"The key to cultivating twin martial souls lies in the soul master's physical constitution.
If their body can't handle the burden of attaching soul rings to both spirits, the process may cause their body to explode and die."
"According to records, the simplest way to cultivate twin martial souls is to gather a full set of high-grade soul bones."
"Ten thousand years ago, our ancestor Tang San and the wicked Rakshasa God Pope Bibi Dong succeeded this way."
Huo Yuhao was guiding Xiao Xiao in cultivating her twin martial souls.
Ever since the Elder Council perished and the Sea God Pavilion vanished, only Huo Yuhao truly understood the knowledge of twin martial soul cultivation.
Wang Dong'er sat by listening in, since she too possessed twin martial souls and had recently begun cultivating her second one.
Her first martial soul had already been thoroughly refined, and she felt it was finally time to begin with the second.
In fact, she believed that only by completing the soul ring attachments for her second martial soul could she have a chance of catching up to Huo Yuhao.
Xiao Xiao's situation, however, was more unusual.
She hadn't waited to finish cultivating her first martial soul before working on the second.
She had already started attaching soul rings to her second martial soul much earlier.
Even before Huo Yuhao joined Shrek Academy, Xiao Xiao had added a hundred-year soul ring to her second martial soul just to increase her strength as a freshman.
Later, during her Soul Sage phase, she added three ten-thousand-year soul rings to it.
It was thanks to these additions that she was able to catch up with her senior sisters' strength, break into the Soul Douluo realm, and—after a year of intense cultivation in the core region—successfully reach Level 85.
But Xiao Xiao's early cultivation of her second martial soul wasn't due to short-sightedness—
neither on her part nor her family's.
Rather, it was because knowledge of twin martial soul cultivation remained a hidden art in the continent.
Only major powers understood the true intricacies.
Most others simply knew it could be done, but didn't know how to do it properly.
As a result, many twin martial soul users from smaller factions never waited until after becoming Titled Douluo to attach rings to their second spirit.
Instead, they often opted to do it early—when needing to boost power—to rapidly increase strength.
They weren't necessarily after the combat value of the second martial soul,
but the level gains that came with attaching soul rings to it.
The sooner one became strong, the sooner one could access more resources—
to either safeguard their clan's prosperity or help their faction expand its territory.
Some said that cultivating a second martial soul early was a waste,
but that kind of thinking only came from those who'd never experienced hardship themselves.
Not everyone has powerful protectors in youth,
and not everyone starts their journey aiming to become "the strongest."
As for collecting a full set of soul bones—
even many Titled Douluo didn't possess a single high-quality soul bone, let alone a full set.
Most twin martial soul holders from modest backgrounds didn't expect to reach the Limit Douluo level.
But if they managed their second martial soul well,
even if they couldn't reach nine full rings,
becoming a Super Douluo was still within reach.
And in this era, Super Douluo were still one of the most elite classes—people most could only dream of becoming.
Many twin martial soul users even misunderstood the second martial soul's cultivation path,
believing they had to start with hundred-year soul rings and progress gradually.
When Huo Yuhao explained to Xiao Xiao the correct method for second martial soul cultivation—along with its potential achievements—she did not regret her early ring attachments.
Instead, she just wanted to know:
"How can I gather a full set of high-quality soul bones?"
At present, Xiao Xiao had three soul bones—all of good quality:
A golden deer antler external soul bone,
A ten-thousand-year purple vine right arm bone,
And a fifty-thousand-year mountain giant right leg bone.
"Don't worry. I'll help you." Huo Yuhao said to her.
Xiao Xiao looked at Huo Yuhao, deeply moved.
No more words were needed—Xiao Xiao was still that same girl who judged by appearances.
After Wang Dong'er revealed her true identity, Xiao Xiao had shifted her feelings toward Huo Yuhao—
especially after he had rescued her in the Valley of Love.
In contrast, Wang Dong'er had a full set of high-level soul bones—none below fifty-thousand years.
That's right, not a single one under fifty thousand years.
Don't ask why—just chalk it up to the heritage of the Clear Sky Sect.
That's also why Wang Dong'er could start attaching ten-thousand-year soul rings to her second martial soul right away.
"I plan to try attaching a fifty-thousand-year soul ring!" Wang Dong'er said boldly.
Then she added:
"Also, fifty-thousand-year soul beasts have a higher chance of dropping soul bones. If I'm lucky, I might help Xiao Xiao complete her set too."
"Dong'er~" Xiao Xiao looked at her, again full of emotion.
