Douluo Dalu: Beginning with Signing in with Yan Lingji

Chapter 166: Just Master and Disciple?

"How do you feel after practicing the Divine Footwork Manual?" Zhao Ming asked as he approached Huo Wu, who was now covered in a fine layer of sweat.

After training for a long time, Huo Wu was perspiring, and her body had a warm, dewy feel. However, this didn't diminish her beauty. In fact, the light sheen of sweat gave her a different kind of charm, making her fragrance more intense and her appearance even more captivating.

Thinking of such a beautiful girl ending up with Feng Xiaotian, a mere supporting character in the original story, Zhao Ming felt it was a waste.

Feng Xiaotian was just an average genius from the Divine Wind Academy. Even if he worked hard, he could only reach the rank of Soul Douluo. How could someone like that be worthy of Huo Wu?

Now, with his guidance, Huo Wu's future would not be inferior to Ning Rongrong's. She would also become a powerful figure.

She and Feng Xiaotian would not belong to the same world. She would become a proud daughter of the heavens, while Feng Xiaotian would be just one among the crowd.

"I feel very light now, not tired at all, and my soul power feels fuller," Huo Wu said with delight as she finished her practice, her eyes shining with excitement as she looked at Zhao Ming.

"Good. It's great to see the progress." Zhao Ming smiled as he stepped forward and used his sleeve to wipe the fine sweat off Huo Wu's forehead.

"Master," Huo Wu said with a charming smile, looking at Zhao Ming with a sense of gratitude.

In this lifetime, meeting someone like Zhao Ming was her greatest fortune.

Perhaps her entire life would change because of him.

"Put on my coat. Otherwise, my beautiful disciple's current state will be seen by others," Zhao Ming smiled as he took out a long coat from his storage soul tool and handed it to Huo Wu.

"Okay." Huo Wu nodded, feeling a warmth in her heart. It was only now that she realized her current state. She had been so engrossed in her practice that she lost track of time, training for over two hours. Her tight-fitting outfit was now clinging to her body due to the sweat, making her feel a bit embarrassed.

After all, she was now in a state that could easily lead to misunderstandings.

Luckily, it was only Zhao Ming who saw her like this.

If it had been anyone else, they might have tried to take advantage of her instead of showing such care.

"Master, what kind of girl do you like?" As evening approached and the two of them walked back to Shrek Academy, Huo Wu looked at Zhao Ming with curiosity in her eyes, as well as a hint of other emotions.

Even now, she couldn't quite understand why Zhao Ming had refused her when her grandfather proposed marrying her to him. Deep down, the question had been bothering her. What was it about her that wasn't good enough? Was it her age? Did her master not like older girls?

She had previously been curious about this question.

But now, she felt an urgent need to know the answer.

"What kind of girl do I like?" Zhao Ming paused, looking at Huo Wu, unsure how to respond.

Should he say he likes beautiful girls with great figures? Slim waists, long legs? That would be too shallow.

And the key point was that Huo Wu was also very beautiful with a great figure. If she sensed he had any other intentions, it wouldn't be good.

He couldn't let the heroic and wise image he had in Huo Wu's eyes be ruined.

"I like confident girls," Zhao Ming said with a bright smile. "Confident girls have a unique aura that's irresistible, something you can't forget once you've seen it."

"Confident girls?" Huo Wu was stunned.

She looked at Zhao Ming, her eyes sparkling.

She had mentally prepared herself, thinking Zhao Ming might say he liked girls who were beautiful, young, cute, with a great figure, or well-endowed—all the typical things most men liked.

But Zhao Ming's answer surprised her.

She finally understood why, despite her beauty, he seemed indifferent.

Because he wasn't the type of man who was driven by lust; he was different from the rest. He valued not a girl's appearance but her confident aura.

"Why are you smiling so happily?" Zhao Ming asked with a smile, looking at Huo Wu.

"Master, you're different from other boys," Huo Wu said with a charming smile, her eyes twinkling as she looked at him.

"Of course. Who else can compare to me?" Zhao Ming replied confidently.

"Yes, Master is the best. But, Master, if I become the kind of girl you mentioned, would you like me?" Huo Wu asked, looking at Zhao Ming with anticipation in her eyes.

"You're my disciple, and I've always liked you," Zhao Ming smiled.

"That's not what I mean. I'm talking about the kind of liking my grandfather mentioned yesterday." As the words left her mouth, Huo Wu's heart began to race. She didn't know why, but she suddenly found herself saying something so bold.

She and Zhao Ming were, after all, master and disciple. How could their relationship ever become romantic? It was completely against the rules.

Her heart was filled with anxiety, but there was also a strange thrill that she couldn't deny.

Looking at Zhao Ming's calm face, her cheeks felt even hotter.

"Huo Wu, how could you think that? We are master and disciple," Zhao Ming said calmly, although there was a hint of delight in his heart. As much as he wanted Huo Wu, now was not the time.

"You will meet someone you like in the future. There are many good men in this world."

Hearing Zhao Ming's words, the light in Huo Wu's eyes dimmed.

She had known that Zhao Ming didn't see her in that way. It was laughable that she had worried he might take advantage of her before. With someone as noble as Zhao Ming, even if she stood naked in front of him, he wouldn't take a second glance.

To him, she was nothing more than a disciple—just that.

Huo Wu opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find the words.

There might be many good men in the world, but there was only one like him.

Before, she had admired Zhao Ming for his strength and talent. But as she got to know him better, he started to occupy her thoughts.

The unattainable is always tempting, while those who are favored remain confident. For Huo Wu, the more Zhao Ming rejected her, the more she wanted to win him over.

But they were just master and disciple. Perhaps that would never change.

Huo Wu felt conflicted.

"If you manage to reach the rank of Soul King before the age of twenty, I might consider it," Zhao Ming said with a bright smile as he looked at the beautiful Huo Wu.

"Really?" Huo Wu's eyes lit up, and the dim look in her eyes disappeared.

Reaching Soul King before the age of twenty sounded impossible. After all, she was currently only at rank 38, still twelve levels away from Soul King.

Such a gap seemed impossible to bridge.

Huo Wu knew Zhao Ming was deliberately giving her an impossible task to discourage her feelings. But, with her pride, how could she be defeated by such a challenge?

Looking at Zhao Ming, Huo Wu smiled confidently.

If he liked confident girls, then she would show him.

Reaching the Soul King rank—she would achieve it.

"Of course, it's true," Zhao Ming said calmly, but inwardly he was grinning. He hadn't expected Huo Wu to have such thoughts.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.