Yan Shaozhe brought Huo Yuhao into his office.
Only the two of them were present.
Moreover, Yan Shaozhe casually locked the door behind them.
Huo Yuhao was silent for a moment.
Are you afraid I'll run away? Or are you planning something shady?
"Little junior brother, please sit."
Yan Shaozhe invited Huo Yuhao to take a seat and even poured him a cup of tea himself.
Once seated, Huo Yuhao looked at Yan Shaozhe curiously.
Yan Shaozhe got straight to the point. "Little junior brother, I want to ask you for a favor."
"Senior brother, go ahead. As long as it's within my ability, I definitely won't refuse," Huo Yuhao replied with a mature demeanor.
Seeing Huo Yuhao pretending to act grown-up, Yan Shaozhe couldn't help but smile.
"That's good. Actually, little junior brother, only you can help me with this matter," Yan Shaozhe said with a slight pause. "You probably don't know yet, but you have a junior niece."
This was skillfully phrased. Instead of saying it was his disciple, he said it was Huo Yuhao's junior niece.
A junior niece in trouble—how could a senior uncle just stand by and do nothing?
"Junior niece?" Huo Yuhao responded with a perfectly curious expression.
"Mm," Yan Shaozhe said proudly. "Xiao Tao is a very good child…"
Huo Yuhao: Ah, yes, yes, of course!
Yan Shaozhe began introducing Ma Xiaotao.
"Xiao Tao's full name is Ma Xiaotao. She's extremely talented—only nineteen years old this year, and already at the Soul Emperor level. Her martial soul is even a top-tier one: the Evil Fire Phoenix!"
"The Evil Fire Phoenix? Isn't that…!" Huo Yuhao was startled.
"That's right—the same martial soul as Ma Hongjun, the ancestor from the first generation of Shrek's Seven Devils! And judging by her surname, you can probably guess—Xiao Tao is indeed a descendant of Ma Hongjun!" Yan Shaozhe was very satisfied with Huo Yuhao's reaction.
Having just drawn them closer, it was now time to emphasize Ma Xiaotao's significance.
She was, after all, a descendant of a god-level figure!
As for whether that god cared about his descendant—that was another story.
The key point now was to convince Huo Yuhao of Ma Xiaotao's importance.
"Senior brother, the matter you want help with—it has to do with this junior niece?" Huo Yuhao asked cooperatively.
"Yes!" Yan Shaozhe's expression grew serious as he nodded. "Due to certain circumstances, Xiao Tao encountered issues in her cultivation and has been in a frozen state ever since, unconscious. Only a soul master with the ultimate ice attribute can save her."
So that's it!
Huo Yuhao had wondered why he'd never seen Ma Xiaotao before but hadn't dared to ask. So it turned out she was in an ice-sealed state.
As for why Yan Shaozhe only came to him now—well, the only difference between before and now was Huo Yuhao's strength.
Now that Huo Yuhao was powerful enough, Yan Shaozhe figured it was time he "sacrificed" a little for Shrek Academy.
"That's great! Senior brother, I happen to be able to help. I'll do everything I can to save our junior niece!" Huo Yuhao said with innocent enthusiasm.
Yan Shaozhe suddenly felt a bit guilty for tricking him.
This kid is too sincere, he thought, before crushing his own guilt.
At worst, I'll give him a wife—it's not a loss!
A little gap in seniority between uncle and niece? Shrek Academy's history has seen much crazier pairings than this.
Of course, he couldn't say that out loud.
"With your words, I'm relieved." Yan Shaozhe stood up and said, "There's no time to lose. Let's go see Xiao Tao."
It was clear he'd been waiting for this day for a long time.
"Mm! Don't worry, senior brother!" Huo Yuhao flashed a wide smile.
He had been waiting for this day, too!
Under Yan Shaozhe's lead, Huo Yuhao entered a room inside the Golden Ancient Tree.
As soon as he stepped inside, a chill swept over him.
But while such cold might have been unbearable to other soul masters, Huo Yuhao only found it refreshing.
Yan Shaozhe, with his great strength, simply resisted the cold.
Huo Yuhao began observing the room.
It was filled with frost, exuding intense chill. In the center was an ice coffin. Within it, a faint fiery-red figure lay.
This room alone would be a great simulation training environment for any ordinary ice-attributed soul master.
Yan Shaozhe explained, "This room's frost was created by five ice-attributed Soul Douluos. They regularly return to maintain the temperature. But none of them possess the ultimate ice attribute, so their ice is becoming less effective."
