Star Luo Plaza had transformed into a sea of euphoria.
The cheering continued for several hours!
And immediately after the competition ended, the grand awards ceremony began.
Xu Jiawei, accompanied by Princess Xu Jiujou, Duke Dai Hao, and a host of officials, descended from the royal walls and personally stepped onto the plaza to present trophies and rewards to the two academies.
The rewards were astonishingly generous.
In addition to a large sum of gold soul coins, the Shrek Academy team received three ten-thousand-year-old soul bones!
As he handed over the soul bones to Ma Xiaotao, Xu Jiawei felt like his heart was bleeding.
Xu Jiujou, the princess herself, was envious to the point of being distraught—she didn't even have one soul bone of her own!
Previously, to make amends to Shrek Academy, both the imperial family and the White Tiger Duke's household had provided a total of seven soul bones. Though only three came from the imperial family, if today's gifts were added in, that brought the total up to six from them alone!
Even with the imperial family's vast resources, this still stung deeply.
The worst part? These soul bones were given freely, not in exchange for any tangible benefit.
Yet Xu Jiawei had to maintain a smile, even considering whether they should offer more to win over Huo Yuhao.
Dai Hao, meanwhile, kept a straight face, silently watching Huo Yuhao among the team.
After the tournament ended, Huo Yuhao remained quiet, even stepping aside during the awards ceremony to let Ma Xiaotao—who, despite being the team captain, hadn't even participated—take the spotlight.
This only made people respect him more.
"Calm and composed, neither arrogant in victory nor bitter in defeat. With a temperament like that, this boy is destined for greatness!"
Dai Hao felt a growing admiration for such talent, then sighed to himself:
"What a pity that Huo Yuhao is the disciple of the Dragon God Douluo. It's nearly impossible for him to join the White Tiger Duke's household. Still, if we can repair our relationship, there's a chance he might support us in the future."
No matter the current friction, if ties could be mended, then the White Tiger Duke's house could indeed gain his aid.
But those were thoughts for another time. For now, Dai Hao remained silent.
Up on the award stage, the two teams—Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy—stood side by side as champions and runners-up, basking in their earned glory.
Flowers and colorful flags filled the surroundings, showering down upon them. Huo Yuhao was even bombarded with handkerchiefs tossed by countless young ladies and married women alike.
Ma Xiaotao, Wei Na, and Ling Luocheng deftly blocked all these overly enthusiastic gifts with subtle movements.
Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao were overcome with excitement.
Jin Qiu'er was still unconscious, resting in the hotel.
Despite having fewer members, the Shrek team was full of joyous energy.
On the other hand, the Sun Moon Royal team, though large in number and spared the total devastation of the original novel—where most of their main fighters were killed or gravely wounded—looked utterly defeated and blank-faced. Few spoke.
Some even felt like today must be a dream.
They almost wished they hadn't come to the competition.
Had Huo Yuhao beaten them purely with strength, they could have taken the loss with pride, vowing to grow stronger.
But he had defeated them using methods they couldn't even comprehend, leaving them with no excuse other than their own weakness.
Weak?
They were the top-tier talents of the Sun Moon Empire—the best of their generation!
And yet, against Huo Yuhao, the only word that fit was "weak"?
Their pride shattered.
Their entire worldview crumbled.
Returning to the Empire would likely bring scorn, perhaps even punishment.
And yet, none of them could really feel resentful toward Huo Yuhao.
He was just that strong.
Elder Ma could only sigh silently. There was nothing he could do now—psychological counseling would have to wait until they returned.
But...
Elder Ma's gaze subtly drifted to Huo Yuhao, a cold light flashing deep within his eyes.
"The 'Nemesis of Sun and Moon'? That's not a title you can just take lightly!"
The Sun Moon Empire would never allow such a powerful threat to continue existing!
And as for Huo Yuhao himself—who seemed calm on the surface, flashing a polite business smile—he was, in fact, fully focused on something far more profound.
Above him, a torrent of fortune was flooding down from the sky, and he was consuming it greedily, leaving not a single drop for anyone else.
At a previous freshman awards ceremony, Huo Yuhao had tried absorbing others' fortune and failed to contain it—he even had a breakthrough on the spot, exposing himself.
But now? He was no longer the same.
He had grown from a naive single-core soul master into a mature dual-core powerhouse.
From a shallow virgin to an experienced, enigmatic alpha.
