MTLNOVEL Chapter 163: Half And Half
"One hand can block it! One hand can block it! One hand can block it!!!" Ye Yulin roared, "What are soul tools? What am I? A joke! All of it's a joke!!!"
Unifying the continent?
Shocking Shrek Academy?
All of it's a joke!
In the face of such overwhelming power, what right did insignificant people like them have to resist?
Was this all a dream? Or perhaps, was this a hallucination before death? Was he a god?
He couldn't tell—truly couldn't tell anymore!
Driven mad, Ye Yulin actually deactivated his soul tool barrier, exposing himself to the domain of the Vast Sea, waiting to be crushed.
It wasn't that Ye Yulin had a weak mind—it was that the continuous brushes with death had pushed this elderly man to the brink of madness.
What he was bearing wasn't just the soul power pressure and domain suppression from the true body's clone—there was also the oppressive will emanating from that clone.
When facing a being of immense power, just looking at them could mentally shatter you. This was the pressure of pure will.
And because Huo Yuhao had devoured the fortune of the Mingde Hall and broken past a boundary, the clone—synchronized in strength with Huo Yuhao's true body—exuded a will so immense it surpassed what any mortal could endure. It dealt a fatal blow to Ye Yulin's mind.
In truth, had Ye Yulin arrived at the battlefield without personally experiencing everything beforehand, he might've first analyzed the clone's possible weaknesses, then gone all-in with an attack.
Instead, he surrendered outright.
Fortunately, the Sun Moon Empire wasn't placing all its hopes on Ye Yulin.
Just as he deactivated his soul barrier, a blood-colored figure flickered behind him, grabbed him, and vanished in the blink of an eye.
In mere moments, Ye Yulin was rescued.
The intervention was swift and sudden, but the clone saw it clearly: the figure was undoubtedly Ye Xishui.
The Holy Spirit Cult had ambushed the Mingde Hall, and Ye Xishui had saved Ye Yulin.
Interesting.
The dynamics within the Holy Spirit Cult were quite... entertaining—everyone playing their own game.
The clone brought his palms together again, preparing to attack and finally capture Ye Xishui.
During their last test of strength, he hadn't fully mastered his power and hadn't gone all out. But this time, he intended to show Ye Xishui what it meant to face the tides of the Vast Sea.
Just then, however, large numbers of soul masters and soul engineers began attacking from all directions. From outside the Royal Soul Engineering Academy of the Sun Moon Empire, they locked onto the clone—though none dared get too close.
They were nobles and officials of the city, deans and powerhouses from major academies, and the remaining military forces of the capital. They had brought the city's soul masters and engineers and surrounded the clone from a distance. With a glance, the clone estimated at least ten thousand present—and more rushing in from afar.
The entire capital's "bears" had come to besiege the clone?
In truth, these gathered soul masters and engineers weren't necessarily here out of loyalty—they simply had no other choice.
If the capital was massacred tonight, they and their families wouldn't escape death either. Even if they somehow fled, they'd become fugitives in a world that wanted them dead.
The Third Prince might one day rebuild the empire with his legions, but the original Three Kingdoms of Douluo would not let this chance slip by. They would surely invade the Sun Moon Empire. Then it would be internal strife and foreign enemies—the empire could truly be wiped off the map.
No one could guarantee their own survival or protect their interests. It was better to act now, follow the empire's will, and concentrate all strength to challenge this overwhelming clone.
The clone narrowed his eyes.
Kill them all.
Fortunately, Huo Yuhao finally sent a new command.
Huo Yuhao: "Kill half. Spare half."
Ye Xishui had fled toward the palace. She was likely hiding there now. Tomorrow, they would capture her.
But the Sun Moon Empire could not be destroyed yet. Its national fortune was still too strong. If the capital were wiped out, the empire would fall, and the resulting backlash would affect Huo Yuhao's fate and destiny.
The Third Prince could be allowed to slowly consolidate power.
At most five years, at least one year—and the empire's fortune would belong entirely to Huo Yuhao.
Hearing the command, the clone made a decision. The method he had prepared to use on Ye Xishui, he now directed at the soul masters and engineers around him.
His twin soul bone-augmented arms pressed together, then slowly opened. The Vast Sea Domain compressed rapidly until it shrank to the size of a fist and hovered between his palms, glowing with a dense oceanic brilliance.
Then, a beam of light shot out from the condensed domain, sweeping across one side of the encirclement. In an instant, the light disappeared, and the domain dissipated.
Vast Sea Domain: Divine Light of the Sea!
The next second, all those touched by the beam exploded where they stood—transformed into sprays of blood.
"Ah!!!"
"No!!!"
"How is this possible!!!"
"He's a demon—a demon!!!"
"God!!!"
The survivors screamed, overcome with fear. Some turned and fled without daring to look back.
The clone lowered his hands, his body floating higher into the sky. He looked down at the terrified capital and murmured:
"Boring. I'm leaving."
With that, he ascended further, eventually vanishing into the pitch-black night sky.
Only the terrified capital of Mingdu was left behind.
In the royal palace.
Kong Deming stared toward the Royal Soul Engineering Academy, his eyes wide in shock. "What kind of power was that?"
"That... was not a power of this world," Ye Xishui appeared behind him and answered solemnly.
Ye Yulin had been sent for treatment. His injuries would heal—but his broken spirit? That would be far harder to mend.
