Chapter 67: Back to the Academy

The two of them chatted and laughed as they quickly arrived at the academy entrance.

The dormitory.

"Boss, are you still waiting for Sister Yanzi? Maybe she won't be coming back today?" Yu Feng lay on the sofa in the lobby, bored to death.

When Ao Siluo was around before, the two of them could bicker from time to time.

Now that Ao Siluo was gone, the Shi brothers and Ye Lingling didn't like to talk, and with Shi Quan and Dugu Yan also away, the only person he could chat with was Yu Tianheng.

As for Ning Rongrong, ever since the Sword Douluo had come knocking that day, he had already added her to his list of people not to provoke.

"I don't think so." Yu Tianheng shook his head, looking teasingly at Ning Rongrong, who was also sitting on the sofa nearby, and said, "Besides me, someone else is waiting for others too. If she isn't anxious, why should I be?"

Ning Rongrong said stubbornly, "I just want to see if that stinky guy is dead or not. It would be best if he didn't come back; that way, no one would boss me around, and I could do whatever I want."

"Is that so?" Yu Tianheng said with a faint smile, his words full of mockery.

Ning Rongrong pouted and simply couldn't be bothered to pay attention to Yu Tianheng.

Within the Heaven Dou Team, in terms of status, Yu Tianheng's was not a bit weaker than hers. Ning Rongrong was the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Master, and Yu Tianheng was likewise the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family patriarch. With their statuses being equal, he was the only one in the entire team who didn't need to consider Ning Rongrong's status, so naturally, he had fewer reservations when speaking.

"He's back." Yu Feng looked at the figure gradually walking over from outside the gate, stood up at once, his gaze narrowing, and he said hesitantly, "Boss, Sister Yanzi also brought a man back."

Yu Feng's martial soul was the Wind Bell Bird, and his eyesight was the best among them.

"That stinky guy Shi Quan is back?" Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly turned to look. When she saw the tall, blurry figure in the distance, her eyes immediately dimmed, and she then looked mockingly at Yu Tianheng, "Yo, isn't Yanzi's official boyfriend right here?"

A flash of lightning flickered in Yu Tianheng's eyes. After coldly glancing at Ning Rongrong, he stood up and walked out the door, "Yan Yan."

He waved in greeting, but Yu Tianheng's gaze remained fixed on the man beside Dugu Yan.

"Tianheng."

Yu Tianheng frowned as he looked at Shi Quan's figure, which felt both strange and somewhat familiar.

Yu Feng and Ning Rongrong also walked out to join the excitement. Ning Rongrong didn't react for a moment when she saw Shi Quan's appearance, and she even laughed and fanned the flames, "Yo, this person looks much more handsome than you, the official boyfriend."

Yu Tianheng clenched his fists tightly, gritted his teeth, and looked at Ning Rongrong, saying, "You had better shut your mouth."

Ning Rongrong stuck her tongue out at Yu Tianheng, looking gloating.

Yu Tianheng composed his expression, pulled a smile to the corner of his mouth, and asked the approaching Dugu Yan, "Yan Yan, who is he?"

"Captain, it's been less than two months, and you can't recognize me?" Shi Quan said with a faint smile.

"This voice..." Yu Feng, the bystander, widened his eyes, stepped forward, and stared at Shi Quan's chiseled cheeks. After gasping, he exclaimed, "Hiss... you're Xiao Quan."

Yu Tianheng also realized where that familiar feeling came from as he looked at Shi Quan's face. He raised his hand and patted Shi Quan on the shoulder, laughing, "It really is you, kid. I haven't seen you for over a month, and you've changed so much."

"I encountered some opportunities, so my body grew ahead of time," Shi Quan explained with a smile.

"What were you thinking about just now?" Dugu Yan smiled sinisterly as she walked to Yu Tianheng's side and pinched the soft flesh on his waist.

"No, no, no." Yu Tianheng pulled Dugu Yan into his arms and hurriedly explained, "Isn't this just a misunderstanding?"

"Shi Quan." Ning Rongrong called out to Shi Quan with a flushed face. She hadn't forgotten that when she was mocking Yu Tianheng just now, she had personally praised Shi Quan for being handsome. Now that she realized it, she was clearly a bit embarrassed.

"Mm. How has your cultivation been lately?"

"Cultivation?" Before Ning Rongrong could answer, Yu Tianheng took over the conversation and said, "She misses you every day, so what cultivation are you talking about?"

"No!" After a sharp retort, Ning Rongrong hurriedly said, "I have been cultivating seriously every day. I said I was going to surpass you, so I won't slack off."

"You shut your mouth." Dugu Yan glared at Yu Tianheng, and the force of her hand suddenly increased.

"Hiss." Yu Tianheng gasped in pain, then hurriedly patted Dugu Yan's hand and said, "I know, I know."

"Let's go, let's head inside first." Dugu Yan then beckoned everyone to walk into the dormitory.

Just as they entered the dormitory, Yu Feng shouted at the top of his lungs toward the upstairs, "Shi Mo, you two, and Lingling, hurry down! Xiao Quan is back, come and see Xiao Quan's new look."

