XuanZi had officially begun his instruction.
He brought both the main team and the reserve team together for combat training.
Training in other areas was naturally handled by specialized instructors—Xuanzi was mainly responsible for teaching actual combat.
Don't be fooled by the old man's usual unreliability; when it came to real combat, he was definitely competent.
And actual combat shouldn't be underestimated—it needed to be carried out, and with intensity!
Real battles aren't just about foolishly throwing soul skills at each other. Mental strength, technique, and intelligence are all indispensable.
If you want to defeat someone stronger than you, you not only need strength—you need to know how to use that strength.
To harness that strength effectively, you need combat experience.
Even Huo Yuhao, with a thousand years of Purification Mercy's memories, devoted himself to combat training. He used it to tap into his own power, helping his body adapt to it, and to the feeling of battle—working to develop a combat style that suited him best.
After all, memories are just memories. Only when applied in practice do they become truly valuable.
And besides, the fighting style of Purification Mercy didn't suit Huo Yuhao. He had to develop his own.
Only when one's body developed combat instincts could it be said that training had started to bear fruit.
The members of the reserve team were surprised when Huo Yuhao joined the main team, but most accepted it.
Because Huo Yuhao really was strong.
Even Wang Dong didn't say anything.
Except for Jin Qiu'er.
"I'm not convinced—I want to challenge Huo Yuhao!"
The others watched the scene unfold with great interest.
Wei Na looked at Jin Qiu'er strangely, not sure where she got the confidence.
Ma Xiaotao frowned slightly—she thought her little junior sister was being unreasonable. In truth, she'd disliked Jin Qiu'er for a while.
Her dissatisfaction with Huo Yuhao was just an act—to conceal their real relationship.
But her irritation with Jin Qiu'er was very real. Jin Qiu'er was arrogant and often targeted Huo Yuhao.
"Junior sister, don't make trouble. You've never beaten me," Huo Yuhao said seriously.
They had fought plenty of times before—but Jin Qiu'er had never won.
Lies don't kill—truths cut like a blade.
Jin Qiu'er turned bright red. "You're looking down on me?! That's only because we were just trading punches before—I've never used my true power!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Xuanzi chuckled, slurping a large chicken leg. "In that case, Yuhao, Qiu'er—you two go all out in a real fight. It'll also give the reserve team a chance to see Huo Yuhao's strength—and test yours."
"Alright!" Jin Qiu'er agreed immediately.
"I don't mind," Huo Yuhao nodded.
The others stepped aside to make room.
Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er stood in the center.
"Beibei, can little bro Huo really beat junior Qiu'er?" Xu Sanshi asked curiously. "She's strong as hell—basically a Soul Sect already. Plus she's an extreme-attribute soul master."
Truthfully, Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan had only heard of Huo Yuhao's reputation—they'd never really seen his strength in action.
What they had heard the most about was not his power—but his romantic exploits.
After all, wherever he went, he was surrounded by girls. That kind of thing was rare at Shrek Academy.
Who else dared to be that flashy at Shrek?
As a result, many people overlooked the actual strength of Huo Yuhao—and the girls around him.
But they had seen Jin Qiu'er's strength firsthand in the previous battle royale.
Not one of the core disciples had been able to withstand even a single strike from her.
Xu Sanshi himself wasn't sure he could take three hits from her.
Jiang Nannan perked up curiously too.
Wei Na just smiled.
Beibei nodded seriously. "Little bro Huo is really strong. Not just ordinary strong!"
And that was it.
Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan were speechless.
Give us some details, man!
Say something about his track record!
This is as good as saying nothing!
Wei Na covered her mouth and giggled.
On the field, the battle began.
"Golden Dragon, possess!" Jin Qiu'er shouted lowly. Golden light shone around her—yellow, purple, and purple soul rings emerged one by one.
She gripped the Golden Dragon Spear, looking every bit like a valiant general.
The pressure from her extreme attribute gave her a commanding presence.
"Ice Centipede Armor!" Huo Yuhao said softly.
A suit of icy armor covered him. Cold light gleamed in his eyes, marked with snowflake patterns, making him appear like a frosty warrior. Blood-red rose petals floated behind him, and his icy-blue hair swayed gently—adding a touch of softness to his otherwise chill aura.
The girls watching couldn't help but stare.
Jiang Nannan thought she'd never seen anyone this handsome.
Wei Na's eyes locked onto Huo Yuhao like she wanted to devour him.
"So handsome…" Xiao Xiao murmured.
Hearing this, Wang Dong snapped back to reality and shook his head—reminding himself not to fall for charm-based soul techniques.
