It wasn't until Huo Yuhao entered Shrek's outer-court dormitory that he realized this place was practically on par with a prison... No, there didn't seem to be much difference between this place and a prison.
The dormitory was a long, narrow building, with room doors lining both sides of an equally long corridor. Each door had a number on it. Judging by the peeling walls, the dormitory building was quite old. Who knew how many years it had been in use?
At either end of the corridor was a communal bathroom. A communal bathroom meant... At the thought, Huo Yuhao's face immediately darkened.
They dared charge such high tuition for a dump like this?! Did Shrek really treat its students like human beings?
He would've been better off going to Star Luo National Academy... Was it still too late to withdraw?
Forget it. Since he was already here, he might as well make the best of it. Just as Uncle Baili had said, he should first see what this so-called holy land of Soul Masters was all about before deciding whether to stay or go.
Actually, Xiao Huo was overthinking it a little. Baili Du had insisted he come to Shrek Academy for no other reason than to provoke that second-generation Dragon God who had lost the Dragon God Bloodline...
"207, 207... Ah, here it is."
He unlocked the door and pushed it open.
Honestly, it was even more disappointing than he'd expected.
The dorm room was tiny, about ten square meters. Two beds took up most of the space, and the only other furnishings were a table and two metal wardrobes. There was also a Soul Guidance Lamp on the ceiling, which needed Soul Power to light up.
The dormitory had apparently been cleaned. His roommate must've been loaded: a luxurious, thick fur mattress covered the wooden bed, his luggage had already filled the wardrobe on his side, and there was plenty more piled on the table. Some had even been stacked on Huo Yuhao's bed.
Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow. Leaving his things strewn so carelessly on Huo Yuhao's side meant he probably wouldn't be an easy roommate to get along with...
Just then, a young man walked in through the doorway. He froze when he saw Huo Yuhao, too.
The young man looked Huo Yuhao up and down with an air of arrogance, but a flicker of admiration passed through his eyes despite himself.
He'd never imagined Shrek Academy would have a student whose looks could rival his own... Could he be a girl in disguise, too?
But after taking a closer look, he was certain that Huo Yuhao was a genuine man.
Huo Yuhao also studied the young man before him.
The young man wore a fitted white outfit that looked expensive. His skin was pale, almost translucent, and his large eyes were unusual, a light pinkish blue. His neat, short hair was the same color. He seemed about the same height and age as Huo Yuhao.
Then there was his bearing, a blend of confidence and polished manners, common in children raised in privilege and comfort. People like that were truly rare.
Even more striking was his appearance.
"Handsome" didn't quite fit. "Pretty" and "beautiful" seemed more apt, and there was something rather girlish about him.
There was no denying it: this was a world that judged by appearances. Good-looking people easily inspired goodwill in others. At least for now, Huo Yuhao felt no dislike toward him.
With a warm smile, Huo Yuhao politely held out his hand. "Hello. You're in this dorm, too, right? I'm Huo Yuhao, your new roommate. I haven't had the pleasure of learning your name."
The young man shot his hand an irritated glare and said coldly, "Move."
Huo Yuhao was taken aback. He frowned, displeased.
As the saying went, you didn't hit someone who greeted you with a smile. This young man had gone too far.
Still, Huo Yuhao withdrew his hand and stepped aside.
The young man walked past him, then folded his arms and turned to face him, his voice haughty and tinged with anger.
"You're too late! I cleaned this whole dormitory by myself!"
Who would've guessed Shrek's dorms would be so run-down? Did he know how much effort it had taken to clean this room?
The new guy had to do some work, no matter what! Otherwise... Hmph!
Huo Yuhao blinked twice. "Then thank you. From now on, we can—"
Before he could finish, the pinkish-blue-haired young man cut him off. "There are a few rules you need to remember. First, you're responsible for cleaning the dorm from now on, but don't touch my bed. Second, don't walk around naked in the dorm and make yourself disgusting. Third, don't snore when you sleep at night. Fourth, don't disturb me. Fifth, don't bring people back to the dorm without permission. Understood?!"
"..."
The young man's high-and-mighty attitude exhausted the last of Huo Yuhao's patience.
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes slightly and replied in a chilly tone, unwilling to back down. "Who do you think you are? Why should I listen to you?"
He'd been about to suggest that they take turns cleaning the dormitory, or that he could do a few extra days if needed. He hadn't expected the other guy to make so many unreasonable demands.
Anyone who didn't know they were roommates would've thought he was hiring a servant...
The young man gave a disdainful snort. "You've got a lot of nerve! No one's ever dared talk to me like that! Let me tell you: if you don't listen to me, I'll beat you up every day you stay in this dorm, until you get out. Don't believe me? Just try it!"
Huo Yuhao nodded seriously. "All right. You said it."
Seeing how Huo Yuhao refused to back down, the young man started laughing instead. His smile was quite attractive, but the disdain and contempt in it only fueled the anger burning in Huo Yuhao's heart.
If he didn't teach you a lesson today, you wouldn't be dealing with your big brother Hao.
The young man smiled slightly and suddenly stepped close to Huo Yuhao. "Your name's Huo Yuhao, right? Good. I think that name will soon disappear from Shrek Academy—"
He hadn't even finished speaking when he felt an indescribably powerful force seize him by the neck.
The wind howled past his ears. Then the world around him began to shift. A few seconds later, his head made intimate contact with the ground.
Huo Yuhao dusted off his hands and snorted in disdain. "I hate rich second-generation brats who have nothing to back up their arrogance."
"Ahhhhhh!!"
After a brief silence, a scream rang out from outside the window. Huo Yuhao paid it no mind and returned to sit on his bed instead.
The pain in his head made the young man clutch it and cry out. His face turned visibly red, though it was impossible to tell whether from embarrassment or anger.
He never would've imagined that someone could grab him by the collar and throw him out of the dorm without him noticing at all!
How humiliating! He'd never suffered such an indignity in his life. He'd never been thrown out by anyone, and no one had ever even given him so much as a dirty look.
He... How dare he...
Quite a few students leaned out of their windows, staring in his direction with strange expressions.
"Ahhh! I'm going to kill you!!!"
The young man climbed to his feet, furious. Two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple, rose rapidly beneath him, and a pair of butterfly wings appeared on his back.
The colors at the tips of the forewings shifted from deep blue to azure to pale blue. The entire wingspan looked like a blue sky inlaid with a string of brilliant halos, forming a V shape that brought light to the world. Their shape and color were impossibly beautiful, beyond all criticism.
He pushed off hard, beat his wings, and flew toward the dormitory on the second floor.
"Whoa, is that his Martial Soul? Those wings are gorgeous!"
"Only a Martial Soul that beautiful could suit a handsome guy like him."
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