"You decide for yourself."
Wang Lin didn't try to persuade him further. Anyway, based on the original work, the student exchange program was at least a year and a half away.
He had plenty of time to change Xiao Hongchen's mind about going to Shrek Academy.
They didn't dwell on the topic of Shrek Academy, switching instead to catching up on recent events.
Xiao Hongchen kept an eye on the time. As noon approached, without giving a reason, he directly pulled Wang Lin toward one of the Fourth-Year teaching buildings.
As soon as they reached the ground floor, a lively girl's voice rang out. Wang Lin then understood why Xiao Hongchen had dragged him over without explanation.
Meng Hongchen, wearing a light yellow school uniform, walked up to Wang Lin, her eyes smiling. The girl seemed to have grown taller since their last meeting.
"Wang Lin, you're back!"
"I'm back, Little Meng. How have you been lately?"
Wang Lin looked at Meng Hongchen, whom he hadn't seen in a while, his face equally beaming with a smile.
"Very well. This soul bone has been very helpful." Saying this, Meng Hongchen waved her left hand. Cold air permeated the space, and a small star condensed from ice formed in her palm.
Meng Hongchen tossed the small star into the air.
Bang!
The small star instantly burst open like a pure white firework. Ice shards flew, swirling around her and Wang Lin, creating a somewhat romantic sight.
"How about that, isn't it amazing?"
Meng Hongchen looked at Wang Lin, a hint of pride in her eyes. Wang Lin nodded, not stinting on the praise.
"Amazing!"
The two chatted while slowly strolling along the street. A trace of frost quietly landed in the collar of the neglected Xiao Hongchen.
He shivered, looking at Meng Hongchen and Wang Lin, who had already walked some distance away. For some reason, he felt a pang of heartache.
In that moment, Xiao Hongchen seemed to understand his grandfather Jing Hongchen's feelings.
"Wait for me." The abandoned third wheel was unwilling to be left behind and quickly jogged to catch up.
They ate lunch together and took a stroll around the academy.
Both Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen had their own study tasks, which meant their time to catch up was destined to be short.
However, no one was being overly sentimental. Wang Lin was back at the academy, and he had also stated that he had no plans for long-distance travel for a long time.
They had plenty of time to spend together; there was no need to cling to a fleeting gathering.
After saying goodbye to Meng Hongchen, Wang Lin and Xiao Hongchen returned to the Third Laboratory in the Sixth-Year Teaching Building.
Since he had just returned to the academy, Wang Lin hadn't been assigned any research tasks.
Therefore, Wang Lin spent the afternoon familiarizing himself with the laboratory under Xiao Hongchen's guidance.
During this time, Xuan Ziwen also checked Wang Lin's foundational Soul Tool knowledge and efficiently arranged three fixed teaching sessions for Wang Lin each week.
For the rest of the time, Wang Lin, who was only a Rank 2 Soul Engineer, was assigned to study under Xiao Hongchen.
The research projects in the laboratory led by Xuan Ziwen usually required at least Rank 4 Soul Engineers to participate. Wang Lin was requested by Xuan Ziwen due to the principles of his Soul Guide Machine.
It should be noted that the instantaneous magnetic force Soul Tool array was modified by Xuan Ziwen, and Xuan Ziwen was the second author on that Soul Tool thesis.
After familiarizing himself with the laboratory's schedule, Wang Lin estimated that he could free up three days a week to work on other things.
With this certainty, Wang Lin relaxed. All he needed was enough free time. He didn't want to dedicate all his time solely to Soul Tools.
In the afternoon, Wang Lin met Xuan Ziwen's other student, Ke Ke. After introducing themselves, Wang Lin took out the pink-blue carving knife to recall the feel of carving Soul Tools.
They continued working until dark. When Wang Lin and Xiao Hongchen left the laboratory together.
It wasn't until they reached the dormitory building that Wang Lin suddenly realized something: he had skipped class for two months, and he currently didn't have a dormitory.