Ma Xiaotao subtly rubbed her thighs together, her breath slightly ragged.
Xixi stared at Huo Yuhao too.
Ling Luochén felt herself being drawn to him even more.
"Damn, what a show-off!" Xu Sanshi grumbled—speaking for every man present.
He had to admit: looks-wise, even Beibei next to him couldn't compare to Huo Yuhao.
Ice, poison, spirit, and light—four energy attributes surged from Huo Yuhao's body.
Two purple and two black soul rings floated outside his armor, drawing gasps from first-time viewers.
Xuanzi glanced at Huo Yuhao, his gaze lingering for a couple of seconds on the armored arms and wings.
He'd noticed the difference in the armor.
But he already knew—Huo Yuhao had absorbed the Golden Radiance Left Arm Bone, strengthening his martial soul's dragon bloodline and gaining the light attribute.
He'd told Mu En and Xuanzi about it the day after the absorption.
This opened up new possibilities.
Boosting Huo Yuhao's dragon bloodline didn't have to involve soul rings—soul bones worked too.
And Shrek Academy actually had a stockpile of compatible soul bones.
But they couldn't be given to him lightly.
Mu En and Xuanzi were both pleased that Huo Yuhao had gained the light attribute.
It was commonly known that soul masters with the light attribute were never bad people—
(Except for the Six-Winged Angel from Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago.)
With the light attribute, Huo Yuhao could also follow Mu En and study more effectively.
Xuanzi withdrew his gaze and announced, "Begin!"
Jin Qiu'er's soul rings flashed. She intended to use her strongest move—to crush Huo Yuhao completely!
But then Huo Yuhao's voice entered her ears—and she lost consciousness.
"Zero-Degree Freeze!"
Huo Yuhao glanced at her, cold light flashing from his eyes.
In an instant, Jin Qiu'er was frozen solid.
The power of ultimate ice instantly encased her in ice.
Then Huo Yuhao followed up with a Phantom Ice Lotus Fist, putting her into a sleep like a baby's nap.
The fight was over.
It didn't even last thirty seconds.
Huo Yuhao hadn't even used a single soul skill.
The others took a moment to react—then gasped in shock.
Xu Sanshi: "What just happened?"
Jiang Nannan: "So strong!"
Wang Dong: "Was that a one-hit KO?"
"That move! Huo Yuhao used that move on us too!" Xiao Xiao said excitedly, grabbing Wang Dong.
Only Beibei, Wei Na, and the other main team members stayed calm.
They knew about Huo Yuhao's Zero-Degree Freeze.
You thought "first encounter kill" was a joke?
That move was the first encounter kill—though it only hit in a straight line and wasn't truly unbeatable.
"Alright, Yuhao, go thaw your junior sister," Xuanzi said with a grin, happily munching on more roast chicken.
"Yes, Senior Brother," Huo Yuhao replied, stepping forward to defrost Jin Qiu'er.
If it had been the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, Huo Yuhao wouldn't have been able to freeze it.
But Jin Qiu'er was different.
She no longer had the ultimate fire attribute.
When Huo Yuhao placed his hand on Jin Qiu'er to unseal her, his expression suddenly changed slightly.
Because, on Jin Qiuer's body, he felt a fusion of soul power and a resonance of martial souls!
There was no doubt what this meant—they had a Martial Soul Fusion Technique between them!
But... how was that possible?
Oh right, she's the prized daughter of half of Tang God-King. Then that makes sense.
Back when Huo Yuhao fought Jin Qiu'er, there was no sign of any Martial Soul Fusion Technique. Now that the Tang God-King had finally tuned their frequencies, Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er began to resonate.
Tang God-King had already shaped his daughter into the perfect match for Huo Yuhao.
And as expected, theirs was definitely a 100% fusion rate Martial Soul Fusion Technique!
As for how Tang God-King pulled it off, Huo Yuhao had no clue.
"Could it be because Tang Wutong is inside Jin Qiu'er's body? So the patchwork was easier?"
But it didn't matter.
"As expected of you…" Huo Yuhao thought to himself.
Regarding the fusion technique, Huo Yuhao remained calm and didn't show anything on his face.
He simply went on unfreezing Jin Qiu'er.
Wei Na, watching the scene, grew increasingly serious.
Because Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er... looked too compatible!
Moreover, Wei Na noticed something else.
Every girl present had a good appearance.
The least attractive was Xixi from the main team, but even she could only be called "average."
Jiang Nannan was the belle of the outer courtyard. Though she had a simp in Xu Sanshi, she didn't like him.
Xiao Xiao was the cute type.
Jin Qiu'er had the potential to become the new belle of the outer courtyard, and she was also Huo Yuhao's junior—a clear advantage.
