Chapter 596 - 374: Sword Emperor - Fei Lin (Part 2)

Chapter 596: Chapter 374: Sword Emperor - Fei Lin (Part 2)

There wasn’t even a similar Galaxy Star Realm.

This made him strongly suspect they had traveled to a world within a multiverse.

Currently, Shuilan City was still in a phase of major construction, and the buildings within the city were generally not very tall.

Unlike other cities in the Purple Crystal World, its edges were not enclosed by high walls.

Although there were no walls to act as defenses, Shuilan City’s security measures were by no means weak.

Deep underground along the city’s periphery, a top-tier warning Spiritual Array—which Academician Zhou Mingkai’s team had learned from the Bobo Family—was set up to constantly scan for potential invaders.

Not only that, but batches of Soul Beast patrol teams were also dispatched daily to patrol the city’s edge.

Egg Pancake’s majestic form soared to the outskirts of Shuilan City, then folded its wings and switched to running on the ground as it entered.

Large Soul Beasts were not allowed to fly or land within the city proper. Even Han Ning had to abide by this rule.

As soon as he returned to Shuilan City, Han Ning hurried to find Dean Wu and inform him that he was preparing to leave for the Death Star Sea Zone to help Yin Yi find an opportunity for evolution.

After hearing this, Dean Wu didn’t try to stop Han Ning. Instead, he smiled. "Wait a little longer. You can go after the New Year."

"The... New Year?" Hearing this distant yet familiar term, Han Ning was a little lost.

"In ten days, it will be the seventh anniversary of our arrival in the Purple Crystal World. We just finished building this new city this year. Aren’t you going to stay in Shuilan City for a few more days and celebrate with us?"

The Purple Crystal World was home to a multitude of Races, but it had a universal calendar. The Tri-Race Alliance had internally decided that the day the School of Engineering first arrived on the Insect Continent would be considered the beginning of the Alliance’s new year.

’Has it really been seven years already...?’ Han Ning’s expression was complex, his eyes shimmering with nostalgia.

He wondered how his parents were doing, so far away on Blue Star.

After a moment, he nodded and smiled. "Of course, we have to celebrate the New Year."

...

「Ten days later, on New Year’s Eve.」

Although their world had changed drastically and everyone had endured all sorts of hardships, the Spring Festival was still the most important holiday in Xia Country. Not even traveling to an Otherworld could dampen the Xia people’s festive spirit.

Throughout Shuilan City, every household had pasted festive couplets on their doors and hung large, bright red lanterns under the eaves.

In the eastern part of the city, the high-end residential area built specifically for the School of Engineering’s teachers and students was also a scene of festive lights and decorations.

Today, all the surviving teachers and students of the School of Engineering had gathered in the small plaza in front of Dean Wu’s house.

Strips of semi-translucent string lights were strung up above the spacious community plaza.

Small red lanterns hung from the landscaped greenery at the edges.

The thoughtful Teacher Zhou had even sought out an elderly artisan and commissioned them to create red paper cuttings in the likeness of every academy member’s contracted Soul Beast. In total, over a thousand were made for everyone to paste in their homes.

「In the afternoon, inside the large living room of Dean Wu’s house.」

Yin Yi, Egg Pancake, the All-Encompassing Spiritual Silkworm, Fei Lin, Huaimiao, Lin Tianhe’s Xiaoyu... and the Soul Beasts of other teachers and students—dozens of the relatively small creatures in total—were gathered together. They were either lying on the fluffy rug or curled up on the sofa, all intently watching a rerun of a skit from a past New Year’s gala on the projector screen in front of them.

Dean Wu, who had toiled for many years, didn’t do a thing today. Like an ordinary old man enjoying the happiness of being surrounded by his children and grandchildren, he sat amidst a large group of Soul Beasts, holding a newborn kitten-type Soul Beast.

A kind smile on his face, Dean Wu gently rubbed the kitten’s belly with one hand while using the other to lift a small, bright red fruit to its mouth.

"Meeow~"

The little kitten gave Dean Wu a sweet smile, holding the strawberry in its paws and licking it bit by bit.

Every one of the little creatures wore a red cotton hat, large or small, on its head and a red scarf around its neck.

Bobo Man, who considered himself mankind’s best friend, was too proud to watch TV with the Soul Beasts. He had grabbed a tablet for himself and was sitting with Bobo Ka, watching a romantic drama produced by humans.

