Let's Play for High Stakes!

"Stop!"

Xuan Zi appeared in the middle of the field, his brows furrowed as he watched the one-sided match. He shook his head in displeasure.

"The gap is too big. Xiaotao's a Spirit Saint, and with Huo Yuhao, that unreasonable monster, on her side, Dai Yueheng and the others don't stand a chance."

Xuan Zi announced, "Take an hour's break, then regroup. This time, to balance the teams, Xiaotao can only take one regular team member."

An hour later, everyone gathered again.

Ma Xiaotao folded her arms and swept her gaze over the group. Without hesitation, she grabbed Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao is definitely on my team. That's non-negotiable."

"As for the regular team member..." Ma Xiaotao's beautiful eyes shifted as she considered her options.

"Pick Senior Ling Luochеn," Huo Yuhao suggested.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt a pinch at the soft flesh of his waist.

Ma Xiaotao pinched him there and leaned close to his ear with a teasing smile. "You lecher. You can't take your eyes off a pretty girl, can you?"

Ling Luochеn was indeed beautiful, with skin as fair as snow and a cool, refined air—completely different from Ma Xiaotao's bold, fiery style.

"You've got it all wrong, honey!" Huo Yuhao grimaced in pain. "I'm thinking about tactics. Her ice-based control may be suppressed by me, but if she works with my Ultimate Ice, she can unleash even greater power. Besides, ice and fire together give us more options."

At the word "honey," Ma Xiaotao's pretty face turned red. "You're going to be the death of me."

After playfully tussling with Huo Yuhao, Ma Xiaotao called out, "Ling Luochеn, come over! Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Lan Ruoruo, Lan Susu—you're all on my team!"

This time, Huo Yuhao didn't activate Spiritual Detection Sharing, which gave them a godlike view of the battlefield. He stood behind Ling Luochеn and gently placed his right hand against her back.

"I'll give you the blessing of the Ice Heaven Snow Empress!"

In an instant, a chill that made the soul itself tremble erupted from Ling Luochеn. It was as though all the heat had been sucked from the surrounding air. Even the light warped under the extreme cold.

Ultimate Ice!

Though only temporary, Ling Luochеn was now the empress of ice and snow.

"Freeze!"

Ling Luochеn lifted her delicate hand. The Soul Skill that normally required chanting and preparation now burst forth instantly.

The snow and ice all around them became obedient soldiers.

Before the regular team members opposite them could react, they were frozen into lifelike ice sculptures by unbreakable ice.

The match ended even faster than the last one. It was a complete mismatch.

Ling Luochеn controlled the entire field while Ma Xiaotao led the team in cleaning up. Their opponents never stood a chance.

Once the effect wore off, Ling Luochеn's cheeks were flushed, and she was panting heavily.

That feeling of controlling everything, of standing above everyone else with such ultimate power, had left her wanting more. It was more addictive than the strongest liquor.

She turned to Huo Yuhao, and the look in her eyes had changed completely.

The eyes that had once been so cool now seemed to glisten with moisture, even burning with a hint of fervor.

"Junior Yuhao, that feeling just now... Could I experience it again?" Ling Luochеn completely ignored Ma Xiaotao's murderous glare from nearby, which seemed ready to burst into flames. She moved closer to Huo Yuhao, her voice uncharacteristically gentle.

Huo Yuhao rubbed his nose. Feeling the scorching gaze at his back, he gave an awkward laugh. "Senior Ling, that move takes too much out of me. Next time. I promise, next time."

Ma Xiaotao gritted her teeth, her fists cracking as she clenched them.

Her little boyfriend was practically a human incubus!

How long had it even been? Even Ling Luochеn, who was famous for being aloof, was falling for him!

This can't go on, Ma Xiaotao thought, alarm bells ringing in her head. Tonight, I have to drain him dry and leave his legs too weak to get out of bed tomorrow. Then we'll see if he can still go around attracting women!

On the viewing stand, Xuan Zi chewed on a chicken leg and shook his head helplessly.

"That boy is a walking bug."

The next few rounds of team matches proved Xuan Zi right: whichever side Huo Yuhao was on, that side won.

When Huo Yuhao joined Dai Yueheng's team, even Ma Xiaotao's side—with a Spirit Saint leading it—was still utterly crushed.

Ultimate Ice suppressed the Evil Fire Phoenix, Spiritual Detection predicted the enemy's movements, and his unpredictable barrage of Soul Tools rounded it all out. Ma Xiaotao couldn't put up any resistance.

By the end of the day, every regular team member looked at Huo Yuhao differently.

