Xilai City.
A year ago, the poorly managed restaurant next to Wu's blacksmith shop quietly changed hands and, after some renovations, hung up a brand new signboard—Yuhao Soul Guidance Device.
Judging from the name, you can tell that this shop was taken over by Huo Yuhao.
But people's hearts are never satisfied.
The income from blacksmithing was already quite good in Xilai City, enough for Huo Yuhao and his mother to live a stable life.
However, when Huo Yuhao came into contact with the production of soul tools in the world ten thousand years later, he gave up his job at the blacksmith shop, took over the shop, and transformed into a soul tool business.
Most of the items sold in the shop are low-level soul tools of the first and second tiers made by Huo Yuhao.
Although it is not of a high level, it is an absolute rarity in the Star Luo Empire, where soul guidance technology is relatively backward, especially in a small city like Xilai City.
With its ingenious design, practical functions, and relatively affordable price, Yuhao Soul Guide Shop quickly gained a reputation.
Not only local Soul Masters and families with some means from Xilai City would come to patronize the shop, but customers from nearby cities would also come specifically to make purchases.
As the business flourished, the income it brought far exceeded what he used to earn as a blacksmith.
Huo Yuhao and his mother's life is getting better and better, and what makes him happiest is that his mother Huo Yun'er's health has greatly recovered.
Her once pale and haggard face has regained a healthy rosy glow, the often suppressed cough has long since disappeared, and the sorrow in her eyes has been replaced by peace and contentment.
Inside Yuhao Soul Tool Shop, the light was bright, and various exquisite low-level soul tools were neatly displayed in the glass counters against the wall.
Deep inside the shop, Huo Yuhao was busy at his workbench, sitting at a large worktable.
With a slender carving knife in his hand, he outlined intricate and stable core magic array patterns on the soul-guided metal, his expression focused.
"Ding-dong!"
The crisp sound of the doorbell rang out at the same time as the soft sound of the shop door being pushed open.
Huo Yuhao paused slightly with the carving knife in his hand. He looked up and saw a familiar figure, Wu Ming from the Wu family's blacksmith shop next door.
Huo Yuhao put down his carving knife and came out from behind the workbench: "Uncle Wu is here? Please have a seat."
The two have indeed had a good relationship in the past two years.
When Huo Yuhao was learning his craft at the blacksmith shop, Wu Ming took good care of him. Later, when Huo Yuhao opened this soul tool shop, they became neighbors.
Huo Yuhao only glanced at him before keenly noticing the fleeting restraint in Wu Ming's eyes.
He knew that Wu Ming's visit this time was probably not just a casual chat, but rather he had something to ask of him.
Sure enough, Wu Ming sat down as instructed, rubbing his hands awkwardly on his knees, a clear hint of hesitation flashing across his face.
The store was quiet for a moment, with only the soft ticking of the Soul Guidance Clock.
Finally, as if he had made up his mind, Wu Ming raised his head and looked at Huo Yuhao with earnest eyes. "Brother Huo, the reason I came here this time is actually because I need your help with something."
Huo Yuhao picked up the warm kettle, poured a cup of warm water for Wu Ming, and gently pushed it in front of him.
"Uncle Wu, do we need to be so formal with each other? Please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything. I'll do my best to help."
Upon hearing this, Wu Ming felt a warmth in his heart, and his hesitation and embarrassment lessened considerably.
He picked up his water glass, took a sip, composed himself, and without beating around the bush, stated his purpose directly.
"Brother Huo, it's like this, my good-for-nothing son has finally managed to grind his soul power to level ten."
"I'm thinking of asking you to accompany me on a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest to help me obtain my first spirit ring."
Huo Yuhao had met Wu Ming's son, Wu Yang, a few times; his innate soul power was only level one. Now at sixteen, he has only managed to reach level ten through sheer perseverance.
After making his request, Wu Ming looked somewhat embarrassed and quickly added, "Of course, I can't let you come all this way for nothing. As for how much it costs, you... you just need to tell me."
He knew the market rate; in a place like Xilai City, hiring a reliable second-ring Great Soul Master to accompany someone into the outer reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest would easily cost several hundred gold soul coins.
If you're hiring a Soul Master, the price starts at one thousand gold soul coins.
Although his blacksmith shop business was doing quite well, it was still a small business, and he also had to support his son's cultivation, so he couldn't come up with too much money all at once.
