Leng Yaozhu's inspection of Wanxing City lasted only one day. She set off for the next city early the very next morning. Continuing her tour in this manner, she finally reached the primary destination of this trip, Donghai City, one month later. Regarding Donghai City, the thing Huo Yuhao felt most curious about was naturally that Junior Sister of his whom he had never met. However, Leng Yaozhu informed him that Gu Yue was currently studying at Tianhai Academy, so they would have to wait until evening to meet.
After a day of routine inspections ended, Leng Yaozhu found Huo Yuhao. She told him it was time to go. Seeing the somewhat mysterious smile on her face, Huo Yuhao knew exactly where they were going. Under Leng Yaozhu's lead, the two eventually arrived at a quiet lounge located within the Spirit Pagoda. Pushing the door open and entering, Huo Yuhao's gaze fell upon the figure sitting on the sofa.
It was a young girl around his age. She was dressed in white clothes and pants, which accentuated her slender and neat figure. Her black hair was like ink and fell to her shoulders. Her eyes were also a pure black, appearing as calm as a lake in the dead of night. Her appearance could not be called stunning, only delicate, yet she possessed an indescribable air of cleanliness. Leng Yaozhu's voice sounded from the side as she introduced the two of them.
She told Yuhao that this was his Junior Sister, Gu Yue. Then she told Gu Yue that this was her Senior Brother, Huo Yuhao. The two stepped forward and lightly shook hands, considering themselves acquainted. Huo Yuhao's feelings toward this Junior Sister were merely those of simple curiosity. However, at this moment, as Gu Yue lowered her eyes and withdrew her hand, an extremely complex glimmer flickered in the depths of her gaze.
Clearly, Gu Yue's thoughts at this moment were far from as calm as they appeared on the surface. Although this was her first time seeing Huo Yuhao, her understanding of him was far greater than his understanding of her. After all, as her other half, Naer had long since shared some information regarding Huo Yuhao with her. According to Naer, although this Huo Yuhao was young, his mental force was shockingly strong and he was very difficult to deal with.
Furthermore, Gu Yue had always harbored an indescribable and special emotion regarding the name Huo Yuhao. Ten thousand years ago, the Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao gained the support of Di Tian to found the Spirit Pagoda. His original intention was to alleviate the escalating conflict between humans and Spirit Beasts. Who would have thought that the development of human spirit tool technology would advance with such irresistible force? After forming an overwhelming advantage over Spirit Beasts, the promises of the Spirit Ice Douluo of the past gradually turned into ethereal mist.
The current Spirit Pagoda controls vast Spirit Beast resources, while the Star Dou Great Forest only has its core circle left, struggling to maintain itself. Regarding that Spirit Ice Douluo from ten thousand years ago, Gu Yue did not even know if she should thank him or hate him. The Huo Yuhao before her, though also possessing a mental-type Spirit and extraordinary talent, obviously could not be that legend who stirred up the winds and clouds ten thousand years ago.
Looking at the pair of youngsters before her, a rare look of gentleness and satisfaction appeared in Leng Yaozhu's eyes. She lightly raised her hand to introduce them further. She explained that Gu Yue's Spirit was the Silver Dragon and that she possessed an outstanding talent for controlling multiple elements. In front of outsiders, Gu Yue always claimed her Spirit was Elemental Master. But facing her teacher, she naturally did not hide much. As the Incarnation of the Silver Dragon King, saying her Spirit was the Silver Dragon had no flaws whatsoever.
Leng Yaozhu then turned to Huo Yuhao, her tone carrying a hint of pride that was hard to detect. She noted that Yuhao's Spirit was the mental-type Original Body Martial Soul Spirit Eyes, and his mental force had already reached the Spirit Sea Realm. Hearing this, Gu Yue unconsciously clenched her hands hanging at her sides. When she cast her gaze toward Huo Yuhao again, it was uncontrollably tinged with shock.
