Chapter 192: The Title Got Eaten
After completing the evaluation, as expected, Furina also received a Red Card. She could take one item for free, at any price, without spending a single coin.
She spun the card between her fingertips, the corner of her mouth curving upward.
"Not bad. Now let me think about what to pick."
At this Appreciation Fair, the highest-priced item was the Golden Light Left Arm Soul Bone that Wang Dong had taken a liking to—9,500,000 Gold Soul Coins. The next most expensive was the Class 7 soul tool blueprint she had glimpsed earlier, priced at 2,800,000 Gold Soul Coins.
That price, placed here, was indeed frightening enough—already equivalent to a fine ten-thousand-year soul bone.
She had originally also taken a liking to another ten-thousand-year soul bone, but when she went to inquire, it had already been purchased by someone else. Fine—saved her the trouble of deliberating.
Then this blueprint it would be.
Furina's calculations were clear in her mind: taking this blueprint back would be an absolute huge deal for the Water God Church's Soul Tool Division. When it came to training soul engineers, talent alone wasn't enough. No matter how high one's talent, without enough blueprints to feed on, one's horizons simply couldn't be broadened.
It was written very clearly in the second part—many Class 7 soul engineers might only be able to design a single Class 7 soul tool their entire lives. But for those lower-level soul engineers, looking at more high-level blueprints made a world of difference in their growth speed.
So this thing was worth it.
"This one it is."
Furina put away the blueprint and turned to leave. The Appreciation Fair was just about wrapping up anyway.
As for owing Shrek a favor, she didn't take that matter to heart at all. She would certainly repay the favor, but thinking they could use this to bind her to Shrek's war chariot? Don't even dream of it.
Stepping out of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, the night wind greeted her face, chilly and brisk.
Furina looked up at the color of the sky, then glanced in the direction of Shrek City.
According to the development in the original story, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong should be running into trouble soon. One Soul Emperor, five Soul Kings—that kid Dai Huabin really was willing to spend such a hefty sum.
Still, she wasn't too worried.
Huo Yuhao's current spiritual power was outrageously strong, and he carried a bunch of soul tools for self-preservation on him. Coupled with the few Nut Cakes she had given him, surviving an ambush of this level shouldn't be much of a problem.
Consider it a training exercise for him.
As for whether Dai Huabin would actually send people...
Furina figured that, given that kid's pettiness, it was nine out of ten.
Beaten once by Huo Yuhao in the freshman assessment, beaten again in the advancement assessment—anyone would hold a grudge. Not to mention Dai Huabin was a young master raised being fawned over since childhood. How could he tolerate this?
Send people to off Huo Yuhao, finish it once and for all. That was indeed something he was capable of doing.
"Fine. Be careful out there."
Furina withdrew her gaze, turned, and walked in another direction.
...
On the other side, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had already left Shrek City.
Their steps were brisk, their moods quite good.
"Tonight, you go back and fuse with that piece of Golden Dragon first," Wang Dong waved a fist, brimming with spirited energy. "Tomorrow, after I get the soul bone, you help me guard while I absorb it. With this thing, even if I go head-to-head with that guy Dai Huabin, I can win for sure!"
Watching his triumphant expression, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but laugh.
"Though it still doesn't compare to your third soul skill," Wang Dong said, then suddenly shuddered. "That thing is seriously too twisted..."
He still remembered the first time they clashed with Huo Yuhao—the things he saw after being hit by that skill were far too terrifying, practically on par with the methods of an evil soul master.
But he knew in his heart that Huo Yuhao could not possibly be an evil soul master. Absolutely impossible.
Huo Yuhao was just about to speak when Tianmeng's voice suddenly rang out in his mind: "Yuhao, there's killing intent. It's aimed at you."
Huo Yuhao's steps didn't falter, and the smile on his face didn't change. Only his heart instantly tensed with vigilance.
"How many?"
"Six. One Soul Emperor, five Soul Kings." Tianmeng paused. "But they're far inferior to those guys from the Shrek Inner Court. Still, with your current strength, plus that little girl, it'll be a struggle."
"Understood."
Without making any noticeable move, Huo Yuhao activated Spiritual Detection Sharing.
