Wang Dong grew increasingly frustrated as his prolonged assault failed to break through.
Seizing another opening, Huo Yuhao activated his platinum soul ring—
First Soul Skill: Soul Shock!
Pale golden light flashed in his eyes, transforming into a golden beam that struck Wang Dong's skull like a hammer, causing excruciating pain and blanking his mind.
Huo Yuhao, prepared for this, lunged forward and tightly embraced Wang Dong, then executed a perfect bridge maneuver, slamming him brutally toward the ground.
But as they neared the surface, Huo Yuhao's victory-obsessed mind jolted with sudden fear:
'If I smash his head like this, he might get seriously hurt!'
He hastily dissipated the momentum with a sideways roll, carrying Wang Dong directly into the staircase.
And so—Wind Fire Wheels!
Wang Dong had actually regained consciousness earlier and was preparing to struggle free, never expecting this turn of events.
What he hadn't anticipated was Huo Yuhao's tight grip, which shielded his front completely and even used his arms to brace his back.
As they tumbled dozens of meters down the stairs, Wang Dong felt surprisingly little pain.
Huo Yuhao, still clinging tightly to Wang Dong, had closed his eyes and his head now rested weakly against Wang Dong's shoulder. He was unconscious.
This left Wang Dong speechless.
'He's a mighty two-ring Soul Master! He doesn't need anyone to protect him!'
What should he do now?
Force himself free?
But the damned guy was unconscious, and his arms were clamped on as if fused to Wang Dong.
If he tried to struggle recklessly, he couldn't be sure whether he'd pry free or break his arm first.
As he hesitated, an aged voice cut through the air:
"You lost, heart and all."
Wang Dong whipped his head around to stare at Mu En, reclining on the lounge chair as if he'd only just noticed him.
"But I lost?" he protested, his voice tinged with resentment. "I'm clearly stronger than him! If I'd used my Martial Soul, he wouldn't have even touched me! How did he win?"
Mu En chuckled softly.
"In one word," he said, "he dared to risk everything. You dared not risk anything. That's all."
Wang Dong froze, stunned.
After a long silence, a newfound resolve lit his eyes. He carefully disentangled himself from Huo Yuhao and clasped his hands in a respectful salute to Mu En.
"Thank you for the enlightenment!"
Mu En waved weakly, his hand barely moving. Yet Huo Yuhao's death grip loosened instantly.
Wang Dong rose and bowed again, then glanced at Huo Yuhao, whose body was covered in bruises. His eyes twitched.
Unable to ignore it, he bent down and hoisted Huo Yuhao onto his back, then headed toward the dormitory.
Mu En chuckled softly. "The girl from the Clear Sky Sect... this kid's luck knows no bounds. Though I wonder..."
His words trailed off into an inaudible murmur.
In the spiritual world, Huo Yuhao scratched his head awkwardly, his gaze repeatedly drifting toward Zhuge Lan.
"Brother Lan, why did you create these fake injuries with your spiritual power and drag me in to act unconscious?"
"To evoke sympathy," Zhuge Lan replied bluntly.
"Wang Dong shares a Martial Soul Fusion Technique with you. By merging your soul power, you can accelerate each other's cultivation. He's the perfect candidate to be the Holy Flame Meow Meow Sect's first member."
Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up!
A Martial Soul Fusion Technique?
That was an opportunity one in ten thousand would encounter! To think he and his roommate shared such a connection!
But then a look of hesitation crossed his face. Was this act of feigning helplessness a bit...
"Alright," Zhuge Lan said, waving his hand. "Don't just stand around. Start cultivating the Muscle Transformation Manual to improve your physique."
"Got it..."
Huo Yuhao couldn't argue and obediently sat down cross-legged.
He circulated his soul power, but he remained unconscious.
Nearby, the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm leaned toward Zhuge Lan and whispered urgently, "Zhuge, why didn't you tell Little Yuhao about the girl disguised as a boy? Wouldn't it be better to let them figure it out themselves?"
Zhuge Lan rolled his eyes. "If we let Little Yuhao, that innocent child, find out, he'd be too cautious to act. How could we build a deep revolutionary friendship or capture her that way?"
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm scratched its chin in confusion. 'Is that how it works?'
