A Maiden's Worries

Huo Yuhao buried his head against Wang Dong'er's chest, feeling the soft tenderness like the first pointed buds of a lotus just breaking the surface, and listening to the Maiden's rapid, drumbeat-like heartbeat. He sensed her tension and anxiety and said in an almost inaudible voice, "You're this worried about me? We've only known each other for two days."

Wang Dong'er herself did not know why she was so worried about Huo Yuhao. They had only known each other for two days, yet in those two days, this guy had seen all her secrets, her embarrassing appearance, her female attire, and everything else. She should have been wishing for him to die.

Yet he could so easily stir her emotions, making her happy or worried. He seemed to understand her very well, but he himself seemed shrouded in mist, making her unable to resist being curious even though she could never see through him.

But none of that was the main reason she did not want him to die. As for what the main reason was, she could not figure it out, nor did she want to right now. All she wanted was to fly back to Shrek Academy as quickly as possible and find someone to save him.

Huo Yuhao spoke again, weakly, as though on the verge of death. "Sorry. I can't control that ability of mine that makes you lose face, either. But you won't have to worry about it anymore."

"Shut up. Stop talking. Once we get back to the academy, they'll definitely be able to save you!" Wang Dong'er's speed increased by several notches.

"You—"

"Shut up!"

"Okay." Huo Yuhao comfortably enjoyed the Maiden's embrace.

After a moment, Huo Yuhao finally could not help saying, "Didn't you notice that my clothes were burned to tatters, yet the ability that activates when your hand touches my wounds never activated?"

Wang Dong'er froze. Why was that?

"Didn't you notice there isn't a single person in Shrek City? I thought you'd figure it out quickly."

Wang Dong'er looked around and discovered that there was indeed not a single person in Shrek City.

"I won the bet." Huo Yuhao lightly patted Wang Dong'er's shoulder, then freed himself from her embrace.

He could not bear to keep bullying the Maiden before him.

He would let her off for today!

The scene before Wang Dong'er's eyes rapidly changed. They were still in that Soul Arena, and Huo Yuhao's wounds had vanished. Dressed neatly and unharmed, he stood before her with a smiling face.

Huh? Wang Dong'er stared blankly at the perfectly unharmed, smiling Huo Yuhao. Only after a long while did tears begin to gather in her eyes.

"You bastard! Is tricking me really that fun?" the Maiden demanded through sobs. She had already fallen into an illusion. He could have won effortlessly, yet he had deliberately pretended to be badly injured and toyed with her feelings, making her worry.

Seeing the tearful look in the Maiden's eyes, Huo Yuhao walked up to Wang Dong'er and placed both hands on her shoulders. Gazing gently at the tearful Maiden, he said, "If I hadn't tricked you, how would I have known you'd worry about me this much? Knowing that makes me happier than winning a condition where you have to agree to anything I ask."

Ever since Wang Dong'er had returned to her Maiden's appearance, she had become much more fragile and more prone to tears.

Wang Dong'er pursed her Red Lips, her pale pink eyes filled with stubbornness. "I wasn't worried about you. If the academy found out I killed a fellow student, I'd be punished too. It wasn't because I was worried about you."

"Alright, alright, let's say you were afraid of being punished." Huo Yuhao naturally went along with her. "Worrying about me was only incidental."

Seeing the gentleness and affection in the boy's starlike, dazzling Spirit Eyes, Wang Dong'er immediately looked away as if startled. Her Fair Hand knocked his hands from her shoulders, and she turned around to avoid his gaze. Her voice was somewhat flustered as she said,

"Even incidental is not incidental!"

Wang Dong'er had never seen such emotions in Huo Yuhao's eyes before. It made her feel that the mist surrounding him was no longer like clouds in the sky, distant and intangible, but like a soft, delicate gauze curtain. As long as she was willing to approach him, she could lift that layer of gauze protecting him.

However, Wang Dong'er did not know whether she should take the initiative to approach Huo Yuhao. After all, they had only known each other for two days.

She could not help but flee in flustered confusion.

Huo Yuhao did not know what the Maiden was thinking. Seeing her hurriedly turn away, her cold and proud tone mixed with shyness and sweetness, he simply took it as the Maiden's tsundere side showing through.

He had not expected Wang Dong'er to have a tsundere side. Huo Yuhao had discovered an unexpected delight.

Tsundere was good! Huo Yuhao loved it when tsundere girls kept their pride, reluctantly spoke words of reproach, and hid their tender feelings. Yet as long as one struck straight at their hearts, their bodies would honestly open themselves willingly far sooner than their mouths would admit it.

What was more, when a tsundere girl's pride was shattered, the haughty Maiden would often reveal another side, one as passionate as fire.

Huo Yuhao lightly brushed the dust left on his clothes after the battle and said, "Alright, we should head back to the academy. Otherwise, we'll have to stay at an inn tonight."

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er returned to the dormitory in silence. Before heading back, Wang Dong'er changed from her female attire back into male clothing.

That night, Huo Yuhao reviewed what he had gained from his battle with Wang Dong, then began meditating to cultivate.

He also glanced at Wang Dong and found that she had simply lain down on the bed to sleep. What a lazy mutt. In the Original Work, Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly was a god-given Martial Soul, and her Innate Soul Power was probably level twenty as well. Yet after obtaining one hundred-year Soul Ring and one thousand-year Soul Ring, her Soul Power was only at around level twenty-three or twenty-four. Clearly, Wang Dong had probably barely cultivated at all.

The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, Huo Yuhao prepared to find Xiao Ya. He had arranged to go to Shrek City with Xiao Ya today to see whether they could sell the Recipe and earn some money.

Huo Yuhao still remembered that the Ranked List Carving Knife made from Gold of Life at the Soul Master Competition cost only a little over one hundred thousand gold soul coins. He needed to save enough money to buy it before the Soul Master Competition.

Since he had already decided to leave Shrek in the future and create his own faction, he should avoid owing Shrek any favors if possible.

As Huo Yuhao prepared to leave, he found that Wang Dong had awakened as well. His handsome face was full of fatigue, and it was obvious that he had not rested well.

"You didn't sleep well?" Huo Yuhao asked in surprise. He had seen Wang Dong lie down to sleep early last night.

"What are you going to do?" Wang Dong asked expressionlessly.

"Go make some money. What's wrong?"

"I'm coming with you!"

Wang Dong quickly washed up and looked much more refreshed. Then she followed Huo Yuhao out of the dormitory.

"Why are you coming with me? You're rich. Don't tell me you want to watch how I make money and experience the hardships of life?" Huo Yuhao asked curiously.

After a night had passed, Wang Dong was still feeling somewhat awkward. "I just want to go."

The two left the freshmen dormitory one after the other. From a distance, Huo Yuhao saw Tang Ya standing ahead, arm in arm with an extraordinarily beautiful Maiden wearing a purple school uniform.

Upon seeing that Maiden, Huo Yuhao unconsciously revealed a gentle smile.

It was Nan Nan-jie!