Ling Luochen, too, had an ice attribute and a cold elegance, like a proud plum blossom.
As for Ma Xiaotao—she was sexy and alluring, full of mature charm.
Luckily, her relationship with Huo Yuhao wasn't particularly close.
Because of Huo Yuhao, Wei Na had met Ma Xiaotao a few times and knew that they weren't that familiar.
In fact, Ma Xiaotao was the one Wei Na felt most at ease about.
Still, a sense of crisis crept into Wei Na's heart. She began to think deeply.
It wasn't unreasonable for her to feel that way. As a princess, palace intrigue was in her DNA.
Also, Wei Na's first instinct wasn't to compete with the other girls, but to secure her position at Huo Yuhao's side.
She had long realized that with so many girls orbiting Huo Yuhao, she alone could never tie him down. But she was determined to remain the main consort.
Facing ordinary girls, Wei Na believed her talent, background, and Martial Soul Fusion Technique with Huo Yuhao gave her the upper hand.
But with Jin Qiu'er… she wasn't so sure.
Jin Qiu'er was too exceptional!
Even if she didn't seem interested in Huo Yuhao now… who could say for certain?
Her mother had taught her well—always plan ahead.
And the most reliable way to secure her place was—
A child.
Wei Na's cheeks flushed, but her eyes grew resolute.
"This isn't just for me—it's for the Heavenly Soul Empire! For Father's grand ambition!" she told herself.
After Jin Qiu'er was unfrozen, she was sent to the infirmary for treatment to ensure no aftereffects remained.
The rest continued their training.
First up: self-introductions.
Reserve Team:
Bei Bei: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, level 41, Power Attack Battle Soul Sect.
Xu Sanshi: Xuanming Turtle, level 43, Defense Battle Soul Sect.
Jiang Nannan: Soft Bone Rabbit, level 41, Agility Attack Battle Soul Sect.
Wei Na: Snow Lotus, level 43, Healing Tool Soul Sect. (Her second martial soul—the brain—remains hidden.)
Wang Dong: Radiant Goddess Butterfly & Clear Sky Hammer, level 31, Power Attack Battle Soul Ancestor.
Xiao Xiao: Three-Life Soul Suppression Cauldron & Nine Phoenix Melody Flute, level 29, Control Battle Soul Master.
As for Jin Qiu'er, Huo Yuhao introduced her:
Jin Qiu'er: Golden Dragon, level 32, Power Attack Battle Soul Ancestor, attribute of Extreme Power.
Jiang Nannan, Xu Sanshi, and Xiao Xiao were unchanged from the original story.
Bei Bei was one level lower than the original, due to frequent injuries. His soul breakthrough came from a bloodline awakening under crisis.
Wei Na, though a healer and about the same age as Bei Bei, reached level 43 thanks to constant cultivation with Huo Yuhao.
Jin Qiu'er's identity was a cover. Her true strength was likely above level 50.
As for Wang Dong—her level was the same as in the original, but there was a problem.
In the original, Wang Dong cultivated with Huo Yuhao's Hao-Dong Power. But now, that was absent.
"So… is it Wang Dong who's special, or was the Hao-Dong Power flawed?" Huo Yuhao silently wondered.
In any case, it had nothing to do with him this time.
Main Team Members:
Gongyang Mo (Vice Captain): Rainbow Dragon, level 59, Support Battle Soul King.
Chen Zifeng: Soul-Chasing Sword, level 57, Power Attack Battle Soul King.
Xixi: Lightning Leopard, level 56, Agility Attack Battle Soul King.
Ling Luochen: Element – Ice, level 55, Control Battle Soul King.
Yao Haoxuan: Earthshaking Ape, level 55, Control-Support Battle Soul King.
All unchanged from the original story.
Vice-captain used to be Dai Yueheng, but he was no longer present.
Though Gongyang Mo was a support soul master, he had the highest level, so he took the vice-captain role.
As stated in the original: when Ma Xiaotao couldn't fight due to evil fire, Dai Yueheng was captain, and Gongyang Mo was vice-captain.
"Outer Court, Huo Yuhao, level 50, Power-Control Battle Soul Sect."
Huo Yuhao introduced himself.
Don't ask. After fusing with the Golden Radiance Left Arm Bone, his martial soul evolved and his level increased by one.
Finally, Ma Xiaotao introduced herself:
"Inner Court, Ma Xiaotao, Captain of the Shrek Seven Devils, level 70, Power Attack Battle Soul Sage."
Her tone was steady.
Ever since her Evil Fire Phoenix had transformed into Bathing Fire Phoenix, her temperament had calmed from wild to composed.
