At dawn the next morning, Huo Yuhao woke early.
Outside, unfamiliar birds chirped as they searched for food.
He pushed open the inn window, and a cool morning breeze—carrying dew and the scent of soil—brushed across his face, clearing his mind after a night of deep sleep.
After a quick wash, he checked out at the front desk.
One night had cost him one silver soul coin.
For someone already poor, it was salt on the wound.
But he had no time to mourn his fallen finances.
He needed to head straight for the city's east gate.
He had learned yesterday that mercenary groups gathered there to form teams and take missions.
That was his destination today.
However, he didn't go immediately.
He slipped into a deserted alley, summoned his status panel, and took out the Faceless Mask he had drawn from the lottery last time.
Huo Yuhao had inherited the sacred essence of webnovels from his past life—
the art of alternate identities.
Out in the world, identity was whatever you said it was.
What respectable person uses their real name while roaming the jianghu?
The last guy who did that was Song Jiang.
The mask materialized in Huo Yuhao's hand.
Its features were blurred—like someone had turned a mosaic filter into a wearable object.
Without hesitation, he put it on.
The mask instantly linked to his spiritual power.
A stream of information entered his mind—the method of use.
He only needed to visualize the person he wanted to become, and the mask would automatically adjust his appearance.
Huo Yuhao thought for a moment.
Then he formed the desired persona in his mind.
The mask responded immediately.
A cross-shaped scar appeared on the chin.
His once-clear eyes narrowed into a scheming, cold gaze.
His black hair darkened into brown.
His thin frame thickened with compact muscle.
His height increased by the mask's maximum of ten centimeters.
If he were to wrap bandages around his right eye and right arm now, he would probably give a certain emo Uchiha boy instant PTSD.
That's right, the person Huo Yuhao was currently transforming into was the "Shadow of Konoha," the "One Who Took All the Blame," the "5.5th Hokage," the man who died sealing a bridge: Danzō Shimura.
After confirming that the transformation was truly flawless, Huo Yuhao stepped out of the alley and headed straight for the east gate along the main road.
Before arriving, his spiritual detection sensed an increasing number of Spirit Masters. Many were grouped in threes or fives; only a few were alone like him.
Upon reaching the gate, he discovered it was more than a mercenary gathering point—
it was also a large-scale Spirit Master marketplace.
Everywhere, people sold valuable Spirit Beast parts:
— Hundred-year Man Faced Demon Spider scales
— Ten-year Soft Bone Rabbit meat
— Hundred-year True-horned Horse horns
— Hundred-year Blazing Fire Ox… well… ox parts
Most stalls were empty—
except the one selling the Blazing Fire Ox… vitality supplement.
Dozens crowded it.
Apparently, the ox organ contained potent yang force that greatly benefited men.
Huo Yuhao shook his head, completely uninterested in these Spirit Beast components. It definitely wasn't because he was broke.
Walking along the street, he scanned the area with Danzo's cold, calculating gaze, looking for any mercenary group headed toward the Heavenly Soul Empire.
He spotted one quickly.
A middle-aged man in an expensive silk robe with a gold-edged monocle was speaking with what seemed to be a mercenary captain.
Next to them, someone held a sign reading:
"Escort Commission — Destination: Heavenly Soul Empire, Xuanfeng City."
Huo Yuhao headed straight toward them.
Both men stopped talking as he approached.
The burly mercenary captain gave a rough but friendly smile:
"Hello there. I'm the leader of the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group. Here to join this escort mission?"
"Mm."
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes in classic Danzo fashion, nodding slightly.
The rugged captain didn't mind his attitude.
Spirit Masters with strange personalities were common enough.
He waved his hand.
"Alright, brother. I'll be direct. Show me your strength. If you have two Spirit Rings, you can join us."
Huo Yuhao said nothing.
He simply opened his eyes fully and swept his gaze across the onlookers—
casting an illusion instantly.
In the captain's and employer's eyes, two Spirit Rings appeared around him:
one white, one yellow.
Huo Yuhao spoke calmly:
"I am Shimura Danzo."
"My Martial Soul is the Vacuum Jade. It manipulates wind."
"Battle Spirit Master."
The well-dressed employer adjusted his monocle.
"I am Xiao Dingyuan, president of the Dingyi Merchant Association. I'm traveling to Xuanfeng City for business. The reward for this escort mission is thirty gold soul coins. If you agree, you may travel with us."
"A reasonable price. I accept."
The Blood Wolf captain laughed heartily and scratched his head.
"Well then, since you're one of us now, let me introduce myself too."
"Brother Danzo, I'm Lang Shan. Martial Soul: Blood Wolf. Rank 37 Battle Spirit Elder. I'll be in your care on the road."
Huo Yuhao thought to himself:
A Spirit Elder? And still no resistance to illusions? Is it because he hasn't activated his Martial Soul yet?
Outwardly, he simply nodded.
"Not at all. Captain Lang Shan is strong. I'll be relying on your guidance."
This pleased Lang Shan greatly, and his laughter grew louder.
"Brother Danzo, go chat with the others first. I need to discuss the route and departure time with President Xiao."
Huo Yuhao nodded and headed over to the other members. There were only ten in total.
After some small talk, he learned:
— Seven were Spirit Grandmasters
— Three were Spirit Elders
— The strongest was a Rank 35 Spirit Elder named Lang Yan, Lang Shan's younger brother, Martial Soul also Blood Wolf
Huo Yuhao quietly evaluated their strength—
"Thirty–seventy."
"If I use ocular techniques, three minutes. I can cut them into seven pieces."
So he wouldn't need to watch them.
He needed to watch the real enemies they might encounter.
Maintaining Danzo's expressionless face, he casually chatted with the mercenaries, gathering intel on possible threats.
One laughed and said:
"Brother Danzo, no need to worry so much! We've walked this road for over ten years. Sometimes bandits show up, but once we reveal our Spirit Rings, they run right off."
Before Huo Yuhao could ask more, another mercenary leaned in:
"I did hear the wolf bandits on the Heaven Dou Plains have reappeared. People said their bodies look strange—like they're hybrids of different Spirit Beasts."
His companion waved dismissively.
"Shrek Academy is right next to the Heaven Dou Plains. Those wolf bandits won't last long. And we're not even crossing the plains, just passing nearby. Nothing to worry about."
Huo Yuhao memorized the information.
He was particularly interested in the strange wolf bandits—
In the original story, Evil Soul Masters did perform hybrid experiments with Spirit Beasts…
Just as he was deep in thought, he felt a tug on the hem of his clothes. He turned his head but found nothing.
"?"
Huo Yuhao looked around cautiously, trying to find the source.
"Where are you looking?!"
Huo Yuhao suddenly heard a clear, feminine voice nearby. Realizing something, he lowered his head with jerky, mechanical movements and saw a petite girl with a side ponytail and light green eyes looking up at him with puffed-out cheeks.