The Phoenix Flame burning across Ma Xiaotao's body danced with joy. The continuous influx of Heaven and Earth Yuan Power of Extreme Fire was pushing her flames toward the Extreme Fire Attribute.
Not only that, Ma Xiaotao was surprised to discover that her Soul Power had broken through to rank sixty-eight. At that moment, the look she gave Huo Yuhao was one of utter shock, mixed with a warmth she couldn't explain.
Huo Yuhao was the first male ever to touch her.
Huo Yuhao's body was icy cold. As his dantian released some of the Extreme Fire, an equal amount of Heaven and Earth Yuan Power of Extreme Ice flowed through him.
Some nourished Huo Yuhao himself, while the rest was absorbed by the three mighty beings in his Sea of Spirit.
"Yuhao, your Soul Power has officially reached rank thirty-four. You can stop absorbing Heaven and Earth Yuan Power now," Ice Empress said from within his Sea of Spirit.
"What a shame. That woman is still a little short of Extreme Fire. Otherwise, if the two of them cultivated together, their progress would definitely be even greater than it is now," Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said with a lecherous grin.
"Are you trying to get Yuhao killed sooner?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shuddered, sensing a wave of frigid killing intent sweep over him from behind and spread throughout his body. Snow Empress grabbed him by two of his feelers and gave him a pair of hard slaps.
"Even if that girl has Extreme Fire, their Martial Souls' ultimate attributes would have to be very close. Besides, how old is Yuhao? You filthy-minded Big Bug, don't say such unhealthy things in front of Yuhao again. If you lead him astray, I'll show you what happens!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm bolted, the red handprints on his chubby little face clear as day.
"Bingbing, you have to stand up for me!" Undeterred by the consequences, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm went straight to Ice Empress and began to complain.
"Get lost!" Ice Empress swept her tail, sending Sky Dream Ice Silkworm flying like a shooting star to keep company with Electrolux, who floated in the sky as a cloud-like mass.
Two large hands reached into the dark lakebed.
Qian Renxue grabbed Huo Yuhao by the collar, while Wu Ming hooked an arm around Ma Xiaotao's slender waist and tugged hard. The two wouldn't separate. Instead, Wu Ming's body went limp, and she nearly fell over.
"Does my little brother really have that much charm?" Qian Renxue asked in surprise, looking at Wu Ming. At that moment, the Golden Crow Leftover Woman's gaze had also turned wistful.
The woman before her was twenty-seven or twenty-eight. In the Inner Courtyard, she and Ma Xiaotao were known as the two living volcanoes, notorious for their fiery tempers.
Wu Ming gave Qian Renxue an apologetic look. "Xiao Xue, don't get the wrong idea. The aura coming from your little brother is a great boon to my Golden Crow Martial Soul. My Martial Soul has the Fire Attribute, but it's still a long way from Extreme Fire. I have a feeling that if I can absorb some of that mysterious energy in your little brother's body, I'll become a Soul Master with Extreme Fire!"
Qian Renxue's mouth twitched, and she gave a helpless laugh. "I thought Soul Masters with an Ultimate Attribute were rare even once in a thousand years. How did three suddenly show up?"
"Don't just stand there. Separate them! What kind of thing is this in broad daylight?" Zhang Lexuan's voice rang out, followed by a pointed cough.
Qian Renxue, Han Ruoruo, and Wu Ming all rolled their eyes. The eldest senior sister was being unfair. She'd been watching more intently than anyone.
Zhang Lexuan's timely intervention separated Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao. The moment they surfaced and saw the four women grinning around them, both blushed in unison, then promptly fainted.
"Xiao Xue, take Yuhao back to the New Student Dormitory. I'll tell Du Weilun he needs the afternoon off."
Zhang Lexuan and Wu Ming supported Ma Xiaotao, who had recovered, then skimmed across the lake toward Sea God Island.
Holding Huo Yuhao in her arms, Qian Renxue somehow found herself pouting in irritation. "Who knew you were so popular with girls, you little rascal? Goodness, you're like this at such a young age. What will you be like when you grow up?"
When Huo Yuhao woke, he was surprised to find himself back in his dorm room.
After kicking Dai Huabin out the day before, Huo Yuhao had been the only one living in the dormitory. He gazed out at the dark sky, and his stomach gave an insistent growl.
Huo Yuhao hurriedly got up, threw on some clothes and shoes, and rushed out to find something to eat.
At the East City Gate of Shrek City, plenty of vendors had set up their stalls early. The air was filled with the aromas of all kinds of snacks. Huo Yuhao swallowed instinctively, and, faced with the dazzling array of food, ordered one of everything.
Huo Yuhao strolled around as he ate, food smeared across his mouth. The East City Gate was a bustling marketplace, especially lively at night.
People thronged both sides of the street, including plenty of men and women in Shrek Academy uniforms. Crowds lingered in front of the stalls.
Just then, the crowd began parting to either side. A stunning girl in a purple uniform walked toward them with graceful steps. She looked about fourteen or fifteen, with a tall, slender figure and a slim waist. Her long golden hair fell in loose waves down her back. The instant she appeared, her breathtaking beauty seemed to press a pause button on the marketplace. Everyone stared, dumbfounded.
"What are you looking at? Turn your heads!"
As a deep voice rang out, a powerful wave of Soul Power spread through the air. A black-clad boy suddenly appeared in front of the beautiful girl. Seeing people gawking at the girl he loved, he flew into a rage.
"Xu Sanshi! I'm telling you for the last time: stay away from me. You've seriously disrupted my life."
The boy called Xu Sanshi immediately turned to the beautiful girl with a gentle smile, as if he hadn't been the one rudely shouting at the crowd just moments before.
"Nannan, don't you know how I feel about you?"
"Xu Sanshi, there will never be anything between us!"
Huo Yuhao stood at the side of the road, holding a grilled fish in his left hand and drinking watermelon juice with his right. Watching this little lovers' drama, he thought it was much more entertaining than the romance movies from his previous life.
Xu Sanshi didn't get angry. He kept smiling at Jiang Nannan, then stepped in as her protector.
"You there, turn around!"
Huo Yuhao pointed at himself, swallowed the grilled fish in one bite, drained the last drop of watermelon juice, wiped his mouth, and asked, "Me?"
"I'm talking to you! You look like a new student this year. Don't you know my name, Xu Sanshi, Eternal Lord?"
"You're Xu Sanshi, the Eternal Lord?"
"Now that you know my name, turn around!"
"This road belongs to the academy, not you. How about we go to the Soul Dueling Arena and have a match?" Huo Yuhao asked, looking Xu Sanshi in the eye.
At his words, not only Xu Sanshi but even Jiang Nannan stared at Huo Yuhao in surprise. Everyone looked conflicted. Huo Yuhao was wearing a new student uniform; it was obvious he'd only just enrolled this year.
How could someone so ignorant of his own limits dare to challenge Xu Sanshi, the Eternal Lord?
After all, Xu Sanshi was one of the Outer Courtyard Twin Stars of Shrek Academy.
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