Soon, the aroma of grilled fish spread through the woods. Sitting on a blue-gray boulder, Liu Lin caught the scent and couldn't help swallowing.
Nearby, Huo Yuhao handed the grilled fish to Liu Lin, who was sitting on the boulder.
The fish Yuhao had grilled had golden, crispy skin and snowy-white, tender flesh. Tiny bubbles sizzled in the fat on its surface.
No wonder everyone loves Huo Yuhao's grilled fish. Once he becomes my underling, he can be my personal chef. Looking at the golden fish, Liu Lin couldn't help thinking.
Liu Lin took the fish Huo Yuhao offered and eagerly tried a bite. Then he nodded and praised him.
"Yuhao, your grilled fish really is delicious."
Huo Yuhao heard Liu Lin's praise and smiled with satisfaction.
"Brother Liu, I'm glad you like it. Whenever you have time, I'll grill some for you again."
Liu Lin had been sitting on the boulder eating when he was just about to nod and accept. Then he suddenly noticed something.
He set down the grilled fish and stared intently in one direction.
Liu Lin slowly stood and pulled Huo Yuhao one step behind him.
"Don't say anything yet. Someone's here."
Just after Liu Lin had taken a bite, his Eye of Destiny sounded an alarm. Two clusters of blood-red fortune had suddenly appeared not far away.
(It meant they were about to have bad luck, or were close to death.)
It was impossible for Liu Lin not to notice the two clusters of blood-red light, so he pulled Huo Yuhao behind him.
As Liu Lin drew Huo Yuhao behind him, a rustling came from the bushes. Then two dark figures emerged from the undergrowth.
They were two middle-aged men, one tall and one short. Both wore dark gray outfits and had black cloth covering their faces, leaving only a pair of sinister eyes exposed.
Their Soul Power was steady and concentrated. They were unmistakably two Soul Kings.
Huo Yuhao's face instantly paled, and he instinctively clutched Liu Lin's clothes.
Liu Lin frowned at the two assassins. Two Soul Kings had specifically come to the back hills of Star Luo Royal Academy to ambush a six-year-old child. That was no small undertaking.
Anyone in Star Luo City who'd do something like this and had a grudge against Huo Yuhao—Liu Lin could guess who it was without even trying.
"Did Dai Huabin or the White Tiger Duchess send you?"
The two men were taken aback for a moment, but as assassins, they quickly recovered.
The tall assassin gave a cold laugh and spoke first. "Young master, don't blame us for being ruthless. Someone's offered a hefty sum for the blue-haired brat's life. We don't care who you are. But if you get in our way, we'll kill you too."
Liu Lin understood what the tall assassin meant. If he didn't intervene, they would spare him.
But even if Liu Lin kept out of it, Huo Yuhao's heaven-defying fortune meant he wasn't going to die. Better to use this chance to earn some goodwill.
Liu Lin decisively shook his head. "I'm still going to get involved. Make your move."
Hidden behind Liu Lin, Huo Yuhao's eyes reddened as he secretly swore to himself:
Today, Brother Liu Lin saved my life. As his underling, I'll follow his lead from now on.
The moment Liu Lin finished speaking, the two men released their Martial Souls at the same time.
A giant scorpion, pitch-black from head to tail, appeared behind the tall assassin. The short assassin's arms were covered in dark green scales; his fingernails grew long and sharp, dripping with viscous poison.
Two yellow and three purple Soul Rings lit up beneath each of them.
Huo Yuhao's pupils contracted, and his breathing grew ragged.
He knew Liu Lin was incredibly talented, but the gap between him and two Soul Kings was too great to make up with either skill or talent.
Just as Huo Yuhao thought he was going to die, he heard Liu Lin's voice.
"Wait here." Liu Lin shoved the grilled fish, which he'd only taken two bites from, into Huo Yuhao's hands, then strode toward the assassins.
A golden light shone from within Liu Lin. The Crimson Radiance Burning Heaven Dragon—Martial Soul Possession.
