Time flew like a shuttle through a loom, and three months passed in the blink of an eye.
Over those three months, Wang Dong's life had become so regular that it was downright outrageous.
He did only four things every day: eat, sleep, cultivate Haodong Power with Huo Yuhao... and beat up Dai Huabin.
That was right. Beating up Dai Huabin had become part of his daily routine. At first, Wang Dong had been the one picking fights, but Dai Huabin soon realized that Wang Dong simply couldn't stand the sight of him.
Once they were in the dorm room, a single exchanged glance was enough to set them fighting.
It had to be said that Dai Huabin was no coward. He had the makings of someone powerful.
Although he ended up with a bruised face every time, he never complained to a teacher or backed down. When he was knocked flat, he got back up, only to be knocked flat again. The cycle repeated, and every setback only made him fight harder.
Sometimes, even Wang Dong had to admit that this guy was something else.
Dai Huabin's talent ranked highly even across the entire Soul Master World, and he was tenacious enough to have the potential to become a top powerhouse. Unfortunately, he had offended Huo Yuhao... so he could only be a villain.
Because of Dai Huabin, however, several transfer students joined their class. The most eye-catching among them was a girl named Zhu Lu.
She was his intended partner in an arranged marriage and came from the Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire. Her martial soul was the Hell Spirit Cat, a perfect match for Dai Huabin's Evil-Eyed White Tiger.
After transferring in, she stuck to Dai Huabin's side almost all day, and her gaze held a trace of hostility whenever she looked at Wang Dong.
Wang Dong couldn't be bothered with her. He was busy.
The resources from the Clear Sky Sect arrived soon enough. A few days later, Wang Dong received a package. When he opened it, he found two exquisite porcelain bottles inside: one containing Mystic Water Pills and the other Soul Ascension Pills, with five pills in each.
He took one look, then divided out half and pushed them into Huo Yuhao's hands without another word.
Looking at the pills in his hands, Huo Yuhao's eyes reddened again. "You... you do this every time..."
"Take them." Wang Dong's tone brooked no refusal. "Only when you get stronger can I benefit too. The cultivation speed of Haodong Power depends on whichever one of us is weaker."
Huo Yuhao bit his lip but ultimately accepted them. He knew that Wang Dong always had a reason to make him accept his kindness.
With the pills boosting him and Haodong Power assisting him, Huo Yuhao's cultivation speed climbed once again.
Over three months, his soul power soared all the way to level nineteen!
Wang Dong's progress was even more terrifying. His soul power had already reached level twenty-nine, leaving him just one step away from becoming a three-ring Soul Elder.
Their advancement by so many levels in three months was mainly because their cultivation had still been low to begin with, and they had plenty of cultivation resources.
Standing together, both of them carried themselves noticeably differently.
Wang Dong had originally been somewhat reserved, but as his strength grew, the influence of his Golden Dragon King Bloodline became increasingly apparent. His sharp edge was now fully exposed, and a faint golden gleam occasionally flashed through his eyes, carrying an oppressive authority even when he showed no anger.
Huo Yuhao, meanwhile, was much healthier than he had been three months earlier. He was no longer so scrawny, color had returned to his face, and he looked far more energetic.
Of course, the greatest change was his reliance on Wang Dong. He had grown used to going to the dining hall with Wang Dong every morning, to cultivating while Wang Dong held his hand during class, and to thinking of him first whenever something happened.
He couldn't say exactly when this dependence had begun, but he knew that he could no longer do without this person.
Wang Dong hadn't forgotten Huo Yuhao's talent for soul tools, either. Three months earlier, he had found a way to introduce Huo Yuhao to soul tools, and Huo Yuhao had eventually succeeded in becoming the disciple of Zhou Yi's husband, Fan Yu.
Huo Yuhao's talent for soul tools was truly astonishing. He progressed at an incredible pace and could already make some simple soul tools independently.
Through that craft, he had also saved up some money and was no longer stretched as thin as before.
Everything was moving in a good direction.
Then, one day, Zhou Yi stood at the lectern and made an announcement.
"You've been at our academy for three months now. It's time to test the results of your cultivation. The Freshman Assessment is about to begin." Zhou Yi swept her gaze across the class.
