Cheating

After returning to the dormitory, Wu Xuan and Qian Gu Ming began an afternoon of meditative cultivation.

It was nearly dusk by the time they finished cultivating.

Just a few steps out of the dormitory building, a crisp, pleasant voice rang out from behind them. "Class monitor, where are you and Qian Gu Ming going?"

"Oh! Nanmen, Xiao Ming and I are planning to look around East Gate Outer Street and try Shrek's specialty snacks," Wu Xuan said with a smile.

"I was planning to go to East Gate Outer Street too. Class monitor, how about we go together?" Nanmen Yun'er asked, her Dark Green eyes sparkling.

"Sure. Let's go together." Wu Xuan smiled and agreed without objection.

Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya arrived at East Gate Outer Street together.

Not far from the city gate, Tang Ya took out the grilling equipment she had prepared.

There was a metal grill, an iron rack, all sorts of seasonings, cleaned and gutted herring, and even a small table.

Tang Ya said to Huo Yuhao, "All right, little Yuhao, now it's time to show off your skills. Remember to save two grilled fish for me. One fish sells for ten copper coins."

After saying that, Tang Ya, the little foodie, ran off excitedly.

Huo Yuhao first checked the seasonings, then began preparing the herring. After marinating the fish with the seasonings, he began his great grilled-fish enterprise.

As Huo Yuhao grilled fish, he hummed a song with a blissful smile on his face. His days at Shrek Academy had been the happiest period of his life.

Laughing and chatting along the way, Wu Xuan and the other two also arrived outside the East Gate. Numerous vendors had gathered there, selling every conceivable thing in a dazzling array. Food stalls were the most common, and cries of hawking never ceased.

"Eh! Huo Yuhao!" Among the countless stalls, Wu Xuan spotted Huo Yuhao, who had set up a rack to grill fish, at first glance.

Right. Based on the memories of his Previous Life, this was the time when Huo Yuhao, impoverished and down on his luck, had begun selling grilled fish at Tang Ya's suggestion to earn living expenses. Thinking of this, Wu Xuan's disdain for the Tang Sect deepened further.

"Class monitor! You know that new first-year student from Class One?" Nanmen Yun'er asked curiously, blinking her large Dark Green eyes.

"Mm, I know him. His grilled fish is truly unmatched," Wu Xuan said with a smile.

"If Brother Xuan says so, then we definitely have to try it." With a grand wave of his hand, Qian Gu Ming headed toward Huo Yuhao's stall.

At that moment, Huo Yuhao had activated Martial Soul Possession. With the exceptional vision of his Spirit Eyes, he had an excellent grasp of the heat.

A thin layer of oil flowed over the golden-brown herring, while a rich fragrance continuously wafted from its belly.

"Little brother! How much is the grilled fish?" Qian Gu Ming called as he approached the stall.

"Senior, ten copper soul coins each," Huo Yuhao replied politely. "Ah! Brother Wu Xuan!"

"Mm, long time no see! But Yuhao, why are you out here selling grilled fish?" Wu Xuan asked knowingly.

Huo Yuhao scratched the back of his head and chuckled foolishly. "Just earning some living expenses, hehe!"

"Haha, fair enough. Your grilled fish really is one of a kind! Give the three of us one each," Wu Xuan said with a smile.

"Coming right up!" Huo Yuhao turned the fish on the rack a few times before handing the three golden, tempting grilled fish to Wu Xuan and the others.

Qian Gu Ming accepted the grilled fish and handed over a Silver Soul Coin.

"No, no! You and Brother Wu Xuan are good friends. This time, consider the fish my treat for you and Brother Wu Xuan," Huo Yuhao said shyly with a smile.

"How can that be? We can't have you lose money as soon as you open for business." As he spoke, Qian Gu Ming took a bite of the grilled fish in his hand, and his eyes immediately widened.

Without hesitation, he said, "No need to give me change. Spend all the rest on grilled fish." Then, without caring about anything else, he began wolfing down the fish.

Wu Xuan also took a huge bite of his grilled fish.

Compared with Qian Gu Ming, Wu Xuan and Nanmen Yun'er ate far more elegantly.

By then, the aroma of grilled fish had already drawn a large crowd of Shrek students. Not wanting to be caught in the crush, Wu Xuan quickly retreated.

Amid the crowd, Qian Gu Ming collected the remaining seven grilled fish and swiftly withdrew from the packed stall as well.

"You bought so much grilled fish at once. Are you still going to eat other snacks later?" Nanmen Yun'er asked with a smile.

"Eat? Of course I'll eat! Brother Xuan, Yun'er, have another one each." As he spoke, Qian Gu Ming handed two paper boxes to them.

"At least you know what's good for you! Come on, next stop: charcoal-grilled meat." Holding up his grilled fish, Wu Xuan took another fierce bite and slowly headed toward another shop.

