Second academic year

The next day.

Shrek Academy. Assembly ground.

With six classes, one for each of the six grades, the whole assembly only contained several hundred students. Elder Cai spared few words and casually praised Tang Wulin's team for their victory against the Imperial Sun Moon Soul Engineering Academy. Then the ceremony concluded. The teachers led their students back to their respective classrooms, marking the start of the second semester.

Thus the second academic year of the freshmen had officially started.

Lecture podium.

A new year but the same podium. The students all returned to their respective seats and began to wait for the teachers and/or Lectures.

Naturally, close congregation of students led to conversations, and conversations led to gossip, "Have you heard? Luo Guixing and the other rankers challenged the class president's team to a match. It's happening this afternoon. I heard it from a teacher yesterday. Luo Guixing has already rented an arena."

Said some child. On the first day of his academic year. From his knowledge, it was quite clear that most of the rankers had already prepared for the bout during the holidays.

"Really? They're fighting again? Those rankers still haven't had enough?"

Some other child replied. Totally forgetting that he wasn't even worth mentioning but still had disdain at the weakness of the rankers whose strength he may never be able to match.

"Of course they're not convinced! They're all on the Genius Youths Rankings while none of the members of Class President's team are on it. It'd be weird if they kept quiet. Well, good for us. Just means we have a show to watch this afternoon. Who knows how strong they all are now?"

One group chimed in. Who didn't want some class fights on the first day of their school? More so when they weren't involved in it.

"Yeah. One thing's for sure: they've left us in the dust. You know, back then I had believed Luo Guixing and Wu Siduo would definitely win, but who would have thought Class President's team was so powerful? I still don't see anything too special about them, even though they managed a victory. And they even defeated the second grade's class. I don't think Luo Guixing's team has got much of a chance."

Someone with a clear understanding of his position spoke.

"Totally. I feel the same. But let's wait and see. Luo Guixing wouldn't have posed the challenge if he didn't have some confidence. We gotta go watch this match."

Those who agreed on his statement internally nodded their heads at him.

While all the students were chatting and discussing things among them while waiting for Shen Yi, she had already appeared and had been patiently hiding by the podium to see the discipline of the students. Probably. It could also be a hidden hobby of her. Who knows.

Patience wearing thin, Shen Yi slammed her hand on the lecture stand and swept her cold gaze through the classroom. The students quieted immediately, all shocked at her sudden appearance. 

Satisfied, she went over the objectives for the academic year. Due to the overwhelming performance of the Tang Wulin's team in the semester exams and the potential of the Battle Armour being directly incorporated in the first year of their schooling. The freshmen had a task change. Their new task for this year was simple: start the construction of a set of one-word battle armor.

In order to enter the inner court, they must become one-word battle armor masters by the age of twenty. That was the general case that the academy had set and it followed a simple sequence. 

In their first grade, the children were made to create Mechas. This was due to the fact that most of the students had an average of rank 3 in their secondary profession and Mecha creation would tremendously help them in honing their secondary occupation. Thus the students were encouraged and tested for Mecha creation and had a group Mecha competition as the final exams of their first grade.

Then comes second grade(15-17) and the students were now encouraged to begin their Battle Armour journey as most had reached the basic requirements for it and possessed ample on their secondary occupation, with most of them being rank 5 or maybe even rank 6 in their professions. 

These were required ranks for the creation of the Battle Armour since the students would now had a good, not basic, but good and firm understanding of their own limitations and needs.

Throughout the second grade, the students would then focus on the Battle Armour with the main exam being that a group had to create a completely function one word Battle Armour. Simple and cost effective.

Now comes the third grade(18-20), if the student had their own one word Battle Armour by now, they will be transferred to the inner court, while the rest would try to create their one word Battle Armour before 20 to reach the inner court. Hence those who reached grade 4 were losers. So were grade 5 and 6.

This was the usual routine but the Protagonist Tang Wulin's performance at the various events showcased the change that a Battle Armour could bring despite the strength gap.

Now the Teachers and older students were at the thinking that perhaps they should have directly focused on the Battle Armour in the early days.

So it was best to start early? Nope. Crafting battle armor was no simple task, and it would take much time, effort, and luck to accomplish. In fact, many first grade had secretly begun this after witnessing Tang Wulin's one-word gauntlet. But making progress was another story. While they could buy the required metals, a bottleneck existed in the designs and crafting department. None of them were sufficiently skilled in their professions.

