Teacher Li didn't stay long; after all, it was enrollment day, and she needed to go back to maintain order.
"Time flies! In the blink of an eye, ten years have passed, and even you, girl, are catching up to your teacher."
Listening to Mu Xi recount her experiences over the years and seeing her much more mature face compared to back then, Qing Yun couldn't help sighing at the passage of time.
"Where? This disciple doesn't know how long it'll take to catch up to you! You're the one who sword-suppressed the Northern Territory, the Blue Sky Sword!"
Qing Yun had earned her fearsome reputation in a place like the Northern Territory through sheer strength. She had broken through to level 87 years ago, and combined with a swordsman's terrifying lethality, she was the top in offensive power among the Five Elemental Academies.
Though Mu Xi had received plenty of resources these years, plus her own exceptional talent, she was only half a step from Soul Douluo—but still far from Qing Yun.
Shui Qingmei, hearing Qing Yun's evaluation, also looked at Mu Xi.
The two sisters had similar talents, but Shui Qingmei was five years older, so her cultivation had always suppressed Mu Xi's. Yet even Teacher wouldn't evaluate her like this. It seemed Junior Sister had made rapid progress these years!
Feeling her senior sister's surprised gaze, Mu Xi couldn't help showing a proud expression. She was younger and had always been suppressed by Senior Sister. Now, the wheel had turned, and it was finally little Mu Xi's time to shine.
"Hehe, these years I've been focused solely on cultivation in the sect, so my progress has been faster. Of course, there's also some support from the sect."
Hearing the latter part, Shui Qingmei understood. The Body Sect must have provided Junior Sister with plenty of resources. And as she said, with undivided focus, her cultivation speed had increased a lot. Unlike herself, bogged down by worldly affairs these years, only recently breaking through to level 77.
"It seems I've been slacking these years!" Shui Qingmei sighed inwardly.
Learning that her junior sister's cultivation had surpassed her own stirred a sense of urgency in Shui Qingmei's usually calm personality.
"Teacher sees your spirit is restrained inwardly; you can probably try breaking through soon."
Mu Xi was a genius, having broken through to Soul Saint four years ago. These years, she had taken many precious medicines and absorbed a soul bone, reaching the peak of level 79.
In Qing Yun's eyes, she could break through in at most a month.
Mu Xi smiled without answering, but the pride in her eyes was evident, like a child hearing her mother's praise.
Qing Yun looked at Mu Xi kindly. Not seeing Chen Zhen by her side, she asked: "Why didn't that Chen Zhen boy come back with you?"
From what she knew, Chen Zhen and Mu Xi had an excellent relationship. If Mu Xi came to Skywater City, there was no reason Chen Zhen wouldn't follow.
"That guy's in secluded cultivation, probably won't come out for another year or so!" Hearing Teacher ask about Chen Zhen, Mu Xi's face lit up with a happy smile. Chen Zhen was in seclusion to break through to level 90; upon emerging, he'd be a quasi-Title Douluo.
"I see." Qing Yun understood. It seemed Chen Zhen had made significant progress, probably about to catch up to this old woman.
"Title Douluo is within reach!"
Back then, Mu Xi looked down on everyone, but as the teacher who raised her from childhood, how could she not worry?
Fortunately, her old friend from the Body Sect had a remarkably talented young man, not yet forty, who had already completed silver-level second awakening, with Title Douluo imminent. It was a good match for Mu Xi, so she introduced them.
Unexpectedly, they hit it off and flash-married.
This had shocked Qing Yun at the time, but she was very happy. Now, hearing of Chen Zhen's great progress, she felt proud.
Mu Xi glanced at Chen Yi, who was sitting upright but unable to join the conversation. Having been a child herself, she knew how kids felt when adults talked.
Since there was nothing for Chen Yi next, she whispered to him: "The scenery at Skywater Academy is nice this time of year. Go out and wander, relax your mind. If anyone stops you, just mention your mother's name."
This kind of adult talk didn't bother Chen Yi, but he was more than happy to go out and explore.
"Go on, go on!"
Mu Xi waved at Chen Yi dismissively, as if annoyed.
After Chen Yi bowed to Qing Yun and Shui Qingmei, he turned and left without another word.
In this life—oh, no, in his previous life too—he'd never visited a women's academy. Finally here, he had to see what was different.
Outside, he looked up at the sky.
Hmm, still early.
