Huo Yuhao and Ling Luochen didn't linger long in that brief moment of tenderness.
Because what followed was an even more important treatment session.
Only Wang Xian'er and Ling Luochen remained in the room. Even Mu En didn't go in—he only helped channel the power of the Golden Ancient Tree to fill the room with an aura of light and life. Huo Yuhao had also lifted the Extreme Ice on Ling Luochen's body beforehand.
Soon, soul power fluctuations full of vibrant life radiated from the room—it was clear that Wang Xian'er had begun her treatment.
Huo Yuhao's gaze flickered slightly. Then he took a deep breath and put on a calm front, reaching out to hold the hands of Ma Xiaotao and Veena, silently offering comfort.
The two women also clasped his hands in return.
Ma Xiaotao no longer cared about others watching.
Even though they were confident that there would be no issue with Wang Xian'er treating her, they couldn't help feeling nervous.
"Don't worry, Luochen will be fine."
"Mm, I trust Senior Medical Immortal," Ma Xiaotao said softly, her anxiety slowly fading.
Veena also relaxed. "Big Sister Luochen will definitely be okay."
The others watching didn't overthink it—only sighed in admiration at the deep bond among Huo Yuhao, Ma Xiaotao, Veena, and Ling Luochen. Such friendship was truly enviable.
Despite being the most worried of all, Huo Yuhao still cared for the feelings of those around him. He really was a gentle soul.
Yan Shaozhe could only regret that Huo Yuhao and Ling Luochen were already together.
Xian Lin'er, too, sighed emotionally. Huo Yuhao was truly a dependable man—Ling Luochen probably wouldn't experience the same emotional troubles she had.
Only Mu En and Zhang Lexuan were left in awkward silence.
They didn't know whether to praise Huo Yuhao's deep affection or criticize him for being too affectionate.
The thing was—Huo Yuhao could handle each relationship perfectly.
He could even handle all of them at the same time.
Which made it even harder for the two of them to deal with emotionally.
Mu En thought back to the past. "If only I had…"
Zhang Lexuan found herself missing Beibei again. "Where is my Beibei…"
The Starshatter Douluo, unlike the others, was more concerned about Wang Xian'er. Given her age, every time she used her healing abilities, it would cost her some of her life force.
Though Wang Xian'er had assured them that her month of recuperation in the Sea God Pavilion had left her in great condition and that this treatment wouldn't strain her too much, Starshatter Douluo still worried.
"Ancestor, please don't let anything go wrong!"
No mishaps meant good news for everyone.
The treatment lasted a full hour.
Because of the long duration, the others temporarily left the area.
Only Huo Yuhao, Ma Xiaotao, Veena, Zhang Lexuan, and Starshatter Douluo remained, waiting patiently.
Finally, the treatment was complete.
The door opened.
Wang Xian'er stepped out with a kind expression on her face. She didn't seem the least bit unwell, which made Starshatter Douluo exhale in relief. He rushed forward to support her, calling out worriedly, "Ancestor!"
"Starshatter, don't worry. I'm perfectly fine." Wang Xian'er smiled at him, then looked at the others and nodded gently. "The treatment was a complete success. The girl is no longer in danger. She just needs three months of rest. She can resume cultivation tomorrow, though it's best if she avoids any combat."
"Thank you, Senior Medical Immortal!" Huo Yuhao led the group in bowing to express their gratitude.
"Hehe, no need for all that. I'll go rest now. You all stay and look after her."
"Take care, senior."
Supported by Starshatter Douluo, Wang Xian'er slowly walked away.
Only then did Huo Yuhao and the others enter the room.
Even though only an hour had passed, Ling Luochen's face had regained color. Her previously shattered left arm was whole again—though still wrapped in bandages, she could already use it without difficulty.
She had woken up and was sitting upright in the bed, watching the four of them walk in.
"Senior Sister, Yuhao, Xiaotao, Nana—I'm okay!" Ling Luochen said first, tears of joy in her eyes.
"That's all that matters!" Ma Xiaotao and Veena hurried to her side, carefully inspecting her left arm as if she were made of glass.
When they saw that her arm had fully recovered, bone and flesh both, they were even more elated and marveled at Wang Xian'er's remarkable skill.
"Senior Sister, Xiaotao, Nana, thank you for helping me. If you ever need anything, I…" Ling Luochen's words of gratitude were interrupted by Zhang Lexuan.