The reason he approached Huo Yuhao, an eight-year-old boy, was because about half a year ago, he had witnessed the boy easily defeat a second-ring Great Soul Master without even using his Martial Soul.
That scene deeply shocked Wu Ming.
He then realized that this usually gentle and polite young neighbor was probably far more capable than he had expected.
Within the limited network and knowledge of this ordinary blacksmith, it seemed that the only person capable and likely to help him was the young man before him.
After asking the question, Wu Ming felt even more uneasy. He stared at Huo Yuhao expectantly, waiting for his reply.
The Star Dou Great Forest is fraught with danger, and even though Huo Yuhao is quite strong, he is still young, so his refusal is understandable.
However, Huo Yuhao only hesitated for a moment before saying, "Uncle Wu, when is a convenient time for you? Just set a time. I'm available anytime."
Wu Ming was taken aback at first, but then realized that Huo Yuhao had agreed!
The overwhelming joy instantly dispelled his anxiety. He was so excited he almost jumped up from his chair, and hurriedly said, "Then...then tomorrow! First thing tomorrow morning, is that alright?"
"Can."
Huo Yuhao nodded in agreement.
Wu Ming felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. With gratitude and a touch of embarrassment, he asked, "Brother Huo, thank you so much this time! So... how much does it cost?"
Looking into his nervous yet sincere eyes, Huo Yuhao knew that Wu Ming, with his straightforward and strong-willed nature, would never agree to accept a single penny without paying.
After a moment's thought, he said, "Uncle Wu, please give me three hundred gold soul coins."
This number was far below Wu Ming's expectations, and he immediately understood that Huo Yuhao was deliberately taking care of him. He was deeply moved, and his eyes welled up with tears. He knew that if he tried to decline or raise the price, it would only make things seem distant.
He nodded vigorously, keeping this profound kindness in his heart.
"Alright! Brother Huo, I, Old Wu, will remember this favor!"
"Then I'll bring Xiaoyang over to meet you first thing tomorrow morning!"
...
The next day, after nearly half a day's carriage ride, they finally arrived at the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Tall trees blocked out the sun, vines entwined, and the faint calls of unknown creatures could be heard in the distance. The air was filled with the scent of earth and decaying leaves.
Although Huo Yuhao was the youngest, he took the lead and walked at the very front.
Behind him followed Wu Ming, the blacksmith, who looked nervous, and Wu Yang, a boy who was both excited and fearful as he stepped into the Soul Beast Forest for the first time.
This was indeed Huo Yuhao's first time personally entering the Star Dou Great Forest, but ten thousand years later, in the Spirit Transmission Tower, he had already undergone countless trials in the Spirit Ascension Platform.
Walking through this realistic forest, despite the subtle differences, his intuition and vigilance, honed from numerous simulated battles, allowed him to navigate with ease.
After passing a sign that read "Soul Beasts Appear Ahead, Danger!", they had truly entered the outer area of the Star Dou Great Forest.
The initial journey was quite peaceful, and they encountered only ordinary wild beasts with no fluctuations in soul power. They didn't even see the shadow of the lowest-level ten-year soul beast.
Suddenly, Huo Yuhao, who was walking at the front, stopped without warning, raised his right hand, and made a stop gesture.
Wu Ming and Wu Yang behind him felt a sudden jolt in their hearts. They instantly held their breath, their muscles tensed, and they nervously looked around at the dense forest.
"Squeak!!!"
Just then, a sharp, piercing shriek burst forth from the treetops not far to the side!
Immediately afterwards, a brownish-yellow shadow shot out like an arrow, tearing through the branches and leaves, bringing with it a foul stench, and pounced straight towards the location of the three people!
Wu Yang turned pale with fright, and Wu Ming instinctively tried to shield his son behind him.
However, faced with this sudden attack, Huo Yuhao didn't even turn his body completely; he merely tilted his head slightly and glanced casually at the approaching shadow.
In an instant, the menacing brown-yellow figure froze in mid-air, then fell straight down.
With a muffled thud, it fell into the grass a few steps away from them, twitched twice, and then lay still.
Wu Ming and his son, still shaken, cautiously craned their necks to look over.
Lying in the grass was a monkey-like creature about one meter long, covered with brownish-yellow fur, with sharp claws on its limbs and sharp fangs protruding from its mouth.
Its eyes were rolled back, and there appeared to be blood between its mouth and nose; it was clearly dead.
Huo Yuhao's calm voice finally rang out: "It's nothing, just a seventy-year-old wind baboon."