"Yaya, I heard some food type soul master was slashing people with a sword just now. Hehe, how scary!" Xiao Xiao linked arms with Wang Qingya and swung their arms back and forth, her little face full of teasing mischief.
Of course she knew who had been slashing people with a sword. After all, she had been there when Wang Qingya bought the soul tool.
The moment her match ended, Xiao Xiao heard the explosive news. She immediately abandoned Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong and came to Zhou Huan's competition area to find her best friend.
After spending time with them lately, she kept feeling that the class monitor and Wang Dong were a little strange. They seemed almost too close, which inevitably reminded her of a certain kind of same-sex affection Zhou Huan had once explained to her.
Hiss...
Whenever Xiao Xiao thought of that, she could not help sighing inwardly. What a waste of Wang Dong's devastatingly handsome face. But she was an upright, kindhearted girl, and she would never come between two people in love.
So it was better not to be a third wheel.
Besides, she had barely finished her match today before hearing about her best friend's moment of glory. Of course she had to hurry over and take a look.
At Xiao Xiao's impish expression, Wang Qingya did not know whether to laugh or cry. "You little brat, are you asking for a beating? Careful, or I'll take my Great Sword to your Cauldron."
She had not expected something that had only just happened to spread so quickly. Even the other competition areas knew?
Naturally, Xiao Xiao was not the least bit frightened. "Hehe, Yaya would never have the heart to hit me."
"Oh, you're such a good girl. You certainly know how to act cute." Wang Qingya could not resist rubbing Xiao Xiao's little head. It really felt more and more like keeping a pet.
"Brr..." Zhou Huan shuddered beside them. "Could you two stop being so sickeningly sweet? It's blazing hot out, and you nearly gave me a cold."
"..." Wen Xiaoshuai felt nothing about any of this.
"None of your business. Hmph." Xiao Xiao gave a haughty little snort. "But Zhou Huan, why did you name this sword the Great Sword? It doesn't sound very nice."
"Then let me ask you: is this sword big?"
"Pretty big. Bigger than an ordinary sword," Xiao Xiao said after some thought.
"And since it's so useful to Qingya, would you call it a treasure?"
"I... suppose so." Xiao Xiao nodded.
"There you have it. Such a great big treasure of a sword-what else would it be but the Great Sword?"
"Everything you said makes sense, but I still feel like something's wrong," Xiao Xiao said earnestly.
"That little head of yours doesn't have much brain capacity to begin with. Thinking too much won't help," Zhou Huan said as though it were perfectly obvious.
"You're the one with no brain capacity! Don't think I can't tell you're insulting me!" Xiao Xiao's little cheeks puffed up in anger.
"Not at all. I'm just stating facts."
"You...!"
"All right, all right. Is a sword's name really worth arguing over?" Wang Qingya hurriedly interrupted them. Still, she had grown used to it. Everyone was always bickering and joking around-well, except Wen Xiaoshuai. Although he had improved a great deal since they first met, he still did not speak much in public.
"Huh? It looks like something happened up ahead," Xiao Xiao suddenly said.
Zhou Huan sensed it too: an immensely powerful aura of flame. As a soul master with an ice attribute, he felt it even more keenly.
The four of them quickly headed toward the small grove ahead.
Soon, they saw a girl in red with a smoking-hot figure looking down at Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, who were sprawled on the ground.
Anyone who saw this scene would know that the woman had given the two on the ground a thrashing.
But before Zhou Huan could speak, Xiao Xiao leaped in front of Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong. Seeing her teammates in such a sorry state, the little girl's overflowing sense of justice ignited her anger. She stared straight at the girl in red. "This is Shrek Academy! What do you think you're doing?"
Looking at that tiny figure, Zhou Huan felt both pleased and helpless. All he could say was that this was Xiao Xiao through and through!
Then Zhou Huan and the other two walked over and stood beside Xiao Xiao.
Zhou Huan knew that the girl in red before them was Ma Xiaotao. He also knew why she had come looking for Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
In the original story, by the time anyone discovered them, Ma Xiaotao had finished testing them. Unable to draw out the ice-attribute soul master who had suppressed her evil fire back then, she had left.
What she did not know was that this supposed ice-attribute soul master did not exist at all.
Yet now, Ma Xiaotao had not left.
Still, Zhou Huan was not afraid. With her evil fire temporarily suppressed by a touch of Tian Meng's finger, Ma Xiaotao was rational, and a clearheaded Ma Xiaotao would never kill them.
Now, faced with Xiao Xiao's challenge, Ma Xiaotao ignored her and looked at Zhou Huan instead, her eyes lighting up slightly. "You're an ice-attribute soul master?"
After a pause, she muttered to herself, "Unfortunately, you're only a Soul Grandmaster. You definitely aren't the person from back then."
Zhou Huan was speechless. Had she damn well stayed because I showed up?