Zhang Lexuan said softly, "Luochen, no need for that. Since you call me Senior Sister, it's my duty to care for you. Besides, that soul bone wasn't one I hunted myself. The one you should really thank is Junior Brother Yuhao."
"Luochen, there's no need for formality between us. Besides, we'll all be thanking Senior Sister together from now on," Ma Xiaotao added mischievously, winking at Ling Luochen.
Ling Luochen's face instantly flushed. She understood what Ma Xiaotao meant by "relationship."
Veena also leaned closer with a warm smile.
Huo Yuhao, however, still bowed seriously to Zhang Lexuan. "Senior Sister Lexuan, I'll never forget this kindness. I'll repay you tenfold in the future! If you ever need me, I'll never refuse."
"I feel the same!"
"Me too!"
Ma Xiaotao and Veena echoed him.
"You all… sigh, do as you like." Zhang Lexuan let out a soft sigh, shook her head, and prepared to leave. She felt like she was a little out of place in this room.
But before she left, she pulled out a soul bone—the left leg bone from their recent hunt.
"This soul bone isn't suitable for me, so I'm giving it to you all as a gift. Don't even think of refusing."
With that, she left, closing the door behind her and giving them no chance to argue.
Everyone looked at the soul bone on the table with mixed feelings—but their goodwill toward Zhang Lexuan increased greatly.
"Senior Sister is truly a good person," Veena commented sincerely.
"She's always like this—taking care of us juniors," Ling Luochen said, clearly moved.
Then followed a relaxed conversation and, most importantly, the soul bone distribution.
Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao also brought out the other gains from their expedition.
Including the one Zhang Lexuan left, there were three soul bones: right arm, left leg, and torso.
All were ice-element soul bones.
The torso bone was the least aged, at only 10,000 years, but it was the most valuable due to its location.
The oldest was the 50,000-year left leg bone left by Zhang Lexuan, from a soul beast she personally hunted.
The remaining right arm bone was 30,000 years old, hunted by Ma Xiaotao.
Due to attribute incompatibility, Ma Xiaotao couldn't use any of the bones.
Huo Yuhao also declined to take one. He said that even if he did, he wouldn't absorb it for now—he was aiming for soul bones of even higher age.
In the end, the three bones were divided between Ling Luochen and Veena.
To enhance Ling Luochen's physique and accelerate her recovery, she was given the 10,000-year torso bone.
Though it was "only" 10,000 years, it was still a rare and valuable treasure for any soul master.
The 50,000-year left leg bone was originally meant for Veena, but she insisted it should go to Ling Luochen since it was a gift from Zhang Lexuan.
So now, Ling Luochen possessed soul bones in her right leg, left arm, torso, and left leg—four major sections.
Veena chose the right arm bone, giving her soul bones in the left arm, head, and right arm.
Huo Yuhao (narration):
Let's level up our vessel. I don't expect too much from the vessel, but it should at least be pleasant to use~
Ling Luoshen's recovery brought joy to everyone, yet one person still hadn't been healed—
That person was Jin Qiu'er.
Jin Qiu'er remained unconscious.
Huo Yuhao, Ma Xiaotao, and Vena were once again summoned by Mu En. Other senior officials were also present, and the atmosphere was noticeably tense. This time, the leaders wanted to inquire about events that occurred during the Soul Master Tournament.
However, according to Huo Yuhao and the others, everything during the tournament had been normal. Even Huo Yuhao, who shared a Martial Soul Fusion technique with Jin Qiu'er, hadn't noticed anything unusual.
Ironically, this very absence of anomalies caused Mu En and the others to frown in concern.
The odd tension puzzled the trio, prompting Ma Xiaotao to ask Yan Shaozhe directly, "Teacher, what exactly happened?"
Yan Shaozhe sighed and explained, "Qiu'er still hasn't woken up. After a check by the Medical Immortal, it was discovered that Qiu'er's soul fluctuations are abnormal. It's likely someone tampered with her soul. The Medical Immortal is now trying to awaken her."
"What?!" The three were shocked.
Ma Xiaotao and Vena were stunned by the nature of Jin Qiu'er's condition.
Huo Yuhao, however, was surprised that Wang Xian'er had detected a problem with her soul—something even Mu En had missed.
She truly lived up to her reputation as a professional.
Given that Jin Qiu'er was an Ultimate Power Attribute Soul Master and Mu En's youngest disciple, Shrek Academy absolutely could not give up on her.
