Chapter 68: Only One Room Left (Please stay tuned)
"And then there's Tang San," the Dean hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Tang San is also someone with Innate Full Spirit Power. Although his spirit is Blue Silver Grass, Grandmaster thinks very highly of him. After all, you two are classmates..."
"Forget it, Dean."
Before the Dean could finish, Lin Yuan interrupted him with a smile.
A hint of indifference flashed in his eyes: "Parting is always sentimental; there's no need to make it such a grand affair."
"If fate permits, we will naturally meet again on a larger stage in the future."
Seeing Lin Yuan's firm attitude, the Dean stopped trying to persuade him. After issuing graduation certificates and recommendation letters for the two, he watched them leave... walking out of the gates of Nuoding Academy.
Looking back at the familiar school gate, Lin Yuan didn't feel much attachment.
This was only the starting point of his journey, definitely not the end.
"Brother." Xiao Wu, carrying a small bundle on her back, skipped along beside him, looking to be in a very good mood.
"Are we going straight to Heaven Dou City now?"
Lin Yuan thought for a moment and shook his head:
"No rush, let's go back to the village first."
"The journey to Heaven Dou City is long this time, and I don't know when we'll be back."
"Grandpa Village Chief is getting old. We need to go back and say a proper goodbye so he doesn't worry."
Hearing this, Xiao Wu nodded obediently, a flash of warmth in her eyes: "Mm-hmm! We definitely need to say goodbye to Grandpa. The carrot stew Grandpa makes is so delicious!"
During the first year's vacation at Nuoding Academy, Xiao Wu had shamelessly followed Lin Yuan back to Baishi Village.
Grandpa Village Chief had no children of his own and treated Lin Yuan like his biological grandson. He doted on the lively, cute, porcelain-doll-like Xiao Wu to his very core... Two days later, Baishi Village.
Wisps of cooking smoke rose at the village entrance, accompanied by the familiar sound of barking dogs.
When Lin Yuan appeared at the village entrance with Xiao Wu, the old village chief, who was smoking a dry pipe under a tree, his eyes instantly lit up.
He stood up tremblingly, not even caring to hold onto his pipe, and hurried forward to meet them.
"Lin Yuan! Xiao Wu!"
"Oh, my dear grandson and granddaughter! You're finally back!"
Old Jack's face blossomed with wrinkles as he smiled, pulling their hands and looking them over from left to right.
"You've grown taller! Taller again!"
"Your frames are sturdier too! Good! Very good!"
That night, Old Jack brought out the cured meat he had saved for a long time and prepared a sumptuous reunion dinner.
Under the dim yellow oil lamp, the atmosphere was warm and touching.
After several rounds of drinks, Lin Yuan looked at the kind-faced old man and put down his chopsticks.
"Grandpa," Lin Yuan said softly, "besides visiting you, I came back to say goodbye."
"I've reached level twenty; I'm a Spirit Grandmaster now."
"Nuoding Academy has nothing left to teach me. Xiao Wu and I plan to set off tomorrow for the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire to further our studies at the best academy there."
"Heaven Dou City?"
Old Jack was stunned for a moment.
He hadn't traveled far in his life and didn't understand the prestige of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
But when he heard the word "Royal," he knew it must be an extremely high-end place where only big shots could go.
"Good! Such ambition!"
Although Old Jack didn't understand the details, he knew his grandson was successful.
He wiped the tears of excitement from the corners of his eyes and tightly held Lin Yuan's hand:
"Since you're going, then go and make your mark with peace of mind!"
"My old body is still sturdy; you don't need to worry about me."
"However," Old Jack's tone shifted, becoming serious, "when you two are out in the World, you must support each other."
"Lin Yuan, you are the older brother and a man."
"You must protect Xiao Wu well. You absolutely cannot let her suffer any grievances!"
As he spoke, Old Jack turned to take Xiao Wu's hand, patting it gently with eyes full of doting affection, as if he were looking at his own granddaughter-in-law:
"Girl, if this kid Lin Yuan dares to bully you or treat you poorly, write a letter back and tell Grandpa!"
"No matter how far away it is, Grandpa will vent your anger for you! I'll break his legs with my cane!"
Clearly, in the old village chief's simple view, this pair was already set for life.
Listening to the old man's instructions, the softest part of Xiao Wu's heart was touched.
As a Spirit Beast, she had lost her loved ones and craved this kind of pure, unadulterated familial love the most.
"Mm!"
Xiao Wu nodded heavily, her eyes slightly moist as she held the Grandpa's rough, large hand: "Grandpa, don't worry. Brother is very good to me; he won't bully me."
"Even if he bullies me... hmph, I can hit back!"
Looking at Xiao Wu's charming appearance, both Lin Yuan and Old Jack couldn't help but laugh.
That night, the lights of Baishi Village felt exceptionally warm... Early the next morning.
Under the old village chief's reluctant gaze, Lin Yuan and Xiao Wu shouldered their packs and boarded a carriage bound for the Star Dou Great Forest.
As the carriage gradually disappeared from sight, the old village chief finally returned to the house.
Only then did he discover a bag had appeared on the table at some point.
Opening it to look, a large number of gold coins lay inside!
Estimating by the weight, there were about several hundred gold coins.
This caused the old village chief's eyes to moisten: "Silly child, you're already gone, why leave so much money? I'm just an old man; I can't use this much..."
A single gold coin was enough for him for over half a year, and these hundreds of gold coins meant he wouldn't have to worry for the rest of his life.
After leaving Baishi Village, although the journey to the Star Dou Great Forest was long, it wasn't boring for Lin Yuan and Xiao Wu.
They weren't in a hurry to travel, instead treating this trip as a graduation tour.
Every time they passed a bustling town, the two would have the driver stop, getting off to browse the local markets and taste the specialty delicacies.
For the two who had always lived in Nuoding City and Saint Spirit Village, the outside World was full of novelty.
And so, they traveled and stopped along the way.
Half a month later.
The two finally arrived at a major town in the southern border of the Heaven Dou Empire, which was also the closest supply point to the Star Dou Great Forest—Star Dou Town.
It was now evening.
The setting sun was like blood, dyeing this town filled with a killing aura into a shade of orange-red.
People came and went on the streets, most of them Spirit Masters dressed in leather armor and carrying weapons, or merchants selling supplies.
Lin Yuan led Xiao Wu to a tavern that looked like it was of decent scale.
"Boss, we'd like to stay the night."
Lin Yuan walked to the counter and knocked on the table.
The Waiter was busy calculating accounts. Looking up, he saw a handsome young man and a beautiful girl. Although they weren't old, their temperament clearly showed they weren't ordinary people.
He quickly put on a smile: "Hehe, my apologies to you two guests."
"You've come at an unfortunate time. It's currently the peak season for spirit hunting, and many mercenary groups and academy teams are stationed here."
"The small shop currently... only has one superior room left."
"One?"
Lin Yuan's brow quirked slightly...