Huo Wu's Questioning

The final whistle of the match seemed to still echo through the air, but the clamor and shock from the Audience Seats had gradually settled into countless focused gazes. With both hands in his pockets, Zhang Bufan strolled down from the arena like the boy next door returning from a trip to the market. Defeating Feng Xiaotian seemed easier to him than brushing dust from his clothes.

However, his leisure did not last long.

The moment he stepped out of the shadows of the competitors' passage and into the relatively secluded backstage area, a red figure blazing with heat and obvious fury swept in front of him like a whirlwind. A fragrant breeze rushed toward him, carrying the scorched scent unique to Flame, along with the cool, clean fragrance of a young woman.

It was Huo Wu.

Her lovely face was frosty, and the bright, captivating eyes that usually shone with life now blazed with anger like two dancing flames, fixed fiercely on Zhang Bufan's innocent-looking face—an act, of course. Her full chest rose and fell with her rapid breathing. Her red team uniform made her skin seem even fairer, while the flush brought on by rage gave her a different kind of charm.

"Zhang Bufan, right?!" Her voice was crisp, yet filled with barely restrained anger. Like jade striking jade, it shattered the quiet of the backstage area. "What did that gesture onstage just now mean?!"

She raised a slender finger, nearly poking Zhang Bufan in the nose. She was clearly furious. Naturally, she was referring to that frivolous Air Kiss.

Zhang Bufan stopped. Looking at the lovely face so close before him, made even more vivid and beautiful by anger, he showed no fear at all. Instead, a trace of barely noticeable appreciation—and... pleasure?—flashed through his eyes. Slowly raising his hand, he did not defend himself. He simply used one finger to gently brush aside the delicate finger that was nearly touching his nose, as naturally as if he were parting a willow branch.

"Miss Huo Wu," he said lazily, smiling in stark contrast to Huo Wu's exasperation, "I think this may be a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?!" Huo Wu's eyes widened, and she nearly laughed from anger. In all her life, she had never met someone so shameless and absurdly strong. Feng Xiaotian's subtle pursuit had already annoyed her enough; how could she tolerate this nearly flirtatious act in front of tens of thousands of people? "You did something so... so improper to me in front of tens of thousands of people, and you call it a misunderstanding?!"

"Of course." Zhang Bufan spread his hands, his expression so sincere it was almost innocent. "I was merely expressing my appreciation and admiration for beautiful things in the world in the most direct way possible. Just as poets praise the bright moon and painters depict mountains and rivers, when I saw a presence as brilliant as flame and as unique as Miss Huo Wu, admiration arose in my heart, and I could not help myself. That is all."

His words were excessively refined, but his eyes held a hint of teasing, as though he were reciting a carefully prepared Heretical Theory.

Hmm, when her little face turns red with anger and her eyes go all round, she looks like a pretty kitten whose tail has been stepped on. Even cuter. I really want to hold her in my arms and stroke her properly right now... but she'd probably claw my face to ribbons. Better wait a little longer.

"You... you're twisting words!" Huo Wu was momentarily choked by his Heretical Theory. Her pretty face turned even redder, though it was impossible to tell whether it was from anger or embarrassment. She realized that reasoning with this man was utterly useless. The thickness of his skin was probably comparable to a city wall corner! "Admiration? Praise? Is that how you... how you 'praise' someone?!"

"Then how does Miss Huo Wu believe one should offer praise properly?" Zhang Bufan asked with interest, taking a slight step forward. The distance between them instantly narrowed, and he could even clearly see Huo Wu's long eyelashes trembling faintly. "Could it be... like Brother Feng, watching from afar and quietly suffering? Sorry, but that isn't my style. When I, Zhang Bufan, do something, I prefer to be direct. If I want something, I go after it."

His words carried an unquestionable domineering force, while his burning gaze seemed to possess real heat. Huo Wu instinctively wanted to retreat, but the pride in her bones made her stop herself. She stubbornly lifted her chin and met his eyes.

