At first, people didn't realize what kind of technique the Xu Family Team of the Sun and Moon Empire was using.
It wasn't until Huo Yuhao arrived at the scene to watch their match that he suddenly jumped up from his seat, his face full of shock.
On the field, the members of the Xu Family Team still hadn't used their martial spirits. Instead, they relied on some new types of soul tools to quickly break through the enemy's defenses. Then, using a large number of hidden weapons, they easily defeated one opponent after another.
Even most soul engineers wouldn't be able to win multiple matches without using martial spirits or soul skills.
Therefore, the victorious Xu Family Team won thunderous applause from the crowd.
"Are those Tang Sect hidden weapons?!" Huo Yuhao exclaimed, disbelief thick in his voice.
"What did you say, Yuhao?" Wu Ming, standing beside him, asked in confusion.
Huo Yuhao's expression turned solemn. "I can't be mistaken. The Xu Family Team is using Tang Sect hidden weapons—almost identical to what was described in the Tang Sect inheritance I received in the Sunset Forest!"
"And those new types of soul tools are clearly modified versions of Tang Sect's mechanical hidden weapons. For example, that Zhuge Divine Crossbow Cannon is clearly a modified Zhuge Crossbow—it hasn't even been renamed!"
Immediately, the expressions of Cai Meier, Hua Yao, and Wu Ming—who had come with him—turned serious.
Cai Meier suddenly remembered that Huo Yuhao also held the identity of a Tang Sect disciple. After all, he had received the Tang Sect legacy in the Sunset Forest, and Zhang Lexuan had reported this to the Sea God Pavilion.
But since the Tang Sect had been wiped out, and Tang Ya and Bei Bei had vanished without a trace, no one had paid much attention to that matter. Huo Yuhao also never used hidden weapons or Tang Sect techniques, so people had almost forgotten.
Now, the matter was back in focus because the Xu Family Team was using Tang Sect hidden weapons.
No one doubted Huo Yuhao's claim. Instead, they began to wonder how the Xu Family Team had come to possess the lost Tang Sect weapons.
"Could it be Tang Ya?" Cai Meier was the first to speak, frowning deeply. She harbored strong hostility toward Tang Ya. "Did she trade Tang Sect hidden weapons to the Sun and Moon Empire for something?"
"Unclear. But as far as I know, only I, Brother Bei Bei, and Tang Ya possess the full Tang Sect legacy," Huo Yuhao said as he sat back down and sighed without offering a definite opinion.
To Cai Meier, that only confirmed her suspicions.
If no one else could have leaked the secrets, then her guess must be correct.
"But weren't Tang Sect hidden weapons already obsolete due to the rise of soul tools?" Hua Yao asked in confusion. "Why do the ones used by the Xu Family Team seem just as powerful as regular soul tools?"
Cai Meier replied, "If I'm not mistaken, those hidden weapons emit soul power fluctuations when used. That suggests they're not purely mechanical anymore—they've been fused with soul tool technology to become a new type of weapon. Perhaps we can call them soul-guided hidden weapons."
"I never expected the fusion of soul tools and hidden weapons to be so powerful. If the Tang Sect had done this research earlier, maybe they wouldn't have fallen into decline," Hua Yao said with a sigh.
Wu Ming, however, was indignant. "But now these soul-guided hidden weapons are in the hands of the Sun and Moon Empire's royal family! That means they might soon be introduced into the imperial military. When that happens, the other three nations and the peace of the continent will be at risk!"
Her words only deepened the solemn expressions on everyone's faces.
Based on their performance, these weapons had an obvious advantage over traditional soul tools, especially since they required less from their users.
Cai Meier sneered, "Those Tang Sect seniors who once fought against the Sun and Moon Empire must be rolling in their graves. Their successor not only became an evil soul master but also handed over Tang Sect hidden weapons to the enemy in exchange for luxury and power."