Now, the academy had to resolve two key issues:
Who tampered with Jin Qiu'er?
How to heal her?
The task of healing was left to Wang Xian'er for now, but based on her demeanor, it wouldn't be a quick or easy process.
What Shrek Academy could do in the meantime was identify the perpetrator and retaliate—perhaps even uncover a cure in the process.
Now that the matter had been disclosed to Huo Yuhao and the others, Mu En didn't hold back. He revealed that the academy had two primary suspects:
— The White Tiger Duke's Mansion
— The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy
Both factions bore grudges against Shrek.
One was a recent enmity, the other a longstanding one.
Both had the motive and the means. With their long histories and deep resources, it wasn't impossible for them to possess soul-affecting techniques.
The White Tiger Duke's Mansion had once been a loyal ally of Shrek, but now they had dared to harm a Shrek teacher. What else might they do?
Originally, the conflict with them was believed to have ended after an apology. But now, it seemed that might not be the full story.
Still, the chance of their involvement was low—but not zero.
Based on deduction, Jin Qiu'er was most likely targeted during the time Xuan Zi was absent.
This drove Xuan Zi to rage and regret, vowing to confront both factions.
Thankfully, Mu En stopped him.
Since there was no solid evidence, attacking either group would make Shrek look arrogant and reckless.
Doing nothing, however, was not an option.
So, Mu En laid out his plans.
"Duoduo," Mu En turned to Qian Duoduo.
Qian Duoduo quickly sat upright and responded, "Yes, Elder Mu!"
Huo Yuhao (internally): Is this guy an AI assistant or something?
Mu En continued, "The exchange student program with the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy is about to begin. How are the preparations on your end?"
The exchange was still going forward as planned. Preparations were nearly complete, and the two academies would soon finalize the list of exchange participants.
As Huo Yuhao wasn't part of the Soul Engineering Department, he wasn't too familiar with this program.
In the original timeline, the actual exchange was set to happen later.
"Elder Mu," Qian Duoduo replied, "Lin'er and I have finished most of the preparations. Vice Dean Fanyu will personally lead the team. Including students, the exchange delegation will number twenty."
"Fanyu, huh? How is he holding up?" Mu En asked.
Fanyu's wife had died—everyone knew this. Her death had even led to a Sea God's Pavilion meeting and worsened Shrek's relationship with the White Tiger Duke's Mansion.
She had died with honor, one might say.
Qian Duoduo answered seriously, "Fanyu has barely pulled through the grief, but it's still had a major impact on him. Now, he's poured all his energy into soul tool research. He may even reach the level of Rank Nine Soul Engineer sooner than expected."
By the end, Qian Duoduo's tone carried a touch of satisfaction.
"I see. Then let's not disturb him further," Mu En murmured. He then turned to Yan Shaozhe. "Shaozhe, select a few trusted individuals to accompany the exchange team. Conduct a covert investigation at the Sun Moon Academy—but don't reveal your true purpose."
Yan Shaozhe's eyes flashed. He bowed respectfully. "Understood, teacher."
Just then, Xian Lin'er suddenly spoke up. "Teacher, why don't I go myself? I can study their soul tool techniques while investigating in secret."
Everyone was surprised. They hadn't expected her to volunteer.
Qian Duoduo immediately objected, "No! What if something happens to you?"
But Xian Lin'er shot him a glare. "Why not? Others can go, but I can't? With my strength, who can really stop me? Are you looking down on me?"
"Wait, Lin'er, I didn't mean it like that," Qian Duoduo waved his hands frantically, trying to explain. He was just worried.
Lin'er understood his concern. She didn't dislike Qian Duoduo, but she didn't care for some of his overprotective traits. A strong woman herself, she didn't like backing down.
Still, after venting, she softened. Smiling faintly, she said gently, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I know what I'm doing."
Qian Duoduo was instantly delighted—his goddess had smiled at him!
In the end, everyone turned to Mu En to make the final decision.
Mu En thought for a moment, then nodded lightly. "Lin'er's strength is indeed reliable. But you must hide your identity. If the Sun Moon Empire discovers who you are, they may target you."
"I understand," Xian Lin'er nodded seriously.
As for the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, Mu En decided to handle them personally.
After all, their relationship with Shrek was unique.
"The Medical Immortal is preparing to return to the Star Luo Empire. She will oversee Jin Qiu'er's treatment there. Duke Dai Hao will personally lead the escort. That gives me a good opportunity to speak with him."