"You mean…" Kong Deming thought of something and widened his eyes slightly. He had heard legends from Shrek Academy about gods.
"That's right. I've personally felt it—and barely escaped with my life," Ye Xishui said, revealing her experience, her stunning face now filled with deep gravity.
Kong Deming was silent for a long time.
Both knew: no matter what happened now, the Sun Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult must unite—even if the cult had just invaded the Mingde Hall.
Because in the face of such overwhelming might, no single force could stand alone. If the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold.
Especially since that being had already revealed hostility toward them.
But neither were indecisive.
Kong Deming immediately said, "I will send word for the Third Prince to return with the army—and begin discussions to make the Holy Spirit Cult the state religion of the Sun Moon Empire."
"Then I shall return to the Holy Spirit Cult and await the good news," Ye Xishui nodded.
And then disappeared.
Kong Deming sighed and left to clean up the mess of the night.
He couldn't understand what sins the empire had committed to deserve so many calamities. If this night's crisis wasn't handled well, the capital could fall into great upheaval.
Calling the Third Prince to return would also help stabilize the situation—and more importantly, the imperial line needed a new sovereign.
Why Kong Deming, and not the Emperor himself?
Because the Emperor had collapsed in the Mingde Hall's destruction, vomiting blood and falling unconscious.
According to the imperial doctor Douluo, whether the Emperor would ever awaken again… was unknown.
After tonight, forget attacking the original Three Kingdoms—even defending the Sun Moon Empire might become a pipe dream.
Kong Deming knew about the weapons vault beneath Mingde Hall. That, too, was gone now.
Jing Hongchen and the others didn't bother blocking the tunnel's exit, because in their eyes, the Holy Spirit Sect's party had surely been annihilated by the mysterious powerhouse. No one else should emerge from the tunnel after them.
Besides, they had no energy left to think about such things.
After exiting the tunnel, they hurriedly returned toward the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy to assess the situation and support the empire.
As it turned out, they arrived just a moment too late and missed the devastating blow of the true body's clone — the Sea God's Light. They narrowly escaped with their lives.
However, they didn't feel relief — only boundless fear, horror, and grief.
That night, countless soul engineers were driven mad from terror.
The true body clone hadn't just destroyed Mingde Hall — it shattered the entire Sun Moon Empire's belief in and confidence toward soul engineers.
Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya didn't participate in this chaos.
When they emerged from the tunnel, no one was there. Guided by Tang Ya, they avoided the base and, taking advantage of the turmoil in Mingdu, successfully reached another secure safe house belonging to the Holy Spirit Sect.
There were still some medicinal supplies there to help Tang Ya recover her injuries and soul power.
This safe house was a small courtyard on the outskirts of Mingdu. Since the city had no walls, it was easy to escape from, and its unremarkable appearance meant it wouldn't arouse suspicion.
Huo Yuhao wasn't injured. He simply dusted himself off, changed into a light-blue casual outfit, and stood in the courtyard with hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the night sky.
The moon hadn't set, and the sun hadn't yet risen.
In his eyes, Mingdu's fate was surging. The old dragon was dying, and the new one was rising.
The city was in total chaos, but this courtyard was peaceful.
Tang Ya had freshened up and taken healing pills to restore herself before walking out to join Huo Yuhao.
Though he didn't turn his head, Huo Yuhao saw everything through his spiritual detection.
Tang Ya had let down her long hair and wore a sheer blue-black gown that accentuated her graceful figure. Though not revealing, the material was so thin that even a bit of light could outline the body beneath.
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), it was still night, the moonlight was dim, and no soul lights were lit in the courtyard.
Interestingly, she hadn't removed the disguise on her face — but the illusion she chose was still alluring. Combined with the gown, she was extremely seductive.
If you said this outfit wasn't suggestive, even a dog wouldn't believe you.
"Brother Hao, she's totally seducing you!"
Tianmeng Iceworm shouted from Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea, egging him on. "You should just go for it!"
But Huo Yuhao stayed calm.
"Relax, Brother Tianmeng. No need to rush. You know me — I can't betray Brother Beibei. I have to ask him first."
Tianmeng Iceworm: "Huh? That's something you ask about?"
At this point, Tang Ya came up beside Huo Yuhao, her beautiful eyes quickly scanning him. Her eyes sparkled slightly.
She noticed he wasn't injured — and this was also the first time she'd seen him in casual clothes instead of his usual ice armor. He still wore the ice mask, though.
Thinking back to the time she had spied on his real face, she had to admit — he was a rare beauty of a man, with a cold arrogance that stirred a woman's desire to conquer him.
Many women wanted to be the warmth to melt that icicle — just for the satisfaction of it.
Seeing him dressed like this, Tang Ya wondered: had he let his guard down around her?
Was he hinting at something in return — to win her trust?
Because of Shrek Academy behind him, Tang Ya could never help but be suspicious of Huo Yuhao — and had never let go of her hostility toward him.
"Thank you for saving my life, Lord Armor. I have nothing with which to repay you. But if you just say the word, I'll give you anything I have,"
Tang Ya said softly, her body leaning slightly toward him — implying she herself was part of the "repayment."
Yet Huo Yuhao didn't even turn his head.
"Just don't forget the reward you promised me. And now that I saved your life — that'll cost extra."
