Chapter 136: Dai Huabin
Furina nodded affirmatively, her tone earnest. "Of course. I always keep my word. However, just as we agreed before, my people will only assist you in capturing those directly responsible from back then. As for the other Ironblood Sect members—those unconnected to the matter, or ordinary members—I won't intervene, and I'll even restrain my subordinates from harming them. How exactly you exact your revenge, where you draw the line, is entirely up to you. But remember this: do not let hatred blind you. Do not do anything too extreme."
Tang Ya drew a deep breath, struggling to steady her surging emotions. She nodded with solemn gravity. "Don't worry, I understand. I've already waited so many years—I can certainly wait this final stretch. I know what I must do."
At the side, Jiang Nannan took an opportune moment to chime in, asking with concern, "Speaking of which, how are your preparations for the freshman assessment going? Are you confident?"
Wang Dong immediately straightened his back and patted his chest, brimming with confidence. "Of course we're confident! Senior Sister Jiang, are you doubting our strength? We're very strong!"
Bei Bei set down his teacup and offered a measured analysis with a smile. "Your talents are indeed outstanding among the freshmen. However, as I understand it, aside from Furina and Yuhao, there are also several other students in this cohort who have already reached the three-ring Soul Elder level. Their strength is not to be underestimated. One among them is reportedly a scion of the White Tiger Duke's Manor of the Star Luo Empire, by the name of Dai Huabin."
"Not only is his personal strength formidable, it's said that he can even execute a remarkably powerful martial soul fusion technique together with his teammates. The team he is on may very well prove to be your strongest opponent on the path to the championship."
The moment the name "Dai Huabin" fell, Huo Yuhao's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. His hands, resting under the table, instantly clenched into fists, his knuckles whitening.
So it really was him! That half-brother who had tormented him and his mother since childhood—who shared with him an unquenchable blood feud.
He roared silently in his heart: Dai Huabin... How true the saying is that enemies often cross paths. I never imagined you would also be here at Shrek. Fine. Old grudges and new hatred alike—let us settle them all on that competition stage! You want to take first place? I will personally drag you down from that position, provided... you are fortunate enough to run into me.
A glacial killing intent and blazing fighting spirit flickered and vanished within his eyes in a single instant.
Furina took in all of Huo Yuhao's reactions, her heart understanding perfectly, but she did not expose him.
This hatred—this obsession that needed to be settled with his own hands—was something Huo Yuhao should face and resolve himself.
If she happened to encounter Dai Huabin first in the competition, she wouldn't mind giving him a thorough thrashing ahead of time, then "magnanimously" conceding the match, and even "kindly" gifting him a restorative cake, ensuring that he would face Huo Yuhao in perfectly "whole" condition. Her goal was crystal clear: clear as many obstacles as possible for Huo Yuhao, and ensure the two of them met on that stage.
Tang Ya pressed on with curiosity: "Oh, right. How did your grouping turn out? I heard this year's freshman assessment is still the traditional three-person team battle format. Though that's been the case for most years, solo formats have been quite rare."
Huo Yuhao reined in his thoughts and answered, "Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and I are forming one team. As for Sister Furina... she's chosen to compete solo."
"All alone?" Jiang Nannan's beautiful face was immediately etched with evident concern. "Furina, in a team-based competition, can a single person really handle it? And the rules clearly prohibit the use of soul tools. You're a support-type soul master, after all—won't fighting alone be too much of a stretch?"
Furina offered her a reassuring look. Her tone was light, yet brimming with confidence. "Relax, Nannan. I have a good grasp of what I'm working with. The rules only ban soul tools; they don't say you can't use other things. For instance... certain traditional mechanical implements. Or my other little treasures." She winked playfully, leaving a teasing mystery hanging in the air.
Everyone present who knew the truth of her capabilities understood perfectly well. Furina possessed that immensely powerful second martial soul, Salon Solitaire. Even without attached soul rings, she could already deploy formidable water-element skills. And on top of that, with her own soul power foundation at rank fifty-two, dealing with a Soul Emperor would likely be well within her abilities—to say nothing of freshmen whose highest cultivation capped out at three rings. Her so-called "going solo" was, for others, perhaps the real unfairness here.
Bei Bei chimed in with a smile as well, adding: "To be perfectly honest, even in the absolute worst-case scenario where Furina, due to rules restrictions or insufficient team numbers or some other reason, underperforms expectations in the assessment—the academy could never possibly give up on a genius like her. In all bluntness, even if she were to one day have some inexplicable impulse to drop out, I'd wager the academy's higher-ups would have to cling to her legs and beg her to stay."
Furina was tickled into laughter at this and waved a hand. "I think so too. But as for the specifics, let's just see how I perform on the field when the time comes. Rest assured—I absolutely won't disappoint anyone."
Bei Bei nodded in agreement.
Just in the midst of this conversation, the restaurant owner personally led a few of his staff over, bearing platter after platter of fragrant, steaming, mouthwatering dishes.
"Here we are, here we are! All you future pillars of the soul master world—all the dishes are served. Eat while they're hot! I hear you're all about to take part in the freshman assessment. This old man here will raise a cup of tea in lieu of wine, and wish you all a triumphant first step, and that every single one of you advances smoothly!"
The owner spoke with a face beaming with smiles, his eyes holding the kind of expectations a veteran of life holds for the younger generation.
"Thank you, Boss!" The group answered in chorus. An atmosphere of warmth mixed with fighting spirit spread across the dining table.
With delicious food laid before them, the conversation was temporarily set aside. The youths and maidens picked up their utensils and began to enjoy this pre-competition gathering, storing up energy for the challenges ahead.
Outside the window, the slanting sunlight streamed in, stretching out their silhouettes and weaving them together, as if foreshadowing the ever more tightly intertwined fates that lay in store.