Chapter 3: The 1,000,000-Year Soul Ring

Huo Yuhao listened to the Skydream Ice Silkworm's story and suddenly had a strange feeling. Could its name, the Skydream Ice Silkworm, have come from dreaming all the time?

"Though I couldn't leave that cave, the feeling that the Ten-thousand-year Cold Marrow gave me was just too comfortable. Later, I simply stopped looking for a way out and just kept crawling around the cave to eat the Cold Marrow. Whenever I found a large cluster, I would take a nap. Eventually, even I lost track of how long I slept until the first ring of golden patterns appeared on my body."

"For us Ice Silkworms, the golden patterns are extremely significant, symbolizing that my cultivation had reached the hundred-thousand-year level. In my memory, there had never been an Ice Silkworm in our line who reached a hundred thousand years of cultivation. I was the first! That's when I evolved into a Golden-Patterned Ice Silkworm. By then, I had enough strength to break through the ice and leave. What I didn't know was that becoming a hundred-thousand-year soul beast would bring great restrictions, making it difficult to further increase one's cultivation. Maybe it was my good luck, coupled with our Ice Silkworm family's weak combat power, that I miraculously didn't attract any divine retribution. Eh, well, I slept a lot and just became too lazy to leave. I decided to just continue sleeping and eating in the ice cave. As my cultivation grew, I was able to break through the ice to places I couldn't reach before, discovering even more exquisite Cold Marrow in the depths of the ice cave, which became my food."

"So, I ate then slept, slept then ate, and time simply passed by without me knowing it. Only the golden patterns on my body could mark the time of my existence."

"Finally, one day, I ate up all the Cold Marrow in the ice cave and directly burrowed out from the bottom to the ocean. I floated in the big ocean, drifting along the continent's edge to the south. It was during this process that I first encountered an enemy."

"By then, I already had nine golden patterns, making me a mighty soul beast of nine hundred thousand years. I thought I should be an invincible existence in this world. But..."

Speaking to this point, the Skydream Ice Silkworm seemed a bit embarrassed, "But it seems that apart from sleeping, I don't really know how to do anything else and wasn't very good at fighting. In the end, I had to rely on the vastness of my spiritual power to scare away that enemy. This finally raised my guard, and I tried to cultivate offensive abilities. But I soon realized that having cultivated for a long duration didn't necessarily mean having great strength. I was a soul beast of nine hundred thousand years. But my combat power was actually not even as good as some ten-thousand-year soul beasts. Those specialized in combat, the hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, were simply impossible for me to defeat. The outside world was truly too dangerous. However, I could no longer find my way back."

"The ocean was dangerous, so perhaps the land would be safer. Thus, I went onto land. But I found that the land wasn't peaceful either. Maybe it was because I absorbed too much Cold Marrow, my body had a unique scent that attracted the attention of all soul beasts. They would regard me as food."

"Lastly, I was captured by a powerful hundred-thousand-year soul beast in the Xingdou Forest. It didn't kill me immediately but brought me to the heart of the Xingdou Forest instead. From it, I learned that I possessed an immense amount of Origin Energy, and that any soul beast could become a hundred-thousand-year soul beast by absorbing and transforming my energy, while those already at that level could break free from the restrictions of their cultivation years. But because the power I had cultivated over a million years was so immense, it would take a long time to be absorbed, which was why it brought me back to its lair."

"However, that fellow underestimated just how tricky Brother could be. Although I wasn't very good at fighting, I could make my presence stronger. So, I attracted all the hundred-thousand-year soul beasts in the Xingdou Forest. Heh heh."

"That great brawl involved nearly all the soul beasts in the Xingdou Forest that were of ten thousand years and above. It was extremely brutal! I thought I had a chance to escape. But who would have thought, these cunning creatures stopped fighting when it was almost over and started negotiating. Brother ended up in tragedy. In the end, they decided to absorb my power together, seeing as my body had plenty of soul power. Then they trapped me in the center of the Xingdou Forest, forcing me to release my Origin Energy for them to absorb. The more powerful soul beasts were closer to me, and the more benefits they received. Those bastards treated me like food."

