Golden Figure

The news spread faster than Huo Yuhao had imagined.

In just one day, the entire Spirit Hall was talking about the newly arrived girl.

Golden hair, red eyes, twelve years old, a forty-second-level Soul Ancestor. Her martial soul was the Golden Dragon—the descendant of the legendary Ancient Dragon God, a being nobler and more powerful than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Golden Crocodile Douluo had personally taken her as a disciple, and the Grand Priest had personally inquired about her. It was said that even the Papal Hall had been alerted; the Pope herself had come forward to claim her, only to be turned away by the Grand Priest.

Peerless beauty.

Extraordinary talent.

Some people used those two words to describe her, and no one thought they were exaggerated.

Huo Yuhao stood beside Qian Daoliu, looking through the window at the figure on the training grounds.

She was fighting Golden Crocodile Douluo—if it could even be called a fight. Golden Crocodile Douluo had suppressed his cultivation, using only twenty percent of his strength to spar with her, yet she was still forced back again and again. With the Golden Dragon martial soul possessing her, her hands were covered in a layer of golden scales. Every punch she threw carried the sound of a dragon's roar tearing through the air, but Golden Crocodile Douluo merely blocked casually, dissolving her attacks without effort.

She was sweating. Panting. After being knocked back time and again, she charged forward time and again.

Yet there was not the slightest hint of retreat in those red eyes.

Only calmness.

And... something Huo Yuhao could not put into words.

"What are you looking at?"

A voice sounded beside him.

Huo Yuhao turned and saw Qian Ren Duo walking over, an apple in his hand that he crunched loudly with every bite.

"The new girl?" Qian Ren Duo followed his gaze and whistled. "Whoa, they're at it again. That girl can really fight. From yesterday until now, she's fought Senior Golden Crocodile eight times already. She hasn't won a single one, but she hasn't stopped once either."

He took another bite of the apple and mumbled, "Senior Golden Crocodile is thrilled. He said he hadn't seen such a resilient prospect in years."

Huo Yuhao said nothing.

He merely watched the figure on the training grounds, watching that golden thread.

The thread extended from above her head, passed through the training grounds, through the corridors, through layer upon layer of halls, and stretched all the way to—him.

It connected to the Eye of Eternity on his forehead.

That Destiny Line was exactly the same as the one in the Star Dou Great Forest that day.

Qian Ren Duo continued chattering beside him, but Huo Yuhao could no longer hear him. He only watched the girl—watched her attack again and again, retreat again and again, sweat again and again, gasp for breath again and again.

He remembered the golden figure in the Star Dou Great Forest.

The figure that had crouched before him and eaten his grilled fish bite by bite. The figure whose neck he had stroked until it purred contentedly. The figure that had pressed its forehead against his and let him see a thousand years of loneliness.

That big golden cat.

This girl.

Between them...

The day's sparring on the training grounds came to an end.

Golden Crocodile Douluo withdrew his suppression and nodded in satisfaction, saying something to her. The girl nodded, then turned and walked toward the edge of the field.

Then she stopped.

Her gaze crossed the training grounds, the corridors, and the window, settling on Huo Yuhao.

Those red eyes were like two blazing crimson flames.

Huo Yuhao's breathing stalled for an instant.

From so far away, he could not make out her expression. But he saw her brow furrow slightly, as though she were trying hard to remember something—or perhaps confirm something.

Then she withdrew her gaze and walked away without looking back.

"Hey, hey!"

Qian Ren Duo waved a hand in front of him. "Come back to yourself! She's already gone. What are you still staring at?"

Huo Yuhao came back to his senses.

"Nothing."

Qian Ren Duo looked at him suspiciously and took another bite of his apple.

"You know her?"

"No."

"Then why were you staring at her for so long?"

Huo Yuhao did not answer.

He turned and looked at Qian Daoliu beside him.

The old man stood by the window with his hands tucked into his sleeves, his gaze calmly fixed in the direction of the training grounds. Sunlight streamed through the window and fell upon his aged face, making every wrinkle especially distinct.

"Do you think," Huo Yuhao said, "she could be the one from the Star Dou Great Forest?"

Qian Daoliu fell silent for a moment.

Then he shook his head.

"No."

His voice was calm, as though he were simply stating a fact.

"She has no soul beast aura," he said. "No one in this world can conceal the aura of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast before Bibi Dong. Yesterday, she stood before the Pope, and Bibi Dong watched her for a long time. If she were a soul beast in human form, the Pope could not possibly have failed to see through her."

Huo Yuhao said nothing.

"Besides," Qian Daoliu continued, "her martial soul is the Golden Dragon. It is the ancestor of strength, one of the purest bloodlines among the descendants of true dragons. The soul beast you encountered that day—you said it had golden fur, the frame of a lion, and dragon claws—that was another kind of being, not a Golden Dragon."

Huo Yuhao lowered his head.

"Alright."

Qian Daoliu looked at him, a trace of complicated emotion flashing through his eyes. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only reached out and patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder.

"Don't overthink it," he said. "The Destiny Line led you to her, so it naturally has its reasons. As for who she is and where she came from, you will learn one day."

He withdrew his hand and turned toward the hall.

"Go. You haven't finished training for today."

Huo Yuhao remained where he was, watching his back disappear at the end of the corridor.

Qian Ren Duo leaned over and lowered his voice. "The one from the Star Dou Great Forest? What one from the Star Dou Great Forest? What are you two talking about?"

Huo Yuhao shook his head.

"Nothing."

Qian Ren Duo rolled his eyes.

"Fine, fine, you master and disciple both have secrets. I won't ask." He tossed the apple core into a nearby bin and clapped his hands. "Oh, right. I'm treating you to dinner tomorrow. A new place opened in the east of the city, and they say its signature dishes are amazing. Want to bring the new girl? I can help you ask her."

Huo Yuhao looked at him.

"I don't know her."

"You can get to know her if you don't." Qian Ren Duo waggled his eyebrows. "I saw you staring at her just now. Your eyes practically went straight. Don't worry, I'll help you win her over."

"No need."

Huo Yuhao cut him off and turned toward his own courtyard.

Qian Ren Duo stood where he was, watching his retreating figure, then shrugged.

"Fine, no need, then," he muttered. "I'll go eat by myself."

The training grounds were already empty.

Sunlight shone upon the bluestone floor, making everything brilliantly bright.

Huo Yuhao reached the entrance of his courtyard and stopped.

He turned back and glanced in the direction of the training grounds.

There was no one there anymore.

Yet those red eyes still lingered before him.

The slight furrow in her brow when she had looked at him.

As though she were trying hard to remember something.

Or perhaps confirm something.

He pushed open the gate and entered the courtyard.

In his Sea of Spirit, Skydream Iceworm's voice sounded. "Kid, that girl..."

"I know."

"You know what?"

Huo Yuhao did not answer.

He simply walked beneath the old locust tree and sat down on the stone bench.

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

He closed his eyes and began to meditate.

Yet two scenes continued to surface in his mind.

One was the golden figure in the Star Dou Great Forest, crouching before him and eating his grilled fish bite by bite.

The other was those red eyes on the training grounds just now, staring straight at him from so far away.

Were they the same person?

He did not know.

But that golden Destiny Line had given him the answer.