Did I Just Cuck Myself?

[Congratulations, host, on completing one day's diary. Distributing random rewards...]

[Ding-tenfold critical bonus triggered. Rewards upgraded. Congratulations, host, on receiving an increase of three soul power levels, one Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, one hundred-thousand-year right arm bone (hundred-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear), and the rank-nine Defensive Soul Tool Benevolent King Shield (no usage restrictions; defensive effectiveness is based on the user's own soul power; special effect: attacks from Evil Soul Masters have no effect on you).]

*???*

What the hell?

A rank-nine Defensive Soul Tool, the Benevolent King Shield? Attacks from Evil Soul Masters have no effect on me?

Lying in bed, Aoyao couldn't help sucking in a breath of cold air.

These rewards were absolutely insane!

After all, Evil Soul Masters generally had something wrong with their heads. Who knew what bizarre tricks they might pull? With this thing, he would never have to fear those Evil Soul Masters again.

Could the measly Holy Spirit Cult even break through my defenses?

Once his brief surge of delight passed, a question immediately arose in Aoyao's mind.

According to the Douluo Continent's definition of Evil Soul Masters, any Soul Master who cultivated through evil methods such as slaughter, devouring others, or plundering souls, or whose conduct defied convention and was sinister and wicked, could be considered an Evil Soul Master.

By that definition, Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao, whose fame rivaled Mu En's, certainly couldn't count as an Evil Soul Master. Yet Long Xiaoyao was the Holy Spirit Cult's chief enshrined expert.

Which raised the question: could my rank-nine Defensive Soul Tool, the Benevolent King Shield, negate Long Xiaoyao's attacks?

Take Ye Xishui, for another example. With her Blood Soul Demon Puppet, she was unquestionably an Evil Soul Master through and through. Yet besides the Blood Soul Demon Puppet martial soul, she also possessed the Bright Phoenix, a top-tier light-attribute martial soul.

If Ye Xishui used a Bright Phoenix soul skill to attack me, would the Benevolent King Shield still recognize it and activate?

It would be a real joke if Ye Xishui could beat me up however she liked, only for the shield to block Xuan Zi's attacks instead.

Although Aoyao was quite curious about the answer, it would be best if he never got the chance to test it.

Of course, if his strength had already reached the point where he could declare, "I don't eat beef," then he could take that back.

Aside from the rank-nine Defensive Soul Tool Benevolent King Shield, Aoyao was also quite satisfied with the other rewards.

Three soul power levels, a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, and, most importantly, a hundred-thousand-year left arm bone.

This was a left arm bone from a hundred-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear!

Aoyao looked up, confirmed once again that no one else was in the dorm room, then sat cross-legged and began absorbing the soul ring and soul bone.

Wang Dong'er had just gone out carrying her toiletries. Presumably, she had gone to find somewhere to bathe and wouldn't be back anytime soon, so he could absorb them without any worries.

[Today's diary entries have concluded. System calculations in progress...]

[Congratulations, Wang Dong'er, on appearing the most times in the diary. Rewards: an increase of two soul power levels and concealment from Sea God Tang San's perception (one year).]

[Congratulations, One Pat Brings Three Years of Fortune, on becoming today's active group chat member and receiving the title Chat-Spamming Dragon King. One Pat Brings Three Years of Fortune may specify the general subject of tomorrow's diary.]

Wang Dong'er paused in the middle of her bath.

I appeared so many times in today's diary, and these were all the rewards I got?

No sooner had the thought surfaced than Wang Dong'er shook her head.

I'm already more than satisfied with a reward that shields me from Tang San's perception for a year. How could I be so greedy?

As long as she remained cautious and didn't let Aoyao notice anything suspicious, she could keep earning diary rewards through her position as his roommate. Sooner or later, she would escape Tang San's shadow completely!

The girls' dormitory.

Ning Tian lay in bed and couldn't help sighing.

She had been lying there for a while, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep no matter what she tried.

The punishment of martial soul regression had dealt her far too heavy a blow. Given the choice, Ning Tian would rather endure a flogging, or even the agony of ten thousand arrows piercing her heart, than have her martial soul regress.

Although the diary did offer hope of evolving her martial soul back to its original state, the rewards she could receive were entirely random. Previously, for instance, she had received a precious hundred-thousand-year Wisdom Skull, whereas Wu Feng had received only an increase of two soul power levels.

What if I never managed to receive a Martial Soul Evolution reward?

Moreover, Aoyao had now discovered that she could read the diary. How was she supposed to face him from now on? How should she interact with him, and how could she get her name to appear more often in the diary? Those were problems too.

Sensing Ning Tian's low spirits, Wu Feng mulled things over for a moment before finally speaking, breaking the silence in the dorm room:

"Tian, you don't actually need to lose heart. This... might not be a bad thing."

*?*

My martial soul regressed, and you're telling me this might not be a bad thing?

"Think about it, Tian. You received such a severe punishment after he discovered you could read the diary. What does that mean? It means that from now on, everyone will have to be extremely cautious when interacting with Aoyao. They won't dare spend too much time around him."

"Because the more they interact with him, the greater the chance they'll expose the fact that they can read the diary."

"But you're different, Tian. You've already been found out and punished. Now you're the only one who can interact with Aoyao freely and openly. Whatever you do, he won't become suspicious of you again. So it's safe to say that you're bound to appear in the diary often."

That's right!

What Feng said seemed... perfectly reasonable?

With her serving as a warning of the wreck ahead, the people in the group would surely rein themselves in considerably.

But soon, Ning Tian's spirits sank again. "But Wang Dong'er shares a dorm room with Aoyao. Even if I wanted to appear in the diary often, that probably wouldn't be easy, would it? Besides... I don't know how to keep interacting with Aoyao now."

"Aoyao knows perfectly well that Wang Dong'er is a girl disguised as a boy, but the others at the academy don't see it that way. No matter how much two men interact, their relationship can't become too intimate..."

Before Wu Feng could finish, Ning Tian's eyes suddenly lit up!

That's right!

That reminded me.

Although Wang Dong'er lived under the same roof as Aoyao, their relationship certainly couldn't be all that intimate. So if Ning Tian became closer to Aoyao-by becoming his girlfriend, for instance-wouldn't her name be able to appear in the diary often?

"Feng, you're right! If I can become Aoyao's girlfriend, there won't be any problem at all! Besides, I checked the class assignments before coming back to the dorm. You, me, and Aoyao have all been assigned to Class Seven, so I've still got a great chance!"

"As long as I earn enough rewards, I'll eventually receive a Martial Soul Evolution reward!"

Huh?

Wait, what?

I didn't tell you to become Aoyao's girlfriend! When did I ever say that?

Wu Feng stared with her beautiful eyes wide open, her gaze looking somewhat vacant in the dark dorm room.

Did I just cuck myself?

Ning Tian could now fall asleep, but Wu Feng couldn't sleep at all.