"Dean Cai, the Tang Sect seniors and their hidden weapons aren't to blame," Huo Yuhao spoke up in fairness. "The hidden weapons were the Tang Sect's greatest secret. For them to fall into enemy hands now… it's truly lamentable."
His sigh was met with silence from the others.
The Xu Family Team exited the stage after their match.
"We should leave too. This needs to be reported to the academy so the elders can decide what to do," Cai Meier said, rising and shaking her head helplessly.
After the Match
The seven members of the Xu Family Team didn't linger in the public area but returned directly to the palace.
That's right—they didn't stay in the hotel where all the contestants were housed. They lived in the palace, escorted by titled Douluo guards from the royal family.
As a result, it was nearly impossible for the other teams to gather intel on them.
Xu Tianzhen walked in front, wearing an aloof expression. But it was obvious she was pretending; her joy was barely concealed.
Once they were inside the imperial city and out of public sight, she dropped the act entirely and burst into a silvery laugh.
"Wasn't your princess awesome today?"
"So cool! You were amazing!" said a black-robed teammate, using a deliberately sweet voice to flatter her.
Xu Tianzhen laughed even harder. If she had a tail, it would be wagging in the sky by now.
The others could only sigh. No wonder she was named "Tianzhen"—so gullible, so easy to fool.
"We're just incredible!" Xu Tianzhen struck a triumphant pose, not forgetting to share the glory.
"Yeah, totally…"
She didn't care how fake the praise sounded.
Although other teams had strong members, Xu Tianzhen firmly believed she would be the star of this tournament.
And she had six powerful teammates. The championship was already in the bag, and so was the ten-thousand-year soul bone!
The soul bone prepared by her third brother wasn't just a prize for the champion—it was her personal gift!
Sure, people said the Third Prince ascended the throne by killing the Crown Prince and their other brothers—even their father. But he gave her a soul bone, so that made him the best big brother in the world!
The Xu Family Team would win the championship, and she, Xu Tianzhen, would be the MVP!
As the team entered the palace, someone was just walking out.
Xu Tianzhen quickly resumed her aloof demeanor, then squinted to see who it was—she recognized her.
"The captain of the Holy Spirit Team? I think her name is Tang Ya, and she's the Holy Maiden of the Holy Spirit Sect," Xu Tianzhen thought grimly. She immediately felt disgusted. She knew who Tang Ya was and what the sect stood for.
A holy maiden of a bunch of evil soul masters? That can't be good. She's gotta be the worst kind of bad!
Such a pretty face, wasted on someone so venomous.
Tang Ya recognized Xu Tianzhen too. She smiled politely and stepped aside to let the team pass.
"Hmph~" Xu Tianzhen snorted coldly and led her team inside without a word.
Mom told me not to play with bad people!
Tang Ya smiled and watched them go before exiting the palace herself.
She didn't pay much attention to Xu Tianzhen.
Of course, Tang Ya still didn't know that the Xu Family Team was using Tang Sect techniques and hidden weapons.
If she did, she wouldn't have stayed so calm.
Inside the palace, Xu Tianzhen was already muttering to herself: "What's Tang Ya doing here? Could she be looking for my third brother? No way, I have to go see him! He's such a womanizer—what if that wicked lady seduces him? That could endanger the stability of our whole empire!"
With that, she quickly told her teammates, "You guys go on ahead. I need to check on my third brother."
Then she took off in a rush.
Leaving her teammates blinking in confusion.
Xu Tianzhen stormed into the palace hall where the Emperor typically handled state affairs. These days, however, it was the Third Prince who sat there handling official matters—and no one thought it strange.
Xu Tianzhen didn't even announce herself. She barged in directly. She was the only one in the entire palace who could do this.
Even the powerful elders of the Offering Hall—or even Kong Deming—would have to wait at the door for the Third Prince's summons. But the Third Prince never conducted any shady dealings in the palace, nor did he demand this level of protocol. It was simply that his current influence made others too afraid to cross him.
Probably only Xu Tianzhen still saw her Third Brother the way she always had.