Right then, Xiao Xiao suddenly thought:
Maybe... one husband and one wife isn't such a bad setup.
"Dong'er, don't take any risks. I'm not demanding a full set of soul bones. I just want you to stay safe. The three of us living a good life—that's worth more than anything."
Xiao Xiao spoke from the heart.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er exchanged glances—words on the tip of their tongues but ultimately unspoken.
Then Xiao Xiao realized what she'd just said and blushed furiously before dashing away.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er stared at each other and realized Wang Dong'er was blushing too.
With a cold snort, she stomped on Huo Yuhao's foot and quickly left as well—
—leaving behind Huo Yuhao with black lines all over his face.
From a distance, Jin Qiu'er, who'd seen everything, suddenly felt left out.
She touched her little canine tooth and muttered,
"Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er both have martial soul fusion skills with me… What's Xiao Xiao's deal?"
Meanwhile, the representatives of the Four Great Empires had once again gathered at New Shrek Academy.
This time, the attending figures held very high ranks:
From the Star Luo Empire: Duke of Nether—Zhu Lu.
From the Dou Ling Empire: Duke of Glazed Tile—Ning Tian.
From the Heaven Soul Empire: Duke of Angels—Yu Mengdi.
From the Sun-Moon Empire: Duke of Flying Luan—Luan Fei.
All four were now Soul Douluo-level experts—or at least, that's how they presented themselves publicly.
Their sole purpose in coming was clear:
To collaborate with Shrek Academy—
or more specifically, with Huo Yuhao—
on a plan to eradicate the Holy Spirit Church.
Yan Shaozhe and Huo Yuhao represented Shrek Academy in the meeting.
Xie Huanyue and Cao Jin Xuan stood guard outside, seemingly on lookout duty.
Both Shrek and the Four Empires had been ready for this moment for a long time—
Or more accurately, Huo Yuhao had orchestrated everything in advance.
What was coming was a continent-wide war—
a massive upheaval involving:
The Four Great Empires,
The Holy Spirit Church,
And even the soul beasts.
In the end, all of this would become fuel for Huo Yuhao's rise—
the final steps to gaining absolute control over the Douluo Plane.
Huo Yuhao now stood just two steps away from becoming the President of Planet Douluo:
Eliminate all dissent.
Refine the Plane Core.
The core could be refined at any time—
but those who refused to submit would be purged by war.
Just as Yan Shaozhe and the Four Empire representatives were discussing their strategy against the Holy Spirit Church and the evil soul masters…
An unexpected visitor arrived at Shrek Academy, demanding entry to the conference chamber.
"Who goes there?! Halt immediately!" Xie Huanyue barked sternly.
The burly man pulled back his hood, his aura flaring as he declared—
"Second Master of the Clear Sky Sect—Titan!"
Xie Huanyue's stern face instantly turned into a flattering grin.
He bowed deeply and gestured:
"Senior, please—this way!"
Titan's arrival was completely unexpected.
Even Huo Yuhao hadn't seen it coming.
However, the others still warmly welcomed him.
Titan didn't bother with pleasantries. He went straight to the point:
"I'm here to take Dong'er away."
Yan Shaozhe looked at Titan, wanting to say something but hesitated. He suspected that the Clear Sky Sect was trying to distance itself from the battle against the Holy Spirit Church, so they were choosing this moment to withdraw Wang Dong'er.
It fit the sect's usual reclusive nature.
Perhaps sensing Yan Shaozhe's suspicions, Titan added:
"As for the upcoming campaign against the Holy Spirit Church, the Clear Sky Sect will send Titled Douluo elders and elite disciples to Shrek Academy. The operation will be led by Shrek."
"As for Dong'er, I need to take her away for a while. She has a mission of her own."
The Clear Sky Sect must participate in eliminating the Holy Spirit Church and the evil soul masters. After all, they had suffered serious losses at their hands.
Moreover, after internal investigations, the sect concluded that the heir of Rakshasa God—who attacked them before—was likely hiding within the Holy Spirit Church.
No other location made sense. The church had become a haven for filth and corruption.
Upon hearing Titan's explanation, Yan Shaozhe finally relaxed. He broke into a smile and clasped his hands respectfully:
"Shrek is grateful for the Clear Sky Sect's trust! And thank you for your contribution to justice on the continent!"
Huo Yuhao was a bit speechless at this.
"Someone his age, still acting so emotionally… so little self-restraint."
One had to admit, some of the strong figures on the Douluo Continent had obvious character flaws.
