Xuanzi stepped forward to explain everything.
"Since everyone is here, I'll get straight to the point," he said.
"During the battle against the beast tide from the Far North, Dai Yaoheng, unfortunately, fell at the hands of an evil soul master, which grieved us deeply."
"However, the Shrek Seven Devils are the legacy of Shrek Academy and the main team for the Soul Master Tournament. They are indispensable to the Academy."
"Therefore, after discussion among the Academy's higher-ups, we have decided that Mu Lao's disciple, Huo Yuhao, will join the Shrek Seven Devils to fill the vacant spot. He will also serve as a main team member for the upcoming Soul Master Tournament!"
"Rest assured, everyone—Dai Yaoheng's contributions will not be forgotten. Shrek Academy will preserve his records to honor his service to the entire continent!"
This string of announcements left everyone stunned and buzzing.
Ling Luochen and the others immediately turned their gazes to Huo Yuhao. They were all curious—how did he qualify to join the Shrek Seven Devils?
Was it just because he was Mu Lao's disciple?
The Shrek Seven Devils symbolized the glory of Shrek Academy—this wasn't a position one could just waltz into through connections!
However, everyone present was socially savvy enough to hold their tongues, especially with Mu En and Xuanzi right there.
Huo Yuhao himself hadn't expected this. He thought they would pick someone from the inner courtyard to fill the position.
Mu En and Xuanzi, of course, knew what the others were thinking. So Xuanzi spoke up directly, "Chen Zifeng, step forward!"
"Yes!" Chen Zifeng obeyed and stepped out.
"You will battle Huo Yuhao. Go all out," Xuanzi continued.
"What?!"
Everyone was shocked.
A full-powered battle between Chen Zifeng and Huo Yuhao?
Were they dreaming, or was Elder Xuan out of his mind?
Crazy old man, stirring up trouble again?
Mu En said nothing—indicating silent agreement.
Noticing the skepticism in everyone's eyes, Xuanzi snorted, "If Yuhao is to join you, it means he has the strength. Whether he's qualified—just fight and see! Yuhao can handle both control and assault roles, making him a perfect replacement for Dai Yaoheng."
Chen Zifeng hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. "Alright then."
Although Huo Yuhao had fought Jin Qiu'er earlier, neither of them had exhausted much soul power, and he had recovered during the wait for Xuanzi.
And what could he do about Mu En and Xuanzi's arrangement?
Just go with it.
This is Douluo Continent—power talks.
At least among men, that's how it is.
Chen Zifeng summoned his spirit: two yellow, two purple, and one black ring appeared.
"Inner courtyard—Chen Zifeng. Martial Soul: Soulchaser Sword. Level 57 Assault-type Battle Soul King. Please advise."
"Outer courtyard—Huo Yuhao. Martial Soul: Frost Jade Scorpion. Level 49 Assault/Control-type Battle Soul Ancestor. Please advise."
Huo Yuhao also summoned his spirit—the mutated Frost Jade Scorpion.
The two purple and two black soul ring configuration nearly blinded everyone watching.
Back during the beast tide, since the two weren't on the same front line, the inner courtyard students had no idea about Huo Yuhao's ring configuration or power level.
As for his level...
When returning to school, Huo Yuhao had disguised himself as level 45. During his first dual cultivation with Ma Xiaotao, he had pushed to level 48 to match her.
Now he showed level 49.
Don't ask too much.
The answer is: hard work with Ma Xiaotao!
Ma Xiaotao herself was now level 69, though it would still take some time for her to reach 70.
Upon seeing Huo Yuhao's soul rings, Chen Zifeng grew serious. Then the duel began.
Moments later, Chen Zifeng dropped like a rock.
Who told him to fight the mutated Frost Jade Centipede in close combat?
Huo Yuhao didn't even personally act. The martial soul alone—left jab, right hook—secretly poisoned Chen Zifeng.
You see, Chen Zifeng had an artifact-type martial soul. The Centipede martial soul laced poison onto the blade, which then seeped into Chen Zifeng through his weapon.
