For hundreds of thousands of years, as the ruler of the Extreme North, the Snow Empress had naturally accumulated a collection of soul bones—some even reaching the 100,000-year tier.
Most of these soul bones were remnants left behind by deceased Extreme North soul beasts, whether through natural causes or violent ends.
A small portion came from human soul masters who had ventured into the Extreme North, never to return.
Just like the legacy of the unknown Titled Douluo that Huo Yuhao had obtained from the Ice Bear King, this land was no stranger to reckless (or suicidal) adventurers.
Thus, after inheriting the Ice God's legacy and gaining free access to the Ice God Temple, the Snow Empress took Xiao Bai back to her former dwelling, retrieved an Tier 8 storage-type soul guide, and gathered suitable natural treasures and soul bones.
Unlike the Ice Empress, the Snow Empress had always been solitary.
Though the Heavenly Snow Woman of the Extreme North were not numerous enough to form a proper tribe, their numbers weren't insignificant. However, these Heavenly Snow Woman were not of the same lineage as the Ice Sky Snow Girl.
In the original work, the Ice Sky Snow Girl spirit that appeared during the Sea God's Fate Ceremony was merely a Heavenly Snow Woman—albeit one that had reached the Ultimate Ice level. Still, her quality was far inferior to Huo Yuhao's Ice Jade Empress Scorpion.
The true Heavenly Snow Woman was a being born from the purest ice-attribute energy at the core of the Extreme North. After countless years of tempering, she developed a unique sentience—truly one of a kind.
The fact that only one Snow Empress had emerged in the Extreme North over hundreds of millennia spoke volumes about how rare such a being was.
In fact, the Snow Empress's significance to the Extreme North was comparable to that of the Auspicious Beast to the Star Dou Forest.
The soul contract between the Snow Empress and Huo Yuhao mirrored the relationship between the Auspicious Beast and Huo Yuhao.
This was also why Huo Yuhao trusted the Snow Empress so deeply—beyond the influence of the original work's plot and the Ice Empress's favoritism.
During this meeting, the Snow Empress also presented Huo Yuhao with carefully selected external soul bones, including several 100,000-year ones.
However, Huo Yuhao declined the 100,000-year soul bones, only selecting the highest-quality Arctic Ice Bear's left palm bone from the external options.
After all, the Arctic Ice Bear and the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear were nearly on the same level.
If no better external soul bone appeared in the future, absorbing this one to form a matching pair of claw soul bones wouldn't be a bad idea.
With the mission to defeat the Deep Ice Blue Dragon completed—
The left arm bone Huo Yuhao gave to Snow Empress was the finest among those she had brought.
Moreover, Snow Empress could sense that the attached soul skill was a status-type ability, perfectly suited for her.
Thus, she had Xiao Bai stand guard while she began absorbing the soul bone.
As expected, the resulting soul skill was an excellent match.
Snow Veil: It Passively enhances soul power recovery speed. In snowy environments, it provides concealment effects and boosts the casting speed and power of ice-based soul skills.
Since the ultimate talent of the Snow Empress's Heavenly Snow Woman martial soul was the Snow Dance Domain—a skill that synergized perfectly with Snow Veil—its effects were similar to Huo Yuhao's dual innate domains, strengthening the user while weakening the opponent.
Huo Yuhao's soul ring absorption also proceeded smoothly.
The 100,000-year third ring of his Ice Soul Body granted him two new soul skills:
Extreme Cold Ice Shadow: It summons numerous shadow orbs with homing properties.
Upon impact, they inflict a mandatory shadow-binding effect, followed by an explosive burst of extreme cold, dealing secondary damage and freezing the target.
Deep Blue Dragon's Breath: Coats the user in an ultra-cold radiant flame for defense or offense. It can also be fired as a ranged breath attack capable of freezing anything in its path.
As expected, Huo Yuhao's soul power rose by another level, reaching Level 56.
Next, the group escorted the Ice Bear King back to the Ice God Temple to report their progress.
"Third Trial of the Ice God—Rebellion: Cleared. Soul power increased by one level. All soul rings gain an additional 500 years of cultivation. Bonus reward: 10% increased affinity with the Laws of Ice and Snow."
