After mulling it over for a long while, he decided to ask.
"Xiao Qing, do you know a big sister named Zhang Lexuan?"
At the familiar name, Su Qing immediately looked at Bei Bei. He was curious about what Zhang Lexuan had told him about himself.
"Of course I know her. Did she mention me to you?"
Facing Su Qing's unreadable gaze, Bei Bei stiffened. The explanation he had just prepared caught in his throat for a long while before he finally said, "She didn't mention you to me. I only happened to overhear a little when she was reporting what happened. She said a boy named Su Qing had rescued her teammates and helped her kill a Hundred-Thousand-Year Flame Demon Lizard. But when the teacher asked about your specific abilities, she couldn't explain them."
At that, Su Qing nodded. Shrek would still turn its attention toward him, but it wouldn't cause him any trouble. He couldn't help liking Zhang Lexuan a little more; at least she hadn't lied to him.
"What? You knew all along that Xiao Qing was alive, and you didn't tell me?"
Hearing their conversation, Tang Ya exploded. If Bei Bei had told her sooner, she could have come to get Xiao Qing earlier, and he wouldn't have had to suffer so much!
"Xiao Ya, listen to me first. I was eavesdropping at the time and didn't catch a lot of what they said. Besides, you told me your younger brother had died, so I never thought they could be talking about the same person."
Bei Bei was a little helpless. Before Su Qing appeared, it had never even crossed his mind that the two of them were talking about the same person.
"Hmph, that's not the point. Who is Zhang Lexuan?!"
Tang Ya snorted and looked at the two of them suspiciously.
"She's my older sister... All right, actually, my great-grandfather found me a child bride, but I've always treated her like an older sister!"
Under Tang Ya's murderous glare, Bei Bei chose to tell the truth. But Tang Ya was stunned when she learned what had happened. Bei Bei already had a child bride? Then what did that make her...?
"Xiao Ya, you're the only one in my heart."
Bei Bei gazed at Tang Ya with genuine affection, and the feelings in his eyes were unmistakable. Even so, Tang Ya still seemed troubled. Noticing that, Bei Bei leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Why not introduce Xiao Qing to Sister Lexuan? Then everyone wins. My great-grandfather told me that ever since Sister Lexuan came back, she's always staring at Sea God Lake, lost in thought. Maybe she..."
As he spoke, Bei Bei gave her a meaningful look.
"Ooh, so that's what's going on! Come on, Xiao Qing, tell us how you met that Zhang Lexuan."
Tang Ya caught on immediately, though she was a little worried Bei Bei had only said all that to comfort her. She just wanted to hear Su Qing's side of the story to check if it was true—she absolutely wasn't just being nosy.
"Uh, that's a long story..."
He told them about his time with Zhang Lexuan again. Of course, in keeping with their agreement, he left out the part where she had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder.
"Ahem, Xiao Qing, what do you think of Sister Lexuan?"
The group chatted on like that. Tang Ya kept telling Su Qing tips for pursuing girls, leaving him utterly bewildered. As for Huo Yuhao, he had grilled more than a hundred fish that day and had been so exhausted by evening that he'd fallen asleep.
They talked until midnight. Yawning, Tang Ya left and lay down beside the campfire to sleep, leaving Bei Bei and Su Qing to take turns keeping watch.
The next day, Huo Gua was the first to wake. Su Qing, who had just taken over the watch, started grilling fish again. The aroma stirred Tang Ya's appetite, and she woke as soon as the fish were ready. The three of them ate until they were stuffed. They didn't set out again until Bei Bei woke up at noon.
"Little Yuhao, what's your first Soul Skill? Could you show us?"
Bored during the journey, Tang Ya asked about Huo Yuhao's Soul Skill. Knowing his current command of the language wouldn't be enough to explain it clearly, Huo Yuhao simply shared Spiritual Detection with everyone. As a clear, three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of their surroundings and the movements around them appeared in their minds, they were all stunned.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya had initially felt a little sorry for him because of his Ten-Year Soul Ring. But now it seemed this Soul Skill was more useful than ordinary thousand-year, or even Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skills.
Though he'd already known what Huo Yuhao's Soul Skill was, experiencing it firsthand was completely different. He couldn't help marveling at how useful it was. Luckily, his third Soul Skill was Imprint. Otherwise, he would have been kicking himself for missing out on such a skill!
With mental power at the First-Level God stage, the Spiritual Detection he used could perceive the minute details of Soul Power circulation far better than Huo Yuhao's. He could also detect opponents of a much higher level than Huo Yuhao could. He was very satisfied with it.
"Sister Xiao Ya, what kind of Soul Beast are you looking to hunt?"
Huo Yuhao asked.
"I want to hunt a poison-attributed Soul Beast, preferably a snake."
Tang Ya thought it over briefly before answering. Huo Yuhao nodded, but Bei Bei and Su Qing exchanged a meaningful glance.
"Sister Xiao Ya, I think you should try hunting a Plant-type Soul Beast with abundant vitality. That would definitely make your Blue Silver Grass much tougher."
Su Qing's words made Tang Ya hesitate. She thought he had a point, but for thousands of years, Blue Silver Grass Soul Masters of the Tang Sect had all used the same setup...
"Besides, for thousands of years, almost every Blue Silver Grass Soul Master has chosen the path of poison. It's practically become common knowledge. So when people fight you, most of them will prepare ways to counter poison in advance. If you follow the same old path, won't you end up completely on the defensive?"
Before Tang Ya could speak, Su Qing continued. Everyone understood their Martial Soul differently, and few would believe a suggestion made without a good reason. But by appealing to the way she already thought, he could find an argument she was more likely to accept.
"That makes sense!"
Tang Ya suddenly saw the light. Bei Bei beside her also looked surprised. He marveled inwardly that it was no wonder Su Qing had been able to help Zhang Lexuan fight a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast at such a young age. This kid's understanding of combat was astonishingly perceptive.
In truth, Su Qing wanted Tang Ya to hunt a life-attributed Soul Beast not only to point her down a better path. More importantly, when he eventually helped her dispel the dark power in her Martial Soul, its abundant vitality could replenish her Martial Soul and help restore its origin.
"So Big Brother Su understands Martial Souls so well!"
Huo Yuhao gazed at him with admiration, but didn't ask him for advice. After all, he had Brother Sky Dream. As a million-year Soul Beast, Brother Sky Dream surely understood Martial Souls better than Su Qing.
"Bei Bei, I've decided. I'm going to get a Soul Ring from a life-attributed Plant-type Soul Beast!"
Tang Ya looked at him with eager anticipation. Bei Bei nodded firmly.
"Good. I'll go with you to find a life-attributed Soul Beast!"