âOkay.â Huo Yuhao nodded his head in agreement. However, how could he express the pain in his heart with mere words? How could the pain be dispelled with just a few sentences?
Wang Dong moved forward to hug him before turning and leaving. Huo Yuhaoâs pain diminished a little as he felt Wang Dongâs sympathy.
He stood up and came to his bedside. He gazed at the sea of clouds that was drifting slowly by and clenched his fists tightly.
âTeacher, Iâll get stronger and restore your divine sense too! Iâll work hard!â He clenched his lips tightly, and Electroluxâs voice and smile surfaced in his mind.
Slowly, Huo Yuhaoâs eyes turned greyish-white. His demeanor also changed. As a dim light flashed, he exuded a special aura â it was cold and emotionless.
A greyish soul ring slowly rose from his feet. Compared to an ordinary soul ring, this greyish soul ring was almost fifty percent larger. Behind him, a dim light projection also slowly surfaced. It had the appearance of Electrolux.
Huo Yuhaoâs greyish-white eyes slowly turned completely white. He looked terrifying. As he turned to face the blurry, illusory projection, his white eyes started to tear up.
âTeacher, Iâll make you clearer and enable your necromancy to prosper in this world. I will use necromancy to resist evil and my strength to reduce the sorrow in this world.â
---
One day later. Huo Yuhao walked out of his room calmly.
Wang Dong rushed over immediately as soon he received word.
âYuhao, how are you?â Wang Dong looked at his eyes and was stunned to see him smiling. However, the look in his eyes was completely different. It was much less brighter, and he seemed more mature. It felt as if he had grown older by five years.
When Elder Mu passed away, Huo Yuhao had been on the verge of going crazy. He had buried himself in his cultivation as a way to cope with his grief. This time, he was much more mature. Wang Dong couldnât sense any sorrow from him. He was only very determined and unyielding.
âIâm fine.â Huo Yuhao smiled. âCan you find something for me to eat? It feels as if I havenât eaten since I came to your house. Iâm starving.â
Wang Dong was relieved. He said encouragingly, âYuhao, donât put too much pressure on yourself.â
Huo Yuhao shook his head and said, âDonât worry, Iâve thought it out. Sorrow is a show of weakness. Iâll be more resolute in facing things that canât be reversed. One day, I will turn all the sorrow that Iâve once felt into joy.â
Wang Dong was surprised. âAlthough I donât think this is appropriate, I have to say that youâve grown up.â
Huo Yuhao laughed bitterly. âI donât know if Iâve grown up, but I know Iâm very hungry now.â
Wang Dong laughed. âLetâs go. Iâll bring you to eat.â
The food in Clear Sky Castle was much simpler than Huo Yuhao had expected. There werenât any delicacies or particularly valuable food items. There was only an aromatic and tasty bowl of mushroom soup which left a deep impression in Huo Yuhaoâs mind.
Wang Dong said that the mushrooms had been boiled in chicken soup, after which they were ground up and mixed with the soup. He also said that they drank this soup every day.
Wang Dong didnât discover anything wrong with Huo Yuhao as they consumed their meal, and was finally completely relieved.
