บท 55: Chapter 55: Next Time, Tell Me About the Stories from the Past
"This is... me!?"
Staring at the face in the mirror, which still bore faint traces of its former appearance, Huo Yuhao's voice gradually rose in pitch.
A gentle breeze seemed to brush past, lifting his jet-black hair like ink, highlighting his increasingly pale, delicate features. His pair of bright blue eyes shone even more vibrantly than before.
"Yes, it's you."
Admiring Huo Yuhao's now much softer facial features, Snow Empress nodded with a smile.
"As a creation of the essence of heaven and earth, the snow lotus naturally has the effect of enhancing the body, not to mention that what you absorbed was one that's 100,000 years old. The effect is extraordinary."
"...Extraordinary indeed."
At least if he ever fell on hard times, he could rely on his face to get by, maybe not starve to death. Huo Yuhao twitched the corner of his mouth, comforting himself with this thought. He had experienced something similar in his past life, though not as exaggerated as this.
Snow Empress no longer teased him and, after withdrawing her smile, asked softly, "How do you feel? Have your martial souls improved?"
Huo Yuhao responded by releasing his martial soul once more. As he raised his hand, the speed at which he condensed an ice sword was several times faster than before.
"There has been some improvement. I can clearly sense that my connection to the ice elements is much stronger when I activate my martial soul."
As his voice fell, the atmosphere grew silent. This trip to the Extreme North had already far exceeded their expectations, and it seemed the time for parting had come.
After a long pause, Snow Empress suddenly spoke, her voice as cold as ever.
"Are you leaving?"
"...Yes, um..."
Looking at the familiar figure standing quietly before him, Huo Yuhao thought of many things he wanted to say to bid her farewell. He opened his mouth several times but could not find the right words. In the end, he only managed to utter two simple words.
"Take care."
It seemed that his awkward farewell amused Snow Empress, as a faint smile appeared on her face.
"...It seems that the relationship between us isn't just that of friends, is it?"
The next moment, Snow Empress stood in front of him and gently embraced him.
"Next time you come, tell me some stories from the past."
Ruixue City.
Located in the northern part of the Heavenly Soul Empire, the city had a cold climate and snowed for nearly half the year.
The cold weather meant that small and large barbecue restaurants could be found everywhere in the city. Although it was already dark outside, the restaurants were filled with customers. No matter how cold it got, a high-proof liquor paired with grilled meat could warm a person right up.
At this moment, a figure that appeared somewhat thin was walking aimlessly through the streets. His long black hair, like a waterfall, was dusted with white snowflakes, and his bright blue eyes were illuminated by the neon lights of the nearby shops. He seemed to be trying to decide which barbecue restaurant looked the most appetizing.
"Yuhao, someone's following you."
Inside his spiritual space, Tianmeng Iceworm's voice suddenly rang out.
"I know."
Huo Yuhao responded softly. He had noticed being followed shortly after entering the city. Unlike the casual glances from passersby, the repeated, deliberate glances aimed at him had long since betrayed the person's true intentions.
Judging by the aura... a Dark Soul Master?
Huo Yuhao raised his eyebrows slightly but did not pause his movements. He continued forward as if he hadn't noticed the person behind him until he found a bustling barbecue restaurant. Only then did he stop and enter.
Not far behind him, a man wearing a hood hesitated for a moment upon seeing Huo Yuhao enter the restaurant. The man's expression was gloomy, and his brows furrowed in thought.
But as the image of Huo Yuhao flashed through the man's mind, a sinister desire surfaced in his heart.
The man swallowed hard, his eyes flashing with a strange light. After glancing around, he turned and entered a restaurant across the street, where he could observe the barbecue place from a distance.
Inside the barbecue restaurant, Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow. He had planned to scare the person off and then track him in return, but the man's persistence surprised him.
"So, he's set on following me, huh?"
The Ice Empress snorted coldly, "Why don't you just kill him and be done with it? Why bother with all this?"
"That way, we wouldn't be able to find their hideout."
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "His cultivation isn't high. If he's daring enough to act in the city, he must be part of a group. Since he's willing to wait, let him. I'll eat first."
With that, he picked up the menu and ordered a four-person portion of grilled meat, much to the confusion of the server.
"...That's all. Oh, and a large fruit juice. Take your time with it."
The server was puzzled—someone asking for their food to be brought out slowly? That was a first.
After hesitating for a moment, the server cautiously asked, "Young man, are you sure you can finish all that?"
The barbecue portions in their restaurant were generous. Even four hungry men would struggle to finish the four-person serving, let alone someone who looked as delicate as the young man before him. In fact, if the young man hadn't spoken earlier, the server would have mistaken him for a girl, with his delicate skin and all...
Of course, the server wasn't really concerned about whether Huo Yuhao could finish the meal. He was more worried about whether he could pay for it.
Noticing the server's anxiety, Huo Yuhao simply pulled out two silver soul coins and handed them over.
"I have a big appetite. Don't worry about it."
"Alright, alright."
Relieved after receiving the money, the server quickly headed to the kitchen.
The barbecue didn't take long to arrive. After all, grilled meat was best served hot. Soon enough, the battle between Huo Yuhao and the enormous platter of meat began, drawing the attention of both the staff and other customers in the restaurant. By the time he drank the last sip of juice, everyone around him wore expressions of disbelief and astonishment.
"Burp~"
Ignoring the strange looks from the other patrons, Huo Yuhao let out a satisfied burp and headed for the door.
For a long time after he left, the customers could only exclaim in amazement.
"Wow..."
Meanwhile, in the restaurant across the street, the shadowy man's eyes lit up when he saw Huo Yuhao leave. Without a second thought, he quickly followed.
By now, the sky was completely dark, and the cold had driven most people indoors. The empty streets gave the shadowy man the perfect opportunity. As he closed in, excitement flickered in his eyes. He sped up, reaching out to grab the back of Huo Yuhao's neck. But in the next second, his hand passed right through Huo Yuhao's figure.
It was a trap!
The man's pupils shrank as he realized his mistake. He spun around, only to hear a calm voice behind him.
"Are you looking for me?"
As the man turned, he saw Huo Yuhao's eyes glowing with golden light, his dark hair slightly obscuring his face.
And the two deep purple soul rings surrounding him...
(End of chapter)
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