Soul Beasts' Achievements

Dawn was breaking, and the sea breeze carried a crisp chill. Huo Yuhao, Di Tian, and Demon Spirit had long since concealed themselves at the street corner opposite East Sea Academy, their gazes seemingly casually sweeping over the school gate.

Di Tian accepted the grilled fish Huo Yuhao handed him and took a bite, but his eyes remained fixed like an eagle's on the two small figures Tang Ziran and his wife had escorted to the entrance. His gaze lingered especially long on the silver-haired, violet-eyed girl. Chewing the tender fish, he frowned slightly. "Her aura is strange... The mark of the Silver Dragon Spear follows her like a shadow, yet I can barely sense the vast primordial fluctuations of elemental dominion that my lord should possess. It is as if they have been deliberately sealed away or diluted." He paused and looked at Huo Yuhao. "Your earlier judgment was correct. This girl is indeed highly unusual."

Once Tang Wulin and Na'er disappeared into the campus, the three's "breakfast observation meeting" turned into a more relaxed barbecue gathering. Charcoal crackled, and the fresh seafood quickly became fragrant delicacies in Huo Yuhao's hands.

"She does need to be watched closely." Di Tian picked up a skewer of charred, fragrant squid tentacles and spoke in a low voice. "Be careful. My lord's target may be Tang San's son. The Golden Dragon King's divine core within him is an enormous threat to us, but to my lord... it may represent another possibility." Feeling the two concealed protective fluctuations around Tang Wulin in the distance—ones that even made him wary—he continued, "But the protection his father, Sea God Tang San, left behind, as well as the contingencies you secretly planted back then, are no mere decorations. Now that we have found a new path, I do not wish to stir up trouble again unless absolutely necessary."

Huo Yuhao turned the skewers in his hand as sparks drifted away on the wind. "The spiritual imprint I left behind is more for warning and mediation. If it truly comes to that, the key may lie in Tang San's arrangements and in the child himself. As for the Silver Dragon King... let us wait and see."

"Yes. If we can coexist peacefully, that would naturally be best." Di Tian took a swig of wine. "Seeing Bi Ji, Zi Ji, and the others find their own joys now—living, creating, and even earning humanity's recognition and affection like real people... it feels better than I expected."

Huo Yuhao skillfully prepared the freshly caught octopus tentacles and nodded. "Indeed. The emergence of the soul spirit system is a turning point. In the long run, the artificial soul spirit research promoted by the Spirit Pagoda may fundamentally ease the conflict. Of course, there is still a long road ahead."

"The root of the conflict lies in soul rings, in the struggle for survival resources." Di Tian watched the leaping flames, his expression complicated. "If power could be gained without relying on hunting soul beasts... that would be a revolutionary change. I only hope this path can be walked to the end."

After enjoying this unusually meaningful breakfast, the three temporarily parted ways. Di Tian continued his "great stone-hunting endeavor," while Huo Yuhao took Demon Spirit on a proper tour of the city by the East Sea.

The commercial district was bustling and lively. Demon Spirit's eyes suddenly lit up, and she pointed toward the display window of an elegantly decorated shop nearby. "Brother Yuhao, look! Those are clothes Aunt Bi Ji designed!"

Inside the display window, a mannequin wore a dark green gown called "Emerald Court." The design had a classic Western court style, its layered skirt rippling like the surface of a lake. Lustrous silk and gauze were used throughout, while the fitted bodice, cuffs, and collar were adorned with delicate lace and emerald-colored crystal fragments that looked naturally formed. It was lavish without losing its natural vitality, as though a condensed forest lake had been draped over the wearer.

Beside it, the display window for "Violet Dragon Pavilion" held a velvet-textured formal gown in a completely different style. It used a more figure-hugging, modernized Chinese qipao silhouette, with a high collar and slanted lapel. Its deep violet-black base was embroidered with dragons soaring through clouds and auspicious cloud patterns in dark gold thread. The cuffs featured exquisite wide-edged frog closures, while the sides of the skirt were slit open. Elegant yet mysterious, it exuded a sense of majesty and power.

