"Ah!? I... but..."
Tang Ya was completely stunned by the question.
For a moment, she stammered, not knowing how to answer.
Just now, she hadn't thought at all about how humiliating it would be for a peer to kowtow to her.
Her only thought was that she could finally fulfill her duty as the Tang Sect master.
Previously, she could only watch new Tang Sect members kowtow to her father; now that she finally had the chance, she naturally didn't think too much about it.
She truly didn't use her brain to think.
In the original work, this was exactly how Tang Ya was; upon hearing that Huo Yuhao had no family, Tang Ya could actually joyfully say "That's great."
"Bowing to the master when joining the Tang Sect is a normal thing. I also bowed to Teacher Xiaoya back then. What is the problem with this?"
Beibei frowned as he spoke.
Looking at Wang Lin at this moment, his eyes were already somewhat impatient; he hadn't expected this youth to talk so much.
"Exactly. I just handed the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record directly to Yuhao. Under normal circumstances, new Tang Sect members have to undergo a series of assessments before they can be taught the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record."
Hearing this, Tang Ya immediately found a reason for herself and shouted, her gaze toward Wang Lin also becoming impatient.
Huo Yuhao, hearing this, suddenly felt his mood brighten.
The negative emotions in his eyes dissipated at this moment.
He touched the newly obtained storage soul tool belt, and his gloomy expression also relaxed.
Yes! My talent is so poor, yet as soon as Teacher Xiaoya and Eldest Senior Brother accepted me into the sect, they gave me the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record and a storage soul tool. It was just performing the apprenticeship ceremony and kowtowing; what do I have to complain about!?
Wang Lin noticed the change in Huo Yuhao's expression and shook his head secretly.
He had heard from his author friend that Huo Yuhao's loss of dignity began with his self-manipulation after not receiving the Core Disciple status at Shrek Academy.
But looking at it now, perhaps Huo Yuhao had already lost his dignity from the moment he bowed to the Tang Sect.
Perhaps due to his background, this young man did not understand what the million-year soul beast possessing him meant.
With the Skydream Ice Silkworm, he actually had absolutely no need to kowtow to Tang Ya to obtain the so-called Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record.
The Skydream Ice Silkworm was Huo Yuhao's biggest cheat; the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record was merely icing on the cake.
Of course, this couldn't be entirely blamed on Huo Yuhao.
His childhood experiences shaped everything about him.
Although his worldview was not yet fully formed, his character had already roughly emerged.
It would have been fine if someone guided him, but in the original work, Beibei and Tang Ya themselves had warped values, so Huo Yuhao, who joined the Tang Sect, naturally wouldn't be much better off.
Huo Yuhao cheated twice in the competition and shamelessly claimed it was for the glory of Shrek Academy; it was guided by these two, plus the already warped school motto of Shrek Academy.
Huo Yuhao looked kind, but he had quite a few faults.
Unfortunately, Wang Lin stopped reading the original work after Huo Yuhao cheated in the second competition.
As for the later content, except for reading a small segment about the Universe Inquiry Love Valley because he heard it was quite outrageous, the rest was just listening to his friend's complaints; he didn't remember much.
"Alright, I talked too much."
Wang Lin waved his hand immediately, though there was not much apology on his face.
If the person involved could accept it, then he naturally couldn't control it.
After all, he had only known Huo Yuhao for a few days.
He wasn't a saint and had no intention of meddling in other people's business.
Speaking up earlier was only because after spending a few days together, he felt Huo Yuhao was decent and offered a kind reminder.
Given Tang San's degree of control over Huo Yuhao, if not for the Skydream Ice Silkworm, Wang Lin actually didn't want to have any interaction with Huo Yuhao at all.
"As long as you know you talked too much."
Tang Ya said immediately.
She made a gesture to Beibei, and Beibei immediately understood Tang Ya's meaning.
"Little Brother Wang, next I will teach Yuhao the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record. This is a secret of my Tang Sect that is not passed down to outsiders. Trouble you to stay further away..."
Although the tone no longer held impatience, it carried a faint exclusion.
"No problem!"
Wang Lin nodded.
He didn't waste words and immediately walked to the other side, distancing himself from Beibei, Tang Ya, and Huo Yuhao.
The orange firelight shone on Wang Lin's face, and whispering sounds came from the other side.
Although the voices weren't loud, as a mental-type Soul Master, Wang Lin could hear clearly what Beibei was saying if he wanted to.
However, Wang Lin did not do so.
Instead, he gathered his mind and began his daily meditation cultivation.
...
...
...
"Wah!"
A mouthful of congested blood was spat out from Huo Yuhao's mouth.
The sound woke Wang Lin, who had been meditating for the night nearby.
Wang Lin opened his eyes, stood up directly to stretch his stiff body, and looked up at the horizon where the first light of dawn had appeared.
Beibei's voice also came from the side.
"Junior Brother, stand up and look to the east. Follow my guidance to circulate your energy and gather it in your eyes."
Beibei's voice sounded slightly exhausted.
Tang Ya, who had been sleeping soundly nearby, also woke up as Beibei spoke.
She hopped to Beibei's side.
Without speaking, she simply pulled Beibei and Huo Yuhao and walked further away.
After putting some distance between them and Wang Lin, the three stared at the rising sun that had just revealed a corner and began to circulate their energy.
Wang Lin was not surprised, but also felt somewhat speechless.
He sighed in his heart: Tang Ya really is a "good teacher".
Wang Lin walked to the side on his own, assumed a strange posture, and began his routine morning exercise.
He didn't know any extraordinary techniques; what he practiced was a Taoist health-preserving exercise he learned online in his previous life, called the "Eight Vajra Longevity Technique".
