Lower Corpse – Xu Tiancheng.
Power Level: Demigod.
Martial Souls:
First Martial Soul, Sun: Cultivated to the third layer of Nine Deaths Divine Art, upgraded to the ultimate fire attribute. Soul ring configuration: 2 yellow, 2 purple, 4 black, 1 red.
Second Martial Soul, Purple Radiant Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon: Cultivated to the fourth layer of Nine Deaths Divine Art, upgraded to the ultimate destruction attribute. Soul ring configuration: 9 red rings, all God-given rings by Huo Yuhao.
Third Martial Soul, Demonic Divine Ballista: Semi-divine artifact class. Can damage souls. Soul ring configuration: None yet.
Fourth Martial Soul, Vampire Bat King: Soul ring configuration: None yet.
Soul Cores: Ultimate Destruction Core, Ghost Corpse Soul Core.
Techniques: Fourth layer of Nine Deaths Divine Art, Visualization Technique – Sun.
In the harem, Huo Yuhao stared at Xu Tiancheng with a complicated expression.
Xu Tiancheng, however, showed a cheeky grin and said,
"Oi, original body, am I hung or what?"
"Nope. Not looking. Thanks."
"That's a shame. I got way bigger and thicker now."
"Wait, are you even using real terms?!"
"Ehehe~"
Huo Yuhao was speechless.
In the past, Xu Tiancheng and Huo Yuhao were the same person. But now, Xu Tiancheng was both him and not him.
According to myths, Xu Tiancheng would be considered a Lower Corpse, cut off from the original body. But unlike in the ancient cultivation theories, this version was formed by coincidence, and was not as refined.
Still, there were similarities.
For example, the lower corpse retained some of the original's talents and powers, so it remained bound to the original. But it also had its own consciousness—basically, a new personality. On top of that, the power of the lower corpse could still be used by the main body.
Since Xu Tiancheng was now fully controlled by Huo Yuhao's lower corpse, his preferences had changed—put simply, he became a womanizer.
Previously, Xu Tiancheng only sought women as cultivation tools. Now he actually enjoyed pursuing them. The moment he entered the harem, he was practically itching to dive in.
With no other choice, Huo Yuhao waved him off, letting him go play.
He himself stayed behind, analyzing Xu Tiancheng's current situation and what to do next.
First, about Xu Tiancheng:
His strength had taken a leap forward, breaking into demigod level. This was due not only to cultivating the fourth layer of the Nine Deaths Divine Art, but also from forming a second soul core during the lower corpse transformation.
Dual soul cores are usually the requirement for breaking through to Ultimate Douluo. Xu Tiancheng had previously brute-forced his way into that realm. Now, with a second soul core, he went even further.
Four Martial Souls – a key point.
The lower corpse Xu Tiancheng inherited Huo Yuhao's talent and subsequently awakened a third and fourth martial soul.
His original martial souls, the Sun and the Purple Radiant Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon, also advanced—the dragon now held the Ultimate destruction attribute. Dual ultimate attributes was an absurdly overpowered combination.
Interestingly, because Xu Tiancheng was part of Huo Yuhao, his insights into fire and destruction could sync back to Huo Yuhao.
Third Martial Soul – Demonic Divine Ballista
This was a personal artifact turned martial soul, much like Huo Yuhao's Hao Emperor Banner. It had absorbed Huo Yuhao's power and was renamed Demonic.
Once fused into Xu Tiancheng, it absorbed the cultivation achievements of Yin Claw Hand, gaining the ability to harm souls.
As a martial soul, it was no longer a mere soul tool. It became a semi-divine weapon with potential for full divinity. It also gained unique martial soul traits and a domain.
Trait: Demonic Formless – Makes attacks unpredictable and hard to dodge. In short: if the enemy is not stronger than the user, the attack will hit.
Domain: Demonic Yin Realm – Born from merging with Yin Claw Hand. This domain traps hunted souls within it, boosting the ballista's power and protecting Xu Tiancheng.
Thanks to the ballista absorbing Yin Claw Hand's essence, the conflicting powers in Xu Tiancheng's body could now coexist peacefully.
Fourth Martial Soul – Vampire Bat King
This came from a sliver of true spirit that entered Xu Tiancheng—originally from a tournament opponent, a disciple of the Mingyu Sect named Ade. His martial soul was the Vampire Bat.