Titan just waved it off indifferently and turned to Huo Yuhao:
"Yuhao, go to the Star Dou Forest and bring Dong'er back for me."
"Huh? Me?" Huo Yuhao blinked, then smiled, "Don't worry, senior. It's fine to go into the core region now—the fierce beasts there are allied with Shrek Academy. They won't make things hard for you. Besides, with your strength, even if they did, they couldn't do anything to you."
Titan: "…"
If he could go himself, would he have come all the way to Shrek Academy?
This wasn't a matter of whether he could fight or not.
Both Niu Tian and Titan had some understanding of the fierce beasts in the core region. Back in the day, they even guarded the entrance for them. It wasn't until they followed Tang San that they became what they were now.
Their strength had increased, yes—but they still didn't want to face those beasts.
After all, they were considered "traitors" by the soul beast race.
If they encountered those beasts, it could very well end in a battle on sight.
Plus, outside the sect, Titan couldn't fight at full power. If a fight broke out, it would get complicated.
Frankly, Titan didn't hold any fondness for the beasts of the core region.
Back then, he and his brothers, along with Xiao Wu and her parents, all suffered tragedies in the Star Dou Forest. Even when they were in desperate danger, none of those fierce beasts stepped forward to help.
Yet in recent years, those same beasts had launched several beast tides over the deaths of their kings?
"So biased it's ridiculous."
"What? Xiao Wu and her brothers didn't count as their kind?"
"Or is it only now, after losing too many beast kings, that they finally care?"
In any case, Titan had zero desire to see those beasts. He'd rather never cross paths again.
He flared his nostrils and let out a heavy snort, then glared at Huo Yuhao with eyes like copper bells and barked:
"I told you to go, so go! What's with all the nonsense?!"
Huo Yuhao just shrugged and smiled, indicating he'd go gather the others.
And so, Wang Dong'er was brought back from the Star Dou Forest and handed over to Titan.
On the road back...
"Second Dad, you're not… taking me away to run from the fight, are you?"
Wang Dong'er looked at Titan with suspicion.
Titan's chest puffed up—nearly exploding with anger. He managed to suppress it:
"Do I look like the kind of coward who runs away?"
"If it weren't for some special reasons preventing me from acting freely, I'd have wiped out the Holy Spirit Church myself already!"
"I brought you back because there's something important for you to do—something good!"
"Good?" Wang Dong'er tilted her head in confusion.
Titan's expression grew serious. He nodded before asking:
"Dong'er, do you know the origin of your martial soul?"
"My martial soul's origin?" Wang Dong'er's eyes lit up. She became visibly excited.
"Is it something about my parents?"
Titan paused briefly, then shook his head.
"No."
"Oh…"
Wang Dong'er immediately deflated, her interest evaporating.
Titan really wanted to curse Tang San at that moment.
"You've pushed the kid to this point, and you're still sealing her memories?"
Seeing her fall silent, Titan took the initiative again:
"The Clear Sky Hammer is the inherited martial soul of the Clear Sky Sect—it represents your bloodline. But the Radiant Goddess Butterfly is unique to you. It wasn't inherited from your parents. Do you know why?"
Now she was intrigued.
She'd read about this in the Shrek Academy archives.
The Radiant Goddess Butterfly wasn't unique to her—others had awakened it in the history of the Douluo Continent.
"The Radiant Goddess Butterfly isn't a hereditary martial soul. It only appears in beautiful women. I awakened it because of my rare beauty—top-tier on the continent!"
As she talked about her appearance, Wang Dong'er couldn't help but glow with pride.
She added casually:
"Just like Huo Yuhao is top-tier among the men."
Titan nodded in agreement, then continued:
"But what you don't know is—this martial soul is more than a symbol of beauty. It's a qualification."
"Qualification for what?"
Wang Dong'er leaned forward, full of curiosity.
Titan responded with solemnity:
"The qualification… to become a God."
"What?!"
Wang Dong'er's beautiful eyes widened in shock.
Titan no longer held back:
"Those who awaken the Radiant Goddess Butterfly possess the right to undertake a Divine Test, and receive a God's inheritance. The reason I'm taking you back is because—our sect has found a way for you to begin the God Trials!"
(This was a lie!)
In reality, all of this came from Tang San. Titan was just relaying the message.
But both Niu Tian and Titan fully supported the idea of Wang Dong'er becoming a god.
Originally, she was supposed to regain her true identity as Tang Wutong, then enter the Divine Realm and inherit a god position.
