What Are You Doing?

"Can you cook?"

Beibei was a little surprised.

Before Ji Jing could answer, Wang Dong had already cut in, her pink-blue eyes sparkling with excitement and anticipation.

"Of course! Ji Jing's cooking is the best in the whole world!"

Seeing how openly happy Wang Dong looked, Huo Yuhao and the others grew curious too.

Huo Yuhao was especially eager to try it.

When he'd brought grilled fish to the class monitor that day, he'd smelled the food in their dorm. That must have been what the class monitor had cooked himself.

So the five of them went to the banks of Sea God Lake and found a wide, grassy clearing.

As Tang Ya, Beibei, and Huo Yuhao watched curiously, the storage ring on Ji Jing's hand flashed, and a set of exquisite cookware appeared out of thin air, followed by all kinds of cleaned, ice-preserved premium ingredients and an array of seasonings.

With practiced ease, he lit the fire, set the pot on it, and heated the oil. His movements flowed like water, and before long, tempting aromas began to drift across the lakeshore.

The flare of flames from the stir-fry, rich soup simmering in the pot, fresh delicacies steaming to perfection...

In just over half an hour, seven dishes bursting with color, aroma, and flavor, along with a pot of milky-white fish soup, were laid out on the picnic blanket.

"All right, dig in."

Tang Ya, Beibei, and Huo Yuhao had already been lured into salivating by the irresistible aroma. At this point, none of them could be bothered with formalities.

"Mmm! This fish is so tender and fresh!"

"Delicious! It's so good! The heat, the seasoning—it's practically art!"

"Class monitor, your cooking is incredible!"

Huo Yuhao had oil all over his mouth and could barely get the words out.

Hearing everyone lavish him with praise, Wang Dong puffed out her chest, pride written all over her face.

She spoke as if it were nothing, though there was a hint of showing off in her voice.

"This is nothing! I'm telling you, I get to eat food this delicious every single day!"

Still, with the others there, she didn't dare act too spoiled.

Though she really wanted Ji Jing to serve her food the way he usually did, she held herself back.

Only her beautiful eyes kept drifting toward Ji Jing, carrying a hint of reserve she didn't usually show and a touch of dependence she hadn't even noticed herself.

The setting sun cast its glow over Sea God Lake, scattering glittering ripples across the water.

The five young people sat together, enjoying the food and chatting about the future.

Mu En watched from afar and smiled, nodding. Then he vanished without a trace, as if he'd never been there.

After the welcoming banquet by Sea God Lake ended, Ji Jing and Wang Dong returned to their dorm.

Wang Dong was still wrapped up in the cheerful atmosphere. She hummed a little tune, in an excellent mood.

But the smile on her face soon stiffened.

Without saying a word, Ji Jing walked over to the space between the two single beds. With a grunt, he easily pushed them together until they fit snugly side by side, turning them into one large bed.

"Y-you... you..."

Wang Dong's face flushed bright red in an instant, like a ripe apple.

She instinctively backed away several steps, wrapped her arms around her chest, and huddled in a corner, striking a defensive pose. Her voice trembled.

"W-what are you doing?!"

Seeing her acting as if she were facing a formidable enemy, Ji Jing didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.

He stepped forward, curled a finger, and flicked her smooth forehead—not too hard, not too softly.

"Thonk."

"Ow!"

Wang Dong covered her forehead. Her big pink-blue eyes glistened with tears, full of hurt and embarrassment.

"Why'd you hit me?"

"What do you think?"

Ji Jing leaned against the bed, crossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow at her.

"What kind of nonsense are you thinking about all day? Let me make this clear: I'm not the least bit interested in men."

Hearing that, Wang Dong's tense body didn't relax in the slightest, and the blush on her face didn't fade either.

Pouting, she muttered under her breath,

"Then why did you push the beds together..."

"Of course it's for cultivation."

Ji Jing's tone turned serious.

"Did you forget? Our Martial Souls have achieved a one-hundred-percent perfect fusion. A fusion of this degree isn't limited to combat. It can also benefit our daily cultivation."

He paused, then continued explaining.

"When we're in close proximity and circulate our Soul Power at the same time, our Soul Power will resonate and circulate together. Simply put, if we cultivate together, our Soul Power will increase much faster."

"Oh, so that's how it works."

Wang Dong finally understood. Her wariness faded, replaced by intense curiosity.

She blinked and asked doubtfully,

"But how did you know? I've never seen anything about this in any book. Has there ever been a precedent for a perfect Martial Soul fusion?"

That question played right into Ji Jing's hands.

He'd expected Wang Dong to ask, so he answered without batting an eye, speaking with the confidence of someone stating the obvious.

"I sensed it, of course. My spiritual power is much higher than yours. When our Martial Souls fused, I already sensed this resonance between our Soul Power."

"So what if your spiritual power is higher!"

Wang Dong was indignant. Thinking of how he seemed to have her beat in every respect, she immediately felt her competitive spirit flare up.

She sat down on her bed, hands on her hips and cheeks puffed out, and declared fiercely,

"Just you wait! I'm going to work hard at cultivation. One day, I'll ride on your head!"

"Sure, sure."

Ji Jing looked at her adorable, clawing, yet utterly unthreatening manner, his eyes full of amusement as he humored her.

"I'll look forward to that day. Now, don't waste time. Get up here and cultivate."

Wang Dong huffed. Though she was still unwilling to admit defeat, she honestly sat down beside him and crossed her legs, copying his posture.

When they entered a meditative state together and circulated the Soul Power within their bodies, a marvelous sensation arose.

Their Soul Power seemed to turn into two streams, drawn toward each other. They intertwined naturally, forming an energy vortex far more powerful and pure than usual.

Feeling her Soul Power grow faster than ever before, Wang Dong gradually forgot her resentment, caught up in the marvelous experience of cultivation.

The freshman assessment was in full swing.

In the early stages of the assessment, they didn't encounter a single team with a Soul Elder.

The team of Ji Jing, Wang Dong, and Huo Yuhao swept through their opponents.

Ji Jing didn't even release his Martial Soul once.

At the start of every battle, as soon as the opening whistle sounded, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. Two simple, direct punches were all it took to knock the opposing team's two Battle Soul Masters off the platform.

Wang Dong easily dealt with the one left behind.

As for Huo Yuhao, from beginning to end, he simply stood where he was and provided his teammates with a comprehensive stream of battlefield information.

Their record was a long string of consecutive victories.

Then, at last, on this day, they finally faced a worthy opponent—

A team made up of Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Nanmen Yun'er.