Super-Macho Wang Dong

Huo Yuhao was about to head out for breakfast when he found himself wondering why some stranger had shown up first thing in the morning to become his roommate.

Judging by the newcomer's delicate face and short pink-and-blue hair, he was probably the young master of some noble family.

Huo Yuhao was pleased that the newcomer cared about keeping the dorm clean. He just didn't like the way she ordered him around.

She reminded him of Dai Huabin, who had the same arrogant, high-and-mighty look that made him want to punch her.

A nameless anger surged up, and Huo Yuhao snapped back.

After being snapped at twice, Wang Dong took all the anger she had had nowhere to vent and dumped it on Huo Yuhao. She promptly challenged him.

Huo Yuhao had survived an encounter with a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. A fight with someone his own age held no fear for him, and he accepted at once.

When they reached the open space in front of the dormitory, Huo Yuhao sensed someone watching from the second floor. He looked back and saw Lu Yi leaning against the railing, enjoying the show.

The pressure hit him at once. He absolutely could not lose face in front of his friend!

With that thought, he turned his attention back to Wang Dong.

After they exchanged names, Huo Yuhao's million-year white Soul Ring rose beneath his feet.

Wang Dong froze at the sight, then gave a derisive laugh. She did not even bother activating her Martial Soul before charging straight at him.

Thanks to his training over the past few days, especially the nourishment of nine meals of Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast meat over three days, Huo Yuhao had just reached level twelve. His vitality was much stronger than before, too.

But Wang Dong had been raised on all manner of rare treasures, and her innate aptitude far surpassed his. His improvement was nowhere near enough to close the gap between them.

Still, raw strength was only one part of a fight. Technique mattered just as much.

Wang Dong had always trained with a make-do attitude. Her attacks were big, sweeping movements without a shred of technique.

Huo Yuhao, however, had Spiritual Detection. He could anticipate her moves and use the Tang Sect Secret Arts Senior Brother Bei had painstakingly taught him over the past few days to evade and neutralize her heavy blows.

Most importantly, Huo Yuhao fought with a willingness to risk his life, a ferocity Wang Dong, who had been doted on since childhood, could not understand.

One attack missed. Wang Dong turned and met Huo Yuhao's brilliant eyes, only for a violent stab of pain to shoot through her head. In her daze, he slammed into her and knocked her to the ground.

Huo Yuhao seized the chance to close in and pin her arms. The two of them ended up tangled together on the ground.

"Let go of me!"

Wang Dong's scattered thoughts came back to her. She discovered that quite a few people had stopped nearby to watch, whispering among themselves and snickering.

Realizing the state she was in, she flushed bright red.

Before the fight, she had meant to show off in front of everyone and establish a little prestige for herself. Instead, she had made a colossal mess of things.

Even after she spoke, Huo Yuhao kept his legs locked tightly around her and refused to let go. "Do you admit defeat?"

Wang Dong was out of options. The longer this went on, the more people would gather to laugh at her. At this rate, she would be famous at Shrek before classes even began.

Shocking! Two freshmen caught doing that in public!

If things really came to that, she might choose to move to another city rather than change back into women's clothes and enroll again.

"Fine, fine! I lost!" Wang Dong finally gave in, and only then did Huo Yuhao release her.

What a show!

Lu Yi loved watching his classmates duel. When Huo Yuhao looked up at him again, he gave him an approving look and a thumbs-up.

Wang Dong got to her feet, her face full of resentment. She was about to argue when she noticed where Huo Yuhao was looking.

Following his gaze, she spotted Lu Yi grinning away, and embarrassment flared into anger.

Seeing trouble coming, Lu Yi hurriedly looked away and turned toward his room as though nothing had happened.

"What a door this dorm room has! Wait, where's my key?" Holding his washbasin and the clothes he had changed out of, Lu Yi found himself stuck outside his room.

He was about to take out his Wand and unlock the door when a cold voice questioned him from behind.

"Hey—what were you laughing at just now?"

Lu Yi turned around. Wang Dong hovered in midair like a pretty, fluttering moth, glaring at him with a sour face.

"Me?" Lu Yi fought to keep the corners of his mouth down and pointed at himself in surprise. "Sorry, I just remembered something funny!"