But with the current situation on the continent changing so fast—without divine-level power, it was hard to survive, let alone win.
Titan's words left Wang Dong'er speechless with awe.
She realized she had the chance to become a god, possibly even surpass Huo Yuhao and break past level 100 before him.
She was thrilled beyond belief.
"Second Dad, let's go now! I'm ready to become a God!"
She couldn't wait any longer.
"Wipe that smile off your face and mind your image... Also, don't get cocky. You still have to pass the trial first. If you're careless, you could die."
Titan warned her like a worried father.
Wang Dong'er agreed repeatedly—though her excitement left her little room to think clearly.
Right now, all she could think about was one thing—
Becoming a God!
Holy Spirit Sect.
To be precise, it was the New Holy Spirit Sect.
The New Holy Spirit Sect was now based in the Mingdou Mountain Range, occupying most of the area and even extending its influence into the Mingdou Great Forest.
In the new headquarters, Tang Ya sat alone atop a tall tower, gazing at the sunset on the horizon, enjoying a rare moment of peace.
She wearily rubbed her temples.
This fatigued appearance was one she would never allow outsiders to see.
Because the situation of the New Holy Spirit Sect was... complicated.
Nowadays, everyone on the continent knew that it was the Holy Spirit Sect who had destroyed Shrek and thrown the continent into turmoil—it was the most powerful, most dangerous force.
But no one knew just how exhausting and perilous it was to steer this massive ship.
Even more unknown to the outside world: the Holy Spirit Sect had long since changed at its core. The three Ultimate Douluo that once made the four empires wary were now nowhere to be found.
The New Holy Spirit Sect had been formed by Tang Ya, who gathered the remnants of the old sect's evil soul masters. At first, there were just a handful of ragtag survivors.
When Tang Ya discovered that Zhongli Wu and the other two were unreachable—possibly having abandoned the sect—she sank into despair.
She planned to go into hiding, grow stronger for decades or even a century, and return only after becoming a Super Douluo.
But to her surprise, the Holy Spirit Sect's previous achievements had earned them massive notoriety, attracting a flood of evil soul masters and ambitious individuals. Even people from the four empires came to her—openly or secretly—offering their allegiance with lowered heads.
Evil soul masters from across the continent didn't want to miss this "festival of vengeance." They rallied behind the sect, eager to flip the tables on the continent's mainstream forces.
Many ambitious people and hidden factions were even willing to provide resources and support in secret.
Only then did Tang Ya realize: the outside world had no clue that Zhongli Wu, Ye Xishui, and Long Xiaoyao had disappeared.
So to everyone else, the Holy Spirit Sect was still red hot.
After a rough tally of all those seeking to join and the resources the sect had secured, Tang Ya had a bold idea—
She might as well go all out!
Borrow the tiger's skin to raise her own banner!
Use others, benefit herself!
Even without the three Ultimate Douluo, as long as the Holy Spirit Sect amassed enough mid- and lower-tier strength, it could still inflict pain on the entire continent.
Of course, Tang Ya hadn't lost her mind. Her true plan was to plunge the continent into chaos, seize her benefits amid the flames, and then flee overseas to lay low. Once she had enough power, she would return to exact her revenge.
She could play the gentleman's game too—revenge was a dish best served cold!
Yet to her shock, the Holy Spirit Sect didn't just attract small fry—some monstrous powerhouses came too.
First was the Corpse God, who chose to join and became the sect's new Grand Elder.
Then came the long-missing Duchess Xu Qiudi, who had unexpectedly become a powerful evil soul master and also took the role of Grand Elder.
Lastly, the Rakshasa God's successor, Cain, emerged and joined the sect. Though not as strong as the other two, her divine inheritance qualified her for Grand Elder status.
Besides these three Grand Elders—
There was Compassionate Demon, once wanted by Shrek Academy, who secretly joined as a high-ranking consecrator.
And he didn't come alone. He brought seven other bloodthirsty fiends with him. All eight became the Eight Great Consecrators.
Beyond manpower, Compassionate Demon also provided forbidden techniques—more dangerous evil arts that helped the sect cultivate stronger and more terrifying evil soul masters.
Using these arts and her newfound resources, Tang Ya attracted even more experts. She personally trained twelve evil soul masters—each at least at Spirit Douluo level—and appointed them as the Twelve Elders.
Even Spirit Emperors and Spirit Sages were quickly cultivated in large numbers. The cost? Nearly all her new resources were burned up, and the soul beasts of the Mingdou Mountain Range and Mingdou Great Forest were nearly driven to extinction.
