Chapter 13: Setting the Rules
Back inside the academy, Huo Yuhao cleaned the grill. Instead of returning it to the storage room, he went to find He Ruixiang.
"Kid, back so soon? Is business tough, or is the fish not tasty?" Seeing him return the key so quickly, He Ruixiang thought he couldn't handle the setback and wanted to quit.
Huo Yuhao shook his head and took out a steaming Grilled Fish from his storage space. "Uncle, I specifically saved this for you. Business isn't that hard; I actually earned quite a bit. Here are five gold coins. Can I buy the grill?"
He Ruixiang looked surprised. Wasn't it just five bronze coins this morning? Did this kid go out and rob someone? How did they turn into gold in the blink of an eye!
"Sure! It seems you have more talent for business than being a Spirit Master." He Ruixiang took the Grilled Fish. He hadn't intended to eat it, but the aroma piqued his interest.
As he ate the Grilled Fish, He Ruixiang's eyes lit up again. The heat was just right, the seasoning was balanced without masking the flavor of the ingredients themselves. With his mouth full of fish, he mumbled, "You don't need that many soul coins. It was just discarded equipment anyway. Just give me one as a token. You can have the grill."
He Ruixiang only took one gold coin. After thanking him, Huo Yuhao left the cafeteria.
Subtracting the five gold for the raw Materials of one hundred green fish and the one gold for He Ruixiang, he still had seventeen gold.
Coming to the window selling Spirit Beast stews, Huo Yuhao ordered a ten-gold coin portion of Dragon, Tiger, and Phoenix stew. It was a soup simmered with a hundred-year-old Armored Snake, a hundred-year-old Saber-Toothed Tiger, a hundred-year-old Gale Bird, and some nourishing medicinal herbs.
The white porcelain stew pot was about the size of two palms, filled with meat and soup. Huo Yuhao then went to buy twenty large steamed buns before returning to his seat to start eating.
With a large plate of white steamed buns the size of an adult man's fist, Huo Yuhao ate one in two bites, washing it down with the meat soup and Spirit Beast meat. It was pure satisfaction.
Especially that Dragon, Tiger, and Phoenix soup; one sip felt warm all over. Huo Yuhao felt the fatigue from practicing the Eight-Nine Arcane Art this morning rapidly easing, and his Physical Body felt firm due to the recovery.
"Yuhao, the Cultivation Technique you practiced this morning is very powerful. In just two and a half minutes, the age of your first spirit ring has increased its power by a hundred years," Tianmeng Ice Silkworm suddenly spoke.
Huo Yuhao shuddered in fright, nearly choking. "Wait, Brother Tianmeng, they say people scaring people can kill. Even though you're a worm, speaking so suddenly still scares me..."
"Hahaha, sorry Yuhao, but there's no helping it. You'll get used to it after a few more times. Also, you should practice that Cultivation Technique more; it will be of great benefit for absorbing an Ultimate Ice Spirit in the future," Tianmeng Ice Silkworm apologized.
"I want to practice more too, but my financial situation doesn't allow it. I'll take it slow; you can't become a Fatty in one bite." Huo Yuhao chewed on the tenderly stewed Armored Snake meat while communicating with the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm in his mind.
"You are indeed a bit poor. Compared to that, I have some good news for you: I can use my mental force to help ease your pain," Brother Tianmeng said.
"Is that so? Alright, I'll call you when I Cultivate tomorrow." Huo Yuhao was delighted. He didn't want to experience that feeling of pain all over his body again; it was too damn unbearable!
After giving a clear response, Brother Tianmeng went back to sleep.
Full and satisfied, Huo Yuhao prepared to head back to the dormitory to Cultivate spirit power.
Downstairs at the dormitory, an old man was sitting on a reclining chair, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan to stay cool. Shaded by trees, he looked quite comfortable.
According to the plot, shouldn't I greet him? After all, this is the Dragon God Douluo, Mu En, a rank ninety-nine Limit Douluo.
"It's already noon, old man, aren't you going to eat yet?" Huo Yuhao nodded, giving a casual greeting between men.
Mu En stopped fanning his palm-leaf fan. His aged eyes slowly turned, and he said in a muffled voice, "I'm old; I haven't even digested what I ate this morning yet."
So he's just not hungry then.
"Alright, I'll head upstairs then." Huo Yuhao waved goodbye and went straight up.
Mu En waved his hand and whispered to himself, "A rare, strange child."
...Wang Dong should be at the dormitory by now too, though I'm not sure if it's the same room.
Huo Yuhao looked at the closed door of Room 201, inserted the key, turned the handle, and pushed the door open.
"Ah! Get out!"
Wang Dong, with her back turned, hurriedly turned her head and saw the figure of a boy, screaming loudly! She hadn't expected someone to suddenly burst in while she was changing into her freshman uniform in the dormitory.
Huo Yuhao's eardrums ached; the shrill voice was unbearable. He quickly backed out and closed the door. In that brief glimpse, he saw fair skin and bandages wrapped around her waist and back... Won't wrapping it like that affect development?... Well, this is bad. She was already arrogant and bossy, and now I've accidentally caught her changing. I won't be able to stay in this dorm.
Huo Yuhao's mind raced, thinking of a way to handle this.
A moment later, the door opened. Wang Dong's fair and beautiful face had an extra layer of pink, and her already handsome features gained a touch of bashfulness.
"Why! Didn't! You! Knock!" Wang Dong Gritting teeth, saying each word with force.
"Brother, why would I knock on my own dorm door? And why did you scream so loudly? We're both men; there's no need for such a violent reaction, right?" Huo Yuhao spread his hands with an innocent expression.
"You... You!"
Wang Dong also realized she was in a boys' dormitory. She pointed at Huo Yuhao's nose, panting and unable to speak.
Huo Yuhao pushed down the hand pointing at him. "My name is Huo Yuhao. What's yours?"
"Wang Dong!" Wang Dong shouted. She wanted to say more, but Huo Yuhao cut her off.
"Hello, Wang Dong. I'm a very easygoing person, but since we're sharing a room, there need to be some rules. First, you can't just bring people back whenever. Second, keep the dorm clean. Third, don't disturb my sleep or Cultivation at night. Fourth, remember not to take off your clothes randomly—like just now, that's not okay, I'm afraid of getting sties. Fifth... nothing for now. I'll let you know when I think of more."
Huo Yuhao pondered for a moment and gave Wang Dong a friendly smile.
Hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Wang Dong's bashful pink face turned a deep crimson with rage.
Aren't these the things I planned to say to my roommate!
"By what right!" Wang Dong's eyes were full of fury, looking ready to strike at any moment. As the little princess of the Clear Sky Sect, when had she ever suffered such a grievance!
She was seen... and now she has to follow these so-called rules!
"By no right in particular. Since the rules have been set, I will follow them equally as well. You see, nothing I said is inappropriate, right? If there's any rule you don't like, feel free to point it out."
Huo Yuhao walked around her and sat back down on his bed.
Wang Dong stood there thinking. These were all things she wanted to say to Huo Yuhao. Everything else was fine, but the one about cleaning...