Friends

Five days later, Qian Ren Duo came to find him.

That afternoon, Huo Yuhao was meditating in the courtyard. Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves of the old locust tree, casting dappled shadows across the ground. He had sat there motionless for three hours, like a statue.

Someone knocked on the courtyard gate.

"Come in." He opened his eyes.

Qian Ren Duo pushed the door open and walked in.

He looked well, smiling, his steps steady. He did not look at all like someone who had just narrowly escaped death. He walked up to Huo Yuhao, sat on the stone bench opposite him, and poured himself a cup of water.

"I almost died," he said.

His tone was utterly calm, as though he were merely commenting on the pleasant weather. He raised the cup to his lips, took a sip, then set it down and looked at Huo Yuhao.

"It happened not far from the Hall of Enshrined. It's only about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea on foot from my home to my grandfather's place."

Huo Yuhao said nothing. He simply watched him.

"There were five assassins in all," Qian Ren Duo continued. "Every one of them was a Soul Sage. Two were Rank 74, two were Rank 76, and one was Rank 78. Five against one Soul King, and they picked the moment when I was alone."

He smiled.

"They certainly thought highly of me."

Huo Yuhao's gaze fell on the top of his head.

There, the Destiny Line extended outward. It was different from five days ago—the thread that had been about to snap was gone. In its place was a brand-new golden thread, continuing from where the original one had broken and stretching into the distance. A faint rose-gold glow shimmered at the point where it had joined, as if something had repaired it.

Huo Yuhao was very familiar with that glow.

The Eye of Eternity.

"You listened to me," he said.

"I did." Qian Ren Duo nodded. "To be honest, after I went back that day, I thought I was pretty ridiculous too. A twelve- or thirteen-year-old kid told me, 'You're going to die,' and I actually went to my grandfather and asked him to assign someone to protect me closely for a few days. The way my grandfather looked at me, it was like he was looking at an idiot."

He laughed again.

"But I still did it. Just five days. I told my grandfather that if nothing happened after five days, I'd never believe in this superstitious nonsense again."

He paused.

"And then, on the third day, those five people came."

Huo Yuhao fell silent.

Qian Ren Duo looked at him, his eyes carrying several complicated emotions. Gratitude, curiosity, and an indescribable solemnity.

"If it hadn't been for you, I'd already be dead," he said. "With five people attacking me, I could have held out for ten breaths at most. By the time that Soul Douluo saved me, one of my arms had already been crippled."

He raised his left hand and waved it before Huo Yuhao.

"It's fine now. It was healed."

Huo Yuhao looked at him.

This man had a peculiar way of speaking. Though it had been a matter of life and death, he described it lightly, as if he were telling someone else's story. Yet his gaze was serious. There was nothing frivolous in those eyes when they looked at Huo Yuhao.

"It was nothing," Huo Yuhao said.

"No." Qian Ren Duo shook his head. "It wasn't nothing."

He set down his cup, leaned forward slightly, and looked Huo Yuhao in the eyes.

"I'm someone who repays kindness," he said, enunciating every word. "Besides, you saved me despite what happened with my younger brother."

He paused.

"How about this? From now on, you can roll with me."

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment.

"I'll be your big brother. What do you say?"

Qian Ren Duo leaned back against the stone bench again, wearing that confident yet calm smile. Sunlight poured down from above, illuminating his young face with brightness.

"Spirit City, Spirit Hall—this is where I grew up," he said. "I'm a few years older than you, and I've been getting by here for more than ten years. I know where the good food is, where the fun places are, which shops cheat people, and which ones are honest."

He looked at Huo Yuhao.

"If you need anything in the future, come to me. If someone bullies you, come to me. If you want something good to eat, come to me. If you want to ask around for information, come to me too."

He held out his hand.

"What do you say?"

Huo Yuhao looked at him.

At the hand he had extended.

He had been in Spirit City for five years.

In those five years, who had he talked to? Qian Daoliu taught him how to cultivate every day, but all those conversations concerned soul power, soul skills, and soul beasts. The stewards brought him food and clothes, respectful in their manner, but they never said much to him. As for the youths in the Hall of Enshrined, ever since he had defeated Qian Ren Jun, the way they looked at him had changed—there was awe, wariness, and distance.

No one had ever been like Qian Ren Duo.

