Huo Yuhao wasn't surprised by the lack of substantial gains from his exploration of Douluo Star.
After all, he was well aware that the truly significant opportunities on the Douluo Continent came from one source—the remnants of the Divine Realm War.
Perhaps the continent had developed its own troves of treasures and chances for ascension, but those could hardly compare to the divine remnants scattered from that ancient conflict.
Even the origins of soul beasts and soul masters were tied to the fall of the Dragon Clan. The few remaining orthodox dragons were hidden deep within the Star Dou Forest.
Moreover, resources on Douluo Continent were limited. In the future, resource exhaustion would become a real problem, even necessitating importing energy from the Abyss Plane to sustain the world's continuation.
If not for the lingering blessings of the Divine Realm War, the Douluo Continent could never have reached its current level of prosperity.
The treasures found on other continents could generally also be found here.
Unless he ventured into the ocean depths to seek out hidden maritime treasures—which Huo Yuhao wasn't inclined to waste time on.
Thus, Huo Yuhao returned to the Douluo Continent and resumed his journey, roaming about in the name of "tempering" himself.
Mainly, he visited various families of faithful followers to inspect their situations and help refine their spiritual arrangements.
This trip took some time, during which Huo Yuhao welcomed several new members into his divine kingdom. These were believers he didn't need immediately in the mortal world and who would now cultivate within his realm.
Inside the Divine Kingdom:
Qian Renxue had fully awakened.
Unlike Bibi Dong, however, she was more cooperative. She agreed to join Huo Yuhao's faction, and when he expressed physical interest, she even voluntarily began undressing.
This was partly because she had experienced a full life and seen through many things—and also because Bibi Dong was already in Huo Yuhao's grasp. Qian Renxue knew she had no choice.
In terms of rationality, Qian Renxue slightly surpassed Bibi Dong.
Thus came the sight of two former gods serving the same man.
But to Huo Yuhao, anything not under full control would eventually become a threat.
So, without Qian Renxue knowing, he planted contingencies within her.
The stronger Huo Yuhao became, the less he trusted others—because he understood just how terrifying a strong person's schemes could be.
Even if not fatal, they could still trigger deadly crises at critical moments.
Perhaps this was the so-called "putting oneself in others' shoes."
Next, Huo Yuhao's plan:
He would strengthen his cultivation, integrate the gains from the Dragon Realm, and aim to break through to the God-King level.
Even if he couldn't achieve the breakthrough immediately, he wanted the power to contend with a God-King.
He also intended to prepare thoroughly to challenge the Sea God and the Asura God.
His Soul Rings:
Spiritual Eye Martial Soul
Still had four rings. As Huo Yuhao's first and innate martial soul, he valued it highly.
Though he could now bestow himself with divine rings, he still wanted to use ferocious beast rings to boost his foundation.
When it came to one's foundation, more was always better than not enough at a critical moment.
Normal 100,000-year-old soul beasts could no longer meet his needs. Only ferocious beasts would do.
Frost Centipede Variant Martial Soul
Had begun to condense god rings, with the seventh god ring recently achieved—signifying the first-tier god level.
The difficulty of condensing god rings and breaking through increased exponentially.
Eight god rings = God-King
Nine god rings = Supreme God-King (only ever achieved by the Dragon God)
When the Frost Centipede Martial Soul requested help in reaching its eighth god ring, Huo Yuhao kicked it aside.
"You're an ice attribute soul, heir to the God of Wisdom, and you're asking me for strength? I'm working on Fate laws, not Ice."
Since gaining insights into the Law of Fate, Huo Yuhao had focused on using it to break into the God-King level.
For the Frost Centipede, progressing via the Ice Law or Wisdom Authority would be far easier.
Especially with the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent personally mentoring it.
It was too reliant on Huo Yuhao—so much so that it had become a habit.
So, he exiled the martial soul to roam the universe and comprehend its laws independently.
Its activity range was limited by Huo Yuhao's spiritual power, which had already extended to the cosmos.
With just one thought, Huo Yuhao could pull the soul back into himself from any distance.
