Wang Dong pulled Huo Yuhao toward the classroom. Only after a couple of steps did he realize he was still holding his hand. He hurriedly let go and cleared his throat, a rare trace of embarrassment appearing on his face.
"Uh... things were urgent just now. I didn't mean to."
Huo Yuhao lowered his head, his ears so red they looked ready to drip blood. His voice was barely audible. "I-it's fine..."
When they returned to the classroom entrance, Zhou Yi was already waiting there. She stood with her arms folded, her expression plainly saying, "You two had better give me a reasonable explanation." "Well? What happened?"
Wang Dong took a deep breath and looked at her with utter seriousness. "Teacher, we really were researching Martial Soul Fusion."
"Martial Soul Fusion?" Zhou Yi scoffed. "Who do you think you're fooling? Don't you know how low the odds of Martial Soul Fusion are? The entire Shrek Academy might not produce a single compatible pair in a hundred years, and you two managed it after knowing each other for one day?"
"It's true!" Wang Dong looked completely sincere. "If you don't believe us, you can test it!"
Zhou Yi stared at him for a long while. Seeing how open and unflinching he was, with no sign of lying, she hesitated before finally sighing.
"Fine. I'll find someone to test you. If you two are lying to me, you'll run three hundred laps around the field today. Not one lap less."
With that, she turned and left. Before long, she returned with a middle-aged man.
The man looked to be in his thirties. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and had a lean face, with the refined air of a scholar. One glance was enough to tell he was a man with a belly full of learning.
Wang Dong recognized him immediately: Wang Yan, Shrek Academy's Martial Soul research expert.
This fellow genuinely knew his stuff. He deserved the title of Grandmaster far more than Yu Xiaogang, that so-called "Grandmaster" from the era of Douluo I.
He had researched Martial Soul Fusion for years and was the academy's authority on the subject, though he kept a relatively low profile.
Wang Yan entered the classroom, swept his gaze over Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao, and adjusted his glasses. "You two, then? Come on, demonstrate your Martial Soul Fusion for me."
Wang Dong nodded and turned to Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, work with me."
Huo Yuhao nodded, blushing. They stood facing each other, and Wang Dong held out his hand. After a moment's hesitation, Huo Yuhao held out his own, and their hands gently clasped together.
Wang Dong closed his eyes and stirred his Soul Power. Huo Yuhao cooperated, relaxing his mind as their Soul Power mingled once again, forming a continuously circulating loop.
A soft glow shone between their clasped palms. Though it was not particularly bright, it carried a strange rhythm.
Wang Dong sensed the changes within his body, delight rising in his heart. "The speed of my Soul Power cultivation... has almost doubled."
Wang Yan's eyes changed instantly. He strode forward and crouched down, closely examining the light flowing between their palms. Then he reached out and gently touched it. His brows knitted tightly, and only after a long while did he speak.
"This is Martial Soul Fusion... and not ordinary Martial Soul Fusion, either."
He looked up at Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao, his voice carrying a trace of excitement he could barely conceal.
"This is one hundred percent Martial Soul Fusion. The compatibility between your Martial Souls has reached perfection. In all my years researching Martial Souls, this is the first time I've seen fusion at this level with my own eyes."
Zhou Yi froze. "One hundred percent Martial Soul Fusion?"
"Exactly." Wang Yan nodded, looking at Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao as though they were two priceless treasures.
"This kind of Martial Soul Fusion is exceptionally rare. Once you mature, its power will be immeasurable. You two must study this fusion carefully. You may even be able to develop a Martial Soul Fusion Skill."
"Try to perform this Martial Soul Fusion every day... it will also greatly benefit your cultivation."
Wang Dong agreed at once. "Don't worry, Teacher. I'll study it properly!"
Huo Yuhao's face, however, grew even redder. Study it properly... wouldn't that mean holding hands all the time?
He stole a glance at Wang Dong, then hurriedly lowered his head again, his heart in turmoil.
Standing to the side, Zhou Yi found herself losing face. Just moments ago, she had declared with absolute certainty that they were trying to fool her. Now it had been proven to be genuine Martial Soul Fusion-and perfect fusion, the kind that might not appear once in a hundred years.
She cleared her throat, her tone somewhat stiff. "...Since it's real, I misunderstood you earlier. You two... study it properly."
Wang Dong was gracious about it, smiling and waving a hand. "It's fine, it's fine. You were only doing your duty, Teacher."
Naturally, he would not sour his relationship with Zhou Yi. There was no need, and he remembered that Huo Yuhao's future talent with Soul Tools would still require guidance from Zhou Yi's husband, Fan Yu.
If he strained their relationship now, things would be harder to arrange later.
After all that commotion, the end of the school day soon arrived. As soon as the bell rang, the students in the classroom packed their things and headed out.
Wang Dong was about to invite Huo Yuhao to the dining hall, only to see him pack up his books and walk straight out of the classroom. He did not seem to be heading toward the dining hall.
Wang Dong paused, then followed him. "Yuhao, where are you going?"
Huo Yuhao looked back and smiled a little sheepishly. "I'm going outside the academy... to set up a stall and sell grilled fish."
"Grilled fish?" Wang Dong raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, I'm pretty good at grilling fish." Huo Yuhao nodded, a trace of stubbornness in his voice. "I want to earn some money... I can't keep spending yours."
Looking at his earnest expression, Wang Dong sighed inwardly. He had intended to stop him, but after thinking it over, he abandoned the idea.
First, he really did want to taste Huo Yuhao's grilled fish. Second, he knew Huo Yuhao was proud to his very bones and could never spend someone else's money with an easy conscience. Rather than stop him, it was better to let him do it.
"All right, I'll come with you." Wang Dong caught up with him. "It'll be a good chance to try your cooking."
Huo Yuhao paused, then broke into a happy smile. "Okay!"
The two arrived at the academy gates together. Huo Yuhao deftly set up a small stall, lit a fire, positioned a grill, and skewered the fish, his movements brisk and practiced.
He really was good at grilling fish. Before long, a tantalizing aroma drifted through the air, drawing passing students to stop.
Wang Dong sat on a small folding stool nearby, watching Huo Yuhao bustle about, but his mind was occupied with something else.
Huo Yuhao's Soul Power was too low right now. He needed to reach two rings as soon as possible to gain Shrek Academy's attention.
Once the academy took him seriously, he would no longer have to worry about money. As a transmigrator, Wang Dong had no intention of playing the pig to devour the tiger. What he wanted was a fast push-momentum!
With that thought, he stood and called to Huo Yuhao. "Keep working. I'm heading back for a bit."
Huo Yuhao nodded. "Okay, go ahead."
Wang Dong returned to the dormitory, took a sheet of stationery from inside his clothes, and picked up a pen to begin writing. After some thought, he switched to a fresh sheet and started again.
"First Dad, Second Dad, let these words be as though we were meeting face-to-face. All is well with me at Shrek Academy, so don't worry... However, I've recently hit a bottleneck in my cultivation and urgently need some resources to help. I hear there are Mystic Water Pills and Soul Ascension Pills in our storehouse... I want some... and money... I want that too..."
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