Those aristocratic students who had once gossiped behind his back now bowed ninety degrees whenever they saw Xue Yao—even from thirty feet away.
Xue Yao was happy to enjoy the peace. Every day, apart from receiving the royal family's finest tonics, he strolled around the academy with his Little Griffin and read books.
That afternoon.
The sun shone brightly, and the breeze was gentle.
Beside the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's grandest open-air Martial Arts Arena, Xue Yao was stretched out comfortably on a soft chair covered with snow-ferret fur.
Just as all was peaceful and serene, someone suddenly kicked the arena gates open!
"Who's Xue Yao?! Get out here!"
With a haughty, furious shout, a wave of scorching heat swept across the entire arena.
The Heaven Dou students sparring inside jumped in surprise and turned to look.
Standing at the entrance was a girl of about nine, her bright red hair as dazzling as a blaze.
She wore a dark-red outfit that outlined her still-developing, well-proportioned figure. Her delicate, pretty face was filled with defiance and blazing competitiveness.
Huo Wu, daughter of the Blazing Fire Academy's dean!
"What's that girl Huo Wu doing here?"
"Yikes... I heard she just broke through to level eighteen a few days ago. She's a once-in-a-century prodigy from Blazing Fire Academy, and she's got a fiery temper!"
"What does she want with Viscount Xue Yao? Is she here to challenge our academy?!"
The Heaven Dou students around them immediately began whispering.
Huo Wu strode into the Martial Arts Arena, her sharp almond eyes sweeping the area. She soon spotted Xue Yao, lying in his chair and reading.
It couldn't be helped. With everyone else on edge, the six-year-old was impossible to miss as he lounged there reading and "walking his bird."
"Hey! You're Xue Yao, the one who reached level fifteen in three months?!"
Huo Wu walked up to him and pointed down at him.
She lifted her chin slightly, her eyes full of defiance.
"My dad told me you're supposed to be the Heaven Dou Empire's number-one genius. I don't believe it! You're just a six-year-old brat—what makes you more impressive than me? Get up and fight me!"
Faced with Huo Wu's barrage of taunts, Xue Yao didn't even raise an eyelid.
He simply turned a page in the ancient book in his hand and said mildly, "You're blocking my light. Move two steps to the left."
"You—!"
When had anyone ever ignored Huo Wu like this?
"I'm formally challenging you to a Soul Master duel! Do you have no respect for your opponent?!" Huo Wu's pretty face flushed with anger, and she stomped hard.
Boom!
A bright yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring rose from beneath her feet. Scorching flames gathered behind her, forming a fiery red shadow almost identical to her silhouette—a Mutated Martial Soul, Fire Shadow!
The temperature around them soared, and even the air began to warp in the heat.
At last, Xue Yao frowned as he felt the scorching aura.
He closed his book and sighed, his lazy gaze passing over the furious Huo Wu.
"First, I don't have time to play house with little girls. Second, your fire is too weak. You're not qualified to make me lift a finger."
The Heaven Dou students all sucked in a sharp breath. That was the Blazing Fire Academy's beloved young lady! Xue Yao's tongue was sharper than his sword!
Huo Wu's eyes instantly reddened—not with tears, but with rage.
"Big talk! You're nothing but a coward with an undeserved reputation! Take this!"
Huo Wu cried out, and her First Soul Ring suddenly blazed.
"First Soul Skill! Repulsive Fire Ring!"
A scorching ring of fire crashed toward Xue Yao in his chair like a tidal wave!
At that critical moment,
Xue Yao didn't get up. Instead, he picked up the fruit wine beside him and took a sip.
He didn't even summon his Martial Soul. He merely nudged the Little Griffin playing nearby with his toe.
"Xiao Bai, go. Chase that noisy little sparrow away, and don't let it burn my book."
"Creee!"
At its master's command, the Little Griffin—who had looked so adorably silly—suddenly sharpened her gaze!
She spread her wings with a powerful beat.
Boom!
An utterly terrifying blast of wind pressure erupted from the Little Griffin!
She didn't dodge the incoming Repulsive Fire Ring. She charged straight into it!
A scene of utter humiliation unfolded.
Huo Wu's prized First Soul Skill couldn't even last a second against the violent blue-green wind pressure around the Little Griffin!
"Whoosh—!"
As the saying went, wind fanned the flames. But when the wind pressure grew strong enough to create a localized vacuum, the fire went out in an instant!