Hao Emperor Banner
His lifebound divine artifact. Each of its soul rings was rare—either from beings with destiny or divine-level entities.
Currently missing a ninth ring.
Huo Yuhao had already set his sights on the Silver Dragon King.
She represented half of the Dragon Clan's destiny and shared a fated connection with him. Once he subdued the Golden Dragon King in the Divine Realm, the remaining Dragon Clan destiny would be his.
It was only a matter of time before the Silver Dragon King and the other ferocious beasts joined his divine household—when he finally attacked the Star Dou Forest.
The only reason he hadn't yet acted was concern that her appearance might alert the Douluo Divine Realm.
But the time was near.
For example, a divine war breaking out on Douluo could draw the gods' attention!
Six-Winged Angel
Also possessed seven god rings, but was even further from the God-King level.
However, her path was clearer. She inherited the legacy of the Angel God, had access to previous divine insights, and wasn't bound by rank limitations.
Her bottleneck now was lack of resources.
The Dragon Tomb mini-dimension's power was only enough for Huo Yuhao himself.
So he asked the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent for advice.
To his surprise, it provided a viable solution:
"If Lanyin inherits the God of Space's divinity, she can open dimensional rifts. Even if newly ascended, she could lock space or create passages."
"Once that happens, we can travel to other realms and plunder resources."
"And the spatial locking will also help when you hunt the Silver Dragon King."
Huo Yuhao had a sudden realization.
But there was no rushing this—Lanyin still had a long way to go before becoming a Titled Douluo. Forcing her would only destabilize her foundation and risk failure.
After over half a year, Huo Yuhao returned to the new Shrek Academy.
It had been rebuilt atop the old ruins with help from the four empires. Though thriving again, it still couldn't compare to its former glory.
Yes, the four empires—because of the Holy Spirit Cult's rise, even the Sun Moon Empire had begun secret dealings with Shrek.
At least on the surface.
Huo Yuhao's return greatly pleased Yan Shaozhe and others. They insisted he rest at the academy for a couple of days, which he agreed to.
That night, something happened.
"Huo Yuhao… Huo Yuhao…"
A deep voice called to him through the walls. When Huo Yuhao followed the voice, no one else seemed to have noticed.
He didn't immediately use divine sense, just tracked the source until he reached a grove near the Star Dou Forest.
There stood a tall, broad-shouldered man in a black robe.
"Who are you?" Huo Yuhao asked warily.
The man pulled back his hood, revealing a rugged face.
"My name… is Tang Hao."
The next instant, he struck.
The colossal Clear Sky Hammer descended from the sky—aimed straight at Huo Yuhao.
Boom—!
The moment the Clear Sky Hammer smashed down, Huo Yuhao had already completed his armor integration. Crossing his arms, he withstood the force of the hammer.
However, his legs sank deep into the ground—up to his knees.
Tang Hao nodded slightly at Huo Yuhao's performance.
With Tang Hao's current strength, the Clear Sky Hammer weighed over 100,000 jin (about 50,000 kg). Even without using full force, a casual strike from it still carried tremendous power.
And for Huo Yuhao to endure it with just his body—even with the support of his armor—still clearly showcased his exceptional physique.
A strong body often indicates a solid foundation.
But...
"He didn't dodge the Clear Sky Hammer? Is this kid just too honest? Or has the Clear Sky Hammer's reputation declined in this era?"
Tang Hao muttered inwardly.
His attack didn't stop there. Instead, he exerted more strength with his arm, increasing the pressure on the Clear Sky Hammer, forcing Huo Yuhao's body to sink deeper.
Eventually, Huo Yuhao was completely pressed underground.
This made Tang Hao frown slightly.
The next second, Tang Hao sensed something strange under his feet. He instantly vanished from his original spot—just in time—as the ground exploded and the Frost Spear shot upward.
Had he not dodged, his precious parts would've taken a major hit—potentially catastrophic.
Tang Hao mused,
"I knew he wouldn't go down that easily. Turns out he can move underground. No wonder he didn't show any resistance—he was baiting me into lowering my guard. Still, sneak attacks like this aren't very honorable."
