Bei Bei first reminded Tang Ya to mind her image with a doting tone, then took the roasted fish from Huo Yuhao and said to him, "Little brother, thank you for the fish. My name is Bei Bei, and she is Tang Ya. What are your names?"
"My name is Huo Yuhao. He is..." Huo Yuhao answered while focusng on roasting the fish, only to suddenly realize that up until this moment, he actually didn't know Feng Piaoling's name. Consequently, he could only look at him expectantly.
Feng Piaoling finally spoke, but only three short words: "Feng Piaoling."
Back in the Sun Moon Empire, to avoid being targeted by prying eyes, Feng Piaoling had lived a secluded life within the Crown Prince's mansion. Aside from a long journey he took at the age of eight to resolve a lingering regret in his heart—taking advantage of the opportunity to hunt for his second soul ring—he had spent all his time single-mindedly improving his own strength. He didn't have to worry about anyone suspecting his identity.
"So you're not a mute after all," Tang Ya muttered, pouting with dissatisfaction.
"My apologies, Brother Feng. Xiao Ya just has that kind of temper; please don't take offense," Bei Bei explained to Feng Piaoling with a look of helplessness.
Tang Ya's beautiful eyes widened as she glared at Bei Bei in feigned anger. "What did you just call me?"
"Teacher Xiao Ya, I'll call you Teacher Xiao Ya, alright?" Bei Bei raised his hands as if surrendering to her.
Only then did Tang Ya restrain her anger. "That's more like it. You must mind your status."
Though she was young, she possessed a captivating charm; even her angry expression left Bei Bei enchanted. Beside them, Huo Yuhao didn't dare look any longer and silently returned to roasting his fish.
Once they finished the meal, Feng Piaoling and Huo Yuhao parted ways with Bei Bei and Tang Ya.
Watching the receding figures of the two, Tang Ya said thoughtfully, "Do you think they are also going to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain soul rings?"
Bei Bei nodded. "That's almost certainly the case. Huo Yuhao aside—his soul power is very weak—but the soul power fluctuations from that Feng Piaoling are already no lower than yours."
Tang Ya was greatly shocked. "Level thirty? Just how old is he?" Then, she said with a hint of pique, "Why didn't you tell me sooner? If I had known, I would have recruited him into the Tang Sect to restore our ancestral glory as soon as possible."
"We've only just met him and don't know his background. It's better to be cautious." Bei Bei spoke seriously to Tang Ya, yet in his heart, he felt a sense of rejection toward Feng Piaoling joining the Tang Sect.
It wasn't that he disliked the person, but rather that the man's face was simply too "illegal"—its lethality toward girls was far too great. He could tell as much from Tang Ya's earlier blushing. Since Tang Ya was the one he loved, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of crisis.
Tang Ya nodded after hearing this, her eyes then lighting up. "Then the next time we meet, let's ask him properly. If there's nothing wrong with his character, we'll recruit him and that Huo Yuhao into the Tang Sect together. What do you think?"
Bei Bei replied crossly, "I can understand inviting Feng Piaoling, but as for Huo Yuhao, surely you don't want to recruit him just because his roasted fish tastes good?"
Having her thoughts exposed, Tang Ya's pretty face flushed red, and she stuck her tongue out at Bei Bei.
Bei Bei sighed softly and said no more. However, on second thought, Feng Piaoling's talent was indeed impressive. If the guy didn't have any designs on Xiao Ya, recruiting him into the Tang Sect could certainly alleviate much of her pressure.
...
On the other side, although Feng Piaoling had already walked a great distance with Huo Yuhao, his hearing was extraordinary due to his focused mental training since childhood. Having overheard the conversation between Bei Bei and Tang Ya, a nearly imperceptible cold sneer played on his lips.
As the saying goes: "If you transmigrate into a book and don't oppose the Tangs, you'll be trampled by ten thousand."
Whether it was for his future plans or personal feelings, he would never join the Tang Sect. On the contrary, he was quite interested in making the Tang Sect—and even that surname—vanish entirely from the Douluo Continent.
"Big... Big Brother Feng, you don't seem to like those two people very much."
Though Huo Yuhao was self-deprecating and sensitive, he was also observant. He could see that Tang Ya and Bei Bei were no ordinary people; the fact that they carried no luggage in this wilderness was a clear indicator. Unsurprisingly, they were likely Soul Masters who possessed storage soul tools, just like Big Brother Feng. He just didn't understand why this Big Brother Feng, whom he had only met a few days ago, seemed to reject them.
Feng Piaoling answered with a different question, "They should be from the Tang Sect."
Hearing the words "Tang Sect," Huo Yuhao was jolted. "The Tang Sect? The sect established ten thousand years ago by the Sea God, Tang San?"
"You seem to admire the Tang Sect quite a bit," Feng Piaoling asked with narrowed eyes, his expression unchanging.
"Mhm! How could anyone not know of them? The Tang Sect's position in the history of the Douluo Continent is so significant that no other sect can compare. Since I was a child, I've heard my mother tell the legendary stories of the Tang Sect. Founded ten thousand years ago, it is one of the oldest sects and was the undisputed number one sect of that era. The first Sect Master, Tang San, even changed the entire layout of the continent and laid the foundation for the future development of all Soul Masters, becoming a legendary, immortal god."
The more Huo Yuhao spoke, the more fervent he became, his entire being growing visibly excited.
It seemed he had been deeply poisoned by those beautified and altered stories since childhood. It was no wonder he would eventually be trained into a dog by Tang San.
Feng Piaoling had no intention of correcting Huo Yuhao. Even if he did, it would be useless. Between a mother who had raised him and a stranger he had known for a few days, it didn't take a genius to guess who he would choose to believe. Moreover, he himself was walking on thin ice; there was no need to jump through hoops for Huo Yuhao, a person destined to be an enemy and who had nothing to do with him.
For all he knew, that "bastard" in the Divine Realm might be watching them right now. The most urgent matter was to intercept the Skydream Ice Worm and Electrolux.
"Meeting is a form of fate. You are likely going to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a soul ring as well. Since we've met, I can help you obtain one for the sake of our acquaintance." Feng Piaoling skipped over the previous topic.
"Big Brother Feng, is that true? You're really willing to help me get a soul ring?" Huo Yuhao's eyes suddenly reddened. In his entire life, aside from his mother, this was the first time someone had been so kind to him. This moved his heart deeply.
Although he didn't know how strong Feng Piaoling was, anyone who dared to come out alone to hunt soul rings must have a soul power level that wasn't low—at least far higher than his own. With his help, the success rate of obtaining a soul ring would undoubtedly be much higher.
"Alright, let's go."
Feng Piaoling said no more. He would indeed help Huo Yuhao obtain a soul ring, but it was merely to serve as an extra insurance policy for his plan to intercept Skydream Ice Worm.
After walking for a short while, the two saw the sign marking the Star Dou Great Forest. Without a word, Feng Piaoling reached for his waist, and from the Four Symbols Dragon-Coiling Belt, he produced a scabbarded, jet-black longsword and hung it at his side.
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