Sure enough, Lin Hao had been harassing the Ten-Thousand-Year Wind Tiger for less than a minute when a Soul Sage whose martial soul was a Gale Demon Wolf arrived, bringing someone Lin Hao had not expected.
That unexpected person was none other than Feng Xiaotian.
He was the same Feng Xiaotian whom Lin Hao and the others had met three years earlier, while helping Ma Hongjun obtain his second soul ring in the Volcanic Range of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Back then, Lin Hao had urged Feng Xiaotian to cultivate diligently rather than squander the gifts of his beneficially mutated martial soul and innate full soul power.
Sensing Feng Xiaotian's unconcealed rank-fifty soul power, and seeing the injured Wind Tiger with over sixteen thousand years of cultivation-clearly intended as Feng Xiaotian's fifth soul ring-Lin Hao knew that his advice had sunk in.
Once the two arrived, Lin Hao teleported to Xiao Wu's side and stopped harassing the Ten-Thousand-Year Wind Tiger, lest any misunderstandings arise.
When Feng Xiaotian, who had been brought over by his grandfather Feng Qingyang, spotted the familiar faces of Lin Hao and Xiao Wu, he pointed at them and spoke.
"Grandpa! Those two are my friends. Let me go over to them."
As a Soul Sage, Feng Qingyang had naturally detected with his spiritual power that Lin Hao and Xiao Wu were keeping the Wind Tiger with over sixteen thousand years of cultivation occupied.
"All right! Go wait over there. This time, I won't let this beast escape again!"
With Feng Qingyang's permission, Feng Xiaotian sprouted a pair of pale-blue wings and flew toward Lin Hao and Xiao Wu.
When Feng Xiaotian flew over, Lin Hao cupped his hands in greeting and said with a smile.
"Brother Feng, long time no see. Judging by your cultivation, you took my advice and stopped letting research into self-created soul skills hold back your soul realm cultivation!"
Upon landing, Feng Xiaotian bent at the waist and gave Lin Hao a deep, ninety-degree bow.
He was truly grateful to Lin Hao. Thanks to his guidance, Feng Xiaotian had begun cultivating diligently after returning from the Star Dou Great Forest three years earlier, though at first he had still been reluctant to spend less time with Huo Wu.
But as time passed, somehow, despite the unwilling look on Huo Wu's face, she began physically drawing closer to him of her own accord. How could he not be grateful to Lin Hao?
"I owe it all to your reminder, Brother Lin. Please accept my thanks."
Lin Hao accepted the bow without hesitation.
"Not at all! Not at all! It was your own talent that made the difference."
"By the way, how have things been between you and Huo Wu since you started cultivating diligently? Once your cultivation began rising rapidly, did she start getting close to you on her own?"
Feng Xiaotian asked, "Brother Lin, how did you know?"
Lin Hao waved a hand.
"Oh, come on! What's so surprising about that? Anyone could guess."
"I wanted to say this last time! You and Huo Wu come from the same sort of family. You both have a Soul Sage grandfather, and you're both the pride of an advanced academy. But your talent is greater."
"In the future, as long as you're strong enough, once you reach the realm of a nine-ring Titled Douluo, you could even snatch Huo Wu away outright, and her grandfather Huo Lie would have to praise you for doing a fine job of it!"
Feng Xiaotian scratched his head, unsure how to answer.
"In any case, Brother Lin, thank you for the advice you gave me over three years ago!"
The two exchanged a few more words. Feng Qingyang had also subdued the Wind Tiger, so Lin Hao said his farewells.
"Brother Feng! Your fifth soul ring is here! We'll be going now. I look forward to facing you at the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament in a little over a year!"
"Bye!"
"Oh, Brother Feng, one last piece of advice. For your fifth soul skill, you'd be better off getting a percentage-boost soul skill!"
"This Ten-Thousand-Year Wind Tiger can provide one. Before absorbing its soul ring, just silently repeat to yourself that you want your fifth soul skill to be a percentage-boost soul skill."
With that, Lin Hao took Xiao Wu's hand and left without looking back.
After Lin Hao and Xiao Wu departed, Feng Xiaotian sank into thought.
Feng Qingyang also came up beside him, carrying the severely wounded Ten-Thousand-Year Wind Tiger.
"Xiaotian! What are you thinking about? Your friends have left? In that case, come on, hurry up and absorb your fifth soul ring."
Looking at the Ten-Thousand-Year Wind Tiger his grandfather tossed over, Feng Xiaotian shook his head.
"Nothing!"
Feng Xiaotian had no intention of mentioning Lin Hao's advice about his soul skill.
Originally, Feng Xiaotian had wanted a fifth soul skill with powerful offensive strength. But with Lin Hao's advice, he changed his mind and began silently repeating, I want my fifth soul skill to be a percentage-boost soul skill. I want my fifth soul skill to be a percentage-boost soul skill.
After repeating it a dozen or so times, Feng Xiaotian killed the Wind Tiger with over sixteen thousand years of cultivation with a wind blade, then sat cross-legged and began absorbing his fifth soul ring.
By the time Lin Hao and Xiao Wu left the Star Dou Great Forest and entered Spirit Hunting Town, the sky had grown dark.
After a simple meal, Lin Hao impatiently pulled Xiao Wu into a luxurious hotel and booked a deluxe room with a king-sized bed.
Once inside, Lin Hao did not want to wait another moment. He pulled Xiao Wu into the bathroom to begin a delightful bathing adventure.
They had even had to sneak around before, but now the two could finally relax properly.
In the two months following that life-or-death ordeal, they had barely been intimate twice. Now, they were dry kindling meeting a raging flame.
That night, the battle was exceptionally fierce.
The two fought until past three in the morning before finally calling a halt.
Afterward, they recuperated thoroughly in the bathroom.
Once they had cleaned themselves up and asked the staff to change the bedsheets, Lin Hao finally fell into a deep sleep with the soft, sweet-smelling Xiao Wu in his arms.
They slept especially soundly and woke feeling considerably refreshed.
After waking, both Lin Hao and Xiao Wu could circulate their soul power a little faster.
They got up, checked out, and ate breakfast at the hotel before setting off toward Heaven Dou City.
This time, without Oscar's Lightning Flying Mushroom Sausages, they could only travel overland.
After planning their route, Lin Hao took Xiao Wu to buy two Gale Horses at the Soul Hunting Forest.
Gale Horses were a type of soul beast. Gentle and swift, they served as everyday mounts for most Soul Masters. Their cultivation was generally below ten years or slightly above it; Gale Horses with over a hundred years of cultivation were rare.
Outside the Soul Hunting Forest, Lin Hao and Xiao Wu bought the two Gale Horses with the highest cultivation available there, each with roughly twenty-odd years.
The two mounted them and set off.
On their way to Heaven Dou City, Lin Hao and Xiao Wu also passed through Silves City, the capital of the Silves Kingdom.
This was also where the Shrek Seven Devils had first killed Soul Masters in the arena in the original story.
To let Xiao Wu witness the sinister side of humanity, Lin Hao took her into Silves City's Great Soul Arena.
Before you continue