The disrespectful nature of the attack also made Tang Hao slightly displeased, so his next strike was more forceful.
The Clear Sky Hammer swept across, trying to blast Huo Yuhao out of the ground. But Yuhao had already sensed it coming and evaded, leaping into the air and looking down at Tang Hao.
With a cold tone, Huo Yuhao asked,
"Are you a senior from the Clear Sky School? Why attack me in the middle of the night?"
Tang Hao, holding the Clear Sky Hammer, replied calmly,
"If you want to know, beat me first. Don't worry—I won't bully you. I won't use any soul skills."
"Arrogant!"
Huo Yuhao responded with apparent anger, then launched his attack.
"Then don't blame this junior for being impolite!"
He knew full well that Tang Hao was merely testing him.
But what surprised Yuhao was that the one who came… was Tang Hao himself.
Why was Tang Hao here? What was his goal?
There was no doubt: He must've been sent by Tang San—to assist Yuhao and Shrek.
With the Elemental Gods now observing Douluo Continent, Tang San couldn't personally intervene.
Tang Hao, already a god-level being, though not holding an official god position, wasn't required to live in the God Realm.
The same applied to Ah Yin, his wife.
The couple had been living in seclusion—perhaps on the continent, in a secret realm, or even another plane.
But that wasn't important.
Huo Yuhao suddenly thought:
If Tang Hao is here, could Ah Yin appear as well?
As the mother of the God King, Yuhao couldn't help but feel some excitement.
Considering Tang San holds Huo Yun'er's soul, if Yuhao were to capture Ah Yin, an "ultimate trade of moms" with Tang San might not be out of the question.
This surge in thought made his attacks noticeably fiercer—something Tang Hao picked up on.
Rather than anger, Tang Hao nodded in acknowledgment:
"Xiao San has a good eye—this junior's pretty solid. But… he's not using any soul skills either? Is he looking down on me?"
Tang Hao decided it was time to teach the young man a lesson.
Suddenly, his attack rhythm shifted, and the Clear Sky Hammer began to move in a unique pattern—each strike heavier than the last.
It was the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique!
This technique was all about technique, not soul skills—so Tang Hao wasn't breaking his word.
He also held back, not unleashing power beyond level 100. If he used his Level-2 God strength, he could instantly kill anyone below level 100.
If that were the case, the hammer technique wouldn't even be necessary.
Seeing this, Huo Yuhao didn't dodge. Instead, he formed an ice hammer head atop his Frost Spear and mimicked Tang Hao's swinging motion.
He, too, was using the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique!
He had learned it back at the Clear Sky School, under the guidance of Tai Tan.
While this hammer technique wasn't strictly forbidden within the sect, non-hammer-type power soul masters usually couldn't use it effectively.
But Yuhao had his own modifications.
Still, in front of Tang Hao, he used the most straightforward method: he converted his spear into a hammer and swung it directly.
When Tang Hao saw this, he laughed—out of sheer disbelief.
"Naïve calf, unafraid of tigers. The ignorance of youth—daring to go hammer-to-hammer with me using my own technique! He's just asking for death!"
Yet Tang Hao didn't stop.
He even slowed down his movements, waiting for Yuhao to complete his 81-hammer buildup.
At that moment, both men unleashed their strongest strike simultaneously.
Tang Hao wanted to show him the vast difference in their levels.
But then—something unexpected happened.
When the Clear Sky Hammer and ice hammer collided, the ice hammer exploded!
Ice Explosion Technique!
At this point, Yuhao had no reason to hide his tricks. As long as it wasn't too outrageous, he could always attribute them to fate or self-enlightenment—no one would question him.
The final strike of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique, combined with Ice Explosion, actually pushed Tang Hao back several steps.
Huo Yuhao was also blown backward, though he didn't fall—just looked exhausted.
Even though Tang Hao only retreated a little, to others, it looked like they were evenly matched.
And to someone like Tang Hao, that felt like a loss.
