Douluo Continent: Gourmet Prisoner

Shi Yu and Zhu Lu continued along the outer edge of the Starry Sky Forest. The fallen leaves under their feet had long lost their former fluffiness, and the exposed soil was covered with messy hoofprints and footprints, like ruins that had been wantonly trampled by countless people.

The once ubiquitous noodle grass was harvested clean, leaving only short stems withered in the soil; the trees with flesh and bones were cut down, the broken branches still bearing the marks of axes and chisels, and scattered pieces of flesh lay on the ground, gnawed and mutilated by birds and beasts.

The air was thick with the stench of decay, mixed with the burnt smell of withered vegetation; the freshness of the past was gone.

"These people are absolutely insane." Zhu Lu clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, her eyes filled with anger. "Even if it's for ingredients, they shouldn't be so reckless, not even sparing the seedlings."

Shi Yu didn't speak, but his brows were furrowed. He could feel the aura of the surrounding soul beasts becoming thin and fearful, and the occasional roars of the beasts were filled with unease.

This indiscriminate plundering is more destructive than simply hunting for spirit rings; it won't be long before the outer ecosystem completely collapses.

Just as the two were feeling heavy-hearted, a faint aroma of grilled fish wafted over on the breeze.

The aroma was different from that of ordinary grilled fish; it carried a hint of sweet herbal scent, dispelling the rotten smell in the air and invigorating the senses.

"This smells good." Shi Yu stopped and looked in the direction of the aroma. He saw a slender figure squatting by a fire on the riverbank not far away, intently roasting a fish.

The girl had long, flowing blue hair that cascaded over her shoulders like a flowing river, making her skin appear even paler.

Her eyes were also a pure blue, but they carried a wariness and melancholy that were beyond her years. She was so thin that she looked as if a gust of wind could blow her over. Her clothes were patched and faded from washing, but they were still neat.

"This is... Dai Yutong?" Zhu Lu looked at the familiar figure, her face full of confusion. "What's she doing here?"

"You know her?" Shi Yu turned to look at Zhu Lu.

"Yes, her mother was a concubine of Duke Dai Hao of the White Tiger Clan." Zhu Lu sighed, her tone filled with sympathy.

"The mother and daughter had a very bad time in the Duke's mansion. They were often bullied by the Duchess and the second son, Dai Huabin. I used to feel sorry for them and secretly sent them food and medicine a few times. Later, I was busy with training and didn't see them for more than half a year. I never expected that she would run to the Star Dou Great Forest."

"Since we know each other, let's go ask about the situation." Shi Yu understood. The White Tiger Duke, Dai Huabin, plus those blue eyes and the Spirit Eye Martial Soul, clearly, Huo Yuhao in this life has become Huo Yutong in female form.

The two walked slowly to the riverbank, their footsteps startling the girl who was grilling fish. Huo Yutong turned around abruptly, clutching a tree branch tightly in her hand, her blue eyes filled with wariness, like a frightened deer.

When she saw that the person was Zhu Lu, her tense body relaxed instantly, the wariness in her eyes turned into grievance, and tears welled up without warning.

"Sister Zhu Lu..." she choked out, her voice so weak it was almost inaudible. The next second, she threw herself into Zhu Lu's arms and burst into tears, "Waaah, Sister Zhu Lu, Mom... Mom left me!"

"Yutong, don't panic, tell me slowly, what exactly happened?" Zhu Lu quickly hugged her frail body, gently patting her back to comfort her, feeling a sharp pain in her heart.

Huo Yutong's mother, Huo Yun'er, was a gentle and kind woman. Every time she saw her, she would smile and thank her. How could she have suddenly passed away?

Huo Yutong nestled in Zhu Lu's arms and cried for a long time before gradually calming down, recounting the events in fits and starts.