Perhaps sensing Snow Empress's imminent departure, the fourth trial's objective appeared in her mind immediately after the rewards were granted.
"Fourth Trial of the Ice God—Cultivation: Reach Level 70 within three years."
Thanks to the Ice Empress's essence left behind by Huo Yuhao—and her own exceptional talent after re-cultivation—Snow Empress's soul power progression had been astonishingly swift.
In just half a year, she had leaped from Level 10 to Level 40, all without absorbing a single soul bone.
Now, with the God Trial's rewards and the 100,000-year soul bone's enhancement, her soul power had reached Level 45.
Additionally, despite possessing a supreme martial soul, Snow Empress didn't suffer from the usual cultivation speed penalties. Breaking through to the Soul Sage level within three years was practically guaranteed.
And so, with everything settled—
Huo Yuhao, now significantly stronger, boarded the Evil God's Chariot alongside the Snow Empress and began the journey back to Shrek Academy.
Speaking of which, both the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress had now completed two missions.
'Ice Empress, when will you stop lazing around and get to work?'
The same went for Skydream. Though her favorability had maxed out at Confidant, she had only completed three achievement missions.
'Don't slack off now!'
But Huo Yuhao also knew—These things couldn't be rushed.
'At least the senior sisters are generous enough...'
As for the academy's old-timers, Huo Yuhao didn't expect any achievement triggers from them.
Just as he was thinking this—
[Ding! Achievement Unlocked!]
[Special Achievement: Tang San's Shocking Wisdom is Embarrassing – Reward: Cleanse Soul Immortal Gu.]
[Cleanse Soul Immortal Gu (Sixth Level): Assists in soul cultivation by refining the immortal soul and expelling impurities. Overuse may also strip away vital soul essence.]
[Evaluation: Focus on the essentials!]
Huo Yuhao: "..."
'Tang San, you're doing me another favor, huh?'
'It just had to be you!'
But could he really be considered a friend in Tang San's mind?
Curious, Huo Yuhao checked the system logs. The trigger seemed tied to the newly added [Special Achievement] category under the optimized rules.
This new category supplemented [Personal Achievements] and [Other Achievements], randomly activating for key plot figures regardless of favorability.
Given Tang San's importance in Huo Yuhao's future, the system had designated him for unique rewards.
Not that Huo Yuhao minded—free rewards were always welcome!
Though he didn't know what conclusions Tang San's shocking wisdom had led to, the Cleanse Soul Immortal Gu would be invaluable for spiritual refinement post-Tangible Spirit Realm.
In the original work, Huo Yuhao's spiritual power had surpassed plane limits (reaching semi-god level) during his Titled Douluo days, thanks to the Evil Emperor's gift and Rong Nianbing's divine seed.
Now, even without Rong Nianbing's help, the Immortal Gu gave Huo Yuhao the means to break limits on his own.
"No need for godhood inheritance—I'll surpass the gods myself!"
…
Naturally, the Snow Empress was bound for Shrek's Inner Court.
Setting aside the monitoring mission, the Inner Court was an ideal training ground for soul masters.
With Huo Yuhao's protection, the surveillance task would be effortless.
Moreover, the Secret Crossing Immortal Gu masked her spirit beast aura so thoroughly that even Huo Yuhao might miss it if he wasn't paying attention—eliminating any risk of exposure.
Under Huo Yuhao's guidance, the two arrived unimpeded at the Martial Soul Teaching Building.
…
In Yan Shaozhe's office
Sensing the Snow Empress's Ultimate Ice aura and her soul ring configuration (three purple, one black), the Dean rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
'What's happening today? Another peerless genius?!'
'Since when did supreme martial souls become so common?'
This girl had started with a thousand-year first ring and a ten-thousand-year fourth ring!
Though the golden dragon spirit master Du Weilun had brought earlier boasted an absurd three purple, two black setup—even surpassing Huo Yuhao's—that was at least explainable by her pure-blooded dragon lineage, which surpassed even Mu En's Bright Holy Dragon in pedigree.