Dean Yan Shaozhe was quite pleased.
But in private, when she faced Huo Yuhao, she still had another side to her.
Her declaration stunned the whole room.
Even Huo Yuhao was visibly shocked.
Just last night during their body training, she was still at level 69 with a long way to go to the next stage. How did she suddenly hit level 70 today?
Huo Yuhao glanced at Elder Xuan, who showed no surprise—just a smug smile.
Clearly, Elder Xuan knew the reason.
"A sudden jump in soul power… Did she absorb a soul bone?"
That was the most likely explanation.
Huo Yuhao's boost was fake—Ma Xiaotao's was real.
The others were in disbelief.
They hadn't expected Ma Xiaotao to be a Soul Sage already!
Just one soul ring away from a breakthrough!
"So this is Shrek? This is the captain of the Shrek Seven Devils?" Wang Dong murmured in shock.
Even the kids were shaken.
"Haha, alright, no more shock. Let's begin today's training…" Elder Xuan laughed, breaking the tension and starting the matchups.
Just like in the original story, the battle training resumed.
Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo each picked a team for a 6v6 match.
Since Jin Qiu'er was down, and Huo Yuhao sat out, the teams were adjusted accordingly.
Speaking of Gongyang Mo, Huo Yuhao was quite intrigued.
His martial soul, the Rainbow Dragon, was comparable to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—a powerful support-type soul. Their support abilities were nearly identical, though both had limitations on soul rings.
Rainbow Dragon was called the successor of dragonkind, only worthy of being a Dragon King's partner. Its bloodline and status were undisputed.
So…
Don't be fooled by Gongyang Mo's gender.
Among the female teammates—he was their bestie.
And a proper, certified bestie.
In the early morning, a light mist shrouded the main gate of Shrek Academy. From the fog emerged a group of people...
They were none other than the main and preparatory teams of Shrek Academy, ready to depart for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament.
Everyone had taken off their school uniforms and changed into their casual attire.
After a period of cultivation and training, the seven members of the preparatory team appeared significantly improved, with more determined expressions.
Among them, the most handsome was the cross-dressing Wang Dong, while the most beautiful was Jin Qiu'er.
This was because Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao were not present.
At that moment, Xuanzu strolled over, followed by a man and a woman. He announced, "These two will be the teachers accompanying you. Get to know each other."
"Hello, everyone. I'm Wang Yan," the man said with a smile.
"Zhou Yi," the woman, appearing no older than twenty-eight or twenty-nine and stunningly beautiful, stated coldly.
Her name immediately drew glances from the others.
No one recognized Wang Yan, except for Wei Na, who knew he was Huo Yuhao's assistant homeroom teacher.
But Zhou Yi's name was known to everyone.
It was the same name that once topped the academy's trending topics.
However, this Zhou Yi looked nothing like the one in the rumors.
"Wang Dong, this pretty teacher has the same name as that old witch," Xiao Xiao whispered in surprise.
Wang Dong nodded. "Indeed, but at least this teacher is easier on the eyes."
"Who's Zhou Yi?" Jin Qiu'er asked curiously, having forgotten the person she once stabbed.
Zhou Yi, with her strength, naturally heard their whispered conversation. Her brows twitched, but she forced herself to stay calm.
This teacher was indeed the long-absent Zhou Yi—and this was her true appearance.
She had not died from Jin Qiu'er's attack and had survived thanks to the timely treatment at Shrek Academy.
However, she could no longer remain in the freshman class.
Though still recovering, her injuries did not hinder her movement.
Zhou Yi was unwilling to accept her fall from grace.
Fortunately, Fanyu once again lent his support.
With Qian Duoduo's guarantee, the academy gave Fanyu face.
Thus, Zhou Yi became one of the teachers accompanying the team, though still only as an assistant leader.
Moreover, the academy required that she not appear in her "old witch" form to avoid unnecessary trouble.
To lead the team, Zhou Yi reluctantly agreed.
It turned out that no one recognized her true appearance, nor did anyone speak ill of her.
For this Soul Master Tournament, Shrek Academy was all but guaranteed to win the championship. Zhou Yi's presence seemed more like a move to restore her reputation.
Fanyu and Zhou Yi both hoped to use this opportunity to help her regain some honor.
Next, all the team members introduced themselves.
Zhou Yi gave Jin Qiu'er a long, deep look but said nothing.
Jin Qiu'er noticed something odd and suddenly raised her hand to ask, "Wait a minute! Elder Xuan, where are Huo Yuhao and Captain Ma Xiaotao?"
