The following morning.
Accustomed to waking up early, Huo Yuhao stared blankly at his hands. The pillow beside him was already empty, leaving behind a faint fragrance and a few strands of blue-gold hair.
Huo Yuhao gave a bitter laugh. Was this her way of "paying rent"?
Waking up this morning, he discovered he had reached Rank 38...
That's right—just by sleeping next to Long Qiu'er for one night, he had leveled up again.
Then again, considering that the entire Star Constellation Great Forest had received a cultivation boost because of the Auspicious Beast, with hundred-year soul beasts leaping straight to the thousand-year level, his own progress wasn't exactly outrageous.
Though he knew he shouldn't let his imagination run wild, he couldn't help but wonder: if he had actually lost control of his primal instincts last night, wouldn't he have...
Huo Yuhao quickly shook his head. He was already satisfied with his leveling speed; at 11 years old, Rank 38 was fast enough, not to mention his actual combat power far exceeded what that rank suggested.
Suppressing the lingering feelings in his heart, Huo Yuhao hurriedly got up to wash, then pushed open his bedroom door and headed to the dining room.
His mother always woke up early and was already in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Long Qiu'er had already changed her clothes and was waiting in the dining room.
"Morning, Miss Qiu'er."
Long Qiu'er nodded slightly toward Huo Yuhao, her expression as calm as usual. "Morning."
However, Huo Yuhao felt that Long Qiu'er's voice was just a tiny bit gentler than usual.
Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao also got up one after another and arrived at the dining room. This breakfast was much more peaceful; at least Huo Yuhao didn't get his foot stomped on like he did the previous night.
As the local "land snake," Huo Yuhao naturally took on the role of guide, taking the three girls to sightsee in Star Net City.
Walking along the wide avenues, looking at the dazzling array of shops and the bustling crowds, Ma Xiaotao praised, "Aside from that inexplicable city wall, I have to say, Star Net City's urban planning is quite reasonable."
Zhang Lexuan shrugged. "It's not just the urban planning; the Star Net Empire is also the country with the fewest Inspection Division missions."
"Speaking of which, that fellow Dai Yueheng should be at the Star Net National Academy right now, shouldn't he? With his ability, it shouldn't be hard for him to snag the position of captain."
Along the way, they chatted idly. It was mostly Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao talking while Long Qiu'er and Huo Yuhao listened, occasionally chiming in.
Huo Yuhao just didn't understand why girls, while wandering around, would eventually end up in a clothing store...
Even the habitually cold Long Qiu'er showed quite a bit of interest when trying on clothes, even intimately dragging Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan along to change together.
They say the most exhausting thing in the world is accompanying girls while they shop. After following them through two clothing stores, the first thing Huo Yuhao did upon entering the third was find a place to sit, watching them change clothes with a dead-fish expression.
They also picked out a few outfits for Huo Yuhao. But he really couldn't muster any interest in buying clothes; usually, Huo Yun'er bought them for him, and he wore whatever she bought. This was likely the same for men regardless of their age.
After returning home in the evening, they didn't cultivate. Instead, they bought groceries and cooked together. Naturally, Huo Yuhao and Huo Yun'er were the head chefs, while the others helped as kitchen assistants.
They couldn't buy clothes every day, so the next day they wandered around nearby scenic spots or went rowing on Star Lake.
Soon, a month was about to pass. These days of complete relaxation were deeply enjoyed by everyone. Especially for Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao; ever since they started cultivating, they had practically wished they could use every second for meditation. This sensation of total relaxation was a first for them.
Particularly for Zhang Lexuan, she felt she had laughed more during this month than in all the time since she began her cultivation. She made up her mind to suggest to the academy's upper management that student vacations be extended upon her return.
However, the two of them couldn't stay at Huo Yuhao's place forever and were soon recalled to the academy by the higher-ups.
After Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao left Star Net City, Huo Yuhao and Long Qiu'er, having finally gained some time alone, weren't in the mood for a "world for two."
They were soul masters, after all, and gaining power through cultivation was the priority.
To the current Huo Yuhao, his rank wasn't the most important thing; he was more interested in improving his swordsmanship through sparring matches with Long Qiu'er.
As a Quasi-God tool, the Elucidator was undoubtedly of supreme quality. Unfortunately, Huo Yuhao had absolutely no experience fighting with a sword. In Long Qiu'er's eyes, him swinging it around was no different from someone flailing a fire poker.