His expression darkened.
"A lifetime of hunting geese, and now one pecked me in the eye."
Still, he suppressed his frustration. He knew why he was here.
"You're not bad. You've barely caught my eye. So, per that person's instructions, I'll train you for a while—to help you break through to Ultimate Douluo."
Tang Hao then stowed away his Clear Sky Hammer and said gravely.
Yuhao feigned confusion:
"As a senior of the Clear Sky School, I would never doubt you. But may I ask—who exactly is 'that person'?"
"Don't ask what you shouldn't. You'll know when the time comes,"
Tang Hao replied like a mysterious sage, then added,
"Alright, time to come with me."
"Please wait, Senior. Allow me to report to the Academy first, then I'll come with you,"
Huo Yuhao quickly responded.
Tang Hao appreciated the respect shown by the younger generation. Even with inferior strength, Yuhao maintained proper decorum.
"Make it quick. I won't wait long."
"Thank you, Senior. Please hold on a moment!"
Yuhao turned and rushed back to inform Yan Shaozhe—but a spark of excitement flickered in his eyes.
"Tang San's parents? How could I not stir things up now?"
Under Tang Hao's guidance, Huo Yuhao once again set off. The two of them didn't exchange many words along the way. Tang Hao didn't offer his identity, and Huo Yuhao didn't ask either.
Tang Hao was rather satisfied with Huo Yuhao's quiet demeanor.
Still, along the road, Tang Hao asked him a few questions.
First, he asked where Huo Yuhao had learned the Random Cloak Hammer Technique.
Huo Yuhao replied that he learned it in the Clear Sky Sect, under Titan's tutelage.
Tang Hao then asked some other questions related to the Clear Sky Sect.
Huo Yuhao didn't hold anything back—not that he knew much anyway.
But Tang Hao didn't seem too pleased, probably because he already knew about the attack on the Clear Sky Sect and the heavy casualties it suffered.
Besides those topics, Tang Hao also casually inquired a few times about Wang Dong'er. Although his tone sounded normal, Huo Yuhao picked up on something unusual.
Especially when Tang Hao mentioned Wang Dong'er—his gaze always carried a touch of scrutiny.
Huo Yuhao figured Old Man Tang must've whispered something to Tang Hao behind his back. "Hmph, that old codger dares to gossip about me? He's courting death!"
Eventually, under Tang Hao's lead, they arrived at a picturesque island in the southern seas.
The expansion of the demonic forces hadn't yet reached this area, so the sea remained calm and undisturbed.
However, the location of the island had already been exposed, and the main body's clone had received the news.
As soon as they landed, Tang Hao suddenly slapped Huo Yuhao on the back, sending him flying.
He had used power beyond the hundredth level in this strike.
Perhaps due to some special properties of the island, Tang Hao dared to unleash such force. But he didn't intend to harm Huo Yuhao—just to seal his soul power with a god-level suppression.
Under normal circumstances, Huo Yuhao wouldn't be able to resist, so he took the opportunity to hide all of his strength.
Given the power Tang Hao used, it was clear he possessed the strength of a second-level god. Even so, with Huo Yuhao's exceptional skill at hiding his aura, Tang Hao couldn't see through his disguise.
When Huo Yuhao climbed to his feet with a blank expression, Tang Hao finally explained his purpose. In a cold tone, he said:
"From now on, I will train you. Until you meet my standards, even if Shrek is annihilated outside, I won't let you leave!"
"Shrek annihilated?" Huo Yuhao caught that key phrase.
"Heh… You know the state of Shrek as well as I do. Those evil soul masters won't spare the survivors. They could strike at any moment. And right now, Shrek's only hope lies in your strength. Without you, Shrek will be completely wiped out! Do you really think the four great empires will truly help Shrek? Naive!" Tang Hao sneered, his tone dripping with contempt.
A force that had ruled the continent for millennia had fallen so far, letting a group of evil soul masters rise above them.
Tang Hao couldn't understand how Shrek had messed up so badly.
Do they even know how to play the game?
Huo Yuhao: "..."
