"Right, Brother Tianmeng, if possible, could you make my first spirit ring appear as a yellow hundred-year ring? After all, a million-year spirit ring might be too flashy. With this small body of mine, I can't handle it."
"This... can be done," the Skydream Iceworm said hesitantly. "But if I use my strength to disguise it, the original effect of the ring might weaken. I've carefully adjusted it based on your current condition, you know."
"It's fine. I just want to hide it for now. It's better not to stand out too much outside."
"Alright, alright. Poor me, having to waste power on something like this again."
Hearing the Iceworm agree, Huo Yuhao nodded in satisfaction. After all, he didn't want to end up like the original Huo Yuhao — walking around with a white first spirit ring, getting humiliated before showing off. That would be such a constant waste of time and effort.
Soon, with the Iceworm's help, Huo Yuhao felt his "body" being drawn out of the spiritual sea.
Opening his eyes, he saw a blur of shifting colors all around, though the pain had vanished — the Iceworm must have healed him.
What the hell... why is it still like this? Don't tell me I'm actually blind now?
As he was thinking this helplessly, a startled cry sounded nearby. Two clusters of light rapidly approached him, their voices echoing.
"Ah! We're late! Little Brother Yuhao seems to have been attacked. These spirit beasts are getting too bold!"
One of the glowing figures darted forward, stopping right beside him.
Before the other could come closer, Huo Yuhao raised his hand, signaling that he was fine.
Looking at his hand, he realized it, too, was made of light.
So the problem wasn't them — it was him. Drawing from the original Huo Yuhao's memories, he quickly understood how to manipulate his spirit power and Spirit Eyes.
Finally closing his Spirit Eyes, his vision returned to normal.
Beside him now stood a lively young girl — bright and charming, her beauty radiating youth and vitality. On Earth, she'd be a rare sight. Yet to Huo Yuhao, her glow seemed almost unreal.
After all — who in the world glows from head to toe!?
Not knowing what Huo Yuhao was thinking, Tang Ya asked anxiously, "Little Yuhao, are you alright? Are you hurt? Why are your clothes torn like this?"
"If it weren't for me stopping to wash my hands and face, we wouldn't have been delayed. If something had happened to you, I'd never forgive myself."
Seeing her flustered concern, Huo Yuhao forced a small, awkward smile. "Sister Tang, I'm fine."
What's going on... why is Tang Ya so emotional? In the original story, she and Huo Yuhao had barely known each other that long.
Setting the thought aside, he decided to deal with her first and think through his plans later.
Nearby, Beibei had finished examining the fallen Wind Baboon, then looked at Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya with a gentle smile.
When he saw Tang Ya looking overwhelmed, he stepped forward. "Teacher Tang Ya, don't worry. Look, Little Brother Yuhao seems fine now."
"If you use your spirit power to sense him, his energy and blood are flowing normally. No abnormalities — he probably just fainted after being thrown into a tree."
Huo Yuhao nodded apologetically. "Yeah, I was reckless coming here alone. Thank you, Brother Bei, Sister Tang, for worrying about me."
"If not for the life-saving weapon my mother left behind, I might've been done for."
As he spoke, a wave of sorrow welled up. Tears blurred his eyes. He didn't hold them back — these emotions belonged to the original Huo Yuhao, whose memories and regrets he now carried.
Seeing him cry, Tang Ya panicked. "Little Yuhao, are you okay? I didn't mean to remind you of something sad!"
"I'm fine, Sister Tang. Thanks for checking on me. If there's nothing else, I'll get going." Wiping his tears, Huo Yuhao composed himself.
"Wait!" Tang Ya quickly said. "Little Yuhao, would you like to join our sect?"
After meeting him and tasting his grilled fish earlier, Tang Ya had already decided she wanted to recruit him into the Tang Sect.
Though Beibei teased her about doing it just because of the grilled fish, Tang Ya was completely serious.
Something told her — if Huo Yuhao joined the Tang Sect, she could one day restore its glory.
Seeing him about to leave, she couldn't hold back and blurted the invitation.
Beibei sighed, baffled by her impulsiveness. Even if the Tang Sect had declined, shouldn't they at least vet new members?
Check their background, talent, temperament — not just recruit anyone who appeared!
Though both of them were from Shrek Academy, Tang Ya's Blue Silver Grass spirit hardly made her one of its top students.
Still, recruiting some random boy they'd just met? Wasn't that a bit reckless?
Huo Yuhao froze. "Sect? What sect?"
Seriously... can't escape this part after all. But should I join? If not Shrek... maybe Sun and Moon?
