Anxious Yan Shaozhe: Little Peach is in trouble?

After afternoon classes ended, Huo Yuhao went to the market to set up his stall as usual.

Wang Dong followed by his side.

At first, Wang Dong complained that the grilled fish smelled too smoky and didn't want to come over.

But later, she suddenly noticed that there were many people at Huo Yuhao's stall, especially many female students, so she took the initiative to take on the job of collecting money.

Her reasoning was also quite sufficient.

"You're in charge of grilling, I'm in charge of collecting money, so others won't go around touching your things."

Huo Yuhao was full of question marks when he heard that.

Collecting money is one thing, but how did it escalate to people touching his things?

What could they possibly touch on him?

Classmate Wang Dong, have you been reading things you shouldn't be at your age?

But even though he was suspicious, Huo Yuhao didn't say anything; having help was a good thing after all.

Especially since, although Wang Dong complained, she was very efficient, even able to clearly account for a few missing copper soul coins.

The young master of the Clear Sky Sect setting up a stall to collect money, and being overjoyed over earning a few copper soul coins.

If those two from the Clear Sky Sect saw this scene, they would probably fall apart on the spot and question their lives.

They would wonder if there was a problem with their upbringing.

When the two arrived at the stall, Tang Ya and Bei Bei were already waiting there.

Accompanying Huo Yuhao to sell grilled fish had now become a part of their daily routine.

As soon as Tang Ya saw Huo Yuhao, she perked up and jumped to wave at him.

"Yuhao! Hurry, hurry, I've been hungry for half the day!"

Huo Yuhao looked at the small bag of snacks by her side, feeling somewhat helpless.

"Teacher Tang Ya, you call this being hungry for half the day?"

Tang Ya hid the bag behind her back and stuck out her tongue.

"This is just to pad my stomach, it doesn't count as a meal."

Bei Bei stood to the side, smiling gently.

"She started complaining of hunger right after training this afternoon; it hasn't been easy for her to hold out until now."

Tang Ya immediately raised her fist to express her dissatisfaction to Bei Bei.

"Bei Bei, whose side are you on?"

Bei Bei changed his tune quite naturally.

"I was wrong, you're right, Tang Ya."

Huo Yuhao looked at Bei Bei, who could change his expression without missing a beat, and felt nothing but admiration.

What is survival wisdom?

This is it.

He is truly the senior brother.

Soon, the aroma of grilled fish began to drift through the air.

Not long after, a familiar voice came from the other end of the snack street.

"Yuhao! Save two for me!"

Xu Sanshi strode over, having already taken out enough copper soul coins, looking every bit the regular customer.

Wang Dong glanced at him and said with some curiosity.

"Why are you here again?"

Hearing this, Xu Sanshi immediately clutched his chest, looking deeply wounded.

"Junior Brother Wang Dong, your words are hurtful!"

"I'm paying for food, it's only natural."

After these two days of contact, Wang Dong and Xu Sanshi had become somewhat familiar with each other.

Tang Ya also nodded, and for once, she spoke up for Xu Sanshi.

"Exactly, Wang Dong, you can't be like that; if they pay, they're a customer."

Xu Sanshi was instantly moved, and just as he was about to say something, he saw Tang Ya reach out her hand toward him.

"Then pay up first."

Seeing this, Wang Dong was delighted and quickly chimed in.

"Exactly, exactly, pay first!"

Xu Sanshi remained silent, looking at Huo Yuhao, who was busy grilling the fish.

Huo Yuhao didn't even lift his head, merely stating indifferently.

"Wang Dong is in charge of collecting the money."

Xu Sanshi was deeply pained by this, but under the intimidation of Tang Ya and Wang Dong—one big, one small—he had no choice but to place the copper soul coins for two grilled fish on the table, unable to stop himself from adding.

"You've changed, Yuhao. You weren't like this before."

Bei Bei, standing to the side, laughed heartily.

"You weren't the type to come eat grilled fish every single day before, either."

Even after paying, Xu Sanshi refused to concede.

"Can you blame me? Who told this kid's grilled fish to be so fragrant?"

Tang Ya, biting into a freshly cooked fish, chimed in vaguely.

