The two groups gathered on the playground. Quite a few students came over to watch, forming a large circle and leaving the open space in the middle for Huo Yuhao and Xiao Chenyu.
"Who's that? Looks like he's about to fight Xiao Chenyu. He's got guts."
"Judging by the people standing behind him, he must be a Work-Study Student too."
"A Work-Study Student actually dares to challenge Xiao Chenyu? He must be new. He'll probably get beaten so badly he can't get out of bed for a week."
Hearing the bystanders egg him on, Xiao Chenyu looked at Huo Yuhao provocatively.
What's wrong? Are you already so scared you've wet your pants?
Huo Yuhao was speechless. Why did this guy have to make such a big show of everything?
He urged, "Let's get this started. If you lose, you'll listen to Xiao Wu from now on."
"Oh? If I win, that little rabbit has to be my pet from now on."
Xiao Chenyu smiled and glanced at Xiao Wu as he spoke.
Xiao Wu's fiery temper twisted her expression into a scowl. Unfortunately, it wasn't frightening in the slightest. If anything, it looked a little cute. She shook her fist at Huo Yuhao.
"Yuhao, teach him a good, hard lesson for me!"
Huo Yuhao nodded, his face expressionless as he looked at Xiao Chenyu and waited for him to get ready.
"Xiao Chenyu, sixth-year student, Martial Soul: Wolf, level-eleven Battle Soul Master."
"Huo Yuhao, first-year Work-Study Student, Martial Soul: Spirit Eye, level-ten Soul Scholar."
As soon as he heard that, Xiao Chenyu was startled. First-year students had only just awakened their Martial Souls. Could Huo Yuhao have Innate Full Soul Power?
Xiao Chenyu immediately felt like backing out, but after glancing at the younger students behind him cheering him on, he gritted his teeth.
"Hmph. So what if you have Innate Full Soul Power? I have a Soul Ring."
With that, he summoned his Martial Soul, and a white Soul Ring rose beneath his feet.
"Come on!"
Seeing that Xiao Chenyu was ready, Huo Yuhao moved in an instant.
Xiao Chenyu barely had time to see him before Huo Yuhao was right in front of him. Cold sweat broke out on his brow. Panicking, he stepped back and threw a punch at Huo Yuhao's face.
Huo Yuhao didn't slow down. With his Spirit Eye, he could easily read Xiao Chenyu's movements from the way he raised his hand. He lifted his own hand and struck the joint of Xiao Chenyu's outstretched arm.
The seemingly light blow instantly numbed Xiao Chenyu's right hand. The tingling sensation that kept spreading through it filled him with shock.
He instinctively looked up and met Huo Yuhao's faintly glowing blue eyes. His heart gave a sudden jolt.
Having fallen onto the back foot in an instant, Xiao Chenyu didn't dare underestimate his opponent anymore. He immediately activated Martial Soul Possession.
Gray-black fur sprouted across his body, the nails on his hands grew sharp with a faint metallic gleam, and his eyes turned a shadowy green.
He swept at Huo Yuhao with his left hand, hoping to force him back and get a moment to catch his breath.
Huo Yuhao had no intention of giving him the chance. He ducked beneath the sweep and punched. The explosive force of his long-trained, solid body made Xiao Chenyu's stomach cramp.
Before Xiao Chenyu could recover, Huo Yuhao followed up with a whipping kick aimed at his head. If Xiao Chenyu hadn't raised his left arm to block it at the last moment, his face would have been badly swollen.
That's right. Huo Yuhao had done it on purpose.
When Xiao Chenyu said he wanted Xiao Wu as his pet, a spark of anger had flared inside Huo Yuhao.
He remembered his mother, who had been bullied to death in his previous life. He despised people who preyed on others. That last kick had been aimed at Xiao Chenyu's head, though he had still held back somewhat.
Xiao Chenyu lay on the ground, both arms numb and his stomach throbbing with pain. He was tough, at least—he gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.
