Evil Eye

When Jing Hongchen heard Bao Liang's choice, he did not answer immediately, but fell into thought.

Was there such a Soul Beast?

There definitely was.

Although the Soul Beast forests on the Sun Moon Continent were not as vast as the Star Dou Great Forest, they still had quite a few kinds of high-quality Soul Beasts.

For the moment, though, he really could not recall which Soul Beasts had the combination of a primary Mental Attribute and a secondary Destruction Attribute.

Bao Liang did not rush him. He sat quietly, picked up another large meat bun, and started eating.

Meng Hongchen could not bear watching anymore. She poked his arm. "Little Baozi, how can you still eat? Weren't we talking about finding you a Soul Beast for your Soul Ring?"

"Finding a Soul Beast is Grandpa Jing's job." Bao Liang's cheeks bulged as he mumbled, "My job is to eat and grow.

Once my body's in good shape, the Soul Beast will naturally be there."

"You really don't worry about a thing," Xiao Hongchen scoffed beside him.

"Worrying wouldn't help anyway." Bao Liang spoke with perfect confidence. "I'm only six. Even if you add my previous life... ahem, even if I know a lot, could I know more than Grandpa Jing?"

Xiao Hongchen felt there was something odd about what he had said, but could not put his finger on it.

"Previous life?" Meng Hongchen tilted her head. "Little Baozi, did you just say previous life?"

"Huh? Did I?" Bao Liang's expression did not change. "I meant 'add what I've learned.' Oops, slip of the tongue.

What I mean is, with the little I know, could I know more than Grandpa Jing?"

"Oh..." Meng Hongchen was half convinced, but the sweet-and-sour fish in the bowl soon caught her attention.

Xiao Hongchen's brow, however, furrowed even more tightly.

He could not shake the feeling that Bao Liang had quite a few secrets.

But... who didn't have a few secrets?

So he lowered his head and continued drinking his congee, without asking further.

Just then, Jing Hongchen suddenly spoke. "I've thought of one."

Bao Liang and Meng Hongchen looked up at the same time.

"There's a kind of Soul Beast that might perfectly meet all your requirements for your First Soul Ring," Jing Hongchen said. "And it's a high-quality Soul Beast, right here on our Sun Moon Continent."

"What Soul Beast?" Bao Liang perked up.

"The Evil Eye." Jing Hongchen slowly pronounced the name. "The origin of the Evil Demon Forest's name-the Evil Eye Clan that coils within it."

"The Evil Eye Clan?" Bao Liang blinked, quickly searching the information in his memories.

"Right." Jing Hongchen nodded. "I can't say for certain whether other Soul Beasts have that combination of a primary Mental Attribute and a secondary Destruction Attribute.

But the Evil Eye Clan definitely does."

"Grandpa, why are you so sure?" Meng Hongchen asked curiously.

"Because the pattern of the Evil Eye Clan's attributes is very special," Jing Hongchen explained patiently. "Only Evil Eyes that are fifty thousand years old or older have a single Mental Attribute.

Evil Eyes under fifty thousand years old-unless they're direct descendants of the Evil Emperor-basically all have multiple attributes."

He paused. "In other words, among Evil Eyes under fifty thousand years old, finding one with a primary Mental Attribute and a secondary Destruction Attribute won't be difficult at all."

"What's more, the Evil Eye Clan's mental power is innately strong, and they're best at mental attacks.

Little Bao Liang, you want a First Soul Ring with a primary Mental Attribute and a secondary Destruction Attribute. An Evil Eye is practically a tailor-made choice."

The Evil Eye Clan... Bao Liang vaguely remembered that the novels he had read in his previous life all said that the Evil Emperor, ranked second among the ten great Ferocious Beasts, lived deep in the Evil Demon Forest. He was so powerful that he had supposedly even injured Di Tian.

Still, he could not quite remember what the Evil Emperor was called or what he looked like. After all, those stories were so far removed from him. Who would bother remembering a bunch of Ferocious Beasts with tongue-twisting names?

But that did not matter.