"Exactly, exactly. Xu Sanshi actually said something human for once."

Listening to the banter of these clowns, even Huo Yuhao, who was busy grilling, couldn't help but chuckle.

After the "Lower-Body Disturbance" from over a week ago, Xu Sanshi didn't actually hold a grudge.

The man had thick skin and a strong recovery rate.

After being swindled out of a bottle of Mystic Water Pill by Huo Yuhao, he had come crawling back the very next day.

At first, he was stubborn, claiming he was just passing by.

But after eating two grilled fish, he declared on the spot that all past grievances were wiped clean.

Of course, the condition was that Huo Yuhao was never allowed to use that move again.

Huo Yuhao gave no such guarantee.

This resulted in Xu Sanshi maintaining an exceptionally standard posture whenever he approached him.

"Wait a second, what do you mean 'for once'? Does that mean everything I said before wasn't human?"

"Tang Ya! Give me an explanation!"

Xu Sanshi suddenly realized what she meant and cried out in indignation.

Tang Ya made a face at him and hid behind Bei Bei.

Xu Sanshi was left helpless.

Just then, Bei Bei suddenly looked at the empty seat next to Huo Yuhao and asked with some confusion.

"Has Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao not come by these past few days?"

Hearing the name Ma Xiaotao, Xu Sanshi's face immediately fell.

"Bei Bei, what do you mean by that?"

Bei Bei looked at him, completely unbothered.

"I don't mean anything by it, I'm just asking."

"Don't give me that!"

Xu Sanshi looked wary, pointing at the copper soul coins on the table.

"Are you trying to call her over to chase me away? Let me tell you, I'm a legitimate customer now! I paid!"

Wang Dong couldn't help but laugh; it was the first time in all these days she had seen Xu Sanshi like this.

"Are you afraid of her?"

Hearing this, Xu Sanshi remained stubborn.

"Afraid? Are you kidding? That's called respecting a senior sister from the Inner Court!"

Tang Ya immediately tore down his facade without hesitation.

"Keep bragging. Last time you saw Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao, your legs were practically turning to jelly."

"Tang Ya! Be a decent person!"

Bei Bei didn't join in their joking; he knew a few things about Ma Xiaotao.

He looked at Huo Yuhao, his tone turning serious.

"Yuhao, has Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao looked for you since then?"

Huo Yuhao's hands paused for a moment before he continued flipping the fish.

"No."

Bei Bei frowned in thought.

"She quite liked your grilled fish before; logically, she shouldn't have stayed away for so many days."

Xu Sanshi quieted down as well.

"Now that you mention it, it is a bit strange."

Huo Yuhao flipped the fish, already having a guess in his heart.

Ma Xiaotao did not come, and it was highly unlikely that she simply did not want to.

Rather, she could not come.

Within the current Shrek Academy, there was only one reason that could keep her from coming.

Evil Fire.

That day, he had dropped a few hints while grilling fish and allowed Ma Xiaotao to experience firsthand how the Ghost Killing Art suppressed emotions.

If she had truly gone back to attempt it, there could be two outcomes.

One was that she gained something from it.

The other was that she had pushed it too far.

After all, the Evil Fire that had accumulated over so many years was no laughing matter.

Suppressing it successfully would be a stroke of fortune, but failing to do so would lead to an explosion.

Huo Yuhao did not voice these thoughts.

He was merely a newly enrolled student; knowing too much would only invite trouble.

"Perhaps there is something going on in the Inner Court."

He simply handed the grilled fish to Xu Sanshi with a calm expression.

"Yours."

Xu Sanshi took the fish and took a bite, immediately forgetting all his suspicions.

"Sss, delicious!"

Wang Dong looked at his pathetic display and turned her head away in disgust.

Bei Bei, however, was not so easily swayed.

He kept feeling that something was off.

But Ma Xiaotao was a genius of the Inner Court, personally looked after by various teachers; if something truly happened, it was not the concern of a few Outer Court students.

Thus, he temporarily suppressed his doubts.

Huo Yuhao continued to grill the fish, his expression unchanged, but he began to calculate in his heart.

If Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire had indeed gone out of control, this might be an opportunity for him.