Still, after spending a year in Shrek Academy, students of the first grade had grown by leaps and bounds. The end-of-semester exam had stimulated them further, presenting numerous challenges for them to overcome and learn from. Yet it still wasn't enough to cover the knowledge gap and resource requirement.

Pride had filled their hearts when their class president prevailed over the second grade's team. And in that moment they had been crowned the most powerful class of new students in the past hundred years. Tang Wulin's team and the rankers were the idols of the first grade. The goal they strived for, hoped to one day overtake.

The academy precisely wanted to use this chance to further induce growth into the students. If there was any other instance, they would have not changed the task of the first years group project. They wanted to stimulate the students with greater pressure to acquire better products, I mean growth. Better overall growth.

The first year had a rank 5 Blacksmith as Tang Wulin, followed by a rank 4 Blacksmith Yang Yanren or something.

Then there was Rank 5 Mecha designer Gu Yue, followed by many other rank 4 Mecha designers. 

Elder Cai knew that and that's why, let's focus on these two guys. Let's all focus on these two.

But there were many others to rely on. You get my point? No. 

"Well Elder Cai is forcing the class on rely more on Tang Wulin and Gu Yue, increasing their workload. Apparently this will help them both. Obviously. It not like she would have any other hidden motives behind this decision. She wasn't that kind of person. Right?"

Despite the difficulty of obtaining inner court seats, the students still dreamed of getting in. They still fought hard for even the barest sliver of a chance and they now can get it. A one word Battle Armour was the requirement to enter the inner court and with Tang Wulin as their Blacksmith, and Gu Yue as their designer they had a chance to do that. So will they not rely on their hope?

....

And Tang Wulin precisely understood this. So after a bit of thinking and discussing with Gu Yue and the rest. They all devised a plan to fork out more resources for the school for their grade while also getting out of their current predicament.

Tang Wulin asked teacher Wu Zhangkong, the one who was standing beside Shen Yi the whole time, for the permission to fight the third grade.

Now he could unceremoniously stop his classmates from crowding on them for their battle armour and his grade would also be getting more resources if he defeated the third grade, thus easing the creation process of many of his classmates which would result in them needing/requiring less help from the outside, or vice versa.

By the end of the day, the news has spread everywhere in the academy and everyone was discussing on whether the academy accept this proposal and proceed with the challenge.

...

The third grade differed tremendously from those before it. Due to the structure of Shrek Academy's academic calendar and the three-year length of grades, everyone in the third grade was approaching 19 years old. Third grade students had been studying at Shrek Academy for seven years by now, and the most talented of the bunch were preparing to take the inner court exams(again). They simply couldn't be compared with the second. All of them probably were one-word battle armor masters by now!

As for their strongest? Definitely.

Tang Wulin's team was extremely talented, but talent alone couldn't overcome the divide between a battle armor master and a regular soul master. Tang Wulin knew this all too well since his coming to Shrek.

Generally, anyone who didn't enter the inner court by the end of the third grade no longer had hopes of ever making it in. Most of the students who stayed for the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades were gifted people who needed that final push to become a one-word battle armor master before graduating. Even if it was just from the outer court, Shrek Academy's name carried a prestigious and hefty weight. 

So the third grade was quite a benchmark and if Tang Wulin and group could defeat them, then the first grade would obviously receive tons of resources. Resources needed for cultivation and probably battle armour as well.

And if they lost. Then nothing. They will try another year and people won't held their lose against them. It would be a completely different matter if the third grade lost though. That would be shameful but the world was strong eats the weak. Everyone wanted to thrive. There wasn't much they could do to change that.

But where was Fan Lin in all of this? What was his role? 

The hustle and bustle of the new school year, the conundrum of the chaos and the urgency in the atmosphere. Fan Lin had faded into the background, ignored by all.

Things were tense and he had a higher task than the pesky toddlers in his class. He alone had to stop the destruction of Shrek or at least get strong enough to escape before or when it happened.

Adding to the fact that Qiangu Dongfeng most likely could have some pawn in the Shrek who worked as his eyes and nose and was keeping all the tabs of Fan Lin to Qiangu Dongfeng. It was better to fade into the background and lie low.

Fan Lin this wanted to avoid the limelight and had distanced himself from the others, else they might be involved in the conflict between Qiangu Dongfeng and Fan Lin.

Fan Lin didn't care about the life of other humans when he was the one killing them but it was an entirely different matter when someone innocent died due to him. It brought some really painful traumas of his and he hated it to the bones. The self loathing that he had against himself wasn't something that others could easily understand. At the end of the day, it was all about himself and how he would feel. 

