Snow Spirit Pill

The four walked forward in single file. Tang Ya led the way, turning back as she spoke to Huo Yuhao, her eyes curving into crescents. "The Tang Sect's secret arts are incredibly powerful. Little Yuhao, make sure you study them well!"

"Okay, Teacher Xiao Ya."

Huo Yuhao nodded earnestly.

Meanwhile, Jiang Bai and Bei Bei walked side by side at the rear of the group, keeping watch over their surroundings.

"Little Brother Jiang's ice attribute is very pure." Bei Bei glanced sideways at Jiang Bai, his gaze lingering on him for a moment. "It feels like it's of very high quality."

"Yeah, Innate Level Six. Xue Ying's ice attribute should be quite high-grade."

Jiang Bai nodded. Xue Ying's quality was more than merely high—it was practically Ultimate Ice, with Innate Full Soul Power.

However, Jiang Bai had used the Golden Orb to suppress Xue Ying's ice attribute, making it seem only slightly above average in quality.

Otherwise, it would be troublesome if Ma Xiaotao set her sights on it.

Within Shrek, the people one absolutely could not approach were Yan Shaozhe and Ma Xiaotao, that pair of lunatic master and disciple. Right, and the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder as well.

Other than those few, everyone else was manageable and could be reasoned with, though it was still better to avoid them.

Suddenly, a pink blur appeared in the distance.

The two instantly retreated.

"Careful."

Bei Bei shielded Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya behind him, while Jiang Bai took up the rearmost position to guard against a sneak attack.

Tang Ya and Bei Bei activated their Martial Soul Possession, and five Soul Rings floated before Huo Yuhao's eyes.

"A Soul Elder?"

Huo Yuhao stared at Bei Bei in astonishment. He hadn't expected his senior brother, who was about the same age as him, to be a Soul Elder?!

The pink shadow finally revealed its true form: a jade-green snake over three meters long, its triangular head raised high as its crimson tongue flickered in and out.

"A Mandala Snake? A thousand-year level one? Bei Bei, I want it!"

Tang Ya recognized the ambushing soul beast at once and cried out excitedly.

"Xiao Ya, protect Yuhao and Little Brother Jiang."

Bei Bei instructed. In his eyes, Jiang Bai was still below Level Thirty, while Yuhao had only just acquired his first Soul Ring. Their combat strength was truly limited.

Then, Bei Bei used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track beneath his feet and rushed forward to tangle with the thousand-year Mandala Snake.

Watching from behind, worry appeared on Tang Ya's delicate face.

But Jiang Bai wasn't worried.

Suddenly, a mental fluctuation reached him, and Jiang Bai instinctively cut it off.

Wait, was that Mental Detection?

Realizing this, Jiang Bai met Huo Yuhao's puzzled gaze.

However, the battle ahead quickly drew Huo Yuhao's attention away.

"Brother Sky Dream, what's going on?"

Turning his head, Huo Yuhao asked curiously in his heart. He had connected with Bei Bei and Tang Ya so easily, so why couldn't he connect with Jiang Bai?

"This guy's spiritual power is very strong. He directly cut off your soul skill just now."

Tian Meng replied, though he was also puzzled. Jiang Bai's Soul Power Level was clearly lower than those two in front. How could he interrupt Little Yuhao's soul skill?

"Try it again."

Hm?

Huo Yuhao suddenly heard Jiang Bai's voice in his mind. Looking up, he saw Jiang Bai smiling at him.

He clearly felt the surrounding environment unfurl in his mind like a painting—the figure of Bei Bei, the Mandala Snake's movements, Tang Ya's nervous expression, even a bird perched in a tree behind them.

Jiang Bai couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Soul skills really were strange things. Wasn't this just Divine Sense?

Very soon, with Huo Yuhao's assistance, Bei Bei suppressed the Mandala Snake.

"Xiao Ya."

"Okay!"

Tang Ya took out a dagger and finished off the Mandala Snake. A purple Soul Ring appeared above its corpse.

Tang Ya sat cross-legged and absorbed the Soul Ring while the other three guarded her.

"A very powerful soul skill."

Both Jiang Bai and Bei Bei praised it.

"A ten-year Soul Ring could grant such a soul skill? Could that Wind Baboon have mutated?"

Bei Bei couldn't help feeling puzzled. Beside him, Huo Yuhao began to worry upon hearing that, afraid that Bei Bei would notice something unusual.

"Soul beast mutations aren't that uncommon."

Jiang Bai spoke up, helping Bei Bei confirm the explanation of a mutated soul beast.

"Indeed."

Bei Bei nodded in agreement. Soul beast mutations truly weren't uncommon.

"Still, if the Soul Ring had been better—say, a thousand-year or ten-thousand-year one—the range might have gradually expanded along with spiritual power."

