Tang Hao's Envy

Tang Yuehua realized she had been staring at the little boy for too long and hurriedly shifted her gaze away.

Yet the inexplicable flutter in her heart did not weaken with the shift of her gaze. Instead, like a compressed spring, it rebounded even more clearly.

The feeling was too strange, so strange that she began to wonder whether she had been hit by some soul skill.

But reason told her that was impossible. Her two older brothers were standing beside her. Anyone capable of tampering with her right under their noses would have to be extremely powerful.

"Spirit Hall has indeed produced countless talents in recent years," Tang Yuehua said, raising her eyes again with a proper smile at the corner of her lips. "First, there was Her Highness the Saintess with Twin Martial Souls, and now there is a young talent like little brother Deng. It seems Clear Sky Sect cannot afford to slack off either."

Her words were polished and tactful. She praised Spirit Hall while subtly placing Clear Sky Sect on equal footing with it.

Deng Tianxin nodded inwardly. As expected of the future mistress of Moonlight Pavilion, who would navigate the major factions all by herself.

Her way with words was leagues above those two brothers of hers, who only knew how to swing hammers.

Still, judging by the way they looked, it seemed they had only been traveling for a short while.

"You flatter me, Miss Yuehua." Deng Tianxin slid down from the bear's back and tilted his head up at the elegant, dignified young woman before him.

A perfectly harmless smile hung on Deng Tianxin's chubby little face. "We've only just arrived and aren't familiar with Heaven Dou City. Since you're out gaining experience, you must know the city better than we do. Could you recommend a few places worth visiting?"

Tang Yuehua was slightly startled, then a nearly imperceptible flicker of delight passed through her eyes.

She had assumed the child would simply offer a polite greeting before leaving. She had not expected him to ask on his own, and so naturally at that.

That saved her the trouble of finding an excuse to keep them around a little longer.

"There are indeed quite a few places worth visiting in Heaven Dou City." Tang Yuehua tilted her head slightly, adopting a thoughtful pose. Her movements were so elegant she looked like a figure in a painting. "The Great Soul Arena is an excellent place for soul masters to spar in real combat. The Heaven Dou Auction House occasionally releases information about rare soul bones and soul rings. If you're interested, I can show you around."

As she spoke, she looked at Deng Tianxin.

Looking at Deng Tianxin's plump little cheeks, Tang Yuehua felt an urge to pinch them.

Startled by her own thought, Tang Yuehua hurriedly looked away, but her heartbeat still accelerated beyond her control.

"Yuehua is right." Tang Xiao nodded and stepped forward to stand beside his sister. His tall frame was steady and dependable, like a wall. "You two have only just arrived and don't know the place. Having an extra guide will help you avoid some detours. The three of us siblings only arrived in Heaven Dou City not long ago as well, and we have nothing planned today. There's no harm in taking a stroll together."

His gaze remained fixed on Deng Tianxin as he spoke, and his tone was several degrees more courteous than before.

As Clear Sky Sect's eldest son, he had seen countless geniuses. But someone who could tame a seven-thousand-year Violent Bear at the age of seven or eight? Forget seeing one—he had never even heard of one.

This little fellow was definitely extraordinary. More contact could only be beneficial.

"Then I'll gladly accept." Deng Tianxin clasped his short little hands together and put on an obedient expression.

But he was already calculating rapidly in his mind. The God of Love Fragment within Tang Yuehua was not large, but even a mosquito's leg was still meat.

The key was that the longer they remained in contact, the greater the chance the fragment would loosen.

Now that she had taken the initiative to offer herself as a guide, it was like being handed a pillow when he was sleepy—exactly what he wanted.

Liu Erlong, who had been standing silently in the back, watched it all. Her gaze swept back and forth between Tang Yuehua and Deng Tianxin, and her lips tightened almost imperceptibly.

She had no concrete evidence, but she simply felt that the way Tang Yuehua looked at Deng Tianxin was not quite right.

They were both women. Some things did not need to be said aloud; a single look was enough to understand.

But she said nothing. She merely climbed down from the bear's back without drawing attention, walked behind Deng Tianxin, and took up a stance like a guard.

Tang Hao, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the undercurrents. His attention remained fixed on the bear.

While the others spoke, he circled the One-Eyed Violent Bear a full round. From its old scar to the empty socket where one eye was missing, from paws thick enough to smash boulders with a single slap to its tiny, nearly invisible tail, he overlooked no detail.

After examining it, he raised his head, his tiger-like eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

"This bear is really something." Tang Hao slapped the Violent Bear's thick shoulder blade, producing a dull smack.

The Violent Bear turned its head and lazily glanced at him with its one eye. A low rumble came from its throat, but it showed no hostility. Clearly, it had categorized Tang Hao as a harmless large creature.

"Strong bones, well-proportioned muscles, and its claws and teeth are all well maintained. Under that fur is nothing but solid sinew. When the chance comes, I'd like to spar with you." Tang Hao appraised it as he spoke.

The One-Eyed Violent Bear yawned, revealing a mouthful of sharp fangs, then turned its massive head away and completely ignored this genius soul master of Clear Sky Sect.

All it could think about was whether it could get a few extra dry biscuits tonight. It had no interest whatsoever in sparring.

Watching her second brother foolishly compete with a bear, Tang Yuehua could not help covering her mouth and chuckling. Then she turned to Deng Tianxin. "Since it's settled, let's go to the Great Soul Arena first. It's the middle of the month, so there should be plenty of exciting matches today."

After saying that, she naturally stepped forward and took her place beside Deng Tianxin, walking alongside him.

The Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena stood in the central district of Heaven Dou City. It was a massive oval structure capable of seating tens of thousands of spectators.

Built mainly from marble, it had memorial monuments at its entrance engraved with the names of those who had died in battle throughout the ages.

The appearance of the One-Eyed Violent Bear attracted considerable attention.

A soul beast with nearly eight thousand years of cultivation was striding openly through the most bustling part of Heaven Dou City, with neither collar nor shackles around its neck. The sight alone was immensely striking.

Fortunately, the Great Soul Arena staff were experienced. After a brief moment of shock, they quickly reacted and specially arranged a spacious mount storage area, thoughtfully delivering several barrels of water and a large platter of raw meat.

The Violent Bear was clearly far more interested in the raw meat than any sparring. It lowered its head and feasted heartily, too lazy to even raise an eyelid.

Tang Hao stood outside the storage area, watching the Violent Bear eat with relish. Then he looked at his own empty hands and suddenly felt that his life as a soul master had been rather pathetic.

The greatest genius of Clear Sky Sect's younger generation, with Soul Power far ahead of his peers, did not even have an impressive mount, while that seven- or eight-year-old brat had a bear to ride.