Nine King Kongs?

Wang Dong immediately turned to Huo Yuhao with curiosity. "I've noticed you've changed a little today. You've become helpful! I know you're not exactly a warmhearted person, so tell me, what are you up to?"

"Don't slander me. I've loved helping people since I was little. Whenever I see an old grandpa, I help him walk back and forth." Huo Yuhao was surprised by Wang Dong's sharp instincts, but he certainly could not admit that he had ulterior motives.

Wang Dong clearly did not believe him.

"If you don't believe me, go ask that old man sunbathing downstairs from our dormitory. I've helped him walk around several times these past few days." Huo Yuhao presented actual evidence to prove that he really was a helpful good person.

He had indeed helped Mu En walk around again these past few days, though it had not been at his own request. He was embarrassed to keep taking advantage of the same person, after all. Who knew Mu En would actually take the initiative to ask? Then he had nothing to feel embarrassed about.

The old man still used his pressure to suppress him. After going a few times, Huo Yuhao discovered that his body had become far more unobstructed, and even his physical constitution had improved somewhat. This discovery made him feel guilty for quite a while—cough, at least a minute!

Wang Dong could not help doubting herself. Had she really misjudged him? Was Huo Yuhao truly a helpful good person?

After running for a while, Huo Yuhao broke Wang Dong's reverie. "What are your plans after graduating from the academy?"

"Why are you asking that?" Wang Dong found it rather strange and felt that Huo Yuhao was being inexplicable, but she still answered, "I don't know what I'll do in the future either. We'll talk about the future when it comes. There are still several years before graduation anyway."

"Then why don't you follow me in the future? I plan to establish a faction and have us build it up from nothing together. What do you think? We can invite our classmates to join too." Huo Yuhao smiled as he invited Wang Dong. Although Wang Dong was the Young Sect Master of Clear Sky Sect, Huo Yuhao felt that she would have no chance of becoming the Clear Sky Sect Master in this life. If she ascended to the God Realm, that was another matter, but if she did not, she absolutely would not outlive Da Ming, the current Clear Sky Sect Master. Rather than let her join the Tang Sect again, he might as well recruit Wang Dong in advance.

The moment Wang Dong heard the first half of Huo Yuhao's words, her mind went blank. She did not even hear what he said afterward.

Follow him in the future? What was this person saying? How could he say something like that so casually!

She bit her cherry lips, her cheeks burning as waves of bashful delight surged through her heart.

Forcibly suppressing the shyness in her heart, Wang Dong let her gaze wander as she said, "Following you... isn't impossible. But I'll need to observe you for a while first. You have to treat me better."

"Then it's settled. Once you finish observing me, you have to join my sect. You can't join another sect!" Huo Yuhao said at once.

"Huh? A sect? What sect?" Wang Dong asked blankly.

"Didn't you agree to follow me in the future and join the sect I establish? Didn't you mean that?" Huo Yuhao looked at Wang Dong with suspicion.

"Ah?" Wang Dong's expression froze. She hurriedly nodded to conceal her embarrassment. "That's right, that's what I meant. Exactly!"

Wang Dong breathed a sigh of relief, yet at the same time, another wave of disappointment welled up in her heart.

When Huo Yuhao saw the rosy flush on Wang Dong's face, he guessed that she had definitely misunderstood.

However, he could not make their relationship clear to Wang Dong yet. He needed to draw things out a little longer and let them experience more things together. Otherwise, their feelings would be like duckweed without roots, and there might be complications when he turned against Tang San. Shared experiences were the roots of affection. Only when those roots ran deep and spread wide could he bind the maiden firmly to himself.

So, sorry, Dong'er. This is—this won't be the last time. You don't need to be sad so soon.

Huo Yuhao silently apologized to Wang Dong.

After Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong finished their hundred laps, they strolled around the square.

Huo Yuhao also observed the students from his class, searching for the Nine King Kongs from the Original Work.

As most people gradually finished running, only a single-digit number of students remained on the track. There was still plenty of time, though—more than enough for them to complete a hundred laps.

When they reached where the students from their class had gathered, Huo Yuhao roughly searched through his memories and discovered that the Nine King Kongs seemed to have become the Six King Kongs. Three people had actually finished running.

Huo Yuhao gave them a tactful reminder. "Maybe someone miscounted their laps and hasn't finished yet. Think carefully and see whether you've run enough. If not, you should keep running until you finish. Otherwise, given Zhou Yi's temperament, even if she doesn't expel you, you'll still suffer other punishments."

Huo Yuhao noticed that after hearing his words, three people hesitated for a moment. One of them was the first to stand and start running again, while the other two quickly scrambled up and followed that student.

Another person saw people start running again, and his gaze wavered for a moment. Yet he soon sat back down steadily, pretending that nothing had happened.

One sturdier student wore a completely unconcerned expression as he said with a grin, "Relax. With so many people, there's no way she can keep an eye on everyone."

Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. "Perhaps. I'm just reminding you. Whatever consequences there are later, you'll bear them yourselves."

The man stopped speaking. After snorting, he leisurely sat down on the ground. This guy really liked meddling! He refused to believe Zhou Yi could do anything to him just because he had not finished running!

Just as Huo Yuhao was about to turn and leave, a girl's tearful voice came from behind him. "My leg is cramping. I can't stand up."

Huo Yuhao followed the sound and looked over. It was a relatively petite girl with delicate features and a little baby fat on her face, making her look soft and sweet.

She braced herself with both hands and tried to stand, but the moment one leg gave way, she fell to the ground with a face full of pain.

Huo Yuhao walked over and asked gently, "How many laps do you have left?"

"Two laps." When the girl saw Huo Yuhao's face close to hers, her little face reddened.

Huo Yuhao nodded. "Then how about this? I'll carry you for those two laps."

"Huh? Is that okay?" Delight appeared on the maiden's face. She glanced at Huo Yuhao, then her little face turned crimson again as she thanked him in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz. "Then thank you, classmate Huo Yuhao! My name is Yun Xiaopiao."

Huo Yuhao crouched down, intending to let the maiden climb onto his back.

Wang Dong, standing nearby, let out a cold snort. Then, with Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul Possession, she beat him to it. She lifted Yun Xiaopiao from behind with both hands and began flying at low altitude around Shrek Square.

Huo Yuhao watched Wang Dong with some amusement. She wore an utterly unwilling expression, yet she still carried Yun Xiaopiao around the square. The soft and sweet girl named Yun Xiaopiao let out a startled cry. Once she realized what had happened, she puffed out her cheeks in indignation, and the disappointment in her eyes lingered for a long time.

The two laps ended quickly. Wang Dong set the maiden down on the ground and said flatly, "You've finished your two laps. No need to thank me."

Yun Xiaopiao stood there blankly for a moment after being put down. Hearing Wang Dong's words, she pursed her lips, but in the end, she still thanked her unwillingly. "I should still thank you."

"Of course, the person I'm most grateful to is classmate Huo Yuhao!" Yun Xiaopiao gazed at Huo Yuhao with shining eyes.

Wang Dong could not help stepping in front of the maiden and blocking her line of sight to Huo Yuhao. Unable to move easily, the maiden looked at Wang Dong with deep resentment. For a moment, the two actually found themselves locked in a standoff.