Yesterday, after selling the grilled fish and before heading off with Tang Ya to watch the match between Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi, Huo Yuhao had remembered to retrieve the gold soul coin stuck to the grill. Now, as he and Wang Dong arrived at the dining hall, he finally felt the quiet confidence of having money in his pocket.
Today, he made an exception and indulged in a hearty, energy-replenishing meal. They had been the very first to arrive at the dining hall, and even by the time they finished eating, only a few other students had trickled in.
"There’s still some time before class starts. Let’s head back to the dorm," Huo Yuhao said, patting his stomach and stretching lazily. He looked incredibly content.
Since entering Shrek Academy, his outlook on life had gradually brightened. With friends by his side, and with Xiao Ya and Bei Bei constantly looking out for him, this life was infinitely better than the cold indifference he had endured back at the Duke’s Mansion.
Wang Dong scoffed, "Stop being so obsessed with training! Do you really want to cultivate right now? You know, an overstretched bowstring snaps easily. Sometimes you need to unwind. Let’s go for a walk by Sea God Lake instead. You just took a Profound Water Pill, so there’s no need to rush back into cultivation immediately."
"Alright," Huo Yuhao agreed. Since enrolling, he hadn’t visited Sea God Lake even once. With time to spare before class, a short stroll seemed like a wonderful idea.
The two left the dining hall, skirted around the back of the Freshmen Teaching Building, and walked along the southeastern edge of the plaza. Before long, they reached the Lakeside Path.
Peering through the lush canopy of trees, the shimmering ripples of the lake came into view.
A cool breeze carrying a gentle mist drifted over them. Though it was an artificial lake, its waters were a deep, vibrant blue. The serene, crystal-clear surface reflected the surrounding foliage like the bright, sparkling eyes of a young girl.
"It’s beautiful!" Wang Dong took a deep breath, throwing his arms wide in a stretch.
As he arched his back, his body leaned forward, his rear tilting upward. Huo Yuhao hadn’t meant to look, but his eyes inadvertently swept over the sight, instantly reminding him of that sudden flash of white skin from the other day...
Embarrassed, he quickly averted his gaze toward Sea God Lake. The lake was immense, easily dwarfing the entire plaza. In the distance, a thick shroud of mist clung to the water's surface.
Since his Purple Demon Eyes had evolved, his vision had improved dramatically. Even without channeling his soul power, he could see remarkably far. Across the lake, he could faintly make out a cluster of buildings nestled in the distance. Recalling what Xiao Ya and Bei Bei had told him, that had to be the Inner Court.
Even someone as exceptionally talented as Senior Brother Bei Bei still had to study in the Outer Court. Just what kind of monsters resided in the Inner Court?
"Huh?" As he mused, a tiny red speck caught his eye in the distance.
"What’s wrong?" Wang Dong asked.
Huo Yuhao pointed. "There seems to be a red dot over there."
Wang Dong squinted in the direction of Huo Yuhao’s finger, but saw nothing but a dense wall of fog and vapor. "What is it? I don’t see anything."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than his eyes went wide. The red dot was rapidly expanding, resolving into the figure of a person hurtling toward them at an unbelievable speed.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong exchanged a startled look. "An Inner Court senior?"
The newcomer’s speed was terrifying. In the blink of an eye, they had already neared the shore. With every leap, they lightly skimmed the surface of the lake, sending up tiny ripples as they used the water to propel themselves forward like a fleeting red cloud.
By now, Huo Yuhao could see quite clearly. This person not only wore red clothes, but their hair was also blood-red. Their figure was slender, yet they exuded a terrifying aura, as cold as a soul beast. A blood-red mask covered their face, and their eyes glowed like red flames...
The air around him seemed to twist. Where his feet passed, even steam rose from the water.
"This Senior is so strong! Look, he can walk on water without even using his Martial Soul."
Wang Dong excitedly analyzed.
Although Huo Yuhao's cultivation was inferior to Wang Dong's, his senses were incredibly keen:
"Wang Dong, I feel something strange."
The other person was incredibly fast. Even as the two exchanged a few words, he had already closed the distance to within a few hundred meters of the lake shore, and a terrifying blast of heat assailed them. Panic flared across Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong's faces; they sensed an unusually frenzied aura emanating from this person.
With a whoosh, two blue wings unfurled from Wang Dong's back. He grabbed Huo Yuhao and soared into the air, but before the maneuver was complete, the red figure was upon them.
The air grew scorching hot. Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao felt like they were engulfed in a sea of flames. Wang Dong's wings curved, then folded and vanished, and the two plummeted back to the ground. In an instant, all the surrounding vegetation withered and turned yellow.
The disparity in cultivation was too vast. Just as Wang Dong intended to unleash a Soul Skill, the searing heat surged into him. He screamed in agony before instantly losing consciousness.
Although Huo Yuhao's cultivation was inferior to Wang Dong's, he possessed an unformed ice Martial Soul.
Provoked by the surrounding scorching air, his ice Martial Soul instantly activated. However, the peak twelve-level Soul Power he had just unleashed was instantly incinerated by the surrounding heat. By this time, the other person had already struck.
The air around the assailant was already so terrifying; if Huo Yuhao were to be struck, he would either die or be gravely wounded.
Huo Yuhao made a desperate final effort, unleashing a soul impact. But the disparity between the two was too immense; the soul impact, upon encountering that scorching aura, instantly dissipated. The palm strike was now clearly visible before his eyes.
At this precise moment, Huo Yuhao's eyes suddenly went blank, and the surrounding scenery blurred.