"Though Shrek has some issues with the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, I don't believe Dai Hao is someone who would stoop so low. He was, after all, once a student of our inner court."
Clearly, Mu En still wanted to believe in Dai Hao.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Qian Duoduo (inner monologue): Lin'er, what would I do without you?
During the following week, apart from spending time with Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luocheng, Vina, and the other girls from the Outer Court, Huo Yuhao focused primarily on consolidating his cultivation.
It wasn't his foundation that needed solidifying—it was his control over his newfound power.
His recent improvement had been particularly massive. Huo Yuhao needed to stabilize this surge in strength so he could better command it.
The simplest method, of course, was combat.
Once again, Xuanzi became Huo Yuhao's sparring partner. But without Mu En's explicit request, Xuanzi's patience was clearly limited.
So, Xuanzi did something—what exactly, Huo Yuhao didn't know—but suddenly, many Inner Court disciples became interested in testing Huo Yuhao's strength. Quite a few came forward voluntarily to spar with him.
This included Wu Ming and Hua Yao, whom Huo Yuhao had met before. Even Ma Xiaotao got involved, and Zhang Lexuan also sparred with him.
These bouts introduced Huo Yuhao to many unfamiliar Inner Court disciples—most of whom had never appeared in the original story. And even they weren't the entirety of the Inner Court; many more were scattered across the continent performing "missions to maintain peace."
In every duel, Huo Yuhao held back, only showing a slight advantage over his opponents—no more than being on par with Ma Xiaotao, and weaker than Zhang Lexuan.
This ensured the others weren't discouraged and continued to challenge him.
Which, in turn… allowed Huo Yuhao to wildly harvest their destiny energy.
Huo Yuhao: "Thanks, bro Xuanzi, for the big gift bag!"
Can't siphon Xuanzi's fate? No problem—these Inner Court students will do just fine.
Even so, Huo Yuhao's strength was enough to shock others. But when they recalled that he wielded the Ultimate Ice attribute and had consumed immortal herbs, it no longer seemed so surprising.
On the contrary, it all felt perfectly logical.
Currently, Huo Yuhao's main cultivation focus was on enhancing his physical constitution and developing combat techniques—two aspects that directly influenced each other and advanced together.
This was all in preparation for absorbing his 400,000-year soul ring.
Since the Ice Empress wasn't going to sacrifice herself, Huo Yuhao had to absorb the ring on his own.
To further strengthen his body, aside from absorbing soul bones, his only options were slow cultivation or body-tempering techniques.
The [Medicine Blood Technique] had become somewhat inadequate for his level, and even then, it wasn't particularly effective at improving physical strength.
So, Huo Yuhao began experimenting—developing a new technique based on [Medicine Blood Technique], aimed solely at enhancing his physique. Ideally, he wanted Xuelian to participate in this cultivation and growth too.
Apart from cultivation itself, his access to cultivation resources had also shifted.
Shrek Academy had significantly increased its resource support for Huo Yuhao.
Compared to his counterpart in the original story, this version of Huo Yuhao had undeniably gained more from the Academy.
They provided him with a large amount of medicinal materials, including rare herbs, for poison refinement and medical study.
This facilitated his research into toxic arts and development of poison pills.
The Inner Court Library was even opened to him on a time-limited basis.
Within it, the unclaimed destiny energy had become his for the taking. Additionally, he gradually uncovered some of the library's hidden secrets.
For instance—locations on the continent where rare martial souls existed, or places harboring special bloodlines. He learned where certain hidden sects were based.
He marked them all on his map.
Planning, of course, to visit later.
One such record even mentioned the descendants of the Qian Clan and the Angel Martial Soul.
Interestingly, the record for Qian Renxue was labeled "missing, life or death unknown."
Nowadays, all Angel-type martial souls across the continent came from branches of the Qian family. Relying on their bloodline, these descendants integrated quite well into the noble circles.
Although the original Qian Clan was gone, its bloodline and martial soul legacy remained intact.
However, all current Six-Winged Angel martial souls were no longer divine-grade.
What's more shocking was that many of the upper-echelon members and elders of the old Spirit Hall, along with their families, had also survived and continued their legacies—many even becoming hidden clans. They had never been truly purged.
So who was purged?
The mid- and lower-tier Spirit Hall soul masters, of course! And some high-ranking soul masters without noble status or strong backgrounds.
