Huo Yuhao

The night was lonely as water.

Bright moonlight spilled slowly down, draping all of Shrek City in a silvery-white veil and lending it a peaceful stillness in the darkness.

Gazing at the full moon overhead, Chen Tianyuan let his thoughts drift far away.

This was his eighth year at Shrek Academy. Counting up the years, he was already fourteen.

Eight years had polished an innocent child into a graceful young man. His deep eyes always held a loneliness others could not fathom, and the silver hairpin in his hand gleamed beneath the moonlight.

As sorrow washed over him, a voice came from behind.

"Hey! Are you going to sleep or not? We still have to help Xiaoya get her soul ring tomorrow."

With that, Bei Bei threw a pillow straight at him.

Chen Tianyuan sighed, casually caught the pillow, and tossed it back.

The two shared the same sorrow; even between them, they could not scrape together a full pair of parents. But years of companionship had made them as close as brothers.

Before Tang Ya appeared, they had been practically inseparable. But once Bei Bei had a wife, he forgot his brother...

Instead of sleeping, Chen Tianyuan sat cross-legged on his bed to cultivate his soul power. Seeing this, Bei Bei taunted him. "Working so hard, Tianyuan? Are you about to break through to rank forty?"

Chen Tianyuan gave a cold laugh. "What? Have you reached rank forty?"

Soul masters whose martial souls possessed an ultimate attribute all shared one flaw: after their soul power passed rank thirty, their cultivation slowed until rank seventy. The reason was simple. An ultimate attribute was too powerful, and supporting that strength required them to spend a great deal of soul power strengthening their bodies.

Although Chen Tianyuan had become a Soul Elder two years earlier, he was still a Soul Elder now. His soul power had been stuck at rank thirty-seven for a full two months.

Compared with his diligent cultivation, Bei Bei-who fished for three days and dried his nets for two-had already reached the peak of rank thirty-eight.

It was only fair that an ultimate attribute had drawbacks. After all, the combat strength of an ultimate martial soul was truly terrifying.

A year earlier, Chen Tianyuan, then only rank thirty-five, had easily defeated a rank forty-eight sixth-year senior. That senior had been suppressed from beginning to end, without the slightest chance to fight back. As word spread, Chen Tianyuan became known as the Outer Court's Number One.

The next morning, Bei Bei climbed out of bed early and made sure to yank away Chen Tianyuan's blanket as well.

The two had moved into the Outer Court's student dormitories more than two years earlier. They were now third-year Outer Court students and would advance to fourth year after the start-of-term assessment.

The Shrek Outer Court's cafeteria was bizarre beyond belief. Its serving windows were divided by year, with enormous differences in prices. Despite being a place to eat, it did not have a single table or chair. The academy also expressly forbade taking food away; anyone caught doing so would be punished for breaking school rules.

After breakfast, the two headed to the eastern city gate to meet Tang Ya.

The moment Bei Bei and Tang Ya met, they began whispering sweet nothings to each other, utterly unconcerned that Chen Tianyuan was still there as a third wheel.

Bei Bei had only invited Chen Tianyuan along because he wanted a fighter who worked for free. Besides, the term had not officially begun yet, and staying at the academy was boring. They might as well go out and clear their heads.

Around noon, the three entered the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Tang Ya only needed a thousand-year third soul ring. Even without Chen Tianyuan's help, Bei Bei could kill a thousand-year soul beast. It would merely take a little more trouble.

Tang Ya practically drooled over the prospect of recruiting Chen Tianyuan, going on and on about the benefits of joining the Tang Sect even as they walked.

"Tianyuan, as long as you join the Tang Sect, I'll make Bei Bei give you his position as eldest senior brother. How about it?"

Faced with Tang Ya's "extremely tempting" offer, Chen Tianyuan merely smiled without speaking, declining her invitation.

In Chen Tianyuan's eyes, most of the Tang Sect's secret techniques were all flash and no substance. Only the Purple Demon Eye appealed to him.

Tang Ya was not discouraged. She asked him every time they met anyway. What if her persistence moved him one day? With a genius like Chen Tianyuan joining the Tang Sect, how could its revival ever be in doubt?

Thousand-year soul beasts were relatively rare in the outskirts. Even by noon, the three had not spotted a single one.

Tang Ya sat on a rock and rubbed her legs, muttering, "I'm so tired, Bei Bei. Let's take a break."

"Okay." Bei Bei smiled dotingly, then sat down beside her.

The corner of Chen Tianyuan's mouth twitched. He quietly sat down farther away. Judging by the current situation, the plot should have begun.

Sure enough, a moment later, a fragrance so rich it seemed almost tangible drifted into their nostrils.

Tang Ya took a deep sniff, and her eyes instantly lit up. "That smells amazing, Bei Bei! It's grilled fish."

She sniffed again, then pointed decisively in one direction. "The smell is coming from over there. Let's go take a look."

If Chen Tianyuan had not known that Tang Ya's martial soul was Blue Silver Grass, he would have suspected it was some kind of canine.

The two followed Tang Ya along a winding route, through bushes and across a stream, until all three poked their heads out from behind a thick tree trunk.

A boy dressed in gray cloth clothes crouched beside the stream, preparing fish. Behind him, two grilled fish hung over a makeshift rack, their fat sizzling. That mouthwatering fragrance was drifting from them.

Staring at the golden, crispy fish, Tang Ya let her shameful tears flow from her mouth.

Sensing movement behind him, the boy swiftly turned and drew a white dagger from his waist. It was the White Tiger Dagger, a keepsake his mother had left him.

He watched the bushes warily, not even daring to swallow, afraid a soul beast might suddenly charge out.

Seeing this, Chen Tianyuan and the other two stepped into view. Tang Ya, who treated everyone like an old friend, actually ran straight over to the grilled fish.

Bei Bei helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead. Looking at the boy, he said, "Sorry, little brother. Could you sell us a few of those grilled fish?"

At that moment, however, the boy was exchanging glances with Chen Tianyuan. Their eyes met, and the melancholy in Chen Tianyuan's gaze stirred an inexplicable sense of kinship within him.

Chen Tianyuan also studied the boy before him, murmuring inwardly, So this is Huo Yuhao? He carries himself well, but his strength is lacking.

The boy came back to his senses and waved a hand in response to Bei Bei's question. "No need. I'll treat you."

Tang Ya brightened with delight. "Really? Then I won't stand on ceremony."

With that, she picked up a skewered fish and began eating.

As he ate his fish, Bei Bei did not forget to ask the boy's name.

The boy replied, "My name is Huo Yuhao."

Bei Bei glanced at Tang Ya, then at Chen Tianyuan. "I'm Bei Bei. The one on the left is Tang Ya, and that fellow is Chen Tianyuan. We're all students at Shrek Academy."

An envious look appeared on Huo Yuhao's face. Naturally, he knew of Shrek Academy. It was the continent's foremost academy, after all, and everyone who gained admission was a genius.

Bei Bei looked around and asked, "Little Brother Huo, did you come to the Star Dou Great Forest alone to get a soul ring?"