'Ugh, why do I always go in and out of my consciousness feeling sluggish?' Huo Yuhao inwardly groaned as he steadily came to his senses and slowly opened up his eyes.
And the first thing he heard and saw was a middle-aged man wearing clean white clothes with a tall tree, brimming with vitality and life.
'That's... Teacher Li? The man with the rare Tree of Life martial soul, who Teacher Zhou asked to heal us up after our arduous physical training?'
"Teacher Li, what's going on? What the hell was that monster that we faced?!" Huo Yuhao blinked his eyes, remembering a certain someone, he turned to stare at Wang Dong asking for questions for their situation.
The white-clothed middle-aged man indifferently replied, "You're both fine now. About the thing that you guys just saw, please forget about it. If you don't, you'll be expelled from the academy. I'll give you two these as compensation. I believe that you're both smart people." As he spoke, he threw two green objects towards Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
The two subconsciously raised their hands to catch them. At the same time, the white-clothed middle-aged man had already risen up into the sky, and was flying towards Sea God Lake. "Go to class. Remember, it's best that you forget everything you just saw!"
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong looked at each other. They were left in a daze for quite a while.
"What the hell was that about?! Being all secretive and shit like that." Frustrated and confused, Wang Dong clenched his hand and said in a low tone of voice.
Huo Yuhao shook his head and promptly stood up after dusting off his uniform. "Well, it's probably best that we don't pry too deep into it."
"Why not?" Wang Dong tilted his head.
"Aside from immediate expulsion?"
"Eh..."
Huo Yuhao stared at him, raised his thumb to his neck and dragged it across in a slitting motion, indicating that they would be in danger if they dig too much into the matter.
Wang Dong's eyes widened in shock, realizing the seriousness of the situation. He nodded understandingly, deciding to let it go for now.
Wang Dong then looked down at his hand to see what the green object in his hand was and was stunned. "Ah! Huo Yuhao, we've struck a fortune! It's a Soul Advancement Pill! It's actually a Soul Advancement Pill."
"A what now?"
"A Soul Advancement Pill is like the Mystic Water Pill, it's even the same level as it but the latter is more precious because of its cleansing effect on one's muscles and marrow. But, to soul masters above the thirtieth rank, whose muscles and marrow have already been thoroughly cleansed, the Soul Advancement Pill is better than the Mysterious Water Pill. Due to this, the price of the two pills are about the same. You have to take care of it. It's supposedly extremely hard to refine this sort of pill. I didn't expect that teacher to give us something so extraordinary as hush money. Alright. I've decided to forget everything that I saw earlier. Huo Yuhao, what were we doing here exactly?"
Huo Yuhao slapped the back of his head impatiently. "Hurry up and tell me the effects of the Soul Advancement Pill already."
Wang Dong stuck his tongue. "Bleh! I don't want to. You gotta beg me!" With that, he turned around and ran towards the freshmen's school building.
Huo Yuhao let out a sigh, after carefully putting the precious pill in his storage belt, he then chased after Wang Dong. While running, he shouted, "If you don't tell me, I'll just ask my eldest senior brother. He definitely knows what it does. If you tell me now, I'll treat you to lunch–scratch that, dinner more like. I'm selling roasted fish and ramen outside of school so if you like...."
"Huh? Why are you selling fish and...ramen? What the heck is that?"
"Just think of it as noddles."
"Okay, okay. But why are you selling them?" Wang Dong had already slowed down and walked alongside Huo Yuhao to talk.
Huo Yuhao shrugged. "I'm an orphan, I only managed to get into this school due to teacher Xiao Ya and senior brother. But the sect only has us three so it's short on funds. I'm not thick skinned enough to ask them to pay for all my living expenses, they understand the situation, so they showed me how to earn money while in the academy and... yeah, it led to my current situation."
Wang Dong was stunned for a moment. "You... you're an orphan?"
Huo Yuhao nodded his head. "Uh, yeah. Why? Is it so hard to believe? Is it because of my dashing good looks or something?"
Wang Dong slapped his arm but Huo Yuhao laughed it off.
"...So the reason that you don't even have any bedding on your bed, isn't it because you just want to assiduously cultivate? Or you're simply not willing to spend money on some bedding?"
"Wang Dong, is living comfortably more important than having your stomach full? Like seriously, the first time I saw the price in the canteen I almost had a heart attack."
