Reading

Huo Yuhao entered the library. The space inside wasn't very large, but it was decent enough. A layer of dust covered the tables and chairs. After wiping it away, he went to the bookshelf, took a stack of books, sat down, and began to read.

As time passed, the sunlight shining through the library windows slowly stretched Huo Yuhao's shadow longer.

He didn't know how long had gone by when someone patted him on the shoulder. Huo Yuhao looked up to see Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling staring at him with strange looks.

"What's wrong?"

"Yuhao, have you been sitting here reading this whole time?" Ye Lingling asked.

Huo Yuhao nodded. Dugu Yan reached out and felt his forehead. "What's wrong, Sis Yanzi?"

"I'm checking whether you have a fever. It's already afternoon, and we've even finished today's training, but you're still here reading. By the way, have you eaten lunch?" Dugu Yan asked with concern.

"I'm not hungry, Sis Yanzi."

"You can't keep doing this. Come on, let's go eat." As she spoke, Dugu Yan pulled Huo Yuhao outside.

"But the books haven't been put away."

"It's fine. Nobody comes here anyway. It won't matter if we put them away tomorrow." As she spoke, Ye Lingling also pulled Huo Yuhao outside.

The three soon arrived at the cafeteria. The food at Heaven Dou Royal Academy's cafeteria was quite good, and there were tables and chairs, but few people came to eat there.

Perhaps noticing Huo Yuhao's confusion, Ye Lingling said, "Those noble students never eat in the cafeteria. They either eat outside or go straight home. They've always thought the food here was terrible."

"But this is already pretty good," Huo Yuhao said, looking at the food in the cafeteria.

"That's because you haven't seen how the nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire really eat," Dugu Yan said. "Anyway, let's hurry up and get our food." After saying that, the three went to the serving counter.

"Sis Yanzi, you're here to eat too?" a boy said.

Dugu Yan picked up her tray of food. "Yeah, Yu Feng."

"By the way, the others are here too. Let's eat together." Yu Feng pointed to the others getting their food on the other side.

"Sure. Yuhao, come with us."

"Okay, Sis Yanzi."

"Your friend?" Yu Feng asked.

"That's right. Her name is Huo Yuhao."

Huo Yuhao greeted Yu Feng, and the four of them went to a table. Besides Yu Tianheng, whom he'd seen that morning, there were three others.

"This is Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Osler. This is Huo Yuhao," Dugu Yan introduced.

After greeting everyone, Huo Yuhao sat down and began eating.

The meal was relaxed. As they chatted and asked questions, they learned that Huo Yuhao's Martial Soul was Spirit Eyes, and they were surprised.

"So you have Spirit Eyes as your Martial Soul. Is it a Beast Martial Soul or a Tool Martial Soul?" Osler asked.

"It's a Body Martial Soul. After all, Spirit Eyes are part of my body," Huo Yuhao explained.

They didn't talk about cultivation or anything like that, just ate and chatted.

Before long, the meal was over. Huo Yuhao said goodbye to everyone, put the books in the library away, and returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Seeing that the Cocoon was still unchanged, he could only head off to rest, feeling helpless.

Before he knew it, a week had passed. During that time, Huo Yuhao had continued living the same straight-line life between the academy and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling often came to find her at the library, and the Snow Empress and the others frequently went to Heaven Dou City for fun, but none of it changed Huo Yuhao's life much. He still read at the library every day and discussed knowledge with Elder Yi.

"Hey, Yuhao, why do you read every day? Don't you find it boring?" Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling had come to see Huo Yuhao again that day. Seeing him still reading there, Dugu Yan couldn't help teasing him.

"Sis Yanzi, life is limited, and so are the things we can experience. I'm only using books to see the things I've never experienced myself."

"You may be young, Yuhao, but you speak like an adult," Ye Lingling teased.

"You're right, Lingling," Dugu Yan agreed.

The day passed just like that. Huo Yuhao put the books away and prepared to leave. As soon as he reached the academy gates, several boys blocked his way.

"Where are you from? Why aren't you wearing a uniform? And why have I never seen you before?" one boy asked arrogantly.

"I came to your academy to borrow books from the library. I've only been here a few days." Huo Yuhao didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble, so he patiently explained.

"So you're some bumpkin from outside. Not bad-looking, though. Don't you agree, Your Highness?" another boy said to the leader of the three.

The boy called "Your Highness" looked Huo Yuhao up and down, then gave a scornful smile. "You really are good-looking. I just wonder what you're like to use. Fine, I'll try something different today. You'll come with me." As he spoke, the boy beckoned to Huo Yuhao with his finger.

Huo Yuhao's face darkened, and Soul Power began gathering in his hand. Then a voice reached everyone's ears. "Seems the Fourth Prince has been quite idle lately. How about I inspect the results of His Highness's cultivation?" As he spoke, a figure appeared behind Huo Yuhao. It was Dugu Bo.

"There's no need for Your Excellency to inspect me personally. But I have a cultivation task today, so I won't trouble you. I'll take my leave." The Fourth Prince immediately dropped his earlier flippant tone and replied to Dugu Bo respectfully. Then he left without looking back, and the other two hurried after him.

"Are you all right?" Dugu Bo asked.

"I'm fine. It's just that what he said made me feel a little sick." Huo Yuhao dispersed the Soul Power in his hand.

"Fourth Prince Xue Beng is notorious in Heaven Dou City for being a wastrel. If Prince Xue Xing hadn't helped me back then, I wouldn't have agreed to help him three times."

After hearing Dugu Bo's words, Huo Yuhao understood what he meant and replied, "Don't worry, Senior. I won't go looking for trouble with Xue Beng."

Dugu Bo sighed. "Thanks." Then he took a stack of cards out of his Storage Soul Tool and handed them to Huo Yuhao. "This is the money from selling those two Mystic Water Pills. Nine million Gold Soul Coins in total."

"Thanks, Senior." Huo Yuhao didn't count them and put them straight into his Bracelet.

"Aren't you curious who bought your Mystic Water Pills?"

"Then I'll ask you to enlighten me, Senior." Huo Yuhao smiled at Dugu Bo.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Spirit Hall." Dugu Bo looked at Huo Yuhao and continued, "There are no walls without ears. Even though the pills went out through me, they'll still find out."

"Thank you, Senior. I understand." Huo Yuhao nodded.

Dugu Bo had nothing more to say, so he left.

After Dugu Bo left, Huo Yuhao returned as well.

Back at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Huo Yuhao divided the cards among everyone.

"This money should last us for a while. A Ling, want to go out tomorrow?" Li Ya asked A Ling with a smile, holding the cards.

A Ling nodded. "I was just thinking of buying some things."

Seeing this, the Snow Empress smiled at Huo Yuhao. "Ever since we had money to spend, even Bing'er has been cultivating less often."

Huo Yuhao said to the Snow Empress, "Life isn't just about cultivation. You need to have some fun, too."

The Snow Empress had nothing to say to that.