Leng Yaozhu's first stop on this inspection tour was a second-tier city called Wanxing in the eastern part of the mainland.
When Leng Yaozhu's inspection team arrived at the Spirit Transmission Tower in Wanxing City, the tower master Lin Feng and a group of high-ranking officials had already respectfully greeted them.
The tower master, who was in charge of this area, was a middle-aged man, who looked to be in his forties. He had a kind face and a smile on his face before he even spoke. At this moment, he was warmly welcoming everyone into the tower.
Huo Yuhao quietly followed beside Leng Yaozhu, his gaze secretly falling on Lin Feng.
He also noticed Lin Feng, the tower master, and his gaze lingered on him for a noticeably longer period of time.
Clearly, the sudden appearance of this young man in the inspection team caught Lin Feng's attention.
After everyone stood in the lobby on the first floor of the Spirit Transmission Tower in Wanxing City, Leng Yaozhu took the initiative to introduce, "This is my disciple. She is accompanying us to broaden her horizons and will not participate in the formal inspection work."
A knowing glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes, and then his smile deepened. He turned to Huo Yuhao and spoke in an exceptionally kind tone.
"So you're Master Leng's esteemed disciple. Is this your first time visiting Wanxing City?"
"Would you like me to arrange for someone to show you around? Although our Wanxing City is not as bustling as those big cities, it has some unique scenery and places to visit."
In Lin Feng's mind, children of this age should be playing and not be interested in adults' work.
Leng Yaozhu did not answer, but instead turned her gaze to Huo Yuhao, clearly letting Huo Yuhao make the decision himself.
Huo Yuhao met Lin Feng's gaze, thought for a moment, and then nodded slightly to Leng Yaozhu in agreement.
He had no interest in the inspection process; rather than participating in those tedious procedures, he preferred to take the opportunity to see the unfamiliar city.
Leng Yaozhu smiled slightly upon hearing this and nodded, saying, "Then I'll trouble Tower Master Lin to take care of it."
"Not at all, it was nothing."
Lin Feng waved his hands repeatedly, his smile humble.
He glanced around briefly, quickly locking onto a certain direction, and called out in a raised voice, "Qingyuan!"
Not far away, a boy sitting on the steps looked up when he heard the call.
Huo Yuhao had sharp eyes and noticed that the other person was closing a book. On the dark cover, he clearly saw the three words "Huo Yuhao".
A thought flashed through his mind: could this person be one of his "fans"?
The boy was about fourteen or fifteen years old, with delicate features and a scholarly air about him.
He neatly stored the books into his storage soul tool, stood up and walked quickly over, standing respectfully in front of Lin Feng, and called out, "Teacher."
Lin Feng introduced with a smile, "This is my disciple, Du Qingyuan."
He then turned to Huo Yuhao and said, "This is Qingyuan, the disciple of the Vice Tower Master. You will accompany this young friend around the city today and make sure to treat him well."
Following Lin Feng's direction, Du Qingyuan looked over and his gaze fell on Huo Yuhao.
He bowed respectfully to Leng Yaozhu, nodded slightly to Huo Yuhao, and then looked at Lin Feng and said, "Don't worry, teacher."
Lin Feng then led Leng Yaozhu and her group away to begin their routine patrol.
The hall fell silent instantly, leaving only Huo Yuhao and Du Qingyuan standing facing each other.
After a brief silence, Huo Yuhao smiled first and said, "Hello, my name is Huo Yuhao."
"Huo Yuhao?" Du Qingyuan repeated the name, his eyes suddenly lighting up, his initial restraint vanishing instantly: "Are you also an admirer of Spirit Ice Douluo? You actually chose the exact same name as him!"
Huo Yuhao simply nodded with a smile, offering no further explanation. Du Qingyuan, however, seemed to have found a kindred spirit, his expression becoming noticeably warmer, and even his tone became a bit lighter.
"My master asked me to show you around... But to be honest, our Spirit Pagoda isn't anything special, it can't compare to Shrek City's headquarters at all."
He naturally put his hand on Huo Yuhao's shoulder, with the cheerfulness unique to young people: "Come on, I'll take you to the city! There's a restaurant called 'Yuhao Grilled Fish' not far from here, the taste is absolutely authentic."