"W-Well… About the reward — I'll have to wait until I'm back at the Sect to handle that. As for saving my life… My life is cheap. It's not worth much. So all I can offer you in return is everything I have — privately."
Tang Ya sounded delicate and pitiful.
"Oh? Is that right, 'Saintess'?"
Huo Yuhao finally turned to face her, mocking disdain in his eyes as he exposed her identity. "That Titled Douluo protecting you called you that, didn't he?"
Tang Ya froze. The softness vanished from her face. She straightened up, her demeanor turning icy and proud, and she smirked.
"So you heard that? Yes, I am the Holy Spirit Sect's Saintess."
"I didn't mean to lie to you. I only hid my identity because I wanted to get closer to you without barriers. But you're so dull — just exposed me outright. If I'd kept lying, you'd have mocked me, wouldn't you?"
Huo Yuhao snorted, looked away, and resumed gazing at the sky — as if she was beneath his notice.
"I don't care who you are. Just pay what you owe."
Tang Ya: "..."
Last time she was this speechless… was the last time she spoke to him.
Fortunately, Tang Ya had met plenty of strange people. She now suspected Huo Yuhao was using reverse psychology — acting indifferent to make her lean closer and spill information about the Sect and Beibei.
Why not use that?
"Lord Armor, what really surprised me is how you survived that battle unscathed — and even managed to save me. I was right about you. Your strength far exceeds everyone's expectations."
Tang Ya's smile grew more radiant.
She had fully recovered her composure. The earlier flirty tactics and ideas were completely set aside. She had returned to being the scheming Blue Silver Saintess.
She knew the night's failed plan would shake her status in the Sect. With the elders dead, she'd lost most of her support and resources.
But there was still a chance — and she could use Huo Yuhao.
"What do you mean? Just say it."
Huo Yuhao asked bluntly.
"Join the Holy Spirit Sect. Be my right hand. Help me seize control of the Sect. If I become the next Sect Master, you'll be second only to me — above all others!"
Tang Ya said earnestly, eyes sincere.
"Heh. Control the Sect? Second to one? What about Beibei and those other Super Douluo?"
Huo Yuhao sneered, clearly unimpressed.
"You don't understand the Sect's inner workings. Let me explain."
Tang Ya began spinning her tale.
"The titles of Saint and Saintess — we're both successors to the Sect Master. Right now, it's just the two of us. So really, we're rivals."
"Within the Holy Spirit Sect — elders, consecrated ones, ordinary followers — in the end, they all serve the Sect Master!"
Tang Ya was good at making promises. If the Holy Spirit Cult's leader truly had such strong control over the cult, Zhongli Wu would have soared long ago.
The elders might still obey Zhongli Wu's commands, but the consecrated ones only followed Long Xiaoyao's orders.
As for the Chief Consecrate Long Xiaoyao and the Supreme Elder Ye Xishui, Zhongli Wu couldn't control them at all. Yet they represented and held the strongest combat power of the Holy Spirit Cult.
Even so, in response to Tang Ya's attempt to recruit him, Huo Yuhao didn't immediately refuse. Instead, he said, "I'll need to go back and think about it."
"We await your good news," Tang Ya replied with a smile. She knew the claim of "thinking it over" was just an excuse—what he really meant was he needed to consult the people of Shrek Academy.
But Tang Ya was confident that the people at Shrek would urge Huo Yuhao to take the risk. After all, no matter how talented he was, his status couldn't compare with Beibei's, could it?
This was something Tang Ya understood very well.
At Shrek Academy, righteousness or evil wasn't the deciding factor—status and talent were.
Once Huo Yuhao joined her faction, she planned to take him back to the Holy Spirit Cult and use his power to seize the "inheritance" of the five deceased elders.
This would indeed expose the Holy Spirit Cult to Shrek Academy—but so what? If the two powers clashed, that would be an even bigger opportunity.
Moreover, once Huo Yuhao joined the Holy Spirit Cult, he would no longer control his own fate. The cult had no shortage of methods to corrupt someone's spirit and plunge their martial soul into darkness.
Once he was in the Holy Spirit Cult, as the Blue Silver Saintess, Tang Ya had a hundred ways to manipulate Huo Yuhao!
Huo Yuhao didn't stay long after that. Even though Tang Ya tried to flirtatiously keep him around, he coldly rejected her and left without looking back.
As she watched him go, Tang Ya's expression turned cold, her mind already turning toward the challenges ahead.
The heavy casualties of this mission were partly her fault. But with the others dead, Beibei wouldn't be able to say much, and no one would know the full story.
Her punishment wouldn't be too severe.
What's more, as long as she brought back the humanoid soul tool, she might not be punished at all—perhaps even earn merit for her contribution.
Given the Holy Spirit Cult's heavy losses, she might be cultivated further as the Saintess—to grow faster, fill the void of fallen powerhouses, and stabilize the believers.
In that case, her status, resources, and authority would all increase.
And dealing with Huo Yuhao would be much easier.
Thinking through all this, a slight smile played on Tang Ya's lips.
The only things she would have to give up were the Xishui Alliance and the Elegant Pavilion. She definitely wouldn't dare go back. But she could spread word for her loyal followers still stationed there to evacuate with their resources.
As for herself, she had a legitimate identity in Mingdu. It wasn't high status, but enough to avoid suspicion.
She could wait another day for Huo Yuhao's answer.