If even Soul Douluos couldn't suppress Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire, and if Mu En didn't step in, Yan Shaozhe would have no choice but to seek help from an ice-attributed Title Douluo.
Like the Ice Phoenix Douluo of the Heavenly Soul Empire.
However, hiring a Title Douluo wasn't just a matter of paying—he would owe them a favor.
Title Douluos couldn't be hired with gold soul coins alone. One had to offer favors and other forms of exchange.
It wasn't just a financial issue; it was a matter of pride.
At this time, the five Soul Douluos were not present.
Yan Shaozhe led Huo Yuhao to the ice coffin. Its surface was completely sealed in ice. This was a fantasy world, after all—soul masters could survive even while frozen.
The coffin's surface was not transparent. Huo Yuhao could only see a red figure inside—no clear features.
But he could sense a blazing heat within.
It was a heat approaching the level of ultimate fire!
Only, this heat had been suppressed for so long it had become wild and volatile. If it were suddenly released, it would destroy everything—including Ma Xiaotao herself.
Yan Shaozhe could sense this too, which was why he had become so desperate.
In theory, Huo Yuhao's fourth-ring level was already enough to help Ma Xiaotao. But the situation was still unclear.
"This is our junior niece, Xiao Tao?" Huo Yuhao asked knowingly.
"Yes, this is Xiao Tao," Yan Shaozhe nodded solemnly.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Little junior brother, if possible, I'd like you to try using your ultimate ice soul power to help suppress the evil fire within Xiao Tao."
"Okay, I'll try!"
Seeing Huo Yuhao agree, Yan Shaozhe stepped aside, but still cautioned, "Don't overexert yourself—go at your own pace."
He wasn't just worried about Huo Yuhao—he was afraid Huo Yuhao might accidentally blow Ma Xiaotao up.
"Don't worry, senior brother, I understand."
Huo Yuhao raised his hand and pressed it to the coffin, carefully infusing his ultimate ice soul power.
Though Huo Yuhao's ultimate ice wasn't as potent as in the original story, his current strength was much higher.
However, Ma Xiaotao's condition was also more severe than in the original.
As Huo Yuhao extended his spiritual sense into the coffin, he quickly realized how serious the situation was.
Ma Xiaotao was only half a step away from becoming an evil soul master!
The "evil" in the evil fire had gained the upper hand.
Huo Yuhao tried using his ultimate ice to suppress the evil fire—and it actually worked!
Given his strength, the evil fire wasn't much of a problem.
Ultimate ice is still ultimate ice! And my power as a cultivator also helps suppress the evil fire.
Against a flame not yet at the ultimate level—what could it do?
For Huo Yuhao, resolving this was just a matter of guiding his soul power a few times.
But a true master of battle doesn't boast of grand victories.
Besides, this evil fire is pretty impressive. If I just suppress it, wouldn't that be a waste?
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes, looking at the ice coffin.
I want you to help me cultivate!
Yan Shaozhe remained tense, watching the situation.
When he sensed the heat inside the coffin lessen, his eyes lit up with joy.
"It's working! The evil fire is being suppressed! Wonderful!" For a moment, Yan Shaozhe was nearly speechless with excitement.
Because this meant Ma Xiaotao could be saved!
He didn't interrupt Huo Yuhao and waited patiently.
He waited half an hour.
Eventually, Huo Yuhao, drenched in sweat, suddenly pulled back his hand and collapsed onto the floor.
"Little junior brother!" Yan Shaozhe rushed to help him up, discovering that Huo Yuhao's soul power had been "completely exhausted."
"Senior… senior brother, I'm sorry. Junior niece's condition is too complicated—I can't solve it all at once," Huo Yuhao said apologetically.
Yan Shaozhe smiled warmly and shook his head. "It's okay, little junior brother. Xiao Tao's situation wasn't caused in a day—it won't be solved in a day either. We can take our time."
At this point, Yan Shaozhe was practically ready to worship Huo Yuhao.
"Okay, senior brother. I will definitely save Xiao Tao!" Huo Yuhao vowed sincerely.
Yan Shaozhe smiled broadly.
But he didn't notice that within the ice coffin, a faint golden false Buddha light was quietly invading Ma Xiaotao's spiritual sea.
In a space engulfed by black and red evil flames.
Ma Xiaotao, completely naked, curled up her body and hid in this space, her expression filled with pain.
At last, the day came when Ma Xiaotao's painful expression eased. She slowly opened her eyes, gazing around in confusion.
"Where am I... I remember before… hiss…" Ma Xiaotao groaned and clutched her forehead. Her memory was foggy, and trying to recall anything gave her a splitting headache.
