Memories

That year, Huo Yuhao was about eight years old. He lived with his mother, Huo Yun'er, in a rundown little courtyard on the outskirts of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion.

Calling it a courtyard was generous. It was really just two rooms, both drafty on all sides.

Though the courtyard was shabby, his mother kept it spotless. She had even planted some green vegetables in the yard. Their life was hard, but as long as he could be with his mother, Huo Yuhao was happy.

The sun was bright that noon.

He and his mother were hanging out the freshly washed clothes in the yard when, with a tremendous bang, a large bird fell from the sky and crashed into the dirt.

It was a bird he did not recognize, quite large in size. One of its wings bore a wound so deep the bone showed through, its feathers stained red with blood. It was already dead.

Huo Yuhao jumped in fright and instinctively stepped in front of his mother.

Just then, someone knocked on the courtyard gate.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Huo Yun'er took his hand and went to open the door.

Outside stood a boy of eight or nine, dressed in clean white jingzhuang. His hair was neatly tied back, and his features were handsome and refined. A long fishing rod rested on his shoulder, with several fresh fish still flicking their tails strung along it.

Smiling, he pointed at the bird in the yard and said brightly, "Auntie, it looks like my lunch fell into your yard. May I come in and retrieve it?"

Huo Yun'er looked at him, then at the bird, then at the lively fish on his shoulder. The small bit of wariness in her heart faded away.

He was only a child, with clear eyes and an endearing smile. What bad intentions could he possibly have? She quickly stepped aside. "Come in."

The boy thanked her and strode into the yard. He bent down, picked up the bird, and casually shook the dirt off it. When he turned around, he saw the little boy beside his mother staring unblinkingly at the fish on his rod, his small Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

He smiled and walked over to Huo Yuhao with the fishing rod on his shoulder, deliberately giving it a shake. "Want some?"

Huo Yuhao instinctively nodded. His face immediately flushed red, and then he hurriedly shook his head.

"It's fine, I caught plenty." The boy untied the two plumpest fish, then lifted the bird. "This bird's big enough too. Let's roast them all and eat. Consider it compensation for disturbing you by barging in. Oh, right, my name is Xue Lingyun. You can just call me Lingyun."

"My name is Dai Yuhao..." the little boy said softly.

"Yuhao? That's a nice name." Xue Lingyun smiled and patted his head before crouching down to deftly prepare the prey.

That afternoon, the little courtyard filled with the fragrance of grilled fish.

As he grilled, Xue Lingyun taught Huo Yuhao how to control the heat, when to turn the fish, and how to brush on the seasonings.

Huo Yuhao possessed the Spiritual Eyes Martial Soul, so his powers of observation far surpassed those of ordinary people. Having helped his mother with chores since childhood, he was nimble with his hands as well. After learning it twice, he was already doing a convincing job.

Watching his precise movements, Xue Lingyun muttered to himself, There's something special about this kid's eyes.

But when they ate, Huo Yuhao discovered that Xue Lingyun's grilled fish tasted far better than his own.

The flesh was so tender it seemed ready to melt, carrying a faint, refreshing sweetness. After eating it, warmth spread through his entire body. Even his mother's face, which always carried traces of exhaustion, had become a little rosier.

What he did not know was that as Xue Lingyun grilled, he had quietly infused the fish with Wood Attribute Soul Power. It allowed him to control the heat precisely, ensuring the fish cooked evenly without burning, while also blending the Wood Attribute's vitality into the meat to nourish their bodies.

Xue Lingyun's reasoning was simple: You're already using your Martial Soul to cheat. Surely using a little Soul Power isn't too much, right?

They chatted as they ate, and Xue Lingyun told him about the outside world. He said that he was a Soul Master traveling the land; that the Star Dou Great Forest contained all kinds of Soul Beasts, some as large as mountains; that the snow-covered mountains of the Heaven Dou Empire never melted, and one could touch the clouds from their peaks; and that the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tools were incredibly advanced.

Huo Yuhao listened in fascination. For the first time, he learned that the world was so vast, that Soul Masters could travel to so many places and see so much scenery.

That afternoon, a seed that longed to become a Soul Master quietly took root in his heart.

As they talked, the subject turned to family matters. Huo Yuhao was young and could not keep secrets, and he trusted Xue Lingyun. Before he knew it, he had told him that he lived in the Duke's Mansion, that he had never met his father, and that his mother had always been waiting for that man to return.

After hearing this, Xue Lingyun thought for a while but ultimately did not say much.

By evening, it was time for him to leave.

Before leaving, he pulled Huo Yun'er aside. His voice was soft, but his tone was earnest. "Auntie, waiting for someone who does not have you in his heart may not mean anything at all.

"If you want to leave, I can help arrange a new place for you. I'm a Soul Master. I absolutely have the ability to do that."

Huo Yun'er stood stunned for a long time. In the end, she shook her head with reddened eyes. "Thank you, child. I still want to wait for him to come back... He'll remember us eventually."

Xue Lingyun looked at the persistence in her eyes and did not try to persuade her further. He merely nodded, respecting her choice.

He turned and walked over to Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, take care of yourself. Listen to your mother."

Huo Yuhao nodded firmly.

Xue Lingyun smiled, stood up, and waved at him before turning to leave.

His figure soon vanished at the end of the alley, his shadow stretched long by the setting sun.

That night, Huo Yuhao found a bracelet of lustrous white jade on the stone table in the yard, along with a neatly folded note.

The handwriting on the note was elegant and forceful. "Yuhao, this is a Storage Soul Tool. I left some money and medicinal herbs to nourish your body for you and Auntie inside. I can tell that you have Soul Power, so don't give up."

"As long as you want it, you may yet stand at the very peak of the continent one day. We'll meet again in the future. —Xue Lingyun"

Huo Yuhao held the note and stood in the courtyard for a very, very long time.

After that, he never saw Xue Lingyun again. It was not until he enrolled in Shrek Academy that he saw that figure, remembered for so many years, once more.

"What are you thinking about?" Tang Ya's voice pulled him back to reality.

Huo Yuhao came back to his senses and smiled. "Nothing. I just remembered some things from the past."

Tang Ya nodded and did not press him further, focusing on eating her fish.

Beibei said leisurely from the side, "Your Bro Lingyun is quite famous in the Outer Court now. The story of him beating up Xu Sanshi has spread throughout the upper grades."

Huo Yuhao was somewhat surprised. "That exaggerated?"

"You bet." Tang Ya swallowed a mouthful of fish. "That guy is usually so arrogant, but a freshman knocked him down with one punch. He lost all face. Still, he probably didn't tell anyone about losing the Mystic Water Pills. He must think that's too humiliating."

Huo Yuhao froze. Mystic Water Pills? The one he had eaten?

Seeing his expression, Tang Ya explained, "You didn't know? Mystic Water Pills are treasures that cleanse the marrow and open the meridians. They're worth a fortune, and you can't buy them even if you have money. Xu Sanshi treasured them dearly, but he lost all three in a bet with your Bro Lingyun. Your Bro Lingyun gave you one right away—he really treats you like a little brother."

Huo Yuhao was stunned.

He had always thought that pill was merely an ordinary medicine for strengthening one's foundation and replenishing vitality. He had never known it was so precious.

It felt as though something had filled his heart, warm enough to burn.