C29 Returning to School

Watching Aotian and Loong Qian leave, Loong Ming turned to Loong Kun and asked, "Kun'er, do you notice anything off about Aotian lately?"

"No, he's just a bit thinner than last year, but other than that, I haven't noticed anything amiss," Loong Kun replied, puzzled by his father's question.

"Yet, why do I sense something different about him compared to last year?" Loong Ming mused aloud.

"Father, you might be overthinking it. What kind of changes could he possibly have undergone?"

"Ah, never mind, I don't want to dwell on it any longer."

With a sigh, Loong Ming turned and left the hall.

Now, let's see what Aotian is up to at this moment.

Back on campus, Aotian didn't bother with any preparations since he kept all his belongings in his ring, leaving nothing to organize. So, upon returning to his room, he simply donned his snow-stepping gear and dashed off to the back mountain to begin his cultivation practice.

"Aotian, let's head out!"

Later in the afternoon, freshly bathed and changed after his cultivation session, Aotian heard Loong Qian's voice outside the courtyard. He hurriedly dressed and stepped out to meet her.

"Sister, are we heading out this early?" Aotian inquired as he approached the door.

"Ah? Yes, yes," Loong Qian stammered, startled by Aotian's abrupt emergence. She then took in his appearance: still clad in a snow-white robe that accentuated his freshly bathed, strikingly handsome features. Loong Qian found herself momentarily speechless.

"I never realized Aotian was such a handsome man," Loong Qian thought to herself. "What's gotten into me?" Embarrassed by her thoughts, she blushed and couldn't bring herself to meet Aotian's gaze.

"Sister, what's the matter? Why are you blushing so much?" Aotian asked, noticing Loong Qian's flushed face.

"It's nothing, really. I just came to see if you were ready. If you are, we can get going," she managed to say.

Loong Qian, realizing Aotian had spotted her, quickly responded.

"Oh, got it. I'm all set and can leave anytime! Are you sure you're okay?" Aotian asked, still sounding unsure.

"All good. Just hurry up, I'll be waiting for you at the door!"

After saying that, Loong Qian turned and swiftly left the place that had made her feel so uncomfortable.

"Hmm, why does she seem a bit off today?"

Aotian pondered as he watched Loong Qian walk away.

Shaking his head, he decided to let it go, returned to his room, and packed some items into his storage ring. Then he picked up Snow Step and got ready to leave.

"Kid, you're not seriously thinking of taking Snow Step everywhere with you, are you?" Matt chimed in, noticing Aotian scooping up Snow Step and heading for the door.

"Is that a problem?" Aotian asked, puzzled.

"Well, for starters, think about the consequences if people find out Snow Step is a magical beast. And even if they don't, if they see you running around with a little cat every day, what do you think they'll say about you?"

"Ah, right."

Aotian had an epiphany; indeed, it wouldn't be easy to justify taking Snow Step out with him.

"So, what do we do, Master? We can't just leave it at home, can we?"

"Of course not. Have you forgotten about your Storage Space?"

"That place? Won't Snow Step suffocate in there?" Aotian asked, concerned after hearing his master's suggestion.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine. Remember, Teng Long is a Divine Level treasure. The space inside is just like the outside world, minus the trees and water streams. Just put Snow Step in the ring along with some food and water. Besides, Snow Step is still small; it can grow in there. And you can take it out to play each day when you practice your cultivation!"

"Really? That's possible?"

"Of course. Why would I lie to you?"

Matt sounded exasperated with Aotian's skepticism.

"Okay, then. I'll do that."

Aotian finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, after hearing his master's advice.

"Snow-stepping, will you stay inside from now on?"

Aotian turned and spoke to the creature affectionately.

Snow-stepping, sensing that Aotian intended to place her into the ring on his finger, vigorously shook her head and began to back away.

"Do you want some barbecued meat? It's really delicious. If you want it, you'll need to stay inside. That way, you can have barbecue with me every day!" Aotian coaxed her, seeing her reluctance.

At the mention of food, Snow-stepping halted her retreat but remained at a distance, unwilling to approach.

"Come on, be a good girl and stay inside, okay? I'll make sure you get plenty of meat and tasty treats! You can grow up well in there. It's quite spacious, you know!" Aotian persisted, dangling more incentives.

Finally, after a relentless barrage of promises, Snow-stepping slowly made her way to Aotian's side.

"There's a good girl. I promise to let you out to play with me every day," he reassured her.

With a gentle pat on Snow-stepping's head, Aotian steeled himself and brought her into his space. After ensuring she had food and water, he headed for the door, ready to set off for the academy.

"Aotian, what's taking so long?" Loong Qian's voice carried a hint of impatience as Aotian reached the doorway.

"Heh, sorry about that. I just remembered I'd forgotten something and had to pack it," Aotian replied sheepishly.

"Oh, well, let's just get going," Loong Qian dismissed the delay.

And with that, Aotian and Loong Qian boarded the carriage waiting at the gate and set off for the school.

Soon, they arrived at the academy's entrance.

"Ah, it's good to be back," Loong Qian sighed as they disembarked.

"Yes, back again," Aotian echoed, feeling a sense of nostalgia.

As they entered the academy, Aotian noticed many students had already returned. All around, classmates were steadily making their way through the campus.

After parting ways with Loong Qian, Aotian promptly made his way back to the dormitory he hadn't seen in two months. He straightened up a bit, then glanced outside to see that evening was setting in. Following a brief rest, Aotian set off at a brisk pace toward the mountain's rear, intent on making the most of the night to engage in some serious cultivation!