This was a sign of extreme spiritual exhaustion.
When the evil fire erupted, Ma Xiaotao not only had to destroy everything around her but also had to burn herself in the process.
Until the evil fire within her was fully suppressed, these aftereffects could not be cured.
Before the just-awakened Ma Xiaotao could do anything—
Beams of golden light suddenly appeared around her.
Then, they transformed into ropes that wrapped around her limbs and body, eventually suspending her in a large X-shape.
It was as if a sacred seal had locked away a fallen demoness.
"What is this? What are these things?! Let me go!" Ma Xiaotao, having never endured such humiliation, was furious. She tried to summon her power and soul force to break free.
Though her memory was unclear, Ma Xiaotao's instincts and basic judgment remained intact.
Don't be fooled by her beautiful appearance—her temperament matched her martial spirit: fierce and explosive.
However, she failed.
These golden chains weren't something she could break.
And it wasn't over yet.
A mass of golden tentacles began to appear, spreading toward Ma Xiaotao as if to completely envelop her.
Her pupils shrank in fear, a chill instinctively running down her spine.
"Don't come any closer! What the hell are you?!"
"Who's behind this?! Come out! I'll burn you to death!"
"You beast! If I break free, I'll make sure you die without a grave!"
"Mm-mm-mm... Ugh ah~"
The greatest enemy of the will... is the body's instincts.
Ma Xiaotao's training had officially begun.
The black-red flames continued to burn, but within them, a faint pink hue began to appear.
There were still two weeks left before the semester began.
Huo Yuhao, whose "parents had died," naturally lived at the academy, treating Shrek Academy as his home.
Huo Yuhao: That's right—this is my home now. Is it so wrong that I've emptied it out?
There were no classes during the break, so Huo Yuhao's training schedule had also changed.
Instead of weekly sessions with Mu En, he now trained every day on Sea God Island.
Perhaps it was because Huo Yuhao had passed the "political review" that Shrek Academy started allocating more resources to him.
He now had more cultivation assets at his disposal.
For example, he was allowed to stay long-term on Sea God Island, benefiting from the training boost of the Golden Ancient Tree. Bei Bei enjoyed the same privilege.
The Golden Ancient Tree's effects were indeed helpful for Huo Yuhao.
More importantly, being near it allowed him to collect even more luck every day.
Even though the sheep in the pen had all run off, his daily yield of fortune hadn't decreased—in fact, it had increased.
His holiday training focused on three main areas:
Soul Power, Combat Techniques, and Poison Arts.
Soul Power Training
Huo Yuhao trained his soul power alone.
The training location? Ma Xiaotao's room—he was "helping" suppress her evil fire.
There was a special technique involved:
A soul master could accelerate training by first depleting all their soul power and stamina before meditating to restore it.
Huo Yuhao's method of depletion? Using his Ultimate Ice to suppress Ma Xiaotao's evil fire.
In theory, at least.
The issue was that Huo Yuhao's soul power was already more potent and plentiful than Ma Xiaotao's. If he wasn't careful, he might suppress her evil fire completely.
That couldn't happen—he still needed that evil fire.
So instead, he pretended to help her suppress it while secretly having the 100,000-year Snow Lotus drain his soul power.
No effort wasted on outsiders.
The first time he pulled this off, he had tricked Yan Shaozhe successfully.
At first, Yan Shaozhe would occasionally check in to observe Huo Yuhao and monitor Ma Xiaotao's condition.
But once he was convinced that Ma Xiaotao was steadily improving, he stopped coming.
As the head of the first academy and a top Shrek executive, he had plenty to deal with. Even during holidays, he only had limited downtime.
His absence worked perfectly for Huo Yuhao.
It allowed him to begin remolding Ma Xiaotao—turning her into a perfect vessel for his needs.
Combat Technique Training
This was focused on improving his physical ability.
Huo Yuhao needed a sparring partner—so idle old Xuan became his target dummy.
Mu En would observe and occasionally offer guidance.
Huo Yuhao's talent for combat techniques shocked both of them. His learning speed and visible progress were astonishing.
For simpler combat techniques, he could even innovate and improve them.
Due to this incredible potential, Mu En was now considering teaching him his ultimate skill: Sovereign's Descent (君临天下).
Compared to Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei looked like a piece of dead wood. Yet, Bei Bei's talent still surpassed 90% of his peers.
Fortunately, Bei Bei had a great mindset.
As for Wei Na, she didn't stay at Shrek Academy. After the beast tide incident, she returned directly to Heaven Dou City.