It always had been.

For now, any unnecessary deaths that was going to happen due to him, and in his knowledge, was something that he wanted to avoid. He can and he will.

Hence no relationship or contact with others meant no deaths. It was crude and simple yet the most effective plan in his situation as he was a loner and outcast since long ago. He just needed to continue that for a while. Basically no change in his lifestyle.

Hence....

"No." 

"At least listen to the plan." [Tang Wulin]

"Still no." 

Fan Lin rejected Tang Wulin before he could speak and continued to meditate.

"You are doing nothing but lazing around in the shade anyways. At least listen to us for a few seconds." [Tang Wulin]

Fan Lin opened his eyes yet again and gazed at Tang Wulin that was inverted in his vision. He was laying down on the grass and meditating in his training area behind the working students dorms using his Energy Body skill but Tang Wulin had found him and came to discuss about the grade competition HE had started.

"Still a no. Pester me once more and I will send a written complaint to Elder Cai. Let's see how much she takes from you this time." 

Fan Lin said and went to meditate again. A month of deep sleep had allowed him to achieve some tranquility in his heart while not inhibiting his cultivation in any way. Hence Fan Lin now wanted to change that 'some' to complete tranquility or serenity. Whatever he could achieve. He just want to have some.

"You! You are just! Forget it. I won't ask you for anything again..." [Tang Wulin]

Tang Wulin looked at Fan Lin's emotionless face and fumed his way to the working students dorms and beyond. Fan Lin really left him speechless at times. Like why the heck was he in Shrek for if he wasn't striving for improvement?

Fan Lin, on the other hand, went back to his meditation. His body laying like a corpse on the grass while sunlight shone on it. 

'Nothing good will come out of me in rage or vengeance.'

As for training his physique and such, it had currently become useless. His physique had reached a stage where his training wasn't bearing any results, not even the internal combustion. Everything had become easier after his Energy Body skill became ten thousand year old spirit skill.

Hence the only viable way to advance his strength given the circumstances he was in, was through meditation and etc. 

'But I have been barred from the boundless training area for two months since I rejected the inner court promotion.'

"Whatever."

.....

Some days later.

"You rejected Tang Sect's Battle Hall invitation as well?" 

Elder Cai's office was as majestically bland as it always had been. 

'Does she not get bored while drinking tea by herself. Their's even two cups, at least pass one to me.'

"How do you know that?" [Fan Lin]

Currently Fan Lin was standing in front of Elder Cai as she had wanted to have a talk to him.

"Why did you reject them as well. First your inner court promotion and now this, are you afraid of something?" 

Elder Cai said in a serious tone. She just couldn't understand what was going on in Fan Lin's mind anymore. 

[Flashback]

First day of the semester. After classes.

The classes had ended and Fan Lin was leaving for the cafeteria as usual when Elder Cai had called on his soul communicator, summoning him to her office.

After a brief introspection and thinking that maybe his truth had been revealed, Fan Lin had quietly went to visit her. He thought that he would be crucified at the least but Elder Cai informed him of his Inner court promotion due to his outstanding battle capabilities and secondary profession growth.

According to her, despite his nature, he had shown hardwork and diligence throughout the year while continuosly showing results that were nothing less than praiseworthy. 

After a good contemplation and judgement by the rest of the Elders, he was thus promoted to an inner court student from the second semester. Or it should have been.

Fan Lin had rejected her and his inner court promotion. He had come prepared for the worst and this was what he was given. His whole mood got ruined and in slight anger, he has respectfully said, "no. I am happy where I am and I don't think the inner court could provide me something I can't buy on my own. I will take my leave now."

Then he didn't know what had happened but when he went to cultivate in the boundless training area, he was informed that he was banned for the next two months. Thus he had quietly went towards his training area and meditated there from then on.

[Flashback ends]

"My reply is the same as before. The higher you climb, the more weird things you have to do and I don't want to do any of that. I have wealth, I shall use it. As for the resources of the school, use it on someone needy. I don't need them."

Fan Lin once again turned to leave but the door didn't open. He turned around and looked at Elder Cai, his eyes asking what this was all about. A teacher and a student locked in a room, that was not a good omen.

"You haven't answered my question. Are you afraid of something?" 

Elder Cai repeated her words while gazing at the emotionless faced Fan Lin.

"I am not." 

He answered, waiting for her to open the door. She didn't.

