Early in the morning, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Huo Yuhao faced each other. Electrolux appeared beside them to prevent any accidents.
"Yuhao, are you ready? Your big brother's coming in~"
That familiar, mischievous streak. I really missed it!
Huo Yuhao nodded and sat cross-legged.
As the ten golden patterns on his body pulsed, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's body turned into a mass of white light and slowly flowed into Huo Yuhao.
Everything went smoothly, just like in his previous life.
When he opened his eyes again, a white Soul Ring appeared beneath him, smooth and lustrous as jade.
As the Soul Ring glimmered, Huo Yuhao's pupils turned gold. The familiar Spirit Detection!
Everything was just as it had been in his previous life. The only difference was that its range was a little greater, reaching a full three hundred meters in diameter—ten times farther than when he had first obtained his Soul Ring in his previous life.
"Whoa! That's amazing. A God King's spiritual power really is something else."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's delighted voice rang out in his mind.
"And that's not all, Yuhao. This time, I sealed all one million years' worth of energy inside you. Later, you'll be able to absorb that energy to increase the age of every Soul Ring for your Spirit Eye."
"It'll also make cultivation incredibly fast. Even with an Ultimate Martial Soul, I guarantee you'll cultivate as fast as if you were flying." In the Sea of Spirit, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm swayed his head as he spoke.
"We're seeing each other naked again, Yuhao. I look forward to working with you from now on. And you too, old man. I missed you so much."
Though they had never met, Sky Dream, now with those memories, spoke as if he and Electrolux were old friends reuniting after many years.
Sky Dream wriggled over to the gray bead and tried to climb onto it. Elder Yi gave a slight tremor, sending Sky Dream Ice Silkworm flying.
"You're no fun. Shouldn't old friends embrace when they meet again?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm grumbled as he got back up.
"You worm, keep making a racket and I won't let Little Scorpion see the memories. Then you can go chase after her all over again."
"Don't do that, Elder Yi! I respect you the most. You'll have to help me when the time comes. I've never even held Bingbing's little hand in this life."
Huo Yuhao couldn't help bursting into laughter. What Sky Dream had given him was beyond his imagination, and the reunion with an old friend had lifted his spirits too.
As Huo Yuhao prepared to leave, he activated Spirit Detection. Then, as if he'd seen something terrifying, he froze in place.
Behind a huge tree not far away, a little beast with three eyes was peeking out at him, curiosity shining in her eyes.
"Qiu'er..."
Huo Yuhao looked toward the little beast and met the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's gaze.
The moment their eyes met, a flicker of alarm crossed her eyes.
"I've been spotted!"
She quickly turned and ran toward the center of the forest.
Huo Yuhao stood still for a long time, watching the direction the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had fled.
"Come on, Yuhao. You'll meet again."
"Mm."
Far away, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion looked back and saw Huo Yuhao leaving. She couldn't help watching his retreating figure.
The moment their eyes had met surfaced in her mind. What kind of gaze had that been?
It was just like the way Bi Ji looked at Soul Beasts whose lives were drawing to a close, quietly waiting for death.
Di Tian had told her that it was a sorrowful gaze. But that human's gaze had been a little different, as if it held something more.
"Why did he look at me like that...?"
"What's wrong?"
A man dressed in black appeared behind her.
"Di Tian, I feel like that person has my aura. And he seems to know me..."
The man's expression darkened as he looked in the direction the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had been watching.
"How dare he lay a hand on the Auspicious Beast..."
His eyes were already filled with killing intent.
Huo Yuhao, unaware of what had happened, had already left the Star Dou Great Forest. His joy at reuniting with Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had been greatly dampened by the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's appearance.
Looking back at the woods behind him, Huo Yuhao sighed.
"I wonder how Xiao Wu's doing. Did she head back to the academy by herself?"
Huo Yuhao chose to camp by the notice board where they had entered, planning to wait a few days and see.
After all, he and Xiao Wu had only agreed to take half a month off. Including the time it would take to return, if Xiao Wu didn't show up, she had probably gone back ahead of him.
Two days passed in a flash. At last, Huo Yuhao saw Xiao Wu slowly emerge from the forest.
When she saw Huo Yuhao, Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. She knew he'd been waiting for her.
So he really does care about me!
Her lips curled into a smile, and she spoke first.
"So you came out ages ago. Hmph, I'm a Level Twelve Soul Master now! Pretty amazing, huh?"
"Where did you go? I was worried sick."
To keep Xiao Wu from getting suspicious, Huo Yuhao still asked.