After all, she was a princess and a disciple of the Body Sect. Even if she was being used to attract Huo Yuhao, she couldn't stay by his side indefinitely.
Poison Arts Training
This was a new subject for Huo Yuhao.
Mu En had said: "If a poison-type soul master wants to improve their combat strength, they must understand poison deeply and study poison arts."
Mu En felt uneasy watching how intense Huo Yuhao's training was.
He was too driven!
While dedication was good, overdoing it was worrisome.
They feared Huo Yuhao might go astray, developing a warped personality.
So while he was still young, Mu En wanted to broaden his focus, diverting some energy toward other disciplines.
Huo Yuhao didn't refuse.
He was curious about poison arts anyway—especially since the library didn't contain any training manuals on it.
So Mu En had Yan Shaozhe find him a dedicated instructor.
It was a pharmacist from the medical department—a poison-type soul master named Ouyang Zhen, a 73rd-level Soul Sage with the martial spirit Poison Spirit Pearl.
Ouyang Zhen was a refined, elegant middle-aged man—not the eerie figure people typically imagined when they thought of poison masters.
That stereotype—of poison soul masters being creepy and dangerous—was common in the Douluo Continent.
Yan Shaozhe introduced him:
"Master Ouyang Zhen is a top-tier healer and a poison arts master!"
"His martial spirit, the Poison Spirit Pearl, started as an average Spirit Pearl—barely mid-tier—but through his hard work, it evolved into a high-tier spirit."
"With his ability, he's bound to become one of the greatest poison-type soul masters on the continent."
Yan Shaozhe didn't hold back on praise—because Ouyang Zhen deserved it.
He also wanted Huo Yuhao to recognize the value of the teacher they'd arranged for him.
"You flatter me, Dean Yan," Ouyang Zhen said modestly, though the slight curve of his lips betrayed his pride.
Huo Yuhao respectfully bowed, "Greetings, Master Ouyang Zhen. I'll be in your care."
"Huo Yuhao, I will do everything I can to teach you the art of poison."
"Thank you, Master Ouyang Zhen!"
And so, Huo Yuhao gained another master.
After Yan Shaozhe left, Ouyang Zhen began teaching Huo Yuhao.
To teach him the art of poison, Ouyang Zhen had brought a variety of herbs — both poisonous and medicinal — and laid them out directly in front of Huo Yuhao.
It was clear that Ouyang Zhen had come well-prepared.
However, he didn't let Huo Yuhao jump into hands-on practice right away. Instead, he started by teaching him the theoretical knowledge of poison.
"Based on my research, medicine and poison are inseparable. In some situations, medicinal herbs are poisonous, and poisonous herbs can be used medicinally," Ouyang Zhen said seriously, as if revealing some great secret.
That one sentence left Huo Yuhao speechless.
They have nonsense literature in Douluo Continent too?
On the surface, Huo Yuhao wore a serious expression.
"So that's how it is... I didn't realize such a thing was possible."
Playing along with your performance is hard work.
Ouyang Zhen nodded and continued teaching.
Things like:
"All medicine is three parts poison."
"Fight poison with poison."
"Poison attributes are suited for control and support paths…"
There was some gain — but really, only a little.
Thankfully, Ouyang Zhen actually had something to offer.
He possessed some poisonous recipes that could truly help Huo Yuhao and was ready to pass them down.
After all, Huo Yuhao could be considered half a disciple, even if Ouyang Zhen didn't dare claim that publicly, much less stand on equal footing with Mu En. But once Huo Yuhao grew strong, this token of goodwill would ensure Shrek Academy wouldn't treat Ouyang Zhen and his descendants unfairly.
The more you invest now, the greater the reward later!
Ouyang Zhen also introduced Huo Yuhao to many native poisonous plants of Douluo Continent.
As they spent more time together, their relationship gradually grew closer.
"Yuhao, do you have any experience with preparing medicine?" Ouyang Zhen asked curiously.
"Yes, Master Ouyang, I do," Huo Yuhao answered honestly.
"Have you ever concocted any yourself?"
"Yes."
"Oh? Let me see!"
So Huo Yuhao picked out a few herbs from Ouyang Zhen's collection and started concocting.
After a while, he produced a dozen or so small, plain black pills.
They looked like nothing more than mud balls.
Ouyang Zhen frowned.
"Yuhao, what kind of medicine is this?"
"East Evil Kidney Tonic Pills — a family recipe."
"What do they do?"
"Tonify the kidneys and boost virility."
"!!!"
Ouyang Zhen then tested the pills on two puppies.