"You mean Huo Yuhao, right?" Xuanzu chuckled. He didn't recall any particular closeness between Jin Qiu'er and Ma Xiaotao.
On the contrary, Jin Qiu'er always seemed focused on Huo Yuhao—either bothering him or planning to.
Both Mu En and Xuanzu merely watched the drama unfold, believing that Jin Qiu'er's attitude stemmed from being close in age to Huo Yuhao and thus unwilling to acknowledge him as her senior.
Their complicated relationship might just be what spurs mutual growth and motivation.
Still, it was odd. Despite Huo Yuhao being such a good kid, he didn't seem to get along well with either Jin Qiu'er or Ma Xiaotao.
"Eh, same difference," Jin Qiu'er replied nonchalantly. She just wanted to know where Huo Yuhao had gone.
She couldn't let him secretly outdo her.
Recently, she had also noticed what seemed like a soul power resonance between her and Huo Yuhao.
She'd asked Wei Na about it and discovered that this resonance was very similar to a martial soul fusion technique.
But it was still a secret—she hadn't told anyone else.
Wang Dong and the others were also curious.
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Xuanzu finally stopped being mysterious and said, "Xiaotao went to obtain her seventh soul ring, and Yuhao went with her to obtain his fifth. They'll meet us at Star Luo City."
Beibei and Wei Na fell silent. They remembered that Huo Yuhao had only gotten his fourth soul ring over the holiday.
What on earth had he been eating to be ready for a fifth so soon after the semester started?
Was the benefit of absorbing higher-level soul rings really that huge?
Wei Na still had a question, so she frowned and asked, "Why didn't they bring us along to hunt soul beasts? We could've helped."
Xuanzu chuckled. "Someone else is guiding them, while you all have other missions."
The seven preparatory team members were confused.
But the five core team members had a glint in their eyes—they had experienced the same thing back then.
Ling Luocheng thought about the strained relationship between Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao and quietly hoped, Maybe this soul beast hunt will help ease the tension between them. If they can get along better, the team's coordination will definitely improve.
"No more wasting time! Everyone, move out! Anyone who can't keep up with the team will be in for some serious training!" Xuanzu bellowed.
Everyone quickly formed ranks and began running forward.
After they had left Shrek Academy for a while...
Xuanzu called them to a halt again—to bestow upon them the honor of Shrek Academy, formally inducting the preparatory team into the Shrek Surveillance Corps.
Then, he led the Surveillance Corps toward the Mingdou Mountain Range to carry out a mission.
No one noticed—
That after their departure,
Four centipede-like appendages stealthily emerged from the ground, then slipped back under, silently following the group.
The main and preparatory teams traveled west of the Star Dou Forest, en route to the Mingdou Mountain Range at the border between the Star Luo Empire and the Sun Moon Empire.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao entered a mountain range on the east side of the forest. To save time, they had departed earlier.
They were personally accompanied by Yan Shaozhe.
"According to the academy's data, there's a sixty-thousand-year-old Golden-Eyed Firecloud Bird in this mountain range—perfect for Xiaotao's seventh soul ring."
"As for Yuhao, we'll have to see. The goal is a poison-type or ice-type dragon soul beast. There are a few in this range that suit him, but we're not sure if the years are sufficient. It'll depend on luck."
As they traveled, Yan Shaozhe introduced suitable soul beasts to the pair.
Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao had no objections.
I'll find a chance to ditch Yan Shaozhe and hunt for my sixth ring alone, Huo Yuhao had already made up his mind.
He planned to slay a suitable hundred-thousand-year soul beast, use its soul bone to enhance his physique, and then absorb its soul ring.
No problem at all.
Then Huo Yuhao asked curiously, "Senior brother, did Xiaotao break through to level 70 so quickly because of a soul bone?"
"Hahaha, junior brother, you guessed right," Yan Shaozhe laughed. "After this tournament, Xiaotao and you will definitely shock everyone—showing the true power of our Shrek Academy!"
Huo Yuhao nodded.
Then he gazed into the distance.
"Let's hope the others are safe. Amitabha."
They entered the mountain range.
Huo Yuhao immediately activated his Qi-Vision Technique, examining the flow of fate and the general distribution within the mountains.
All he could say was—as expected of the Star Dou Great Forest. Hidden within this mountain range alone were two hundred-thousand-year Beast Kings!
One Beast King's projection appeared as a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The other took the form of an ant.
And this mountain range was only a small portion of the entire Star Dou Great Forest.
The powerful soul beasts that existed in the forest were not limited to those savage beasts in the core area. Several hundred-thousand-year Beast Kings were hidden away.