Was this guy really part of the Reserve Team?

He was clearly a Ferocious Beast in sheep's clothing! If they replaced someone with him, no one would object.

Besides Huo Yuhao, the girl named Jin Nier was just as terrifying. Her fists looked soft and delicate, but with overwhelming force, she could smash apart any Soul Skill with a single punch. She displayed the beauty of sheer violence to perfection.

Night fell, and the city lights came on.

"All right, that's enough training for today." Xuan Zi wiped his greasy hands. "Go back and pack. Meet at the academy entrance first thing tomorrow morning. We're headed for Star Luo City!"

"Dismissed!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ma Xiaotao rushed over like a gust of wind. Without a word, she hooked an arm around Huo Yuhao's neck and dragged him away.

Wang Dong stood where she was, stomping her feet in anger, her big eyes full of hurt and resentment. "That shameless woman is using her higher cultivation to steal him! It's infuriating!"

Ma Xiaotao's bedroom was filled with a faint, warm fragrance.

"Bang!"

The door slammed shut. The next second, Ma Xiaotao had pinned Huo Yuhao against the soft bed.

The red-clad girl looked down at him, her fiery hair spilling beside his face, a dangerous gleam in her beautiful eyes.

"Tell me! Were you trying to get close to Ling Luochеn again?" Ma Xiaotao demanded, her fingers lightly tracing Huo Yuhao's chest.

"You've got it all wrong, Xiaotao!" Huo Yuhao raised both hands in surrender. "She came over on her own. You know how appealing Ultimate Ice is to an ice-type Soul Master..."

"Hmph, don't pretend you're innocent!" Ma Xiaotao pinched his cheek in annoyance. "With your habit of neither turning anyone down nor taking responsibility, you'll end up ruining every girl in the inner courtyard! That flirt Ling Luochеn would probably climb into your bed right now if she could."

Huo Yuhao blinked innocently and said nothing.

Ma Xiaotao was exasperated. She bent down, her red lips close to Huo Yuhao's ear as her breath brushed against it. "To stop you from flirting with people tomorrow, your big sister is going to 'punish' you properly tonight. I'll drain you dry and see if you still have the energy to think about other women!"

As she spoke, she began undoing Huo Yuhao's buttons.

"Wait!" Huo Yuhao suddenly caught her hand, a mysterious smile on his face. "Xiaotao, in that case, let's go all out."

A flash of light, and a dark, foul-smelling substance appeared in Huo Yuhao's hand.

"This is... Whale Rubber?" Ma Xiaotao froze, then her pretty face instantly flushed bright red.

As a top student from the inner courtyard, she knew exactly what it did.

It really did strengthen the body, but its side effect... made it a powerful aphrodisiac!

"I bought it just for you at the Treasure Appreciation Fair," Huo Yuhao said with a mischievous grin. "It'll do wonders for your body, and... heh heh."

Ma Xiaotao saw the challenging look in Huo Yuhao's eyes, and the competitive spirit of the Evil Fire Phoenix in her flared up.

"Fine, I'll take it! As if I'm afraid of you!"

A flame ignited in Ma Xiaotao's palm. She roasted the Whale Rubber until it softened and gave off a rich aroma, then split it in two. They swallowed their portions at the same time.

A wave of heat erupted through their bodies. It wasn't just their Soul Power surging; a primitive heat shot straight to their heads.

"Huo Yuhao, you just wait!"

This night was destined to be a storm.

Ma Xiaotao had meant to "punish" Huo Yuhao, but soon realized she'd been wrong. Terribly wrong.

At full strength, with the support of two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones and Whale Rubber in his system, Huo Yuhao became an inexhaustible perpetual-motion machine.

The tables turned in an instant.

Tears soaked the pillow as Ma Xiaotao writhed in ecstasy.

The next morning, at the entrance to Shrek Academy.

The sun had risen, and the air was fresh.

Huo Yuhao stood among the group, refreshed and full of energy, as if he'd taken a powerful tonic.

Beside him, Ma Xiaotao, usually so lively, looked drained. She walked strangely, drawing a quiet breath with every step, and her legs trembled awkwardly.

"Captain, what happened? Are you hurt?" Gongyang Mo asked with concern.

Ma Xiaotao's pretty face reddened. She glared at Huo Yuhao, who was standing beside her as if nothing had happened, and gritted her teeth. "N-no, I'm fine. Something went wrong while I was cultivating last night... My leg cramped!"

Huo Yuhao looked up at the sky and whistled, keeping his accomplishment to himself.