Chapter 141: The Missing Huo Yuhao
As the morning sun rose, its golden light pierced through the clouds, dyeing the entire sky a brilliant orange-red.
Lin Xuan sat upright on the back of Shikigami: Nue, shuttling through the clouds at high speed. The wild wind whistled past his ears, making his robes flap loudly. Below him was a boundless sea of clouds, surging like the tide.
He leaned forward slightly, and Shikigami: Nue understood his intent, folding its wings and diving down from the clouds!
The mist swept past his eyes as the ancient and magnificent Shrek City gradually came into view.
Accompanied by a whistling Wind, Shikigami: Nue's massive body slowly landed outside Shrek's eastern city gate.
Such an occurrence caused the Shrek students entering and leaving nearby to cry out in surprise.
"What is that?!"
"What a huge bird! No, wait, what kind of Soul Beast is this?!"
Some of the first-year Outer Court students who had just enrolled this year couldn't help but step back in fear, staring blankly at Shikigami: Nue's enormous wings and the golden lightning snakes coiling around its body.
A few even more timid students thought a beast tide was coming to attack Shrek City, their faces turning pale with fright.
However, some upperclassmen soon regained their composure and told them not to be nervous.
"What's the panic? This isn't an enemy."
A young man in a purple school uniform shook his head with a smile, looking at the back of Shikigami: Nue with a hint of admiration in his eyes.
There, a figure slowly stood up.
With his back to the morning sun, the golden dawn light spread out behind Lin Xuan, reflecting him like a Divinity stepping out of myth. His black hair fluttered slightly in the morning breeze, his face handsome and his expression calm.
"So handsome..." a lower-grade girl murmured, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"Which senior is this? How come I've never seen him?"
"Senior? He doesn't look that old..."
Whispers rose and fell.
Lin Xuan leaped down from Shikigami: Nue's back, his posture as light as a feather. Simultaneously, Shikigami: Nue transformed into a shadow and silently merged into his own shadow.
He landed steadily, nodded with a smile to the nearby students as a greeting, and then stepped toward the academy.
"This senior is so handsome... Is he from the Outer Court? Why haven't I seen him?" The first-year girls whispered together, their eyes full of curiosity.
An upperclassman shook his head with a smile. "Lin Xuan isn't that old. If he hadn't skipped grades, he would still be considered my junior right now."
The first-year students looked stunned.
"A junior?!"
"Then he's currently..."
"An Inner Court Disciple." The senior looked at Lin Xuan's receding back, his tone carrying a hint of emotion.
"Lin Xuan is no ordinary person. It's normal that you don't know since you've just arrived."
He paused and added, "But in the future, you'll be hearing his name often."
Sea God Island, inside the Sea God Pavilion.
The moment Lin Xuan stepped into Shrek City, Mu En, lying on his reclining chair, abruptly opened his eyes. His cloudy old eyes flashed with sharp light, as if they could pierce through layers of walls to see everything outside the city.
Elder Song and Xuan Zi, standing quietly nearby, also sensed something. Their expressions changed drastically as they whispered in disbelief,
"This... this is the aura of Ultimate Darkness... Who is it?!"
Xuan Zi's brows furrowed. He searched through all his long memories but still couldn't think of anyone who possessed the Ultimate Darkness attribute.
Could it be Di Tian? The suspicion suddenly popped into his mind, but he immediately dismissed it.
Seeing the two like this, Mu En slowly shook his head.
He sat up slightly on his reclining chair, his aged voice calm as water. "Lin Xuan is back. Xuan Zi, go and bring him here now."
Xuan Zi and Elder Song were both startled, their eyes filled with shock. Lin Xuan is back? Doesn't that mean this aura of Ultimate Darkness originates from Lin Xuan?
Although Mu En's words implied exactly that, neither Xuan Zi nor Elder Song dared to believe it. After all, it was simply too shocking.
Not daring to delay, Xuan Zi immediately turned and left the Sea God Pavilion, heading straight for Shrek City.
Inside the Sea God Pavilion, only Elder Song and Mu En remained.
Elder Song was somewhat at a loss. She looked at Mu En and asked hesitantly, "Elder Mu, this aura of Ultimate Darkness... does it really belong to Lin Xuan?"
