"I feel like I'm piling up more and more favors..."
Huo Yuhao shifted his body, soaking his nose in the hot water, thinking this as he blew bubbles.
The treatment the Star Emperor Hotel provided for these high-ranking VIP rooms for the participating team members was indeed excellent. For example, everyone on the Shrek side had a single room, and each room was fully equipped with a bathroom and a very comfortable bathtub.
Huo Yuhao closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and sank his body into the hot water in a reclining position. It felt truly comfortable, though after a while, it became a bit hard to breathe.
When Huo Yuhao opened his eyes, he stood up from the tub, grabbed his storage belt hanging on the hook, and took out the items he had picked up at the auction.
Although there was a Shrek match tomorrow, it was only the round-robin stage. Huo Yuhao saw no need to participate; if Bei Bei and the others couldn't even win this, they might as well just go home.
There were two boxes: one contained the antique storage gold coin, and the other contained the Life Gold, also known as the Spirit-Devouring Craving Knife.
Huo Yuhao picked up the antique gold coin and examined it. It was clear that the Douluo Continent must have once had a period where the technology of Soul Tools flourished; for instance, the soul formation on this coin was vastly different from the current ones from the Sun Moon Empire.
As for why it eventually vanished... he likely had to send his regards to that second-generation Sea God, or perhaps even earlier deities.
"No rush for this, I'll study it later..." Thinking this, Huo Yuhao put the antique gold coin back into his storage belt and took out the notoriously malevolent Spirit-Devouring Craving Knife.
Yes, Huo Yuhao just held it in his hand.
The ominous reputation of this thing was no joke. It didn't feel like a small carving knife; it felt like an endless black hole. An aura of extreme cold, accompanied by a terrifyingly vicious energy, drilled toward his body and his Sea of Consciousness.
An ordinary person's mind would have been eroded by this evil aura long ago, but this time, the person was a bit unusual.
"Ignorance truly is bliss..." With that thought, a current of alternating gold and black air rose around Huo Yuhao. His entire temperament changed instantly; his originally fair skin turned pale and bloodless, and his hair turned black and grew long, trailing from the back of his head down to his waist.
His third Martial Soul: the Holy Demon Angel.
His slender fingers gripping the Spirit-Devouring Craving Knife began to exert force. A purple-black current began to envelop the knife. The Spirit-Devouring Craving Knife seemed to have encountered its natural enemy, as shrill, miserable cries and buzzing sounds continuously emanated from the blade.
Huo Yuhao gave a cold laugh. "So, you know how to be afraid?" He then increased the pressure.
Why did this Spirit-Devouring Craving Knife devour its masters? Why had it killed thirty-seven masters in a row?
Because its first master, that genius Evil Soul Master—who was also a Rank 9 Soul Engineer—had placed a fragment of his soul upon this blade and applied an evil curse that would lead people toward darkness.
But with Huo Yuhao, this wouldn't happen. Not only because he had inherited the legacy of Electrolux, the Necromantic Holy Magic God, but more importantly, his third Martial Soul, the Holy Demon Angel, also possessed the Ultimate Darkness!
In other words, this saber was just a "lesser evil" facing a "greater evil."
Huo Yuhao had no interest in purifying this Evil Soul Master's remnant soul. He wanted to use the Ultimate Darkness and the abilities of the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor Soul Spirit to devour this soul fragment and learn the residual knowledge regarding Soul Tools left within it.
The human heart has good and evil, but knowledge does not. Most importantly, Huo Yuhao really wanted to see how people three thousand years ago perceived a Rank 9 Soul Engineer.
The process was brief. The black mist on the Spirit-Devouring Craving Knife condensed into a hideous face in the air, letting out a roar that seemed capable of disturbing one's mind.
Huo Yuhao tilted his head with interest, observing this dark face huffing at him.
"You even refined your own soul fragment into a vengeful spirit... I suppose you only survived until now by relying on the powerful life force within the Life Gold."
"Regardless... please exit the stage."
A somewhat transparent dark-green spider suddenly appeared beneath Huo Yuhao's feet. With a single pounce, it swallowed the vengeful spirit. The spider swayed its body somewhat smugly before returning to Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness.
Huo Yuhao closed his eyes, mobilized his mental power, and carefully "read" the knowledge stored within that Rank 9 Soul Engineer's soul.
Meanwhile, the physical body of the Spirit-Devouring Craving Knife transformed from its original pitch-black into a cyan crystal-like existence, emitting a clear, water-like green light without a single impurity.
