Recklessly Bold

Through the mental link, Huo Yuhao watched the entire process from beginning to end, heard the two people's cries and pleas for mercy, and felt their deep-seated fear and despair.

There was no guilt, no discomfort.

There was only a sense of exhilaration as long-suppressed frustration was finally released, like drinking a bowl of ice water on a sweltering summer day, leaving one feeling a cool and refreshing sensation throughout the body.

So this is what it feels like to crush those who bullied you.

It turns out there's no need to endure or back down; making them pay the price is more satisfying than anything else.

"It's done."

The voice of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm echoed in the Sea of Spirit, much deeper than usual.

It looked at the unfamiliar coldness in the boy's eyes and sighed softly in its heart.

It knew that from this day forward, something would be different.

That boy, who was so patient and restrained, who would grit his teeth and keep moving forward even when wronged, had a beast living inside him.

Huo Yuhao didn't speak immediately. He slowly loosened his clenched hand, raised his hand, and for the first time, his gaze truly fell on the white jade porcelain vase on the bedside table.

The medicinal fragrance emanating from the cracks in the bottle stopper was crisp and mild, a healing medicine left behind by Lin Ye, carrying a sense of charity.

He used to feel humiliated and angry because of this condescension, and even stubbornly refused to touch it.

But now, Huo Yuhao simply reached out and picked up the jade bottle.

He uncorked the bottle, and the rich aroma of medicine instantly filled his nostrils.

Without hesitation or delay, he tilted his head back and drank the medicine in the bottle in one gulp.

The medicine was warm and smooth upon entering the mouth, sliding down the throat and quickly transforming into a warm current that spread throughout the body.

A tingling, itchy sensation arose from the fractured bone, and the depleted Soul Power, like a dried-up riverbed receiving rain, began to slowly recover.

The medicine's effects were indeed as Brother Sky Dream had said, far exceeding the academy's regular potions, making it exceptionally precious.

But Huo Yuhao felt no gratitude whatsoever.

He placed the empty jade bottle back on the bedside table with a soft click. Moonlight fell on his profile, half of him bright and half hidden in shadow.

"Lin Ye..."

He murmured the name, his voice soft yet carrying an inexplicable chill. "We'll settle our score later."

Huo Yuhao's eyes were deep; he wanted to stand at the highest point, so that everyone who looked down at him would have to look up at him.

Within the Sea of Spirit, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm silently observed all of this.

It neither tried to dissuade him nor echoed his sentiments. Some paths Huo Yuhao had to walk alone. All it could do was stay by his side and protect him.

Even if this path ultimately leads to an abyss.

The night outside the window grew darker, and the ward gradually quieted down, leaving only the boy's even breathing.

Huo Yuhao's fractured bone gradually subsided under the effects of the medicine, but he kept his eyes open and stared at the moon outside the window for half the night until the sky began to lighten. Only then did he manage to doze off for half an hour, taking advantage of the remaining drowsiness.

In the student dormitory building on the other side, Lin Ye was sleeping soundly.

He always had a regular schedule, waking up promptly at the crack of dawn, washing up, and changing into his Outer Court uniform.

There were already four people standing downstairs.

Ning Tian immediately straightened up and waved when he saw Lin Ye. Wu Feng stood beside him with his arms crossed, looking impatient and half-asleep, his brows furrowed so tightly they could trap a mosquito.

Not far away, Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao saw Lin Ye from afar and waved with smiles.

"It's finally done! I've been waiting for you for almost ten minutes."

Ning Tian came up and patted him on the shoulder. "Hurry up, the cafeteria has new dishes today, if you're late you won't even get a skin."

Lin Ye raised an eyebrow. "You're quite well-informed, do you have someone in the kitchen?"

"My roommate works part-time in the cafeteria, and she specifically told me that."

After Ning Tian finished speaking, he turned to Xiao Xiao and called out, "Xiao Xiao, hurry up! If you dawdle any longer, just like yesterday, there won't be any food left!"

"They're here! They're here!"

Xiao Xiao ran over, carrying the books, and said, catching her breath, "Did you hear that? Lots of people were talking about it. Apparently, something happened in Shrek City, and the City Defense Squad was out in force before dawn."

"Something happened? What happened?"

Ning Heaven's Eye lit up instantly, his gossip instincts kicking in. "Evil Soul Master stormed the city? Or are Inner Court students fighting and demolishing buildings?"

"How would I know? I only heard two sentences: 'Someone died in the West Alley,' and I didn't dare to ask any more questions."

Xiao Xiao shook her head. "Let's talk about it in the cafeteria; there will definitely be more people there who know the details."

The group walked towards the cafeteria as they talked.

Shrek Academy was unusually lively in the early morning. The streets were full of students rushing to early classes or having breakfast. They were in twos and threes, and most of them were talking in hushed tones. The usual joking and laughter were much less, and the atmosphere was strangely tense.

Lin Ye glanced at it twice, not taking it too seriously. Shrek City was a mixed bag; something big or small happened every day, nothing to be alarmed about.

Wang Dong'er walked to his left without saying a word, only occasionally glancing at the discussing crowd, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly, clearly sensing that something was amiss.

Wu Feng scoffed, his tone dismissive. "A bunch of fussy fools. It's just one person dying, why are you making a fuss about it all morning?"

"That's not how it works,"

Ning Tian turned around and said, "Shrek City is heavily guarded. They can't even catch a thief normally. If someone dies, it must be no small matter. It might really be Evil Soul Master who sneaked in!"

Don't jinx things so early in the morning.

Xiao Xiao slapped his arm. "If he were really Evil Soul Master, the academy elders would have already taken action. Why would they have waited until now?"

The group chatted and laughed, and soon arrived at the cafeteria.

The cafeteria is busiest in the morning. Xiao Xiao, familiar with the place, squeezed through the window. "You guys go find seats, I'll get the food, same as always, right?"

"Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Xiao! Take two more steamed buns!"

Ning Tian called out to her, then turned and found an empty seat in the corner. As soon as the four of them sat down, the chatter from the surrounding tables drifted over clearly.

"... Really dead? Both of them were from the Outer Court? Level 40+ Soul Ancestor? Tsk tsk, just like that?"

"Why would I lie to you? I have information. The guards were called away around 3 a. m. They said they found him in the innermost dead-end alley of West Alley, and he was already hard."

"West Alley? That place is so remote even ghosts wouldn't go there. What are they doing there in the middle of the night? Looking for fun?"

"Who knows? I heard those two who died weren't good people. They were used to being arrogant and domineering, and they've offended a lot of people."

"I think it was done by Evil Soul Master! This is Shrek City, who would dare to kill someone in Shrek City? That's just courting death! Only Evil Soul Master would be so lawless."

"It's hard to say... I heard the City Defense Squad investigated, and there wasn't a single trace left at the scene. It was ridiculously clean, which doesn't seem like the style of Evil Soul Master."

"That's true. Evil Soul Master don't care about such things, so naturally they won't clean up the scene. I heard that no trace was left at the scene."

Does that mean he's afraid of being investigated? Are Evil Soul Master afraid of being investigated? That's strange, I feel like he might not actually be Evil Soul Master."