The first light of dawn broke through the thin mist, gilding Heaven Dou City's streets with a faint golden edge.
The rented carriage stood before the house, its wheels creaking as they rolled over the stone-paved road.
"Mom, Aunt Jiang, we're setting off, then."
Huo Yuhao stood beside the carriage and waved to Huo Yun'er and Jiang Wanhua behind him.
Jiang Nannan's leave had ended, and she had to return to Shrek Academy.
He also happened to need to make a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest.
As for why Jiang Wanhua was now living with Huo Yuhao and his family, it had been a decision Huo Yuhao made after careful consideration. His mother would be alone in Heaven Dou City in the future, and that would be far too lonely.
Besides, once Jiang Nannan returned to the academy, Jiang Wanhua would be living alone as well.
Thus, after obtaining Huo Yun'er's agreement, Huo Yuhao discussed it with Jiang Nannan and had Jiang Wanhua move into his home.
That way, they would have someone to look after each other in their daily lives. It was better that way.
Still, when he told Jiang Nannan about it, she had worn a somewhat suspicious expression, though she ultimately agreed.
Jiang Wanhua had naturally tried every possible way to refuse at first, feeling that it would be too much trouble. Only after their repeated persuasion did she reluctantly agree.
Yet Huo Yuhao always felt that, on the day he helped Jiang Wanhua move, the smile at the corners of her lips had seemed impossible to suppress.
"Be careful on the road. Don't get into any conflicts with others."
Huo Yun'er slowly stepped forward and raised a hand to tidy the stray hair by Huo Yuhao's temple, her gaze brimming with concern.
Jiang Wanhua stood to the side. Hearing that, she chuckled and teased lightly, "Don't worry, Yun'er. What could possibly go wrong with Yuhao traveling together with Nannan?"
Her words were casual, yet carried a hint of teasing. When her gaze fell upon Huo Yuhao, the smile on her lips deepened further.
"Got it, Mom."
Leaning against the edge of the carriage compartment, Huo Yuhao nodded to Huo Yun'er and Jiang Wanhua.
His excuse for leaving home this time was still that he was going to Shrek City to purchase some rare metals for making Soul Tools.
He had originally planned to leave earlier, but while Huo Yun'er was not worried about Huo Yuhao, she was extremely concerned for Jiang Nannan's safety.
Jiang Nannan was beautiful and gentle by nature, making her deeply beloved by Huo Yun'er.
She had even vaguely sensed that Jiang Nannan seemed to harbor a bit of interest in her son as well.
Naturally, Huo Yun'er had tried every means to bring the two together. That was why she had kept Huo Yuhao home until now, so he could travel to Shrek City with Jiang Nannan.
She had even hoped that Huo Yuhao would simply remain in Shrek City afterward, stay in contact with Jiang Nannan more often, and cultivate their relationship.
Then, when Shrek Academy went on break, he could return with Jiang Nannan.
Over the past month, although Huo Yuhao had lacked the Soul Ring assistance provided by the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, his Soul Tool mastery, far beyond this era, made crafting several second-grade Soul Tools no difficult task.
A second-grade Soul Tool cost only around a hundred Gold Soul Coins to make, yet could be resold for nearly a thousand Gold Soul Coins.
As a result, Huo Yuhao had stopped selling grilled fish.
Grilled fish was for making a living; selling Soul Tools was work.
As the carriage slowly drove away, its wheels rolled over the bluestone pavement, their sounds gradually fading into the distance.
Huo Yun'er's gaze followed the carriage until it completely vanished at the end of the street. Only then did she reluctantly look away and return indoors with Jiang Wanhua.
Outside the Star Dou Great Forest.
Huo Yuhao stood bare-chested in a clear stream.
He lowered his head to stare at the water, then suddenly thrust his right hand down, cutting through the surface and sending up a spray of water.
"Splash—"
With a lift and twist of his wrist, he steadily scooped up a green fish nearly half a foot long.
Water splashed everywhere, crystalline droplets sliding down his toned muscles and leaving trails of moisture behind.
Only two short months had passed since his rebirth, but with the vast vitality supplied by the Golden Dragon King Divine Core, combined with proper training, Huo Yuhao's body had already undergone remarkable changes.
His once frail body had become sturdy and muscular, its lines clearly defined.
Even his height had increased at an astonishing rate. He had previously been a head shorter than Jiang Nannan, but now he was only half a head shorter.
Jiang Nannan had already returned to Shrek Academy. Huo Yuhao had not told her the truth about this trip. Otherwise, given her personality, if she found out, she would likely insist on coming with him.
But this time, he would not merely be searching around the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. He could not let Jiang Nannan follow him into danger.
"But if I want to become stronger, I have to take some risks."
As Huo Yuhao pondered, he scooped several more lively green fish from the stream.
After cleaning the fish, he gathered some dry firewood and skillfully started a campfire.
Under the flames' heat, the fish skin gradually turned golden, emitting a sizzling sound.
The rich scent of grilled fish began to spread through the air, making one's mouth water.
Huo Yuhao sat quietly by the fire, his thoughts churning. In his previous life, when he had first arrived outside the Star Dou Great Forest, he had grilled fish beside this very stream and then encountered Sister Xiao Ya and Senior Brother Bei Bei.
Now, after all that had changed, the path of his fate had already undergone earth-shaking transformations.
After finishing the grilled fish and washing the grease from his hands, he took a box from his storage ring. The moment he opened it, a pungent medicinal smell filled the air.
Since fate had changed, he naturally could not expect to encounter the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm so fortunately in the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest as he had in his previous life. Going deeper into the forest had therefore become inevitable.
This beast-repelling ointment could conceal his scent well and reduce the chances of being discovered by Soul Beasts. Though against certain Soul Beasts with exceptionally keen senses of smell, its effects might be rather limited.
"It's time to set off."
After applying the ointment, Huo Yuhao put his clothes back on, extinguished the campfire, and headed toward the Star Dou Great Forest without hesitation.
Not long after proceeding, he saw a wooden sign standing by the roadside.
"Fifty li ahead lies the Star Dou Great Forest. Soul Beasts may be encountered. Exercise caution."
Unfortunately, no Wind Baboon leaped out this time. When Huo Yuhao passed the spot where he had met the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in his previous life, he deliberately stopped for a while.
He waited quietly, hoping that familiar voice would sound in his mind. After waiting for some time and hearing nothing strange in his head, he finally continued onward.
As the sun gradually sank westward, the sky slowly darkened.
Huo Yuhao finally reached the edge of the Mixed Zone. He raised his head, a gleam flashing through his eyes as his gaze swept over the tangled, bizarre tree trunks and the occasional shadow of a bird swooping overhead with a low cry.
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