"Who... who wants you to go after me?!" A trace of panic crept into Huo Wu's voice, though even she did not notice it. "I'm warning you, Zhang Bufan, stay away from me! Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?" The curve of Zhang Bufan's lips widened, carrying a hint of roguishness. "Will Miss Huo Wu challenge me to another spar and 'teach' this lecher a lesson?"

He had accurately predicted Huo Wu's next possible move.

Provoked by his words, Huo Wu immediately seemed to find an outlet for her anger. "Yes! That's right! If you've got the guts, fight me! A fair fight! I'll show you that I, Huo Wu, am not someone you can insult so casually!"

Soul Power began to surge around her, and a scorching aura spread outward. She clearly meant to fight.

An iconic scene was born: Huo Wu, the "Goddess of Flames," openly challenged the mysterious expert Zhang Bufan in the backstage area after the tournament, the man who had just overwhelmingly defeated Feng Xiaotian! All to reclaim justice for being "insulted"! If there had been reporters present, they would have gone mad with excitement. This would definitely have been tomorrow's Soul Master Newspaper headline!

Seeing her spirited appearance, like a Little Phoenix with ruffled feathers, Zhang Bufan finally could not help but chuckle. His laughter was clear and strangely magnetic, making Huo Wu's heart skip another beat.

"Sure." He agreed without hesitation. "I didn't get enough of a workout just now anyway. But..." His tone shifted, and he revealed a fox-like smile.

"But what?" Huo Wu looked at him warily.

"Since it's a spar, there should be some stakes, right?" Zhang Bufan said unhurriedly. "How about this: I won't use my Martial Soul. As long as you can touch even the edge of my clothes during the spar—even the slightest contact—you win. What do you say?"

"You won't use your Martial Soul?!" Huo Wu was once again stunned by his arrogance. She was a Soul Ancestor! The favored daughter of Blazing Fire Academy! He actually dared to fight her without using his Martial Soul?! This was no longer mere contempt. It was naked humiliation!

"That's right, no Martial Soul." Zhang Bufan confirmed it, his eyes provocative. "What? Is Miss Huo Wu afraid?"

"Who says I'm afraid?!" Huo Wu predictably could not stand being provoked. "Fine, it's a bet! What happens if you lose?"

"If I lose..." Zhang Bufan stroked his chin and pretended to think, then smiled. "You can do whatever you want with me. Hit me, scold me, even make me apologize to you in public. Anything goes."

"Good! You said it!" A glimmer of anticipated victory flashed in Huo Wu's eyes. Without his Martial Soul, she refused to believe she could not even touch the edge of his clothes!

"And if you lose?" Zhang Bufan asked calmly.

"Me?" Huo Wu froze. She had never considered the possibility that she might lose.

"Of course. A wager must be fair." Zhang Bufan patiently guided her along. "If you lose, you won't need to do anything too difficult... just have a meal with me. At the most expensive restaurant in Heaven Dou City. My treat."

His request sounded simple, even somewhat... ordinary. Yet paired with the smile in his eyes, it inexplicably made Huo Wu feel that this meal would not be easy to eat.

But at that moment, blinded by anger and confidence, she only wanted to teach this arrogant man a harsh lesson.

"Deal!" Huo Wu gritted her teeth and agreed.

"Straightforward!" Zhang Bufan clapped his hands. "Then... shall we find somewhere quieter? There are too many people here. I'm afraid Miss Huo Wu won't be able to save face if she loses."

"Hmph! We don't know who'll win yet!" Huo Wu snorted coldly, then turned and headed deeper into the backstage area, toward a small Training Ground reserved for competitors to warm up, which was currently empty. Her red ponytail drew a perfect arc through the air.

Watching her slender back, Zhang Bufan curled his lips into a triumphant smile and leisurely followed after her.

Done! The first step of a date—at least in my opinion—often begins with a "fight before friendship." The ancestors' experience truly does not deceive me. Brother Feng Xiaotian, thank you for your selfless contribution. Your defeat has paved the way for my advance.

Their figures disappeared at the end of the passage, leaving behind only the Soul Power fluctuations that had yet to settle—and a "spar" about to begin, one destined to be anything but ordinary.