soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

The Hundred-Thousand-Year Laurel Tree—more precisely, the Hundred-Thousand-Year Galactic Moon Laurel Tree.

For a soul beast to cultivate for a hundred thousand years, even if it starts as a mere blade of grass, its bloodline will have undergone an earth-shattering transformation.

Or rather, any soul beast capable of reaching the hundred-thousand-year level must have a unique bloodline—what appears ordinary may have, in fact, awakened some noble ancestral trait hidden deep within.

The Galactic Moon Laurel Tree was one such case—a rare mutation among the laurel tree species, born noble by nature.

Upon breaking through to the hundred-thousand-year stage, the Galactic Moon Laurel Tree awakened a new power—spiritual attributes. This allowed it to actively absorb even more moonlight energy to enhance its cultivation and hasten its growth, all while gaining greater intelligence.

It was this ability to absorb moonlight that gave rise to the breathtaking sight of starlight raining down like a galactic waterfall—naturally drawing the attention of nearby soul beasts.

Every night, as the Galactic Moon Laurel Tree cultivated, soul beasts would be drawn to the vicinity, hoping to benefit from the moonlight energy it could not fully absorb.

For ordinary soul beasts, moonlight energy was highly beneficial—compared to ambient spiritual energy, it was a far more unique form of power.

Usually, the Galactic Moon Laurel Tree wouldn't drive away these soul beasts. Most of them didn't dare approach too closely due to the overwhelming pressure of its hundred-thousand-year soul beast aura. They couldn't rob it of its moonlight energy, and thus didn't interfere with its cultivation.

Moreover, these soul beasts became something like natural sentries—offering a degree of protection for the tree.

But tonight, the Galactic Moon Laurel Tree sensed something different: two unusual spiritual fluctuations had trespassed into its territory.

They were human.

The tree had encountered humans before—and had no fondness for them. It had once been attacked by humans, though it had fought back and killed its attackers. With its intelligence, it came to understand: its soul ring and soul bone were of immense value to humans—they coveted its body.

To safeguard itself, the tree resolved to never let news of its existence spread to the human world. So every time a human approached, it would either hide—or kill.

A hundred-thousand-year soul beast's ambush was something few soul masters could survive.

If a laurel tree becomes a soul beast, its soul ring is one of the most sought-after among soul masters with moon-related martial spirits. That's because such a soul ring could provide soul skills that allow the absorption of moonlight to aid cultivation—boosting power over time and even enhancing the quality of the martial spirit itself. This has been proven before.

But wild laurel soul beasts were nearly extinct—even Shrek Academy had never found one suitable for Zhang Lexuan.

And yet now, in the heart of the Demonic Forest, they had come across a hundred-thousand-year Galactic Moon Laurel Tree.

This was the perfect ninth soul ring for Zhang Lexuan—without question.

As Xian Lin'er and Zhang Lexuan stood in awe of the majestic tree, it silently launched an attack.

A beam of moonlight shot from the canopy of the Galactic Moon Laurel Tree, instantly targeting the hiding place of the two women—engulfing them in its radiant path.

"Crap! We've been spotted!"

"Dodge!"

The two snapped to their senses, splitting in opposite directions just in time to avoid the moonlight beam. It struck the forest, obliterating a swath of trees and carving a crater in the earth.

"Retreat!"

Neither dared to linger. With countless soul beasts nearby, a frontal assault was suicide. They had to regroup with Huo Yuhao and come up with a plan.

The sudden explosion alerted the other soul beasts basking in the moonlight. One by one, they snapped to attention, and upon seeing the fleeing humans, unleashed killing intent. Every last one of them gave chase.

These were no weaklings—many were ten-thousand-year-class, with three particularly powerful variants near fifty-thousand years leading the pack.

These three mutated beasts all shared a common trait: fur as white as moonlight—clearly due to long-term absorption of lunar energy.

They were a moon ape, a moon leopard, and a moon owl—appropriately named Moon Ape, Moon Leopard, and Moon Owl.

The Moon Leopard, the fastest of the three, transformed into a streak of silver light and reached Xian Lin'er in an instant. She snorted coldly, activated her martial spirit, and thrust her dragon spear forward, aiming to skewer the beast.

What kind of trash dares block my path?

