The Fragrant Silk Immortal appeared to be a large, pale pink flower—no leaves, a three-foot-long stem, and a massive bloom over a foot in diameter.
Each petal looked as clear and lustrous as crystal, with a light purple pistil that resembled clusters of amethyst embedded within.
Reputed as the bane of all poisons, it had the ability to neutralize any toxin. While it couldn't directly detoxify, it could suppress poisons.
Beyond that, its fragrance had a powerful allure for soul beasts.
Of course, all immortal herbs were tempting to soul beasts—but the Fragrant Silk Immortal was especially so.
Now that it had developed sentience and become a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, the Fragrant Silk Immortal was not entirely incapable of fighting. But it wasn't skilled at combat, and thus stood no chance against Huo Yuhao's tactics.
The other herbs, too distant to intervene, couldn't come to her rescue.
Tremble, tremble, tremble—
The Fragrant Silk Immortal shivered violently in Huo Yuhao's grasp, its flower trembling as if it might shatter at any moment, as though death by fear was imminent.
Huo Yuhao's aura was simply too terrifying. The closer one got to him, the more one could feel the crushing dread emanating from him.
"Let go of Youyou!"
A furious voice rang out from the direction of the spring.
Above the Fiery Apricot Beauty, a blazing red projection emerged, scolding Huo Yuhao harshly, "It's already a miracle you made it here. If you continue to act recklessly and greedily, don't think for a second you'll leave this valley alive!"
"Oh?" Huo Yuhao chuckled. "What gives you that confidence? That person from ten thousand years ago?"
All the sentient herbs trembled in unison.
They stared at Huo Yuhao in shock—he knew about that person from ten thousand years ago? He even knew their connection to this place?
Could it be that this man was connected to that person?
And who could that person be… if not Tang Dog?
Ten thousand years ago, Tang Dog had scoured this place clean, though he left behind the roots and seeds of the herbs—thus turning this site into his private garden.
All the herbs present now had regrown over the millennia. Some, like the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, had even returned.
The Fragrant Silk Immortal in Huo Yuhao's hand wasn't the same one from ten thousand years ago—it was a new incarnation.
Curiously, though the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had existed for countless ages, no herbs had ever developed sentience before Tang Dog took over. But afterward, immortal herbs had begun awakening one by one, becoming plant-type soul beasts. Some even rose to become fierce beasts.
Yet the flower king—the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, the most spiritual of all—had never developed sentience.
If that wasn't suspicious, Huo Yuhao wouldn't believe it even if Wang Dong'er swore it was true.
While the other herbs were still reeling in shock and hesitation, Huo Yuhao casually tossed the Fragrant Silk Immortal into the Wisdom Domain.
Seeing her vanish, the remaining herbs could no longer sit idle. Regardless of what Huo Yuhao knew or what gave him such audacity, they could not let him leave.
Especially since he clearly had designs on the rest of them as well.
"Attack together!" the Beautiful Silk Tulip shouted.
With that, the sentient immortal herbs no longer held back and unleashed their power.
There were eight more hundred-thousand-year-old immortal herbs!
Leading the group was the Beautiful Silk Tulip, followed by the Fiery Apricot Beauty and the Eight-Pointed Ice Grass. Then came the Black Jade Divine Bamboo, Earth Dragon Golden Melon, Miracle Chrysanthemum, Primordial Immortal Herb, and the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.
Including the captured Fragrant Silk Immortal, there were nine in total.
At this time, only the most elite of immortal herbs could awaken intelligence.
Their number even exceeded what had been described in the original story.
Even so, not all of them would one day become fierce beasts. Some were limited by their potential. Others would have their essence extracted by Huo Yuhao as he cultivated—essence that was their very lifeblood, vital to both their cultivation and innate talents.
That was why, ten thousand years later, the Fiery Apricot Beauty came to despise humans.
But today, Huo Yuhao would show her that hatred for humans need not wait ten thousand years.
As plant-type soul beasts, the herbs couldn't move freely—but they could channel elemental power and strike from afar.
The Beautiful Silk Tulip had the highest overall strength and could gather massive amounts of natural energy to boost its own power, launching attacks beyond its normal limits.
Its technique for dissolving the Darkgold Dreadclaw's strike had caught Huo Yuhao's eye—though, sadly, its offensive style was quite basic.
Calling it "brute force flying bricks" wouldn't be far off.
Its attack execution was crude.
Huo Yuhao borrowed the Darkgold Dreadclaw Bear's power from his tattoo, and dark-golden light flared around him—Darkgold Defense.
