Wang Dong’er turned around and rolled her eyes at him. That sassiness was so enchanting it was suffocating. “Are you that unconfident in me? I have absolute faith in you, though. If you don’t believe me, you can ask everyone.” She smiled faintly after she spoke, and continued walking towards Wang Qiu’er.
Wang Dong’er stopped walking in before Wang Qiu’er.
Wang Qiu’er’s eyes seemed like they had melted before this, but they were instantly sealed in ice once more as she stared coldly at Wang Dong’er and remained silent.
Wang Dong’er was also staring back at her. She gradually bent down and bowed like that at Wang Qiu’er in front of everyone’s watchful eyes.
“I’m sorry, Qiu’er. I am apologizing to you sincerely for how unreasonable I was before this and how I’ve antagonized you. Everything was my fault, and I hope you can forgive me.”
“Tsk…” Huo Yuhao drew in a cold breath as he thought to himself, Dong’er, Dong’er, what game are you trying to play?
Huo Yuhao had known how arrogant and prideful Wang Dong’er was ever since the first day they had met. Even though this pride was rarely displayed as they grew older, it was still deeply imprinted into her bones. Yet, she was willing to bow toward Wang Qiu’er for forgiveness at this moment, willing to bow to a girl that she had perceived with so much hostility before. What was happening?
Huo Yuhao wasn’t the only one who was astounded. Everyone in Shrek Academy shared the same surprise, but only Cai Mei’er gave Wang Dong’er her silent approval. This girl is indeed smart!
Wang Qiu’er stared at the bowing Wang Dong’er and was equally shocked. She was momentarily stunned before she said, “You’ve never done anything to me, and you don’t need to ask me for forgiveness. If you are doing this because I saved his life, then it’s even more unnecessary. He saved me before, and I was just returning the favor.”
Wang Dong’er said sincerely, “No. I’ve always been rejecting you in my heart, and I’m apologizing to you because of that. This has nothing to do with Huo Yuhao. Of course, you saved his life, and I am extremely thankful for what you did, as his girlfriend. If there’s anything you need us to do in the future, we will help you out to the best of our ability, no matter what.”
Wang Qiu’er waved her hand and said, “It’s alright, let bygones be bygones. I’ve said this already, he doesn’t owe me anything.”
Wang Dong’er came up beside her and touched her arm as she said softly, “If you’re willing to listen, I can tell you our story, and then you will understand why I harbored that hostility against you before this. Let me escort you back to rest.”
Wang Qiu’er hesitated for a moment before nodding softly.
Huo Yuhao looked on with slack jaw and stunned eyes as Wang Dong’er helped Wang Qiu’er back into his tent, and even sealed the tent’s entrance.
“Uh…” Huo Yuhao didn’t know what to do.
Han Ruoruo came up beside him and giggled. “So? Are you nervous? Does it feel exciting?”
Huo Yuhao forced a laugh and said, “I’m absolutely nervous, but excitement… maybe a little too overwhelming. The two of them…”
Han Ruoruo laughed and said, “That’s what you get for flirting with girls everywhere. You’re not satisfied with Dong’er, and you end up flirting with Qiu’er as well! Dong’er really has a big heart! When we were searching for the two of you yesterday, you were lying on the ground so unglamorously, while Wang Qiu’er was lying on your thighs. Her clothes had been torn to pieces, and she was wearing your clothes. If Dong’er had been someone else, that person would probably have been infuriated. Do you know what she said?”
Huo Yuhao’s curiosity was immediately piqued. “What did she say?”
Han Ruoruo said, “Dong’er said she trusts you. The truth is that I could tell that she was extremely sad because you were hurt, and because you were with Wang Qiu’er. I could read the look in her eyes, she would rather she herself be the one that was heinously wounded rather than see you with another woman in your most difficult of times. She must be feeling very dejected inside. This isn’t about envy or jealousy, this is about her not being able to help you.”
Huo Yuhao’s eyes grew solemn. Dong’er, Dong’er! How can I love you to return the affection you have for me?
Han Ruoruo whispered, “Hey! You haven’t actually done anything to betray Dong’er, have you?”
Huo Yuhao immediately tossed his head from side to side without hesitation. “Absolutely not! She’s the only girl in my heart. No matter how much Wang Qiu’er looks like her, Dong’er will always be Dong’er in my heart, and Qiu’er will always be Qiu’er.”
Han Ruoruo laughed and said, “Heh, righteous words! It seems like Dong’er’s decision to trust you isn’t wrong. In the end, you have to treat Dong’er as nicely as you can, and even I won’t let this go if you don’t. Dong’er is such a good girl!”
“Yes,” Huo Yuhao nodded in vigorous agreement.
An exclamation could be heard not far from where they were.
This was the Great Star Dou Forest, and danger could arrive at any moment. Han Ruoruo was still talking to Huo Yuhao in the previous moment, but a golden beam of light stretched out in the next and immediately wrapped around Li Yongyue and Mo Xuan, who were not too far away.