Wang Dong unwittingly stopped, causing Huo Yuhao to naturally stop along with him. "What's wrong with you? It's almost time for class. We need to hurry up."
Wang Dong pursed his lips tightly and stared at Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao, who was currently being stared at, felt goosebumps rise on his back.
"W-What? Let me tell you already that I'm straight. As straight as a pole. I especially like girls with long legs, wide hips, big boobs and a great personality to complete the package."
"Keep dreaming fucker."
Wang Dong twitched but he slowly took a deep breath and said. "Huo Yuhao, I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were an orphan. I shouldn't have bullied you."
Huo Yuhao blinked his eyes and burst out laughing, "Hahahaha. Y-You....Hahaha. But your bullying didn't work, did it?"
Wang Dong flustered and resentfully slapped his shoulder. "Can you not be an ass while I'm in a moment here? C'mon, let's hurry to class." He stomped towards their classroom, fuming.
Huo Yuhao smiled and followed after him. He didn't need to ask about the pill further, as judging by the obvious name it had, it would advance his soul power and possibly even nourish his body at the same time.
'Oh yeah. Ancestor said that I would know what he did to my body after he possessed it. I don't notice any–' He halted in place, his eyes wide in shock.
'This.... Ancestor, how did you do this?!'
His vision had been further enhanced than ever before, his spiritual power had tripled the amount it had from before, its quality even astounding, his first and second soul skills had been improved; making the range reach 55 meters and he could now share up to six people, his physical strength had a substantial increase and his soul power had advanced to the 15th rank!
But that wasn't the most interesting part.
As you all know, his soul ring grants him four soul skills. Spiritual Detection, Spiritual Sharing, and the last two skills he hasn't used yet; Spiritual Shock and Spiritual Interference. But here comes the shocking part.
Somehow, Ancestor had changed the two skills in his soul ring. Something that wasn't thought to be possible! Though considering he has three spirits living in his head, Skydream Iceworm as his intelligent soul ring and a million year old at that, and his Ancestor acting as his master, well, he shouldn't be all that surprised after thinking about it.
'No wonder brother Skydream acted like that. The soul ring is practically like his core or something and for Ancestor to change something innate about it...'
As he analyzed the new soul skills in the soul ring, Huo Yuhao realized that they were support type skills. One would give him some measure of space control and the other would let him control and manipulate all kinds of flames.
He could use the second one for his Great Fireball Technique to do all kinds of tricks and for the space control skill...he has to test it out first for its limits.
But that had to wait until classes ends and after he solds all his fish and ramen in the evening.
'That still begs the question, how did Ancestor changed those skills and why? He said that he did something to make a foundation for the future of my Sharingan but....I can only understand my enhanced vision and perception. How could space and fire control be a foundation for my Mangekyō Sharingan?' Huo Yuhao pondered on it for a while and tried calling for Ancestor but he got no response.
'Is he and Brother Skydream arguing again?'
After Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong entered their classroom and classes started, Huo Yuhao put the matter on the side for now and soaked up on all sorts of soul master knowledge until lunch came, which Wang Dong treated him and told him how the pill worked, before they went back and attended their afternoon class.
Once he'd finished his afternoon class, Tang Ya came over to him.
"Let's go, Little Yuhao. I got the equipment back from the shed, seriously you should've just told me about it and I would've taken care of it. Though it's mainly my fault for forgetting. Don't worry, Teacher Xiao Ya will stay by your side and protect you today. Let's see what idiot dares to bully you with me around."
Huo Yuhao nodded and he followed Tang Ya out of the academy.
Wang Dong hurriedly caught up to them and said, "Wait! I'm going too! Huo Yuhao, no matter how you look at it, we're roommates. I'll buy two of your roasted fish and one bowl of ramen to help your business out a bit."
Huo Yuhao chuckled. "Sure. That'll be three silver coins in total."
Wang Dong stared at him in bewilderment, "So expensive?!" Despite saying that, he shook his head and handed over the silver coins.
He originally thought that he was helping Huo Yuhao, but when the three of them walked through the academy's gates, Wang Dong realised that he'd actually taken advantage of Huo Yuhao.
There were more than thirty people waiting outside for Huo Yuhao to roast fish, most of them being girls, and the most eye-catching person of them being Xu Sanshi, who'd lost to Huo Yuhao yesterday.
