Huo Yuhao Was Still Shaken!

At noon, in the Shrek cafeteria.

Across from Lu Yi, Huo Yuhao's legs trembled so badly he could barely stand. Lu Yi didn't have to think to know Zhou Yi had dealt Class One another crushing blow during their lesson, as usual.

Huo Yuhao's condition was just what Lu Yi had expected. But why did Wang Dong look so out of sorts too? She seemed completely drained, yet she was attacking the food on her plate as though it were her mortal enemy.

"What happened to you two?" Lu Yi asked, though he already knew.

At the mention of her troubles, Wang Dong stabbed her fork into a steak. "That twisted old witch who teaches our class, that's what. She made us run laps the moment class started, and then she kept Huo Yuhao and me behind."

"Oh? That's a good thing!" Zhou Sichen stood beside Lu Yi. Unaware of what had happened, he chimed in, "That meant you didn't have to run!"

"What's good about it?"

Wang Dong glared at Lu Yi's new roommate. Then, abandoning her usual manners, she tore a huge bite from her steak and chewed it furiously. Her cheeks bulged as she said, "She only kept us behind to waste our time. And because I lost when Huo Yuhao and I sparred, she punished me with fifty extra laps."

"That shouldn't be right—"

Lu Yi stopped as soon as the words left his mouth, realizing he had said too much. But that silly goose Wang Dong caught the implication at once. "What shouldn't be right?"

Lu Yi hurriedly gathered his thoughts. "I mean, Shrek encourages fighting. Punishing the loser is basically discouraging it, isn't it?"

"Wang Dong, I think we'd better focus on our training," Huo Yuhao, who had been silent until now, finally said. "You were the one punished this time, but you're strong and your cultivation is high, so you could endure it. If it had been me, I might have had to pack my bags and leave the academy like Tai Long and the others!"

Huo Yuhao was still shaken by Zhou Yi's attitude that morning.

She had expelled nearly a tenth of the class on their very first day. Teacher Zhou really was as terrifying as Sister Xiao Ya had said.

She also kept singling Wang Dong out for no apparent reason. Whenever she asked a question, she made Wang Dong answer, then mercilessly tore that answer to shreds.

And he still had physical training that afternoon. Had the morning been nothing but an appetizer?

He wanted to grow stronger, and he wasn't afraid of hardship. But with such a brutal elimination rate, would he even get the chance to persevere?

Just then, Tang Ya appeared at the cafeteria entrance. When she spotted Huo Yuhao from behind, she ran over excitedly and patted his shoulder. "Little Yuhao, I knew I'd find you here!"

To Tang Ya's surprise, that gentle pat made Huo Yuhao's legs go limp as noodles. If she hadn't caught him in time, he would have dropped to his knees before Lu Yi across the table.

"What happened to you?" Tang Ya was startled by how weak Huo Yuhao seemed, but when she saw Wang Dong swaying on her feet too, understanding dawned.

She had almost forgotten that Zhou Yi was Huo Yuhao's homeroom teacher.

After Huo Yuhao briefly recounted what had happened that morning, Tang Ya admitted there was nothing she could do.

Then she glanced at his meal and changed the subject. "Yuhao, you need to eat better from now on. Don't neglect your health."

Compared with the food Wang Dong had bought from the higher-tier counter, Huo Yuhao's meal was plainly lacking.

He had a few Gold Soul Coins, so he wasn't reduced to eating nothing but stir-fried greens and rice; he could still afford some meat. But with expenses piling up and no income, he remained frugal.

Tang Ya had come to see Huo Yuhao precisely to bring him a way to support himself—grilled fish.

When Tang Ya told Huo Yuhao her plans, he was delighted. At last he could put his specialty to use again instead of watching his savings dwindle.

"Okay, Sister Xiao Ya. I'll set aside two grilled fish for you every day!"

With an income to look forward to, he immediately ordered another serving of food.

After lunch, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong tottered back to their dormitory to meditate and recover their strength.

Lu Yi did not return to the dormitory with Zhou Sichen. Instead, he went alone to a secluded stretch of lakeshore.

He summoned his Wand and took out the fourth-year spellbook he had been studying.

He had not forgotten who he was. He was a wizard first, and a Soul Master second.

Though his Wand had become his Martial Soul, magic remained the foundation he relied on to survive.

After two days of study, he felt it was time to put what he had learned to the test.

Lu Yi raised his Wand toward the lake. First, he cast in the familiar way, waving it as he spoke the incantation.

"Incendio."

Fwoosh!

A fist-sized ball of fire shot out and plunged into the water. With a hiss, faint ripples spread across the surface, and a thin mist rose from the center. The breeze over the lake swept it away in an instant.

It was a basic spell taught in the first year. At first, the flame it produced was only large enough to light a candle.

Just half a month after learning it, Lu Yi had grown the flame to the size of a fist—enough to light the logs in a Fireplace. The Charms Professor had praised him for it.

But Lu Yi knew there was a more powerful version of the spell. When he had asked the professor about it, he had been refused.

The reason was that he was still young and mustn't play with fire, especially fire that could be used to attack.

Now he had no such concern. He gave the instructions in the spellbook one last look.

Lu Yi drew a deep breath and pictured a raging blaze. Like a conductor, he flicked the tip of his Wand upward, then brought it down.

"In-cendio!"

He spoke the same incantation, this time deliberately putting more force behind it.

A fireball larger than the first flew out. It struck the lake like a thrown brick, sending up bigger ripples.

But Lu Yi knew that was not what he wanted. The spell had grown stronger, but its nature had not changed.

"Incen-dio!"

This time the fireball was even smaller than a fist.

"Incendio!"

Boom!

A fierce red light burst from the tip of his Wand. The air before Lu Yi seemed to ignite, and flames surged forward, forming a path of fire about a meter wide.

The path stretched ahead for roughly five meters before touching the lake and vanishing. A scorching heat still lingered in the air.

Clouds of white mist rose with a hiss from the lake. When they cleared, they revealed the smile lifting the corners of Lu Yi's mouth.

[Successfully cast the advanced Fire-Making Spell]

[Fire-Making Spell (Basic) → Fire-Making Spell Lv. 1]

[Fire-Making Spell can be upgraded. Points: 1]

[Extra casting speed: 0 (+0%)]

[Extra casting range: 0 (+0%)]

[Extra temperature bonus: 0 (+0%)]

"Extra temperature?"

As Lu Yi examined the panel, the third option gave him pause.

If he put all his upgrade points into temperature, could he bring about a fundamental change in the flames and turn them into the Ultimate Fire Soul Masters spoke of?

The spellbook described in detail what became possible after mastering the Fire-Making Spell. It was not merely a matter of widening its range or making it burn more fiercely. The caster could control the flames at will and bend them to his purpose.

Many powerful fire spells had also been developed on the foundation of the Fire-Making Spell.

Lu Yi did not know whether Dumbledore's Fiendfyre was among them. In his era, Dumbledore had not yet enrolled at Hogwarts, but it seemed possible.

So Lu Yi decided to try increasing the temperature first.

[Extra temperature bonus: 0 (+0%) → Extra temperature bonus: 1 (+20%)]

Lu Yi dismissed the panel, intending to test the bonus, but he suddenly sensed someone approaching.

The person made no apparent effort to conceal herself. Lu Yi set aside the idea of practicing again for the moment and turned to look.

A girl with a striking figure was walking along the shore. Her vivid red hair gave away her identity, and she had clearly spotted him too.

"Lu Yi!"

"Wu Feng?"