Ye Fan, You're Actually Pretty Nice

"Handle it as you see fit. Kill him if you can; cripple him if you can't."

Ye Fan was conflicted as well. After all, he had initially told Jing Hongchen and the other two that they were there to save someone. Killing Huo Yuhao outright would make no sense.

Besides, Huo Yuhao was the child of destiny. Ye Fan had no idea whether killing him directly would bring a backlash from the Douluo world's fate.

Thus, Ye Fan ultimately decided to properly "repay" Huo Yuhao.

Ye Fan first said to Jing Hongchen and the other two, "Teacher, Sister Meng Meng, Brother Xiao Xiao, I'm fine."

"That person should be the one who was calling for help just now."

"Let's go take a look at him."

As he spoke, Ye Fan rose first and quickly walked over to Huo Yuhao. Helping him up, he asked, "Big Brother, what's your name?"

Huo Yuhao felt the intense pain in his chest and gritted his teeth as he answered Ye Fan.

"Did you save me?"

"My name is Huo Yuhao. Little brother, what about you? What's your name?"

Ye Fan pointed at Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen beside him as he replied, "Big Brother, my name is Ye Fan. This is my teacher, sister, and brother. We were just passing by."

Following the direction of Ye Fan's finger, Huo Yuhao nodded to each of them in greeting.

"You're amazing. You actually dared to hunt a ten-year Wind Baboon all by yourself."

Ye Fan pointed at the Wind Baboon's corpse nearby and spoke to Huo Yuhao.

Following Ye Fan's gesture, Huo Yuhao indeed saw the Wind Baboon he had exhausted every ounce of strength to kill.

A white Soul Ring floated above its body.

"A ten-year Soul Ring."

"Wonderful! Mother, I'm finally going to obtain a Soul Ring and become a soul master!"

Before Ye Fan could tempt Huo Yuhao,

Huo Yuhao had already impatiently apologized to Ye Fan and the others. "Sorry, but could you please allow me to absorb this Soul Ring first?"

At those words, Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen all wore strange expressions.

Only then did the three notice that Huo Yuhao was merely Rank 10 and had yet to obtain his first Soul Ring.

Judging by his complexion and clothes, he seemed to come from a poor family and had come out alone to hunt for a Soul Ring.

That explained why the young man before them had fought the Wind Baboon to the death.

Ye Fan struggled to hold back his laughter. Go ahead, absorb it. Let's see whether this child of destiny can still rise after losing the million-year spiritual Soul Ring and his portable old grandpa, Elex, if all he gets is a ten-year Soul Ring.

Ye Fan and the three Hongchens quietly stood guard beside Huo Yuhao.

During that time, Jing Hongchen asked Ye Fan curiously, "Xiao Fan, what was that mysterious spatial barrier just now?"

Hearing this, Ye Fan secretly sighed. He knew the inevitable had come.

Ye Fan told Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen the story he had prepared long ago. "Teacher, Brother, Sister, I was desperate to save him just now."

"When I arrived beside Huo Yuhao, a white light suddenly flashed. He claimed to be a 'Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast' being hunted by a large group of soul beasts."

"With nowhere left to run, he didn't want to benefit his enemies, so he sacrificed himself to me."

As he spoke, Ye Fan also summoned Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's soul and had him speak human language to prove that his words were true.

"I can prove that everything Ye Fan said is true. I am Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, a transformed soul beast from the Far North. I was raised captive by the fierce beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest, who absorbed my life essence. Not long ago, I happened to make a breakthrough and escaped, but I was already at death's door."

"Fortunately, I eventually met Ye Fan and survived through the form of sacrifice..."

Tianmeng Ice Silkworm repeated the story Ye Fan had secretly instructed him to tell Jing Hongchen and the other two. As he spoke, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm transformed into human form.

When Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen saw Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's transformed form, all three revealed looks of surprise.

Meng Hongchen covered her mouth. "Grandfather, it really is a transformed soul beast? Xiao Fan wasn't lying to us."

Jing Hongchen's eyes flickered repeatedly as well. "Good, good, good. Twin martial souls, Innate Full Soul Power at Rank 30, and a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast as his first Soul Ring."

"A towering titan will rise from Mingde Hall."

Jing Hongchen could not help but let his imagination run wild.

