In Yu Xiaogang's dormitory—
After listening to Tang San's report, Yu Xiaogang's face revealed a hint of satisfaction.
'Qi Lin agreed to go to Shrek? Excellent.'
With this, Yu Xiaogang was confident he could arrange for him and Xiao Wu to become Tang San's teammates for the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament two years later.
Although Shrek Academy technically wasn't qualified to participate, Yu Xiaogang had his own ways to persuade Flender.
As for the cost?
It might just mean Flender giving up the academy he had spent years building.
But that was of little concern. It's just a shabby little school, nothing worth mourning.
To be honest, Yu Xiaogang looked down on Shrek's facilities.
However, he had his eyes on the kids in Shrek Academy.
They were all geniuses.
Even if they didn't shine in this tournament, the next one would definitely be their time to dazzle.
Meanwhile—
Having graduated, Qi Lin and Xiao Wu had returned to Radish Village.
This time, they didn't hire a carriage. Instead, they drove back in a rugged off-road vehicle.
That's right—Qi Lin, for convenience, had built several cars.
Among them, his and Xiao Wu's favorite was the off-road one.
A soul-powered, environmentally friendly vehicle—just a bit of soul power could get it running.
---
Back in Radish Village—
Qi Tian and Xu Qian didn't look much older than they had six years ago. Life was treating them well.
Every time Qi Lin returned home on break, he would use his first soul skill to buff the couple.
Though the duration was short each time, after years of doing this, their soul power levels had reached rank 10.
Each of them had even absorbed a soul ring.
Though Qi Lin's buffs didn't enhance innate talent, the soul rings had still caused their martial souls to evolve slightly. Their cultivation was slow, but they could now improve on their own.
Seeing their son and Xiao Wu return, the couple was overjoyed. They prepared a feast and bombarded them with questions.
As for the decision to leave Nuoding City, Qi Tian and his wife were fully supportive.
A man should aim far in life. And with soul tech phones, staying in touch is no problem.
Thanks to Qi Lin's upgrades, even without base stations or wires, long-distance communication was a breeze.
They stayed for half a month, during which Qi Lin and Xiao Wu visited every household in the village.
Qi Yue had also graduated. Though his innate soul power was only rank 1, with Qi Lin and Xiao Wu's help, he had reached rank 13.
He had absorbed a 300-year soul beast's ring, causing some evolution in his martial soul and improving his talent.
Qi Lin and Xiao Wu also visited Brother Tao and Sister Si Sii.
The two had done well over the years, even marrying two years ago. Now, both had surpassed rank 30.
In a few more years, once Grandmaster Matthew Nuo retired, Su Yuntao would likely take his place.
After leaving them some gifts, Qi Lin and Xiao Wu returned to Radish Village.
A few days later, they set out again—this time heading toward Suotuo City.
---
On the road to Suotuo City—
Xiao Wu was at the wheel of the off-roader, driving like a wild horse off the leash, shouting "Woohoo!" every few seconds with a blissful expression.
Under the blue sky and white clouds, the two of them were a striking sight.
"Xiao Wu, pull over for a second!"
Qi Lin's sudden shout interrupted her fun.
She slowed down at once, curious. "What is it, Brother Qi Lin?"
Qi Lin pointed toward a slope.
Following his gaze, Xiao Wu saw four masked men surrounding a curvy young girl in a tight black outfit.
The four masked attackers were clearly strong. Though they hadn't used soul skills, they relentlessly pressed the girl back, forcing her into a perilous situation.
Xiao Wu snorted coldly at the scene.
"Broad daylight, clear skies—and these punks dare bully a lone girl?"
"Hmph! Time for me to deliver justice!"
Without hesitation, she floored the accelerator, charging straight at them. If not for the risk of collateral damage, she might've run them over outright.
Seeing the massive metal beast hurtling toward them, the masked men and the girl all showed signs of panic.
That thing could flatten them!
Thankfully, Xiao Wu braked just in time, skidding to a stop nearby.
She jumped out and pointed directly at the attackers.
"You four scumbags, bullying a girl? What kind of men are you?"
"Today, your granny is going to clean up some trash!"
With her words still echoing, three soul rings rose from beneath her feet.
Yellow, yellow, purple!
Seeing her soul ring configuration, the four masked men were stunned.
"A kid that age is already a Soul Elder?"
"She must be a genius trained by some powerful clan in the Heaven Dou Empire!"
"Boss, what now?"
As they whispered among themselves, Xiao Wu cracked her knuckles, ready for a fight.
Qi Lin called out, "Xiao Wu, just teach them a lesson. Don't kill them."
Xiao Wu blinked, then nodded without question.
"Count yourselves lucky. Granny's going easy today."
Then—she vanished.
To the attackers, Xiao Wu blurred into a shadow.
So fast!
Bang!
One of them took a punch to the gut, instantly feeling his insides churn. The pain twisted his face.
'How could another Soul Elder be so strong?!'
He didn't know—Xiao Wu was already rank 37 and was constantly buffed by Qi Lin. Her raw power rivaled a four-ring Beast Soul Sect expert.
That punch was far from her full strength.
She followed with another blow to his face.
Crack!
The mask shattered. His nose collapsed. His body flew backward, unconscious before hitting the ground.
Seeing this, the others panicked.
"Careful! She's not ordinary!"
"Watch yourselves!"
At this point, all four deeply regretted their choices.
Damn it! This was just supposed to be a staged performance! Who knew these two geniuses would butt in?
In no time, Xiao Wu had knocked all four masked Soul Elders flat with her bare hands. Bruised and groaning, they lay sprawled across the ground.
Xiao Wu exhaled and clapped the dust from her hands.
"All done!"
Meanwhile, the girl in black stood frozen, stunned by what she had witnessed.
'She's about my age… and already this strong?!'
Before she could react, Xiao Wu walked over, smiling brightly as she extended her hand.
"Hi there! I'm Xiao Wu!"
"'Wu' as in dancing!"
(T/L: Certainly! Here's a more polished and professional version of your message, while still conveying gratitude and excitement:
(T/N: Thank you all so much for your support. I truly appreciate every comment and message, I read them daily, and they constantly inspire me to keep translating.
I also have some exciting personal news to share: I've passed the entrance exam and been accepted into one of the top State Universities in my country! To celebrate this milestone, I'll be releasing five extra chapters tomorrow, so you can look forward to a total of ten new chapters coming your way soon!)