Uncle Bai, I Heard You Don't Have a Son. My Father Doesn't Care About Me Either, So I Hope...

Just as Zhao Yuanbu had made up his mind to build a closer relationship with Bai Qingshan before finding an excuse to acknowledge him as his father, he returned to his office and found Zhang Zhao kneeling on the floor.

"Uncle Bai, I heard you don't have a son. My father has too many sons and doesn't want to bother with me, so I hope... to support you in your old age."

Zhao Yuanbu: "..."

Wasn't your father the Imperial Censor and Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices? Why were you stealing my lines?!

Zhao Yuanbu was so furious he wanted to curse. He had never expected Zhang Zhao, whose fifth spirit ring was already ten-thousand-year level, to beat him to acknowledging Bai Qingshan as his father.

His fifth spirit ring was already ten-thousand-year level. With that kind of backing, he shouldn't have lacked patrons, right?! And he still wanted to compete with him?

Zhao Yuanbu did not know Zhang Zhao's circumstances. Though Zhang Zhao's father was the Imperial Censor and Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, his father was simply too capable.

His father's abilities were so extraordinary that he had single-handedly created a small family. The Imperial Censor and Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices had plenty of resources, but there were more than ten siblings to divide them among. The legitimate sons and daughters naturally took the lion's share, while illegitimate children like them could only split the scraps.

It was already only a small portion of the resources, and with so many people dividing it, each person ended up with barely anything.

Zhang Zhao's ten-thousand-year fifth spirit ring was the largest share of resources he had received.

If he could cultivate to level sixty, perhaps he could earn a sixth spirit ring through the main branch's favor. But if he could not reach level sixty through his own cultivation, then he could forget about obtaining a ten-thousand-year sixth ring.

In a sense, Zhang Zhao had even fewer opportunities than Zhao Yuanbu to climb upward. That was precisely why, after sensing the relationship between Xiao Qiang and Bai Qingshan, Zhang Zhao had made his choice almost immediately.

As the son of one of the empire's uppermost powerholders, Zhang Zhao understood better than Zhao Yuanbu just how difficult it was to climb higher—and the benefits that awaited those who did.

Thus, upon discovering a chance to come into contact with an opportunity to cross class boundaries, Zhang Zhao did not hesitate in the slightest.

Acknowledging a father so abruptly—and one weaker than himself at that—might earn him the contempt of others, but time would prove everything. Once Bai Qingshan truly rose through the ranks and he successfully hitched himself to Bai Qingshan's carriage of upward mobility, no one would be able to laugh anymore.

It was only natural to be mocked when one was weak. If no one mocked it, then everyone would do the same, and by then, even the chance to kneel and earn money would be gone.

Zhang Zhao understood this perfectly and did not hesitate at all. Almost as soon as the call between Bai Qingshan and Xiao Qiang ended, he found an opportunity to acknowledge him as his father.

"Good child, get up."

Bai Qingshan knew Zhang Zhao was doing this because of Xiao Qiang and that it had little to do with himself, but as a four-ring Soul Ancestor, there was no need for him to offend a five-ring Soul King at a time like this.

The King of Hell was easy to deal with; it was the petty demons who were difficult. Bai Qingshan, who had spent decades navigating society, had learned that lesson the hard way.

Having one promising son who could help him in the future was far preferable to gaining an unhappy five-ring Soul King. It was a choice that required no thought.

"Godfather, this is a small token of my respect. Please do not refuse." Zhang Zhao brought out the small amount of savings he had set aside for marriage. The resources he had were still fairly useful to Bai Qingshan, so Bai Qingshan did not refuse.

Both men understood exactly what this was about, and both knew what the best choice was at this moment.

Zhao Yuanbu: "..."

You just blocked off every possible path for me at once. What am I supposed to do now?!

Zhao Yuanbu felt like crying but had no tears. He truly could not think of any good solution now.

Kneeling and acknowledging Bai Qingshan as his father? Between a five-ring Soul King with an Optimal Spirit Ring Configuration and a spirit master like himself, who could only guarantee the strongest spirit ring configuration for his first four rings, anyone would know whom to choose. And Zhang Zhao had seized the initiative first.

Offering tangible benefits? He did not know Zhang Zhao's exact family wealth, but Zhang Zhao was still a camel larger than a horse even in death. The resources he could offer were clearly beyond what a so-called great family from a second-rate city like his could match.

Especially since Zhao Yuanbu was not even the Chieftain, merely the grandson of a First Elder.

In such a short time, Zhao Yuanbu felt as though the sky had collapsed.

Near Sea God Lake, Shrek Academy.

After a busy day, Huo Yuhao finally had time to take Wang Dong for a stroll by Sea God Lake.

When Huo Yuhao had first arrived at Shrek Academy, his relationship with Wang Dong had not been good. As the young lady of the Clear Sky Sect, Wang Dong's tsundere nature had caused some friction between her and Huo Yuhao.

The result was that Wang Dong beat Huo Yuhao up.

Since Huo Yuhao had not obtained the Spiritual Detection Spirit Skill he originally possessed, he could only rely on his eyes to catch Wang Dong's movements. This became the final straw that broke the camel's back in their battle.

On his first day of enrollment, he was beaten up by Wang Dong. It could be considered an early warning from this world's Fortune to Huo Yuhao.

Yet Huo Yuhao still chose to remain at Shrek Academy. The two shared the same room, and Huo Yuhao had originally intended to take things to extremes. Fortunately, Electrolux, who resided in Huo Yuhao's mind, spoke up and stopped Huo Yuhao from choosing to perish together with Wang Dong.

Furthermore, during the running exercise on their first day of enrollment, Wang Dong chose to help Huo Yuhao. Their relationship gradually eased, and especially after Wang Dong ate the grilled fish Huo Yuhao made, the two became close friends much like in the original story.

Later, after their homeroom teacher Zhou Yi learned that Huo Yuhao was Mental Type, Huo Yuhao met Fan Yu and Cai Tou.

However, compared to Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection Sharing in the original story, the effect of Vision Sharing, Huo Yuhao's first spirit skill, was inferior by far.

It had many restrictions, and its power was nothing remarkable. Still, considering that Huo Yuhao's first spirit ring was a hundred-year one, as well as his age, Fan Yu felt he could be given a little training as a test—but only a little.

Next, while selling grilled fish, Huo Yuhao encountered Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan. Then, relying on Vision Sharing and the Spirit Shock granted by Tang Ya's External Soul Bone, the three worked together and successfully defeated Xu Sanshi, ultimately obtaining two Mysterious Water Pills.

After absorbing his first spirit ring, Huo Yuhao's soul power reached level eleven. With the boost of the two Mysterious Water Pills, each of which increased Innate Level One Soul Power, Huo Yuhao successfully reached level thirteen soul power through his own efforts.

The grilled fish had sold out, and his soul power had reached level thirteen. That was why Huo Yuhao had the mood to relax with Wang Dong.

However, while they were out relaxing, they happened to run into Ma Xiaotao, who was in the midst of going berserk.

Without Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, it was as though a huge character for "danger" had been written above Huo Yuhao's head.