"Those two..." Huo Yuhao looked at the neighboring top-tier shops, whose styles clashed so fiercely, and shook his head with a helpless smile. The stores were packed with customers, showing just how popular they were. He led the excited Demon Spirit inside.

The shops were filled with a dazzling array of clothing, bags, shoes, hats, and scarves. Between the two brands, nearly every category was covered, and every design was exceptional, drawing countless customers to browse and choose.

Demon Spirit eagerly tried on several outfits. In the end, Huo Yuhao picked out a light green, elven-style cropped jacket from Emerald Court for her, decorated with vine embroidery and brimming with lively charm. He also chose a dark red brocade mamian skirt from Violet Dragon Pavilion, patterned with refined hidden motifs and perfectly balancing classical and modern styles. Huo Yuhao bought two items for himself as well: a dark blue casual suit from Emerald Court, sharply tailored with natural patterns in the details, and a black high-collared Chinese-style top from Violet Dragon Pavilion, made from crisp fabric with only simple cloud patterns outlined in dark gold thread at the cuffs, steady and understated.

Carrying their newly purchased clothes, they took the elevator to the cosmetics section on the third floor. The moment they stepped out, an elegant, non-cloying fragrance curled around their noses. In the most prominent location stood the flagship store of Three-Headed Spirit Scent.

The fragrances inside were richly layered without clashing in the slightest. Crimson King's perfumes were truly ingenious. They lacked the heavy, overpowering scent of cosmetics, instead carrying natural, refreshing notes such as grass after rain, morning dew, orchids in secluded valleys, and wind through cedar forests. It was as though the spiritual beauty of heaven and earth had been bottled.

"Wow, look at this! It's a collaboration between Uncle Crimson King and Uncle Myriad Demon King!" Demon Spirit pulled Huo Yuhao toward another display area. It contained bathing and hair-care products under the brand label "Three-Headed Spirit Scent x Forest Life Chronicle." Their focus was natural herbal extracts, and their packaging overflowed with vitality. The introduction stated that the ingredients came from plants personally cultivated or selected by Myriad Demon King and contained gentle botanical essences.

Huo Yuhao carefully smelled several samples. In the end, he chose a light perfume built around Northernmost Land snow lotus blended with crisp pine needles. Its scent was cool and distant, suiting his calm temperament. He also selected a matching body wash. Demon Spirit, meanwhile, fell in love with a product blending dawn roses, peach, and a faint tea fragrance. Sweet yet fresh, she immediately took the perfume and body lotion from the same line.

Their shopping bags multiplied again as they made their way to the mall's basement level. The elevator doors had barely opened when a vigorous, highly stirring advertisement broadcast came rushing toward them.

[Dark Gold Mountainforge Workshop] Core Forging Materials · Secret Announcement...

A massive holographic projection displayed various materials gleaming with dark metallic luster, as well as the astounding performance they showed in tests after being forged into weapons and armor components—withstanding tremendous impacts without deforming in the slightest, with soul power conduction efficiency so high it was absurd. The copywriting was immensely compelling, making full use of words like "power," "dominance," and "ultimate choice."

"...We do not sell cold metal. What we provide is a blueprint for power tailored specifically to you. Power should be silent as a mountain and erupt like a landslide."

"Wow! Uncle Bear Lord is amazing! Those ad lines are so domineering!" Demon Spirit stared at the dark gold metal ingot in the projection, which seemed capable of absorbing light itself, her eyes shining.

The auction area ahead was already roaring with activity. The host's voice came through a soul guidance amplifier. "Attention! The auction officially begins now! Yesterday's presale was incredibly popular. Only 108 treasures have been prepared for today, and they will go to the highest bidders! Masters, please consider your finances and bid rationally!"

Forgemasters, mecha engineers, and battle armor masters had already gathered below, rubbing their hands together as bids rose one after another. Huo Yuhao and Demon Spirit exchanged a glance and decided not to join the excitement.

Just as they were about to leave, Demon Spirit spotted a relatively quiet area at the edge of the mall, decorated in an entirely different style. "Brother Yuhao, there's more over there!"