But to her surprise, her spear missed—the Moon Leopard's agility was beyond anything she expected. It dodged with ease and slashed at her with its claws.

Yet Xian Lin'er was a Titled Douluo—her reaction was sharp. She activated the battle art Dragon Descends Upon the World, boosting her strength and striking with her off-hand. A blast of blue flame hit the Moon Leopard squarely.

The beast was knocked back, but to her shock, it quickly rolled to its feet—unscathed and still brimming with killing intent.

Xian Lin'er's gaze hardened. It hasn't even hit fifty thousand years, yet it's more troublesome than most seventy-thousand-year soul beasts. Speed, defense—both top tier.

Mutated soul beasts were no joke.

Though the Moon Leopard failed to land a blow, it had bought enough time for the Moon Ape and Moon Owl to arrive—with the rest of the beast horde trailing behind.

"Dean Xian!" Zhang Lexuan shouted, turning back to fight at her side.

But Xian Lin'er cut her off, "Lexuan, no need. I've got this. I'll hold the rear!"

Zhang Lexuan nodded silently. She knew better than to argue—she trusted Xian Lin'er's strength.

Against her were three mutated soul beasts with seventy-thousand-year combat power—and an entire horde besides.

But Xian Lin'er was confident.

She was the Valkyrie of the Skies!

However, she failed to account for the combat range of the Galactic Moon Laurel Tree. They had already fled far—by all logic, beyond the attack range of any plant-type soul beast.

But the Galactic Moon Laurel Tree wasn't any ordinary plant.

With its spiritual powers, it boasted an attack range far beyond reason—and far more accurate target-locking abilities.

As Xian Lin'er battled the three mutated beasts, holding the horde at bay, the Galactic Moon Laurel Tree had already locked onto her presence and began charging an attack from afar.

Moments later—

A torrent of moonlight cascaded from the heavens, converging into a radiant full moon that fell like a comet—blotting out the night sky.

Galactic Moonfall!

The terrifying soul power surge made Xian Lin'er freeze, pupils constricting in horror.

The other soul beasts scattered immediately—they had encountered this before. They were in sync with the tree and knew to avoid the area.

Far in the distance, Zhang Lexuan turned back and witnessed the breathtaking, beautiful—and deadly—spectacle.

At the same time, Huo Yuhao saw it too, from their camp.

Boom!!!

The bright moon crashed down, shattering the forest and unleashing a terrifying explosion. The earth trembled violently, and the shockwave completely engulfed Xian Liner's figure.

"Dean Xian!" Zhang Lexuan cried out in alarm and quickly turned back toward the site of the explosion.

Huo Yuhao also immediately ordered the four maidservants, "You all retreat from here at once—I'll go check the situation!"

Without waiting for a reply, he dashed toward the explosion site.

However, the four maids didn't flee entirely. Instead, they followed at a distance, prepared to assist and provide cover at any moment.

Amid the explosion, radiant moonlight burst forth. When it finally faded, the center of the blast fell silent.

"Was that human Titled Douluo dealt with? No, wait—she's still alive?" The Galactic Laurel Tree used its spiritual sense and detected lingering mental fluctuations within the explosion zone.

Sure enough, a moment later, a powerful gust of wind blew the smoke away, revealing green flames erupting skyward. A dragon's roar echoed as a green dragon shadow, cloaked in flames, soared into the sky.

It was the true form of the Green Flame Dragon Martial Soul!

Xian Liner had no choice but to activate her martial soul's true form to withstand the Laurel Tree's terrifying sneak attack, though she was still injured.

After all, it was a surprise attack, fully charged with tremendous power.

The Galactic Laurel Tree had aimed to end the fight in one blow!

As a result, the ten-meter-long Green Flame Dragon appeared blurry and insubstantial, clearly weakened.

She could not afford to continue fighting. Xian Liner tried to retreat, but the surrounding soul beasts moved to block her path and surround her once more.

These soul beasts had their own source of confidence. A closer look revealed that each had a full moon symbol glowing on their foreheads.

Empowered by these full moon marks, their strength had increased significantly—especially the three mutant soul beasts leading the pack, who now radiated intense moonlight energy as if in a berserk state.

Surrounded and blocked, Xian Liner burned with rage, but also realized the Galactic Laurel Tree's terrifying strength: "Not only powerful in attack, but it can also boost its entire army like this? How can it be this strong?"