And since Xu Tianzhen also controlled key resource mines, the Third Prince allowed her to act freely.
Being lenient with Xu Tianzhen also helped repair his reputation a bit—at least showing that he still valued family ties and that killing his father and brothers was merely "a last resort."
As soon as Xu Tianzhen entered, she found the Third Prince sitting on the dragon throne… playing with eggs.
Oh—more precisely, he was examining a few soul beast eggs, as if studying them carefully.
"Third Brother, you can't let that wicked woman Tang Ya seduce you!" Xu Tianzhen shouted, unconcerned with what her brother was doing.
The Third Prince: "???"
Carefully setting down the soul beast eggs in his arms, he looked at Xu Tianzhen in confusion. "Little sister, what are you talking about? When did Tang Ya seduce me?"
"Just now! I saw Tang Ya leave here looking all pleased with herself!" Xu Tianzhen declared.
Yep—Tang Ya had smiled. That had to mean she succeeded in her goal!
"Oh, you mean when Tang Ya came to see me. So you two crossed paths…" the Third Prince realized. Without hiding anything, he said, "She told me that Xuan Zi of Shrek Academy has already left Mingdu. She said this would be the perfect chance to wipe out the elite young talents from the other three nations during the Soul Master Tournament—crippling their future in one blow."
"What?!" Xu Tianzhen was shocked. She couldn't even imagine the consequences if that plan were actually carried out.
"When did Xuan Zi leave? When did Tang Ya come up with such a bold idea? And when exactly are we making our move?!"
The Third Prince: "???"
Wait a second—sis, are you seriously considering this?
"You mean... you actually agree with her plan?" The Third Prince became intrigued. He had always known his little sister wasn't some innocent flower—but he didn't expect her to be a man-eating venus flytrap.
"I was just spitballing. I mean, if it actually worked, it'd be a huge blow to the other three nations, and we'd be one step closer to unifying the continent. But ultimately, it's your call, Third Brother~" Xu Tianzhen scratched her head with an embarrassed grin.
The Third Prince scoffed, "Hmph. If just killing a few youngsters could cripple entire nations, then the Douluo Continent really would be hopeless. All those powerhouses who've cultivated for decades or centuries would be a joke."
In the original story, Xu Tianran had targeted the tournament participants only because he planned to declare war immediately afterward. Eliminating young talents in that context made sense.
But right now, the Third Prince wasn't planning to wage open war on the other nations.
Especially since the fall of Mingde Hall had left the Sun-Moon Empire without the strength to take on three countries at once.
Huo Yuhao's next move wasn't targeting the other three nations—it was aimed at Shrek Academy. As long as Shrek still stood, even if the Sun-Moon Empire unified the continent, the divine mechanic Tang godking could "set things right" with a single command from the heavens.
"I see... I guess I was thinking too simply," Xu Tianzhen admitted, though she understood her brother's logic.
"But I agreed anyway," the Third Prince added.
Xu Tianzhen's expression turned puzzled. She didn't get his strategy.
If he hadn't agreed, Tang Ya wouldn't have left with a satisfied smile.
Tang Ya's plan was clever—but in the next moment, it was no longer hers. It became the Third Prince's.
Facing Xu Tianzhen's confusion, the Third Prince smiled and said, "Since the Holy Spirit Cult wants to help my Sun-Moon Empire eliminate the young talents of the other nations—why should we stop them?"
Xu Tianzhen's eyes lit up. "As expected of you, Third Brother! You easily saw what I couldn't!"
The Third Prince just smiled without replying.
The plan, of course, was far more complex—but Xu Tianzhen didn't need to know the rest.
Elsewhere—
Xu Tianzhen's team returned to the palace hall the Third Prince had specially arranged for them. There, they removed their disguises—taking off their black robes and masks—to reveal a group of women, each with a unique, stunning appearance.
Aside from Xu Tianzhen, the other six were also all women—and every one of them belonged to Huo Yuhao's inner circle.
Xu Tianzhen was the team captain, and the vice-captain was Nana.
