Wang Dong stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao across from him, the displeasure in his eyes almost tangible. The flames of his anger seemed ready to burst from his gaze. Never in his life had anyone dared provoke him like this!
He was just a roommate she had met recently. She had only said a few harsh words, yet this guy dared defy her openly and even wanted to fight her one-on-one. It was utterly absurd, utterly laughable!
Wang Dong was full of confidence. In his eyes, Huo Yuhao was merely a One-Ring Soul Master. Wouldn't dealing with an opponent like that be as easy as catching him with an outstretched hand?
For Wang Dong, such confidence was the recklessness of youth. She had no idea what kind of enemy she was facing. This enemy carried a towering hatred and had been tempered by life and death. Coming here, he was no different from a vengeful ghost returned from hell, or perhaps even more terrifying.
Turning to Huo Yuhao, ever since the two had come outside, Wang Dong had kept staring at him, her gaze making his skin crawl. If she wanted to fight, she should hurry up and fight. Instead, they had remained at an impasse since coming out, and Huo Yuhao simply couldn't understand what Wang Dong was still dawdling for.
In his memory, Wang Dong had been quite decisive in his previous life. Could it really be that a girl's thoughts were too hard to fathom? Still, Huo Yuhao had no patience to keep wasting time with him.
She wanted to fight on a whim, putting on such an arrogant display, looking every bit the young master. The goddess's pride was truly unbearable to watch.
"Are you going to fight or not?" Huo Yuhao asked impatiently.
By now, quite a few people had gathered around the clearing, including several girls. They had stayed to watch purely because Wang Dong was handsome.
Seeing the crowd grow larger, Wang Dong hesitated no longer and instantly activated his Martial Soul. A pair of butterfly wings grew from his back, brilliant and colorful, exceptionally beautiful.
Immediately afterward, he attacked first. The Yellow Soul Ring around him shone brightly as he shouted under his breath, "First Soul Skill, Wing Guillotine!"
As his shout faded, two incomparably sharp golden edges instantly formed along his wings, gleaming coldly like guillotines. He swooped down from the air toward Huo Yuhao at tremendous speed, bringing a rush of whistling wind.
Faced with Wang Dong's fierce attack, Huo Yuhao quickly dodged with nimble movements, keeping his eyes locked on Wang Dong as he searched for a chance to counterattack. For Huo Yuhao, evading these attacks was no difficult task.
Truth be told, the current Wang Dong was far inferior to Huo Yuhao in both combat skill and experience. Even without using his Martial Soul, Huo Yuhao could defeat Wang Dong with ease.
As Wang Dong launched her attacks on the battlefield, the people around them scattered in alarm, afraid the aftershocks of the battle would hurt them.
"All you know how to do is dodge! But since things have already come to this, I absolutely won't let you off easily!" Wang Dong roared, her embarrassment turning to anger.
Immediately afterward, he unleashed another skill. "Second Soul Skill, Light of the Butterfly God!" The golden patterns of light on his wings rapidly gathered into small orbs of light that shot toward Huo Yuhao.
The little orbs looked unremarkable, but after Huo Yuhao dodged them, they landed on the ground and instantly erupted with tremendous force. One loud blast followed another; their power was not to be underestimated.
"You're nothing special either," Huo Yuhao said with a look of disdain. "The Light Goddess Butterfly, as far as I know, has only ever belonged to female Soul Masters as a Martial Soul, and it's one of a kind. How does a boy like you have that Martial Soul? Or could it be..."
Seeing that Huo Yuhao had exposed her secret, Wang Dong's expression changed drastically, and she hurriedly retorted, "Stop talking nonsense!"
"Looks like I guessed right."
"Whether it's nonsense or not, you know best. I don't know why you came here disguised as a boy, but you're nowhere near qualified to order me around as you please!" Huo Yuhao said coldly.
With that, he activated his own Martial Soul and chanted an incantation. "Fireball Technique!"
"Bang!" A fireball shot out like an arrow from a bow, flying straight at Wang Dong with tremendous speed and nearly hitting her in the face. Wang Dong turned pale with fright and hurriedly dodged in a panic, narrowly avoiding the attack.