Mu En nodded. He turned his head to gaze at the shimmering Sea God Lake in the distance, lost in thought. After a moment, he sighed softly.
"Ultimate Darkness... Has his Body Martial Soul undergone a second awakening..."
Before long, Lin Xuan was brought into the Sea God Pavilion by Xuan Zi.
Seeing Mu En and Elder Song, Lin Xuan bowed slightly and greeted each of them.
Mu En nodded with a smile and looked Lin Xuan up and down. His gaze was gentle, yet it seemed capable of seeing through everything.
"If this old man's senses aren't mistaken, your Martial Soul now possesses the Ultimate Darkness attribute, doesn't it?"
Lin Xuan nodded and chuckled softly, "Indeed, nothing can be hidden from you, Elder."
Upon receiving Lin Xuan's affirmative answer, Elder Song and Xuan Zi were completely stunned.
"Ultimate Darkness? Are you kidding me?! If I remember correctly, this kid also possessed the Ultimate Light attribute, didn't he?"
"One person possessing two top-tier Ultimate attributes—isn't that just too heaven-defying?!"
Mu En looked at Lin Xuan, his eyes suddenly becoming a bit dazed.
"Obtaining just one Ultimate attribute meant that as long as one didn't perish halfway, they would surely become a top-tier powerhouse in the future. And among Ultimate attributes, Ultimate Light and Ultimate Darkness were rare even once in thousands of years."
"Now that Lin Xuan possesses both, even he couldn't imagine just how far this child would go in the future."
Mu En composed his thoughts and asked again, "Is it because of a second awakening of your Body Martial Soul? Silver-level?"
Lin Xuan shook his head and said softly, "It's Gold-level."
In his view, there was nothing to hide about this; saying it would only increase his own importance.
Now even Mu En fell silent, and the corners of Elder Song and Xuan Zi's eyes couldn't help but twitch.
A Gold-level second awakening of a Body Martial Soul—they knew all too well what that meant, especially since Lin Xuan had achieved it while still at the Soul King stage.
"If Du Busi found out, they were certain that as soon as Elder Mu passed away in a few years, Du Busi would immediately bring people to their doorstep to snatch him away."
"And it would absolutely be a fight to the death; he wouldn't rest until he succeeded."
Mu En looked at Lin Xuan, slowly shook his head, and after a sigh, lamented softly, "Good child, I really don't know whether I should be happy or regretful that I wasn't born in the same era as you."
He shook his head and said to Xuan Zi and Elder Song, "You two head out first. This old man wants to have a chat with Lin Xuan."
Elder Song and Xuan Zi nodded and turned to leave. Mu En then pulled Lin Xuan to sit down, chatting casually like ordinary seniors and juniors.
There was no preaching, no lecturing; they just talked about cultivation, experiences, and various trivial matters.
Lin Xuan sat to the side, just smiling quietly as he listened to the old man ramble about the past.
...
Ten minutes later, Lin Xuan left the Sea God Pavilion. Just a few steps out, he ran into an acquaintance.
The woman's slender figure was full and graceful, her black eyes bright and clear, and her temperament gentle and dignified.
Eldest Senior Sister, Zhang Lexuan.
Seeing Lin Xuan, Zhang Lexuan was momentarily stunned, then she crossed her arms and feigned displeasure.
"Finally decided to come back? Do you know how long I've been worrying because of that letter of yours? If you hadn't shown up in a few more days, I would have had to lead a team across the continent to find you."
Knowing he hadn't handled things quite right, Lin Xuan gave a sheepish smile. "It wasn't easy to get a leave of absence, so naturally, I had to enjoy myself for a few extra days."
He paused and said sincerely, "Thank you for your concern, Eldest Senior Sister."
Zhang Lexuan couldn't help but smile as she looked at him. "Alright, it's good that you're back."
She shook her head and walked side-by-side with Lin Xuan toward the shore of Sea God Lake. The morning light cast their long shadows behind them.
"Gained a lot from this trip?" Zhang Lexuan asked.
"It was alright." Lin Xuan thought for a moment. "My Martial Soul underwent its second awakening."
