When Did It Arrive?

Before the two of them went out to grab a meal.

Wang Dong ultimately got her way.

"The fact that we have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill means we're quite compatible. So let me show you my true appearance, then."

Huo Yuhao: Actually, I didn't really want to see it.

As Wang Dong dispelled her secret technique, a pink-blue figure forcibly burst into Huo Yuhao's field of vision.

The girl was tall and slender, with long pink-blue hair cascading to her waist. Her red lips were soft and rosy, and her pretty face was pale as snow. Like a fairy descended into the mortal world, she seemed utterly out of place in the somewhat shabby dormitory around them.

"Well?"

Wang Dong's lovely face flushed slightly, adding a touch of girlish shyness to her already captivating features.

"Not bad. There's a sort of contrasting beauty to it. But what's the principle behind this makeup secret technique of yours? It's really impressive. Can you teach me?"

Huo Yuhao was genuinely interested in this secret technique that allowed one to transform at will, though in terms of practicality, it certainly could not compare to his Mimicry Skill.

Wang Dong: ...

What an insensitive idiot.

"This is a secret art of my family. I can't just teach it to you."

Huo Yuhao did not press the matter. "Fine, then hurry up and change back. We still need to return to the dorm and continue meditating after dinner."

As Wang Dong changed back into male attire, she complained, "Why are you in such a rush to cultivate every second of the day? What, are you afraid you'll lose to me later on? As long as I feel like it..."

Seeing that Wang Dong seemed unable to muster much interest in cultivation, Huo Yuhao decided to increase the dose of provocation.

"At your age, with your Soul Power Level, if you don't hurry up and cultivate, how can you even sleep? Don't you know that there are several specially admitted students at Soul Elder level among this year's Shrek freshmen?"

"What!? There are experts too!?"

Wang Dong grew anxious upon hearing this.

She had originally thought that her Soul Power Level would be enough to dominate the freshmen. Who would have thought that she would suffer such a setback before classes had even begun?

And now, hearing from Huo Yuhao about the specially admitted Soul Elder students, she immediately felt a sense of urgency.

Grind! The grind started now!

"So you were secretly cultivating by yourself this afternoon while I was asleep, putting in all that effort without bringing me along?"

"Brother Hao is kindhearted. You were sleeping so soundly that I couldn't bear to disturb you."

"I don't care. You have to take responsibility for the half day of cultivation time I missed."

"Alright, alright. Stop talking nonsense."

Amid their scattered banter, the distance between the two quietly closed by quite a bit.

Perhaps this was how normal roommates were supposed to get along?

At last, the two prepared to head to Shrek City.

From Wang Dong's description, she was extremely dissatisfied with Shrek's cafeteria. Not only were there no tables or chairs, but food was absolutely forbidden from being taken out of the cafeteria.

Huo Yuhao wholeheartedly agreed.

Just like the freshman dormitories, which had fallen into disrepair over the years, Shrek always managed to come up with unexpected quirks in certain details.

At Wang Dong's suggestion, she recommended a specialty restaurant by the north gate of Shrek City.

"I'll treat this time."

Wang Dong patted her rather flat chest.

"Then thank you, Miss Wang Dong."

Who knew whether it was the Clear Sky Sect Secret Technique that was impressive, or whether Wang Dong simply had great potential ahead of her?

"Hey, hey, don't casually reveal my identity in front of outsiders."

Wang Dong earnestly reminded him.

"Got it. We're bros."

Following Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao left the dormitory.

By this time, the sky had gradually darkened, and the vast Shrek Academy had become exceptionally lively. Freshmen from Shrek headed out in pairs.

This was when Shrek Outer Court had the largest number of people. Before the brutal eliminations began, every incoming class had more than a thousand freshmen.

The two of them were simply too outstanding in appearance. As they passed through Shrek Square, they drew countless looks, with many female students gazing at them fervently along the way.

Quite a few bold female students even came up to strike up conversations, hoping to get acquainted with them.

"Yuhao, several more female students came looking for me than for you. I win this round."

Huo Yuhao chuckled but said nothing.

What exactly are you so proud of? Didn't you see that they were all scared off by Brother Hao's coldness—physically speaking?