As of now, when Tang Ya took stock of the sect's total strength—
She was shocked to find that the New Holy Spirit Sect had already surpassed its former peak.
However, she also knew very well—
She wasn't controlling this terrifying force anymore.
She had been swept up by it—and could no longer escape.
Anyone else might be able to flee.
But not her.
Only two fates awaited her—
Either she would perish along with the Holy Spirit Sect under the siege of Shrek and the four great empires…
Or she would lead the sect to victory, sweep across the continent, and usher in a new era for evil soul masters.
This dead-end situation filled Tang Ya with fury, sorrow, and unease.
Even if Shrek was nearly destroyed and the Holy Spirit Sect had grown stronger, Tang Ya still remained wary—
Especially of Huo Yuhao.
That Martial Soul Fusion Skill he had with Jiang Nannan—
It still haunted her.
"Maybe… Huo Yuhao is also about to touch divine-level power. Even with three Grand Elders and all the strength of the four empires, they might still not be able to stop him."
Tang Ya sighed to herself. She rose and walked to the window, staring out at the Mingdou Mountain Range.
The landscape had changed dramatically.
Now that it had become a stronghold for evil soul masters, the environment had grown increasingly hostile. Killing aura, blood stench, and death energy—all unique to evil soul masters—were transforming the land into a twisted sanctuary.
They had chosen this location for two reasons:
One, it was rich in soul beast resources.
Two, the mountain range had been the battlefield between the Star Luo and Sun-Moon Empires. Residual death and killing aura lingered, making it a natural paradise for evil cultivation.
"Huo Yuhao… Beibei… I can't escape—and neither can you!"
Tang Ya's eyes twisted into a sinister glare.
"Even if I die—
I'll make sure you learn that Tang Ya is no longer your toy, no longer your disposable pawn!"
The aura of a Titled Douluo erupted from her body.
Six black, three red—nine soul rings of ominous colors circled around her.
Countless Dark Blue Silver Grass spread out through the room like monstrous tentacles, writhing and pulsating, drenched in blood and evil.
Since she couldn't run—
She would gamble everything on survival, and she had long since prepared for this moment.
—
Within the Mingdou Mountains—
The Corpse God stood quietly in his corpse field, lips curled slightly.
"Who's pissed off our Sect Master now?"
"She's grown stronger again. With just a little more push, she'll break through to Super Douluo."
"A powerful Sect Master is a blessing for the Holy Spirit Sect. The sect will only grow stronger!"
—
Hidden in her ghostly domain, Xu Qiudi also sensed Tang Ya's explosive outburst. But her expression was complicated.
Because she saw in Tang Ya a reflection of her old self—
A joke, once manipulated by Huo Yuhao.
Yet she didn't feel sympathy. Instead, her lips curled into a mocking sneer, full of undisguised malice.
"Go mad. Fall completely. Then become like me—
The saddest existence of all!"
—
As for Cain and Compassionate Demon—
They were no longer in the Mingdou Mountains.
Cain, after officially joining the sect, returned to Huo Yuhao's divine kingdom to cultivate in seclusion.
Compassionate Demon's real body was just a clone in disguise. The other seven consecrators were actually monstrous demons in human form.
After leaving the seven demon clones to guard the sect, the real Compassionate Demon returned to the sea.
His mission was to hunt down the fugitive Ye Xishui, Long Xiaoyao, and the Demon Emperor.
He had already located the likely hiding spot of the Demon Emperor—Coral Island.
Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao's hiding places had also been mostly confirmed.
But since they had chosen exile, there was no reason for them to appear again.
The suppression of the Holy Spirit Cult isn't a one-on-one fight. It doesn't mean you can declare war in the morning and start fighting in the afternoon. It certainly doesn't mean you can just declare war and then both sides can square off.
It requires careful planning, taking every aspect into consideration.
"Leave the rest to you. I want to focus on dealing with the Holy Spirit Cult's powerful warriors!" Huo Yuhao said to Yan Shaozhe and the representatives of the four empires, then chose to observe from the sidelines.
If Huo Yuhao were really left to arrange the troops, he would always feel like he was playing chess with himself, his left and right brains battling each other.
However, the others didn't see anything wrong with Huo Yuhao's choice. Instead, they felt that Huo Yuhao had become more human.
Of course, this wasn't an insult.
Because everyone finally realized that while Huo Yuhao possessed exceptional talent and possessed the strength of the continent's strongest at a young age, he was ultimately a young man devoted to diligent cultivation, and wasn't particularly adept at deploying troops or formulating plans.