"Armor Emperor is not a lecherous creep—much better than Xu Sanshi," Tang Ya commented about Huo Yuhao at last.
If Xu Sanshi had come undercover, even if he said "no," he'd definitely try to take advantage.
If Huo Yuhao had been like that, Tang Ya wouldn't have let it slide—she would've used some harsh methods to keep him in line.
Feeling pleased, Tang Ya prepared to return to rest.
What she didn't notice was that a wisp of pitch-black will had quietly wrapped around a strand of her hair and was slowly invading her mind.
Huo Yuhao had become increasingly skilled in wielding the aura of Demonic Descent upon the World. Naturally, he wouldn't let Tang Ya off. In her dreams, she would be continually haunted by demonic thoughts.
Huo Yuhao found a nearby underground tunnel and slipped inside, retreating to their base.
On the way, his mutated Frost Centipede martial soul returned.
The smaller Frost Centipede climbed up his pant leg and eventually merged into the martial soul imprint in the palm of his hand.
Indeed, Huo Yuhao hadn't retracted his Ice Armor—he had sent out his Frost Centipede for a mission.
Its goal was to consume the buried Mingde Hall completely, and bring back both the Myriad Soul Banner and the Evil God Spear.
Now that it was back inside his martial soul imprint, the Frost Centipede began digesting the devoured Mingde Hall—something that would take some time.
At the base.
Xian Lin'er and Zhang Lexuan were anxiously waiting.
Xian Lin'er was extremely worried, and even Zhang Lexuan found it hard to remain calm.
They didn't want Beibei to be unrecovered and for Huo Yuhao to be lost in the process.
At the moment, the area around the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy had been completely sealed off—they couldn't get close. If they forced their way in, they would be doomed too.
All they could do was return and wait for news.
Still, they both had a bad feeling.
They had seen the abilities of the true body clone. The number of soul masters and engineers who died that night was unknown. Even Super Douluos were killed easily. Mingde Hall was completely destroyed—how could Huo Yuhao have survived?
"If I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have let Yuhao go," Xian Lin'er lamented. "If something happens to him, how will I explain it to the academy and the teachers?"
"Dean Xian, this all started because of me. If something happens to Yuhao—" Zhang Lexuan paused, then gathered her resolve and continued, "—I will…"
At that moment, Huo Yuhao's voice came from outside.
"Senior Sister, I'm back!"
"Yuhao!"
Xian Lin'er and Zhang Lexuan were overjoyed. They rushed out of the room and saw Huo Yuhao, safe and sound.
Excited and overjoyed, Zhang Lexuan's eyes even turned slightly red. Overwhelmed with emotion, she suddenly threw her arms around him.
This shocked Xian Lin'er, who froze, then showed a complicated expression.
"I hope Lexuan's just emotional," she thought. "Maybe I'm overthinking it."
After all, Zhang Lexuan was Beibei's betrothed. If she got involved with Huo Yuhao… it would be quite the scandal. And Huo Yuhao already had a girlfriend!
While students could simply enjoy their romances, someone like Xian Lin'er—the warrior of pure love—had a lot more to consider.
Huo Yuhao was caught off guard by Zhang Lexuan's sudden embrace, but quickly softened. He gently returned the hug, patting her back and comforting her, "Senior Sister, I'm back. I'm fine."
"Yuhao, I'm so glad you're safe." Xian Lin'er stepped forward. Her words brought Zhang Lexuan back to her senses. She released Huo Yuhao and returned to her usual cold demeanor.
Suppressing her emotions at this point served as the perfect disguise—nothing seemed out of place.
The four maids who witnessed the scene from the shadows were all unhappy with Xian Lin'er. Why did she have to interrupt such a warm moment between the Saintess and Huo Yuhao? If they'd let it go on, maybe someday they could all bathe together?
Xian Lin'er noticed that Zhang Lexuan could express emotions now, and curiously asked, "Lexuan, your emotions?"
"After much effort, I've recently made a breakthrough. I can express some emotions now," Zhang Lexuan replied calmly.
Huo Yuhao tried to act calm, but only Zhang Lexuan could see through his composure. Xian Lin'er didn't think too much of it.
Once all three returned to their rooms, they began discussing the events of the night.
Xian Lin'er and Zhang Lexuan were extremely curious about how Huo Yuhao had survived.
And Huo Yuhao also needed to tell them about Tang Ya's invitation—so they could decide what to do next.
After telling Zhang Lexuan and Xian Lin'er about Tang Ya's invitation, both women found themselves caught in a dilemma. On one hand, they saw hope in retrieving Bei Bei; on the other, they were concerned for Huo Yuhao's safety. At this point, they both strongly opposed the idea of Huo Yuhao taking any unnecessary risks.
If Mu En were still alive, Xian Lin'er might have encouraged Huo Yuhao to attempt the mission. But now that Mu En had passed away, Shrek Academy could no longer afford to lose Huo Yuhao.
As for Zhang Lexuan, her concerns were more personal. After the terrifying events of the night, she was even more unwilling to see anything happen to Huo Yuhao. These conflicting feelings left her deeply conflicted and emotionally tangled.
However, for Huo Yuhao, going to the Holy Spirit Sect was a necessity.
"I'm willing to try. I'll infiltrate the Holy Spirit Sect and find a way to rescue Brother Bei Bei," Huo Yuhao said earnestly. Before Xian Lin'er and Zhang Lexuan could object, he continued, "Tonight, the Holy Spirit Sect suffered heavy losses—not only did they lose a number of Soul Douluo-level elites, they also lost five Titled Douluo elders and two Super Douluo worshippers."