The other five members were: Ye Guyi (a former soul engineer of the Ordinary Alliance), Luan Fei (former courtesan of the Ordinary Alliance), and the three Dragon Maidens of the Heavenly Dragon Clan—Yu (Desire), Nian (Thought), and Le (Joy).
Nana had originally been a regular member of the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, making her eligible to participate in the tournament.
Ye Guyi was also under twenty and qualified to compete.
Luan Fei also met the age requirement.
All three of them had now reached the Soul Sage level thanks to a combination of abundant resources provided by the Third Prince and cultivation techniques from Huo Yuhao.
As for Yu, Nian, and Le—the three Heavenly Dragon Maidens—they had forged fake identities and ages through special methods. They now appeared indistinguishable from ordinary human girls.
Though their powers were somewhat limited by their disguises, they could still fight at Soul Douluo level. If they fought at full strength, they could easily dominate the tournament.
After all, they were cultivated by Huo Yuhao himself using his own bloodline—their strength was anything but simple. Each possessed Title Douluo-level power and could unleash powerful combination techniques.
Under the guidance of Shangguan Wei'er, the Dragon Maidens had also developed human-like values and understanding.
The rapid rise in strength for the other four women stemmed from the Sun-Moon Empire's generous resources and Huo Yuhao's new cultivation techniques.
These weren't simple "furnace cauldron" techniques like Nurturing Jade Art, but entirely new secret methods Huo Yuhao had developed during his own cultivation journey.
Cultivation is like rowing upstream—if you don't advance, you fall behind. Clinging to a single technique without innovation is a sure path to ruin.
Every great founder of a sect had to understand countless cultivation methods before eventually creating their own.
Wasn't even Pudu Cihang's Dragon-Fate Seizing Art something he created himself?
Seizing fate, visualization techniques, soul master secrets—even the fragmented Xuantian Record and the millennium of accumulated knowledge from Pudu Cihang—had all become fuel for Huo Yuhao's own innovation.
His goal: to create the ultimate cultivation manual tailored to himself.
In the process, he also developed several offshoots—techniques he didn't need himself, but that were like divine treasures to soul masters of the Douluo Continent.
In this Soul Master Tournament, the hidden weapons and soul tool techniques Xu Tianzhen and her team used all came from one such offshoot:
The Demonic Heaven Codex!
Following the partial acquisition of the Xuantian Treasure Record, Huo Yuhao attempted to deduce and reconstruct a technique to counter it. If he had the complete version, he would definitely have developed a counter-manual to suppress it entirely—especially for a future showdown with the Divine King Tang, proving that true suppression beats absolute power.
Unfortunately, what he had was incomplete and even redacted in some areas. For instance, the core technique Xuantian Art is evidently a simplified version. According to canon, cultivating it to the highest level leads to the Three Flowers Converging at the Crown, representing the ultimate harmonization of essence, energy, and spirit—a path toward becoming a land-bound immortal.
Compared to the Demon Buddha Path of Salvation, which cultivates rank before enlightenment, the Xuantian Art focuses on enlightenment first, then recognition. It's like earning qualifications before landing the job versus getting hired before earning credentials.
However, the missing pieces of the technique mean that achieving its pinnacle is now impossible. Huo Yuhao's version is easier to cultivate and more compatible with other practices but lacks the potential for ultimate fulfillment. Worse, it's impossible to develop new levels—no 10th or 11th tier. That missing sliver of mastery becomes a defining gap between levels of power.
It all feels a bit like the classic "master hides a trump card" trope—only revealing it at the end of their life.
Undeterred, Huo Yuhao used his own knowledge and the corrupted, magical, and forbidden techniques he's acquired to develop his own manual: the The Demonic Heaven Codex!, a mix of technology and dark arts.
The Demonic Heaven Codex! has five parts:
General Principles – Mostly Huo Yuhao's life philosophies and quotes, including gems from Lunyu (Analects).
