At that moment, Huo Yuhao was suddenly pulled into his spiritual world. This was his second time here.
At the center of the sea, the enormous Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was still fast asleep, its fat body rising and falling with each breath, as though the collapse of the heavens had nothing to do with it.
Huo Yuhao's gaze passed over the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and settled on another corner of the Sea of Consciousness.
There, a tiny gray Light Orb hovered silently.
It looked completely unremarkable. It was nowhere near as huge as the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, nor did it give off the sort of spiritual fluctuations that made one's heart tremble. Yet, for some reason, when Huo Yuhao looked at it, he felt an inexplicable shiver deep in his soul.
"Who are you?"
Huo Yuhao tentatively sent out a thought.
As if responding to his call, the little gray orb trembled slightly.
Then, gray light blazed forth.
When the light faded, a figure slowly emerged.
He was an old man with an aged face, dressed in an extraordinarily ornate black robe. Ancient, mysterious golden runes shimmered across it, as though they contained the deepest truths of the universe.
Over his robe, he wore a broad white cloak, its hood lowered to cover most of his face.
In his right hand, he held an enormously exaggerated staff.
It was more than two meters taller than he was, its entire length woven from black, white, and gold. A huge gray gemstone was set into its tip, radiating a deathly stillness that made one's heart tremble.
Huo Yuhao stared in shock at the uninvited guest who had suddenly appeared before him.
He had never known that such a being was living in his spiritual world.
"Who... are you? Why are you here?"
Huo Yuhao asked cautiously, unable to hide the nervousness in his voice.
The old man raised his head slightly and looked at Huo Yuhao.
"I... am Electrolux."
His voice was hoarse and low, carrying an ancient rhythm.
"Merely a remnant soul."
"Electrolux...?"
Huo Yuhao searched his memories for the name, but found nothing.
"No need to think about it. I am not from this world."
Electrolux seemed to see through Huo Yuhao's thoughts and spoke calmly.
"Because of an accident, I came to this world. Originally... a fragment of my Spiritual Sense fell into a strange little river. There, I sensed an exceptionally unusual power. That power... even surpassed the divine realm I had once touched."
At the mention of that river, Electrolux's voice grew more solemn.
"But after that, for some reason, I suddenly appeared in your spiritual world."
He looked at Huo Yuhao, the faintest smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
"Perhaps this is fate."
"You may call me Old Ilai."
Huo Yuhao was a little dazed.
Small River?
Could it be the river in the Star Dou Great Forest that had fished him up?
Had Old Ilai also come from that river?
"Then... Old Ilai, what do you plan to do?"
Huo Yuhao asked the most important question. He was afraid this unknown being might harm him.
"Heh..."
Electrolux chuckled softly and shook his head.
"I have only a wisp of Remnant Soul left. If I weren't dwelling in your Sea of Consciousness, I would have long since vanished from this world. So you needn't worry that I'll hurt you."
"On the contrary... in return for letting me stay, once my soul has stabilized a little, I'll teach you some ways to grow stronger."
Hearing this, Huo Yuhao felt a little more at ease.
Although Old Ilai seemed a little ominous, he didn't feel evil. Instead, there was a... serenity that came from having weathered countless hardships.
"Um... Old Ilai, I have another question."
Huo Yuhao hesitated, but couldn't help asking.
"I have two brothers. I'd like to tell them about you. Is that all right?"
At his words, a strange glint flashed through Electrolux's deep eyes.
He closed them, as if sensing something.
A moment later, he opened them again and spoke slowly.
"It's all right to tell them."
"After all... I sensed an aura very similar to my own in those two little fellows."
"W-what?!"
This time, Huo Yuhao was truly shocked.
A similar aura?
Could it be...
When the River God split him into three, had he also split Old Man Electrolux into three pieces?!
At the thought of that sinister, murder-obsessed "Evil Qi Xuan Zi," Huo Yuhao couldn't help shivering.
What if the Electroluxes in his other two brothers' spiritual worlds weren't as easy to get along with as the one in his own?
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Just as Huo Yuhao was lost in thought, a series of hurried knocks sounded, instantly pulling his consciousness back to reality.
Huo Yuhao's eyes flew open. He got out of bed and opened the door.
Huo Hao and Huo Yu stood outside, both wearing strange expressions.
Before Huo Yuhao could speak, Huo Hao spoke first.
"Yuhao, there's something I need to tell you... It seems like someone's appeared in my spiritual world."
Huo Yu nodded beside him.
"Me too."
Huo Yuhao: "..."
Just as he'd thought!
The three of them closed the door, gathered around the living room sofa, and began exchanging information.
"Mine... calls himself King Ilai."
Huo Hao took a deep breath and described the old man who had appeared in his spiritual world.
"He wore shining Golden Armor, had a crown on his head, and held a Golden Holy Sword. He looked majestic and imposing, like an emperor commanding a vast army."
Having finished, Huo Hao looked at Huo Yu.
Huo Yu chuckled. He showed no fear or nervousness toward the old man of unknown origin who had suddenly appeared in his spiritual world. Instead, he looked quite interested.
"Mine's called Venerable Ilai. He wore a scholar's robe and a square headscarf, and held a book. He looked refined and spoke in a very old-fashioned way, like an old scholar."
Huo Yuhao also shared what he knew about the Electrolux in his spiritual world.
He couldn't help feeling relieved. It seemed none of them meant any harm. Thank goodness.
"Hey, you little brats. You're far too weak, aren't you?"
Suddenly, a deep voice rang out in all three of their spiritual worlds at once.
"King Ilai?"
Huo Hao recognized the voice. He'd just spoken with King Ilai.
"What's going on?"
Huo Yuhao and Huo Yu were both stunned. Wasn't King Ilai in Huo Hao's spiritual world? How could they hear his voice too?
"Heh. Then I'll help out as well. You three little fellows are quite lucky."
Venerable Ilai's voice rang out in all three of their minds, too.
So they were connected?
"Then... I'll leave things to the two of you for now."
Electrolux's aged voice sounded. Of the three, his condition was by far the worst.
"Now, I'll give you a choice: join the training, or waste your time and muddle through life. Of course, if you choose to join, I won't allow anyone to quit halfway. The moment anyone quits, I'll kill them without hesitation!"
King Ilai's voice brooked no argument. No one could oppose his decision. The murderous intent in his tone was no bluff, and neither was the terrifying aura he exuded. It was far more powerful than the combined aura of the three million-year-old Sky Dream Ice Silkworms.
And this was only a remnant soul!
Huo Yuhao and his brothers exchanged glances and made up their minds.
"We'll join!"
With a powerhouse like this—or rather, three powerhouses—to help them, how could the three brothers fail to grow strong?
"Good. Then... training starts tomorrow!"
King Ilai's domineering voice rang out once more.
"Um... King Ilai, I wanted to ask, how are Brother Sky Dream and the others?"
Huo Yuhao asked, worry filling his eyes. After all, the three Sky Dream Ice Silkworms had fallen asleep for their sake.
"Those three little bugs are fine. They'll recover after sleeping for a few months."
Venerable Ilai replied with a soft chuckle.
At that answer, the three of them couldn't help feeling relieved.
The second cheat had officially logged on!