"This significantly weakens their strength. If I join them now, I'll be more likely to gain their trust. Staying close to Tang Ya will also make it easier to locate Brother Bei Bei."
How else could he manipulate the Holy Spirit Sect's destiny?
Huo Yuhao was very curious about the secrets hidden within the Holy Spirit Sect.
In the original novel, the sect's headquarters were destroyed by a Grade Nine stationary soul cannon shell, and its remaining forces were eventually wiped out. There were no detailed descriptions of what secrets lay inside.
Fiction can't be fully trusted, but it can offer some insight. From the various methods the Holy Spirit Sect displayed in the original series—and the powers Huo Yuhao had personally witnessed—it stirred a strong sense of intrigue in him.
He didn't believe the outside world was entirely devoid of technology or evolution. For the Holy Spirit Sect to develop such means from scratch, they must have had some references.
And the answers lay hidden within.
Huo Yuhao's sincere expression and words left Xian Lin'er and Zhang Lexuan unable to fully deny his decision, though they also didn't explicitly agree.
In the end, Xian Lin'er said she needed time to consider it before making a decision.
She didn't linger and soon left to find Fan Yu and the others. Mingdu was in chaos, and despite the protection offered by the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, she still felt uneasy. Her own strength would provide the most reassurance.
Besides, she needed to inform Fan Yu that Huo Yuhao was safe.
Zhang Lexuan also left after urging Huo Yuhao to rest well. This time, she personally kept the four maidservants from disturbing him.
She believed that after such a close brush with death, Huo Yuhao must be exhausted. It was better not to let those maids continue draining him.
But truthfully, Huo Yuhao didn't feel tired at all—on the contrary, he felt better than ever.
After devouring the full destiny of Mingde Hall, Huo Yuhao had finally taken the next big step—breaking into the quasi-god realm, on par with a divine officer!
While his mage realm hadn't advanced, his soul master level had surged past level 100—equivalent to a one-ring divine officer.
But Huo Yuhao didn't display his newfound power. He had a hunch that showing strength beyond that of an Ultimate Douluo might alert the gods—and draw attention from that one.
This trump card would only be revealed at the most critical moment for maximum impact.
Besides, this power still wasn't enough.
In addition to destiny, Huo Yuhao had also gained an immense amount of souls and blood essence—from the elders and worshippers of the Holy Spirit Sect, the Royal Soul Engineer Legion, and many of the attacking soul masters and soul engineers.
It was a massive harvest.
The souls were sent into the Myriad Soul Banner, where the core souls managed the rest—categorizing and allocating suitable ones to the Soul Ring World, while others rested in a communal space.
With this, Huo Yuhao now essentially had a team of soul engineer ghosts. As long as he provided them with enough materials, they could continually produce soul tools without rest.
"But it's a shame I don't need those soul tools. Still, I now have access to the military arsenal beneath Mingde Hall—containing three of this world's most powerful Grade Nine stationary soul cannon shells."
"Even if I don't use them, I can still have the ghost soul engineers continue their research. With enough time, they might develop soul tools capable of slaying gods."
"By combining soul tool forging with magical artifact crafting principles, they may even progress more smoothly and avoid detours," Huo Yuhao mused.
Of course, this was just a side project.
No matter what, Huo Yuhao would prioritize his own cultivation over soul tool research.
Still, having the ghost engineers work on it wasn't a waste. Even failed products could be fed to his Ice Variant Centipede Martial Soul for digestion and absorption.
As for the blood essence, most of it was absorbed and stored by the Evil God Spear.
Meanwhile, rare metals and the main structure of Mingde Hall were absorbed by the Ice Variant Centipede Martial Soul, enhancing its body—and possibly granting special abilities from the infused metals.
After sorting through his gains, Huo Yuhao leaned back on the bed, fully relaxed.
He poured himself a glass of tiger blood from Dai Haoyao, savoring the taste while feeling his White Tiger bloodline slowly strengthen.
Then, he began thinking about what to do next.
Joining the Holy Spirit Sect meant he and Tang Ya would be leaving Mingdu for a while, so certain matters needed arranging.
There were three main things:
First, the Lotus Heart Demon could temporarily be guarded by a clone and begin hunting within Mingdu or other parts of the continent.
Second, the three Dragon Princesses. The third prince would return soon, and they could rely on him for resources. Shangguan Wei'er, being ambitious, could even become an asset to the third prince.
Third, the Sun-Moon Imperial Harem—this could wait until the third prince entered the palace. Huo Yuhao's access would become much easier then.
"But I should have the clone escort Shangguan Wei'er, the dragon princesses, and the Lotus Heart Demon out of Ghost Street. That place is finished. Someone has to take the blame for what happened," Huo Yuhao murmured.
And Ghost Street was the perfect scapegoat. The Xishui Alliance couldn't survive this. As for the Pingfan Alliance, it might be reborn under a new name and location.
A new leader would be needed too—Shangguan Wei'er had already betrayed them, and her identity would be exposed.
So, evacuation was critical.
"Oh, right—there's Nana, still undercover in the Pingfan Alliance. I almost forgot. Better send her to the third prince's manor. She's still too weak—not worthy of being harvested yet."
