Chapter 23: The Decline of Splendor, The Road of Gold (4)

  "One mistake and that's it? Do you think being late is no big deal? But let me tell you, being late represents laziness, and at your age, it's a huge thing. With just this one reason, I can make the two of you get out of here. Speak up, I need a reasonable explanation."

  Huo Yu Hao then respectfully said: "Teacher Zhou, don't be angry. It's like this, do you still remember? The day before yesterday when our team encountered Huang Chutian's team, there was a pair of twin sisters in their team, named Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo."

  "Hmm." Zhou Wei responded with a murmur.

  Huō Yǔhào continued: "At that time, we almost lost the match. Because Lán Suǒsuǒ and Lán Luòluò sisters could perform a martial soul fusion technique. Later, under our three people's concerted efforts, we barely resisted their powerful skills and finally won the victory, ending the round-robin tournament with a perfect score."

  "After we got back, both Wang Dong and I were envious of their powerful Soul Fusion Technique. So, we decided to give it a try and see if our souls could fuse together. Since the academy didn't have any specialized courses for practicing Soul Fusion Techniques, we had no choice but to try it on our own. Who knew that on our first attempt, our souls seemed to successfully fuse together? In the process of fusing, both of us passed out on Wang Dong's bed. By the time we woke up, class was already over, which is why we were late yesterday."

  Huo Yuhao felt that Wang Dong had pinched the soft flesh around his waist with two fingers from behind, and then rotated one hundred and eighty degrees.

  His body ached, but he didn't dare show it, and his face suddenly looked a bit stiff.

  "Wu soul fusion?" Zhou Wei was taken aback, she didn't expect Huo Yu Hao to give such a reason. Subconsciously asked: "Did you succeed?"

  Huo Yu Hao rubbed his head and said, "Yesterday we didn't know if it would be successful, so when you told us to go out for a run, we tried it out. It seemed like it really worked. Then last night we went outside the academy to try out the martial soul fusion technique. We didn't expect that after trying it once, it actually succeeded. And the attack power seems to be quite strong. However, this was our first time using the martial soul fusion technique, and as a result, we suffered from soul power exhaustion. After using that skill, both of us directly fainted in the wilderness. When we woke up, today was already late again. Teacher Zhou, we really were just trying to work hard at our cultivation and got delayed, it was an accident, we promise it won't happen again."

  As he spoke, Huo Yu Hao quietly raised his head and stole a glance at Zhou Wei. What he saw was Zhou Wei's stunned expression.

  "You, you're saying that the two of you tried a Soul Fusion Technique and actually succeeded?" Zhou Wei's voice rose by an octave as she stood up from the sofa, her face filled with shock and excitement.

  Huo Yu Hao and Wang Dong nodded at the same time.

  Zhou Wei excitedly said: "Quick, let me see, what is your martial soul fusion skill?"

  Huo Yu Hao said: "Teacher Zhou, we still have a competition this afternoon. After using this skill, it will consume our soul power."

  Zhou Wei said irritably, "The first time you cast it, the consumption is the greatest. Afterwards, casting it again won't be that big of a deal. If every time you use the Martial Soul Fusion Technique results in fainting, wouldn't that become a suicidal skill? Hurry up. I'll take care of helping you recover your soul force, it won't delay your afternoon match. Come on, cast it directly at me."

  Zhou Wei had already said so, and Huo Yu Hao and Wang Dong naturally couldn't refuse. The two faced each other, and Huo Yu Hao naturally opened his arms to hug Wang Dong. Although Wang Dong's movements were still a bit stiff, he didn't reject him either, closing his eyes and opening his arms to hug Huo Yu Hao back.

  At the same time as their physical contact, they also released their respective martial souls.

  Their souls merged instantly, transforming into a vast winter power that flowed within them, and they both felt as if their bodies had become one in the embrace.

  One second, two seconds, three seconds...

  Inside Teacher Zhou Yi's office, a pin could be heard dropping, but apart from the soul power fluctuations generated by Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong releasing their martial souls, there was no other movement.

  Zhou Wei widened her eyes and stared at them, she had even made preparations to defend herself, but Huo Yu Hao just hugged Wang Dong there, without any other movement. The muscles in the corners of her eyes had already begun to twitch.

  Huo Yu Hao and Wang Dong also felt that something was off. According to last night's situation, their soul power should have been rapidly drained by now! Then, in one direction, a dazzling burst of withered leaves and the powerful attacking force of the King's Road erupted. But now, nothing had happened.

  "What are you two doing, making fun of me?" Zhou Wei's icy voice seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth. Hearing this, Huo Yu and Wang Dong couldn't help but shiver, subconsciously loosening their arms around each other, their faces also filled with shock.