In truth, the bear's defense didn't have flashy effects. Its flesh alone was its greatest armor.
But since Huo Yuhao was drawing on its power, the effect stood.
A nearly-hundred-thousand-year-old Darkgold Dreadclaw Bear's defense couldn't be broken by mere hundred-thousand-year-old herbs. The Kylin Tulip's strike was easily blocked, the defense completely unfazed.
Then, the other herbs attacked.
The Fiery Apricot Beauty and Eight-Pointed Ice Grass wielded pure fire and ice elements—though not at their extremes, they were still powerful, and their attacks carried fire poison and frost poison.
But the Darkgold Defense was impervious to both flames and venom.
Huo Yuhao simply raised a hand and absorbed the elemental forces into himself.
"As expected of immortal herbs. Even the energy within their attacks is highly refined—my core body will certainly deepen its elemental comprehension," Huo Yuhao remarked casually.
At the same time, he dealt with the others.
The Black Jade Divine Bamboo was a close-combat specialist, but still launched a long-range strike using its pure force.
Again, the Darkgold Defense blocked it easily.
Similarly, the Miracle Chrysanthemum's strike was firm and radiant with yang energy, but still lacked enough raw power.
It was known more for defense than offense.
Then came a golden dragon and flaming phoenix descending from above—two soul-beast-like attacks.
These came from the Earth Dragon Golden Melon and the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. As dragon- and phoenix-associated herbs, their attacks could take on those mythical forms.
But Huo Yuhao waved his hand and struck with a Darkgold Dreadclaw, smashing both illusions in one go.
Finally came the Primordial Immortal Herb's attack—an orb of soul power condensed with explosive energy, like a missile.
In terms of perceived threat, it ranked third among the herb attacks.
The Beautiful Silk Tulip relied on absorbing natural energy. The Primordial Immortal Herb relied on compressing its own soul power for explosive force.
But still—not enough.
"Too weak!"
Huo Yuhao grabbed the soul power orb with his darkgold-glowing hand. The orb exploded—but didn't even leave a scratch. His grip never loosened.
With just one wave of attacks, the immortal herbs fell into despair.
Their enemy was simply too powerful!
Huo Yuhao: "A mere bunch of herbs… Not even worth my notice."
Huo Yuhao hovered above the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, gazing down at the terrified immortal herbs below, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"You, born as immortal herbs, gifted with sentience, yet remain unrefined and untaught. Left unchecked, you will one day bring calamity. All beings have souls, and Heaven cherishes life. I bestow upon you a chance—a destiny. Submit to me, lower your heads and offer your spirits, walk the Dao with me, and attain eternal life. Is that not a splendid fate?"
"Bullshit!" The Blazing Apricot Blossom snapped furiously.
Though afraid, the immortal herbs were defiant. They were the sort to rather die than yield.
"Human, do you truly intend to commit such genocide? Then we can only perish together!" the Beautiful Silk Tulip declared solemnly.
Despite living in a secluded valley, the Beautiful Silk Tulip was surprisingly well-versed in language, even using idioms.
But Huo Yuhao only scoffed.
"Blind to the will of Heaven, ignorant of fate, and unaware of the catastrophe at your doorstep. Fools! Fools! Fools! Not even a god can save you now!"
Granting them a chance was already merciful. Since they failed to grasp it, he would show them the power of the Destined Human Emperor.
Buzz~~~
A terrifying aura erupted from Huo Yuhao, engulfing the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in an instant, paralyzing all the immortal herbs.
Even the humanoid spiritual projections formed by the herbs' mental bodies were forcefully repressed, returning into their plant forms.
And this was merely Huo Yuhao's Primordial Spirit Power—he hadn't even used any soul skills.
To prevent the herbs from self-destructing or destroying one another out of desperation, Huo Yuhao first had to suppress them completely.
He waved his sleeve, unleashing a powerful suction that pulled every plant—herbs, poisons, and immortal herbs alike—into the air, roots and all, without leaving behind a single leaf.
It was as if he scraped off the very top layer of the earth.
A true plunder—strip the land bare!
Search thoroughly, scrape three feet deep!
All the plants swept up were sent into the Mystic Realm of Wisdom, where the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent and its companions would process them.
That mystic realm was vast enough to house the entire botanical collection of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
As for the valley itself, Huo Yuhao had no intention of relocating it. The skeletal remains and remnant souls of the Water and Fire Dragon Kings had long since been excavated by him. Without their power, the valley would eventually wither and lose its potency.