Jiang Bai spoke regretfully, and Bei Bei agreed after hearing this.

"Indeed. Soul skills from ten-year and hundred-year Soul Rings are far too limited in potential. If it had been a thousand-year or ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, perhaps its range could have expanded as spiritual power increased."

Hearing this, Huo Yuhao secretly decided that he would have to be more careful when using his soul skills in the future. He couldn't let outsiders discover anything unusual.

Tang Ya soon finished absorbing the Soul Ring. She cuddled up in Bei Bei's arms for a moment before shyly pulling herself free from his embrace.

"Alright, let's head back."

Holding Bei Bei's hand, the two led Jiang Bai and Huo Yuhao back.

Evening fell.

The campfire crackled, its flames casting flickering light over the four faces.

Huo Yuhao sat beside the fire, holding a branch with several cleaned fish skewered on it.

He turned the branch with practiced movements. Under the flames' licking, the fish skin gradually turned golden, while fat dripped onto the coals with a sizzling sound, filling the air with fragrance.

Jiang Bai ate grilled fish as he watched Huo Yuhao resting nearby. After thinking for a moment, he took a bottle from his storage space.

"Yuhao, take this."

Huo Yuhao accepted the porcelain bottle and opened it for a look. Inside were seven snow-white pills.

"Brother Jiang, what is this?"

Bei Bei and Tang Ya beside him also looked over.

"Snow Spirit Pills?"

The two quickly recognized the medicine.

Snow Spirit Pills sold for one thousand Gold Soul Coins each. They could heal injuries and restore spiritual power, and they were especially effective against fire-element damage.

"That's too precious."

Upon hearing the pills' price, Huo Yuhao hurriedly waved his hands in refusal and tried to push them back, repeatedly saying they were too precious.

"It's fine. I have a Self-Created Soul Skill, and your soul skill just inspired me. Just accept them."

"A Self-Created Soul Skill?"

"A Self-Created Soul Skill!"

Upon hearing those four words, Bei Bei and Tang Ya stared at Jiang Bai in shock.

Anyone capable of creating their own soul skill was a genius among geniuses. They hadn't expected Jiang Bai to be this impressive.

Huo Yuhao was still confused, but Tang Ya soon explained it to him.

"You two, help me persuade Yuhao. This really isn't much in exchange for inspiration toward a Self-Created Soul Skill."

Jiang Bai said to Bei Bei and Tang Ya.

The Self-Created Soul Skill was naturally a lie.

His main goal was to get Huo Yuhao to accept the Snow Spirit Pills and feel grateful to him.

The Snow Spirit Pills were actually pills Xue Ying had made by gathering herbs. Once Jiang Bai began selling them, there were already "counterfeits" on the market.

It could be said that other than the ones in Jiang Bai's possession, all the rest were counterfeits.

It wasn't that Jiang Bai didn't want to take this out and make a huge business of it. The main issue was that he was alone and weak. If he cooperated with those factions, they might divide up even his bones.

"Thank you, Brother Jiang."

In the end, after the two explained it to him, Huo Yuhao accepted the pills. At the same time, he felt envious of Jiang Bai's talent.

A Self-Created Soul Skill!

"You're welcome."

Jiang Bai took another grilled fish from the fire and handed it to Xue Ying.

It had to be said, it really tasted good. Even Xue Ying ate happily.

Chirp, chirp.

Tang Ya secretly touched Xue Ying's ears. Jiang Bai saw it but didn't stop her. Xue Ying no longer resisted the two of them, and if she felt uncomfortable, she would run back on her own.

"Eep?"

Feeling the strange sensation on her ears, Xue Ying looked up from her grilled fish.

"Hehehe."

Tang Ya held a grilled fish and waved it back and forth in front of Xue Ying.

"Come over to big sister. Big sister will give you grilled fish to eat~"

Xue Ying could sense Tang Ya's goodwill and no longer resisted, so she climbed onto Tang Ya's lap.

"So cool, hehehe~"

The four stood at the city gate, looking at the majestic city ahead.

The city walls towered high, and the gates were broad. Pedestrians streamed in and out without end. In the distance, several tall buildings could faintly be seen—the landmark structures of Shrek Academy.

"We're finally here~~"

Tang Ya stretched lazily, her entire body relaxing. She looked at the familiar city gate with a smile on her face.

"Let's go!" She turned back and waved at Jiang Bai and Huo Yuhao. "I'll take you to register!"

Jiang Bai held Xue Ying and followed Tang Ya inside.

Xue Ying poked her head out from his arms, curiously looking at this unfamiliar city.

Huo Yuhao walked beside him, his eyes filled with anticipation and a trace of nervousness.