Suddenly remembering seeing a training ground on the way, he decided to check out the young generation of Skywater Academy.
With that thought, Chen Yi stepped around the stone lantern in front, following the path from memory toward the training ground.
"In my previous life, I could only watch women fight on my phone. This time, I'll watch face-to-face!"
…
Watching Chen Yi's departing back, Mu Xi smiled slightly.
Qing Yun, however, looked thoughtfully at him. In her view, Chen Yi was mature for his age, not like an ordinary child. It seemed Mu Xi had something to say.
"Speak. Sending away little Chen Yi—do you have something to discuss?"
Mu Xi's expression turned serious. She had planned to say it later, but since Teacher had noticed, she had to speak.
"Teacher, Senior Sister, Mu Xi indeed came here with important matters to discuss."
…
Meanwhile, on the other side, Chen Yi followed the path and soon arrived near Skywater Platform. Seeing the building's full view, a smile finally appeared on his face.
"As expected of Skywater Academy. Just walking from the dorm area to the teaching area took this long. This campus size wouldn't be small even among universities in my previous life, right?"
What Chen Yi didn't know was that the Northern Territory was vast and sparsely populated, so buildings here were characteristically expansive. Though Skywater Academy was just one of the Heaven Dou Empire's Five Elemental Academies, its area was the largest among continental academies. The distance he had just walked was already one and a half times that of Blue Tyrant Academy.
"Bing'er, when did our academy start admitting male students?"
"Doesn't look like one of ours; probably an outsider."
Just as Chen Yi was about to enter Skywater Platform, two sweet female voices sounded. Chen Yi turned and saw two girls looking at him curiously.
One had short ink-green hair, a clear and lively face, about eight or nine years old—the one who spoke first. Beside her was a girl with ice-blue hair tied in a bun, around Chen Yi's age but much more composed.
The green-haired girl, talking to the blue-haired one, saw Chen Yi turn. Seeing his handsome, martial features, her face flushed, and she subconsciously looked at the blue-haired girl: "Bing'er, look, he's a handsome guy!"
The girl called Bing'er looked helplessly at the green-haired girl, then at the approaching Chen Yi, pretending not to know her.
The green-haired girl wanted to say more, but Chen Yi's voice came from behind: "Excuse me, are you two students of Skywater Academy?"
Chen Yi's words were redundant; both were wearing Skywater Academy uniforms, clearly students.
Looking at the two and hearing the green-haired girl's address to the blue-haired one, Chen Yi confirmed their identities: members of Skywater Academy's team in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament ten years later—Shui Yue'er and her sister Shui Bing'er.
Chen Yi wasn't particularly interested in Shui Yue'er; ten years later, she'd only be a level 36 Soul Elder, not outstanding among the young generation.
What truly intrigued him was Shui Bing'er beside her.
In the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament ten years later, Shui Bing'er would be only sixteen yet serve as captain of Skywater Academy's team, reaching level 44—one of the top among all participants.
More importantly, her martial soul was the top-tier beast martial soul Ice Phoenix. In the entire Douluo period, excluding the Six-Winged Angel, it stood at the top tier.
According to Chen Yi's guess, Shui Bing'er was absolutely an innate full soul power genius. Unlike others, among all participants, only the drug-boosted protagonist group reached such levels; Shui Bing'er hit level 44 at sixteen without that.
She was the only one in the original story to showcase innate full soul power talent. Feng Xiaotian, obsessed with self-created soul skills, was only level 45 at twenty-four.
Even Tang San, without drugs, would struggle to break level 40 at sixteen. He only reached level 42 before the tournament with immortal herbs. Dai Mubai, after taking the Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, was seventeen and barely matched her, showing her terrifying talent.
As for Spirit Hall's Golden Generation?
In Chen Yi's view, they were a joke.
Not just without the protagonist group—even compared to others at the time, they had no advantage beyond age.
Feng Xiaotian, who was at least six levels behind them then, reached Soul Emperor five years later, catching up to the so-called Golden Generation.
Shui Bing'er even broke through to level 59 at twenty-one, just a step from Soul Emperor.
If not for Spirit Hall starting a war later, Shui Bing'er and Feng Xiaotian could rub the Golden Generation into the ground thousands of times over.
No wonder Qian Renxue looked down on the Golden Generation. No strength, yet so arrogant.
Chen Yi inwardly grumbled.