Most of them were commoners.
This reminded Huo Yuhao of Harry Potter—after Voldemort's fall, many pure-blood Death Eaters weren't punished. After paying hefty "atonement fees," they went home peacefully. Some even rose to high positions in the Ministry of Magic.
Now, on the Douluo Continent, the situation was eerily similar. In the future, the Qian Gu Clan would even control the Spirit Transmission Tower.
"To those nobles, opposing factions—good and evil—were just a gamble gone wrong. At most, they lost some resources and investments, conceding a bit of benefit. But their lives? Their very existence? That was never truly at risk."
"But allowing the commoners to rise and share their cake—that's what really pissed them off."
"Heh~"
Still, none of that stopped Huo Yuhao from making his move.
Noble or commoner—they all had just one life. Their souls and bloodlines could be used all the same.
And noble bloodlines actually offered Huo Yuhao better nourishment.
And the resource support didn't stop there.
To aid Huo Yuhao's cultivation, Shrek Academy built a new simulated training environment within the Beast Zone—the Centipede Garden!
In short, it was an area perfectly suited for centipede-type soul beasts, and was now teeming with various kinds of them.
The centipede soul beasts once subdued by the Skydream Iceworm had all been gathered here. Their strength had improved, and Shrek Academy formally granted them to Huo Yuhao.
What could he do?
Naturally, he was deeply moved and pledged his utmost loyalty!
Those few intelligent centipede beasts instantly bowed their heads when they sensed Huo Yuhao's overwhelming aura.
The rest weren't as clever.
So Huo Yuhao took it upon himself to explain the situation—with fists if necessary.
Unsurprisingly, the centipedes submitted quickly.
In addition to the original centipedes, five more millennia-level centipede soul beasts joined the ranks, making a total of ten.
They were:
Original:
Jungle Centipede
Ironback Centipede
Ghostface Centipede
Burrowing Centipede
Golden Armored Centipede
New Additions:
Another Jungle Centipede
Another Ironback Centipede
Fire Charm Centipede — bright red, fire-attribute, illusionist
Wind Blade Centipede — emerald green, wind-attribute, uses wind blades
Swift Wing Centipede — jade-colored, winged, capable of flight
As for ordinary or sub-millennia-level centipede beasts—Huo Yuhao didn't even need to lift a finger. A mere release of his aura had them groveling.
Such was the power of a cultivation gap.
And with this batch of centipedes, Huo Yuhao would soon have himself an entire horde of demonic "children and grandchildren!"
There was a reason behind such a massive shift in resources.
Naturally, it was because Mu En wanted to nurture Huo Yuhao as fast as possible—and Huo Yuhao had already shown enough talent and growth potential to justify it.
Mu En didn't have much time left.
The faster Huo Yuhao grew, and the stronger his foundation, the greater the chance he'd break through to the next level!
An Ultimate Douluo could protect Shrek Academy for two hundred years.
But a deity… could make it flourish for ten thousand!
And so, time flowed on steadily.
Huo Yuhao's every day was packed with purpose and energy.
One week later—
Wang Qian'er was ready to leave.
Because Dai Hao had finally arrived—leading his army!
Huo Yuhao: Thank you, Shrek Academy, for this whole demonic centipede horde!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 354: The Sensible Huo Yuhao
Author: 一个漆黑的曳 | Date: 2024-03-27
Outside Shrek Academy, a cavalry unit arrived.
At the head of the formation rode Dai Hao, mounted on a century-old horse-type soul beast. Both he and his steed were clad in golden armor, exuding an awe-inspiring aura—unyielding and formidable.
Behind him was a formation of a thousand cavalrymen, riding in perfect order. Though large in number, their ranks remained disciplined. The synchronized thunder of their hooves made the very earth tremble faintly.
Every soldier and warhorse was fully armored in red. Each mount was a ten-year soul beast at minimum, and each rider possessed at least Soul Elder-level strength.
This cavalry unit was elite among elites—on the battlefield, a devastating force.
This time, they had been dispatched by Dai Hao specifically to escort Wang Qiu'er.
Though Wang Qiu'er was already protected by Sui Xing Douluo, Dai Hao didn't dare be negligent. He treated her with the highest respect—because she deserved it.
Upon reaching Shrek Academy, Dai Hao and his cavalry immediately drew the attention of many students. Some of the more timid ones were nearly frightened, while others were simply awed by the sight and curious about Dai Hao's identity.
