Chapter 15: Life-or-Death Race at Seagod Lake.
Ji Wuchang was well aware of how terrifying the power behind Wang Dong was.
Right now, if he did something to anger that person, then his fate would be sealed.
Trying to calm the turmoil in his heart, Ji Wuchang tidied his clothes and left the dormitory. He asked Mu En at the door for directions to the cafeteria and went straight there.
Everything is difficult at the beginning; once you get through the first time, the second time will be smooth sailing.
Arriving at the cafeteria, Ji Wuchang immediately spotted the two people eating.
They had arrived early; there weren't many students in the cafeteria, so it was normal that Ji Wuchang found them so easily.
"Ji Wuchang, over here!" Huo Yuhao waved to Ji Wuchang, but Wang Dong didn't even look up, burying his head in his hearty breakfast.
Shrek Academy's cafeteria didn't have tables and chairs. Heaven knows which crazy person was so stingy with the funds, not even providing tables and chairs, and not allowing them to be taken out of the cafeteria.
Ji Wuchang grabbed a bunch of steamed buns, a few eggs, and two bowls of porridge from the food counter. He also bought some side dishes and headed towards Huo Yuhao and the others.
"Wow, you eat so much?"
Huo Yuhao stared in disbelief at the mountain of steamed buns piled in Ji Wuchang's lunchbox, swallowing hard.
"Yeah, because the training intensity is a bit high, I ate a lot." Ji Wuchang put a few steamed buns in Huo Yuhao's bowl, shared some side dishes, and then began to wolf down his food.
As for Wang Dong standing to the side? Sorry, his family isn't short of money. He eats the best food from the most expensive counter.
Seeing Ji Wuchang sharing his food with Huo Yuhao without any embarrassment, Wang Dong gripped his chopsticks tightly.
He wasn't the kind of person who didn't know how to share. Although he was spoiled by his family, it didn't mean he looked down on poor people like Huo Yuhao.
When he first saw that Huo Yuhao had only taken so little food, he asked him about it. Huo Yuhao, perhaps out of politeness or not wanting Wang Dong to worry, said that this was enough for him.
But as the saying goes, "Eat a hearty breakfast, a good lunch, and a light dinner." (This is just a saying in some places; disagreeing doesn't matter.)
As a Soul Master, one naturally consumes a lot of energy. Plus, he was only twelve or thirteen years old, a crucial period of growth. A few eggs and a bowl of porridge were truly not enough. At most, it would just fill his stomach.
Wang Dong wasn't stupid. He noticed Huo Yuhao's predicament but didn't point it out. However, he himself began to struggle with his own dilemma.
Should he share some food with Huo Yuhao? If he did, Huo Yuhao might misunderstand. If he didn't, Huo Yuhao might go hungry.
To put it simply, he was too proud to share.
Ji Wuchang, on the other hand, was different. He had experienced hunger before, so the concept of pride didn't apply to him.
Plus, having lived two lives, the previous one being a teenager in the new century, his skin was incredibly thick!
Having read the novel, he knew Huo Yuhao's early life was quite miserable.
So, Ji Wuchang naturally helped him pack more food.
Although his own savings were almost empty, solving the food problem was still easy.
"Ji Wuchang, you eat, this is enough for me," Huo Yuhao habitually refused.
"I told you, you don't need to worry about these things. If you really can't figure it out, just consider it a loan. You can pay me back when you have money later," Ji Wuchang waved his hand.
"Well... alright then." Huo Yuhao finally accepted Ji Wuchang's offer. He quickly ate the steamed bun; it really was more comfortable to have a full stomach!
Wait a minute! That's not right! He just bought grilled fish last night!
He even retrieved the gold soul coin embedded in the oven. He should be quite wealthy now!
Huo Yuhao was dumbfounded.
However, he was already almost full, so there was no point in saying anything more. He'd treat Ji Wuchang to dinner tomorrow! Huo Yuhao thought to himself.
...
After a satisfying meal, people always want to relax for a while. So, after eating, with a little time before class, the three of them went for a walk together at Sea God Lake.
Wang Dong wasn't giving him the cold shoulder anymore; with Huo Yuhao as the mediator, the three of them got along quite well.
Why did he feel like something was about to happen?
Ji Wuchang's heart tightened; he seemed to have forgotten something.
What was it?
Walking along the shimmering shores of Seagod Lake, Ji Wuchang's mind raced.
"Where is this?" Ji Wuchang asked.
"This is Shrek Academy's Seagod Lake,"
Wang Dong replied.
That name...it sounds so familiar!
"Look, there seems to be a red dot over there!"
Huo Yuhao pointed to the misty Seagod Lake in the distance, his eyes gleaming.
"What?!"
Ji Wuchang and Wang Dong asked simultaneously. However, while Wang Dong was puzzled, Ji Wuchang exclaimed in surprise.
He finally remembered what had happened here. A chill ran down his spine.
