Another week passed. After Yu Yan and Xiao Wu each absorbed another ice soul flower, their spirit power smoothly rose to the twenty-sixth rank.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk—still seven years and ten months short of ten, yet already at rank twenty-six. You two really are Little freaks."
Watching Yu Yan step out of the bath, Jiang Jing glanced from him to Xiao Wu soaking her feet at the poolside, her eyes full of shock.
At the same time, Jiang Jing began wondering what she herself had been doing at their age—and what rank she had reached.
After racking her brain, she finally dug up the answer from a corner of her memory: at seven years and ten months she had been celebrating breaking through to rank fifteen and basking in everyone's praise.
I'm not even a speck of a Genius!
"Just luck."
Unsure how else to respond, Yu Yan paused and offered the safest answer he could think of.
"Yu Yan, couldn't you be a little arrogant or cocky—show at least a scrap of youthful pride? That way you'd have some flaw and give the rest of us a shred of comfort."
So powerful yet so modest—Jiang Jing had never met anyone like him. Thank heavens she wasn't his contemporary; otherwise she'd be drowning in self-doubt.
"Measured against history, my results don't even register." Calmly brushing aside her teasing, Yu Yan changed the subject. "When do we set out for Dragon City?"
To someone whose ultimate goal was godhood, there could be no pride until he stood at the very pinnacle of his generation.
Having transmigrated to Douluo Continent—this bottom-tier Xuanhuan world—if he failed to ascend and gain immortality, wouldn't the whole journey be a waste?
At present, the undisputed champion of the younger generation was Qian Renxue, born with Innate twenty-rank spirit power; only after her came Yu Yan.
Luckily, Qian Renxue had lost her mind and wasted years as an undercover agent, giving Yu Yan the chance to catch up and overtake her.
"We leave tomorrow, quick in and out. Once we're back I'll be tied up with this year's All-Continent Elite Soul Master Tournament. I'll be busy, so if you need anything contact Teacher Gu Yingying."
As usual, Jiang Jing chatted breezily with Yu Yan and Xiao Wu about her upcoming schedule, then gave a soft sigh.
She sighed because the future of Exotic Beast Academy's team was all too predictable—another finals berth, only to finish dead-last there.
Her gaze shifted to Yu Yan and Xiao Wu. Next time—next All-Continent Elite Soul Master Tournament—they would give everyone a thunderous surprise…
Time flashed by. Early next morning Jiang Jing, Yu Yan, and Xiao Wu mounted Ice-Soul Horses—tamed Spirit Beasts from the academy—and galloped toward Dragon City in the northernmost Snow-Dragon Province.
The academy's Ice Soul Horses were staggeringly fast, easily covering two to three thousand kilometers a day.
North of Ice Soul Grassland lay Emperor-Ao Province, home to Heaven Dou City, capital of the Heaven Dou Empire and its largest province.
After days of relentless travel they finally reached their destination.
Dragon City, the closest major city to the Extreme North Land, lies under snow for ten months a year—a metropolis sculpted of ice and snow, full of frozen wonders.
They had arrived at a lucky time: the city's brief two-month respite from snowfall.
Even so, the temperature stayed below freezing. Fortunately, all three were Spirit Masters and unfazed by the cold.
The frigid air sapped the usually lively Dark Snow's energy; it lay quietly in Xiao Wu's arms like an eggplant nipped by frost.
"Wander around if you like—there's plenty to see. I'll deliver our visitation request to the Speed Clan and pay a formal call tomorrow."
This was to be a peaceful trade, a friendly visit; submitting notice first so the clan could prepare was standard etiquette.
Arriving unannounced would be rude and unwelcome.
"Thank you, Dean Jiang."
"No trouble at all." She waved casually. "Off I go."
Watching Jiang Jing leave, Xiao Wu looked hopefully at Yu Yan. "I read that this is the season for catching White-Dragon Lake's giant fish. The lake opens for sport-fishing—sounds fun. Let's go?"
She had learned of it from an eccentric travelogue written by a fanatical angler whose entire memoir revolved around fishing.
Well-read in travel journals, Xiao Wu knew every local amusement—something Yu Yan could never match.
"Sure. Let's go—and we'll see who lands the bigger catch."
With nothing else planned, Yu Yan cheerfully agreed and they set off for White-Dragon Lake.
Anglers had gathered, rods poised, eyes fixed on their lines; the slightest twitch sent them hauling against underwater giants.
"Clan Chief, you're saying Exotic Beast Academy wants to visit again?"
Inside the Speed Clan's worn-but-tidy council hall, every senior member had assembled to discuss the academy's request.
Honestly, since their decline such invitations had become rare.
"Yes. Vice Dean Jiang Jing will arrive tomorrow at ten with a student."
Clan Chief Bai He nodded; he had summoned them to announce the news and hear their thoughts.
"Probably another invitation for our geniuses to join their academy. They asked when we left Clear Sky Sect; we refused. After all these years they still haven't given up."
"Naturally. I hear Exotic Beast Academy has underperformed in the last two All-Continent Elite Soul Master Tournaments; they must want our help."
The Speed Clan was proud; even in hardship they assumed any visit meant someone needed them.