More In, Less Out

"I'm fine, thank you." Huo Yuxi got up from the ground, a little troubled. If she was still like this tomorrow, how could she compete?

When Zhou Yi first paired her with Luo Ling, it was with the goal of winning the championship. Now that her body was failing her, how regretful Luo Ling and Lu Wanwan must be to have teamed up with her.

After putting in so much effort and finally reaching the elimination rounds, giving up now wouldn't just be disappointing for them, but for herself as well.

Ning Tian didn't notice these things. After helping her to the bed, he went back to lie down. She had indeed suffered mental damage, and there was no forcing it.

When Huo Yuhao returned to the dormitory and learned of Huo Yuxi's injury, he rushed to the infirmary.

"Xixi," he murmured softly, his eyes red and his hands clenched tightly. The words of those people earlier replayed in his mind.

"Huo Yuxi was covered in blood when they carried her away; no one dared to touch her."

"Her injuries are very serious. She's barely breathing; she might not make it. Prepare yourselves."

"Things like this happen every year. Although they say matches should stop at a reasonable point, in reality, those people can be ruthless."

The closer he got to the infirmary, the more his fear raged. Huo Yuhao's legs felt as heavy as lead, and he stopped at the door, hesitating to enter.

"Yuhao?" Zhou Yi's uncertain voice came from not far away.

Huo Yuhao seemed to grasp at the last straw, walking forward quickly. He trembled, "Teacher Zhou, I heard Xixi was injured. Where is she?"

"She's fine." It was the first time Zhou Yi had seen Huo Yuhao so emotionally volatile. Since she had known him, Huo Yuhao had always displayed a maturity beyond his years.

But when it came to Huo Yuxi, he always let his concern cloud his judgment. Later, after understanding some of his experiences, she could empathize.

Normally, even a slight sniffle from Huo Yuxi would worry him for a long time. Now that she was so severely injured, he was likely frightened. She comforted him, "We have specialized teachers looking after her. There are no major issues, and she's already awake."

Zhou Yi wasn't exaggerating. The healing Soul Masters at Shrek Academy, while not the absolute best, were certainly among the top.

But Huo Yuhao knew his sister's body was special. The more severe the injury, the faster she recovered, but also the weaker she became.

His face grew paler. After asking for Huo Yuxi's room number, he rushed there as if his feet were on fire.

He happened to encounter Huo Yuxi as she was preparing to leave. Unlike the vibrant and energetic girl from the morning, she was now covered in bloody wounds, clutching a blood-stained spider plushie. She looked even weaker than she had as a child, prone to falling ill with just a breath of wind.

He examined her from head to toe and only found a wound on her knee.

"Brother, why are you here?"

Huo Yuxi recovered after a while and prepared to return to the dormitory. In today's match, she had been severely injured, and the Soul Devouring Spider had been forced into hibernation.

After she took a pill to recover, the Soul Devouring Spider successfully woke up and discovered that her body was starting to revert to its previous state.

The entire spider was distraught. She hadn't grown this large relying on her frail mother and equally young brother.

It was all thanks to it; it was its credit! To nourish Huo Yuxi's body, it endured the stench, absorbing the soul power of Evil Soul Masters and purifying it before channeling it into her.

Only then did her body improve slightly. With the careful attention of Huo Yun'er and Huo Yuhao, and its own hard work, she had grown to her current state.

Now, after waking from a nap, it was back to square one. How could it accept this!

Huo Yuhao knew this too. He quietly squatted down, picked up Huo Yuxi, and turned back towards the dormitory.

Along the way, Huo Yuhao remained silent, and Huo Yuxi dared not speak.

"Xixi," Huo Yuhao slowed his steps. "Brother told you, your health is the most important…"

"I know, Brother," Huo Yuxi interrupted him. "It's the same for me; your health is the most important."

"But if I use that as an excuse to tell you not to try so hard, that I'll protect you, would you agree?"

"No," Huo Yuxi's tone became muffled. "I know what you want to say. If you put yourself in my shoes, you'd do the same as me."

"I want to protect you, but I won't stop you from striving, because I will strive even harder to guard you on your path to becoming stronger."

Huo Yuxi clenched her fists, full of spirit.

Huo Yuhao's words caught in his throat, leaving him speechless. His long-held beliefs seemed to be wrong.

Xixi was right. Ever since their mother had instructed him to take good care of his sister, he had been suppressing her desires, fearing any uncontrollable situation.

He had only focused on working harder and harder, becoming stronger, and protecting her, shielding her from anything that could harm her.

Perhaps he should learn to let go appropriately. After all, people must grow through hardship. Moreover, Huo Yuxi's talent was far greater than his; he had to trust her!

With his thoughts clarified, Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, feeling a significant sense of relief.

"Even so, you can't participate in tomorrow's match. Your body can't withstand another ordeal like this."

"No." Huo Yuxi instinctively objected, but then found herself without a reason.

Thinking of the efforts Luo Ling and Lu Wanwan had put in, she felt a pang of guilt. She knew herself that withdrawing from the competition now would be the best course of action.

'Xixi, you don't have to withdraw. I have a way.' The Soul Devouring Spider emerged from the Sea of Consciousness, practically dancing with joy.

Who would have thought? This time, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

"Brother, Zhuzhu says she has a way, so please let me participate in the match. It'll be fine," Huo Yuxi knew what Huo Yuhao was worried about and also knew how to 'deal with' him. "At worst, if the situation today repeats itself, I'll jump off the stage and concede."

She then gave the Soul Devouring Spider a meaningful glance, urging it to help!

Even Huo Yun'er had trusted the Soul Devouring Spider when she was alive, so Huo Yuhao naturally did too. After receiving its assurance and reiterating his warnings several times, he finally agreed.

As they returned to the dormitory, the two encountered Lu Wanwan, who was preparing to go out.

"Hixi, why are you back?" Lu Wanwan was a bit shocked. Not only was Huo Yuxi severely injured when she was carried away, but her current appearance didn't suggest she was well enough to be discharged from the hospital.

Huo Yuxi's complexion looked pale, but her voice sounded full of vigor. "My recovery ability is quite fast, I'm fine now. It's just that my soul power is depleted, making my face look a bit pale. After a night of recovery, I should be mostly fine. We'll still participate in tomorrow's competition as scheduled."

"It'll be fine if Lu Wanwan and I participate tomorrow. You can rest for two days," Lu Wanwan said, a bit anxious. She still remembered how Huo Yuxi looked after being flung out, as if she had been immersed in blood.

Huo Yuxi didn't want to agree. The goal Teacher Zhou had set for them was the championship. Lu Wanwan and Luo Ling didn't want to drag them down, and they looked much more haggard than before the competition.

Moreover, with the Soul Devouring Spider's guarantee, she felt she could completely relax. However, the two of them stared at her with piercing gazes.

Huo Yuxi: "..."

"Fine. If the opponents we face tomorrow are ones you can handle, I'll watch from the sidelines," she said, her tone strained.

Huo Yuhao knew he couldn't persuade her, so he decided to let her have her way. After all, he knew his own sister; she wouldn't be that reckless.

With all of Huo Yuxi's reasons, Lu Wanwan could only agree to her proposal in the end.