Soul Land:The Dragon King's God of Nature

Donghai City, Donghai Academy.

After returning from the Spirit Pagoda headquarters, Jing Shaoyu went straight back to the academy.

"Brother Xiaoyu, you're back!"

A sweet, excited voice called out behind him, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. As he turned around, a lively and adorable girl threw herself at him.

"Xiaoyan, how is it that after a few days apart, you feel like you've put on some weight?" Jing Shaoyu teased, catching her in his arms and smiling.

"No way!" The girl pouted and looked up at him with an indignant expression. "I haven't gained any weight! You're just teasing me again, Brother Xiaoyu!"

"Hahaha!" Seeing her lively, endearing reaction, Jing Shaoyu burst out laughing.

The girl before him was none other than Xu Xiaoyan. At thirteen years old, her growth over the past two years was evident. Her height had surpassed 1.6 meters, and her bright blue hair, tied into twin ponytails, framed her youthful, vibrant face. With her always cheerful and innocent demeanor, she still exuded a sense of pure charm, far from any darker inclinations.

"Brother Xiaoyu, you've broken through, haven't you? You're a Soul Ancestor now, right? What's your new spirit soul?" Xu Xiaoyan clung to his arm, her entire body pressing against him as she asked with a playful grin.

"Of course! My soul power is now at level 45," Jing Shaoyu replied casually. Despite the sensation of his arm being tightly hugged between two soft, rounded masses, his expression remained composed. With a calm smile, he continued, "As for my new spirit soul, how about I tell you during tonight's training session?"

"Okay, okay!" Xu Xiaoyan clapped her hands in delight, her movements causing a slight bounce that added to the pressure on Jing Shaoyu's arm. Then, with a surprised expression, she exclaimed, "Wow! Brother Xiaoyu, are you serious? How did your soul power increase so much? This is so unfair! Now the gap between us has grown even larger!"

Xu Xiaoyan's current soul power had advanced significantly beyond what it was in the original timeline. Thanks to her Star Staff's earlier evolution and Jing Shaoyu's influence, she had reached level 35—a level that marked her as a top-tier genius, even compared to the most talented individuals from the central continent.

"Don't worry. With your talent, I believe you'll catch up to me in no time—maybe within a year!" Jing Shaoyu said reassuringly, though the arm Xu Xiaoyan clung to had started to go slightly numb.

Over the years, Xu Xiaoyan hadn't just grown taller and stronger; her physique had also undergone significant changes. While she wasn't curvaceous, she had moved far beyond the flat figure of her younger years. Whether embracing her from the front or the back, Jing Shaoyu now found her to be soft and comforting.

"Brother Xiaoyu, you're such a sweet talker," Xu Xiaoyan said, rolling her eyes playfully. "A year? Are you planning to stop training or something?"

"Haha, you guessed it right!" Jing Shaoyu chuckled. "My teacher said my soul power has advanced too quickly, so she recommended I take six months to a year to consolidate it."

Xu Xiaoyan knew about Leng Yaozhu. She had met her several times and was also aware that Gu Yue was Leng Yaozhu's disciple. Leng Yaozhu had once considered taking Xu Xiaoyan as her student as well, but that plan eventually fell through. Though Leng Yaozhu never explained why Jing Shaoyu had his own guesses.

"Really? Hehe, then maybe I really can catch up to you!" Xu Xiaoyan smiled brightly, her face full of hope. "I don't need to do anything amazing—just reaching Soul Ancestor within a year would make me happy."

"Exactly! Keep working hard!" Jing Shaoyu encouraged, gently stroking her hair.

"Ah! Brother Xiaoyu, you're still treating me like a little kid!" Xu Xiaoyan pouted, pushing his hand away. "You messed up my hair!"

"Oops, sorry! Habit, I guess," Jing Shaoyu replied, chuckling.

"Ugh, fine, I forgive you," Xu Xiaoyan sighed in mock frustration. She summoned a mirror with a wave of her hand and began tidying her hair.

The two entered the classroom, where they found only Tang Wulin and Xie Xie present. Upon seeing Jing Shaoyu, both boys showed expressions of surprise.