And all that had taken place in just over a year.
Now, the twin spiritual avatars—White Tiger and Black Tortoise—circled above his head, one on the left, one on the right, forming a Yin-Yang balance.
One exuded metallic ferocity, the other a watery gentleness.
Together, they harmonized perfectly, drawing in all the fortune around him and funneling it directly into Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao activated his White Tiger Fortune-Devouring Technique—a hybrid of his demonic and Buddhist cultivation styles—absorbing all the fortune and steadily enhancing his Mage Realm.
Not a single speck was wasted.
Even the portion he couldn't immediately absorb was safely stored for future use.
The ghost-banner martial soul shimmered in his sea of fortune, amplifying its effects.
Golden Tortoise and Three-Eyed Golden Lion avatars appeared, helping suppress and organize the influx of fortune, making Huo Yuhao's absorption more efficient.
His Destiny fate core radiated with golden brilliance, amplifying everything.
This overwhelming torrent of fortune should have been too much for any one person, yet Huo Yuhao absorbed it with ease.
"W-What is this feeling? Huo Yuhao, what on earth are you doing?" the Three-Eyed Golden Lion asked, shaken.
She didn't understand what this "fortune" was, but she could sense how immensely valuable and precious it was.
More astonishingly, as Huo Yuhao absorbed this power, even her own control over fate was increasing!
Huo Yuhao ignored Jin Qiu'er's voice.
The Golden Tortoise chuckled warmly, like a kindly elder, and said,
"Little girl, be like me—talk less, do more. The benefits will come!"
As a blessed beast, the Golden Tortoise could also sense fortune, and while assisting the ghost-banner martial soul in managing it, he too was reaping subtle benefits.
Fusion with the Black Tortoise wasn't just cultivation—it also expanded his spiritual virtue.
If this continued, he might one day evolve into a true Auspicious Beast!
With benefits flowing freely, who cared about the details?
Would "Brother Hao" ever harm his own people?
"You big turtle, who asked you?!" snapped the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, clearly annoyed—yet her body betrayed her, settling comfortably into the ghost-banner's shadow.
The passive effects of an Imperial Auspicious Beast were now in play.
"Hmph, this girl has quite the temper!" the Golden Tortoise shook his head, "Brother Hao will 'cool her down' eventually!"
The taming of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion was proceeding steadily.
The day Huo Yuhao would fully 'quench her flames' was not far away.
As the immense flood of fortune poured into him, Huo Yuhao slowly closed his eyes, circulating his soul power.
His 70th-level cultivation was becoming increasingly dense—already in liquid form.
His golden core vibrated as he ascended realms.
Golden markings of fate and fortune appeared on the core's surface.
"Just one more step to break through into Zen Master realm!"
Within him, his bloodline surged like a blood-colored tiger, roaring silently in Dai Hao's direction—baring its fangs from across the distance.
After the awards ceremony.
Xu Jiawei wanted to host a grand banquet to honor the champion and runner-up teams.
However, both teams declined the invitation.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy team left Star Luo City the same day the competition ended, returning to the Sun Moon Empire.
The Shrek Academy team was also preparing to leave.
In the meeting room of the Starlight Grand Hotel—
Xuanzi appeared, overcome with emotion, shedding tears of joy as he praised the team.
He was especially warm toward Huo Yuhao, expressing a level of approval beyond anything before. Huo Yuhao could clearly sense that Xuanzi had fully acknowledged him.
In the past, Xuanzi had only regarded Huo Yuhao as a talented junior.
Now, Xuanzi believed that Huo Yuhao had the makings of the next Pavilion Master of the Sea God's Pavilion!
If Huo Yuhao were to run for the position in the future, Xuanzi would definitely vote for him.
After all, Beibei was no longer around.
Among the potential candidates, only Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan remained.
Xuanzi's own temperament wasn't suited for the role.
Yan Shaozhe lacked the talent.
Neither of them was fit to become the next Pavilion Master—at most, they could serve as interim leaders.
While Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan had sufficient talent and strong backgrounds, in Xuanzi's heart, being women was still seen as a disadvantage. If possible, he preferred for a man like Huo Yuhao to take the position.
That's right—this was good old-fashioned patriarchal thinking at play.
After the tournament, the emotional pressure everyone had been holding in finally burst forth.
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen cried with joy.