And without soul skills, the Soulchaser Sword couldn't even pierce the scorpion's defense.
Even with soul skills, damaging it wouldn't make it lose fighting capability.
And once Huo Yuhao withdrew the spirit, it healed rapidly.
In the end, the ice poison paralyzed Chen Zifeng—defeated.
After the battle, Huo Yuhao detoxified him, though Chen Zifeng still trembled from the cold.
The others were shocked.
But they also accepted Huo Yuhao's place on the team.
They finally understood why he was Mu En's disciple.
From then on, Huo Yuhao began training with Ling Luochen and the others to prepare for the upcoming tournament.
Thanks to his tact and good nature, he quickly became a beloved junior among them all.
Except Ma Xiaotao.
Her relationship with him remained distant and indifferent—by day.
At night, though, she would seek him out for "affection."
Within Shrek Academy, aside from joint cultivation, they rarely interacted.
Love?
Who's got time for that when there's a career to build?!
As long as the "furnace" comes by on schedule, that's good enough. Brother Hao doesn't have time for romance—at most, he'll spice up training sessions a little.
...
Time passed steadily.
One day, Xuanzi handed Huo Yuhao an invitation.
It was for the Treasure Appraisal Gathering.
He explained it to Yuhao.
Shrek Academy's Treasure Appraisal Gathering was like an internal preview before a real auction, with treasures sourced from various world-class merchant groups.
There were three types of gatherings: one for the Academy itself to procure supplies; one exclusive to inner courtyard disciples; and one like Huo Yuhao's, for core disciples only.
He wasn't eligible for the first two.
So he could only attend the third. But it still had plenty of good stuff.
Huo Yuhao remembered that this particular event had some rare treasures.
"And I can buy on credit! If I never pay it back, it's basically free!"
So he decided to check it out.
Xuanzi handed over the invitation precisely for this reason.
But trouble soon followed.
"Take me with you!"
Jin Qiu'er showed up out of nowhere, ordering Huo Yuhao around with her usual arrogant air.
Huo Yuhao: "…Why are you here?"
Jin Qiu'er: "Elder Xuan told me!"
Damn that old geezer!
After their duel, Jin Qiu'er quickly recovered—she wasn't really injured. But ever since then, she clung to Huo Yuhao, always looking for sparring sessions.
That wasn't the problem.
The problem was her haughty attitude. She even refused to call him senior brother anymore.
She clung to him more like a prideful young miss who refused to admit defeat.
Annoying.
Huo Yuhao really wanted to slap her.
Must be the influence of being a god-king's daughter!
"I'll find a chance to bring her into the Soul Banner… Three-Eyed Golden Lion, don't worry. You're my sworn brother, my dearest friend—I will save you!"
But under Mu En's watch, Huo Yuhao couldn't make a move yet.
And so, he headed for Shrek City—with a little tail in tow.
On the way, Huo Yuhao suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked in a certain direction.
He sensed that his centipede leg clones had arrived nearby.
Interesting.
"If I remember correctly, I ordered those clones to monitor Dai Huabin and wait for a chance to assassinate him without revealing themselves, right?"
"And now they're near Shrek City? Could it be... my dear brother has come knocking on my door?"
In the original story, Dai Huabin did indeed send people to assassinate Huo Yuhao around this time…
Huo Yuhao licked his lips.
Although Shrek Academy was located within Shrek City, it wasn't directly connected to the city itself.
In other words, there was no backdoor from the academy that led straight into Shrek City.
Of course, if you didn't mind breaking the school rules, flying or climbing over the wall was totally an option.
Huo Yuhao had done this more than a few times.
Eventually, even Bei Bei learned to climb walls.
At first, Bei Bei refused.
Then Huo Yuhao quoted a certain someone: "There is no path in this world—until enough people walk it, and it becomes one."
Bei Bei found it incredibly convincing, and chose to join in.
Mainly because by the time Huo Yuhao finished that sentence, he was already sitting atop the wall.