No one had stood before him, reached out a hand, and said, "From now on, you can roll with me."

He looked at that hand and hesitated for an instant.

Only an instant.

Then he reached out and grasped it.

"Okay."

Qian Ren Duo smiled.

It was a brilliant, genuine smile, as though he had won a battle.

"That's more like it." He released Huo Yuhao's hand and picked up his cup again. "From now on, you're my brother. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask. If you run into any trouble, just tell me."

He took a sip of water, then seemed to recall something and added:

"Oh, right. My grandfather is Qian Daoshan. You've heard of him, right?"

Huo Yuhao thought for a moment, then nodded.

Qian Daoshan. Qian Daoliu's cousin. His martial soul was the Sacred Angel, and he was a Rank 95 Super Douluo.

"The Rank 86 Soul Douluo who saved me this time was one of my grandfather's men," Qian Ren Duo said. "When those five charged at me, he acted right away. Five Soul Sages—he dealt with all of them alone and captured three alive."

He paused, and the smile on his face faded slightly.

"Then they got answers out of them. They were from the Papal Hall."

Huo Yuhao's brows twitched faintly.

The Papal Hall.

The highest authority in Spirit Hall, controlled by the Pope. Between the Grand Enshrined and the Pope, there had always been an outwardly harmonious relationship and a hidden struggle for power. The Hall of Enshrined was the Qian family's territory, while the Papal Hall belonged to another faction. The two sides had been openly and secretly fighting for years. Though Huo Yuhao rarely went out, he had heard some things.

"And then?" he asked.

Qian Ren Duo shrugged.

"And then there was no then."

He placed the cup back on the table, clasped his hands behind his head, leaned against the stone bench, and looked up at the locust tree's branches and leaves.

"The three of them were taken away, interrogated, and then nothing came of it. My grandfather didn't mention it again, the Grand Enshrined didn't pursue it, and the Pope's side didn't send anyone to explain. It was as if nothing had happened."

He looked at the sky, his tone calm.

"Even though both sides know exactly what happened, they've both decided there won't be any follow-up."

Huo Yuhao remained silent.

He thought of Qian Daoliu. The old man who sat in the Main Hall every day, bathed in sunlight. He seemed detached from worldly affairs, but Huo Yuhao knew that nothing happening within Spirit City could escape his eyes.

Of course he knew about this as well.

But he had chosen silence.

"This is Spirit Hall," Qian Ren Duo suddenly said.

He turned to look at Huo Yuhao.

"People outside see Spirit Hall and think it's solid as iron, the strongest force on the continent. But only those inside know that this iron plate actually has cracks."

He smiled.

"But none of that has anything to do with you. You're my brother. If anything happens in the future, I'll have your back."

He stood up and patted dust from his clothes, though there was none there.

"Alright, I should get going. My grandfather has been keeping a close eye on me these past few days and won't let me run around. I slipped out today while he was away handling business."

He walked to the courtyard gate, then suddenly stopped and turned back.

"Oh, right. Do you usually meditate here?"

Huo Yuhao nodded.

Qian Ren Duo looked at him with a trace of disapproval.

"A twelve-year-old sitting in the courtyard and spacing out every day?" He shook his head. "You'll turn into an idiot at this rate. I'll come find you tomorrow and take you around the city."

He waved and left.

Huo Yuhao stood in the courtyard, watching his figure disappear beyond the gate.

Sunlight streamed down from above, warm against his body.

He lowered his head and looked at his right hand.

That hand had just shaken another hand.

That hand had been warm and strong. When it gripped his, it gave him an indescribable sense of reassurance.

He had been in Spirit City for six years.

For the first time in those six years, he had a friend.

In the Sea of Spirit, Skydream Iceworm's voice rang out. "That kid's pretty good. He's a good person."

Ice Empress said nothing, but Huo Yuhao felt her aura ripple slightly, as though she agreed.

Snow Empress said indifferently, "He's far better than his younger brother."

Huo Yuhao said nothing.

He simply stood in the courtyard for a long time, looking toward the gate.

Then he turned around, returned beneath the old locust tree, and sat on the stone bench.

Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves and branches, casting dappled shadows over him.

He closed his eyes and began to meditate.

Yet the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

"Mom, I have a friend now. A very powerful friend."