But the Heavenly Snow Women offered no such physical enhancements.
"Dean, this soul ring configuration isn't actually unusual," Huo Yuhao said, revealing his own rings—three purple, two black, with the fifth black ring far deeper than a typical ten-thousand-year one.
Yan Shaozhe inhaled sharply.
"If I recall, wasn't your first ring originally hundred-year? You've been hiding your true strength all along!"
"A yellow ring would've looked out of place, so I figured I might as well disguise it as purple. No one could tell anyway."
Clearing his throat, Yan Shaozhe hesitated before asking, "So… Yuhao, your friend Xiaoxue here wishes to enroll in the Inner Court early?"
"Yes. Does that comply with the rules?"
"Rules? For a genius like this, the academy would never turn her away!" Yan Shaozhe waved dismissively. "Coincidentally, another candidate is undergoing the assessment right now. Take Xiaoxue to Zhang Lexuan directly."
Though it wasn't the usual enrollment period and Xiaoxue lacked a recommendation letter, none of that mattered.
Geniuses always had privileges.
At twelve or thirteen years old, reaching Level 40 already placed her among Shrek's most elite talents—second only to Huo Yuhao.
Sending her to Lexuan was merely a formality.
If Yan Shaozhe let such a prodigy slip away, he'd be slapping himself awake in regret for years to come.
And since she was Huo Yuhao's acquaintance, refusal was never an option.
'All the world's talents are flocking to Shrek!'
The Dean's excitement grew. First the golden dragon spirit master, now this?
He'd initially worried Huo Yuhao's overwhelming superiority might stunt his growth—since competition nurtured the mind.
But now, with these two prodigies beside him, the future looked brighter than ever.
"Huo Yuhao's left and right arms are now complete!"
As for whether Wang Dong would face rivals—Yan Shaozhe couldn't care less.
"Children will find their own way."
Besides, Wang Dong was the fastest-growing among Huo Yuhao's confidantes, with little risk of falling behind.
Even if complications arose, polygamy wasn't unheard of.
As a self-proclaimed romantic, Yan Shaozhe could tell Huo Yuhao had thicker skin than he did—one more partner wouldn't faze him.
Under the Dean's enthusiastic gaze, Huo Yuhao and Snow Empress took their leave, heading for the Inner Court.
As for treatment? Negotiations could wait.
The academy's full support in soul ring hunting was a given—though Huo Yuhao rarely invoked the privilege.
Even if he did, the Sea God Pavilion elders would mobilize instantly, shouting "For the academy's glory!" as they hunted down 100,000-year soul beasts.
Such was the privilege of the Sea God Pavilion's heir.
But for the Snow Empress and the Auspicious Beast undergoing trials, Shrek's assistance was redundant.
The Snow Empress could self-generate optimally suited soul rings, and the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well's immortal herbs were another option.
Huo Yuhao suspected the other assessment candidate Yan Shaozhe mentioned was none other than the Auspicious Beast.
'What a coincidence.'
Soon, they crossed Sea God Lake and arrived at the Inner Court's martial arena.
There, under Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan's supervision, Chu Qingtian was locked in a one-sided battle against a golden-scaled girl.
The agility-attack Soul King was clearly outmatched, forced into desperate evasion.
Observing the stunning girl—whose appearance differed from the original work's descriptions—Huo Yuhao felt a pang of nostalgia.
The Snow Empress's cold voice held a note of curiosity: "Who is she?"
...
'I've seen this girl before!'
The moment Huo Yuhao laid eyes on the golden-haired girl, he recognized her identity—the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, the Auspicious Beast of the Star Dou Forest.
He quickly transmitted his voice using soul power, briefly explaining her origins to Snow Empress (Xue Di =Xiaoxue). However, he wasn't entirely certain of the beast's exact name.
In the original timeline, Huo Yuhao—who harbored unrealistic feelings for his brother—had fallen for the Goddess of Light, an illusion born from Wang Dong'er's deception during their martial soul fusion skill, Radiant Butterfly Dance. His… preferences had been unmistakably revealed.
