Chapter 27 Enemy? Brother?

The teachers at Shrek Academy had seen many talented individuals, but students like Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong, who were so persistent in their pursuit of victory and possessed such firm belief, were indeed a rare sight.

The instructor of the Outer courtyard Martial Soul Department, Dean Du Weilun, approached the somewhat stupefied Zhou Yi: "Teacher Zhou, congratulations on teaching two good students. Register them. I believe they qualify to become core disciples of the outer courtyard."

Zhou Yi then snapped out of her daze and hastily said, "Director Du, there's also Huo Yuhao. He's the core and the leader of the team."

Dean Du Weilun was taken aback, shook his head and said, "A single ring, too weak. He must be one of the rare soul masters with a spiritual attribute. Have you considered how few spiritual attribute soul beasts there are?" Having said that, he also descended from the High Platform.

As the instructor of the Martial Soul Department, his strength was not only formidable, but his insight was also extremely keen. He could certainly see Huo Yuhao's role in the match. It was precisely because of him that Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were driven to fight with almost insane fervor. However, as the Dean, with significant responsibilities, he naturally wouldn't decide on a core disciple based solely on character and leadership abilities.

Hearing Dean Du Weilun's words, Zhou Yi was jolted, indeed! She had always ignored this issue. Although Huo Yuhao's first soul ring skill was powerful, after all, he was a soul master with a spiritual attribute. Soul beasts with spiritual attributes were too rare, and powerful ones were even rarer. Under such circumstances, the likelihood of Huo Yuhao becoming a powerful soul master in the future naturally diminished.

"No matter. If the Martial Soul Department doesn't want him, our Soul Guidance Department does." Fan Yu patted her shoulder, with a gleam in his eyes, "It's difficult to find strong spirit-class soul beasts, but there are still some ordinary ones to be found. As long as his soul power is sufficient, even if he only has that first soul ring skill, he can still become an excellent student of the Soul Guidance Department. This core disciple, I'll take him."

Zhou Yi in front of Fan Yu didn't have her usual cold demeanor, "No, not yet. If you're really interested, then wait three years for this child. Yuhao was specially recruited by Tang Sect; he must be a self-taught soul master from a poor background, hence why he only has a 10-year soul ring. During classes, he's always the most attentive listener. Although he started later, he is the most diligent and serious student I have ever seen. His foundation is not enough; I want to keep him by my side for further guidance. Three years is enough time to enrich his basic knowledge. With his current efforts, by that time, he should have at least reached the cultivation of a three-ring Soul Venerable level. By breaking through to three rings, his future prospects will naturally be brighter. Then he can become the core disciple of your Soul Guidance Department."

Fan Yu smiled faintly, "It's clear you're fond of this kid. Since you've already made plans for him, let's follow your arrangement. After the new student assessment, bring him to see me. Let him take up dual studies in the Soul Guidance Department, and I will see if he has a talent in this area."

"Okay," Zhou Yi nodded, "I'm going to check on Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong's conditions. Fan Yu, do you believe that the Martial Soul Department will regret not accepting Yuhao as a core disciple."

Fan Yu replied, "Let's wait and see."

Wang Dong's situation wasn't too bad; he was simply exhausted. More importantly, he had Huo Yuhao, his Martial Soul Fusion partner, by his side. As soon as Huo Yuhao embraced him, his soul power naturally flowed into Wang Dong's body, and in less than ten minutes, he had revived some of his soul power. With the fusion of Haodong's Power, Wang Dong regained consciousness from his comatose state in less than ten minutes.

But Xiao Xiao's situation was very bad. To wield her nation's treasure cauldron, not only did she need sufficient soul power, but also extreme control. Under normal circumstances, Xiao Xiao could only strike once with the nation's treasure cauldron to fling an opponent back and induce forced dizziness, immensely surpassing the power of using the two soul skills separately. However, she did not do this but instead used the nation's treasure cauldron to directly attach to Xie Huanyue in order to delay even longer. Xie Huanyue's defensive power was too strong, and Xiao Xiao was afraid that after flinging him away, he would charge back. With his speed of bodily leaps, it was very possible.

