"Since this is the first battle for these two young masters after becoming Soul Masters, may I add a prize of my own?"
The golden-haired girl who had been silently following behind Xu Jiawei suddenly spoke.
The girl looked no older than twelve or thirteen. Her long, slender golden hair was tied high in a ponytail.
Her delicate features still held a trace of childishness, but anyone could see the makings of a peerless beauty.
Dai Hao was a little stunned. His wife hadn't discussed this with him, and now Jiujiu wanted to get involved too?
"Jiujiu, don't be silly. This is your second brother's family matter," Xu Jiawei said, turning his head.
Dai Hao collected his thoughts. A duel might not be a bad thing after all.
"Your Majesty, there's no need. Jiujiu only wants to add a prize."
"Is that all right, elder brother, second brother?" Princess Xu Jiujiu of the Star Luo Empire asked expectantly.
Dai Hao smiled. "Of course. These two boys couldn't be happier to have earned your favor, Jiujiu."
Xu Jiujiu blinked her big eyes. "Thank you for supporting me, second brother."
"Then, to your two sons, second brother: Jiujiu will help the winner pick out something he likes at the Starlight Auction House!"
"Such a generous reward? Jiujiu, are you sure?" Dai Hao asked.
The smile on Xu Jiujiu's face didn't change. "Sister-in-law can offer a Soul Bone as a prize, so my reward can't be any worse!"
Dai Hao nodded, then shouted at his two sons.
"You two brats, your Aunt Jiujiu says the winner can pick out something he likes at the Starlight Auction House!"
"Both of you, do your best! Understand?"
Huo Yuhao and Dai Huabin had already been fired up by the Soul Bone.
Now that they'd heard about such an enticing reward, both of them wished they could knock the other down right away!
Three minutes passed, and beneath the watchful eyes of the crowd, only Huo Yuhao and Dai Huabin remained on the stage.
Dai Huabin cracked his knuckles. "You dared to oppose me. I'll show you what despair is."
Huo Yuhao nonchalantly picked at his ear. "Can you do anything besides spout nonsense?"
"You're a low-level Soul Master in your teens, and I'm a low-level Soul Master in my teens. How are you going to make me despair?"
"Wow, you're so amazing. Want me to give you a medal?"
"You..." Dai Huabin's face flushed red, then white with rage.
He'd never imagined that the guy who used to cower in front of his taunts, never daring to answer back, would say something like that.
Huo Yuhao's keen eyes easily spotted the confusion on Dai Huabin's face.
"You're wondering, aren't you? Wondering why I never dared to talk back to you before?"
"Want to know?"
Dai Huabin nodded without thinking.
Huo Yuhao put on a serious face. "You want to know... so I'm not going to tell you."
"Come hit me, dummy!"
"Ah!" Dai Huabin's face turned crimson with anger. At six years old, he couldn't come up with a retort to Huo Yuhao's words.
Furious, Dai Huabin could only shout at him in the same tone he usually used with his servants.
"I'm going to kill you!"
Huo Yuhao made the same gleaming, lecherous expression as that guy who'd eaten the Pervert Fruit, raised both hands, and said theatrically, "How scary, Huabin-gege~! You're as terrifying as a monster from Shrek!"
"Don't talk to me in that tone! White Tiger Martial Soul, Possession!"
Dai Huabin's hair turned snow-white, streaked with a few black strands. A king-shaped mark appeared on his forehead, while his palms and muscles swelled.
White fur sprouted across his body. A mighty tiger's roar rang out, and a yellow Soul Ring appeared beneath Dai Huabin's feet.
"First Soul Skill, White Tiger Body Protection Barrier!"
Enraged, Dai Huabin immediately activated his first Soul Skill.
A white barrier formed around his body, and the tiger claws his hands had transformed into radiated an even more dangerous aura.
The White Tiger Body Protection Shield formed a white barrier around his body, bolstering his defense and strengthening his physique.
Dai Huabin intended to make the guy before him understand despair through overwhelming offense and defense.
Dai Huabin pushed off with his toes, his tiger claws sweeping toward Huo Yuhao like blades.
Huo Yuhao hadn't underestimated Dai Huabin from the start. He'd summoned his Martial Soul and Soul Ring almost at the same time as Dai Huabin, and activated his Soul Skill as well.
With Spiritual Detection active, Dai Huabin's speed—which seemed so fast to ordinary people—was far too slow in Huo Yuhao's eyes!
Huo Yuhao ducked, then swept his leg into Dai Huabin's right ankle with a heavy blow.
Dai Huabin's left foot hadn't even touched the ground yet. With his right leg struck, he lost his balance and toppled sideways.
Fortunately, Dai Huabin had the White Tiger Body Protection Barrier shielding him. Though the fall used up a little more Soul Power and left him a little sore, he was otherwise unharmed.
Dai Huabin shook his head, preparing to get back up.
He'd landed face-first, and Huo Yuhao, standing nearby, looked at his energetic new backside.
Huo Yuhao raised his right foot. War Stomp! Dai Huabin was sent sprawling back into a turtle's pose.
Over the next few moments, Dai Huabin tried several times to get up, but Huo Yuhao never gave him the chance.
Unable to take it anymore, Dai Huabin kicked backward, trying to trade blows with Huo Yuhao.
As the owner of a Body Martial Soul focused on his eyes, Huo Yuhao naturally wasn't foolish enough to go head-to-head with someone whose Martial Soul was a Beast Martial Soul.
He jumped to dodge. Dai Huabin seized the chance to rise, but Huo Yuhao lifted his leg again.
Dai Huabin didn't dare move and could only lie there, the two of them glaring daggers at each other.
In the end, Huo Yuhao won the match.
Spirit Detection Sharing consumed less Soul Power than the White Tiger Body Protection Shield.
With no Soul Power left, Dai Huabin was tormented by Huo Yuhao's War Stomp until he finally chose to surrender.
The Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony held especially for them ended on a perfect note, with Huo Yuhao receiving the Duchess's Secret Method Soul Bone and winning Xu Jiujiu's promise.
The day after receiving her promise, Huo Yuhao went to the Starlight Auction House to find what he was looking for.
Inside a reception room.
"This list contains the treasures recently collected by the Starlight Auction House. Which one would you like?"
Xu Jiujiu propped her cheek on her hand. Her Spirit Eyes Martial Soul had Innate Full Soul Power.
Its first Soul Skill was the divine-level Spirit Detector Sharing.
Xu Jiujiu aspired to become an enlightened and capable empress.
She needed powerful followers at her side.
Like Dai Yueheng, Xu Jiujiu had taken an interest in bringing Huo Yuhao under her wing.
Huo Yuhao had excellent eyesight. In less than a minute, he'd examined every item on the list. There it was!
"I want this one." Huo Yuhao pointed to an item on the list.
Xu Jiujiu's lovely brows furrowed. "The Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife? Yuhao, I should warn you in advance: that thing is dangerous. Are you sure you want it?"
Before you continue