That was why, when this soul beast took human form, she modeled her appearance after the most beautiful figure in Huo Yuhao's memory—the Goddess of Light—and renamed herself Wang Qiu'er.
But.
The current Huo Yuhao was not so single-minded.
He wouldn't abandon an entire forest for a single tree.
Besides, Wang Dong'er was… just average.
Not that she was unattractive, but with the Sea God lurking above like a shadow, watching her every move, Huo Yuhao found it difficult to develop any… interest in her.
At this moment, the auspicious beast in battle had golden hair and golden eyes due to the influence of the Golden Dragon Martial Soul, obscuring her original hair color.
However, her appearance was entirely different from Wang Dong'er—or the Goddess of Light.
It was clear that this auspicious beast, having absorbed most of Huo Yuhao's memories, had developed different aesthetic preferences. Thus, her transformed appearance diverged significantly from the original.
As an Emperor Auspicious Beast, despite having only a little over 10,000 years of cultivation, she possessed the unique ability to undergo early transformation.
Unlike ordinary 100,000-year soul beasts, her transformation wouldn't reset her cultivation like the Snow Empress. Instead, she would retain her full strength.
A Three-Eyed Golden Lion with 15,000 years of cultivation could already rival ordinary 100,000-year soul beasts in combat.
But in terms of soul power, 15,000 years translated to a human soul master's level—somewhere between a Soul King and a Soul Emperor.
The auspicious beast's soul rings—three purple and two black—also deviated from the optimal soul ring ratio of two yellow, two purple, and two black in the original timeline.
This beast, driven by a lifelong desire for strength, was fiercely competitive.
And this made sense.
In the original story, the Golden Dragon Martial Soul was hailed as the Ancestor of Power, surpassing even the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion Martial Soul—an Ultimate Martial Soul of pure might!
Yet its soul ring configuration was merely two yellow, two purple, and one black.
Frankly, even a second soul ring at the thousand-year level would have been more reasonable than the original.
For a top-tier beast martial soul genius like this, achieving a super-tier soul ring configuration was as effortless as eating or drinking.
Though her soul power was one tier lower than the original six-ringed Soul Emperor, she had enrolled several years earlier, making the difference understandable.
…
When Huo Yuhao and Snow Empress arrived, Director Du Weilun—who had been calmly observing the match—greeted them.
His mood today had been a rollercoaster.
First, a girl with a recommendation letter from the city lord had suddenly appeared at Shrek's admissions office, demanding enrollment despite being past the age limit.
Du Weilun, ever strict and uncompromising, had bluntly refused—Shrek's rules didn't bend for latecomers over twelve!
But then…
She shattered the blue crystal ball used for testing.
A peerless genius—over level 30 at just thirteen!
Du Weilun acted swiftly, bringing her to Yan Shaozhe.
The Dean waved his hand and approved her enrollment on the spot.
Yet, to their disbelief, she immediately demanded the Inner Court Assessment.
And when she revealed her true strength—a five-ringed Soul King with three purple and two black soul rings—both men were stunned.
A monster. A true monster.
Thirteen years old. A Soul King. A soul ring configuration that defied limits. And a pure Golden Dragon Martial Soul!
This talent eclipsed even Shrek's finest—surpassing the Sea God Tang San himself.
In terms of raw martial soul potential, even Huo Yuhao's dual martial souls might pale in comparison.
On the spot, they resolved: She must stay at Shrek.
If her temperament proved suitable, the academy would pour resources into her—second only to Huo Yuhao.
But skipping the Outer Court and diving straight into the Inner Court? The difficulty was immense.
Even Huo Yuhao had spent over a year in the Outer Court.
Yet the auspicious beast was adamant.
"The Outer Court is full of weaklings. I came here for one purpose—to join the Inner Court."
From Huo Yuhao's memories, she had learned valuable information:
The Outer Court was tedious—endless classes, exams, and mindless physical training like running and weighted drills…
The Inner Court? Fewer courses. Greater freedom. And most importantly—free meals!
No, wait—the most important part was that Huo Yuhao spent most of his time in the Inner Court!