Fortunately, Zhang Lexuan returned just in time. She also activated her martial soul's true form and helped Xian Liner break through the encirclement.

Seeing them flee together, the Galactic Laurel Tree wasn't willing to let them go—it intended to eliminate them completely to keep its existence a secret.

If information about it leaked, more Titled Douluo could come hunting, and it had no way to escape.

Even though the Demonic Forest was territory of the Evil Eye Clan, large-scale intrusions by human experts would likely lead to conflicts with them. But the Laurel Tree wasn't one to rely on luck.

It locked onto Xian Liner and Zhang Lexuan again with its spiritual power. Then, from its treetop crown, countless beams of moonlight shot out across an immense distance—like a rain of meteors—aimed directly at them.

This was another signature move of the Galactic Laurel Tree—Moonlight Meteor Shower!

In the face of this deadly barrage, Xian Liner let out a roar. Holding nothing back, she unleashed her ninth soul skill, transforming into a blazing green dragon shadow. Without regard for her own safety, she smashed through the storm of moonlight and grabbed Zhang Lexuan's Silver Moon true form, fleeing once more.

"Damn it! After them!" the Galactic Laurel Tree bellowed furiously into the minds of all soul beasts.

Xian Liner's speed was too fast—she had already escaped the range of its spiritual detection. Once outside that range, the Laurel Tree couldn't lock onto targets effectively, and its attacks would be significantly weakened.

Luckily, Xian Liner was already seriously injured, and Zhang Lexuan had also been hit by the Moonlight Meteor Shower. With the enhanced beast horde in pursuit, there was still a good chance of catching them.

But just then, another attack struck from afar, hitting the Green Flame Dragon Martial Soul's true form squarely. It let out a tragic roar as the martial soul shattered, causing severe backlash to Xian Liner.

She lost consciousness immediately and plummeted toward the forest below.

"Dean Xian!" Zhang Lexuan cried in horror.

But she was powerless to help. More attacks targeted her next. If she rushed to save Xian Liner, she would also be heavily wounded.

If both were seriously injured, it could truly be the end for them. Avoiding damage now gave her a chance to save Xian Liner later.

Fortunately, as Xian Liner fell, a figure darted out from the shadows, catching her midair—it was Huo Yuhao!

Zhang Lexuan sighed in relief.

Still, with more attacks coming their way, communication was impossible. They were forced to scatter, chased by the relentless beast horde.

Zhang Lexuan soon found the four maidservants in the distance and quickly led them to safety.

Though separated, she trusted Huo Yuhao's strength would ensure both his and Xian Liner's safety.

She fixed a cold gaze on the Laurel Tree's direction. A flash of killing intent passed through her eyes—this grudge, she would not forget.

Due to the darkness, she couldn't see the distant attacker and assumed the Galactic Laurel Tree had continued the assault.

But only the Laurel Tree itself knew—those last attacks weren't from it.

"Who? Who's helping me? Could it be someone from the Evil Eye Clan? Doesn't matter. No matter what, I must keep them trapped here in the Demonic Forest!"

The Laurel Tree had made its decision.

Morning light spilled into the cave, illuminating the stone bed inside. Lying there, Xian Liner frowned in pain as consciousness slowly returned. She finally opened her eyes.

The memories of last night's battle still lingered. She sat up with a jolt and immediately felt the sharp pain in her body, gasping in agony.

Quickly checking her condition, she realized she was lying on a stone bed inside a cave. Though her clothes were still intact, she was wrapped in bandages, and the strong scent of medicine filled the air.

Clearly, someone had treated her wounds.

Xian Liner finally relaxed a bit, guessing, "Did Lexuan rescue me?"

Feeling weak, she lay back down, assuming it was simply post-battle fatigue.

But then, footsteps echoed from outside the cave.

She instinctively asked, "Lexuan?"

"It's me, Senior Xian—you're awake?" Huo Yuhao's surprised voice came as he walked in, carrying a bowl of medicine.

He quickly approached, full of concern. "Senior Sister, how are you feeling?"

"It's you, Yuhao? I'm okay—feeling much better now," Xian Liner replied with a smile. She then asked, "What about Lexuan? Is she alright?"