So, Xu Tiancheng awakened the Vampire Bat King, a more advanced form. It was already a top-tier martial soul, and with his power, it evolved even further.
Though not quite a super martial soul, it was close. With proper cultivation, it had even greater potential.
Thinking of Ade made Huo Yuhao recall his sister—not because she was particularly pretty, but because of her name: Cain.
Her martial soul was the Darkgolden Three-Headed Bat King, a rare mutated martial soul from legend.
Taking out his banner, Huo Yuhao checked the remaining souls and quickly found Cain's.
"She has a rare martial soul and decent talent. I'll place her soul into the Hao Emperor Banner and nurture it. Consider it a thank-you for her brother's sacrifice," Huo Yuhao murmured.
He recalled how he had befriended Ade during the tournament. They'd had quite a few heartfelt conversations.
Now, with Ade's spirit fused into Xu Tiancheng's lower corpse, Huo Yuhao could only sigh at fate.
Among the tournament teams, Mingyu Sect was actually one of the stronger ones. Cain could even use soul tools to forcibly trigger her martial soul avatar.
But faced with a group of monsters, the sect didn't shine much. They didn't even make the top 16.
In the tournament, Cain's fake martial soul avatar clashed with a real one—and got utterly crushed.
While Huo Yuhao was pondering Xu Tiancheng's situation, a sudden jolt of intense pleasure shot up from his lower body. He gasped and immediately cut off sensory sharing with the lower corpse.
Clearly, Xu Tiancheng had started getting busy.
Huo Yuhao sighed and turned his thoughts inward.
According to Daoist theory, cutting off three corpses aids cultivation. But not cutting them isn't necessarily bad either.
The real problem was cutting out one or two and failing to complete the process. This leads to imbalance—a dangerous vulnerability in cultivation.
"Now that the lower corpse is separated, it's impossible to put it back. I'll have to consider separating the upper and middle corpses too," he said, rubbing his chin. "Let's see who could house them…"
"The Death God Envoy is one option. A body double could work too."
"Or I could use the body of that Frost Variant Centipede. I'll extract its soul and insert a new spirit in."
"I'll decide based on how things go. Once the lower corpse's effects kick in, I'll know what I need."
"For now—cultivation comes first."
With that, Huo Yuhao turned and headed to the queen's chambers.
He needed the harem mistress… to aid in his cultivation!
The lower corpse is pure lust, while Brother Hao does it purely for cultivation.
Two days had passed since the end of the Soul Master Tournament.
News began to spread through various channels that the teams leaving Mingdu were ambushed by the evil soul masters of the Holy Spirit Sect. This stirred up a frenzy across the other three empires.
All factions that heard the news were in shock—unwilling, or perhaps unable, to believe it.
Many sects and noble families clung to a sliver of hope.
Only when the remaining soul master teams returned to their own empires did they bring back the truth, making the three great empires fully realize the gravity of the situation.
At the same time, Shrek Academy stepped forward. Acting Head of the Sea God Pavilion, the Gluttonous Douluo Xuan Zi, personally spoke out, demanding that the Sun Moon Empire eliminate the Holy Spirit Sect and provide the continent with an explanation.
After all, Shrek Academy had also suffered casualties—mainly soul engineering students taken to the Sun Moon Empire, including even the Vice Dean of the Soul Engineering Department, who had died a brutal death.
If not for concern over the Sun Moon Emperor's strength, Xuan Zi would have stormed the imperial palace himself to demand justice.
However, the Sun Moon Empire swiftly responded, declaring that the Holy Spirit Sect was a legally recognized sect within their borders. Conflict between soul master factions, they claimed, had nothing to do with the empire. As long as it didn't disrupt the empire's stability, they wouldn't interfere.
This blatant attempt to wash their hands of responsibility enraged all parties. Everyone knew that the Holy Spirit Sect wouldn't have dared act without the Sun Moon Empire's tacit approval.
As a result, many powerful soul masters set out for the Sun Moon Empire.
These were the top powers from factions that had lost their most talented youths in the ambush.
But most of these experts were intercepted and turned back by their respective empires.
Going one by one against the Sun Moon Emperor's power was no better than sending themselves to the slaughter.