They felt their teammates' sacrifices had not been in vain. Together with Huo Yuhao, they had upheld Shrek's honor, allowing their fallen comrades' spirits to rest in peace.
Within the Ghost Banner Martial Soul: the spirits of Gongyang Mo, Chen Zifeng, Xixi, and Yao Haoxuan were currently stable.
Jiang Nannan also shed tears. Winning the championship filled her with a deep sense of honor and made her reflect on how difficult things had been for Shrek.
Xu Sanshi followed with loud, uncontrollable sobs, shouting Beibei's name so loudly that it almost seemed like he'd developed romantic feelings for him.
At the very least, Xu Sanshi truly regarded Beibei as a brother.
However, their emotional outpouring made it difficult for others to join in the celebration.
Wei Na felt awkward.
She wasn't saddened by the deaths of Shrek Academy members—she was only happy about Huo Yuhao's achievement. But would it be inappropriate to laugh out loud right now?
What could she do?
She chose silence.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao exchanged a glance, then opted to take care of the still-unconscious Jin Qiu'er, distancing themselves from the crying group.
Huo Yuhao stood silently by the window, gazing into the distance. His figure looked lonely and forlorn.
Xuanzi let out a long sigh. "Yuhao is deeply sentimental. He was close to Beibei and spent a lot of time with the other main team members. He must be suffering inside. He's been silent ever since the championship win. It's me who let them down… sigh."
In the end, Xuanzi left quietly, presumably to drown his sorrows in alcohol.
Huo Yuhao looked at his reflection in the glass window, forcing down the upward curl of his lips.
Just as everyone was packing their luggage, Xu Jiujing came knocking and found Huo Yuhao.
"Princess Jiujing, may I ask what brings you here?" Huo Yuhao asked politely, though his tone was slightly distant.
Xu Jiujing ground her back teeth in frustration at his coldness but maintained a graceful smile. "Yuhao, in light of your performance in the finals and the blow you dealt to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and the Sun Moon Empire, His Majesty of the Star Luo Empire has granted you the right to choose one item from the national treasury."
"Please don't refuse. Your efforts dealt a significant blow to the Sun Moon Empire, making them unlikely to launch another invasion of the Douluo Continent in the short term. You've contributed to peace across the continent—this is the least we can do."
Faced with this grand gesture and noble justification, Huo Yuhao had no choice but to accept the offer.
Xu Jiawei truly spared no effort to win Huo Yuhao over.
Ordinarily, this kind of honor and benefit would likely change Huo Yuhao's perception of the Star Luo Empire and perhaps even foster goodwill toward its royal family.
But unfortunately for them—Huo Yuhao was not ordinary.
"In that case, I'll accept with thanks," Huo Yuhao replied, still somewhat aloof.
Xu Jiujing frowned slightly, sighing inwardly at how difficult he was to deal with.
But she showed no outward displeasure and continued smiling. "Yuhao, I'll personally escort you to the treasury. We can leave anytime you're ready. Take your time—I'll wait."
Her approach was all about being considerate.
"No need to delay—let's go now," Huo Yuhao replied without hesitation.
…
Having previously visited the treasury of the Heavenly Soul Empire, Huo Yuhao had modest expectations for the Star Luo Empire's treasury.
Items others treasured might just be things he could acquire with some time and effort.
Even soul bones below the hundred-thousand-year level were merely upgrade materials to him.
Xu Jiujing didn't waste time and brought Huo Yuhao directly to the national treasury, gaining smooth entry.
Inside, the Star Luo Empire's treasury was filled with a dazzling variety of items, even more abundant than the Heavenly Soul Empire's, and under tighter security.
While the layout differed between the two kingdoms, the buildings were equally grand. Items were well-categorized.
Huo Yuhao skipped over the military gear like armor and crossbows and followed Xu Jiujing to the soul bone section.
Even after giving away six soul bones, the Star Luo Empire's treasury still held about as many as the Heavenly Soul Empire's—some were even over fifty thousand years old.
But Huo Yuhao's attention was drawn to the adjacent sections: medicinal herbs and ores.
Though there were no immortal-grade herbs, the treasury still held a good number of high-quality rare medicinal plants.
If taken out, a single top-tier herb could be used to make a powerful pill—to aid in cultivation, enhance poisons, or even control others.
In the ore section, there were also many precious minerals, some even smuggled in from the Sun Moon Empire—rare even in their homeland.
After some investigation, Huo Yuhao's gaze locked onto one specific item in the ore section.
