"Ah, yes, yes, yes!"

Du Yu looked at the intricate hunting bow blueprint on the tablet, his smile growing wider the more he looked, nodding repeatedly.

At this moment, he was inside the auditorium, discussing the custom Demon Soldier arrangements with a staff member from the Library.

After a wave of earnest encouragement from the leaders of the Library and the Culture Bureau, they'd finally arrived at Du Yu's favorite part: picking out his reward.

The Library staff looked at the design on the computer: "So you're sure it's this one? And you want fifteen-centimeter blades on both sides?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Du Yu nodded enthusiastically, grabbing Xiaoyan's mischievous fluffy tail, pushing it out of his sight. "The blades on both sides—are those Demon Soldiers too?"

"They can be, if that's what you want." The man glanced at the heterochromatic Little Fire Fox perched on Du Yu's shoulder, his eyes full of envy.

"That's awesome! Make the blades Fire Demon Soldiers too, okay? I only have a Fire Attribute." Du Yu hurriedly chimed in.

The man finally tore his gaze from Xiaoyan and replied, "But you should know, this weapon is, at its core, a bow, so those blades won't be able to carry the Demon Blade Array."

"Alright, that's fine." Du Yu couldn't contain his excitement and continued, "About the Demon Arrow Array, can I choose that myself too?"

"You can, but only the general category." The man clicked around, pulling up a list on the computer. "Forging Demon Soldiers isn't as simple as you might think.

Once a Demon Soldier comes into being, the skills it can carry are predestined by the heavens.

As for the Demon Arrow Array, we can't give you the exact function—just a general direction."

Du Yu looked at the short list of choices: offensive, defensive, control, support—

"What's support? Does it add Demon Breath for teammates, or restore physical strength or what?"

The man quickly shook his head: "A Fire Attribute Demon Soldier Bow won't come with a Demon Arrow Array that restores physical strength, but it might have an array that adds Fire Demon Breath to your teammates.

However, your Demon Soldier isn't high enough level to get that kind of array.

Once your Demon Soldier Bow is finished, most likely you'll get skills that confuse the enemy or cover a retreat. Are you sure you want to choose the support type?"

"No, nope." Du Yu made up his mind. "I'll take a control-type Demon Arrow Array!"

The man hesitated, looking a bit embarrassed: "At your Demon Soldier's level, the control-type Demon Arrow Array can't be applied."

Du Yu: "..."

Then why offer it in the first place?

Thinking of his Eye of Burning Sun, Du Yu decided to double down on his advantage: "In that case, I'll pick the offensive type."

The man finally sighed in relief. "Alright, in three days, you can pick it up at the city Library headquarters with your ID. We'll give you your Library Ring then too."

"Cool." Du Yu turned his head to the side, where Li Mengnan was standing next to another staffer, her finger sliding back and forth across the tablet, clearly being choosy about Demon Pets.

Du Yu walked over and whispered, "So? Had any luck picking yet?"

Li Mengnan pulled a hilariously torn face, a mix of delight and agony: "They gave me way too many options. I want them all!"

Du Yu lowered his eyes to the tablet, his sight dazzled by the portfolio of Demon Beasts for a good while before he finally realized what she was picking: "You're going for Electric-type Demon Pets?"

"Yup." Li Mengnan said, full of that sweet dilemma. "I've got Wind and Fire Demon Pets already, so grabbing an Electric Attribute now rounds things out perfectly."

Du Yu quietly suggested, "Why not call your uncle and see what he thinks?"

"Mmm..." Li Mengnan paused. "Good idea."

You could tell the Library had really splurged. Without all these choices, Mengnan wouldn't be nearly this indecisive.

Li Mengnan picked up her phone, dialed, and caught Xiaoyan mid-leap before walking off to the side.

Du Yu glanced around. Since the leaders had left, the big auditorium was now nearly empty—just a handful of staff confirming reward info with the winners.

When Du Yu glanced back, he realized there was still a student sitting in the back of the hall.

Lin Shiwei?

Noticing Du Yu looking over, Lin Shiwei played with the Rose Double Spirit's flower bud and tipped her chin in a little nod.

Her nod was so subtle, but Du Yu's Eye of Burning Sun caught the signal anyway.

Du Yu hesitated but walked over: "You haven't left yet?"

Lin Shiwei gently stroked the rose petal, a faint smile on her lips: "Watching you guys pick rewards keeps reminding me I lost. For me, it's a kind of motivation."

Hearing that, Du Yu was caught off guard.

The girl's response was nothing he expected; her candor and drive came through in a single sentence.

Now that she was off the battlefield, Lin Shiwei's sharp eyes had softened. Still, that heroic spirit in her brow set her apart from other girls.

Du Yu glanced at her shoulder: "You seem fine now, right?"

"Just a scratch, already healed." Lin Shiwei smiled nonchalantly, withdrawing the Rose Double Spirit—still glaring at Du Yu—into her Forehead Acupoint.

Du Yu: "Okay, then I'll head over."

Just as Du Yu turned to leave, Lin Shiwei suddenly spoke: "I once waited in line at the Shadow Gu Tower too."

"Hm?" Du Yu stopped and looked back.

Lin Shiwei leaned back against her seat: "But someone else reached Demon Tamer Prentice·Peak Stage before I did, got in line sooner, way before me."

Du Yu: "Eh...oh."

Out of nowhere, a flash of fiery red streaked over the auditorium, darted over the chairs, and landed on Du Yu's shoulder.

Xiaoyan's golden-brown fox eyes showed a glimmer of caution as she stared at the short-haired girl in front of them.

Just like the Rose Double Spirit, the Demon Pets still regarded each other as rivals.