"I don't know… We got separated. I could only carry you away. But… they probably made it out safely. They weren't too badly injured," Huo Yuhao said with a tinge of regret.

"Separated, huh…" Xian Liner frowned. "That complicates things… Wait."

Her expression changed as she suddenly stared at Huo Yuhao and asked sternly, "Yuhao, who… who treated my wounds?"

Huo Yuhao's eyes darted around evasively. Avoiding her gaze, he braced himself and said, "Senior Sister, your injuries were really serious. They had to be treated immediately—I had no choice…"

Xian Liner froze, her face turning pale.

Her body—had it been seen by Huo Yuhao? And probably even… touched all over?

The thought of losing her purity left her pale. But… how could she blame Huo Yuhao? He had only done it to save her.

And strangely, a strange feeling stirred in her heart… perhaps because of that dream she once had.

She couldn't help it—her cheeks flushed a gentle red.

Xian Lin'er wanted to calm down, so she needed some time alone. After placing down the bowl of medicinal soup, Huo Yuhao quietly left the cave, giving her enough time and space to sort through her emotions.

That was his way of offering companionship—through presence, not pressure.

As for last night's surprise attack—yes, it was orchestrated by the Mutated Ice Jade Centipede martial soul. Using its spiritual locking ability and the mimicry power gained from other soul beasts, it simulated the Galactic Laurel Tree for a long-range strike on Xian Lin'er. It wasn't a difficult feat.

Naturally, the reason for this was that Huo Yuhao's goal wasn't just to help Zhang Lexuan obtain a soul ring.

He also needed opportunities to act independently.

And so far, the plan was going smoothly.

Soon, Xian Lin'er had composed herself and called Huo Yuhao back into the cave. She sat cross-legged on the stone bed, having regained her usual calm demeanor.

They were still deep in the Demonic Forest, and danger lurked at every corner. There was no time to waste on small matters.

"Senior Xian, we're still in the depths of the Demonic Forest. This cave is fairly well-hidden. I've already sent out my martial soul to scout. Unfortunately, the situation isn't great—there are soul beasts still hunting for us. They haven't found our location yet, but my martial soul discovered signs of battle nearby, probably left behind by Lexuan and the others. That means they haven't escaped safely yet," Huo Yuhao reported.

"It seems Lexuan and the others are in serious trouble—likely being pursued by soul beasts. They've probably drawn the soul beasts away to help us. We have to find them and escape the forest together," Xian Lin'er said with a frown.

Huo Yuhao nodded. "I've already sent my martial soul to search, but there's been no sign yet. If I want to search farther, I'll need to move along with it. But…"

He paused, glancing at Xian Lin'er with hesitation.

Her expression shifted, and she sighed. "Yuhao, you noticed too?"

Huo Yuhao nodded solemnly. "When I studied poison techniques at the academy, I also learned some basic medical skills. That's how I discovered that your condition… is quite bad."

"Very bad, actually," Xian Lin'er admitted with a bitter smile. "Because of my injuries, I've lost nearly all my strength. I can barely fight now. It'll take at least half a year to a year to fully recover. I can't help you in my current state."

"I'll do my best to treat you," Huo Yuhao said seriously. "If I can find the right rare herbs, I might be able to make potent pills that will accelerate your recovery."

"Yuhao, don't risk yourself for me," she replied, her tone sincere. "Focus on finding Lexuan and the others. Once we regroup, we'll leave this forest immediately. Your safety is the top priority."

She was terrified that Huo Yuhao might fall into danger again.

This whole situation already weighed heavily on her conscience. If Huo Yuhao got hurt too, how could she ever return to Shrek Academy?

"Just seal the cave entrance and go find Lexuan," she instructed. "I'll be fine on my own."

With no other choice, Huo Yuhao reluctantly agreed.

Xian Lin'er drank the soup and lay down to rest. Huo Yuhao left some food behind, sealed the cave entrance—leaving only a few air holes—and headed out in search of Zhang Lexuan.

But he wasn't actually looking for her.

Zhang Lexuan and her four attendants were always under his surveillance. A centipede leg clone was protecting them in secret. Though they faced danger, their safety wasn't truly at risk.

It was part of their training.

They were still young, and youth needed sharpening.

