For the next two or three days, Huo Yuhao rested during the day and only began searching for magical beasts at night.
There were not many magical beasts around Odin Town, and third- and fourth-level beasts were especially hard to find. So he killed fewer each time, intending to find another place to cultivate once he figured out what Long Xingyu was up to.
Over those two or three days, Huo Yuhao also gained a clearer picture of what was happening in Odin Town.
The beautiful woman's child was a Squire studying at the Odin Sub-Temple in the center of Odin Town. His Internal Spiritual Power had yet to reach ten, though, and there seemed to be something wrong with his aptitude.
Huo Yuhao guessed that the main problem was his nutrition. The child usually ate too little and had no meat, so he looked thin and frail. External Spiritual Power, meanwhile, depended primarily on the body.
As for the child's aptitude, Huo Yuhao thought it was unusual. His Spiritual Power in particular far surpassed that of his peers.
Even so, he still fell considerably short of Huo Yuhao.
As for Long Xingyu, he carried on as usual. During the day, after the child left, he would go see the beautiful woman, then leave again when the child returned at night, never tiring of it.
After watching him over the past few days, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had also learned the child's name.
He shared Long Xingyu's surname and was called Long Haochen.
On the evening of the third day, Huo Yuhao was lying in a cave, resting, when the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice rang out:
"Yuhao, the assessment has started. Long Haochen actually failed his first attempt. His External Spiritual Power wasn't even ten points, so he knelt and begged everyone for a second chance. Only then did he pass."
"And while Long Haochen was taking the assessment, Long Xingyu was already inside the Odin Sub-Temple. He was just using another identity."
"He only passed on his second attempt?"
A strange expression appeared on Huo Yuhao's face. He had not expected Long Haochen to be in such poor physical condition, nor did he know what Long Xingyu was thinking when it came to this 'son' of his.
"Yuhao, Long Haochen went home after the assessment, but Long Xingyu stayed in the Odin Sub-Temple. It looks like he's arranging something," the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm continued.
Just then, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's tone suddenly changed, growing somewhat grave:
"Yuhao, I sensed the aura of the Demon Clan due south of you. There seem to be about seven or eight of them, and the strongest seems to be a Fifth Tier demon."
"A Fifth Tier demon?"
Huo Yuhao's expression shifted slightly. He sprang to his feet and ran due south.
However, before Huo Yuhao moved, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm gave him another warning:
"Yuhao, those magical beasts are hunting a little girl around seven or eight years old. There's something unusual about her. She may have a trump card, so be careful."
Huo Yuhao was somewhat surprised. What was so special about a little girl of seven or eight that even the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm would say that?
But he did not stop moving. Whether or not the little girl the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm mentioned was there, he was going to act.
This was his first encounter with the Demon Clan, and he needed to put his actual combat ability to a proper test.
This time, he did not hold back his Spiritual Power, spreading it southward without reservation. He wanted to learn about the enemy in advance.
However, shortly after releasing his Spiritual Power, he suddenly saw Long Haochen running into the forest, apparently intending to gather wild vegetables.
Huo Yuhao thought it over and decided to get Long Haochen farther away, just in case.
So, on his way down the mountain, he deliberately took a detour to find Long Haochen first.
At the same time, his Spiritual Power picked up the scene the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had just described.
Seven or eight members of the Werewolf Demon Clan, clad in black robes, were hunting a purple-haired girl.
The girl was nimble and incredibly fast, with a composure and decisiveness far beyond her years. In particular, there was no other expression on her face at all.
Huo Yuhao also sensed what the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had just warned him about.
He felt a powerful threat from the little purple-haired girl.
The threat did not come from the girl herself, but emanated from within her, like some kind of powerful weapon.
Huo Yuhao guessed that, like him, the girl might be out gaining experience, and that her talent was also exceptionally powerful.
But at her age, dealing with the demons behind her was still far too difficult.
Among those demons, one werewolf was Fifth Tier and the rest were Fourth Tier. Even he found so many werewolves somewhat troublesome.
(Note: These ordinary demons can only speak once they reach Fifth Tier or above, as with the Jade Dual-Bladed Demon.)
And given the little girl's identity, perhaps powerful experts were watching nearby. If he intervened without permission, would he interfere with someone else's training?
As he ran, Huo Yuhao began to hesitate over the question.
However, when he saw the look in the little purple-haired girl's eyes again, he was suddenly moved.
The little girl seemed utterly devoid of emotion, yet there was a trace of hatred in her eyes. She was just like him in his previous life, when he had hated the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and grown up alone, as though hatred had accompanied him throughout his childhood.
Perhaps, for that little girl, the things happening now were never what she wanted; she had merely been forced into them by others.
Huo Yuhao had experienced the pain of growing up with hatred in his previous life. He truly did not want the little girl before him to follow the same old path he had walked.
If possible, he really wanted to try persuading the people behind her.
Of course, they would have to be willing to listen.
He only meant to offer some advice, not force anyone to accept his ideas.
With that thought, Huo Yuhao immediately picked up speed.
In an instant, he crossed a small river and reached an area covered in wild grass.
There, he saw Long Haochen, who was a little shorter than he was.
Long Haochen wore coarse cloth clothes and was bent over, gathering wild vegetables.
When he heard footsteps, he looked up and saw a youth somewhat sturdier than himself running past him.
The youth was moving extremely fast, and a pale blue light radiated from his body. Long Haochen froze on the spot.
Spiritual Energy! Has this person already awakened his Spiritual Energy?
Judging by his appearance, he seems to be a knight!
Long Haochen was about to speak and pay his respects when he suddenly heard Huo Yuhao's voice:
"Little brother, I can sense the aura of magical beasts not far behind you. I don't think this is a place you should stay. For your safety, you'd best go home as soon as possible!"
With that, Huo Yuhao rushed past him and into the dense forest behind him.
"Magical beasts around here?"
Long Haochen's expression changed at the warning, and he picked up his wild vegetables, ready to leave.
But before leaving, he called out his thanks:
"Thank you for telling me, sir. I'll go to town for reinforcements right now. Please hold on, sir!"
But by the time he finished speaking, Huo Yuhao had already run out of sight.
Long Haochen immediately turned around and ran toward town.