Ji Jing and Wang Dong arrived downstairs at the dormitory. They put some distance between them, assumed fighting stances, and prepared to battle.
As soon as the two appeared, the students nearby sensed something was up. They stopped to watch.
"Those two are freshmen, right? They're picking a fight right after enrolling? So cocky?"
"Isn't it normal for dormmates to fight when they first meet?"
"Who do you think is stronger? I'm betting on the redhead. He looks so sturdy—one punch and that blue-haired kid will be done for!"
"Fighting isn't about size. It's about Soul Power!"
While the onlookers were still discussing, Wang Dong planted her foot and charged at Ji Jing.
Ji Jing looked a little bemused.
The girl had just charged straight at him. She must have been pretty confident in her strength.
Unfortunately, even with his divine body sealed, Ji Jing had continued tempering himself with the ultimate yin and yang flames day after day. His physical abilities far surpassed those of anyone his age.
Even with two powerful attack-type Martial Souls, Wang Dong couldn't match his strength.
Wang Dong closed the distance at incredible speed and swung a whip kick at Ji Jing's head!
The moment the fight began, Ji Jing's whole mindset shifted.
He casually pushed Wang Dong's leg aside with one hand, then instantly followed up with a palm strike from the other, aiming straight for her abdomen.
Wang Dong couldn't react in time. The blow sent her flying, and she nearly hit the ground. Her stomach churned like rivers and seas overturned. It didn't hurt, but it still left her feeling awful.
Once she'd recovered, she looked up and saw Ji Jing standing there with his arms crossed, an eyebrow raised as he watched her.
"If you can't beat me, you'll be in charge of cleaning the dorm from now on."
Ji Jing's words were the final straw.
"You jerk!"
Wang Dong turned red with anger and shouted. The Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul instantly possessed her, and two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple, appeared behind her, shining brilliantly.
Looking at those stunning butterfly wings, Ji Jing understood why this Martial Soul was called the most beautiful.
Only after seeing them with his own eyes could he understand what "most beautiful" really meant.
"If you don't summon your Martial Soul, you're going to get hurt!"
Wang Dong warned him before attacking. Her First Soul Ring lit up, and sharp golden light gleamed along the edges of her butterfly wings.
"Wing Guillotine!"
Her razor-sharp wings swept straight toward Ji Jing!
In Ji Jing's eyes, the attack was moving in slow motion.
He took a moment to gauge the Soul Skill's power, then nodded to himself.
Little Scumbag's daughter really is something else. Her First Soul Skill has a lot of power.
After assessing it, Ji Jing struck without hesitation.
To everyone watching, just as the Wing Guillotine was about to hit him, Ji Jing simply shifted to the side and dodged it with ease.
The next instant, he knocked Wang Dong unconscious with a chop to the neck, and the world fell quiet.
Under the stunned gazes of the surrounding students, Ji Jing carried the unconscious Wang Dong back to the dormitory.
After the dormitory door closed, the old man who had been dozing on the reclining chair slowly opened his eyes and looked in the direction Ji Jing had gone.
"Interesting child."
Then he closed his eyes again and resumed resting, so quietly it was as if he had never been there.
Inside the dormitory, Ji Jing gently laid Wang Dong on her bed and tucked her in.
He sat down by the bed, took a set of cooking utensils from his storage ring, then brought out seasonings and ingredients and began cooking.
His Martial Soul had a fire attribute, and before it was sealed, he had been a deity who wielded fire. His control over the heat surpassed that of any mortal. He had also picked up a few tricks from Oscar, the God of Cookery.
The dishes Ji Jing made were delicacies the likes of which could not be found in the mortal world.
Before long, an enticing aroma filled the dormitory.
The scent seemed to have the power to pierce the soul. Wang Dong's delicate nose twitched unconsciously as she lay unconscious, and her long eyelashes fluttered a few times before her eyes sprang open.
"That smells amazing!"
Her head was still a little foggy, but her body's instincts had already driven her to sit up.
She followed the aroma to its source, and her gaze instantly locked onto it.
At some point, a dining table had been set up in the center of the dormitory. Four dishes and a soup sat on it, sending up enticing steam and an unusual glow.
Wang Dong's eyes went wide as she stared at the food, which seemed to glow.
It looked even more tempting than any feast she'd ever had at the Clear Sky Sect!
