Just as Huo Yuhao had expected, the current power of Shrek's Sea God Pavilion, combined with the already semi-neutral Long Xiaoyao, was enough to jointly pressure the Holy Ghost Cult into returning the Saintess, Ma Xiaotao.
In the original novel, even though Mu En knew Ma Xiaotao had been abducted by the Holy Ghost Cult, Shrek at that time had already brainwashed a future pillar of prodigy like Huo Yuhao. Mu En had also reached the end of his lifespan. Weighing the pros and cons, he did not forcefully demand the Holy Ghost Cult return Ma Xiaotao.
After all, an uncontrollable Evil Fire Phoenix was far less important than Huo Yuhao with his twin martial souls and Ultimate Ice.
Conversely, for the current Holy Ghost Cult, the same logic applied.
After all, right now, Huo Yuhao had not yet appeared in the public eye.
Huo Yuhao watched as Ma Xiaotao was led away, finally letting out a long sigh of relief in his heart. With Ma Xiaotao in the Holy Ghost Cult, it was absolutely impossible for him to protect her at his current level.
Rather than being defiled by these evil soul masters of the Holy Ghost Cult, it was better to first send her back to that hypocritical organization, Shrek.
Ma Xiaotao, we will meet again on another day.
On the same day, Huo Yuhao was also brought before the Grand Supreme Cult Master, Ye Xishui.
Just as described in the original novel, deeply influenced by resentful spirits, the Death God Douluo Ye Xishui's emotions were extremely unstable. She merely expressed her satisfaction with Huo Yuhao's talent.
In contrast, Huo Yuhao could detect a faint killing intent in Long Xiaoyao's eyes.
That's right. A Holy Son of the Holy Ghost Cult who has committed such sins, once he achieves godhood in the future, will surely poison the continent.
It was only because Ye Xishui was present that Long Xiaoyao couldn't do anything to Huo Yuhao. Ye Xishui also understood Long Xiaoyao's little thoughts. She just hastily praised Huo Yuhao and then had him taken away.
Well now, the situation has reversed. Now it's Ye Xishui who wants to protect me, while a righteous character from the original novel like Long Xiaoyao wants to get rid of me as soon as possible.
But at least for now, with Ye Xishui around, she could temporarily restrain Long Xiaoyao, giving Huo Yuhao time to develop.
Huo Yuhao himself also understood that his existence as the Holy Son would sooner or later be secretly revealed to Shrek by Long Xiaoyao. He didn't have much time left to grow.
The next day, Zhongli Wu was to return to the Sun Moon Empire to handle some matters. Zhongli Yu, who had been designated as Huo Yuhao's future partner, would be responsible for his physical training.
In the depths of the Holy Spirit Hall, there was a naturally formed hot spring. The Holy Ghost Cult had washed and soaked countless human and soul beast remains in it, turning it into a disgusting blood pool.
Looking at the boiling blood pool before him, the thick, fishy smell made Huo Yuhao's stomach churn. This blood pool contained not only the resentment of innocent commoners but also the residual consciousness of soul beasts slaughtered by the Holy Ghost Cult.
Huo Yuhao practically clung to Zhongli Yu's back, feigning a frightened look. Compared to the nauseating stench of the blood pool, the feminine fragrance on Zhongli Yu's body seemed all the more precious.
"Sister Saintess, can I not go down?" Huo Yuhao directly wrapped his arms around Zhongli Yu's slender waist, just short of attaching himself to her like an octopus.
Zhongli Yu couldn't help but find Huo Yuhao's act amusing. This kid clearly had a lecherous, enjoying expression, yet he could speak in such a worried and fearful tone.
She pushed Huo Yuhao away in annoyance. "This is the only place in our cult for forging the body and refining the soul. The blood essence of the soul beasts can not only strengthen your physique, but their residual resentment can also consolidate your spiritual sea by impacting your mind!"
"I won't! I'd rather train my body with Sister Saintess! I'd do it until my waist breaks!" Huo Yuhao said stubbornly.
Until his waist breaks? Zhongli Yu quickly reacted. She had still underestimated the extent of this lecher's obsession with beauty. She didn't say any more. Condensing her soul power, she pointed a finger, and the clothes on Huo Yuhao's body tore to shreds.
"Ah——" Huo Yuhao hurriedly covered his lower body and let out a sharp cry, making the elders who were in seclusion in the distance reveal looks of confusion.
"Get down there," Zhongli Yu felt that if she let Huo Yuhao continue his ruckus any longer, she would be the first to be angered to death by him. As she spoke, she grabbed Huo Yuhao by the neck like a chicken waiting to be slaughtered and threw him into the boiling blood pool.
Huo Yuhao was thrown into the blood pool, flailing his arms and legs. The moment he entered, the pungent, fishy smell rushed straight to his head. Ignoring the damage to his image, Huo Yuhao used all his strength to leap out and then began to vomit violently.
