The Generous Grilled Fish Customer

A Generous Grilled Fish Customer

Shrek City is always bustling with activity.

Doing business here is a wise choice. As long as what you offer isn't too shabby, there will always be someone willing to pay for it.

However, for the past few days, a newly opened grilled fish stall has seemed a bit too popular.

In front of this stall, a long line of people has formed. Even so, new arrivals keep adding to the length of the queue. Standing before the stall, a golden-haired girl repeats in a voice devoid of emotional fluctuation:

"Grilled fish is five Copper Soul Coins each. This shop does not haggle. Thank you for your patronage."

The black-haired boy sitting inside the stall is focused on managing several grilled fish at once. Although to the customers, the thin, small boy seems a bit overwhelmed, in reality, he controls the heat for every single fish with extreme precision.

Gutting, cleaning, skewering, placing over the fire, flipping, seasoning—each movement is executed with lightning speed, yet his hands never tremble. Soon, a rich, savory aroma wafts from the golden-brown fish.

"Your grilled fish." The boy picks one from the rack and hands it to the person in front of him. As soon as the customer takes it, he immediately lowers his head to attend to the fish of other customers, his routine smooth and practiced.

These two are none other than Huo Yuhao and Chi Qiu.

Since the Star Dou Great Forest and Shrek Academy have been neighbors for some time, Chi Qiu naturally knows the general route to Shrek City. However, they didn't expect that because they lacked a city lord's recommendation letter, and because Huo Yuhao's Soul Power Level was under fifteen, they were rejected by Shrek Academy.

Even though Chi Qiu showed the admissions staff her Golden Dragon martial soul and her one-yellow, one-purple soul ring configuration, they were still turned away by Shrek for lacking the recommendation letter.

Huo Yuhao thinks that it seems this world's premier academy is indeed not meant for commoner geniuses.

After the attribute guidance, Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eye underwent a qualitative change, and his soul power jumped by two levels, reaching thirteen, but it was still some distance from Shrek's requirements. With no other choice, the two decided to do business in the city, selling grilled fish to save up enough travel money before heading to another city.

After all, when Huo Yuhao escaped from the Duke's Mansion, he didn't have much money on him; if he didn't earn some, he would starve to death.

Although Huo Yuhao pretended it didn't matter that he couldn't enter Shrek, he was still disappointed deep down. After all, this is the holy land of soul masters that everyone talks about, the number one academy in the world!

Moreover, the moment he thought of Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin having the ability to study here while he was rejected, a strong sense of unwillingness surged from the bottom of his heart, and even his movements while flipping the fish became more forceful.

--As the sun set behind the mountains, it was time to close up the grilled fish stall for the day. Huo Yuhao had already begun preparing to extinguish the fire and pack up the stall. Just then, a youthful, boyish voice came from in front of the stall:

"Big brother, miss, how much for your grilled fish?"

He looked up at the newcomer. The boy before him had striking powder-blue short hair and a pair of equally eye-catching powder-blue eyes. He wore a clean white jacket, and a gold-blue butterfly brooch was pinned to his collar. Just by glancing at his attire, he knew this boy was likely no ordinary person.

"Five Copper Soul Coins each. No haggling," Chi Qiu said.

"Give me two." The powder-blue-haired boy nodded and readily fished a Silver Soul Coin from his pouch.

"Please wait a moment."

Before long, two grilled fish were freshly served from Huo Yuhao's hands. Juices dripped from the slits in the fish bellies, and the aroma instantly filled the air. These were also the last two for the day.

The final customer took the grilled fish and took a bite, then froze. A few seconds later, he took another large bite of the fish meat, chewed twice, and then praised loudly with his mouth full:

"This is absolutely the best grilled fish I've ever eaten since I was born. Big brother, you're good! Will you still be opening your shop here in the future?"

Huo Yuhao shook his head: "I'm just here to earn some travel money. I've earned enough these past few days; if I don't leave now, I won't make it to other schools' admissions."

"Other schools?" The other party said while chewing the fish, "Why not just study at Shrek? Go to school during the day and set up a stall at night, how great would that be? We'd be able to eat your grilled fish too."

