The midday banquet was a resounding success—guests and hosts alike reveling in warmth and camaraderie.
During the feast, Ning Bowen learned from Ning Tian and Chen Junting about their nearly year-long journey at Shrek Academy. When he heard that Ning Tian had been calling Mu En—the legendary Sea God Pavilion Elder—"Old Dorm Manager," his lips twitched upward… then he quickly forced his smile back down.
He sternly warned the trio: "Treat that 'dorm manager' with the utmost respect. Never show him the slightest disrespect."
After the meal, once Huo Yuhao and the others were settled into guest quarters, Chen Junting and Ning Tian sought out Sect Master Ning Bowen, along with Grand Elders Ye Xuanji and Zhi Yong.
They revealed everything—truthfully—about Dugu Xin's gift of the ancient map.
Thus, in the Sect Master's private chamber—
"Is this truly the map marking the location of the Beautiful Silk Tulip?" Ning Bowen asked, snatching the scroll from Chen Junting's hands and unrolling it with trembling eagerness. His eyes blazed with fervent hope.
Beautiful Silk Tulip—the legendary Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda—this was the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's ultimate dream.
For ten thousand years, they had searched in vain. Only their ancestor Ning Rongrong had ever possessed it.
And now… the dream seemed within reach.
As Ning Bowen, Ye Xuanji, and Zhi Yong huddled over the map, their faces alight with anticipation, only Chen Junting and Ning Tian remained calm—they'd already known.
"Here…" Ning Bowen's brow furrowed. All three elders recognized the location instantly: Sunset Forest—once a thriving soul beast habitat, now a desolate wasteland of toxic miasma.
Long ago, Sunset Forest had degenerated into a poison-choked ruin. Today, only its outer fringes harbored decade- or century-level soul beasts; the inner sanctum was abandoned.
"Junting," Ye Xuanji said slowly, "are you certain the treasure lies in Sunset Forest?"
Chen Junting spread his hands. "Master, the map says so—not me." He added pointedly, "But I'll remind you: in Ning Rongrong's memoirs, it's recorded that before Tang San retrieved the immortal herbs, he stayed with Poison Douluo Dugu Bo. And Dugu Xin… is Dugu Bo's descendant."
"That checks out," Ye Xuanji murmured, nodding thoughtfully.
Before Zhi Yong could speak, Ning Bowen rapped the table sharply. "Sunset Forest didn't decay naturally. Someone deliberately turned it into a poison zone—to hide the treasure."
"A hidden power is at work," Zhi Yong said, eyes narrowing with lethal intent—though he quickly reined it in. After all, any entity occupying that land for millennia would've evolved into a 100,000-year soul beast… or worse.
This immortal herb wouldn't be easily claimed.
'Unless the occupier is weaker than us…' Zhi Yong thought grimly. 'Then I won't hesitate to slaughter them all.'
"Regardless," Ning Bowen declared with iron resolve, "we're going."
His ambition ran deeper than restoring the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda—he dreamed of producing a god from their sect once more.
In his eyes, his daughter and future son-in-law surpassed even the legendary Shrek Seven Monsters of ten thousand years ago.
If they could achieve godhood… so could Ning Tian and Chen Junting.
His gaze traced the map: marked zones of miasma, a valley blanketed in Jade Phosphor Seven Absolute Flowers—even Nine Absolute variants—and a faint, multi-layered path drawn in varying ink shades, clearly added across generations.
"This path…"
"Uncle Ning," Chen Junting explained, "this path was forged by Dugu Xin's ancestors. Each walked it in their final moments—before the poison consumed them—mapping the way with their dying breaths."
He added, "According to Dugu Xin, no outside force occupies the site. Otherwise, his clan wouldn't have risked repeated expeditions over ten thousand years."
Ning Bowen visibly relaxed.
Unclaimed territory—perfect.
"Uncle Ye," he ordered, "summon all Grand Elders back immediately. We depart together."
"Yes." Ye Xuanji vanished in a blur.
"Zhi Shu," Ning Bowen turned, "go to the Soul Engineering Institute. Tell them we urgently need ice-attribute soul engineering devices—mobilize existing stock, manufacture more if needed. Quantity is critical."
True to his name—Bo Wen, "Vast Knowledge"—Ning Bowen knew the Jade Phosphor Flowers' venom was the continent's most corrosive and neurotoxic. But he also knew their weakness: the cold.
His preparations were flawless.
"Yes," Zhi Yong acknowledged—and stepped out.
Just then, his voice echoed from the corridor:
"Huo Yuhao? What are you doing here?"
Huo Yuhao's nervous reply followed: "Elder Zhi Yong, I'm here to see the Sect Master."
Ning Bowen exchanged glances with Chen Junting and Ning Tian—both equally puzzled.
