Chapter 67: Waiting
At the outskirts of the Great Star Dou Forest, the afternoon sun filtered through layer upon layer of overlapping leaves, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across the forest clearing. Huo Yuhao followed behind Furina, his face a picture of bewilderment.
Their original plan had been to head directly to Shrek Academy to register, yet here they were, halted at the edge of this dense, sprawling forest. Huo Yuhao swept his gaze around. They were still a considerable distance from the Great Star Dou Forest's core region—this didn't even qualify as the middle perimeter. What was even stranger was that they had deliberately taken a long detour just to get here.
"Sister Furina, why have we come to the Great Star Dou Forest?" Huo Yuhao finally couldn't hold back his question. "Weren't we supposed to go straight to Shrek Academy?"
Furina turned around, a mysterious smile curving at the corner of her lips. "Shrek can wait. Before that—we're waiting for someone."
"Waiting for someone? Is it a member of our church? Or an old acquaintance of yours?" Huo Yuhao grew even more puzzled.
"Well..." Furina raised her index finger to her lips in a gesture of secrecy. "I can't tell you just yet. But you'll find out soon enough. And remember—keep it a secret."
Huo Yuhao nodded obediently. "Rest assured. I won't breathe a word."
"After walking all this way, I'm starving." Furina clapped her hands together and proposed with eager enthusiasm, "Let's catch some fish and Soft-Boned Rabbits and roast them!"
The suggestion was immediately seconded by Huo Yuhao. To repay Furina's kindness with his own culinary skill was, to him, the best way to express his gratitude. Ever since Furina had pulled him out of that dark corner and given him a brand-new life and hope, this debt had never once faded from his heart.
"Alright! I'll go prepare right away." A keen, eager light flickered in Huo Yuhao's eyes.
Furina smiled and summoned her second martial soul. The three members of the Salon Solitaire materialized with quiet elegance.
"Would you all mind catching a few Soft-Boned Rabbits for us?" Furina instructed.
The three members acknowledged the order and swiftly dispersed, their figures slipping into the forest with nimble, practiced ease. Watching their departing silhouettes, Huo Yuhao said, "Then I'll go catch some fish from the river."
With his Spirit Eyes martial soul, catching fish was child's play for Huo Yuhao. Even without activating his soul skills, his extraordinary vision and reaction speed allowed him to effortlessly snatch plump, fresh fish from the crystal-clear stream.
Before long, the three members of the Salon Solitaire returned bearing several plump, tender Soft-Boned Rabbits, and Huo Yuhao reappeared in the clearing with seven or eight cleaned fish strung on a grass rope.
Huo Yuhao brought out the White Tiger Dagger he always carried and began preparing the ingredients with practiced, masterful technique. The blade danced and spun in his hands, scales and fur cleaned away with immaculate precision. The entire process flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water, drawing repeated nods of approval from Furina.
At the same time, Furina exchanged for an exquisitely crafted lighter from the system shop, easily sparked the campfire to life, and then retrieved a professional grill rack from her storage ring. These convenient tools never failed to fascinate Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao sprinkled his specially prepared blend of spices evenly over the dressed fish and rabbit meat, then carefully arranged them on the grill. Before long, an intoxicating aroma began to drift through the forest. Fat dripped onto the glowing charcoal with a mouthwatering sizzle that set the appetite ablaze.
Just as the grilled food was about to reach perfect doneness, Huo Yuhao suddenly lifted his head in alert. His Spirit Eyes martial soul quietly activated. Through his first soul skill, Spiritual Detection, he clearly perceived a young man and a young woman approaching. Both appeared to be around Furina's age, and their bearing carried an air of uncommon refinement.
"Sister Furina, people are coming," Huo Yuhao said in a lowered voice.
A glint of anticipation flashed through Furina's eyes. "How many?"
"A man and a woman. About your age, I'd say."
"The time has come," Furina murmured softly to herself, a meaningful smile rising to her lips.
"Are they the ones you've been waiting for?" Huo Yuhao asked curiously.
Furina didn't answer directly. She merely smiled, enigmatic and knowing. "The one I mainly want to meet is the young lady."
In less than a minute, light footsteps rustled through the forest, followed by a young woman's delighted, surprised cry:
"It smells amazing!"
Finally, they're here, Furina rejoiced inwardly.
Emerging from the forest were none other than Tang Ya and Bei Bei of the Tang Sect. Tang Ya was dressed in purple, lively and spirited; Bei Bei wore blue, refined and gentle. The two walked side by side—the very picture of a perfectly matched pair.
Furina quietly mused to herself: Since I've already decided to recruit Tang San's daughter to my side and stage a grand drama of 'fatherly love and filial devotion,' conflict with that God King is inevitable sooner or later. In that case—why not take everything he once possessed into my own hands?
Not only will I recruit his daughter, I'll absorb the very Tang Sect he left behind as well. And I happen to hold the complete, unabridged version of the Mysterious Heaven Technique. This is the perfect chance to expose the truth behind that 'Lord Tang Buddha's' glorious image.
Tang Ya, who had been at the front, had already bounded over to Huo Yuhao in a few quick steps. Her beautiful eyes fixed on the golden, glistening grilled fish and rabbit meat on the rack, and she couldn't help swallowing hard. "Little brother—and this young lady—are your grilled fish for sale? They smell absolutely incredible! How on earth did you make them?!"
Had this been the bashful, inexperienced Huo Yuhao of the original story, he would have blushed crimson on the spot. But the Huo Yuhao of today had matured considerably through his time in the Church of the Water God. Moreover, he'd long since grown accustomed to the company of beauties like Ye Guyi. Faced with Tang Ya's exuberance, he only smiled with easy composure.
"Since fate has brought us together, why not share the meal?" Huo Yuhao deftly picked up a skewer of perfectly roasted fish and handed it to Tang Ya. "There's plenty more."
Tang Ya accepted the grilled fish with delight and a stream of thanks. Without a thought for appearances, she plopped down right there, blowing gently on the steaming fish between eager, impatient bites, all the while mumbling, "So hot... but so good!"
Bei Bei shook his head in fond exasperation and offered a polite, well-mannered greeting to Huo Yuhao and Furina. "Do forgive Xiao Ya's impropriety. You two haven't even had a chance to eat yet."
"What did you just call me?" Tang Ya's head snapped up, her beautiful eyes rounding as she glared at Bei Bei in mock anger.
Bei Bei immediately raised both hands in surrender. "Alright, alright—Teacher Xiao Ya. Is that better?"
Only then did Tang Ya give him a satisfied roll of her eyes. "That's more like it. Know your place." Young as she was, that casual glance carried a hint of captivating charm, and Bei Bei found himself momentarily dazed.
Huo Yuhao, however, had long since built up an immunity to such things. And as for Furina, she paid these little details no mind whatsoever.
Huo Yuhao picked up another skewer of grilled fish and offered it to Bei Bei. "Please, help yourself."
Bei Bei accepted the grilled fish and gave warm thanks. Huo Yuhao waved a hand, signaling there was no need for such formality.
"Indeed—all who come are guests. Why stand on ceremony?" Furina added with a warm smile, though her gaze lingered on Tang Ya, tinged with deeper meaning.
Bei Bei tasted a bite of the grilled fish with refined elegance, a flash of stunned admiration crossing his eyes. Then, with gentle courtesy, he introduced himself. "I am Bei Bei. This is Tang Ya. Might I ask how to address the two of you?"
At that moment, a profoundly meaningful smile curved at the corner of Furina's lips.
The true show was only just beginning.