It looked pitch-black like iron but was more like a stone—an irregular oval shape that emitted a faint starlight. Hidden within it was an unusual energy wave.
A label beneath it read:
Item Name: Meteoric Iron from Beyond
Description: A meteorite from space, imbued with starlight energy. Contains wild, volatile energy within.
The description was quite simple.
But it clearly was no ordinary item.
"I want this one," Huo Yuhao said, pointing to the meteorite.
Xu Jiujing seemed to know a bit about this item and frowned slightly upon seeing his choice. She tried to dissuade him, "Yuhao, while this meteorite contains strong energy, it's also full of chaotic power that could harm you if you try to use it in cultivation. And it's so tough that current forging techniques can't process it. Forcing it could destroy it completely."
"No problem. I still want it," Huo Yuhao said firmly.
His Ghost Banner Martial Soul could absorb it.
Even if he didn't feed it to the Ghost Banner, he had other ways to make use of it.
Xu Jiujing took a deep breath, pushing down her concerns, and finally nodded. "Alright then. This meteorite is indeed rare but hard to utilize. I'll authorize this. If you ever regret it, you can exchange it for another item later."
She made this promise because the main goal was to win Huo Yuhao over. If he regretted it later, they didn't want the gesture to backfire.
Huo Yuhao smiled faintly.
Regret?
Silly girl—when I return next time, I'll be clearing this place out.Celestial Meteoric Iron.
It does not refer to a single kind of metal with one specific attribute or characteristic.
Broadly speaking, it's just meteorite.
But more precisely, it refers to a special type of meteorite that contains a high amount of metal. After passing through the atmosphere, it undergoes a unique kind of purification and tempering due to frictional heat.
Different meteorites contain varying types and amounts of metals, with differing properties and attributes.
In the world of cultivators, celestial meteoric iron also exists and is an extremely rare forging material, often used to forge divine weapons. Weapons made from this material usually possess unique effects.
The specific effect depends on the unique properties and characteristics of each type of celestial meteoric iron.
The celestial meteoric iron on the Douluo Continent similarly carries special attributes and properties, and also contains powerful energy.
Different celestial meteoric irons vary greatly.
The piece of celestial meteoric iron Huo Yuhao obtained contains starlight properties, and it houses a wild and powerful energy. As for whether it has other characteristics, that's still unknown.
Huo Yuhao doesn't have a system to instantly scan and know everything; he must experiment and test it bit by bit.
He temporarily put the celestial meteoric iron away—
And then returned to the hotel.
At this point, there were very few academy teams left in the hotel. Compared to the bustling and crowded first day, the hotel now felt empty and quiet.
There was a strong feeling that the show had ended and the crowd had dispersed.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy Team had already departed.
Only the Shrek Academy Team remained on the top floor.
Although the Shrek team had declined the banquet invitation, they didn't leave that same night either. Instead, they planned to rest for another day.
Mainly because Xuanzi had disappeared again—no one knew where he'd gone.
Without Xuanzi around, it felt very unsafe.
But having Xuanzi around… wasn't necessarily safer either.
Still, his presence alone was enough to deter many would-be troublemakers.
The rest of the people in the hotel had returned to their rooms to rest. Now that the competition was over, with the tension gone, they felt more exhausted.
Huo Yuhao also returned to his room.
It wasn't the damaged one, but a new, pristine room.
There were enough rooms in the suite—
Especially since the Shrek team didn't have many members left.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Huo Yuhao began to sort through the gains from this tournament.
The main gains were Fate Energy, Phoenix Qi, Dragon Qi, and some Qilin Qi.
Fate Energy was the most abundant. It brought Huo Yuhao to within a step of breaking through to Zen Master level.
He was just lacking a trigger.
But Huo Yuhao already knew what he had to do—
It would just take some time. He couldn't act now, or he risked attracting disaster.
The harvest was so rich that it made Huo Yuhao itch to use the Fate Energy to raise the age of his soul rings or quickly boost his soul power.
But he managed to resist.
No matter how rich someone is, one shouldn't waste resources so recklessly.
Fate Energy should be invested into a cultivator's core cultivation for the greatest return. Cultivation is always the foundation, and the most important pursuit.
The age of soul rings wasn't that crucial for Huo Yuhao—
As if he depended that much on soul ring techniques.
