Wang Dong's Jealousy

"Fine. Even brothers should keep their accounts straight." Gu Mingyuan did not turn down the favor. "I'll pay you back when I have the money."

Just as the three of them were about to head to the next section, footsteps sounded on the stairs at the second-floor entrance.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had finally arrived.

An attendant led them to the appraisal counter on the west side as well.

After the appraisal, Huo Yuhao received three million Gold Soul Coins in credit, thanks to the potential of his Twin Martial Souls—a spiritual-type Body Martial Soul and Ultimate Ice—and his special status as a core disciple of the Soul Tool Department.

Together with the one million in credit Yan Shaozhe had previously given him as compensation, he now had a staggering four million at his disposal.

For a boy who had once struggled to afford enough food while selling grilled fish, it was a fortune beyond his wildest dreams.

In the Sea of Spirit, Yu Xiaogang gave a cold snort. "Shrek has some sense after all. Yuhao, all you lack now is time. Once you truly master the power of Ultimate Ice, forget four million—even if you asked for forty million, they'd beg you to take it!"

A glimmer of hope had just risen in Huo Yuhao's heart when Wang Dong suddenly pointed into the distance, her eyes lighting up. "Yuhao, I think there's something good over there!"

They hurried toward the largest crystal display case in the center of the hall. But by the time they reached it, all they found was an empty stand and a newly placed "Sold" sign.

After asking a nearby staff member, they learned that the Soul Bone had been priced at nine and a half million Gold Soul Coins and had just been purchased by someone with top-tier privileges.

Even if no one had bought it, Huo Yuhao's seemingly impressive four million in credit would have fallen far short.

Wang Dong stared at the empty case for a long while. The more she read the description, the more it seemed like that Soul Bone had been meant for her.

In the end, she could only hide her disappointment and pull Huo Yuhao away to look elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Gu Mingyuan had brought Cao Jinxuan and Zhou Sichen to the rare metals section.

The nine-and-a-half-million left arm bone had been covered by the red card's free allowance, so it did not count toward the one-million credit limit Yan Shaozhe had given him as compensation. After paying for the ten-thousand-year Whale Rubber, Soul-Nourishing Wood Heart, and two potions, Gu Mingyuan still had over five hundred thousand in available credit.

He had no intention of leaving that credit sitting idle. With a wave of his hand, he spent it all on a variety of high-grade rare metals.

Radiant Gold, Vajra Jade Marrow, Purple Copper Crystal...

He also bought several pressure-resistant materials suitable for holding core formations. The staff sorted and packed everything before handing it all to Gu Mingyuan.

As they left the Treasure Pavilion and headed down the steps, Zhou Sichen looked at Gu Mingyuan's empty hands, still a little dazed.

"Brother Gu, that was a million in credit. You really didn't save any for yourself?"

Gu Mingyuan patted the Storage Soul Tool at his waist, now packed with metal, and spoke into the cool night breeze of Shrek City.

"Money and credit won't make more money just sitting on an account."

"I'd rather use them to get stronger. Maybe that'll earn me another credit line."

The three walked farther and farther away until they vanished into the night.

As the Treasure Appreciation Auction neared its end, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong finally finished making their purchases.

In the end, Huo Yuhao chose a piece of Mind-Calming Warm Jade.

Only the size of a thumb, the jade could be worn near the forehead during cultivation. It nourished the Sea of Spirit and sped up the recovery of mental energy, making it quite useful to spiritual-type soul masters. Its price was 1.6 million Gold Soul Coins.

Wang Dong, meanwhile, had her eye on a bottle of Dawn Crystal Marrow.

This crystal marrow came from a place where light elements gathered year-round. Used during meditation, it could purify light-attribute Soul Power and help widen a soul master's meridians. Though it was a consumable, it suited the Light Goddess Butterfly remarkably well. Its price was 2.4 million Gold Soul Coins.

Together, the two items used up exactly Huo Yuhao's four million in credit.

Wang Dong wanted to refuse, but Huo Yuhao pressed his fingerprint onto the contract before she could.

"If you get stronger, our Martial Soul Fusion Skill will get stronger too." Huo Yuhao put away the Mind-Calming Warm Jade.

"We can pay the academy back bit by bit when we have the money."

Wang Dong looked at him for a moment, then said nothing more. She carefully placed the jade bottle containing the Dawn Crystal Marrow into her Storage Soul Tool.

Night had deepened by the time they left the Treasure Pavilion.

The moment they stepped outside, Wang Dong spotted a fiery-red figure standing nearby.

Ma Xiaotao leaned against a stone pillar with her arms folded, her long, fiery-red hair impossible to miss. Tall and striking, she drew frequent glances from students leaving the Treasure Pavilion simply by standing there.

When she saw Huo Yuhao, she walked straight over.

"You're Huo Yuhao?"

Huo Yuhao blinked. "Senior?"

Ma Xiaotao looked him up and down. "Come with me. I need your help with something."

Before Huo Yuhao could agree, she seized his wrist and pulled him toward the academy.

"Wait!" Wang Dong hurried after them. "Where are you taking him?"

Ma Xiaotao glanced back at her. "I'm borrowing him for a while. I'll bring him back when I'm done."

With that, fiery-red Soul Power enveloped the two of them, and they vanished down the street in the blink of an eye.

Wang Dong stood where she was, watching the direction they had gone, her chest tightening for reasons she could not explain.

The thought of Ma Xiaotao's beautiful face and her figure, so much more mature and eye-catching than other girls their age, only made Wang Dong feel worse.

"What's so great about her..."

Wang Dong muttered under her breath, clutching the jade bottle of Dawn Crystal Marrow as she returned to the academy alone.

In a secluded grove beside Sea God Lake, Ma Xiaotao set up a barrier to contain Soul Power fluctuations.

"My Martial Soul is the Evil Fire Phoenix. Whenever I cultivate, evil fire keeps building up."

She sat cross-legged on the grass and held out both hands. "Your Ultimate Ice can suppress it."

Huo Yuhao felt a little uneasy.

If the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and the Ice Empress had been awake, this would have been easy. But both were still asleep. Although he could use the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion Martial Soul, he would have to figure things out for himself.

In the Sea of Spirit, Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, looking confident.

"Yuhao, there's no need to be nervous. Ice and fire countering each other is one of the most basic principles in the world of soul masters. Just follow my instructions. Guide your Ultimate Ice into her meridians and gradually suppress the evil fire."

Reassured by his teacher's words, Huo Yuhao sat down across from Ma Xiaotao.

Their four palms met.

Huo Yuhao released his Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion Martial Soul, and glittering Diamond Ice Armor swiftly covered his hands. Extreme cold flowed from his palms and cautiously entered Ma Xiaotao's body.

At first, everything went smoothly. But the instant the cold truly touched the evil fire, a violent wave of heat surged back at him.

Huo Yuhao swayed. The frost that had just formed on his eyebrows melted into droplets in an instant.

"Put more Soul Power into it!" Yu Xiaogang commanded at once.

"Use the strength of your Ultimate Ice to force it back head-on!"