"You mean you want to join the Tang Sect?"
By a stream in the Star Dou Great Forest.
The girl, already with a mouthful of grease, held a freshly grilled fish and looked at Huo Yuhao in surprise.
Her elegant, composed companion looked at the frail boy with equal surprise.
They were Tang Ya and Bei Bei, who had turned back after leaving.
"That's right!"
Facing their surprised expressions, Huo Yuhao nodded firmly, his gaze resolute.
His unwavering determination seemed almost blinding to Tang Ya and Bei Bei.
If there were one sentence to describe Huo Yuhao's state of mind right now, it would have to be, "I'll restore the Tang Sect's glory, and my generation will not shirk its duty!"
"This..."
Tang Ya and Bei Bei exchanged glances, and for once, they hesitated.
As the saying went, if you wanted to win a woman's heart, you first had to win her stomach.
After their first farewell, Tang Ya had already been thinking of recruiting Huo Yuhao.
There was no other reason: Huo Yuhao's near-miraculous grilled fish was simply irresistible.
Besides, they had noticed that the boy seemed to be all alone, with no one to rely on. If he joined the Tang Sect, at least they could look after one another.
Although the Tang Sect had fallen on hard times and only the two of them remained, taking care of a child who wasn't even a Soul Master would still be easy.
As for Bei Bei, everyone knew that whatever Tang Ya thought, he thought too.
So they had followed the traces Huo Yuhao left behind all the way here.
They hadn't expected that by the time they met again, the seemingly frail boy would have already killed a ten-year Wind Baboon on his own and become a proper Soul Master.
He had suffered some injuries, but nothing too serious.
After thinking it over, Bei Bei ultimately credited it all to the level-five Soul Tool, the White Tiger Dagger.
At Huo Yuhao's suggestion, they had next found a spot by a stream, where they could wash the blood off themselves while making more delicious grilled fish.
There was only one thing Huo Yuhao wanted to say about that.
I want to improve so badly, Teacher Xiao Ya!
And now Huo Yuhao had just taken the initiative to say he wanted to join the Tang Sect.
Facing Huo Yuhao's hopeful gaze, Tang Ya found herself in a bind.
Women were contradictory creatures. Although she had been the one to suggest recruiting Huo Yuhao in the first place, now that he had actually asked to join the Tang Sect, she found herself hesitating.
Looking at the delicious fish sizzling with oil in her hands, she couldn't help wondering:
Even if he didn't join the Tang Sect, wouldn't Huo Yuhao be able to get by anywhere with a skill like this?
If she really let him join the Tang Sect, would she be ruining his life?
After all, Tang Ya knew all too well what the Tang Sect was like now.
It had once been the greatest sect on the continent, but now it had fallen so far that people looked down on it as a worthless failure.
Even the strength of those third-rate sects from the past was a hundred times greater than the Tang Sect's now.
Could the Tang Sect really be a good place for little Huo?
Bei Bei seemed to see what Tang Ya was thinking, and his brow furrowed too.
The three fell into a silent stillness. Huo Yuhao thought, Oh no.
He hadn't expected that his eagerness to push the plot forward would end up ruining everything. He immediately added, his voice thick with tears:
"Xiao Ya, I grew up listening to my mother tell stories about the Tang Sect."
"Never once did I think I'd actually get to meet the sect that existed only in legends, and I never dared hope I could join you."
"I was too greedy, Xiao Ya. I know that a Soul Master as poorly gifted as me could never keep up with you."
"Just pretend I never said anything, Xiao Ya. After all, I can live perfectly well in this world 'all by myself.'"
Then he lowered his head so they couldn't see his expression, looking very much like a poor child trying to put on a brave face.
"Little Huo..."
Poorly gifted... all by himself...
After hearing his vivid speech, Tang Ya's eyes reddened at once. She set down her delicious grilled fish and wrapped both arms around Huo Yuhao's frail body.
What was there left to say? The Tang Sect was yours!
Huo Yuhao's nose twitched as though he were crying.
But in truth, there was only one thought in Huo Yuhao's mind right now:
She smells so good...
Bei Bei's mouth twitched. Huo Yuhao's story had moved him too, but seeing Tang Ya hug Huo Yuhao so intimately still stirred a strange feeling in his heart.
When she saw Bei Bei standing there unmoved, Tang Ya turned and glared at him fiercely. Then she pulled Huo Yuhao tightly against her chest, determined to let him experience the radiance of maternal love.
"You don't need to say another word, little Huo."
Tang Ya gently stroked Huo Yuhao's head and spoke very tenderly.
"Starting today, you're one of us in the Tang Sect."
"From now on, we're all family. We'll take care of you."
"..."
Huo Yuhao: Why do I feel a little inexplicably touched?
If possible, maybe he should try to save Tang Ya's story arc later on.
Anyway, he had successfully joined the Tang Sect, so he could move on to the next part of the plot.
"Ahem!"
Bei Bei finally couldn't take it anymore and gave a couple of pointed coughs.
Only then did Tang Ya realize she'd lost her composure. Her little face reddened, and she quickly let go of Huo Yuhao and straightened her collar.
But then she remembered the dignity she was supposed to have as the sect master, and rolled her eyes at Bei Bei.
"You're jealous of a child, too?"
Bei Bei had no choice but to pretend he hadn't heard her. Instead, he looked at Huo Yuhao and said:
"Little Huo, the Tang Sect used to be very illustrious, but there are some things we need to make clear to you."
Hearing this, Tang Ya knew what Bei Bei was about to say. Her eyes reddened again, and a bone-deep hatred rose in them.
She raised a hand to stop Bei Bei from continuing. Instead, she stood up and spoke herself, word by word.
"That's right, little Huo. As the Tang Sect's sect master, I have to tell you some things."
"Although the Tang Sect used to be very illustrious, times have changed. The Tang Sect's foundation was taken from us, and now only Bei Bei and I remain."
"I'm the current sect master of the Tang Sect, and Bei Bei is my first disciple."
"If you join us, all we can offer you is the Tang Sect Secret Arts that haven't been lost, as well as a place at Shrek Academy without having to take the entrance exam."
"That's all we can do for you right now."
Looking at how serious Bei Bei and Tang Ya were, Huo Yuhao nodded solemnly too.
"Xiao Ya, I'm willing to join the Tang Sect."
After all, that was the only way to attract God King Tang's attention as inconspicuously as possible.
In truth, Huo Yuhao was close to tears.
Other protagonists who transmigrated into Douluo II did everything they could to sever their ties with God King Tang. Meanwhile, he spent every day hoping the God King would love him again and hurry up and notice the ticking time bomb inside his head!
"Good! Then you're the Tang Sect's second disciple!"
Tang Ya's mood changed in an instant. She threw an arm around Huo Yuhao's neck and laughed heartily, a happy trickle of drool running from the corner of her mouth.
Now she'd get to eat delicious grilled fish every day!
Bei Bei saw what Tang Ya was thinking and could only shake his head helplessly.
Before you continue