To avoid attracting attention and revealing the origin of the Immortal Herb, Huo Yuhao actually went to Sunset Forest again by chance, and took Ice Empress to rob it once more, obtaining quite a few treasures.
When Huo Yuhao brought the mysterious blue-haired, blue-eyed girl into the Shrek Academy, it immediately caused a huge uproar in Class One. Students crowded the corridors, whispering and discussing, "I heard Huo Yuhao brought a girl back with him this time."
"That girl is really pretty."
Upon hearing the news, Dean Yan Shaozhe practically ran all the way over.
He gazed at the faint emerald green aura emanating from Ice Empress, his face flushed with excitement. He grabbed Huo Yuhao's leg and shook him, exclaiming, " Yuhao, my admiration for you is like a surging river, endless and unstoppable, like the Yellow River overflowing its banks!" His exaggerated actions made the surrounding students stifle their laughter, but their eyes were filled with envy.
He clung to Huo Yuhao's leg, and even almost kissed him, though that was a bit of an exaggeration.
However, he was overjoyed. Huo Yuhao was truly a remarkable person, casually bringing along a top-tier Beast Martial Soul and the Ultimate Ice.
Ice Empress glanced coldly at the crowd, her tone devoid of any warmth. "I'm only temporarily acting as his guardian, don't misunderstand." An aura of coldness unconsciously emanated from her, condensing into tiny ice crystals on the ground.
Yan Shaozhe's smile grew even more sly as he rubbed his hands together and said, "Since she's the guardian, then this young lady can stay in Huo Yuhao's dormitory for now!"
He deliberately sighed, feigning a troubled expression. "To be honest, we have no choice. After all, our academy is very famous in the Soul Master World, and the number of applicants has recently surged. We've even converted the storeroom into dormitories."
Yan Shaozhe glanced at Huo Yuhao and gave him a look, " Yuhao's dorm is quite spacious. He converted what was originally a two-person room into a suite with a private bathroom, perfect for you guardians to use as your own dorm!"
Ice Empress frowned, a sudden surge of cold air emanating from her, though a hint of red remained on her face. "The prestigious Shrek Academy can't even spare a single empty room?"
"This isn't a special case!" Yan Shaozhe with a shameless smile. "Besides, you two get along so well, living and eating together will allow me to better fulfill my guardianship duties!" His sly eyes darted between the two of them.
Huo Yuhao stood there dumbfounded, his Adam's apple bobbing uncontrollably. Yan Shaozhe, as if he wanted to stuff the Ice Empress directly into his dormitory, left him completely bewildered—this usually revered dean was now acting like a cunning old fox eyeing its prey.
"No way, Old Deng, what the hell are you trying to do? Your eyes are all wrong!" He cursed inwardly, but his survival instinct made him swallow his words back, and he could only look at Ice Empress with an awkward expression.
A faint mist condensed around the Ice Empress, and his deep blue eyes swept over Huo Yuhao's tense profile.
To fulfill the Snow Empress's request, and also to ensure that this human boy might pose any hidden dangers, she gave a soft hum and said, "In that case, I'll stay for a while."
Before he could finish speaking, Huo Yuhao almost jumped up on the spot, his shocked gaze seeming to question, "No way? You actually agreed!" He belatedly realized an even more serious problem—not to mention the great Ice Empress, if the Snow Empress and Qiu'er were to come looking for him in the future, they couldn't all be crammed into the tiny dormitory room.
Cold sweat trickled down his back. He secretly vowed: I have to find a way to save money to buy a house as soon as possible. It's still too much trouble to keep living in the dormitory!
Meanwhile, in Class 5, Ning Tian's knuckles were white as he gripped his pen, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism. "That earth-shattering strike, the Soul Power emanating from his body, I'm afraid even ten Soul Elder wouldn't be enough to contend with him."
She abruptly stood up, slamming the book she was holding onto the table. "We must get Huo Yuhao into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, at all costs!"
Wu Feng slumped into her chair, still reeling from the shadow of that day's battle. "So, he held back when he fought us..." She wiped her face, her voice trembling as she recalled the arrogant young master of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, now reduced to a single arm, "That young master of the White Tiger Duke's family has been beaten down to just one arm."
Ning Tian gazed at the swaying ginkgo leaves outside the window, her tone heavy with Qian Jun: "He's already enough to intimidate an entire sect. If we let him grow unchecked..." Her clenched fists cracked, "... once he's fully grown, the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect won't be a match for him. The question isn't whether he's qualified to join our sect, but whether our sect is qualified to even be associated with him."