It didn't take long for the dogs to start... a stick fight.
Ouyang Zhen couldn't comprehend it, but he was deeply shaken. He immediately collected all the remaining pills.
"That's it for today's lesson. I'll go back and study these. Don't worry, I won't eat them. I'll teach you something new tomorrow."
As he watched Ouyang Zhen leave, Huo Yuhao rolled his eyes.
Research? Yeah right. I won't call you out.
You're going to test them yourself, huh?
Fine, go ahead. Take one — you'll be silent afterward anyway!
From Putuo Cihang's memories, Huo Yuhao knew there were many pills of this sort.
How else did Putuo Cihang gain the Emperor's favor and enter the royal court?
With three thousand beauties in the harem, and no outside help allowed, the Emperor had no choice but to turn to medicine.
"Well, that's enough for today."
Huo Yuhao turned and returned to the golden tree's treetop cabin.
"Time to check on my Evil Flame Phoenix Furnace. It should be ready for use soon."
The golden tree's radiant light bathed Huo Yuhao, making him appear upright and noble.
A Few Days Later — Nighttime
Huo Yuhao withdrew his hand from the icy coffin, a golden faux-Buddha glow flickering briefly in his eyes.
He had been sleeping beside the coffin for the past several nights.
Inside, Ma Xiaotao's evil flames had not been fully suppressed, but they had stabilized.
"It's about time... Now I can finally reap the rewards."
In the days leading up to this moment, Huo Yuhao had adjusted both his mental and physical state to their peak.
But before that, he sealed his own spiritual sea — locking up the various beings within it.
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm: Why are you hiding this from your own people?
Golden Tortoise: I just wanted to learn a foreign language!
Electrolux: Even a gentleman must be guarded against?
Ah Hui: Can I say something?
It wasn't that Huo Yuhao had bad intentions. He just didn't want any distractions during cultivation.
Any mistake in this kind of process could be catastrophic.
Lastly, he covered his heart with soul power, cutting off the 100,000-year snow lotus from outside contact.
Though the snow lotus lacked consciousness, Huo Yuhao still felt better shielding it — just in case.
Once everything was prepared, Huo Yuhao looked at the ice coffin and silently shouted in his heart:
"Awaken!"
Boom—!
The evil fire within the coffin suddenly erupted.
The coffin shattered instantly. Ma Xiaotao awakened completely, immediately entering Martial Spirit Possession mode.
Black-red flames spread throughout the room. But within the red flames, there was a faint pink hue — making the atmosphere hot and seductive, stirring primal urges deep within.
Huo Yuhao sat on the ground, looking up at the flame-wrapped Ma Xiaotao, as if stunned.
Without the ice coffin's cover, Ma Xiaotao's appearance was fully revealed to him.
She wore a red outfit, her figure tall and well-proportioned, her face flushed and enchanting. Her light pink eyes gave off a soul-captivating aura, full of undisguised desire, as if to consume him entirely.
Ma Xiaotao's dazed, seductive eyes landed on Huo Yuhao.
A man!
And one that stirs a familiar craving!
Unable to restrain the urge any longer, she lunged down and pinned Huo Yuhao to the floor.
"Junior niece, calm down! Don't—!" Huo Yuhao shouted, looking panicked and struggling in vain. "Is anyone there?! Help!!!"
But how could the "weak" Huo Yuhao resist the "powerful" Ma Xiaotao?
The evil fire on Ma Xiaotao's body burned away both of their clothes.
Fire seemed to engulf the ice.
Ice and fire intertwined — yin and yang in perfect harmony — the ultimate union of life energies.
Huo Yuhao: You all saw that! I didn't start it, okay?!
The moment the evil fire burst out, Mu En, resting in his room, instantly sensed the anomaly and opened his eyes.
He immediately realized what was happening.
As for the senior-junior relationship?
Not a big deal.
Mu En maintained a connection to their life forces, just to make sure they didn't go too far and get hurt.
But what Mu En didn't know was...
Inside the room, the evil fire and ice continuously cycled, enveloping Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao.
They had entered a special cultivation state.
This was the result of Huo Yuhao's preparation and guidance — allowing Ma Xiaotao to synchronize with him and initiate the cultivation.
This was — Evil Flame and Ice Body Tempering!
Their soul power and physical bodies were being strengthened through the forging of evil energy and elemental extremes.
Ma Xiaotao's Martial Spirit also began to undergo a subtle transformation.
The black-red flames started turning to a peachy pink.
Large amounts of world energy were being drawn into the room.
Mu En sensed it and was surprised, then decided to give them a boost.
