When Ying Feng and Ling Xiao appeared one after another, the noisy classroom became strangely quiet. What happened to the two of them spread all over the campus the day before, but when the classmates who interacted with them all the time witnessed the eye color change of the two people with the inversion of one with dark eyes and the other with light eyes, the shock was still indescribable.

Passers-by had nothing to say, and Ling Xiao's friends were even more awkward, not knowing how to comfort him. If Zhu Yue was considered to be Ying Feng’s friend, the anger in his eyes already couldn’t be described as raging.

The situation continued to be stiff until the dean of students and the instructor showed up.

The first one to speak was the dean of students, he was in charge of discipline at the institution. Whenever he spoke, there was bound to be bad news.

"In the last physical health class, the institution organized a visit to the military base for the 10th graders. During it, two students in my class seriously violated the discipline. The public punishment is as follows:

"Students Ying Feng and Ling Xiao trespassed into the military base’s laboratory with the knowledge that there was a no-entry sign, and each of them has received one major demerit;

“Student Ling Xiao stole illegal drugs, each of them has received one major demerit. If they accumulate two, it will delay graduation and will stay in school for observation.”

“Objection,” Zhu Yue raised his hand, “It's clearly something Ling Xiao stole by himself. Why should Ying Feng get a demerit?”

"Ying Feng is Ling Xiao's Qizhu. If the Qizi makes a mistake, it was the Qizhu’s failure to teach and he is responsible for it.”

"He didn't have that kind of relationship with Ying Feng when he stole it!”

"The relationship between the two parties is subject to the demerit time. This is a rule, there is no need to discuss more,” the dean of students overruled Zhu Yue's objection completely. "The above is only the punishment of the school. Their behavior is of a bad nature and violates the law. Finally, the military will issue a trial, and the institution has no right to interfere. I hope that all the students will take this as a warning and not make the same kind of mistake again.“

After he announced the punishment result, the instructor took over the topic.

"There were some accidents that happened in the field education training of this term. I believe that all students know that, considering the special situation of this time, the results of this year's practice will not be included in the grades.”

“Amidst this misfortune, it is fortunate that no students were killed this time. In the future, we will further strengthen the safety precautions of field education to ensure that things like this will not happen again."

When he finished speaking, the topic turned to "for epic-level, rare wild species, it was quite a small part of the education in the classroom before. Considering that there was an extremely low probability that everyone would encounter it was one reason, and the other reason was the lack of detailed information.”

“In today's lesson, we'll make a specific addition to one of the characteristics of SSS creatures.” He turned around and drew several things on the action-sensor-board. When Zhu Yue saw one of them, his eyes widened uncontrollably.

"We know that there are soul stones in every beast. And these few things we see now are another kind of rare ore that resists soul stones, called calming soul stones.”

"On our planet, there are twelve species of Level SSS creatures, each species has its own corresponding calming soul stone. The biggest difference between calming soul stones and soul stones is that calming soul stones aren’t inside creatures and even keeps a certain distance away from creatures. However, the distance is quite limited. Where epic-level creatures appear, there must be a calming soul stone within a radius of 500 meters.”

"Soul stones and calming soul stones are a combination pair that depend on each other and influence each other. Epic-level creatures, more or less, have a hibernation period.

“During their hibernation, the soul stone in their bodies is also in a cooling state, and even satellites cannot detect its fluctuations. But once the calming soul stone is moved, the soul stone undoubtedly will be activated and its owner will wake up quickly."

The eyes of the instructor and the dean of students swept over the rows of students’ faces in turn. Their sharp eyes looked for clues from the changes in each person's facial expressions. Zhu Yue bowed his head with a guilty conscience, trying to escape their scrutiny.

"I think the students also heard that a Kui appeared in the practice cave yesterday. Before that, the school scanned the practice site completely to confirm that there were no rare creatures roaming around in the active state.

"After the incident, the military searched the whole area thoroughly and still found no trace of the calming soul stone, so we suspect that some student might have brought it out by mistake."

"It's the school's fault that we didn't spread the knowledge of calming soul stones to everyone in advance. No matter who moved the calming soul stone without knowing the situation, the school will not hold them accountable.”

"However, calming soul stones are not the same as soul stones. It is a kind of ore with a special energy which will have a bad impact on the souls of Tianxiu people. Therefore, if any student accidentally obtained it, please hand it in as soon as possible to avoid uncontrollable consequences. That is all.“

After the two left, whispers of discussion gradually sounded in the quiet classroom. Zhu Yue had just been frightened. Now, seeing that the crisis had passed, he built up the courage to raise his head.

"Ha," he suddenly sneered strangely. He sneered, not naming names or surnames, and his voice seemed to be particularly harsh in the quiet discussion. “The person who is usually clamoring to become a Qizhu, didn’t he finally became someone else’s Qizi with his tail between his legs? He even implicated someone else in his punishment, he can’t be promoted in school even if he studies.”