Her eyes revealed an unprecedented sense of crisis—this competition for talent was now urgent.
In the classroom, the morning light slanted through the window, casting dappled shadows on Huo Yuhao's desk.
Ice Empress was like a statue sculpted from ice and snow, her emerald green hair tied in twin ponytails, her emerald green eyes fixed on his direction without blinking, and the chill surrounding her caused fine ice patterns to appear in the air around her.
" Ice Empress, there's no need to stare at me like that, hahaha..."
Huo Yuhao forced an awkward smile, glancing at the envious looks from his classmates—the boys clenched their fists, their eyes filled with jealousy and resentment, sighs echoing in the classroom. "Why is the goddess always revolving around Huo Yuhao?"
Just then, the classroom door was gently pushed open. Ma Xiaotao and Jiang Nannan stepped in, carrying exquisite food boxes, and the sweet aroma of the food instantly filled the air.
However, when their gazes fell upon the aloof figure beside Huo Yuhao, their steps suddenly froze.
Ice Empress slowly raised her eyes. Her icy face, devoid of makeup, was stunningly beautiful. The frost between her brows and the coldness at the corners of her lips perfectly captured the essence of Ultimate Ice.
She casually tossed her flowing emerald green hair, the shimmering light in the movement making even the indoor sunlight seem dim.
Jiang Nannan's fingertips unconsciously tightened around the edge of the food box, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly. " Yuhao... such a beautiful girl has appeared by my side, I..." She bit her lower lip, a complex emotion welling up in her eyes.
Ma Xiaotao narrowed her eyes, keenly detecting the chilling aura surrounding Ice Empress: "Is this girl also emanating the aura of Ultimate Ice? What's going on between the two of them...?"
Xiao Xiao, who was hiding behind the two, timidly peeked out, but was frightened back by Ice Empress's sharp gaze. Her voice was barely audible. "That girl has such a strong aura..." The three girls hastily put down their food boxes, their originally cheerful steps became heavy, and they turned to leave dejectedly.
"Senior, wait a minute." Huo Yuhao hurriedly got up and called Ma Xiaotao to a corner of the corridor.
A gentle spring breeze ruffled the girl's rosy hair. Ma Xiaotao forced a calm smile and said, "Thanks to you for helping me suppress the Evil Fire, I haven't been consumed by Evil Fire..." She twisted her skirt, her earlobes flushing red, "That girl... is she your girlfriend?"
Huo Yuhao was taken aback, then waved his hands repeatedly, his ears turning red with urgency. "Of course not! She's a friend I've known for a long time, and she's helped me a lot..." His eyes were sincere and anxious, "Why would senior think that?" Sunlight fell on his earnest brows and eyes, adding a touch of burning heat to his clarification.
The warm spring sun shone through the dappled leaves of the sycamore trees, casting shimmering shadows on the corridor floor. Ma Xiaotao lowered her eyes and gently placed the lunchbox into Huo Yuhao's palm; the lingering warmth of her fingertips seemed even more intense than the food inside.
She bit her lip and looked up, her ear tips almost bleeding red. "Yes, I believe you." Her voice was as light as a feather floating in the wind, yet it stirred up a thousand waves in Huo Yuhao's heart.
Huo Yuhao looked up at Ma Xiaotao, his heart filled with complex emotions. Recalling the past, he said solemnly, "I promised you, senior, that I would help you completely transform and get rid of your suffering."
As he spoke, he carefully took out a plant that emitted a strange light. "Senior Sister Ma, this is the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, which I obtained by chance when acquiring Soul Ring. As long as you absorb and refine it, you can completely purify the evil energy in your body and become a true Fire Phoenix. I will definitely keep my promise."
Ma Xiaotao's gaze was instantly drawn to the Immortal Herb, her eyes filled with disbelief and surprise. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "This is Immortal Herb that our ancestor Ma Hongjun once used. It can not only completely purify Evil Fire, but also enhance Soul Power."
Before she could finish speaking, she could no longer contain her excitement and rushed forward to hug Huo Yuhao tightly.
Huo Yuhao was flustered by this sudden action and quickly said, "Senior Sister Ma, Senior Sister Ma, there's no need to be so agitated." He gently patted Ma Xiaotao's back, trying to calm her down.