To refuse would've been to betray their friendship.
This time, however, Huo Yuhao took the proper route, leading Jin Qiu'er the long way around.
Normally, you could enter the city through either the South Gate or the North Gate.
Since the Treasure Pavilion (Jubaoge) was closer to the North Gate, they naturally took the northern route.
Shrek City was vast.
Taking the long route wasn't a short journey.
Huo Yuhao wasn't in a hurry. He took his time with Jin Qiu'er, walking for nearly an hour before they finally reached the North Gate.
By then, Jin Qiu'er's face was full of frustration.
Huo Yuhao, however, remained calm as ever.
"Can't you go any faster? You're dragging your feet—I've lost all my excitement!" Jin Qiu'er complained impatiently.
The thrill of attending the Treasure Appreciation Event had completely died out for her.
"Junior sister, this too is cultivation. Cultivation is about tempering the heart," Huo Yuhao said earnestly.
Jin Qiu'er: "Bullshit!"
Huo Yuhao simply spread his hands.
So she wasn't going to listen to reason?
Inside Jin Qiu'er's fate, the projection of Princess Tang's soul fragment was still eroding the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's spirit bit by bit.
If Jin Qiu'er didn't pay attention to cultivating her mental state, Tang Princess's assimilation would only speed up.
And when she fully lost herself, Jin Qiu'er's own personality would completely collapse.
But Jin Qiu'er had no idea this was happening.
Fortunately, her symptoms weren't urgent—at least not within the next year or two—and Huo Yuhao planned to help her soon anyway.
Of course, the real reason he was walking so slowly was because he was waiting for Dai Huabin's men to ambush him.
Hopefully, Jin Qiu'er would get caught up in it too.
Unfortunately, Dai Huabin had chosen to play it safe.
As for how Huo Yuhao knew Dai Huabin was already in position, that was thanks to his centipede-leg avatars reporting back.
These underground avatars, unless exposed or dug out, were nearly undetectable.
Not every place had spiritual-type soul masters adept at scouting.
And soul masters like Huo Yuhao—well, he was one of a kind throughout history.
Using special methods, Huo Yuhao had contacted his avatars and confirmed how many people were accompanying Dai Huabin.
Though he couldn't determine their exact strength, he was sure none of them were Title Douluos—so nothing to worry about.
In the end, nothing happened. Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er entered Shrek City without incident.
As one of the most prosperous cities in central Douluo Continent, Shrek City was at its liveliest at dusk. As soon as they passed through the gate, Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er were met by bustling crowds and clamor.
People flowed in and out in a seemingly endless stream. Everywhere you looked, it was densely packed with people. Vendors shouting added to the chaos.
Jin Qiu'er jumped in fright—she had never seen so many people before.
But Huo Yuhao had visited Shrek City several times already.
With a population nearing five million, the city rivaled the imperial capitals of the major empires.
If they were all used in a blood sacrifice… Brother Hao could become a Title Douluo overnight and step into the realm of Super Douluo!
"We should go," Huo Yuhao said, suppressing the greedy thoughts in his heart. With his hands behind his back, he led the way.
Jin Qiu'er snapped out of her daze, realizing how flustered she must've looked. Her cheeks flushed as she hurried to follow Huo Yuhao.
She still instinctively kept her distance from humans.
But when it came to human society, Jin Qiu'er was especially curious.
Everything was new to her.
Huo Yuhao leading Jin Qiu'er through the city felt like someone bringing a village bumpkin to town.
The main road through Shrek City was incredibly wide—wide enough for eight carriages to ride side-by-side. It was grand and majestic.
Another fifteen minutes of walking.
They finally arrived at the venue of the Treasure Appreciation Event—Jubaoge!
The Treasure Pavilion was essentially a large-scale shop.
Its main business was selling various goods related to soul masters and soul engineers.
From afar, it looked like a towering four-story building, over twenty meters tall and covering an immense area. Its exterior shimmered with gold and jade.
