"Come out? You should be the one coming in." The voice rang out again, a hint of teasing in its tone.
"Where exactly are you?" Huo Yuhao pressed, his voice tense and anxious.
"I'm naturally in your spiritual world," the voice replied unhurriedly. "Haven't you noticed a new mark on your head?"
"A mark?" Thoroughly puzzled, Huo Yuhao hurried over to a mirror. He leaned in and looked closely. Sure enough, a strange mark had appeared on his forehead at some point. It was shaped like a blooming lotus and gave off a faint halo, lending it an air of mystery.
Huo Yuhao steadied himself and sank his consciousness into his sea of spirit. Upon entering, he saw a man lying peacefully on a lotus platform. The man's appearance was highly unusual. He was handsome, yet had a delicate beauty that made it hard to tell whether he was male or female.
Though he was a man, his face was extraordinarily beautiful. Every gesture brimmed with an overbearing presence, and the fierce aura of a killing god surrounded him. His face seemed covered in a layer of frost, without the slightest trace of human emotion.
He bore an indifference that transcended the mortal world and set him apart from all things, as though he had cast aside the joys and sorrows of the world, leaving only pure divinity.
As Huo Yuhao marveled at the man's appearance, the man slowly spoke. "Kid, you really are ruthless. The moment I entered your body, you blew yourself up. If I hadn't acted in time to shield you from that violent force, your soul would have dispersed in that turbulent flow of space and time, becoming dust in the void. You'd never have had the chance to stand here talking to me."
Huo Yuhao's heart tightened. He hurriedly cupped his hands in salute and said sincerely, "Thank you for saving my life, Senior." Then, unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, "But how did you come to be here, Senior?"
"The same way you did," the man said casually. "Strangely enough, it was your soul that drew me in, allowing me to reside in your body. Well, never mind. I'm only a spiritual projection, barely enough to count as an avatar."
The man paused briefly, his gaze settling on Huo Yuhao, then continued, "Do you want revenge? How about I help you?"
A flicker of wariness crossed Huo Yuhao's eyes. "Why would you help me, Senior?" he pressed.
"I just think you're a lot like me, that's all." The corners of the man's mouth rose slightly in the faintest hint of a smile. "You were ruthless enough to return your life to your parents. From then on, you had no ties or attachments, born of heaven and raised by earth, bound by nothing. I rather admire that backbone of yours."
Huo Yuhao was startled. "How do you know about me, Senior?" he pressed.
"Is that so difficult?" the man asked in return, a hint of disdain in his voice.
Hearing this, Huo Yuhao grew even more wary and pressed again, "Who exactly are you, Senior?"
"The way you talk reminds me a little of Three Eyes," the man said listlessly. "I imagine that if he were here, he'd be happy to take you as his disciple. But as for me, I like your temperament better. My name is Nezha. In my world, people honor me as the Great God of the Three Lotus Altars and the Sea Assembly."
Huo Yuhao's eyes were full of shock. Great God of the Three Lotus Altars and the Sea Assembly-that sounded incredibly impressive. He went on to ask, "Then why did you appear here?"
"I don't know either." Nezha frowned slightly. "My original self sensed something and sent me, his avatar, here. He suddenly had a premonition in our original world. He's probably still sleeping soundly right now. But judging by how your luck surges to the heavens, I imagine you're this world's chosen one."
"That can't be wrong. In that case, I'm definitely helping you. From now on, call me Third Prince."
Early the next morning, the first light fell softly on the inn's window, bathing the room in a warm yellow glow. Huo Yuhao emerged from a night of contemplation with a clear plan in mind. "I should find the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm as soon as possible, then head to Shrek Academy. That's the most sensible arrangement for now," he murmured to himself.
After a quick bit of preparation, Huo Yuhao stepped out of the inn and walked straight toward the Star Dou Great Forest, facing the slightly cool morning breeze. His steps were steady, and his eyes shone with anticipation for the future. He was completely unaware that two furtive figures were following close behind him.
"Keep up, keep up," one of the people behind him muttered under his breath, a sly look on his face. "Huo Yuhao should be going to find the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm now. I can't let him succeed. Kill him and seize his luck, and all his future opportunities will be mine." His gaze was greedy.
As Huo Yuhao walked, his keen senses naturally picked up the traces of the two figures behind him. They had followed him all the way. Did they take him for a fool?
He gave nothing away, but an idea had taken shape in his mind. It's time. Pretending not to have noticed anything, he glanced subconsciously at the two following him, then muttered to himself, "It's time to go to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a Soul Ring."
When the two following him heard this, excitement flashed in their eyes. They quickened their steps and followed closely. The corners of Huo Yuhao's mouth rose in a barely perceptible smile. Without breaking stride, he walked steadily into the border region of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Seeing this, the person following him was overjoyed and murmured to himself, "I've finally waited for this perfect opportunity." With that, he followed Huo Yuhao into the Star Dou Great Forest without hesitation.
The two made their way carefully through the forest, their eyes fixed on Huo Yuhao's figure ahead. But as they continued, they suddenly discovered that the figure in front of them had vanished.
"Damn it, we lost him!" Both panicked at once and hurriedly looked around as a sense of unease spread through them. The Star Dou Great Forest was eerily quiet now, with only the rustling of leaves in the breeze.
Just as the two were at a loss, a clear voice came from above them. "What do you two want with me?" A tender green twig held between his lips, Huo Yuhao crouched leisurely on the bough of a great tree, looking down at them with an amused expression.
One of the men steadied himself and spoke first, forcing a false smile onto his face. "Um... you're Young Master Huo, aren't you? I'm Xiao Xiao from the Duke's Mansion. Don't you recognize me?" As he spoke, he tried to move closer to Huo Yuhao, a barely perceptible trace of ruthlessness hidden in his eyes.
Huo Yuhao remained on high alert and said coldly, "There are so many people in the Duke's Mansion, but I've never met anyone with the surname Xiao. Besides, no one in the Duke's Mansion was ever this polite to me, and no one knew my surname should be Huo. You're not even any good at lying."
His voice was low and icy, instantly exposing the other man's lie.