Several of Ling Xiao's close friends acted at the same time without planning it, slapped the table, and stood up, “Who are you talking about?"

"Do you still need to ask? I don't know who boasted that he would take a certain person’s heart-tip blood, yet he stole drugs and still didn't beat the other person. How humiliating, why didn’t he jump off a building like his good friend?”

Not waiting for Ling Xue’s friend to rush up and punch him, Zhu Yue had already been severely punched by someone from his seat. He directly fell and knocked over several tables. The implicated students all tactfully ducked aside.

"You can say whatever you want about me, but I won’t allow you to speak about Lan Sheng like that," Ling Xiao currently stood, his face ashen and admonishing.

Zhu Yue sat on the ground, covering half of his face and still refused to take it lying down, “What's the difference between you and him? Each and every person, they all think that they are infallible and think that they will definitely become a Qizhu. But, in the end, they lose miserably, right? It is a pity that he didn’t die. Why don't you fulfill this wish for him?"

Ling Xiao angrily grabbed his collar and lifted him up from the ground, but his raised fist was frozen in the air. It wasn’t just his fist, his entire body was motionless as if he had been pinned down.

He twisted his neck a little harder and looked at the people sitting in the back row of the classroom incredulously.

How could he forget that when Lan Sheng was at the brink of death, Ping Zong couldn't break into his spiritual barrier because he didn’t have the heart to do it. The day after he had established his relationship with Ying Feng, the other side could easily control his behavior.

“You behave yourself,” said Ying Feng coldly.

After saying this sentence, he withdrew his mind control. Ling Xiao only felt that his whole body’s strength had been taken away, and he loosened Zhu Yue’s collar powerlessly.

Zhu Yue hated this scene even more. He hated the unusual relationship between the two people, "What, aren't you very powerful? It's not like you to be so obedient……wu.”

All of a sudden, he covered his mouth with a pained expression. A paper ball was thrown unerringly into his open mouth. With the object thrown at this speed, even if the paper ball was the size of a soybean, it would be enough to hit the tip of his tongue and cause it to bleed.

"Shut up, too."

The students in the class were already more or less afraid of Ying Feng. They didn’t know if it was an illusion, after becoming a Qizi, Ying Feng's personal aura became stronger. His black eyes made people dare not look straight at him. No one dared to contradict his orders.

Zhu Yue hatefully spat out a paper ball mixed with blood and saliva, stood up the tables and chairs on the ground, and intentionally made a loud noise to vent his dissatisfaction.

Ling Xiao was also pushed back to his seat by some friends who half-held and half-consoled him. The crowd took the opportunity to pat him on the shoulder as consolation.

Ting Lei probably had the best relationship with Ling Xiao besides Ping Zong and Lan Sheng. Because of his distress, he gave him an intimate half-hug. After turning around, he happened to see Ying Feng on his right. He was immediately scared by the hostility in the other's eyes to the point that his whole body was trembling. Even when he went back to his seat, he always felt Ying Feng staring at him from the back row. He felt like he was sitting on pins and needles during the next few classes.

Because of this farce, all the students in the class were in fear all morning. It was only after the two were absent in the afternoon that the atmosphere gradually eased.

Ying Feng and Ling Xiao were in the spouse registration office that was nearest to Bikong Institute. These words [the spouse registration office] were hung brightly, hurting people’s eyes a lot. In the past, Ling Xiao also looked forward to coming here with his loved one, holding hands. They would write each other’s names solemnly on the documents. However, when this moment really came, it was such a cold scene for both of them.

Ying Feng filled in the form. Ling Xiao stood at the side and clearly saw him write:

Qizhu: Ying Feng; Adult: ten years old; awakening date: August 12, New Year 4016

Qizi: Ling Xiao; Adult: ten years old; awakening date: August 12, New Year 4016

Date of Adult Ceremony: September 7, New Year 4026

After filling in the form, the staff member checked it quickly, "You woke up on the same day, and you became an Adult on the same day. You and your Qizi are really predestined. Congratulations."

"My name is Ling Xiao," Ling Xiao suddenly interposed.

The staff member smiled and nodded, "Congratulations, too."

He put away the form, “After you become an Adult, you will get your personal terminal replaced. Please hand in your original terminal."

"It's broken,” Ying Feng replied briefly.

The staff member was stunned. "Broken during the Adult Ceremony?"

Ying Feng didn't want to explain. The staff member thought that was it.

"In that case, sign this document. You and your Qizi both have to sign it.”

"My name is Ling Xiao. I have a name."

"I'm sorry, Ling Xiao. Please sign it, too. Thank you."

The staff member waited for the two people to sign the confirmation document and imported data into the new terminals. Ying Feng's terminal looked like the one he had before, but Ling Xiao's terminal was one size smaller.

"The information has been re-imported for you. There are many new functions in the Adult personal terminal compared with the Nestlings’ configuration. There are instruction files stored in it. I will not introduce them one by one."