"You used to go to the Spirit Pagoda everyday. Even had enough connections with the President of the Spirit Pagoda that he had specially granted you unrestricted entrance to the Spirit Ascension Platform. You weren't even a member of the Spirit Pagoda at that. Then what happened that you not only stopped your visits but joined another organisation out of nowhere."

She calmly looked at him, as if waiting for what he was going to say.

"I was just there to hone my second skill to my desired level. After I was done, I bade my farewell and left. My relationship with the President of the Spirit Pagoda was purely monetary and nothing personal. I filled his pockets with money and some future promises while he had given me the privilege to use the Spirit Ascension Platform till I had wanted. That was all there was between us." 

"As for me joining the Tang Sect, it was because of the Demon eye technique that was helpful in increasing the spirit power. Once again, that was all I had wanted. After I gained that, I was going to be pretty passive and leave after a while but I found a spirit soul that I want and that's why I have been collecting points required for it. My intention was never to join the battle hall or whatever. That's all there is to mindless theories that you are incorporating in your free time... I also explained that to them as well."

Elder Cai squinted her eyes as she glared at Fan Lin's face that didn't change.

"You said that Shrek's current curriculum was too much that you can do nothing else at the moment. They had came to ask me to grant you some free time for other activities!" 

"On my defence, Shrek's curriculum is quite time consuming to me. Especially the unnecessary group events and plans. Plus the person who asked me felt like he couldn't bear a straight rejection. So I gave an indirect excuse. That still doesn't change my intentions of not joining the Battle Hall" 

"You have never actually participated in any of the 'unnecessary' group event that you complain about." 

"Exactly my point. Even if I don't participate in them, they still consume my time as I am stuck while doing nothing but wait at some corner while the rest of them finishes so we can move forward. Unlike the rest, I am not even allowed to skip classes since a certain someone got too angry at my words."

"Then join the inner court! You don't have to participate in any of these things." 

"Nope. I am fine. Not my first time doing things I don't find particularly interesting." 

"..." [Elder Cai]

*Silence*

"..." [Fan Lin]

"Why do you not participate in combat activities? Just answer me this and I will let you go." 

"I despise violence. Or anything related to it. I don't like hurting others. I don't like to be hurt, or in pain. I just want to peacefully live without violence of any kind. Is that too much to ask for?" 

Fan Lin said to her. There was no emotion to his voice. There was no turbulence in his eyes. It was just pure calmness.

Elder Cai blankly stared at Fan Lin for a while. She commended the gall of Fan Lin to say those words after all the things he had done to pass the semester exams or his one year worths of Spirit Ascension Platform data or just his mouth that spat venom when he spoke.

"...Last year, you were here due to a fight-..."

Fan Lin interjected Elder Cai in the middle of her sentence.

"A confrontation that I hadn't started, not wanted to. I just wanted to go and sleep but everything had happened so fast I could only control myself from not hurting them as much as I could. Even the argument that I had with them was just a rush of emotions as I didn't know what to do at that moment. Once I had calmed down, I had accepted the results, however they were." 

"I don't want to become a part of something that sends their members on shady missions in the name of honing them. That's why I rejected the inner court promotion, same with the Tang Sect Battle Hall invitation. I have no need for a promotion or the responsibilities that comes with it. For I will choose what responsibilities that I am capable of bearing and what I want to bear. Would that suffice as my answer?" 

Elder Cai said nothing but the door had opened. Fan Lin turned around and left. He may have axed his foot but he won't be pestered for another promotion for a while.

"Despise violence? Coming from the boy who has a 11 month straight slaughter fest in the Spirit Ascension Platform? Or the near homicidal behaviour of his at the Semester exams? Those doesn't seem like they came from someone who despise violence." 

An Old Man said while sitting on the sofa at one side of the room.

"The rest of his behaviour does match what he had said though. From the beginning of his classes to now, he indeed had avoided most of the activities that needed him to fight, while directly giving up on those that he couldn't avoid." 

"He is definitely hiding something. I would rather believe that the sun had risen from the west than his words. A kid with that toxic mouth can't be an amicable and peace loving fool." [Elder Cai]

"But in the off chance that he was saying the truth, we should just observe him a bit more. If he is truly problematic, then it would be for good that he didn't join us, I already had enough headaches from the recent incident cover-ups." 

"Is the news true? Or is it just another rumour?" [Elder Cai]

"We still have no conclusive evidence on that. It's still just a conjecture at this point but the Parliamentary factions just doesn't seem to shut up about it." 