As for Xian Lin'er, she too was protected by a hidden centipede leg clone, which would eliminate any nearby soul beasts.

Now that Huo Yuhao could move freely, he could get to the real reason he had come to the Demonic Forest.

Xu Tianran—and the Evil-Eyed Tyrant.

Naturally, Xu Tianran was the easier target to deal with first.

Currently, Xu Tianran was hiding somewhere in the forest. Huo Yuhao had already located him and was on his way.

On the way, another figure joined him on his monster-slaying journey.

It was the Third Prince!

"Naturally, I must personally escort the Crown Prince on his final journey," the Third Prince said with a devilish grin.

Huo Yuhao glanced at him and sighed inwardly.

Ever since the Third Prince started cultivating the Nine Deaths Devil Art, his aura had grown increasingly sinister. Every time he smiled, he gave off a twisted, demonic vibe.

Yet oddly enough, this smile seemed to attract certain women. The concubines he had won over in his residence became more proactive after witnessing it—and some even obsessed over his "beauty."

Maybe they figured that serving the Third Prince well could be their ticket to power.

And since they were so sensible, perhaps it wouldn't be too much to grant them wealth and status. Maybe even let them ascend to the divine realm with him, immortal and eternal. Wouldn't that be perfect?

Racing through the forest, Huo Yuhao and the Third Prince quickly arrived at Xu Tianran's hideout.

The area's aura contained a projection of the Purple Radiance Annihilation Dragon martial soul, wreathed in golden dragon energy.

But below, it just looked like a normal forest. In the next instant, the Third Prince struck—his martial soul possessing him—and tore open the earth, revealing a hidden underground chamber.

This underground chamber, dug by Xu Tianran himself, spanned dozens of meters and went unfathomably deep. It was filled with the corpses of soul beasts and pools of accumulated blood.

Xu Tianran sat cross-legged at the center of this grisly scene, cultivating.

The moment the chamber was exposed, Xu Tianran's eyes snapped open. He immediately ceased his cultivation and looked up at the two soul power signatures above.

He saw Huo Yuhao and the Third Prince—neither of whom had bothered to hide their identities. His gaze locked directly onto the Third Prince's face.

"Xu! Tian! Cheng!"

The hoarse voice squeezed through clenched teeth, laced with unmistakable hatred.

Of course Xu Tianran hated the Third Prince.

It was because of him that he had fallen to such a miserable state—more humiliated than ever before.

But it was also because of the Third Prince that he had gained unexpected fortune. Not only had he acquired great power, but he had also healed his crippled body.

Xu Tianran stood up.

Yes—stood up!

His legs had healed!

Huo Yuhao studied Xu Tianran's current state. Dressed in royal robes soaked in blood, with his unkempt hair hanging loosely, Xu Tianran's lower body now sported a pair of blood-red legs—clearly mutated.

And as he rose, it became clear: beneath him, supporting him during his cultivation, was none other than the Bright King Divine Tool.

Only, Xu Tianran hadn't laid it down horizontally—he had inserted it vertically.

Huo Yuhao's expression turned even weirder. "Xu Tianran… might have some unusual hobbies."

Still, he was the only one who had the luxury of making such observations.

Seeing his enemy, Xu Tianran's rage boiled over. He activated his Purple Radiance Annihilation Dragon martial soul and charged straight at the Third Prince.

"You dare deliver yourself to me? Then die!"

The Bright King Divine Tool was not only a joyful toy that Huo Yuhao had given to Xu Tianran, but it was also a "True Eye" that allowed Huo Yuhao to monitor Xu Tianran in real-time.

As such, Huo Yuhao had long since become thoroughly familiar with Xu Tianran's abilities.

With the cultivation techniques and resources obtained through the Bright King Divine Tool, plus the hunting he'd done recently, Xu Tianran had successfully broken through to Level 95, achieving the rank of Super Douluo.

His soul ring configuration was: two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red.

Most importantly, he had successfully condensed a soul core—a Destruction Soul Core, which was perfectly suited for the Purple Radiant Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon.

Such a rate of growth was unheard of on the continent. Not even evil soul masters could achieve this, and yet Xu Tianran did—using means even darker than theirs.

Xu Tianran had slaughtered a great number of soul beasts. In fact, the remaining blood within the cavern could allow the Evil God Spear to form another Evil God Blood Ring.