"Yuhao, come in."
Outside, Zhi Yong gave Huo Yuhao an encouraging nod. "The Sect Master called you—go ahead. And since you've joined our sect and earned his trust, relax. You've got this."
As Zhi Yong left, Huo Yuhao sighed in relief—then grumbled inwardly:
'Tianmeng, why did you suddenly cut our mental link? That's so unbrotherly!'
"Can't blame me, kid," Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's sheepish voice replied in his mind. "That guy's strength rivals the Titan Snow Demon King!"
"Who's the Titan Snow Demon King?"
"One of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North! But that's not the point!" Tianmeng urged. "Hurry—do what we planned! My poor Bing Bing won't hold out much longer!"
"Tianmeng… are you sure this'll work?"
Huo Yuhao entered the chamber, heart pounding.
Back at Shrek, he and Tianmeng had planned to awaken his second martial soul. But joining the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect meant he couldn't slip away alone during the holiday.
Tianmeng panicked—and under Huo Yuhao's questioning, confessed the truth.
Furious at first—betrayed by a trusted friend—Huo Yuhao eventually forgave him after Tianmeng's desperate oaths. Together, they devised a plan: confess part of the truth to gain the sect's support.
Their scheme:
Once in the Far North, they'd use Tianmeng's power to vanish hundreds of miles from their escorting Title Douluo, lure out Ice Empress, and execute their plan.
Success? Glory.
Failure? Tianmeng would trap the Ice Empress in his molted shell, buying time for escape—and the sect's rescue.
If no rescue came…
Well, bad luck.
Hence, this moment.
"You have an unawakened second martial soul!?" Ning Bowen stared, stunned, glancing at Chen Junting and Ning Tian.
What kind of fortune is this? Two twin martial soul prodigies in one generation!
Chen Junting feigned sudden realization. "So you're the ice-attribute soul master Ma Xiaotao mentioned! Yuhao, you've been holding out on us."
Inwardly, he wondered: 'I thought he'd sneak off alone to get his Ice Empress Emperor Scorpion martial soul. Why volunteer this? What's his real play?'
Huo Yuhao bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry, Uncle Ning. My ice martial soul wasn't fully awakened before—it was unusable. But now… my instincts scream that if I don't awaken it soon, catastrophe looms. I need the sect's help."
Chen Junting waved off his guilt. "Enough, Yuhao. Just tell us—what's the awakening condition?"
Huo Yuhao explained: his second martial soul would manifest as whatever soul beast he absorbed for his first soul ring.
"A martial soul that mirrors your first soul ring's soul beast?" Ning Bowen and Ning Tian exchanged baffled looks. Such a mutation was unheard of—even in ancient texts.
But Ning Bowen, ever generous, declared: "Name the soul beast. The sect will buy it."
Huo Yuhao scratched his head sheepishly. "Uncle Ning… I wish to hunt an Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion in the Far North myself—to gain the Ultimate Ice Attribute. So… it's not something we can buy."
Ning Bowen's eyes widened. Ultimate Ice!? This boy's ambition stunned him. Yet… it was the optimal path.
He studied Huo Yuhao intently. 'If not for the immortal herb's promise—which could grant Junting and Xiao Tian a godhood foundation rivaling the Shrek Seven Monsters—this boy might become our sect's greatest ever.'
But he didn't dwell on it. "Since you seek the Ice Scorpion, the sect will send a Grand Elder to escort you to the Far North." He paused, dashing Huo Yuhao's rising hope. "But you'll need to wait a few days. The sect has urgent matters first."
"No problem at all! Thank you, Uncle Ning!" Huo Yuhao beamed. A promise was enough.
After Huo Yuhao left, Ning Bowen chuckled. "Seems Yuhao has secrets too."
"Everyone has secrets," Chen Junting agreed calmly.
"Oh?" Ning Bowen's interest piqued. "So… do you have secrets you're hiding from us?"
Ning Tian shot Chen Junting a playful, curious look. "Brother Junting… you've been keeping things from me?"
"Xiao Tian, that act's a bit overdone," Chen Junting teased, ruffling her hair. Then, he summoned his Seven Killings Sword. "Uncle Ning, this is my second reason for coming."
The blade traced luminous arcs in the air. Complex runes coalesced into a shimmering net—forming a translucent array disc.
Compared to his near-failure in the dorm, this array—crafted after his breakthrough to Soul Ancestor—was stable, precise.
Ambient energy surged, thickening the air.
"What is this—!?" Ning Bowen gasped, mind racing through a dozen applications in an instant.
Chen Junting stood with sword sheathed, letting Ning Tian cling to his arm in delight. A confident smile graced his lips.
"This is my creation—inspired by core soul engineering arrays. I call it… Formations."
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