Chapter Twenty-Three: The Fusion of Dominance

Why did Mu Yang suddenly start thinking about all these delicious foods? It was because the second-year assessment involved battling soul beasts in the arena. The students might get hurt during the fights, but the referees would always step in to save them. Soul beasts, on the other hand, were a different matter. Since the assessment was tied to each student’s grades, if the referees rushed to rescue the soul beasts, it would affect their judgment of the students’ performance.

As a result, some soul beasts might die from the students’ attacks. If they survived, however, the students would definitely refuse to let Mu Yang cook them—insisting on trying to save them instead. What? Why not just eat at the cafeteria? Well, that required soul coins—something in short supply, and every coin spent was one less on hand. Qian Duoduo would certainly recognize him, but anything in the arena was free.

Since it was free, why not take it? Mu Yang was confident in his cooking skills. He couldn’t manage anything too complicated, but simple dishes were well within his grasp.

With these thoughts in mind, Mu Yang made his way to the arena.

“Hey! Isn’t that Huo Yuhao? Is he in the second-year assessment?” Mu Yang was surprised to spot Huo Yuhao on the field.

Standing before Huo Yuhao was a Wind Spirit Wolf. It measured about two meters in length and stood a meter tall. Its azure fur rippled in the air, and its amber eyes glimmered with wild agitation.

At that moment, Huo Yuhao suddenly changed. Under the watchful eyes of all present, two red halos rose instantly from beneath his feet, each ring inscribed with four faint golden lines. As they appeared, Huo Yuhao’s eyes turned a deep, blood-red.

A terrifying aura, as if from a distant, primeval age, burst forth. It seemed as though a veil of crimson light erupted from his body, spreading outward. In that instant, Huo Yuhao’s slight frame radiated the intimidating presence of an ancient demon god.

The Wind Spirit Wolf let out a desperate howl. Its frenzied charge ended abruptly, and it tumbled to the ground, collapsing into a quivering heap, so terrified that it lost all control of its bowels.

After feeling that overwhelming pressure, Mu Yang’s body instinctively reacted, clashing against the aura. But his own incomplete force was no match for the Ice Empress’s oppressive might—it was nearly snuffed out in a heartbeat.

Yet, because his aura wasn’t extinguished at once, a trace of the Ice Empress’s force fused into Mu Yang’s own. His aura had originally formed when Tian Meng tried to suppress him, and now, with Huo Yuhao releasing the Ice Empress’s pressure, Mu Yang’s incomplete force was able to evolve.

Just then, Xue Di hurried over, asking Mu Yang, “I just sensed the Ice Empress’s pressure. Xiao Mu, do you know where she is?” She muttered, “Why is the Ice Empress’s aura here? Could she have been absorbed?”

“I don’t know if it’s the Ice Empress’s aura, but I do know the pressure came from that student,” Mu Yang replied, pointing at Huo Yuhao.

Following his gesture, Xue Di looked toward Huo Yuhao, intent on rushing over. Mu Yang quickly grabbed her arm, stopping her. “This is Shrek Academy, not the Extreme North. Last time I came here, I already caused enough trouble—though I made proper amends. If you cause a scene too, we might not be able to stay. I don’t know how you feel about the Ice Empress, but I hope you can control your emotions right now. Wait until the student’s assessment is over—then you can ask him, all right?”

Xue Di heeded Mu Yang’s advice and waited until Huo Yuhao left the field.

As soon as Huo Yuhao stepped down, Xue Di rushed toward him. Du Weilen, just about to intervene, spotted Mu Yang. He remembered the day Mu Yang had threatened Huo Yuhao with the fate of the entire city unless he handed over the Tang Blade—Du Weilen had been present then.

Mu Yang noticed Du Weilen, gave him a friendly smile, and walked over, saying, “Uncle, don’t interfere. My sister just wants to confirm something—she won’t harm the student at all. Trust me. As for that hundred-thousand-year aura, I’ll explain it to you.”

The referee was left speechless. He had presided over countless student advancement assessments, but he had never witnessed a spectacle like this.

Xue Di patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder, and a wave of cold energy surged into his body—a unique means of communication between her and the Ice Empress. If Huo Yuhao could dissolve the chill, it would transform into a pure surge of soul power, accelerating his cultivation. If he failed and did not reach the Soul Emperor level within half a year, that chill would erupt and kill him.

As expected, with the Ice Empress’s guidance, Huo Yuhao smoothly resolved the cold energy and understood the message Xue Di had left within it.

This aura made the Ice Empress happy for quite some time, enough to make Tian Meng jealous.

Meanwhile, Mu Yang explained everything clearly: that he’d met Huo Yuhao while surviving in the Extreme North, when supplies were scarce. Huo Yuhao had generously shared his own provisions. Later, while traveling together, they encountered an Ice Silkworm. Mu Yang lent Huo Yuhao the Tang Blade and waited in an ice cave for Huo Yuhao to return it. But after Huo Yuhao killed the Ice Silkworm, he simply left and never returned to the cave.

Though Mu Yang tweaked the story a bit to make Huo Yuhao seem less trustworthy, the fact remained—Huo Yuhao had taken the Tang Blade, and Mu Yang concealed the existence of the Ice Empress perfectly.

Although Du Weilen and Mu Yang were focused on different aspects of the story, Huo Yuhao’s ability to simulate that soul skill was an absolute masterclass in control...

This is tomorrow’s chapter...