He channeled energy through the golden tree, pouring it into their room.
And with this, he became curious about what they might become.
"Perhaps... Shrek Academy will soon have two new prodigies."
"Truly... the Sea God is watching over us."
A night of cultivation.
Daylight broke.
On this day, Huo Yuhao, for once, didn't get up early to cultivate.
Bebe, who cultivated with him, and Xuanzi, who was supposed to spar with him, were both puzzled.
They went to ask Mu En.
Mu En looked at them, then smiled and said,
"When you grow up, you'll understand."
"Huh?" ×2
The two were dumbfounded.
Xuanzi pointed to himself. "Elder Mu, am I still not grown up?"
Mu En replied: "Virgin chicken, hush."
Xuanzi: "???"
In the room inside the Golden Ancient Tree.
Huo Yuhao slowly awoke from the lingering effects of cultivation. A soft, curvaceous body was snuggled in his arms.
But he didn't open his eyes right away.
Instead, he focused inwardly to sense the changes in himself.
From today onward, he had tasted the "meat."
That "meat" was full, juicy, and immensely nourishing.
After undergoing the refinement of evil aura and the ice-fire body tempering…
Huo Yuhao's physique had improved significantly. The first soul ring of his mutated Frost Centipede martial soul had increased to 80,000 years.
His spiritual power had grown denser, now comparable to that of an average Titled Douluo.
As for soul power...
"Huh? My soul power?!"
Huo Yuhao was shocked.
Unknowingly, his soul power had undergone a massive transformation.
Last night, he was deeply immersed in cultivation and hadn't deliberately observed the changes—everything flowed naturally.
But today brought him a surprise.
He had condensed a soul core!
But not a conventional one by soul master standards.
In cultivation terms—he had formed a Golden Core!
Refined through ice and fire?!
His cultivation level had once again advanced by a large step.
Part of the reason he succeeded was due to Mu En channeling the world's elemental power into the room.
But that wasn't the key.
In his lower dantian, a golden core the size of a thumbnail was spinning rapidly, drawing in soul power and circulating cultivation automatically.
Golden Core didn't mean "gold-colored." Instead, it was shrouded in a golden aura.
Huo Yuhao's core shimmered in black, blue, and red.
These corresponded to evil aura, ice, and fire.
The core enhanced his power, allowed automatic cultivation, and would grant him greater talent in those three paths in the future.
Though small now, this Golden Core could grow with continued cultivation and might eventually produce divine abilities related to those elements.
Through his own research, Huo Yuhao realized that the key to forming the Golden Core was the merging of his pure Yang energy with Ma Xiaotao's Yin energy, creating a powerful breakthrough force.
Yin and Yang in harmony leads to higher realms.
Otherwise, why else would the Yellow Emperor have "cultivated with 3,000 women to ascend to immortality"?
As a result, Huo Yuhao developed a unique sense of connection and control over Ma Xiaotao.
Because her Yin essence had been claimed by Huo Yuhao, he was the dominant and active one in their union.
That cultivation session also brought significant benefits to Ma Xiaotao.
After all, under Mu En's watchful eye, Huo Yuhao had chosen dual cultivation, not essence extraction.
Ma Xiaotao's body and spirit were also refined in the process.
In terms of overall gain, Huo Yuhao took the lion's share, but Ma Xiaotao still profited greatly.
Most notably, her martial soul had mutated!
Huo Yuhao knew the direction of the mutation, since he had helped guide it. But he'd have to see the result for himself to confirm it.
During the mutation, Ma Xiaotao absorbed a great amount of elemental power, and her cultivation surged.
In the original story, Ma Xiaotao had reached level 67 at this point.
But now, after lying dormant for half a year, she had actually broken through to level 68!
That was thanks to Huo-ge's strong "push" from behind, helping her ride the waves to the sky.
With the mutation and abundance of elemental power, her growth was extraordinary.
But it was not reproducible.
At that moment, the woman in Huo Yuhao's arms began to stir.
Ma Xiaotao opened her eyes, dazed. Her pupils were now a peach blossom pink.
Last night's cultivation left her feeling incredibly relaxed and clear-headed.
Then she realized… she was holding a man in her arms.
Ma Xiaotao was stunned.
What happened?
Wasn't I cultivating alone in my dorm room? Then my evil fire exploded…
Suddenly, fragments of last night came flooding back.
Her initiative, her wildness—all burned into her memory, impossible to forget.
The memory hit her like a lightning bolt.
She quickly looked down at the young man in her arms. Seeing Huo Yuhao's tender and otherworldly face, a complex wave of shame and fury erupted in her chest.
