"What a pity. We could've recruited that little brother into the Tang Sect just now." Tang Ya wore a pained expression.
Bei Bei said, "You're one to talk. You see someone and immediately want to recruit them."
Ji Siyuan said, "Then if we run into him again, let's bring him into the Tang Sect."
The three of them chose a direction and set off.
Their goal was to obtain Soul Rings for the other two.
Tang Ya was going for her third Soul Ring, after all, so they naturally needed to venture deeper.
They walked wherever the mood took them.
Ji Siyuan suddenly felt dizzy, as if the whole world were swaying.
The Nine Lotus Seeds appeared in his Sea of Consciousness, protecting him from sinking into unconsciousness.
"What powerful spiritual energy." Tang San couldn't help but marvel. "Spiritual energy of this caliber must belong to a mighty being."
In the distance, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm wriggled, preparing to sacrifice itself to Huo Yuhao.
"Uncle Tang, you might be overthinking it."
"Huh?"
"Uncle Tang, point me in the right direction. I'll go take a look."
Everyone else nearby had fallen silent.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya were standing motionless, too.
Ji Siyuan knew there wouldn't be any problems, so he set off ahead of them.
He was curious what the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in this story was actually like, too.
The sky dimmed. The sun's light was blotted out in an instant, and gray currents appeared in the air.
Tang San said, "Siyuan, be careful. That's the remnant soul of a God Rank expert."
"I know. It's fine."
Tang San's remnant soul was somewhat dazed. He felt that Ji Siyuan understood this place even better than he did.
But he had watched Ji Siyuan grow up. Surely he would know whether the boy had ever been to Douluo Continent?
It was understandable for a child to keep some secrets from the adults.
He was still speculating about the reason when he heard Ji Siyuan say, "So this is the million-year Soul Beast."
At that moment, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was locked in a fierce battle with Electrolux.
Powerless to fight back, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm could only continue its sacrifice.
"Who's there?!"
It spotted Ji Siyuan poking his head out.
With only its spirit body remaining, it began to panic. Why was there another one?
Even though it had been discovered, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was already powerless to resist.
The sacrifice was completed soon after.
It became Huo Yuhao's First Soul Ring.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was terrified, afraid Ji Siyuan would quickly deal with its host.
"Tsk, poor kid. He's only just gained the ability to fight back for the first time. I still have a long way to go."
Tang San said, "Siyuan, this is your perfect chance to take advantage of the situation."
"Uncle, did you treat Aunt Xiao Wu like that, too?"
"What nonsense. Aunt Xiao Wu and I were childhood sweethearts. We grew up together."
"Then you don't have any experience with romance either. Why are you lecturing me?"
"Hey, you brat." Tang San's split soul didn't know how to answer. He really didn't have much experience.
Ji Siyuan helped Huo Yuhao sit upright, leaning him against a tree. "Meeting me might be your good luck or your bad luck. Hard to say."
Before long, Tang Ya and Bei Bei came rushing over.
Once they'd come around, they couldn't find Ji Siyuan beside them, so they followed the footprints here at a run.
"Siyuan!"
"Sister Xiao Ya, don't get worked up. He's still asleep after absorbing his Soul Ring."
Bei Bei glanced at the dead Wind Baboon. "A Ten-Year Soul Ring?"
It wasn't that he'd never seen a Ten-Year Soul Ring. He just didn't think much of them.
He made up his mind: Ten-Year Soul Rings were too weak. He absolutely couldn't let Ji Siyuan absorb one.
Huo Yuhao soon woke up.
He could have woken sooner, but he'd spent a while talking with the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in his Sea of Consciousness. He decided to hide his Soul Ring for now and ask Ji Siyuan to help conceal it.
"Huh? Why are there three people?"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had clearly told him there was only one.
Ji Siyuan reached out, a gentle smile on his face. "You're awake? Is anything wrong with your body or your mind? Let me help you up."
"No." Huo Yuhao's face reddened, and he reached out to let Ji Siyuan pull him up.
This was their second meeting. There was no need to explain what this scene meant; in the future, there would be no need to explain it at all.
Tang Ya chided him, "I thought you had family with you, but you came to the Star Dou Great Forest all by yourself. Don't you know how dangerous it is? Coming here without a powerful Soul Master to protect you is practically asking to die! You were lucky to run into a Ten-Year Soul Beast. If it had been a hundred-year one, you'd be dead!"
Huo Yuhao looked up in surprise. He was certain Tang Ya and Bei Bei didn't know the truth. Only Ji Siyuan knew he hadn't absorbed the Wind Baboon's Soul Ring.
Ji Siyuan didn't say anything. He was talking with Tang San.
"What? A million-year Soul Beast? This version of Douluo Continent can give birth to Soul Beasts of that caliber? Wait, that silkworm didn't have God Rank strength at all."
It wasn't just weaker than Lie Yan back when she was still the Goddess of Life. It couldn't even compare to the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.
"The aura on that remnant soul feels a lot like the aura of the Holy Demon Continent, which is close to our Divine Realm. If I were there in person, I might be able to tell for certain, but I can't do that in my current state."
"Uncle Tang, who do you think is stronger right now, you or that remnant soul?"
"Hm? Why are you asking me that? He's practically nothing but a remnant. How could he compare to me?"
Tang San wasn't concerned with comparing their strength, but he still urged Ji Siyuan to find a way to win over Huo Yutong. "Look at all that luck! A million-year Soul Beast sacrifice, plus a God Rank remnant soul backing her. If you win her over, won't you benefit too?"
"Yes, yes, Uncle Tang."
Tang San continued his endless chatter. "If I had a child, you wouldn't be the only one here now. If I had a daughter, I wouldn't have sent you down here alone."
While Tang San was trying to persuade him, the others were making their own pitch.
"Yuhao, would you like to join the Tang Sect? We have cultivation techniques that are perfect for you."
Tang Ya was enthusiastically promoting the Tang Sect.
Her attitude was certainly admirable. Her abilities were another matter.
"The Tang Sect?"
"That's right! It was once the greatest sect under heaven. It's fallen on hard times, but now it's rising again."
Huo Yuhao didn't know what came over him, but he asked a question he'd never even considered before. "Is he one of you, too?" He pointed at Ji Siyuan.
Tang Ya didn't know how to introduce Ji Siyuan for a moment. "His status is a little special. He's part of the Tang Sect, but we don't usually count him in when it comes to seniority."
If they did, he'd be their founder's founder.
"Fine. I'll join."
Bei Bei cautioned him solemnly. "Yuhao, think carefully. Joining a sect is a lifelong commitment."
Huo Yuhao declared, "I'm joining!"
Ji Siyuan caught Huo Yuhao before he could kneel. "Let's skip that kind of ceremony. Some rules need to be set straight."
Tang Ya fell silent. Huo Yuhao stared at him in surprise, then looked at the silent Tang Ya.
"He's right. Perhaps the Tang Sect declined because we put too much importance on certain rules." Tang Ya smiled. "Don't worry. He has the right to set them straight, too. He's our sect's Supreme Elder."
"Huh? A sect with only three people has a Supreme Elder?"
"Now there are four."
Huo Yuhao joined the Tang Sect.
Far away in the Divine Realm, God King Tang sensed luck flowing into the Tang Sect, and his heart brimmed with delight. "Heh. A mere child of destiny thinks she can escape my grasp? Douluo Plane's will, give up struggling."
He didn't notice that the Tang Sect's luck was beginning to separate from him.