“Tang Ya, lower your wrist a bit more.”
“Like this, Benefactor?”
“No, you’re swinging a sword, not cracking a whip.
The core of your power comes from your waist, transferring to your shoulders, and only then to your wrist.
Watch.”
In the courtyard, Huo Yuhao stood behind Tang Ya, holding the hand in which she carried a wooden sword, guiding her through a standard thrust and slash.
A year had passed, and Huo Yuhao was now seven and a half years old.
He had grown significantly taller, shedding much of his early childhood childishness, and his facial features had become sharper and more defined.
Those deep eyes of his possessed a reassuring strength, even when simply gazing forward in calm composure.
Tang Ya’s cheeks burned slightly.
She could clearly feel the warmth radiating from Huo Yuhao’s palm, as well as the faint, pleasant scent clinging to him.
Every time she received guidance like this, her heart would race despite herself.
“Hey!
Little Haohao!
You’re being biased!”
A discontented voice called down from the roof.
Tianmeng was sprawling comfortably on the roof tiles, basking in the sun with a blade of grass hanging from her mouth.
“You’ve been teaching Little Ya for half an hour already!” she shouted, pouting.
“Come teach me too!
I want hands-on instruction as well!”
Huo Yuhao didn’t even look up.
“You’re a million-year soul beast.
What could you possibly need me to teach you?”
“I don’t care, I don’t care!” Tianmeng rolled around on the roof.
“I want Little Haohao’s personal coaching too!”
Ignoring her antics, Huo Yuhao released Tang Ya’s hand.
“Practice it a hundred more times on your own.
Remember how the power felt just now.”
“Yes, Benefactor!” Tang Ya immediately began swinging her wooden sword with complete focus.
Huo Yuhao walked over to the stone table in the courtyard and sat down, picking up the tea his mother had brewed for him earlier and taking a gentle sip.
One year.
Under the guidance of Electrolux, supported by the immense spiritual source provided by Tianmeng, and through his own painstaking cultivation, his soul power had smoothly risen from rank 3 to rank 20.
A bottleneck.
He needed a second soul ring.
Yet he was in no hurry.
Ordinary soul beasts were of little use to him.
What he waited for was something better, more suitable—a partner capable of forging a “Soul Covenant” with him.
Over the past year, aside from cultivating his soul power and spiritual power, he had spent most of his time studying the theories of necromancy passed down by Electrolux.
It was a realm of power entirely distinct from the soul master system of the Douluo Continent—profound, complex, yet bursting with infinite possibilities.
At the same time, he had been secretly gathering news from the outside world through various channels.
He knew that the place destined to change his fate forever—the continent’s top monster academy—would soon begin its annual admissions.
Only three months remained.
It was time to leave.
…
After dinner, the living room of the small villa was brightly lit.
The atmosphere was unusual.
Huo Yuhao sat in the main seat of the living room, a spot that originally belonged to Huo Yun’er, but now everyone tacitly accepted that he was the head of the household.
Spread out before him was a detailed map of the Douluo Continent.
Tianmeng restlessly tried to squeeze into Huo Yuhao’s chair, but after a single warning glance from him, she settled for the next best thing: slumping over the armrest of his right chair like a clingy big cat.
Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya sat somewhat stiffly on the couch across from him, unsure what important matter Huo Yuhao was about to announce by gathering everyone so suddenly.
Huo Yun’er approached with several cups of hot tea, serving one to each girl before sitting down on a single armchair with a smile, looking at her son with fond affection.
The living room was quiet, with everyone’s eyes focused on Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao’s finger traced a line on the map from Heaven Dou City, sliding all the way south.
Finally, it rested on a city marked with a special symbol.
Shrek City.
He raised his head, his gaze sweeping across everyone present, and announced his decision in a calm yet firm tone.
“I’ve made up my mind.
I’m going to Shrek Academy.”
His sentence was like a stone tossed into a tranquil lake, setting off ripples across the room.
Gu Yuena was the first to react.
She didn’t even raise her head, nor did her hand pause in wiping the dagger.
She simply said in a matter-of-fact tone, “I’m going too.”
It was as though Huo Yuhao were not going to a holy land for soul masters, but merely heading down to the corner store to buy groceries.
“Me too, me too!”
Tianmeng immediately raised her hand high, terrified of being left behind.
“Wherever Little Haohao goes, I go!
I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth!”
On the couch opposite, a flash of surprise crossed Jiang Nannan’s face before turning into yearning.
She had heard that name before—it was the holy land every commoner soul master dreamed of reaching.
She hesitated, her hands resting on her knees clenching into nervous fists.
Yet the moment her eyes met Huo Yuhao’s, that hesitation dissolved into resolve.
“I…
I want to go too.”
