"Wonderful!"
Tang Ya's voice brimmed with delight.
"How about this, then? Give me those Life Crystals, and I'll make you an official disciple of the Tang Sect. What do you say?"
The smile on Huo Yuhao's face suddenly froze.
The Tang Sect?
He instantly remembered the legendary stories his mother had told him.
It was the sect founded single-handedly by Grandmaster Tang San, once an existence countless people looked up to!
But it seemed he hadn't heard anything about it in a long time.
Seeing Huo Yuhao freeze, the delight on Tang Ya's face slowly faded, replaced by an unmistakable look of dejection.
"I won't hide it from you. The Tang Sect has completely fallen into decline.
"But don't worry, Yuhao. Even though the Tang Sect has fallen, we still have an admission slot for Shrek Academy.
"As long as you join the Tang Sect, we'll use that slot to make sure you get into Shrek without a hitch. It's an opportunity countless Soul Masters would kill for!"
Shrek Academy?
It was the place Soul Masters across the continent dreamed of attending!
Huo Yuhao had heard of Shrek, too. Listening to Tang Ya, he couldn't help feeling a little yearning.
But just then, Zhao Ze suddenly scoffed from within the sea of consciousness.
"Yuhao, this deal won't do. You absolutely mustn't agree."
Huo Yuhao's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly asked in his mind:
"Master? Why not? This is an admission slot at Shrek, and the Tang Sect..."
"The Tang Sect? It's an empty shell with only two people left. What's so great about joining it?"
Zhao Ze's tone was full of disdain.
In the original story, when Tang Ya invited Huo Yuhao to join the Tang Sect, she hadn't mentioned any conditions in exchange. She'd even arranged the Shrek admission slot as a casual favor.
But now, she was actually offering it in exchange for the Life Crystals that even Titled Douluo were scrambling to get.
What a terrible deal.
A complete rip-off!
Besides, Zhao Ze didn't want Huo Yuhao hitched to the Tang Sect's wagon.
That would make it easy for that lame guy to influence him. If Huo Yuhao ended up turning into Dai Yuhao, it would be a real problem!
"Yuhao, tell them you want enough money and valuables to support your cultivation, as well as a guaranteed admission slot at Shrek. You need both. Don't accept less.
"Remember, what you have is a priceless treasure. Don't let someone trick you out of it with a few empty promises and a hollow title."
Zhao Ze spoke earnestly.
Huo Yuhao still needed to go to Shrek. It had plenty of cultivation resources he needed.
After all, he was still far too weak, and he didn't have many places he could go. He might as well focus on strengthening his foundation first.
After hearing him out, Huo Yuhao's mind cleared in an instant.
Master was right!
The Life Crystals in his hands were genuine treasures.
Tang Ya's offer might sound tempting, but it wasn't an equal exchange at all.
He steadied himself, and the uncertainty in his eyes gave way to resolve.
Then Huo Yuhao raised his head and looked at Tang Ya, whose face was full of anticipation. He gave her an apologetic smile, then shook his head.
"Big Sister Xiaoya, I'm sorry, but I can't agree to those terms."
Tang Ya's smile instantly froze.
"Huh? Yuhao, you... you don't want to join the Tang Sect? And you don't want the admission slot at Shrek?"
Beside her, Bei Bei gave a wry smile. The Tang Sect really wasn't what it used to be.
In the next moment, however, Huo Yuhao changed tack and stated the terms Zhao Ze had set.
"Why don't we make a different deal?
"If Big Sister Xiaoya really wants these Life Crystals, all you have to do is give me enough money to support my cultivation and help me secure admission to Shrek Academy. That'll be enough.
"There's no need to include Tang Sect membership in the deal. Besides... I don't think it would be right to trade that, either."
Tang Ya came to her senses, and a guilty blush instantly spread across her cheeks.
She really had been in too much of a hurry.
She'd wanted to get the Life Crystals to improve her and Bei Bei's aptitude, and she'd also wanted to bring another member into the declining Tang Sect.
For a moment, she'd forgotten that using a sect's membership as a bargaining chip was beneath them.
She scratched her head awkwardly.
"Fine, Yuhao. We'll do it your way!
"You give us the Life Crystals, and we'll give you enough money for cultivation and make sure you get into Shrek Academy without a hitch. It's a deal!"
At her words, Huo Yuhao's face broke into a genuine smile. He nodded firmly.
"It's a deal. Thank you, Big Sister Xiaoya. Thank you, Big Brother Bei Bei."
Within the sea of consciousness, Zhao Ze watched the scene and raised a brow in satisfaction.
The boy had some sense, at least. A few nice words hadn't been enough to fool him into making a fool of himself.
The Tang Sect? Shrek?
They were nothing more than stepping stones on Huo Yuhao's path to godhood.
The Huo Yuhao he wanted to raise wasn't the one from the original story, restrained at every turn and unable to protect even the person he loved most.
He wanted to raise a true powerhouse who could flatten the continent and ascend straight to the Divine Realm!
As soon as the conversation about the deal ended, the atmosphere in the forest suddenly turned a little strange.
Tang Ya was still riding her wave of excitement, and her gaze became fixed on Huo Yuhao.
More precisely, it was fixed on the glistening beads of sweat still clinging to his temples and neck.
The boy had just finished absorbing his Soul Ring, and Zhao Ze had remade his foundation. His thin sheen of sweat hadn't dried yet.
That clear, tantalizing scent of life grew stronger as the beads rolled over his skin, drifting straight into her nostrils.
Tang Ya's nose twitched. She couldn't help sneaking a swallow.
But once her excitement began to fade, an extremely awkward question crashed down on her:
How was she supposed to get Huo Yuhao's sweat?
Tang Ya's mind was in a muddle. The scent curling around her nose made her heart itch, and the more she thought about it, the more impatient she grew.
Without thinking, she took a step closer, nearly pressing herself against Huo Yuhao.
Her full, rosy lips parted slightly, and the words slipped out:
"Yuhao, why don't... why don't I just absorb the Life Crystals directly like this?"
At her words, Huo Yuhao went completely stiff.
Wouldn't that be a direct tongue kiss?!
Yet the girl's pretty face was right in front of him, her bright almond-shaped eyes full of urgency. She didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with what she'd said.
"B-Big Sister Xiaoya? Th-this..."
Huo Yuhao's face turned scarlet from his ears to his forehead. He didn't even know what to do with his hands and feet, and he shrank back as he struggled to get the words out.
He hurriedly sank into the sea of consciousness and stammered to Zhao Ze:
"Master! Th-this doesn't seem right, does it? What should I do?"
Zhao Ze was reclining on a soft couch formed from divine sense, studying Electrolux's divine sense. At this, he raised a brow, his tone utterly unconcerned.
"What's the big deal? She isn't embarrassed, so why are you?
"It's only a little sweat. The life force inside it is what matters. That's what she wants, not to take advantage of you!
"What are you getting nervous for?"
"But..."
Huo Yuhao's face grew even redder. His heart pounded, and he didn't dare look at Tang Ya so close to him. He hurriedly glanced around, trying to find a way to ease the awkwardness.
As he looked around, he happened to spot Bei Bei beneath a nearby tree, his back turned to them.
He had his head tilted up, staring intently at the canopy, his shoulders ramrod straight.
He looked as if he were saying, "I didn't see anything. I didn't hear anything. These leaves sure are pretty." Every inch of him radiated helplessness.
Huo Yuhao felt as if he'd found a lifeline, and hurriedly called out to him:
"Big Brother Bei Bei! Y-your head's looking a little green..."
Before you continue