a glance.

"The Soul Arena, the last relatively important facility in the inner academy."

Han Ruoruo introduced it to Ling Bai. "Shrek Academy forbids private fighting but encourages combat. The Soul Arena is where students can fight openly and honestly.

"The Soul Arena uses badge colors to represent ranks: white, yellow, purple, black, red, and gold, for a total of six ranks. The inner academy requires students to participate in at least three soul battles every week. Each victory earns one point, and once enough points are accumulated, one advances automatically. Only students who obtain a black badge are qualified to take the graduation assessment."

"What color is your badge, Senior Sister?"

"Red."

Han Ruoruo smiled as she showed off her soul battle badge. A sharp trident was engraved in the center of the red badge.

"You only have a red badge, Senior Sister? Are there students in the academy with gold badges?"

Ling Bai had thought that an old-timer like Han Ruoruo would have earned a gold badge long ago.

Han Ruoruo said, "The gold badge is unique. It represents the strongest student in the inner academy."

The moment Han Ruoruo said that, Ling Bai understood. "Eldest Senior Sister?"

"Yep."

"You haven't challenged her?"

"I did. Never won."

"Uh..."

Putting victory and defeat aside, Senior Sister was at least very honest.

Han Ruoruo felt a little awkward. After all, losing to the same person for so many years was hardly something to be proud of. She cleared her throat and proactively suggested,

"Want to go inside and take a look?"

"Sure."

The corners of Ling Bai's lips lifted. He had caught that little expression of his Senior Sister's. It was rather cute.

The two entered through the passageway. After a stretch of darkness, their view suddenly opened up.

The Soul Arena was roughly the same size as Shrek Square in the outer academy, where ten statues of past greats stood. The central area was left open for students to battle, while rows of seats encircled it for spectators.

There seemed to be three to five hundred seats at a rough glance. Not many, but more than enough for the inner academy.

"Brother Ling!"

"Sister Ruoruo!"

The moment Ling Bai and Han Ruoruo entered, two calls rang out almost simultaneously.

"Qingtian?"

Ling Bai looked toward the voices and saw Chu Qingtian, one of the few people he knew in the Shrek Inner Academy, waving to him from the audience seats. The woman who had called out to Han Ruoruo happened to be sitting beside Chu Qingtian.

Once Han Ruoruo recognized the woman and Chu Qingtian, realization dawned on her gentle face. "Ming'er, you're a guide too?"

"Eldest Senior Sister came to ask me herself. How could I refuse? Walking around Sea God Island for an entire day was such a hassle!"

Ling Bai and Han Ruoruo exchanged looks at the woman's complaint. Amusement flickered in the former's eyes, while the latter showed a trace of concern.

They walked toward Chu Qingtian and the woman. Along the way, Han Ruoruo quietly said, "Her name is Wu Ming. Like Lexuan and me, she's an older inner academy student. Ming'er is actually a good person, but she has a rather impatient temperament and might not watch her words. If she says anything excessive later, don't take it to heart."

One of the inner academy's two active volcanoes!

The Golden Crow Saintess, Wu Ming!

Ling Bai made an OK gesture. He had already set off one active volcano in Ma Xiaotao. Unless he no longer wanted to remain in the inner academy at all, there was no reason to set off a second.

Once he got closer, Ling Bai got a clear look at Wu Ming's appearance. Though she could not compare to Ning Tian, Ma Xiaotao, Han Ruoruo, Zhang Lexuan, Tang Ya...

Eh, there seemed to be rather a lot of people she could not compare to?

Still, Wu Ming was absolutely worthy of being called a beauty!

"Hello, Senior Sister Wu. I'm Ling Bai, a new inner academy student." Ling Bai took the initiative to show goodwill.

"Hello, Junior Brother Ling."

Wu Ming smiled faintly, then spotted the blank-faced Chu Qingtian beside her. Anger immediately rose within her. Her smile vanished, and she snapped,

"Chu Qingtian! What are you standing around for? Say hello to Senior Sister Han!"

"Oh, oh!"

Chu Qingtian jolted, his entire body instantly tensing as he shouted, "Hello, Senior Sister Han!"

Watching Wu Ming train Chu Qingtian into complete obedience, Ling Bai could not help raising an eyebrow. Internally, he was glad that his guide was the gentle and considerate Han Ruoruo.