"Three months ago, Dai Huabin led a group of servants into our courtyard. He saw me hanging clothes in the yard and said that I was blocking his way. He ordered the servants to beat me. My mother heard the commotion and ran out, throwing herself on top of me to shield me... Those servants hit her very hard, and my mother was beaten and covered in bruises."

"After they left, Mom kept coughing and developed a high fever. Her health deteriorated day by day. I wanted to ask you for help, but I didn't dare leave because Mom needs me to take care of her. I wanted to go to the pharmacy to buy medicine, but we have no money at all. We usually rely on Mom doing some needlework to exchange for some coarse food to survive." Her voice was filled with deep despair.

"All I could do was go fishing by the river every day and make some fish soup for my mother to help her recover. But my mother's illness got worse and worse, and one night a month ago, she just fell asleep and never woke up again."

"I'm sorry, Yutong, it's all my fault." Zhu Lu was filled with remorse, her eyes reddening. "If I had visited you more often and discovered Aunt Huo's illness sooner, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out this way."

"It's not Zhu Lu's fault!" Huo Yutong raised her tear-streaked face, clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug deep into her palms, revealing wrists so thin they looked as if they would snap at any moment. "It's all my fault. I'm too weak. I couldn't even protect my mother. Dai Huabin... he even said that my mother deserved to die, and that I would end up like her sooner or later!"

"That beast!" Zhu Lu trembled with rage, abruptly standing up and preparing to rush out of the Star Dou Great Forest. "I'm going back to Star Luo City right now to kill him and avenge Aunt Huo and you!"

"Sister Zhu Lu, no!" Huo Yutong quickly grabbed her sleeve, tears welling up again. "You can't go. Dai Huabin is the son of the White Tiger Duke, and he has many guards around him. You'll suffer if you go. This is my feud with him, and I don't want to involve you."

"But..." Zhu Lu wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Shi Yu.

"Alright, Zhu Lu." Shi Yu walked up to the two of them, his gaze falling on Huo Yutong.

His gaze was calm yet powerful, causing Huo Yutong to involuntarily stop crying and look up at him.

"Do you want to become stronger?" Shi Yu asked, his voice clear and firm.

Huo Yutong was stunned, then nodded vigorously, a resolute glint in her eyes: "I want to!"

"Do you want to take revenge yourself and make Dai Huabin pay the price?"

"I want to!" This time, her voice was louder, and a flame of revenge burned in her blue eyes.

"Then come with me." Shi Yu's tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable confidence. "I will help you become stronger, so that you will have the ability to protect yourself and also the ability to take revenge."

Huo Yutong stared at him blankly, her eyes full of doubt and wariness: "Why are you helping me? We're complete strangers."

"Do I need a reason?"

"I need it!" Huo Yutong said stubbornly. She had experienced too much suffering and no longer easily trusted the kindness of strangers.

Shi Yu looked at her stubborn eyes and smiled slightly: "The reason is that I can't stand bullies who prey on the weak, and I can't stand such beasts living in the world."

His eyes were cold, without a trace of a joke. "A person like Dai Huabin doesn't deserve to live."

Huo Yutong stared intently into his eyes, trying to find a trace of a lie, but all she saw was sincerity and determination. She remained silent for a moment, then finally relaxed her clenched fists.

"Get on my back." Shi Yu squatted down slightly, revealing his back to her. "The terrain in the Star Dou Great Forest is complicated, and you can't keep up with Zhu Lu and me."

Huo Yutong hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at Zhu Lu. Zhu Lu nodded quickly and said softly, "Yutong, trust him. He's a good person. Follow him, and you'll become very strong."

Only after receiving Zhu Lu's approval did Huo Yutong carefully climb onto Shi Yu's back.

Her body was very light, as light as a feather, and Shi Yu could even feel her breath trembling slightly from nervousness.

"Thank you, kind stranger." Huo Yutong's voice was soft, tinged with shyness.

Shi Yu couldn't help but laugh: "You're welcome. Also, I'm a boy."