Huo Yuhao was stunned for a moment when he saw Xu Sanshi. However, Tang Ya immediately stepped forward bravely. "What, you're not able to accept your loss? How about I follow you to the Soul Duelling Area today?"
Xu Sanshi clicked his tongue and crossed his arms, "Save it, Xiao Ya. We already talked about it yesterday. Plus, I don't hit women. Stop trying to stir up trouble with me. I'm here today to buy some roasted fish and a bowl of ramen, not to cause trouble. Can't you see that I'm first in the queue?"
When she heard what he had to say, Tang Ya's expression finally relaxed. She asked, "You're buying it for Jiang Nannan?"
"Yup." Xu Sanshi proudly nodded, his head held high.
"Awww, that's so sweet," Tang Ya's voice was thick with sarcasm. "You're such a romantic. Too bad that you give off such a stalker-like vibe that Jiang Nannan would stay away from you."
Xu Sanshi's eye twitched and angrily retorted, "Tang Ya, don't provoke me! Your Bei Bei swindled me yesterday after I got tricked by your devilish junior brother so I'm in a very, very bad mood right now."
Tang Ya snorted and ignored Xu Sanshi. She turned to Huo Yuhao and asked, "Little Yuhao, you should start now. Since someone gave you something good this morning, you should sell him one or two roasted fish today."
"Eh? What does that..." Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow in confusion but then realized it when Tang Ya mouthed out the words "Mystic Water Pill".
'So senior brother got it from Xu Sanshi. Haha. Nice job bro.' He inwardly did a thumbs up to Bei Bei but there was another question in his mind and he asked Tang Ya, "Teacher Xiao Ya, didn't the rules say that those higher year students would be punished when they injure a lower year student?"
Tang Ya whispered back, "Oh it's due to favoritism. Xu Sanshi here is one of the top outer courtyard students and is highly eligible to enter the inner courtyard whenever he likes. He's basically on the same level as Bei Bei so the teachers were lenient on him, plus you had already taught him a lesson as well."
"Plus, if he had severely injured you, no matter how talented he is he will be expelled."
Huo Yuhao frowned, "Is this school that biased? If they can't even follow their own rules, why make them in first place."
"This is reality, Huo Yuhao. The strong are respected, the weak follow. And those with great potential will be treated more than just some nobody. So, grow stronger and show more of your talent so you will be treated more greatly than Xu Sanshi."
Huo Yuhao clenched his hands and nodded, he then proceeded to start cooking.
"Ah! What the heck is this?! It's so delicious!"
"This is just roasted fish and noodles, right? Right?! So why is it so delicious!"
"I need moooore!!"
As Huo Yuhao continued to sell roasted fish by the entrance to Shrek Academy, a certain person in a secret room located on the central island of the Sea God Lake gradually woke up from their comatose state.
"Ugh…"
A woman dressed in all red moved a bit. She subconsciously covered her chest with her right hand and muttered, "I'm too hot, it's too unbearable... I feel terrible–huh?"
She gradually opened her eyes, her pupils were faintly pink in colour; the bloody colour within her eyes had receded. There was also a trace of doubt in her eyes. "That's strange, why isn't it hot anymore?"
The woman dressed in red was precisely the rampaging fiery Soul Master that had nearly killed both Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
She suddenly sat up, subconsciously looking down at herself. Her originally sweat-drenched clothes had already dried. She jumped off the bed she'd been laying on and took off the mask covering her face, revealing a somewhat pale, oval-shaped face. She looked to be about twenty or so, with her facial expression being slightly cold. However, it was still unable to conceal her beauty, which was peerless enough that it could move one's heart. As she stood there, she exposed her exciting figure which resembled a ripened peach; with a thin waist, ample chest, and curvy hips.
"You're awake." An aged voice rang out, before letting out a long sigh. "Xiaotao, you almost made a huge mistake this time! I don't know how but a strong and mystical fire control skill dominated the rampaging evil fire in your body. Can you remember anything you saw after you charged out from Sea God Lake?"
When she heard his question, Xiaotao blankly shook her head. "I don't remember anything except for a patch of red appearing in front of me. After that, I felt something life-threatening. I tried to resist, but after that, I woke up here...."
She furrowed her brows and paused, "No, wait. I think I remember seeing black? I–I can't really remember much..."
A white-clothed elder appeared beside her in a flash. He furrowed his brows and said, "Why didn't you tell me that you couldn't suppress the evil fire within your body? Aren't you aware that you almost caused a calamity? Two students from the outer courtyard almost died to your evil fire."
