The night passed in the blink of an eye.
Early the next morning, dawn broke.
Gentle morning sunlight bathed Heaven Dou City, and its streets gradually grew lively.
Zhu Zhuqing arrived through her evolved Anywhere Door and quietly handed out flyers beside a roadside breakfast stall.
Among the people waiting in the long line, a reasonably handsome young man in white happened to glance at Zhu Zhuqing.
The girl was slender and graceful, her figure exquisite, her cool bearing otherworldly, stunning at first glance.
Feng Xiaotian instinctively marveled that she was definitely one of the finest women he had ever seen in both figure and looks.
But the thought had barely flickered before he forcibly extinguished it.
For he firmly believed that his heart belonged to Huo Wu alone in this lifetime, and he would never betray his love for her!
With that thought, Feng Xiaotian finished buying breakfast and was about to head to Blazing Fire Academy to court her favor when a flyer was abruptly held out before him.
Taking the flyer, he kept walking and merely glanced down at the page, only for his gaze to pause involuntarily.
"If this world leaves you dissatisfied, why not visit our shop and experience another world?"
"Starting at just one Gold Soul Coin! You can obtain Twin Martial Souls, and if you are lucky enough, all manner of unbelievable, heaven-defying opportunities will be yours for the taking!"
Feng Xiaotian read through the flyer aloud, then could not help frowning slightly.
"Does such a miraculous shop really exist?"
At first, some doubt arose in his heart, and he took it for some shop's eye-catching gimmick.
But on second thought, a gleam flashed through his eyes.
If he could obtain Twin Martial Souls, then when he stood before Huo Wu, he would surely make her see him in a new light, perhaps even bringing the two of them closer.
Once that thought arose, he could no longer suppress it.
Without further hesitation, he hurriedly turned around, quickly spotted Zhu Zhuqing, and called out:
"Wait!"
Feng Xiaotian hurried after her, taking the steps two at a time.
Zhu Zhuqing looked back, a trace of puzzlement between her brows as she calmly regarded him.
Feng Xiaotian raised the flyer in his hand, his tone earnest. "Is what's written here true?"
"Of course it is."
Zhu Zhuqing gave a brief reply, then added:
"Would you like to come experience our shop?"
"If you don't mind, you can go through my Anywhere Door."
With that, she summoned her Martial Soul, and spatial power spread outward in layers like ripples.
Feng Xiaotian was instantly filled with wonder.
Anywhere Door?
To think such a peculiar Martial Soul existed, able to open a door straight through space and spare people the toil of travel. It was simply miraculous, far beyond ordinary Soul Skills!
At that moment, he became even more certain that this shop was anything but ordinary, and that the heaven-defying opportunities on the flyer were probably no empty claim.
All the doubts in his heart vanished. He hesitated for only an instant before stepping decisively inside.
Crossing the doorway, he found himself in a clean, tidy shop with a tranquil atmosphere.
Following close behind, Zhu Zhuqing stepped slowly out of the Anywhere Door, withdrew her Martial Soul into her body, and walked over to a Game Pod to introduce it:
"Sir, this is our shop's Game Pod, a device that lets you experience another world."
Feng Xiaotian, who was surveying the shop, let his gaze linger on the Game Pod for a moment at her words, one eyebrow lifting slightly.
"Experience another world? Interesting."
He paused, then added:
"But right now, I only want to obtain Twin Martial Souls. Everything else can wait."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded lightly.
"All right."
"Then please pay one Gold Soul Coin, lie down in this Game Pod, select a Martial Soul, and exit."
Without hesitation, Feng Xiaotian took out a Gold Soul Coin and handed it over.
After accepting the coin, Zhu Zhuqing walked to the counter and placed it in the till, then prepared to return to her spot in the corner to cultivate quietly.
Meanwhile, Yue Guan and Gui Mei were studying that cookbook, using their hands as knives to trace the paths and angles of cuts in midair, occasionally exchanging a few quiet words, their expressions deeply focused.
However, upon seeing Zhu Zhuqing return, both immediately stopped, and an approving smile appeared on Yue Guan's face.
"You finished handing out the flyers so quickly and even brought back a customer. Little Zhu Zhuqing, you're remarkably capable."
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head slightly and replied modestly:
"You flatter me, Senior Yue Guan. I'm only doing what I should."
As the three spoke, Feng Xiaotian had already lain down inside the Game Pod.
The lid closed, light and shadow shifted before his eyes, and a virtual screen lit up, densely packed Martial Soul icons spreading out like a river of stars.
His gaze swept over them one by one, and he fell into thought.
For his Second Martial Soul, perhaps it would be more ideal to choose one whose attributes complemented his existing Martial Soul, the Gale Twin-Headed Wolf.
But then his thoughts shifted, and he recalled Huo Wu's innate skill, Ring Fusion.
If he also possessed a powerful fire-attribute Martial Soul, could he draw on his attainments in Self-Created Soul Skills to create a similar Self-Created Soul Skill?
Eventually, his gaze settled on the icon of a top-tier fire-attribute wolf Martial Soul, its mane crimson as flame and its pupils the color of molten gold.
Crimson Flame Demon Wolf.
"You're the one."
Once he confirmed his selection, an exit prompt appeared on the virtual screen.
Feng Xiaotian exited without hesitation. After rising from the Game Pod, his eyes were filled with impatience.
"Come forth, Crimson Flame Demon Wolf!"
His words fell.
The phantom of an enormous wolf slowly solidified behind him, its head held high and flames beneath all four paws, the scorching aura around it making the surrounding air warp slightly.
Though it did not roar, the pressure radiating from it still drew the gazes of Yue Guan and Gui Mei in the corner, as well as Zhu Zhuqing, who was cultivating.
Yue Guan stopped the motions of his hands, his gaze falling on the flaming wolf phantom as he spoke softly:
"A Crimson Flame Demon Wolf Martial Soul? It does rank among the rare, top-tier fire-attribute Beast Martial Souls. The youngster has a good eye."
Looking at the imposing giant wolf, Feng Xiaotian clenched and released his fists inside his sleeves, the satisfaction and excitement in his eyes almost spilling over.
He took a deep breath, withdrew his Martial Soul into his body, then turned and walked up to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Sorry for the trouble, but could you send me back to Heaven Dou City?"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded at his request. Without asking further questions, she calmly rose and brought out the Anywhere Door again.
Silver light flowed, and the Anywhere Door opened once more. Beyond it lay that familiar street in Heaven Dou City, the morning sunlight still gentle and pedestrians passing as usual.
"Thank you."
Feng Xiaotian offered his thanks and, without hesitation, stepped through the doorway and returned to Heaven Dou City.
His feet stood firmly on the streets of Heaven Dou City, and he still carried the breakfast that retained a little of its warmth.
For a moment, everything felt hazy.
Feng Xiaotian kept feeling as though he had merely had a dream, but when he sensed the other Martial Soul that truly existed within him, an unconcealable trace of anticipation appeared in his eyes.
As he hurried toward Blazing Fire Academy, he was already planning how to reveal this surprise to Huo Wu.
[Thanks again to reader Tako for the seven recommendation votes. You're my god!]
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