"Th-this is a punishment, yes, the punishment for yelling at me!"
Looking directly into Xiao Wu's piercing gaze, Ye Qiu stammered, seemingly finding an excuse as he spoke with a serious tone.
After speaking, he slowly lay down, turned to his side, closed his eyes, and ignored everything around him.
"How could you do this!?"
Xiao Wu, kneeling on the bed, felt a mix of shame and anger. She gritted her silver teeth, staring at Ye Qiu, somewhat at a loss.
"Xiao Wu Jie, what's wrong?"
Hearing Xiao Wu's scream and noticing her abnormal expression, Wang Sheng hurried over, looking at her with concern.
"Could it be that you were hurt earlier?"
"No, there's no such thing. How could Xiao Wu Jie be injured!"
Xiao Wu quickly regained her composure, hurriedly wiping her mouth with her sleeve.
Wang Sheng, confused, asked, "Then why is Xiao Wu Jie's face so red?"
"I-I'm just feeling hot."
Xiao Wu snapped, her gaze evasive, then immediately lay down, waving her hand as if to tell Wang Sheng to leave.
"Stop bothering me, Xiao Wu Jie needs to rest!"
Seeing this, Wang Sheng thought that Xiao Wu was simply tired after acquiring her spirit ring, so he quietly left.
Xiao Wu lay with her back to Ye Qiu, her slender hand gently brushing her red lips, feeling a bit distressed. If it had been anyone else, she would have already dealt with them harshly, but facing Ye Qiu, she surprisingly didn't feel angry. She wasn't sure if it was because she didn't dare to.
Nightfall descended.
Ever since Ye Qiu marked Xiao Wu with a stamp, from noon until dinner time, the two hadn't spoken a word.
Whenever their eyes met, Xiao Wu would quickly look away.
It was now completely dark.
Everyone, including Tang San and Ye Qiu, had sat cross-legged on their beds, starting to meditate.
Only Xiao Wu remained.
As a transformed soul beast, she seemed to not need cultivation at all. She was lying on the blanket, watching Ye Qiu, her face flushed, not knowing what she was thinking.
Ye Qiu, who was meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly felt someone tugging at his sleeve, disrupting his concentration.
Frowning, Ye Qiu opened his eyes, and in front of him was Xiao Wu's charming face.
"What is it?"
Ye Qiu raised an eyebrow, looking at her curiously.
"Ye Qiu..."
Xiao Wu softly called his name, her face turning red. She tugged at his sleeve, lowering her head, her voice barely audible.
"Why did you treat me like that?"
After speaking, Xiao Wu hesitantly raised her head and looked at Ye Qiu with confusion.
She still couldn't make sense of it.
"Huh?!"
Ye Qiu tilted his head, looking at her oddly. He playfully responded, speaking in a nonchalant tone, "Didn't I already say? That was to punish you. What? Do you have an issue with that?"
"But... you praised me for being beautiful yesterday."
Xiao Wu blushed slightly.
Ye Qiu's praise was different from others, somehow making her feel special.
"Yes, you're really beautiful!"
Ye Qiu smiled and nodded. As he finished speaking, he leaned his face towards hers again, pretending to move closer.
"Ah! Don't come any closer!"
Xiao Wu's eyes flashed with panic. She pushed at Ye Qiu's face with her small hands, leaning backward, her fists clenched, waving them at him.
"If you do that again, Xiao Wu Jie will hit you!"
Xiao Wu widened her eyes, but the shyness and panic hidden within her were impossible to conceal.
"Hit me? Do you dare?"
Ye Qiu smiled lightly, sitting up straight again.
"I..."
Xiao Wu froze for a moment, then quickly remembered what Ye Qiu had said earlier. She bit her red lips, puffing with frustration.
"Didn't we agree that I could challenge you? Xiao Wu Jie is challenging you now!"
Xiao Wu looked at Ye Qiu seriously, touching her burning cheeks, still shy and tender, and said, "Forget about the previous things. If I win, you can't bully me anymore."
"Sure!"
Ye Qiu didn't hesitate to agree, as he was eager to test his own soul abilities. Although there were limitations, the efficiency had greatly improved!
Xiao Wu's third soul skill, Teleportation, and her fourth soul skill, Invincible Golden Body, were excellent for self-preservation. Plus, as a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast, her potential was great. As long as she followed the proper path and didn't die prematurely, she would at least become a Title Douluo. The first position was definitely hers, and it wouldn't be a loss.
As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Qiu got off the bed, put on his school uniform, and walked outside.
"Come on, let me see how powerful Xiao Wu Jie is."
"Hmph! You'll find out soon enough!"
Xiao Wu saw him walking outside and quickly jumped off the bed, putting on her shoes and hurrying after him, trying to grab his sleeve.
"Ye Qiu, slow down."
Tang San, who had been sitting cross-legged on the bed, opened his eyes, watching the two leave. He shook his head helplessly, a trace of curiosity in his gaze.
He knew Ye Qiu had also gained his first soul ring, and he was interested in Ye Qiu's current strength. Also, there was a slight emotion he couldn't quite describe.
...
Outside the Seventh Dormitory.
Beside a flowerbed not far away.
Practicing at night had become a tradition for soul masters, and the entire Notting Academy was quiet, with no one coming to disturb Ye Qiu and the others.
Ye Qiu and Xiao Wu stood facing each other.
Xiao Wu looked at the silent Ye Qiu, confused.
"Ye Qiu, are you going to fight or not?!"
"Of course, but before we start, I need you to help me with a little favor!" Ye Qiu smiled lightly as he stepped towards Xiao Wu.
"Help? What do you want me to do now?"
Xiao Wu, who had just been afraid of exposing her identity while helping Ye Qiu before, looked somewhat fearful.
When Ye Qiu stood in front of her, a yellow soul ring appeared around him, with a black-and-white tadpole in the center of the ring.
"Don't worry, this favor is very simple. Just let my martial soul envelop you."
Xiao Wu raised her hand, lightly poking the tadpole in Ye Qiu's hand with her fair finger, confused.
"Are you saying... I just need to let your tadpole enter my body?"
"Uh..."
Ye Qiu twitched his lips, not bothering to explain much. After all, knowledge in this world was lacking, and Xiao Wu had lived in the mountains for a long time. Though she was a bit arrogant, she wasn't completely ignorant.
"Yes, you just need to let my tadpole stick to you... Ah, no, I mean, let my martial soul attach to your body."
Realizing how that sounded, Ye Qiu corrected himself quickly and asked, "So, how about it? Will you help me?"
Xiao Wu pondered for a moment, then nodded gently. She extended her five fingers in front of Ye Qiu.
"Of course I'll help you, but you have to give me five lollipops as payment!"
"Sure."
Ye Qiu agreed without a second thought.
"So, what do I need to do? Just poke your tadpole?"
"Yes, just press it, and then activate your martial soul."
"Alright, Xiao Wu Jie will do as you say."