Huo Yuhao chuckled, drained his glass of blood, and closed his eyes.
His soul entered the Myriad Soul Banner for spiritual relaxation.
Tonight's slaughter—though much of it was done by his clone—left his soul tainted with a trace of ferocity, which was detrimental to his state of mind.
He needed to cleanse it.
He entered the natural realm of the sixth soul ring, bathing in the aura of the Blue Silver Emperor to wash away the violent intent.
The Blue Silver Emperor, now in female form, promptly appeared with respect. She sensibly wove a blue-silver rocking chair for Huo Yuhao to recline on.
Then, after a moment's hesitation, she bowed low and parted her red lips.
"Hiss~"
Huo Yuhao was stunned. Since when did the Blue Silver Emperor know how to do this? As he looked down and met her eyes, he realized—
She was eager to improve!
She must've misunderstood Huo Yuhao's nature, assuming he liked this kind of thing. But was Brother Hao really that kind of person?
He shook his head, then summoned the souls of Wang Qiu'er and Zi Ji to his side.
A single blade of silver grass? Not enough to quell the fire.
Huo Yuhao: "Look at that, getting so impatient again!"
To make cream puffs using the Blue Silver Emperor, one must first add Abyssal Demon Dragon's Yin Water, then bake them with the flames of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
By the time the sun was high in the sky, Huo Yuhao finally finished his teaching duties and exited the natural realm of the Sixth Soul Ring.
He left behind the three women who were still lost in reminiscence.
However, before that, Huo Yuhao had also passed by the icy world of the Fifth Soul Ring—Snow Empress and Ice Empress's domain, filled with souls of ice-attributed soul beasts, completely engulfed in snow and frost.
At the center of this realm stood a massive frost castle, identical to the one Snow Empress had once lived in.
It wasn't something Huo Yuhao had recreated—it had emerged directly from the deepest part of Snow Empress's memory.
Inside the castle's main hall, Snow Empress sat expressionless on a magnificent frost throne, exuding the cold dignity of an ice queen.
Beside her stood the Ice Empress, resembling a loyal guard.
Upon closer inspection, both of their eyes were void of any light—identical to the controlled Zi Ji.
They simply remained there, unmoving as if frozen in time, unchanged.
Huo Yuhao merely glanced at them before turning to leave. Since they were already in his grasp, he could take his time dealing with them.
He had other matters to attend to today—no need to rush.
…
Huo Yuhao stepped out of the room, stretching like someone who had just woken from a deep sleep.
All the spiritual aggression had vanished from him, and the infusion of life force and natural essence had left him feeling mentally refreshed.
His body had completely recovered as well.
Then, he met the reproachful gazes of the four maidservants.
Empty mouths meant crying hearts.
But crying leads to drinking—so they say.
Huo Yuhao offered a sheepish smile to the four maids.
Only then did they forgive him. Still, their eyes seemed to warn him clearly: he owed them something—he'd better pay it back next time!
The table was already set, and Huo Yuhao sat down to eat with Zhang Lexuan and the four maids.
Zhang Lexuan treated the maids kindly—everyone could eat together.
Six people sat around a small round table, which made it a bit cramped, with arms almost brushing against each other.
But they had just started eating when Huo Yuhao's expression suddenly shifted—he felt a small foot teasing him under the table.
Above the table, the five women all remained calm, quietly eating without a word.
The atmosphere was oddly silent—none betrayed the prankster.
A tablecloth concealed the scene below, so it appeared the others didn't notice.
And Huo Yuhao didn't ruin the mood by using Spiritual Detection.
But it didn't stop there. A second foot joined, then a third… a fourth…
And then a particularly bold one began helping "Little Yuhao" in a rather clumsy manner.
Wait. One, two, three, four… five?
Huo Yuhao silently kept eating.
Life truly was full of surprises.
After the meal—
Huo Yuhao left, hunched over, looking quite embarrassed.
The four maids, cleaning up the table, exchanged knowing glances and smiled—since the table was so small, they had naturally felt each other's antics.
Yet all four had acted in perfect sync, doing no more than to tease and ignite Huo Yuhao's desire.
Zhang Lexuan also returned to her room, changed her socks, and headed out to investigate something.
…
Near the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Nana received a secret message from Huo Yuhao. He informed her to leave the Ordinary Alliance and undertake a new mission under the Third Prince's faction.
Currently, Nana was housed with other academy students in a designated safe zone arranged by the empire.
In reality, this was both a protection and a form of control.
Nana lacked background. Despite her talent and reputation in the academy, she lived in a tent among regular students without any special treatment.
When she received the message, she was sitting on a small stool, gnawing on dry rations and sipping water. She marveled at her master's ability while accepting the mission without hesitation.
She would never refuse Huo Yuhao's tasks—for he, as the Death Envoy, had returned her parents' souls and even restored their nearly shattered spirits. They now accompanied her once again.
The grace of saving her parents—Nana would never forget.
Of course, the White Lotus Cult's techniques had also earned her unwavering loyalty.
Leaving the Ordinary Alliance was easy—she just had to stop using her identity and appearance from that faction.
Nana had infiltrated the alliance not by selling herself, but by assuming a fake identity and subtly using soul-controlling techniques to gain trust. She had joined them as a soul engineer.
While the Ordinary Alliance dealt in flesh trade, it wasn't limited to that—they also cultivated their own soul engineers.
