Great Tortoise Shell Master

Where on earth was everyone?

Lu Yuan wandered aimlessly through the outer area of the Star Dou Great Forest. Seeing that yet another morning had yielded nothing, he could not help feeling a bit restless.

Having arrived on the Douluo Continent for eleven years, ever since awakening the memories of his past life, Lu Yuan had taken some time to determine that the current era was likely that of The Ultimate Douluo.

In this lifetime, Lu Yuan's luck was quite good. In terms of family background, both parents were Soul Masters. Although they disappeared without a trace and their lives and deaths remained unknown after going out on a soul-hunting expedition, the two of them—whose cultivation in life had been a Soul King and a Soul Emperor respectively—had left Lu Yuan a considerable inheritance, enough for him to hunt his first few soul rings and live a fairly good life.

As for his martial soul, he had awakened the Light Elemental martial soul, and possessed Innate Full Soul Power. With outstanding talent and unremitting diligence, he had reached the cultivation of rank thirty at a very young age.

However, his restlessness at the moment was not because he had failed to find a suitable soul ring in the Star Dou Forest, but because of the strange existence in his Spirit Sea.

A golden-glowing tortoise shell floated quietly within his Spirit Sea. On the tortoise shell was a Taiji Diagram, and inside it were nine dice carved with the characters for "life, death, old, young, illness, heal, fortune, decline, and harmony".

Great Tortoise Shell Technique!

It was a heaven-defying Divine Artifact that even Electrolux could not obtain no matter how hard he tried, one that became absolute the moment it was activated, and that even deities could not break free from!

Although he did not know why the Great Tortoise Shell Technique was here, ever since he had memories, it had always existed in Lu Yuan's Spirit Sea.

Fairly speaking, the Great Tortoise Shell Technique had brought him immense benefits. In the year his martial soul awakened, the Great Tortoise Shell Technique had also helped Lu Yuan enable the legendary God Clan Bloodline, which instantly made Lu Yuan's path of cultivation smooth and unhindered. Without relying on heavenly treasures at a tender age, he had cultivated himself to the realm of a Soul Elder, and had also gained the ability to introspect his Spirit Sea early on.

However, the Great Tortoise Shell Technique also harbored immense hidden dangers. Due to its absolute-success attribute, the caster would also be affected by it. Once the "death" character dice was rolled three times in a row, the Great Tortoise Shell Master himself would inevitably die, and in the process of advancing from a Rank 1 Tortoise Shell Master to the fifth rank, the requirements were respectively to use the dice 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000 times without dying.

This also made Lu Yuan exceptionally cautious about using the Great Tortoise Shell Technique. Over so many years, for problems he could solve with his own martial soul, he avoided using the Great Tortoise Shell Technique as much as possible, which was why he was still only at the level of a Rank 1 Tortoise Shell Master.

As for him now, after matching it with the original timeline, he intended to find Electrolux's remnant soul first. While intercepting this opportunity, he also placed his hope on whether this former owner of the tortoise shell could give him some solutions.

The first step to finding Electrolux was to first find Huo Yuhao, who had come to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a soul ring.

To ensure nothing went wrong, he had even deliberately staked out the periphery of the Star Dou Great Forest several months in advance. Yet how vast was the Star Dou Great Forest? The outer area was filled with entrances everywhere, so after several months, Lu Yuan still had nothing to show for it.

Could it be the butterfly effect caused by my arrival? Had Huo Yuhao actually finished his soul hunt long ago, and already taken away the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Electrolux?

Months of getting nothing made Lu Yuan's mind wander with wild thoughts. Fortunately, at this moment, a strange fragrance interrupted Lu Yuan's train of thought.

So fragrant!

Things had come to this, so he might as well eat first!

The foodie gene deep within the soul of a Hua-Xia person from his past life began to exert its power. Lu Yuan could not help following the fragrance, wanting to see what on earth could be so alluring.

Soon, following the scent, Lu Yuan found its source—a delicate and handsome youth.

To be precise, it was a youth grilling fish!

The youth before him was dressed plainly, but a pair of eyes were extremely lively. At this moment, he was enthusiastically grilling over a dozen green fish pulled from the water. Combined with the memories of his past life, a pleasantly surprised guess floated up in his mind—

Huo Yuhao?!

"So fragrant!"

Suppressing the wild joy in his heart, Lu Yuan put on the appearance of a passerby attracted by the aroma of the grilled fish—though he truly was attracted.

"Who?!"

The sudden appearance of a stranger made Huo Yuhao somewhat vigilant. In reflex, he pressed his hand onto the White Tiger Dagger at his waist.

"Little brother, don't worry! My name is Lu Yuan, and I'm here to hunt a soul ring in the Star Dou Forest!" Lu Yuan raised both hands to show he had no hostility. "I was just getting ready to rest when I got drawn over by the smell of your grilled fish."

Realizing the person before him was a half-grown youth around his own age, Huo Yuhao relaxed slightly. Perhaps it was Lu Yuan's amicable tone, or perhaps it was Lu Yuan's outstanding appearance, but anyway, Huo Yuhao temporarily put down his guard and introduced himself in return, "Hello, my name is Huo Yuhao, and I'm also here to hunt a soul ring in the Star Dou Great Forest! If you want to eat these grilled fish, I can treat you!"

Although in a place like the Star Dou Great Forest, eating things from a stranger was a major taboo, facing the legendary Little Huo Grilled Fish, Lu Yuan still cast aside the hesitation in his heart and walked toward the grilled fish.

Truly fragrant!

"Yuhao, I won't eat yours for free either. I'll share these dry rations with you!"

"Thank you, Brother Yuan!"

The two half-grown children quickly grew close amidst laughter and chatter. Lu Yuan, who was slightly older, was called "Brother Yuan" by Huo Yuhao, while Lu Yuan called him "Yuhao".

Amidst the idle chat, Huo Yuhao also learned of Lu Yuan's specific cultivation. Exceptionally sensitive during this period, he had originally felt somewhat inferior. Compared to his own Soul Scholar cultivation, a genius like Brother Yuan among peers was already a Soul Elder!

Yet Huo Yuhao adjusted quickly. Looking at the dry rations handed over by Lu Yuan in his hands, he still felt a sense of gratitude in his heart.

Although the dry rations themselves were not worth much, the portion Lu Yuan gave was far greater than the few grilled fish he had offered, enough for him to eat for a week! The care revealed in this minute detail was still noticed by the sensitive and meticulous Huo Yuhao.

He dispelled some abnormal feelings in his heart and pumped himself up, Hang in there, Yuhao. Even though Brother Yuan is a genius, you can't fall behind too much either!

Huo Yuhao during this period was very extreme, his heart filled with hatred. However, a few tiny bits of kindness were enough for this youth battered and bruised by life to remember in his heart.

"So fragrant!"

Just as the two of them were eating heartily, another crisp, sweet exclamation rang out.