After a thorough sweep of the food stalls, the three were completely satisfied. Just as they were about to leave East Gate Outer Street, a voice suddenly rang throughout Shrek Academy through an amplifying Soul Tool.

"Fourth-year Beibei challenges fifth-year Xu Sanshi. This Soul Fighting match will soon be held in the Soul Fighting Area."

"..."

The announcement was repeated three times in succession.

"Wow! It's the Outer Court Twin Stars, Senior Beibei and Senior Xu Sanshi's Soul Fighting match! Class monitor, let's go watch!" Nanmen Yun'er said excitedly.

"Sure, let's go take a look." Wu Xuan was thoughtful. He remembered that in the original story, Beibei and Xu Sanshi had arranged this wager over some kind of pill. He wanted to see the pills of this world for himself. Besides, Beibei still owed him money.

The Soul Fighting Area was not far from the eastern part of the city. By the time the three of them each paid one Silver Soul Coin and reached the stands, the match between Xu Sanshi and Beibei had just begun.

There were already four or five hundred people seated around the edge of the arena, making it far livelier than usual.

Beibei and Xu Sanshi fought fiercely in the Battle Soul Arena, yet neither could gain the upper hand.

"Xu Sanshi's defense truly is formidable. Without using the Soul Breaking Spear, it would be difficult for my Wind Element Martial Soul to break through it." After comparing their strengths, Wu Xuan reached that conclusion.

"Still, even if I can't break his defense, I could defeat him through sheer overwhelming force with my Wind Element Martial Soul." Wu Xuan smiled confidently and continued watching the match on the Battle Soul Platform.

Just then, Wu Xuan's terrifying Spiritual Power, comparable to that of a Soul Sage, instantly detected an almost imperceptible spiritual fluctuation.

It was a unique spiritual fluctuation produced when a Spirit Attribute soul skill was activated. Without the enhancement of Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's First Soul Ring, Wu Xuan might not have sensed it either.

It came from the front row, the closest row to the Battle Soul Platform.

"Huo Yuhao... is he cheating?" Wu Xuan muttered with a deeply furrowed brow.

In the Battle Soul Arena, the deadlocked fight abruptly ended when Xu Sanshi made a mistake and Beibei seized the opening with precision.

When Wu Xuan turned to look toward Huo Yuhao again, Huo Yuhao had already fainted from exhausting both his Soul Power and Spiritual Power. After saying a few words to the two beside him, Wu Xuan rose and headed over.

"What happened to Yuhao?" Before long, Wang Dong, beside him, noticed Huo Yuhao slumped in his seat and asked in surprise.

Wu Xuan had also arrived in front of Huo Yuhao by then. He gave Tang Ya a meaningful look and said flatly, "His Spiritual Power and Soul Power are both exhausted, aren't they, Senior Tang Ya?"

"Haha! Junior Wu Xuan!" Tang Ya awkwardly scratched her head. After all, getting caught cheating was rather embarrassing.

"Let's wait for Beibei outside!" Not knowing how to face Wu Xuan, Tang Ya turned and ran away as if fleeing.

That left Wu Xuan and Wang Dong staring wide-eyed at each other.

"Hello, I'm Wu Xuan. I suppose you could say I'm Huo Yuhao's... friend!" Wu Xuan was the first to break the awkward silence.

"Mm, I'm Wang Dong! I'm Huo Yuhao's roommate."

After briefly exchanging names, Wu Xuan did not continue chatting. He hoisted Huo Yuhao up and headed for the exit of the Battle Soul Arena. Before they reached the dormitory building, Beibei and Tang Ya caught up with them.

"Junior Wu Xuan! Long time no see," Beibei greeted him as he stepped forward.

"Mm! Long time no see!" Having witnessed their cheating, Wu Xuan's expression was extremely flat, without any of his former warmth.

Beibei took out a silver card and handed it to Wu Xuan. "Junior Wu Xuan, this is the remaining payment from last time!"

"All right, I'll take it." Wu Xuan reached out, accepted the silver card, and replied flatly.

Beibei nodded, then went to Huo Yuhao and took out a porcelain bottle. He poured out a pill from it and placed it in Huo Yuhao's mouth.

It was a dark blue pill about the size of a cherry, covered in numerous white patterns. After it was poured from the porcelain bottle, a faint mist even surrounded it. A refreshing fragrance lingered in the air, soothing the heart and mind.

So this was what pills in this world looked like? Wu Xuan studied its appearance thoughtfully.

"Junior Wu Xuan, please take Yuhao back to his dormitory with this little brother. Upper-year students can't enter the lower-year dormitories," Beibei requested.

"Leave such a small matter to me," Wu Xuan agreed casually.

When they reached the door to Dormitory 108, Wu Xuan specifically stopped Wang Dong. "When Huo Yuhao wakes up tomorrow morning, remember to have him come find me. I have something to discuss with him. I'm in Dormitory 305."

"Okay," Wang Dong nodded.