Zhang Lexuan's steps faltered. She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions. After a moment, she sighed softly, "You... you always move so fast. In a few more years, will I have to call you Eldest Senior Brother?"
Lin Xuan smiled. "That sounds pretty good, doesn't it?"
Hearing this, Zhang Lexuan glared at him with feigned anger. "You actually think so?"
Lin Xuan waved his hands hurriedly, though a smile remained on his face. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. I was just joking. Eldest Senior Sister will always be my Eldest Senior Sister."
"That's more like it." Zhang Lexuan huffed, but the corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily.
As the two of them chatted and laughed, they walked all the way to the shore of Sea God Lake.
The morning light fell on the shimmering surface of the lake, shattering into a dazzling gold. A gentle breeze blew against them, carrying the scent of water and greenery, lightly lifting the hems of their clothes.
Zhang Lexuan stood by the shore, her hands resting on the railing, gazing at the distant Outer Court. The sunlight fell on her face, softening her gentle features a bit more.
After a moment of silence, she seemed to suddenly remember something and said, "By the way, there's something I forgot to tell you."
"What is it?"
"While you were away these past few days, Junior Sister Ning Tian came to sit by the lake every day for a while. Right over there,"
Zhang Lexuan pointed toward a bench under a willow tree on the opposite shore. "She'd sit there for half a day without saying a word, just staring in the direction of the Inner Court."
Lin Xuan looked in the direction she pointed. The area under the willow tree was empty, with only a few benches standing there quietly.
Zhang Lexuan withdrew her hand and turned her head to look at him, a playful glint of mischief in her eyes.
"So, now that you're back, you can't just stay in the Inner Court all the time. Junior Sister Ning Tian is looking forward to your return even more than I am."
She paused, the smile on her face deepening. "Oh no, it's not just Junior Sister Ning Tian."
Lin Xuan looked at her, stuck between laughter and tears, while Zhang Lexuan wore an "I know everything" expression and winked at him.
"Alright, go on then." Zhang Lexuan turned around and began walking toward the Inner Court. After a few steps, she turned back and added,
"Don't keep people waiting too long."
In the morning light, that gentle figure gradually moved further away, leaving behind only a string of light footsteps.
Lin Xuan stood by the lake, watching her departing back with a slight smile. After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and turned to fly toward the Outer Court.
Walking along the paths of the Outer Court, the morning light filtered through the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground. As he walked, a familiar voice called out from the side.
"Lin Xuan!"
Lin Xuan turned his head and saw that the newcomers were Bei Bei and Tang Ya, whom he hadn't seen for some time.
However, Bei Bei's expression was not good; his brow was furrowed, and his face carried a hint of exhaustion.
Tang Ya, beside him, was even more listless, with obvious dark circles under her eyes. Her entire being radiated a sense of mental and physical exhaustion.
Lin Xuan frowned slightly and stepped forward. He looked at Bei Bei, then at Tang Ya, and asked in a puzzled tone,
"What's wrong with you two? You look terrible."
Bei Bei opened his mouth, hesitating to speak. Tang Ya kept her head down and said nothing, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes until her fingertips turned white.
Lin Xuan didn't press them, simply waiting quietly.
A moment later, Bei Bei took a deep breath as if he had made a decision. He looked up at Lin Xuan, his voice somewhat raspy.
"Lin Xuan, there's something... I want to ask for your help with."
Lin Xuan looked at him and then at Tang Ya, saying,
"Go on."
"It's like this..." Bei Bei had just started when Tang Ya stepped forward, interrupting him.
"Lin Xuan, Yuhao is missing!" Tang Ya's expression was filled with worry, and her voice carried a faint sob.
"Huo Yuhao is missing?" Lin Xuan was stunned. What kind of nonsense was this? Wasn't Huo Yuhao always at the academy? How could he just disappear?
"Senior Sister, don't panic. Take it slow and tell me exactly what happened."
Then, Tang Ya recounted the situation in detail.
Three days ago, she and Bei Bei finally had some free time and thought about taking Huo Yuhao to Shrek City for a stroll to relax. But when they reached Huo Yuhao's classroom, he was nowhere to be found.
"At first, I thought he had gone to cultivate or went over to the Soul Tool Department."