“It’s alright, it’s alright. It’s good news!” Li Yongyue shouted.
Mo Xuan turned around with a look of excitement. “We’ve discovered soul bones! Real soul bones! It’s a left thigh bone.”
He raised a shiny purple thigh bone into the air as he spoke and waved it in the sky. A dark purple color released brilliant shadows as it sparkled.
Mo Xuan and Li Yongyue had been going through the wolf-apes’ corpses for the two little Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bears when they discovered intense soul power undulations. They were both elites from Shrek Academy’s inner courtyard, and they immediately realized what was going on. They followed the soul power undulations and quickly discovered this wolf-ape’s left thigh bone.
Soul bones were extremely rare treasures, much more valuable compared to soul rings. The three wolf-apes were mutants, but they were still soul beasts with at least ten thousand years of cultivation. Every soul bone had a single soul skill, except for hundred thousand year soul bones, but soul beasts would always produce stronger soul bones the more powerful they were. Even a single soul bone like that had immeasurable value.
Li Yongyue handed the soul bone to Cai Mei’er after returning to the company, and everyone’s eyes glazed over.
This left thigh bone was emanating a faint purplish-black light, and there were hints of silver light flickering within.
Huo Yuhao was the most surprised when he saw it. He realized, to his intense surprise, that this left thigh bone wasn’t a darkness-type. The soul bone was releasing purplish-black colors, but there was a stronger aura on top of that, and it belonged to spatial undulations. This meant that the left thigh bone’s element was in line with the three wolf-ape’s spatial element. He thought about their Instant Teleportation ability, and Huo Yuhao’s heart began to palpitate. If this soul bone contained that ability… a thought crossed his mind when he thought about this, and he said, “What about the other two? Have you checked them out, seniors?” Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong’er were the youngest in the company, so everyone else was a senior to them.
Li Yongyue and Mo Xuan immediately understood what he was trying to say. They exchanged a look and said, “We can’t be that lucky, can we?”
Huo Yuhao replied meaningfully, “Three-way martial soul fusion skill!”
They didn’t need Cai Mei’er to instruct them, and they exclaimed at almost the same time as they separately pounced on the other two carcasses. Huo Yuhao had already blown one of them into smithereens before this.
“Yes! There’s actually another one!” Li Yongyue was the first to declare the good news. He didn’t have to check the other carcass, but instead found the second soul bone among the bloody parts in the vegetation. Furthermore, it was another left thigh bone, identical to the previous one.
It didn’t take long before Mo Xuan exclaimed excitedly, “I also have one. This is just great, it’s a left thigh bone too!”
After another moment, three identical soul bones that released purplish-black auras and flickering with silver light appeared before Cai Mei’er.
Cai Mei’er was full of awe as she stared at these three identical soul bones. Even though she wasn’t like Huo Yuhao, and hadn’t guessed the soul skills that these soul bones contained, she knew that these identical soul bones could be fused together to forge an entirely new soul bone. Three together would be a lot more valuable than they were alone, and even she couldn’t value these three bones. Furthermore, there was no need to give that estimate.
“Yuhao!” Cai Mei’er called out.
“I’m here!” Huo Yuhao hurriedly acknowledged. He was starting to feel waves of weakness once more, especially about what Wang Dong’er and Wang Qiu’er were whispering in the tent on the other side. That gave him a lot of psychological pressure, and the distraction made him even weaker.
Cai Mei’er passed the three soul bones to him and said, “Keep them.”
“Ah?” Huo Yuhao was taken aback. “What are you doing, Dean Cai? These soul bones belong to everyone. How can you give them all to me?”
Cai Mei’er shook her head and said, “This is not a group prize. They belong to you and Wang Qiu’er. You two were the ones that killed those wolf-apes. We didn’t do a single thing.”
Huo Yuhao hurriedly tried to dispute her words. “But if not for your protection and the help of the company, we wouldn’t have been able to venture so deep into the Great Star Dou Forest! Naturally-”
Cai Mei’er stuffed the three soul bones into his hands. “Stop talking about all that. If not for you and Qiu’er, I’m not even sure what the final outcome would have been like. The two of you are the academy’s prized students, so these three soul bones belong to you in the first place.”
Huo Yuhao thought for a moment, then said, “How about this. I’ll keep one soul bone, and I’ll give one to Wang Qiu’er. We will donate the remaining one to the academy.”
It could be said that Huo Yuhao and Wang Qiu’er had risked their lives to kill the three wolf-apes to obtain these soul bones, but Huo Yuhao knew better than to be selfish and take everything for himself. It was better with Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo, but Li Yongyue and Mo Xuan had a look of envy on their faces.
Cai Mei’er hesitated for a while before she nodded and said, “Alright. You can keep them for now, and you can donate the last one directly to the Martial Soul Department after we return to the academy. You don’t have to give it to me.”