In response, Shrek Academy proposed gathering representatives of the three great empires in Shrek City for a council to discuss the matter of the evil soul masters.
If necessary, the Shrek Academy Summoning Order would be issued once more!
With the continent in turmoil, the other three nations rallied once again around Shrek Academy.
Meanwhile, the Sun Moon Empire showed no fear, adopting a provocative stance, as if daring them to start a war.
The clouds of war began to drift from the borders, spreading across the entire Douluo Continent.
As the catalyst for all of this, the Holy Spirit Sect drew intense scrutiny.
When it was discovered that the sect was made up entirely of evil soul masters and even housed some of Titled Douluo level, people were stunned. The other three empires' hostility toward evil soul masters grew even more intense.
In contrast, the Holy Spirit Sect became a holy land for rogue evil soul masters. Many risked crossing the border just to join.
To take out the geniuses of three empires with just one sect—this made the Holy Spirit Sect's name resound across the land. It even seemed poised to take the place of the now-defunct Mingde Hall, becoming one of the top three powers on the continent.
But that infamy came with pressure. The top brass of the Holy Spirit Sect felt the weight of it.
Nevertheless, with the elders no longer holding him back, Zhongli Wu chose to carry that burden alone.
Because Xu Tianchen offered far too much!
Despite losing the formidable Zhongli brothers and a Titled Douluo elder who had gone missing, the Holy Spirit Sect received vast resources from Xu Tianchen—including unrestricted access to dungeon death row inmates.
And more than that—he offered three 100,000-year soul bones!
With proper use, Zhongli Wu was confident that he could break through to the Limit Douluo level within three years.
If he succeeded, he would stand at the pinnacle of the continent. Even if the Holy Spirit Sect were wiped out, he alone could rebuild it.
Moreover, the true foundation of the Holy Spirit Sect had never been its ordinary evil soul masters—not even the Titled Douluo elders.
What truly supported the sect were two Limit Douluo-level figures: the Grand Elder and the Chief Worshipper, as well as the mysterious First Elder and the enigmatic Demon Emperor he followed.
Even Zhongli Wu didn't know much about the Demon Emperor. But since both Ye Xeshui and Long Xiaoyao acknowledged his existence, and the First Elder had abandoned all sect affairs to follow him, it was clear he was no simple figure.
With these powerhouses around, the Holy Spirit Sect was far from finished. Once Zhongli Wu advanced to Limit Douluo, he could lead the sect to rise again.
Though the sect now seemed like it was burning in the fire, it had not yet reached a dead end—in fact, new life was forming.
While Zhongli Wu saw an opportunity, Tang Ya had also gained a high position.
After securing his benefits, Zhongli Wu hurried back to the sect's headquarters in the Demonic Forest with Feng Ling and a group of evil soul masters, planning to lay low for a while.
In the Holy Spirit Sect's main hall:
"When I break through to Limit Douluo, even the Sun Moon Empire might bow to the Holy Spirit Sect!" Zhongli Wu declared, wild ambition burning in his eyes.
Below him, Feng Ling raised a concern, frowning slightly. "Isn't it suspicious that the Sun Moon Emperor gave us so much? What if those three soul bones have hidden dangers?"
"It doesn't matter. I won't use them myself. I'll have my Bone Dragon King devour them. As it grows stronger, so do I," Zhongli Wu replied.
Indeed, none of the three 100,000-year soul bones were given to Feng Ling.
Although they were husband and wife, Feng Ling was merely a tool to Zhongli Wu—not a loved one, just someone useful.
And she had no objections to his plans.
Zhongli Wu's cultivation relied on his Bone Dragon King. The stronger it grew, the more power was fed back to him. This was the key to condensing his second soul core and breaking through to Limit Douluo.
Compared to the slow, incremental cultivation of normal soul masters, his path was much quicker.
"From now on, you'll manage the sect. Don't forget to collect the death row prisoners from the Sun Moon Empire regularly. I'm going into seclusion. When I emerge, it'll be as a Limit Douluo," Zhongli Wu instructed.
Feng Ling nodded.
Zhongli Wu gazed toward Mingdu.
He recalled how the blood pool and statue deep underground had vanished. He guessed someone had taken them but didn't suspect outsiders.