Therefore, what Xiao Xiao overexerted was not only her soul power but also her mental stamina. Once the match ended, she fell into a deep coma.

Luckily, at Shrek Academy, there was never a lack of various healing elixirs. After taking the elixirs, Xiao Xiao had already drifted off to sleep. According to the teacher treating her, she needed to rest for at least a day and night and could not be disturbed at all, so as to ensure the elixirs did their work without leaving any aftereffects. Conservatively estimated, Xiao Xiao would not be able to participate in the competitions this afternoon and tomorrow morning.

Zhou Yi personally escorted Xiao Xiao back to the dormitory to rest, and Huo Yuhao carried the weakened Wang Dong back to their own dormitory as well.

"Wang Dong, for this afternoon's match, maybe we should just give up," Huo Yuhao said with a light sigh, looking at the pallor on Wang Dong's face.

"We can't." Wang Dong knew Huo Yuhao was worried about his physical condition, but at this moment, his fighting spirit was higher than it had ever been before. Since his childhood, he had never been so serious about anything like he was now.

"Yuhao, I know you're worried about me. But we must continue with the match. If we just gave up like that, would we be letting Xiao Xiao down? Xiao Xiao is unconscious, but we still have Haodong's Power, and we will definitely be able to recover before this afternoon's match. We have to fight for Xiao Xiao until she returns."

Seeing the determination in Wang Dong's eyes, Huo Yuhao's heart was filled with emotion. True feelings are revealed in tough times, and the few matches they had yesterday and today had rapidly brought him, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao closer together. This was no longer simply camaraderie but a bond formed by comrades in arms who had been through life and death together. Although it wasn't a battlefield, they were treating the competition as a war.

"What are you waiting for? Quickly." Wang Dong said, raising his hands to Huo Yuhao.

Taking a deep breath, Huo Yuhao lifted his palms to meet Wang Dong's, saying firmly and with conviction, "We fight for Xiao Xiao."

Sea God's Island. Lakeside.

"Elder Xuan, how do you feel?" Wang Yan asked in a low voice, standing beside Elder Xuan.

Elder Xuan had already finished the drumsticks and now had chicken wings by his side, seemingly with an insatiable appetite.

"Those two youngsters aren't bad. As for that self martial soul kid you mentioned, he falls short. He seems to have a skill akin to spiritual detection. Unfortunately, his first soul ring is only at a 10-year level. That's a flaw he can't overcome," Elder Xuan said, taking a swig of his liquor.

Wang Yan said, "But, Elder Xuan, he has a self martial soul!"

Elder Xuan shook his head and said, "You should know what's most important about the self martial soul. It's potential, the capacity for battle spirit mutation. Today's match made it very clear; under such pressure, his martial soul didn't show any signs of mutation, meaning he lacks the essence of a self martial soul. Given his older age, insufficient Soul Power, and a first soul ring only at level 10, even if he has decent potential, he's not what I am looking for. Do you understand?"

Wang Yan still seemed somewhat unconvinced as he continued, "But Elder Xuan, just yesterday I found out that Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong have completed a Martial Soul Fusion and are capable of executing a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. I still don't know what their Martial Soul Fusion Skill is, but doesn't that prove his talent?"

Elder Xuan remained unimpressed and said, "A Martial Soul Fusion Skill doesn't represent everything. Alright, my decision has been made. The other two youngsters could be considered as alternatives, but as for Huo Yuhao, let it be."

With that, he stood up, one hand holding a chicken wing, the other clutching the large gourd of liquor, and walked away in an unsteady wobble, seemingly on the verge of tumbling over at any moment.

Watching Elder Xuan's back, Wang Yan couldn't help but sigh. He was of course aware of Huo Yuhao's issues but still felt that this young man had an extraordinary aura. On the surface, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were both far more outstanding than him, yet he was able to lead them in competition, becoming the true core of the team. Why was that?

