Five years had passed quietly and it's been six years since Yu Xiaogang's defeat. Nuoding Academy was holding its graduation again, and the bet with Yu Xiaogang was finally due.
Early that morning, Lin Mu packed his things and left the hotel where he had been staying for a long time.
After this departure, he would most likely never return.
Lin Mu walked down the street, the morning sunlight streaming down, highlighting his handsome face. With the passage of time, the boyishness on his face had completely faded, replaced by sharp, defined features and a commanding presence.
Five years ago, with Tang Hao's help, Lin Mu had successfully absorbed a Hellfire Dragon's Soul Ring, breaking through to Level 52.
After another five years of cultivation, Lin Mu had reached Level 70 in Soul Power. He was just one Soul Ring away from breaking through to become a Soul Saint.
Even without absorbing his seventh Soul Ring yet, with the power of his Nava Armor Martial Soul, his strength already surpassed most Soul Saints. He could even rival a Soul Douluo in combat.
"Master, we're here."
Lin Mu had just stepped through the gates of Nuoding Academy when he heard a familiar voice from afar. Looking up, he quickly spotted Tang San and Xiao Wu approaching.
Tang San had short blue hair and an ordinary appearance, though he was already over 1.7 meters tall, which wasn't unusual among developing Soul Masters.
Compared to the plain-looking Tang San, Xiao Wu's beauty was outstanding. Her delicate features, pure temperament, and lively personality made her a truly adorable and charming young girl.
However, Lin Mu preferred beauties with a gentle or aloof temperament and had no romantic interest in this kind of lively little girl.
Of course, there was another crucial reason: he knew Xiao Wu was a 100,000-year-old Soul Beast in human form, and he felt a slight psychological barrier.
After all, she was a rabbit who had lived for 100,000 years. Who knew if she had ever given birth to litters of rabbits in the past?
Although the rules of this world differ from those of Earth, for a transmigrator like Lin Mu, the mental hurdle remained insurmountable.
After Lin Mu approached, Tang San hesitated for a moment before asking, "Master, Xiao Wu also wants to go to Heaven Dou City with us. Can we take her along?"
"No."
Without hesitation, Lin Mu immediately rejected the offer.
Seeing this, Tang San's face showed a troubled expression. On one side was his respected Master, and on the other was his beloved sworn sister.
Just then, Xiao Wu suddenly jumped in front of Lin Mu, hugging his arm and pleading, "Brother Lin Mu, take me with you! I promise I won't cause you any trouble."
Seeing this intimacy, Tang San felt a strange unease in his heart.
Faced with Xiao Wu's pleading, Lin Mu remained unmoved. He even felt a slight, unsettling aversion.
Actually, the main reason Lin Mu didn't want to take Xiao Wu along was his fear that her Soul Beast identity would be discovered. Once discovered by the experts of Spirit Hall, her 100,000-year Soul Ring and Soul Bone would be snatched away.
It was quite bizarre. This was a Soul Beast that had lived for 100,000 years, yet after only six years of companionship in human society, she completely disregarded her own safety.
No wonder she didn't think about revenge for her mother, only about indulging in play and pleasure. With that kind of brain, she'd likely be sold out and still help the buyer count the money.
"Remember this: if you cause trouble, don't expect me to clean up your mess."
After careful consideration, Lin Mu reluctantly agreed.
She was a 100,000-year Soul Ring and Soul Bone, after all. Rather than returning her to the Star Dou Great Forest where she might disappear, it was better to keep her by his side; she would come in handy sooner or later.
Under Lin Mu's tutelage, Tang San's thinking had changed significantly. He understood that Soul Masters and Soul Beasts were on opposite sides of nature; there was no inherent good or bad in the conflict.
It is perfectly natural for Soul Masters to hunt Soul Beasts to obtain Soul Rings. Hunting Soul Beasts based on "good" or "bad" morality is hypocritical and pretentious.
One day, Tang San will definitely discover Xiao Wu's Soul Beast identity. What he will do then is anyone's guess.
"Master, I promise I will keep a close eye on Xiao Wu and won't let her cause any trouble."
Seeing Lin Mu relent, Tang San finally felt relieved. Being separated from Xiao Wu for a long time would be torture for him.
Hearing this, Xiao Wu just stuck out her tongue playfully, clearly not taking the warning to heart.
"Let's go. Let's find Gangzi first."
With that, Lin Mu headed towards Yu Xiaogang's room, Tang San and Xiao Wu following closely behind.
Soon, the three arrived outside Yu Xiaogang's door.
"Hmm?"
Lin Mu's brow furrowed. There was no movement or sound from inside, and a suspicion crept into his heart.
Bang!
With a loud crash, he kicked the door open.
Sure enough, the room was empty. Except for various books scattered on the floor, there was no one in sight.
It was clear that the old bastard Yu Xiaogang had already packed his things and run away.
Suddenly, Lin Mu's gaze fell on the desk. Underneath a book, there was a note.
Lin Mu used his Soul Power to pull it across the room, and the note landed in his hand.
-[Lin Mu, I assure you, with the honor of the Grandmaster, that once I've gathered 100,000 Gold Soul Coins, I will definitely deliver it to you.]-
After reading the note, Lin Mu's expression remained calm, but a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.
'You can run, but you can't hide. Gangzi, I'll come find you after I've dealt with my current business,' Lin Mu thought to himself.
There were only a few places Yu Xiaogang could go.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was out of the question; Yu Xiaogang had sworn never to return, and as a "useless nobody," he naturally wouldn't go back to face their scorn.
Then there was Blue Tyrant Academy, which was also impossible for now.
After all, neither Yu Xiaogang nor Flender knew that the dean of Blue Tyrant Academy was actually Liu Erlong.
To be fair, Shrek Academy, founded by Flender, was hypocritical. It claimed to be a "commoner's academy" while ripping off ordinary people with impossible entrance exams and keeping their registration fees.
Compared to Shrek Academy, Blue Tyrant Academy was indeed a good institution, genuinely caring for commoner Soul Masters by waiving fees for the talented.
However, Liu Erlong was love-struck; her IQ plummeted the moment she saw Yu Xiaogang. In the original timeline, she immediately gave her entire Blue Tyrant Academy to Flender, merging it into the new Shrek Academy just to please him.
Flender, on the other hand, was an even more devoted sycophant than a "simp."
In a love triangle, willingly stepping back is somewhat understandable; after all, everyone has their own choices.
What is most incomprehensible is that after learning about Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong's incestuous relationship (as cousins), Flender not only didn't object but actually wholeheartedly supported it, even saying he would officiate their wedding in the afterlife.
It was utterly outrageous!
The opportunity was right in front of him, yet he didn't seize it. He didn't even understand the principle of taking advantage of a romantic rival's weakness. Compared to Flender, other tragic lovers looked like geniuses.
It can only be said that none of the members of the Golden Iron Triangle were normal.
No wonder this lineup of two men and one woman could actually use a Martial Soul Fusion Technique; the bizarre personalities of all three were indispensable for such resonance.
After some deduction, the most likely place for Yu Xiaogang to go was Shrek Academy.
Firstly, Shrek Academy had two Soul Saint-level experts (Flender and Zhao Wuji) who could protect his safety. Secondly, Shrek Academy attracted "monster" geniuses who were very suitable to become his experimental subjects.