Rustle!
The distinct sound of swaying vegetation and rustling leaves suddenly echoed from the dense forest just a short distance ahead. This noise broke the brief silence that had settled over the clearing following the instant kill of the Wind Baboon.
Wu Ming and his son, Wu Yang, felt their recently relaxed nerves tighten once more. They instinctively shrank behind Huo Yuhao, casting nervous glances toward the thick bushes where the suspicious sound originated.
Huo Yuhao's gaze locked onto that direction instantly, yet he did not make a move to attack. As the sound reached them, his mental force had already spread out like invisible ripples on a pond.
He had already clearly sensed that the newcomers were not Spirit Beasts, but two human Spirit Masters.
Sure enough, a moment later, the bushes were pushed aside and two swift figures emerged from the greenery. The newcomers were two youths who appeared to be no more than 12 or 13 years old.
The girl had a beautiful oval face, fair skin, and a pair of large, bright eyes. Her long black hair was tied into a neat ponytail that swayed gently as she moved, giving her a clean and energetic appearance.
The boy beside her possessed striking short blue hair. His features were handsome and stable; despite his young age, his brow lacked any childish flightiness. He carried a scholarly air that gave a first impression of being elegant and gentle.
Seeing that it was only two children, Wu Ming and Wu Yang let out a small sigh of relief.
However, the vigilance in Huo Yuhao's heart did not fade. He recalled the lessons of his teachers. In the Spirit Ascension Platform, meeting other Spirit Masters was not always a good thing. Competition and sneak attacks for profit were common occurrences.
While this was the real Star Dou Great Forest and not a virtual simulation, the danger was just as high. It was always better to remain cautious.
The young girl's gaze swept over the corpse of the Wind Baboon, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. Then, she looked at Huo Yuhao.
"Little brother, you are quite impressive. Did you really take down a 10 Year Spirit Beast so easily?"
Huo Yuhao did not answer her. His gaze scanned back and forth between Bei Bei and Tang Ya as his Spirit Eyes operated quietly.
This girl's spirit power was around Rank 20. She was likely in the forest to find a spirit ring. Meanwhile, the blue-haired boy was much stronger, with spirit power around Rank 26 or 27. At his age, he was an outstanding talent.
Seeing Huo Yuhao's wary expression, the girl took a step forward and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Please don't worry, we don't mean any harm. We just heard a Spirit Beast nearby and came to check the situation."
When Huo Yuhao remained silent, the boy spoke up.
"We are students from Shrek Academy. My name is Bei Bei, and this is Tang Ya."
Hearing the name Shrek Academy, the eyes of Wu Ming and Wu Yang widened in shock. To ordinary people, Shrek Academy was the number one academy on the continent and a Holy Land for Spirit Masters.
The two children before them were actually students of that legendary school. In the eyes of the father and son, these were the favored children of heaven. Their previous fear was instantly replaced by pure admiration. Wu Yang even looked at them with a hint of worship.
Huo Yuhao, however, only showed a slight flicker in his eyes before regaining his calm. He respected Shrek's history, but he did not feel the instinctive shock that others did.
He was no longer the ignorant Dai Yuhao from his past life. In the world 10,000 years in the future, the Spirit Pagoda sat right next to Shrek Academy. His teacher, Leng Yaozhu, had taken him there many times. To him, it was just a school, not an unreachable legend.
Given their age, their cultivation was excellent, but not impossible. As he thought, Huo Yuhao's mental force spread out further like an invisible spiderweb. There were no other spirit power fluctuations nearby. It seemed they were truly alone. This made him feel a bit more at ease.
The vigilance on Huo Yuhao's face faded, replaced by a faint, polite smile.
"My name is Huo Yuhao. In two years, I plan to apply to Shrek Academy myself. When that time comes, I might have to call you senior brother and senior sister."
Bei Bei subtly moved to shield Tang Ya. Although he smiled, his heart remained on guard. This boy, who looked only 8 or 9 years old, felt unfathomable. He instinctively felt a sense of danger. His intuition was rarely wrong.
"With strength like yours, enrolling shouldn't be hard."
His tone was steady, but he kept his eyes on the boy. Tang Ya, however, couldn't hide her curiosity. She peeked out from behind Bei Bei's shoulder and spoke with a crisp voice.
"Little brother Yuhao, would you consider joining our Tang Sect? We were once the number one sect on the continent!"
Bei Bei turned his head and spoke in a low voice.
"Xiao Ya!"
He wanted to leave, but he hadn't expected her to suddenly try to recruit someone. Tang Ya pulled a long face and acted serious.
"What did you just call me?"
"...Teacher Xiao Ya. Is that better?" Bei Bei sighed helplessly.
Huo Yuhao didn't seem to notice their playful bickering. He simply repeated the name in a low voice.
"Tang Sect..."
He hadn't expected to run into people from the Tang Sect here. Tang Ya's eyes lit up when she heard him murmur the name.
"That's right! I am the current Sect Master. If you want, you can join us right now!"
"Sect Master of the Tang Sect?"
Huo Yuhao's heart jolted. In the era 10,000 years later, the Tang Sect Leaders were figures like the Amorous Douluo and the Heartless Douluo—men who were at the 99 Rank or even higher.
Yet this girl, whose spirit power was lower than his own, claimed to be the leader? He almost laughed, thinking they might be frauds.
But then, his gaze froze. He remembered that 10,000 years ago, the Tang Sect had been on the verge of disappearing. It was only after he had joined and combined spirit tools with their hidden weapons that the sect rose again.
He looked at Tang Ya's persistent eyes and realized that in this era, she truly might be the leader of a dying sect.
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