Lin Shiwei admired the gorgeous heterochromatic Demon Pet and continued: "Before it was my turn, the Shadow Gu Tower for Prentice Tier had already been cleared. Later, I heard that person was a disciple of Master Qing. And after that..."

As she spoke, Lin Shiwei cracked a smile, just a touch schadenfreude in her expression: "Then I learned you were the one who put Lin Shihang in his place—well done!"

Du Yu: "..."

Seriously, is this how family talks to each other?

Noticing Du Yu's confusion, Lin Shiwei explained with a laugh: "He's always bragging in our group chat, competing about this, comparing that—it's so annoying! Because of him, all of us had to go do beginner camp training.

But after a few days of him showing off, he suddenly just shut up. At first, I wondered what happened, then Xiaoyi told me the story..."

Lin Shiwei smiled, raising her eyes to Du Yu: "He totally crashed and burned at the regular rookie camp—not only did he miss out on top student, he got his butt kicked and had to start over! Ha!"

Listening to her hearty laugh, Du Yu got even more confused: "Aunt? Master Qing shares that sort of gossip with you guys?"

They're relatives, sure, but Master Qing doesn't seem like the type to chat idly, right? No way...

Lin Shiwei: "Xiaoyi. Lin Shiyi."

Du Yu's face blanked. "Lin Shiyi? Her seniority's that high? You call her 'Aunt'?"

Lin Shiwei: "..."

Du Yu's expression turned weird. Lin Shiyi is a fish in the whole Prince Yan web, so by some quick math, doesn't that mean Lin Shiwei should call Xiaoyan... umm.

"Du Yu!" Over by the podium, Li Mengnan waved, "I'm done, let's go!"

"Coming, coming." Du Yu responded, turning back to say goodbye to Lin Shiwei.

He hadn't even opened his mouth when Lin Shiwei cut in: "There's still half a month before school starts. Want to run a dungeon together?"

Du Yu blinked. "Run a dungeon?"

"Demon Spirit Realm." Lin Shiwei shrugged. "I think our styles fit well—one close-range, one long-range."

Du Yu: "Is this a team invite?"

At this moment, Du Yu still didn't realize how much potential other people saw in him.

Lin Shiwei nodded as if it were obvious: "Instructor Gong was right just now—if you want resources, you have to fight for them yourself."

Du Yu looked puzzled: "You care about that sort of thing? All those so-called school resources must be easy for you to get, no?"

Lin Shiwei smiled at Du Yu: "I still haven't gotten my spot for the Shadow Gu Tower."

"Oh." Du Yu suddenly understood—she wasn't just talking about school, but everything else too.

Lin Shiwei stood up: "Think about it. Besides everything else, look at the Shadow Gu Tower. Even while we're talking, there's someone else trying to break through.

By the time you and I reach Peak, who knows if we'll even get another shot?

If our team has some chemistry, maybe Aunt Qingqing will cut us some slack."

Du Yu: "Hmm..."

Lin Shiwei pressed a hand on Du Yu's shoulder, spun him around, and gave a gentle push: "Let me know what you decide. Go on, your girlfriend's waiting."

Du Yu had to admit—he was tempted!

First of all, Lin Shiwei is legitimately strong.

Secondly, they're both Demon Warriors. Teaming up for the Tower would probably make things incrementally harder, but not by a huge margin.

If their team chemistry worked out, they could get twice the bang for their buck. What Du Yu feared the most was suddenly hearing the news that the Demon Warrior Stage Tower had been conquered.

If he could just get another wisp of Spiritual Qi, maybe even level up, actually learn a Spirit Master's Spirit Skill?

While pondering, Du Yu had already walked over to Li Mengnan.

The look in the girl's eyes was full of suspicion as she glanced at Lin Shiwei smiling and waving in the distance, remembering the scene where she'd been "beaten in three punches."

"Hey."

"Huh?" Du Yu came back to himself, walking out of the small auditorium with Li Mengnan. Even though the soldier was leading the way, she clearly didn't care about etiquette anymore.

She looked sideways at Du Yu: "What were you two talking about just now?"

Du Yu: "She invited me to team up."

"Huh?" Li Mengnan's heart skipped—her brother's attraction to Lin Family girls was too strong, seriously?

These Lin Family girls were really starting to brazenly poach people's teammates!

Du Yu thought for a moment, then said, "Lin Shiwei is really impressive—definitely one of the top Paper Crane Disciples in this cohort. Why don't you recruit her to your side?"

"No way!"

"Why not?"

Li Mengnan pouted: "She's too pretty, clearly up to no good. Silly Du Yu, gorgeous girls are always tricking guys like... eh, present company excluded."

Du Yu: ???

If she's good-looking, doesn't that mean she fits the great 'Yan' Organization name even more?

Seeing Li Mengnan grumbling away, Du Yu suddenly realized, and laughed: "Are you worried Lin Shiwei is so strong that if you let her in, she'll take over the team and become boss?"

Li Mengnan: "I'm not scared. She's just trained a few years longer than me. After a bit more practice, I'll take her down for sure!"

Du Yu: "Heh, you?"

Li Mengnan shot him a glare on the spot: "Dare to disrespect the boss? You're demoted—no more top general, from now on you're just a little minion."

Du Yu replied mournfully: "Unfair treatment from the organization, I want to quit..."

"Don't you dare!" Li Mengnan's bright eyes flashed. "If I'd known, I never would've let you come to this event. Are you getting addicted to rebellion?"

At that, even the soldier up ahead grimaced awkwardly.

If that ever got out, it'd sound like the official school was actually teaching students to start a revolt...

Suddenly, Xiaoyan jumped onto Li Mengnan's shoulder, wrapping one tail around her neck and covering her mouth with another.

Li Mengnan was not amused, muffled voice coming from behind the fluffy red tail: "You silly little fox, always siding with your master."

"Yip!"

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