He responded better to softness than force. If he had encountered someone as hot-tempered as Wu Ming, the two might have started fighting outright. Setting off two active volcanoes in a single day would have been explosive even by Shrek Academy standards!

"Ming'er, Junior Brother Chu is still a new student. Be a little gentler with him," Han Ruoruo urged softly.

Wu Ming curled her lips. "Sister Ruoruo, if I learned to be gentle, would those people still have given me that kind of nickname?"

"You..."

Han Ruoruo choked for a moment, then shook her head with a bitter smile.

Wu Ming's words were blunt, but they made sense. Han Ruoruo was gentle and soft, earning her the title Golden Fairy. Wu Ming was fiery and forceful, earning her the nickname Active Volcano.

As everyone knew, names could be wrong, but nicknames never were!

At the same time, Chu Qingtian stared at Ling Bai with tearful eyes and silently mouthed,

Brother Ling, save me!

Ling Bai tilted his head up at a forty-five-degree angle, pretending he had seen nothing.

Brother, Senior Sister Wu is at least a high-rank Soul Emperor. I want to help, but I can't!

"Are those Hua Yao and Gu Fan on the stage?"

Han Ruoruo let out a quiet sound of surprise, her gaze settling on the man and woman fighting fiercely in the center of the Soul Arena. Both were Six-Ring Soul Emperors. As their soul rings flashed in succession, the light of their soul skills illuminated the entire Soul Arena.

"Yeah, they've been fighting for ages. They haven't sparred in months, and they both seem to have gotten stronger."

Zhang Lexuan, Han Ruoruo, Wu Ming, Hua Yao, and Gu Fan were not far apart in age. They had belonged to the same generation of Shrek Seven Monsters back then, making them both friends and rivals. Wu Ming rubbed her wrists, clearly eager to have a go herself.

"Senior Sister, can I participate in a soul battle?" Ling Bai suddenly asked.

Senior Sister?

That sounded awfully close.

Wu Ming gave the two of them a suspicious once-over.

Han Ruoruo remained composed. "You can. The inner academy Soul Arena does not look at cultivation, only soul battle badges. New students are all issued white badges. The opponents you can be matched with will have white or yellow badges, primarily Soul Ancestors and Soul Kings."

Ling Bai considered it for a moment before saying, "Mm, I want to give it a try."

He had given up the comfortable outer academy for the more competitive inner academy precisely to embrace challenges!

"Alright. Ming'er, I'll take Junior Brother to register first."

"Okay, Sister Ruoruo."

After the two left, Wu Ming looked toward Chu Qingtian and asked indignantly, "What about you?"

Chu Qingtian's eyes spun as he replied, "Senior Sister, I'll sit this one out for now."

Smack!

"Ah!"

Wu Ming slapped the back of Chu Qingtian's head, producing a dull thud. Chu Qingtian let out a howl.

"Look at him! Why are you such a coward?"

Ling Bai was going to fight, while Chu Qingtian was not. Wu Ming felt that he was making her lose face.

Chu Qingtian clutched his head and said pitifully, "Senior Sister, Brother Ling and I registered together. Wouldn't that mean we could get matched against each other?"

"Then fight him."

Wu Ming did not care.

"Brother Ling tested into our inner academy from outside and beat me during the entrance assessment. The gap between us is too great. Fighting him again would be pointless, and if I lose too badly, wouldn't I just embarrass you, Senior Sister?"

Chu Qingtian was no fool. He had seen through Wu Ming's little scheme, and his words struck right at her heart. Seeing her expression soften somewhat, he continued, "Don't worry, Senior Sister. I'll go after Brother Ling is done. I guarantee I won't let you down!"

"So after all that, you're still just scared!"

Wu Ming snorted, but said nothing more, tacitly accepting Chu Qingtian's words.

Ugh, this is too hard...

Chu Qingtian sighed and silently prayed for the day to end quickly!

Having a powder keg beside him made every day feel like a year!

At the registration desk, a staff member handed Ling Bai a brand-new white soul battle badge. Looking at the information on the Soul Tool screen before him, he said,

"Student Ling Bai, you have successfully been matched for a soul battle. You will be up in the match following Hua Yao and Gu Fan's. Please proceed to the waiting area immediately.

"Your opponent has a yellow soul battle badge: Ling Luochen."

"Ling Luochen? That really is...

Quite a coincidence."