Shrek Academy, Outer Court, Senior Teaching Building, Fifth-Year Class One Classroom.
The rose-gold sunset streamed through the window, casting dappled light and shadow on the desks, podium, and floor.
Tang Ya packed up her things, glancing at the sky outside. Unlike the serene and magnificent glow of the setting sun, her beautiful phoenix eyes were filled with a sense of loneliness.
Ever since advancing to the fifth year, she increasingly felt the gap between herself and her classmates. Shrek Academy's rules were undeniably harsh, eliminating students each year who failed to meet cultivation standards or pass the advancement exams. But those who successfully reached the fifth year were, without exception, geniuses among geniuses.
Compared to her classmates' martial souls, her Blue Silver Grass could hardly be considered powerful.
In the cultivation journey of a soul master, level 30 was the first major watershed. For soul masters without a strong martial soul or a deep foundation, their cultivation speed would drastically slow down in subsequent stages.
Without a doubt, Tang Ya fell into this category.
These days, her life had been a monotonous routine: classroom, dormitory, dormitory, classroom. She never left the academy or lingered outside.
Yet, after more than a month, her soul power had not progressed at all.
Tang Ya left the classroom with her head lowered, her brow furrowed with endless worries, her dark, bright eyes tinged with gloom.
"I'm so useless. It's been over a year since I broke through to the third ring, but my cultivation progress is getting slower and slower. I'm still only at level 33, not even as strong as second-year student Ning Tian. I'm already in my fifth year; if this continues, I might not even graduate in my sixth year. The fourth ring feels so far away. Sister Le Xuan said that Beibei and Tianhuang won the championship at the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament. I wonder when they'll return to the academy."
She was genuinely happy that Beibei, Yu Tianhuang, and the others had represented the academy and won the championship at the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament.
But at the same time, she felt even more powerless. Beibei, Yu Tianhuang, Xu Sanshi, and even Jiang Nannan, who came from a commoner background, all had limitless potential. Especially Yu Tianhuang, who, at just twelve years old, had already broken through to the Soul Ancestor level, effortlessly achieving a goal that felt impossibly distant to her despite all her efforts.
The difference in talent between people truly couldn't be generalized.
"I'm sorry, Beibei. I'm afraid I'll have to break my promise. With my talent, I'm destined to never enter the Inner Court," Tang Ya sighed softly in her heart, quickening her pace toward the dormitory.
She had thought about dropping out more than once, but for various reasons, she persisted. She couldn't bear to leave Beibei and couldn't stop worrying about Huo Yuhao, who shared a similar plight.
Huo Yuhao's situation was even more difficult than hers. His effort was no less than hers, yet no matter how hard he tried, it was in vain. At twelve years old, his soul power was only at level 15. Even in the Soul Tool Department, it would be impossible for him to pass the advancement exam next semester.
At that moment, a figure suddenly blocked her path. Tang Ya was walking quickly with her head down and nearly collided with the person.
Tang Ya was furious, but when she looked up, the anger in her eyes dissipated like smoke.
"You're finally back?!"
Her pretty face lit up with her usual radiant smile, though her voice carried a slight tremble.
Beibei observed the subtle changes in Tang Ya's expression. Because of Yu Tianhuang's earlier reminder, he had kept an extra bit of caution in his heart.
In fact, he had returned to the academy earlier and had seen Tang Ya's lonely figure in the classroom, which caused him to pause in a daze.
At the same time, a trace of guilt arose in his heart.
He was supposed to be the person closest to Tang Ya, yet he understood her less than Tianhuang did.
He was truly inadequate.
Beibei smiled and pulled Tang Ya into his arms, showing no outward sign of anything amiss.
"I had to come back. My wife is here—how could I let someone else steal you away?"
"Pfft! No respect at all. Who's your wife? I'm the master of the Tang Sect, your teacher!" Though Tang Ya said this, her face was full of smiles. At that moment, it was as if she had returned to the carefree days when she first met Xu Zihuang in the Star Dou Forest.
She hugged Beibei's arm tightly, and they walked intimately along the academy's pathways as she asked, "I heard from Sister Le Xuan that you encountered an accident during your mission, and three Inner Court seniors were injured and sent back to the academy. What happened with the rest of the tournament?"
Beibei gave Tang Ya a deep look but didn't mention the lonely scene he had witnessed earlier. He was a patient man, and he believed that as long as he stayed by Tang Ya's side, one day she would open up to him.
Next, he recounted the past month's experiences in detail, from their encounter with the Death God Envoy bandit group to their journey in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament.
"I didn't expect Tianhuang to be so strong," Tang Ya said, a hint of surprise in her eyes, though she wasn't overly shocked. She then looked up at Beibei with a playful smile. "Beibei, if I ever change my heart and fall for Tianhuang, what would you do?"
"Xiao Ya, be serious!" Beibei's body stiffened, his face covered in imaginary black lines. For some reason, he felt a pang of guilt.
When facing Yu Tianhuang, he indeed lacked confidence. Still, he trusted that Tang Ya wasn't the type to be fickle.