Grandpa Jing had said an Evil Eye under fifty thousand years old would meet his needs. He had no reason to provoke that big fellow he could not afford to offend.

Bao Liang's eyes grew brighter and brighter, but Jing Hongchen suddenly changed tack, his tone leaving no room for argument. "However, although Evil Eyes are easy to locate and find, you can't go yet."

"I know." Bao Liang understood at once. "My body hasn't recovered yet. I need to replenish my Qi and blood first."

"Clever." Jing Hongchen nodded in satisfaction. "So while you're recovering, Grandpa will first send people to scout the Evil Demon Forest and find a suitable Evil Eye.

At the same time, I'll look for other candidate Soul Beasts that meet your requirements just as well. If we can't find our first choice, we won't have wasted time."

"Little Bao Liang, what do you think?"

Bao Liang barely hesitated. "I have no objections. I'll leave everything to you, Grandpa Jing."

He was not just being polite; he meant it.

He was only six now.

Even adding the years of his previous life, how much could he know about the theoretical side of the Douluo Continent? Could he know more than Jing Hongchen, a Titled Douluo who had lived for over a hundred years?

His super intelligence told him that, at a time like this, choosing to trust Jing Hongchen was the optimal solution.

All he had to do was use his super strength when the time came, and that would be that.

Bao Liang happily sketched out the future in his mind: once he had his First Soul Ring, a snap of his fingers would leave every enemy within ten meters with their heads buzzing. Then he would follow it up with an explosion-perfect.

"Little Baozi, what are you grinning about?" Meng Hongchen poked his face.

"N-nothing!" Bao Liang hurriedly sucked his drool back in. "I was thinking about what to eat for lunch."

"Eat, eat, eat. Eating is all you think about." Meng Hongchen was both exasperated and amused.

"All right." Jing Hongchen smiled and patted him on the head. "Then it's settled.

Just focus on recovering. Leave the rest to Grandpa."

After listening beside them, Meng Hongchen grew happy too. She threw an arm around Bao Liang's shoulders. "You heard that, Little Baozi! Grandpa's arranged everything for you! From now on, you have to eat your meals and take your medicinal baths like a good boy, and get nice and strong!"

"I know, Sister Meng." Bao Liang's head bobbed as she shook him. "I'll definitely be good."

"That's more like it."

Xiao Hongchen sat beside them, watching his sister horsing around with that Little Baozi, then glanced at the smile his grandfather could not hide. After a long moment, he gave a soft "hmph."

"Lucky you, kid."

He muttered it quietly, then lowered his head and ate his rice.

But he could not hide the slight upward curve of his lips.

When breakfast ended, Jing Hongchen rose. "All right, we've said everything that needed saying.

Little Bao Liang, rest well here at the residence for the next couple of days. Your medicinal baths will start tonight.

As for the Soul Ring-"

He winked at Bao Liang. "Once your body's recovered, Grandpa will take you to the Evil Demon Forest himself."

Bao Liang stood and bowed earnestly. "Thank you, Grandpa Jing."

"No need for formalities among family." Jing Hongchen waved a hand, turned, and walked out.

Watching Jing Hongchen leave, Bao Liang suddenly felt that, in the six years since he had transmigrated to this world, he seemed to have truly felt at "home" for the first time.

Meng Hongchen leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Little Baozi, let me tell you a secret-Grandpa really dotes on you.

In all my life, this is the first time I've seen Grandpa care so much about someone else."

Bao Liang grinned. "Of course. I'm the grandson-in-law he personally chose."

"...Y-you, what nonsense are you talking about!" Meng Hongchen's face flushed red in an instant. She turned and ran. "I'm not talking to you anymore!"

"Hey! Sister Meng, why are you running? I was joking!"

Bao Liang chased after her. The midday sun spilled into the courtyard of the Hongchen residence, stretching the two little figures' shadows very, very long.

Xiao Hongchen stood beneath the covered walkway, watching the two figures, one chasing and the other fleeing. Then he looked at the half-finished bowl of congee in front of him and suddenly felt that this home seemed much livelier than before.