"You're just a soul beast, single for tens of thousands of years! You don't understand a thing about love!"
"Just shut up and watch me handle this."
"If you spill a word, I won't awaken your spiritual power!"
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, which had initially protested, was instantly silenced.
'Well, as long as it's not harming Xiao Yuhao, it's probably fine...'
The next day...
Huo Yuhao was happily cultivating when...
Wang Dong, who had been enduring this in silence, finally snapped and slammed his hand on the bed!
"Hey, kid!"
"You're still cultivating while unconscious?"
"Quick! Wash that stench off you!"
"It was barely noticeable before, but now it's getting worse! You're making the dorm smell like a public toilet!"
Huo Yuhao instinctively returned to his body and opened his eyes, sniffing the air.
"Huh—"
'Holy shit!
What is this smell?'
He sat up and lifted his thin quilt, revealing a dark, crusty layer.
'Ah, I see.
This is the impurities being expelled.'
Embarrassed, he gave Wang Dong, who was seething with anger, an awkward smile, then grabbed his bedding and fled the dormitory.
Fortunately, Shrek Academy's student body was diverse, hailing from all corners of the world. To accommodate individual customs, the academy provided communal bathhouses.
After cleaning himself thoroughly, he bought new bedding and toiletries.
'With the 1,000 gold soul coins Beibei gave me, I can't exactly skimp on myself, can I?'
He then purchased two meals and returned to the dormitory.
But Wang Dong was already gone, leaving only the lingering stench.
Huo Yuhao ate his meal outside the door, then rolled up his sleeves and charged into the dormitory.
Using spiritual detection, he thoroughly cleaned every corner.
The foul odor finally dissipated.
Huo Yuhao let out a sigh of relief.
'Thank goodness it's gone.'
If Wang Dong's fur mattress and soft cotton quilt had been tainted by the smell, Huo Yuhao would have been in real trouble.
Although he had won yesterday and wasn't bound by any stupid rules, deliberately provoking someone after knowing their trigger points was asking for death.
He closed the door.
Huo Yuhao resumed his cross-legged position and was about to start cultivating when...
"You never learn, do you?" Zhuge Lan said with amusement.
Huo Yuhao smacked his forehead!
He dashed out of the dormitory and scanned the area in front of the building.
His eyes locked onto the fixed NPC, "Lounge Chair Grandpa." There was a patch of empty ground beside him, downwind and out of the way of the smell.
Approaching Mu En, he politely asked, "Grandpa, may I cultivate over here?"
"As you wish."
"Thank you, Grandpa!"
Huo Yuhao chose the spot farthest from the grandpa, sat cross-legged, and began circulating the Muscle Transformation Manual.
Before long, Mu En sniffed the air, casting a peculiar glance at Huo Yuhao.
His eyes seemed to pierce through flesh and bone, directly observing the movement of soul power within him.
Zhuge Lan noticed his movements but didn't interfere further.
'This old man is reasonable, and he'll be Little Yuhao's master in the future. Besides, he'll die soon enough and leave a legacy to be divided. It's just a flawed version of the first-stage Muscle Transformation Manual—what harm could a little peek do?'
Moreover, this could be an opportunity to secure some resources for Little Yuhao.
As expected, Mu En's expression turned grave, and the light in his eyes vanished immediately. After lying back down, he found himself unable to sleep.
He had just witnessed someone's great secret!
In his youth, Mu En had joined the Tang Sect and mastered the Profound Heaven Art.
But compared to what this young man was now practicing, it was like comparing starlight to moonlight!
Not only was this technique mobilizing more meridians and circulating soul power faster, but it also expelled impurities from the body, enhancing one's innate talent and aptitude!
Such a miraculous art—he had never even heard of it!
Even someone at his level could benefit from it.
If this were implemented at Shrek Academy...
No!
Just spreading it within the Inner Academy would elevate Shrek to new heights!
But...
This wasn't his to claim.
"The Holy Flame Meow Meow Sect, huh..."
"I've never heard of it."
"Is it newly formed, or like the Body Sect of old..."
With this thought, Mu En could no longer remain idle. He rose and headed toward Sea God Island.
This matter was too significant to ignore. It needed careful planning!