An Anticlimactic Match

It turned out that Huo Yuhao and Dong Xinyi had already prepared their Martial Soul Fusion Technique, ready to launch at any moment. Compared to before, the two were far more synchronized this time. Plus, they were only using half the power of their last fusion, so they were still relatively relaxed. Huo Yuhao held a purplish-black Rasengan in his hand, looking calm as ever, while Dong Xinyi observed their handiwork with interest, as if nothing serious was going on.

"Since you're ready, let's see what you've got. I'm curious to see how you're different from others."Wang Qiu'er walked toward them unhurriedly, her expression betraying no panic at all.

"You were waiting for us? Looks like you're confident. In that case—take this!"

The Rasengan flew from Huo Yuhao's hand under his control. It didn't seem fast, but the violent aura it exuded warned everyone not to underestimate it.

At the same time, the third purple soul ring around Wang Qiu'er lit up. A half-foot-long golden dragon head formed in front of her—her third Soul Skill, which she had never used before. Given her strength, her soul rings were the ideal yellow-yellow-purple combination.

As the Rasengan came charging in with terrifying momentum, the dragon head flickered and shot forward as a golden streak of light.

The spectators in the crowd went wild, shrieking and red-faced from excitement. They looked like they'd just chugged energy tonics—anyone watching might think they were the protagonists.

The purplish-black lightning exploded, nearly shattering the golden dragon head.

The dragon head burst into glowing fragments, which were instantly drowned by the follow-up lightning storm. The thunderous roar echoed endlessly.

Even as the purple lightning bore down like storm clouds, Wang Qiu'er's expression remained unchanged. She raised her spear and charged forward—she wasn't backing down.

When Huo Yuhao and Dong Xinyi's Martial Soul Fusion Technique launched, everyone—spectators and supervising teachers alike—believed Wang Qiu'er was done for. Yet they still clung to a hope for a miracle, for an unbelievable comeback.

Eventually, the lightning dissipated, revealing Wang Qiu'er still standing. Golden light shimmered on her skin, flowing smoothly over her body. Apart from some minor clothing damage, she looked completely unharmed.

"Whoa!"

"Damn, this kid's got potential. Hey, if you ever brawl—uh, compete—with babes again, count me in! From now on, you're under the protection of Li Dahai! Just drop my name!"

"Heh, this little guy looks all innocent, but he plays dirty. I like it!"

The ruckus snapped Huo Yuhao out of his thoughts. At first, he didn't understand why everyone was so hyped, but once he looked back at Wang Qiu'er, he got it.

Wang Qiu'er still held her spear pointed forward, looking as valiant as ever. But below that—her left sleeve and skirt hem had several small tears, revealing fair, delicate skin underneath. Most outrageous of all was her right shoulder: the sleeve was practically shredded, and a piece of fabric around her shoulder was completely gone, exposing a faint blue bandeau underneath.

No wonder those guys looked like pigs in heat. Wang Qiu'er was already stunning and strong-willed—a combination that made men want to conquer her. And now, in this state? No one getting a nosebleed was a miracle of willpower.

Huo Yuhao was stunned too. Some people like well-dressed, dolled-up girls; others dream of peeling back the layers for deeper "connections." But Huo Yuhao? He liked this half-covered, half-revealed look—it was deadly seductive.

While he was off in fantasyland, a sudden chill hit him. Looking up, he saw Wang Qiu'er in a black cloak, staring daggers at him.

Huo Yuhao twitched. "Hey, not my fault! You're the one who charged in!"

Of course, he only thought that—he wasn't dumb enough to say it out loud and provoke this "Mother Explosive Dragon." Yeah, that's right—a pure-blooded she-dragon.

The two stood staring at each other for a long moment. Then, Wang Qiu'er surprisingly turned and walked off the stage.

Huo Yuhao blinked. "You're just giving up?"

Wang Qiu'er paused. "What, you want me to stick around so the three of you can gang up on me?"

Huo Yuhao scratched his nose awkwardly, speechless. He wasn't going to pretend to be a noble fool and demand a one-on-one fight. If you've got allies and don't use them, you're just an idiot.

Come to think of it, as the Soul Beast Empress, Wang Qiu'er wouldn't be short on soul bones. Whether she wanted one or not was up to her. So the prize meant nothing to her.

"Let's spar again sometime. Hopefully, you won't slack off next time. Otherwise, I swear I'll beat you so bad even your parents won't recognize you."

Wang Qiu'er left, leaving behind a stunned Xiao Xiao and Dong Xinyi. Huo Yuhao was especially flustered. What did I even do to tick her off? Is she still salty about earlier? That's petty, even for her…

The freshmen assessment was over. The awards ceremony would be held the next day. That evening, Huo Yuhao invited Xiao Xiao and Dong Xinyi out to celebrate—and more importantly, to discuss how to divide the rewards.

At "Jun Zailai Restaurant", the atmosphere was no longer as bleak as before, but not as bustling as when Huo Yuhao first invested. He booked a private room this time, and the staff were impressively efficient. Within five minutes of sitting down, food was served—almost like they'd been expecting them.

After dismissing the overly enthusiastic waiter, Huo Yuhao looked at the two girls and cut straight to the chase.

"I'm sure you've guessed it already, but don't worry—I'm not taking a single coin of the academy's reward."

The two girls looked uncertain but remained silent. They knew he wasn't done. Giving up a soul bone wasn't something one could do lightly. They also weren't sure if he was being honest.

Huo Yuhao noticed their expressions and smiled faintly.

"There's no need for me to explain how valuable soul bones are. But I didn't earn this reward—I didn't contribute enough to deserve it. The academy doesn't give out something so precious without reason. I don't want to one day find myself in a bind because of what I owe today."

He glanced at the thoughtful girls again."You two decide how to split it." Then he dug into his food. I've said my piece. I don't want anything. You figure it out. I'm out of it.

Silence stretched for a while until Dong Xinyi finally made her stance clear. She pulled out her little notebook and wrote quickly:

"Yuhao, you're right. Favors are hard to repay. I don't want it either."

After writing that, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders, like she'd been freed of a heavy burden.

Huo Yuhao smiled and nodded, not rushing anything. He kept eating, waiting for Xiao Xiao to speak. If she gave it up too, he'd inform the academy's higher-ups before the awards ceremony that their team was relinquishing the prize. He wouldn't do it during the ceremony though—that'd be too awkward and might get him in trouble later.

(End of Chapter)