When they walked over, they found high-end household products for sale, ranging from cookware and tableware to small appliances and home decorations. The design style was consistent throughout, presenting a cool, high-end technological aesthetic. The brand logo bore four powerful characters—Deep Space Dragon Domain.

A saleswoman saw them stop to look around and immediately approached them warmly. "Is this your first time seeing products from our brand? This batch of goods only arrived recently. They are truly revolutionary designs!"

She pointed at the displays as she introduced them. "Look, all of our products share a unified visual language: deep matte black as the main color, accented with subtle dark gold patterns like dragon scales, with absolutely cool and smooth lines. In operation, we have discarded cumbersome buttons. They support gesture recognition, powerful spiritual intention control, or simple taps in specific rhythms—for example, tap twice to turn it on, or tap five times to directly summon after-sales service."

She paused, pride on her face. "The most special part is our 'Dragon Attendant Contract' after-sales service. Once a product is activated, you receive top-tier service for life. Whenever maintenance is needed, our Dragon Attendant engineers will appear before you at the fastest speed, almost without a sound, and solve the problem."

Di Tian? Uncle Di Tian? Hearing this description, especially "Dragon Attendant Contract" and "silent doorstep service," Huo Yuhao and Demon Spirit immediately pictured Di Tian's always slightly stern face, quietly worrying over everyone. They could not help exchanging amused looks. As expected of the soul beasts' ruler—even his household appliances carried this style of "guarding from the shadows."

To support this "old father's" business, Huo Yuhao purchased a portable mini air conditioner from Deep Space Dragon Domain. It was only palm-sized, a matte black oval cylinder with faint dark gold streamlined patterns along its sides. Apparently, it used a unique soul guidance microcirculation technology to quickly regulate the temperature in a small area while remaining exceptionally quiet. Demon Spirit chose a Microdomain Dragon-Scale Thermostatic Cup instead. Its surface was covered in tiny dragon-scale-like microstructures, giving it a distinctive texture. Not only could it instantly adjust any liquid poured into it to a preset temperature, it could also maintain that precise temperature for up to twelve hours. It could not have suited someone like her, who liked to slowly savor her drinks, any better.

Time quietly passed during their fulfilling outing. In the afternoon, they took a walk along the shore before heading to the coastal reef area where they had arranged to meet Di Tian at dusk.

Huo Yuhao leaned against a smooth reef and gazed toward the horizon. The setting sun was slowly sinking beneath the sea, dyeing the endless clouds and waves a brilliant golden red. The shimmering water looked as though it had been scattered with fragments of gold. The sea breeze was gentle, carrying fishermen's songs from boats returning in the distance.

As he watched the magnificent yet tranquil sunset, a heartfelt, grounded joy spread through Huo Yuhao's chest. He thought of everything he had seen today: Emerald Court and Violet Dragon Pavilion each leading the fashion world in their own way; the fragrances of Three-Headed Spirit Scent captivating countless noses; the natural philosophy of Forest Life Chronicle taking root in people's hearts; the forging arts of Dark Gold Mountainforge drawing human powerhouses in droves; and Deep Space Dragon Domain's meticulous "protection," infused with Di Tian's personal style... The soul beasts had truly carved out a new, vibrant world for themselves within this human-dominated world, in their own way. They were no longer merely hiding or resisting. They had truly integrated, and in some fields, they had even become leaders.

This integration was not submission. It was creative interaction with and contribution to human civilization while preserving their own characteristics and pride. The frozen ice of hatred might still remain, but at the very least, a hopeful road toward a future of coexistence was becoming clear beneath their feet. More than the victory of any war, this filled Huo Yuhao with comfort and anticipation.

He lightly patted the bags filled with today's "spoils" beside him, the smile at his lips deepening. He could hardly wait to see what amusing expression Di Tian would make when he saw the products they had bought, especially that Deep Space Dragon Domain air conditioner and cup.

With that thought, Huo Yuhao gazed at the final molten-gold glow of the setting sun and laughed softly. The sound drifted away on the sea breeze, light and joyful, filled with beautiful hopes for the future.