"What to expect from those fools who didn't want to leave their chairs? All these years of uselessness had made them senile hence their stupid blabbering. If not for my position, I would have murdered them myself." [Elder Cai]

"That would be another headache."

"Indeed." [Elder Cai]

.....

Fan Lin returned to his training area and laid down to meditate. He knew his words would definitely not be reciprocated in a kind way and there would be lots of suspicions on him but he was fine with it.

'I just need to act as usual.'

Soon, everything will be slowly forgotten in the ravages of times as Elder Cai definitely had other things to pay attention to instead of Fan Lin, the background character.

'She can watch me as much as she wants. I won't be leaving Shrek academy for a long while anyways.'

"I wanna eat something sweet.'

He quietly mumbled and began to sleep.

.....

An hour later. 

*Gruhggg*

The dawn of the evening, or twilight, was beautifully emerging in the sky as Fan Lin was disturbed from his meditation by someone he wasn't prepared for, and in a way that unexpectedly unnecessary.

"How do you know Tang Wulin?" 

Gu Yue asked after throwing a rock from a distance. She had tried to call him many times but this proved more effective.

"Stalker?"

Fan Lin groggily looked at her and mumbled. He really was in that cozy comfortable sleep at the best moment of the day when it wasn't too hot or cold while a sweet breeze was gently caressing his body and now he was awaken from sleep with a rock to his upper body.

"You are Tang Wulin's stalker?" [Gu Yue]

Gu Yue asked with doubt. Fan Lin rubbed his eyes and face of the dirt from the rock debris and looked at her as emotionless returned to him.

"You are the stalker. What do you need from me woman? I am not interested in him so on your way now. Bye." 

He said while getting up. He was going to find a new place to train since this one seems to be too easy to find. Gu Yue silently looked at him, a little confused at what his words implied. 

'How did he know?' [Gu Yue]

"What are you saying?" 

She asked him but he seem to not have heard her as he quietly began to leave the clearing, going deeper off into the forest.

"I said what do you mean by that? You know about Tang Wulin and Na Er, right?"

She asked again but Fan Lin just continued his pace while ignoring her. His actions clearly signifying his interest on the topic. He knew that nothing good was going to come after involving himself with the Wulin crazed woman.

Gu Yue began to follow him into the forest. So he just created a curved barrier wall that cut off Gu Yue's advance and continued moving deeper into the forest.

Gu Yue coldly looked at the crystal wall that was in front of her. She wasn't in the mood to play.

Na Er, Tang Wulin's non biological sister, and her other half, had been challenging her over Tang Wulin's adoration causing her to be insecure and jealous at the moment. Really insecure and jealous.

Although she had been assured by Tang Wulin that there was nothing between them but something in Gu Yue still becomes extremely restless whenever he was close to Na Er.

Hence Gu Yue was here, to get answers from Fan Lin since Na Er had said that the sick looking boy(Fan Lin) was present in Tang Wulin's childhood and had witnessed the promises that Tang Wulin and Na Er had made. Adult promises. Lifelong promises. Unforgettable promises!

And to give clarification on the situation, Na Er had just wanted to annoy Gu Yue and had just lied about Tang Wulin making such promises in their young age but Gu Yue had taken it a little too seriously.

So when she realised that there was someone in the first grade who had came from the same town as Tang Wulin, was the same age and had mostly been to the same schooling as him and was the witness to the promises that they had made, Gu Yue was here.

But Tang Wulin didn't seem to remember Fan Lin.

And how would Tang Wulin even remember that? Fan Lin had reached a terrifying puberty after getting his first three spirit rings that he didn't look like the traumatised kid that he once was. They weren't even close or anything in the elementary school to begin with.

Adding to the fact that Tang Wulin had graduated his elementary schooling a year earlier than Fan Lin, thus adding a rift between their studies. Then Fan Lin had laid low during his Eastsea academy times and faithfully followed and moved to the Earthrock Alliance and then to Shrek Academy, thus becoming a fragmented memory of a person who had the same name as one of his classmates whose face he didn't even remember anymore.

And all this was just going to be buried into the ground, never to be mentioned again but Na Er's beautiful lie had sent the psychotic Gu Yue to get the required answers from Fan Lin. The answers that he didn't even know. He was never close to any of this classmates in any of the schools that he had attended.

It was a weird miracle that Na Er had even recognised Fan Lin. She must be extraordinary in some sense.

"I just need a few answers and I will leave. It won't take much of your time." 