"Huh?" Huo Yutong suddenly raised her head and looked at Shi Yu's profile in surprise.

In the sunlight, his skin was fair and delicate, his long hair flowed smoothly over his shoulders, and his features were so exquisite they resembled a woman's. No wonder she mistook him for someone else. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"It's alright." Shi Yu smiled nonchalantly. "Not many people can recognize my gender at first glance. You'll get used to it." He stood up and steadily supported the girl on his back. "We're going to the core area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest now. That's my home. It's very safe, and no one will bully you."

Upon hearing the words "core area of ​​Star Dou Great Forest," Huo Yutong's body trembled violently, and she gripped Shi Yu's clothes tightly.

She had heard since she was a child that the core area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest was a gathering place for soul beasts, with countless powerful soul beasts, and was a forbidden place for humans.

"Don't be afraid." Shi Yu sensed her fear and gently comforted her, "The soul beasts in the core area are all friendly and won't hurt you."

"Yutong, you're really alright," Zhu Lu quickly said. "I've been in the core area for six months now, spending every day with the soul beasts. They've never hurt me. Besides, Shi Yu is very prestigious in the core area, and the soul beasts all listen to him."

With Zhu Lu's assurance, Huo Yutong gradually relaxed, pressing herself tightly against Shi Yu's back, feeling his steady steps, and her unease gradually dissipated.

The three of them sped along and soon returned to the Lake of Life. The lake water was still as clear as a mirror, shimmering with a faint fluorescent light. The surrounding vegetation was lush and verdant, exuding a rich life force, which contrasted sharply with the desolation of the outer ring.

"Uncle Emperor Tian, ​​Uncle Emperor Tian!" Shi Yu shouted loudly towards the Lake of Life.

Soon, a huge figure slowly emerged from the lake; it was Di Tian.

He spread his enormous dragon wings, blotting out the sky, and his golden pupils swept over the three of them. When he saw Huo Yutong on Shi Yu's back, a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes: "How come you picked up another girl? You brought Zhu Lu before, and now you've brought another one. You don't need to tell me about these things anymore. Do as you please."

"It's not about that, Uncle Di Tian." Shi Yu's expression turned serious. "Zhu Lu and I went to explore the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest and found that the ecosystem there has been destroyed beyond recognition by humans."

"What?!" Di Tian's face instantly darkened, his golden pupils blazing with fury, and his dragon might was released without reservation, causing the surrounding air to freeze.

"These damned humans! How dare they so brazenly destroy the ecosystem of the Star Dou Great Forest! I'll summon the soul beasts, unleash a beast tide, and raze the towns surrounding Star Luo City to the ground, making them pay the price!"

"Uncle Di Tian, ​​you mustn't!" Shi Yu hurriedly stopped him. "Although launching a beast tide can teach humans a lesson, we soul beasts will also pay a huge price, and it will completely escalate the conflict between humans and soul beasts. It's not worth it."

Di Tian suppressed his anger and said coldly, "Then what do you suggest we do? Are we just going to stand by and watch them destroy our homes?"

"Of course not," Shi Yu said. "We don't need to launch a beast tide. We just need to send some 100,000-year-old soul beasts to keep an eye on the outer ring and mixed zone so that they can stop humans from hunting and trapping each other and limit the area where humans can enter the forest. This way, we can protect the ecology and avoid causing too much conflict."

Di Tian pondered for a moment and felt that Shi Yu's words made sense. He nodded and said, "Alright, I'll listen to you. It just so happens that a few soul beasts have recently broken through to the 100,000-year mark. Let them lead the team and bring some seeds from the Xu Forest to enrich the species in the outer circle."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Don't humans think the soul beasts in the outer circle are weak and easy to bully? Then let them know what the real Star Dou Great Forest is like."

Shi Yu chuckled inwardly. He could already imagine that the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest would be filled with all sorts of powerful gourmet soul beasts in the future. Those greedy humans who wanted to go in and plunder would probably only have one chance to return.