"Could it be that my judgment is truly wrong? No, I won't give up. No matter what, I will do my utmost to foster Huo Yuhao. When he has achieved something, it won't be too late to approach Elder Xuan again."

```

The new student assessment's elimination round was coming to an end, and the top eight teams had emerged from the morning's competition. Without a doubt, they were the best teams. However, what no one expected was that both teams led by Soul Venerable-level students were eliminated. What's more, they were both eliminated by the same team.

Only the last eight teams remained in the elimination round. When Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong arrived at the competition venue in the afternoon, they immediately attracted intense attention from the other seven teams. Clearly, no one wanted to encounter this team that had already defeated the two favorites in the quarterfinals, even though they were down to just two members.

Haodong's Power was indeed miraculous. With Huo Yuhao's assistance and over two hours of cultivation, Wang Dong's soul power had fully recovered. Moreover, due to his full effort in the morning's fight and recent diligent cultivation, his soul power had broken through to level 25.

Whilst waiting to draw lots, Huo Yuhao whispered to Wang Dong, "By the way, what skill did you use at the last moment this morning?"

Wang Dong said, "I used the combination of Wing Scythe Blade and Light of Butterfly Goddess. It's my strongest attack method. If I'm not mistaken, that Xie Huanyue's Martial Soul should be a very rare beast martial soul called Pippie Elephant. This Martial Soul naturally possesses extremely strong defensive power. His first soul skill should be Elephant Body; the one where his arm grew longer should be Elephant Trunk, and the last soul skill with powerful group control should be something like Elephant Rage. To break through his ball-like defense, ordinary attacks would certainly not work. There are only two ways: one is an extreme attribute attack, such as high-temperature flames or ultra-low temperature freezing, and the other is the extreme sharpness. I used the Light of Butterfly Goddess to enhance the Wing Scythe Blade, aiming to break his defense with sharpness. At that time, he was immobilized by Xiao Xiao, which gave me enough time to gather strength. I was confident that strike could break through his Martial Soul."

Listening to Wang Dong's explanation, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but admire him in his heart. In terms of soul master knowledge, although he had been studying hard for three months, he still had a significant gap compared to Wang Dong. This also strengthened Huo Yuhao's determination to cultivate diligently.

"Huo Yuhao Team, come forward to draw lots," Director Du Weilun's voice jolted Huo Yuhao from his thoughts. He hurriedly walked forward and took out a draw number from the cylinder in Director Du's hand.

Director Du Weilun took a close look at Huo Yuhao and thought to himself that this student indeed had his merits, with spirit-class martial souls being extremely scarce. Too bad he hadn't reached level 20 yet—his future chance of obtaining powerful soul rings was even slimmer. Otherwise, he might well deserve to be a core disciple! We'll see. If he can keep passing the academy's assessments and stay on, by the time he reaches the fourth or fifth grade, it should be clear whether he qualifies to become a core disciple of the Martial Soul Department.

"Number three," Director Du Weilun took the draw Huo Yuhao had pulled and loudly announced it.

One of the teams that had already completed the draw suddenly looked uneasy. The opponent Huo Yuhao had drawn was them.

Huo Yuhao returned to Wang Dong's side: "If a one in seven chance lets us draw the last team with a Soul Venerable, I think we should consider praying."

Wang Dong's face showed helplessness as he said, "Pray to what god?"

Huo Yuhao chuckled, "Of course, to the Sea God. Isn't that ancestor the true symbol of our Shrek Academy?"

Wang Dong placed his hand on Huo Yuhao's shoulder: "Hey, there's nothing funny about it. When it was thirty-two to three, the chances were less than one in ten, and we were chosen. When it was sixteen to two, the chances were less than one in eight, yet we were chosen then too. Now, with one in seven, the chances are even higher than before. What do you think our chances of being picked are?"

After Wang Dong analyzed it, Huo Yuhao immediately looked bitter: "We can't be that unlucky, right..."

As it turned out, luck does exist, but it doesn't consistently bring good fortune nor misfortune. This time, their drawn opponents did not include a Soul Venerable.

The two teams stood facing each other in the assessment area, exchanging names. Their opponents this time came from the new ninth-grade students. All three were Grand Soul Masters above level 20. Relatively speaking, they were also a very strong team. But relative to the teams that Huo Yuhao and his team had defeated in the previous two matches, there was still a gap.

