Ning Tian and Wu Feng

"Ah..."

Tang Ya took a deep breath, her expression blissful.

"The forest really is the most comfortable place~"

She was the only one among the four with a plant-type Martial Soul, and her Soul Power became more active in the forest.

In an environment matching one's attribute, Soul Power became more active.

That was also the principle behind simulated cultivation grounds.

Lu Ran had tried it before as well.

He had wanted to find a suitable simulated cultivation ground.

But after trying every kind of environment, he found that none suited him.

No environment affected the circulation of his Soul Power.

It seemed that although his Soul Power could contain every attribute, it could also use none of them.

It was probably attribute-less Soul Power.

Like the purest energy of heaven and earth.

"Charge!!"

Tang Ya excitedly pointed ahead.

With the addition of the monstrous Lu Ran and Jiang Nannan to this journey, along with the already formidable Bei Bei, she was beginning to look forward to it.

By a stream, After traveling for days on end, Huo Yuhao finally found a stream, took a satisfying bath, and changed into clean clothes.

After snapping off a branch, he drew a sheathed short blade from behind his waist, pulling the blade from its dark green leather sheath.

He stared at the mirror-bright blade, his eyes filled with deep sorrow.

The White Tiger Dagger.

His mother had treasured it dearly and given it to him before she died.

Whenever he saw this dagger, it was as though he could see his mother as she had been in life...

Thinking of his current circumstances, hatred surged up in his heart once more.

Hatred filled Huo Yuhao's eyes again.

He would definitely trample the Duke's Mansion beneath his feet!

"Grrr~"

The rumbling of his stomach pulled his thoughts back to reality.

That was right. He could not even fill his stomach now—what right did he have to speak of revenge?

Huo Yuhao stared at the dagger, his callused hand tightly gripping its hilt.

He silently swore to the heavens that he would avenge himself!

He sharpened the front end of the branch.

Stepping into the stream, he speared a fish with just a few quick movements.

Before long, he had caught more than a dozen fish.

After cleaning them, he built a fire, stuffed the fish with perilla, sprinkled on the little salt he had, and set them over the flames to roast.

Before the thin smoke could drift up to the canopy, it had already vanished.

Once the Green Fish turned golden, Huo Yuhao's stomach rumbled again. Just as he was about to take a bite, "Wow, that smells so good..."

A crisp, pleasant voice came from afar.

He looked up.

Four people emerged from the bushes—two men and two women, all strikingly handsome or beautiful, with extraordinary bearing.

They were even more eye-catching than the young masters and ladies he had seen at the Duke's Mansion.

Still holding the grilled fish, he stood up awkwardly.

Tang Ya leaned closer and sniffed the grilled fish.

Her face lit up in delight as she said:

"Little brother, are you selling grilled fish?"

Huo Yuhao had never spoken to such a beautiful older sister at such close range before.

His little face flushed red.

"N-No need for money. You can have them..."

Seeing Lu Ran and the others behind her, dressed so finely, he unconsciously tightened his grip on the wooden stick and lowered his head in inferiority.

Those were clothes he would never be able to afford in his lifetime...

Tang Ya turned around.

"O-One... two... three... four... There are four of us."

"It feels a little embarrassing to eat four of your fish for free."

Her slender fingers rubbed at her chin as she put on an expression of deep thought.

"How about this? I'll give you one Silver Soul Coin for four grilled fish. What do you say?"

You definitely wouldn't lose out on this deal.

"You need that long just to count four people?"

Lu Ran could not help but comment.

Jiang Nannan held Lu Ran's arm, secretly glancing at his eyes with her beautiful ones. In truth, three grilled fish would have been enough. She wanted to share one with Lu Ran...

"Ah, don't worry about it."

Tang Ya waved a hand and patted her chest.

"This meal is on me!" she declared grandly.

Bei Bei immediately chimed in at just the right moment.

"Teacher Xiao Ya is amazing!"

"Hmph, hmph, hmph!!"

Tang Ya hummed smugly in satisfaction.

She took out a gleaming Silver Soul Coin and said gently, "Take it. This is your payment."

Huo Yuhao received it with both hands.

The four found a place to sit down.

Bei Bei had a gentle but quiet personality and generally did not take the initiative to speak. Lu Ran was pondering what came next, while Jiang Nannan's mind was filled entirely with Lu Ran, leaving her with no attention for anything else.

Tang Ya happened to have the perfect personality for it.

With her around, the atmosphere would not go cold.

Huo Yuhao ate grilled fish while concentrating on grilling more fish.

Naturally, Tang Ya got to eat the first batch that had been grilled. She ate so eagerly that her nose was covered in grease.

After the second batch was done, Lu Ran handed one to Jiang Nannan, while Bei Bei took one as well.

The three of them began eating.

The grilled fish was crisp on the outside and tender within.

Having eaten boiled bamboo shoots in plain water as well as countless delicacies, Lu Ran thought the grilled fish really did taste good.

But it was only good.

After all, there was no glowing cuisine in this world, nor had high-voltage electricity, light tubes, or anything of that sort been added to the ingredients.

With only a green fish, some perilla, and salt, it was impossible to create the ultimate delicacy of the mortal world.

Bei Bei looked at Huo Yuhao's thin, frail body.

He said gently, "The Star Dou Great Forest isn't far from here. If you're heading there, we can go together. We can look out for each other."

Huo Yuhao shook his head.

"No need."

He packed up his things and quickly left.

His mother had taught him that outsiders could not be trusted.

And in the sky, unnoticed by everyone, an emerald-green figure suddenly flashed past.

"..."

Watching his departing back, Tang Ya said regretfully, "He has Soul Power. It would be great if he could join the Tang Sect..."

Bei Bei was helpless; Tang Ya often went on about these things.

A moment later, "Ha... haha..."

Huo Yuhao panted heavily. The bloody gash on his shoulder sent waves of searing pain through him, but he had no mind to spare for it.

He stared in disbelief at the white Soul Ring gathering above the Wind Baboon's corpse.

A ten-year Soul Ring.

His body trembled.

A Soul Ring... this is a Soul Ring...?

A voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

"Finally, I've met a human with a spiritual attribute. Too bad I can't cry, or I'd definitely be weeping tears of joy!"

Huo Yuhao nervously gripped the White Tiger Dagger.

A burst of white light suddenly surged up from beneath the ground, splitting the earth open with a massive crack.

A huge, snow-white worm emerged.

"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."

"Goodbye, you bastards who wanted to make a meal out of me!"

Then, the white worm shot into Huo Yuhao's forehead.

Black specks of light appeared in the sky, originally drifting toward Huo Yuhao.

But then, They suddenly froze in midair, before changing direction,