Xiao Xiao, unaware of Gu La's gains, felt her heart pounding with excitement.
She tried flapping the light wings on her back, and her body instantly rose into the air lightly, leaving a graceful trail of emerald light in the night sky.
She could even sense the joy of the grass and trees in the air, as if she were the forest's cherished child. Returning to the ground, she gently placed her hand, now covered with emerald feathers, on a nearby sapling.
Buzz!
The sapling visibly grew taller, as if infused with the essence of life, its branches and leaves becoming more lush and vibrant.
"Beast martial soul... a true top-tier beast martial soul... the Azure Phoenix!" Xiao Xiao muttered, overwhelmed by an immense wave of happiness.
Her biggest problem—the limited enhancement of physical constitution from weapon-type martial souls, making it difficult to handle high-year soul rings—was now resolved.
With such a powerful beast martial soul possession state, her physical capabilities would make a qualitative leap, making it possible in the future to add ten-thousand-year or even hundred-thousand-year soul rings to her second martial soul.
The reason for adding soul rings to her second martial soul was because she understood that not everyone could cultivate dual martial souls like the Sea God, especially since both her martial souls were weapon types. Her physical strength would inevitably limit her potential.
But now, this limitation had been shattered!
Excitement, gratitude, and some indescribable emotions instantly overwhelmed the young girl's defenses.
"Gu La." Unable to hold back any longer, she rushed into Gu La's arms like a fledgling returning to its nest, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and burying her flushed face against his chest.
The next moment, she abruptly raised her head, looking at Gu La with eyes filled with reckless courage and fervent emotion. Rising on her tiptoes, she awkwardly but resolutely pressed her soft lips against Gu La's.
Warm, fragrant, with the unique freshness and heat of a young girl, the sensation coursed through Gu La's body like electricity.
He paused momentarily, then a trace of understanding amusement flickered in his eyes. Looking at the tightly closed eyes and slightly trembling lashes of the girl in his arms, feeling her inexperienced yet uninhibited kiss, ripples stirred in Gu La's usually calm heart.
He was no piece of wood. Xiao Xiao's purity, dependence, and unbridled admiration stirred a tenderness in him, especially since he was already experienced in matters of the flesh and had no intention of pushing her away.
No longer passive, one hand wrapped around Xiao Xiao's slender yet lively waist, while the other gently supported the back of her head. He leaned down, taking the initiative to deepen the kiss.
Lips intertwined, breaths merged.
Under the moonlight, the emerald phoenix light wings unconsciously fluttered slightly, scattering dreamlike specks of light.
In the woods, only their gradually hastened breathing and beating hearts could be heard.
After what seemed like an eternity, Xiao Xiao finally felt as if she couldn't breathe, softly whimpering as she pushed Gu La away, blushing.
She stepped back, lowering her head, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, her delicate earlobes flushed red, unable to meet Gu La's eyes.
Her boldness from moments ago seemed to have drained all her courage.
Gu La looked at the shy girl before him, who resembled a startled deer, and chuckled softly, reaching out to ruffle her soft, dark green hair. "Alright, your martial soul has just transformed; you need to adapt and consolidate it properly. Let's go back."
"Mm..." Xiao Xiao responded faintly, like the buzz of a mosquito. With a thought, the phoenix light wings on her back and the emerald feather patterns on her body quietly receded, returning her to her usual appearance, though the blush on her cheeks lingered for a long time.
---
The next day, in Shrek Academy, Classroom One of the freshman class.
Sunlight poured through the windows, filling the classroom with the usual morning commotion. However, when Gu La and Xiao Xiao entered the classroom one after another, the atmosphere instantly became somewhat subtle.
There was no trace of last night's shyness on Xiao Xiao's face; instead, she radiated an unprecedented brilliance, her steps light and quick.
As usual, she headed straight to her seat—right next to Gu La.
But this time, instead of deliberately keeping a slight distance as she had in the past, she naturally sat very close to Gu La, almost touching arms with him.
"Gu La, about the theory of soul power compression that Teacher Wang mentioned yesterday, I think..."
Xiao Xiao turned sideways, tilting her small face upward, naturally starting a conversation with Gu La. They were so close that they could see each other's facial fuzz.
Her big eyes sparkled with focus and trust, as if last night's intimate scene had never happened, or as if… it had become a natural part of their daily routine.
Gu La looked at the bright smile on the nearby girl's face, clearly sensing the increasingly dense and pure life force and auspicious energy emanating from her awakened Azure Phoenix martial soul.
He understood; this little one had completely "clung" to him and made no effort to hide it.
He didn't mind, finding it amusing and also a bit… responsible? After all, he was the one who personally "awakened" this Azure Phoenix.
"Mm, the core of that theory lies in constructing the prototype of the soul core..."
Gu La appeared composed, following her topic and explaining in a low voice. His tone was calm, as if discussing a purely academic issue.
Their interaction, however, carried a completely different meaning in the eyes of their classmates.
"Wow... why is Xiao Xiao today... sitting so close?" a girl whispered.
"Haven't you noticed? The way she looks at Gu La is different now, glowing brightly!"
"Tsk tsk, everything was fine after yesterday's competition. What happened overnight?"
"What else could happen? Gu La is so handsome and insanely strong... If I were her..."
Wang Dong, sitting not far away, watched Xiao Xiao practically leaning against Gu La to talk, pursed her lips, and muttered softly to Huo Yuhao beside her:
"Hmph, lovesick, blinded by beauty." Though her words were disdainful, she inexplicably felt a bit uneasy, especially seeing Gu La's seemingly accustomed, even somewhat "smug" expression.
Huo Yuhao scratched his head, enviously watching Gu La.
Being so trusted and close to an excellent and adorable girl like Xiao Xiao... it was truly enviable.
He instinctively glanced at Wang Dong's delicate profile and quickly shook his head.
At the back of the classroom, Dai Huabin, who was also assigned to Class One, cast a gloomy gaze over Gu La and Xiao Xiao, finally locking onto Huo Yuhao with a piercing stare.
Yesterday's humiliation and Huo Yuhao's mockery gnawed at his heart like venomous snakes.
He dared not provoke Gu La; the warning glance had made his soul tremble. But Huo Yuhao... this commoner must pay!
"Just wait, Huo Yuhao..." Dai Huabin clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his eyes gleaming with resentment and murderous intent, "Soon... soon you'll suffer. I'll make you understand the consequences of offending the White Tiger Duke's Manor!"
Though Gu La appeared to be explaining soul power theory to Xiao Xiao, the almost palpable malice from Dai Huabin stood out like a lighthouse in the darkness, clearly reflected in his perception.
His peripheral vision swept over Dai Huabin's twisted face, a barely noticeable, sardonic smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
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