Xiaotao was dazed, her eyes wide. "I... I didn't know that it would be this serious. I thought that I could control it. But..."
The white-clothed elder let out a long sigh, "The longer you suppress it, the stronger it'll be when it erupts. Xiaotao, from now on, postpone your cultivation. Even if you're the most outstanding genius Shrek Academy has had in the past several hundred years, you can't destroy yourself for the sake of the school. If the evil fire destroys your consciousness in the future, your teacher will regret it for the rest of his life."
Xiaotao stubbornly replied, "No, teacher. I want to cultivate. I guarantee that it won't happen again in the future. I can even feel that the evilness and heat from the evil fire have been suppressed. There definitely won't be any problems in the near future. It's just… what kind of power was actually able to suppress my Evil Phoenix Fire?"
The white-clothed elder spoke with a thoughtful tone, "It's hard to say really. But the most probable theory is that someone with a more powerful fire type martial soul had suppressed yours and even absorbed some of Evil Fire out of your body."
Xiaotao asked with a doubtful tone, "However, it's simply impossible for it to be someone with a stronger fire type martial soul! Besides someone possessing the ultimate attribute, my fire is strongest in this world. Much less in our academy! Could it be someone who's infiltrated the academy?"
The white-clothed elder shook his head and said, "I've already sent some people to investigate. I originally thought that it might have been some people from their families who'd been sent to protect them, but after I investigated them, I discovered that that was impossible. They're called Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao is a special student from the Tang Sect, so I asked Bei Bei about him. He and Tang Ya met him in the Great Star Dou Forest, then brought him back with them. His talent is ordinary; he's even an orphan. There's no way that an expert would follow him around and protect him."
"Wait, isn't he suspicious? I mean, an orphan and having met in the Great Star Dou Forest?"
"You'd be right... except someone from the Sea God Pavilion had guaranteed his identity."
"On the other hand, Wang Dong has quite a large background. However, his background isn't specialised in fire-type martial souls. As for the academy itself, I've asked around several times. There are many students and teachers with fire-type martial souls, but a peak-level fire-type martial soul like this has never been spotted amongst any of them before. It's truly strange."
Xiaotao let out a sigh and replied, "Teacher, forget about it. You don't need to continue investigating it."
The elder's face hardened and he stubbornly said, "No. This matter concerns your future, how could I not be worried? If I can at least find the person who possesses this fire-type martial soul, and if he turns out to be male, I'll let you be a couple with him. That way, you'll be able to neutralise the negative effects brought about by the Evil Phoenix Fire within your body. That's the only way that you can truly soar into the heavens in the future. However right now, you're completely restricted. Not only has your cultivation speed decreased, even your life's at risk."
Xiaotao's charming face went red. "But I don't want to get married, much less to a person I don't like for the sake of his martial soul!"
The white-clothed elder sighed. "The problem is, your evil fire can't be restrained!"
Xiaotao humphed and crossed her arms with a rebellious expression, "I'll restrain it. I don't want to marry anyone!"
"Ma Xiaotao, if you continue to be this unruly, I won't recognise you as a disciple anymore."
"But, teacher I...."
The white-clothed elder rubbed her head. "Foolish girl. Your emotions can be cultivated, but you only have one life to live, let alone how much talent you have. No matter what, teacher will make sure that you find a good partner."
...
After the twists and turns that had occurred to him, Huo Yuhao's school life started to calm down. And before he realized it, three months had passed by. And oh boy did he undergo some changes.
White and gold soul power covered Huo Yuhao's body like a thin second layer of skin, his long shoulder-length black hair with white tips fluttered against the windy breeze. He sat on a surface of water in a cross-legged position, dressed casually in a simple black tank-top and white shorts, revealing his ripped and lean physique, his handsome visage looked completely serene and peaceful as he cultivated on some part on Sea God Lake.
Huo Yuhao opened his eyes, revealing his deep blue eyes with a sheen of purple light briefly appearing in his eyes.
"It's decided. After the assessment, I'll ask teacher Zhou and teacher Fan Yu for a leave of absence. It's time for me to fully awaken my second martial soul and capture brother Skydream's love interest."
...
❄️Shout out to the great and one Cultivator of my patreon, may you reach the peak of the heavens!
•Vora