```

"Two agile-attack, one offense. The same lineup again, so boring. What's the plan?" Wang Dong whispered to Huo Yuhao.

A flash of light gleamed in Huo Yuhao's eyes, "Let's go all out."

"Okay."

Their understanding of each other had grown increasingly deep. After a brief exchange, the match had already begun.

Both sides released their martial souls at the same time. Wang Dong, who was an offense type battle soul master, didn't charge forward directly this time. Instead, he flapped his blue wings and hovered in the air, with his purple second soul ring shining brightly.

Huo Yuhao grabbed Wang Dong by the ankles from below, the pale golden light in his eyes completely overshadowed by the brilliance Wang Dong was emitting.

All the golden patterns on Wang Dong's Bright Goddess Butterfly wings lit up. With the infusion of Haodong's Power, an orange hue was added to the gold on the patterns.

With a closer look and without any distractions, Huo Yuhao clearly perceived that what Wang Dong's second soul skill, Light of Butterfly Goddess, emitted were not beams of light but clusters of it. Each little piece of the golden pattern shot out a cluster of light, totaling in about dozens. The next moment, the orange light dazzled the entire arena.

The opponents had never imagined that Wang Dong would go all out right from the start, let alone anticipate that his Light of Butterfly Goddess would be so terrifyingly powerful.

Supported by Haodong's Power, the Light of Butterfly Goddess was at least equivalent to a thousand-year soul ring technique used by a three-ring Soul Venerable. All their three opponents could do was to use their soul skills to put up their best defense.

After a splendid display, the two agile-attack class soul masters were directly blasted out of the ring, while the offense type soul master, although he managed to hold his ground, had not only expended a great deal of soul power but also sustained injuries from the formidable power of light.

So, when Wang Dong landed back on the ground with his radiant wings spread, he proclaimed with overwhelming presence, "Do you leave on your own, or shall I help you out?"

And then, there was no "then." After entering the knockout stage, this match became the fastest one to conclude. Also, it considerably boosted Wang Dong's popularity once more, and many started calling him the strongest new offense class battle soul master.

After the match ended, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong quickly left the arena and returned to their dormitory. In fact, only they knew that although Wang Dong's soul power had recovered, the exertion in the morning had caused him some injuries, which were not conducive to prolonged battle. That's why they ended the match in such an explosive manner. Had they faced an opponent adept in defense like Xie Huanyue, even a two-ring one, their chances of winning would have become much more difficult.

After this match, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao had officially made it into the top four of the freshman knockout rounds. That meant they would definitely receive a reward if they won one more match. Two more victories, and they would be the freshman champions.

Teacher Zhou had told them that the quality of this year's freshmen was far superior to the past. Should they win the championship under these circumstances, it would undoubtedly prove their potential.

After returning to the dormitory, Huo Yuhao didn't go out to sell grilled fish as he had before but instead started practicing the Haodong's Power with Wang Dong. With Xiao Xiao's absence, the upcoming matches would only get tougher. The same tactic couldn't be used a second time. The high-explosive victory method of the afternoon held great elements of surprise. If the opponents were prepared, it would be challenging to succeed in using it again. Nonetheless, it was their most crucial strategy for overcoming adversaries until Xiao Xiao returned.

Dawn crept across the horizon, and as the first traces of light brightened the eastern sky, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong simultaneously opened their eyes, withdrew their hands, and Huo Yuhao rolled out of bed to push open the window facing the east.