Only a few high-ranking members knew of their existence—and they were all people he couldn't afford to confront now.
But once he broke through to Limit Douluo, everything would change.
Most sects nurtured their talents through accumulated resources. But the Holy Spirit Sect had to rob and plunder—even their leader was no exception.
Had Ye Xeshui and Long Xiaoyao supported him, Zhongli Wu believed he'd already have broken through long ago.
Now even the blood pool had been taken from him.
Still, it wouldn't help much at this stage. His cultivation now depended on souls, not blood or flesh.
The opportunity he had now was hard-won—he had gambled the entire sect to gain it.
He would not let it go to waste.
"When I reach Limit Douluo, the Holy Spirit Sect will shine gloriously once more!" Zhongli Wu whispered to himself.
Then he suddenly remembered something. He gave Feng Ling one last instruction:
"Keep an eye on that angel martial soul user from the Sun-Moon Xu family who appeared in the tournament. She might be the emperor's secret weapon to suppress us. Kill her if you get the chance."
"I understand," Feng Ling replied with a nod.
With that, Zhongli Wu disappeared from his seat, vanishing into seclusion.
Mingdu
As the political tides of the Douluo Continent surged...
A week later...
Huo Yuhao finally concluded a long period of cultivation—rising from a group of flirtatious beauties.
In recent days, matters concerning the Sun Moon Empire and the other three nations were handled by Huo Yuhao's clone.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao used this time to implant attribute seeds in his cauldrons in Mingdu.
He deliberately took them away from the Sun Moon Imperial Palace to a scenic royal villa. Knowing his clone's tendencies, Huo Yuhao had no doubt it would barge in during his cultivation and join in.
It wasn't that he minded sharing cauldrons with his clone, but he didn't want it harvesting the fruits just after he'd planted the seeds.
In certain aspects, the clone was utterly unrestrained.
Huo Yuhao stepped out of the villa's main hall. This villa, once belonging to a royal prince whose family Huo Yuhao had dealt with, now belonged to him.
As expected of a prince's villa, it was enveloped by a massive temperature-regulating soul array, keeping it spring-like year-round.
As Huo Yuhao exited the hall, he saw bodies strewn across the corridor, a varied and enticing sight.
The cauldrons he brought included the empress, the imperial consort, the four noble consorts, and Yu Mandance from the cold palace.
Intriguingly, Yu Mandance's Phoenix-Patterned Golden Pen martial soul suited both darkness and light attributes.
Others included Shangguan Wei'er, her disciple Ye Su, and seven women from the Sun Moon Xu family's reserve team: the three Heavenly Dragon maidens, Nana, Luan Fei, Ye Guyi, and Xu Tianzhen.
Last time, Huo Yuhao spared the maidenhood of the three Heavenly Dragon maidens, Ye Guyi, and Luan Fei, but this time he didn't hold back.
With new nurturing techniques, planting attribute seeds would accelerate their growth.
Dual cultivation with the Heavenly Dragon maidens was beneficial, but not enough for a qualitative leap in his strength.
Ju Zi was also brought along. Her martial soul and aptitude were lacking, and as future commander of the Beast King Legion, she needed stronger power.
Finally, Huo Yuhao went through all the Lotus Heart Demons, keeping him busy for seven days straight.
Don't ask—his life force was boundless!
Though demonic, Lotus Heart Demons were stunning women, and those above Soul Sage were nearly indistinguishable from humans.
Over time, absorbing the seven emotions and six desires in Mingdu, especially during the soul master tournament, had boosted their strength significantly.
A Titled Douluo-level Lotus Heart Demon had emerged!
Curiously, they lacked strongly biased attributes; their seed attributes depended on individual traits.
Though only three thousand in number, if they kept growing, they might birth three thousand deities.
Of course, that was a distant dream.
The emotions and desires consumed weren't trivial.
Most of the beauties sprawled in the villa were Lotus Heart Demons. Their desire-stoking power enabled this unrestrained gathering.
It also revealed the women's submerged sides.
Huo Yuhao didn't plan to keep these cauldrons in Mingdu.
Firstly, he feared his clone's interference; secondly, he wanted them to train.
Freshly seeded, it was time for cultivation, not pampering.
The training ground was set: the ocean.
His demonic descendants had carved out a territory there, where powerful soul beasts for training far exceeded expectations.