He, too, wore a red cotton hat on his head.

Of course, they weren’t the only ones in the living room. Han Ning, Teacher Lü, Teacher Zhou, and others were counting bowls and chopsticks, carrying all sorts of tableware out to the large round tables in the plaza.

Only Academician Zhou was still busy with his project, insisting on staying on the front lines of his work. They would probably only see him when it was time for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Meanwhile, Qing Dou and Qing Fan from the Dragon Blood race; Second Elder Cang Tong, who had recently recovered from his Divine Soul injuries; Ah Yu from the Hexagon Race; Nia, the sole Insect-man; Sage and Hom from the Witch Spirit Race; the human Rajkica couple; and Leon and his daughter... were all sitting on other couches, chatting amongst themselves.

Thankfully, the living room in Dean Wu’s new house was large enough to barely accommodate the dozens of Soul Beasts and more than ten humans.

They were all good friends, and everyone from the academy wanted them to experience the lively atmosphere of a Xia Country Spring Festival.

Da Yan, who had evolved into a B-Talent Mountain Guardian Profound Turtle, and Little Mantis, who had been rescued by Han Ning and Lü Xiuning and had now evolved into a C+-Talent Instant Shadow Mantis, moved the large fireworks they had made a few days ago to a corner of the yard, waiting for nightfall to set them off.

Elsewhere, in the spacious kitchen, the quick, rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables—CHOP, CHOP, CHOP—rang out ceaselessly.

Lin Tianhe held a kitchen knife, and with a flick of his wrist, a verdant "cucumber" was instantly transformed into a pile of thin, round slices.

Teacher Fang, wearing a white chef’s hat, was stir-frying a large pan of shrimp with a serious expression.

Nearby, Teacher Liang was using both hands to deftly knead a ball of white dough.

Chen Linyu sat a short distance away, plucking and washing vegetables for them.

Of course, they were just lending a hand. Outside, by the open-air stoves, nearly a hundred chefs with years of real cooking experience were bustling about. Some were professional hotel chefs, some were homemakers, and some were cooking enthusiasts. They were all skillfully stir-frying dishes in preparation for the New Year’s feast that evening.

Many people and Soul Beasts had come as guests to the academy’s residential area today, enough to fill at least a hundred tables.

Teacher Liang, who was kneading dough, took a moment to glance at the group of small Soul Beasts intently watching TV outside and chuckled. "Old Fang, you know what’s missing right now?"

"What?" Teacher Fang’s stir-frying hand twitched.

"A bunch of human kids!"

"You’re right. I was thinking something felt off. It’s the sound of little kids playing." Teacher Fang gave an awkward chuckle and went back to his stir-frying.

Chen Linyu, who already had a girlfriend, snickered and said loudly, "Hey! Teacher Fang, didn’t you get it? Teacher Liang was dropping a huge hint!"

The words had barely left his mouth before he was glared into silence by both Lin Tianhe and Teacher Fang.

The sky gradually darkened.

The string lights in the plaza lit up in a kaleidoscope of colors.

"DA DA!"

"BOH GOO!!"

"REE REE..."

"HAROO?"

The Soul Beasts had all moved from the rug and sofas to sit at the round tables in the plaza. They chattered excitedly in their various Soul Beast languages while watching the show on the projector screen.

The Soul Beasts from the School of Engineering sat together. Since their masters all knew each other well, the little creatures were also quite familiar with one another. The food on their tables consisted of Spirit Fruits, various salads, fresh milk, and different kinds of Soul Beast meat that didn’t belong to any of their own Races.

"Make way, everyone, chicken soup’s here~"

The sound of sizzling woks rose and fell from the open-air stoves.

Han Ning walked into the living room carrying a tray with six large basins of chicken soup.

"CHIRP CHIRP!!" Egg Pancake, the little glutton, smelled the fragrant aroma of the chicken soup and couldn’t resist trying to sneak away from the kids’ table to scrounge some food and drink from the human tables.

"Make way, make way! Qing Dou Clan Leader, Elder Cangtong... come try a famous Xia Country dish, Kung Pao Chicken..."

The young men of the academy weaved through the aisles, bringing out basin after basin of richly fragrant dishes.

The young women, meanwhile, had gathered in a small open space nearby, singing and dancing.

People were shouting, talking, and laughing playfully. A mishmash of figures mingled together, their voices echoing in the night sky, creating a wonderfully lively scene.