Unscrupulous

"The Ultimate Soldier Plan will proceed as usual. Shaozhe, select a few core disciples or reserve core disciples from the Martial Soul Department to transfer to the Soul Tool Department."

At the head of the oval long table, a gentle voice spoke without haste, comforting Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er, "The Martial Soul Department needs cultivation resources, and the Soul Tool Department needs excellent disciples. Why not take what each needs? Why fret over temporary gains and losses?"

"Yes, Teacher." Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er bowed in salute.

Returning to the dormitory, Bai Cai spread out the bedding. Wang Dong sat on the soft fur mat, slightly dazed.

The beautiful girl with long, snow-white hair had transformed into fragments of starlight. Wang Dong had to accept that she was actually Bai Cai's second martial soul.

Sister Qingxue—such an affectionate term, such an intimate relationship...

Knock, knock, knock. The sound of knocking suddenly echoed through the dormitory. Bai Cai paused his tidying and went to open the door.

Outside Dormitory 106, the handsome youth with short, deep blue hair stood composed, while the ordinary-looking youth with short black hair appeared timid.

Seeing Bai Cai open the door, the handsome youth with deep blue hair was taken aback, "Little Brother Bai?"

The ordinary youth with short black hair instantly stepped back two paces, "Bai Cai? You aren't..."

"Brother Sky Dream, didn't you say it was impossible for a one-ring soul master to return alive from the Extreme North?"

"Yuhao, under normal circumstances, that is indeed the case."

In Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea, the plump, white Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, with ten golden rings faintly visible, rolled over as if a maggot were squirming.

"However, a million-year soul beast sacrificing itself to become a one-ring soul master's wisdom soul ring—Yuhao, do you think that's possible?"

"Brother Sky Dream..."

If not for his personal experiences over the past few months, Huo Yuhao would never have believed that a million-year soul beast had already become his first soul ring.

"Senior Bei Bei, classmate Huo Yuhao."

Bai Cai was slightly hesitant. He had only met Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao by chance, and he had been missing for nearly five months. Why were they at his door?

"Classmate Bai Cai, we can discuss old times later."

Bei Bei stepped forward, looking directly into the dormitory, "Classmate Wang Dong, Yuhao is a disciple of the Tang Sect after all. You and classmate Xiao Xiao have gone too far."

"Is it not going too far to curse a classmate to die in the Extreme North?"

Having reached the dormitory entrance, Wang Dong looked on with disdain, "A fellow sect senior stepping in, heh."

"How about you both offer apologies to each other?"

Bei Bei was incredibly awkward. The classmate whom Yuhao had 'cursed' was listening right there. If he continued to press the issue, he and Yuhao would only appear aggressive.

"Fine."

Wang Dong crossed her arms, looking dismissive, "He apologizes to Little White, I apologize to him, and I will pay for all medical expenses."

Bei Bei turned back to ask, "Yuhao, how about this?"

Huo Yuhao's expression was gloomy. The academy encouraged competition among students, and Senior Bei Bei stepping in was already an exception. Furthermore, for the winner to apologize to the loser could hardly be called a lack of sincerity.

But he could not swallow this insult!

Before his mother's grave, he had sworn that he must succeed and never be inferior to others!

Whether it was the Duke White Tiger's mansion or Wang Dong, no one could bully him—no one!

"Senior Bei Bei, I do not accept."

Huo Yuhao looked up at Wang Dong, his gaze like a fierce, man-eating tiger.

"Soul battle, three-on-three. Whoever loses must kowtow three times in public!"

"Little Yuhao." Bei Bei sighed, "Once these words are spoken, there is no turning back."

Yuhao had already become a reserve core disciple; his talent was decent, and he cultivated diligently. Aside from his intense pride, he had no other flaws.

Intense pride was a double-edged sword that hurt both others and oneself. At this moment, pushing forward meant reaching a dead end, while stepping back would have opened up a vast horizon.

Whichever side lost the soul battle and kowtowed, they would have no choice but to transfer classes or drop out.

"You don't know what's good for you." Wang Dong laughed in anger, "Zhou Yi cannot protect you. Just wait to be expelled."

It was no secret that Zhou Yi appreciated Huo Yuhao. After all, Zhou Yi often used Huo Yuhao as an example to spur other students to cultivate harder.

Parents deceased, mediocre talent, diligent cultivation—he was the standard template for an excellent student, and most teachers appreciated such students.

However, once the rules of a soul battle were established, no one else had the right to intervene, not even the participants themselves, and the same applied to Zhou Yi.

Sea God Lake, the path along the shore.

"Senior Bei Bei, I'm sorry. I have failed your trust."

Huo Yuhao bowed in apology, then immediately looked up, "That kind of pretentious apology is merely charity from the other side; it is my own cowardice."

"Rather than being a pathetic worm that can be summoned and dismissed at will, I would rather bite a piece of flesh off them in the soul arena and then happily kowtow on the ground."

"Yuhao." Bei Bei felt a sense of frustration that he couldn't turn him into steel, "There are countless ways to resolve a dispute, yet you chose a steep, narrow, and dangerous path."

"Forget it. Fortunately, there are no restrictions on teammates."

Bei Bei raised a hand to rub his aching forehead. "As things stand, San Shi and I will team up with you. That guy has already attached his fourth soul ring."

"What kind of move is that?" Huo Yuhao asked, his face full of shock. "Can Senior Sister Xiao Tao do it?"

"No. If San Shi and I step in, it already counts as exploiting a loophole in the rules."

Bei Bei refused without hesitation. "Xiao Ya and I certainly won't just watch you kneel and kowtow, but if Wang Dong loses, you must admit your mistake immediately and abandon all demands."

"Why?" Huo Yuhao was unwilling to accept this. "If I lose, I kneel and kowtow. If Wang Dong loses, I have to admit my mistake immediately and abandon all demands. Is that fair?"

"What do you call fair?" Bei Bei countered immediately. "Wang Dong is a main force of the Freshman Cup champion team and one of the core students. Not only are we exploiting a loophole in the rules to bully the younger ones, but we are also humiliating them in public?"

"Yuhao, you are becoming obsessed." Bei Bei patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder.

Wang Dong sat on a fur mattress while Bai Cai spread a clean bedsheet over it.

The Wisteria was lush with foliage, its branches covered in flower buds. To his shame, Bai Cai had only been tending to the Wisteria for less than four months, while Wang Dong had been caring for it for nearly five.

"Little White, is the Extreme North cold?"

Wang Dong hugged a pillow. "Are the soul beasts very ferocious?"

"Water freezes the moment it drops."

Bai Cai recalled his legendary experience migrating while riding a Blizzard Mammoth. "There are many ferocious soul beasts, and not many docile ones."

"Little White, the dry rations and smoked meat must not have tasted good."

Wang Dong whispered softly, "Is life alone lonely?"

"It was rather difficult to swallow," Bai Cai said truthfully.

Dry rations heated at high temperatures and boiled smoked meat could not even sustain him for three days.

Riding the leader of the Blizzard Mammoths, boiling smoked meat was nothing more than a pipe dream; the warmed rations were exceptionally hard, comparable to a teething toy.

"As for loneliness, perhaps."

Even if the stories Ice Empress told were heartwarming, he had never shed his status as a sacrificial offering. If he were to be grateful for that, he might as well ask a pig waiting to be slaughtered.

"Little White, I miss you so much." Wang Dong hugged the pillow tighter, his voice gradually fading.