Kill! Huo Yuhao's Current Situation!

A ten-year Soul Beast, a Wind Wolf.

Information regarding it flashed through the mind of Bai Lan.

After ten thousand years of accumulation.

There were some books about Soul Beasts within Shenhun Village.

However, there were not many.

But the one in front of him happened to be among them, and he had read and memorized it.

A Wind Wolf excels in speed and can spit out *Wind Blade*s; although it was only ten years old, it was an absolutely fatal threat to him right now.

Damn it, I've been targeted.

He slowly retreated, his hand quietly gripping the sickle at his waist.

The Wind Wolf seemed to perceive his intentions, let out a low growl, pushed off with all four limbs, and transformed into a gray afterimage, lunging straight at him!

The speed was extremely fast!

Thirty meters of distance, half covered in the blink of an eye!

Bai Lan's pupils constricted, but at this life-or-death moment, he instead became calm.

His consciousness surged wildly, and the Iron Core Bamboo behind him trembled violently.

Bamboo Leaf Flying Knife!

Swish, swish, swish!

Nine bamboo leaves detached simultaneously, transforming into nine silver streaks of light that shot toward the Wind Wolf!

The Wind Wolf was in mid-air and had no time to dodge, only able to barely twist its body to avoid a fatal blow.

But three bamboo leaves still struck home.

Two sliced open its flank, and one pierced directly through its hind leg!

"Awoo!"

The Wind Wolf let out a shrill, miserable howl and crashed heavily to the ground, dripping with blood.

It struggled to stand, but with its hind leg pierced, it couldn't support its body at all.

Bai Lan did not hesitate; he grabbed his sickle and stepped forward quickly.

The Wind Wolf bared its fangs, still wanting to resist, but he decapitated it with a single strike.

Blood splattered all over the ground.

Bai Lan stood before the carcass, gasping for air, his heart pounding wildly.

This was his first time killing a person... no, a beast.

Between his past life and this one, it was the very first time.

In his past life, he didn't even dare to kill a chicken.

He would feel full of guilt even from stepping on an ant.

Yet now, he had killed a wolf with his own hands.

But strangely, he didn't feel the fear or disgust he had imagined; instead, he felt an inexplicable sense of calm.

It was as if killing a Soul Beast was just that to him.

"...Perhaps deep down, I was never a good person."

"In my past life, I was simply suppressed by the law."

He smiled self-deprecatingly, squatted down, and began to process the carcass of the Wind Wolf.

The wolf skin could be sold for money, the meat could be eaten, and the fangs could be made into ornaments.

Although a ten-year Soul Beast wasn't worth much, to him right now, even a mosquito's leg was still meat.

After finishing, he looked back at the Iron Core Bamboo.

After the consumption just now, the nine bamboo leaves had fallen off, but new leaves were growing on the bamboo tips at a speed visible to the naked eye; it was estimated that it wouldn't take long to recover.

"Let's go, come with me."

He tried to issue a command with his consciousness.

This time, the Iron Core Bamboo reacted.

The Contract Book flashed with light.

The entire body of the Iron Core Bamboo, including its roots, transformed into a stream of light and entered the first page of the Contract Book.

After completing a contract, the Contract Book would always possess an independent Contract Space.

This space was specifically for the Contract Beast to live in.

When the Contract Beast cultivated inside, it could also provide feedback to him, its master.

No matter how large a living or non-living entity was, as long as it could be contracted, it could be stored inside.

Bai Lan stood at the edge of the forest, looking back at the gloomy Soul Beast Forest behind him, a trace of emotion welling up in his heart.

A few days ago, he was just a six-year-old child who had just awakened his Martial Soul, possessing no strength to truss a chicken.

But now, he had the Iron Core Bamboo, eleven levels of soul power, and true combat capability.

Although it was only a hundred years, and although it was only the most basic evolution, this was already his capital to establish a foothold in this world.

"Time to go."

He withdrew his gaze, identified his direction, and began walking north along the main road.