Seeing that Huo Yuhao did not object, Du Qingyuan led him toward the gate. The two walked side by side toward the exit of the Spirit Pagoda. Huo Yuhao casually asked, "What book were you reading while you were sitting on the steps just now?"
Because it was related to him, Huo Yuhao naturally paid close attention and was curious about which biography Du Qingyuan was reading that was related to him.
Du Qingyuan paused, turning around in surprise: "You saw it?"
A hint of embarrassment flashed in those clear eyes, followed by an excitement of finding a kindred spirit.
"As expected... you're one of us!" He suddenly grabbed Huo Yuhao's sleeve, turned around, and led him to a secluded pillar on one side of the hall.
After confirming that no one was paying attention, Du Qingyuan mysteriously took out a book from his storage soul tool and quickly stuffed it into Huo Yuhao's hand.
"Look, since we have the same tastes." He lowered his voice, his tone revealing the solemnity of sharing a precious treasure: "This book is for you. It's a version I treasure; it's hard to find elsewhere."
Huo Yuhao looked down at the book in his hand. On the deep blue cover, the gold-stamped title reflects slightly in the light.
The Untold Story of Huo Yuhao and the Auspicious Beast
His gaze lingered on that line of text for a full three seconds. The book title...
Is the content here... serious?
Du Qingyuan observed his expression and couldn't help but chuckle twice.
"These are all precious records of how Spirit Ice Douluo met and befriended the auspicious beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest!"
"The author is said to be a senior scholar at Shrek Academy, and his research is exceptionally rigorous..."
He spoke with great enthusiasm, his fingertip lightly touching a small emblem on the edge of the book cover: "Look here, a collector's edition certified by the Star Duo Great Forest Research Association."
"I had someone bring this from Shrek City, so please keep it safe."
Huo Yuhao stroked the slightly raised lines on the book cover, unsure of what expression to make.
In addition to the title, the cover also features a simple line drawing. In the forest, a faint human figure and a dazzling golden beast face each other from afar, creating a scene of profound tranquility.
Huo Yuhao raised his head, met the boy's pure and eager eyes, and carefully put the book into his storage soul tool.
"Thank you." His voice carried a subtle, almost imperceptible emotion. "I will... take a good look."
As he put the book away, Huo Yuhao also recalled the historical facts he had seen in the library at the Spirit Pagoda headquarters.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion, a mythical beast of imperial power, is a place blessed by the Starry Sky Forest. Later, she shed her animal form and entered the human world under the name Wang Qiu'er.
Historical records only briefly mention her emotional entanglements with herself, and she ultimately sacrificed herself to become his own soul ring!
Although he knew that the book Du Qingyuan had given him probably didn't contain anything of substance, he couldn't help but be curious.
However, now was clearly not the time to read, and he followed Du Qingyuan out of the Spirit Pagoda.
Outside the gate is a wide square paved with white stone slabs. The sunlight casts the tower's shadow obliquely onto the ground, creating a clear boundary between light and shadow.
Du Qingyuan, familiar with the area, led Huo Yuhao to the right and walked along the edge of the square for about a hundred meters. A lane paved with bluestone slabs appeared ahead.
"That shop is inside," Du Qingyuan said with a smile. "They use soul power to precisely control the heat, making the fish crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They've also developed several new dipping sauces..."
Before they could finish speaking, both of them stopped in their tracks at the same time.
A faint vibration emanated from the air, mixed with the buzzing sound unique to the collision of soul power.
The smile on Du Qingyuan's face vanished instantly, his brows furrowed, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "Dare to make a move within the jurisdiction of the Spirit Pagoda?"
As the personal disciple of the tower master of the Spirit Pagoda in Wanxing City, he knew from a young age that this white square and the surrounding streets and alleys were under the jurisdiction of the Spirit Pagoda, and private fights were strictly prohibited.
He instinctively wanted to rush into the alley. As the "Young Tower Master," how could he tolerate people being so presumptuous in front of his own door?
However, just as his toes left the ground, he abruptly stopped. Du Qingyuan turned his head and his gaze fell on Huo Yuhao beside him.
The teacher assigned her the task of taking good care of Huo Yuhao; it would be bad if they encountered any danger together.
What to do?
-----------------------------------------------------
A/N: I wonder what that scholar wrote in the book. Probably some over-romantisized embellished shit.
5 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
I hope all of you are enjoying the story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Thank you.