"It's fine, big brother," Huo Yuhao said softly. Sensing the genuine kindness in the other's tone, he didn't object to the simple address. As he spoke, he turned back to the stream, preparing to catch more fish.
Chen Junting watched for a moment—then flicked a finger.
A razor-sharp thread of soul power sliced through the water—without so much as a ripple. In less than a breath, a massive blue-scaled fish—several times larger than Huo Yuhao's previous catch—floated to the surface.
'So strong!'
Huo Yuhao's pupils contracted sharply at the sight.
Before he could even process his astonishment, Chen Junting had already stepped beside him, plucked the fish from the water, and handed it over—gently snapping him out of his daze.
"Yuhao, you don't need to call me 'big brother,'" Chen Junting said with a faint smile. "I'm guessing you're eleven too? If so, I'm only a few months older. If you don't mind, just call me 'Brother Junting.'"
'Only a few months older?!'
Huo Yuhao accepted the fish, his mind reeling. He recalled that effortless display of power—and then glanced down at his own meager Level 10 cultivation. A bitter pang twisted in his chest.
'Am I really this weak?'
'Will I ever get my revenge?'
Chen Junting instantly sensed the shift in Huo Yuhao's mood—and realized his words might have unintentionally wounded the boy. But there was no graceful way to take it back now.
Just then, Wu Feng—who'd already devoured her grilled fish—suddenly leaned in, eyes gleaming as she stared at the giant blue fish in Huo Yuhao's arms.
"Huo Yuhao… can you finish all that by yourself?"
"Do you… want more?" Huo Yuhao asked, startled back to the present.
Chen Junting shot Wu Feng an approving glance—though approval didn't mean indulgence.
Just as Wu Feng was about to nod eagerly, Chen Junting tapped a finger against her forehead, silently vetoing her request.
"Let him eat first. We'll ask for seconds later."
So the three of them watched as Huo Yuhao's White Tiger Dagger danced in his hands, expertly scaling the fish.
Wu Feng was too focused on food to notice—but Ning Tian's sharp eyes caught it immediately: that dagger wasn't just a weapon. It was a soul-guided device, and at least Level Three.
Huo Yuhao soon grilled another round of fish.
This time, Chen Junting didn't refuse.
By the end, all three had eaten their fill—Wu Feng even half-jokingly offered Huo Yuhao a position as their personal chef.
He politely declined.
"What a shame," Wu Feng sighed, watching his retreating back. Then her brow furrowed as she realized his direction. "Seriously, not that I'm looking down on him—but is Huo Yuhao really planning to go into the Great Star Dou Forest alone to hunt for a soul ring?"
"At his current strength? He couldn't even beat a ten-year Wind Baboon!"
Her tone was sharp, but concern bled through. Still, the phrase "Wind Baboon" made Chen Junting glance at her oddly.
"What are you staring at?" Wu Feng asked, noticing his expression.
"Nothing," he said quickly—then changed the subject before she could press further. "Do you want to go help him?"
Wu Feng shook her head and looked to Ning Tian—clearly deferring to her.
"Brother Junting," Ning Tian asked thoughtfully, "could he belong to some hidden faction? That soul-guided dagger of his isn't cheap."
"Soul-guided dagger? What dagger?" Wu Feng interjected.
Ignoring her, Chen Junting pointed out the obvious. "Look at how thin he is—clearly malnourished since childhood. Does he look like some noble's heir? As for the soul-guided device… maybe he's a secret heir, or a discarded branch of some family."
Ning Tian nodded. That explanation fit best.
Then Chen Junting dropped his real suggestion: "I think we should recruit Huo Yuhao into the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."
The words stunned both girls. They'd only been debating whether to help him—but Chen Junting was already talking about recruiting him? Based on what? His Level 10 cultivation?
"Hey! Sword-jerk, are you out of your mind?" Wu Feng blurted. "Sure, we like him fine—but inviting him into the sect? His talent's so bad even a dog would shake its head!"
"Brother Junting, Wu Feng's right," Ning Tian added gently, nodding in agreement.