"Captain, when did you get back?" Xie Xie asked.

"Just today," Jing Shaoyu replied with a smile.

"I heard from Teacher Wu that you took time off to prepare for your Soul Ancestor breakthrough. Does that mean you've already advanced?" Tang Wulin asked.

"Yes, I have," Jing Shaoyu confirmed with a nod.

"Wow… congratulations, Captain!" Tang Wulin said, his expression a mix of shock and admiration. First came envy, then acceptance. "So this is what it feels like to witness someone with such a massive gap in talent. It's incredible!"

"Captain, congrats!" Xie Xie added, swallowing hard. His surprise and complex emotions mirrored Tang Wulin's. However, noticing Tang Wulin's somewhat dejected expression, Xie Xie quickly tried to lift his spirits. "Wulin, don't get discouraged! As long as we don't compare ourselves to freakishly talented people like the captain, we're still doing great!"

"Hehe, you're pretty good at self-motivation," Xu Xiaoyan teased with a giggle.

"What do you mean, self-motivation? Isn't it true?" Xie Xie retorted with a roll of his eyes. "I'm level 33, and Wulin is level 28. Isn't that proof enough of how talented we are?"

"Sure, sure, you two are amazing," Xu Xiaoyan replied with a playful smile. "I never said you weren't talented; I just think it's funny how good you are at cheering yourself up."

"Well, thank you for the compliment," Xie Xie said, forcing a laugh.

"You're welcome!" Xu Xiaoyan said cheekily, winking at him. Her lively, playful energy filled the room.

"Alright, stop teasing Xie Xie," Jing Shaoyu said, patting Xu Xiaoyan on the shoulder.

Over the past three years, Tang Wulin and Xie Xie's bond had grown exceptionally strong, partly due to their shared membership in the Tang Sect. Outside of class, they often spent time together at the sect, which had naturally deepened their friendship.

Zero Class had been divided ever since Tang Wulin and Xie Xie joined the Tang Sect while Jing Shaoyu, Gu Yue, and Xu Xiaoyan declined. The five only spent time together during class hours. Outside of that, they went their separate ways: Jing Shaoyu often frequented the Mecha Association, Eastsea Park, or his seaside villa; Gu Yue spent most of her time at the Spirit Pagoda; Xu Xiaoyan either stayed at the academy or visited her family; and Tang Wulin and Xie Xie were fixtures at the Tang Sect.

"Captain, now that you're a Soul Ancestor, our upcoming final exam should be a breeze, right?" Xie Xie said with sudden excitement.

"Wishful thinking," Tang Wulin interjected, rolling his eyes. "Knowing Teacher Wu, he'll definitely make it harder for us. No way he'd let us off easy."

"Ugh, I forgot about that!" Xie Xie groaned, throwing his head back in despair. "Why can't Teacher Wu just cut us some slack for our last exam?"

"Final exam?" Jing Shaoyu asked, intrigued by their conversation. "What's the exam about?"

"Brother Xiaoyu, it's like this," Xu Xiaoyan explained, tugging on his sleeve. "Teacher Wu said we'll take our last final exam once you return. Only after passing will he take us to Shrek Academy."

"Got it," Jing Shaoyu nodded in understanding. "Did he say what the exam involves?"

"Yes! It's related to the Violent Period Spirit Ascension Platform," Xu Xiaoyan said.

"The Violent Period Spirit Ascension Platform…" Jing Shaoyu's expression turned odd as he recalled something Gu Yue had mentioned recently. The staff at the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda seemed to be running out of patience with Zero Class. It looked like they were finally about to be liberated.

"Hey, it's already class time. Why aren't Teacher Wu and Gu Yue here yet?" Xie Xie asked, peering curiously out the door.

Jing Shaoyu's expression grew thoughtful. Gu Yue's absence could be explained if Leng Yaozhu had called her away, but Wu Zhangkong's tardiness

was unusual. Could he be discussing Zero Class's journey to Shrek Academy with Dean Yu Zhen?

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