"Would you be willing to take me as your master?"
At Ghost Demon Venerable's words, Huo Yuhao couldn't help sucking in a sharp breath, stunned beyond belief.
Only one thought filled his mind.
What the heck was this guy up to??
Before he could think it through, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm roared from nearby. With the courage of Lu Bu Fengxian, he shouted at Ghost Demon Venerable.
"Damn it! You bastard really did come to steal my person!!"
"Get the hell out of here!!"
Then, he gathered all his strength and unleashed an even larger, purer mental attack at Ghost Demon Venerable.
But the outcome was entirely predictable.
It still didn't stir up the slightest ripple.
Only now did Sky Dream Ice Silkworm finally realize something was wrong.
The other party's soul was clearly less intact than his, yet neither of his attacks had managed to hurt him at all.
There was only one explanation for what was happening.
His opponent's level of spiritual power far surpassed his own.
And he was the one and only million-year soul beast on Douluo Continent.
His combat strength might have been just a tiny bit lacking—just a tiny bit.
But when it came to spiritual power, he was still very confident.
There was only one possibility for someone to surpass him in that regard.
This was a divine sense!!
His opponent was an unknown god!!
At the thought, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm felt his scalp go numb.
Had he just provoked a god?!
And not once, but twice?!!
Without a moment's hesitation, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm turned and bolted. He fled to Huo Yuhao's side, and together they huddled in a corner of the Sea of Consciousness, a pair of brothers in misery.
Seeing Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's reaction, Ghost Demon Venerable gave a mocking laugh and spoke.
"Figured it out?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm trembled and didn't dare say a word.
Huo Yuhao, however, acted decisively. With just the right mix of curiosity and wariness in his eyes, he clasped his hands toward the Black Cyclone where Ghost Demon Venerable resided, then asked respectfully,
"It's my great honor to have earned your favor, senior."
"But I still don't know your esteemed name. Might I ask you to tell me?"
"Kid! Don't get yourself killed!!"
Seeing Huo Yuhao walk over so foolishly, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm immediately pulled him back, clearly growing anxious.
It was plain that, at least where Huo Yuhao was concerned, he truly cared.
After all, in his current state, if Huo Yuyao died, he wouldn't survive either.
Once he'd pulled Huo Yuhao to his side, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm kept his guard up against Ghost Demon Venerable while secretly sending Huo Yuhao a message with his spiritual power.
"Kid, that's a wisp of divine sense! Even at the height of my power, I wouldn't measure up to a hair on his head! Killing you would be as easy as flipping his hand!!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's seemingly heartwarming gesture made Huo Yuhao roll his eyes inwardly.
No kidding, I know that's Ghost Demon Venerable!
You know he's stronger than you, yet you're still loudly plotting against him. Is this bug still asleep or what?!
But even though Huo Yuhao understood the situation, he still had to pretend he knew nothing and look at Ghost Demon Venerable in astonishment.
If he was going to put on an act, he had to see it through. At the very least, he couldn't let on that he knew anything right now, or Ghost Demon Venerable would definitely kill him.
Hearing Sky Dream's words, Ghost Demon Venerable seemed to slip into a different state. His tone was completely unlike the one he'd used when reciting poetry earlier, and carried a hint of wistfulness.
"It can't really be called a divine sense. After all, I never truly managed to establish a Divine Realm back then. That was why I met my end, body and soul destroyed."
"Now, I'm nothing more than a wisp of remnant soul. I don't have much power."
"As for who I am, it's not yet time to reveal that."
"..."
Hearing Ghost Demon Venerable's words, Huo Yuhao was at a loss for words—and even felt like laughing.
Which brought up a classic question:
Was there anything a Gu World person said that you could actually trust??
Just kidding!!
Not a single word, right?!!
Good grief, this shameless old man had directly stolen Elder Yi's backstory and claimed it as his own.
If Huo Yuhao hadn't read the original story, he might have actually believed him.
But clearly, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm didn't have the same cheat-like store of knowledge.
He was completely taken in.
After all, other things could be faked, but that wisp of divine sense couldn't.
Even though he was currently in a spiritual form, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm felt cold sweat beginning to bead all over him.
Establish a whole new Divine Realm??
That was even more terrifying than a god who came directly from the Douluo God Realm!!
Fortunately... the other party seemed pretty friendly?
After a long pause, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm finally reached that conclusion with his not-too-bright little brain.
Otherwise, the other party wouldn't have ignored his two provocations.
So he hurriedly edged closer and sent Huo Yuhao a prompting message.
"Kid, your luck is off the charts!"