Shrek Academy was located in Shrek City, at the intersection of the three great empires.

Starting from Shenhun Village, he needed to cross Fasinuo Province and then travel a long way further north.

At the pace of an ordinary person, it would take at least half a month.

Bai Lan touched the money pouch Old Jack had given him, which contained thirty Silver Soul Coins and two Gold Soul Coins.

For a commoner, this was a huge sum of money.

But for a Soul Master, this amount was only enough to buy a few ordinary medicinal herbs.

"I have to spend it sparingly."

"Even if I sell the materials from those wolves, I won't make much money."

"Ten years is too low."

He calculated his upcoming plans as he walked.

According to the settings of the Contract Book, he needed to reach level twenty to unlock the next evolution.

And he was currently only at level eleven, a full nine levels away.

Nine levels might take an ordinary person three to five years.

But for a genius with Innate Full Soul Power, if the resources kept up, it could be achieved within a year.

"So the top priority is to enter Shrek Academy as soon as possible to obtain systematic cultivation resources and guidance."

"I must endure through this transition period."

"As for things later, I'll deal with them later."

Bai Lan quickened his pace.

At the same time.

Star Luo Empire, White Tiger Duke's Mansion.

In a low servant's room in the backyard.

Huo Yuhao curled up in the corner of the bed, hugging his knees, saying nothing.

Today was the day he awakened his Martial Soul.

He had thought that after awakening his Martial Soul, life for him and his mother might get a little better.

Even if it were the most ordinary Martial Soul, it would at least prove he had the qualifications to become a Soul Master, and at least make those who bullied them hold back a little.

But he was wrong.

Wrong, and absurdly so.

The moment the Martial Soul emerged from his body, everyone was stunned.

It was a pair of eyes.

Illusory, deep, eyes that seemed to see through everything.

Not a White Tiger.

Not an Evil Eye White Tiger.

It was a Spirit Eye.

A mutated Spirit Eye.

Huo Yuhao remembered that the Soul Master in charge of the awakening had been silent for a long time before slowly speaking:

"Spirit Eye, Innate Soul Power... level one."

Level one.

The entire place fell silent.

Immediately, a burst of laughter erupted.

"Hahahaha! The son of the White Tiger Duke awakened a pair of eyes?"

"Level one soul power? Isn't that even more useless than trash?"

"A mutated Spirit Eye? It's hilarious, what is this for? Peeping?"

Huo Yuhao kept his head low, biting his lip tightly.

He felt countless gazes landing on him, stinging like needles.

Within those gazes were mockery, disdain, and schadenfreude.

There was not a shred of kindness to be found.

After the crowd dispersed, he and his mother were brought before the steward.

The man was a middle-aged fellow with a fat head and big ears; in the past, whenever he saw the mother and son, he would offer a fake smile and call out "Young Master Huo" or "Madam Huo."

Although those titles sounded grating, at least a basic veneer of decency was maintained on the surface.

But now, he couldn't even be bothered to pretend.

"From today on, you two are moving to the utility room next to the woodshed."

"The rooms here are for people who are actually useful."

The steward sat with his legs crossed, not even bothering to lift his eyelids.

Huo Yuhao's mother, Huo Yun'er, turned pale; she opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

She was merely a maid.

Six years ago, the Duke had been drunk, and she had happened to pass by, only to be dragged into his room by force.

Afterward, no one blamed the Duke.

Everyone cursed her instead.

They called her base, accused her of seducing her master, and mocked her for being a toad lusting after swan meat.

She was driven out of the main courtyard and tossed into the servants' quarters in the back to fend for herself.

Over these years, she had raised Huo Yuhao by washing and mending clothes for others, barely scraping by.

Her only hope was that Yuhao would awaken the White Tiger Martial Soul.

As long as he awakened the White Tiger Martial Soul, even if it were the most ordinary one, he would be acknowledged by the Duke's Mansion, receive a monthly allowance, and be able to... stop being bullied.

But now...