Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong stepped out of their dormitory, Wang Dong stopped in the open area outside, turned around, and crooked a finger at Huo Yuhao in challenge.
Although anger burned fiercely within him, Huo Yuhao did not recklessly charge forward.
After surviving the life-and-death trials of the Star Dou Forest, he had learned at least one important lesson—
To stay calm.
At the dormitory entrance, the old man reclining in his lounge chair slowly raised his head. A glimmer of curiosity flashed across his dim, yellowed eyes as he watched the two boys with obvious interest.
A faint golden light appeared in Huo Yuhao's eyes.
A white soul ring rose silently from beneath his feet.
His Spirit Eyes martial soul was activated.
Seeing the ten-year soul ring beneath Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong chuckled.
"I'm really curious how someone like you even managed to enroll here. With strength like that, you still dare challenge me? Against you, I don't even need to use my martial soul."
As he spoke, Wang Dong lightly pushed off the ground with the tip of his left foot.
His body shot forward like an arrow.
Not only was he incredibly fast, but every movement was graceful and agile.
In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of Huo Yuhao.
His right leg swept upward before stomping directly toward Huo Yuhao's chest.
Only when Wang Dong lifted his leg did Huo Yuhao notice that he possessed unusually long legs, far beyond normal proportions.
The kick was already upon him.
At that instant, Huo Yuhao moved.
He swiftly stepped to the right while simultaneously slapping toward Wang Dong's ankle with his left hand.
"Hm?"
Wang Dong clearly hadn't expected Huo Yuhao to evade such a swift attack.
His extended right leg instantly retracted, avoiding Huo Yuhao's hand.
The next moment, it snapped out again like lightning.
This time, it was aimed directly at Huo Yuhao's neck.
It was as though Huo Yuhao had foreseen the attack.
The instant Wang Dong's leg shot forward, Huo Yuhao had already crouched down.
In the next heartbeat, he sprang upward.
His right shoulder slammed squarely into Wang Dong's lower thigh.
Everything happened incredibly fast.
To an outside observer, it almost looked as if Wang Dong had deliberately offered up his leg for Huo Yuhao to ram into.
It had to be said that Wang Dong's physical abilities were exceptional.
For an ordinary person, having their thigh knocked upward like that would instantly destroy their balance.
Yet Wang Dong simply raised his right leg high over his head, effortlessly performing a perfect standing split.
His left foot remained firmly planted on the ground.
As Huo Yuhao's shoulder struck Wang Dong's thigh, he felt an unexpected softness and elasticity.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, he immediately lunged forward.
His body crashed toward Wang Dong, intending to use the fact that he was balancing on one leg to knock him down.
Faced with Huo Yuhao's charge, Wang Dong made an astonishing move.
His raised right leg continued bending backward together with his upper body.
At the same time, his left foot sprang into the air and kicked toward Huo Yuhao.
The angle his legs opened had completely exceeded what an ordinary person should have been capable of.
Although Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eyes allowed him to perfectly predict Wang Dong's earlier attacks through Spiritual Detection...
This time, even though he sensed the incoming move, he had already committed himself to the charge.
It was too late to retreat.
Being able to predict an opponent's actions naturally granted a tremendous advantage.
As Wang Dong's left foot shot toward his chin, Huo Yuhao thrust both palms downward simultaneously, meeting the kick head-on.
Bang!
Wang Dong's strength was astonishing.
The kick carried an indescribably powerful shockwave.
Huo Yuhao's palms immediately went numb.
Instinctively, he activated the power of the Mysterious Jade Hands.
Even so, he was still knocked backward several staggering steps.
Meanwhile, Wang Dong flipped backward.
His right foot touched the ground only lightly before his body rotated gracefully back upright.
His right leg then lashed downward like a steel whip, accompanied by a piercing whistle as it struck toward Huo Yuhao's shoulder.
Clearly, Huo Yuhao's earlier shoulder strike to his thigh had angered him.
Even while retreating, Huo Yuhao reacted the instant Wang Dong's right foot touched the ground.
His footwork suddenly became nimble.
His body swayed lightly before darting sideways to the left.
Boom!
Wang Dong's powerful kick slammed into the stone pavement, leaving behind a shallow footprint.
The force behind the strike was terrifying.
Without stopping, Wang Dong spun forward like a windmill.
His legs became twin steel whips, unleashing a relentless storm of kicks upon Huo Yuhao.
After their initial exchange, Huo Yuhao's mind became completely calm.
His Spiritual Detection spread to its limits.
Coldly and precisely, he predicted every attack Wang Dong launched.
Using his still-incomplete Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he weaved through the barrage like a tiny boat struggling amidst violent waves—
Constantly tossed about...
Yet never capsizing.
The longer Wang Dong fought, the more shocked he became.
He could clearly tell that Huo Yuhao was vastly inferior in every aspect.
Speed.
Strength.
Physical ability.
All were far beneath his own.
