A Mysterious Call

Tang San froze.

"Big brother..."

Though he had a thousand words in his heart, all Tang San could say in gratitude was to address Lin Hao that way.

Clearly, this pill, worth only a little money in the Battle Through the Heavens Plane, had moved the Tang God King's heart.

Trust those you employ; do not employ those you distrust.

Since Lin Hao had decided to set Tang San right through evil means, he would not treat Tang San as an outsider.

Of course.

The pill Lin Hao had given Tang San was merely a first-grade pill, the lowest grade of pill in the Battle Through the Heavens Plane. In the Central Plains Continent, it could even be called a pill found everywhere.

His kindness toward Tang San was genuine; there was no ambiguity about that.

At the same time, Lin Hao had not given Tang San anything that could let him overturn Lin Hao's plans. For instance, higher-grade pills, or the Dou Techniques and cultivation methods of the Misty Cloud Sect.

Before long, even if Lin Hao sold Tang San, Tang San would probably help him count the money.

Noticing Tang San's expression, Lin Hao added fuel to the fire and continued, "Unfortunately, I can't pass my Dou Techniques and cultivation methods on to you. The sect has rules. Its secret arts cannot be taught to outsiders without permission."

Tang San said, "Big brother, I understand. You don't need to explain further."

During the Tang Sect era on Blue Star, the divisions between martial factions were extremely strict.

Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record had been stolen. He understood all too well just how important a sect considered its own secret arts.

Although Tang San had also been tempted by Lin Hao's Dou Techniques, he had not rashly asked about them.

Zhao Wuji interjected, "All right, we should head back as well. Qin Ming, with these children here, it isn't convenient for me to accompany you in searching for Soul Beasts. We'll have to part ways here!"

"Teacher Zhao, I understand. When you return to Shrek Academy, please remember to convey my regards to all the teachers. When I have time, I'll return to the academy for a visit."

"Good."

The Star Dou Great Forest was fraught with danger.

The longer Ma Hongjun, Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and the others stayed in the forest, the greater the danger became.

For safety's sake, Zhao Wuji had no choice but to take the Shrek Seven Devils away.

Naturally, Xiao Wu could not bear to part with Lin Hao.

But there was no helping it. She had already enrolled in Shrek Academy and had to leave with the group.

Xiao Wu did suggest leaving Shrek Academy and transferring to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Lin Hao rejected that idea.

His reason was that Xiao Wu had already joined Shrek Academy, and abandoning her companions to withdraw would be dishonorable. The more important reason was that Heaven Dou Royal Academy had Soul Douluo-level experts who might see through Xiao Wu's identity as a Soul Beast.

A day later, sunlight still could not penetrate the dense canopy and reach the ground.

Qin Ming and Lin Hao moved slowly through the forest, one ahead of the other.

To conserve Soul Power for unexpected dangers, Qin Ming used his broadsword to slash through the undergrowth and clear a path.

After parting from Shrek Academy, they had encountered several thousand-year Soul Beasts. However, Lin Hao had rejected them all.

Lin Hao's current target was not a thousand-year Soul Beast, but... a ten-thousand-year one.

Xiao Wu's third Spirit Ring had been ten thousand years old.

Like Xiao Wu, Lin Hao had undergone body tempering with Whale Rubber since childhood. Moreover, Lin Hao had taken a Marrow Cleansing Pill from the Battle Through the Heavens Plane.

In other words, Lin Hao's Soul Power Level was now also level thirty, and his body had to be even tougher than Xiao Wu's.

Therefore, Lin Hao was certain that he could absorb a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring now.

When Qin Ming heard Lin Hao's decision, he was startled by it and found it absurd. Only after his attempts to persuade Lin Hao failed, and considering the knowledge Lin Hao had previously displayed beyond his own, did he agree to let Lin Hao absorb a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring.

Still, Qin Ming was only a six-ring Soul Emperor. He was not completely confident that he could kill a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast.

He told Lin Hao to flee immediately if anything went wrong.

While walking, Lin Hao suddenly stopped.

"Huh?"

When Qin Ming noticed that no footsteps came from behind him, he stopped and turned to look at Lin Hao. "What is it?"

Lin Hao said, "I suddenly have a very strange feeling!"

Qin Ming said, "A strange feeling? How is it strange?"

Lin Hao sensed it for a while, then shook his head slightly. "I can't explain it. This is the first time I've had such a strange feeling. I feel... I feel as though something in that direction is calling to me!"

Lin Hao pointed in a direction.

"Calling?" Qin Ming frowned slightly.

Lin Hao's words were becoming more and more bizarre.

This was the Star Dou Great Forest. What could possibly be calling to Lin Hao?

Since Lin Hao was the one feeling it, Qin Ming could not understand what he meant by this call.

"The feeling is getting stronger and stronger!!" Lin Hao gazed toward the direction from which the call came.

"Let's take a look." Qin Ming immediately made up his mind to see what was supposedly calling to Lin Hao.

The two changed direction. After advancing only a dozen or so meters, two figures appeared ahead of them.

One was older, and one was younger.

The older one was a middle-aged man. He wore a fitted gray cloth outfit, its hem stained with forest mud and grass clippings. A black iron belt was tied around his waist, from which hung a short blade.

His face was dark, his brow ridge pronounced, and his eyes sharp as cold stars. His jaw was tightly set, and a faint knife scar marked his forehead. A barely perceptible fluctuation of Soul Power lingered around him, giving him the cold, hardened aura of someone long accustomed to battle.

The younger one was a girl. She appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old.

She was around one meter sixty-five tall, with a very well-proportioned figure—not exaggeratedly voluptuous, nor thin and slight.

Her long water-blue hair draped down her back. Delicate features adorned her fair face. At first glance, she did not seem exceptionally stunning, but the longer one looked, the more beauty one discovered in her—a hazy, dreamlike beauty.

Lin Hao's heart skipped a beat. He murmured, "The one calling to me is a girl?!"

Qin Ming blinked, as if he had thought of something, then cried out, "You mean she's calling to you?"

Lin Hao nodded.

The girl walked up to Lin Hao, closed her eyes to sense him for a moment, then opened them and said to the middle-aged man, "Father, I'm sure now. His Martial Soul can complement mine and form a Martial Soul Fusion Skill!"

"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill?" Lin Hao understood at once.

So the calling sensation in his heart came from his ability to form a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with someone else.

"Qin Ming, whose child is this?" the middle-aged man asked Qin Ming.

"Hello, Dean. This child is a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. He was born in the countryside."

"So he belongs to no sect or faction?" The middle-aged man's eyes lit up.

"Yes." Qin Ming nodded.

"Child, are you willing to join my Water Family?" The middle-aged man sincerely invited Lin Hao. "As long as you join the Water Family, we are willing to cultivate you as a red seed!"

Spirit Master families classified their disciples by talent, from lowest to highest, as white seeds, yellow seeds, purple seeds, black seeds, and red seeds.

Red seeds were the highest rank.

Only core figures and future pillars of a family were qualified to be designated red seeds.

Lin Hao said, "The Water Family?"

The girl introduced herself to Lin Hao in a friendly manner. "Hello, my name is Shui Bing'er. Bing as in ice."