Yan Shaozhe was already waiting at the academy gates, accompanied by Du Weilun.
The thousand-man cavalry was stationed on a nearby field outside the academy. Dai Hao approached the gates alone, dismounted, and met with Yan Shaozhe.
After a few polite exchanges, Yan Shaozhe led Dai Hao into the academy. Dai Hao followed without hesitation or suspicion, leaving his troops behind—an act that demonstrated his trust.
The cavalry remained perfectly still, not a single stir—an embodiment of discipline and elite training.
Leaving the warhorse in the outer courtyard, Dai Hao was guided by Yan Shaozhe up to Sea God's Island.
However, instead of going straight to Wang Qiu'er, he was first taken to the Sea God's Pavilion.
Dai Hao's eyes narrowed—he realized someone high-ranking wanted to meet with him. Still, he showed no reaction. In fact, this suited him perfectly. He had also hoped to meet Shrek's leadership and resolve a few misunderstandings.
Indeed, this visit wasn't solely to escort Wang Qiu'er—it was also to mend ties with Shrek Academy.
To make that happen, he had even temporarily stepped down from his military duties.
In one of the rooms in the Sea God's Pavilion, Dai Hao met Mu En, accompanied by Huo Yuhao.
Mu En had arranged for Huo Yuhao to be present because he had participated in the Soul Master Tournament and was familiar with many details. More importantly, Mu En had taken Huo Yuhao as his favored successor and wanted to cultivate him further.
After Yan Shaozhe made the introductions, he excused himself to attend to other matters.
Only Mu En, Huo Yuhao, and Dai Hao remained in the room.
Dai Hao immediately bowed respectfully. "Student Dai Hao greets Elder Mu!"
Having spent time in the Inner Court, Dai Hao recognized Mu En. By introducing himself as a "student," he implied he had come in the capacity of an alumnus rather than as a general of the Star Luo Empire.
That distinction shifted the tone of the conversation significantly.
And it allowed him to express goodwill toward Shrek Academy.
Mu En smiled kindly and nodded. "Ah, Dai Hao. It's been a long time. No need for formality. I'm simply happy that you came back to visit this old man."
Despite his benevolent tone, Mu En's true thoughts were hard to read.
"Yes, Elder Mu." Dai Hao straightened up and looked over at Huo Yuhao, suddenly smiling. "Junior Yuhao, it's been over a month since the tournament. Your performance back then left a strong impression on me."
"Senior flatters me. I owe it all to my teacher's guidance," Huo Yuhao replied politely with a smile.
Well, isn't this something—father and son calling each other senior and junior now?
Huo Yuhao hadn't expected to see his "cheap old man" again so soon—let alone have the man show up willingly.
Dai Hao didn't look much different from a month ago.
But he still had no clue about their real relationship.
If he did, Huo Yuhao would've loved to see his expression—it would've been priceless.
Deep inside, Huo Yuhao could feel his bloodline stirring again.
Dai Hao then sat down, and Mu En and Dai Hao began to chat.
On the surface, their conversation seemed lighthearted. But beneath it all, every word was filled with subtle probing, veiled meaning, and carefully measured positions. Huo Yuhao silently marveled at the intricacies of the exchange.
Without the bureaucratic memories he'd inherited from Pudu Cihang, he might not have understood any of it.
Ultimately, both Mu En and Dai Hao seemed satisfied with the outcome.
Mu En confirmed that Dai Hao had no knowledge of what happened to Jin Qiu'er and hadn't been involved in harming her. Furthermore, Dai Hao agreed to return and investigate whether someone else in the White Tiger Duke's household had acted independently.
Specifically, the prime suspect: the Duchess.
If the Duchess was truly responsible—even though she was a princess of the Empire—Dai Hao would not hesitate to cut her off.
Fortunately, he believed it was unlikely. Though the Duchess had her own forces, the most powerful among them was a eunuch who'd already gone missing.
That eunuch, moreover, lacked any ability to affect souls.
Dai Hao, on the other hand, received forgiveness from Shrek Academy. The academy was willing to resolve the misunderstandings, and both parties could resume their alliance.
Although Dai Huabin had been expelled, his future children would still be welcome to attend Shrek Academy.
A win-win resolution for both sides.
After that, everything proceeded smoothly.
Dai Hao met with Wang Qiu'er and Sui Xing Douluo. Then, under the protection of the cavalry, they began their journey back to the Star Luo Empire.