Ma Xiaotao continued staring at Zhou Huan. "I need you to do me a favor."
Without even thinking, Zhou Huan answered, "I refuse."
What kind of ridiculous joke is this? He did not have extreme ice. Helping Ma Xiaotao, a Soul Emperor with evil fire, would leave him skinned alive even if it did not kill him.
So although Ma Xiaotao was an Inner Court Student and a disciple of Martial Soul Department Dean Yan Shaozhe, and although her tone left no room for refusal, Zhou Huan still would not agree to help her.
But Zhou Huan's decisive refusal had clearly angered Ma Xiaotao.
A trace of flame even filled her eyes. "Do you know who I am? You dare refuse me?!"
Ma Xiaotao was proud. To put it bluntly, she was proud to the point of conceit.
That was partly due to her own personality and partly due to the evil fire's influence over the years. As for which played the greater role, perhaps even Ma Xiaotao herself could not say.
However, facing a clearheaded Ma Xiaotao, Zhou Huan was not afraid no matter how angry she appeared. His tone remained as calm as still water. "I don't know who you are, but judging by your clothes, I imagine you're an Inner Court Student. Right now, though, you're the one asking me for help, and naturally, I have the right to refuse."
At his words, Ma Xiaotao narrowed her eyes slightly. A terrifying aura of flame erupted around her, and she flew straight at Zhou Huan!
Yet there was no fear in Zhou Huan's eyes. He did not even activate his martial soul, simply standing there without moving.
He knew that with his current strength, he could not withstand even a single slap from Ma Xiaotao.
Besides, this was Shrek. Most importantly, Zhou Huan could see that Ma Xiaotao's eyes were calm and rational. She had not been consumed by the evil fire.
Although Ma Xiaotao was hot-tempered and utterly unreasonable, she was no murderous demon while clearheaded, especially when dealing with fellow disciples of Shrek Academy.
Thus, Zhou Huan, who feared death, was completely fearless at this moment!
But just as Ma Xiaotao came within thirty centimeters of Zhou Huan, a white streamer suddenly appeared and enveloped her entire body!
Immediately, the fiery aura around Ma Xiaotao was extinguished, and the white light pressed her steadily down to the ground.
Then a beautiful woman in a pale blue dress appeared before them.
Her voice was very gentle, but it brooked no argument. "Xiaotao, you've gone too far."
At the sight of her, Ma Xiaotao's anger vanished instantly. There was no defiance on her face, nor even any in her heart. "Yes, Senior Disciple Sister."
The newcomer was none other than Zhang Lexuan!
Zhang Lexuan nodded, then looked at Zhou Huan and his three companions, as well as Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, who were sitting against a large tree. She said gently, "I'm sorry. Xiaotao went too far."
Then Zhang Lexuan turned back to Ma Xiaotao. "Come back with me."
Afterward, the two disappeared into the distant sky, one becoming a white streamer and the other a red flame.
But Zhang Lexuan's voice reached Zhou Huan's ears. "Don't blame Xiaotao. She wouldn't really have done anything to you. She has little choice herself. Also, congratulations on making it into the top thirty-two."
At those words, Zhou Huan smiled.
"Who was that Senior Disciple Sister? She was amazing," Xiao Xiao said, looking adorably dazed and full of admiration.
"Mm." Wang Qingya nodded in agreement.
Wen Xiaoshuai said nothing, merely furrowing his brows thoughtfully.
By then, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had also helped each other to their feet.
Huo Yuhao looked gratefully at Xiao Xiao and the other three. "Thank you for what you did just now."
He was deeply moved. Before coming to Shrek, no one had ever been willing to stand in front of him and shield him from danger.
Then he had met Tang Ya and Beibei. After coming to Shrek, he had met Wang Dong, and now there were Xiao Xiao, Zhou Huan, and the others. They all treated him very well.
He had also gradually begun to grow fond of Shrek.
While Huo Gua was feeling moved, Wang Dong looked at Zhou Huan. "Zhou Huan, you're impressive." She knew how much pressure one had to endure when facing that madwoman Ma Xiaotao head-on.
Zhou Huan merely shook his head at her words, saying nothing.
He was not actually impressive. He simply understood Ma Xiaotao's true circumstances better than anyone else present. Had it been someone else, or somewhere else, he would never have dared court death like that.
At that moment, Xiao Xiao spoke. "Class monitor, you don't have to thank us. We're teammates, after all. Anyway, why was that woman in red giving you trouble?"
Before Huo Gua could speak, Wang Dong burst out angrily, "Who knows whether that madwoman has something wrong with her head! She said she was looking for some hidden ice-attribute soul master!"
Zhou Huan added, "Forget it. Who cares about her! Let's rest when we need to rest and eat when we need to eat. We still have matches this afternoon!"
Everyone nodded at his words. Right now, the competition was indeed the most important thing.
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