No matter what, he, Huo Yuhao, was a transmigrator. Even if Bibi Dong had tried her best to explain the benefits of this blood pool, he still couldn't accept this method of soul refining.
If you don't believe me, try throwing a normal modern person into a blood pool full of wild beast remains!
This was one of the few points where the transmigrated Huo Yuhao was inferior to the original. After all, the original, who craved strength, had a superhuman tolerance for the pain of cultivation. This could be glimpsed from when he entered the Land of Extreme North to absorb the Ice Empress's soul bone.
"How about... we have them change it for you?" Even Bibi Dong had underestimated Huo Yuhao's resistance to this kind of scene and couldn't help but soften her tone.
"Change it, change it! I really can't do this one," Huo Yuhao roared in his mind while violently spewing out the contents of his stomach.
That night, Zhongli Wu, who had returned from the Sun Moon Empire, heard about Huo Yuhao entering the blood pool from his granddaughter, and the expression on his face became quite spectacular.
You must know, he had spent a considerable amount of capital to specially prepare this blood pool for Huo Yuhao. He had even poured in a large vat of his own Bone Dragon blood essence, which he himself was reluctant to use.
Beside him, Zhongli Yu was also speechless. Even with her status, she had not been qualified to enjoy the blood pool in her early years.
"Yu'er, tomorrow you take him down with you. If he is repulsed by the smell of the blood pool, you use your soul power to block his sense of smell," Zhongli Wu pondered for a moment and gave Zhongli Yu an order, adding, "In short... whatever you do, don't let him puke in it!"
"Yes, Grandfather."
And so, the next day, Zhongli Yu appeared in Huo Yuhao's room on time again.
"I'm not going! Don't drag me!" The pale-faced Huo Yuhao roared in anger and shrank under his blanket.
"..." Zhongli Yu was so angry she laughed. She stripped Huo Yuhao naked and carried him out, bound by her soul power.
Soon, the two of them once again arrived at Huo Yuhao's place of torment. Huo Yuhao had made up his mind. The moment Zhongli Yu released the soul power restriction on him, he would turn tail and run.
Unexpectedly, this time Zhongli Yu did not throw him in directly. Instead, she held him in her arms, blocked the external smell with her soul power, and as the clothes on both of them shattered simultaneously, they stepped into the blood pool together.
Huo Yuhao felt as if his entire person had fallen into a land of softness and smoothness, and for a moment, he was at a loss.
Bibi Dong, who had been paying attention to the outside situation, also subconsciously shut off her spiritual perception. Ahem, see no evil.
The moment they entered the blood pool, a pain of alternating scorching heat and freezing cold swept through his entire body. Just as Huo Yuhao was about to struggle, he was forcibly held in Zhongli Yu's embrace, getting a face full of milk, unable to move.
After a long while, Huo Yuhao once again sprayed violently, but this time, it was not from his mouth, but from his nostrils...
Ultimately, desire triumphed over will. Huo Yuhao was in pain, but also in bliss...
From then on, Zhongli Yu's daily cultivation also included an extra item: accompanying Huo Yuhao into the blood pool for body forging.
After all, given Huo Yuhao's level of repulsion to the smell of the blood pool, he would never go alone even if it killed him.
When Zhongli Yu was away on other important matters, the ones responsible for taking Huo Yuhao to the blood pool for body forging were the twin maids, Feifei and Yingying. They both possessed the strength of the Soul Ancestor level, so escorting a Huo Yuhao who had not yet obtained a soul ring was naturally not a problem.
Of course, the effect these two maids had on Huo Yuhao was far less than that of Zhongli Yu. One could only say their appeal was not strong enough. This made the two little maids, who had been assigned by Zhongli Wu as Huo Yuhao's future concubines, look rather resentful.
Huo Yuhao's days in the Holy Ghost Cult were thus spent day by day in fragrant warmth and soft jade.
Regarding Huo Yuhao's indulgence in this land of softness, although Zhongli Wu was helpless, it was fortunate that it was his own granddaughter who could tie down the heart of this prodigy, Huo Yuhao, so it didn't matter much.
About half a year passed, and Huo Yuhao's spiritual cultivation broke through, reaching the Spirit Domain realm. He was also the only Soul Scholar in history to possess Spirit Domain realm spiritual power.
Yes, in the past six months, no matter how many soul beasts with excellent compatibility Zhongli Wu had arranged for Huo Yuhao, they were all rejected by him using the Rakshasa divine power guided by Bibi Dong in his spiritual sea.
Zhongli Wu didn't know the reason and could only follow the arrangements of the inheritance.
Soon, another six months passed. Huo Yuhao continued to immerse himself in the land of softness, undergoing blood-soul body forging day after day.
One year's time brought Huo Yuhao a heaven-and-earth-shaking transformation.