The delicate purple of twilight appeared unassumingly in the whitening sky, and at that moment, Huo Yuhao's eyes quietly turned the same shade of purple.

Wang Dong tidied up his clothes and went to wash up first.

Everything was so natural. Breathing in the fresh air from outside the window, a faint smile emerged on Huo Yuhao's face.

Mom, can you see this? Your son is now a true Soul Master. In the freshman assessment of the number one Soul Master academy on the continent, I've already made it into the top four. Don't worry, I will definitely go back. You've been wronged so much; I will ensure you have a grand funeral and make all those who looked down on you and bullied you pay the price.

As he thought this, a hint of ferocity uncontrollably flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes. Beyond the purple, a fleeting touch of pale red appeared and vanished.

His relentless training and his efforts to become a top fighter were not because he wanted to be superior to others, but because he sought revenge for his mother. He had never forgotten the bullying he suffered as a child. Even after arriving at Shrek Academy and feeling the warmth of human kindness and the brotherhood among friends, he had never forgotten the pains of the past eleven years. The memories of those early years were indelibly etched in his mind.

Yes, one day he would return to that place that had left dark memories in his childhood, the same place where his mother's remains lay.

The aspirations in Huo Yuhao's heart were beyond anyone's imagination; the seeds of hatred had long since taken root and sprouted within him.

A good while passed, perhaps the time it took to sip a cup of tea, before Wang Dong entered through the door. Seeing Huo Yuhao still standing by the window, he couldn't help but ask with a hint of confusion, "Yuhao, are you okay?" Usually, by the time he came back, Huo Yuhao would already be out washing up, but today he was still by the window.

Huo Yuhao quickly wiped his moist eyes and turned around with a forced smile, saying, "I'm fine. I was just thinking about Mom."

Whether it was to Tang Ya, Bei Bei, or Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao had only mentioned that his parents had died, leaving him an orphan.

Wang Dong's gaze softened instantly. He walked up to Huo Yuhao and said, "Don't be sad anymore. The past is in the past, and I think your aunt would want you to be happy, right? You've had a fresh start at Shrek Academy, so forget those unhappy things. Go wash up, and let's have some breakfast before practicing some more. It's true what they say, you only realize you haven't learned enough when you need to use it! If I had worked harder before, I wouldn't be so anxious now."

Huo Yuhao chuckled lightly, grabbed his toiletries, and left the dormitory. Could hatred really be completely forgotten? If he could forget his hatred, what else could sustain an eleven-year-old boy to traverse mountains and waters to reach Xingdou Forest, or support the least talented freshman to have come this far? Hatred can sometimes be a motivator, but it can also blind one's eyes.

After washing up, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong quickly had breakfast and practiced for a bit longer until daylight was in full bloom before they headed to the assessment area. Today would determine the champion of this selection's newcomers. Having reached the top four, they were determined not to back down.

Compared to yesterday, there were even more spectators today, but of course, those who came to watch were the teachers, while the students had to continue with their classes. However, the unkempt elder who had appeared on the high platform yesterday was nowhere to be seen.

All twelve freshmen who made it to the quarterfinals stood together, but today's drawing official was no longer Director Du Weilun from the outer courtyard Martial Soul Department.

An elder in white clothing took his place. Seeing this elder, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but be secretly shocked, for he had encountered this elder before. It had been when he and Wang Dong first met Ma Xiaotao in her crazed state.

Back then, among the teachers who rushed over from Sea God's Island, this elder was the one in charge. His appearance now, as the freshman assessment elimination round reached its final stage, clearly demonstrated his lofty status within the academy. Director Du Weilun, who wielded great authority in the outer courtyard, now respectfully stood just to his side.

"Hello, young people. I am Yan Shaozhe, the two hundred sixty-first dean of Shrek Academy," said the elder in white with a gentle smile. His demeanor was very mild, giving one the impression of just an ordinary old man.