Damn it, wasn't that red dot Huo Yuhao saw Ma Xiaotao, that big sister?
"Run! Danger!"
Although he knew Ma Xiaotao would be dealt with by the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm within Huo Yuhao, that was in the original story. Who knew what would happen if he got involved?
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had the protagonist's halo, but he didn't! If he were inexplicably killed by Ma Xiaotao, who could he complain to?
Ji Wuchang's urgent shout surprised both Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong for a moment, but seeing the red figure rapidly enlarging in their eyes, they instinctively trusted Ji Wuchang.
Wang Dong instantly unleashed his martial soul; azure wings spread behind him. He grabbed Huo Yuhao, and Ji Wuchang was no longer there to help.
However, although Ji Wuchang had foreseen this and ordered them to evacuate, he still underestimated the strength of the Flame Demon Ma Xiaotao.
Just as Wang Dong was about to take flight, the red figure was already upon them.
A terrifying aura instantly enveloped the three of them, and an intense heat erupted, directly scorching Wang Dong's wings until they twisted.
With his wings burned, he naturally couldn't fly. Wang Dong, along with Huo Yuhao, crashed down in front of Ji Wuchang.
"Brother Tianmeng, what do we do now?" Huo Yuhao anxiously called out to the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm in his spiritual space.
Wang Dong had already fainted from the impact of the soul power. Although Ji Wuchang wasn't in the same state as Wang Dong, his soul power was also instantly exhausted.
Looking at Huo Yuhao, who still showed no reaction, Ji Wuchang seemed to have thought of something.
Given the nature of the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, it probably wouldn't let Huo Yuhao get hurt. But its intervention was based on the absence of others!
Over the years, he had long since become someone who didn't easily trust anyone, even Huo Yuhao, whom he had chosen as his master, he still held back.
Now, although Wang Dong was unconscious, he was still alright. Although his soul power was greatly depleted, he wasn't unconscious.
This created an awkward situation.
Huo Yuhao had the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm as a backup plan, and Wang Dong, because of his backer, would definitely be safe. But himself… the red figure seemed to lack reason. Seeing that Ji Wuchang and the other two hadn't perished under her intense heat, a fireball condensed in her hand and slammed down towards them.
"Damn it, I'll risk it all!"
He had no other choice; he had no backup plan to save his life. If he didn't rely on the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's ice power, he, Ji Wuchang, would definitely succumb and die first! The remaining soul power within his body was frantically squeezed out, his second soul ring suddenly lit up, and waves of excruciating pain surged through his body.
"Ah!!!"
Second Soul Skill, Sword Induction.
The longsword once again turned into molten iron, adhering to Ji Wuchang's skin and then directly merging into it. Ji Wuchang's eyes instantly turned blood red, and a powerful aura erupted.
He rushed in front of Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, shielding them behind him, facing the terrifying attack alone.
This was the method he had just thought of.
Even if he fought desperately, he could only manage a clash with a three-ring Soul Master. Facing Ma Xiaotao, a six-ring Soul Emperor, he was truly powerless.
Since that was the case, he might as well change course and protect Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong. Whether he could be saved was up to fate!
If he survived, he would undoubtedly be completely accepted by Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
If he didn't survive, then it was all his fate. If he couldn't survive, so be it!
Maybe he'd return to Earth after he died?
The enormous fireball instantly arrived in front of Ji Wuchang.
Huo Yuhao's eyes widened as he looked at this classmate, who was a head shorter than him, and tears welled up instantly.
"Brother Tianmeng, Brother Tianmeng, I know you're here. Please save Ji Wuchang!" Huo Yuhao cried out frantically. His body was already at its limit, unable to move at all.
"But… this…" To be honest, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm was conflicted.
Logically and emotionally, he should have intervened to protect Ji Wuchang and Huo Yuhao, but Ji Wuchang was still conscious. He didn't want any human soul master besides Huo Yuhao to know about him!
"Was the gamble wrong?" A blinding light erupted before him, and intense flames surged wildly. But there was still no reaction behind him.
His consciousness gradually blurred, and his vision suddenly went black. Ji Wuchang completely fell into a coma, or rather, was on the verge of death. The fireball had broken at least all his ribs.
However, before losing consciousness, he felt a bone-chilling cold.
"No, it seems the gamble paid off!"
"Dare to touch the person I chose, dare to disturb my sleep. Die."
If anyone else were present at this moment, they would see that Huo Yuhao's eyes had turned pure white, like ancient ice.
Pointing his finger at the red-clad figure, an extreme chill spread outwards from Huo Yuhao's body, and the fireball that had hit Ji Wuchang was instantly frozen and disappeared.
Seemingly threatened, a phoenix cry rang out from the red-clad figure, and six spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and two black—appeared around him. The spirit rings instantly shone brightly, and a blazing white line of fire shot towards Huo Yuhao.
(End of Chapter)