The sun had set, leaving behind an orange glow that slowly faded from the sky. Inside the dormitory, the three young individuals finally broke away from their embrace—though Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong did so a bit reluctantly.
Wang Feng let out a wide yawn, stretching his body. "I'm really tired today. You guys don't mind if I go to sleep early, right?"
"Of course not," Huo Yuhao replied with a small smile, though his eyes betrayed unease.
Wang Dong merely snorted, then turned to the other side of his bed. But as soon as Wang Feng went into the bathroom to wash up, Wang Dong immediately turned to Huo Yuhao.
"He really doesn't understand a thing," he whispered, his voice full of frustration.
Huo Yuhao sighed. "We've known from the start how clueless he is, Dong'er."
"But—!" Wang Dong bit his lip. "You felt it too, right? When he hugged us earlier... my heart was pounding so hard. I could barely hide it!"
Huo Yuhao lowered his head, his fingers gripping the blanket. "Me too."
Their eyes met, understanding each other without the need for words. Their feelings for Wang Feng had long since gone beyond mere friendship—but how could they confess to someone so oblivious?
Wang Feng came out of the bathroom and lay on his bed. He quickly fell asleep, his breathing steady and calm. However, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong remained awake, each trapped in their own thoughts.
"If only I were braver…" Huo Yuhao thought, staring at the ceiling. "But if he rejects me, will everything change?"
Across the room, Wang Dong hugged his pillow tightly. "Idiot! Why can't you see how much we care about you?!"
Outside the window, the full moon shone brightly, illuminating the three figures caught in unspoken feelings.
In the following days, due to their busy schedules with academy evaluations, Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao couldn't keep a close watch on Wang Feng. They didn't realize that he was still frequently visiting Ma Xiaotao.
But his visits weren't without purpose. Wang Feng wanted to verify his theory: could the energy from his Ethereal Lotus truly trigger the evolution of Ma Xiaotao's Martial Soul?
It turned out he was right. The energy from the Ethereal Lotus Martial Soul not only assisted in the evolution of Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire Phoenix but also caused her evil fire to erupt more frequently. Normally, Ma Xiaotao could suppress the evil fire for months, but now she couldn't even last a day without Wang Feng's help.
According to Zhang Lexuan's observations, there hadn't been any side effects so far. However, if any were to appear, the most likely would be an extreme dependence of Ma Xiaotao on Wang Feng—because Martial Souls could sometimes influence the thoughts of their owners.
In Ma Xiaotao's training room, Wang Feng was seen channeling his energy into her back. Beside them stood Zhang Lexuan, watching closely.
Golden light flowed from his hands through Ma Xiaotao's meridians, soothing the rebellious evil fire raging within her body.
"Goodness… if it weren't for you, I probably would've turned into a monster by now…" Ma Xiaotao murmured, her voice barely audible.
Wang Feng didn't respond. His focus remained fixed on the flow of energy, ensuring there were no disruptions or imbalances.
A few moments later, Ma Xiaotao's aura finally stabilized. But once it did, for some reason, she suddenly hugged Wang Feng.
Wang Feng was startled, his body stiffening for a moment before he slowly returned the hug.
"Sister Xiaotao, are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Ma Xiaotao lowered her head, her face hidden against Wang Feng's shoulder.
"I... don't want you to leave," she whispered, her grip tightening.
Zhang Lexuan, who was standing beside them, frowned. There was something unusual about Ma Xiaotao's behavior—an emotional drive that seemed deeper than mere gratitude.
"Xiaotao, you need to give him time to rest. Wang Feng also needs to recover his energy," Zhang Lexuan said gently but firmly.
But Ma Xiaotao wouldn't let go.
"No! If he leaves, this evil fire will—"
"Sister Xiaotao," Wang Feng interrupted in a calm voice, his hands gently loosening the embrace. "I promise I'll come back tomorrow. But I have to go now, or Wang Dong and Yuhao will worry."
At the mention of his two friends, Ma Xiaotao's eyes flickered. An emotion flashed through them—jealousy? Anger? Or something darker?
"...Alright," she finally relented, reluctantly releasing Wang Feng. "But you have to come tomorrow. As soon as possible."
Wang Feng could only offer a bittersweet smile. "I'll do my best, Sister Xiaotao."
Zhang Lexuan watched from the side, her gaze sharp and thoughtful. She said nothing, but silently noted the interaction—how Ma Xiaotao's dependence on Wang Feng was growing stronger, both physically and… perhaps emotionally.
When Wang Feng returned to the dorm, he was greeted by the stern looks of Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao, already waiting at the door.
Wang Feng paused, taken aback to see his two friends standing with arms crossed and clearly unhappy expressions.
"Ehh... You guys aren't asleep yet?" Wang Feng asked with an awkward smile.
"It's really late, Wang Feng," said Huo Yuhao, his voice flat. "Where have you been?"
Wang Dong stepped forward. "And don't say 'taking a walk' or 'stargazing.' We know you never go out this late… unless it's for one reason."
Wang Feng scratched the back of his head. "I… went to Sister Xiaotao's place."
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong exchanged glances before turning their increasingly displeased expressions back to Wang Feng.
"Her again?" Wang Dong let out a long sigh, trying to hold back his irritation. "You know, we're starting to worry that you'd rather spend time with her than with us."
Wang Feng looked shocked. "What? No! I'm only helping her suppress her evil fire. That's all!"
Huo Yuhao stepped closer, his eyes filled with concern. "But why is it always late at night? And why don't you ever tell us beforehand? We… we just don't want you to get hurt."
Wang Feng sighed. "I understand. I'm sorry—I should've told you. But Sister Xiaotao really needs my help. Her evil fire is getting worse, and only my energy can calm it."
Wang Dong frowned. "But isn't that dangerous for you? What if one day that evil fire really explodes and hurts you?"
Wang Feng gave a small smile, trying to reassure them. "Don't worry, I'm always careful. And Sister Lexuan is always there to supervise."
Huo Yuhao still didn't look convinced. "Feng, we just care about you. We don't want anything bad to happen to you."
Wang Feng could feel their sincerity, and guilt began to creep in for making them worry.
"I understand. From now on, I'll be more honest with you guys. Promise."
Wang Dong finally softened his stance. "Alright. But if you're late again, we're locking you in the dorm!"
Huo Yuhao chuckled, breaking the tension. "Dong'er's right. We won't hesitate to trap you in here."
Wang Feng laughed. "Deal! Now, how about we get some sleep? We still have morning classes tomorrow."
The three of them finally went inside the dorm, the atmosphere noticeably lighter.
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