With his main clone overseeing, accidents were unlikely.
The Lotus Heart Demons could leave Mingdu, even the Sun Moon Empire, to wreak havoc across the continent.
Simply put, as they grew stronger, Mingdu couldn't sustain them.
Their full absorption of emotions could paralyze Mingdu. Once was fine, but frequent occurrences would raise suspicions.
The main clone appeared outside the villa, awaiting the cauldrons' awakening to lead their training.
Eunuch Gao was tasked with managing the Lotus Heart Demons, tracking each wandering demon's location and minimizing exposure risks.
Huo Yuhao didn't want to scramble for missing members during a team fight.
Three thousand Lotus Heart Demons acting together would be their peak strength.
Leaving the villa, Huo Yuhao glanced at the sun, finding it unusually yellow today.
…
War might erupt suddenly, but mutual caution led to a strange stalemate and tug-of-war.
A week passed.
The Sun Moon Empire and the other three nations were still trading barbs, with no fighting or bloodshed.
Border clashes intensified, and armies gathered, but no one declared war.
This was inevitable.
Previously, Shrek Academy and the three nations suppressed the Sun Moon Empire with superior soul master strength.
Now, the Sun Moon Empire boasted more powerful soul masters, including multiple Limit Douluos, making Shrek and the others wary of war.
In Limit Douluo numbers, Shrek and the three nations were at a disadvantage.
Beibei, taken back to Shrek, exposed the Holy Spirit Cult's secrets, heightening fears of its alliance with the Sun Moon Empire.
Letting them off would make Shrek and the three empires a laughingstock, but war required careful planning.
Sects and families who lost geniuses couldn't wait. Within a week, many soul masters from these groups infiltrated the Sun Moon Empire to retaliate against Holy Spirit Cult disciples.
Some succeeded, but many never returned.
Another day passed.
Sun Moon Imperial Palace, Court Assembly Hall.
Civil and military officials debated again.
The Sun Moon Empire was conflicted about war.
Though Limit Douluos boosted morale, Mingde Hall's loss left soul engineers less confident.
As for the Holy Spirit Cult, many officials distrusted them.
Only fools fully trusted evil soul masters!
Today's assembly featured two new figures: Tang Ya and Ju Zi.
Both wore formal, elegant attire, simpler than the officials' and nobles' court robes.
Some noticed Tang Ya, frowning but avoiding interaction.
Everyone agreed: don't casually approach beautiful women around the Sun Moon Emperor, lest they be his prized canaries.
Angering the emperor could doom your entire clan.
Xu Tiancheng sat on the dragon throne, in imperial robes, looking half-asleep. With a casual wave, the officials fell silent.
They knew, no matter how heated their debates, Xu Tiancheng had the final say.
His sudden call for silence—had he decided?
"Since everyone's here, I've got an announcement~" Xu Tiancheng said flippantly.
Who dared call him unregal?
But his words weren't about war. Pointing at Ju Zi and Tang Ya, he declared, "From today, Tang Ya is the Left Prime Minister, and Ju Zi is the Right Prime Minister."
"That's all. Who's for it, who's against?"
The officials exchanged glances, then knelt in unison, shouting, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Surely, the emperor had a plan?
The former prime ministers, pre-informed, promptly handed their seals to the two women.
Tang Ya and Ju Zi exchanged bewildered looks.
The prime minister handover was that casual?
The news that the Blue Silver Saintess of the Holy Spirit Cult had been appointed Left Chancellor of the Sun Moon Empire confirmed, beyond all doubt, the collusion between the Empire and the Cult.
Shrek Academy and the other three nations exploded in outrage—so now they weren't even pretending anymore!
Tang Ya herself was a Soul Sage, and with the backing of the Holy Spirit Cult—whose power had been proven through the elimination of other competing teams—her strength was beyond doubt.
Aside from her identity as an Evil Soul Master, which made her unlikable, her appointment as Left Chancellor was not entirely unacceptable.
With Xu Tiancheng's support, the tolerance of the court officials toward Tang Ya was surprisingly high. Even if the Holy Spirit Cult was a sect of Evil Soul Masters, as long as they could serve the interests of the Empire, their loyalty was deemed acceptable.