Crimson-gold dragon scales appeared across Liu Lin's skin. In an instant, his pupils turned a burning crimson gold, and behind him, the phantom of a golden dragon threw back its head and let out a silent roar.
Four Soul Rings rose beneath his feet—yellow, purple, purple, purple. Deep purple.
The assassins' expressions changed at the same time. The tall assassin stared wide-eyed, his voice going dry. "How is this possible? He's only a few years old. How has he already reached Soul Ancestor?"
Not far away, Huo Yuhao saw the four Soul Rings beneath Liu Lin's feet. His eyes focused again, and he felt there was hope of surviving.
The short assassin didn't waste words. He charged straight at Liu Lin. With one swipe, five streaks of dark green poison tore through the air, aiming for Liu Lin's throat.
Liu Lin didn't dodge as the blades came within inches.
He raised his right hand. Golden flames exploded in his palm, sweeping outward in a scorching ring of dragon fire.
The moment the poison blades touched the dragon fire, they evaporated completely, without leaving behind so much as a wisp of mist.
The short assassin's pupils contracted. He tried to retreat, but Liu Lin was faster.
The second and third Soul Rings behind Liu Lin lit up one after the other, enveloping him in crimson flames.
Crimson Radiance Burning Heaven Dragon Second Soul Skill: Dragon Flame Fury.
Golden flames surged around Liu Lin, greatly boosting his strength and the power of his fire. His body swelled slightly, dragon scales appeared across his skin, and he entered a state of frenzied enhancement.
Crimson Radiance Burning Heaven Dragon Third Soul Skill: Crimson Dragon Tyrant Body.
The phantom of a golden dragon rose behind him with a heaven-shaking roar. All enemies within dozens of meters were suppressed by its dragon might, weakening every attribute.
His strength, speed, and defense all rose dramatically, and the golden flames around him blazed higher.
Then the phantom of a Crimson Gold Giant Dragon appeared behind Liu Lin, and his figure shot across the open ground between the two men like a streak of crimson-gold fire.
With the boost from his Martial Soul and Soul Skills, the dozens of meters between them shrank to the span of a blink.
Liu Lin appeared before the tall assassin. His right arm underwent Dragon Transformation, golden flames covering his hand as he pressed all five fingers down through the air.
The ground suddenly cracked from the point of impact. Golden flames gushed from the fissures and spread outward like a spiderweb, instantly covering a radius of ten meters.
Crimson Radiance Burning Heaven Dragon First Soul Skill: Burning Abyss.
Pillars of golden fire surged from the cracks, warping the air around them with heat.
The tall assassin screamed as the blast of fire hurled him away. He crashed heavily into an old willow tree, snapping its trunk in half.
The short assassin took the opportunity to attack Liu Lin from the side, his poisoned claws aimed straight at Liu Lin's back. Without even turning around, Liu Lin struck out with his palm.
The phantom of a crimson-gold dragon claw landed squarely on the short assassin's chest. The sound of breaking ribs rang out with eerie clarity beside the quiet stream.
Before even a quarter of an hour had passed, one Soul King was unconscious, embedded in the shattered tree, while the other lay on the ground, too weak even to groan.
Liu Lin withdrew his Martial Soul, and the golden light slowly faded. He brushed the dust from his hand and turned back toward the boulder.
Huo Yuhao still stood in the same pose, holding the grilled fish, his mouth hanging open. Not a word came out.
The stream still burbled along. The evening breeze drifted past, carrying the scent of charred fish and the lingering heat of battle.
"Fish won't taste good once it's cold." Liu Lin took the fish back from his hands, sat down again, and took a bite. His tone was so casual, you'd think he'd just swatted two mosquitoes.
He looked up at the sky, then took a message-transmitting Soul Tool from his Storage Soul Tool and sent Xu Jiawei a message.
Xu Jiawei had to know about this. Someone had hired killers in Star Luo City, and their target was a six-year-old child. Whoever was behind it had already crossed Xu Jiawei's bottom line.
After sending the message, Liu Lin put away the Soul Tool and glanced down at the two assassins lying on the ground. In his mind, he was already nailing the lid shut on Dai Huabin's coffin.