At last, Zhao Wuji's legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground, his whole body twitching. He couldn't even move a finger.
His condition was more than a little off.
Combined with his rather lecherous-looking face, it made him seem even more lecherous.
"Vice Dean Zhao?" Ning Rongrong covered her mouth in shock as the light of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda gradually faded.
Ning Rongrong hurried over to Fu Qin, her eyes full of admiration.
"Brother Fu Qin, you're incredible! What Soul Skill was that? You actually managed to beat the Immovable Wisdom King into this state!"
She instinctively linked her arm through Fu Qin's, pressing her soft body against him. The System Panel's affection score shot straight up to 92.
Xiao Wu ran over too. Though she didn't hug Fu Qin's arm, her little face was still brimming with pride.
"Fu Qin, you're amazing! I knew you could do it!"
Her cheek rested against Fu Qin's shoulder, her eyes filled with delight.
Her affection score on the panel held steady at 450.
Feeling the warm softness on either side of him, Fu Qin savored the moment.
He was living a much more comfortable life than Tang San had in his previous life.
He looked down at Zhao Wuji, who was still twitching on the ground, his whole body limp and his eyes unfocused. Clearly, he hadn't yet recovered from the ultimate pleasure.
Zhao Wuji's status on the panel read:
[Glandular secretion disorder, mental and physical exhaustion, temporarily lost the ability to fight]
Tang San stood nearby, his expression more complicated than ever.
Watching Fu Qin surrounded by Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong left him feeling deeply unsettled.
Fu Qin caught the scene from the corner of his eye, then awkwardly slipped out of Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong's embrace.
"Ahem. Sister Xiao Wu, Rongrong, men and women shouldn't be so... intimate."
At the sight, Tang San's hanging heart finally settled.
But Xiao Wu's next move landed like a slap straight across Tang San's face.
Xiao Wu pursed her lips in displeasure and clung directly to Fu Qin's arm.
w(ﾟДﾟ)w
Tang San was stunned.
He never would have imagined that Fu Qin hadn't made any inappropriate moves, yet his wife from his previous life, Xiao Wu, would...
But what surprised him even more was the strength Fu Qin had displayed.
His control of the nine throwing knives, his precise grasp of Zhao Wuji's weak points, and that outrageously bizarre Soul Skill—every last thing had left Tang San astonished.
He had originally thought that, having been reborn with the memories and experience of his previous life, he would inevitably stay ahead of everyone. But Fu Qin's appearance had shattered his assumptions time and again.
Zhu Zhuqing walked over to Zhao Wuji and confirmed that he truly couldn't fight back before turning to Fu Qin. A hint of admiration, barely noticeable, showed in her eyes.
Her affection score for Fu Qin on the panel finally passed 20.
[Inner emotions: Acknowledges his strength, feels a trace of curiosity]
"W-We won?" Dai Mubai came back to his senses. He looked at Zhao Wuji lying on the ground, then at Fu Qin surrounded by Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu, and for a moment didn't know what to say.
He had thought this test would be a fierce battle. He hadn't expected Fu Qin to defeat the Immovable Wisdom King so easily with such a bizarre method.
Fu Qin smiled and gently pushed Ning Rongrong's and Xiao Wu's hands away.
"It was just luck. The main thing was that everyone worked well together."
[The Intelligence-Reducing Halo took effect. Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu both thought he was far too modest, and their affection scores each rose by 3]
After a long while.
Zhao Wuji, still lying on the ground, finally caught his breath. He struggled to get up, only to find himself still weak and limp all over. He could only glare at Fu Qin, his tone complicated.
"Kid, that Soul Skill of yours... isn't it a bit too underhanded?"
He had lived this long and had never encountered a move that left someone so blissfully limp they couldn't fight back. It would be humiliating to tell anyone.
Fu Qin shrugged, looking entirely innocent.
"Dean Zhao, all's fair in a fight. We just wanted to pass the test. We weren't trying to hurt you."
[The Intelligence-Reducing Halo took effect. Zhao Wuji actually thought that made a lot of sense, and let out a disgruntled snort]
Fu Qin felt Tang San's complicated gaze on him and let a barely perceptible smile curl at the corner of his mouth.
Before long, Zhao Wuji dusted himself off and left, looking thoroughly refreshed.
Feeling the soft touch of Xiao Wu's arm against his, with her faint, sweet fragrance lingering beneath his nose, Fu Qin saw her affection score soar to 460.
He turned to look at Tang San's ashen face, a playful glint flashing in his eyes, and took the initiative to walk over.
"Brother San, I'm sorry." Fu Qin's expression turned remorseful, his tone sincere.
"When we sparred before, I never dared to use my full strength. I was afraid I'd hurt you. After all, we're sworn brothers, and I didn't want a match to sour our relationship."
[The Intelligence-Reducing Halo took effect. Tang San was convinced that "Fu Qin had hidden his strength to protect him."] [Tang San's thoughts: I see! Fu Qin really is loyal and righteous—a promising little brother worth cultivating. He's so talented, yet he was willing to rein himself in for his brothers. I should make sure to win him over. He'll be an invaluable ally on my path to godhood!]
The jealousy and discontent in Tang San's heart vanished in an instant, replaced by approval and admiration for Fu Qin.
He patted Fu Qin on the shoulder and laughed heartily.
"Fu Qin, you're being too formal! Brothers should know when to stop when they spar. I'm touched that you'd think of me."
Xiao Wu stood to the side. Hearing Fu Qin's words, she looked at him with even greater warmth.
Her affection score on the panel surged by another 15, surpassing 475.
She hadn't expected Fu Qin to be not only powerful, but also so loyal and considerate. He had hidden his strength all along to avoid hurting Tang San. That gentleness and thoughtfulness were things she had never seen in Tang San.
"Little Brother Fu Qin, you're so sweet."
Xiao Wu stepped forward and linked her arm tightly through Fu Qin's, her voice tinged with delight.
Watching the two of them act so intimately, Tang San still felt a faint, hard-to-place discomfort. But when he reminded himself that Fu Qin was his little brother and Xiao Wu would be his wife, he let it go.
He thought Xiao Wu simply saw Fu Qin as a younger brother, and that her feelings for him wouldn't change.
After everyone passed the test, Dai Mubai led them to their dormitories.
Shrek's dormitories were terribly simple, all of them plain old farmhouses made of packed earth. Still, at least they were "clean and sanitary."
"Xiao Wu, you can have this room to yourself." Dai Mubai pointed to the room at the far eastern end.
"Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, you two can stay next door. Fu Qin, you can take this room."
He pointed to a room in the middle, then turned to Tang San.
"Tang San, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and I are staying at the far western end. Want to join us? More people, more fun."
Tang San's eyes lit up, and he nodded at once.
"Sure." He had his own little plans.
In his previous life, his relationship with Dai Mubai and the others hadn't been very good at first.
But now that he had been reborn, he naturally needed to consolidate his team early and push them to cultivate harder, so that when they became gods, they could all become First-Level Gods.