After discovering that Huo Yuhao had weaknesses, everyone felt he had become more grounded.
Furthermore, everyone considered him a leader and a force to be reckoned with.
However, Huo Yuhao had still attended the discussions regarding the arrangements between Shrek Academy and the Four Great Empires.
Knowing yourself and your enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles.
He found that the wartime thinking and strategizing of this era, while not exceptionally sophisticated, were not on par with genius strategy either.
It wasn't to the point where a strategy to cut off supplies could be considered ingenious by a group of people.
Of course, there weren't any instances of his mastermind schemes.
Huo Yuhao's assessment was that they were average. Because battles and plots on the Douluo Continent are all dependent on the power of spirit masters, only powerful spirit masters can determine the ultimate outcome of a war.
‐‐So why allow ordinary people to form an army and participate in the battles?
‐‐Of course, it's because of profit.
‐‐If the benefits of this war aren't enough to satisfy the spirit masters, even if you form a spirit master army, it's all up to the spirit masters within it to decide whether they'll pay you any attention.
‐‐A group of spirit masters risking their lives just for a few plots of land they can't use and a limited number of gold soul coins—isn't that a joke?
‐‐The profits from fighting won't even cover the army's appearance fee!
Of course, the suppression of the Holy Spirit Cult isn't simply about profit, so the costs and gains aren't considered, and even a legion of ordinary people won't be allowed to participate.
‐‐Including ordinary people would be like asking a weak woman to catch a sex maniac and just walk away.
After discussions between Yan Shaozhe and representatives from the four empires, it was finally decided that the four empires would first eliminate the evil soul masters within their own territories, then gradually encircle the Holy Spirit Church, ultimately trapping them in the Mingdou Mountains for a decisive battle.
The goal was to completely eradicate the Holy Spirit Church's legacy!
Previously, the four empires had naturally imposed restrictions on evil soul masters within their territories, but due to the oppression of the Holy Spirit Church, they had not completely annihilated them.
Now, they could finally begin to strangle all evil soul masters.
Shrek Academy's experts also dispersed to the four empires, delivering messages and providing support, but more importantly, they served as symbolic banners.
Yan Shaozhe chose to leave the academy and join in the effort.
Before leaving, he said to Huo Yuhao:
"Yuhao, with you here, the Shrek legacy lives on. And because of you, I can finally fight with peace of mind. The academy and everyone else are in your care!"
"We Shrek men have the unshirkable responsibility to annihilate the evil soul masters and maintain peace on the continent!"
Watching Yan Shaozhe depart, Huo Yuhao felt a sense of the heroic spirit of the wind whistling and the cold waters of Yishui.
Like Xu Sanshi, Yan Shaozhe's departure was driven by revenge!
Yan Shaozhe did not inform Cai Meir of his decision, nor did he take her with him, perhaps because he was prepared to never return.In a sense, Yan Shaozhe had entrusted his lover and career to Huo Yuhao.
With this, Huo Yuhao took over Shrek Academy.
He turned and returned to the academy, looking at the five new students—Fei Lingyun, Xiong Rui, Yu Lecheng, Luo Luo, and Ji Lanlan.
"Let me properly train Shrek's 'future'~"
He shouted to the five people in the academy.
"Everyone, assemble!"
"Next, physical training!"
...
When teaching these new students, Huo Yuhao didn't resort to any high-tech or hard-core techniques. Instead, he trained the five according to the teaching methods Shrek Academy had developed over ten thousand years.
Aside from the lack of a mimic training ground, all other aspects of the facility were top-notch. Even without mimicry, having Huo Yuhao, a Limit Douluo, personally coaching and training them was far more valuable than any mimicry training.
Even the princes of the empire or the young masters of powerful factions weren't worthy of constant instruction and training from a Limit Douluo.
Huo Yuhao, like a true teacher, taught the five responsibly.
As the situation on the continent began to unravel, life at Shrek, on the other hand, became more ordinary.
"A simple and ordinary life is the real life~"
After a day of teaching, Huo Yuhao sighed as he cleaned the playground.
To be honest, if he hadn't traveled to Douluo Continent, or if he hadn't traveled to become Huo Yuhao, he would have quite enjoyed his ordinary life.
However, he wanted to lie down, but the five new students in the academy, each with their own agenda, wouldn't let him just lie down.
The first person to approach Huo Yuhao was Ji Lanlan.
