"Oh, that? It's my saliva." The boy stated calmly, as if remarking on having an extra egg for breakfast.
"Sa... Sa-Saliva?!" The child stammered, shocked. "You're disgusting!"
The girl swiftly peeled off the white stockings and threw them on the floor, vigorously wiping her fair feet on the bedsheet. Raising her head with a pout, her dreamy eyes glared fiercely at An Zhen. "I never bullied you! Why did you put licked stockings on my feet?"
An Zhen stayed silent.
The little girl quickly stepped forward, whispering an explanation into Wang Dong's ear.
"Pervert! An Zhen, you big pervert!" the blushing girl shouted indignantly.
"Look at it from another angle." An Zhen, ever the good student applying his teacher's advice. "You're the queen. I'm your servant."
Wang Dong: ?
Imagining An Zhen groveling at her feet, licking them like a dog... A gleam sparked in her pink-blue eyes. That actually sounds... nice.
Seeing Wang Dong's improved mood—even a smug smile playing on her lips—and An Zhen's calm expression, Huo Yutong felt Wang Dong had been thoroughly bamboozled.
After placating the young mistress and setting up three NPC puppets for cultivation, An Zhen began altering the scene.
Beach, ocean, sunlight, lounge chairs, parasols... and school swimsuits.
"No! Absolutely not!" Wang Dong shook her head like a rattle drum. Even though it wasn't technically her real body, appearing like that in front of An Zhen was unthinkable.
"Then the previous sportswear. I'll make it non-absorbent material."
"That works." An Zhen didn't push. After all, they'd only known each other a few days. Despite unusual circumstances creating a special bond, both girls were proper young maidens.
"Even if it's fake."
Lying on a lounge chair, An Zhen picked up a manga Wang Dong had bought. By the shore, the pink-blue-haired beauty and the blue-haired girl happily plunged into the sea. Fair legs gently churned the water, small peaks bouncing with their movements as they swam. Hair gathered into sleek strands by water and gravity, their lithe figures moved like graceful dragons. Pale arms pulled the little cutie close as the girls splashed and played.
Beautiful.
...
Time flowed. The last day before school vanished in youthful abandon.
"Yawn... So tired." Wang Dong stretched, satisfied, putting down her manga. Unconsciously, her collar slipped, revealing a glimpse of snowy skin. She patted her slightly numb thigh. "Stayed up all night, finally finished this volume."
Like a lazy cat, she flopped onto the bed, her pert bottom raised, pink-blue hair cascading freely. "An Zhen, remember to bring me breakfast," her sleepy voice called out.
"No." The boy, setting down another novel, rested his head on the blue-haired cutie's lap, nuzzling gently.
"Yu Tong~" The pitiful girl crawled over, deliberately bumping her head against An Zhen's, and nestled onto Huo Yutong's other thigh. "Bring breakfast?"
"I'll take some too. Put it on Wang Dong's tab," An Zhen said lazily.
"You're shameless."
"Takes one to know one," An Zhen retorted politely.
Wang Dong rolled her beautiful eyes and turned away. She couldn't win arguments with him.
"Alright, alright, no fighting," the blue-haired girl soothed, patting both their heads. Despite their maturity in some areas, they could be incredibly childish about others.
"Oh!" The girl suddenly remembered. "Brother An Zhen, are you in Freshman Class One too?"
Wang Dong cracked an eyelid open.
"No. Got luckier. Assigned to Freshman Class Nine." An Zhen refreshed his state, standing up full of energy. "Yu Tong, even with all those medicinal meals these past days, their effects need time. Your soul power reached Rank 13, but your physique hasn't improved much."
"Your Class One teacher, Zhou Yi... unless she takes a shine to you, she's notoriously strict. Her attitude borders on torture. If there are any physically demanding activities, Wang Dong, help Yu Tong out."
"Of course!" The exquisite girl proudly patted her chest. "Leave it to me!"
"Mm. Miss Wang is very reliable."
"Hmph!" An Zhen almost imagined a tail wagging behind Wang Dong.
Later...
After getting up and projecting their levels and states, An Zhen headed towards the teaching building.
"Martial Soul Department Dean's Office." Confirming the location, he knocked softly.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Enter."
Inside the low-key, classical office, a green-haired man with a short beard looked up. "Student An Zhen, what can I do for you?"
Du Weilun, Head of the Martial Soul Department at Shrek, an eight-ringed Soul Douluo.
An Zhen wasn't surprised Du Weilun knew him. Between defeating Xu Sanshi and having the Gluttony Douluo endorse his milk tea stall, anonymity was impossible.
"Dean Du. My Martial Soul is rather unique. Traditional classes don't suit me well. I'd like to explain and request permission for an alternative approach."
