As the group was walking deeper into the academy, they ran into a bearded uncle with peach-blossom eyes. The uncle was quite short, looking more like a ten-year-old child.
Lin Yang's eyelids twitched. He already had a good idea—this should be Oscar.
The moment Oscar saw Li Yusong, his eyes lit up. He hurried over with small quick steps.
"Teacher Li, they are…?"
"New students who just registered," Li Yusong said with a cheerful smile. He was clearly in a good mood.
"New students?"
Oscar looked surprised. The school year was already more than halfway over. How could there still be new students? Had the dean finally bent for five dou of rice? So… these two were connections being stuffed in through the back door?
Watching Oscar's expression shift back and forth, Li Yusong irritably smacked the back of his head.
"Stop overthinking. This little girl is called Xiao Wu, our academy's new student. The person beside her is her friend who came to help her register."
"Oh, oh," Oscar scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward laugh.
"Then… welcome to Shrek Academy. Do you want sausages? If you do, I'll give them to you for free…"
"Scram!"
Before he could finish, Li Yusong kicked him away.
It was hard enough to have a somewhat normal little monster willingly come to the door. If he scared her off, even the dean wouldn't be able to protect him.
After Oscar slunk away dejectedly, Li Yusong smiled and said,
"His name is Oscar. Don't let his improper behavior fool you—he has innate full soul power and is a food-type soul master. He's nine years old this year, an eighteenth-level auxiliary system tool soul master. His martial soul is sausage…"
He paused, too embarrassed to finish the rest.
Xiao Wu glanced in the direction Oscar had left and muttered, "What a weird guy!"
Oscar's appearance was just a small interlude on the road. Soon the three arrived in front of a very old-looking wooden house.
"This is your dormitory," Li Yusong pointed with his hand.
"Clean it up yourself… it should still be livable! Tomorrow when the dean and the others return, I'll take you to meet them."
Without giving Xiao Wu a chance to protest, Li Yusong put his hands behind his back and vanished in a flash.
Xiao Wu and Lin Yang looked at each other. In the end, Lin Yang was the first to push open the wooden door.
"Creak—!"
As soon as the door opened, a musty smell hit them in the face.
Lin Yang frowned. With a light flick of his fingertip, scorching soul power swept out. All the dust in the room was rolled outside. The dampness and moldy air were instantly dried out and became extremely fresh.
Just this one move was enough to show his extremely strong control over soul power.
The two cleaned up simply, throwing away unnecessary junk.
Afterward, Xiao Wu began taking things out of her soul storage ring one by one—little trinkets she had bought on normal days. Things like carrot pillows, rabbit dolls, and some small gifts Lin Yang had given her. She slowly arranged them on the table and beside the bed.
During the whole process, Xiao Wu didn't complain. She was unusually quiet. She just arranged everything very carefully and very slowly!
Lin Yang knew very well that Xiao Wu was stalling for time, but he didn't point it out.
Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed and patted the spot beside him.
"Come here."
Xiao Wu sat down silently, head lowered, saying nothing.
Lin Yang sighed helplessly. "Alright, stop making that long face. It's only temporary. It's not like we'll never see each other again…"
Before he could finish, Xiao Wu could no longer hold back. She threw herself into his arms, hugging his waist tightly with both hands. Her eyes were red and her voice was muffled against his chest, carrying a sob.
"Lin Yang, I don't want you to leave. I don't want you to go… I can't bear to part with you."
This was the first time Xiao Wu had expressed her inner feelings so strongly.
Lin Yang was momentarily stunned, then smiled helplessly and gently patted her back, saying in a deep voice,
"Xiao Wu, listen to me. I don't know why you chose the path of taking human form, but you must have your own reasons."
Xiao Wu's body trembled slightly.
Lin Yang paused, his gaze softening.
"I don't want to be separated from you either, but I don't want to be helplessly standing by the side watching when you need help in the future. And I definitely don't want the tragedy that once happened to Ah Yin to repeat itself on you!"
"Do you… understand what I mean?"
Xiao Wu lifted her head. Her eyes were red as she looked at Lin Yang. Her lips moved several times before she finally spoke in a hoarse voice,
"I… I understand. Don't worry, I will cultivate hard."
Lin Yang nodded. Before leaving, he needed to give the little rabbit a clear goal so she would have direction to work toward.
"Before I go, I have something to give you."
"What is it?"
With a thought, a completely crystalline object that looked like a blue crystal spirit bone appeared in Lin Yang's palm.
Xiao Wu's eyes widened. "A spirit bone?"
"A hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor spirit bone," Lin Yang nodded.
"It contains two spirit skills: flight and healing. When I'm not around, with your personality, you'll inevitably get into fights with others. Let it heal you from now on."
"N-No, I can't accept it."
Xiao Wu refused without thinking. She knew very well how precious a hundred-thousand-year spirit bone was.
Lin Yang didn't reply. He forcefully placed the spirit bone into her hand and said firmly,
"Take it since I'm giving it to you. This spirit bone has limited use for me, but it's perfect for you."
Lin Yang wasn't exaggerating. He had the Demon God Body, so healing skills were completely useless to him. As for flight, he had barely used it.
He then straightened his expression and solemnly instructed,
"However, remember—not to use the spirit bone's skills in front of others. If anyone discovers it, silence them if you can. If you can't beat them, run back to the Star Dou Great Forest. Leave the rest to me."
Xiao Wu didn't speak. She simply nodded silently.
A hundred-thousand-year spirit bone—something people in the world would fight over—had fallen into her hands so easily.
A strange impulse suddenly surged in her heart. She abruptly raised her head, flipped over, and straddled Lin Yang's lap, her legs tightly clamping around his waist.
Under Lin Yang's surprised gaze, Xiao Wu wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned down.
A cool, soft sensation pressed against his lips.
Lin Yang was stunned for a moment but didn't push her away. He gently raised his hand, cupped the back of her head, and responded.
Inside the narrow little wooden house, sunlight scattered through the window cracks. The ambiguous, enchanting atmosphere was like thick, unmeltable syrup—sticky and quiet.
The two stayed in the room the entire night. Under Lin Yang's firm insistence, Xiao Wu refined the spirit bone. Afterward, they embraced each other. Xiao Wu talked about many things from her past, including her blood feud with the Spirit Hall that could not coexist under the same sky. She had left the Star Dou Great Forest precisely to find her enemies.
Lin Yang knew very well that Xiao Wu's enemy was the current Spirit Hall Pope, Bibi Dong. But he couldn't tell her this yet. He was afraid the little rabbit would become too eager for revenge and lose her composure.
In the end, no matter what one did, strength was ultimately required.
The next day, Lin Yang left quietly without waking the soundly sleeping Xiao Wu. Perhaps she didn't want to wake up either. Waking up would only add to the sadness and change nothing.
After Lin Yang left Shrek, Xiao Wu climbed out of bed and stared blankly outside for a long time before finally collecting her emotions. She needed to master "All-Seeing" as soon as possible, and then… go to Heaven Dou City!
Afterward, Xiao Wu planned to have breakfast first, then go find the dean of Shrek Academy to see what arrangements would follow.
But on the way, she ran into Ma Hongjun. The two didn't know each other. Xiao Wu was in a bad mood and didn't feel like dealing with anyone.
But Ma Hongjun saw Xiao Wu and shamelessly came over to strike up a conversation. Xiao Wu instinctively disliked Ma Hongjun, let alone this thick-skinned and annoying behavior.
After exchanging just a few words, they immediately started arguing. And then—a wonderful day began with beating Ma Hongjun to a pulp!