The girl skipped lightly back to her dormitory.
She pushed the door open carefully, only to find that Xiao Xiao was still awake.
The delicate little beauty was sitting on her bed in a light blue nightdress, a pair of flawless jade-like legs exposed. Though not long due to her height, they appeared slender and shapely in proportion to her upper body.
"Yutong, were you in the Soul Tool Department's lab until now?" Xiao Xiao swung her two pale, dainty feet back and forth.
"Mm-hmm. The clumsy bird has to fly early…" Huo Yutong put down her backpack, smiling shyly.
"You still call yourself clumsy? You started with innate level-nine soul power, you're already a rank-23 Grand Soul Master, and you're also a rank-2 Soul Engineer. You're a total monster…"
Xiao Xiao stuck out her little tongue.
"Alright, we still have tomorrow's assessment to prepare for — you should sleep early too."
"Wait, Xiao Xiao."
The girl reached into her chest and pulled out a small, exquisite jade bottle. Carefully, she took out a pair of crystal tweezers and lifted a single emerald-green leaf, handing it to Xiao Xiao.
"Here — this is something Teacher Neuvillette gave me. There are only five leaves in total. Supposedly, it can cleanse your body of impurities and increase your soul power."
"Teacher Neuvillette…"
Curiosity instantly lit up Xiao Xiao's face. She hopped down from her bed and leaned in close to the girl.
Clamped in the tweezers was a leaf glowing with rich green light, its surface traced with intricate shimmering patterns that ran along its veins — beautiful beyond words.
"But… this was given to you by Teacher Neuvillette. Should I…"
The little beauty bit her lip in hesitation.
"It's fine. Maybe Teacher Neuvillette didn't explain clearly — you might have one as well. And there are still four more. Once I give one to Wang Dong, there'll be three left, more than enough."
Huo Yutong smiled.
"Go on and absorb it. I'm going to start too."
"Well… alright then!"
Xiao Xiao exhaled in relief, her beautiful eyes full of gratitude as she glanced at Huo Yutong.
Anything given by Teacher Neuvillette was surely precious. The fact that there were only five leaves showed just how much the girl treasured their friendship.
The two of them then sat cross-legged on Huo Yutong's bed, following the method Qian Duoduo had taught them to begin absorbing it.
Sea of Spiritual Consciousness
Suddenly, an incredibly pure surge of energy poured in, rousing the sleeping Skydream Iceworm.
"What a pure energy… what kind of fortuitous encounter did this child get?"
Skydream took a deep breath, marveling at the sensation.
There was no time to ask what was happening outside, so it hurriedly began absorbing the energy.
But very quickly, elsewhere in the spiritual sea, a mass of gray mist suddenly stirred.
"This pure energy… hahaha… It's greatly beneficial to my fragmented consciousness. Excellent… excellent…"
A hazy figure slowly emerged from the mist.
Tall. Towering. Indescribable.
As Skydream Iceworm was greedily enjoying the continuous stream of energy, Electrolux's voice turned faintly displeased.
"Squandering treasure."
He reached out a hand toward the energy —
In an instant, the energy changed direction and flowed toward Electrolux instead.
"Eh? Where'd my energy go?"
Skydream opened its eyes, utterly baffled.
But then it spotted the culprit — the figure formed from that gray mist.
"You… you're stealing from me?!"
Skydream's eyes widened as it mobilized its vast spiritual power to fight for the energy.
Electrolux merely opened his eyes a little, casting a sideways glance at the Iceworm, which was using its full strength yet managing to seize only one percent — a pitiful fraction.
He gave a quiet, dismissive snort.
As time passed —
The gray mist around Electrolux thickened.
His majestic figure gradually became solid.
"With the sun and moon in my grasp, and the stars within my reach — in all the world, none are like me… hahahahaha!"
A terrifying aura exploded outward —
Like a raging storm, it swept toward the outside world.
A pale gray shockwave rippled in all directions.
At that moment, a flicker of gray flashed in the girl's eyes.
When the shockwave passed, Electrolux, satisfied, sank back into slumber. Skydream Iceworm, however, now wore a grave expression — taking this "neighbor" seriously for the first time.
Inside the room —
The disturbance Electrolux had stirred was like a faint breeze brushing through, gently lifting the corners of a book.
Thus, the two girls continued to sit cross-legged opposite each other, quietly circulating their soul power as if nothing had happened.
But outside…
Within Shrek Academy
Neuvillette stood with his long staff in hand, eyes narrowing.
"This aura… such overwhelmingly dense necrotic energy… could it be Electrolux?"
His brow furrowed slightly.
"At this point, he should still be asleep… unless the Dragonwhisker Tea I gave her took effect?"
"Forget it. I still have to get up early tomorrow. Eight-thirty in the morning… that's practically murder…" Neuvillette shook his head.
This time of day reminded him of a certain past life terror — the fear of being forcibly woken early.
Sea God Island
On a wooden deck chair, an old man with a white beard and brows suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze locking straight toward the outer court. His expression turned grave.
"This kind of aura… why would it appear within the Academy?"
"Could it be…"
The next instant, a figure appeared before him.
"Elder Mu, something's happened!"
Xuan Zi arrived, clutching half a chicken leg, his face solemn.
"An Evil Soul Master has infiltrated the Academy! And it's in the outer court. I'm sure you felt that aura just now!"
"Yes."
Elder Mu nodded slightly.
"But that aura vanished instantly — even I couldn't lock onto its position. Now that it's revealed itself, it must have fled Shrek Academy. But to enter under the noses of us old fellows…"
He pondered for a moment, then turned to Yan Shaozhe, who had just arrived, and gave a stern order.
"Notify all Elders. Convene a Sea God Pavilion meeting."
"Yes."
Yan Shaozhe's brow furrowed deeply as he turned to leave.
Elder Mu's expression remained serious. He had weathered countless storms, but this incident… felt like it was slipping out of control.
Outside Shrek City
Star Dou Forest
Figures in black robes stood suspended in the air, gazing silently in the direction of Shrek Academy.
The dim moonlight bathed them, lending an eerie and mysterious air.
But on closer inspection, one could see not far below them —
A mountain of soul beast corpses, all missing their heads, as if some bizarre ritual had taken place.
Blood seeped into the earth, the stench of gore mixing with the forest's natural fragrance into a strangely intoxicating scent.
"I have never felt… such concentrated necrotic energy. This… this is the ultimate we've sought all along…"
The man at the front of the black-robed group spoke slowly, voice tinged with madness and excitement.
He turned his head and gave an order to the people behind him:
"Send word to the Pope! Even if we have to tear it from Shrek's hands — the Holy Spirit Sect must claim it!"
"Yes, Seventh Elder."
One of the figures bowed, his body blurring into a streak of light that vanished into the distance.
(End of Chapter)