Zhou Sicheng waited quietly when suddenly a voice came from behind.
"Brother Zhou?"
Recognizing the familiar voice, Zhou Sicheng turned around and saw two boys walking side by side. One of them had delicate features, almost feminine—refined like a girl yet with the charm of a boy. His short hair was an eye-catching shade of pink-blue. If one didn't know better, they might think he was a girl. The other had an average appearance, with a slightly melancholic air about him.
Zhou Sicheng smiled faintly. "Yuhuo?"
Huo Yuhao's face lit up with joy as he walked over quickly. "Brother Zhou, it really is you! Did you come to see me?"
He didn't know that Zhou Sicheng had childhood friends at the academy. Seeing him here, Huo Yuhao naturally assumed Zhou Sicheng had come just for him.
Zhou Sicheng hesitated for a moment. How should he respond to that?
Glancing at the person next to Huo Yuhao, Zhou Sicheng guessed that this must be Wang Dong, the girl disguised as a boy.
What puzzled him, though, was why Huo Yuhao was still with Wang Dong.
Didn't he advise Yuhao to join the Soul Tool Department? Could it be that Yuhao never made the switch? Or did something happen that caused the two of them to reconnect?
After a brief thought, Zhou Sicheng replied, "I came to see my two little brothers, but I figured I'd check in on you too. How's everything since you enrolled?"
Huo Yuhao seemed to completely ignore the first half of Zhou Sicheng's sentence. Hearing that Zhou really had come to see him, he was overjoyed.
It was understandable. Huo Yuhao had never had many friends, and apart from Teacher Xiao Ya and Senior Brother Beibei, he didn't know anyone at Shrek Academy.
Zhou Sicheng, who had traveled with him for over a month, was perhaps the only person he truly trusted.
Besides, Brother Zhou had made it straight into the inner court! When his senior brother mentioned this yesterday, he was still in disbelief.
Huo Yuhao grinned, "I'm doing okay. Just… our class teacher is a bit strict."
As he spoke, he tugged Wang Dong along and stepped forward. "Brother Zhou, this is my roommate, Wang Dong."
Wang Dong had been quietly observing Zhou Sicheng ever since Yuhao excitedly dragged him over.
He had to admit—Zhou Sicheng had the most striking appearance he'd ever seen. Even someone like Wang Dong, who never paid much attention to such things, found himself stealing more than a few glances.
Even if he returned to his female form, he might not be more attractive than Brother Zhou.
Honestly, Wang Dong couldn't believe a guy could look this good. It even made him feel that his Radiant Butterfly Goddess martial soul might suit Zhou Sicheng better than it did him…
No wonder Huo Yuhao kept mentioning this "Brother Zhou."
Though Huo Yuhao wasn't the type to overthink things, he wasn't close enough to Wang Dong yet to tell him that Zhou Sicheng was also a freshman—one who had registered directly into the inner court.
He simply said that on the way to Shrek Academy, Brother Zhou and his group had looked after him.
Now that Huo Yuhao no longer had the Skydream Iceworm or Electrolux, his talent and strength hadn't advanced significantly.
However, his first soul skill was still Spiritual Detection—an incredible support ability. Paired with the Tang Sect techniques he had diligently practiced, he managed to hold his own against Wang Dong during their dorm room duel. While he didn't win, it ended in a draw.
Even so, Wang Dong didn't think much of him. After all, Huo Yuhao was just an eleven-ranked Soul Master, while Wang Dong was a true prodigy.
Because of this, Wang Dong hadn't taken Huo Yuhao seriously.
But now, seeing how respectfully Zhou Sicheng treated him, Wang Dong began to view Yuhao in a new light.
If an inner court senior treated him this well, Huo Yuhao must have some hidden talents, right?
Now introduced by Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Senior. I'm Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao's roommate."
Zhou Sicheng reached out and shook it. "Zhou Sicheng."
The moment their hands met, Wang Dong was stunned. Zhou's skin was even smoother and fairer than his own.
He looked amazing and had better skin? Was there really another Radiant Butterfly Goddess out there?
With a warm smile, Zhou Sicheng said, "Wang Dong, I don't come by often. Since you're sharing a room with Yuhao, I'll be counting on you to help look after him."
Hearing that, Huo Yuhao felt warmth bloom in his chest. Brother Zhou was still the same—so kind and thoughtful.
Wang Dong was momentarily captivated by Zhou Sicheng's smile, but quickly composed himself.
"Ah—of course! We're classmates after all. Taking care of each other is only natural."
Zhou Sicheng then pulled two small porcelain bottles from his soul tool and handed them to Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
"Yuhao, this one's for you. It's a Profound Water Pill—it'll help your future cultivation. Keep it safe."
Huo Yuhao held the bottle in a daze, staring at Zhou Sicheng in disbelief.
He hadn't expected Brother Zhou to give him cultivation resources!
He didn't know the value of the pill, but if it came from Brother Zhou, it couldn't be ordinary.
He quickly shook his head. "Brother Zhou, I can't… You've already done so much for me. I couldn't possibly accept this."
Zhou Sicheng patted his shoulder. "Did you forget our agreement? As long as you don't slack in the Soul Tool Department, I promised to guide you in cultivating your martial soul. This Profound Water Pill is a reward for your efforts. But if you don't work hard in the future, I won't be giving you anything else."
Huo Yuhao nodded seriously. "I understand, Brother Zhou. I'll give it my all and won't let you down!"
Having someone like Zhou Sicheng as a mentor was a blessing most people could only dream of.
And from what his senior brother had quietly hinted to him yesterday, Brother Zhou's status in the inner court wasn't as simple as it appeared…
With that thought, Huo Yuhao, though still a little embarrassed, accepted the porcelain bottle and made a silent promise to repay the kindness.
Wang Dong, however, was even more hesitant.
They weren't close, and the pill was far too valuable to accept without reason.
Huo Yuhao only vaguely sensed the pill's worth, but Wang Dong knew exactly what the Profound Water Pill was.
And now Zhou Sicheng had casually taken out two and even offered one to someone he barely knew.
It wasn't just a sign of how much Zhou valued Huo Yuhao—it also revealed his deep background and ample resources.
By all logic, this was someone she should be building a connection with. But the Clear Sky Sect had long since sealed itself off from the world, and Wang Dong didn't like dealing with social ties.
Although this senior did attract her attention, that was all there was to it.
She pushed the porcelain bottle back.
"Senior, I can't accept this. I haven't done anything to deserve it, and the pill is too precious."
Zhou Sicheng kept smiling. "You're Yuhao's roommate. I'm sure there'll be times when he's a bit of trouble. If you don't accept this, he'll feel embarrassed."
Those words made Huo Yuhao even more emotional. Brother Zhou really was doing it for his sake!
Wang Dong hesitated, then finally took the pill. To her, the Profound Water Pill wasn't anything too extraordinary—but it was still something, after all.
Since Zhou was willing to give it, she figured she might as well accept.
Besides, Yuhao really was kind of a handful. This could count as a little compensation.
The Profound Water Pills weren't even Zhou Sicheng's personal stash—they had come from Elder Gong.
Zhou only handed them out because he didn't need them—he had already used one long ago.
Giving them to Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong was just a way to build goodwill, and it cost him nothing.
In a sense, it was an investment. If Yuhao proved himself worthy in the future, great. If not, Zhou wouldn't waste his time babysitting him.
He could only hope Yuhao would work hard and fully develop the potential of his Spirit Eyes martial soul.
****
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