Previously, Nana had used her position to gather intel on the alliance leader, Shangguan Weier. But before she could dig deep, Weier had delivered herself straight to Huo Yuhao.
To avoid getting caught up in the aftermath, Nana had to pull out—thus came her new assignment.
"But what identity should I use to enter the Third Prince's faction?" Nana pondered.
Just then, someone approached her.
"You're Junior Nana, right?"
A pleasant voice cut into her thoughts. She looked up, stunned, then quickly rose to greet the speaker. "You're… Senior Ju Zi?"
Indeed, it was Ju Zi who approached her. Though she seemed to be just passing by.
But was she really?
Nana knew who Ju Zi was. The conflict between the Crown Prince and Third Prince had once flared up over her, making Ju Zi a hot topic in the academy. With her beauty and talent, she was unforgettable.
If not for her low-key nature, Ju Zi would've been a campus star long ago.
What's more, Nana had received intelligence from the Death Envoy that Ju Zi was affiliated with the Crown Prince and was anything but simple. The intel even marked her with a red exclamation mark—high priority target.
So, despite Ju Zi's seemingly innocent demeanor, Nana remained highly alert.
"Senior, is there something you need from me?" Nana asked, confused.
"No need to be so formal. I was just passing by and saw you—just got curious," Ju Zi replied with a friendly smile. "I didn't disturb you, did I?"
"No, not at all." Nana quickly waved her hands, then asked, "Senior, you know who I am?"
"As a seeded student of the academy, of course I do. I saw your file when I was with the teacher—ah! Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. The academy hasn't made it public yet." Ju Zi quickly covered her mouth, pretending to have slipped up, looking adorably flustered.
Nana grew more alert inside but maintained a surprised and bashful facade. "Seeded student? Me?"
"I didn't say anything! You didn't hear it from me!" Ju Zi panicked and ran off.
Watching her leave, Nana frowned slightly. "What did she mean by that? Is this some scheme by the Crown Prince's faction? I have to report this to Master."
The Death Envoy had taken Nana as a disciple, so she privately called him "Master."
Meanwhile, out of Nana's sight, Ju Zi shed her ditzy act and returned to her composed self, though her brows were still furrowed.
"That Nana girl… seems a little wary of me. But why?"
Ju Zi had sought Nana to test the waters—hoping to recruit her.
With Xu Tianran missing and likely dead, and the recent chaos worsening her fears, Ju Zi had no intention of abandoning her quest for revenge.
Even if she was the last one standing, she would continue to pursue vengeance against the Star Luo Empire.
Besides, the recent turmoil had helped her, through the Crown Prince's power, build her own team. She now needed more talented individuals.
Nana was one such target.
She had once also set her eyes on the underworld figure "Armor King," but never got the chance.
Now, having tried to approach Nana and sensing her guardedness, Ju Zi grew suspicious.
"Could she know something? Seems like I'll have to probe deeper."
Last night, before leaving, Xian Lin'er arranged to meet Huo Yuhao outside the city today—naturally to engage in deeper communication with him. After all, the time last night was too short for Huo Yuhao to truly demonstrate his full abilities.
The topic of discussion, of course, was—whether or not to join the Holy Spirit Cult.
Using the underground tunnels, Huo Yuhao left Mingdu and headed toward the agreed meeting spot.
On the way, he casually sent a message to Nana.
With his Spiritual Detection ability, all Huo Yuhao had to do was find Nana's presence and establish a spiritual connection—his voice would then directly sound in Nana's mind.
Of course, if Nana wanted to contact the Death God Envoy or Huo Yuhao, it wasn't that easy—she would need to use reserved channels to transmit a message.
While using his spiritual power to search for Nana, Huo Yuhao also swept through the current state of Mingdu. The city was now half-covered in mourning garb—a clear indication of the heavy casualties from the previous night, which had impacted a majority of the families in the city.
From last night onward, Mingdu had been placed under strict martial law.
Military legions had been returning to the city one after another, bolstering its defenses, while elders from the Worship Hall patrolled the skies. The overwhelming pressure made it so intense that people barely dared to breathe.
Mingdu had never seen public order this "good."
Even the most arrogant nobles and even members of the royal family dared not act out of line at this moment.
Because the likely outcome would be the "disappearance" of their entire families.
But none of this concerned Huo Yuhao anymore.
No matter how tightly guarded the Sun Moon Empire was, he could still come and go via the underground passages. What looked like an impenetrable fortress had already been thoroughly scouted and dissected by Huo Yuhao inside and out.
As for Shangguan Wei'er of Ghost Street and the Dragon Maidens of the Heavenly Dragon, he left them to his main body clone to deal with. He was confident that no one—not even Ye Xishui or Long Xiaoyao combined—could stop his true self.
After leaving Mingdu, Huo Yuhao arrived in the wilderness, where someone had already been waiting for a while—it was none other than Xian Lin'er.
Thanks to the tunnels, it wasn't hard for Xian Lin'er to leave Mingdu either. And now, as long as the people from Shrek Academy didn't cause trouble, the Sun Moon Empire didn't have the resources to monitor or target them. In fact, they would be grateful if Shrek didn't stir up more chaos.
Today, Xian Lin'er wore a tight-fitting outfit, standing atop a boulder with arms folded behind her back. Her hair was tied back, exuding an air of cold pride. Her sharp gaze was locked on Huo Yuhao, eyes full of pent-up battle intent.