Yet somehow...
None of his attacks could land cleanly.
Although Huo Yuhao wasn't fast, he always seemed able to predict exactly what he was about to do, allowing him to evade at the perfect moment.
Wang Dong had even begun mixing in feints.
But they still couldn't deceive his opponent.
Proud by nature and unbelievably stubborn, Wang Dong had already declared that he wouldn't use his martial soul.
He had no intention of breaking his word.
Instead, he simply intensified his assault.
He refused to believe Huo Yuhao could keep this up forever.
And indeed...
Huo Yuhao was reaching his limit.
Wang Dong's kicks were overwhelmingly powerful and incredibly fast.
Only by maintaining absolute concentration and relying on Spiritual Detection could Huo Yuhao barely hold his ground.
But as time passed, the gap in their physical abilities became increasingly apparent.
Huo Yuhao had endured hardship since childhood.
Years of malnutrition had left his body weak.
The nourishment provided by the Mysterious Heaven Technique had only recently begun improving his physique.
Compared to someone like Wang Dong, who had an excellent foundation, the difference was enormous.
Although Huo Yuhao was using his martial soul while Wang Dong wasn't...
Soul power constantly nourished one's body from within.
As the fight dragged on, Huo Yuhao inevitably began making tiny mistakes.
Even being grazed several times by Wang Dong's legs left his body burning with pain.
His still-unmastered Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track became increasingly disordered.
He was gradually being pushed entirely onto the defensive.
This won't work...
If this continues, I'll definitely lose.
Huo Yuhao retreated faster and faster.
He was on the verge of being unable to evade Wang Dong's attacks any longer.
Suddenly—
He sharply raised his head.
The movement was so abrupt that Wang Dong instinctively looked directly into his face.
At that moment, he clearly saw it—
Within Huo Yuhao's pale golden eyes...
A streak of violet flashed past.
Instantly.
A stabbing pain pierced Wang Dong's mind.
His head felt as though countless needles had driven into it.
His consciousness went completely blank.
How could Huo Yuhao possibly let such an opportunity slip away?
With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged forward.
Leaping into the air, he wrapped both arms tightly around Wang Dong's arms while locking both legs firmly around his waist.
Using the momentum of his charge, he slammed Wang Dong heavily onto the ground.
Throughout the fight, Wang Dong had relied almost entirely on his legs.
In desperation, Huo Yuhao had instinctively chosen this method.
With his own legs wrapped around Wang Dong's waist, Wang Dong could no longer generate force with his kicks.
As long as he restrained him, victory would be his.
The stabbing pain in his head caused Wang Dong to frown tightly.
Fortunately, it lasted only about two seconds before he regained consciousness.
By then, however...
He had already been pinned firmly beneath Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao's legs tightly locked around his waist.
His arms were completely restrained.
Their faces were less than an inch apart.
They could clearly feel each other's breathing.
Panting heavily, Huo Yuhao growled,
"Do you admit defeat?"
"Defeat my ass! Let me go!"
Wang Dong roared furiously, struggling with all his strength.
But Huo Yuhao had thrown every ounce of strength he possessed into restraining him.
He had even circulated his soul power.
Without using his martial soul, breaking free wasn't easy.
"You lost and won't admit it?"
"If I'd been holding a knife just now..."
"You'd already be dead."
Huo Yuhao glared at him without yielding an inch.
Locked so closely together, he couldn't help noticing something surprising.
Wang Dong's body was not only incredibly flexible and elastic...
It was also unexpectedly soft and warm.
Even more strangely...
Despite being a boy, Wang Dong carried a faint, refreshing fragrance that was remarkably pleasant.
Hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Wang Dong froze.
His struggling gradually weakened.
It was true.
Although the dizziness had lasted only a brief moment...
Given how close they had been, Huo Yuhao would have had more than enough time to kill him if he'd truly wanted to.
"...I lost."
"Now get off me."
Though Wang Dong's voice was filled with anger, his eyes still burned with unwillingness and resentment.
Yet Huo Yuhao didn't release him immediately.
Instead, he said coldly,
"The five conditions you mentioned earlier... it's not that I can't do them."
"But I would never do them because you threatened me."
"I would do them out of respect for my roommate."
"I know you're stronger than I am."
"If you had used your martial soul, I definitely wouldn't have been your opponent."
"But remember this."
"If you ever insult me again..."
"Even if you beat me to death..."
"I'll still tear a piece of flesh off your body before I die."
As Huo Yuhao's expression became increasingly savage—his eyes resembling those of a bloodthirsty soul beast—Wang Dong's hatred slowly disappeared.
In its place...
A trace of fear emerged.
His opponent was clearly much weaker than he was.
Yet in terms of sheer will...
He had been completely overwhelmed.
Huo Yuhao slowly released him and stood up.
Keeping his eyes on Wang Dong, he cautiously backed away several steps before finally turning and walking toward the dormitory.