Heavenly Demon Secret Techniques – Core cultivation, including:
Demonic Sky Technique ( power-focused)
Demonic Jade Hands, Blood Demon Eyes, Demonic Shadow Steps
Heavenly Demon Secrets (Dual Cultivation)
Formless Demon, Demonic Blood Rebirth (Body transformation)
These are fast-track, taboo techniques, some requiring no regard for the cost.
Soul Tool Assassination Devices – Fusion of soul tool and magical weapon craftsmanship.
Hundred Solutions for Hidden Weapons – Complements above with usage and decoding techniques.
Five Venoms Scripture – A poison-centric manual, usable alone or in tandem.
Cultivation Progress
Four women—Xu Tianzhen, Nana, Ye Guyi, and Luan Fei—all cultivated The Demonic Heaven Codex!. Even Nana, who originally practiced White Lotus Sect techniques, switched and neared a major breakthrough to Soul Douluo level.
They each received artificial 100,000-year soul bones, boosting their power further. Three other Dragon Girls followed separate practices, unable to absorb soul bones but also not needing them.
As Xu Tianzhen returns, instructors Shangguan Wei'er and her disciple Ye Su arrived with training resources. Wei'er was officially the team leader; Ye Su assisted in guiding the girls.
Bathhouse Training & Human Pill Elixirs
The training began with a medicinal bath. The women, led by Wei'er and Ye Su, entered a steam-filled chamber where the pool is filled with blood-red, fragrant liquid—a medicinal mix of beast blood and herbs worth thousands in soul coins.
Before entering, each swallowed a scarlet pill. Unbeknownst to all but Shangguan Wei'er, these were Human Pills—refined from the blood and flesh of Soul Masters.
These are a required resource for cultivating the The Demonic Heaven Codex!.
Only Wei'er knew the truth but was unfazed by it. The others treated them as ordinary cultivation pills.
To make these pills, the Third Prince has been forcefully elevating people to the Soul Master level using resources and secret techniques, then refining them into pills—a process faster than raising pigs.
Wei'er mused that only plowed fields look fertile——and notes who among the women are virgins. Her eyes linger on Xu Tianzhen, who has none of a maiden's aura. Wei'er looked forward to "working closely" with her one day… to teach her some "real techniques."
The advancement matches proceeded smoothly, even surpassing past competitions in intensity — with some battles still raging into the night. Spectators watched tirelessly, thoroughly enjoying the excitement.
Ultimately, the advancement matches concluded as scheduled, and the final results came as no surprise.
From sixteen groups, the top two teams from each advanced, forming a total of thirty-two teams for the final thirty-two.
The ten teams that had revealed Soul Sage-level members all advanced smoothly as group winners.
Even the Douling Evil Clan, who had hidden their Soul Sage members, managed to advance. However, they did so as second place in their group, appearing rather unremarkable and thus not attracting much attention.
The national representative teams from the Star Luo Empire, Heaven Soul Empire, and Douling Empire all advanced as group winners, thus saving some face for the Three Great Empires.
However, it was obvious to keen observers that the groups assigned to the three empires' teams lacked strong competitors. Their advancement wasn't exactly praiseworthy.
In fact, the empire representatives felt a sense of sorrow internally. They had to admit — unwilling as they were — that they simply couldn't compete with teams that had Soul Sages.
Which meant, barring surprises, they might not even make it into the top ten of this Soul Master Tournament.
Of the remaining eighteen teams, about half belonged to academies of the four empires, barely salvaging the reputation of the academy faction. But in reality, many of the academy teams' members were disciples from major clans and sects — they were just representing their academies this time.
That might not be the case in the next Soul Master Tournament.
That is, if the next tournament still allows clan and sect teams to participate.
But since the precedent has been set, if the next tournament's organizers attempt to prohibit sects and clans from joining, they'll have to consider how those powers might retaliate — and whether they can withstand the consequences.
A single sect or clan cannot rival an empire. And sects wouldn't openly unite to pressure the empire either. However, if many of them secretly joined forces to obstruct things behind the scenes — even the mighty Sun Moon Empire wouldn't be able to bear the brunt.
