The slanting sun dyed the bluestone slabs at the academy gates a honeyed gold. In front of Huo Yuhao's grilled fish stall, the line of students had long since wound into a great, snaking queue. His bamboo fan fluttered as he deftly handed freshly grilled fish skewers to customers. Fat crackled over the charcoal, mingling with the rise and fall of conversation to weave a melody of everyday life through the dusk.
"Make way! Make way!"
A sudden stir rippled through the crowd, which parted to either side like a tide. A faint breath of heat swept over him, carrying a delicate scent of roses.
Huo Yuhao's hand paused almost imperceptibly as he turned the fish skewers. He looked up to see a young woman in a crimson gauze dress walking gracefully toward him. Fiery red hair cascaded down her back, and beneath her sheer veil, her red eyes glimmered with a mysterious, alluring light.
"Are you Huo Yuhao, the one the whole academy's been making such a fuss over?" The young woman's voice was as gentle as spring water, yet it concealed a barely perceptible edge.
The moment that fiery red figure passed through the crowd, Huo Yuhao recognized her. Ma Xiaotao, his sister? To tell the truth, since his rebirth, his emotions had grown increasingly faint.
He had also grown increasingly casual about how he addressed others, as though he were no longer the person he had been before his rebirth. Perhaps it was an aftereffect of using the power of emotion and the power of his divine soul too much? Or had his heart already died in his previous life? He had no way of knowing. But now, he didn't care. All he cared about was growing stronger.
"If there's no one else here by that name, then I suppose that's me." His voice was as flat as if he were stating the most ordinary fact, as though the person standing before him were not someone important from his memories, but just another customer.
He went on grilling as he spoke. "Welcome, senior. Would you like a skewer of grilled fish? Our fish is delicious, you know. The only one of its kind in the academy, one shop and no branches. If you're passing by, don't miss out." His bamboo fan beat rhythmically, and the aroma of grilled fish curled upward, but it couldn't mask the faint tension in the air.
Time would always move in its predetermined direction, and only a small part of it could be changed. No matter what, even if you tried to avoid what had already been decided, the people and events at crucial turning points would come looking for you first.
Perhaps the meaning of rebirth wasn't entirely to overturn fate, but to search for that sliver of opportunity for change along a predetermined path. Even the slightest deviation could be enough to bring about an enormous shift in the course of the future.
Ma Xiaotao tilted her head slightly, the corner of her mouth curling with interest beneath her veil. The young man before her seemed rather different from the "Shrek monster" she had imagined.
Her fingertips brushed the edge of her veil as she studied the busy young man through the gauze, her red eyes fixed on him. Huo Yuhao was skillfully turning fish skewers at his stall, the setting sun gilding the edges of his blue hair. He looked like nothing more than an ordinary junior focused on making a living.
She gave a soft snort and thought, Is this little fellow really as amazing as Old Yan said? He just looks like an ordinary young man.
Her thoughts drifted back to the dean's office the day before. At the mahogany desk, Yan Shaozhe had regarded her with unusual gravity. "Xiaotao, an extraordinary student has appeared at the academy. He can actually control both Ultimate Ice and Ultimate Fire. Talent like that is one in ten thousand. Perhaps... he can help suppress the restless Evil Fire in your body and rid you of that affliction for good."
"What's his name?" Ma Xiaotao's interest immediately stirred, and her slender fingers tightened unconsciously around the armrests of her chair.
"Huo Yuhao." Yan Shaozhe spoke the name slowly. "The whole academy has been talking about him lately. He's a freshman who defeated a three-ring senior, and everyone's calling him 'Shrek's true monster.' Xiaotao, you understand that isn't a title just anyone can bear."
Standing at the academy gates now, Ma Xiaotao gazed at the young man before her. Huo Yuhao... She repeated his name silently, a determined smile curving her lips. Looks like I'll have to get to know you properly.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao brushed sauce over the freshly grilled fish skewers, his movements smooth as flowing water. Catching sight of Ma Xiaotao's thoughtful expression out of the corner of his eye, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
Ma Xiaotao, this time I won't let you become the Holy Spirit Cult's Holy Maiden again. I can still see it all clearly: you becoming an Evil Soul Master in our previous life, and the time we met again. I'll definitely help you get rid of your Evil Fire for good, too.
Though he didn't want to involve himself in troublesome matters, he wasn't an utterly heartless person. At least, not yet. Before my emotions disappear completely, he thought.
"Senior, your grilled fish is ready." Huo Yuhao lowered his eyes and held out the glistening skewer, which still gave off an enticing roasted fragrance.
The instant their fingertips touched, ripples suddenly spread through the air. Wisps of ice element seeped into Ma Xiaotao's meridians through the point of contact. This was no ordinary cold, but Ultimate Ice. Of course, Huo Yuhao's own ice element was not enough to reach the ultimate level. It was thanks to the enhancement of Tian Meng's origin power that he could maintain the state of Ultimate Ice, its chill carrying a pressure that made the soul tremble.
Ma Xiaotao's pupils contracted sharply, and a gleam of delight flashed in her red eyes. The restless Evil Fire within her instantly quieted, as though it had met its natural enemy, while a cool power gently enveloped her once-scorching meridians. Old Yan was right, she thought. He really does have a power that can suppress Evil Fire.