The ministers only hoped Tang Ya wouldn't bring chaos to the imperial court. If she stirred up too much trouble, then even at the risk of offending the Emperor and facing extermination, they would make her pay the price.
The newly rising Sun Moon Empire could not afford to be ruined.
Raised under strict imperial loyalty and patriotism, the nobles and officials' allegiance to the Sun Moon Empire was unwavering. Even immense power would not bend their loyalty.
While the four great empires of the Douluo Continent had many issues, they never lacked passionate and loyal warriors—more pure and devoted than those hypocrites who wielded double standards.
As for Juzi, her appearance left many confused. Most officials and nobles had no idea where she had come from.
Juzi had no noble background and had always worked behind the scenes, rarely appearing publicly. Her name had never caught on, and her past scandal with Xu Tianran and Xu Tiancheng was old tabloid fodder, long forgotten.
The one who remembered her best was Jing Hongchen. He vaguely recalled Juzi as a genius Soul Engineer from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
Could a woman with no fame or background really handle the duties of Right Chancellor?
Officials couldn't help but suspect: could Juzi be the one to truly bring chaos to the court?
But Juzi responded to doubts with strength—shocking all skeptics.
In her early twenties, she had already achieved eight soul rings. More astonishingly, her eighth ring was a hundred-thousand-year red soul ring.
She seemed to have even more potential than the Hongchen siblings!
Given time, she could well become a Title Douluo—maybe even a Super Douluo in the future.
No wonder the Emperor favored her—it was about her potential!
Her achievements were, of course, thanks to Huo Yuhao's full support from behind the scenes. That eighth ring? A god-given soul ring.
In the end, most ministers were willing to accept the new Left and Right Chancellors.
Competence wasn't required—just not being an idiot. With the Sun Moon Empire's current strength, things wouldn't fall apart. After all, Left and Right Chancellors were only leaders; the actual work was done by the bureaucracy below.
Of course, everyone also understood: Tang Ya and Juzi probably got their positions due to their beauty.
Xu Tiancheng's preferences were well-known.
What could the officials do?
Chant "Long live the wise Emperor," of course.
Besides the Chancellor appointments, a batch of other officials was also named.
Outstanding participants in the Soul Master and Soul Engineer competitions were recruited by the Empire—rising to nobility and receiving titles.
Xiao Hongchen officially entered the power circle, starting at a high level—as a real-power Soul Engineer Corps Commander.
Some noticed that Meng Hongchen was missing, with no appointment at all. This only added fuel to rumors that she had defected.
But if Meng Hongchen had defected, why were Jing Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen not punished but rather promoted?
Unclear, but who cared? After all, Emperor Xu Tiancheng was not like any ruler before him.
With strength, you could truly do whatever you wanted.
Schemes and intrigue were tools for those with equal power.
True strength? That meant writing your own rules and controlling everyone's fate.
Nightfall. Imperial Harem.
This place had become a forbidden zone within the palace. Only Emperor Xu Tiancheng and his chosen concubines could enter. Not even patrolling guards were allowed in.
The temple's priests stayed in their own compound, focusing on cultivation or developing soul tools. They never came here.
Xu Tiancheng finished his work for the day and finally returned to his harem to relax.
As a lower corpse, he particularly enjoyed beauty—but not to the point of becoming a lecherous fiend. His cultivation and duties were not neglected.
After all, he wasn't just a corpse puppet—he was Huo Yuhao's incarnation. His goals were influenced by Yuhao's will.
Only a stronger Sun Moon Empire could gather more fortune energy—nourishing Huo Yuhao's growth.
And a thriving empire increased the odds of producing high-grade cauldrons (furnaces for cultivation).
Overall, Xu Tiancheng's decisions were mostly beneficial to the people and the country. Despite his use of violence and fondness for women, his rule had been efficient and kind to the common folk.
Barely half a month into his reign, people already praised him as a wise and benevolent ruler.
Violence solved most problems. The rest? Usually not real problems.
After returning to the harem, Xu Tiancheng summoned a group of concubines to unwind.
After his enjoyment, he licked his lips with satisfaction and suddenly had an idea:
"The positions of Empress, Imperial Noble Consort, and the Four Noble Consorts are still vacant. I could use this as an excuse to hold a selection."