Tang Ya playfully placed her hand on Beibei's shoulder, sticking out her tongue cheekily. "Just kidding! Why are you so nervous?"
Her earlier words weren't entirely a joke. They stemmed from a lack of security in her heart. Though she knew it wasn't entirely fair, seeing how much Beibei cared about her filled her with a mix of guilt and a touch of joy.
Some talents in girls are indeed innate.
"I didn't expect Tianhuang and Ning Tian to get together during the tournament. But they do seem like a good match," Tang Ya said, her hands clasped behind her back as she walked forward gracefully.
Before they knew it, they had reached the lakeside path by Sea God Lake.
The clear surface of Sea God Lake rippled gently in the breeze, serene and beautiful.
Beibei followed quietly behind Tang Ya, then seemed to recall something and asked, "By the way, Xiao Ya, how's Yuhao doing with his studies in the Soul Tool Department?"
At Beibei's words, Tang Ya's expression darkened, and even the joy of his return dimmed slightly. She turned back to him and suggested, "Yuhao's still the same, unwilling to interact with others. I'm worried he'll bottle himself up like this. Since you're back, why don't we go talk to him together? Based on his habits, he's probably still in the Soul Tool Department's testing area, studying soul tool crafting."
Beibei glanced at the nearly faded sunset, shaking his head with a wry smile. "How about we go tomorrow? I've been traveling all day and haven't eaten yet."
People are selfish by nature, even Beibei. After being apart from Tang Ya for over a month, he naturally wanted to spend time alone with her now.
"You're right, I haven't eaten dinner either! It's your fault for keeping me hungry this long!" Tang Ya stopped abruptly, exclaiming in a playful, delicate tone.
…
Meanwhile, at another spot along the lakeside path, two others were also in conversation.
Night had already enveloped Shrek Academy, with soft soul-guided streetlights casting their glow.
Two girls, whose beauty rivaled Tang Ya's, stood facing each other under a streetlamp.
One had fiery red short hair and rare red eyes. Her features were exquisitely refined, her skin as fair as jade. Her usually cold gaze softened with tenderness when she looked at the golden-haired girl across from her.
The red-haired girl was Wu Feng, a second-year student in the same class as Xu Zihuang. The only one who could make her show such an expression was Ning Tian, who had just returned to the academy today.
Wu Feng was filled with excitement and joy. The fact that Ning Tian sought her out immediately upon returning left her flattered.
But just as she eagerly awaited what Ning Tian had to say, Ning Tian's next words plunged her into an abyss, her body turning cold.
"Feng Mei, starting tomorrow, drop out and return to your sect," Ning Tian said calmly, looking at Wu Feng.
This was a decision she had made long ago. After confirming her relationship with Yu Tianhuang, she belatedly noticed Wu Feng's subtle feelings. Back when they first enrolled, Wu Feng had even provoked Yu Tianhuang.
Though she knew Yu Tianhuang wasn't petty, she didn't want to leave any potential issues unresolved.
Most of the time, she was very rational. Only when with Yu Tianhuang did she show the shy side of a young girl.
Wu Feng stared at Ning Tian in disbelief. The intense emotional drop gave her a surreal sense of unreality.
Ning Tian continued, "I've chosen Tianhuang. If you stay at the academy, you'll inevitably have conflicts with him, and I don't want him to misunderstand."
Each of Ning Tian's words struck Wu Feng's heart like a heavy hammer, leaving her no room to breathe.
After a moment of silence, Wu Feng didn't react with her usual fiery temper. Instead, she bit her lip, gazing at Ning Tian, and pleaded in a low voice, "Ning Tian, please don't drive me away. I swear I'll never provoke Yu Tianhuang again. Please, don't make me leave. I'll do anything you say. I only ask that you don't make me go…"
As she spoke, her fiery red eyes welled up with tears, her delicate frame trembling. Amid the despair filling her eyes, there was still a glimmer of hope.
Even if she had to endure daily torment watching Ning Tian and Yu Tianhuang together, she wanted to stay. Her only wish was to watch Ning Tian from afar. That was her final, desperate hope.
Ning Tian sighed softly, her heart softening as she saw the tears in Wu Feng's eyes. Having grown up with Wu Feng, she still felt some affection for her.
"Feng Mei, if you can keep your word, I won't insist on making you leave."
Wu Feng's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly. "Ning Tian, don't worry. I'll do whatever you say."
In the underground world of the Sea God Pavilion.
The aura of light and life continuously washed over Xu Zihuang's body, giving his soul a sense of being purified.
Here, his thoughts became exceptionally clear, and his insights grew profoundly deeper.
He was reflecting on all his abilities, every soul skill, and every ounce of power. In this reflection, everything was sublimating and becoming clearer.
My own path?
Soul Master? Soul Engineer? The Purple Lightning Prison Dragon, a power-attack soul master, wielding the power of destruction and ultimate lightning? The Golden Pupil, a control soul master commanding spiritual power?
No, these are all just superficial.
My own path has never changed.
What I've always pursued is that feeling of ruling over the world, making all beings submit, controlling everything in existence, and possessing it all.
There's no grandiose reason, just my own selfish desire.
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