Chapter 17: The Son of Luck Joining(Part 1)

"I didn't expect him to choose me."

The forest had fallen into an eerie silence. The wave of spiritual fluctuations had passed, leaving everything still. Only Chen Junting remained conscious, shielded by the presence of Electrolux.

He reached up, touching the center of his brow where the gray airflow had seeped in. There was no pain, no discomfort—only the lingering echo of that ancient, majestic voice:

"I hold the sun and moon and pluck the stars. There is none like me in this world."

Had it all been an illusion?

"Old man?" he called softly, but the silence stretched on.

A moment later, he exhaled, shaking his head. "It looks like he's fallen into a deep sleep."

Since there was nothing he could do about it now, he turned his attention back to the task at hand. Huo Yuhao.

With a flicker of thought, the Seven Killing Sword beneath his feet surged forward, slicing through the air as he rushed toward Yuhao's side.

---

Huo Yuhao lay motionless. The chaotic energy from the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's appearance had faded, leaving only the stillness of the forest—and the lifeless corpse of a ten-year Wind Baboon beside him.

Chen Junting landed gracefully, concern flashing in his eyes.

"Yuhao!? Yuhao!"

He crouched down, gently shaking Huo Yuhao's shoulders. No response. Frowning, he carefully adjusted Yuhao into a cross-legged position before pressing his palm against the boy's back.

Soul power surged—vast and steady, flowing into Yuhao's meridians.

As he probed deeper, his expression darkened.

"Blocked… blocked… still blocked!"

Junting had already guessed that Huo Yuhao's body was weak, but this was far worse than he expected. The meridians were fragile, the energy flow sluggish. If anyone else had tried cultivating with a physique like this, they would have barely reached the Great Soul Master level in their lifetime.

And yet…

"He's the Son of Destiny, after all."

Shaking his head, Chen Junting withdrew his hand. Since he had already chosen to take Huo Yuhao under his wing, he wouldn't let him struggle alone.

With a flick of his fingers, a blue light flashed from the ring on his hand. A delicate porcelain bottle appeared in his palm. Without hesitation, he poured out a pill and pressed it past Huo Yuhao's lips.

Xuanshui Pill.

It was meant to be a welcome gift for new disciples of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect upon entering Shrek Academy. But now, it had a better use.

A moment later, a faint mist of soul power began to rise from Yuhao's body. The pill had begun to take effect.

Chen Junting stood, summoning his Seven Killing Sword once more. In a few swift movements, he carved down several trees, their trunks tumbling to the ground. He stacked them around Yuhao, forming a crude but solid enclosure.

A precaution. He knew what came next.

Then, stepping back several meters, he waited.

---

A short while later, Ning Tian and Wu Feng arrived.

The red-haired Wu Feng looked around, her sharp eyes scanning the area. "Swordsman, where's Huo Yuhao?"

Before she could get a response—

"Ugh! What is that smell!?"

A pungent, fishy stench suddenly filled the air.

Ning Tian reacted swiftly, summoning a shield-type soul guide from her storage bracelet. The device shimmered, forming a protective barrier around them that filtered the air and blocked external odors.

With the foul scent contained, she turned to Junting.

"Brother Junting, you gave him the Xuanshui Pill, didn't you?"

Her gaze shifted, catching sight of the lifeless Wind Baboon nearby.

A bad feeling settled in her chest.

Wu Feng followed her line of sight.

"Wait… he fought a Wind Baboon?" Wu Feng's eyes widened in shock. "Did he actually kill it?" Then, noticing the lack of a spirit ring, her expression changed. "No way… did he… absorb it?"

Her voice held a mix of disbelief and frustration.

It had only been an hour since they separated. How could Huo Yuhao have already absorbed a spirit ring?

"A ten-year spirit ring…"

Wu Feng's brow furrowed. "Tch, this kid is finished. A ten-year ring is useless in the long run."

Despite Ning Tian's sharp glare, she didn't take back her words.

"She's not wrong," Ning Tian admitted reluctantly.

But Chen Junting simply exhaled, crossing his arms. "Given his physical condition, absorbing anything beyond a ten-year spirit ring would've been impossible."

Then, with calm precision, he laid out the facts—Yuhao's frail body, his rare spiritual martial soul, and the immense potential hidden beneath the surface. If nurtured properly, his second awakening would be extraordinary.

"But the road won't be easy," Junting finished. "Spiritual-type soul beasts are incredibly rare. His path as a Soul Master will be difficult. But if his talent as a Soul Engineer is good enough, it'll be worth the investment."

A moment of silence followed.

Then, a determined gleam flashed in Ning Tian's eyes.

"Ten-year spirit ring? So what?" Her voice was resolute. "If we want him to thrive, we'll make him stronger! We'll push his physical training to the limit! We'll make sure that by the time he reaches his fourth spirit ring, he can absorb a ten-thousand-year ring!"

She turned to Junting, her confidence unwavering.

"And if spiritual soul beasts are rare, we'll find them. If his talent in cultivation is slow, we'll do it the Sun-Moon Empire way—we'll use resources!"

A slight smirk played on her lips.

"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect doesn't lack money. If throwing money at a problem can solve it, then we'll spend!"

Wu Feng's eyes sparkled. "Wow, Ning Tian, that was so badass!"

Junting, however, wordlessly smacked Wu Feng's forehead, snapping her out of her awe-struck daze.

Then, turning back to Ning Tian, he smiled lightly and reached out, grasping her hand in agreement.

This was the right decision.

---

Meanwhile, inside Huo Yuhao's sea of consciousness…

"Wow! This is amazing!"

The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm wiggled its plump white body in delight.

"I was just worrying about Xiao Yuhao's terrible talent, and look! Someone sent him a gift to improve it! Haha, what luck!"

Huo Yuhao, floating in this ethereal space, blinked in confusion.

"Someone… helped me?"

Tianmeng Ice Silkworm waved a stubby tentacle and projected an image—Chen Junting, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng standing guard outside.

"They're good people," Tianmeng mused. "They just ate your grilled fish once, and now they're going all out for you! Xiao Yuhao, is your grilled fish really that delicious?"

Then, realizing it no longer had a body, the silkworm suddenly pouted.

"Ugh! What a shame, I can't eat it!"

But Yuhao barely heard. His chest ached—not from pain, but from a warmth he hadn't felt in years.

"Besides my mother… someone actually cares about me."

He looked at the projected images of his three companions, his vision blurring slightly.

"Brother Junting… Ning Tian… Wu Feng…"

From this moment on, he would never take their kindness for granted.

"Alright, time to wake up!" Tianmeng chirped."The pill's effects are almost gone!"

Before Yuhao could respond, his vision darkened, and he felt himself being pulled back to reality.

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(End of Chapter)

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