The morning sun had already climbed halfway into the sky over the snack street, bathing the entire road in bright light.
The aroma of grilled fish drifted through the air. Long lines stood outside several popular stalls, steam rising from bamboo baskets mingling with the sizzle of fried dough sticks and the vendors' overlapping cries, creating the street's distinctive bustle of everyday life. A few students fresh from class crowded around a pancake stall, chattering about their morning lessons. An old man selling candied hawthorns slowly pushed his cart past, the bright red skewers gleaming enticingly in the sunlight.
Huo Yuhao and Gu Yue walked side by side along the bluestone road, neither too fast nor too slow, like two ordinary diners out looking for food.
"Do you know where Dragon Valley is?" Huo Yuhao asked, his gaze sweeping over the lively little shops by the roadside. "Don't tell me you haven't made any plans regarding it."
Gu Yue fell silent for a moment, her steps slowing slightly.
"I don't." She shook her head, her purple ponytail swaying in the sunlight. "My teacher mentioned it to me. Anyone below five rings can go, but they need sufficient strength. She planned to secure a spot for me in a few years."
"Leng Yaozhu really dotes on you." Huo Yuhao glanced at her.
Gu Yue did not respond.
The two continued onward. As they passed Rain Spirit Grilled Fish Shop, Huo Yuhao looked inside. Demon Spirit had not come downstairs yet; she had probably stayed up late coding again last night. A shop assistant was wiping down the tables and chairs. He greeted Huo Yuhao, who waved his hand and kept walking.
"Tch." He suddenly spoke. "I'll stabilize things for you first. Your Elemental Power cannot be taken away."
He took something