Xiao Wu put her hands on her hips. "What? Did you miss me?"
"I searched around the outskirts for days and finally found a Soul Beast that was perfect for me. I beat it in no time. Pretty amazing, huh?"
"Impressive, Yuhao!! Is this your future mother-in-law? I'm rooting for you. Go get her!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm started shouting in Huo Yuhao's mind.
"Ahem. I'm just glad you're okay."
Huo Yuhao's face flushed slightly. It hadn't been his intention, but the way his relationship with Xiao Wu had developed really was rather complicated.
After Brother Sky Dream said that, Huo Yuhao felt even more like he'd done something wrong.
He spoke inside the spiritual space. "Brother Sky Dream, what are you talking about? It's not like I did it on purpose..."
"Oh~ I get it. Our Yuhao likes being passive."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm chuckled mischievously, reminding Huo Yuhao of the Evil Soul Master he'd met in his previous life...
Seeing Huo Yuhao blush, Xiao Wu grinned, convinced she'd guessed right. She wrapped her arms around him and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.
"Hmph. I knew you couldn't get by without me. Have you got a Soul Ring yet?"
Watching Sky Dream Ice Silkworm nearly laugh himself to death inside his mind, Huo Yuhao rubbed his nose. His eyes lit up, and a white Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet.
"White? Huh...?"
Xiao Wu quickly realized she'd said the wrong thing and hurried to comfort him.
"It's okay, Yuhao. White is already really impressive..."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm laughed even louder, and Huo Yuhao's face darkened. Then his Soul Ring flashed, drawing Xiao Wu into Spirit Sharing.
"Wow! Your skill is incredible! Can a Ten-Year Soul Ring really give you something like this?"
She swallowed her words of comfort, now astonished by the power of his Soul Skill. Everything within a three-hundred-meter radius was clear as day—far beyond what Xiao Wu could have imagined.
"Hehe. It's a secret."
"Hmph, fine. Don't tell me. You'll still have to be my underling."
Xiao Wu pouted, feeling a little dejected. She hadn't been able to beat him to begin with, and now that Huo Yuhao had this skill, she probably had no chance in the future either...
At the thought, her butt seemed to ache again.
"You're finally back!" Wang Sheng had just entered the dormitory. Seeing the two of them, a flicker of delight crossed his eyes.
"Mm. We even brought you all gifts this time. So, did anyone bully you while we were gone?" Huo Yuhao asked.
Wang Sheng quickly waved his hands. "No, no. After you left, Xiao Chenyu sent people to take over the Work-Study Students' duty roster.
"Now we can get paid without having to work. We have you to thank for that, Yuhao."
The other Work-Study Students all thanked Huo Yuhao too. The way they looked at him, you'd think he was their spiritual pillar.
"That's good. Come on, have a look at the gifts I brought you."
As he spoke, Huo Yuhao took out the Soul Tools he'd made in his spare time on the way back. There was one for each of his roommates.
They were only Level Two Soul Tools, but for them, whose potential might only ever take them to Soul Grandmaster, they were still incredibly precious.
Huo Yuhao had customized each one to suit its owner's Martial Soul. Some Soul Tools enhanced their strengths, while others made up for their weaknesses.
Although he was no longer the God of Emotions, he could still read a person's character from the emotions revealed in their eyes. The boys in the dormitory were all simplehearted children, and they were Work-Study Students from poor families too. They'd be together for several more years, so he wanted to help where he could.
Wang Sheng's voice choked up.
"Yuhao, the thing I'm most grateful for in my life is meeting you at Notting Academy. I won't say more. If you ever need anything, just say the word!"
The others chimed in as well. Looking at the tools in their hands, their eyes had grown a little misty.
"Come on, Work-Study Students are one big family. We're supposed to help each other. What's there to cry about? Just remember to keep these hidden. Don't let anyone else see them."
Huo Yuhao patted Wang Sheng on the shoulder and smiled at everyone.
They all nodded. Children from poor families had suffered more from a young age, so they understood what could happen if they showed off something like this.
"Yuhao, you're back?"
Tang San, who had been called away by Grandmaster as soon as class ended, returned to the dormitory later than everyone else.
Seeing the two of them, his eyes lit up. "I'm a Soul Master now."
As he spoke, a yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet.
Tang San had shown it off to Wang Sheng and the others as soon as he got back, drawing a wave of envy from the Work-Study Students.
It was a Hundred-Year Soul Ring! No student in the entire academy had one. Now that the two of them were back, of course he had to show off a little too.