He could tell that Tang Hao was deliberately provoking him—trying to make him angry, to squeeze out his potential and force him to grow stronger.
Though admittedly, this method was a little… crude.
Whether or not Shrek could endure, who knew that better than Huo Yuhao himself?
Still, Huo Yuhao put on an expression of urgency and determination—just to amuse the old man a little.
"Senior, I want to get stronger!" Huo Yuhao shouted.
Tang Hao nodded slightly and immediately began training him.
With Huo Yuhao's strength, ordinary training wouldn't cut it. Even with his soul power sealed, his physical body alone was still immensely powerful.
Luckily, Tang Hao had come prepared.
He skipped the basic tests and jumped straight into high-intensity training.
The first task: tying Huo Yuhao to a mithril pillar, forcing him to endure the ocean's crashing waves.
The training spot was a depression in the island's terrain, where sea water would rush in and grow even more turbulent.
"This depression was carved by the ocean over time, and this mithril pillar not only seals your soul power but also suppresses your physique."
"If you can endure twelve hours of this ocean assault, you'll pass this test."
"But if you're careless and fall into the sea, you'll be swept into the deep ocean trenches—never to return!"
The mithril pillar had two chains, though not tightly bound. They mainly served as handholds. If Huo Yuhao broke free, it would be easy to get washed away.
Faced with the challenge, Huo Yuhao didn't hesitate.
He stripped off his clothes, wrapped the chains around himself, and stood before the pillar with eyes closed, bracing against the crashing waves.
Tang Hao glanced down at the "cannon" between Huo Yuhao's legs and fell silent before speaking:
"You really didn't have to get that naked."
"No, senior. I don't have many spare clothes. If they got ruined, I wouldn't have anything left to wear. Besides, I'm training to become stronger—I've already put aside shame. Even stark naked, my resolve to grow stronger will not waver!" Huo Yuhao said without even opening his eyes.
Tang Hao: "..."
That wasn't what he meant! His wife was on the island too—and was observing from afar! What if that thing of yours pollutes Ah Yin's eyes?!
Damn it, you brat!
In the end, Huo Yuhao compromised and wore underwear, since Tang Hao promised to buy more for him.
Huo Yuhao: "Three lines. Make Tang Old Codger buy me underwear!"
…
To Huo Yuhao, the force of the waves was nothing. Even with the mithril pillar's suppression, it barely affected him.
Outwardly, he stood calmly, enduring the ocean's fury. In reality, he was quietly comprehending the laws of fate, while letting his divine kingdom absorb the Dragon God's Heart and the Dragon Tomb micro-world.
In fact, he needed time to settle his foundation, and being around Tang Hao made it even safer.
But soon, Huo Yuhao sensed something was off. The waves crashing into him carried a unique force.
Releasing his divine sense, he discovered Tang Hao in the distance, hammering the ocean with his mighty Clear Sky Hammer, infusing it with his strength and driving the waves toward Huo Yuhao.
"Well, well… so the waves are actually being hammer-powered by Tang Hao! He's genuinely trying to help me."
"By channeling his strength through the waves, he can evenly strike every part of my body, pushing my potential further and eliminating weak spots."
"And only someone with second-level godhood could pull this off. No average Limit Douluo could manage it."
"Guess I'll just treat it as a massage~ Kimochi~"
While Huo Yuhao remained standing firm under the waves…
Tang Hao, hammering from afar, was sweating heavily.
"Power at the hundredth level still can't shake him? Does this kid really have such enormous potential?" Tang Hao thought in astonishment. "Fine then, let's see how far you can go!"
At last, when Tang Hao raised the power beyond the hundredth level, Huo Yuhao pretended to be nearing his limits.
"If what Xiaosan said is true, and this young man is to become Wutong's future husband… then perhaps that's not such a bad thing."
"This kid has the potential to become a god!"
Huo Yuhao: Big hammer, I just want to play basketball!
———
The days of training under Tang Hao were plain and uneventful—downright dull, in fact.