Having mastered the Water and Fire Dragon Kings' powers, Huo Yuhao could now cultivate plants using those forces himself. The residual energy of the Yin Yang Well offered him little benefit.
While he could extract the lingering elemental essence, it would be too much effort for too little gain. After all, he had already mastered the water and fire elements.
It wasn't about being wasteful—he simply did the math. It wasn't worth it.
Time was of the essence. Every second spent consumed more Heavenly Fortune to shield himself from the Divine Realm's gaze. Only because the immortal herbs carried great fortune themselves was this endeavor worth his effort.
The end had come for the immortal herbs.
Even the most powerful among them, the Beautiful Silk Tulip, could do nothing against Huo Yuhao's suppression. Powerless to resist, they could only watch in despair as he uprooted them.
But just as Huo Yuhao had collected half of the herbs and approached the heart of the valley near the pool, a sea-blue force suddenly erupted from underground, blocking his technique.
The blue power made Huo Yuhao narrow his eyes.
If that wasn't the Sea God's Power, then what was?
Fortunately, it came from underground, not descending from the heavens. That meant it wasn't Tang Dog himself descending from the Divine Realm, but rather a mechanism he left behind, triggered at this moment.
A vast will descended upon the valley, not only halting Huo Yuhao's extraction but also shielding the remaining herbs.
Then, a figure bathed in blue-gold radiance appeared above the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, accompanied by a commanding voice:
"Descendant, you've gone too far!"
The remaining immortal herbs grew excited.
The Beautiful Silk Tulip finally managed to speak, "Wonderful! It's him! We're saved!"
"He said earlier even a god couldn't save us. Let's see what he says now! Speak up, you black-robed bastard!" the Blazing Apricot Blossom shouted from the pool.
But Huo Yuhao ignored them, his eyes fixed on the solidifying blue-gold figure before him. With an extraordinary appearance, noble aura, clad in divine blue-gold armor, long blue-gold hair flowing—it exuded divine majesty without even trying.
Divine face, godly presence!
Sadly, it was merely a Sea God Avatar, not the Sea God himself.
Moreover, upon arrival, the avatar tried to connect to the Divine Realm—but failed, thanks to Huo Yuhao's methods. The avatar clearly sensed this too, and its expression turned grim.
Huo Yuhao cracked his neck and said calmly, "Sea God, tsk tsk… what a shame. It's only an avatar. I wonder—do you recognize this?"
As he spoke, a sinister aura surged from his body. Bat-like wings emerged behind him, and in his hand materialized a wickedly shaped scythe.
Cain possessed Huo Yuhao, allowing him to draw upon her power.
"That's—!" The Sea God avatar's pupils shrank. "The Rakshasa Demon Scythe!"
His gaze locked onto Huo Yuhao. "No wonder you're so ruthless. So, you're the Rakshasa's inheritor! A wicked being like you must not be allowed to live!"
The moment Huo Yuhao revealed the scythe, the avatar knew—this battle was inevitable.
The Sea God was astonished that the Rakshasa still had a successor. He could only guess that the Rakshasa left behind a hidden sanctuary where her inheritance had survived.
But the successor clearly hadn't become a god yet—otherwise the Divine Realm would have sensed it. And so long as Huo Yuhao was not yet divine, the avatar believed he could kill him.
This Sea God Avatar had retained a significant amount of divine power due to the importance of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Its strength exceeded even that of a Divine Officer.
While he sensed that Huo Yuhao's spiritual power had transformed into Primordial Spirit Power, the Sea God didn't care. In his eyes, mortals were ants until they ascended to godhood.
The Sea God Avatar grasped at the air—and the Sea God Trident appeared in his hand—or more precisely, a replica of it.
Then, he erupted with divine power, activating his inner reserves. In that moment, he was like a true god.
"Sea God's Descent!"
If not for being cut off from the Divine Realm, this move could have summoned even more of the Sea God's power down to the Douluo Continent. Even so, this technique still pushed the avatar to its peak battle state.
"Golden Thirteen Strikes—First Form: Tempest Without Warning!"
The Sea God Trident shot forth like a comet.
The avatar didn't hold back—he opened with a divine technique.
Huo Yuhao's gaze sharpened. For the first time, he faced a battle that wasn't a one-sided slaughter—his first ever confrontation with a god-tier opponent, and his first clash with Tang Dog's power!
He recalled the words of the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent:
"A battle between deities, while similar to soul masters in terms of moves and techniques, ultimately comes down to divine power and mastery over the laws of the world. Only divine techniques can counter divine techniques!"
Huo Yuhao raised the wicked scythe in his hand.