The learning of a Rank 9 Soul Engineer could certainly be described as immense. Moreover, this Soul Engineer was a recognized genius in history. Even if he was an Evil Soul Master, his whimsical ideas regarding Soul Tools were extremely useful to Huo Yuhao.
Thus, Huo Yuhao stood there until dawn before reluctantly opening his eyes.
He sorted through his somewhat swollen brain, lay back into the now-cooled bathtub, and looked at the Spirit-Devouring Craving Knife in his hand with a bit more warmth. "I have truly... learned much, Senior Rognuo."
Just as Huo Yuhao had predicted, the memories of this spirit contained everything from Rank 6 to Rank 9 Soul Tools, and in great detail. It could be said that Huo Yuhao no longer needed to go to the Illustrious Virtue Hall to learn; as long as his cultivation was sufficient, he could attempt to manufacture Rank 9 Soul Tools himself.
But knowing the knowledge wasn't enough; one had to be able to execute it.
No wonder people say technological advancement relies on archaeology; who would have thought this person's way of thinking was so far ahead of its time?
This Evil Soul Master and Rank 9 Soul Engineer was named Rognuo. In reality, he had a very high chance of becoming the first Rank 10 Soul Engineer.
But the actions of an Evil Soul Master eventually met with retribution, causing him to be struck down by the Shrek Inspection Squad just as he saw the hope of success.
His final research project in his later years was actually to place his soul consciousness into a Soul Tool, turning it into a "Life-Bound Soul Tool" that could be nurtured within the body. He called it the "Natal Soul Tool."
Because he discovered that no matter how he adjusted the structure of a Rank 9 Soul Tool or how finely he carved the core formation, the upper limit seemed locked at Rank 9, unable to break through to Rank 10.
Finally, he understood: it was because the quality of the materials couldn't make the cut. The rare metals that could be found currently could not withstand the impact of a Rank 10 Soul Engineer—that is, the soul power of a Super Douluo or higher.
To this end, he performed many experiments, capturing many people to split their souls and then fusing the souls with Soul Tools, using the soul master's flesh and blood to nurture the quality of the tool.
Of course, he also experimented with his own soul, cutting it into many pieces. Had it not been for the Life Gold he accidentally obtained to nourish his body, he would have died long ago.
This man was a ruthless character... but Huo Yuhao felt there was no need to use such methods to improve the quality of Soul Tools.
For instance, the [Douluo World] terminal given to him by Baili Du seemed to be a type of Soul Tool, but its quality definitely exceeded Rank 10, and it likely hadn't been nurtured with blood essence.
Regarding materials, he had found some information when soul-searching Lan Xuanyu earlier; it seemed to involve a technique called "forging" to sublimate the quality of metals.
There was no rush for this; he would do it once he had completely settled down.
As for now...
Huo Yuhao pulled out the piece of Life Gold he had obtained from the Golden Tortoise from his Sea of Consciousness, adding it to the carving knife version of Life Gold he currently held.
The power of Ultimate Light was released. Driven by Huo Yuhao's soul power and amidst streaks of emerald light filled with life force, the two pieces of Life Gold slowly deformed and merged.
Light is naturally the best catalyst for life. The two pieces of Life Gold soon completed their fusion, turning into a small sword the size of a flying dagger.
Gently reaching out to hold this small sword, the dense life force emanating from it made Huo Yuhao tremble slightly.
Huo Yuhao had experienced the "cleansing of marrow and tempering of bone" from Life Gold before, but this time he had the luck to experience it again, and to a degree that far exceeded the first time. This majestic life energy actually stimulated his blood essence power to further strengthen.
Huo Yuhao slowly closed his eyes, carefully sensing his changes.
...
"What are you doing?! Let me go! I am a teacher of Shrek, you cannot do this to me!"
Zhou Yi was being dragged by two burly Soul Saint men toward the execution platform in the center of the city square. Her human skin mask had long since fallen off during the scuffle, revealing her original young and beautiful appearance.
But her panicked voice and the distortion and fear in her expression ruined her beauty completely.
The surrounding area was packed with students, parents, family elders, and stewards. Among them were many students Zhou Yi had taught before, but not a single student looked at her with even a hint of teacher-student affection; there was only the pleasure of seeing a great grudge avenged.
"I have served Shrek! I have bled for Shrek! You can't do this to me! Aaaaaah..."
As Zhou Yi was pressed onto that massive guillotine, she screamed incoherently, her hair disheveled and her body shaking.
She knew the academy higher-ups were serious this time...