Even the soul master's cultivation was just a support for the cultivator's path. The two power systems had only just begun to merge, but the soul master cultivation merely assisted the true cultivation path, and wasn't meant to introduce strange bottlenecks.
Instead, it might be more beneficial to enhance his soul bones. Strengthening soul bones would also fortify his body and support future cultivation.
The Phoenix Qi mainly came from Tu Xijun and Wei Na.
It had all been infused into the 100,000-Year Snow Lotus, tinting it slightly rose-gold, making it appear nobler—but not yet transformed in essence.
Fortunately, according to Huo Yuhao's observation, not much Phoenix Qi would be required for the Snow Lotus to undergo transformation.
Otherwise, it would be impossible to gather so much Phoenix Qi.
Dragon Qi was even easier to acquire than Phoenix Qi.
Of course, the Snow Lotus needed only a little Phoenix Qi to transform because of Phoenix Qi's unique supportive qualities—its assisting effect is much stronger.
Dragon Qi mostly came from Xu Jiujing and other royal heirs of various nations.
They were infused into the king character (王) on the forehead of his envisioned White Tiger, and the serpent tail behind his envisioned Black Tortoise.
The infusion into the king character on the White Tiger's forehead was causing a third eye to begin forming on Huo Yuhao's brow.
The infusion into the Black Tortoise's serpent tail had caused a black serpent tattoo to gradually appear on his waist.
This black serpent tattoo also held mysteries—Huo Yuhao could sense that it was a Guardian Spirit in the making.
The Guardian Spirit and the Third Eye were both abnormal manifestations.
Some individuals with special destinies, or those reincarnated from special beings, were born with Guardian Spirits that protected their growth and repelled evil.
If someone with a Guardian Spirit walked the path of cultivation, they often possessed extraordinary talent—and could even one day refine their Guardian Spirit into a personal divine power.
However, for the Third Eye and Guardian Spirit to fully manifest, more Dragon Qi was needed!
These weren't ordinary things—they were extremely rare and powerful, thus requiring even more Dragon Qi to fully form and activate.
As for Qilin Qi, its sources were more diverse. Most excellent teams in the tournament had at least one or two members with Qilin Qi.
Especially those teams with princes or princesses—the number of people possessing Qilin Qi was even higher.
Huo Yuhao absorbed this Qilin Qi, which fused into the soul bones in his body—but the effects had not yet clearly appeared.
Possibly because the quantity was still insufficient.
Then came the material gains.
The Soul-Devouring Carving Knife was fusing with the Blood-colored Flagpole, and the fusion was nearly complete. A black-and-red short spear was forming, emanating a faint aura of malevolence.
Huo Yuhao then brought out the celestial meteoric iron again to feed to the Ghost Banner Martial Soul. As expected, the Ghost Banner reacted and began absorbing and fusing the power of the meteoric iron.
Among the remaining gains, besides a few furnaces (refining cauldrons), there was also Jin Qiu'er.
Being both the Three-Eyed Golden Lion and Jin Qiu'er herself, she greatly enhanced the Ghost Banner Martial Soul's ability to suppress fate.
She also granted Huo Yuhao three Ultimate Attributes: Ultimate Fire, Ultimate Light, and Ultimate Strength.
But these Ultimate Attributes could only be drawn on when Jin Qiu'er or the Three-Eyed Golden Lion were in their respective forms.
When she was in her Jin Qiu'er form, Huo Yuhao could also draw on the power of her Golden Dragon Martial Soul.
Moreover, since Jin Qiu'er was now under Huo Yuhao's control, when he used spirit possession with her, certain special transformations would also occur.
…
After organizing all his gains, Huo Yuhao decided to go out and move his body—perhaps collect some refined experience points from the external furnaces that had recently recovered.
When Huo Yuhao sneaked into a certain hotel—
The mature and seductive Nan Shuishui had already respectfully stripped and was kneeling at the door, waiting for Huo Yuhao.
It was going to be another night of diligent cultivation.
Bathed in the first rays of the morning sun, the Shrek Academy battle team departed from Star Luo City without any attempt to conceal their movements.
Countless eyes watched them from the shadows — agents of the royal family, spies from the White Tiger Duke's estate, and even those harboring malicious intent.
Among those silently watching was Zhu Lu.
With the help of powerful members from her clan, she hid in the shadows and observed Huo Yuhao's departing figure, her gaze complex and conflicted.
She recalled his dazzling performance on the battlefield.