"This is the most important assessment you've faced since entering Shrek Academy. Based on your results, the academy will decide how much attention to give you going forward. Form teams of three, with teammates of your choosing. You'd better take first place!"
The classroom immediately erupted. The Freshman Assessment was a staple of Shrek Academy. Every year, a group of geniuses distinguished themselves during the assessment and earned preferential access to the academy's resources. Everyone rubbed their fists and flexed their palms, eager to have a go.
"Start forming your teams now." Zhou Yi tapped the lectern. "Submit your rosters yourselves, then select your Soul Master types."
The classroom immediately grew lively as everyone talked over one another about whom to team up with. Sitting in his seat, Wang Dong turned toward Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, you're with me."
Huo Yuhao nodded without the slightest hesitation. "All right."
"We still need one more." Wang Dong thought for a moment, then swept his gaze across the classroom until it landed on a green-haired girl in the back row. "Xiao Xiao, join our team."
Over those three months, Wang Dong had gotten to know Xiao Xiao as well. They got along well and had formed a little circle of friends.
Xiao Xiao!
The Nine Phoenix Comes to the Ceremony Flute martial soul and the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron martial soul.
Their names alone sounded extraordinary. Wang Dong had always believed that Xiao Xiao's martial souls were the most exceptional ones in the original story. Unfortunately, she had squandered them through poor cultivation and faded into the crowd later on.
Lately, Wang Dong had been considering whether to change Xiao Xiao's path... Talent that good couldn't be allowed to go to waste.
Xiao Xiao froze for a moment, then her eyes lit up and she nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes! I'd love to!"
She ran over and excitedly patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder. "Yuhao, with the three of us together, we'll definitely take first place!"
Huo Yuhao smiled without saying anything. He glanced at Wang Dong, and a sense of reassurance rose within him. As long as Wang Dong was there, he feared nothing.
The three submitted their team application and filled in their Soul Master types as well.
Zhou Yi looked at Wang Dong, a slight smile curling her lips. She was increasingly convinced that this boy was no ordinary person.
In just three months, not only had his own strength advanced by leaps and bounds, but he had also helped Huo Yuhao improve alongside him. Even Xiao Xiao had eagerly asked to join their team.
The Freshman Assessment... she suddenly found herself looking forward to it.
That evening, the two went to the Little Woods to cultivate as usual. Moonlight spilled through the leaves, casting mottled patches of light and shadow across the ground.
Wang Dong sat cross-legged, with Huo Yuhao sitting opposite him. Their palms met, their soul power mingled, and Haodong Power flowed slowly through their bodies.
Halfway through their cultivation, Huo Yuhao suddenly opened his eyes and said quietly, "Wang Dong... during the Freshman Assessment, will you think I'm a burden?"
Wang Dong opened his eyes and looked at him. "Why would you think that?"
"I'm only level nineteen, and both you and Xiao Xiao are stronger than me..." Huo Yuhao lowered his head. "I'm afraid I'll hold you back."
Wang Dong fell silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out and lightly rapped him on the head. "Idiot."
Huo Yuhao held his head and looked at him aggrievedly.
"Listen carefully." Wang Dong looked at him, his tone serious. "You're the teammate I chose, and the partner I've committed to. Never mind level nineteen-even if you were level one, I'd still take you to first place. Understand?"
Looking into those eyes, which shone with a faint golden gleam beneath the moonlight, Huo Yuhao suddenly felt an indescribable warmth well up inside him. He nodded, his voice trembling slightly. "I understand."
"Good." Wang Dong withdrew his hand and closed his eyes again. "Keep cultivating. After the Freshman Assessment, let's aim to get you past level twenty as soon as possible."
"Mm-hmm!"
Huo Yuhao also knew that breaking through to level twenty was extremely important. Brother Sky Dream had told him so many times.
He soon closed his eyes as well and resumed cultivating. Beneath the moonlight, their silhouettes intertwined, and as their soul power circulated, they seemed to have already become one.
PS: I think the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm is a bug, so his gender isn't important.
Besides, changing it would be too much trouble. What would I do about the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion-make her male? Wouldn't that leave us with the same situation? Besides, a lot of the later logic will be easier to make fit.
If everyone finds it off-putting, I'll reduce his appearances.
Before you continue