But the original Huo Yuhao's memory doesn't have a route there. Traveling blindly might be dangerous. And joining the Sun and Moon Empire as someone from the Douluo Continent would be difficult too.
He pondered deeply. At this stage, only two destinations truly mattered — the Sun and Moon Empire or Shrek Academy.
The Sun and Moon Empire had abundant resources, but his identity would make entry hard. Even if he excelled at spirit tool research, gaining recognition there would take time.
Shrek Academy, though annoying, was still the top academy in the continent and his easiest option right now. Its prestige and his memories of the original book offered him quick ways to benefit.
As for the Body Sect — that hidden sect rarely appeared publicly. To even attract their attention, he'd need to build a reputation first or use Shrek as a way to either contact them or get into their radar.
Going to the Sun and Moon Empire or looking for the Body Sect would waste too much time. Huo Yuhao's talent was limited, and missing the prime age for cultivation would only make things harder later.
Better to follow the original path for now, then adapt as he went.
With his mind made up, he waited for Tang Ya's reply.
Meanwhile, Beibei pulled Tang Ya aside. "Tang Ya, are you sure about this? Recruiting Little Brother Huo into our Tang Sect? Please don't tell me it's because of the grilled fish."
Tang Ya pouted. "Of course not! Look at him — he came here alone, mentioned his mother sadly, and he's still so young. He clearly doesn't belong to any sect. Even academies send teachers to escort students when hunting spirit rings. We've waited this long and no one's come for him. Besides— Little Yuhao's so mature and brave for his age. He's a good seedling! And you agreed before!"
Beibei's mouth twitched. "Fine. You're the Sect Master anyway. But at least let me handle the recruitment test, okay?"
He turned back to Huo Yuhao. "Our sect is the Tang Sect — once the greatest sect on the continent. But now, it has fallen from glory. Teacher Tang Ya and I are the last disciples. Teacher Tang Ya is the current and final Sect Master."
His tone grew solemn. "Though we've declined, the Tang Sect's ancestral techniques remain. We still have our heritage and can provide you resources and training. If you wish, joining us would also give you access to Shrek Academy, the top academy on the continent."
"So, Little Brother Huo, I ask you — will you join our Tang Sect and take on the duty of restoring its glory? Joining isn't a trivial matter. Even if we've fallen, we were once the world's number one sect. If you ever betray us in the future, neither Tang Ya nor I will forgive you."
"Think carefully."
Behind him, Tang Ya looked at Huo Yuhao with hopeful eyes. Her heart thumped nervously, afraid he might refuse.
Huo Yuhao nodded. "Brother Bei, Sister Tang... may I think about it first?"
"Of course. Take your time. Teacher Tang Ya and I are heading deeper into the forest to hunt a spirit ring. Would you like to come along? We can escort you back afterward."
Huo Yuhao nodded. Beibei handed him a shirt. "It's not a perfect fit, but wear this for now."
Putting on the shirt, Huo Yuhao followed them deeper into the forest.
Finally, he had a moment to organize his thoughts — reviewing the powers given by the Skydream Iceworm and the changes to his Spirit Eyes after transmigration.
He doubted the Spirit Eyes originally showed the world like this. Most likely, his arrival had caused them to mutate.
As they walked, he kept his Spirit Eyes active, barely managing to keep pace with Beibei and Tang Ya thanks to the physical boost they granted.
But through that, he began to grasp their new abilities.
Beyond the Iceworm's four spirit skills, his Spirit Eyes had completely transformed — no longer the same as before. Perhaps due to his foreign soul, the world viewed through his eyes was now deconstructed and analyzed into countless intricate layers.
Beibei, Tang Ya, even himself — all were broken down into the smallest structural levels, which he could then rearrange through focus.
The deepest layer, he called the soul. By observing it, he noticed subtle differences between his own and theirs.
Beibei's and Tang Ya's souls differed slightly, yet clearly belonged to the same plane of existence.
Moreover, on Tang Ya's soul, faint blue-golden light shimmered around her head — though Huo Yuhao couldn't identify its nature, he carefully recorded its composition.
Aside from analysis, he discovered that with the Spirit Eyes active, he could perfectly memorize anything he saw — every structure, stored deep in his spiritual sea.
Outside the soul lay the mental layer, and beyond that, the physical — where he could now clearly observe the flow of spirit power and blood within Beibei and Tang Ya.
So this is the Mysterious Heaven Skill? It does look more refined than my basic spirit power circulation method.
But... some of the energy paths deliberately avoid parts of the meridians and acupoints, refusing to connect with the body's life force. Looks like Tang San's version was... castrated.