Breaking Free, Returning to Star Dou

There was more than one thing for Huang Jinxu to be happy about.

The surprises came one after another.

With Huo Yuhao's sudden enlightenment, he had not only gained an initial grasp of the art; close on its heels, he had also gained an initial grasp of Illusory Moon Star Eyes.

The protection and aid of Plane Power had once again helped him weather the risks, clearing the mines from his path.

To put it rather indelicately, Huo Yuhao was like an impotent husband, with Plane Power pushing him from behind, helping him forward.

"Has its strength weakened?"

"Or has it entered a period of weakness?"

Huang Jinxu clearly sensed that the force aiding Huo Yuhao had gradually weakened after clearing mines for him several times and helping him improve. Then it had hidden itself.

That was exactly the result he wanted.

Now he could go to the Star Dou Great Forest and test a theory he had formed earlier.

If the result was what he wanted, he could make extensive use of Huo Yuhao. If it exceeded his expectations, he would simply use Huo Yuhao to help himself reach a higher realm. He would seek only Fortune and stay out of everything else.

At a critical moment, he could even help perfect Tang San's plan and push Huo Yuhao toward the outcome Tang San wanted.

Everything he sought was for himself alone.

After recording everything he had gained from Huo Yuhao, Huang Jinxu entered his private cultivation chamber. He took out volume after volume of his latest research from his Storage Soul Tool, including diagrams of the human body's meridians and notes on the functions and characteristics of Acupoints.

The main reason he had chosen Shrek Academy over other major powers was its ten thousand years of accumulated Martial Soul Theory, along with the tens of thousands of years of Martial Soul Theory and books it had inherited from Spirit Hall.

Granted, all he needed to do now was remove the mines he had identified by using Huo Yuhao as a test subject, and he could raise his art to another level.

But to Huang Jinxu, that was still nowhere near enough.

Deities were beyond his reach for now, but on this continent, at least, he had to stay ahead at all times. Even Huo Yuhao, the Child of Fortune, had to remain beneath him.

Strictly speaking, the Zhou Tian Star Art he had taught Huo Yuhao was not the Zhou Tian Star Art he currently practiced.

The version he practiced was 7.0. The one he had taught Huo Yuhao was 6.5, mixed with a few ideas for version 8.0 and some paths he was uncertain about.

The Child of Fortune truly lived up to his name. Driven by the Plane Will, Huo Yuhao had refined the art until it reached the level of version 7.0.

With what he had gained, Huang Jinxu could evolve the art into version 8.0. But he still felt it lacked something. He needed to incorporate more and take it a step further.

Sometimes, Huang Jinxu truly felt that it was unfair.

To revise and improve the art, he had poured in untold effort and gathered mountains of information. He had even infiltrated other powers for their records and searched for the grave of Jixiang, Tang San's disciple, hoping to dig up the complete Mysterious Heaven Skill.

Only after all that had he brought the Zhou Tian Star Art this far.

Yet Huo Yuhao had merely practiced the incomplete, lower-version art Huang Jinxu had taught him, and in one stroke crossed the ground Huang Jinxu had spent more than a decade researching.

It was absurd.

He could grumble inwardly, but he always kept his composure.

If he was not the Child of Fortune, then he would use the Child of Fortune as a tool to achieve his goals.

By the time Huang Jinxu had put everything in order, advanced the art another step, and organized his ideas and extensions for the next version, two days had passed.

It was time to take Huo Yuhao to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a soul ring.

After all, the academy's enrollment deadline was fast approaching.

As soon as Huang Jinxu emerged from seclusion, he went to find Huo Yuhao.

A child raised with money really was different from one who had survived on his own.

In just seven days, Huo Yuhao had changed completely.

His body had filled out. The sickly pallor that had made him look malnourished at a glance now carried a touch of color. Even his hair looked brighter, confidence had appeared between his brows, and he had grown a little taller.

If Huo Yuhao could only have been called delicate-looking before, he now had a handsome face and the vitality of youth.

He had never lacked good looks.

That made sense. The Dai Family did not seem to have any ugly descendants, and Huo Yuhao's mother had been able to serve as a maid in the White Tiger Duke's Mansion; her looks spoke for themselves.

Having inherited their blood, Huo Yuhao had a strong foundation.

Before, he had been malnourished and constantly timid, like a sickly child struggling to survive. Had his looks not been so good to begin with, he would hardly have been attractive at all.

In seven short days, Huo Yuhao had shed his old skin and bones, undergoing a transformation down to his very core.

"Teacher!"

When Huo Yuhao saw Huang Jinxu appear before him, he hurried to his feet and bowed in greeting.

Over the past few days, he had felt himself improving and changing at every moment. It was all thanks to his teacher.

Even when his teacher was absent, the others at the inn had taken good care of him. They had even given him two pieces of thousand-year Whale Rubber to strengthen his body.

His bloodline might be noble, but Huo Yuhao had been born into humble circumstances and had always lived at the bottom. When had anyone ever cared for and served him like this?

His teacher had given him all of it.

To Huo Yuhao, Huang Jinxu now came second only to his mother.

Before, Huo Yuhao had kept his distance from Huang Jinxu, reluctant to draw close. Now he approached him of his own accord.

"Yuhao, let's go. I'll take you to hunt for the First Soul Ring you need."

As he spoke, Huang Jinxu looked toward the Star Dou Great Forest.

They had delayed a full seven days. Would the opportunity originally destined for Huo Yuhao still appear?

This was more than a delay in the timeline. Huang Jinxu had insisted that Huo Yuhao gain an initial grasp of the Zhou Tian Star Art and Illusory Moon Star Eyes to drain the Plane Power protecting him. Together with several days of close contact, that had worn down Huo Yuhao's Fortune.

Huo Yuhao's Fortune was at its weakest now. Would the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Electrolux still appear?

Huang Jinxu looked forward to finding out.

The answer would confirm his theory and clarify the direction he should take in the future.

"Teacher, thank you!"

At the thought of obtaining his First Soul Ring and becoming a Soul Master, Huo Yuhao's heart filled with anticipation.

Huang Jinxu then flew with Huo Yuhao straight to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Rather than head directly for their destination deep in the forest, he returned to the place where they had first met.

Seven days later, they set out from that meeting place and continued along the route fate had originally laid out.