"Brother Hao, those grilled centipedes won't kill anyone, right? Will they attract Shrek Academy's powerhouses?" Tian Meng Ice Silkworm asked worriedly.
Huo Yuhao waved dismissively. "Nah, they're just regular centipedes. The buyers are soul masters—they'll get a stomachache at worst, easily fixed by a healing soul master. Shrek's big shots wouldn't bother with such trivial stuff."
"Good," Tian Meng sighed in relief.
"Chill, it's all under control," Huo Yuhao said, giving a thumbs-up.
He might seem reckless, but he's got it locked down.
Huo Yuhao glanced at his luck.
No changes—means no problems.
Disaster hasn't caught up with him yet.
Back to grilling centipedes.
"Huo's Grilled Centipedes, king of bugs! Crispy, spicy, savory… Eat centipedes, be a real man! Over 300 million sold yearly, laid end-to-end, they'd circle Douluo Continent ten times!"
Passersby frowned at his pitch.
False advertising?
Unacceptable!
They had to try it!
"You serious? …Ahem, give me two skewers!"
"Two? Weak sauce! Boss, ten for me!"
"Good wife at home, but goji berries won't cut it… Boss, twenty to taste!"
Say what you will, the centipedes' aroma was legit.
Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow at the crowd of soul masters, puzzled.
Are Douluo's soul masters *that* deficient?
Didn't stop him from doing business.
"Big bro, twenty skewers? Can your wife handle that? It's *potent*," Huo Yuhao said with mock concern.
Soft voice, cheeky tone.
The crowd perked up—*that* potent? Gotta have it!
"Boss, thirty skewers!"
"Thirty-five!"
"Forty!"
The stall turned into an auction.
"Bosses, centipedes are running low. Try grilled scorpions? They sting—painful and tingly!"
"Yes, scorpions too! What about spiders? Whatever, give me some of everything!"
"No one outbids me—I'll pay double! I've got a three-on-one duel tonight!"
The customers were frenzied.
Huo Yuhao smiled, the eerie glint in his eyes fading.
Evil cultivation's mind-swaying tricks, paired with his Spirit Eyes, worked wonders.
No finesse, just raw skill.
The final buyer, a woman dragging her boyfriend, bought out the remaining centipedes, scorpions, and spiders at triple the price.
Huo Yuhao was so "exhausted" his sweat dripped from his mouth.
He kindly warned, "Sister, don't sleep in bed tonight—it'll collapse!"
She smirked back. "We're going wild tonight…"
Her boyfriend paled.
Huo Yuhao: *Damn.*
Good call—outdoors means fewer bathroom trips.
Tian Meng was dumbfounded. "Those bugs sold *that* well?"
As a fellow bug, Tian Meng hugged itself, feeling kinship.
What's wrong with this world? Bugs have it rough!
"Over 200 centipedes, scorpions, and spiders. With double and triple prices, minus the grill and charcoal's two silver soul coins, we netted over 400 gold soul coins tonight—enough for our trip north. Just a bit taxing," Huo Yuhao said.
Ingredients? Courtesy of Star Dou Forest.
Tian Meng was speechless. "Taxing for the customers, right?"
"Doesn't matter. Next, I'll find a spot to cultivate. Once I hit Level 20 in Shrek City, we head to the Far North to recruit Ice Emperor," Huo Yuhao planned while packing up.
The stall was useless now, but he'd sell it secondhand for half a silver soul coin.
Tian Meng fell silent at the plan.
Though eager to see Ice Emperor, it hesitated.
"Brother Hao, maybe we skip the Far North for now," Tian Meng ventured.
Huo Yuhao paused packing, puzzled. "Why?"
"If we… take Ice Emperor now, Snow Emperor might still meet her original fate, causing chaos in the Far North. Plus, you didn't join Shrek Academy like in the story—things have changed. Can you still save Snow Emperor?"
Huo Yuhao grinned. "Brother Tian Meng, ever consider I could have it all?"
Locking both Emperors in his grasp—how sweet would that be?
If possible, add Titan Snow Demon King and Ice Bear King, and the Far North would be his.
Huo Yuhao wiped his drool.
Tian Meng was floored—a path it never imagined.
A voice snapped them out of their fantasy.
"Brother Huo?"
Someone recognized him!
Huo Yuhao looked up and saw Beibei, alone this time.
As Beibei approached, Huo Yuhao's face fell.
Gone was Beibei's elegant calm. His face was pale, cheeks sunken, body frail, and worry clouded his brow.
Even his smile upon seeing Huo Yuhao couldn't mask his sorrow.
In just over a week, how had Beibei become this?
Beibei confirmed Huo Yuhao's identity, smiling weakly. "Cough, it's really you, Brother Huo. You're looking spirited."
Huo Yuhao stepped forward. "Brother Beibei? What happened? How could Sister Tang Ya do this to you? How could she be so heartless? Poor Brother Beibei, you've suffered!"
Even if he avoided Tang Sect's mess, Huo Yuhao could still chat with Beibei, especially since Beibei sought him out.
Beibei froze, then realized the misunderstanding, embarrassed. "Brother Huo, cough, you've got it wrong. It's not Xiao Ya's fault, cough… Well, it's sort of related, but definitely not her doing…"
His voice trailed into sadness.
Why's he coughing now?
Huo Yuhao studied Beibei's face, drawing on Pudu Cihang's medical knowledge. Shocked, he realized Beibei's state wasn't just exhaustion.
It seemed Beibei had used a forbidden technique, overtaxing himself and getting injured—completely drained!
This wasn't just Tang Ya wringing him dry.
"No wonder. In the original story, Beibei and Tang Ya didn't progress *that* fast," Huo Yuhao mused.
If Tang Ya had drained Beibei like this, she'd have been pregnant with a dragon baby by graduation.
He glanced at Beibei's luck.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon phantom was frail, reflecting Beibei's poor state.
Yet, the potential glint within shone brighter.
Beibei's luck had grown, mostly in the middle section, while the lower part—descendants—was nearly gone, a sign of barrenness.
Despite his injuries, his luck increased because Tang Sect's dark clouds above had thinned drastically, suggesting his tie to Tang Sect was weakening, possibly severing soon!
Meanwhile, Shrek Academy's auspicious clouds grew denser.
In sum, Beibei and Tang Ya's relationship was in serious trouble!
How so sudden?
Huo Yuhao grabbed Beibei's hand. "Come, Brother Beibei, your little brother's treating you to drinks!"
Now, spill your story!