  Teacher Zhou exuded a murderous aura, the same feeling they had when looking at Zhou Wei again. This old lady was clearly on the verge of an outburst.

  "Huo Yu Hao hastily said: "Teacher Zhou, we successfully cast the skill like this last night! We don't know what happened either.""

  "You two are hugging in my office, wanting to show off your relationship to me? If I don't properly deal with you today, I..."

  Before Zhou Wei could finish speaking, Huo Yu Hao immediately took action. He grabbed Wang Dong's hand and instantly cast his spiritual probe, sharing it with Zhou Wei at the same time.

  "Huh?" Zhou Wei was about to erupt in anger, but suddenly everything around her became clear. Her senses rapidly expanded outward, and in the blink of an eye, everything within a hundred-meter radius appeared vividly in three dimensions in her mind.

  How did the range become so large? Zhou Wei still clearly remembers that the last time Huo Yu Hao used his spiritual probe sharing, the coverage area was only about 30 meters in diameter. This time it became a diameter of 100 meters, and this increase is too huge.

  "Look, Zhou Wei seems a bit stunned. Huo Yu Hao hurriedly explained: "Teacher Zhou, do you remember? I once said that my spiritual detection would evolve with the improvement of my cultivation. After more than three months of your careful guidance, my spiritual detection has reached a diameter of about 50 meters. Moreover, I have also studied how to concentrate my spirit in one direction for detection, which will make the detection range even larger. And what you are feeling now is not just my own ability, but rather it's the result of Wang Dong and me completing our martial soul fusion. Our soul powers have merged, and with his assistance, my soul technique has made a huge breakthrough, increasing the detection range by nearly twice as much. My soul power can also amplify his soul technique in reverse. Doesn't this prove that we've successfully completed the martial soul fusion? If you don't believe us, we can take you to where we successfully tested it last night, there are still marks left behind."

  Listening to Huo Yu's words, Zhou Wei gradually calmed down. She knew that she had been a bit impulsive.

  For more than three months, He Yu Hao's performance in the college has been under her observation. In her memory, there has never been a student who can be compared to He Yu Hao in terms of diligence. Moreover, He Yu Hao is more mature than his peers, with a hint of being precocious. As for deceiving himself, he would not possibly use such an easily exposed lie.

  It is said that each profession has its own specialization, and although Zhou Wei was a teacher at Shrek Academy, her understanding of Soul Fusion Techniques wasn't particularly extensive. After all, this skill was indeed too niche. Having listened to Huo Yuhao's explanation, she already believed their words, and the anger in her heart quickly dissipated.

  With a wave of her hand, Zhou Wei said: "Alright, withdraw your skills. I believe you two are the ones. However, it's not right that your Soul Fusion Technique is sometimes effective and sometimes not. Wait for me in my office, I'll go find a teacher who's familiar with Soul Fusion Techniques to come and enlighten you."

  Old Lady Zhou was always quick and decisive, as soon as she finished speaking, she had already reached the door and left in a hurry.

  As soon as she left, Huo Yu Hao and Wang Dong simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. The two sat back on the sofa, Huo Yu Hao raised his left hand to wipe away the cold sweat on his forehead, while Wang Dong also wanted to raise his left hand to wipe the sweat, but found that his hand was still being held by Huo Yu Hao.

  "Let go." Wang Dong irritably pulled his hand out and glared at him, "It's all your fault. If you hadn't insisted on going out to test your skills, would we have been caught red-handed by Old Lady Zhou? Now there's no secret left to speak of."

  Huō Yǔhào leaned on the sofa, chuckling: "Blame me if you want. But this isn't a bad thing either. With a teacher guiding us in our cultivation, we can avoid taking many detours. When will you change your habit of complaining? That's when I'll be able to tolerate you."

  Wang Dong hummed and said, "That's because it's you. If it were someone else, I wouldn't even bother complaining. But today, seeing Old Lady Zhou's shocked expression is worth it. Do you think after we finish the elimination round, Old Lady Zhou will still teach us?"

  "It's hard to say. Teacher Zhou's teaching is very comprehensive, but it seems that there are also some biases. It's just that our grade is still young and our cultivation is weak, so we haven't reached the level where Teacher Zhou can show off his true professionalism in teaching. Anyway, after the elimination tournament ends and we reassign classes, we'll know then. I still hope to follow Teacher Zhou, the teacher being strict with us isn't a bad thing. At least it can continuously motivate us to work hard on our cultivation and studies."

  －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

  My body is basically fine now, but I still need to rest for a while. This illness was quite severe and has affected my energy levels. However, I expect to recover by next week and be able to update three times again.