"Evil Divine Technique—Evil: Chaos!"
The Rakshasa Demon Scythe slashed through the air, releasing pure, chaotic evil. A swirling vortex burst forth as if to tear the heavens asunder.
Huo Yuhao: Thank goodness—it's Tang Dog! Now this is going to be a good fight!
Divine Skill: Evil·Chaos!
A method that disturbs the flow of power through the use of evil attributes.
This divine skill was developed by the God of Wisdom after comprehending the nature of the evil attribute. While the Evil God King's power leans toward order, the God of Wisdom exploited this characteristic to disrupt that very order.
To counter the Sea God's clone, Huo Yuhao spared no divine power, fully unleashing the might and effects of the divine skill.
As the Sea God's Trident came striking down, the evil energy released from the Rakshasa Demon Scythe turned into a vortex, swirling around the Sea God's Trident.
In the Sea God's clone's incredulous gaze, the skill "Unstable Tempest" channeled through the trident began to disintegrate of its own accord, destabilized by the interference.
"He's not a quasi-god… but a divine officer?! There's still a divine officer hidden on the Douluo Continent? Did he break through because of the Rakshasa God's divine seat? Then why didn't the Divine Realm notice it?"
A true expert can discern their opponent's real power at a glance.
The Sea God's clone realized he had misjudged Huo Yuhao's strength. But that didn't mean he believed he would lose.
"Whether you're a powerhouse who broke through naturally or a pawn of another god, even though I'm just a clone, I am still the clone of a Divine King. Why would I fear a mere divine officer like you?"
At the same level, experience and heritage make all the difference.
But Huo Yuhao struck first.
Battles between deities are nothing like Pokémon matches—there are no turns, only total commitment, exploiting every opportunity for a lethal strike.
Water and fire attributes erupted.
These were Huo Yuhao's most thoroughly mastered elements. Naturally, the divine skills associated with them were also his strongest. The water and fire he summoned were no weaker than so-called "Ultimate water" and "Ultimate fire."
"Water: Raging Torrent!"
"Fire: Annihilation!"
With a swing of the Rakshasa Demon Scythe, two colossal dragons—one of water, one of fire—shot forward.
Water and fire are merciless. These two attributes are especially well-suited for offense.
The water surged like a roaring tidal wave—ferocious, relentless, and overwhelming.
The fire incinerated all it touched—like heavenly flames erasing the world—terrifying beyond measure.
In the blink of an eye, the Sea God's clone was surrounded by both dragons and couldn't evade in time.
Seeing this, the immortal herbs watching nearby held their breath.
Fortunately, that familiar sea-blue glow they longed for had not disappeared. Instead, it surged outward, violently shattering the entwining water and fire dragons.
The Sea God's clone emerged from the elemental maelstrom, still gripping his trident, sea-blue brilliance swirling around him, noble and imposing.
He was clearly unharmed.
"Your strength isn't bad, but that's all. To attack me with water and fire—how foolish," the Sea God's clone said coldly.
With the power of the Sea God, he could effortlessly control all water, and use it to extinguish fire.
Huo Yuhao didn't respond. Instead, he launched another assault, unleashing the Rakshasa Domain and swinging the Rakshasa Demon Scythe once more toward the Sea God's clone.
"Nether Rakshasa!"
Violet light gathered. As the scythe cut through the air, it manifested as a slashing arc of destruction.
The Sea God's clone found the technique oddly familiar—it was something he had seen the previous Rakshasa God use millennia ago.
"So you are indeed the Rakshasa God's successor. But if I could kill the Rakshasa God once, I can do it again!" he growled, raising the trident once more.
But the Sea God's clone failed to notice the water he should have controlled, and the fire he thought had been extinguished—both were converging behind him, merging together. In an instant, they transformed into a white dragon.
The white dragon swooped down.
"Milord, watch out!" the immortal herbs cried out.
But it was too late.
Attacked from both front and rear, the Sea God's clone's expression changed drastically. It was too late to dodge.
With a darkened face, he forcibly changed techniques, summoning a massive surge of power.
"Boundless Sea's Trace!"
Sea God divine power erupted from within him. The purest water elements rapidly coalesced around him. In a blink, a massive divine body materialized before Huo Yuhao, meeting the double onslaught head-on.
The divine form stretched out both hands—one toward the white dragon, the other toward the slashing attack.
After two earth-shattering collisions, one of the divine form's arms was blown off entirely, while the palm of the remaining hand bore a deep, irreparable wound. Violet evil energy continued corroding it from within.
Clearly, the white dragon was more powerful.