And Huo Yuhao did just that.

When Xu Tianran was locked in battle with the Third Prince, Huo Yuhao threw out the Evil God Spear, allowing it to absorb the blood and form a new Evil God Blood Ring.

Thus, the Evil God Spear now possessed 28 Evil God Blood Rings.

Being able to accumulate that much blood—there's no denying Xu Tianran had talent. Subtracting Huo Yuhao's initial resource investment, he actually made a profit. And more importantly, he still had Xu Tianran left to harvest.

While the Demonic Forest was nominally ruled by the Evil Eye Clan, they couldn't completely control it. Even soul beasts like the Devourer Dragon, which were supposed to be killed on sight, had reached the ten-thousand-year level. So how could Xu Tianran not survive?

Xu Tianran was intelligent and cunning, and he knew how to hide himself safely.

After all the blood in the cavern was drained, the piled-up corpses turned to ash, forming a thick layer across the cavern floor.

When Xu Tianran realized all his hard-earned work had been stolen by Huo Yuhao, he let out a furious roar. Everything in the cavern wasn't just the fruit of his efforts, it was also the resource he needed to continue growing.

To steal someone's resources is to sever their path forward. In Xu Tianran's mind, Huo Yuhao was just as detestable as the Third Prince!

But he couldn't confront Huo Yuhao right now—he still had to battle the Third Prince, who was no pushover.

Despite being only Level 94, the Third Prince had two martial souls, one of which also carried a 100,000-year soul ring. He had also mastered several powerful cultivation techniques.

In terms of pure combat power, he was on par with Xu Tianran.

Not only that, but in battle experience and soul tools, the Third Prince held the upper hand.

Even though Xu Tianran had returned to the Crown Prince's mansion once and brought back a large number of soul tools, most of them were defensive. While he did have some Grade-9 offensive tools, they were far inferior to the Third Prince's god-tier gear.

The Third Prince's Grade-9 soul tools were well-known.

In close combat, he wielded the Black Blade Twin Swords. For ranged attacks, he had the Sun-Shot Divine Ballista and the Flaming Sky Net combination soul tool. His defensive tools included not just an Invincible Shield and other Grade-9 defenses, but also Zheng Zhan's Unbreakable Divine Shield.

Huo Yuhao had also given him support-type soul tools obtained from the Duskwater Alliance, like the Guardian Orb and Slow Ray.

The Slow Ray was a Grade-9 soul tool gifted to Huo Yuhao by Tang Ya after he saved her. It emitted a special ray that could slow down opponents—similar in type to the Weakening Ray and Inspiration Ray mentioned in the original story.

Even if it was a desperate fight, the Third Prince was also equipped with many Mingde Hall fixed-mount soul tools, including Grade-9s.

Yet, despite all this divine-level equipment, the Third Prince still couldn't quickly finish off Xu Tianran.

That was because Xu Tianran had layered over 20 defensive soul tools on himself—more than ten of which were Grade-9. The rest were Grade-8, but each had unique properties.

"This is even thicker than the Xu Family's turtle shell!" the Third Prince cursed.

Xu Tianran, however, couldn't feel even the slightest joy. He knew all too well the saying: "a long defense must eventually break."

He gradually calmed down from his rage and started thinking about how to escape. After all, surviving was the only path to the future.

However, if possible… that Bright King Divine Tool must…

At that moment, while Xu Tianran was contemplating, Huo Yuhao casually patted the Bright King Divine Tool. It shattered instantly and reverted to its original form, flowing back into Huo Yuhao's body as raw power.

Xu Tianran: "!!!"

At that moment, Xu Tianran seemed to understand—but instinctively didn't dare to believe it.

"He must have a method to counter the Bright King Divine Tool! The Third Prince dared to hand it over to the Death Envoy—of course he must have prepared a countermeasure!" Xu Tianran desperately tried to convince himself, suppressing the unease in his heart.

He was deeply worried that everything had been a setup against him!

That so-called Bright King Divine Tool absolutely couldn't be fake—it just couldn't!

And yet… the harsh truth of reality is often the most despairing.

Huo Yuhao raised his hand, summoning back the Evil God Spear. Then he reversed his grip and took a throwing stance—targeting Xu Tianran.

He hurled the spear.

