Chapter 124: Heartbroken Gale Dog
Ning Fengzhi didn't have Gu Rong step in to defend Huo Wu purely out of sympathy. He wanted to deepen the rift between Nine Stars Palace and Spirit Hall, and also to mend fences with Xiao Yu, especially after the tension caused by the incident involving Tang San and Xiao Wu.
Xiao Yu saw through Ning Fengzhi's intentions, but at this moment, he was more concerned about seeking justice for Huo Wu. Even without Ning Fengzhi's intervention, his own allies, Milo and Aiolia, were ready to act at a moment's notice.
For Xiao Yu, Ning Fengzhi's help held little meaning, and there was no need to owe him a favor.
Both Salas and Huyan Zhen were part of Bibi Dong's sphere of influence. From the start, Xiao Yu's stance toward the Spirit Hall was clear: discard the rotten parts, keep the essence, and preserve the core teachings of the Angel God. He had no interest in aligning with the increasingly corrupt Pope's faction, whose reputation now rivaled that of the nobility in Heaven Dou Empire.
Under Gu Rong's intimidating presence, Huyan Zhen reluctantly apologized to Huo Wu before leaving the competition grounds, his head hanging low in frustration, along with the defeated members of Elephant Armor Academy.
Xiao Yu, still holding Huo Wu, stepped off the stage and brought her to Nine Stars Palace's rest area. Ye Lingling immediately summoned her martial soul, the soft white glow of her Sacred Heart Begonia gently flowing into Huo Wu's body.
Thanks to the Sacred Heart Begonia's healing powers—surpassing even the Nine Hearts Begonia—Huo Wu's pale complexion gradually improved.
"How's Huo Wu?"
Suddenly, an anxious voice came from outside Nine Stars Palace's rest area. Xiao Yu turned his head and saw none other than Feng Xiaotian, the captain of Godwind Academy.
The Sacred Heart Begonia was indeed remarkable. In just a few moments, Huo Wu had recovered significantly, her cheeks regaining their rosy color. Seeing Feng Xiaotian approach, she frowned. "Feng Xiaotian, why are you here?"
Feng Xiaotian, in full "devoted dog" mode, completely ignored the impatience in Huo Wu's tone. "Huo Wu, I was worried about you. That shameless Huyan Zhen attacked you just now. Do you want me to bring in some skilled healing soul masters to check on you?"
"No need!"
Suddenly, Huo Wu turned and grabbed Xiao Yu's arm. "Feng Xiaotian, I know you've been good to me, but I already have someone I like. Please stop bothering me. I'm afraid Xiao Yu will misunderstand."
Crack—
Feng Xiaotian stood there as if struck by lightning, frozen in place. It felt as if something inside him had shattered.
After a brief pause, Feng Xiaotian snapped back to reality, his gaze shifting to Ye Lingling, who was still healing Huo Wu. "Aren't those two a couple?"
Huo Wu casually replied, "Lingling is the main wife, and I'll be the secondary."
Crack, crack—
If Feng Xiaotian's heart had only fractured earlier, it was now utterly shattered.
The girl he'd admired for so long would rather be someone's second wife than be with him. Was he really that worthless?
"I challenge you!"
Unwilling to accept this, Feng Xiaotian turned his frustration into a challenge aimed at Xiao Yu. "If I win, you'll have to leave Huo Wu!"
Huo Wu's expression turned furious, and the look in her eyes as she gazed at Feng Xiaotian became filled with disgust. "Feng Xiaotian, who do you think you are to make decisions for me? Leave now!"
Noticing the disgust in Huo Wu's gaze, under normal circumstances, Feng Xiaotian would have already fled in shame. But this time, he ignored her rebuke, keeping his eyes locked on Xiao Yu, burning with determination.
Xiao Yu, however, simply shook his head. "I won't accept."
Feng Xiaotian sneered. "Are you scared?"
"It's not about fear."
Xiao Yu's expression was calm. "Huo Wu is a free person, with her own thoughts and her own choices. Her feelings shouldn't be reduced to a bet between us. Feng Xiaotian, the moment you made that proposal, you had already lost."
"I—"
Feng Xiaotian was momentarily speechless, unsure of how to respond.
"But I'll give you a chance to challenge me," Xiao Yu continued. "When we face Godwind Academy, I'll be the first one to step onto the stage."
"I'm not doing this for any other reason. I just want to show you that I am more qualified and stronger when it comes to protecting Huo Wu."
Upon hearing this, Huo Wu's heart softened, and she leaned into Xiao Yu's embrace, wishing she could melt into him entirely.
Feng Xiaotian forced himself not to look at Huo Wu nestled against Xiao Yu's chest. He nodded heavily, saying, "Alright, let's see how much skill you really have to win Huo Wu's heart."
Although Feng Xiaotian had accepted the challenge, the match between Nine Stars Palace and Godwind Academy was still far off. Godwind Academy had ranked first in the Heaven Dou pre-selection zone, with a perfect record of twenty-six wins and no losses. Without Huo Wu, Feng Xiaotian didn't hold back against Blazing Fire Academy like he did in the original story, and Godwind Academy won handily. As for Shrek Academy, they forfeited two matches against Canghui Academy, just like in the original story, avoiding a confrontation with Godwind Academy.
Nine Stars Palace, on the other hand, had emerged as the top team from the Silvia Kingdom, which only had two teams. According to the tournament's unofficial rules, the top teams from each zone wouldn't face each other in the first few days. Matches were arranged based on win rates, so Xiao Yu predicted that their battle with Godwind Academy would take place in the final round or the second-to-last round.
In the following days, Nine Stars Palace didn't face any particularly strong opponents, progressing smoothly through the tournament and securing six consecutive wins.
Huo Wu, seemingly addicted to the thrill of taking down entire teams single-handedly, insisted on being the first to fight in every match.
Xiao Yu, recalling details from the original story and analyzing the data on their opponents, knew there were no particularly tough teams, so he indulged Huo Wu. Aside from one match where she faced a Water-attribute Soul Master whose abilities countered hers, forcing her to retire after exhausting her soul power, she managed to secure three full-team victories. The title "Flame Goddess" echoed through the academies, making her wildly popular among male students.
"Our next opponent is Shrek Academy!"
Upon receiving the new match schedule, Xuanwu and Xiao Yu immediately gathered the entire team to discuss strategies.
"Great!"
Huo Wu couldn't contain her excitement, pumping her fist. "We need to settle the score with that little thief Tang San for sneaking into the Heaven Dou City branch. Xiao Yu, I want to be the first to fight tomorrow! Watch how I deal with Tang San!"
(End of chapter)
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