Its essence was the fusion of water and fire attributes—a brand-new divine skill!
Water and Fire Duality: White Dragon Cataclysm!
"What a powerful technique! This move's strength is nearly equivalent to that of a Tier-2 god!" Feathered Serpent commented from within the Wisdom Secret Realm.
And this was with Huo Yuhao holding back. If he fully unleashed power near Tier-2 god level and used this move, the Feathered Serpent was confident it could even threaten a true Tier-2 god—assuming they didn't dodge or defend.
What impressed the Feathered Serpent even more was Huo Yuhao's ability to remotely manipulate the remnants of water and fire energy to recombine. That demanded extraordinary mastery of divine soul power.
Only someone like Huo Yuhao, with dominion over spiritual attributes, could achieve such a feat.
Having his divine form damaged, the Sea God's clone looked especially grim, eyes brimming with killing intent.
His divine power reserves had already been limited. Now, having been forced to use such a consuming move and suffer the destruction of his divine form, his losses were heavy.
The Sea God's clone realized he couldn't afford to continue entangling with Huo Yuhao. He had to take advantage of the remaining divine form and kill him swiftly.
"To have battled me this far, you're not bad. Let me grant you death as a reward!"
The waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well suddenly boiled, large volumes pulled upward into the sky. The Fire Apricot and Eight-Petal Ice Grass swayed frantically in fear.
The water drawn by the Sea God's clone quickly repaired his divine form and transformed into a water dragon, coiling around it.
This resembled the Sea God's divine skill "True Water Dragon of the Lunar Sea," but rather than using true lunar water, it used the waters of the Yin Yang Well. Still, its power remained terrifying.
"To die beneath the Golden Thirteen Tridents—consider yourself honored!"
The Golden Thirteen Tridents were self-created soul skills of the previous Sea God. After his ascension, they evolved into divine techniques—immensely powerful and versatile.
"Golden Thirteen Tridents… this is what I wanted to see!" Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up. He eagerly memorized every move, not just to copy them, but to discover a way to counter them.
To confront this incoming divine assault, Huo Yuhao relied on evil divine skills, paired with the Rakshasa Domain, to resist.
And it worked well—any attack disrupted by evil divine power, even if not instantly shattered, would be eroded away within the Rakshasa Domain.
The Sea God's clone's expression grew even darker.
Had it been Tang San himself using this technique, Huo Yuhao wouldn't even have tried resisting—he'd have turned and fled without hesitation.
Now, seeing the Sea God clone's power dwindling—his divine form and water dragon both shrinking—Huo Yuhao realized the clone was reaching his limit.
"It's a pity—I was just getting into the rhythm. But there's no need to drag this out. So, let me send you off with this unfinished technique."
Previously, Huo Yuhao had been studying ways to counter Sea God divine power. Now, he had a semi-complete move ready.
Within his sea of spirit, four divine avatars manifested: the White Tiger, the Black Tortoise, the Celestial Dragon, and the Phoenix. All rose simultaneously in brilliant light—and merged into one.
Huo Yuhao looked straight at the Sea God's clone—his eyes reflecting a vision of the world ending.
The Sea God's avatar felt as though in one moment he was locked in fierce battle with Huo Yuhao, and in the next, he had been dragged into a vast ocean.
No—he became the ocean.
And descending from the sky above were four terrifying figures—images of the divine beasts: White Tiger, Black Tortoise, Heavenly Dragon, and Phoenix.
Their arrival brought not salvation, but destruction.
The White Tiger roared, tearing the seas asunder. The Black Tortoise stomped, suppressing the ocean's force. The Heavenly Dragon writhed, stirring tidal chaos. The Phoenix cried out, setting the waters ablaze.
The Sea God's avatar felt utterly suppressed by the power of these four divine beasts—power that perfectly countered his nature as the sea. It was as if he had been stripped bare, helplessly subjected to brutal torment.
"No! Stop!!!" the Sea God's avatar bellowed in fury and frustration.
But all he could do was watch as the ocean was shattered, its waters completely evaporated. He was powerless.
When he regained his senses, he found himself still in place—he had not moved.
But his divine form was gone. His water dragon had dispersed. The divine power of the Sea God within him was nearly depleted. Even as a mere avatar, he was drained—his body now a translucent wisp, on the verge of vanishing.
"What was that just now?" the Sea God's avatar asked Huo Yuhao calmly, no longer fighting.
"Primordial Soul Technique: Four Symbols Tribulation," Huo Yuhao replied, just as composed.
A moment ago, they had been locked in mortal combat. Now, they were like strangers exchanging polite words.