"Then I'll have to trouble Uncle Di Tian."

"Alright, I'll take care of this. As for the little girl you brought, you can deal with her yourself." After saying that, Di Tian spread his dragon wings and flew towards the mixed zone.

Watching Di Tian's departing figure, Zhu Lu said with some worry, "Shi Yu, won't this cause heavy casualties among humans? There are many civilian towns near the Star Dou Great Forest, what will happen to them?"

"Don't worry." Shi Yu shook his head. "The soul beasts sent by Uncle Di Tian will only roam within the forest area and will not attack towns on their own initiative. Moreover, most of those who dare to enter the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt and trap are subordinates of nobles from Star Luo City. Commoners have no chance to get close. These people should be taught a lesson."

After saying that, he turned to look at Huo Yutong. The girl had already gotten off his back and was curiously looking around at her surroundings, her blue eyes full of amazement.

The beautiful scenery and vibrant life of the Lake of Life completely relaxed her tense nerves.

"Yutong, I have a few questions for you," Shiyu said.

Huo Yutong quickly turned her head and nodded obediently: "Go ahead and ask."

"What is your innate soul power?"

"Level 1." Huo Yutong's voice was somewhat dejected. She knew that Level 1 innate soul power was the worst among soul masters, with almost no future in cultivation.

"What's your current soul power level?"

Level 9.

"What is a Martial Soul?"

"Spirit Eye." Huo Yutong said, a glimmer of light flashing in her eyes. A faint eye mark appeared on her forehead, faint yet carrying a special aura.

"Spirit Eye, the original martial soul." Shi Yu nodded thoughtfully.

"Your innate soul power is definitely more than level 1. The reason it's only level 1 is because you suffered from severe malnutrition as a child, which suppressed your talent. Your body is too weak. If you want to cultivate and seek revenge, you must first improve your body."

Huo Yutong was stunned. She had never heard of talent being suppressed, and no one had ever told her that her innate soul power might not be level 1.

She looked at Shi Yu, her eyes filled with expectation: "Can...can my talent really be restored?"

"Of course." Shi Yu nodded with a smile. "The Star Dou Great Forest has many top-quality ingredients that contain powerful energy. They can not only improve your physique, but also help you restore your talents and even surpass your original limits."

"What should I do now?" Huo Yutong asked anxiously.

"Rest here first." Shi Yu pointed to a flat grassy area by the lake. "It's safe here, no soul beasts will harm you. Zhu Lu and I will go to the mixed zone to catch some top-quality ingredients and cook you a big meal to replenish your strength."

"Okay, thank you all," Huo Yutong said gratefully.

Shi Yu and Zhu Lu turned and walked towards the mixed zone. After taking only a few steps, Zhu Lu couldn't help but ask, "Shi Yu, is Yu Tong's condition serious? Can her talent really be restored?"

"Yes, her body is severely depleted, not only due to malnutrition but also because of the hidden injuries she sustained from the beating she received earlier," Shi Yu said. "Fortunately, her martial soul is the Spirit Eye, and the original martial soul has great plasticity. As long as she is properly nourished with top-quality ingredients, not only can her talent be restored, but her Spirit Eye can even evolve and become more powerful."

"That's good." Zhu Lu breathed a sigh of relief. "Yu Tong is so pitiful, we must help her."

Shi Yu nodded without speaking. He could sense the hatred and despair in Huo Yutong's heart, and he understood that becoming stronger was her only way out.

He not only wanted to help her become stronger, but also wanted her to understand that there were more important things in life than revenge.

The two quickly disappeared into the woods. Huo Yutong sat alone by the lake, looking at the clear water and the lush vegetation around her, her heart filled with an unprecedented peace.

Just then, a cheerful figure skipped and hopped over – it was Rainbow Dash.

"Hello! Are you Shi Yu's new friend?" Rainbow Dash's voice was clear and melodious, and her rainbow-colored mane shimmered in the sunlight.