The reason they hid was because in this era, soul beasts were weak.
As for the so-called "Beast God" or savage beasts, they never truly united all soul beasts, nor did they make any real effort to protect the lives of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.
Only when humans hunted too many of them, and the savage beasts felt their dignity was challenged, would they finally show up.
But by then, the soul beasts were already dead—what was the point?
Justice that comes too late—is it still justice?
They talked big, but did nothing. With such "leaders," the fate of the soul beasts was already sealed.
Surrendering to humans had become a new path forward.
In the future, even the Silver Dragon King knelt down and called a Soft-Boned Rabbit "grandma"—she brought that on herself.
A weak general leads to a weak army.
It was no surprise that most hundred-thousand-year soul beasts chose to hide away.
In terms of protecting their territory and subordinates, Di Tian and the others were even worse than the Evil-Eyed Tyrant Lord on the other continent.
Moreover, the most powerful soul master faction on the continent, Shrek Academy, was located right next to the Star Dou Great Forest. They claimed to defend against soul beasts, but in truth, they were guarding this massive resource trove.
If those hundred-thousand-year soul beasts didn't hide, were they just waiting to die?
Therefore, Huo Yuhao had no pity for soul beasts on the Douluo Continent. He couldn't empathize at all. His verdict was simple:
"Beasts are just beasts."
But if they pledged allegiance to Brother Hao?
Then they weren't beasts—they were brothers.
"Yo, is there a suitable hundred-thousand-year poison-type soul beast around here?" Huo Yuhao asked as they traveled.
The Golden Tortoise thought for a moment, then seriously replied,
"I dunno! I've never lived around here!"
Huo Yuhao: "..."
Still, the Golden Tortoise wasn't completely useless.
"Brother Hao, if you're looking for a poison-type hundred-thousand-year soul beast, it won't be easy. Those that can live that long generally have high bloodline quality, and top-tier poison beasts are rare to begin with."
"Plus, poison-type soul beasts like dark, damp environments. This mountain range clearly isn't suitable for them. Fire-type beasts would be more likely here."
"I see," Huo Yuhao nodded. He secretly used diWei Nation to calculate again, then regretfully said,
"Indeed. The terrain and energy lines here aren't suited for toxic creatures like venomous insects or snakes."
Lower-level ones didn't matter, but high-level poison beasts would never settle here.
"If you're really after a hundred-thousand-year poison soul beast," A Hui chimed in, "I recommend going to the sea. There are lots of toxic soul beasts there, and more of them reach the hundred-thousand-year level."
"Good idea!" Huo Yuhao nodded.
"For now, I'll just pick a random hundred-thousand-year soul beast for my seventh ring, and later go to the sea to find a proper poison-type one."
Under Electrolux's guidance, Huo Yuhao had long since formed a new approach to developing poison attributes.
Even absorbing four ordinary poison-type hundred-thousand-year soul rings wouldn't compare to a single soul ring with ultimate poison.
Unfortunately, Huo Yuhao didn't know where to find one with ultimate poison.
So he had to walk another path—comprehending and developing the essence of poison on his own, pushing it to the limit.
As for the toxicity issue? Not a problem. Even without a soul ring, Huo Yuhao could enhance his body's toxicity through poison cultivation techniques.
Ultimately, between the Tyrannosaurus and the ant, Huo Yuhao chose the T-Rex.
The Golden Tortoise knew about these two types.
From the projections, he could identify both.
The Tyrannosaurus Beast King's species was simply called Tyrannosaurus—an earth-dragon-type beast, also called a 地龙 (Earth Dragon). Its lineage dated back to ancient times and was near extinction. Its bloodline, though impure, was singular and powerful. Known as King of the Earth Dragons, it was even stronger than many true dragon soul beasts, and had terrifying physical strength.
The ant-shaped Beast King was a mutated Qianjun Ant Emperor. It had a hidden golden bloodline, with dark gold armor and immense strength. It wouldn't be easy to solo it, especially since it might be accompanied by a colony.
By contrast, Tyrannosaurs don't form groups.
And its solo combat strength was higher.
It also fit better with Huo Yuhao's Frost Centipede martial soul.
But if he wanted to hunt the T-Rex, he'd need the right moment—separating from the team to make his move.
Yan Shaozhe, along with Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao, searched the mountains for a while. Guided by maps and records, they successfully located their target:
A 60,000-year-old Golden-Eyed Firecloud Bird!
It had golden eyes, fluffy fire-red feathers, and flying through the air, it looked like a red cloud, hence the name.
It was quite powerful, capable of unleashing flame storms and covering large areas in destructive fire.