Gu Yue once again confronted him while walking towards him from the front. Fan Lin looked back at the crystal wall that he had created.

"Did you just teleport?" 

He wondered, dead in his tracks and with Gu Yue standing quite a distance from him. 

"Just a few questions." 

She repeated her words. Fan Lin sighed and looked at her. 

'What are the chances that I will be murdered by the Black dragon tonight?'

Here's a really simple question. Was Gu Yue forcing Fan Lin to do something he just didn't want to do?

"Were Tang Wulin and Na Er really close when they were younger?"

Gu Yue asked. She didn't see the emotions that were not showing on Fan Lin's emotionless face. 

"You think that just because I am alone with you that you can threaten me?"

Gu Yue squinted her eyes at his words. This wasn't the answer to her question.

"I don't mean to threaten you. Neither do I want to. I just have a really important question and you are the only one who knows it. If this wasn't the case, I wouldn't have disturbed you." 

She calmly commented with any hint of annoyance or irritation that Fan Lin's actions normally caused. Her calmness calmed his irritation as well since now he didn't see a reason to get angry since he would have done the same.

'Sleeping everyday had finally started to show its effects!'

She had already explained herself and her intentions and it didn't seem like a threat but like an urgent plea unlike how she sounded when saying those words.

"They were close." 

Fan Lin answered while recalling the bits of memories that he had of the novel's beginning chapters and his time at the elementary school with Tang Wulin.

Except this wasn't the answer that Gu Yue was hoping for since Tang Wulin, Xie Xie and Na Er had said the same exact thing in different words.

"How close?" [Gu Yue]

She hoped for details.

"Pretty close. They ate together, played together, went to different places together and for a part they bathed and slept together as well. Often times, they were practically glued to each other and often teased for it."

Fan Lin replied, his words innocent and pure.

"Together...bathe...slept?" [Gu Yue]

But as Gu Yue continued to listen, something in her snapped. Fan Lin's words may have been meant without any malice but Gu Yue wasn't focusing on the material aspects, her thoughts were on the destruction and murder of Na Er, along with lots of heartache as she felt betrayed by Tang Wulin for not telling her about this. 

His words had just blossomed the restrained feelings that she had for the child that clearly wasn't 14 years old but her love had died young as she herself (Na Er) her stolen her love.

Elements began to vehemently writhe around her as she stood there blankly, unable to fathom what to do since hurting Na Er would pain Tang Wulin and she didn't want to hurt him, but she couldn't let go of the rage that was bubbling inside of her as well. She was confused more that she ever was in her entire life.

"Can I go now?" 

Then some irresponsible words nudged her out of her thoughts. 

....

Fan Lin saw the emotional struggle and the eyes of someone in love in Gu Yue. He didn't know what had happened and on what landmine he had stepped on but after a bit of thinking, she could be at the moment when Gu Yue(female lead) must have finally fallen for Tang Wulin (male lead).

Now he could have just left without telling as Gu Yue was lost in thought and would most likely not even realize that he had gone, or care for it.

He would have... if Gu Yue wasn't filled with overflowing murderous intent and destroying the plants and grass around her. He didn't know if this was a part of the plot or not, he did know that his words caused that and if not intervention occurred, Gu Yue would definitely do something bloody and it won't be her that time of the month, her periods that is.

Fan Lin deflected his anger with another really poor joke but.... why am I getting more angry?

He looked at her and the seething elements that had began to calm now that she was facing him and some sense of reality was finally getting to her head that she was in front of a normal human student... and she shouldn't show her protagonist's hidden actual strength anymore. They were hidden for a reason(probably). Hence they should remain hidden for now. He then looked at the amount of damage she had unconsciously caused and decided to create a some regeneratives later.

"Hmm." [Gu Yue]

Gu Yue nodded her head at his previous question and Fan Lin didn't waste a moment to leave or something would happen. He had given her the nudge that was required and Gu Yue now had a sense of reasoning in her mind. She will most likely reason herself out of the emotional turmoil that she was feeling and everything would be good.

Though the hasty actions of Fan Lin and his previous unwillingness aroused a thought in Gu Yue's mind that she didn't waste any time to ask him.

"You didn't lie to me. Did you?" [Gu Yue]

"No. Just know that Tang Wulin would always choose you(since you are the female lead)." 

He said without turning to look at her and cleared the crystal wall from his path and quietly left. No grass was harmed in the process and he shall continue his search for a better meditation ground some other time.