He only knew the first half, the "Eight Vajra Body Technique"—the one marked with 'Mastered' on the Attribute Panel.
He had transmigrated before he had time to learn the second half, the "Longevity Technique".
He had practiced this technique since he was three years old, for nine years.
After every exercise, besides washing away the fatigue of the night, he could feel a current of air moving within his body, and that current was not soul power.
However, after each practice, the warm current would always merge into his soul power and disappear.
He could feel that the quality of his soul power seemed to improve a tiny bit because of this, though he didn't know if it was an illusion.
The morning sun rose quickly.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Beibei and Tang Ya completed their routine cultivation.
Huo Yuhao, however, was still immersed in cultivation because it was his first time practicing the Purple Demon Eye.
Beibei's attention remained on Huo Yuhao to prevent any problems with his cultivation.
As for Tang Ya, this "teacher," as soon as she finished practicing, she noticed Wang Lin not far away, currently posing in a set of strange movements.
She seemed to sense that Wang Lin's movements were extraordinary and couldn't help but tug at the corner of Beibei's clothes, about to observe Wang Lin's movements carefully.
Swish!
Invisible spiritual fluctuations permeated from Wang Lin's body at this moment.
Condensed, materialized mental power surrounded him, distorting the light.
Now, Wang Lin's figure directly turned into a twisted mosaic.
Seeing this situation, Tang Ya couldn't help but pout and whispered: "Stingy!"
Beibei also shook his head, no longer looking at Wang Lin, and refocused his attention on Huo Yuhao.
Half a quarter of an hour later.
As Huo Yuhao completed his first cultivation of the Purple Demon Eye, Wang Lin also finished a set of the "Eight Vajra Body Technique".
His figure changed back to its original appearance from a blurry mosaic.
A trace of bright light appeared in the depths of Wang Lin's eyes, then quickly disappeared.
Tang Ya, who had been observing Wang Lin, accurately captured this point.
Interest rose in her eyes, and she asked subconsciously: "Hey, what were you practicing just now?"
Hearing this, Wang Lin frowned and glanced at Tang Ya.
Was what happened last night my illusion!?
How could this Tang Ya ask such a question so brazenly?
Thinking this, he said indifferently: "Family secret, not to be passed to outsiders."
Huo Yuhao, who had just opened his eyes nearby, was attracted by the conversation and looked at Wang Lin.
A trace of purple flashed in his eyes, and he clearly felt that Wang Lin's mental power was a sliver stronger than before.
The effect seemed similar to his newly learned Purple Demon Eye.
Doubts arose in his heart as well, but he did not voice his question.
During the few days Wang Lin followed Huo Yuhao, his mind was completely on the Skydream Ice Silkworm, and he had no thought of practicing, so Huo Yuhao did not know Wang Lin knew such a technique.
"Tch!"
Tang Ya let out a small scoff.
Wang Lin shook his head and didn't say much more.
He looked up at the sun that had risen into the sky, then looked at Beibei and Tang Ya, as well as Huo Yuhao who had stood up, and spoke directly:
"You guys are going back to Shrek Academy, right? I'm going to Heaven Dou City. Shrek Academy is to the east, Heaven Dou City is to the north. We are not going the same way, so it's time to part."
"Why not go to Shrek Academy? It is currently the time for new student enrollment at Shrek Academy."
Beibei looked at Wang Lin and said suddenly.
"The Body Sect is more suitable for me. Besides, I can't get a recommendation letter from a main city lord."
Saying this, the storage soul tool on Wang Lin's wrist shone with a faint glimmer, and a money pouch appeared in his hand.
Wang Lin weighed it in his hand and tossed the money pouch directly to Huo Yuhao.
Thud!
The money pouch landed in his hand, and Huo Yuhao was directly dumbfounded.
He immediately tried to return the money pouch to Wang Lin: "Brother Lin, I..."
"Take it, Yuhao. Consider it payment for the grilled fish. Your grilled fish is very fragrant and worth this price."
Wang Lin waved his hand and spoke.
During the few days he stayed with Huo Yuhao, he hadn't forgotten to taste Huo Yuhao's grilled fish.
Moreover, the money wasn't much, just ten Gold Soul Coins.
"Alright, I'm leaving. Goodbye, Yuhao, Tang Ya, Beibei."
Without waiting for Huo Yuhao to reply, Wang Lin bid farewell and then walked north without looking back.
Huo Yuhao pinched the money pouch in his hand, feeling the ten Gold Soul Coins inside.
He was stunned; he didn't expect there to be so much.
He was just about to speak when he realized that the black-haired, gray-eyed youth was extremely fast, seemingly without any lingering attachment.
In the blink of an eye, his figure was reduced to a small dot.
Just like his sudden intrusion initially, he walked far away very quickly.
"How much did he give?"
Tang Ya approached Huo Yuhao at this time.
Looking at the money pouch in Huo Yuhao's hand, her eyes held obvious desire.
She was very poor and usually relied on Beibei for support.
Beibei looked at Tang Ya like this, his face showing helplessness, and couldn't help but say: "Teacher Xiaoya, this is what Wang Lin gave to Yuhao. Don't get any ideas!"
Perhaps having her thoughts exposed, Tang Ya blushed rarely.
Huo Yuhao also came back to his senses at this time: "Ten Gold Soul Coins, it's a lot."
"Indeed quite a lot, enough for an ordinary family to live on for half a year."
Perhaps to make up for it, Tang Ya spoke up: "Put it away quickly. Spend it sparingly; it's enough for you to live in the academy for a semester."
"Mn!"
Huo Yuhao nodded distractedly.
He put the money pouch into the storage soul tool, inevitably doubting in his heart: Is my grilled fish really worth it?