"Alas, unable to resist, I could only let them manipulate me. While being exploited by them, I thought about how to break free from their control. My soul power was very pure, enough for them to absorb for tens of thousands of years. After thousands of years of thinking and observing, I realized that to get out of their control, I had to do more than just escape; I also had to hide my aura. You humans gradually appeared in my line of sight. Several times, some incredibly powerful humans entered deep into the Xingdou Forest wanting to hunt those hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. Unfortunately, they met with tragedy. Thanks to my nourishment, the high-level soul beasts in the Xingdou Forest must be among the most powerful on the Douluo Continent. Although those humans had very powerful weapons, they still suffered great losses. But it also made me realize the advantages of you humans."

"I am a spiritual and ice dual-property soul beast. After much thought, I decided to try my hand at becoming a human's Soul Ring. That way, the human will definitely be very strong, and with my spiritual property, I can maintain my own consciousness and not vanish, becoming an unprecedented Wisdom Soul Ring in human history. Humph, when that time comes, I must take revenge and help that human kill all the scumbags who have bullied me. So I gave it a try. Who would have thought that my first attempt would fail? The guy I chose seemed to be some Titled Douluo among humans. He was pretty strong too, but what a waste, he actually burst under my pressure, and he didn't even get a glimpse of my true form, not being able to withstand the impact of my spiritual power. That's when I realized, it's not so easy to become my host. First of all, the host must have a spiritual attribute, and then they must have the capacity to bear my soul power. This made things much harder. So, I searched for thousands of years without success. My soul power was almost completely absorbed by those hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. I was on the verge of burning out."

"Heaven still looked after me, just when I had sunk into despair. The tenth golden pattern emerged on my body, and I finally became an unprecedented million-year soul beast. With the appearance of this tenth golden pattern, I finally had the power to contend against those battle-type hundred-thousand-year soul beasts and could also hide my aura. So I named myself Skydream Ice Silkworm, no longer just a Golden-Patterned Ice Silkworm. But there's no way I could defeat so many hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, and besides, the Origin Energy in my body had also been almost entirely absorbed by them, leaving only my two main properties which were the best nourishment for them. I couldn't take my revenge myself. So I found an opportunity and finally managed to escape underground by concealing my aura with the power I gained after my breakthrough."

"Sigh—" Skydream Ice Silkworm lamented, "Sadly, I'm still a tragedy. The breakthrough to a million years turned out to be a double-edged sword. It allowed me to break away from their control, but my lifespan had come to an end due to the unexpected divine punishment. If I can't find another way to survive, I will soon succumb to life exhaustion and die. At this time, I met you, kid. Though you're pathetically weak, I had no other choice! At least you have a spiritual attribute. So, I had no choice but to reluctantly fuse with you. Anyway, those bastards won't be able to get their hands on my most precious things."

Listening to Skydream Ice Silkworm's story, Huo Yuhao had already forgotten his fear, and he indignantly exclaimed, "They are too despicable, how could they do that? They actually imprisoned you for nearly ten thousand years."

With a shared hatred, Skydream Ice Silkworm responded, "Isn't that the case? Even though I look a bit cuter, a bit handsomer, and am a bit stronger, they shouldn't have treated me as food! Now it's all good, I finally got away without letting them take my body. Huo Yuhao, though you're a bit young and lacking in abilities, at least you're somewhat innocent. I'll just consider it a nurturing plan, and when you grow stronger, you must avenge me! They evolved by absorbing my soul power, right? Turn them all into Soul Rings and soul bones, humph!"

"Okay, when I grow up I'll definitely help you take revenge," Huo Yuhao agreed without hesitation. The relationship between human and beast grew quickly through this rather bizarre yet magical tale.