"Did he just control those crystals of his without materializing his spirit ring?" 

Back in the forest, Gu Yue thought about Fan Lin's skill usage as she wondered how she was going to face Tang Wulin the next day. One thing was clear though, it definitely would not be the same. 

.....

The next day was spent in an awkward atmosphere as the whole grade 1 was silent from the tension between Tang Wulin and Gu Yue, with Tang Wulin not knowing what had happened and Gu Yue remaining silent and distant from him due to various emotions that she felt, both good and bad, happy and sad. She just didn't understand how to control her overflowing self in front of Tang Wulin. Whenever he was present around her, she felt as if she was attracted to his very self and it was beyond her control to stop that. Totally beyond her control. As if she was a puppet with strings attached.

Otherwise she was fine. 

And this had once again lead to the oncoming of another person that Fan Lin wasn't expecting.

....

Evening.

Mecha Designer cabin - Fan Lin.

Fan Lin was sleeping as usual while meditating in the new place that he had chosen for his training, his Mecha Designer cabin. 

He had booked it for three years and it even had his name specifically engraved on it yet the amount of time he had visited this place could be counted to two times since he booked it.

But now was the season of change and since he had a free space to cultivate in peace, he shall. He was not meditating in the working students dormitory since his senses made the walls thinner than the thinnest paper and the working students all had weird hobbies. To put it nicely.

So as evening had dawned and a new twilight was shining in the clear skies, Fan Lin was sleeping peacefully in his enclosed room when the ensuing storm whose winds that he had started the previous day came to his doorstep. Quite literally.

"Open the door Fan Lin!"

"Open the door now! We need to talk!"

*Bang*

*Bang*

*Sigh*

Fan Lin's eyes open as his face showed his irritation at the best time of his sleep. 

'Ain't I getting quite a lot of threats nowadays?' 

*Sigh*

He sighed and lazily raised his hands to open the door from his deskpad controller. Technology!

The moment the door opened, Tang Wulin barged into the room like a mad bull and looked at the emotionless Fan Lin with hate and anger.

'Everyone's angry huh? Wish I could be as well.'

Fan Lin thought while the door behind Wulin closed. Now Wulin was alone with him. In a closed space with no escape. Nothing was going to happen. Hmph! Perverts.

"Who told you about here?" 

Fan Lin slowly got up from ground and adjusted his dishevelled clothes. Proper clothes as a must. 

'Like what if someone were to barge into the room and misunderstand the situation. That shouldn't happen.' 

"You don't know what happened? What did you say to Gu Yue?" [Wulin]

Wulin just stared at him silently waiting for something but since it looked like Fan Lin truly had no idea about anything. His anger was at least apparent and visible to others. So what happened that anger the good natured Wulin?

"What happened now?" 

Fan Lin asked him, his voice, as usual, lacking the emotions that his words should have. 

"Are you trying to play me for a fool? What did you say to her? Why is she so distant today? Why?" 

"I don't know what you are talking about but she might just be emotionally overwhelmed from everything that's going on around her, both inside and outside. Just give her some space and peace of mind and everything will sort itself out. Now leave."

Fan Lin gave the option of peace to Tang Wulin and opened the door. His actions conflicting with what he wanted to do to the one who had disturbed him time and time again for useless things but his words held more priority. No violence meant no violence.

"I asked what did you say to her that she was acting like that. Answer me!" [Tang Wulin]

Tang Wulin asked in a pleading tone. He was really confused with Gu Yue's behavior but more than that, he knew that Gu Yue was hurting inside and he wanted to ease her pain but had no way since he didn't even know what the problem was and she was not telling him, and he couldn't see her like that anymore but was unable to do anything and was feeling frustrated and angry at his own self.

That's why when he heard that Fan Lin was probably the last person who met Gu Yue, he had stopped his work and immediately began to find Fan Lin. 

He wanted to know what had Fan Lin done or said to her that lead to the current situation. Everything was fine the previous day. They were both happily smiling and enjoying each other's company.

Then what happened in a span of a night that changed so much that Gu Yue wasn't even looking straight at him now? Always avoiding his sight and treating him coldly throughout the day. What happened? He had just gotten his sister back and now the person that he liked was becoming distant from him in front of his eyes, Tang Wulin just couldn't accept it. He was distraught, lost and had no idea on what to do. He was just a child experiencing youthful love without any worldly experiences or guidance. 

*Swoosh*

The door was closed.

Tang Wulin was given the way out. Fan Lin had given the way out. But Tang Wulin hadn't taken it. 