The Repulsive Fire Ring slammed into an invisible Wall of Sighs. With a casual flap of the Little Griffin's wings, it crumbled on the spot and scattered into a shower of sparks!
"What?!" Huo Wu's pupils shrank, and her heart lurched in shock.
That little bird that looked like a pet had just broken her Soul Skill in an instant?!
Before she could react, the Little Griffin had already appeared above Huo Wu with terrifying speed.
"Cree!"
A hint of mischief flashed in the Little Griffin's eyes. She crossed her wings sharply in midair.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three crescent-shaped Wind Blades shot toward Huo Wu from tricky angles, sealing off her escape!
Huo Wu paled with fright and desperately tried to dodge using her Soul Power.
But how could a nine-year-old Soul Master possibly outrun a Hundred-Year wind-type spirit beast famed for its speed?
"Riiip—"
The first Wind Blade precisely sliced through a lock of red hair at Huo Wu's temple.
The second skimmed past her cheek and shredded the sleeve of her expensive dark-red outfit.
The third was the most vicious. It exploded right at Huo Wu's feet!
Bang!
The violent wind, mixed with dust from the Martial Arts Arena, surged over Huo Wu from every direction like a small mudslide!
"Ah—!"
Huo Wu shrieked. Her legs gave way, and the blast from the Wind Blade sent her tumbling onto the dusty ground, where she landed hard on her backside.
The fight was over in less than three seconds.
The entire Martial Arts Arena fell deathly silent.
Everyone stood there with their mouths hanging open, staring blankly at the scene.
The fiery little genius hailed as a once-in-a-century talent from Blazing Fire Academy was sitting on the ground. Her carefully styled red hair was as messy as a bird's nest, her expensive clothes had several holes in them, and her delicate face was covered in a thick layer of soot. She looked just like a little beggar who had crawled out of a coal mine.
Right in front of her, the Little Griffin circled arrogantly through the air twice before landing neatly beside Xue Yao's chair. She even rubbed her head against his thigh as if asking for praise.
From beginning to end,
Xue Yao hadn't even shifted his backside. He had only turned two pages of his book.
Elegant. So elegant.
"Done fighting? Then hurry up and leave. Don't interrupt me while I'm working out airflow models."
Xue Yao didn't even look up. His tone was as casual as if he were shooing away a buzzing fly.
That dismissive remark was the final straw.
Sitting on the ground, Huo Wu stared at her shredded sleeve, then at Xue Yao, who hadn't even spared her a proper glance.
Overwhelming hurt and humiliation surged through her.
"Sniff..."
Huo Wu's eyes reddened, and big tears fell like beads from a snapped string.
At Blazing Fire Academy, she was the apple of everyone's eye. Who dared bully her like this?!
"Waaah!"
The next second, the proud little firecracker completely broke down. She sat on the ground and burst into tears.
As she cried, she wiped her eyes with the dusty back of her hand, smearing her already soot-blackened face until she looked even more like a little cat.
The Heaven Dou students exchanged glances. They wanted to laugh but didn't dare, and were struggling mightily to hold it in.
"You... you're bullying me! Waaah!"
Huo Wu pointed at Xue Yao, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath.
At last, Xue Yao put down his book and rubbed his temples helplessly.
"Can you be reasonable? You kicked the door in and came here to fight me. I didn't even hit back. How is that bullying you?"
"I won't listen, I won't listen! You're bullying me! You made a bird humiliate me!"
Huo Wu sprang to her feet and carelessly wiped the mud and tears from her face.
She was crying miserably, but the proud streak in her bones clearly wouldn't let her admit defeat just like that.
She glared viciously at Xue Yao and shouted through her tears, her voice hoarse:
"I... I don't care at all! I just wasn't ready to fight a bird this time!!"
"Just you wait! Xue Yao, you big bully! When I go back and enter seclusion to break through to Soul Grandmaster, I'll come back and pluck every last feather from your stupid bird! Waaah—"
After making her threat, Huo Wu wiped her tears and ran out of the Martial Arts Arena like a frightened rabbit, still crying.
As everyone watched Huo Wu flee in such a sorry state, not a soul in the arena made a sound.
A long while later,
Xue Yao shook his head gently, picked up his fruit wine, and took a sip, letting out a sigh that sounded far too old for him.
"Sigh. Kids these days have such fragile hearts."
With that, he reopened his book and casually fed the Little Griffin a strip of jerky.
"Good job. Next time someone comes in yelling like that, flap her away again."
Before you continue