She refused to live in the Outer Court's shabby dorms. Ideally, she'd room with Yuhao.
Her primary goal was finding Huo Yuhao. The Silver Dragon King's win-win plan? Just a side mission.
Hearing this, Yan Shaozhe fell silent—then made a decision that defied tradition.
"You may take the Inner Court Assessment. But if you fail, you'll enroll as a transfer student in the Outer Court's second grade."
Talent like hers? Rules could bend.
When Yan Shaozhe uttered "transfer student," Du Weilun's expression twitched.
Since when did Shrek accept transfers?
But… exceptions could be made.
The auspicious beast agreed.
If she recalled correctly, transferring to the second grade now would place her in Huo Yuhao's class.
Besides—she wouldn't lose.
The Inner Court Assessment? Child's play.
Shrek's assessments varied yearly, but one thing never changed: Combat reigned supreme.
Practical battle revealed everything—past training, future potential.
This year's assessment? A simple duel.
Defeat an Inner Court disciple, and she was in.
This was also why Yan Shaozhe had been so accommodating to Snow Empress—precedent had been set.
"Might as well let two sheep through instead of one."
…
The auspicious beast's opponent? Chu Qingtian.
From the first strike, he was outmatched.
Her punch forced him to abort his advance, heart pounding. Instinct screamed—don't take it head-on!
Chu Qingtian activated soul skill, dissolving into lightning to evade.
"Oh?" The auspicious beast's eyebrow arched.
In Huo Yuhao's memories, this Chu Qingtian had been defeated in the quarterfinals with a single punch.
Yet here he was—scattering like lightning, reforming meters away.
Chu Qingtian's face darkened.
'Why are all the new students monsters?!'
First Beibei, then Xu Sanshi, Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, and that demon Caitou. And of course—Huo Yuhao, the academy's undisputed top monster.
Now this golden-haired girl radiated the same oppressive aura.
Without using his soul skill, that punch would have ended the fight instantly.
Thunder Transmigration allowed brief elementalization, nullifying physical damage and halving energy attacks.
Chu Qingtian wanted to curse.
'This is a Soul King?!'
'Wait—three purple, two black soul rings?'
…Okay, that explains it.
A veteran of the Inner Court, Chu Qingtian had faced countless battles. Yet only Huo Yuhao had ever pressured him like this.
And she hadn't even used a soul skill yet.
Her sheer presence alone was suffocating.
'Junior, must you humiliate your senior like this?'
But for Shrek's honor—no, for Wu Ming's respect—he couldn't back down.
You can lose, but not without dignity!
His first, second, fourth, and fifth rings ignited simultaneously.
As an agility-attack Soul King, his lethality was no joke.
His fifth soul ring—a 14,000-year Thunder Leopard's soul ring—had been obtained alongside Huo Yuhao.
It amplified his speed and lightning attributes, skyrocketing his offensive power.
Most lightning-attributed soul masters focused on raw destruction—like Beibei's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
But Chu Qingtian was different.
His lightning was for speed.
Sacrificing destructive power for unmatched velocity.
Without this fifth soul ring, he'd have been stuck on this path forever.
Now, with Thunderbolt as his core, his first ring accelerated him further, his second ring enhanced his slashes, and his fourth ring spawned four lightning clones.
In an instant, five afterimages of lightning surged toward the auspicious beast.
With the ability to swap positions with clones, his movements were erratic—a deadly, elusive assault.
Faced with this, the auspicious beast stopped holding back.
'As Yuhao said—underestimating any opponent is a mistake.'
She vanished.
The ground where she stood exploded as she shot forth like a golden arrow, her speed surpassing even Chu Qingtian's.
Before the spectators could react, the battle reached its climax.
She leapt skyward, her first two soul rings flashing—Golden Dragon Body, Dragon Might.
Scales gleaming, she descended like a falling sun.
"Boom—!"
The arena—designed to withstand Soul Emperor-level battles—shattered like glass.
Her fourth soul skill, Golden Dragon Explosion, unleashed three consecutive blasts, reducing Chu Qingtian to a smoldering wreck.
The spectators' faces froze.