Fan Lin had just stated that he despised violence less than a day ago. From then to now, he had two cases where he wanted to become violent though. It was like the heavens, so they say, was purposely testing him since his punishment God had gone to rest.

"Whatever I said to her are things between us. If she didn't tell you anything regarding that then I don't think I have any right to do so as well. As for your 14 year old pathetic puppy love, keep it down your throat and leave. Give her time, a day, week, month, maybe a year. Things will sort out, at least put some trust in her or have some faith, or both, and get out of my face. I am sick of you all coming to me whenever you feel like. You wouldn't like it if I do that."

"Whatever we had talked about, if she felt like it, she will tell you. Now this is your last chance, leave or I am going to call her and complain about you." 

The door was opened once again as Fan Lin took out his soul communicator as a means of threat. Tang Wulin was quite gullible and easy to fool and that was what Fan Lin was going to use against him.

"You have her contact information."

Tang Wulin turned his gaze to the soul communicator in Fan Lin's hand. Fan Lin's words did have an impact on him until the point Fan Lin mentioned calling Gu Yue to complain about him. 

Gu Yue wasn't the social kind and would not give her contact information to just anyone. Fan Lin having her contact address meant that she trusted him after whatever he said to her that she gave her contact info to him. That meant Fan Lin could be trusted on his words.

As for the idea that Fan Lin could have somehow gotten Gu Yue's number through shady methods or blackmail, Tang Wulin didn't even think of it. There was just no reason for his thought process to go that way.

'That's not the point that you should be focusing on.' [Fan Lin]

"I do. Any problem with that? She can't even share her contact information with other people now? Is she obliged to tell you everything before doing something? Let's ask her views on those things then. I am pretty sure she would be delighted to know how 'progressive' you are." [Fan Lin]

Fan Lin randomly started to press digits in his soul communicator and connected the call.

"I will leave, I will leave. Don't call her. Please! I will leave." [Tang Wulin]

Tang Wulin hurriedly backed down from the room and into the corridor while repeatedly mumbling to himself. He was still confused and still had his anger and desperation but Fan Lin was truly mad with no regards to etiquette, wording and respect. Tang Wulin feared what Fan Lin may say to Gu Yue about him because whatever he said, it definitely won't be civil or good.

Hence the moment he saw Fan Lin dial the numbers, he had immediately backed away without even checking to see whose number Fan Lin was dialing.

He could also have come forward to snatch the soul communicator from Fan Lin's hands and break it but he was raised right, and wouldn't chose violence as his first option during a neutral threat despite his anger.

And another completely unrelated fact was that the moment Tang Wulin tries anything like that, he won't be leaving the cabin without one of his limbs missing from his body.

Fan Lin peeked at the corridor from the doorway and after making sure that Wulin was truly gone, he heaved another sigh. He cut the random call and threw his soul communicator on his bed.

'Another problem dealt without violence.'

"Good job."

I am still proud of myself. 

Fan Lin consoled himself a few times to mend the shattered pride of his that could have solved the situation within a single moment and no need for words. 

"Why do I have to talk to someone when I don't want to?" 

He closed the door of his cabin and took out some random parts to inscribe. He wasn't in the mood to sleep anymore and his Energy Body will passively cultivate anyways.

"Inscribing is hard." 

Since he had a new thing to do, he was going to be occupied for a whole night as his new hobby was to learn spirit engineering: spiritual inscribing.

He had already achieved a really high mastery in the so called Mecha designers occupation and had thus spread his hands in spirit engineering since whatever Qiangu Dongfeng was going to do, it must have something to do with the God killing cannon that he had shown him.

That weapon was the product of the spirit engineers, the people who pretty much made every piece of soul technology there is. So he was acquiring knowledge to counterattack or at least have knowledge of what he was facing.

And since the first two ranks of the Mecha Maker and Mecha Mecha mechanic secondary occupation had a lot in common with basic spirit engineering he had decided to start with them as he wanted to keep his interest in the spirit engineering a secret. Adding to his situation and his inability to leave Shrek Academy and the few recent bans that he had caused upon himself, time wasn't something he lacked for now.

'Self improvement is a must!' 

"I won't be creating anything though. Not making the same mistakes again."

'As for Wulin, his protagonist luck will likely shine and he will find the perfect person for his situation at the perfect moment. In due time, everything will sort itself out."

"Who cares. At least I don't. I should."

'The regeneratives should be doable tomorrow.'