They were all people without Achievement Tasks. There was no need to get to know them any better.

Watching Wang Dong strut like a peacock spreading its tail, Huo Yuhao reminded her, "Be careful. There's no possibility between you and them."

Wang Dong waved a hand. "I know, I know. Why are you more nagging than my Big Father? You've said it several times today already..."

Fine then. Brother Hao had already done all he could.

If she kept abusing her cross-dressing disguise to do whatever she pleased and deceive innocent girls, she had better keep her true identity well hidden.

Just like Xiao Xiao in the Original Work, Wang Dong's neither-initiative-nor-rejection attitude had once given her the illusion that "I have a chance."

Once Xiao Xiao learned the truth, it was already a very good outcome that the two of them had not fallen out as friends.

She really was a gentle yet strong girl.

What a pity. He did not know whether it was some great person's twisted sense of humor, but in order to forcibly pair up a couple, Xiao Xiao had ultimately been matched with He Caitou. It was rather hard to judge.

They arrived at the restaurant.

After receiving Wang Dong's permission, Huo Yuhao began ordering the expensive specialties.

Since the wealthy spendthrift was so generous, he would not stand on ceremony.

Wang Dong waved a grand hand, thinking to herself: It was all small change. The Clear Sky Sect was rich and powerful; it did not matter.

Huo Yuhao thought: The feeling of living off a woman really was nice.

Although he needed to remain wary of Tang San's sugar-coated bullets, he was not some pedantic fool in such matters.

Getting a free ride from the God King's daughter—comfortable.

Achievement Unlocked!

Achieved Tang San's "Already Has the Path to Death" achievement. Reward obtained: Fate-Peering Gu.

Fate-Peering Gu: Five-Turn Gu Insect. Can peer into the Power of Destiny and obtain a small amount of Destiny Revelation.

Evaluation: Using his own methods against him.

Huo Yuhao: ...

Tang San?! When had he come?

Just mooching off one meal was enough to attract him?

Surely not.

Could this "Already Has the Path to Death" achievement have been triggered because some Sea God had his defenses broken?

It did not seem like an act.

Huo Yuhao carefully considered every move he had made so far.

Which one of them could have irritated the Sea God's nerves so badly?

The classic opening with Tian Meng and Elder Yi, politely declining the Tang Sect's invitation, persuading the Ice Empress to surrender, enrolling in Shrek, becoming acquainted with Wang Dong through a fight, and finally experimenting with a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

How should he put it?

It was fine, wasn't it?

Even after all that, Tang San could still get worked up?

Could it be that his butterfly effect had drawn the God of Destruction's attention, causing him to notice Tang San's secret little schemes?

Or had the Martial Soul Fusion Skill they performed that afternoon made Tang San wary?

It was not his fault that they could not achieve one hundred percent compatibility. It was not like he had done it on purpose.

Besides, he had already exposed Wang Dong's true gender in advance. That was who knew how much faster than the Original Work's painfully slow progress.

God King Tang, what more did you want?

It was also fortunate that he could not see Tang San right now. Otherwise, he would definitely have wanted to see exactly what standing he held in Tang San's mind.

At most, they should only have reached the first stage of acquaintance. Even so, Huo Yuhao felt somewhat flattered.

By Tang San's standards, the number of people he considered friends could be counted on one hand.

Of course, it would be best if they did not meet too soon. He did not want to die before accomplishing anything.

Huo Yuhao shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

The God King had to have some kind of serious illness to do this!

Since things had come to this, he should eat first.

Later, he could also make a detour to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion and see whether he could directly snag some Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue at a bargain.

Perfect!

As for those "not expensive" six thousand Gold Soul Coins, he would borrow a little from Wang Dong first.

If Huo Yuhao scraped things together, he could barely afford it now, but there was absolutely no need.

The little stash he had accumulated through "robbing the rich to help the poor" was already nearly gone, and he still had quite a long stretch ahead of him where he would be living off what remained.

He also did not know when Shrek's funding would finally arrive.

Huo Yuhao: I have Twin Martial Souls and Ultimate Ice. Send money!

As for this Five-Turn Fate-Peering Gu, he would wait until he had the money, find a chance to send Wang Dong away, and then give it a try...