Becoming a Disciple

"Ugh, what happened to me? Why does my head hurt so much?"

Huo Yuhao woke from unconsciousness with a throbbing headache, as though something had been stuffed into his skull.

"And where am I?"

Only after the pain eased did Huo Yuhao notice that he was somewhere strange. Mist swirled all around, giving the place an air of mystery.

"Child, you're in your Sea of Consciousness."

An aged voice came from behind Huo Yuhao. He spun around and found an old man standing there, his hair and beard white, his eyes bright, and a yellow robe draped over his shoulders.

"Senior Jiang Ziya?"

Huo Yuhao called out tentatively. Six months ago, he had only heard the senior's voice. He had never seen him before the senior fell asleep.

"Yes. It's been a long time, young friend Huo."

Once he was sure it was Jiang Ziya, Huo Yuhao hurried over and bowed deeply to him.

"Thank you for helping me six months ago, Senior. I can never repay your kindness. If you ever need anything, just say the word. I won't refuse."

Jiang Ziya smiled warmly at Huo Yuhao's words.

"It was a small matter, hardly worth mentioning. But there is something I'd like to ask you."

"Please, Senior. Anything."

"I would like to take you as my disciple."

Huo Yuhao froze. He had never imagined this senior would want him as a disciple. Then joy surged through him. Anyone who could take him and his mother away right in front of a Soul Douluo had to be an extraordinary powerhouse.

"Greetings, Teacher. I'm Huo Yuhao."

Coming to his senses, Huo Yuhao hurried forward and knelt before Jiang Ziya.

"Ha ha, good. Get up, Yuhao."

Jiang Ziya stroked his white beard with a smile. With a wave of his hand, he lifted Huo Yuhao to his feet.

He was about to speak when a muffled groan came from behind them.

"Mmmph... Yuhao... save me!"

Huo Yuhao looked over. The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm he had seen earlier was also in his Sea of Consciousness. But Tian Meng was in poor shape: his body, once more than ten meters long, had shrunk to just over a meter.

Worse, golden chains held him suspended in midair. Several were wrapped over his mouth alone.

"Teacher, what happened to him?"

"That big worm started making a racket the moment he came in and disturbed my rest. I used a little trick to keep him quiet for a while."

A Whisk appeared in Jiang Ziya's hand. He gave it a flick, and the golden chains binding Tian Meng dissolved into the air like melting snow.

"Ow! That hurt!"

Freed from his bonds, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm dropped to the ground. Ignoring the pain, Tian Meng wriggled behind Huo Yuhao.

"Yuhao, why is there such a terrifying old man in your head? He's even scarier than that Titled Douluo I once stuffed to death."

Huo Yuhao turned and made the introductions. "Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, this is my teacher, Senior Jiang Ziya."

"It's Brother Sky Dream!"

Tian Meng poked out his head to correct him.

"Right, right. Brother Sky Dream."

After the introductions, Huo Yuhao asked curiously, "Brother Sky Dream, you said you're a Million-Year Soul Beast. So why were you hiding all over the Star Dou Great Forest before you ended up offering yourself to me, a level-ten Soul Warrior?"

"Because of those bastards in the forest."

At the mention of his past, tears began streaming from Tian Meng's beady eyes.

"Well, this happened, then that happened..."

Tian Meng poured out the whole story to Huo Yuhao without stopping.

"Anyway, I've had it rough!"

While Tian Meng was still recounting his tale of suffering, Jiang Ziya spoke from nearby.

"Enough catching up. Yuhao, come here. There's something you should see."

Jiang Ziya's voice cut their conversation short. They turned and saw him standing before a gray orb of light, studying it closely.

Huo Yuhao and Tian Meng went over to Jiang Ziya and examined the strange orb themselves.

"Teacher, what is this?"

"Like me, he seems to be an Outsider from Another World."

"An Outsider from Another World?"

Huo Yuhao and Tian Meng cried out in surprise. Huo Yuhao then asked a question of his own.

"Teacher, when did you enter my Sea of Consciousness?"

"Do you remember the stone sphere you picked up the night before your Martial Soul awakened?"

Jiang Ziya's words took Huo Yuhao straight back to the day before his Martial Soul awakening, half a year ago.

He remembered how the fat man in the servants' quarters had, for once, given him and his mother a day off. Huo Yuhao had taken the rare chance to play there.

While playing, he had tripped over a stone covered in patterns. Its unusual appearance had caught his eye, so he had planned to keep it until he could sneak out of the Duke's Estate and sell it.

"Teacher, you were inside that stone sphere?"

"Yes!"

A thought suddenly struck Huo Yuhao. "Teacher, was my Innate Full Soul Power thanks to you too?"

"Oh? What makes you think so?"

"The night I picked up the stone sphere, I dreamed that my whole body felt warm. I woke up the next morning feeling much lighter, and then I awakened Innate Full Soul Power."

"And while Aunt Ye was helping me recover these past six months, she told me a soul master's Innate Soul Power is closely tied to their physical condition. She said that with the body I used to have, awakening Innate Full Soul Power would have been almost impossible. So I guessed you must have helped improve my body."

"You're a clever little fellow."

Once Jiang Ziya confirmed it, Huo Yuhao turned to him and bowed deeply again. "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Teacher."

His gratitude was sincere. If Jiang Ziya had not transformed his body and allowed him to awaken Innate Full Soul Power, he and his mother might have struggled to survive even after escaping the Duke's Estate.

And Princess Xu Jiujiu of the Star Luo Empire would never have taken them in and arranged treatment from the woman who once possessed the world's greatest Healing Martial Soul.

"Ha ha, it was nothing. I simply took a liking to you."

Jiang Ziya did not say why.

Tian Meng, who had been watching the touching exchange between teacher and disciple, suddenly cut in.

"All right, enough thanking each other."

"And old man, you said you and this gray fellow both came from other worlds. So what do we do with this dark fellow? Get rid of him?"

With one of his tiny arms, Tian Meng made a throat-slitting gesture across his nearly invisible neck.

"Hmm?"

Jiang Ziya turned and fixed Tian Meng with a faint, unreadable smile.

Under that gaze, Tian Meng remembered what the old man could do and promptly backed down.

"E-Elder Jiang."

"There's no need to go that far. Yin energy swirls around this fellow, but he doesn't seem hostile. Let him stay. He may prove useful someday."

"Fine! Whatever makes you happy, Elder Jiang."

Jiang Ziya then turned to Huo Yuhao, who was also studying the orb. "Yuhao, I used one of the orbs that big worm left you. There are nine remaining."

Before Huo Yuhao could answer, Tian Meng's indignant voice rang out.

"What? Old man, you used one of the ten clusters of Origin I left him!"