Slender fingers lifted her veil, revealing the graceful line of her jaw. Ma Xiaotao took a large bite of fish, the crisp skin and tender flesh bursting into a marvelous texture on her tongue. "Nice work, little brother." She tossed him a Gold Soul Coin, then turned and disappeared into the dusk, her fiery red skirt swirling. The faint chime of the gold ornaments in her hair gradually faded into the evening breeze.
Huo Yuhao watched her retreating figure, warmth and cold mingling in his palm. Ultimate Ice enhanced by Tian Meng's origin power was no lasting solution, either.
Their first encounter ended just like that.
In the Martial Soul Department dean's office, the cold light of a crystal chandelier shone on a dark brown walnut desk. Yan Shaozhe's fingertips tapped unconsciously against the leather armrest of his chair, producing a steady clicking sound. On the student file spread open on the desk, the lamp illuminated Huo Yuhao's photograph.
"Huo Yuhao, Huo Yuhao..." Yan Shaozhe murmured, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. "This little fellow really is extraordinary. First, he has a Body Martial Soul in his eyes. Then, he can use both ice and fire attacks. And on top of that, a phantom dragon appeared behind him on the Soul Fighting stage." His brow furrowed deeper and deeper as images of that earth-shaking contest resurfaced in his mind: the young man's blue hair flying, the golden dragon phantom crashing into the Black Tortoise Martial Soul, and scorching fire exploding into brilliant flames in the air. And then there was the ice attribute he had displayed in his battle with Zhou Lianyi.
"The assessment that he has Twin Martial Souls should be correct." His fingers struck the desk hard, making the objects on it tremble slightly. "But a Martial Soul that can control both ice and fire and is also connected to dragons... there has never been a precedent for one in this world!"
Rubbing his throbbing temples, Yan Shaozhe suddenly sat upright, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. "No, those things are important, but what matters most is that the ice of Huo Yuhao's dual ice and fire attributes is infinitely close to Ultimate Ice." He sprang to his feet. "Or perhaps he never showed us the full extent of his ice attribute at all, and it was merely an illusion created by an additional Soul Skill!"
Thinking of Ma Xiaotao's increasingly uncontrollable Evil Fire, Yan Shaozhe hesitated no longer. He grabbed his cloak and strode toward the door. "I can't wait any longer. I have to ask him face-to-face! Does he have Ultimate Ice or not?"
Outside Freshman Class One's classroom, the setting sun dyed the corridor amber. Yan Shaozhe's knock sent the sparrows on the windowsill flying and brought the chatter inside the classroom to an abrupt halt. Teacher Wang Yan pushed up his glasses, surprise flashing in his eyes. "Why has the dean come in person?"
"Is Huo Yuhao here?" Yan Shaozhe's voice was steady and forceful, carrying an authority that brooked no refusal.
Huo Yuhao rose from his seat, his blue hair glimmering in the light behind him. As he bowed, his cuff slipped down, revealing faint, pale-gold markings on his wrist.
An uproar broke out in the classroom, whispers rising one after another. "He really did come for Huo Yuhao!" "I still get a shock whenever I think about what happened on the Soul Fighting stage that day!" Huo Yuhao, however, remained calm, his blue eyes unruffled, as though he had already anticipated this moment.
Wang Yan hurriedly said, "Since you're here, Dean, why not say a few words to the students?"
Yan Shaozhe waved a hand, his gaze fixed on Huo Yuhao. "There's no need for that. I came today specifically to see Huo Yuhao." He walked slowly up to the young man, the pressure of the Soul Power radiating from him making even the air grow still.
"I've heard a great deal about your exploits lately. Supernova, Shrek Academy's true genius, monster-I imagine the students at the academy are all more or less familiar with those titles."
A complicated look flashed in his eyes. "A genius like you appeared at the academy, yet I only just learned of it. I'm truly ashamed."
Wang Yan's fingers tightened around the lectern, turning slightly white. As Class One's homeroom teacher, he had actually missed Huo Yuhao's Investiture of the Gods battle at the Soul Fighting Arena, and now his heart was full of regret. "I'm ashamed myself. I'm Class One's homeroom teacher, yet I didn't witness the battle on the Soul Fighting stage."
"Ah, Teacher Wang Yan, there's no need to blame yourself. I'm also at fault for failing to recognize you sooner. Our academy overlooked a true genius." Standing before Huo Yuhao, Yan Shaozhe bowed solemnly. "For that, I apologize to you. Huo Yuhao, I'm truly sorry. As dean of the Martial Soul Department, I failed in my duty."
Before he had even finished speaking, gasps were already sounding throughout the classroom. In Shrek Academy's hundred-year history, when had a dean ever apologized to a student?
"Shrek Academy has never been stingy with outstanding students, and you won't receive any less in rewards." A determined light gleamed in Yan Shaozhe's eyes. "Furthermore, if you're willing, you can become an inner-court disciple of the Martial Soul Department right now. I'll personally guide you."
He paused deliberately, observing the young man's calm expression. "I dare guarantee in the name of the Martial Soul Department's dean that you will absolutely reach the rank of Titled Douluo before you turn forty. We'll provide you with a full set of Soul Rings and Soul Bones, and there will absolutely be a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring among them."
The astonishing promise plunged the entire classroom into dead silence. Wang Yan's eyes went wide, and he nearly bit his tongue. The students in the back rows exchanged looks, some even suspecting they had misheard. Such treatment had never been offered before, not to mention a freshman, even an unparalleled genius who appeared once in a century! Of course, some were also whispering among themselves: "Dean Yan, are you sure Huo Yuhao isn't your illegitimate son?"