Huo Yuhao followed Mu En and personally saw Wang Qiu'er off at the academy gates.
Given Wang Qiu'er's status, Mu En's personal farewell was a sign of goodwill toward the Empire.
Standing in the crowd, Huo Yuhao watched the departing procession, squinting slightly.
"I didn't expect Wang Qiu'er to actually notice the issue with the soul. I wonder if she sensed Jin Qiu'er's incomplete soul, or if she picked up on the tricks I left behind. Can she really heal Jin Qiu'er?"
"Whatever the case, Wang Qiu'er can't be allowed to remain. If Jin Qiu'er stays unconscious, maybe something unexpected will happen. Sooner or later, the Great Star Dou Forest will realize something's wrong with her. When that time comes..."
"Also, it's about time I completed my bloodline and broke through to the Zen Master level."
Killing intent quietly rose in Huo Yuhao's heart, but on the surface, he remained calm and composed, standing behind Mu En and pushing his wheelchair.
Suddenly, Mu En spoke.
"Yuhao, though there have been misunderstandings between you and the White Tiger Duke's household, you shouldn't completely distance yourself from Dai Hao. After all, they are descendants of our ancestors. Not just them—the forces that once followed Lord Sea God are also worth getting closer to. It won't hurt you."
As a teacher, Mu En was thinking of Huo Yuhao's future. Becoming a god required not just talent and effort, but also help from others.
That was how the original Shrek Seven Monsters succeeded.
Only through mutual support could they all become gods.
If Shrek Academy could once again produce more than one god, Mu En could die in peace.
Upon hearing Mu En's guidance, Huo Yuhao obediently nodded and replied earnestly,
"I will, Teacher!"
Mu En smiled with satisfaction.
"Yuhao, you're a sensible child. I trust you."
Huo Yuhao (internally): That's right—I understand. I understand it all. I'll get real close to Dai Hao, don't worry!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 355: The Dying Sun Like Blood!
March 27, 2024 – Author: 一个漆黑的曳
Four days later.
Dai Hao led his squad as they bypassed the Star Dou Great Forest, crossed the border between the Star Luo Empire and the Heavenly Soul Empire, and returned to Star Luo territory.
He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Shrek City was located within the Heavenly Soul Empire. To its south was the vast Star Dou Great Forest. Since venturing through the forest was too risky, their only option had been to request passage through the Heavenly Soul Empire.
Though the empire had no real control over Shrek City, everything outside of that city still belonged to the Heavenly Soul Empire.
Thus, their activities had all taken place on foreign soil.
While no current conflict existed between the two empires, there was no guarantee that the Heavenly Soul Empire wouldn't take action.
Back when the Heavenly Soul Empire was dealing with the beast tide, the Star Luo Empire didn't sit idly by—they applied pressure through intimidation. This forced the Heavenly Soul Empire to divide their forces to defend the south, worsening the crisis in the north and causing even greater losses.
Naturally, this had left the Heavenly Soul Empire resentful.
Retaliation was always a possibility.
Even if the Heavenly Soul Empire took no overt action, any danger encountered while on their land could further strain relations. One misstep might spark open conflict—or even full-scale war.
Fortunately, they hadn't encountered any such danger.
Still, Dai Hao had sensed constant, unhidden surveillance while within the Heavenly Soul Empire—an oppressive presence that only disappeared once they reentered the Star Luo Empire.
Clearly, the surveillance came from the Heavenly Soul side.
It wasn't just observation—it was a warning.
Dai Hao had complex emotions regarding the Heavenly Soul Empire. His eldest son, Dai Yueheng, had died at its northern frontier while helping repel the beast tide.
Though killed by an evil soul master, the fact remained that he'd perished on behalf of the Heavenly Soul Empire.
Among all his children, Dai Yueheng had been the one he felt closest to. When Yueheng was young, Dai Hao had personally taught him.
As for Dai Huabin, Huo Yuhao, and even the little-known Dai Luoli, Dai Hao had barely interacted with them. He hadn't even known about Luoli's existence.
So how could any genuine bond exist?
Yueheng's death had truly grieved him, and at one point, he had considered seeking vengeance. But the murderer was nowhere to be found, and he couldn't vent his rage on Shrek Academy or the Heavenly Soul Empire.
For the sake of the White Tiger Duke's House's future, he could only act with absolute rationality.
The House's interests came first.