After all, this tournament has allowed many sects and clans to showcase themselves and build relationships with other powers. The practical benefits and new connections they've gained are immeasurable.
Now that they've had a taste of that sweetness, how could they willingly back down? Once a gourmand gets a seat at the table, they won't give up their slice of cake so easily.
Then, right after, the Sun Moon Empire poured gasoline onto the fire of this already heated Soul Master Tournament, igniting the emotions of every participating faction.
The Prime Minister of the Sun Moon Empire announced:
"By the will of the Third Prince: To promote the advancement of Soul Masters and Soul Engineers across the continent and foster harmonious interaction between all factions, the Sun Moon Empire has decided to emulate the sages of ten thousand years ago and compile a Top Ten Factions of the Continent list! May humanity prosper! May our people thrive!"
This wasn't an imperial edict — merely a declaration — but it immediately ignited the hearts of all soul masters in Mingdu.
Even commoners fight over rankings — how could soul masters and major factions not be stirred?
When they saw the posted announcement, all factions understood what this list entailed and how it would be decided.
Ten thousand years ago, there were the Seven Great Sects. In recent times, we've had various academies.
The list the Third Prince intends to create will integrate sects, clans, and academies — unifying all forces under one ranking.
Key detail: Empires themselves will not be on the list, but royal families may participate.
Immediately, the other three empires realized why the Sun Moon Empire's royal family had sent a team to this tournament — it had been planned all along!
The selection criteria for the list were simple: the top ten teams in this Soul Master Tournament would make the list. The list would be updated every five years — meaning it would change with every future tournament.
The Third Prince explained:
"The youth are the future of any power. Those who can excel in this competition are sure to have a brilliant future and will one day lead their forces to the position they deserve!"
This made sense, and countless passionate teenagers felt invigorated, as though their clan's or sect's destiny now rested on their shoulders.
Youngsters all agreed with the Third Prince and were practically begging the old fogies at home to hand over the reins right now.
Fortunately, many high-ranking elders remained calm. They quickly saw the flaw in this list: it only focused on the younger generation and didn't account for older powerhouses or a faction's deeper foundations.
Clearly, the list was problematic!
Naturally, protests arose. Not every faction's team had performed well in the tournament, though many had great confidence in their overall strength.
Few demanded the list be scrapped — only a fool would ignore the massive benefits of being on it.
Most simply requested a change in the evaluation criteria.
The Third Prince's reply was blunt:
"Don't like it? Come debate me!"
The gates of the Sun Moon Imperial Palace were thrown open. The Third Prince sat in the grand hall, awaiting the arrival of faction representatives.
And they didn't back down. Shrek Academy's two vice deans, Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er, personally led a delegation of representatives through the palace gates.
When it came to winning hearts and influencing factions, Shrek Academy never sat back.
Correction — Shrek Academy has always represented the interests of all the continent's factions.
Either way, win or lose, they stood to gain.
And their odds of winning were high!
The Sun Moon Empire's factions didn't join in, of course — no one dared cross the Third Prince. With his temperament, he really would wipe out your entire family.
The Body Sect didn't participate either, but no one questioned it. They'd done well in the tournament and were championship contenders. The Body Sect has always been unpredictable — nothing they do would shock anyone.
Huo Yuhao knew the truth: the Body Sect didn't join because their members were in a "cultivation, chill, and wait-to-be-carried" mode.
They just needed to train using the techniques he'd passed down. As for the actual "carrying," Huo Yuhao had a lot on his plate.
He suddenly felt like he was working for the Body Sect. But seeing the continuous flow of luck they offered in return, he figured a bit of suffering was worth it.
Then came the eagerly awaited "debate."
Could the Third Prince really face off against so many factions alone and win?
Everyone wondered — and everyone felt his confidence. Curiosity over his methods grew even stronger.