'Monster.'
Just like Huo Yuhao.
Zhang Lexuan swiftly rescued Chu Qingtian and announced: "Inner Court Assessment—passed!"
Cheers erupted—some teasing Chu Qingtian, others celebrating the new prodigy.
The auspicious beast spoke solemnly: "Senior Chu, thank you."
Then, locking eyes with Snow Empress, she declared: "My name is Di Qiu'er. Remember it."
Their gazes clashed.
Di Qiu'er felt a pang of jealousy.
'So, even in his memories, Yuhao hid things from me.'
Not just that night with Ma Xiaotao—but also this… Heavenly Snow Women?
Snow Empress remained calm.
'The Emperor Auspicious Beast of Star Dou? Why is she here?'
'And why did she seem like… a jealous lover?'
Her eyes flicked to Huo Yuhao.
'Look what you've done.'
Huo Yuhao spread his hands innocently.
'I didn't do anything.'
Qiu'er had enrolled on her own.
This had nothing to do with him…
...
Di Qiuer emerged from her spirit possession state.
Her lustrous golden hair cascaded like a waterfall, flowing freely down her back until it gracefully settled at the curve of her hips, subtly accentuating her delicate contours.
Her ethereal beauty resembled that of an otherworldly elf, every feature a masterpiece of nature's finest craftsmanship.
Her golden eyes shimmered with nobility, radiant and captivating.
A crescent moon rested lightly between her brows, lending her an air of gentle elegance. Her long lashes cast faint shadows, adding depth to those mesmerizing golden irises.
Her lips were tender and pink, like the first blossoms of spring, tempting yet untouchable. Her nose was straight and refined, perfectly framing her sculpted face.
Her skin was flawless—translucent as jade, fairer than snow. Her posture was poised and graceful, her waist so slender it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand.
The white uniform clung to her figure, its silver piping tracing her heroic silhouette. From head to toe, she exuded an undeniable aura of nobility, as if the world dimmed in her presence.
She was the perfect fusion of beauty and strength, tenderness and resilience—like a white lotus blooming defiantly amidst wind and rain, pure and unblemished, evoking both reverence and longing.
Even Huo Yuhao had to admit—
This woman was breathtaking.
'In the north of Douluo, Wu Qiu reigns supreme in beauty!'
Huo Yuhao mused inwardly: 'In terms of appearance, among all the beings I've encountered, none surpass you. I'd dare call you the strongest!'
Though he might be exaggerating slightly, she truly aligned with his aesthetic preferences—far too perfectly for his tastes.
For a moment, Huo Yuhao was lost in memories of his past life's fleeting youth.
Perhaps it was due to Di Qiuer's celebrity-like presence—
The inner courtyard disciples suddenly realized: 'Huo Yuhao had brought back yet another stunning junior sister!'
Why yet another?
Because Di Qiuer sighed softly upon seeing them for the first time.
"Yuhao… is she not here?"
The students were instantly captivated by Di Qiuer.
Hearing her melancholic murmur, their hearts ached in sympathy.
Some male students sighed internally: 'My heart has been stolen by Qiuer… From now on, sorrow and joy mean nothing to me.'
Some male students seethed in anger: 'Damn it! What virtues does Huo Yuhao possess to deserve this?!'
'Ahem—bold words! Show respect to Lord Huo Yuhao!'
Moreover, after witnessing Di Qiuer's fierce battle with Chu Qingtian, the students broke into a cold sweat.
'Oh heavens… I didn't say anything offensive just now, did I?'
'Let Huo Yuhao handle this (violent) junior sister…'
At this moment, noticing Xue Di's aloof demeanor, everyone unconsciously compared the two beauties.
Both were stunning, both noble—yet entirely different.
If Di Qiuer was a clear, ethereal spring breeze—radiating youthful vitality—then Xue Di (Snow Empress) was a winter plum blossom, cold and untouchable, proud amidst snow and frost.
Though her figure hadn't fully matured due to her age, she could already be called the premium version of the inner courtyard's Iceberg Goddess.
Ling Luochen: "I object! No slander allowed!"