In fact, although Skydream Ice Silkworm had lived for a million years, the wisdom it had, despite not being inferior to humans, was still limited to only a few soul beasts. How could it know about the wickedness of human hearts? If it were humans in its situation, they definitely wouldn't reveal their stories so easily. Choosing Huo Yuhao, a child who was also a blank slate, was actually its fortune.

"Brother Heavenly Dream, I still don't quite understand something. You're so strong, and to become my Soul Ring you have to seal your own power, what's the deal with that? Can you still grant me soul skills?" Now that his fear was gone, Huo Yuhao's heart was filled with even more curiosity.

Skydream Ice Silkworm chuckled and said, "I naturally have a way. After pondering for so many years, I've already made proper arrangements. After the experience of bursting a human that one time, I understood that everything must prioritize your safety. I have no way out now. If you die, it means I'm finished too. My original soul power has been almost completely absorbed by the soul beasts of Xingdou Forest. Otherwise, even if I sealed my own power, you still wouldn't be able to bear it. What I've merged into you is more of my origin power and spiritual power. You see these ten light orbs? They are the ten-layered seals I set. From another angle, they can also be considered the power of your first Soul Ring that I'm granting you. It's just that you can't use it yet."

"That is to say, your first Soul Ring is on the level of a million-year Soul Ring, but it doesn't have the might of a million-year Soul Ring right now. However, as your cultivation progresses, the power I sealed inside you will gradually unseal, enhancing the power of your Soul Ring. It can even enhance the might of other Soul Rings you obtain in the future. After all, the power I've accumulated over a million years is too vast for you."

Huo Yuhao blinked and said, "I still don't quite understand."

Skydream Ice Silkworm replied impatiently, "Dummy. I'll put it in simpler terms: your body right now, with the first Soul Ring, can only bear the Soul Ring of a four-hundred-year soul beast. So the actual might of your first Soul Ring is four hundred years. When you make a breakthrough later and can bear the Soul Ring of a thousand-year soul beast, this first Soul Ring will become a thousand years. The might of your first Soul Ring improves as your body's capacity to bear it does. In other words, your first Soul Ring can evolve at any time, and even the other Soul Rings you obtain later will do the same. Of course, there's a limit to the evolutionary power I can grant you. The stronger the other Soul Rings you obtain, the more of my power you save. With the power I've sealed in you, you can have up to ten Soul Rings reaching the hundred-thousand-year level."

"Ah? That many? Don't we Soul Masters only have at most nine Soul Rings?" Huo Yuhao asked in surprise.

The Skydream Ice Silkworm snorted coldly, arrogantly saying, "That's for ordinary people. With Brother's fusion, you're no longer an ordinary person. A single Martial Soul can indeed only absorb nine Soul Rings. But you are no longer a single Martial Soul. Killing a hundred-thousand-year soul beast will inevitably grant you a soul bone and a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring with two soul skills. You should know this, right?"

Huo Yuhao nodded.

The Skydream Ice Silkworm continued, "As for a million-year Soul Ring, it is unprecedented, the very first Wisdom Soul Ring, so naturally it must be much stronger than them. The first Soul Ring that I have incarnated into can evolve infinitely according to the condition of your body, and it will even grant you four soul skills. However, I don't have a soul bone for you, but I can give you an additional Martial Soul."

Although Huo Yuhao had already guessed that the million-year Soul Ring would have a significant effect on him, he did not expect it to be so immense. A soul ring that could evolve indefinitely was already surprisingly delightful to him. But there was an even greater surprise to come. Four soul skills plus one Martial Soul, what did that mean?

