"The timing should be about right."
Outside, within the odor-blocking barrier, Chen Junting glanced at the sky. Sensing that the Mystic Water Pill's meridian-purifying effects had nearly run their course, he rose slowly to his feet.
"Little Tian, Little Feng—I'll go check on Huo Yuhao first. Stay inside the barrier for now."
"Got it," they replied in unison.
Knowing full well the aftermath of the pill, neither Ning Tian nor Wu Feng had any intention of stepping out—certainly not until the stench dissipated.
The moment Chen Junting stepped beyond the barrier, the foul odor hit him. He subtly wrinkled his nose, then summoned his Seven Kill Sword martial soul. Pinpointing Huo Yuhao's location within the crude wooden cage, he swung his blade.
Shhhhk—!
A single arc of sword qi cleaved the enclosure cleanly in half.
Inside sat a figure—completely blackened from head to toe.
Just then—
"Ugh…"
Huo Yuhao groaned awake. But before he could fully open his eyes or react, a wave of putrid stench flooded his nostrils.
"Gah! What is that smell?!"
Instinctively, he shot upright—only to freeze when he saw Chen Junting standing before him. Suddenly self-conscious, he looked down and realized his tattered clothes were now pitch-black, caked in thick, mud-like grime that made his skin crawl.
Confused, he heard Tianmeng's voice echo in his spiritual sea: "Little Yuhao, that's the side effect of the talent-boosting gift you just took."
At that moment—
"Here."
Chen Junting tossed him a waterskin drawn from his storage-type soul-guided device. It was a specialized liquid-storage soul tool—simple, but effective.
"Go wash up first."
"Thank you…" Huo Yuhao whispered, accepting the flask with trembling hands. Tears welled in his eyes—but hidden beneath layers of filth, no one could see.
"No need to be so formal," Chen Junting said gently. He gestured toward the half-split wooden cage, which now offered enough cover for privacy, and handed Huo Yuhao his small travel pack.
Once cleaned, none of them wished to linger in the stench-filled clearing. They moved to a safer, cleaner spot before settling down to talk.
Half an hour later, they reached a grassy clearing.
"Let's rest here for a bit," Chen Junting suggested after scanning the area.
Ning Tian and Wu Feng nodded in agreement.
Now, the three turned to Huo Yuhao—who'd been fidgeting nervously the entire walk, clearly wanting to ask something but never finding the right moment.
"Yuhao," Chen Junting said kindly, "just ask whatever's on your mind."
"Brother Junting… what exactly happened to me back there?" Huo Yuhao asked hesitantly. Tianmeng had told him his talent had been enhanced, but he lacked concrete understanding.
"You underwent meridian purification," Wu Feng chimed in helpfully—then, worried he might not grasp the term, rephrased it bluntly: "Basically, your meridians just pooped through your pores to clear the blockages."
Thwack!
"Ow! Young Mistress—why'd you hit me?!"
Ning Tian glared, feigning anger. "Feng, since when do proper young ladies talk about pores pooping?! That's disgusting!"
"And I've told you—stop calling me 'Young Mistress' once we leave the sect! It draws unwanted attention. Change it."
"Oh…" Wu Feng pouted.
Ignoring her scolding, Chen Junting chuckled. "As crude as Little Feng's explanation was… she's not wrong. Given your condition, the Mystic Water Pill I gave you just now boosted your soul power by one full level—and not just any level. It raised your innate soul power."
"One level of innate soul power?!" Huo Yuhao gasped—then paled. "That pill must've cost a fortune!"
"Not really. Just ten thousand gold soul coins," Chen Junting said casually.
Huo Yuhao's mind went blank.
'How rich do you have to be to call ten thousand gold "not expensive"?'
"Brother Junting…" Tears finally spilled over. Before Chen Junting could react, Huo Yuhao dropped to his knees!
"Yuhao—what are you doing?!" Chen Junting caught him just in time.
"Because… I don't know how to repay you!" Huo Yuhao said stubbornly, eyes blazing with emotion.
Ten thousand gold soul coins!
Honestly—
That price could've easily bought his life before.
If he didn't kowtow in gratitude, his conscience wouldn't let him rest.
"No need for that," Chen Junting said firmly.
The three exchanged glances—half-amused, half-moved. In that moment, Chen Junting felt it clearly: Huo Yuhao was like a blank sheet of paper, pure and unmarked, ready for them to shape as they saw fit.
Perfect!
He gave Ning Tian a subtle nod.
She understood instantly.
Her voice, warm and steady, carried a soothing grace: "Yuhao… have you ever considered joining a sect?"
"A sect?" Huo Yuhao looked up, bewildered.
Then it clicked—he remembered Wu Feng calling Ning Tian "Young Mistress."
"Ning Tian… are all of you from a sect?"
"Yes," she said simply. "We're from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."
She didn't elaborate. The name alone carried enough weight.
*"Seven Treasures Glazed—the wealthiest sect under heaven!"*
True to form, the moment Huo Yuhao heard the name, his whole body trembled. Now he finally understood why these three treated ten thousand gold like pocket change.
"Wow, you're speechless, huh?" Wu Feng grinned, slapping his shoulder—lightly, but enough to make the frail boy stumble.
"Your body's way too weak! If you join us, we'll build you up from the ground." She grabbed the back of his collar to steady him, muttering under her breath before snapping into a mock-scowl. "And don't you dare refuse! Ning Tian personally invited you—that's a huge honor, you know!"
"Feng! Is that how you invite someone?!" Ning Tian scolded—but her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Though Wu Feng's tone was brash and her manner rough, Huo Yuhao didn't mind. He'd already glimpsed her true nature back during the grilled fish meal.
And beneath her bluster, he'd clearly sensed her goodwill.
Without hesitation, he said: "I want to join!"
The words hung in the air.
Before Ning Tian or Wu Feng could react, Chen Junting smiled—first among them.
Gazing at the sky, he thought silently:'The Child of Fortune enters Nine Treasures…this move, I'll take the first piece.'
…
Night fell. The Great Star Dou Forest sank into profound silence.
Yet at its edge, a small campfire crackled to life.
"Here—this is your welcome gift," Ning Tian said, placing a bundle in Huo Yuhao's hands.
He stared down, stunned.
It felt light—but weighed like a mountain.
Inside:
- A porcelain vial containing two Mystic Water Pills
- A belt-type storage soul-guided device
- A chunk of Thousand-Year Whale Gelatin
- A manual detailing the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's meditation techniques for spiritual-type soul masters
All gifts—from Brother Junting, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng.
In his spiritual sea, Tianmeng wasn't sleeping. He was dancing with joy, whooping ecstatically: "Yuhao! You picked the perfect sect to join! This is absolutely ideal!"
But Huo Yuhao paid him no mind.
He pressed his lips together and carefully stowed each item away.
"Brother Junting, Ning Tian, Wu Feng… I won't let you down."
Just moments ago, they'd explained everything: the truth about Body Martial Souls, why they wanted him, what they expected.
No deception. No pity. Just honesty.
And that was exactly what eased the last of Huo Yuhao's fears.
He finally understood—this wasn't charity born of sympathy.
Deep in his heart, he made a silent vow: With Big Bro Tianmeng by my side… I'll work harder than anyone to repay the sect!
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