Others: "A new master has appeared!"
"I need all her information—now! Immediately!"
…
Meanwhile…
While Di Qiuer and Xue Di sized each other up and the students indulged in gossip, Huo Yuhao wasn't idle.
He quietly transmitted soul power to Zhang Lexuan, briefly explaining Xue Di's circumstances. He omitted Yan Shaozhe's remarks, and the latter agreed without question.
Zhang Lexuan trusted Huo Yuhao's judgment—this Xiaoxue was undoubtedly extraordinary.
Thus, Xue Di's inner courtyard assessment took the form of a soul master duel.
Of course, not just anyone could skip the outer courtyard and proceed directly to the inner courtyard's trial.
Talent was the ultimate stepping stone.
Both Xue Di and Di Qiuer, despite their youth, had already reached the realm of Soul Ancestor or even Soul King—a terrifying level of aptitude.
With proper training, they could become the next Huo Yuhao.
And Xue Di's opponent?
None other than Xu Sanshi—one-half of the famed Inner Courtyard's Twin Rising Stars.
Since entering the inner courtyard, Xu Sanshi had been riding high.
Especially after Jiang Nannan accidentally discovered that her mother had been secretly relocated to Shrek City by him and was living comfortably under his care.
It became difficult for her to maintain her icy demeanor toward him.
Though she still ignored him when necessary.
But Xu Sanshi was thrilled—his roundabout strategy of winning over Jiang's mother had worked! Now, Jiang Nannan occasionally acknowledged him.
This made him even more grateful to Huo Yuhao for his advice.
Thus, Xu Sanshi officially became Huo Yuhao's No. 1 Fan in the inner courtyard.
Especially the nickname Xu Three Punches—earned during his first bout with Huo Yuhao—became his bragging right.
"Who among you hasn't been one-punched by Huo Yuhao?"
"With Emperor Yuhao dominating the inner courtyard, who dares claim invincibility?"
"I fought him to a 50-50 stalemate and lasted several moves before conceding. Can any of you say the same?"
His shamelessness earned both eye-rolls and reluctant admiration.
But everyone had to admit—Xu Sanshi was formidable.
After awakening his Xuanwu bloodline, even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon—renowned as the inner courtyard's strongest attack-type spirit—couldn't quickly overpower him.
This wasn't like the staged matches between him and Beibei in the outer courtyard.
Here, they fought for real.
The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.
After all, the inner courtyard's missions were no joke.
Following their duel, Beibei—ashamed of his inadequacy—sought guidance from his ancestor, Mu En.
Thanks to Huo Yuhao's rise, the Dragon Pill had found its rightful place. Mu En, feeling indebted to Beibei, spared no effort.
Not only did he stabilize Beibei's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon bloodline, but he also began teaching him his secret techniques.
However, Beibei's mental power paled in comparison to Huo Yuhao's monstrous aptitude.
To learn Dragon Emperor's Evil Break and Dragon Emperor's Domain Shock, Mu En gifted him a 10,000-year skull soul bone to absorb.
Then, Mu En realized: "The gap between people might be wider than that between humans and dogs."
Huo Yuhao had grasped his techniques at a glance, integrating them seamlessly into his own skills.
Beibei, however, struggled even with the basics.
High EQ: "Beibei is inheriting Dragon God Douluo's legacy."
Low EQ: "Beibei lacks talent and must follow Mu En's old path."
Still, with the Bright Tyrant Dragon martial spirit and a sliver of World King's prowess, Beibei remained unmatched in the inner courtyard.
Even five-ring Soul Kings couldn't guarantee victory against him.
Xu Sanshi was no different.
Backed by the Xuanming Sect and the inner courtyard's resources, he'd mastered his spirit's evolution.
No longer requiring extreme stimulation to summon the Black Tortoise Shield, his occasional bursts of power placed him just below Beibei.
Thus, Xu Sanshi and Beibei earned their titles as the Inner Courtyard's Twin Rising Stars.
…
''Another unconventional soul ring configuration—three purple, one black.''
The inner courtyard disciples gasped.
"Another monster?!"