Leng Yaozhu took in her reaction and could not help but smile. She remarked that almost everyone who learns of Yuhao's Spirit for the first time has that same shocked expression. She added that ten thousand years ago, one of the Spirits of the Spirit Ice Douluo was the Spirit Eyes. The shock in Gu Yue's heart, however, went far beyond that. Her connection with the name Huo Yuhao was by no means something the world could imagine.
She raised her eyes again to carefully size up the youth before her. She noted the calmness between his brows and the glimmer of wisdom deep within his eyes. A thought surfaced uncontrollably: perhaps she should have Di Tian come and see him. After all, Di Tian had seen the Huo Yuhao of ten thousand years ago, so he should be able to see some clues. It was highly likely that he was a bloodline descendant left on the continent by that Spirit Ice Douluo from ten thousand years ago.
The meeting between the Senior Brother and Junior Sister did not last long. The two had just met and were not familiar yet. Leng Yaozhu knew that forcing them together would likely make them both feel awkward. So, after having dinner together, they each went back to their own homes. Huo Yuhao's residence in Donghai City was arranged in a quiet guest room on the upper floors of the Spirit Pagoda.
For the next few years, he would spend his time in Donghai City. Leng Yaozhu had already made proper arrangements for him. Tomorrow, he would enter Donghai Academy together with Gu Yue to begin a new period of schooling. According to the requirements of Donghai Academy, he would have to live on campus afterward, so today he was just staying at the Spirit Pagoda for one night.
The room was spacious and comfortable. Moonlight outside flowed in like liquid silver, spreading a layer of clear radiance across the floor. Huo Yuhao lay on the bed but felt no drowsiness. His chaotic thoughts fluttered like the swaying moonlight outside the window. After tossing and turning for a long time, he finally got up, turned on the light, and sat down at the desk by the window.
With a slight movement of spirit power at his fingertips, a book with a deep blue cover silently appeared on the smooth tabletop. It was exactly that book Du Qingyuan had gifted him, titled The Untold Story of Huo Yuhao and the Auspicious Beast. He had already finished reading this book carefully. He had to admit that the author, with delicate and restrained brushstrokes, had outlined a bond and protection that crossed races, which truly touched the heart.
Those descriptions of the first meeting between him and the Auspicious Beast, their mutual protection during times of peril, and the choices made before destiny even made him, the involved party, involuntarily immerse himself in it. At this moment, he lightly flipped open the pages once more. Under the dim halo of the desk lamp, the ink seemed to have warmth, and Huo Yuhao's thoughts gradually began to flood forth.
Many key events in the book faintly matched the records in the secret historical scrolls of the Spirit Pagoda, showing that this book was indeed not entirely made up. It was precisely because of this that those expanded emotional lines, those silent heart-flutters when their eyes met, the unspoken sentiments upon parting, and the deep-seated attachment behind the sacrifice made him uneasy. He was unable to distinguish which were the romantic imaginings of later generations and which might be the truth once buried by the dust of time.
The young Huo Yuhao was also, for the first time, very curious about his own future emotional life. His fingertips lingered for a long time on that familiar name on the title page. The night wind outside blew the corner of the curtain, and the faint sound of ocean tides drifted from afar. After a long silence, Huo Yuhao finally raised his other hand and tapped on the communication spirit tool on his wrist.
The faint light illuminated his calm profile and also illuminated the short message he finally sent out. He asked if there were any other books like this one. It was already late at night, and Huo Yuhao originally thought he would have to wait until tomorrow for a reply. But unexpectedly, just as he was about to turn off the light and go back to bed, the notification sound for a replied message rang out.
The reply said that of course there were, and asked what he wanted to read. The sender listed several titles, including The Overbearing Snow Empress Falls in Love with Me, Cross-dressing: The Dragon Butterfly's Forced Love, Huo Yuhao and the Crown Princess, and The Untold Story of Spirit Ice and Di Tian. Huo Yuhao did not say anything. Looking at this long string of book titles, Huo Yuhao's forehead was covered in black lines, feeling that he simply should not have asked him.
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