Spar

"First, you are not allowed to bring people back to the dorm whenever you want. Second, you are not allowed to be naked in the dorm. Third, no snoring while sleeping. Fourth, do not disturb me. Fifth, from now on, you will clean the dorm, but you are not allowed to touch my bed."

Huo Yuhao listened to his matter-of-fact tone, unable to swallow his anger. "Why should I listen to you?"

"If you don't, I'll beat you out." The boy crossed his arms, his tone filled with disdain.

This reminded Huo Yuhao of his time at the Duke's Mansion, where those people had looked down on him in exactly the same way. His fists clenched with a series of cracks.

"Fine. Let's fight outside."

Seeing that he refused to yield, the contempt in the boy's eyes was undisguised. In his view, such a foolish idea was like an egg striking a stone.

"Tell me your name. I don't fight nobodies."

Huo Yuhao's anger flared even hotter. "Don't you know that before asking someone else's name, you should introduce yourself first?"

The boy did not care. "Wang Dong. Remember my name."

"Huo Yuhao."

With that, he took the lead in walking outside. When Huo Yuxi saw him, she was about to run over, but then she caught sight of her brother's face, dark as the bottom of a pot, and the leisurely boy following behind him.

She stopped and decided to watch what was happening first.

Huo Yuhao came to a stop in the center of the field and closed his eyes to calm himself. Ancient golden patterns flashed across him. When he opened his eyes, a faint golden glow lit up, and a white soul ring hovered around his body.

"Heh." Wang Dong laughed when she saw his soul ring. "Where did you get the confidence to think you could beat me? I'll go easy on you. I won't use my martial soul."

As soon as she finished speaking, she pushed off the ground and charged forward. In an instant, she was in front of Huo Yuhao. She leaped into the air, then swung her right leg toward the side of his neck.

With the detection of his Spirit Eyes, Huo Yuhao anticipated her attack a step ahead. He raised his left hand and caught her leg, only to discover that although this new roommate looked tall, her leg was actually as slender as a girl's.

Wang Dong had not expected him to block the attack. Her left leg shot out, kicking Huo Yuhao in the chest.

The kick forced him back two steps. Before he had time to think, Wang Dong landed and swiftly pressed the attack again.

Watching from the side, Huo Yuxi grew anxious. She could tell that this girl was very strong. Even without using her martial soul, Huo Yuhao was definitely no match for her.

But Huo Yuxi knew Huo Yuhao's temperament better than anyone. He was usually gentle and polite, but he was as stubborn as a mule. For a moment, she truly did not know how to stop him.

The two exchanged several more blows. Huo Yuhao appeared to be at a disadvantage, but in truth, he flawlessly evaded every one of Wang Dong's attacks, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Wang Dong refused to believe it. She had her own pride; since she had said she would not use her martial soul, she would not use it. After another exchange, she raised her right leg high and brought it crashing down at Huo Yuhao with a fierce gust of wind.

If Huo Yuhao did not dodge that strike, he would be crippled even if it did not kill him.

"Brother!" Huo Yuxi could not stay still any longer when she saw this. She summoned the Soul Devouring Spider, and soul rings lit up beneath her feet. "Second soul skill, Wrath of the Stranglehold."

Wrath of the Stranglehold was an area-control skill. It could drastically weaken the enemy's Soul Power by fifty percent, along with recovery, spiritual power, speed, and other supportive effects. It lasted for fifteen seconds, and its duration would increase as Huo Yuxi grew stronger.

Wang Dong slowed for two seconds. After Huo Yuhao successfully dodged, her heel struck the ground, kicking a small crater into the heavy stone slab. It was easy to imagine just how much force she had put into that attack.

Huo Yuhao was somewhat shocked by this new roommate's strength. After all, she had not only refrained from using her martial soul, but there had not even been a ripple of Soul Power.

Though Wang Dong was angry at being interrupted, seeing Huo Yuhao dodge away so awkwardly made her decide to end the fight first and settle the score afterward.

She clenched her hand into a fist, rushed forward, and struck straight at Huo Yuhao's abdomen.

