They're Definitely Not Short on Cash

Looking at the old man and young man before him, Huo Yuhao first felt a flicker of wariness. Then, after pondering the meaning behind the old man's words, a glint appeared in his eyes—the same gleam that lit up an old farmer's eyes at harvest time, filled with the joy of a bountiful yield.

"G-grandpa, and... big brother, hello."

Huo Yuhao sheathed his long blade and revealed a harmless smile. After all, he was only nine years old. When he smiled, he seemed utterly approachable. The old man strode forward, sniffing around Huo Yuhao's left side, then his right, nodding without pause.

"That's right, this is the smell. We really found it this time."

The old man's unrestrained behavior gave Huo Yuhao quite a fright. He hurriedly cast a pleading look at the young man beside him. The young man seemed unable to watch any longer and quickly grabbed the old man's arm, finally allowing Huo Yuhao to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Don't mind him, little brother. My master is always like this. He's usually quite dignified, but whenever he encounters something that interests him, he tends to lose all sense of propriety. My apologies. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Long Aotian, and this is my master, Du Busi."

Long Aotian's voice was bright and magnetic, his tone carrying a trace of apology. But before he could finish speaking, the old man called Du Busi broke free of Long Aotian's grip and seized Huo Yuhao's hand with a sincere expression.

Huo Yuhao remained outwardly composed, but a raging storm had already risen in his heart. The other party had not grabbed his hand quickly at all. It had looked like an ordinary elderly man excitedly clasping a younger person's hands for a heartfelt talk. Yet despite such an action, Huo Yuhao had not even had a chance to react.

This old man was definitely an expert among Soul Masters—an expert whose cultivation was several stories high. He was probably at least a Soul King with a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. He might even be a Soul Emperor.

Naturally, Du Busi had no idea what Huo Yuhao was thinking. Otherwise, he would most likely have felt insulted. At that moment, he was all smiles, his old face squeezed into a blooming flower.

"Little brother, my disciple and I caught the scent of some wonderfully fragrant grilled fish from beside the creek. Did you make it yourself? We've traveled a long way and are starving. Would you be willing to sell us a few grilled fish?"

Watching his master address a child who looked barely over ten as a brother, several black lines appeared on Long Aotian's forehead. Yet there was nothing he could do. His master normally seemed fairly proper, but whenever he encountered something interesting, he behaved no differently from that Godly Taotie Bull at Shrek Academy.

Huo Yuhao lowered his head slightly and examined the two men's clothing. The senior named Du Busi was dressed quite casually: a pair of flat cloth shoes, along with a linen robe and linen trousers that had clearly been worn for a long time but showed no obvious damage. He looked like someone who dressed with complete ease.

His attire alone showed that Senior Du Busi must hold a very high position within his family or sect. Whether it was the strength he had displayed while grabbing Huo Yuhao's hand earlier or his carefree clothing, both indicated that this senior had long lived in an unfettered, peaceful, and comfortable environment.

Huo Yuhao then turned to look at Long Aotian. Long Aotian's clothes were not particularly extravagant: a pale green robe trimmed with gold, with a Storage Soul Guidance Device resembling a sachet hanging at his waist. Aside from that, he wore no other ornaments. He appeared calm and confident, and an unusual air slowly emanated from him.

Huo Yuhao knew that this was an aura akin to confidence. Though it was almost entirely nonaggressive, anyone who saw someone with such a distinctive presence would not dare offend him casually. It was difficult to find such an aura in ordinary people. It required wealth, strength, and the confidence of an entire faction as nourishment to cultivate. The result was something like the so-called refined gentleman, gentle as jade.

Hmm. They should be from a great clan, and likely a Soul Master clan or a sect of some sort. But one thing is certain—this old man and young man... are definitely not short on cash!

"N-no need."

Huo Yuhao scratched his head somewhat sheepishly and took several still-warm grilled fish from his Storage Soul Guidance Device. It had already been nearly half an hour since he had finished grilling them, so they could only be considered warm.

"They weren't worth much to begin with. The Black Carp and Perilla were picked nearby, and even the sauce I brushed on while grilling was given to me by a very generous big brother. I'll treat you two."

Huo Yuhao shyly handed the grilled fish to Du Busi and Long Aotian. Yet after hearing him say that, Du Busi felt even more embarrassed about taking them. Du Busi could snatch things from others—he had done plenty of that—but when someone gave him something for free, he instead felt awkward.

"Th-this wouldn't be proper."

Du Busi wanted to refuse the grilled fish being offered to him, but the fragrance rising from them went straight into his nostrils. The powerful spices had brought the Black Carp's natural freshness to its peak, tempting Du Busi again and again to accept the fish.

"It's alright. My mother often taught me that when you're away from home, you have to learn to help one another. Please take them."

Seeing that Long Aotian and Du Busi were still hesitating, Huo Yuhao inconspicuously pushed the grilled fish a little farther into their hands. This time, the two truly had no reason to refuse and could only accept the grilled fish Huo Yuhao offered them.

"Hahaha, what a good lad! Just for those words, if there's ever anything you can't handle, come find me. I like youngsters like you who suit my taste."

Du Busi did not even blow on it. The grilled fish was at just the right temperature to eat. With one bite, the crisp yet springy fish skin and flesh slid into his mouth together, and his eyes immediately lit up. The layer of pale red chili powder over the fresh, fragrant fish instantly elevated its depth of flavor. Smooth, tender, fragrant, numbing, fresh—though the flavors seemed complex, they were perfectly ordered, like ruler, minister, assistant, and envoy, bringing this mouthful of fish to an inconceivably exquisite level.

After just one bite, Du Busi could no longer stop. Completely unconcerned with his image, he squatted down on the spot and began his battle to wipe out the grilled fish. The foot-long Black Carp was reduced to bones in only a few bites. Even the golden-brown, slightly charred bones in the fish tail did not escape Du Busi's clutches; he crunched them to pieces in a few bites.