Xian Lin'er, Cai Mei'er, and the rest were excited. If they could defeat the Third Prince in debate inside the imperial palace, it would become a legendary tale.
All the faction representatives were ready to give this young royal a lesson.
Just when everyone expected a heated war of words…
A dragon's roar thundered through the palace.
Terrifying dragon might flooded all of Mingdu, silencing the city in an instant with an eerie stillness.
The Third Prince unleashed the full aura of an Ultimate Douluo, pressing down on every representative present. Those below Titled Douluo dropped to their knees; even Titled Douluo could barely remain kneeling.
Seated high above, unmoving, the Third Prince gazed down at them and said flatly:
"My rules are the rules. I believe this ranking method is very reasonable."
"I've said my piece. Who agrees, who opposes?"
The Third Prince—the next Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire—is actually an Ultimate Douluo?!
This news swept through Mingdu like a storm and rapidly spread beyond the city and the Sun Moon Empire.
The entire Sun Moon Empire erupted in celebration.
In stark contrast, the representatives of the other three empires and various major powers couldn't even force a smile.
To be honest, if they hadn't witnessed it with their own eyes, they would've thought it was a dream. Soul masters of the same generation as the Third Prince nearly suffered mental breakdowns.
If someone surpasses you by a step, you're jealous.
By ten steps, you admire them.
By a hundred steps? They're so far ahead they can turn around and kill you with one punch.
Even the Holy Spirit Sect and Tang Ya were left sleepless by this revelation.
What's terrifying isn't just the strength of a powerful individual—but that this powerful individual has been lurking near you, eyeing you like prey, and you had no clue.
Had the Third Prince not revealed himself, how long would everyone have remained in the dark? But now that he has, what's the purpose? It can't be just for that ranking list, right?
Impossible—absolutely impossible!
The Third Prince must have deeper plans!
Especially Tang Ya, who had only just discussed a plot to eliminate geniuses from other nations with him. Now, seeing this overwhelming strength, she felt a growing sense of dread.
She realized she was already trapped. Surveillance around her had increased recently, forcing her to stay hidden in the Holy Spirit Sect's branch.
At this point, no one cared about the ranking list anymore—because the Third Prince alone was enough to suppress all dissent.
Just as he said: "My rules are the rules!"
After the initial shock and disbelief passed, the real worry for many powers was whether the Sun Moon Empire would seize this opportunity to declare war on the other three nations.
Many noticed that after the Third Prince revealed his power, there were increasing calls for war within Mingdu. Whether these were incited or genuine public sentiment remained unknown.
In everyone's eyes, Ultimate Douluo means the strongest.
Not just outsiders—even those living in the palace with the Third Prince, like the royal consecrates, were utterly shocked.
Their respect for the Third Prince had always stemmed from his aura and his royal status.
Now, even without those things, he had become someone worthy of their reverence.
Even Kong Deming couldn't help but entertain thoughts of war. As a royal himself, his first thought was the Empire's interest. If the continent could be unified, the Sun Moon Empire would become the supreme power.
The Sun and Moon Empire would finally achieve what its name implies:
Sun and moon shining together, eternal and unshakable.
Previously, the lack of high-level soul masters was a flaw. Now, with an Ultimate Douluo, that gap had been filled. Even without the Mingde Hall, they had a solid chance of unifying the continent.
Sure, Shrek Academy still had Xuan Zi, but he was old. The Third Prince was only about 30—he just needed to outlive Xuan Zi. Once the old man was gone, the prince would be invincible.
Naturally, some began questioning how the Third Prince could achieve Ultimate Douluo at such a young age.
Some said he was uniquely gifted. Others speculated he consumed immortal herbs. There were even rumors he was an evil soul master who cultivated using human lives.
But those spreading such rumors were quickly arrested.
Meanwhile, in a private conference room at Shrek Academy, a high-level meeting was underway.
Though the room was large, it now felt crowded.
In attendance were Shrek Academy's Xian Lin'er, Cai Mei'er, Zhang Lexuan, and Huo Yuhao.