Although Huo Yuhao had already guessed at his identity, when he heard it from the man himself, he, like the other students, couldn't help but straighten his posture unconsciously.

The Dean of Shrek Academy, what kind of status was that? As the head of the preeminent academy on the continent, he had the qualifications to sit on an equal footing with any emperor of any nation. Moreover, the Dean of Shrek Academy was also bound to be a Title Douluo class supreme powerhouse! A true peak existence on the Soul Land.

The Dean's personal appearance here was something none of the freshmen had anticipated.

"I know you're curious why I am here. Indeed, ordinarily, even if the freshman assessment is in its final stage, the presence of a vice-dean would suffice to show the academy's regard for you. However, I must say, the performance of your intake of freshmen has pleased me greatly. You are the most talented group of new students in nearly a hundred years. I am very interested in you, so I came. And furthermore, I will watch all of your matches today. I hope you can show me some surprises. Alright, let's start the draw."

Obviously, the Dean couldn't personally oversee the drawing; Director Du quickly took over the task of drawing, but Dean Yan expressed that he wanted to personally hold the box for the freshmen. This made each new student feel an intense surge of excitement.

This man, a legendary Great Power indeed! The Dean of Shrek Academy! He was actually holding the drawing box for the freshmen. Not just for them, even a group of eight-ringed Soul Douluos would feel greatly honored to have this moment. Immediately, the mood among the freshmen uncontrollably soared. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were no exceptions.

"Freshman Class One, Huo Yuhao Team, step forward for the draw." This time, it was Huo Yuhao's group that was called first to draw.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong exchanged glances, "You go," urged Huo Yuhao, nudging his friend.

Wang Dong shook his head and said, "No, you are the team leader. Go ahead." While speaking, he pushed Huo Yuhao forward, making him the first student to draw in front of the Dean.

With a somewhat restless heart, Huo Yuhao stepped forward, and as he reached out to draw, his whole being seemed out of control, his hand even trembling.

Dean Yan offered a faint smile and said, "Young man, don't be nervous. I wish you and your team good results."

After Huo Yuhao drew a slot, he stepped back and respectfully bowed ninety degrees to Yan Shaozhe before handing the slot to Director Du and returning. When he got back to Wang Dong's side, he found his heartbeat had at least doubled.

"Freshman Class One, Huo Yuhao Team, draw number, two."

Being number two meant that in the semifinals, they would have to compete at the second competition venue. In that box, there were only four numbers, two ones and two twos.

"Freshman Class Five, Dai Huabin's team, draw lots."

A tall young man strode forward. Huo Yuhao's memory was always good, but from the back, he realized that he hadn't seen this youth in the draw in the previous round of the competition. Clearly, with Dean Yan Shaozhe's appearance today, this team from Freshman Class Five had changed the person drawing lots.

The youth walked onto the stage, saluted Dean Yan Shaozhe and Director Du Weilun, and then drew a lot. Like Huo Yuhao, he bowed again before handing the lot to Director Du Weilun, then turned around.

It was a handsome yet icy cold face, with golden hair cascading down from the top of his head, draping over his shoulders. A careful look would reveal that in his deep blue eyes, there were surprisingly double pupils. His stature was also taller than his peers.

When Huo Yuhao saw his face, his whole body suddenly shook violently, his eyes filled with disbelief, and his body even trembled uncontrollably, grasping Wang Dong's arm beside him.

Wang Dong was startled by his sudden movement, turned his head to look at him, and found Huo Yuhao's face pale, his eyes revealing an unmistakable deep hatred. Huo Yuhao's grip was so strong it even started to hurt.

...

"Mom, I'll go hang the clothes for you." The delicate boy, only seven or eight years old, struggled to lift a large wooden basin, wobbled out of the courtyard, and went outside to hang the clothes.

In the courtyard, a middle-aged beautiful woman watched the boy's back with a satisfied gaze, murmuring, "My Yuhao is really growing up. Becoming more sensible by the day."