And then, she made her decision.
"Huo Yuhao has ruined my future. Now that my innocence is gone, if anyone finds out, death would be the best outcome for me. But as long as I can become stronger — strong like Huo Yuhao — I can escape my tragic fate!"
"That cultivation method... It's time to try it. I traded my most precious thing for it. It's also my hope of gaining control over the Zhu Clan in the future!"
"Huo Yuhao, you'd better not have lied to me, or I'll make you pay dearly!"
It was as if Huo Yuhao had predicted this all along.
When Zhu Lu returned to the Zhu Clan, she received a special letter with only a single sentence:
"If you encounter a bottleneck, come find me."
There was no signature, but Zhu Lu instantly knew who had left it.
And this made her eyes flash with suspicion.
She was no fool.
In fact, from the letter, she realized something was wrong.
"Huo Yuhao is certain I'll hit a bottleneck? Damn it! He really didn't have good intentions! The technique must be flawed!"
Zhu Lu flew into a rage like a cat with its fur bristling.
But she quickly forced herself to calm down and recognize the gravity of the situation.
"But I've already told my father about this technique. If it turns out to be problematic... I might lose the clan's support entirely — and then all my hopes will be gone!"
Now, the technique Huo Yuhao taught her had become her final lifeline.
She had no choice but to drink poison to quench her thirst.
"Damn it! I can only cultivate it as soon as possible — identify the problem quickly — and then confront Huo Yuhao to find a way to fix it!"
"Huo Yuhao, do you think you can control me with this? I'll just consider it being bitten by a dog! Hmph!"
Zhu Lu gnashed her teeth.
With neither the White Tiger Duke's mansion nor Dai Huabin to rely on — and with the childhood memories she had seen from Huo Yuhao — she understood the Duke's house was not as noble and glorious as it appeared.
If her betrayal was discovered, the first to act against her might very well be Dai Huabin himself.
Though the Zhu Clan patriarch was her father, he could not shield her completely. He could only offer help within the limits of his power. If Zhu Lu wanted more, she had to prove her worth.
This cultivation method was her opportunity to prove her value — and possibly seize control of the Zhu Clan in the future.
Fortunately, though her father had accepted the method, he didn't openly promote it to the entire clan. As a precaution, only a few trusted clan members were secretly testing it — Zhu Lu among them.
But if the technique proved faulty, Zhu Lu wouldn't just lose support. She might be branded a heretical soul master — a fate worse than death.
She deeply understood: now and in the future, if she wanted to change her fate and escape this whirlpool, she had to gain power.
This method was her only chance.
"For power, I'm willing to sacrifice myself if I must!" she resolved.
Trapped between her clan and the White Tiger Duke's estate, survival had become Zhu Lu's greatest desire.
Without hesitation, she began cultivating the method. Her father secretly supplied her with resources, but her training had to remain completely hidden.
Not a whisper could be allowed to leak.
No familiar servant could notice her changes.
She even replaced every servant in her courtyard.
To avoid suspicion from those who knew her well.
As for Dai Huabin, she found an excuse to avoid meeting him for now.
Zhu Lu's journey of self-reinvention began with a single letter from Huo Yuhao.
Meanwhile, another "furnace" — Nan Shuishui — hadn't gone to see Huo Yuhao off, because after being "filled to the brim like a cream puff," she couldn't even get out of bed.
It wasn't until midday, when Nan Qiuqiu came knocking, that Nan Shuishui finally dragged her exhausted yet satisfied body out of bed.
Before leaving, Huo Yuhao had given her two cultivation methods:
One was the Jade Maiden Scripture; the other, Red Spring Technique.
The Jade Maiden Scripture was an advanced version of the Jade Nourishment Art, developed by Huo Yuhao using his Eye of Ten Thousand Laws. It required precious jade or minerals for cultivation.
Once mastered, it could form the Innate Jade Spirit Physique — skin like jade, aura like a fairy, with immense power and defense, and even the ability to improve cultivation talent.
It was perfect for Nan Shuishui and could help her break through her bottleneck to become a Titled Douluo.
The cost, however, was that she would fully become a furnace-type physique — desire would surge uncontrollably, and the more pure and jade-like her exterior, the more burning and intense her inner cravings.
Eventually, she would lose her sense of self to her desires — completely falling under Huo Yuhao's control.