Initially, they pitied Xue Di for drawing Xu Sanshi as her opponent.
But now, the outcome seemed uncertain—unless Xu Sanshi resorted to his bloodline awakening.
However, powerful soul skills alone didn't guarantee victory—especially for Shrek's elite.
Their secret techniques could compensate for such gaps, relying on skill synergy and combat instinct.
Take Huo Yuhao: his strength lay not just in his spirit, but in his genius-level combat intuition. His self-created skills alone were worth studying.
Moreover, after Tang Ya returned and announced the Tang Sect's merger into Huo Yuhao's Soul Pagoda, the inner courtyard buzzed with excitement.
Joining the Soul Pagoda meant access to the Tang Sect's secret techniques—without rigid sect rules.
And since the Soul Pagoda was endorsed by the Sea God Pavilion, its legitimacy was unquestionable.
Huo Yuhao: 'I merely mentioned it to Tang Ya—I didn't expect her to act so decisively!'
In short, once the disciples began learning the Tang Sect's techniques, they truly grasped the vastness of the world.
Creating their own skills was impossible—even mastering pre-existing ones was a struggle.
This only solidified their resolve to follow Huo Yuhao.
No one anticipated what happened next.
Xu Sanshi—a top-tier genius of Shrek's inner courtyard, peerless among his generation—was being suppressed by this unknown junior sister.
Her bone-chilling aura reminded everyone of Huo Yuhao's dominance.
Especially the Emperor's Sword—identical to his.
If not for the age difference, some might've suspected Xue Di was Huo Yuhao's illegitimate daughter.
Even the usually composed Zhang Lexuan shot Huo Yuhao a questioning glance.
Huo Yuhao, currently chatting with Di Qiuer, felt the collective scrutiny and sighed.
'This is bad… It's the reverse of the Heavenly Gang situation.'
Now, Xue Di's Emperor Sword seemed genuine, while his appeared counterfeit.
Yet Xue Di didn't mind.
Realizing her self-created skills alone couldn't end the fight, she activated her Snow Dance Domain, preparing to conclude the assessment swiftly.
Her Snow Concealment soul bone skill triggered—her figure vanishing into the flurries.
The temperature plummeted. Xu Sanshi shuddered, his entire body screaming DANGER.
He knew—if he didn't unveil his trump card, he'd lose.
Losing wasn't the issue. He had no intention of blocking her entry.
But the terror he'd once felt from Huo Yuhao resurfaced.
During their private spars, even with his bloodline awakening, Xu Sanshi had never forced Huo Yuhao to reveal his second spirit, let alone the Ice Soul Domain.
After Huo Yuhao's soul power surged, he'd broken Xu Sanshi's defense with pure physicality and skill.
Now, facing Xue Di's unrelenting ultimate ice, Xu Sanshi finally understood how much Huo Yuhao had been holding back.
A pang of unwillingness struck him.
Back then, he'd been defeated in three punches without awakening his bloodline—his greatest regret.
"Even if I'd lost after awakening, at least I'd have no regrets."
Now, against this replacement, Xu Sanshi burned with determination.
It might be embarrassing to use Black Tortoise Awakening against a junior sister—
But he was the world's number-one defensive spirit master!
He refused to lose to someone years younger—except Huo Yuhao.
This was his redemption.
"Black Tortoise Awakening—ACTIVATE!"
The heavy shackles shattered.
An indomitable aura erupted—unyielding as a mountain, steadfast as stone!
His Black Tortoise Shield slammed into the ground, a dark halo expanding like a colossal barrier.
The shield's surface twisted, a dark-green serpent with crimson eyes emerging—
Xuanwu Shield: Evolution Complete.
Though not the ultimate form, it surpassed it in quality—rivaling even Huo Yuhao's Ice Jade Empress Scorpion.
Now, infused with the beast's mark, Xu Sanshi's soul skills transformed.
The battle's outcome grew uncertain once more.
Though many scorned Xu Sanshi's reliance on his bloodline, none could deny—
Xue Di's power had shattered all expectations.
Would her ultimate ice replicate Huo Yuhao's legendary rise?
…
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