With the freshman assessment drawing near, the teaching building was bustling. After Zhou Yi had assigned groups yesterday, everyone in class had gathered in threes today, whispering among themselves.
Likewise, Lin Mo and the other three had gathered together.
The assessment would begin that afternoon. Since it was a team battle, naturally, they needed to practice their coordination first.
After three months of being inseparable, the four of them basically knew each other's abilities and strengths, so they simply found a small grove outside the academy and began sparring.
To keep the match fair, the three of them outright banned the overpowered Lin, leaving Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao to team up against Wang Dong'er.
"Lin Mo, you be the referee," Xiao Xiao said.
Lin Mo had just settled into a half-reclining position in the shade of a large tree. At her words, he made an OK gesture and said without lifting his head:
"Three, two, one, start."
The three of them were already used to this.
As the two sides began fighting, Lin Mo casually plucked a foxtail stalk and held it between his lips. With both hands behind his head, he leisurely watched the three noobs peck at one another, one striking and another blocking.
Before many exchanges had passed, Wang Dong'er had lost her cool.
Xiao Xiao's Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron was a control-type Martial Soul, which already countered assault types, and she also had Huo Yuhao, a walking 3D radar cheat, supporting her.
No matter where Wang Dong'er charged, the Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron would block her path with pinpoint accuracy.
Frustrated, Wang Dong'er decided to launch an all-out attack.
However, the Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron put on a performance for him: learn kung fu! Practice martial arts! Master taught me-
The backstep~
Rather than blocking her head-on, the Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron instantly retreated two meters, neatly evading the slash of Wang Dong'er's right wing before suddenly charging forward and slamming into its flat surface.
With a thunderous boom, Wang Dong'er was sent flying more than ten meters, while Xiao Xiao's Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron remained suspended in the air.
Wang Dong'er was annoyed. Wang Dong'er thought.
Then she suddenly remembered that she also had a ranged thousand-year Soul Skill.
"Hehe, Huo Yuhao, let's see how you detect what I'm doing now. This young lady has ranged attacks!" Wang Dong'er declared confidently as the thousand-year Soul Ring beneath her feet lit up.
Huo Yuhao smiled. "What a coincidence. I can focus my detection in a fixed direction, and Xiao Xiao hasn't even used her second Martial Soul yet."
The smile on Wang Dong'er's face instantly froze.
"I'm done! I'm done!"
Wang Dong'er ran over to Lin Mo in a huff, shaking his arm as she said plaintively:
"Lin Mo~ Look at them!"
"Huo Yuhao's skill doesn't leave anyone a way to survive! Him teaming up with Xiao Xiao is outright bullying. It's making this young lady miserable."
The foxtail stalk in Lin Mo's mouth bobbed as he replied casually:
"Okay, then just stop feeling miserable, all right?"
Wang Dong'er furrowed her brows and took a deep breath, looking disgruntled. "I'm angry, you know?"
"Okay, then just stop being angry, all right?"
"...Don't you know how to comfort someone? Can't you just comfort me?" Faced with Lin Mo acting like an NPC, Wang Dong'er completely gave up trying to lead him along and laid her cards on the table.
Lin Mo spat out the foxtail stalk and yawned. "Okay, then I'll just comfort you, all right?"
Wang Dong'er: "..."
Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao, who were walking over from the other side, happened to hear their conversation and couldn't help bursting into laughter.
Wang Dong'er took a deep breath, then laughed too.
Not only did she laugh, but her cheeks were also red.
Then she gave up trying as well. "Okay, then I'll just be comforted by you, all right?"
Hearing that, Lin Mo couldn't help laughing either. Teasing a little tsundere like Wang Dong'er now and then was pretty entertaining.
Yes, Wang Dong'er was a purebred tsundere.
Thirty percent tsun, seventy percent dere.
As for certain people who were all bark, bark, bark, those were called big dogs.
"All right, go stay off to the side."
Lin Mo raised a hand and roughly ruffled Wang Dong'er's hair, turning her smooth, flowing locks into a bird's nest. Before the girl could bristle, he sprang neatly up from the ground with a kip-up.
He walked toward Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao while loosening up, his shoulders, neck, and wrists cracking.
"Same rules as before." Lin Mo stopped in front of them. "Let me test your practical combat abilities."
Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao exchanged glances, both seeing the gravity in the other's eyes.
The two retreated over twenty meters away and stood ready for battle.
The corners of Lin Mo's mouth lifted.
With a thought, he activated his Martial Soul possession!
The mere unfurling of his dark teal wings stirred up a gust that bent all the surrounding vegetation halfway down.
Teal-gold flames leaped and flowed over every feather, setting off Lin Mo's eyes, which were gradually turning teal-gold, and making his presence all the more imposing.
He raised his palm and beckoned to them.
"Come."
Pale golden light flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes as Spiritual Detection Sharing instantly unfolded, turning Lin Mo's every movement, and even every minute change in his Soul Power, into a flood of information that poured into Xiao Xiao's mind.
After three seconds of silence, Xiao Xiao abruptly raised her hand.
With a hum, the Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron split into three.
The three large cauldrons formed a triangle, whistling through the air as they hurtled viciously toward Lin Mo from three directions at once.
At the same time, the first yellow Soul Ring beneath her feet lit up.
"First Soul Skill, Cauldron's... huh? Huh?"
However, before Xiao Xiao could finish reciting her soul incantation, she froze.
The three large cauldrons hurtling toward Lin Mo suddenly stopped in midair with a soft hum. As though drawn by some force, they merged back into one of their own accord.
Immediately afterward, the Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron executed a beautiful emergency stop in front of Lin Mo.
It did not continue attacking. Instead, it swayed its body from side to side, then began circling Lin Mo.
It looked just like a puppy romping about.
Lin Mo froze too.
He sensed what seemed to be a faint, elusive connection between himself and the Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron, so he instinctively raised a hand and gently stroked its body.
The Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron shuddered violently.
The next instant, an emoticon expressing shyness actually appeared on its surface. Even the handles on either side bent like human limbs, drawing together and bashfully nuzzling against Lin Mo's palm.
Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron: (〃∇〃) Snuggles~
Lin Mo: ?
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er were dumbfounded too. They had never heard of anything like this.
Xiao Xiao first froze, then successfully turned red from head to toe once again. She covered her face, her voice trembling a little:
"C-come back!!"
However, not only did the Threelives Soulstabilizing Cauldron refuse to return, it nuzzled him even more enthusiastically.
Ten minutes later, in Zhou Yi's office.
Zhou Yi looked at the large cauldron pressed close behind Lin Mo, then at Xiao Xiao, who had spent ages tugging without managing to pull it back and was now covering her face with steam rising from her head. The corner of her mouth twitched fiercely.
"Can one of you explain to me just what is going on here?"