Hearing this, Huo Yuhao felt a warm current well up in his heart.
Since he had arrived at the Body Sect, the sect master and elders had placed great importance on him, but they had always left him feeling out of place, as though something were missing.
The eldest senior brother before him was clearly the Body Sect's most dazzling genius, yet he showed no trace of arrogance. Instead, he was willing to take the initiative to look after him.
This felt more like something that came from family.
Huo Yuhao said earnestly, "No, there's no need to go to so much trouble, eldest senior brother."
"If it's a fight, we can do it right now."
Long Aotian asked, "Right now?"
Huo Yuhao nodded. "I want to know exactly where my limits lie."
Ever since he had obtained the system, Huo Yuhao really hadn't had a decent fight.
Just what were the combat skills of a God King-level Huo Yuhao like?
He was very curious.
After a moment's hesitation, Long Aotian said, "Junior brother, I understand how you feel."
"We can certainly fight, but our aim now is to stop before anyone gets hurt. We can't let a momentary victory or defeat damage the bonds between fellow disciples, and we can't cheat."
"Understood?"
"Understood," Huo Yuhao agreed solemnly.
Long Aotian turned and left, with Huo Yuhao following close behind.
On the way to the training grounds, Long Aotian and Huo Yuhao happened to run into Elder Golden Body, who was passing by.
Elder Golden Body rubbed his chin, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "What are those two little fellows up to, acting so mysterious?"
With that, he moved his feet and followed them silently.
A short while later.
Huo Yuhao followed Long Aotian to a training ground.
Several thick black stone pillars stood around it. Heavy blue-gold stone slabs covered the center, while training equipment such as wooden dummies and iron stakes stood around the edges.
Long Aotian walked to the center of the ground and looked back at Huo Yuhao. "Junior brother, this is my private training ground. It's enough for us to practice defense and spar."
Not far away, Elder Golden Body hid in a corner, watching everything.
"A spar? Good. Let me see what Huo Yuhao can do."
Long Aotian spoke. "Junior brother, let's begin."
"All right!" Huo Yuhao didn't refuse.
His Spirit Eyes Martial Soul activated, and sky-blue light, tinged with a little deep purple, flowed through his eyes.
Ever since Huo Yuhao had advanced in his cultivation of the Tang Sect Secret Arts, each time he reached a new realm, the deep purple of the Purple Demon Eye merged with the color of his Spirit Eyes Martial Soul when he activated it.
A glowing white Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet.
At the sight of the glowing white Soul Ring, the composure on Long Aotian's face froze.
He said in disbelief, "A Ten-Year Soul Ring?!"
Long Aotian rubbed his eyes and looked again at the Ten-Year Soul Ring beneath Huo Yuhao's feet.
It was plainly the most basic white Soul Ring, yet within that white was a faint, lustrous glow.
"Junior brother, are you sure that's a Ten-Year Soul Ring?"
Huo Yuhao replied, "I'm sure, eldest senior brother. I hunted and killed the beast for this Ten-Year Soul Ring on my own, before I met the sect master and the elders."
A trace of pity appeared in Long Aotian's eyes.
This child has it far too hard.
"Eldest senior brother, I'm starting."
As the words fell, Huo Yuhao had already shot forward.
What speed! What's with that strange movement technique?
Long Aotian marveled. From his perspective, Huo Yuhao moved with unimaginable speed, his figure difficult to catch with the naked eye.
By the time he reacted, Huo Yuhao had already charged up to him, his right fist swinging straight at his chest.
Long Aotian's pupils contracted, and he raised his left arm across his chest.
Through the Spirit Eyes, his movements seemed to slow several times over.
Just as Huo Yuhao's fist was about to touch Long Aotian's arm, his five fingers suddenly spread and grabbed it.
"What?!"
Bang!
Huo Yuhao used Long Aotian's own force against him, grabbing his arm and throwing him over his shoulder.
Long Aotian crashed heavily to the ground.
What quick judgment and adaptability.
Long Aotian praised him inwardly. Had he been in Huo Yuhao's place just then, his fist would already have struck the arm.
Good. From this alone, Huo Yuhao's combat skills are definitely impressive!
Long Aotian's interest was immediately roused. At last, at last he had found a formidable opponent who was evenly matched with him.
He sprang back to his feet like a carp rolling over, rushed forward, and struck out with both fists.
Huo Yuhao's eyes flashed, and he leaped up, evading the attack.
The two changed moves almost simultaneously, fists, elbows, knees, and legs colliding in quick succession.
One judged precisely and attacked in strange ways; the other was seasoned and defended steadily.
The two remained deadlocked for about half a minute, yet neither could truly gain the upper hand.
Finally, Huo Yuhao stopped a fist in front of Long Aotian's chest, while Long Aotian's fist also came to a steady halt between his brows.
The training ground fell silent.
"A draw..." Elder Golden Body couldn't help remarking from a distance.
Among the Body Sect's younger generation, no one had ever managed to overpower Long Aotian in hand-to-hand combat.
Long Aotian withdrew his fist and looked at Huo Yuhao, who was breathing a sigh of relief before him. "Hahahahahaha!"
"It's been a long, long time since I had such an exhilarating fight."
He admired the junior brother before him from the bottom of his heart.
His potential is simply limitless.
Huo Yuhao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
That was a bit too much pressure.
In his previous life, he had never personally experienced those large-scale battles, and seeing those slapdash scenes, he had done nothing but rant.
What kind of garbage is all this?
But when it came to a real fight, his mind had reacted, while his body hadn't.
If not for his Spirit Eyes Martial Soul and the combat skills of a God King-level Huo Yuhao, he couldn't possibly have reached this point.
This body, which had yet to be strengthened, was still too fragile.
As it happened, he still hadn't eaten the meat from the two Hundred-Year Soul Beasts the system had given him.
Leaving aside the Silver Moon Wolf King's meat, there was the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's paw.
Just thinking about eating it made him feel strong.
Long Aotian was just about to speak when a soft round of applause came from a distance.
Huo Yuhao and Long Aotian looked over at the same time and discovered that Elder Golden Body had appeared there at some point.
The two spoke in unison. "Elder Golden Body, why are you here?"
Jin Peng walked up to Huo Yuhao and Long Aotian and praised them. "Little fellows, well done."
"Your fight has really made an old fellow like me see you in a new light."
Long Aotian looked at Jin Peng, a little embarrassed. "Elder Golden Body, um, could we..."
Jin Peng wore his own distinctive look of composure as he said, "Don't worry. I'm not so old that I'd take advantage of a moment of weakness to go after my own sect's prodigies."
At that moment, Long Aotian seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Elder Golden Body, I..." Huo Yuhao didn't know how to begin.
Titled Douluo were famously perceptive.
However, Jin Peng merely looked him up and down, then praised him. "Not bad."
"Your fighting style was beyond this old man's expectations."