Huo Yuhao showed no excitement at having won. His cool voice rang out.
"You lost. A bet is a bet. Don't bother the Work-Study Students anymore."
"I lost... Ow!"
Xiao Chenyu didn't try to wriggle out of it. Losing a fight was nothing to be ashamed of; he had simply been outmatched.
But trying to throw a tantrum and deny it would have been shameless. His underlings helped him to his feet, making him wince in pain.
"Ha! Remember to call me boss from now on!"
Xiao Wu had already come up and looped her arm around Huo Yuhao's. She looked at Xiao Chenyu as she spoke.
Xiao Chenyu glanced at Huo Yuhao. Only after seeing him nod did he turn to Xiao Wu and call out, "Boss."
Ten levels of Soul Power—that meant he'd soon become a Soul Master... Just what kind of monster was he?
Xiao Chenyu wondered, drawing in sharp breaths every now and then.
"...For the sore spots, put some ice on them when you get back and apply some medicine. You'll be fine in a couple of days."
Huo Yuhao softened in the end. There was no need to be so hard on a kid. He waved for Xiao Chenyu's underlings to help him back to the dormitory.
The challenge match came to an end. Soon, the whole academy would know that there was a formidable tough guy among the Work-Study Students. After this, hopefully no one would be foolhardy enough to come pick on them again.
Back in the dormitory, Wang Sheng and the others looked at Huo Yuhao with admiration.
"Yuhao, you're incredible! You actually beat Xiao Chenyu!"
"Yeah, yeah! I saw you barely touch him, and then Xiao Chenyu couldn't move his right hand. How'd you do that?"
Huo Yuhao naturally credited it to his eye Martial Soul, making the others envious.
"By the way, I may need to take a trip tomorrow morning. I'll probably be gone for half a month. Wang Sheng, could you take my turn on duty? You can keep the pay."
Huo Yuhao planned to get ready that night and set off for the Star Dou Great Forest the next day.
Wang Sheng readily agreed, thumping his chest.
"Yuhao, are you going to look for a suitable Soul Ring?"
Xiao Wu looked at Huo Yuhao, who was busy at his desk, and asked.
"Yeah. I want to go to the Star Dou Great Forest and find a suitable Soul Ring."
"Can I come with you?"
Xiao Wu looked at Huo Yuhao expectantly with her big, watery eyes.
That left Huo Yuhao in a bind. He was going to find Brother Sky Dream. A million-year-old Soul Beast becoming his Soul Ring was far too shocking to believe, even for Xiao Wu, who was a Soul Beast herself.
Still, if it came to it, he could find an excuse to split up with her for a while. With Brother Sky Dream's abilities, it should be easy for him to keep Xiao Wu from noticing. Thinking this, Huo Yuhao nodded.
"Sure, but you have to stay close to me and not wander off. The Star Dou Great Forest is dangerous."
Although he didn't think Xiao Wu would run into any danger on her way home, he still had to put on a show.
"Yay! I'll go pack my things right now."
When Xiao Wu said she was packing, all she really did was stuff her bracelet with anything she thought might come in handy.
At dawn, the young man and girl set out together.
Nuoding City was a long way from the Star Dou Great Forest.
Armed with a map, the two of them took five days to reach the edge of the forest. They had roughed it along the way, but hadn't run into any danger.
They ate dry rations during the day. Only before making camp at night did Huo Yuhao light a fire and cook something.
They couldn't count on eating fish every time, and Xiao Wu came to realize that Yuhao wasn't just good at grilling fish—everything he made was delicious!
"Hm? That presence has appeared again! It's close!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, who had been dozing, suddenly snapped awake and pinpointed the direction.
"The outskirts of the forest..."
The little eyes atop his head blinked twice, as though he were hesitating.
"Hmph! Since when has Brother been a coward? I'm going."
Having made up his mind, Tian Meng wriggled his plump body toward his destination, inch by inch. His little eyes blinked again and again, full of anticipation.