He checked with the dorm manager auntie along with Xiao Hongchen. Hmm, as expected, there were no available rooms, and he would have to wait for an arrangement.
Accepting the dorm manager's suggestion to make do for one night, Wang Lin and Xiao Hongchen headed straight for the dormitory building's equipment room.
Dragging out a bed, Wang Lin unceremoniously moved into Xiao Hongchen's dorm room.
Xiao Hongchen's dorm room was large enough, with plenty of space to fit another bed.
Clang!
A single bed, two meters long and one meter wide, was taken out of Wang Lin's storage space. Under the influence of telekinesis, it was placed on the other side of the room.
Bedding was also taken out. Invisible telekinesis enveloped the bedding, which seemed to come alive and made itself up automatically.
Wang Lin sat on the bed, examining the room, which Xiao Hongchen kept orderly and neat, and laughed.
"Not bad, it's very clean! If I don't get a room, I'll just live with you from now on."
"You've got some nerve. If you move in today, my grandfather will arrange a dormitory for you tomorrow."
Xiao Hongchen shook his head. He didn't mind Wang Lin staying with him.
"True."
Wang Lin lay back on the bed. On the other bed, Xiao Hongchen had already sat cross-legged, preparing for his routine meditation and cultivation.
"Aren't you cultivating?"
"No, I'm tired. I'll rest." Wang Lin waved his hand, signaling Xiao Hongchen not to mind him. Xiao Hongchen nodded and closed his eyes. Wisps of white mist circulated around Xiao Hongchen's mouth and nose, breathing in and out.
Wang Lin lay there on the bed. Time passed, minute by minute. The soul power in the Soul Tool lamp gradually faded.
The surroundings grew dark until it was completely black. Wang Lin slowly sat up on the bed, glancing at Xiao Hongchen.
After confirming that Xiao Hongchen had entered deep meditation.
Swish!
A faint spiritual fluctuation emanated from Wang Lin. His figure blurred, then suddenly split into two.
In the darkness, the two Wang Lins looked at each other. The Wang Lin on the right took out the Staff of Life. The faint gray light glowing on the staff gradually enveloped him.
Swish!
Wang Lin's figure disappeared from the dormitory. The other Wang Lin slowly lay back down on the bed, his breathing gradually becoming steady, appearing to be asleep.
...
Stepping on the dim, gray earth, Wang Lin looked up at the sky. A black sun hung in the center of the sky, emitting an ominous purple light.
No matter how many times he saw it, it felt breathtaking!
Retracting his gaze from the black sun, Wang Lin snapped out of his trance. Not far away, a world distinctly segregated into white and red stood out from the surroundings.
It was like a splash of watercolor on a black and white painting.
Electrolux, dressed in white, walked through that world, like an old farmer, touching one immortal herb, then another.
Every immortal herb touched by Electrolux trembled slightly, seemingly responding to him.
As Wang Lin approached, Electrolux's ancient voice immediately rang out.
"You're here, Little Linzi. Don't rush to take the immortal herbs. This area of the Eye of Ice and Fire is very peculiar. The life essence it emits is actually able to resist the erosion of the Undead Demigod Plane."
Electrolux's tone carried surprise, and he seemed quite pleased.
"It can resist erosion?"
Wang Lin was equally surprised. He walked to the boundary of the Eye of Ice and Fire. Dense Blue Silver Grass intertwined around the Eye of Ice and Fire.
He could feel the faint life essence emitted by the Blue Silver Grass intertwining with and neutralizing the aura of death permeating the Undead Demigod Plane.
"Hmm, but you can't take out more than ten immortal herbs at once. It would affect the balance between life and death." Electrolux nodded. With a wave of his hand, a completely snow-white book, made of an unknown material, flew out from beneath the Mysterious Icy Nine Beauty Flower.
It landed in Wang Lin's hand. "This seems to be a book left by the person who first discovered this place. See if it's useful."