As for how to improve swordsmanship? It was simple: combat.
Once the two entered the cultivation secret realm in the Huo family's backyard, Long Qiu'er held the Golden Dragon Spear while Huo Yuhao held the Elucidator, both already in position.
By tacit agreement, neither used their martial soul, sticking to pure combat practice.
They charged simultaneously, feet kicking off the ground. Black sword light and the golden spear tip collided repeatedly. Their movement speeds grew faster and faster, until they were almost nothing but afterimages.
Gold and black clashed incessantly, sending ripple-like shockwaves that tore at the ground.
The more they fought, the more Long Qiu'er felt that Huo Yuhao's talent was terrifying.
It went without saying for Long Qiu'er; she had learned combat techniques and experience from the Ferocious Beasts since she was young. The spear was also a relatively easy weapon to pick up. Combined with her Spirit Domain Realm mental power, she was at least at the Spear Soul realm.
But for a beginner like Huo Yuhao to be able to stalemate her after only half a month of practice, and to be able to block the majority of her attacks—that was truly worthy of praise.
Huo Yuhao didn't actually intend to become a dedicated swordsman; he only practiced because he felt it would be a waste of a Quasi-God tool not to use it. He hadn't expected to be so naturally gifted.
Finally, Huo Yuhao saw a rare opening. The Elucidator slashed down vertically, striking perfectly in the center of the Golden Dragon Spear in Long Qiu'er's hands.
In a real life-or-death struggle, Huo Yuhao would have used his free left hand to land a blow. Long Qiu'er clearly wasn't going to give him that chance. She pushed hard against the spear shaft with both hands—Bang!—and the two were blown apart by the impact, creating distance between them.
"Not bad. Your swordsmanship has at least reached the entry level now."
Huo Yuhao leaned over with his hands on his knees, panting heavily. Compared to the composed Long Qiu'er, he was significantly more exhausted.
Recalling the fight, Huo Yuhao shook his head. "Still not good enough. I had way too many redundant movements just now."
Retracting the Golden Dragon Spear, Long Qiu'er walked over to pull him up. "There's no need to rush; just take it slow. Actually, compared to using a sword, don't you prefer using your fists?"
Huo Yuhao returned the Elucidator to its sheath.
"...True. But in combat, at the end of the day, someone who just wants to stay alive will use whatever is at hand. Having a weapon you know how to use is naturally better."
"Speaking of which..." Huo Yuhao suddenly thought of something. "Are there any master swordsmen among the Ferocious Beasts?"
Long Qiu'er tilted her head. "A soul beast's greatest weapons are their strong bodies. Generally speaking, only Ferocious Beasts who can take human form would use weapons."
"Among the soul beasts I know, only Di Tian and the Snow Emperor are skilled with swords. As for the Bear Lord or the Scarlet King..." At this point, Long Qiu'er's expression stiffened, and she didn't continue.
Most Ferocious Beasts were "stat monsters" who relied on brute force; few actually bothered to study soul skills... especially the Bear Lord. That guy was pure strength with zero technique.
Huo Yuhao looked thoughtful. "The Snow Emperor, huh..."
He had heard of her—the head of the Three Heavens of the Extreme North. She was said to be a King of Ferocious Beasts far stronger than the Ice Emperor whom Skydream Ice Silkworm had planned for him.
"I say, kid, you're not actually setting your sights on the Snow Emperor, are you? I suggest you give up on that unrealistic plan."
Skydream's voice rang out inside Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness. "The Snow Emperor's temper is even worse than the Ice Emperor's. She is the true ruler of the Extreme North. Getting her to like you is fundamentally impossible."
"...Wait, Brother Skydream, what kind of nonsense are you talking about?" Huo Yuhao was speechless. "I was trying to say that if we want to spread the soul spirit system in the Extreme North, we would definitely need the approval of the ruler of the north."
Skydream shook his fat body. "You're overthinking it. The Snow Emperor's hostility toward humans is even higher than the Ice Emperor's. I reckon you'd be swatted into crushed ice the moment you saw her. However, I suspect her situation is similar to the Ice Emperor's—she's likely approaching her deadline, perhaps even more dangerously so."
"As for making her your soul spirit... just keep that as a thought. It's not very realistic."