"AHHH!!!" Ma Xiaotao screamed, flinging Huo Yuhao aside.
She scrambled to pull a simple outfit from her storage tool, threw it on hastily, and ran out the door.
She didn't even dare glance back at him.
Once she was gone, Huo Yuhao slowly opened his eyes, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Heh… heartless woman."
Then, he casually fetched some clothes from his own storage tool and got dressed.
He stepped out from the Golden Tree's chamber and walked alone to the edge of Sea God Island, sitting by the lake, appearing to be in deep thought.
In truth, he was letting the White Tiger and Black Tortoise projections eat their breakfast in his mental domain.
He was also chatting with the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm and the others in his spiritual sea.
None of the others knew this.
When Xuanzi and Bebe saw him like this, they felt unbearably curious and restless.
But Mu En stopped them from interfering.
"The boy's growing up. Let him have a moment to himself," Mu En said with a chuckle.
Soon after, as Mu En expected, Yan Shaozhe came rushing in with excitement.
"Teacher! Xiaotao's awake! She's really awake! I must thank Little Junior Brother!"
"What? Xiaotao's awake?!" Xuanzi was overjoyed. "Great! Great!"
Mu En, already aware, simply smiled without saying a word.
Only Bebe had a complicated expression.
Should he go over and congratulate him?
After all—the joys of men are not shared equally.
Huo Yuhao, meanwhile, remained detached.
His breakthrough had also elevated his abilities—his aura-sensing technique had finally advanced.
When he looked at his own fate…
He no longer saw mere misty clouds of fortune, but instead—
A pillar of fate!
A massive, towering light column, fundamentally different from everyone else's.
The White Tiger and Black Tortoise projections stood guard on either side.
At the top was the cloud of world fortune, with the Shrek Faction's fortune just beneath it.
Within the pillar, his three martial souls—Evil Eye, Ghost Banner, and Frost Centipede—cast glowing projections.
Beneath the pillar was a projection of the entire Douluo Planet.
And then… he saw his Fate Traits.
Or rather, they were more like "labels."
When he saw them clearly, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but swear:
"Holy shit."
He saw—
[Heaven's Mandate Upon You!]
[Child of Destiny!]
[Divine Potential!]
[Hidden Dragon in the Abyss!]
[Jewel Hidden in Stone!]
[Stars Revolve Around You!]
[Misfortune Turns to Blessing!]
[Quick-Witted!]
[Fated for Romance!]
[Black Tortoise Fate!]
[White Tiger Fate!]
[...]
[...]
A long string of Fate Traits reaching nearly to the heavens.
"No wonder my shoulders feel heavy with all these fate tags," Huo Yuhao muttered, spreading his little hands.
When it comes to the number of Fate Stars, if Huo Yuhao claims second, no one would dare to claim first.
Such is the arrogance of the Son of Destiny!
Fate Stars vary in quality, reflecting one's talents and destiny. They are categorized into innate and acquired.
Most people only have innate Fate Stars—what's commonly referred to as: fate determined by heaven.
Usually, people have one to three innate Fate Stars.
Only exceptional beings like Huo Yuhao, who are born with a mission, possess more than three innate Fate Stars.
As for acquired Fate Stars, they require special methods to be obtained.
It's not about strength, but about technique and matching profession.
Techniques like the Dragon Fate Seizing Art and the White Tiger Fate Seizing Art can generate acquired Fate Stars for Huo Yuhao to some extent.
Moreover, Fate Stars aren't immutable—even innate ones can change.
They may improve or worsen.
It depends on one's actions, choices, and surrounding influences.
You're given the opportunity—it's up to you whether you can make something of it.
Huo Yuhao also tried reading the Fate Stars of the others present.
Mu En had three: [True Dragon Fate], [Limit Form], and [Troubled Love Life].
Three-character Fate Stars ending in "Fate" usually indicate talent-based Fate Stars.
"The first two are easy to understand—one's about talent, the other about achievement. That last one, 'Troubled Love Life', must refer to Ye Xishui, right?"
Ye Xishui—the Grand Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult—the only woman Mu En ever loved. He even raised her child.
Yan Shaozhe is a descendant of Ye Xishui—grandson or great-grandson, it's unclear. He inherited her second martial soul, Bright Phoenix.
Yan Shaozhe doesn't know any of this.
Don't ask how Beibei and Beibei's ancestors came to be. Mu En's relationship with Beibei's great-grandmother was purely physical—no emotional attachment.