Fortunately, it only attacked if provoked. It preferred mountain peaks, where it burned off vegetation and stayed away from other beasts.
Flying up to its peak lair, they didn't feel cold from elevation—on the contrary, the environment grew hotter.
At the summit, the three quickly found the bird—it was home today.
A three-meter-tall giant bird, covered in cottony red feathers. Rather than being terrifying, it looked cute and beautiful.
However, it radiated intense heat—clearly possessing strong fire power.
The Golden-Eyed Firecloud Bird immediately sensed the trio and stood up, vigilantly watching them, ready to attack.
Seeing the beast, Ma Xiaotao's eyes lit up.
"Teacher! My martial soul is resonating—this beast is perfect for me!"
Yan Shaozhe smiled. "Good! Xiaotao, Yuhao, step back. I'll handle this one."
With the Soul Master Tournament approaching, Yan Shaozhe wanted to ensure safety and would personally fight.
"Thank you, teacher!" Ma Xiaotao said sweetly, then grabbed Huo Yuhao in her arms and flew away.
Yan Shaozhe blinked—he hadn't expected her to carry him off like that. But he smiled warmly.
"Looks like their relationship has eased during this time."
He didn't have time to think more—a massive firecloud descended upon him!
The Firecloud Bird launched a sneak attack, without honor!
Moments later, a burst of holy light exploded on the mountain peak, scattering the firecloud.
Battle commenced.
A 60,000-year soul beast couldn't defeat Yan Shaozhe, but capturing it without killing it required precision and care.
What Yan Shaozhe didn't know was…
Ma Xiaotao had flown with Huo Yuhao into a distant forest clearing, then suddenly pressed him up against a tree trunk.
"Junior uncle, what are you doing?" Huo Yuhao asked in surprise.
"Obviously this~" Ma Xiaotao gave him a seductive smile, her eyes glowing pink.
"Little Uncle, we've got time to kill, so why not…"
In the forest, intense flames burned beside the tree trunk, without igniting it.
The tree swayed, its crown shook, and leaves fluttered down.
The battle on the mountaintop caused trees across the mountain to gently sway—but this patch of forest shook especially violently.
The Ice-Fire Body Refinement had improved slightly.
Unfortunately, it only lasted the time it takes to drink a cup of tea — far from satisfying.
Just as Huo Yuhao set off, Yan Shaozhe finished his task.
Fortunately, Huo Yuhao had strong control over his body. As an ice-type soul master, he was able to quickly force himself to calm down.
But Huo Yuhao swore to himself: once they got back, he would make Ma Xiaotao pay the price for inciting such wicked flames of desire.
Yan Shaozhe looked at the returning Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao. His eyes then landed on Ma Xiaotao, and when he noticed the redness in her cheeks, he couldn't help but be curious.
"Xiaotao, why is your face red?"
"Because I'm about to absorb my seventh soul ring — I'm excited," Ma Xiaotao replied hoarsely, as though her throat were sore.
"Oh, I see," Yan Shaozhe didn't think too much of it.
After all, Huo Yuhao appeared completely normal, as if nothing had happened.
Yan Shaozhe smiled and pointed to the dying Golden-Eyed Firecloud Bird beside him. "Xiaotao, quickly finish it off and absorb its soul ring."
"Yes, teacher."
Ma Xiaotao nodded and exchanged a subtle glance with Huo Yuhao before stepping toward the bird.
After swiftly killing it, she immediately sat down cross-legged and began absorbing the soul ring on the spot.
The Golden-Eyed Firecloud Bird lived atop a mountain, far from other soul beasts, so it was safe to absorb the soul ring there. With Title Douluo Yan Shaozhe standing guard, Ma Xiaotao had no need to worry about safety.
Huo Yuhao also sat cross-legged nearby, appearing to seize the moment for cultivation — looking extremely diligent.
Seeing this, Yan Shaozhe nodded in satisfaction, then sighed.
"Yuhao is very talented. It's a pity he and Xiaotao aren't on good terms. Otherwise, they'd be the perfect match..."
But Yan Shaozhe wasn't worried.
Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao were still young. They had plenty of time to grow closer.
Usually, a soul master's seventh soul ring is around 50,000 years old. Most don't exceed that. The eighth ring typically surpasses 50,000 years, and the ninth may reach 100,000.
Ma Xiaotao dared to absorb a 60,000-year-old soul beast ring for two reasons:
Her Phoenix of the Flames martial soul was incredibly powerful.
She had absorbed a soul bone over 50,000 years old, specifically a torso bone, which provided the greatest enhancement to one's physique.
Thanks to this soul bone, Ma Xiaotao had directly advanced to level 70, enabling her to withstand a 60,000-year-old soul ring.