To Wang Dong, though, his attitude was the ultimate insult. "You're still laughing. Dare to take me on?"

Seriously, man—er, woman!?

Lu Yi was speechless. If Wang Dong weren't a girl, she'd definitely have a touch of that hyper-macho temperament.

She had spent the whole morning looking for fights. He was already her third target.

Seeing Lu Yi hesitate, Wang Dong resumed her defiant air. "If you know you were wrong, get on your knees and apologize to this young master. I might be merciful enough to forgive you!"

Wang Dong had just lost to Huo Yuhao. She had underestimated him and let her guard down, but the defeat was still humiliating.

Since this person seemed to know Huo Yuhao, she might as well reclaim some face by beating him.

She was confident that among this year's freshmen, the number who could truly best her could be counted on one hand.

Whether he dared accept or not, she could still save face.

Now that she had put the choice to him, all she had to do was wait for him to become the sacrifice in her battle for pride.

"Hah! What a clumsy attempt to goad me!"

Lu Yi had no time to indulge her nonsense!

But just as he opened his mouth to refuse, the gathering crowd objected and began egging him on.

"Don't chicken out, buddy! Get him!"

"That kid couldn't even beat a Soul Master with a white ring. If you back down, you can kiss your future dating prospects goodbye!"

"If you're going to fight, hurry up! The cafeteria's about to close!"

Voices flew from every direction. The crowd wanted a spectacle, no matter how much trouble it caused. Now Wang Dong was not the only one who could not back down—Lu Yi was trapped too.

Lu Yi glanced at Wang Dong's smug expression, like a big silly goose convinced she had won, and felt utterly speechless.

She was gorgeous whether dressed as a boy or a girl. It was just a shame she seemed to have traded her brains for those looks.

Wang Dong appeared certain she had him cornered, but he was no soft persimmon for her to squeeze.

He had never lost a duel against anyone in his year at Hogwarts. This was a good chance to see what he was made of.

As for how many duels he had fought, that was none of anyone's business.

Lu Yi raised his head and met Wang Dong's gaze, the corners of his mouth lifting. "You seem pretty sure you've won."

"Quit bluffing. Are you fighting or not?" Wang Dong was now even more convinced he was putting on a brave front.

"Fine!" Lu Yi's answer was firm. "Any rules? Restrictions on Soul Skills, for example?"

Surprise flashed through Wang Dong's eyes, then gave way to disdain. "Whatever you know how to use, bring it on!"

"You said it!" Lu Yi set down his washbasin and headed downstairs.

Seeing that Lu Yi had to take the stairs down from the second floor, Wang Dong looked down on him even more. Then she noticed the flip-flops on his feet. "Hey, aren't you changing your shoes? Got your excuse for losing ready already?"

"I forgot my key!"

Lu Yi answered flatly. As he passed Huo Yuhao, his friend gave him an encouraging look. "She's very strong. Be careful!"

Huo Yuhao had faith in Lu Yi. But if Lu Yi fell on the defensive, he would offer a little help from the sidelines with Spiritual Detection Sharing.

"Got it!"

Lu Yi gave a brief reply and took his place in the open space. Wang Dong floated down opposite him, keeping the pair of wings spread behind her.

"Wang Dong. Level twenty-one Power Attack System Soul Grandmaster."

As her words fell, two Soul Rings rose beneath her feet, one yellow and one purple.

"A Thousand-Year Soul Ring for his second ring! How did he do that?" someone at the front of the crowd cried out in shock.

Wang Dong basked in the onlookers' astonished stares, and a smile tugged at her lips. Her earlier humiliation seemed to wash away—until another voice from the crowd made her face fall.

"All show and no substance. He still lost to that kid with the white ring!"

"Good point!"

It seemed her loss to Huo Yuhao had become a permanent stain. As long as she remained at Shrek, she would never shake that label.

The thought set Wang Dong's nerves on edge. She impatiently told Lu Yi to give his name.

"Lu Yi."

Lu Yi flicked his right hand, and his Wand appeared. At the same time, a Yellow Soul Ring rose beneath his feet.

"Level seventeen, all—"

He swallowed the rest. Better keep a low profile, he thought, and changed course.

"Level seventeen, Control System. Let's begin."