At least he still had one son—the line would continue.
"Still, Huabin's been spoiled by his mother. When we return, I'll keep him at my side and take him to the army. Time for some proper discipline. I'll personally oversee his martial soul training," Dai Hao thought to himself.
The Duchess's influence on Huabin had grown too strong—no longer aligned with the White Tiger Duke's values or goals.
Sometimes, Dai Hao couldn't help but wonder—if the Star Luo Empire hadn't pressured the Heavenly Soul Empire during the beast tide, would the latter have been able to concentrate its forces and end the crisis sooner? Would the evil soul masters have dared to act? Would Dai Yueheng still be alive?
But history offers no do-overs.
Back on home soil, both Dai Hao and his troops visibly relaxed. So did Smashed Star Douluo.
He too had noticed the surveillance—and even sensed that a Title Douluo had been among the observers. A silent warning: don't stir trouble on Heavenly Soul territory.
Though unafraid, Smashed Star Douluo worried for Wang Qian'er's safety.
Inside the luxurious soul-guided carriage:
Wang Qian'er cast a sideways glance at the relaxed Smashed Star Douluo and said disdainfully,
"I told you before—no need to be nervous in the Heavenly Soul Empire. They wouldn't dare act. After all, I'm a guest of Shrek Academy. They wouldn't risk it."
"Yes, yes, you're absolutely right, Ancestor," Smashed Star Douluo quickly agreed with a fawning smile.
Even if he understood her reasoning—who dared take chances?
If something happened to Wang Qian'er, Xu Jiawei would flay them alive!
Even Title Douluos couldn't defy the imperial throne—especially since Xu Jiawei himself was a Title Douluo.
Wang Qian'er didn't smile. Instead, she looked at him seriously and said,
"Smashed Star, stay alert on the road ahead. I have a bad feeling."
Smashed Star Douluo looked puzzled.
"Ancestor, are you saying someone might dare act against us within Star Luo territory?"
"Someone killed a Shrek Academy instructor in broad daylight in Star Luo City. If they dared to do that, they won't fear Star Luo's might," Wang Qian'er said coldly.
Her words struck a chord—Smashed Star Douluo's expression changed slightly.
Blunt though she was, her words made perfect sense.
While the Duchess had taken the blame for that incident, later investigations by both the Empire and the White Tiger Duke's House suggested that it had likely been a frame-up.
A third party was clearly trying to sow discord among Star Luo, the Duke's House, and Shrek Academy.
Even now, the investigation had turned up nothing.
But once mud stains your pants, it doesn't matter whether it's real or not—it's still a mess.
The White Tiger Duke's House couldn't clean itself entirely.
They'd had to offer an apology. Thankfully, the Duchess hadn't had to pay more dearly.
Smashed Star Douluo raised his guard.
Still, the day passed without incident.
As this wasn't a forced march, their pace was slow—especially with Wang Qian'er in tow.
She was elderly now and couldn't endure harsh travel.
So their return journey was far slower than their trip to Shrek Academy had been.
Even after crossing the border, they hadn't yet reached Star Luo City by nightfall.
Still, they didn't need to camp outdoors—they reached a small town where they could rest.
As the sun set, the group arrived at Gongbei Town, a northern settlement in the Star Luo Empire. It served as both a transport hub and a part of the northern defense line.
A string of such towns formed a defensive chain—each walled and garrisoned.
As the party approached, vigilant soldiers spotted them. The town gates were closed immediately, the alert raised, and tension filled the air.
Only after Dai Hao sent emissaries to identify them did the gates open. The town mayor and garrison captain appeared in person to welcome them and apologize for the misunderstanding.
Dai Hao responded with humility—dismounting to greet them personally. Rather than rebuke them, he praised their vigilance, leaving the two men overwhelmed by his grace.
The mayor personally led the group into the town and arranged the best accommodations.
As they neared the gates, Wang Qian'er felt stifled.
She lifted the curtain of her carriage window and glanced outside.
Merchants and townsfolk lined the roads, curiously watching the passing cavalry.
But something about the scene made her uneasy—something felt off.
Yet she couldn't pinpoint what.
Cautious, she ordered Smashed Star Douluo to investigate.
As he departed, Wang Qian'er gazed into the distance—toward the setting sun.
The dying sun was blood-red.
Huo Yuhao: "Jie jie jie——"
Tomorrow… Fatherly love between Dai Hao and son awaits!