Little Yuhao, holding the basin, finally made it out of the yard, just had to cross the road ahead, and then it was only a dozen steps to where the clothes were hung.

Just then, suddenly, a strong force hit him from the side, knocking him and the wooden basin to the ground. The freshly washed clothes immediately scattered all over the ground.

"Idiot, can't you see? Didn't you see the young master has come back? Get out of the way." A haughty voice rang out. Little Yuhao endured the pain in his body and looked towards the voice. Eight robust guards stood on either side of the pathway. The one who had knocked him down was one of the guards, while a young master dressed in white embroidered with python patterns was walking briskly forward.

He was very handsome, with double pupils in his eyes, exuding an air of lofty nobility. His gaze was cold and he didn't even deign to look at Huo Yuhao lying on the side of the road. That is, until his foot stepped on one of the mud-stained garments.

"Hm?" The young master stopped, looked coldly towards Huo Yuhao, and said, "Beat him." With that said, he quickly moved on as if afraid of dirtying his eyes.

Out of the eight guards, two immediately lunged at Little Yuhao, beating him brutally with fists and feet.

At that time, Little Yuhao was only eight years old, how could he have any strength to fight back? His mother ran out from the yard upon hearing the noise, shielding her son with her body, pleading desperately. But in the end, both mother and son were beaten to a breath away from death before the two guards stopped.

Because of his young age, Little Yuhao had a stronger recovery ability, while his mother, weakened by years of hard work, was left with severe old injuries. Two years later, she fell ill and left this world forever.

...

Despite more than three years having passed, despite him having grown up quite a lot, Huo Yuhao could never forget those indifferent eyes and that icy voice.

It was him, he was one of the culprits who killed his mother. Huo Yuhao's eyes gradually reddened. He clearly saw those distinctive double pupils, a symbol of the direct bloodline of the Duke's Mansion. And he was the youngest son of the Duchess, also his half-brother from a different mother, the one who killed his own mother, Dai Huabin.

Dai Huabin's face remained just as icy, even after meeting Dean Yan Shaozhe, he never lowered his lofty head, and he was much calmer than the other students. Only the clenched fists revealed the turmoil inside him.

He obviously no longer recognized Huo Yuhao. Yes, even when he had brought disaster to Huo Yuhao and his mother, he never even took a proper look at this half-brother of his.

"Dai Huabin's team, number one lot." After Director Du Weilun's announcement, Dai Huabin returned to his team. It wasn't until his face was out of sight that Huo Yuhao's emotions slightly stabilized. He now even needed Wang Dong's help to stand firm.

Wang Dong was filled with shock. It was the first time he had seen Huo Yuhao express such emotions, and he had no idea what had happened to him. But one thing was for sure, it had everything to do with that Dai Huabin.

"Yuhao, Yuhao, calm down. What happened to you?" Wang Dong whispered consolingly.

The drawing of lots continued, and no one had noticed the change in Huo Yuhao's expression, until after the drawing was over, Huo Yuhao finally steadied himself, but Wang Dong could still feel his trembling. That was the shaking of emotions reaching their limits!

"Can you still compete?" Wang Dong asked worriedly. Now was not the time to ask why, the semifinals were about to start.

Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, trying to suppress the pain in his heart, and nodded lightly, saying, "I can. Just now, what lot did Dai Huabin draw?"

Wang Dong frowned. He had not heard the announcement, even though it was loud. Huo Yuhao's emotional fluctuation was too intense.

"He drew number one. If both our teams win against our opponents, we'll encounter each other in the finals. Just now, I think I heard someone say that he is currently the last remaining three-ring Soul Venerable among the freshmen."

"Three-ring Soul Venerable?" A sharp light flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes, "Yes, a three-ring Soul Venerable. With so much support and resources, how could he not be excellent? Let's go, to the competition."

He seemed to have recovered, the trembling of his body and the violent fluctuations of his emotions having completely disappeared at that moment. Wang Dong felt like all that had happened before was just an illusion. But it couldn't have been an illusion!