"Also, cultivating the Demon Soul Method doesn't have to involve snake-type soul beasts. That was just to make use of all those snake eggs. I should find soul beasts suited to each cauldron and cultivate with them together."
"That way, not only will the cauldrons grow stronger, but if the beasts evolve and take human form—I'll have even more options. Beast girls, animal ears, inhuman features... just imagining it is exciting~"
Meanwhile, in the imperial bedchamber—
On the dragon bed, another Xu Tiancheng was lying between Tang Ya and Juzi, in a rather intimate position.
"Left Chancellor, don't turn around. I'm the Emperor! Hiss~"
Juzi collapsed onto the bed, rolling her eyes. If she didn't know the truth, she might've believed him.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed Juzi—and she was instantly refined into energy.
The passion ended.
Huo Yuhao leaned against the bedhead, feet resting on the defeated Little Grass (Tang Ya) and Big Orange (Juzi), puffing a luxurious cigar with satisfaction.
Yes—the one on the bed was Huo Yuhao.
He came here today with one goal: to plant his attribute seed in Tang Ya. Juzi was just collateral.
Tang Ya had earned her post as Left Chancellor by trading herself for political support. She had come to the palace, wearing the most seductive dress.
Unexpectedly, Juzi had shown up too—hoping to talk real business.
And that's how the threesome happened.
"I need to mark Tang Ya and Juzi with a restrictive seal. Both have great potential. I can't let them fall into the hands of the lower corpse—it would be a waste of such fine cauldrons." Huo Yuhao thought to himself.
Tang Ya had also been implanted with attribute seeds by Huo Yuhao. Surprisingly, the attributes that suited Tang Ya were not Darkness, but Evil and Destruction.
These were two extremely powerful and dangerous attributes.
The "Grandmaster" had many misconceptions about the Blue Silver Grass, but he was right about one thing: Blue Silver Grass has an exceptionally strong adaptability to power.
However, Evil and Destruction attributes are extremely risky. Without special martial souls or bloodlines, they can easily lead to self-harm, corruption, or even self-destruction.
Unexpectedly, the Dark Blue Silver Grass martial soul adapted to both attributes well and began to evolve.
In the future, when these two attributes fully merge with the Dark Blue Silver Grass and trigger its metamorphosis, who knows how terrifying it will become.
Looking at the aura of fate above Tang Ya's head, it had clearly changed. Though the black cloud of Tang Sect still existed, the auspicious cloud of fate belonging to the Sun-Moon Empire had become even more vast, making Tang Ya's overall fate much denser.
The spirit image of the Dark Blue Silver Grass no longer looked lifeless. Like a child, it tentatively extended its tendrils into the fate of the ruling powers.
But it wasn't childish curiosity—more like a hyena testing whether it could get a bite of flesh.
In contrast, Juzi's attribute seed was just the singular Life attribute, making it seem rather ordinary next to Tang Ya's.
Perhaps due to the Life attribute, Juzi's recovery and stamina were notably better.
Huo Yuhao thought back to when Tang Ya was taken by Ye Xeshui to meet Xu Tiancheng and agreed to become Xu Tiancheng's plaything in exchange for cultivation and protection.
He couldn't help but sigh:
"Tang Ya has grown up—she let go of her former pride and dignity and began to use any means necessary. She's increasingly taking on the traits of a proper villain."
"When she's endured every humiliation and reached the peak, everything that once caused her suffering will become the targets of her revenge."
If Tang Ya could eventually kill Xu Tiancheng and take control of the Sun-Moon Empire, becoming its Empress Dowager, she'd basically be a new version of Ye Xeshui.
If she followed Jiang Yuyan's strategy path, the future of the Douluo Dalu series might end up being just its title—nothing else remaining.
As for Tang Ya offering herself to another man, Huo Yuhao wasn't particularly concerned. After all, at that time, she wasn't the best choice.
Instead, it was her decision that caught Huo Yuhao's attention, which earned her the chance to receive attribute seeds.
Now, seeing Tang Ya's potential, Huo Yuhao decided he would cultivate her seriously in the future.
After placing restrictions on both Tang Ya and Juzi, Huo Yuhao went to the imperial harem and gave the still-gleeful Xu Tiancheng two slaps. After giving him a few instructions, he left the Sun-Moon Imperial Palace.