"Primordial Soul Technique? Heh... interesting. My avatar wasn't strong enough to kill you, but someone like you—a harbinger of evil—will eventually be wiped out by justice. Remember this: Those who walk in darkness will one day fall."
With that, the Sea God's avatar vanished completely.
Huo Yuhao rolled his eyes. Even in defeat, the Sea God's avatar remained defiant.
But he didn't let it go to waste. Huo Yuhao had managed to extract a strand of divine consciousness and some Sea God divine power from the avatar before it disappeared.
Thanks to a reminder from the Sacred Spirit Feathered Serpent, Huo Yuhao had been on guard and had locked onto the Sea God's divine consciousness with his primordial soul power.
The divine power could be given to Snow Lotus for absorption. The divine consciousness, however, had another purpose.
If left unchecked, the Sea God's divine consciousness would surely find its way back to the Divine Realm, revealing everything that had happened in this battle to Tang Dog. Capturing it prevented that.
In truth, Huo Yuhao's anti-Sea God technique was both a success and a failure.
It succeeded because it didn't only counter the Sea God—it could suppress any enemy, as long as they were weaker than Huo Yuhao in soul force.
And this technique wasn't even complete yet.
Developing a method specifically to counter the Sea God would still require further research, but this battle had given Huo Yuhao valuable insights and inspiration.
Still, the Primordial Soul Technique couldn't be abandoned.
Its concept was simple: exploit one's strengths to attack the enemy's weaknesses.
This move was ideal for ambushes and first-strike encounters.
Since the Sea God's divine consciousness hadn't escaped to report what happened, the next time Huo Yuhao met Tang Dog, he'd have the chance to surprise him all over again.
With the Sea God's avatar eliminated, the immortal herbs had no protector left. Their fate was now sealed: complete subjugation by Huo Yuhao.
"We'll never bow to you!" said Blazing Delicate Apricot defiantly.
"Oh? I have my ways to make you willingly give everything," Huo Yuhao said with a sly smile.
"In your dreams!"
"We'll see... hehehe…"
When Huo Yuhao emerged from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the armies outside had already completed their conquest. Everything of value within the poisonous range of the Venom Sevenfold Flower was packed up and taken.
The only surprise to Huo Yuhao was that the Tang Sect's secret techniques that Tang Dog had hidden within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well were gone.
Not missing—destroyed.
Clearly the Sea God's avatar had done it, unwilling to let the Tang Sect's heritage fall into enemy hands.
Huo Yuhao sighed. He had hoped to compare that manual with the Tang Sect techniques he'd previously obtained. The lost one would've likely been more complete.
From the moment he entered to when he exited, not even a full hour had passed.
Yet within that short time, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had gone from a sacred treasure trove to a barren wasteland, its very soil scraped clean.
Technically, something could still grow there. The well's effects remained. But with the most precious immortal herbs gone, only common medicinal and poisonous plants could now be cultivated.
Confirming that nothing was left behind, Huo Yuhao quietly returned to his residence in Heaven Dou City before dawn, without alerting anyone.
"A haul. A massive haul!"
Lying on his bed, Huo Yuhao was still thrilled.
He had observed divine techniques from the Sea God, claimed the fortune of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well… the immortal herbs themselves were the least valuable part of this harvest.
The fortune now blessing him felt like drinking a bottle of ice-cold cola on a scorching summer day—exhilarating beyond words.
Even the flow of energy within his body had accelerated by over 30%.
Now, it was time to decide what to do with the immortal herbs.
Using them directly for alchemy to increase his strength was certainly an option.
But with his current cultivation level, consuming all the herbs would, at most, help him condense a third divine ring—raising him to Tier 3 Godhood.
But it would be a one-time boost.
And Brother Hao had always been frugal—extracting every last drop of value before letting anything go to waste. He wouldn't blow everything on one burst of power.
Without a proper divine inheritance, Huo Yuhao had to condense each divine ring on his own—a process that consumed either a huge amount of time or a massive amount of resources.
He might seem rich, but in reality, he was still dirt poor. Poor enough to start eating people.
Entering the Realm of Wisdom, Huo Yuhao appeared before the nine 100,000-year-old immortal herbs that had gained consciousness.
Their powers had already been sealed, and they'd been informed of Huo Yuhao's strength.
Upon seeing him again, their reactions varied—some fearful, some hesitant, others still defiant.
Blazing Delicate Apricot, for example, remained as stubborn as ever.
Some of the herbs had begun to think that following a god wasn't so bad—especially one who let them retain their sentience.