Ji Lanlan changed out of her training clothes, washed them, and put on a vibrant red dress. She even put on some beautiful makeup to invite Huo Yuhao.
"Senior Yuhao, shall we go for a walk in town? I heard there's a great new restaurant there."
Huo Yuhao: "No appointment~"
Ji Lanlan: "..."
Ji Lanlan was the most proactive in approaching Huo Yuhao, but she also had the most ulterior motives, as Huo Yuhao could tell at a glance that she was after his body.
Furthermore, the Sun-Moon Empire had already investigated thoroughly. Ji Lanlan was sent to Shrek Academy, partly because of her talent and partly because her family wanted to pay a large sum for a seed from Shrek.
Ji Lanlan's family wanted to acquire Shrek Academy's outstanding martial spirit bloodline.
There was no doubt that Huo Yuhao's talent, bloodline, appearance, and strength perfectly met the needs of Ji Lanlan and her family.
Ji Lanlan was about to say something, but Huo Yuhao raised his hand, tapped her brow, and said with a smile, "Let's talk later. I have things to do."
With that, Huo Yuhao left without a trace.
Ji Lanlan wasn't angry at all. Instead, she looked at him with a fascinated look.
"So handsome! So stylish! I want him so badly!"
Unfortunately, for Huo Yuhao, he could easily cultivate a cauldron of Ji Lanlan's caliber.
Her talent and destiny weren't enough to warrant special treatment from Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao returned to Yan Shaozhe's former office, picked up a novel, and leisurely began to read.
Yes, there were novels on Douluo Continent, and all kinds of them.
However, the most common were biographies of powerful figures, spirit master fantasy novels, and romance novels.
Huo Yuhao had even seen several novels about him in bookstores.
Books like "The Legend of Huo Yuhao," "Yuhao's Growth History," and "The Ice God's Biography" were all considered standard, but there were also books like "Young Yuhao," "Giant Centipede Yuhao," and "The Ice God's Love Story" that were considered illegal.
Huo Yuhao naturally confiscated them on the spot and severely criticized them!
Just as Huo Yuhao was leisurely reading, there was a knock on the office door."Is Senior Yuhao here? I'm Fei Lingyun. I need to talk to you about something."
"Come in."
Huo Yuhao set down his book and allowed Fei Lingyun to enter the office. Fei Lingyun entered politely and even closed the door behind him.
"Junior Lingyun, is there something I can help you with?" Huo Yuhao asked with a smile.
But the next second, Fei Lingyun suddenly dropped to his knees with a loud thud and kowtowed heavily.
Huo Yuhao quickly stepped aside in surprise and asked in confusion, "Junior Lingyun, what are you doing?"
"Senior Yuhao, please help me become stronger!" Fei Lingyun trembled with emotion. "I want to grow stronger—no matter the cost!"
Hearing those words, Huo Yuhao instantly felt a chill and was internally shaken.
"Could it be... he knows about my physique?"
Luckily, Fei Lingyun quickly added, "Senior Yuhao, though the academy's training conditions are great and you've helped us selflessly, I still feel I haven't reached my limit. I want even more training! If I can get stronger faster, I'm willing to try anything!"
Only then did Huo Yuhao understand.
"Oh... he means the academy's training isn't intense enough."
"Yep, this one's a true 'hardcore grinder'!"
But thinking of Fei Lingyun's family grudge, Huo Yuhao could understand his desperate drive.
Huo Yuhao responded seriously, "Junior Lingyun, you have to understand—cultivation is a gradual process. If you rush it, you'll not only fail, but damage your foundation and affect your future potential."
"But…" Fei Lingyun lifted his head in frustration, trying to argue.
"Enough!" Huo Yuhao cut him off with a scolding tone, then softened his voice. "Junior Lingyun, revenge can wait ten years. We've got your back."
"Remember, there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Other people's success is nearly impossible to replicate."
"Unless you have extraordinary talent like me, any wrong shortcut will only lead to ruin!"
Fei Lingyun didn't possess Huo Yuhao's talent or methods. If he kept pushing recklessly, he'd only end up with accumulated injuries and an early grave.
Even the legendary Shrek Seven Monsters of ten thousand years ago, despite their intense efforts, only saw moderate gains. And even then, it's debatable how far they could've gone without the help of immortal herbs.
Everyone knows how to overdraw their potential—but what happens when you've drained it all?
Early gains are easy; going far is the real challenge.
Fei Lingyun left in despair.
But as he passed by a shadowy area, a soft feminine voice called out to him from within the shade.