"We don't have a city lord's recommendation letter, so we can't enroll."

The boy waved a hand: "Hey, you're overcomplicating this. It's all business! Shrek has so many people enrolling every year; can the city lord really recommend every single one of them? They're all signed in batches. Whoever needs one just buys it with money and writes their own name on it."

As he spoke, he tugged at Huo Yuhao's arm, pointing to a few people shouting at the city gate in the distance: "Didn't you notice when you came in? Those are people selling second-hand recommendation letters. One can go for as much as twenty Gold Soul Coins."

Huo Yuhao looked in the direction he pointed, and sure enough, there were a few people holding envelopes and hawking them. Beyond shocked, he hesitated and said: "But, I don't have forty Gold Soul Coins either."

"Your business is so good!"

"The cost of living in Shrek City is also very high."

The powder-blue-haired boy seemed to ponder for a moment after hearing this, then suddenly clapped his hands: "Deal! I'll handle the recommendation letter matter for you two, as long as you both promise to keep selling grilled fish here and reserve a free VIP spot for me."

Faced with this profitable trade, Huo Yuhao hesitated for another moment before adding: "Actually, my Soul Power Level... also doesn't meet the requirements."

He had thought the boy in front of him would be out of ideas upon hearing this, but to his surprise, the other party only thought for a moment before saying: "Actually, that's not impossible to solve."

"The seven seniors who ascended to godhood ten thousand years ago, and the sects related to them, actually all have quota for admission to Shrek without examination. However... for the sake of my sect's reputation, I have to see your abilities."

God Realm.

Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, a blue-gold figure stood still. This person had a waterfall of water-blue long hair, a majestic physique, and a steady, imposing presence.

But at this moment, the expression on his face had nothing to do with those descriptors.

"What on earth is going on?!" His eyebrows were nearly knotted on his forehead, and his voice carried undisguised anger.

Not long ago, he had just sensed a new star rising in the Douluo Continent. In order to claim this fortune for himself, he immediately began making arrangements for the new child of destiny.

However, at a certain moment, the location he was observing was suddenly obscured by a violent fluctuation of divine power, causing him to temporarily lose his observation of the lower realm.

In this overwritten world, these were the last two things the God of Emotions did for his other self:

He gave all his destiny power to himself, while using his other powers to obstruct God King Tang's interference in this world.

His power would eventually run out, and this obstruction would not last forever, but at least it would help himself survive the early stages where he was most easily influenced.

"Who exactly did this... obstructing my plan, you have already brought upon yourself the path to death!" God King Tang's eyes were splitting with rage.

A soft arm wrapped around God King Tang's waist: "Third Brother, what happened to make you so angry?"

The soft-boned human scabbard quietly arrived behind God King Tang.

"Xiao Wu." He immediately withdrew his previous display of shame and anger, replacing it with a calm, gentle, and calculating expression:

"No need to worry, it is just a minor matter that went awry. However, your Third Brother has already made preparations for both outcomes."

After saying this, God King Tang's own heart calmed down a little as well. That's right, his preparations were flawless; even if he couldn't observe the situation for the moment, surely there wouldn't be any major issues.

After all, long before Xiao Qi descended to the mortal realm, he had already split her soul and inserted his own divine sense into it!

Once she encountered the Lucky Beast, the separated soul would be able to smoothly erode the Lucky Beast's Sea of Consciousness. When that time came, the Child of Destiny, the ten thousand years of fortune from the Star Dou Great Forest, and the Golden Dragon Spear would all be within the grasp of his Tang family...

Thinking of such a future, he couldn't help but clap his hands and smile.

Xiao Wu was very surprised; how could Third Brother be so angry just a moment ago, yet be smiling now?

"Third Brother, what are you smiling at?"

"Hehe." Tang San waved his hand, "It's nothing, I just remembered something happy."

This matter could not be told to Xiao Wu for the time being. After all, the act of splitting his daughter's soul was something he had done behind Xiao Wu's back!