Even Xiao Hongchen, who was cold on the outside but warm within, felt a deep sense of powerlessness toward Ye Fan at that moment. No, I'm Xiao Fan's brother. I need to work hard. I can't hold him back.

The courage Xiao Hongchen had once possessed to compete with Ye Fan gradually turned into the determination not to become Ye Fan's burden.

In an instant, the three had already believed most of Ye Fan's words.

Furthermore, what Ye Fan had Tianmeng Ice Silkworm say was half true and half false. Jing Hongchen and the other two could find no flaws in it, and in the end, they could only marvel at Ye Fan's good fortune.

"Grandfather, isn't this proof that good people get good rewards?"

Inside Ye Fan's ring space, the God of Destruction cursed, "What good people get good rewards? This was clearly my painstaking plan!"

Of course, the God of Destruction merely grumbled a few times. He still had to continue planning the next major steps for Ye Fan.

Ye Fan had dispelled Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen's doubts.

Then he quietly waited for Huo Yuhao to finish absorbing the first ten-year Soul Ring of his life.

It had to be said that Huo Yuhao's physique was truly terrible. A ten-year Soul Ring that an ordinary person could absorb in half an hour took him a full three hours.

The sun sank behind the western mountains, and dusk spread through the forest. The evening breeze carried the faint cool scent of grass and trees, dispersing the daytime heat.

Jing Hongchen and the other two stood quietly to one side, their eyes slightly narrowed as they gazed toward the direction where soul power was surging, patiently waiting.

The three-hour absorption had drained him greatly, and the surrounding soul power finally began to settle.

A clear cry of wild joy suddenly rang out. "Mother, I've finally become a soul master!"

Ye Fan knew that Huo Yuhao had successfully absorbed the Soul Ring. Hearing that, he immediately rose and congratulated him with a smile.

"Congratulations, Big Brother, on advancing successfully and becoming a soul master as you wished!"

Huo Yuhao stood up, his eyes filled with sincerity and excitement. He solemnly cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you all for saving me and guarding me throughout the process. Yuhao will remember this kindness for eternity."

Ye Fan looked at his pure, sincere expression. It did not seem fake, and Ye Fan inwardly sighed in confusion. Huo Yuhao still looked like a normal person at this point. How did he become Tang San's dog later on?

Ye Fan did not understand, and he felt somewhat saddened for Huo Yuhao. After a brief pause, he softly asked,

"Big Brother, you hunted soul beasts alone. Where is your family?"

The question instantly struck Huo Yuhao's weak spot. His nose stung, his eyes dimmed, and he said in a low voice,

"I'm an orphan. I don't have any family."

At the mention of family, Huo Yuhao's expression suddenly turned lonely again.

Ye Fan hesitated over whether he should rewrite Huo Yuhao's fate. In the end, an idea came to him, and after weighing his words, he spoke to Huo Yuhao.

"Big Brother, I see that your martial soul is your eyes. I heard there is a Body Sect on the continent. Their creed is that all body martial souls under heaven are one family. I suggest you try finding them. There, your eye martial soul might have a good opportunity for development."

After saying that, Ye Fan thought inwardly, Huo Yuhao, I hope you don't get involved with bloodsucking major powers like Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect in this life.

Otherwise, the next time we meet, I'll have a reason to take you out.

Beside them, when Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen heard Ye Fan mention Huo Yuhao's martial soul, they finally noticed the third eye on Ye Fan's forehead.

Seeing Huo Yuhao's pitiful background, Jing Hongchen also spoke to instruct him. "Xiao Fan is right, Huo Yuhao. A possessor of a body martial soul like you is indeed suited to the Body Sect."

Huo Yuhao was quite moved upon hearing this and repeatedly thanked them. "Thank you so much. You're all good people."

To express his gratitude toward Ye Fan and the others, Huo Yuhao offered to grill fish for them.

None of Ye Fan's group refused. Ye Fan also wanted to know just how delicious Huo Yuhao's grilled fish could be, to the point that it could hook one girl after another in the future.

He could take the chance to learn a trick or two from him as well.

Thus, Ye Fan followed Huo Yuhao and secretly learned how to grill fish. After everyone ate and drank their fill, Ye Fan suggested that Huo Yuhao set off alone the next morning.

The next day, Ye Fan and the others continued deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest in search of suitable Soul Rings, while Huo Yuhao headed toward the Heaven Soul Empire in the direction Jing Hongchen had indicated.