Golden Hawksbill

Afterward, Cao Xin pressed the wristband in his hand.

A circle of soft blue light spread from its surface, enveloping his entire body.

The next instant...

His figure turned transparent.

Silently vanished.

Outside.

Cao Xin opened his eyes.

He subconsciously flexed his fingers, confirming that his body was perfectly fine, then raised his head.

At that moment, two people stood before him.

His Second Dad, Zang Xin, and Qian Gu Dongfeng.

Zang Xin's gaze swept Cao Xin from head to toe. Only after confirming that he was safe and sound did he let out a slight sigh of relief.

Although Cao Xin and Qian Gu Dongfeng had never met, he had previously learned about the various powers across the continent.

That was why he recognized him at a glance.

Of course...

Qian Gu Dongfeng definitely did not recognize him.

After all, before he turned six...

He had remained at Tang Sect headquarters.

He had never gone outside.

Few within the Tang Sect had even seen him apart from core disciples and elders, much less outsiders.

Zang Xin stepped forward, crouched down, and gently pressed a hand on Cao Xin's shoulder, his eyes filled with concern.

"Xin."

Cao Xin looked up as well, a clean smile rising on his lips.

"Second Dad."

That "Second Dad" made Qian Gu Dongfeng's expression turn complicated once more.

His brow twitched uncontrollably as his gaze shifted back and forth between Zang Xin and Cao Xin several times.

Second Dad...

If First Dad was Cao Dezhi...

Then this child was...

He took a deep breath, swallowed the question lingering on the tip of his tongue, and replaced it with a proper smile.

Then, Zang Xin turned slightly and raised his chin toward Qian Gu Dongfeng.

"Xin, this is Tower Master Qian Gu."

"The chief person in charge of the Spirit Pagoda."

Hearing that, Cao Xin turned to face Qian Gu Dongfeng, clasped his hands in salute, and bowed slightly.

"Greetings, Tower Master Qian Gu."

Qian Gu Dongfeng smiled as well.

"What a remarkable young hero."

"At just six years old, you were able to kill an Evil Eye Tyrant with three thousand years of cultivation."

"Your strength surpasses your father's."

When he said that last part...

There was a hint of teasing in his tone.

The corner of his eye unconsciously glanced at Zang Xin.

Then, Qian Gu Dongfeng took a gleaming golden card from the storage Soul Tool at his waist.

"Your father and I are friends as well."

"You can have this card."

He held the card out before Cao Xin.

"It is an exclusive Spirit Pagoda membership card. It will allow you to enter and leave the Ascension Platform freely."

"And if you buy Soul Spirits..."

"You'll get a thirty percent discount."

Cao Xin accepted it.

Then he gave a polite smile.

"Thank you, Tower Master Qian Gu."

However, Zang Xin's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Cao Xin was the son of Cao Dezhi and him.

Given their identities and current status on the continent, Qian Gu Dongfeng had only given him a membership card...

The gift was far too light.

Was this a little too disrespectful toward them?

As that thought flashed through Zang Xin's mind, his eyes narrowed slightly, and a sharp glint passed through the depths of his usually gentle gaze.

A silent scrutiny spread toward Qian Gu Dongfeng like tangible pressure.

Qian Gu Dongfeng could not help but shudder.

As a Demigod-level powerhouse, he should have been utterly unconcerned by such a gaze.

Yet the meaning contained in Zang Xin's narrowed eyes made his back tighten slightly.

He immediately understood where the problem lay.

A membership card was a generous gift to an ordinary Soul Master.

But for the son of Cao Dezhi and Zang Xin...

It truly was rather embarrassing.

So...

Qian Gu Dongfeng decisively chose to follow his heart.

"Hahaha."

He let out a hearty laugh.

Then, he took out a box.

Although, as he held out the box...

There was still a trace of heartache in his eyes.

He ultimately still handed the box to Cao Xin.

"And this."

"Inside the box is the shell of a Golden Hawksbill."

Cao Xin's eyes lit up as well.

He was familiar with Golden Hawksbills.

In the memories of his previous life, he had read information about this race. It was an extremely rare Soul Beast race, renowned for its vitality and fortune.

Ten thousand years ago, Xu Sanshi had obtained a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Golden Hawksbill as his most essential companion, and it had played a crucial role among that generation of Shrek's Seven Monsters.

But what use did a Golden Hawksbill's shell have?

Cao Xin truly did not know that.

After all, what he had read about in his previous life had mostly concerned the abilities of living Golden Hawksbills.

He had never specifically learned what practical uses their shells had after death.

However, a trace of satisfaction flashed through Zang Xin's eyes.

Without drawing attention to it, he gave Cao Xin a slight nod, signaling him to accept it. Though the delight was restrained, it did not escape Cao Xin's notice.

Then, Cao Xin took the wooden box. It felt heavy in his hands, and a warm sensation came from its surface, as though the item inside still retained a trace of life.

He bowed to Qian Gu Dongfeng once more.

"Thank you, Tower Master Qian Gu."

Qian Gu Dongfeng waved his hand helplessly. He had already hidden that heartbroken expression well, replacing it with an elder's kindly demeanor toward a junior.

"Ah."

"I already told you, your father and I are friends."

"No need to be so polite."

Afterward, Zang Xin did not exchange any further pleasantries.

He gave Qian Gu Dongfeng a slight nod in farewell, then turned and led Cao Xin out of the reception room.

As Qian Gu Dongfeng watched the two disappear, the expression on his face slowly faded.

He fell silent for a moment, then turned to the Spirit Pagoda disciple standing quietly nearby.

"Go investigate."

"Find out who that boy is."

On the way back to the Tang Sect.

Cao Xin opened the box.

Inside was a gleaming golden turtle shell.

The shell was roughly the size of two adult palms and possessed a mellow, full golden hue.

Its surface was covered in fine natural patterns...

Under the light, it gave off a soft luster.

Cao Xin looked at Zang Xin, curiosity in his eyes.

"Second Dad, what is this shell for?"

Zang Xin turned his head, his gaze settling on the golden shell as he explained gently.

"The Golden Hawksbill race is very special."

"They are born with innate fortune and possess extraordinarily strong vitality. They will almost certainly become Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts."

"And this shell contains a portion of a Golden Hawksbill's fortune."

"If you wear it for a long time, it will bring you a little good luck."

Cao Xin's eyes immediately brightened.

"Does that mean..."

"My luck will be really good from now on?"

With his head lowered, he had already begun imagining the wonderful scene of finding heavenly treasures just by walking down the road.

Zang Xin laughed and gently rubbed Cao Xin's head.

"How could there be such a good thing?"

"Fortune is an elusive concept."

"If fortune were truly that useful, would the Golden Hawksbills have ended up exterminated?"