Huo Wu: How About a Deal?!

To ensure the smooth progress of the Soul Master Tournament, many academy teams arrived several days in advance.

The Blazing Fire Academy was no exception.

But just last night, that idiot Feng Xiaotian confessed to her in public for who knows how many times, complete with banners and ribbons... wasn't this just humiliating her in front of everyone?

She had lost count of how many times she had rejected him, but that idiot just wouldn't listen!

The crucial part was that her own family was quite supportive of Feng Xiaotian pursuing her, even suggesting a marriage alliance between the two houses...

That guy's confession wasn't a confession at all; it was a disaster. There was no helping it—she couldn't afford to offend him, couldn't drive him away, and couldn't reason with him. Fine, she would just leave, right?

To avoid Feng Xiaotian's various attempts at currying favor, she simply locked herself in her room and refused to come out. But... just as she was enjoying the night view and eating a late-night snack, a nine-story pavilion suddenly appeared on the Gourmet Street diagonally across from her!

She had only looked down to take a sip of water, and the pavilion had just appeared like that... its architectural style was completely different from the surrounding buildings; it had popped into existence out of thin air!

An illusion? A soul skill?

Just as she thought this was a soul skill released by some powerful soul master, two people suddenly went inside. One of them was Dugu Yan, and the other, with her face veiled in light gauze, had to be Ye Lingling.

These two—one was the core crowd-controller and commander of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's first team, and the other was the core support healer of the same team. Since she was participating in the Soul Master Tournament, she naturally had to understand her opponents' information. As for opponents like Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, who were directly seeded into the finals, she had long since memorized their profiles by heart.

Not long after, the two of them came out, and Dugu Yan looked as excited as if she had found a priceless treasure!

She hesitated in her room for a long time. Just as she made up her mind and prepared to go over and investigate, Dugu Yan appeared again. This time, she arrived by carriage, went inside for a few minutes, and then hurried away again!

By now, it was almost dawn!

She thought about waiting until daybreak to investigate, but just as the sun rose... Dugu Yan was back again?

What, what exactly is inside this place?

A rare Soul Tool? Or precious medicinal herbs for cultivation?

Since it's worth Dugu Yan running back and forth like this... this pavilion must have something extraordinary about it...

Thinking this, she became even more convinced!

Coupled with the fact that she had seen the pavilion appear out of thin air with her own eyes last night, her curiosity was inevitably piqued.

Could it be that Dugu Yan is preparing for the Soul Master Tournament?

Until she entered this Scripture Depository... and looked at the sparsely placed books... she was still completely bewildered!

No way, it's just a... bookstore?

She observed Dugu Yan calmly, even pricking up her ears to listen to their conversation...

Vaguely, she actually heard words like... increasing soul power... crash course... soul skills, and so on.

Could it be...

A strange thought suddenly flashed through her mind.

Subconsciously, she looked at the ancient-looking books displayed on the counters.

Could it be that these are all soul skills? Self-Created Soul Skills?

Once this thought arose, she immediately felt it was absurd!

How could this be possible?

How precious are Self-Created Soul Skills? Who would take them out to sell? Let alone so many?

Hadn't she seen that guy Feng Xiaotian study Self-Created Soul Skills for so many years without coming up with much of anything useful?

But Dugu Yan's attitude didn't seem fake...

Forcing down her surging thoughts, she waited until she saw Dugu Yan off before picking up the book titled Blazing Blade and flipping through it nonchalantly.

She didn't know until she looked, but once she did, she was shocked. This, this really was a Self-Created Soul Skill?

"Circulate soul power through the two main meridians and twelve limb meridians in the body, catalyze it... execute it through the arm meridians to the palm... release..."

"It is indeed exquisite, and easy to understand!"

As a level 43 Soul Ancestor, she knew this was undoubtedly the real deal just by looking at the soul power circulation path described, because when she used her own soul skills, her soul power flowed through most of the meridians mentioned in the book!

Undoubtedly authentic!

Since the Blazing Blade is real, then these...

Amidst her shock and suspicion, her gaze swept over the other items on the bookshelf... Leopard Tail Kick... Mount Song Mental Method... Precept-Breaking Saber Technique... her heart was filled with immense shock.

This Scripture Depository... has so many Self-Created Soul Skills... whose handiwork is this?

The Upper Three Sects? Martial Soul Hall? Or some hidden sect or family?

Thump-thump—

Thump-thump—

At this moment, her heart was beating as fast as a drum!

After a long while, she finally managed to calm down. She walked to the desk, looking at the green-robed figure who was about her age: "Are you the owner of this so-called Scripture Depository?"

"Pavilion Master!" Li Jingzhe replied indifferently.

"Hmm, Pavilion Master!"

Huo Wu nodded, mentioning offhandedly, "If I'm not mistaken, that was the eldest young lady of the Dugu Family? Are you two close?"

Li Jingzhe did not answer, instead glancing at the Blazing Blade in Huo Wu's hand and gesturing toward it. "Interested?"

Huo Wu raised the Blazing Blade manual. "Indeed!"

Li Jingzhe yawned; after all, with only 12.6 levels of soul power and having stayed up all night, he was feeling somewhat mentally exhausted. "If you're interested, you can give it a try."

"You still haven't answered my question."

Huo Wu pressed on, her beautiful eyes locking directly onto Li Jingzhe's.

"Why should I answer your question? Or rather, give me a reason why I must."

Li Jingzhe leaned back against his chair, a smile hanging on his lips.

Huo Wu's brows furrowed imperceptibly... As a level 43 Control-type Battle Soul Ancestor, even without intentionally releasing her soul power pressure, a single look from her could exert immense psychological pressure on ordinary people or those of lower status!

Yet this person was merely a Soul Master of around level 12; why was he so indifferent?

Where did he get his confidence?

She couldn't quite figure him out!

However, she said, "It's just casual conversation, no need to be so standoffish, right? You weren't like this when you were talking to Miss Dugu earlier."

"I'm just curious, what kind of talent could befriend Miss Dugu? Which family's protégé are you? What is the Pavilion Master's surname? How should I address you?"

Heh—

Li Jingzhe couldn't hold it back and let out a laugh, but he still introduced himself. "Li Jingzhe, Pavilion Master of the Scripture Depository."

"Also... are you here to buy books, or are you here for a blind date to check my background?"

He had figured it out; this Huo Wu was here to probe him. Dugu Yan must have been running to the Scripture Depository too often, leaving a trail and drawing attention.

Li Jingzhe? The surname Li...

Huo Wu ran the surname through her mind, but she couldn't connect it to any family or sect she knew.

So it really is a reclusive sect or family?

Since they have chosen to live in seclusion, they wouldn't easily emerge... It seems this Pavilion Master Li is merely a caretaker on the surface.

Huo Wu's thoughts shifted, and she suddenly gave a mischievous smile. "This... Pavilion Master, how about we make a deal?"