He had to keep a guard up around the Lower Corpse (Xia Shi). While it wouldn't disobey Huo Yuhao's orders, it could still cause trouble.
The risk of "leaving someone on read" was real.
Moreover, the Lower Corpse treated cauldrons (cultivation vessels) as tools to satisfy its desires—unlike Huo Yuhao, who cherished his "sisters."
Once in the hands of the Lower Corpse, cauldrons might find opportunity… or face destruction.
The Sun-Moon Empire was now properly arranged.
Xu Tiancheng was in the palace, with the imperial military under control. Tang Ya and Juzi served as Left and Right Prime Ministers—managing internal and external affairs, all under Huo Yuhao's influence.
The White Lotus Sect, though not eradicated, was flourishing in the resource-rich southern provinces, continuously producing powerful individuals under the guidance of two of the Death Messenger's disciples (excluding Nana).
His main body clone had taken other worthy cauldrons abroad for training.
Eunuch Gao and the Lotus Demon Maidens were touring the continent, enjoying a grand buffet.
Ye Xeshui and Long Xiaoyao still couldn't be moved.
As for Qiankun Wenqing Valley, it no longer needed exploration. The divine inheritance had fallen into Jiang Nannan's hands. By simply taking her, all associated fortunes would fall to Huo Yuhao.
"The Sun-Moon Empire is taken care of. Next up—the other three nations. Time to return to the academy."
Huo Yuhao immediately set out overnight for Shrek Academy.
…
From the imperial palace by night, a thousand miles to the academy by dawn.
The next day, as the sun rose, Huo Yuhao, still in pajamas, opened the window of his private villa. Bathed in sunlight, purple light flickered in his eyes.
Yes, Huo Yuhao was cultivating the Purple Demon Eye.
With his memory wiped, Huo Yuhao now had a new character arc. It was time to play along with the God King Tang's performance and showcase his transformation.
If he hadn't deliberately suppressed his cultivation, he would have already perfected the Purple Demon Eye.
Crossing half the continent in one night—only someone of Huo Yuhao's level could pull it off. Even a typical Ultimate Douluo would be severely drained.
His Frost Centipede clone had temporarily been sealed and tossed into the Secret Realm of Wisdom, to experience a bit of intellectual refinement.
Using [Destiny] and fate, Huo Yuhao concealed himself. Unless God King Tang personally climbed down the Golden Ancient Tree and stared straight at him, no one would notice his anomaly.
After finishing his daily Purple Demon Eye cultivation, Huo Yuhao closed the window, washed up, and left the villa to begin his daily training.
Back at Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao still played the role of the hardworking student. And since he had broken ties with all the girls, his heart was clear of distractions, making his cultivation smoother.
Sea God Pavilion, Top Floor.
Xuan Zi watched Huo Yuhao, who had gone out for training, and sighed deeply.
"Yuhao has suffered so much. Xiao Zhuang, is there really no way to restore their memories?"
Behind him stood Elder Zhuang and Elder Song.
Elder Zhuang shook his head sorrowfully, "I've already worked with several spirit masters specializing in memory, but we couldn't restore what was lost. That's the power of a divine being, after all."
When Shrek Academy's team returned after countless hardships, the news they brought shocked the Sea God Pavilion.
Not only because of the Sun-Moon Empire and Holy Spirit Cult's cruelty, but also due to the Love God's divine inheritance and the erasure of memories from Huo Yuhao and others.
As a precaution, everyone was now housed near the Sea God Pavilion for close monitoring.
To their shock, Huo Yuhao had lost the most memories—not only of his girlfriends present at the time, but even any woman he'd had a crush on or ambiguous relationship with.
He was essentially like a freshly created game character.
Former lovers were now strangers.
"Perhaps when Jiang Nannan successfully inherits the Love God's position, she might be able to restore their memories," Elder Zhuang speculated.
With the divine inheritance, Jiang Nannan had gone from a regular inner-court disciple to a prized treasure of the academy, and was now being personally mentored by Elder Song—who also belonged to the agility-attack class.
Elder Song nodded, "Nannan is doing well and working hard, but becoming a god isn't easy. I've been reading records from ten thousand years ago. Back then, Ancestor Tang San and the others had to endure life-and-death trials to ascend."