This didn't happen in the original story.
The reason for this change? Naturally, it had to do with Huo Yuhao.
Ma Xiaotao had been at level 69, just a single step away. After discussions between Yan Shaozhe and Mu En, they decided to help her — to shock everyone at the Soul Master Tournament and once again show off Shrek Academy's glory.
Plus, after "losing" her evil fire, Ma Xiaotao no longer had to worry about sudden power increases causing her to lose control.
This also benefited Huo Yuhao.
With Ma Xiaotao's strength boosted, the effects of Ice-Fire Body Refinement had also increased.
Ma Xiaotao's soul ring absorption went smoothly. Though she looked under pressure, it was still within her limits.
Yan Shaozhe nodded in satisfaction.
Huo Yuhao also nodded — satisfied.
Yes, Huo Yuhao had been secretly observing the whole time.
The moment Ma Xiaotao began absorbing the soul ring, he knew — it was time to act.
The 100,000-year-old Snow Lotus trembled faintly. Its unique aura spread outward under Huo Yuhao's control.
But Yan Shaozhe didn't notice anything unusual. After all, this was Huo Yuhao's normal soul power signature. He had simply always kept it restrained around himself before.
This time, however, Huo Yuhao let it drift far away, especially in the direction of two hidden Beast Kings.
This tactic was something he'd learned from a certain God King — baiting soul beasts with immortal herbs.
And it worked as expected.
Soul beasts who caught a whiff of the 100,000-year-old Snow Lotus began to go berserk!
The first to arrive were nearby soul beasts — mostly thousand-year-level, with a few ten-thousand-year-level ones.
Yet, intimidated by the aura of Title Douluo Yan Shaozhe, they didn't dare approach. But that didn't stop them from drooling in greed.
Yan Shaozhe frowned. "Why are so many soul beasts gathering?"
Still, since they weren't attacking, he refrained from taking action — avoiding unnecessary trouble. Just to be safe, though, he woke Huo Yuhao.
"Yuhao, the gathering of these soul beasts is unusual. Be careful. I have a bad feeling," he warned seriously.
Huo Yuhao nodded solemnly. "Understood, Senior Brother."
"Why would these soul beasts gather here?"
"Yeah, strange. I have no idea either."
"Could it be…" Yan Shaozhe thought back on his experience and came up with a theory. He scanned the Firecloud Bird's nest. "Maybe… there was some heavenly treasure hidden here? Now that the bird is gone, its scent is leaking and attracting others?"
But he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. So he turned to Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, you're more familiar with herbs. Check the surroundings — see if there are any rare medicinal plants."
"Okay," Huo Yuhao said, and began digging around the nest.
In the end, he found a few fire-type herbs and some unusual minerals.
"These aren't particularly rare, but they can be used in alchemy," Huo Yuhao said, casually storing them in his soul guide.
Yan Shaozhe was puzzled.
Why had the soul beasts come?
Surely they weren't here to avenge the Firecloud Bird?
What really worried Yan Shaozhe was that more and more powerful soul beasts were appearing.
He had no choice but to release his aura to suppress them.
Soon, beasts over 50,000 years old began to appear.
Their eyes gleamed with desire. Though they didn't attack immediately — wary of Yan Shaozhe — they clearly weren't giving up.
"Yuhao, get behind me! Protect Xiaotao!" Yan Shaozhe ordered sternly.
"Mm-hmm," Huo Yuhao responded obediently.
Finally, when enough 50,000-year-level soul beasts had gathered — they attacked!
"Roar!"
"Hiss!!"
"Awoooo!!!"
With thunderous roars, the high-level soul beasts charged the mountaintop.
"Beasts, how dare you act so arrogantly?!" Yan Shaozhe's expression turned icy. Light-type soul power surged from him. "Radiant Phoenix, Possession!"
In the next second, he burst into motion, colliding with the charging soul beasts in a fierce melee.
Alone, he kept them all at bay — none could even reach the summit.
This was the power of a Title Douluo!
Huo Yuhao watched Yan Shaozhe's back, greed flickering in his eyes — though he quickly suppressed it.
"Phoenix bloodline… and light attribute too. It suits me even more than Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix bloodline. And outside… there's an even stronger Phoenix with light power. A future upgrade path…"
"What a pity… My current target is that Tyrant Dragon. I'll save the Radiant Phoenix for later."
Then Huo Yuhao turned his gaze to a certain direction.
"The Beast King is on its way too."
Tremors began in the distance. Even the rocks at Huo Yuhao's feet bounced off the ground.
"Now… it's my time to shine…"