As the sky gradually darkened, a large number of vendors gathered at the east gate of the city. The area was bustling with people shoulder to shoulder, and the air was filled with the incessant sounds of hawking. They were all there to do business with the students of Shrek Academy.
On one side of the road, Tang Ya was helping Huo Yuhao set up his grilled fish stall with great effort. Next to the grill, the colorful sign of 'Xiao Huo's Grilled Fish' lit up.
"Done! I really am a little genius!"
Tang Ya clapped her hands, her slender waist accentuated as she placed her hands on her hips, her pretty face filled with excitement. "Yuhao, from now on, you can confidently set up your stall here after school. Every day, get twenty green fish from the cafeteria auntie. Including charcoal and seasonings, each fish costs about three spirit copper coins, so selling them for five spirit copper coins each will do. The money you earn can cover your basic expenses without taking up too much of your cultivation time."
"Thank you, Teacher Xiao Ya!"
Tears glimmered in Huo Yuhao's eyes. Tang Ya had been the kindest person to him since his mother Huo Yun'er passed away. Before, she had helped him enter the continent's number one academy with a special spot admission, and now she enabled him to support himself, so he didn't have to worry about not being able to afford meals at the Outer Courtyard cafeteria.
Huo Yuhao secretly vowed in his heart that he would definitely help Tang Ya revive the Tang Sect!
"It's no big deal!" Tang Ya waved her hand, looking nonchalant. "I'm going to wander around for a bit. Remember to save two grilled fish for me!"
With that, she tossed out a spirit silver coin and disappeared into the crowd like a fish swimming through water, vanishing from Huo Yuhao's sight.
After watching Tang Ya disappear into the crowd, Huo Yuhao rolled up his sleeves and began preparing the grilled fish. Having helped his mother since he was young, his culinary skills were excellent. His hands moved deftly as he descaled, gutted, cleaned, and marinated the fish in one smooth sequence. He threw a few blazing red charcoal pieces under the grill, and Xiao Huo's Grilled Fish was officially open for business!
The grill Tang Ya brought wasn't particularly large; Huo Yuhao could grill four fish at a time. Relying on his Spirit Eyes for meticulous Spiritual Detection, his grilled fish skills could be considered top-notch even across the entire Douluo Continent.
Before long, the green fish grilled to a golden yellow color with a faint sheen of oil glistening on the surface. The rich, savory aroma of grilled fish wafted through the air. This was the best form of advertising. Immediately, quite a few people gathered in front of the stall.
A Shrek Academy student in a yellow uniform couldn't resist the temptation and bought one. The first bite produced a light crackling sound as his teeth met the crispy, perfectly grilled skin. After tasting it, he continuously gave thumbs up, wolfing down the entire fish in a few quick bites.
Everyone there was sharp-eyed. They understood immediately when they saw this scene. One after another, they lined up eagerly, determined to get a grilled fish today!
This delighted Huo Yuhao. Initially, he had been worried that his grilled fish wouldn't be popular and would let down Tang Ya's expectations, but it turned out he had worried for nothing.
A long queue formed in front of 'Xiao Huo's Grilled Fish.' Huo Yuhao grilled each fish with great care, fully aware that quality was the key to maintaining a steady stream of customers. He didn't dare to be the slightest bit negligent.
One grilled fish after another came off the grill. Soon, only the last batch of four fish remained. Huo Yuhao wiped the sweat from his forehead and wrapped up the two fish reserved for Tang Ya. A perfect conclusion was just around the corner.
"Junior Brother, how much for a grilled fish?"
A soft female voice reached his ears. Huo Yuhao looked up to see a graceful and stunning young lady standing before him.
The moment he saw the young lady's appearance clearly, he was dumbstruck. The most beautiful girls he had seen were Ning Tian and Tang Ya. The former had an innate noble and dignified bearing, like a bright moon hanging in the sky, while the latter was pure and lively, like a free wind blowing across the wilderness.
But this young lady was completely different from both of them. She appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen, with a tall and well-proportioned figure. Her long hair cascaded in loose waves down her back, and she wore a bunny ear hairband on her head. Her face was as delicate as jade, like snow piled on flowering trees. Her eyes were like clear pools of water, naturally exuding an elegant and gentle temperament.
Especially captivating was the trace of softness and tenderness between her brows—a look that stirred a protective instinct in others, making Huo Yuhao feel an urge to comfort her.
"Senior Sister, the grilled fish is five spirit copper coins each."
After all, Huo Yuhao had seen quite a bit. Although he was momentarily dazed, it was only for a second before he quickly regained his composure and replied.
"That's a bit expensive. Considering the cost and labor, selling for three spirit copper coins should still give you a profit."
The young lady's voice was as gentle and warm as her appearance, like a spring breeze rustling through willow branches. If she hadn't been haggling, Huo Yuhao might have been completely entranced.
"Sorry, Senior Sister, but my grilled fish is non-negotiable."
Huo Yuhao did his best to maintain his composure. The price of the grilled fish was set by Tang Ya, and he didn't want to change it lightly. Moreover, he felt that the price was fair; if he sold them for three spirit copper coins, he might as well go hungry.
"I'm sorry, I was just making a casual calculation. I didn't mean to bother you, Junior Brother. If there's a chance next time, I'll definitely try some."
The stunning young lady hadn't expected her usually unbeatable bargaining skills to fail. She smiled apologetically at Huo Yuhao and was about to turn and leave.
"The last two fish! Little Junior Brother, we're so lucky!"
A cheerful female voice rang out from behind her.
"Brat, you dare not sell?"
At this moment, a deep and resonant yet furious male voice suddenly boomed. Immediately after, a point of golden light shot straight toward Huo Yuhao's stall like a bolt of lightning.
Ding—
The golden light hit the grill with precision. In fact, it even embedded itself into it. Impressively, it was a spirit gold coin.
A figure strode over. This person was wearing a black Shrek Academy uniform and looked about the same age as the young lady. He had a tall and sturdy physique, thick eyebrows, tiger-like eyes, a straight nose, and a square mouth, with a hint of baby fat that had not yet disappeared from his face.
He quickly passed by the stunning young lady and arrived in front of Huo Yuhao's stall. Raising his hand, he reached for the grilled fish on the grill.
The young lady was so angry that the bunny ears on her head stood up. She shouted angrily, "Xu Sanshi, what are you doing!"
Xu Sanshi had long since learned to selectively ignore the young lady's scolding. Huo Yuhao rushed over to stop him, but Xu Sanshi sidestepped to avoid him, picked up two grilled fish, and said with a cheeky grin:
"Nannan, I'm buying grilled fish for you!"
While Xu Sanshi was trying to curry favor with his goddess, he suddenly felt his collar being grabbed from behind. He was lifted up bit by bit. He hastily tried to circulate his spirit power to resist, but found that his spirit power seemed to be dissolved by something. He couldn't use it at all.
"Who is it? What do you think you're doing!"
Xu Sanshi panicked, flailing his arms and legs in the air like a drowning person desperately struggling. He turned his head to look back and immediately saw a strikingly handsome face that made his cold sweat break out.
"Big, big, big... Big Brother!"
Xu Sanshi felt like crying but had no tears. He stopped struggling and hung there limply, resigned to his fate.
"Oh, it's you, kid," Ling Bai smiled amiably. "You've got quite the nerve, daring to snatch from me."
Xu Sanshi's heart sank when he heard this. One word echoed in his mind:
Doomed!