He continued to introduce, “With the identity authentication of the new terminal, you can freely access all public areas of the Tianyuan network. Now, various advanced institutions have set up virtual image campuses on the network. I suggest that if you have time, go learn about them so it will be easy for you to plan for further study in the future. This is the college application. After filling it out, you can submit it to the school's further education office."

Ling Xiao helplessly watched the staff member hand over a form to Ying Feng, but he didn’t get one of his own.

"And my college application?” he asked.

The staff member pointed to Ying Feng's copy, “The subform is just below the main form, the Qizhu can fill it in and that will suffice.”

"Why can't I fill in my own application?”

The other party smiled and explained, “Of course, both spouses are admitted at the same time. If you apply to a separate college, it's not a good thing for you."

"Of course, applying for myself is up to me, even if it's not a good thing, it's up to me."

The staff member had to turn to Ying Feng, “Advise your……Ling Xiao."

He remembered this time, but it was a pity that it would be better not to change his remark midway. The whole sentence sounded very funny.

"Ah," Ling Xiao's hand suddenly retracted. Just now, an electric current came from his fingertips, accompanied by instant pain. Although the duration was very short, it was enough to serve as a warning.

The staff member shook his head helplessly when he saw it, "It's advising, not controlling. The young people today are really simple and rough."

Seeing that Ling Xiao was unhappy at being lectured, the staff member had to take out a business card from under the table and give it to him.

“Why don’t you have this. My Qizi runs a jewelry store nearby. You can get a 10 to 20% discount for choosing a ring with this business card. You can choose an expensive one and let your Qizhu pay for it."

Ling Xiao had a cold face and refused to take it. The staff member's hands were raised awkwardly in the air, even his smile was stiff. Finally, Ying Feng took it.

"Is there anything else?" he asked.

"No," said the staff member, relieved. It was hard to see such incompatible newly-wed spouses, ”Congratulations on your official marriage. Do you want to make a vow?”

"No," said the two men in unison.

The staff member looked at them one after another and shrugged, “Well, I wish you a happy marriage."

When the two people returned to the institute, it was dinner time. Ying Feng knew that the whole way, Ling Xiao followed several meters behind him. However, shortly after entering the school, he looked back and found that he was gone.

He didn’t want to worry about where he went. Perhaps because he began to mature after becoming an Adult, the biggest feeling he had the entire day was that he was much hungrier than usual.

The staff member of the canteen made him a meal, enough for one person. He didn't think it was enough. The other side added another spoonful, but it still wasn’t enough.

“More, please.“

Only then did the staff member raise her head and look at him. His eyes, which were obviously different from other Nestlings, showed his identity.

“So you’re an Adult already. Congratulations," she not only added more food for Ying Feng but also took out a carton of milk from the storage cabinet and gave it to him. "During your development period, you must get more nutrition.”

Ying Feng found a secluded place to sit down with his dinner, enough for nearly two and a half people. However, not long after, an unwelcome person sat opposite him.

Zhu Yue took an uninvited seat across from him, "At first, you refused my heart-tip blood, but now you are forced to be with a person who hates you. If you had known earlier, it would be better to choose someone who likes you."

Ying Feng lowered his head to eat and ignored it. Zhu Yue went on with righteous indignation, "He even dared to steal things from the military base. He must have done it to deal with you because he knew that he couldn’t defeat you. So he came up with this despicable method to beat you……”

Ying Feng finally put down his tableware, the noise it made forcibly made Zhu Yue hold back the latter half of his sentence. For the first time, Ying Feng's black eyes watched him at a close range, face-to-face. Zhu Yue finally realized that this man had become colder than before.

"It's my family matter. It's none of your business, is it?"

Merely three words made Zhu Yue choke so much that he was speechless. He thought that even if Ying Feng had an ugly face like before, he would at least accept that what he said was true. After all, the cold relationship between the two people could be seen from their behavior in the morning.

Seeing that he was still stuck there and refused to leave, Ying Feng gave him an order to leave, "I don't want my appetite to be affected by irrelevant people. There are many empty seats here. Please leave."

Zhu Yue stood up with an ugly face. Before he took a step, he heard Ying Feng's voice coming from behind. It was not urgent or slow, but it was full of power that couldn’t be opposed.

"No matter what my relationship with Ling Xiao is, he is my Qizi now. I don’t want to hear words like those in the morning for a second time.”

Zhu Yue’s long-standing unilateral love finally twisted into a deformed determination on the day hope was completely cut off. Ying Feng wouldn't know how much hidden trouble his few words had sown for the future of Tianxiu and countless people would pay the price for this. The source of this was nothing more than a few words of unintentional defense for one person.

T/N:

For the next translator, I’m going to leave a glossary here.

训导主任- dean of students

教官- instructor

镇魂石- calming soul stones

志愿表- college application