But others still stood with Tang Dog, refusing to serve anyone else after he had once nurtured them.
Standing before them, Huo Yuhao said only three things:
First—
"Don't worry. I won't kill you."
Second—
"Not only will I spare you, I'll help you grow stronger."
Third—
"I'll make you willingly offer everything to me. Once you take human form, I hope you all become women."
The immortal herbs: "..."
It wasn't that Huo Yuhao discriminated against males. It's just that male forms aren't ideal for energy harvesting.
The Sacred Spirit Feathered Serpent slithered up beside Huo Yuhao and whispered in his ear, revealing the true reason these herbs had gained sentience.
Back in the Dragon God's domain, they had cultivated many immortal herbs—but only a few ever developed awareness.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was different. In just ten thousand years, it produced nine sentient herbs.
That was highly unusual.
After studying the matter closely, the Serpent discovered the cause: the VenomSevenfold Flower had killed vast numbers of soul beasts in Sunset Forest, releasing enormous amounts of mental energy.
That energy was drawn into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and infused into the herbs, awakening their consciousness.
The chaotic traces of mental energy still lingering inside them served as proof.
But with few powerful soul beasts remaining in Sunset Forest, any further evolution among the herbs would be left to fate.
"As expected… it's all Tang Dog's fault," Huo Yuhao muttered.
Huo Yuhao: Sea God? Meh. Not impressed.
The harvest from the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well was incredibly rich.
Even putting aside the immortal herbs, the regular medicinal and poisonous herbs found here were rare treasures in the outside world, all carrying substantial value.
Many of these herbs had no sentience, yet possessed medicinal properties that had been refined for over a hundred thousand years. Compared to these, a mere thousand-year-old ginseng wouldn't even be worth mentioning—practically on the level of common weeds.
The Blue Silver Empress and Golden Xuanwu, being well-versed in herbal properties, took charge of categorizing all the herbs and poisons for future cultivation and use.
While Huo Yuhao himself didn't need them, his companions could benefit greatly. Even in soul form, they could absorb energy from flora to strengthen themselves.
These herbs would also be useful for his other subordinates and the descendants of the spirit beasts.
Even the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent could benefit. As it was still in its infancy, it needed a large number of resources to establish a solid foundation.
It was only recently that Huo Yuhao learned that the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent had a unique racial trait—it could absorb nutrients to grow from any herb or poisonous plant, regardless of its effects, as long as it held value.
As for those mindless immortal herbs, Huo Yuhao didn't intend to cultivate them—he planned to distribute them to his allies.
Brother Hao wasn't stingy.
If you could stomach it, go ahead and eat it. One herb per person? No big deal. If a transmigrator from next door saw this, they'd probably think Brother Hao was so broke he couldn't even afford decent herbs.
Wouldn't that make him the second coming of Tang San?
If they couldn't eat it raw, Brother Hao could always help refine it into pills—mixing in some good ol' tech and brute-force alchemy.
However, he was eventually stopped by the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent.
"Keep some of the immortal herbs for yourself—especially the Lovesick Heartbroken Red. Try to preserve its seeds. You'll need it during your future cultivation. Some of these herbs, once refined, can have significant effects even on deities. A few could even help you break through your current bottleneck," the serpent advised.
Some of the herbs in the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well had mutated naturally or were transplanted there by Tang San. But many had also existed in the former Dragon God Realm, planted by treasure-seeking beasts under the Dragon God's command.
Perhaps when the Water and Fire Dragon Kings perished, some herb seeds were carried with them—explaining why so many immortal herbs grew in this place.
Because of that, the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent was intimately familiar with their greater value—and knew exactly how to use them properly.
Huo Yuhao took the advice to heart. He wasn't an ungrateful fool. The stronger he became, the better it would be for everyone around him.
Storming the Divine Realm and looting the gods? That'd mean even more goodies for his companions!
Once the herbs were sorted, it was time to deal with other matters.
"The Nine Great Immortal Herbs. Zi Ji. Snow Empress. Ice Empress. Bibi Dong."
Huo Yuhao tallied the captives he planned to cultivate—none of whom were particularly cooperative.
Each of them, of course, was meant to become a furnace—and not just an ordinary one.
The Nine Immortal Herbs carried the luck of immortal plants. Zi Ji carried heavy dragon clan destiny. The Snow and Ice Empresses were infused with the destiny of the Extreme North. Bibi Dong had once been a god herself.
All of them were of exceedingly high quality.