"Oh?" Du Weilun knew this youngster had trounced Xu Sanshi in a bizarre way. Though injured afterward, he was just a freshman! Plus, Elder Xuan had personally flagged him, possibly catching the Sea God Pavilion's eye. But beyond knowing his Martial Soul was "World," everything else was a mystery.
"My soul skill lets me maintain meditative cultivation while staying aware of my surroundings. It doesn't hinder learning, but... it looks like I'm sleeping in class." The boy looked slightly embarrassed.
So you come to my office first thing to ask for permission to sleep in class? For anyone else, Du Weilun would have tossed them out immediately. But this was Elder Xuan's special interest.
"Can you prove this ability?"
"I can't bring others in yet. That requires my third soul ring."
Du Weilun: ?
He already knows his third soul skill?
Feeling confused, Du Weilun subtly pulled out a book tucked inside his robe.
"While sleeping in class is... unusual, Shrek prioritizes student needs. If you genuinely possess this ability, approval is possible." He adjusted his glasses sternly. "Very well. I have a book inside my robe. State its title and the first page's content, and I'll believe you." After all, Martial Souls were diverse, and unique abilities existed.
"Okay." An Zhen closed his eyes.
One minute later.
"Dean, the book inside your robe is a manga titled The Overbearing Young Master Falls for the Commoner Girl. It has 'Xu Sanshi' written inside. The first page is a beautiful illustration with handwritten text – a love letter from Senior Xu Sanshi to Senior Jiang Nannan. Also, you have two gold soul coins in your pocket." An Zhen blinked, looking expectantly at the dean.
"A remarkable ability." Du Weilun now understood why Elder Xuan took notice. He, an eight-ringed Soul Douluo, hadn't sensed a shred of probing spiritual power.
"So, about me sleeping in class... ah, I mean, cultivating..."
"Granted. You're in Freshman Class Nine, correct? I'll inform Teacher Mu Jin when she arrives."
"Thank you, Dean. Oh," An Zhen glanced towards the open window. "Someone's at the window for you." He left, closing the door.
Du Weilun paused. Someone at the window?
The next moment, a scholarly middle-aged man appeared in the office.
"Dean!"
"An excellent seedling!" Yan Shaozhe's intense gaze seemed to pierce the walls, following the departing figure. "And an orphan, too..."
Freshman Class Nine
An Zhen arrived early; only one or two others were in the classroom. He chose a window seat at the back.
Later, accepting breakfast brought by Huo Yutong...
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" A clear, pleasant voice sounded.
"No."
A small bag was placed on the desk beside him. An Zhen turned to his new deskmate.
She was a tall girl. While not quite matching Wang Dong's ethereal beauty, her refined features rivaled Tang Ya's. Her short, neat golden hair framed intelligent, lively sapphire eyes that held a friendly glint as she smiled at him.
"Hello, I'm Ning Tian. A pleasure to meet you, An Zhen." The golden-haired girl extended a fair hand.
"Hello." He shook it briefly and released.
"Young Mistress!" A red blur shot towards them.
"Feng!" The golden-haired girl's voice sharpened.
The fiery girl's aggressive aura instantly deflated. The hungry wolf became a docile puppy. "Young Mistress."
"Find a seat. Class is starting," Ning Tian commanded, her tone firm.
Wu Feng (漫画版形象 - Manga Version Image): Fiery red hair like burning dragon flames, matching eyes, exquisite features, skin like flawless jade rivalling Ning Tian's beside her. Her figure was exceptionally well-developed, far surpassing Wang Dong's youthful curves – the phrase "all brawn, no brains" seemed tailor-made for her.
Truthfully, An Zhen found Wu Feng more intriguing than Ning Tian. After all, in the original story, she was the aggressive pursuer early on, only to end up... dominated later on (after Ning Tian was turned male in the Valley of Love).
What a reversal.
Tap, tap, tap...
Footsteps echoed as a woman with short, curly hair and a stack of lesson plans entered. Scanning the students, she confirmed attendance and began.
"Class begins. First, introductions. I am Mu Jin. You may call me Teacher Mu or Teacher Mu Jin. I will be your homeroom teacher until the class reassignment assessment in three months. I hope we get along well during this time. Please come to me with any difficulties in cultivation or daily life."
Her voice paused. The gentleness vanished, replaced by sternness. "First, I must clearly state your goal for the next three months: the Freshman Assessment. Each of you was meticulously selected as a young genius from one of the three empires."
Proud expressions surfaced on many faces. They were the elites, the prodigies of their previous schools.
"But Shrek has no shortage of geniuses. Here's a reality check: two-thirds of you freshmen will be eliminated in that assessment."
Though aware, the brutal number still stunned most students.
"Strive with everything you have. Pass the Freshman Assessment and stay. Only then can you truly be called 'elite'."
(End of Chapter)