Xiao Xiao looked startled. She glanced shyly at Wang Dong and replied in a small voice:
"I'm fine now. Lin Fan gave me a massage, and I felt much better after he took me to the Infirmary."
Wang Dong nodded.
"Oh..."
She felt that something was off about the two of them, though she couldn't say what. Maybe she was overthinking it today.
Lin Fan quickly spoke up, nervous.
"Wang Dong, I'll take Xiao Xiao back first."
Wang Dong looked thoughtful and replied:
"All right..."
Lin Fan soon carried Xiao Xiao toward the stairs, but he wasn't allowed up to the third floor.
He carried her to the second floor instead, set her down, and watched her go upstairs before heading back.
To his surprise, Wang Dong was still there rather than back in the dormitory. He wondered if something had happened.
He hurried over to her.
"Wang Dong, what's wrong? Why are you standing here instead of going back?"
Lin Fan asked, puzzled:
"Of course I was waiting for you!"
Wang Dong complained loudly:
"I waited in the dormitory from the end of class until now. When I saw you come back, I came over."
Lin Fan looked confused.
"Waiting for me? Did you need something?"
Wang Dong sounded teasing but a little angry:
"Of course I wanted to cultivate with you. Do I have to spell it out? Looks like some girl has you completely bewitched!"
"Oh. I thought it was something serious, but you just wanted to cultivate together."
Lin Fan laughed awkwardly, then turned toward the dormitory.
"Let's go, then."
Wang Dong's irritation flared. She frowned at Lin Fan and raised her voice:
"It is serious! I can already feel myself approaching level 23."
Some girl has definitely bewitched Lin Fan. Otherwise, he wouldn't act like this. I don't know who she is, but I'd love to give her a piece of my mind for getting him so wrapped around her finger.
Hearing her, Lin Fan stopped and turned back in surprise.
"Wang Dong, you're about to reach level 23? Already?"
Wang Dong couldn't help smiling proudly.
"That's right. Didn't expect that, did you?"
Lin Fan drew a deep breath.
"No, I really didn't..."
Seeing how surprised he looked, Wang Dong's lips curled upward. She said smugly:
"Didn't expect it, did you?"
My leveling speed must have stunned him.
Lin Fan nodded in disbelief.
"I really didn't expect someone like you to level up so quickly!"
Wang Dong choked on his words and nearly lost her footing. Fuming inside, she forced a laugh.
"What's that supposed to mean? I'm impressive for leveling up this fast, all right!"
If Lin Fan weren't a Soul Elder, I'd give him a beating and see how he liked it. I thought his jaw would drop. What a waste of anticipation.
Lin Fan spoke emphatically:
"Oh, it is impressive. Let's go back and cultivate."
Wang Dong lowered her head, dissatisfied.
"Mm..."
I shouldn't have expected anything from Lin Fan.
The two of them hurried back to the dormitory.
Once inside, Lin Fan sat on his bed and shifted over to make room for Wang Dong to cultivate beside him.
Oddly, she sat down looking glum. He wondered whether something was bothering her.
He didn't ask. When Wang Dong began cultivating beside him, he joined her.
The two sat on the bed and cultivated together.
A long while passed.
"Lin Fan, I finally reached level 23!"
Wang Dong slowly opened her eyes, felt her newly advanced Soul Power, and looked at Lin Fan, whose eyes were already open. She said happily:
"Did you know my Soul Power was only level 22 when school started? Now it's level 23!"
Lin Fan exclaimed:
"That was pretty fast!"
With the boost from his Resonance Talent, Wang Dong's cultivation speed really was impressive.
Wang Dong smiled.
"It was fast! This is wonderful."
Lin Fan didn't argue.
"Mm. Congratulations."
Suddenly, Wang Dong stood up on the bed and looked down at him confidently.
"Lin Fan, now that my Soul Power has reached level 23, I want to fight you one-on-one."
Lin Fan was astonished.
"You want to fight me? Can you beat me?"
Wang Dong planted her hands on her hips.
"How will I know unless I try?!"
Lin Fan paused.
"All right, since you don't seem afraid."
Wang Dong raised a hand.
"Mm. I can test my strength while I'm at it."
Lin Fan stared at her, dumbfounded.
"What? You're using me as a sparring partner!"
She had challenged him the moment she reached level 23. Wang Dong clearly wanted to test her strength against him.
Wang Dong smiled, stepped down from the bed, and put her shoes back on.
"Of course. You're already a Soul Elder. Who else would I use as a sparring partner?"
Lin Fan nodded blankly.
"All right. You've gotten clever!"
They left the dormitory and went to a broad clearing behind the Dormitory Building. There was plenty of room for a one-on-one duel.
Both summoned their Martial Souls.
Wang Dong summoned her Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul.
Lin Fan summoned his Explosive King Mecha Martial Soul. They faced each other, ready to strike.
Lin Fan made the first move, sprinting toward Wang Dong until he was almost upon her.
He pushed off the ground, sprang high into the air, and flew above her.
He clenched his fist. His arm swung down, his fist gleaming coldly in the sunlight as he punched at Wang Dong's head.
Wang Dong reacted quickly, dodging left. The edges of her wings turned golden and looked razor-sharp.
The yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring beneath her feet rose, and her first Soul Skill lit up.
"First Soul Skill: Winged Guillotine!"
Her forewings spread as she flew into the air. With their golden edges, they looked like two huge guillotine blades.
She twisted sharply, sending those golden-edged wings slashing toward Lin Fan.
But Lin Fan moved like the wind, flipping backward out of the strike's path.
As he landed, he opened his hand and flexed it before clenching his fist. Blue Wind Element gathered around his knuckles.
"Overlord Chasing Wind Fist!"
Before the words had faded, Lin Fan flashed in front of Wang Dong. His single eye glinted as he drove his fist toward her abdomen.
The punch came so fast that Wang Dong barely reacted to it.
With no time to unleash her second Soul Skill, she summoned her Second Martial Soul, the Clear Sky Hammer.
Gripping the Clear Sky Hammer tightly with both hands, she held it before her and gritted her teeth as his fist bore down like a massive boulder.
Wang Dong barely managed to block it. She stumbled several meters backward before coming to a stop.
Lin Fan charged after her and swung his clenched fist again.
Wang Dong stared in shock. It was too late to take flight. Lin Fan raced toward her at tremendous speed, piloting the Explosive King right up to her.
Without hesitation, she unleashed her second Soul Skill. The Thousand-Year Soul Ring beneath her feet rose.
"Second Soul Skill: Butterfly God's Light!"
Small clusters of light burst from the golden patterns on Wang Dong's butterfly wings and shot toward Lin Fan at incredible speed.
Lin Fan darted left and right, dodging them. He rushed in and swung the Lion Cannon on his arm straight down at Wang Dong's head.
The Lion Cannon slammed toward her, but Wang Dong reacted in time, raising the Clear Sky Hammer with both hands to block it.
She suddenly flew above Lin Fan and swung her Clear Sky Hammer down at him.
Lin Fan flashed backward in a leap. The Clear Sky Hammer struck empty ground, kicking up a faint cloud of dust.
He flipped behind Wang Dong, caught hold of the blue Wind Element, and gathered it around his fist again. His single eye glinted.
"Overlord Chasing Wind Fist!"
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