"You actually launched a sneak attack, you bastard! How despicable!" Wang Dong accused angrily.
"Despicable? We're as bad as each other!" Huo Yuhao sneered. Taking advantage of the moment Wang Dong spent dodging, he flashed around behind her.
He then leaped high into the air, his right leg carrying overwhelming force as it chopped down on Wang Dong like a heavy hammer. "Bang!" The blow sent Wang Dong flying, and she crashed heavily to the ground.
Wang Dong winced in pain, unwillingness flashing in his eyes as he forced himself to launch another attack. But how would Huo Yuhao give him that chance? His gaze sharpened, and he closed in like lightning, sending a punch crashing out with a fierce momentum. The enormous impact left Wang Dong powerless to resist, and he slammed into the ground once more, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Even so, Wang Dong refused to accept defeat. Lying on the ground, she yelled, "Damn you! You're shameless! Just wait till I get up-I'll make you pay!" Her voice, full of anger and resentment, echoed through the air.
Huo Yuhao looked down at Wang Dong, his eyes utterly indifferent, without saying a word. The next second, he suddenly reached out, seized Wang Dong by the throat, and hauled him up roughly.
Wang Dong struggled desperately, his legs kicking wildly in the air, but before Huo Yuhao's great strength, all his resistance seemed futile.
"You've still got a stubborn mouth." Huo Yuhao's tone was icy, his voice devoid of warmth. The moment the words left his mouth, he swung his arm and hurled Wang Dong away like a kite with its string cut. She landed heavily several meters away.
Mu En happened to see this. Seeing how ruthlessly Huo Yuhao had acted, he hurriedly spoke up to stop them. "You two youngsters have no deep-seated hatred between you. Even a spar needs limits. How about stopping here?"
Hearing this, Huo Yuhao cupped his hands slightly and said respectfully, "Since you've said so, sir, naturally I have no objections."
He then turned to the disheveled Wang Dong, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. Enunciating every word, he said, "From now on, what I say goes in this dorm room. If you don't like it, get lost and apply for a single room. This is the last time I'll put up with you!" His words carried a domineering air that made the hearts of the onlookers tremble.
Huo Yuhao brushed the dust off his clothes, then turned with a calm expression and walked toward the dormitory.
Wang Dong, meanwhile, sat slumped on the ground, her eyes bloodshot and her face filled with resentment and anger. He abruptly raised his fist and slammed it into the ground, roaring again and again, "Damn it! Damn it! Why? Why did I lose? I couldn't possibly have lost! That guy barely even used his Martial Soul!" His voice was choked with tears and full of incomprehension. "How? I'm a Two-Ring Soul Master! How could a mere One-Ring Soul Master beat me? I won't accept it! I can't accept it!" Wang Dong's emotions erupted completely, and tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes, soaking a patch of ground.
Mu En stood quietly to the side, looking at the frantic Wang Dong with eyes full of regret and pity. He slowly walked forward and said earnestly, "Child, a Soul Master's strength has never been determined solely by Soul Power and the number of Soul Rings.
"Combat is not merely a contest of strength, but also a test of wisdom and conviction. In that fight just now, you were so eager to win that you recklessly unleashed Soul Power and used your Soul Rings, while neglecting to observe your opponent;
"while that youngster remained calm and composed throughout. He kept watching for your openings during the fight, waiting for the best opportunity, and finally won with a single blow. You were too aggressive and didn't know how to think. You failed to grasp the essence of combat. You deserved that defeat."
After a pause, Mu En added meaningfully, "Also, think carefully. Did you notice his Soul Ring? It was nothing more than the most ordinary Ten-Year Soul Ring."
Hearing this, Wang Dong froze as if struck by lightning. He stared blankly in the direction Huo Yuhao had gone, replaying the fight over and over in his mind. At last, he realized just what a terrifying opponent he had faced.
After a long while, Wang Dong slowly got to her feet, straightened her somewhat disheveled clothes, and bowed deeply to Mu En. Her voice was slightly choked as she said, "Thank you for your guidance, Grandpa. I understand." With that, he dragged his heavy feet toward the dormitory, utterly dispirited, his retreating figure looking unbearably forlorn.