Tang Ya's voice was raspy, her eyes slightly red. "But I checked his dormitory, and he wasn't there. I asked at the Soul Tool Department, and they said they hadn't seen him either. We even searched all over Shrek City, but we just can't find him..."
Bei Bei stood silently to the side, his brow furrowed. He didn't speak, only gently patting Tang Ya's shoulder.
Tang Ya took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice. "Later, a second-year student said that after classes ended that afternoon, they saw Yuhao walking out of the city alone. No one has seen him since."
"Walking out of the city?" Lin Xuan's brow twitched slightly, feeling surprised.
"Yes." Tang Ya nodded, her voice trembling with a sob. "Lin Xuan, do you think something happened to him? He's out there all by himself..."
She didn't finish, but the meaning was clear. Given Huo Yuhao's strength, there were far too many dangerous places he could encounter while traveling the Douluo Continent.
Lin Xuan didn't immediately respond. How could he help? The Douluo Continent was so vast; where was he supposed to find an unremarkable, low-level Soul Master?
However, he was quite curious about Huo Yuhao's sudden departure from Shrek Academy.
Where could that kid have gone? Could it be that he felt his cultivation was hopeless and decided to head straight for Duke White Tiger to try and take down some isolated family junior with him?
Surely not? Would Huo Yuhao really dare to do that? But if not that, where else could he go?
After thinking it over, a guess suddenly surfaced in Lin Xuan's mind. He thought for a moment and said,
"Do you think it's possible that Huo Yuhao went to the Body Sect?"
Bei Bei and Tang Ya were both stunned.
"The Body Sect?" Bei Bei's brow furrowed even tighter. "You mean... he went looking for the Body Sect?"
"It's just a guess." Lin Xuan shook his head.
"After all, his Martial Soul is his eyes—a genuine Body Martial Soul. Plus, with the huge commotion the Body Sect made when they attacked Shrek because of me, there's no way he doesn't know about them."
He didn't state it as a certainty, but anyone could hear the implication.
Tang Ya was dazed, her expression shifting from anxiety to blankness, then gradually into something unidentifiable. She opened her mouth to say something but couldn't find the words.
Bei Bei was silent for a moment, his voice sounding a bit dry. "Are you saying he felt there was no hope for him at Shrek, so he wanted to go to the Body Sect?"
Lin Xuan didn't answer, just looked at him. Bei Bei lowered his gaze and stopped talking.
Tang Ya stood there, her fingers unconsciously twisting her hem, her eyes red, yet she didn't know what to say.
She knew Lin Xuan's guess was highly likely. Huo Yuhao had indeed mentioned a few times that the Body Sect had great insights into cultivating Body Martial Souls and treated Body Martial Soul users very well. She had dismissed it as casual talk at the time and hadn't thought much of it.
After all, besides being a student of Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao was also a disciple of their Tang Sect—a direct disciple who had learned the Tang Sect's secret techniques and the Mysterious Heaven Skill.
One could drop out of Shrek Academy at any time and join any other academy, but a Sect was different. Once one joined another Sect without permission, it was indisputable desertion.
"Senior Sister, don't worry too much." Lin Xuan looked at Tang Ya's distraught state and softened his tone slightly.
"If he really went to the Body Sect, he'll at least be safe. The Body Sect has always treated Body Martial Soul users as their own. As for his identity as a Tang Sect disciple... that depends on your own thoughts. It's not my place to say much."
"Senior Sister, don't worry too much." Lin Xuan looked at Tang Ya's distraught state and softened his tone slightly.
"If he really went to the Body Sect, he'll at least be safe. The Body Sect has always treated Body Martial Soul users as their own. As for his identity as a Tang Sect disciple... that depends on your own thoughts. It's not my place to say much."
Tang Ya looked up, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
"Then... will he still come back?"
"Who knows?" Lin Xuan shrugged. "Maybe Huo Yuhao is thinking he's just going to the Body Sect to learn and use their resources to improve himself, while in his heart he still firmly believes he's a disciple of the Tang Sect?"
After saying this, Lin Xuan couldn't help but want to laugh.'Serving in Cao's camp while heart is with Han'? Don't make me laugh. Desertion is desertion; no matter how much you say, you can't change that naked fact.
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