So Huo Yuhao brought them into the Rakshasa Secret Realm, where he released the spiritual control over Zi Ji, Snow Empress, and Ice Empress—but none of their powers were restored, including the immortal herbs.
Thanks to the power of the Hao Emperor Banner, the ghostly bodies of Zi Ji, Snow Empress, Ice Empress, and Bibi Dong now looked solid and corporeal.
As they regained consciousness, Zi Ji, Snow Empress, and Ice Empress all looked around in confusion—until they spotted Huo Yuhao, and their expressions instantly turned to hatred and murderous intent.
"It's you!" Zi Ji roared. She had no memory of the time she'd been under control.
"You bastard! Give me back the lives of my people!" Ice Empress shouted in rage.
The hot-tempered Zi Ji and Ice Empress immediately lunged toward Huo Yuhao, teeth bared. Ice Empress was held back by Snow Empress—but Zi Ji wasn't.
So she got sent flying by a swift kick from Huo Yuhao.
"Ice, calm down!" Snow Empress suppressed her conflicting emotions and tried to keep a level head.
Bibi Dong stood silently to the side, her expression cold and sinister. Her gaze toward Huo Yuhao was filled with malice, though she remained rational—aware of the vast power gap between them.
"Why have you released us?" Bibi Dong asked icily.
The Nine Immortal Herbs, tied up nearby, all had their eyes on Huo Yuhao as well. A few timid ones were already trembling.
The dark and gloomy environment of the Rakshasa Secret Realm was also clearly unsettling for the herbs—it was putting significant psychological pressure on them.
Ignoring Bibi Dong's question for now, Huo Yuhao first introduced everyone to each other.
"These are the Immortal Herbs from the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well."
"These two are the Ice and Snow Empresses from the Extreme North."
"This is Zi Ji, a fierce beast from the Star Dou Forest."
"And this here? The Rakshasa God—ten thousand years ago, of course."
While the Empresses and Zi Ji had heard of each other by reputation, they were unfamiliar with the herbs. But upon hearing the title "Rakshasa God," all of them turned to Bibi Dong in shock.
"She's a god?" Ice Empress asked, visibly skeptical.
The others had similar expressions.
After all, who would believe a god-level being could get captured like this?
"I said ten thousand years ago, didn't I? She died back then. What you see here is just a remnant soul," Huo Yuhao replied with a smile.
Bibi Dong's face turned darker.
The others had mixed reactions, but suddenly felt that if even a Rakshasa God could be captured, maybe their own capture wasn't so humiliating after all.
Snow Empress gave Bibi Dong a long look, wondering if she could gain some divine inheritance from her. But she wasn't sure whether becoming a god would actually let her escape Huo Yuhao's grasp.
After letting them all get acquainted, Huo Yuhao finally stated his goal. He spoke slowly and calmly.
"I'm giving you all a chance."
"I've already become a god. I'll be storming the Divine Realm in the future. You can choose to submit to me and accept my brand. When I conquer the Divine Realm, I'll make sure you each gain your rightful divine positions."
He wasn't offering them mercy out of kindness—just because he was in a good mood today.
After speaking, he released the ten spirit rings of his Variant Frost Centipede Martial Soul.
Nine red, one gold.
The golden ring was formed from condensed destiny—a Fate Ring. While different from a God Ring, it was no weaker, and in some ways, even stronger.
And within the secret realm, there was no risk of the Divine Realm detecting them.
Zi Ji, who had been about to curse him for his delusions, clamped her mouth shut at the sight of those ten rings.
Ice Empress looked stunned. Snow Empress's expression remained icy.
Bibi Dong remained composed. She'd once been a god and had possessed similar spirit ring configurations. But she was more focused on something else.
"What divine position did you inherit? What rank?" she asked.
Everyone else perked up their ears, eager to hear the answer.
Huo Yuhao answered, "This Frost Centipede Martial Soul has inherited a First-Rank God position. The God of Wisdom."
The Variant Frost Centipede Martial Soul even crawled out beside him, flailing its centipede legs in a ferocious display.
But its dopey expression made Bibi Dong want to say something, only to hold back.
This is the future God of Wisdom?
Just in case they didn't know how impressive he was, Huo Yuhao began a little lecture.
"The Divine Realm ranks go like this: at the bottom, Divine Officers. Above them are Third-Rank Gods, then Second-Rank, then First-Rank, and finally, the God Kings."
"My Frost Centipede inherited a First-Rank God position. With cultivation and enough divine power, I'll soon wield the full strength of a First-Rank God."
"And the God of Wisdom is already powerful—not weaker than a God King in combat. There's a chance I'll become a God King myself someday."