The four soul skills, since they were all brought by the first soul ring, were undoubtedly going to evolve along with the evolution of the first Soul Ring. They were abilities that could be continuously used! And to add another Martial Soul was nothing short of a miracle. It was like transforming him - who only had the Spiritual Eyes Martial Soul - into a genius powerhouse with Twin Martial Souls. The additional Martial Soul could carry at least nine Soul Rings, which means nine more soul skills. How could such an enhancement compare with a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring? Although he was still very weak after receiving these boosts and needed to improve bit by bit, it undoubtedly opened a door to the heavens for him, giving Huo Yuhao, who was originally of mediocre aptitude, a future with unlimited possibilities.

"The Martial Soul I bestow upon you is ice, but it is currently soulless ice," said the Skydream Ice Silkworm, pulling Huo Yuhao back from his excitement.

"Soulless ice? What is that?" Huo Yuhao asked, puzzled.

The Skydream Ice Silkworm explained, "That is to say, the Martial Soul I bestow upon you currently has only the ice property, but no form. It will only take shape when you absorb your first ice property Soul Ring. Depending on which soul beast you absorb your Soul Ring from, that will determine what your second Martial Soul will be. In other words, your second Martial Soul will definitely be a Beast Martial Soul. You don't need to worry about this; I have already thought it out for you. But your current cultivation isn't sufficient. When you're stronger, I will take you to acquire the first Soul Ring of the ice property. Now you understand why I said the power I can augment your Soul Rings with is not enough. That's why you need to be extremely careful with your choices of Soul Rings in the future and listen to my advice."

"Okay," Huo Yuhao agreed excitedly, "What are my four soul skills, then?"

"That's something you need to comprehend on your own. The things you realize by yourself are always clearer than what I could tell you directly. But don't get too excited just yet. True, I have provided you with four soul skills, and they are all of a spiritual attribute. The power I've sealed within you is also quite tremendous. However, there are a few things you have to remember. First, the power I've sealed in you can only help you improve the age of your Soul Rings, that is, the power of your soul skills, when you reach the appropriate level of cultivation. It cannot help improve the Soul Power that you cultivate yourself. Second, the four soul skills I've given you are almost all auxiliary due to my own reasons; they don't have much offensive capability. So you are still very weak now, and you have a long way to go if you want to become strong. Understand?"

"I understand. Mom taught me that no one can reach the sky in one step, and only by working diligently and hard one step at a time do I stand a chance to rise above the common crowd. Brother Skydream, rest assured, I will definitely work hard."

"That's good. However, your aptitude is really somewhat lacking. Sigh... When the opportunity arises, we'll have to find some heavenly treasures for you to consume. Your Spiritual Eyes Martial Soul has mutated, and while it has potential, it has also caused some significant effects on the function of your body since your childhood. Your meridians are narrow and blocked, making cultivation somewhat difficult. Take it slowly; this is not something to be rushed. Oh, right, there's something else I must tell you."

"Do you see that grey sphere up there?"

Huo Yuhao replied, "I see it. Is that also your power?"

"No, I don't know what that is. It appeared suddenly when I fused with your body, seemingly attracted by my spiritual power. That grey sphere is a wisp of soul, and it seems not to belong to this world. I have no idea where it comes from. However, even though this wisp of soul is weak, its grade is extremely high, and I can do nothing about it. But I can sense that it has no malice. It seems to be in a deep slumber now. It might not awake in your lifetime, but there's also the possibility that it waking could bring some trouble. Don't worry, though. If it doesn't move, let it be; and if it ever does anything harmful to you, I can protect you with no problem."

"Alright, it's time for you to go out. Those two humans have been waiting patiently for you outside, and they mean no harm to you."

"Two humans?" Huo Yuhao was still surprised when suddenly everything in front of him blurred, and he felt as if he was being sucked into a massive vortex, plunging into darkness.

...

"Why hasn't he woken up yet!" Tang Ya slapped Huo Yuhao's face gently and looked at Bei Bei beside her with a questioning gaze.