Also present were representatives from the Star Luo, Heavenly Soul, and Dou Ling Empires. Xu Jiujing was there, pretending to be neutral toward Huo Yuhao. Wei Na represented the Heavenly Soul Empire, and Dou Ling was represented by Tu Xijun and a prince.
Representatives of powerful sects like the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Dai family, Zhu family, Heavenly Dragon Gate, and Earth Dragon Gate also attended.
The Body Sect, as usual, was absent—seemingly unrelated to all of this.
Huo Yuhao scanned the room. Many attendees—Xian Lin'er, Zhang Lexuan, Xu Jiujing, Wei Na, Tu Xijun, Zhu Lu, Zhu Di, Nan Shuishui, Nan Qiuqiu, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Nanmen Yuner...
Let's just say—he'd been with half the people in the room.
Yet, Huo Yuhao remained silent.
It was Xu Jiujing who finally spoke. As a powerful princess of the Star Luo Empire, backed by Title Douluo Man Yi, she had the qualifications.
She got straight to the point with two critical questions:
"Dean Xian, Dean Cai, may I ask: where is Elder Xuan? And can he contend with the Third Prince?"
These two questions addressed safety and morale.
After the Third Prince displayed his power, signs of unrest began to emerge. Not every faction could remain loyal—after all, not every group would benefit from a unified empire.
Xian Lin'er answered. Her aura inspired trust and authority.
"Elder Xuan is hidden in the shadows, investigating the truth about the Third Prince. In terms of strength, Elder Xuan is more experienced and certainly superior. To be honest, Elder Xuan has fully awakened the divine beast bloodline within his martial soul—his power is on par with the late Elder Mu."
Whether it was true or not, this was what they had to say.
Sure enough, many visibly relaxed.
The Shrek foursome had anticipated this. They'd held a smaller meeting earlier to prepare for inquiries from other factions.
No matter how the other nations schemed against Shrek Academy, in times of crisis, they still needed Shrek to take the lead.
Ironically, those same schemes aimed to prevent this very dependency—so they could control their own fates one day.
But the Third Prince's sudden reveal gave them no time to strategize.
After the main questions came the secondary ones.
This time, Tu Xijun spoke on behalf of the Dou Ling Empire.
Wei Na, though a princess, was half-Shrek and thus refrained from speaking.
Tu Xijun asked, "Do the representatives of Shrek Academy know how the Third Prince achieved Ultimate Douluo at such a young age?"
She added, "Don't misunderstand—I'm not prying into Shrek secrets. But your Academy has the only other known Ultimate Douluo. I imagine you'd know more about how such breakthroughs happen."
Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er instinctively glanced at Huo Yuhao, thinking:
"He called it. They really asked!"
Huo Yuhao: These are my women. How could I not know what they'd ask?
They couldn't stay silent—otherwise, others might suspect Shrek had some secret method for producing Ultimate Douluos.
That could lead to envy, trouble, or even suspicions of collusion with the Sun Moon Empire.
Who cares about logic when you have reason to doubt?
And Shrek Academy couldn't afford any turmoil right now.
Cai Mei'er spoke, her expression solemn.
"Normally, for a soul master to reach Ultimate Douluo, they need a combination of talent, martial soul, cultivation, training methods, and opportunity—none can be missing."
"But according to our records, there's one abnormal method, one that allows someone to become an Ultimate Douluo at a very young age—even younger than the Third Prince."
Everyone perked up, eyes glowing.
So there was a secret!
Shrek had been holding out!
"What is it?" Dai Huabin asked eagerly.
Cai Mei'er shot him a sideways glance but still gave the pre-prepared answer.
She uttered two words:
"God Trial."
The room fell silent.
Xu Jiujing glanced at Huo Yuhao, her mind racing.
She thought of his impossible strength—and the fact that he wasn't even 20 yet, much younger than the Third Prince.
"Could it be… Huo Yuhao has already passed a God Trial?"
Unfortunately, his expression remained blank, revealing nothing.