Xu Tianran instantly sensed the threat of death and activated all his defenses, trying to block the incoming attack.

The next moment, pain bloomed in his chest. In disbelief, he looked down—to see the Evil God Spear embedded in his heart.

None of his defensive soul tools had been damaged.

"This is… space…"

Xu Tianran, like a kite with a cut string, plummeted from the sky. With his soul power gone, all his soul tools deactivated.

Huo Yuhao beckoned, and the Evil God Spear—with Xu Tianran's corpse still impaled—returned to his side.

The spear hadn't drained Xu Tianran's blood, because his unique bloodline still had other uses.

"No matter how much defense you have, if I strike your body directly, you're still dead. Mortals really are fragile."

Unfortunately for Xu Tianran, none of his soul tools could block spatial attacks.

Stowing the spear away, it was time to divide the spoils.

The Third Prince eagerly approached Xu Tianran's corpse. After all, he deserved a share.

He reached out, plunged his hand into Xu Tianran's abdomen, and gathered the remaining soul power into one point. With a particular technique, he extracted a crystal-like object— Xu Tianran's not-yet-dissipated Destruction Soul Core!

Can soul cores be harvested?

In theory—yes.

It just hadn't happened in humans before.

High-level soul beasts produce soul bones when they die—that's essentially a crystallized soul core. The technique the Third Prince used was similar to converting a beast's soul core into a soul bone. In the end, he succeeded in transforming Xu Tianran's Destruction Soul Core into a crystal.

This crystal could be used just like a soul bone—by fusing it into the body of a soul master.

"If all goes well, I'll directly gain a Destruction Soul Core. When I reach Level 98, I'll condense a Fire Soul Core—and that'll give me a shot at breaking through to Level 99 and achieving the Ultimate Rank," said the Third Prince, smiling.

The Third Prince, the Death Envoy, and even the clones themselves—all would eventually return to their original body. The stronger they became, the more power they'd bring back to the true body.

In fact, Huo Yuhao even had a bold idea—

If all his clones could attain godhood, and eventually fuse together, could he perhaps combine their divine positions into a three-star godhood…? Ahem, could they fuse into an even higher-ranked god position?

Like… fusing several first-tier godhoods into a God King rank!?

What's the most important thing in life?

Timing—and knowing when the iron is hot.

And right now, Huo Yuhao felt like everything was perfectly aligned.

Xu Tianran had been cultivated to just the right point, and the condition of the Mutated Frost Centipede Martial Soul was at its peak. The timing couldn't be better.

Huo Yuhao fed Xu Tianran's remaining corpse—and his soul—directly to the Mutated Frost Centipede Martial Soul.

He was worried that the power of the Purple Radiant World-Destroying Dragon absorbed might not be complete. That bloodline belonged to an accompanying dragon of the Dragon God—a true divine-class lineage. If it wasn't fully assimilated, it would've been a terrible waste.

The Mutated Frost Centipede Martial Soul devoured Xu Tianran's body and soul, coiled itself deep in the forest, and began digesting and merging the dragon's power using its Devouring Transformation Technique.

Meanwhile, the Third Prince began fusing with the Destruction Soul Core. The process was similar to absorbing a soul bone but required integration into the lower dantian.

Huo Yuhao personally guarded them both.

He took the time to browse through the resources looted from Xu Tianran's storage-type soul tool.

There was indeed a significant stash—plenty of materials, gold soul coins, and ores. But the most eye-catching items were the soul bones obtained from soul beasts. More than one, even.

The ones remaining were only the leftovers, since Xu Tianran had already possessed six complete soul bones—including a 100,000-year-old Fire Rat bone.

But all of those went into the belly of the Mutated Frost Centipede.

As for the leftover soul bones, Huo Yuhao merged them into his Ghost Banner Martial Soul. The fabric of the banner grew stronger, and the banner pole itself was further reinforced.

Other items included materials and credentials tied to the Crown Prince's faction, most of which were personal belongings of Xu Tianran.

There were even letters.

Bored, Huo Yuhao casually flipped through them. Most were correspondence with nobles and ministers—essentially leverage and loyalty oaths.

If the Third Prince got hold of these, he could use them to control or eliminate these ministers with legitimate justification.

But he no longer needed to win people over to solidify his status—in fact, eliminating them would likely benefit him more.

