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"'Wide noodles'???"
Lin Ye was utterly confused. Why on earth would he need something like that?
Just as he was about to refuse, the young man before him lowered his voice and added mysteriously, "Brother, my 'wide noodles' aren't ordinary noodles. Do you know about food-type soul masters? Well, I'm one of them. My noodles are infused with soul power, and when you eat them, they grant special effects. If you're planning to enter the Evernight Forest, you'll definitely need some of this miraculous food…"
"You're a food-type soul master?"
Hearing this, Lin Ye was a little surprised. He knew about food-type soul masters—they were highly sought after in soul hunting groups. However, food-type soul masters were incredibly rare, even rarer than support-type soul masters.
In a way, food-type soul masters could be considered a type of support soul master, and they had the ability to create soul-powered foods with special effects. Such soul-powered foods were a luxury, especially among the nobility. Many believed that feeding their children soul-infused food from a young age could increase their chances of becoming soul masters.
But Lin Ye wasn't one to buy into such rumors.
Seeing Lin Ye's surprise, the young man became even more enthusiastic. He started bragging about the amazing effects of his wide noodle martial soul—claiming it could detoxify poisons, heal injuries, and restore soul power. The longer he talked, the more exaggerated his claims became, and the more outrageous his story sounded.
Lin Ye could hardly believe his ears as the tall tales continued to pile up. Just as he was about to cut off the noodle soul master's sales pitch, a deep, heavy voice interrupted from behind him.
"Jiaman, are you deceiving people again? Your martial soul was ruined when you absorbed the wrong soul ring—how are you still out here lying? You can't even fool adults anymore, and now you're trying to scam kids?"
At the sound of the voice, the wide noodle soul master, Jiaman, flinched visibly. His face twisted into a forced grin as he stammered, "H-heh, oh, it's Big Brother Shi Yue, the Barbarian Bear... I wasn't doing anything shady. I was just introducing this young brother to my martial soul, that's all. Uh... I have something urgent to attend to, so I'll be going now!"
Without waiting for a response, Jiaman dashed off in a panic, disappearing into the bustling crowd of the street in no time.
"Hmph, what a hopeless guy."
Watching Jiaman flee, the burly man, Shi Yue, let out a snort of disdain. His voice was thick with contempt for the young man who had just run away.
Turning around, Lin Ye found himself face-to-face with the man who had spoken up on his behalf. It was none other than the large, scar-faced man he had noticed earlier in the dry goods shop, carrying a bulging sack of provisions.
"Kid, are you alright? That guy, Jiaman, really is a food-type soul master, but when he absorbed the wrong soul ring, he turned himself into a control-type soul master instead. His martial soul doesn't have any of the special abilities he was boasting about," Shi Yue explained as he walked toward Lin Ye, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder.
Despite his good intentions, Shi Yue's imposing presence might have been more intimidating than Jiaman's attempted scam. Standing at nearly twice Lin Ye's height, the scar-faced man wore a sleeveless leather vest that showcased his muscular, tanned arms. His military-style buzz cut and the scar running diagonally across his face only added to his fearsome aura. To any normal child, this would have been far more terrifying than Jiaman's petty lies.
But Lin Ye wasn't an ordinary child.
While he hadn't intended to buy Jiaman's so-called "wide noodles" in the first place, Shi Yue's intervention showed that he was someone willing to help others. In unfamiliar territory, meeting someone decent and trustworthy was a rare blessing.
Thus, Lin Ye decided to express his gratitude and perhaps make a new acquaintance in the process. After all, having a reliable contact in a strange city could prove invaluable.
"I'm fine, thanks to you, big brother. I appreciate your help," Lin Ye said politely, offering Shi Yue a slight bow.
"Haha, no need for thanks! It was just a small matter, not worth mentioning!" Shi Yue laughed heartily, waving off the gratitude.
Then, glancing at Lin Ye, Shi Yue asked with a curious smile, "By the way, kid, you're new here in Evernight City, aren't you?"
"How did you know, Big Brother Shi Yue?" Lin Ye asked, a little surprised.
Shi Yue chuckled. "It's pretty obvious, actually. Today's not a weekend, so if you were from Evernight City, you'd be at the Soul Master Academy right now. Since you're not, it means you must've come from somewhere else."
Lin Ye couldn't help but smile. "You're right, Big Brother Shi Yue."
"So, what brings you to Evernight City? Are you here with your elders or a teacher to hunt for soul beasts? And did they send you to buy dry rations as part of your training?"
"No, I came here alone. I'm already a soul master, and I've come to Evernight City to train on my own," Lin Ye replied, shaking his head.
"You're already a soul master?" Shi Yue's eyes widened in surprise. "And you came to Evernight City alone for training? Are your elders really okay with that? This isn't exactly the safest place, you know."
Lin Ye smiled faintly. "No need to worry, Big Brother Shi Yue. My elders have given me everything I need to protect myself. I'll be fine."
"Hah! You're something else, kid. For someone your age, you've got guts—coming all the way to Evernight City by yourself. I like that. I like you!" Shi Yue said with admiration, his eyes gleaming with approval.
"I'm glad I met you too, Big Brother Shi Yue," Lin Ye said, returning the smile.
"Haha! You're a smart one, I'll give you that. So, kid, what's your name? You've got a bright future ahead of you. Come, walk with me. If you've got any questions, just ask—your big brother Shi Yue will take care of you!" With that, Shi Yue let out a hearty laugh and motioned for Lin Ye to walk with him down the bustling street.
As they strolled along, chatting, Lin Ye learned more about Shi Yue. He discovered that Shi Yue was a Soul King with a martial soul known as the Iron-Armed Black Bear. Although Shi Yue was primarily a defense-type soul master, his combat abilities were on par with those of attack-type soul masters.
Shi Yue had even founded a small soul hunting group in Evernight City called the Barbarian Bear Soul Hunting Group, where he served as the leader. The group's name had earned Shi Yue the nickname "Barbarian Bear," which explained why Jiaman had addressed him as such earlier.
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