This technique was extremely domineering and couldn't be given to other girls who practiced the Jade Nourishment Art, as they lacked the strength and willpower. They might spiral out of control during cultivation, become possessed by lust, and die from inner fire.
Nan Shuishui, however, could rely on her immense power and the cold energy from her sect's spiritual well to safely reach the Titled Douluo level.
Once she broke through, it would be time for Huo Yuhao to harvest her once more.
As for the Red Spring Technique, it was a charm-based art with beautifying effects.
It was an accessory — a decoration — added to this "furnace" by Huo Yuhao.
Truth be told, among all the furnaces Huo Yuhao had experienced, Nan Shuishui was the most satisfying.
So he didn't mind giving her a few extra benefits.
—
On the road back to Shrek Academy, the team was finally riding in a carriage instead of walking.
After all, Jin Qiu'er was still unconscious.
And Xu Sanshi was still injured.
But it was just a regular horse-drawn carriage — not a soul tool vehicle — which made the trip a bit bumpy.
The carriage was large enough to hold everyone, including Jin Qiu'er, who needed to lie flat.
The mood during the return journey was relaxed.
No more weeping like the day before.
Xuan Zi was not present — he hid in the shadows and didn't get in the carriage.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
If he had joined them, his stench alone would have made the trip unbearable.
Unexpectedly, the journey back was not smooth.
The Skydream Iceworm, sent ahead by Huo Yuhao to scout, quickly detected trouble.
"Brother Hao! Brother Hao! Someone's hiding in the bushes ahead!"
"Oh? Who's bold enough to do that? Surely not just some mountain bandits?" Huo Yuhao asked curiously.
"One has a big head, the other a qilin arm. Looks like they're from the Body Sect! Both are at the Soul Douluo level."
Huo Yuhao: "???"
"What is the Body Sect up to now, jumping out like lunatics again?"
To Huo Yuhao's surprise, the two men from the Body Sect didn't choose to ambush them. Instead, when the carriage neared, they leapt openly from the bushes and stood boldly in the middle of the road.
"Stop!" one of them, a man with an oversized head, commanded in a deep voice.
The other, a man with a Kirin Arm, glared fiercely like a wild beast, exuding hostility.
The coachman, terrified, thought they were bandits. He quickly stopped the carriage and shakily informed the passengers inside, including Huo Yuhao.
"Soul Masters, sirs! We're in trouble! There are people blocking the road—and they don't look friendly!"
As soon as he heard that, Xu Sanshi's eyes widened in fury. "Someone dares to block the path of Shrek Academy's team? Are they tired of living?"
Xu Sanshi: Time to show off my manly charm!
With that, he immediately stood up and strode out of the carriage.
Everyone else looked at him in surprise. Even Jiang Nannan gave him a slightly more complicated look than usual.
Today's Xu Sanshi… actually seemed a bit heroic?
But despite his recklessness, Xu Sanshi wasn't entirely a fool—he was cunning in his own way.
First off, as a member of Shrek Academy, he banked on the school's reputation scaring off the opposition without the need for a fight. That would make it seem as if he had intimidated the enemies into retreat—brilliantly heroic.
Second, even if a fight broke out, he was already injured and wouldn't be expected to fight. He could stay in the back to "protect" Jiang Nannan.
This way, he wouldn't worsen his injuries but could still display his masculinity. Surely Jiang Nannan would be smitten, right?
Perfect plan~
Then, just as he stepped out of the carriage—
A soul-power-imbued fist met his face.
Boom!
Xu Sanshi was sent flying back into the carriage at an even faster speed than he had walked out.
Luckily, Huo Yuhao caught him in time, preventing him from crashing into Jin Qiu'er, who was still fast asleep at the rear of the carriage.
Outside the carriage—
"Shrek Academy? That's exactly who we're looking to beat!" sneered the man with the Kirin Arm, lowering his massive right arm menacingly.
If it were other people—or actual bandits—they might have been intimidated by the reputation of Shrek Academy and backed off.
But these men were from the Body Sect, sworn enemies of Shrek Academy.
The fact that they didn't kill outright was already merciful.
Fortunately, Xu Sanshi, though coughing up a couple mouthfuls of blood, was still within tolerable condition.
But the provocation had already enraged Ma Xiaotao and the others.
"Who are you, to act so arrogantly?" Ma Xiaotao led the charge out of the carriage.
The rest quickly followed, prepared to fight at her side.