"Besides me, there's actually another being like this who wants to take you as his disciple!!"
"I'm starting to wonder if you're some kind of child of fortune!!"
"Say yes! Don't worry about who he is, just say yes!! You'll never get another chance like this if you miss it!!"
Unlike Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, who was bursting with excitement, Huo Yuhao was practically in tears.
What was so lucky about this? This was the worst luck imaginable!
"Don't worry about who he is."
If you knew who he was, you wouldn't be saying that.
Bro, you're shoving me straight into a pit of fire!!
Ghost Demon Venerable saw Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's reaction, and his supposedly secret message had probably been heard in full, too. Huo Yuhao could even tell that Ghost Demon Venerable's gaze had shifted onto him.
If he didn't agree now, Ghost Demon Venerable would probably start suspecting who he really was.
No matter what, his greatest secret was that he was a transmigrator.
In other words, a Demon from Beyond.
Unlike on Douluo Continent, demons from beyond weren't some obscure secret in the Gu World. If you didn't know how to hide yourself, people could deduce the truth from the slightest clues without even needing to make a prediction.
Especially when the other party was a Venerable.
He couldn't underestimate how perceptive a Venerable could be about such things.
So, after Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's message, Huo Yuhao could only brace himself, look resolutely at Ghost Demon Venerable, and say with delight,
"This junior is Huo Yuhao. I'm willing to take you as my master, senior!"
"Good."
From within the Black Cyclone, Ghost Demon Venerable looked at the child of fortune before him and answered, his eyes dark and inscrutable.
Then, under Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Huo Yuhao's watchful eyes, a black book appeared in Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness.
"Since you've taken me as your master, I can't very well leave you without a gift."
"This manual is called the Ghost Killing Art. In this world, it should be considered a superior cultivation method, and it will help your cultivation. It might have a tiny side effect, but it's nothing serious. Take it and cultivate."
"..."
Huo Yuhao fell silent.
He stared at the cultivation manual that was spewing black qi, and a stampede of ten thousand mud horses galloped through his heart.
Huo Yuhao had only one thing to say.
"Is this manual fresh??"
Damn!!
You're sure it only has a tiny "side effect"??
Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched.
In anyone else's eyes, this might've been a rare, peerless secret art. But Huo Yuhao knew full well that this thing was definitely a trap!!
If he threw himself into cultivating it wholeheartedly, he might never find out what had killed him!!
But things had come to this, and Huo Yuhao had no other choice. To avoid arousing suspicion, he could only brace himself and accept the so-called manual under Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's envious gaze.
"Thank you, Master."
Seeing that Huo Yuhao showed no unusual reaction, Ghost Demon Venerable nodded from within the Black Cyclone, looking quite pleased, and continued,
"I'm only a wisp of divine sense here, and I can't remain for long. You must cultivate diligently. If there's anything you don't understand, call for me again."
"This disciple will obey."
Although Huo Yuhao didn't believe a single word Ghost Demon Venerable said, all he could do now was bow respectfully.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm lowered his head in a comical imitation of a bow, too.
As the Black Cyclone visibly quieted, Huo Yuhao and Sky Dream Ice Silkworm both breathed a sigh of relief, as if they'd just escaped with their lives.
With Ghost Demon Venerable's pressure gone, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm immediately became arrogant again around Huo Yuhao. He conjured a pair of hands out of spiritual power, patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder, and said solemnly,
"My eye really is sharp. Looks like you might actually make something of yourself on this continent."
"I'm a little tired, too. I could've kept chatting, but after those two blasts just now, I'm all drained."
As he spoke, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm suddenly realized what he'd said. He clapped a hand over his mouth and sneaked a glance toward where Ghost Demon Venerable was.
Only after confirming that the other party hadn't paid his words any attention did he relax and continue, keeping an arm around Huo Yuhao's shoulder.
"Anyway, I'm your First Soul Ring now. From here on out, we'll live and die together, brother."
"I'm going to sleep now, too. When I wake up, we'll have a good chat about my grand plan!"
"As for your Soul Ring skills, figure them out yourself first, okay?"
"Don't call me unless something comes up."
After that, he curled up and sank straight into hibernation.
Looking at his now-quiet Sea of Consciousness, Huo Yuhao felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.
For a moment, he couldn't even tell whether he was dreaming.
How had his perfectly peaceful life turned into a battle to defend his very survival?
But in his current predicament, he couldn't afford to cling to wishful thinking.
Huo Yuhao left his Sea of Consciousness, his awareness returning to his physical body. He took a deep breath.
At this point, there was only one thing he could do.
God King, save me!!!!
Before you continue