He had to verify whether he could use the power of the Ghost Killing Art to alter the fates of others and gradually break through the blockade set by God King Tang.

Ma Xiaotao was the most suitable candidate.

Of course, the risks were also high.

Once he acted too abnormally, people at the level of Yan Shaozhe or Xuan Zi would surely set their sights on him.

What Huo Yuhao lacked most right now was time to develop safely.

But if it truly became necessary, he would not hold back.

Shrek Academy, Dean's Office.

Yan Shaozhe sat behind his desk, with Wang Yan standing before him.

Wang Yan held a stack of records, reporting on the work regarding this year's freshmen.

"Dean, that is the general situation regarding Freshman Class 9."

"Ning Tian has three rings and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda; she can basically be considered a seed for the Inner Court."

"Wang Dong's Radiant Goddess Butterfly is also very special, with a second soul ring that is already a thousand-year one. I suggest the academy observe her closely; the possibility of her entering the Inner Court in the future is also very high."

"There is also Wu Feng, who possesses a top-tier martial soul as well..."

Yan Shaozhe nodded.

"I have seen the files on these few; they are indeed worth cultivating."

Wang Yan hesitated for a moment, then flipped to another page.

"Actually, there is also Huo Yuhao."

Hearing this name, Yan Shaozhe looked up, showing little interest.

"You mean the one recommended by the Tang Sect?"

"Correct."

Wang Yan adjusted his glasses.

"His Soul Power Level is not high, and his first soul ring is only ten years old, but I believe there are anomalies about him that are worth observing."

Yan Shaozhe did not respond.

So, Wang Yan continued.

"His soul power fluctuations are different from ordinary soul masters; his aura is sometimes very weak, yet at other times it suddenly becomes sharp. I have personally verified this."

"Furthermore, his martial soul has undergone mutation. My preliminary conclusion is that it is a double consecutive mutation, though the cause remains unknown..."

Wang Yan wanted to continue, but Yan Shaozhe raised a hand to interrupt him.

"Martial soul mutation is nothing rare."

"Over these tens of thousands of years on the Douluo Continent, there have been countless recorded cases of mutated martial souls."

"Some mutations are successful, but far more result in waste."

"No matter what you say, his first soul ring is ten years old. That point cannot be changed."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yan immediately retorted.

"But Dean, the soul ring age does not represent everything."

"But it does represent a portion of the upper limit."

Facing Wang Yan, Yan Shaozhe's tone remained relatively calm.

"The academy's resources are limited; it is impossible to invest too much energy into him based on a mere guess."

Wang Yan naturally understood the implication behind Yan Shaozhe's words and grew somewhat anxious.

"Dean, I am not asking the academy to immediately divert resources. I simply believe he is worth further testing."

"And regarding the incident where Wu Feng was injured a few days ago..."

Yan Shaozhe frowned slightly, his expression turning displeased as he countered.

"Wasn't that matter already suppressed?"

"That is precisely the problem."

Wang Yan immediately produced another record.

"Wu Feng is a level 25 Soul Grand Master with a Red Dragon martial soul."

"Yet Huo Yuhao only has one ring. Even if Wu Feng underestimated her, she shouldn't have lost so quickly."

Yan Shaozhe did not continue the conversation with Wang Yan.

He had, of course, heard about that incident.

With Xuan Zi personally taking the person to the infirmary, it would have been difficult not to know.

However, since Wu Feng herself did not pursue the matter and Mu Jin did not file for a formal disciplinary action, the academy naturally would not take the initiative to escalate the situation.

"When young people fight, it isn't always about cultivation."

Yan Shaozhe spoke indifferently.

"Sneak attacks, hidden weapons, terrain, and emotions can all influence the outcome."

Wang Yan could only offer a wry smile at this.

The office fell silent for a few moments.

Just as Yan Shaozhe was about to speak, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the door.

An inner court deacon pushed the door open, not even having time to salute before walking quickly to Yan Shaozhe's side to whisper in his ear.

Wang Yan stood where he was, only to see Yan Shaozhe's expression change abruptly.

The next moment, Yan Shaozhe stood up so suddenly that his chair toppled over behind him.

"What? Something happened to Xiao Tao?!"