Hearing Yu Feng's voice, the three people upstairs walked out of their rooms. When they saw Shi Quan's appearance, they were all clearly stunned for a moment. They all called out to Shi Quan uncertainly, and seeing Shi Quan nod, all three revealed expressions of amazement.

Facing everyone's curious gazes, Shi Quan briefly recounted what had happened over the past month or so. As for Dugu Yan's questions, Shi Quan just glossed over them, and he didn't mention the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well either, only saying that Dugu Bo had given him a special herb, omitting many details.

"Xiao Quan, don't hide it anymore, just tell them," Dugu Yan said anxiously, seeing that Shi Quan had been slow to talk about his strength.

"Xiao Quan, what are you still hiding?" Yu Feng asked curiously.

"Actually, it's nothing much. It's just that the Immortal Herb that Grandpa Dugu gave me not only caused my appearance to change, but also helped my martial soul evolve, and my strength has improved a bit as well."

"Your martial soul evolved?"

"And your strength improved too?"

"Then, Xiao Quan, what level are you now?"

Everyone asked all at once.

Shi Quan raised his right hand and summoned the Blue Silver King. Beneath him, one yellow and two purple soul rings rose up.

"I call my current Blue Silver Grass the Blue Silver King, the king among Blue Silver Grass. My strength just happened to break through thirty levels. A few days ago, Grandpa Dugu helped me hunt a Spirit Beast, and after absorbing the soul ring, my soul power level is now thirty-one."

The surroundings were silent, and only the sound of everyone's rapid breathing could be heard.

"Holy crap, are you a monster?! Thirty-one already?!" Yu Tianheng, who had the highest strength, came back to his senses, his tone sour and full of envy.

It wasn't just him; everyone present was envious. No one had expected that Shi Quan could obtain such a great benefit from Dugu Bo.

Yu Tianheng swallowed and asked, "Xiao Quan, what is an Immortal Herb? How can its effects be so exaggerated? Not to mention the martial soul evolution, it actually let you break through directly from twenty-three to thirty."

"An Immortal Herb is something that should only exist in heaven; how often can one hear of it in the human world?" Shi Quan directly used Tang San's explanation of Immortal Herbs from the original work.

Upon hearing this, Yu Tianheng and the others couldn't help but look at each other, and their gazes toward Dugu Yan became somewhat burning.

"Don't get your hopes up. Didn't Xiao Quan just say it? How often can one hear of it in the human world? I don't even have one myself. Xiao Quan was just lucky; I can only sit here and be envious and jealous myself," Dugu Yan waved her hand, looking helpless.

Shi Quan could only say with a smile that it was just a coincidence; the herb happened to suit his martial soul, and if anyone else consumed it, it would only do harm and no good.

Hearing the two of them say this, everyone could only watch longingly.

Especially Ning Rongrong; upon hearing that Shi Quan's soul power had soared directly to level thirty-one, her heart became exceptionally complicated. She didn't know whether she should be happy for Shi Quan, envious, or if there was a bit of unwillingness.

She was unwilling that Shi Quan, with his innate level one soul power, had crushed her like this. She had originally thought that as long as she worked hard, the gap between them could be bridged, but now the gap between the two was getting wider and wider.

For Ning Rongrong, this night was destined to be a sleepless one.

Early the next morning.

Shi Quan arrived at the Education Committee and explained his situation simply and clearly; with the testimony of Dugu Bo, a Title Douluo, his business was settled in just a few words.

Meng Shenji personally agreed to help him hide his secret, and at the same time, he asked about Shi Quan's New Extreme Soul Ring Theory.

Shi Quan had just returned and had not yet had time to attend to the theory; after a brief understanding, Shi Quan promised to perfect the New Soul Ring Limit Theory within seven days.

In the afternoon, at the Training Ground.

"Didn't sleep well last night?" Shi Quan asked, looking at the obvious dark circles under Ning Rongrong's eyes.

"None of your business," Ning Rongrong turned her head away, turned her back, and continued squatting in her horse stance on her own.

Seeing this, Shi Quan rubbed his head, wondering what was wrong with Ning Rongrong today that she was so hot-tempered.

But this was none of his business anyway.

In the month or so that he was away, Yu Tianheng and the others had been training methodically every day under the leadership of Qin Ming; the individual training plans Shi Quan formulated were all plans with a targeted general direction, and the specific implementation was led by Qin Ming.

Even with Shi Quan absent, there was no particular impact on their training.

"Shi Quan," Ye Lingling's cold voice suddenly came.

"What is it, Lingling?" Shi Quan paused his movements as he was preparing to cultivate and turned to look at Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling was still habitually wearing her veil, but through the veil, one could still see Ye Lingling's cold and beautiful cheeks; Ye Lingling's beauty was that of an ice beauty, and coupled with the lonely and desolate temperament she exuded, she gave the impression of a lonely beauty who had lived in a high position for a long time and had weathered many storms.

"I have encountered some problems in my cultivation, so I would like to ask for your advice."

"What problems?" Shi Quan stood up and walked toward Ye Lingling.

Among the Heaven Dou Team, in terms of martial soul, only Ye Lingling and Shi Quan both possessed a Plant Spirit; the two actually had the most in common in their cultivation, it was just that the two walked in different directions, one being a Support System and the other a Control System.