Seeing the group gradually disappear into the distance, Flender clapped his hands. "Let's head back. You two can arrange your own training; I won't make any plans for you. I'm sure you don't need me to worry about you."
Huo Yuhao smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Dean!"
Flender waved a hand and walked toward his quarters, burping as he went.
After watching Flender leave, Zhu Zhuqing turned to Huo Yuhao and waited for him to make arrangements.
Huo Yuhao rubbed his chin. "Let's stick to the usual plan. We'll cultivate first, then I'll spar with you this afternoon."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded in agreement, and the two headed toward the dormitory. The girl, half a step behind, tilted her head slightly to look at the handsome young man beside her, the corners of her mouth lifting.
"Your grilled fish is really delicious."
"Huh?" Huo Yuhao froze for a moment, then caught on and smiled.
"Thanks for the compliment."
"Can I have some again in the future?" Zhu Zhuqing's voice came again.
"Of course. Just tell me when you want some."
"Mm."
Several days passed, and Zhu Zhuqing began to grow accustomed to their daily routine: cultivating in the morning, sparring with Huo Yuhao in the afternoon, then attending Soul Fighting matches together at night. They took part in both two-on-two and one-on-one matches.
After returning to the academy, they went to Huo Yuhao's room to review their fights. In fact, over the last few days, they had ended up resting in his room whenever it got too late. There were two beds, after all; they only needed to bring their bedding.
Zhu Zhuqing had no complaints about the packed schedule. Even when she could barely keep going, she gritted her teeth and pressed on without a word, adapting quickly.
Huo Yuhao was more than satisfied. It was as if he saw his past self in Zhu Zhuqing. With a will so tough, growing stronger was inevitable.
Zhu Zhuqing had made tremendous progress over the past few days. Her combat skills had improved rapidly, and even her Soul Power had reached level twenty-eight.
They had almost finished testing their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, which Huo Yuhao had named "Watch of the Night Goddess."
After they fused, Zhu Zhuqing took the lead, and the fusion enhanced them in every way. Besides Huo Yuhao's skills and teleportation, it had another skill that even left Huo Yuhao amazed: it could temporarily strip an enemy of all five senses!
It was a divine skill capable of deciding the outcome of a battle. It meant their opponent could only be at their mercy.
The only regrettable part was that the skill could only be used on one person, and the duration of the sensory deprivation depended on the Soul Power Levels of both sides. If their opponent's level was much higher than theirs, they could only deprive them of their senses for a very short time.
But none of that was a problem. Their cultivation wouldn't stop here, and their Martial Soul Fusion Skill would only grow stronger.
In the middle of the night.
Watching the serious profile beside him, Zhu Zhuqing's gaze grew unfocused.
"If only things could stay like this forever."
Her faint murmur echoed through the dormitory.
"Hmm? What was that?" Huo Yuhao almost thought he'd misheard.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't have the courage to say it a second time. "It's nothing. Thank you for helping me so much."
"Heh, it's only right."
Huo Yuhao tactfully didn't bring it up again. He closed his eyes and continued replaying Zhu Zhuqing's battles in his mind.
Suddenly, a fragrant breeze drifted over. Before Huo Yuhao could react, a soft, warm sensation touched his lips.
"!?"
Huo Yuhao immediately realized what was happening, but the sensation on his lips continued. He didn't know whether he should open his eyes. Wouldn't that be incredibly awkward right now?
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's teasing voice rang out in his mind.
"Oh, oh, oh!!! Congratulations to Yuhao's ancestor for scoring another point! He's way out in front now!"
Huo Yuhao had no time to care about Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's teasing. He was about to go crazy. Why wasn't she letting go?!
At last, after what felt like an eternity, the sensation vanished. Huo Yuhao opened his eyes and saw Zhu Zhuqing with her head bowed. A deep blush had spread from her face all the way to the tips of her ears.
"I'm sorry."
If Huo Yuhao's hearing hadn't been so good, he might not even have heard those three words.
He scratched his head and coughed softly twice.
"Um, well, let's call it a night. It's already late. We can continue tomorrow."
"Mm."
"Yuhao! I'm back! I've become a Soul Elder! Pretty impressive, huh?" the girl called excitedly from outside the door.
She waited eagerly in front of it, looking forward to the surprise that would come when it opened.
"..." There was no answer.
"Yuhao?"
Xiao Wu tilted her head and knocked on the door. She found it was only ajar, and it swung inward at her touch.
Looking inside, she saw a spotless bed frame, a dust-free desk, and stools neatly arranged. Everything was in perfect order.
Xiao Wu stood at the doorway, staring fixedly at the empty dormitory. Then she abruptly turned and rushed off.
"Xiao Wu, what's wrong? Weren't you going to see Yuhao?"
Ning Rongrong, passing by, watched Xiao Wu race past with her head lowered, completely bewildered. How had Xiao Wu ended up like this just from going to Huo Yuhao's dorm? Had she been scolded for getting captured by the Titan Giant Ape? But Xiao Wu had returned safely, hadn't she?
Would Huo Yuhao have reprimanded Xiao Wu for getting into danger?
The image of that warm-smiling young man came to mind, and Ning Rongrong immediately dismissed the possibility. At the same time, her heart tightened as an answer came to her.
"Something's happened!"
With no time to ask questions, Ning Rongrong hurried off in the direction Xiao Wu had gone.
She didn't have to run far before she spotted Xiao Wu again.
She was standing in front of a dormitory, knocking on the door with such force that it boomed.
Her voice carried a hint of a sob. "Zhu Zhuqing! Where did Yuhao go?!"
Ning Rongrong finally understood what had happened.
"Yuhao's missing?!"
Too shocked to say anything more, she quickly went to Xiao Wu's side and waited with her for Zhu Zhuqing to explain.
A moment later, the door opened. Seeing Zhu Zhuqing step out, both girls' pupils contracted.
The person before them looked like someone else entirely. Her skin was deathly pale, her eyes were ringed with dark circles, and her bloodshot eyes were utterly lifeless.
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong could hardly recognize the cold, beautiful Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing's vacant eyes swept over Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong. Her hoarse voice rang out. "He left. He told me to give this to you."
She held out a letter to Xiao Wu, who didn't react at first. Only when Ning Rongrong gently nudged her did her whole body give a start.
She took the envelope with trembling hands. Inside was a single sheet of paper, and nothing else.
"Xiao Wu, by the time you read this letter, I'll have left Shrek for certain reasons. You all should cultivate hard. I hope that when we meet again, I'll see that you've grown even stronger. Parting is for the sake of a better reunion. Goodbye."
The girl's pupils trembled, and tears burst from her eyes. She clapped a hand over her mouth, but muffled sobs leaked between her fingers.
"No way. He wouldn't just leave like this. What reason did he mean?! Zhuqing! Tell me!"
Xiao Wu's voice shifted from a mutter to a bloodcurdling shriek. She abruptly lifted her head, her blood-red eyes fixed on Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but freeze when she met that frenzied gaze. Her eyes flickered as she slowly began to speak.
"I don't know the exact reason either. The day the dean called him away, he came back and started packing. After he gave me the letter, he said a few words and then left..."
"I asked Flender, but he wouldn't say anything. He only sighed and said he was sorry to Yuhao..."
"Flender..." Xiao Wu gritted her teeth and turned to head for the dean's office.
Just then, the clock chimed, signaling that everyone should gather.
Ning Rongrong anxiously grabbed Xiao Wu's arm, afraid she might do something reckless, and gently tried to comfort her.
"The dean called us to gather, so he's probably going to tell us about this. Let's go to the assembly first and see what he says."