Tang Hao was exceedingly stingy; he never once let Huo Yuhao meet his wife. All Yuhao could do was sense Ah Yin's presence, hidden somewhere within the island, silently observing his training in secret.
Perhaps it was due to Ah Yin's Blue Silver Domain—allowing her to blend seamlessly into the island's natural environment—that made it difficult for Huo Yuhao to pinpoint her exact location without careful sensing.
Such a stealth ability would be troublesome even for a first-rank god.
—
At the edge of the island.
Tang Hao stirred the sea with his hammer, sending waves crashing against Huo Yuhao's body. Bound to a mithril pillar, Huo Yuhao silently endured the impact.
Outwardly, it looked like physical training, but in truth, Huo Yuhao was secretly comprehending the Law of Fate.
Given his strength and natural destiny affinity, Tang Hao had no idea Yuhao was comprehending laws right under his nose.
Monotonous as it was, at least this period of time was peaceful—Yuhao didn't have to worry about Old Man Tang scheming something against him on a whim.
Still, being repeatedly harassed by Tang Hao's hammer from a distance was getting on his nerves.
"I'm not one to hold grudges, but today Tang Big Hammer hit me 180 times. Tianmeng, make a note of that. I'll repay the debt—with interest—to his wife later."
—Huo Yuhao, muttering internally.
"Got it, Brother Hao~"
—Tianmeng Iceworm, whipping out his trusty notebook like a pro.
Tianmeng was advancing quickly—not just in cultivation, but in mental maturity as well. This growth in mindset had propelled his realm forward even more.
According to Huo Yuhao's analysis, this breakthrough came from Tianmeng letting go of his ego attachment—a result of Ice Empress.
For hundreds of thousands of years, Tianmeng had been enamored with the Ice Empress. But when Yuhao actually brought her to him, Tianmeng rejected the opportunity to be with her.
Had he accepted her, he would have accepted himself—but by rejecting her, he transcended his former self.
Yuhao suspected that Tianmeng's cultivation—especially without a physical body—had gradually worn away his desires. The path of spiritual cultivation made emotions, particularly lust, fade over time.
That said, Tianmeng wasn't a robot yet. He still had emotions, and Yuhao planned to help him rebuild a body soon.
In truth, the reason Tianmeng made that decision likely had a lot to do with Yuhao's companionship.
As the sAh Ying goes: Childhood friend loses to the newcomer from the sky.
Despite longing for Ice Empress for hundreds of thousands of years, Huo Yuhao replaced her in just a few short years.
After all, Tianmeng had given Yuhao all his power, soul rings—and even the girl he loved. He was practically the Li Xunhuan of the soul beast world.
Even the Holy Spirit Winged Serpent once commented:
"Tianmeng has the makings of a saint."
This emotional breakthrough also altered the divine ability Tianmeng had been cultivating. Though it remained incomplete, it was clearly something extraordinary—one that would take considerable time to fully manifest.
Yuhao considered taking him into space soon to help him comprehend the cosmic laws.
Tianmeng had already reached the level needed to sense them.
Among all Yuhao's companions, his progress was the fastest—only the newly risen Six-Winged Angel could match him.
—
Some time later...
Tang Hao ended the current training phase, having noticed that Huo Yuhao had completely adapted to the ocean's pressure.
Though surprised, Tang Hao wasn't shocked—it aligned with what he knew of Huo Yuhao's talents.
Yuhao already had the power of a Super Douluo, monstrous innate gifts, and the support of the Golden Tree.
With all those resources, anyone—even a pig—could become a powerhouse.
"You've passed the first phase. Next comes Phase Two. You can refuse—it carries a real risk of death, even for Super Douluos. And once it begins, there's no turning back."
—Tang Hao said gravely.
"Bring it on! If I can't break through and protect my companions, I might as well die!"
—Huo Yuhao responded without hesitation.
Tang Hao found Yuhao's response a bit extreme—but admirable nonetheless.
And so, Phase Two began.
If the sea's hammering had been for the body, this next phase would test everything.
Tang Hao slammed his hammer, sending Huo Yuhao deep into the ocean—directly toward the abyss beneath the island.