Ji Jing was already sitting at the table. When he saw that she had woken up, he glanced at her and asked:
"Awake? Want to eat with me?"
Wang Dong swallowed instinctively, wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth, and nodded repeatedly.
"Eat!"
Like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, she sprang from the bed to the table, grabbed a pair of chopsticks, and was about to dig in.
But Ji Jing calmly reached out and pressed down on her wrist.
"Hmm?"
Wang Dong looked up, her bright blue eyes full of confusion and wariness. She looked like a little beast guarding its food.
"What are you doing? You told me I could eat!"
Ji Jing wore a faint, enigmatic smile as he drawled:
"Don't rush. You remember our bet, right?"
Wang Dong's cheeks flushed bright red, half with anger and half with embarrassment.
She bit her lower lip and stubbornly stuck out her chin, muttering reluctantly:
"I... I'll take care of the cleaning!"
"I've changed my mind."
Ji Jing released her wrist and watched her at his leisure.
"Since you're the first roommate to taste my cooking, let's change the bet. From now on, we'll take turns cleaning the dorm, one week each."
Wang Dong froze, her face full of disbelief.
He was actually willing to give in?
"As for the dishes..."
Ji Jing's gaze swept over the delicacies on the table.
"Let's make a new rule. Whoever cooks, the other person washes the dishes. I cooked today, so..."
The proposal was perfectly reasonable, even remarkably generous.
The resentment and indignation in Wang Dong's heart vanished in an instant.
She realized she might not have Ji Jing figured out after all.
"What? You don't agree?"
When she didn't answer for a while, Ji Jing asked deliberately.
"Who... who said I don't agree?"
Wang Dong came to her senses, her face warming a little, and quickly picked up her chopsticks.
"I'll wash them after we eat!"
With his permission, she stopped worrying about anything else and picked up the biggest piece of fish, its skin golden and crisp, and put it in her mouth.
The moment the fish touched her tongue, Wang Dong's eyes flew open!
Beneath the hot, crispy skin was tender fish that melted in her mouth.
Vast, pure Soul Power burst across her taste buds along with an exquisite freshness, turning into a warm current that flowed through every part of her body!
"W-what kind of fish is this? It's so good!"
She exclaimed around a mouthful, utterly stunned.
Ji Jing explained calmly:
"A Seven-Colored Dragon Scale Fish from the deep sea. It lives a thousand meters down in ocean trenches and helps nourish the mind."
Wang Dong's heart jolted. A thousand meters down?
Even a Soul Saint might not dare venture that deep!
Where had he gotten it?
She had no time to think. Her chopsticks reached for the meat slices crackling with tiny arcs of electricity.
The firm, springy meat paired perfectly with the smooth texture of a strange mushroom. A faint tingling current teased her tongue, making her feel so good she almost moaned. All her fatigue vanished.
"What about this one? What is this?"
"Three-Ten-Thousand-Year Thunderlight Burst Pig tenderloin with Ice Marrow Mushroom from the far north. It promotes blood circulation and clears the meridians."
Ji Jing's tone was as casual as if he were describing wild vegetables by the roadside.
A... a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?!
Wang Dong was utterly stunned. She looked at the spread on the table, then at Ji Jing, who seemed completely unruffled, and for a moment couldn't think of what to say.
She was from the Clear Sky Sect and considered herself well-traveled, yet even she rarely got to eat a meal this extravagant!
Just who was this guy?
Wang Dong spent the whole meal in a dreamlike daze, caught between shock and the incredible flavors.
When she finally set down her chopsticks, satisfied, and rubbed her slightly rounded belly, she realized belatedly that she had nearly polished off all four dishes.
At Ji Jing's knowing smile, her cheeks flushed again. She swept up all the dishes and bowls and fled into the washroom.
"It's only washing dishes! No big deal!"
Ji Jing lay back on his bed and rested his head on his arms, the corner of his mouth curling into a thoughtful smile.
That night, Wang Dong was determined to work harder after losing to Ji Jing, so she planned to meditate all night.
Ji Jing woke in the middle of the night, wanting a drink of water, but his gaze was drawn to Wang Dong.
A faint halo of Soul Power surrounded her. Even dressed as a boy, she looked exceptionally beautiful.
But her beauty wasn't what drew Ji Jing's attention.
"No way... Could this feeling be..."
As he spoke, Ji Jing cautiously reached out toward the Soul Power spilling from Wang Dong as she cultivated...
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