Bei Bei smiled warmly and said, "His vital energy is very stable, his body's Soul Power is also normal and quite vigorous. If I'm not mistaken, this should be a sign that he just broke through as a Soul Scholar and entered the Soul Master level. His body needs to integrate this power and acclimate to the upgraded Soul Power, which naturally takes some time. Too bad, it's just a 10-year Wind Baboon."

Tang Ya snorted, saying, "What's there to pity? It's normal for the first Soul Ring to be weaker. It's already quite good that he was able to kill a Wind Baboon by himself."

Bei Bei chuckled and said, "To win a woman's heart, it indeed seems that one must first win over her stomach. Not to mention someone like you whose heart and stomach are connected."

Tang Ya's cheeks flushed slightly as she retorted, "Pish, it's you whose heart and stomach are connected. Don't forget your manners, and remember, I'm still your teacher."

Bei Bei did not refute, but simply looked at her with a gentle smile.

"Hmm..." A light hum came from Huo Yuhao's mouth as he slowly opened his bleary eyes.

"Little Yuhao, you've finally awakened, you had me worried to death," Tang Ya said, overjoyed at the sight of Huo Yuhao opening his eyes.

Huo Yuhao felt some confusion in his mind, settled his thoughts, and then became clear-headed. The memory of his previous conversation with the Skydream Ice Silkworm was vivid, and he couldn't help talking to himself unconsciously, "Am I really not dreaming?"

Tang Ya giggled, pinched his arm, and Huo Yuhao instantly winced with pain, "Sister Xiao Ya, what are you doing?"

Tang Ya smiled and said, "I'm helping you to check whether you are dreaming or not! How do you feel? More awake? You really are brave, daring to go to the Xingdou Forest alone."

Huo Yuhao felt a bit embarrassed as he scratched his head. After encountering the Wind Baboon, he really realized his own weakness and recklessness. However, he was soon driven out of his embarrassment by an urgent mood. He jumped up from the ground and stimulated the soul power within his body.

Suddenly, something that surprised Huo Yuhao immensely occurred.

The soul power in his body, which had reached a bottleneck, underwent a qualitative change, and even his physical strength seemed to have increased. Smooth soul power surged out, and the spirit eyes saw everything more clearly. Moreover, many instinctual imprints appeared in his mind—skills, indeed four skills! Brother Heavenly Dream really did exist, and I wasn't dreaming; all of this is real, I actually obtained a million-year Soul Ring!

Only at this moment did Huo Yuhao dare to believe that everything that had happened was real. Joy gushed from his heart uncontrollably, and he couldn't help shouting, "I've succeeded——"

Bei Bei and Tang Ya saw a luminous white Soul Ring rise from under Huo Yuhao's feet, slowly ascending, reaching his head, and then pulsing gently downwards. It was the first soul ring.

Bei Bei subconsciously thought, as expected, a 10-year soul ring. But he was slightly puzzled why the white color of Huo Yuhao's 10-year Soul Ring looked crystal clear and slightly different from a regular 10-year Soul Ring. Could it be because the Wind Baboon had a higher cultivation? Little did he know that a million-year Soul Ring was also white.

Not only had the Soul Ring changed, but Huo Yuhao's eyes had changed as well. A pale golden luster appeared over his deep blue eyes, and both Bei Bei and Tang Ya could feel the fluctuations of soul power in his eyes and a spiritual fluctuation that caused them to be momentarily dazed.

The immense spiritual power emitted by the Skydream Ice Silkworm had temporarily rendered them incapable of thought, but given the vast difference in strength between them and the Skydream Ice Silkworm, they hadn't noticed. But right now, with Huo Yuhao so close, the spiritual fluctuation emanating from his eyes took them by surprise.

"A spiritual martial soul? And one that's merged with the Wind Baboon as the first soul ring?" The usually calm Bei Bei couldn't help his expression change. According to the soul master theory he knew, this seemed impossible! Yet, the reality was right before his eyes.