Huo Yuhao rubbed his stomach satisfactorily and asked Wang Dong, âWang Dong, have you obtained your soul ring? How long was I unconscious for?â
âOf course not. I wasnât able to relax because of the state you were in! Iâm relieved now that youâre fine. You canât scare me like this anymore.â
Huo Yuhao looked at Wang Dong seriously and said, âWang Dong, I have a secret, but Iâm not telling you. Will you be mad?â
Wang Dong laughed mysteriously and replied, âI also have my own secret that Iâm not telling you! Donât worry, weâre still young. I believe that your secret wonât remain a secret forever. Furthermore, I wonât blame you even if it remains a secret forever!â
Huo Yuhao was also a little dizzy as he heard those words. âWhy do you sound like youâre mouthing a tongue twister? Letâs not force each other. I will tell you one day if I think that you should know about it. I promise you that youâll be the first to hear about it when Iâm willing to tell someone.â
Wang Dong laughed. âAlright, weâll make that a promise. You have to stay in my house for a few more days. Weâll go after I get my soul ring, okay? After this matter, my eldest and second uncles arenât interested in testing you anymore.â
Huo Yuhao nodded. âDo you need me to follow you to obtain your soul ring?â
Wang Dong shook his head and said, âItâs fine, I can go alone. Itâll take at least a day, and at most three days. Itâs very close to my house too. That place is a forbidden ground of the Clear Sky Sect. Otherwise, Iâd let you go with me.â
Huo Yuhao said, âNo worries, Iâll cultivate here while I wait for you. You must be aware of your own safety.â
Wang Dong nodded and said, âDonât worry, Iâll be back very soon.â
Huo Yuhao asked, âWhen are you setting off?â
Wang Dong replied, âTomorrow morning.â
Huo Yuhao asked, âWhat about our cultivation? While this matter has dealt me some harm, it has also increased my soul power. My cultivation has also reached a bottleneck. However, Iâll only add a soul ring after we return to Shrek.â
âWhat?â Wang Dong was shocked. Huo Yuhaoâs soul power had been increasing very slowly over these few years, and the other six among Shrekâs Seven Monsters had widened the gap with him. Wang Dong was surprised to find out that Yuhao had reached Rank 50. After all, Huo Yuhaoâs cultivation had been lagging behind all this time. Even though he had a rich array of fighting styles, he would be unable to catch his partners when they became seven-ringed Soul Sages. But if he was a Soul King now, he was maintaining the gap he had with the rest of them.
âIt increased that much?â
Huo Yuhao laughed bitterly. âItâs all thanks to the Frigid Jade Essence Bed. Iâm really embarrassed to have destroyed such a treasure. However, you know how poor I am. Besides my body, I donât know how to compensate the sect for it.â
Wang Dong chuckled and said, âThen you can pay with your body.â
Huo Yuhao also laughed. He was in much better spirits now. âAlright! Then I shall sell my body to you. Just donât resell me.â
âI couldnât bear to.â Wang Dong replied almost instinctively. However, he blushed immediately after saying this and quickly changed the topic, âYuhao, I wonât be cultivating with you tonight.â
âOh? Why?â Huo Yuhao was a little stunned and said, âIf we cultivate for one night, youâll be able to reach your peak state. Wonât it be more beneficial for you tomorrow?â
Wang Dong was a little coy and shook his head, âNo. I want to relax and have a good sleep tonight. I wonât cultivate tonight.â
Huo Yuhao didnât force him either and replied, âAlright.â
The two of them returned to their own rooms and didnât talk for the whole night. The next morning, Wang Dong left Clear Sky Castle after bidding goodbye to Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao sent him off along with the two sect masters.
After Wang Dong disappeared, the sect master tapped Huo Yuhaoâs shoulder and said, âYoung man, letâs talk.â
âAlright,â Huo Yuhao answered respectfully.
The two sect masters brought Huo Yuhao back to Clear Sky Castle and led him directly to the hall on the third floor.
âTake a seat.â The sect master pointed to a stone chair.
Huo Yuhao sat down cautiously and said, âSect master, second sect master, Iâm really sorry. I brought so much trouble to the both of you. Iâll think of a way to repay you for the Frigid Jade Essence Bed. Iâm sorry.â As he spoke, he stood up and bowed to the two sect masters.
The two sect masters didnât stop him. After he sat down, the sect master smiled and said, âAlthough the Frigid Jade Essence Bed was very valuable, it wasnât very useful to our sect. You donât have to compensate us. We didnât call you here today to ask for your compensation, either.â
âWeâre only conversing leisurely today. Tell us how you know Wang Dong and what heâs normally like. Weâre very interested in knowing more.â
Huo Yuhao was puzzled as he looked at the both of them. He asked, âDoesnât he relate his experiences in the academy to you?â
The sect master chortled and said, âYoung people are naturally different from how we hope they are. He doesnât bother to talk to me much. He only comes back a few days a year! Moreover, Iâm sure youâll have a different set of things to say from him. Weâre also interested in learning more about his life from your perspective. We are indeed quite lonely in this castle.â
Huo Yuhao thought the two sect masters had called him over to talk about the incident that had happened the other day. He hadnât expected them to ask about Wang Dong instead.
He nodded and said, âI met Wang Dong in the academy. We entered the academy together. When we first met, there was a slight dispute. Come to think of it, itâs really fate that we met. We were even put in the same dorm room.â
âWhat?!â the two sect masters exclaimed in unison, giving Huo Yuhao a shock.