A few letters stood out. These were from a titled Douluo—Shadow Douluo Xue Chen.

After thinking for a moment, Huo Yuhao remembered who that was—a character from the original story, Xu Tianran's personal bodyguard responsible for protecting him.

From the responses, it was clear Xue Chen hadn't fully pledged himself yet. Likely due to Huo Yuhao's interference, Xu Tianran's grip on the Crown Prince title had wavered, leaving Xue Chen unconvinced. But it seemed Xu Tianran hadn't felt a rush to recruit him either. After all, to the old Xu Tianran, Xue Chen wasn't crucial.

Back then, even the Third Prince had managed to recruit two Titled Douluo. Xu Tianran, as the Crown Prince, had access to the Worship Hall's experts, not just rogue Titled Douluo.

Most of the Worship Hall had backed Xu Tianran, including Kong Deming.

In Mingdu, the free Worship Hall members secretly protected him.

But when Xu Tianran led a campaign to suppress rebels in the south, the Sun Moon Emperor did not allow him to bring the Worship Hall with him.

Because if he had, it wouldn't have looked like a power struggle—it would have looked like the emperor had already chosen his successor.

Which went against the emperor's interests.

He wanted capable sons, sure—but not too capable. Especially this emperor, whose claim to the throne had been shaky to begin with.

The emperor also worried that if Xu Tianran brought the Worship Hall with him, it would provoke a desperate counterattack from the Third Prince—leading to unnecessary internal conflict.

Xu Tianran didn't care. The fewer people who knew about his plans, the better. Even if the Third Prince hadn't made a move on the Royal Dragon Soul Tool Regiment Commander Xu Tianyuan, Xu Tianran still wouldn't have let Xu Tianyuan return alive. Xu Tianran wanted full control over the regiment—and Xu Tianyuan wasn't playing ball.

He was already planning fratricide. Killing one prince and dragging along a duke wasn't going to trouble his conscience.

"From the final reply, it seems this Shadow Douluo is still lurking near Mingdu. If I come across him, I should invite him into the Ten Thousand Soul Banner for a chat. Otherwise, the Third Prince can recruit him. Make him part of the inner circle," Huo Yuhao decided.

After all, Brother Hao never let resources go to waste.

Time ticked on.

The one to finish first, naturally, was the more powerful Mutated Frost Centipede Martial Soul.

In less than half an hour, it exploded with a destructive aura—and then, in its complete form, stretched its body across the forest floor.

What used to be a 19-meter-long body now stretched over 100 meters.

This wasn't the centipede's new limit, just its new default form without extra energy expenditure. If it pushed further, it could grow even larger.

The hundred-meter-long body slithered through the forest like a titan, reducing the trees around it to mere underbrush.

As its body expanded, so did the number of segments—each one meter long, giving it a hundred segments and a hundred pairs of centipede legs. That meant it could summon even more centipede leg avatars.

But the biggest change appeared at the junctions between segments 2, 3, 4, and 5.

From those three points, three pairs of wings unfurled—thin as cicada wings.

The Mutated Frost Centipede Martial Soul had gained its third pair of wings!

The first pair shimmered with spiritual energy, inherited from the Great Mutated Frost Centipede's bloodline, which had absorbed some spiritual dragon bloodline.

The second pair radiated light energy, drawn from the Earth Dragon King's bloodline inside the Golden Radiance Left Arm Bone. Though technically an earth dragon, its power rivaled many 100,000-year true dragons.

The third pair exuded destruction energy, from the Purple Radiant World-Destroying Dragon bloodline just absorbed through Devouring Transformation.

Again, technically an earth dragon bloodline—but vastly beyond normal standards. Even more potent than many pure 100,000-year dragons.

Gold, black, black, black, black, red, red, red, red.

Nine soul rings now surrounded the Mutated Frost Centipede Martial Soul.

But above the ninth ring, a faint golden tenth ring shimmered—a hidden god ring representing the martial soul's breakthrough beyond level 100.

Huo Yuhao had used immense amounts of fate energy to form this divine ring—helping both the centipede and himself break through.

The tenth ring remained hidden—to avoid detection by the God Realm.

But even in hiding, it still enhanced the centipede's power. The first soul ring had been elevated to golden god ring status.