A Life-Saving Favor

"Uh... it's... a million-year Soul Beast..."

Huo Yuhao covered his face as he introduced it to Qian Daoliu and Qian Xunji.

"Your big brother came up with the name Sky Dream Ice Silkworm for himself. Doesn't it sound really cool?"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm blinked his big eyes and held his head high, waiting for praise.

"Brother Sky Dream, why don't you go back to my Sea of Spirit for now? I still have something important to discuss with my teacher and senior brother."

The atmosphere had seemed rather serious just moments ago, but after Sky Dream Ice Silkworm appeared, it started veering into comedy.

"Calling me 'brother' won't work! I saw everything. You were obviously just chatting!"

He'd woken up pretty early...

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had absorbed another version of himself. Though it had been a rather large undertaking, it hadn't taken all that long.

He had woken up not long after Huo Yuhao entered the Pope's Palace.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had been keeping an eye on everything outside, waiting for Huo Yuhao to finish meeting Qian Daoliu so he could take credit with him.

See?

You doubted your brother's Soul Ring was useful before, but now you've been proven wrong!

Weren't the four Soul Skills your brother's Second Soul Ring gave you incredibly useful?

As it turned out, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had stumbled upon some rather interesting gossip.

Yuhao's teacher didn't sound too bright, huh~

Huo Yuhao brought out his trump card. "Maybe we can look into a way for Soul Spirits to eat, too."

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had been interested in Huo Yuhao's grilled fish for a long time. Unfortunately, he'd sacrificed himself as soon as they met, so he hadn't gotten to try Huo Yuhao's special cooking.

Later, he'd "forgotten" to tell his past self about it, and only regretted it bitterly after their two consciousnesses merged!

"Ahem, your brother just sacrificed himself for you, so his soul is still a little weak. I'll head back to your Sea of Spirit and rest for now."

He needed to find Electrolux and get him to take this matter seriously.

After spending so much time together, Tian Meng knew how reliable Electrolux was.

If Huo Yuhao asked, Elder Yi would certainly devote some attention to researching it.

And if Elder Yi researched it, he would definitely get results.

That was Electrolux's reputation!

After Sky Dream Ice Silkworm vanished, Qian Xunji finally came back to himself and asked the question that struck right at the soul: "Was that just now a million-year Soul Beast?"

The million-year Soul Beast he'd imagined would have looked something like Di Tian.

Majestic, overbearing, looking down on everyone...

The grand image Qian Xunji had imagined had shattered into dust.

"Ahem... yeah." Huo Yuhao nodded with a fake smile.

"If we study the Soul Spirit System more deeply, perhaps we can make it widely available, giving Soul Beasts who lack confidence in surviving a Heaven's Tribulation or are nearing the end of their lifespan another way to survive."

"Soul Beasts in the prime of their lives aren't very suited to the Soul Spirit System. They still have to give up their bodies, after all. In the long run, the number of Soul Beasts would keep declining."

"But this is already a way forward. At least we can see the hope of humans and Soul Beasts living in peace, can't we?"

"I'm still young, but I believe I can find a better solution."

Qian Daoliu's expression shifted from shock to gratification.

"Yuhao, becoming your teacher may be the thing I'm proudest of in my life."

"Go ahead and do what you believe in. Spirit Hall will always support you."

Huo Yuhao thanked him sincerely. "Thank you, teacher."

Wasn't this what he'd wanted when he joined Spirit Hall in the first place?

Qian Xunji felt his father had it backwards.

"Father, I'm the one who should be saying that! When Yuhao grows up, I'll be the one sitting in the Pope's seat!"

By then, you'll have retired to the Worship Hall to enjoy your old age!

Qian Daoliu laughed in exasperation at his son, who'd waited until his thirties to become rebellious.

"Fine, fine. I'll prepare your succession ceremony for next month."

Qian Daoliu pointed at the desk where he'd been working moments ago.

"You'll be the Pope soon, so you'll have to learn how to handle these documents. Don't leave just yet. Stay and read through them."

Qian Xunji: "..."

"Yuhao, you just got back, so don't cultivate today. Go home and spend some time with your mother. Get some good rest."

Huo Yuhao quickly got to his feet. "Then, teacher, senior brother, I'll head back now."

With that, Huo Yuhao dashed out of the side hall of the Pope's Palace.

On his way out, he even thoughtfully closed the door behind him.

It was best to get out of a place of trouble!

As soon as Huo Yuhao returned to the Huo Family's small villa, he saw a large basket of fish by the entrance.

A bad feeling rose in his heart.

He pushed open the door and saw Gu Yuena in the living room.

The Silver Dragon King, who had said she would take him back to Spirit City and leave once she'd confirmed he was safe, was now chatting with Huo Yun'er.

When Huo Yuhao came home, Huo Yun'er hurried to her feet and went over to him.

"Yuhao, I'm just glad you're all right."

Huo Yuhao: "???"

What happened?

Everything had been fine when he left a little while ago.

"You always tell your mother the good news and hide the bad. Getting a Soul Ring is so dangerous, yet you didn't say a word about it."

"If Nana hadn't been there to help you this time..."

Huo Yuhao: "???"

He turned to look at Gu Yuena, who seemed distinctly guilty. She gazed up at the ceiling, then looked toward the window—anywhere but at Huo Yuhao.

Silver Dragon King, what exactly did you tell my innocent, gullible mother?!

"Nana saved your life, and she has nowhere else to go, so I asked her to stay with us. Go with Nana to buy some daily necessities later. Your mother... isn't really able to go out right now."

The Huo Family had several spare rooms, and they earned plenty of Gold Soul Coins, so taking in one more person was no problem.

It was just that the family didn't have any relatives, and they had no spare belongings beyond what the two of them used.

Nowadays, whenever Huo Yun'er went outside, Soul Masters would call her the "Braised Meat Fairy" and ask when she'd be setting up her stall again, or whether she could make a little more.

So Huo Yuhao was the only one who could go out and buy what they needed.

Huo Yuhao understood.

This Silver Dragon King, who had "modest" standards when it came to food, probably couldn't bear to leave the delicacies just yet and wanted to stay a while longer.

She hadn't had a good excuse, so she'd exaggerated what happened when Huo Yuhao went to get his Soul Ring by just a tiny bit.

So she really did have some smarts!

"Oh, right. The fish at the door..."

Huo Yun'er smiled when she heard Huo Yuhao ask. "Nana said my braised meat was the best thing she'd ever eaten."

Gu Yuena had meant it sincerely, but Huo Yun'er couldn't just bask in the praise.

She told Gu Yuena that the best food she'd ever tasted was the fish her son Huo Yuhao grilled—far better than braised meat or rabbit heads.

How could that delicious meal she'd just eaten still be a tier below something else? That wouldn't do!

Seeing how tempted Gu Yuena was, Huo Yun'er gave her two Gold Soul Coins and sent her to buy a few fish and some daily necessities.

In the end, Gu Yuena spent every Gold Soul Coin on fish.

"Then we'll have a whole-fish feast tonight."

Grilled fish got tiring if you ate it too often, so it was nice to switch things up.

If you wanted to win someone's heart, you first had to win over their stomach.

The wisdom of our ancestors never failed!