The pale golden light quickly disappeared from Huo Yuhao's eyes, and he too came back to his senses, excitedly jumping, "Success, I really succeeded, I am a Soul Master now."

Bei Bei and Tang Ya exchanged glances, both able to see the shock in the other's eyes. Tang Ya couldn't help but ask, "Little Yuhao, is your Martial Soul of the spiritual attribute? I just felt a strong spiritual fluctuation."

Huo Yuhao then realized and said somewhat sheepishly, "Yes! My Martial Soul is Spiritual Eyes. A kind of mutant Martial Soul, with a spiritual attribute."

Tang Ya's eyes lit up, "Spiritual Eyes? A self martial soul? Nice."

Bei Bei also realized something and nodded, "I really didn't expect it. It's a pity we were a step too late. Otherwise, we should have helped Little Brother Huo find a better soul beast to merge with."

Huo Yuhao had by now recovered from his excitement. Although he was young, his early experiences had made him somewhat wary, and he immediately guessed that Bei Bei and Tang Ya must have taken the first Soul Ring he had just absorbed for the Wind Baboon. While he didn't understand why a million-year Soul Ring was also white, it was undoubtedly the best cover he could have at the moment, and naturally, he wasn't going to explain anything.

"Big Brother Bei, Sister Xiao Ya, did you come after me? Is there something wrong?" Huo Yuhao tested.

Tang Ya said with a pout, "Originally, we only guessed that you were planning to enter Xingdou Forest by yourself. Unexpectedly, it was true; you're too daring. Don't you know that Xingdou Forest is known as the Human Forbidden Area? Even some soul masters with extremely high cultivation don't dare to go deep inside. Little guys like you need to be accompanied by a teacher to move around near the Xingdou Forest. We came after you to protect you, you know. Both Bei Bei and I are Soul Masters. But you're really lucky; although your first Soul Ring isn't very strong, at least you haven't been hurt."

Hearing her words, a deep warmth surged in Huo Yuhao's young heart. He was young, but he had seen much of the coldness of the world. He could see the sincerity in Tang Ya's eyes when she spoke, and he knew it wasn't feigned.

"Sister Tang Ya, I..." Huo Yuhao almost blurted out something about the Skydream Ice Silkworm in a moment of impulsiveness. But just then, a cough echoed in his mind, and a burst of cool air hit him, causing him to swallow the rest of his sentence.

Tang Ya chuckled and said, "Look at how silly you are. Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Little Yuhao, now that you've obtained a Soul Ring, what are your plans next?"

Huo Yuhao was taken aback by her question. Indeed, what were his plans? Before arriving at the Xingdou Forest, his persistent goal had always been to become a Soul Master and acquire his very own first Soul Ring. The difference between a Soul Master and a Soul Scholar was like heaven and earth! Becoming a Soul Master meant stepping through a new doorway, after which the world would be full of endless possibilities. But in truth, he hadn't given much thought to what would come next. After all, he was only eleven years old and this was his first time away from home.

Seeing the look of bewilderment in his eyes, Tang Ya secretly rejoiced and made a signal to Bei Bei.

Bei Bei nodded at her and asked, "Little Brother Huo, do you have any family left?"

Huo Yuhao's gaze momentarily stiffened, then he resolutely shook his head, "There's no one left, just me on my own."

Tang Ya was overjoyed and blurted out, "That's really wonderful."

Huo Yuhao was stunned, while Bei Bei looked speechless, gently knocking on Tang Ya's head, "What are you talking about?"

Tang Ya realized her lapse and glared at Bei Bei, "I didn't mean it that way. Little Yuhao, since you don't have any particular plans, why not join our sect?"

"Sect?" Huo Yuhao had heard about sects during his time in the Duke's Mansion. In the Douluo Continent, sects wielded great power, especially the soul master sects with a long history. In some ways, the Duke's Mansion itself could be considered a grand sect.

