Just Right

"Really?" Mu Xiaoqing asked in an almost pleading tone.

"Really. Of course you're a genius." Huo Yuhao nodded with a serious expression.

Mu Xiaoqing looked at her reflection in the lake. The girl in the water opened her mouth.

"Then... that's good. This is good."

Liar. The girl in the water was a liar.

"Thank you. I'm fine now."

The girl in the water lied without restraint.

"It's good that you're fine." Huo Yuhao breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's go back." Mu Xiaoqing stood up first, her hands tucked behind her back. Her chestnut cat ears and little braid swayed in the wind.

"Mm, let's go back."

"Yuhao, after you go to Maple Leaf City, where will you go next?"

"We'll talk about it then." Huo Yuhao answered vaguely. Mu Xiaoqing was ultimately only a chance acquaintance. If she held any grudge against the Sun Moon Empire, it could easily cause trouble.

The two of them snuck back to camp while avoiding the night watchmen. Since they had saved the caravan, each of them had their own tent. Back in hers, Mu Xiaoqing lay flat on the bed and examined a lock of hair she had hidden in her hand under the moonlight shining through the tent flap.

"This is good... this is good..."

"How could someone like me possibly steal him away?"

"Are we really just leaving? Shouldn't we say goodbye?" Wang Qiu'er asked.

"That doesn't really matter, does it? We saved them all. Are we supposed to ask for a reward? What good could a caravan whose strongest member is only a Soul Elder possibly have?" Huo Yuhao spread his hands. "Besides, they just suffered heavy losses. We shouldn't add to their burden."

"That isn't important," Wang Dong'er sighed. "Why did you cut your hair? Long hair was so cute..."

"What was cute about it?" Huo Yuhao recalled what had happened last night. His face reddened imperceptibly as he discreetly glanced at Mu Xiaoqing.

Taking advantage of Dong'er and Qiu'er not paying attention, Mu Xiaoqing secretly responded with a smile.

The Wind-Thunder Roc was exceptionally fast and had considerable endurance. Even a journey from Xiso City to Maple Leaf City, spanning nearly half of the Star Luo Empire, would only take a few days.

They had only known each other for a few days, after all, so there was no tearful parting. They simply said goodbye.

"See you again if fate allows." Huo Yuhao and the other two waved farewell to Mu Xiaoqing.

"Mm, see you again if fate allows." Mu Xiaoqing waved back at them. She had just turned around and had not even taken a step before turning back again. She quickly walked over and embraced the three of them.

"Thank you. Thank you all."

Amid the confusion, Mu Xiaoqing rubbed her cheek against Huo Yuhao's. Only then did she release them and turn back toward the Wind-Thunder Roc.

"We're leaving! Have a smooth journey!"

The Wind-Thunder Roc flapped its wings and took flight.

"See you again if fate allows!"

Carrying Mu Xiaoqing, the Wind-Thunder Roc sped away. Her tears shattered and vanished in the wind. After flying an unknown distance, Mu Xiaoqing smiled.

"Huo Yuhao! I like you!"

The Wind-Thunder Roc raced through the sky. Maple Leaf City had long vanished from sight, just like Mu Xiaoqing's voice, which disappeared into the wind.

"Couldn't we have had her take us through the Mingdou Mountain Range?"

"Definitely not. Leaving aside the trouble we'd cause if she had a grudge against the Sun Moon Empire," Huo Yuhao shook his head, "she surely has family on the Star Luo Empire's side. It wouldn't be good for her to mingle with people like us, who are sneaking into an enemy nation."

"That makes us sound like villains," Wang Dong'er said.

"Traitors! Spies! Great warlords!" Wang Qiu'er recited the slogans of the Hat Factory with ringing force.

All right, the next few parts couldn't be aired, so they wouldn't be aired...

The group made their plans. They intended to slip out of the city at midnight, cross the Mingdou Mountain Range, and head for the Sun Moon Empire. During the day, they would wander around the city.

"Wait, that person looks kind of familiar." Huo Yuhao suddenly spoke.

"Someone from Shrek? Did someone come after us?" Wang Qiu'er vigilantly assumed a combat stance, ready to draw the Golden Dragon Spear.

"Where?" Wang Dong'er also moved closer to Huo Yuhao, prepared to unleash their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

"Don't panic yet. It isn't any of the senior students or elders. Look." Huo Yuhao pointed in a direction.

Following Huo Yuhao's finger, Wang Dong'er and Wang Qiu'er saw a gray-robed youth sitting on a bench, seemingly lost in thought.

"Who is that?" Neither Wang Qiu'er nor Wang Dong'er recognized him.

"Wen Tianren," Huo Yuhao said with a helpless laugh. "He fought us in the Freshman Tournament—the one we defeated."

"Why is he here?" Wang Qiu'er frowned.

"Could he be following the elders here to capture us?" Wang Dong'er speculated.

"Definitely not." Huo Yuhao shook his head. "He's only at the Second Ring, and besides, who could have known we would come here?"

"I'll go say hello. You two hide first." After thinking it over, Huo Yuhao decided to ask him. He had felt that Wen Tianren was strange before. Now that he had appeared here, Huo Yuhao had a few guesses about him.

Maybe their destination... was the same?

Huo Yuhao walked over and sat beside Wen Tianren.

"Tianren, long time no see."

"Why are you here too, Class Monitor?" Wen Tianren looked surprised, but not particularly flustered.

"Maybe for the same reason as you... Heh heh."

"Damn, you're a transmigrator too." Wen Tianren took a sip of fruit juice.

"Likewise." Huo Yuhao smiled.

"How are all of you so good at hiding things?" Wang Dong'er said unhappily.

"People from another world all have dirty hearts." Wang Qiu'er naturally would not tell Wen Tianren about her Imprint memories and merely said that she was a transmigrator.

"Next, let this old man speak." Gray vapor wrapped around Wen Tianren's body, and an aged voice rang out.

"This old man is Electrolux. Child of destiny, please do not make an enemy of my disciple. He was also left with no choice. His aura happened to suit this old man as well, so that was why..."

"Senior, please don't worry," Huo Yuhao immediately said. "This junior is not unreasonable. Opportunities belong to whoever reaches them first; how could they have an owner? We had no grudge to begin with, so how could we be enemies?"

"This old man thanks you, young friend."

"You're too kind."

The gray aura around Wen Tianren gradually dissipated.

"Sorry. I stole your opportunity."

"I already said it's fine." Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. "Why did you come here?"

"Ah, the Freshman Tournament was replayed." Wen Tianren took another sip of fruit juice. "Our team got third place, but I still didn't become a core disciple."

"Why?" Huo Yuhao was somewhat surprised. In the original story, Huo Yuhao not being chosen could be blamed on Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe being blind to his talent, but this guy was undeniably at the Second Ring.

"Because... I'm an evil soul master from the Holy Spirit Cult."