Chapter 422: Holding You in My Arms Once Again

"Qin Jian, it's a good thing you didn't stay in the academy the whole time back then."

After everyone had been dismissed, Yan Zhining sighed heavily: "I never imagined anyone could win the affection of every girl in the academy. If you had stayed back then, would our Tianshui Academy have fallen apart long ago?"

Qin Jian was walking toward the school gate accompanied by her, and hearing this, he scratched his head a bit: "Um, Instructor Zhineng, I used a soul skill to influence their perceptions; it's not as magical as you think."

Yan Zhining looked at him in surprise and said: "Isn't that even more magical? You actually have such a magical soul skill? By the way, what is your soul power level now? You were already a Soul King back then, you must be close to a Soul Emperor now, right?"

Qin Jian remained calm: "Um... almost a Soul Saint..."

"Almost... a... Soul... Saint..."

Yan Zhining stopped in her tracks, lowered her head slightly, and a shadow appeared on her face, gradually becoming somewhat dark.

"Instructor Zhineng?"

Qin Jian stopped in confusion and turned back to look at her.

"Qin Jian..."

Yan Zhining didn't move her lips, her voice sounding as if it were squeezed out from between her teeth: "Is your level advancement... always this casual?"

"It's alright, I suppose..."

Qin Jian crossed his arms with a straight face and said: "It took a full five years to improve this much, which is already very slow. Really, in the past five years, I could have gone from a Soul Scholar to a Soul King."

Yan Zhining turned and walked away, not wanting to say another word to him.

Watching her walk back in a huff, Qin Jian looked at Hu Liena with a look of utter confusion: "I was telling the truth, what's wrong with her?"

"Are you addicted to acting?"

Hu Liena's tone was icy: "I'm a few years older than you, I'm ten levels lower than you, and I'm still the Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall. Do you have any comments on that?"

Qin Jian remained calm, appearing to think it over carefully before saying with a sincere expression: "Actually, your talent is already very high, really. It's just that comparing yourself to me is too hard on you, don't push yourself too hard..."

"Ah! ——"

A sharp high heel made intimate contact with the top of Qin Jian's foot.

"Clack, clack, clack..."

It was the first time Qin Jian had seen the little fox walk with such an aura of a dominant woman, her steps seemingly capable of crushing the road...

"They are so strange..."

Na'er's somewhat confused voice drifted over: "Isn't it normal for you to be like this? How can these ants be mentioned in the same breath as the eagle in the sky?"

Qin Jian: "......"

Aren't you being even more punchable than me with that remark?

"That slutty fox's talent is actually alright; if she has the opportunity, she might become a god. Besides, I sensed a trace of Divine Power on her," Na'er added.

"Divine Power?"

Qin Jian was a bit puzzled.

According to his memory, Hu Liena hadn't encountered any favor from a god or a God Inheritance...

"Divine Power means she has come into contact with a God Inheritance, or someone around her has," Na'er said in a low voice.

That would make sense; isn't that the case for Bibi Dong?

Qin Jian let out a sigh of relief.

But Na'er seemed to know what he was thinking and added: "It's different from a year ago; there is an exchange of aura between the two of them."

"I don't understand..."

Qin Jian had a look of bewilderment.

"Forget it then. It's not a big deal anyway. Even if all those women of yours inherited God Positions, as long as you successfully become a god, they wouldn't be worth a slap from one of your hands," Na'er said indifferently.

Qin Jian opened his mouth blankly: "Am I that fierce?"

"According to my observations over these countless years, the Supreme God Position you are proving has nothing to do with this world, which is why it is like this," Na'er said.

Qin Jian blinked his eyes, looking completely clueless.

The next day.

Blue sky, white clouds, and the bright sun shining down.

Tianshui Academy had already prepared for the plaque-changing ceremony, and Qin Jian finally sat in a carriage once again, traveling in full regalia.

At the entrance of Tianshui Academy, rows of students wearing academy skirts were lined up neatly, forming a grand welcoming scene.

The residents of Tianshui City had never seen such a sight, so they surrounded the area three layers deep, making it impassable.

It was under these circumstances that Qin Jian's Knight Order escorted the carriage, clearing a path through the crowd to arrive in front of Tianshui Academy.

"Welcome, Commander!"

When Qin Jian, dressed in his finery and holding a Scepter, stepped down from the luxurious carriage, he heard the sound of warbling voices ringing throughout the venue.

This time, Hu Liena did not get off; she knew Tianshui Academy was very special to Qin Jian, so she did not intend to participate.

This was a matter between him and Tianshui Academy.

"Welcome, Senior!"

As Qin Jian stepped completely off the luxurious carriage, the chorus of voices spoke in unison, and this form of address made the corners of his mouth lift uncontrollably.

But when he stood still and his gaze swept over, seeing that icy blue figure at the front of the line, his whole person froze.

Both inside and outside the academy, it became quiet at this moment.

Countless people looked curiously at this scene, at the moment the man and woman locked eyes.

It was as if an invisible curtain of light separated everyone, leaving only the figure of the man in silver and the figure of the woman of Ice and Snow, standing between the vast heaven and earth, gazing at each other with deep affection.

"Qin Jian..."

The girl's voice was distant and lingering, yet it rang clearly and melodiously in Qin Jian's ears: "Long time... no see."

Countless images flashed through each other's eyes.

It was the first meeting at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, and the reunion after joining the Tianshui Team.

It was the little bits and pieces in the dormitory, the beautiful scenery of the team dance.

It was the exhilaration of challenging the Kamikaze Academy, the heroic spirit of overpowering the five academies.

And also...

The heart-wrenching pain of separation, the tangled emotions of reunion, the touching of hearts, the mutual promises of love.

"Bing'er..."

A gentle smile appeared on Qin Jian's face.

Contained within that smile was the accumulation of youthful emotions, the experiences of several years of trials and hardships, all finally distilled into that one sentence: "I missed you..."

"I..."

A few pearly tears slid down her Ice and Snow-like face, falling into the air and transforming into countless ice-blue water mists.

"Missed you too..."

The world suddenly fell silent; no one could intrude into their aura, as if the sunlight had draped a layer of brilliant radiance over them at this moment, intoxicated by this long-lasting affection.

"Swish..."

The Scepter in Qin Jian's hand vanished abruptly.

He just smiled slightly like that, walking forward, walking toward the most Ice and Snow beautiful figure in his heart.

His footsteps unconsciously quickened, faster and faster, until finally, it was as if a series of afterimages flashed by.

In that instant when everyone's eyes were dazzled, Qin Jian in his silver finery and Shui Bing'er in her ice-blue dress embraced.

Nothing in the world could disturb them anymore.

Their bodies, familiar scents, synchronized heartbeats, and hearts full of affection and longing, intertwined together, turning into rosy clouds that shone at this moment.

In the Ice and Snow Purgatory, in the cruel oppression, in the abyss of despair...

Five years, so much pain endured, such extreme Assessments walked through, all because...

I wanted to see you again, to... embrace you again...

Shui Bing'er was streaming with tears.

(End of this chapter)