"Big Brother Fei, did you just go see Senior Yuhao?"
Fei Lingyun turned to see a delicate pink-haired girl stepping out from the shadows. Dressed in white, she looked as pure as a lotus flower.
"Luoluo? Ah, yes, I just went to consult with Senior Yuhao about something," Fei Lingyun replied with slight confusion, not dwelling on why Luoluo had been lurking in the shadows.
Luoluo maintained her gentle smile, tapping her fingers lightly as she gazed at him. "Is something troubling you, Big Brother Fei? Maybe I can help."
"No need. I already asked Senior Yuhao and got my answer," Fei Lingyun said gloomily.
Fei Lingyun wasn't a fool—he could tell Huo Yuhao had spoken sincerely. And as an Ultimate Douluo, Yuhao's words couldn't be wrong.
"I see… but if you're ever feeling down, you can talk to me anytime. As a support-type soul master, I don't just want to help on the battlefield. I also want to support everyone in daily life," Luoluo said warmly.
Hearing such concern warmed Fei Lingyun's heart. He managed a small smile and replied, "Thanks, Luoluo. You're a good person."
"A good person, huh? Yes… I am~" Luoluo's smile grew brighter.
…
"A good person? Yeah right—how black can one get?"
Huo Yuhao looked out toward the direction of Luoluo and Fei Lingyun, mentally ridiculing her.
Others couldn't see it, but Yuhao clearly saw the projection of Luoluo's fate: it was laced with the wicked aura only Evil Soul Masters possessed.
That hadn't always been the case. When they first met, her projection had been normal. The change happened recently.
Which meant Luoluo had begun her descent into evil after joining Shrek Academy.
Or more accurately—she was already part of the Evil Soul Masters, and only started practicing their methods after infiltrating the academy.
Worse, she now seemed to be trying to drag others down with her.
A Level-20-something support-type Evil Soul Master posed no real threat to Shrek's core strength—but if her identity was exposed at a critical moment…
The consequences could be devastating.
If the world discovered an Evil Soul Master hiding inside Shrek Academy, it would wreak havoc on the alliance between the Four Great Empires and Shrek.
And destroy what little reputation Shrek still had.
Who planted this Evil Soul Master inside Shrek Academy?
So hard to guess~
But Huo Yuhao had no plans to intervene—for now, he was even a little eager to see how it played out.
"Old Tang, your Shrek Academy really is a den of filth."
As for the other two students—Xiong Rui and Yu Lecheng—they were peacefully cultivating in their dorms.
But neither was simple.
One harbored a heart demon. The other had traces of Sea God's divine power.
Huo Yuhao was practically itching to give them both a push.
Soul Masters in the Level 20 range might be cannon fodder on the battlefield,
but in certain scenarios, they could be the perfect finishing move.
Just as Huo Yuhao was planning to introduce some "science and spicy tricks" to his students, someone else slipped into his room.
Meng Hongchen appeared, casually making herself at home as she sat right down in Huo Yuhao's lap.
Most of the Soul Douluo in the core zone had gone out. Only a few remained, and Meng Hongchen was one of them. She was still recovering and trying to condense her soul core again—she'd leave once she reached Title Douluo.
"Yuhao, did you miss me? Ever since you helped heal me last time, I've been feeling so much better. Not only is the cold poison under control, but my soul power seems to have risen a bit too."
"Are you hiding something from me?"
Meng Hongchen wrapped her arms around Yuhao's neck, staring at him suspiciously.
Ever since Yuhao broke through her final boundary, Meng Hongchen had dropped all pretenses—she was now completely addicted to him.
Now, she'd even sneaked out of the core zone to dual-queue with him again.
"What could I be hiding from you? I, Huo Yuhao, have nothing to be ashamed of! If you want, I can announce our relationship to everyone right now!" Yuhao smirked at her.
Meng Hongchen quickly shook her head in panic.
"No way! Keeping it a secret is more thrilling—and safer. If our relationship gets out, I might die a tragic death."
"You think someone would actually attack you?" Yuhao asked, surprised.
"That's a woman's intuition!" Meng Hongchen raised her smooth chin proudly.
But Yuhao's expression suddenly turned stern as he scolded, "Meng Hongchen, are you trying to sow discord within the academy? What's your real motive?"
Meng Hongchen froze, caught off guard, completely flustered.
Then Yuhao continued coldly, "With behavior like this… it seems I need to conduct a thorough investigation of you!"
"Down!"
Meng Hongchen: (ω)