And Mu En had such relationships with quite a few women. After all, he was known as the infamous "Well-Fed Douluo."
This is the hallmark of Douluo Dalu—"We're just physically involved, but you're my true love!"
People call this romantic.
Beibei's Fate Stars perfectly inherited Mu En's, and even surpassed him in one area: [True Dragon Fate], [Limit Form], [Love-Struck].
"Well damn, Mu En only had troubled love, but you're completely stuck in it."
Next was Yan Shaozhe. He had only two Fate Stars: [Phoenix Fate], [Rotten Romance].
"Oh ho! Rotten romance, huh? Serves you right for being such a flirt!" Huo Yuhao thought gleefully.
Romance-type Fate Stars are quite common and also the easiest to change.
They usually start from something like [Fated for Romance], indicating many emotional opportunities. Huo Yuhao was currently in this phase.
They could evolve in three main directions:
[True Romance]: finding love, happily ever after.
[Rotten Romance]: messy entanglements that affect one's life.
[Romantic Calamity]: potential risk of death.
"Someday, I should try turning Yan Shaozhe's Rotten Romance into a Romantic Calamity and drag him into a deadly trap!" Huo Yuhao mused.
He seemed to have discovered a new way to kill someone!
This could easily make a two-part episode in Beika Town (Detective Conan reference).
Finally, there was Xuanzi's Fate.
What surprised Huo Yuhao was that Xuanzi had only one Fate Star: [Glutton Devours Heaven]!
Xuanzi's luck and his ability to devour others' luck was clearly the result of this overbearing Fate Star.
Despite having just this one, Xuanzi still became a Super Douluo, which showed its incredible power.
Whether this Fate Star was good or bad depended on perspective.
If Xuanzi had no moral bottom line, then this Fate Star would be a fantastic tool for self-gain. Otherwise, it could harm both others and himself.
That's the nature of Fate Stars—there are no absolutely good or bad ones. Even the most powerful or precious ones can ruin a person if they aren't strong enough to bear them.
Even the original Huo Yuhao, despite being the Son of Destiny, ended up a lapdog in someone else's story.
Xuanzi was clearly in the latter category. He had some boundaries, but that also meant his Fate Star caused collateral damage.
Huo Yuhao just thought: I have no bottom line—give me that Fate Star!
"Gotta find a chance to eat Xuanzi too!" he decided.
Ma Xiaotao had awakened, and Yan Shaozhe was ecstatic.
She was soon brought before the others.
She had changed into a red Shrek Inner Court uniform that hugged her tall, curvy figure.
Only she and Huo Yuhao knew what kind of explosive body was hidden beneath that loose uniform.
Upon seeing Huo Yuhao again, her expression immediately turned awkward. She seemed like she wanted to say something but didn't.
Clearly, she was curious about Huo Yuhao's identity.
But she didn't lose her temper or confront him in front of the elders.
After all, how could a girl say something like that in front of so many seniors?
Ma Xiaotao had a fiery temper, but she wasn't brainless.
Yan Shaozhe thought this was Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao's first proper meeting.
Naturally, he introduced them and also explained that Huo Yuhao had been the one to save her life.
When Ma Xiaotao learned that Huo Yuhao was her junior martial uncle and her savior, her expression was... complicated.
Shocked, ashamed, and mostly just stunned.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao played the part of the shy, awkward junior.
The two of them met formally—though rather awkwardly.
At this point, Ma Xiaotao couldn't bring herself to speak about what had happened between them.
Because Huo Yuhao was her junior martial uncle!
If she brought up what happened between them—it would be a total violation of senior-junior ethics!
She had pride, after all.
"Let's just pretend it was all a dream. My martial soul has already transformed. We probably won't have much contact from now on," she told herself.
Because of the awkwardness in their relationship, she rejected Huo Yuhao's advances.
Pretending like nothing ever happened seemed like the best solution.
Only Mu En knew the full truth.
But he just smiled silently, choosing not to interfere in their affairs.
In fact, Mu En was more concerned about their cultivation progress.
After last night's cultivation session, Huo Yuhao adjusted his displayed level to 48—making it seem like he had gained three levels overnight.
Ma Xiaotao, who had stagnated for over half a year, had jumped to level 68 overnight!
Mu En speculated that the room's ambient energy, which he had infused earlier, played a part.
But more importantly, both Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao could absorb that energy!
That was shocking.
It made Mu En suspect their martial souls were highly compatible.
Which also hinted that the two might be capable of Martial Soul Fusion Techniques.
Of course, the exact situation wasn't clear yet. Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao still had barriers between them.
Only time would tell.