Summoning her courage, she spoke up, her cheeks flushing with excitement.
“I heard about Shrek Academy long ago and always thought…
that maybe one day I could apply.
If…
if I can be with Benefactor…”
Her voice trailed off near the end, but her meaning was crystal clear.
Tang Ya’s response was the most direct and decisive.
Almost the instant Huo Yuhao finished speaking, she stood up without hesitation and bowed deeply to him.
“Wherever Benefactor goes, Tang Ya goes!”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but every word resonated with strength.
“My life was saved by Benefactor, so this life belongs to Benefactor from now on.
Even if it means stepping through mountains of blades or seas of fire, I will follow Benefactor!”
Huo Yuhao took in the scene before him—one cold and aloof, one clingy, one shy, and one intensely loyal.
Four pairs of eyes, distinct in style yet equally beautiful, all practically blared three large words: *I’m coming too.*
He felt a vein throb slightly at his temple, feeling a mild headache coming on, but beneath it lay a profound, heartfelt warmth and fulfillment.
In this world, aside from his mother, he was no longer alone.
He nodded, accepting everyone’s request.
“Alright.
Then we go together.”
Picking up a pen from the table, he circled a few points on the map.
“Shrek City is far from Heaven Dou City.
We can’t afford to waste all that time just traveling.
Therefore, we’ll set out early.”
His gaze shifted to Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya.
“Both of you are currently in the mid-to-high teens for soul power, and your foundations are solid.
However, you lack actual combat experience and don’t have suitable soul rings yet.
So along the way, I will take you into a few soul beast forests for practical training, while also searching for suitable soul beasts to sign Soul Covenants with.”
“Sign Soul Covenants?” Both Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya wore bewildered expressions.
Tianmeng puffed out her chest proudly, appearing in her human form before everyone as she boasted, “It’s the kind Little Haohao did for me!
You don’t have to kill the poor soul beast babies to get soul rings and soul bones, plus you get a companion as cute and capable as me!
Impressive, right?”
Hearing this explanation, both girls’ eyes filled with shock and longing.
It completely shattered common knowledge in the soul master world!
Huo Yuhao continued, “I’ve already mapped out our route.
We will pass through the outer region of the Great Star Dou Forest, giving us plenty of time to complete our training.
Three months from now, we will meet directly in Shrek City to take the entrance examination.”
His arrangements were methodical and logically clear, not at all like those of a seven-and-a-half-year-old child, but rather a general strategizing behind the scenes.
Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya nodded repeatedly as they listened, their admiration for Huo Yuhao deepening further.
Just as their detailed plan was settled in a harmonious atmosphere, an unexpected incident took place that no one could have anticipated.
Gu Yuena, who had remained quiet all this time, suddenly stood up.
She put down the dagger, stepped forward with her long legs, and walked up to Huo Yuhao step by step.
All sound vanished from the living room.
Every eye locked onto her.
Under everyone’s gaze, Gu Yuena slowly leaned down.
Her moonlight-smooth silver hair cascaded off her shoulders, a few strands softly brushing against Huo Yuhao’s cheek with a cool touch.
Then, her cool, soft lips pressed a gentle kiss onto Huo Yuhao’s smooth forehead.
Time seemed to freeze in that instant.
The entire room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Jiang Nannan’s mouth parted slightly into a cute ‘O’ shape.
Her mind went completely blank, her cheeks flushing red at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if blood were about to seep through.
Tang Ya’s eyes widened into saucer-like circles; she was so thoroughly stunned by the scene before her that she forgot to breathe.
Tianmeng let out a tiny gasp of “Ooh,” quickly covering her mouth with both hands.
Yet her sparkling eyes shimmered with stars of pure excitement and gossip.
Even Huo Yun’er, who had weathered plenty of storms in her life, paused mid-air with her teacup before breaking into a meaningful smile.
Gu Yuena straightened up, oblivious to everyone else’s reactions.
She simply looked at Huo Yuhao, her beautiful purple eyes reflecting only his figure.
In a tone immensely serious, almost like swearing an oath, she said word by word:
“I will protect you along the way.”
“However, remember this.”
“You are my possession.”
“I will always be watching you.”
Having spoken, she turned back to her seat, picked up the silver dagger again, and resumed wiping it clean.
It was as if that earth-shattering move had not been made by her at all.
The living room remained dead quiet.
Huo Yuhao touched his forehead, where a hint of cool sensation seemed to linger.
He looked at the red-faced Jiang Nannan, the dumbfounded Tang Ya, and Tianmeng, who was practically squirming with excitement.
Finally, he glanced at Gu Yuena, who sat calm and collected as if nothing had happened.
He let out a deep, heavy sigh.
It seemed this journey to Shrek Academy was destined to be anything but peaceful.