Su Wen was completely unaware of the calculations brewing in the minds of Elder Zhu and Yan Shaozhe, those two seasoned foxes.
At the moment, he was simply sitting leisurely on the grass, chatting with the girl beside him.
At the academy, he barely had any true "peers."
Little Peach Sister was six years older than him. Most days, she either bullied him outright or hugged him to sleep.
Their conversations usually boiled down to two topics—
"Vent the fire," or "Are you asleep?"
If he wasn't asleep, then get up and vent the fire.
That was precisely why Su Wen had developed the habit of pretending to sleep. The moment he heard Ma Xiaotao's footsteps nearing, his snoring would begin on cue.
Of course, even then, she would often strip down to a light inner robe, slip into his blanket, and lie beside him… as if testing something.
Aside from Ma Xiaotao—
Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan and the others were perpetually busy, either traveling across the continent completing missions or secluding themselves to cultivate.
It was common to go months without seeing them.
In the outer court, aside from Ling Luocheng, there were hardly any familiar faces.
That said—
Although Ning Tian wore short hair and, at first glance, resembled the young master of some top-tier faction, when speaking with her, there was an unmistakable softness.
Her expressions and smiles carried a gentle femininity, warm and composed.
"Stop abusing the tree already," Su Wen said helplessly, listening to the dull thump thump sounds nearby.
"That poor bark is about to be stripped bare."
"Mind your own business!"
Wu Feng fumed in frustration.
Ning Tian frowned slightly and looked over....only to see Wu Feng either punching her hand sore or, unsatisfied, biting into the tree trunk, tearing at the bark with her teeth like some unhinged creature.
Ning Tian: "..."
"WU FENG!!!"
She ground her teeth in fury.
The gentle, graceful demeanor she had shown earlier shattered instantly.
She was genuinely angry....could this girl not behave for even a moment?!
"…"
Wu Feng immediately wilted, trudging back to Ning Tian's side like an abandoned puppy.
Su Wen chuckled softly and, without thinking, reached out to pat her fiery red hair.
It was surprisingly smooth and pleasant to the touch.
For once, Wu Feng didn't dodge.
Instead, she puffed out her cheeks, pouting at him, lips pursed. A bit of tree bark was still stuck to her mouth…
"Are you here to help Wu Feng get her second soul ring?" Su Wen asked casually.
"Yes," Ning Tian nodded.
"She broke through to level twenty last month and couldn't wait to come to the Star Dou Forest.
But this trip isn't just for her....we're also heading back to the Extreme North to deal with some previously purchased mineral resources.
After that, we'll visit the Xuanming Sect to discuss a business matter."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she spoke, smiling gently.
"Tsk tsk… worthy of the continent's richest sect," Su Wen sighed.
Ning Tian was still young, yet she was already traveling far and wide with Elder Zhu. No wonder she was so mature.
In the original story, everything she did was for the revival of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Clan.
Thinking about rebuilding a sect at such an age—
She was leagues better than that certain white-eyed traitor from ten thousand years ago who drained his sect dry and then ran off without looking back.
"But when wealth doesn't match strength," Ning Tian said softly, her expression dimming,
"…it becomes a disaster."
"…"
Su Wen fell silent.
He glanced at her in surprise.
Given Ning Tian's personality, she shouldn't be sharing such heartfelt thoughts with outsiders....not even ordinary friends.
Unless…
She didn't see him as just a normal friend.
As Ning Tian mentioned the Xuanming Sect, Su Wen's thoughts drifted to something unpleasant.
According to the original timeline, Jiang Nannan would soon be forced to sacrifice her first time due to her mother's grave illness.
Xu Sanshi wasn't truly evil.....but that entire affair should never have happened within Shrek Academy.
There were even conspiracy theories suggesting Jiang Nannan's mother's illness had been engineered by the Xuanming Sect. The coincidence was simply too perfect.
Across the entire Heavenly Soul Empire, finding a girl like Jiang Nannan was nearly impossible.
Royal families existed..but they couldn't be touched.
A commoner who entered Shrek Academy.
Outstanding talent and looks.
Exceptionally compatible with Xu Sanshi.
And most suspicious of all—
They came from the same city.
If the Xuanming Sect hadn't nudged things along behind the scenes, Su Wen would eat his own words.
I'll ask Dean Yan after we return, he decided.
"What are you thinking about?"
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