By the time Huo Yuhao returned to his residence, it was completely dark. After the sparring match at the training grounds, Elder Xuan's words—"Set aside one hour each day. Huo Yuhao will be responsible for assisting her in recording Spirit Detection"—had left Dong'er almost silent the entire way back, with a trace of unease in her emotions.
She usually loved causing trouble and snapping back at people, openly displaying her little temper because of her closeness with Huo Yuhao. But the quieter she became today, the more uneasy Huo Yuhao felt.
"Dong'er." He stopped at the corridor entrance. "What are you worried about?"
Wang Dong'er glanced at him. "What do you think?"
Huo Yuhao said seriously, "Are you worried about her origins?"
Dong'er thought for a moment. "Not entirely, Yuhao. I'm worried..."
"Dong'er, I understand your concerns. She looks exactly like you, and her origins are unknown. I know this makes you uncomfortable, but I can sense that she has some kind of connection with my Spirit Eyes. I have to get to the bottom of this."
"Yuhao, would you..." Wang Dong'er spoke very softly.
"I wouldn't, Dong'er. You're the only one."
"You promise?"
Just then, a calm voice came from the end of the corridor.
"Why do you need to promise?"
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er turned around at the same time. Qiu'er stood not far away, holding the residence token issued by the academy. She was still dressed in blue, with the same blue-and-pink hair as Wang Dong'er, lazily leaning against the railing beneath the lamplight. The resemblance in that face was enough to make one's chest feel stifled.
Dong'er's expression changed sharply. "Why are you here?"
Qiu'er raised the token. "Elder Xuan arranged it."
"He arranged for you to live near us?"
"Mm. He said it would make observation easier. Also, that I should get along well with you."
Dong'er sneered. "Get along how?"
Wang Qiu'er thought about it seriously. "I don't know yet, so I need to learn."
Seeing the danger already creeping into Dong'er's eyes, Huo Yuhao stepped in. "Qiu'er, Elder Xuan said the observation concerns the reaction between my Spirit Eyes and your martial soul. He didn't mean you could casually..."
"Casually what?" Wang Qiu'er asked.
"Casually come looking for me to spar." Huo Yuhao sounded helpless. She truly did not understand all those twists and turns, yet every word she said struck right at the heart of the matter.
Dong'er stepped to Huo Yuhao's side, instinctively placing herself between him and Wang Qiu'er. "Wang Qiu'er, you can live nearby, but you can't just come whenever you want."
"Why?"
"Because this is Yuhao's residence."
"He's the one I came to see."
"He isn't yours."
Wang Qiu'er looked at her calmly. "He isn't yours either. He belongs to no one."
Just then, Huo Yuhao's brow suddenly grew hot. It was not the violent throbbing of his Spirit Eyes, but a subtle anomaly. It was not because of Wang Qiu'er alone, but because Dong'er and Qiu'er were standing beside him at the same time. A platinum glow rose from his brow as Ultimate Ice, the aura of the Light Butterfly God, and Golden Dragon Soul Power briefly intertwined and resonated in the narrow corridor.
The three of them were drawn together by an invisible force, their heartbeats gradually falling into the same rhythm. Huo Yuhao's expression changed slightly. Dong'er abruptly turned back, and clear surprise flashed through Qiu'er's eyes as well.
"What is this?" Wang Dong'er stared blankly at the light on his brow.
Within the Spirit Sea, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm spoke gravely. "Little Yuhao, this isn't an ordinary martial soul resonance." The Ice Empress said coldly, "Fate is pushing them toward you."
The resonance grew stronger and stronger. Huo Yuhao forcibly reined in his spiritual power, and the platinum light finally faded, restoring silence to the corridor. In the final instant before his Spirit Eyes withdrew, Huo Yuhao's Spirit Detection caught a faint black trace flickering beneath the soul tool lamp in the corner. That was definitely not a normal fluctuation from the academy's soul tool formations.
Huo Yuhao raised his hand, and Ultimate Ice bored into the lamp base like a silver needle. Coldness flowed along the formation patterns. A moment later, an almost transparent black rune was forced out, twisting into a brief shadow in the air before turning into a wisp of gray smoke.
Dong'er's expression changed. "Something from an evil soul master?"
Wang Qiu'er frowned. "It was probing my reaction. It moved when I approached him just now."
Huo Yuhao solemnly imprinted the residual fluctuation onto a soul tool recording sheet. "Don't spread word of this yet. I'll take it to Elder Xuan."
The grievance in Wang Dong'er's eyes was replaced by worry. "So the moment she appeared, the Holy Spirit Cult started moving too?"
"At least someone has started acting." Huo Yuhao put away the recording sheet, his gaze icy. "No matter who they're after, it means we don't have time to focus only on arguing."
Qiu'er said calmly, "Are they after me?"
"Or perhaps me." Huo Yuhao gripped Dong'er's wrist, his voice low and hoarse. "I'll find out."
Qiu'er added, "So will I."
Dong'er looked at her. This time, she did not argue. Because she suddenly understood that Wang Qiu'er was no ordinary romantic rival—she had been delivered by fate, and fate was the least reasonable thing of all.
Before you continue