Though she had not taken Huo Yuhao seriously, she had put real force into this attack. Yet unexpectedly, he dodged it again.

Wang Dong found it hard to believe. What kind of bizarre ten-year soul ring did Huo Yuhao have that it could support him for so long?

She turned and intensified her offensive. The gap in their strength was right there. She refused to believe that she could not defeat some brat with only a single ten-year soul ring.

Gradually, Huo Yuhao began to struggle. His living conditions had been poor since childhood, and his physical constitution was far inferior to Wang Dong's.

His stamina could not keep up. Even with the Spirit Eyes predicting her moves in advance, he found it difficult to evade them. If this continued, defeat would be inevitable.

Wang Dong was incredibly strong. The places where he had been hit now burned with searing pain.

As the battle continued, Huo Yuhao's footwork became increasingly disorderly, and Wang Dong's attacks drove him back again and again.

"Heh, you're already pretty impressive, lasting this long with a ten-year soul ring." Wang Dong spoke as she charged forward.

Huo Yuhao shut his eyes tightly, listening to the sounds around him as his fists slowly clenched. Then he abruptly opened his eyes, and a flash of purple light flickered.

Wang Dong had been watching his expression the entire time. The instant she met his opened eyes, she felt as though a needle had pierced her mind, and her consciousness went blank for a moment.

Huo Yuhao seized the chance and lunged forward, wrapping Wang Dong in his arms like a sloth hugging a tree. The two of them fell to the ground together.

When Wang Dong recovered, she found herself extremely close to Huo Yuhao—close enough to see the pores on his face clearly.

"Huo Yuhao!" Wang Dong was furious. Her handsome face was as red as a boiled shrimp, though it was impossible to tell whether it was from embarrassment or anger.

Huo Yuhao was no exception. He could not understand why Wang Dong, as a boy, had such a faint fragrance on her body.

"Get off me already." When Wang Dong saw that he did not react, she shouted again.

"You admit defeat first." Huo Yuhao shouted back without yielding.

The unwillingness on Wang Dong's face was obvious, but she still said, "I lost. Let go of me already."

Huo Yuhao released her and got to his feet first, then turned and held out a hand to Wang Dong.

"Tch." Wang Dong ignored him, stood up by herself, and dusted off her clothes. Then she looked toward Huo Yuxi. "You were the one who ambushed me just now?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"You think one apology makes it okay?" Wang Dong snorted disdainfully.

Huo Yuhao stepped in front of Wang Dong, blocking her line of sight. "I'm sorry about what happened just now. Whatever you want, I can compensate you. Please don't make things difficult for her."

At the sight of Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong recalled what had just happened, and her anger flared up again. One yellow and one purple soul ring lit up. The wind stirred by her pressure blew the bangs on all three of their foreheads.

Huo Yuxi immediately stepped in front of Huo Yuhao. One yellow and one purple soul ring likewise circled around her. Seeing this soul ring combination, Wang Dong became interested, and her anger vanished in an instant.

"Not bad. You're much stronger than your idiot brother. Your body doesn't seem all that good, so it must be your martial soul itself. What is your martial soul? How can you also absorb soul rings beyond the usual limit?"

Before Huo Yuxi could answer, Wang Dong spotted the conspicuous pink-and-blue creature atop her black hair.

"This is your martial soul? It's even a tangible martial soul." Looking at the Soul Devouring Spider, she blew at the hair over her forehead and said roguishly, "Still, doesn't it seem more compatible with me?"

The little spider haughtily turned away.

"I was wondering the same thing. Even its personality is exactly the same." Huo Yuhao added.

"Hmph." Wang Dong shot him a glance, then turned and headed back to the dorm.

Huo Yuxi watched her retreating back, then turned her puzzled gaze toward Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao rubbed her head. "I'll go get you some books, but you can't stay up reading too late tonight. Rest more, and you don't need to cultivate so desperately either. We should balance work and rest." Huo Yuhao used Tang Ya's old lecture on Huo Yuxi, yet he himself fought for every second.

"Got it."