Wang Dong paused for a moment, then immediately understood. He didn't make a sound, merely glancing sideways at Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao's spiritual power quickly spread out and locked onto the figures lying in ambush up ahead.
He reached out and grasped Wang Dong's hand—that hand, even softer and more slender than a girl's. The Hao Dong Power instantly began circulating through both their bodies, connecting them into one.
Huo Yuhao lowered his voice and spoke rapidly: "There's an ambush ahead. This place is farther from the academy than it is from Shrek City. When I count to three, we turn and run toward Shrek City with everything we've got. Understood?"
Wang Dong nodded: "Mm. Who could have sent them?"
"Don't know. But they're definitely not good people." As Huo Yuhao walked, he counted quietly under his breath, "One... two..."
"Three!"
Huo Yuhao suddenly hurled a smoke bomb. The smoke exploded in an instant, blocking the view from behind. With a low roar, he scooped up Wang Dong, turned, and fled!
The Class 3 soul-conduction thruster on his back activated instantly. A thrusting force propelled them from behind, and in the blink of an eye, the two had shot nearly a kilometer away. After covering some distance, Huo Yuhao shut off the thruster and set Wang Dong down.
Wang Dong immediately activated his Goddess of Light Butterfly martial soul and carried Huo Yuhao, continuing to fly toward Shrek City.
Huo Yuhao glanced back, his spiritual power locked onto those six pursuing figures.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"Let's try my third soul skill—Demon Eye!"
A colossal eye suddenly opened in the sky, and a terrifying spiritual pressure instantly descended upon the six men.
The faces of the six ambushers changed color in unison. Their footsteps came to an abrupt halt, their eyes filled with terror.
Huo Yuhao silently estimated the effect in his mind—decent enough. It could hold them for a few seconds.
In his mind, Tianmeng gloated smugly: "Of course! Don't you see how monstrous your spiritual power has become now? The techniques that Furina girl gave you, plus your spirit-type martial soul, plus Brother and Elder Yi's assistance... tsk tsk tsk. By the time you reach rank 40, you might be able to outright crush an average Titled Douluo."
"Then by the time I reach Titled Douluo, won't I be able to touch the edge of godhood?" Huo Yuhao joked.
"Heh, I can't say for sure about that." Tianmeng's tone carried a hint of giving up. "Brother's never become a god before—how would I know where the threshold of godhood lies?"
Electrolux's voice cut in steadily: "The realm of gods... to reach that level requires a body strong enough to bear it. Don't rush. Take it step by step."
"Mm."
Huo Yuhao acknowledged, then raised his hand and fired a signal flare into the sky.
A mass of red light exploded in the night sky, exceptionally conspicuous.
Shrek City was right next to Shrek Academy. The academy would absolutely not tolerate anyone hunting down their students on their own turf. The moment they saw the signal, they would certainly send people to investigate.
By then, even if those men behind them broke free from the Demon Eye's effects, it would be too late.
Wang Dong looked at him sideways, his eyes sparkling brightly: "Yuhao, you're just too incredible!"
The corner of Huo Yuhao's mouth curled upward, and he replied offhandedly, "Not bad, not bad, third in the world."
"Tch! Keep bragging!"
"Alright, alright, don't let your guard down." Huo Yuhao's smile faded. "Until we fly back into Shrek City, we can't relax for even a moment."
Wang Dong nodded. The smile on his face receded, and he looked ahead seriously.
The night wind howled past their ears, and the outline of Shrek City gradually grew clearer.
In the distance, the signal flare still burned in the night sky, like a red star.
And behind them, those six ambushers finally broke free from the Demon Eye's illusion, but could only watch helplessly as those two figures flew farther and farther away, disappearing into the lantern light of the city gates.
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Thanks for reading the chapter!
I started a new translation and I would be very happy if you decided to check out my new translation for a rather rare fandom. It's a crossover based on Mondaiji (Problem Children Are Coming from Another World, Aren't They?)
This story has a somewhat similar style to my other translation for this fandom (same author, after all), but it's completely different from any other fanfic I've come across for this fandom! It's set thousands of years before the original novel/anime, and the MC literally plays a part in shaping the backstory of this world. I really enjoyed it—hope you will too!
Mondaiji: I Really Didn't Want to Become God https://www.webnovel.com/book/36945944200410205