บท 24: Chapter 24: Lin Luo’s Escape to Spirit Hall Academy

Lin Luo initially didn't plan on putting effort into learning, but seeing how much it delighted Qian Renxue, he was willing to try a little.

With a sweet voice, Qian Renxue patiently repeated, "Granny~"

Lin Luo opened his little mouth, earnestly mimicking the sound, "lala…"

Qian Renxue was thrilled and amazed, never expecting the baby to follow her so well. Smiling, she praised, "It's okay; you're already so smart! My little Luo Luo is amazing!"

Ugh, that praise really gets me…

Lin Luo, feeling both shy and proud, was encouraged to try harder, sitting beside Qian Renxue and babbling with all his might, "La~ la~"

"Granny, honey~" Qian Renxue pouted, but continued, "But for your first try, you were super close, you're the most, most, most amazing baby in the world~"

Lin Luo's little cheeks flushed with pride. This was embarrassing…but he couldn't help feeling a little pleased. [TL: "..." ]

After repeating a few more times, she added, "Great-grandfather~"

But realizing it had three syllables, she hesitated, thinking it might be a bit advanced. Sure enough, Lin Luo managed a "guhguhguh" sound, despite his best efforts.

Even so, Qian Renxue was stunned—Luo Luo was really paying attention, trying to repeat her words! Although his age made accurate sounds hard, he genuinely wanted to mimic her. At just three months!

My little Luo Luo's incredible! Qian Renxue lovingly ruffled Lin Luo's hair before slipping a soft white pillow his way.

"Here, a reward for my little champ~"

"Yaya!" Lin Luo squealed, happily throwing himself onto the pillow.

The next morning, Lin Luo woke up sprawled on the bed. His clothes and diaper had been changed, and Qian Renxue, as usual, was in the bath.

His eyes twinkled mischievously.

Don't be fooled—last night's clinging wasn't due to some baby instinct. Too basic! The real plan was to substitute breakfast with a midnight snack…because today, he was sneaking off to grind his quest points.

The only time he could be left alone was during Qian Renxue's morning bath. With a quiet crack, Lin Luo slipped through the door and closed it behind him.

Yes, it'd make Qian Renxue worry and maybe even mad, but he had no choice. Without a powerful martial spirit, he'd be held back in future breakthroughs. So he'd go all out for this rare chance to improve it.

Relying solely on feeding and sleeping for points was too slow; he needed to actively accumulate steps. Learning to walk would be ideal, but at three months, standing was still tough. If he could manage it before the end of his breastfeeding phase, that would be perfect.

With this thought, Lin Luo crawled his way beyond the Hall of Offerings. At this time of morning, the high priests would be in deep meditation, so his exit was unnoticed.

"Activate temporary speed boost card," he whispered.

With the effects in place, Lin Luo sped along like a little motor, heading toward the inner plaza. To avoid being quickly caught, he'd go farther than usual, exploring the vast grounds.

Ahead lay the prestigious Spirit Hall Academy, a sacred training ground for promising spirit masters, normally only accepting students over twelve. Little did he know that his arrival would disrupt the tranquility of this renowned institution.

"Dong, dong, dong!" The school bell rang, and scattered students ran along the wide pathways.

"Nana! Nana! Wait up!" a red-haired boy called, bread in his mouth.

Xie Yue, catching up, smirked and ruffled Yan's hair. "Well, if it isn't the guy who got smoked in a crawling race with a baby!"

Yan's face burned at the reminder; his ill-fated race had quickly made him the academy laughingstock, costing him his prime dating status. The tale had only grown more outrageous, until it was said that Yan had been destroyed in a crawling contest by a mere infant.

Frustrated, Yan protested, "It was a fluke! Of course, he crawls better—he's a baby!"

Ahead, Hu Liena turned, annoyed. "Can't you guys hurry? We have a Platinum Bishop inspecting today, don't you know?"

A Platinum Bishop's position required a spirit power level of at least 80, making them one of the academy's highest authorities. Xie Yue and Yan exchanged glances, suddenly realizing.

"Oh, no!" they shouted and sprinted full speed, with Xie Yue not forgetting to tease, "Better hustle, Yan! Can't lose to another baby, can you?"

Yan, fuming, shot back, "I'd like to see that kid try and beat me again—"

Before he could finish, something zipped past them so fast it was a blur.

"Wait…did something just pass us?" Yan blinked.

But Xie Yue and Hu Liena were preoccupied, one mocking Yan, the other focused on reviewing her notes for the day's surprise testing by the intimidating Platinum Bishop.