Tang Ya nodded seriously and said, "Yes, a sect. Our sect was once the number one on the continent. You won't regret joining us. Moreover, the Tang Sect ultimate techniques are very suitable for your cultivation. You're all alone at such a young age. By joining the sect, everyone can take care of each other, which is better than you adventuring out alone. After all, luck won't always be with you, and what if something happens during your private endeavors?"

Huo Yuhao subconsciously asked, "Sister Tang Ya, what's the name of your sect?"

Tang Ya solemnly answered, "Tang Sect. It was once the foremost sect on the continent."

Upon hearing the words 'Tang Sect,' Huo Yuhao's body involuntarily shuddered. Although the Tang Sect was in decline, its status in the history of the Douluo Continent was unrivalled by any other sect.

When he was very young, his mother used to tell him legends about the Tang Sect. Founded ten thousand years ago, the Tang Sect was one of the oldest sects in history. Legend has it that the first Sect Master of Tang Sect, Tang San, had changed the entire continent's landscape and laid the foundation for the future development of soul masters. Back then, the Tang Sect was indeed the undisputed number one sect on the continent. Moreover, according to legends, Tang San even broke through the highest realm of a Soul Master, becoming a Titled Douluo and achieving an existence on another level, immortal ever after. But no one knew what ultimately became of him.

Thousands of years have passed, and the legend of Tang Sect continues, but the sect itself has faded from the historical stage, with few knowing of its remaining descendants. Even some of the legends of the Tang Sect were no longer detailed. Yet, some say if it were not for Tang San's groundwork laid for the soul masters of the Douluo Continent ten thousand years ago, the continent might not have triumphed over the powerhouses of Sun Moon Land when it collided four thousand years ago, resulting in the unification of the two continents.

"Little Brother Huo, have you heard of Tang Sect?" Bei Bei asked.

Huo Yuhao nodded, "I've heard some legends about the Tang Sect. But I just didn't know where it was located."

Tang Ya's eyes suddenly reddened, "The Tang Sect doesn't have a mansion anymore, our foundation was taken from us. Currently, there's only me and Bei Bei left in the sect. I am the current Sect Master, and Bei Bei is my founding disciple."

"What?" Huo Yuhao was surprised as he looked at them. Judging by age, Tang Ya wasn't much older than Bei Bei, and from their conversation, it was impossible to tell that they were actually a master and disciple pair.

Bei Bei cleared his throat and said, "You see the situation, Little Brother Huo. Now, Tang Sect is just me and Xiao Ya. But we will definitely work hard to restore the Tang Sect's glory. If you are willing, you are welcome to join. There's one thing Tang Ya didn't get wrong—there is a technique in the Tang Sect that would be very suitable for your cultivation. It will greatly benefit your future development."

After hesitating for a moment, Huo Yuhao asked, "What would I have to do after joining the Tang Sect?"

Tang Ya answered, "You need to continuously increase your cultivation and become stronger. When the sect needs it, you need to contribute. I won't boast or deceive you; our Tang Sect has indeed declined, but the cultivation techniques are still there. Additionally, Tang Sect was once the number one sect on the continent, and it still has certain privileges. You've probably heard of Shrek Academy, the number one academy on the continent. Shrek Academy has a very strict admission policy for students. However, they are willing to grant our Tang Sect one exemption slot each year. Bei Bei and I have already joined Shrek Academy. This year there happens to be one slot available, and if you're willing to join our Tang Sect, it will be yours. As for whether you can stay at Shrek Academy, it will depend on your own hard work. That's all I can offer you, but, Little Yuhao, I have one request—if you join Tang Sect, you are to be with Tang Sect for life. If one day you decide to leave, you will have to return all of the Tang Sect's ultimate techniques."

Tang Sect, Tang Sect. Huo Yuhao's eyes gradually brightened, and he looked earnestly at Tang Ya, "Sister Tang Ya, I promise you, I am willing to join the Tang Sect."