He hadn't been bluffing—the sea below truly housed a deadly abyss!
His voice echoed through the depths:
"Your next challenge is to descend into the abyss. Only by reaching the deepest point will you pass."
"You may float up or attempt again, but you are not allowed to cheat with external powers. I've sealed your martial soul and soul skills!"
"From now on, I won't interfere. Whether you persevere or waste your chance—that's up to you."
As his voice faded, Huo Yuhao sensed Tang Hao's presence vanish above. He quickly sank toward the abyss.
The Abyss was a great rift in the sea floor—dark as a demon's gaping maw, as if ready to devour everything.
Strangely, no other sea life lingered near it.
Upon entering the trench, Yuhao immediately felt his body weighed down.
"This water... feels heavier than normal seawater."
"It's special. The pressure here is much greater than the average ocean depth. Even a Super Douluo might not survive this."
"And more than that... there's something else down here."
His eyes gleamed faintly as he stared into the abyss.
From the darkness emerged a vast, slumbering beast.
Yuhao's arrival had awakened it.
The behemoth stirred, exuding an ancient aura. Its massive body stretched over 300 meters, whale-like in form, armored in thick scales, with a gaping maw lined with fangs. Spikes protruded from its belly, whisker-like tendrils extended from its sides—terrifying in both size and appearance.
Its name was:
An ancient aberration—deep-sea leviathan—Leviathan!
Tang Hao was certainly aware of Leviathan's existence, yet he still threw Huo Yuhao into the deep trench of the sea. Without a doubt, this meant that Leviathan was the trial Huo Yuhao would have to face next.
Leviathan was an ancient mutated beast, similar to the Ten-headed Fiery Sun Serpent and the Frost Venom Centipede, but even older.
Even through the deep ocean waters, Huo Yuhao could sense that Leviathan did not cultivate soul power, but rather blood energy. It possessed a massive amount of this energy, sealed within its flesh, which granted it an incredibly long life.
However, due to its different cultivation path, Leviathan had not gained wisdom over time.
Living in the deep sea trench, Leviathan was simply a brutal primordial beast, utterly irrational and acting only on instinct.
The most important thing: Leviathan was even more terrifying than the Ten-headed Fiery Sun Serpent. Its power was undoubtedly at the ferocious beast level.
And at this moment, Huo Yuhao's martial soul and soul skills were sealed. He could only rely on his raw soul power and physical body to fight.
Yet, he showed no fear at all!
Huo Yuhao dove rapidly, enduring the deep-sea pressure, charging toward Leviathan.
He opened with a full-power blow equivalent to a level-98 Super Douluo, to test Leviathan's strength.
The punch landed squarely on Leviathan's forehead, and a visible ripple surged through the seafloor, spreading outward from the trench.
On the surface, the waves surged, and Tang Hao, who was secretly observing, smiled slightly, as if he could see everything happening in the trench.
He gave his evaluation in just two words:
"Not bad."
Tang Hao approved of Huo Yuhao's courage.
Though... it was a little reckless, bordering on foolish.
Just then, a graceful figure appeared silently beside Tang Hao. Though dressed plainly in blue, it couldn't hide her goddess-like beauty and perfect figure.
It was Ah Yin!
Ah Yin was now a true goddess, with power at the level of a second-tier god.
"Tang hao will that boy be able to pass the trial?" she asked gently, her tone full of concern.
Ah Yin had a favorable impression of Huo Yuhao.
Partly because she had observed his special training and believed he was a determined and righteous youth.
Partly because he might be her future grandson-in-law—which made her like him even more.
Tang Hao, hands behind his back and eyes deep with thought, replied,
"Who knows~"
He only needed to put pressure on Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao had much more to think about. But Tang Hao would never let him die, that was certain.
—
In the trench—
Huo Yuhao's eyes flickered.
His full-power punch as a level-98 Super Douluo failed to break Leviathan's defense, but Leviathan didn't take it easily either.
This meant its defense was strong—but not invincible.
