Ma Xiaotao

After Electrolux helped him fuse with the Gold of Life, Huo Yuhao finally learned just how precious and miraculous it was.

According to Electrolux, after fusing with the Gold of Life, as long as Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Sea remained intact, even if an accident left him missing an arm or a leg, it would grow back.

Terrifying indeed...

The whole process had taken quite a while, and time was tight. Huo Yuhao didn't dare delay any longer and hurried straight to Shrek Academy.

If he was any later, he'd miss Shrek's enrollment date, though even if he did, it wouldn't really matter.

It was almost noon when he finally made it just in time to register. With his Soul Elder cultivation and a recommendation letter from the city lord, he was admitted without a hitch.

He didn't rush to report to the campus. Instead, he wandered around Shrek City.

At least ten thousand people had gathered outside the city gates. A swarm of vendors had already caught wind of the opportunity and rushed over, filling the streets with a dazzling array of goods.

Looking at the bustling streets, Huo Yuhao thoughtfully rubbed his chin. A city with an academy in it was actually livelier and more prosperous than a capital like Xingluo City. He couldn't tell whether that was a blessing or a curse...

After Baili Du helped Huo Yun'er and him establish themselves in Xingluo City, mother and son opened a small restaurant. They started with something as simple as grilled fish and built up their business step by step. In less than two years, they'd joined Xingluo City's merchant association and registered the trademark "Huo-Style Grilled Fish."

They were quite well-known throughout Xingluo City. Not only had nobles eaten there, but members of the imperial family had visited too. Business was excellent. Xiao Huo could even proudly say, "I've got a fair bit of money to my name."

While working at the family restaurant, he'd heard a few things about Shrek Academy: the guardian of order on the continent, the enforcer of justice against Evil Soul Masters, the Shrek Inspectorate, and other such positive descriptions.

But he'd also heard that the imperial family and nobles weren't particularly fond of Shrek. As for the reason... best not to mention it.

There was still time, and he was feeling a little restless. After thinking it over, Huo Yuhao decided to enjoy the long-missed pleasure of selling grilled fish and lay the groundwork for Huo-Style Grilled Fish to expand into Shrek City.

After all, nobody ever complained about having too little money.

After slipping the city's enforcement team a few Gold Soul Coins, Huo Yuhao successfully set up his stall not far from the academy gates.

As for the ingredients, he had at least several hundred frozen fish on him, and his seasonings were naturally well stocked.

Time to get to work!

Though he was a newcomer to the street-vending business, the moment his first batch of fish came off the grill, the intoxicating aroma drew in a crowd that quickly surrounded his stall until not even a drop of water could pass through.

Well-versed in the art of loss-leader marketing, Huo Yuhao did as he had in Xingluo City and announced that everyone's first grilled fish was free, while the second would cost one Gold Soul Coin.

It was admittedly a bit expensive, but he was confident in the quality of his grilled fish. Once you'd tasted the first one, there was no getting away—you'd be a regular customer from then on.

First, he let you eat for free. Then he reeled you in tight, until there was no escape.

Before long, he'd given away ninety-eight of the one hundred grilled fish he'd prepared for free. Of course, Huo Yuhao remembered the face of every single person who'd eaten one.

Trying to get something for nothing? Don't underestimate the Spirit Eye's powerful memory.

Of course, if they didn't pay up, Young Master Huo's sword wasn't exactly dull.

Just as Huo Yuhao was about to grill the last fish, a woman approached at an unhurried pace. The crowd naturally parted to let her through. No one even dared look at her; they all lowered their heads, and the whole place fell silent.

Ma Xiaotao had planned to cultivate in the inner courtyard today, but lately she'd been unable to suppress her Evil Fire. With no other choice, she'd gone to the outer courtyard to find a certain tool for venting it.

But she'd been drawn in by a delicious aroma and had followed it toward the eastern city gate. She wasn't some ethereal fairy who never touched earthly pleasures, after all. She was naturally quite interested in food.

A little fellow, huh? I'll go take a look.

The sound of high heels tapping against the ground stopped in front of him. Huo Yuhao looked up instinctively, and the first thing he saw was a pair of stunningly long legs clad in red knee-high boots.

His first thought was how long they were.

His second was how straight.

His third was how fair.

His fourth was that he wanted to play with them...

The red high-heeled boots made the exposed skin look even fairer. To put it in the words of certain lecherous men, these were legs worth admiring for years.

A long, fiery-red coat spread around her legs and behind her like a peacock fanning its tail. Her black, gauzy bodysuit hugged the exaggerated curves above her thighs.

His gaze traveled higher, and the woman's full, proud figure left Huo Yuhao staring in stunned silence.

That was a bosom you could suffocate in...

He leaned back a little and finally managed to see her entire face, framed by the curves of her chest.

She had a pair of narrow, alluring pink phoenix eyes that seemed to steal the soul. Her gaze was cold, but beneath that chill, it seemed to conceal a raging inferno.

A red veil obscured her breathtakingly beautiful face, but with the Spirit Eye's vision, it was as good as if she weren't wearing one at all. Every gesture of hers brimmed with seductive allure.

Huo Yuhao couldn't help swallowing.

Nice!

A stunning older beauty, perfectly matched to his tastes!

"What a beautiful big sister..." The words escaped him. His voice wasn't loud, but the admiration in it was impossible to miss.

Beautiful big sister...

Ma Xiaotao froze. It took her a good while to realize the boy was talking about her.

This child...

How could he be so good with words?!

She shot Huo Yuhao a mildly reproachful look. Only then did she notice how adorable the little fellow was... no wonder there were so many girls in the crowd.

No... he wasn't just adorable. There was also something strangely compelling about him.

Before Ma Xiaotao could think any further, Huo Yuhao gave her a warm smile. "Hello, big sister. Would you like some grilled fish too? Sorry, but I've sold out for today. Please join the line tomorrow."

When Ma Xiaotao met Huo Yuhao's clear, sky-blue eyes, her heart skipped a beat. Even her Evil Fire seemed to settle down.

This little puppy was downright unfair...

"Ahem..." Ma Xiaotao gave a slightly affected cough, then calmly glanced over the people behind her. The crowd that had been lining up scattered in a clamor, disappearing in an instant.

Huo Yuhao wasn't surprised. There were simply people in this world who possessed something called privilege. There was no changing that.

A hint of tenderness slipped into Ma Xiaotao's voice without her even noticing. "All right, little brother. Can I have some grilled fish now?" She raised her right hand. A huge, vivid ruby, as red as pigeon's blood, gleamed on one of her slender, spring-onion-white fingers. Then she pulled out a large handful of Gold Soul Coins.

A smile from a beauty was worth a thousand gold coins. What was this little bit of money to her?

"Sure. Please wait a moment, big sister. By the way, every customer's first grilled fish is free."

"Oh?" Ma Xiaotao grew interested. "It's free? Then how do you make money?"

Huo Yuhao kept grilling the fish with care, without looking up. "Of course, if customers come back for more, it's one Gold Soul Coin per fish."

Ma Xiaotao laughed. "That's a little expensive, isn't it, little fellow? Are you really that confident in your cooking?"

But she soon noticed that Huo Yuhao's control of the fire was so precise as he adjusted the fish that it was nothing short of exquisite.

Was this little brother a fire-type Soul Master too?

After sprinkling on the seasoning, Huo Yuhao smiled and offered the grilled fish to Ma Xiaotao. "Why not try it and see for yourself, big sister?"

Ma Xiaotao didn't hesitate. She took the fish and began eating it elegantly.

The moment she took her first bite, her eyes lit up.

It was actually this delicious!!