Jiang Nannan stepped out as well, not even sparing a glance at the battered Xu Sanshi.
Truth be told, Xu Sanshi's position within the team was… awkward.
His personality was fine, and his talent and strength were definitely worth associating with. But aside from Huo Yuhao, most of the team kept their distance from him.
Only Ma Xiaotao occasionally gave him some regard—likely because he once helped her suppress her evil fire.
But that was it—because Xu Sanshi was just too much of a bootlicker.
Not only did Jiang Nannan dislike him, even others would shake their heads in disappointment.
If you don't respect yourself, how can you expect others to?
But Huo Yuhao was different—he just felt bad for the guy.
"Senior, why don't you rest here in the carriage?" Huo Yuhao gently helped the battered Xu Sanshi, showing concern.
Wouldn't want his injuries to worsen—especially since the quality of the Black Tortoise bloodline was important.
After all, they hadn't eliminated Xu Sanshi yet precisely because his bloodline wasn't fully matured.
But Xu Sanshi wouldn't have it.
"Thank you, Brother Huo, but I must go protect Nannan! This is what a man should do!"
Then, he staggered back out of the carriage, puffed up with righteousness, shouting, "Nannan, I'm here to protect you!"
Huo Yuhao (thinking): Fine, do what makes you happy. But if you mess up your bloodline, don't blame me~
He was the last to leave the carriage, which now only contained the still-sleeping Jin Qiu'er.
She wouldn't be waking up until they returned to the academy anyway. Otherwise, she might throw a tantrum over missing the finals.
Huo Yuhao had no interest in dealing with her drama. Let the academy handle that.
In fact… he was even considering whether to keep her asleep for a while longer.
It might lead to… unexpected outcomes.
Before leaving the carriage, he set up some protection around Jin Qiu'er, just in case anything went wrong.
No one could guarantee that certain "figures" wouldn't stir up more trouble.
Meanwhile, back in the wilds.
Xuan Zi warily stared at the figure blocking his path.
"Du Busi, why are you stopping me?" he asked irritably.
"Heh, because I want to~" Du Busi replied with a careless sneer.
"Are you looking for death?" Xuan Zi's tone grew cold and dangerous.
"Perfect. I've been meaning to test the strength of you, Chicken Leg Douluo," Du Busi's expression turned dark and serious.
"Then let's settle this the old-fashioned way!"
Recently weighed down by frustration, Xuan Zi welcomed the chance for a fight to let off steam.
Old rivals locked eyes—no words could bridge the gap. They erupted into battle right there in the wilderness.
During the clash, Du Busi keenly noticed something was off—Xuan Zi's aura was unsteady. He was clearly injured.
Du Busi immediately thought of the time Xuan Zi had escorted the immortal herbs back to Shrek Academy. He may have won that battle, but he didn't walk away unscathed.
One-on-one, Xuan Zi feared few.
But if ambushed—and especially if enemies had soul tools—he might not hold up.
This revelation turned Du Busi's gaze icy. A dark thought emerged:
Could he kill Xuan Zi here?
But in the end, Du Busi let go of the idea.
Xuan Zi's injuries weren't severe enough to guarantee a kill.
And if Xuan Zi chose to flee, Du Busi wasn't confident he could stop him.
So he stuck to the original plan: stall Xuan Zi.
Back on the road, Xuan Zi was too focused on the fight to notice that Shrek Academy's carriage was now under siege.
On the road.
Outside the carriage, Ma Xiaotao, Huo Yuhao, and the rest faced the roadblock directly.
"Who are you people?" Ma Xiaotao asked warily.
She had sensed that both men in front of her… were stronger than her.
Definitely bad news.
The two men grinned arrogantly and activated their spirit rings.
Eight rings each—both were Soul Douluo level.
"The Body Sect—Lang Ya!"
"The Body Sect—Yu Tao!"
The roadblockers were none other than Lang Ya and Yu Tao.
Lang Ya's martial soul was his head; Yu Tao's was his right arm.
Ma Xiaotao's pupils shrank sharply. The others grew tense, ready for battle.
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes.
"What are they here for?"
He recognized them immediately—their traits and pairing were too obvious.
At that moment, the Skydream Iceworm's spirit consciousness sent him another message:
Xuan Zi and Du Busi were locked in battle back in the wilderness.
"So this ambush… was personally arranged by Du Busi?" Huo Yuhao instantly realized the gravity of the situation.