Ma Xiaotao released Huo Yuhao, tears welling in her eyes, her voice choked with emotion. " Yuhao, I really don't know how to thank you, I, I..."
Huo Yuhao smiled gently and said in a tender tone, "Alright, alright, senior, there's no need to be so excited. Go and refine it. You've been waiting for this day, haven't you?" His smile was like the warm spring sun, dispelling the last trace of gloom in Ma Xiaotao's heart.
Not far away, Jiang Nannan carried a lunchbox, her eyes filled with doubt and worry. She was always aloof, but she cared a lot about Huo Yuhao. At this moment, seeing Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao talking quietly in the corner, her heart tightened, and she quickened her pace unconsciously, wanting to find out what was going on.
As she slowly approached, she only saw Ma Xiaotao's hurried departing figure. Huo Yuhao's voice rang out at the right moment. "Senior Nannan, could you please come over here for a moment?"
Jiang Nannan stepped forward slowly and said softly, " Yuhao, I came to bring you food, but..." She recalled the hostile look in Ice Empress's eyes earlier, and then looked at the lunchbox left by Ma Xiaotao in Huo Yuhao's hand. Her unease grew stronger. "What's your relationship with that girl?"
Huo Yuhao took out a crystal-clear immortal Immortal Herb from his Soul Tool and explained with a smile, "You mean Bing'er? She's a friend of mine. Oh, and Senior Nannan, I found this by chance while hunting Soul Beast. I'm giving it to you."
He handed over the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, saying, "This is Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid; it can quickly enhance your Soul Power."
Jiang Nannan's lips trembled slightly as she looked at the Immortal Herb radiating a soft light. Her doubts vanished instantly, and her hesitant words turned into a soft murmur. She suddenly realized, "So you were just now..." Looking at Huo Yuhao's gentle smile, a warm current surged in her heart, and all her unease and worries disappeared in that moment.
Before the words were finished, Huo Yuhao interrupted, his smile as gentle as shattered moonlight, "Just like you, I'm giving you some gifts as a friend, hoping you can become even more outstanding."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Nannan's shimmering eyelashes, and added, "Although you're already very outstanding, I can't just eat Nannan food for free." The faint smile on his handsome face was like a spring breeze rippling across a lake.
This sincere kindness seemed to touch the softest corner of their hearts, and both girls' eyes welled up with tears, which moved them deeply. Crystalline tears swirled on their eyelashes and finally rolled down their flushed cheeks.
"Thank you, thank you..." Huo Yuhao choked out his thanks, completely at a loss for what to do. He hurriedly pulled out his handkerchief and clumsily but carefully wiped away the tear stains on Jiang Nannan's cheeks, his ear tips also turning slightly red.
Long after Huo Yuhao had left, Jiang Nannan still clutched the warm handkerchief, her gaze following the boy's departing figure. She gently picked up the lunchbox, her fingertips tracing the texture of the box. The aroma of the food, mixed with the lingering warmth of the earlier excitement, enveloped the room in a gentle mist in the twilight.
( Jiang Nannan still secretly delivered the lunchbox to Huo Yuhao in the end.)
Meanwhile, Xiao Xiao, carrying her books, had just stepped into the classroom when she bumped into Huo Yuhao walking towards her with a smile.
When the fragrant Immortal Herb, exuding a faint medicinal aroma, was placed before her, the girl's almond-shaped eyes widened, and her earlobes instantly burned bright red. "Is this for me?" she asked, her voice barely audible, as she covered her burning cheeks. "Yes." Before Huo Yuhao could finish speaking, Xiao Xiao's eyes were already brimming with emotion, and she stammered, "I... I'll keep it safe!"
Huo Yuhao casually took the lunchbox Xiao Xiao had prepared, tapping the top of her head with his fingertip. "Consider it a gift exchange. Xiao Xiao's cooking is delicious; she must have put a lot of effort into it."
The moment the warm hand brushed across her hair, Xiao Xiao froze, as if struck by lightning. A blush spread from her neck to her ears, and she resembled a teapot enveloped in steam, her voice trembling as she stammered, "Th-thank you, Student Huo..."
Watching Huo Yuhao turn and leave, she remained rooted to the spot, her heart pounding wildly, unaware that the book in her hand had slipped from her grasp.
As for Ice Empress, Huo Yuhao had already given her the gift before she even entered Shrek Academy...
ps: Thanks to the bald Itchy Rat, 20250210023152797, for the monthly reward, thank you for your support...