"Is that so?" Chen Junting smiled faintly. "Then while he was grilling fish… did neither of you notice his martial soul?"
"Martial soul?" Ning Tian frowned. She knew Chen Junting never spoke without reason—but she'd watched carefully, and seen no manifestation, no weapon, no telltale glow.
"His martial soul… is his eyes."
"Eyes?!" Ning Tian's eyes widened. "A Body Martial Soul?!"
Though exceedingly rare, she'd heard of them—especially as heir to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. She knew of the Body Sect, an entire order composed solely of Body Martial Soul practitioners.
"Exactly," Chen Junting confirmed. "Body Martial Souls often start weak—but grow terrifyingly powerful. And Huo Yuhao's eyes? If they're linked to his brain, then he will be among the highest-tier Body Martial Souls. Combine that with potential talent in soul engineering, and as a spiritual-type soul master, he could one day become a Level Nine Soul Engineer—if his cultivation reaches the required level."
"Huo Yuhao… probably isn't from the Body Sect," Ning Tian mused, now genuinely intrigued.
After all—though their sect possessed Level Nine soul-guided devices, they had no Level Nine Soul Engineers. And Sun-Moon Empire's heavy investment in spiritual-type soul masters proved such potential wasn't fantasy.
Still… his current cultivation was a problem.
But Chen Junting's next words sealed her resolve: "According to records, the Body Sect, for all their arrogance, fiercely protects those with Body Martial Souls. Huo Yuhao clearly isn't one of theirs—he likely doesn't even know the Body Sect exists."
"So…" Wu Feng summarized after a long pause, "Huo Yuhao's basically a blank slate with potential to become a Level Nine Soul Engineer?"
"Precisely."
"Then…" Ning Tian turned toward the forest path Huo Yuhao had taken. "Brother Junting, please follow him first. The Great Star Dou Forest isn't far—he might run into dangerous soul beasts. As for recruiting him… we'll decide later."
"Understood."
Chen Junting didn't hesitate. After instructing Wu Feng to guard Ning Tian once they entered the forest, he summoned his Seven Kill Sword. The third pentagram on its blade flared to life.
"Third Soul Skill: Sword Wings, Soaring Flight!"
He stepped onto the blade—and shot skyward like an azure comet, racing after Huo Yuhao.
Truthfully, the moment Chen Junting suspected Huo Yuhao's joining the Tang Sect wasn't orchestrated by Tang San, he'd set his sights on recruiting him. Beyond Huo Yuhao's status as a "child of fortune," his canonical genius in soul engineering alone could elevate the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to new heights.
As a loyal disciple, Chen Junting had to act in the sect's best interest. And success? He felt certain—no surprises awaited.
Riding the wind with his third soul skill amplifying his speed, he was moments from catching up—
—when disaster struck.
An invisible wave of spiritual energy erupted ahead, spreading like a silent storm. Anyone caught in its radius would instantly freeze in place—mind blank, body limp.
And if you were flying? You'd plummet like a stone.
Just as the edge of the wave neared Chen Junting—
BOOM!
A thunderclap split the sky. Daylight vanished in an instant, replaced by an oppressive, suffocating gloom. An incomprehensible pressure crashed down from the heavens—and shattered the spiritual wave into nothingness.
Chen Junting, hovering just outside the dissipated edge, came to an abrupt stop.
Ahead, birds rained from the sky, lifeless.
A cold shiver ran down his spine. 'I forgot… when the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm became Huo Yuhao's wisdom soul ring, this happened.'
If he'd flown blindly into that—
He wouldn't have died… but he'd have been battered, bruised, and humiliated.
This incident also sounded a warning bell for the traverser's mindset of superiority in his bones. It made him understand not to be reckless relying on his foreknowledge, otherwise, some details would make him experience a beating.
But now, his gaze lifted.
"Electrolux!"
In the distance, a tendril of gray energy coiled in the air.
It seemed to hesitate—repelled by some unseen force. Then, as if sensing something, it changed direction—and shot straight toward Chen Junting!
Before he could react—
The gray current plunged into his mind.
One thought screamed through his consciousness:
"It's coming for ME?!"
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