"I see. To break its defense, I need power beyond a Super Douluo—that is, the power of an Ultimate Douluo!"
That was the real test!
Tang Hao was using this battle and the deep-sea pressure to force Huo Yuhao's physique to break through to the Ultimate Douluo level. Once he achieved that, under immense pressure, he could rapidly step into that realm.
For soul masters, progressing beyond Super Douluo toward godhood had no bottleneck, so in theory, it was only a matter of time for Huo Yuhao to break through.
This so-called trial was simply meant to squeeze out the last drops of his potential, accelerating his breakthrough.
This wasn't unusual—Tang San had gone through similar experiences back in his time.
Besides, once a soul master reaches Super Douluo, further accumulation becomes less meaningful. That stage is about converting all potential into power!
Unfortunately, Huo Yuhao wasn't a typical Super Douluo. His potential was far from exhausted.
Even after breaking level 100, he hadn't tapped out his potential—instead, he kept replenishing and accumulating more.
What Huo Yuhao truly needed was to convert his potential into God-King level power!
Moreover, his method wasn't just brute-force trial by pressure, but rather refining and squeezing his potential through enlightenment and cultivation techniques.
"What? What if his potential is used up? What about the future?"
That's laughable. If he runs low on potential—just think of "friends and family"~
After defeating Tang San, Huo Yuhao could graciously take him and all his loved ones with him to ascend as Supreme God-Kings—or even beyond.
—
Leviathan, after being attacked, countered in the simplest and most direct way:
It tried to devour.
Opening its massive mouth, an overwhelming suction pulled in the surrounding seawater—and locked onto Huo Yuhao, pulling him in.
At that moment, Leviathan was like a deep-sea vortex trying to swallow everything whole.
Escaping that suction with Super Douluo-level strength would not be easy.
Huo Yuhao responded by freezing the water with his Ultimate Ice soul power, trying to block the monster's mouth with countless chunks of ice.
But the incredibly hard Ultimate Ice was crushed almost effortlessly in Leviathan's devouring maw.
Still, Huo Yuhao didn't stop.
On one hand, the ice weakened Leviathan's pull on him.
On the other, the ice being swallowed wasn't destroyed—it entered Leviathan's body. Once enough Ultimate Ice accumulated inside, it could hurt Leviathan from within.
Thus began the contest of strength between Huo Yuhao and Leviathan.
Of course, all of this was also a bit of an act for the two people watching from the shore.
Tang Hao nodded slightly.
"Able to quickly assess the situation and respond appropriately—not bad."
Ah Yin, however, worried:
"This kind of tug-of-war and overexertion can squeeze out potential, yes, but it also harms his life force."
"Isn't that what you're here for?" Tang Hao chuckled, then added,
"Besides, once he and Wutong become gods, they'll have eternal life. This kind of damage now is insignificant."
Ah Yin rolled her eyes at him.
Tang Hao loved that look—mature, charming, yet still girlish.
(Huo Yuhao also loved it.)
Naturally, if Tang Hao and Ah Yin could see this much, so could Huo Yuhao. In fact, using his divine sense, he had "overheard" their conversation clearly.
A first-tier god eavesdropping on two second-tier gods? Easy.
So, Huo Yuhao had a plan. He knew exactly what to do next.
If he passed the trial too easily, how could it show off its difficulty? And how would Tang Hao and Ah Yin have a chance to show their strength?
Finally, Leviathan's body started to frost over. It stopped devouring, retreating from the cold, frozen, and falling into the depths of the trench.
But Huo Yuhao didn't pursue.
Pale-faced, clearly drained, he chose to surface immediately after escaping.
However, perhaps due to exhaustion, he passed out just after leaving the trench—his eyes rolled back, his body still struggling out of instinct, but feebly.
Blue-gold vines pierced through the seawater, coiling around his waist and swiftly pulling him out of the ocean.
Ah Yin took action.
Neither she nor Tang Hao doubted the authenticity of Huo Yuhao's "failure." Ah Yin's immediate reaction showed she had long been prepared.
Huo Yuhao: This is what you call planned to perfection!