Huo Yutong nodded somewhat reservedly: "Hello, my name is Huo Yutong."

"My name is Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow Dash circled around her, looking her up and down with curiosity. "How did you end up here? This is the core area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest, and very few humans come here."

Huo Yutong hesitated for a moment, then briefly recounted her ordeal.

Rainbow Dash, filled with righteous indignation, stomped her foot: "That Dai Huabin is so wicked! Don't worry, Shi Yu is very powerful, he will definitely help you become stronger and get revenge! Besides, everyone here is very nice, from now on you are one of us, no one will bully you anymore!"

Looking into Yun Bao's sincere eyes, Huo Yutong felt a warmth in her heart and showed her first smile since arriving in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Half an hour later, Shi Yu and Zhu Lu returned with a large amount of ingredients.

There were enormous flying ducks, succulent Kayla crocodile leg meat, and some colorful and exotic fruits, all emitting a rich aroma.

"Yutong, come and eat!" Shiyu placed the ingredients by the fire and began to skillfully prepare them.

He worked swiftly, quickly roasting the flying duck over the fire and cutting the crocodile meat into small pieces, which he then put into a stone pot to stew.

Zhu Lu helped by washing the strange fruits and handing them to Huo Yutong, saying, "Yutong, eat some fruit to fill your stomach first. These fruits are very nutritious."

Huo Yutong took a red fruit, took a bite, and the sweet juice burst in her mouth, carrying a rich energy that instantly made her feel warm all over.

Before long, the aroma of grilled fish and the savory smell of stewed meat filled the air, making one's mouth water.

Shi Yu tore off a piece of the golden-brown, glistening duck leg and handed it to Huo Yutong: "Try this. The duck meat is very tender and full of energy."

Huo Yutong took the duck leg and carefully took a bite.

The tender meat melted in her mouth, carrying a perfect balance of salty and savory flavors with the fresh aroma of herbs. It was so delicious that she almost bit her tongue. This was the most delicious food she had ever eaten in her life, a hundred times more delicious than the fish soup her mother made.

"It's delicious..." she murmured, tears welling up in her eyes as she ate. These tears weren't from sadness, but from emotion and happiness.

After her mother passed away, she never ate a full meal again, let alone such delicious food.

Shi Yu and Zhu Lu exchanged a smile as they watched her wolf down her food, and kept stuffing food into her hands.

Rainbow Dash was also there, handing her her favorite fruit and urging her to eat more.

Looking at the three people and one horse beside her, Huo Yutong felt their kindness and warmth, and the iceberg in her heart gradually melted.

She knew that from this moment on, she was no longer alone.

The core area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest, a place that once terrified her, now gives her an unprecedented sense of security and belonging.

"Thank you, Shi Yu, thank you, Sister Zhu Lu, and thank you, Yun Bao." Huo Yutong put down the food in her hand, bowed deeply to the three people and the horse, her eyes full of gratitude.

"You're welcome," Shi Yu said with a smile. "From now on, we're family. The door to the MYGO organization will always be open for you."

Zhu Lu nodded: "Yu Tong, from now on we'll cultivate together and become stronger together, and I'll never let anyone bully you again."

Rainbow Dash hopped and skipped along, saying, "Yes, yes! We'll hunt together and eat delicious food together!"

Huo Yutong nodded vigorously, her blue eyes flashing with determination.

She knew that her life had been completely changed.

The flames of revenge still burned in her heart, but she no longer lived solely for revenge.

She wants to become stronger, to protect those around her, and to work with Shi Yu, Zhu Lu, and Yun Bao to establish their own order and make the world a better place.

As the sun sets, its golden rays spill onto the Lake of Life, reflecting the silhouettes of the three people and their horse.

The MYGO team has gained another core member, and a storm sweeping across the Douluo Continent has quietly begun in this warm atmosphere.