Enemies Meet!

As Huo Yuhao carried Zhu Lu down from the arena, an elderly man dressed sloppily, with disheveled hair and a chicken drumstick in hand, stood on a distant terrace and calmly looked at the respectful Wang Yan before him.

"Little Wang! I observed that child. He's a formidable and talented kid, and his Martial Soul truly is a Body Martial Soul. Moreover, it isn't just his eyes—it should be a Martial Soul combining his eyes and brain!"

The old man took a bite from the chicken drumstick in his hand, drank from the gourd of wine, and voiced what he had seen.

"Since that's the case, Elder Xuan..." Wang Yan was delighted and was about to say something when the old man directly interrupted him.

That was right. This old man was Xuan Zi, Shrek Academy's second-strongest expert in the Sea God Pavilion, a rank ninety-eight Taotie Douluo. At this moment, he was sternly reprimanding Wang Yan before him.

"Little Wang, you're still looking at things too one-sidedly. That kid's strength is indeed formidable. He has the ability to contend against a three-ringed Soul Elder with only one ring. But do you remember the age of his first Soul Ring?"

Hearing Xuan Lao say this, Wang Yan lowered his head. Huo Yuhao's first Soul Ring was indeed a ten-year Soul Ring, and that had limited his potential!

"You understand the rest without me saying it, right? Shrek won't nurture a genius with no future. We nurture powerful monsters!" After taking a drink from his gourd, Xuan Lao left first.

Watching Xuan Lao's departing figure, Wang Yan somehow felt that he had something to argue, yet he could not say it, because Huo Yuhao's upper limit truly had been locked in place!

"But... aren't we an academy?" Wang Yan recalled Huo Yuhao's words. Looking at this, he felt that Shrek perhaps was not as wonderful as he had imagined.

"No, no, no! What am I thinking? Huo Yuhao can definitely help Shrek. I have to find a way to keep him!" What Wang Yan did not know was that the Martial Soul Department had already decided to give up on Huo Yuhao.

At that moment, inside an office in the Inner Court.

Two middle-aged men were playing chess inside. One of them, a burly man, looked toward the normally built man seated on the sofa.

"Old Yan, since you refuse to let go of Wang Dong and Zhu Lu, then I can have Huo Yuhao, right?" The burly man toyed with a coin in his hand, looking smug.

Looking at this old rival, Yan Shaozhe, the dean of the Martial Soul Department's Inner Court, rarely showed an odd expression. He considered what value Huo Yuhao had. After all, according to the information Du Weilun had provided, he was merely a white-ringed Soul Master!

"Mm... fine! But you can't have Wang Dong or Zhu Lu. Their Martial Soul talents are extremely high, and staying in the Martial Soul Department is the proper path for them!" Yan Shaozhe said sternly, as though giving up Huo Yuhao caused him great pain.

"Good! It's a deal! You can't go back on your word, Old Yan! Otherwise, I'll fire a few Soul Guidance shells into your house!" As the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department's Inner Court, Qian Duoduo truly had the means to do so!

"Hmph! Don't worry." Old Yan took a sip of tea, his face full of disdain. Soul Engineers? You had some power before, but after reaching rank seventy, what strength did you have left?

"Then I'll be going! I'm off to see my fine student!" Qian Duoduo immediately left Yan Shaozhe's office. His anxious appearance made Yan Shaozhe's expression turn strange. He used Soul Power to transmit a message to Du Weilun, telling him to check on that student named Huo Yuhao again!

While the internal discussion was taking place, Huo Yuhao and the others had already arrived at the infirmary for treatment.

"Wow! That hurts a little!" Feeling the burning pain in her arm, Wu Feng could not help crying out. Xiao Xiao beside her also jumped in pain. Though alcohol disinfected wounds, the pain was no joke.

"Alright! What's the big deal? It's only a little pain." Wang Dong looked smug, but the moment Huo Yuhao poured down the alcohol, a piercing pain swept through Wang Dong's arm.

"Waaah! It hurts so much!" Wang Dong was even more dramatic than Xiao Xiao, making everyone else burst into laughter. Huo Yuhao smiled helplessly, held down Wang Dong's flailing hand, and carefully wiped it clean bit by bit. Wang Dong was in so much pain that tears even flowed from the corners of his eyes.

"Alright, alright! You fought so desperately just now, yet now you know to be afraid of pain!" Huo Yuhao tapped Wang Dong on the head. Watching their interaction, the medical teacher beside them covered her mouth and laughed.

She released her Martial Soul, and a small tree appeared. Leaves glowing with green light drifted down upon the six of them. In an instant, everyone felt their wounds itch, and after the itching passed...

Their wounds had disappeared. Even the soreness in their bodies was gone, and their spirits had recovered as well.

"Whew! It's finally over!" Wang Dong stretched. He did not want to experience that piercing pain a second time!

"Alright! Don't relax yet. Next comes the finals. I heard our opponents are Dai Huabin and Zhu Yu, who possess a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Their fusion skill is at the Soul Elder level, and when it erupts, it is comparable to a Soul Ancestor!"

Ning Tian spoke softly, failing to notice that when Huo Yuhao heard the three words "Dai Huabin," the aura around him changed. It was no longer calm and gentle, but filled with killing intent!

"Yu... Yuhao?" Seeing Huo Yuhao suddenly change, everyone except Zhu Lu was baffled. Wang Dong tentatively called out to him, bringing Huo Yuhao back to his senses.

"Huh? Sorry, I got distracted!" Huo Yuhao lowered his head, using his bangs to conceal his eyes filled with gloom. Dai Huabin, if I don't cripple you, I won't let you leave the arena so easily!

"Did it bring back old memories?" Zhu Lu slowly walked to Huo Yuhao's side, took his hand, and used her own way to soothe his emotions. The others looked worried and also gazed at Zhu Lu with puzzled expressions.

However, Zhu Lu did not explain anything to the girls. Instead, she looked gently at Huo Yuhao and lightly wrapped both hands around his right hand. Her meaning was clear: Go ahead and do it. I support you!

"Thank you!" Their eyes met. Having lived together in the White Tiger Duke's Estate, they knew what the other was thinking from a single glance. Huo Yuhao's emotions, which had nearly spiraled out of control, gradually calmed.

"Sorry, I lost my composure! Tomorrow, we'll have a proper fight and give it everything we have!" Huo Yuhao spoke softly. He had regained his usual gentle demeanor.

Yet the four girls could still see that something was wrong with him. However, since Yuhao did not want to say anything, they could not press him.

Time passed to the next day.

Huo Yuhao and the other two stood on the arena. Opposite them stood the already prepared trio led by Dai Huabin. Looking at the familiar luxurious clothes, familiar golden hair, and familiar mismatched eyes, Huo Yuhao's killing intent seemed impossible to suppress!

"Dai Huabin, today, I'll collect a little interest!" Huo Yuhao stared fixedly at Dai Huabin before him. At that moment, Wei Qing's voice rang out in Huo Yuhao's mind.

"My lord! A powerful expert is approaching!"

The instant Wei Qing finished speaking, a middle-aged man dressed in luxurious robes descended onto the referee's platform. The newcomer was the dean of Shrek's Inner Court, the rank ninety-five Bright Phoenix Douluo—Yan Shaozhe!