Clearly, she had been preparing here for a while and was in peak condition.
"Senior Sister Xian, I'm here," Huo Yuhao said, looking at her.
"Then let's fight!" Xian Lin'er responded directly. "If you want to infiltrate the Holy Spirit Cult, then go all out—show me the strength worthy of recognition! Otherwise, you should just return to Le Xuan now."
Up until now, they had only sparred with fists, but this time, Xian Lin'er wanted a true all-out battle with Huo Yuhao.
This decision came after deep consideration. After all, the Douluo Continent is a world where strength speaks louder than words. Any decision would ultimately be validated—or overturned—by one's power.
Without sufficient strength, even the safest plan could end in total failure.
With strength, even the wildest scheme might succeed!
While it's said that an ultimate attribute Soul Sage could challenge a Titled Douluo, it still had to be proven through real combat.
If Huo Yuhao couldn't stand up to her, then he might as well return to the Sea God Pavilion and continue cultivating, staying away from the dangerous vortex of the Sun Moon Empire for a while longer.
Hearing Xian Lin'er's words, Huo Yuhao paused briefly, then lifted his sharp gaze to meet hers and said seriously, "Understood, Senior Sister Xian."
"Huo Yuhao, Level 77 Control-type Battle Soul Sage. Martial soul: Frost Variant Centipede. Please advise!"
Xian Lin'er was very satisfied with his decisiveness. She also followed the formal etiquette of a soul duel and introduced herself:
"Xian Lin'er, Level 94 Power Attack-type Titled Douluo. Martial soul: Azure Flame Dragon. Title: Valkyrie. Come, little junior brother."
"Frost Centipede, summon!" Huo Yuhao called out.
A huge martial soul imprint appeared above his head, and from it emerged the mutated Frost Variant Centipede martial soul, charging at Xian Lin'er's position with its massive body.
The nearly twenty-meter-long Centipede crashed toward her, but Xian Lin'er did not dodge. She immediately activated her Martial Soul Possession.
Her body grew taller, curvier, her battle outfit stretched tight, and green dragon scales appeared on her cheeks.
Then—she punched.
Her fist was wrapped in azure flames.
These were the Azure Flames of her Azure Flame Dragon martial soul!
Boom!
A thunderous collision echoed. The charge of the mutated Frost Centipede was blocked, rearing its upper body to dissipate the force.
Meanwhile, the rock beneath Xian Lin'er's feet shattered, but she used the rebound to launch into the air. Hovering above, she stared coldly at Huo Yuhao below, then dove downward—trying to bypass the Frost Centipede and strike directly at Huo Yuhao.
Among everyone at Shrek Academy, it was known that without the protection of his martial soul, Huo Yuhao was at his most vulnerable.
Xian Lin'er meant what she said about going all out. No rules, no holding back. That was the only way to truly test strength.
Unlike her peer Cai Meier, Xian Lin'er was a true combat maniac. Despite being a deputy dean of the Soul Tool Department, her battle power was extremely strong. Her title "Valkyrie" wasn't just for show—and the moniker "Flying Valkyrie" reflected her martial soul's attributes: high speed and aerial mastery.
However, as she swooped in, Huo Yuhao didn't retreat. Instead, he rushed toward her, leaping high.
At the same time, the mutated Frost Centipede martial soul turned into a glow of light and fused back into his body, forming Frost Centipede Armor on him.
While the martial soul was still digesting Mingde Hall and couldn't fight independently, it could still merge with Huo Yuhao, granting him its strength.
Extreme cold burst from his body.
"Ultimate Frost Centipede Fist!"
He struck with a punch.
Xian Lin'er also used a similar technique. The Azure Flame Dragon's phantom, wrapped in azure fire, surrounded her transformed dragon claw as she punched back.
The fists clashed.
After the impact, both were sent flying back over ten meters before stabilizing.
Extreme ice and azure flames had clashed—and were evenly matched!
The combat techniques were also on par—unsurprising, as both had been taught by the same master.
Even if Huo Yuhao held back, it still proved that Xian Lin'er's Azure Flames were no joke.
In truth, the Azure Flame Dragon was essentially a wind-attribute martial soul. The "Azure Flame" was created through extreme compression and friction of wind, granting it destructive and disintegrating properties.
It was a flying dragon-type martial soul, equal in tier to the Rouge Dragon. While the Rouge Dragon's Annihilation attribute destroyed directly, the Azure Flame Dragon's disintegration attribute shredded and dispersed.
Normal armor-type martial souls or defensive Battle Soul Masters would likely have their defenses pierced by her Azure Flame.
Yet, after the punch clash, Huo Yuhao's gauntlet was unscathed.
Not just because of the strength of the extreme ice defense—but the Frost Centipede Armor itself was not something Xian Lin'er could break.
Still, fists were not her specialty.
After stabilizing, Xian Lin'er gathered wind underfoot, azure flames exploded—and she shot out like a missile, thrusting forward.
A dragon spear appeared in the midst of the flames in her hand, aimed right at Huo Yuhao's throat.
Xian Lin'er's strongest skill—was the spear!
Huo Yuhao didn't flinch. He reached out with his right hand, gathering ice into the Frost Dual-Sword, swinging it to block the spear.
Spear and sword clashed, ice and flame tangled.
Blue and green colored the sky above them.