She had been arrested a week ago. The people who came were the two vice-presidents of the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Tool Department, the two Super Douluos, Qian Duoduo and Cai Meier.
The two of them had immediately thrown the witness testimonies and physical evidence in Zhou Yi's face, then crippled her soul power and Martial Soul, imprisoning her in Shrek's underground dungeon.
Expelling students every few days and over-punishing them, combined with harsh physical training that caused students to develop hidden ailments—countless students and parents had come to complain about her.
Many students hated her to the bone; some were even willing to go bankrupt just to buy her limbs...
Zhou Yi knew very well what she had done. But all of it had been forcibly suppressed by Fan Yu using his authority. She had continued her ways, torturing and expelling students as she pleased to boost her own "promotion rate."
It could be said that during Zhou Yi's tenure as a "famous teacher," she had offended almost every family or power she could possibly offend. It was only out of fear of Shrek's prestige that these powers didn't act; plus, whenever a holiday came, Zhou Yi stayed inside Shrek City and never went out, giving them no opportunity. Otherwise, she would have been chopped into mincemeat long ago.
Although Mu En lay in front of the freshman dormitory all day soaking up the sun, the powerful perception of a Limit Douluo allowed him to clearly sense everything happening within Shrek Academy.
He naturally knew what Zhou Yi was doing, but Mu En could not act casually.
The Martial Soul Department was full of officials protecting one another; pulling one out would bring up the mud. The Soul Tool Department still needed Fan Yu, a genius Rank 8 Soul Engineer. Thus, Mu En could temporarily tolerate her—after all, to Shrek Academy, expelling a few students was no big deal.
It wasn't until Xuan Zi led the team and frequent accidents occurred, nearly ending a generation of Inner Court disciples, and the hearts of Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao seemed to no longer be with Shrek, that Mu En truly felt that if Shrek didn't reform, it would really be finished.
But this kind of "scraping the bone to treat the poison" self-rescue was risky. One mistake could shake Shrek's true foundation.
Was there deeper corruption? Yes, certainly, and quite a lot. For instance, Mu En didn't even know how many people Fan Yu had bribed, nor did he know if his own four disciples had received gifts they shouldn't have.
Therefore, executing Zhou Yi was a warning to those behind the scenes—killing the chicken to scare the monkeys—to be honest from now on.
"Dean Qian, Dean Qian, I beg of you, please let Zhou Yi go. She... her crimes don't warrant death!"
In a corner below the stands, Fan Yu knelt at Qian Duoduo's feet, kowtowing desperately, crying until his face was covered in tears.
Although Zhou Yi had done many wrong things, they were husband and wife after all!
But Mu En had made up his mind to reform this time, so naturally, he didn't let him off. Fan Yu had also been removed from his post for investigation, his soul power sealed, awaiting judgment.
The people he had bribed before, such as the Outer Court Department Head Du Weilun, the Dean of the Martial Soul Department's Inner Court Yan Shaozhe, and others, none of them appeared this time. Not a single person came to help him.
The fact that he could even appear here was an act of extra-legal mercy, to see his wife one last time; no one would stop him.
Qian Duoduo sighed and shook his head, helping Fan Yu up. "Fan Yu, you should understand just how big of a mistake your Zhou Yi made. You've covered for her enough in the past; you've fulfilled your duty..."
"Old Mu's determination is very firm this time. Not only is Elder Xuan in solitary confinement, but even Yan Shaozhe has been removed from his post... even if you beg me, I am powerless..."
Sitting in a wheelchair on the rostrum, Mu En remained expressionless, but his powerful Limit Douluo cultivation allowed him to hear clearly the words Qian Duoduo had deliberately used soul power to seal within the surrounding space.
Mu En let out a heavy breath through his nose and closed his eyes.
While they spoke, the judge, Shrek City Lord Shi Xing, had finished reading Zhou Yi's list of crimes and announced the execution.
Fan Yu cried out and crawled forward, "No... don't..."
The massive blade fell...
Clean and efficient, cut in two. Even Louis XVI would have found it impressive.
Zhou Yi's head rolled down, her face still seeming to carry an unerasable resentment.
Fan Yu knew he was finished too.
"Aaaaaah!"
The sound did not come from Fan Yu, but from the audience below the stands—the students who had once been persecuted by Zhou Yi and their elders.
They swarmed forward, pushing aside the guards.
Biting with Martial Souls, hacking with knives, smashing with hammers... they used every method imaginable to perform a brutal dismemberment of this "famous teacher," Zhou Yi.