Huo Yuhao Joins the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Tianmeng Iceworm Backs Down

He clutched the frayed corner of his clothes tightly, his dark eyes filled with unease and humility.

Beside him, Ning Tian's heart softened slightly as she watched Huo Yuhao's cautious demeanor, her clear eyes brimming with pity.

Having grown up in a top-tier sect and been showered with affection, she had never seen a peer living in such humble misery.

As for Ning An, when he looked at the insecure and timid Huo Yuhao, there was not the slightest hint of disdain in his eyes.

You're the child of destiny, damn it!

And your Spiritual Eyes martial soul isn't weak at all, okay?

Ning An lowered his gaze to the timid Huo Yuhao, his voice gentle yet firm, landing steadily in the depths of Huo Yuhao's darkened heart.

"You're wrong."

"You're not useless at all."

Huo Yuhao froze, then stiffly raised his head. His wet eyes were full of astonishment as he stared blankly at the boy before him.

The words he had heard most in his life were useless, burden, lowborn, why don't you just die?

But Ning An...

Ning An's gaze was resolute as he continued.

"Innate soul power has never been the standard for judging talent, and the strength of one's martial soul cannot entirely determine one's future achievements."

"If you don't believe in yourself, that's fine."

"You can try believing in me—believing in my judgment."

As his words fell, Ning An slowly extended his clean, fair, spotless hand.

That hand was slender and warm, its joints distinct and without the slightest scar. It was noble and immaculate, forming a stark contrast with Huo Yuhao's filthy, bloodstained hand.

"Come."

"Join the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Together with me, let us forge the glory of the Nine Treasures."

That gentle yet unwavering voice was like warm sunlight breaking through ice, instantly melting the frost that had accumulated in Huo Yuhao's heart for years.

How many years had it been?

He had struggled in a muddy hell, enduring all the world's cruelty and indifference. He had believed that he could only die in humiliation in this life, that he would never be able to take revenge.

But now, a ray of light had forcefully shone into his dark, lightless life.

A burning ache surged into his eyes. Crystal tears uncontrollably welled up and rolled down his grimy cheeks, washing away the dirt on his face and leaving behind two clean trails.

Huo Yuhao's body trembled violently, his throat tight with sobs as he stared fixedly at the warm, clean hand before him.

He hesitated.

He faltered.

He feared that his filth would tarnish that pure light.

He feared that his weakness made him unworthy of such a supreme sect.

He feared that this fleeting tenderness was nothing more than a fragile dream.

But he wanted it too badly!

He desperately wanted a chance. Desperately wanted to break free of the mire. Desperately wanted to grow stronger. Desperately wanted to stop being at the mercy of others!

After several seconds of struggle and hesitation, Huo Yuhao took a deep breath. Gathering every ounce of courage in his body, he slowly raised his bloodstained hand and gripped it tightly!

His small, rough, icy hand clenched firmly around that warm, powerful palm.

The touch was warm, steady, and resolute, giving him a sense of security he had never known before.

With a heavy nasal tone, the boy's voice was hoarse and trembling, yet incomparably solemn as he spoke each word distinctly.

"I... I'll join!"

"I, Huo Yuhao, willingly join the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"

"I swear that I will cultivate diligently and restore the glory of the Nine Treasures."

The instant Huo Yuhao's words fell—

Crack—!

A large, glistening white bug slowly crawled out from a crack in the ground.

It raised its head and stared directly at Huo Yuhao.

"Little ones, don't be afraid. Let me introduce myself."

"My name is Tianmeng Iceworm!"

"I am the unprecedented million-year soul beast that broke the record for soul beast age on this continent!"

Tianmeng Iceworm thought its presence was utterly imposing and impressive.

It looked smugly at the bewildered Huo Yuhao, its tone coaxing and proud.

"I can see you've got the same qualities as me. Let me become your first intelligent soul ring, and from now on, I'll take you to the pinnacle of the Douluo Continent!"

As its words fell, Huo Yuhao's first reaction was not wild joy. Instead, he instinctively turned his head and looked at Ning An beside him with eyes full of reliance.

All the confidence and trust he had now came from this young man who had just saved him.

Seeing the question in Huo Yuhao's eyes, Ning An remained calm and gave a slight nod, his indifferent voice sounding out.

"This big bug means no harm. You can agree to it."

With that one simple sentence, all of Tianmeng Iceworm's imposing aura was instantly shattered!

Tianmeng Iceworm's body suddenly stiffened, and even its immense spiritual power stalled for a moment!

B-Big bug?!

This little brat called it a big bug?

Couldn't he see its mighty and majestic form?

Tianmeng Iceworm immediately snapped in exasperation.

"You called me a big bug?! Little fellow, do you even know how to talk?!"

"I'm a million-year soul beast! An existence at the very pinnacle of the continent! Do you even understand what a million years means?!"

Although Tianmeng Iceworm was not skilled in battle, it could still scare this child a little and salvage some face. Otherwise, if Huo Yuhao started calling it a big bug too—

Wouldn't it cry itself to death?

Just as it puffed itself up and prepared to lash out—

Bzzzz!!!

An incomparably tyrannical vicious beast's pressure suddenly erupted from Ning An's body!

His soul power surged into the sky, and the savage, boundless phantom of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear slowly solidified behind him once more!

The bloodline pressure of a top-tier vicious beast martial soul stirred the fear buried deep within Tianmeng's soul.

That aura... was one of the creatures that had once chased after it and tried to chew on it.

What was it called again?

A Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear—and no ordinary one at that. This felt as though Bear Lord himself had arrived.

Terrifying. Far too terrifying.

Kids these days were simply ridiculous. You could run into one at random, and they would have such a top-tier martial soul.

Can't afford to provoke him, can't afford to provoke him.

Tianmeng Iceworm, which had been putting on airs just moments ago, instantly went limp, as though its entire body had lost all support.

It surrendered in one second!

It couldn't help it. It had a feeling that it could not beat the little brat in front of it.

It decided not to scare this little brat anymore.

Of course, it was absolutely not afraid. It simply did not want to bully children.

It quickly turned away, ignoring Ning An, and hurriedly said to Huo Yuhao.

"Ahem... I won't lower myself to argue with a child. I'm just too magnanimous!"

Then Tianmeng Iceworm looked at Huo Yuhao, utterly ignoring the complicated look in his eyes.

"Little fellow, are you ready?! I'll make you the only one-ring, million-year spirit master right now!"

As its words fell, Tianmeng Iceworm hesitated no longer. Its enormous body abruptly shrank, transforming into an incomparably pure, radiant white ball of light that shot straight toward Huo Yuhao's brow!

Endless spiritual power slowly enveloped Huo Yuhao's entire body, gentle yet vast.

And just as the two sides began to fuse.

Space suddenly split open with a crack, and a tiny dim, ancient, endlessly weathered ball of light slowly emerged.

An overbearing voice that looked down upon all others slowly echoed through heaven and earth.

"With the sun and moon in hand, I pluck the stars; none in this world are like me..."

"I never expected that this old man would still retain a wisp of his remnant soul."