Rather than a building, it looked more like a giant treasure bowl built up from the ground!
For guilds like Jubaoge, face value was everything. Buildings like this were everywhere across Douluo Continent.
To Huo Yuhao, it often felt like these guilds weren't building shops—they were building marvels of architecture.
"So sparkly! It's shining all over!" Jin Qiu'er couldn't help but exclaim, her eyes lighting up.
Maybe due to her Golden Dragon martial soul, she seemed to have a fondness for shiny things.
Huo Yuhao smiled faintly and led her toward Jubaoge's main entrance.
As they got closer, they saw four long-skirted girls standing on each side of the entrance.
These welcoming girls looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with sweet faces and slim figures. Their long skirts covered their lower halves, but their shoulders were bare, and their full chests were tightly wrapped, showing off deep cleavage. Under the golden shimmer of Jubaoge's grand architecture, their fair skin looked even more enchanting.
As Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er arrived, the girls bowed gracefully, confidently displaying their beauty.
Huo Yuhao only glanced at them briefly before withdrawing his gaze without interest.
Upon stepping inside, a wave of luxury instantly washed over them. The golden lobby was filled with extravagance. A massive crystal chandelier hung high above, illuminating the hall in dazzling light. Rows of girls stood on either side.
Compared to the eight long-skirted girls outside, the ones inside—wearing golden short skirts—were even more eye-catching.
They looked younger, and their skirts were so short they left little to the imagination. Their white, slender legs were fully exposed. Each girl had above-average looks and excellent figures—curved where it counted.
Walking into the golden lobby felt like stepping into a paradise on earth.
"Welcome, honored guests," the girls said in unison, bowing at ninety degrees.
Jin Qiu'er flinched in shock.
Huo Yuhao simply nodded calmly.
Jin Qiu'er gave him a strange look. "Are you... not functional?"
"Hm?" Huo Yuhao shot her a glance, letting out a questioning grunt from his nose.
"You didn't even take a second glance at all those beauties. If you're not dysfunctional, then what? I've noticed—your kind, I mean human men, are all super pervy! On my first day at the academy, several of them already tried to hit on me."
As she spoke, Jin Qiu'er's eyes couldn't help but drift toward Huo Yuhao's lower body.
She was definitely picking a fight today.
"They just don't meet my standards," Huo Yuhao replied calmly.
Compared to Ma Xiaotao, those girls had nothing going for them—aside from showing more skin.
Besides, every night, Ma Xiaotao showed even more skin than that—with poses far more provocative.
Also, as potential dual cultivation cauldrons, those girls weren't even high-quality.
"Let's go," Huo Yuhao said flatly, taking Jin Qiu'er up to the second floor.
The Treasure Appreciation Event was held on the second floor.
And Huo Yuhao had been to Jubaoge more than once before.
That's right — Huo Yuhao had been to the Treasure Pavilion before.
More precisely, Huo Yuhao had a business relationship with the force backing the Treasure Pavilion.
And that force? Without a doubt, it was Shrek Academy.
Of course, Huo Yuhao pretended not to know that.
See through it but don't call it out — that's how you stay friends.
As for the nature of their business collaboration, let's just say... it's not something to publicly discuss.
Huo Yuhao brought Jin Qiu'er along, walking with practiced ease to the second floor, entering the venue of the Treasure Appraisal Gathering.
Compared to the first floor, the second floor was much quieter.
Although the layout seemed scattered, each booth was actually placed in the most logical and eye-catching spot. Every booth was encased in a massive crystal-glass dome, showcasing various items inside.
A girl in a white dress approached them, offering Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er a courteous explanation before respectfully taking her leave.
She introduced the rules of the appraisal event — for example, depending on one's VIP status, one could receive varying levels of credit allowance.
Core disciples of Shrek Academy were naturally considered VIPs, though at differing levels. Specialized personnel would assess and assign each disciple their proper rank.
As for Huo Yuhao, there was no question — he was a top-tier VIP, with the privilege of taking one item for free every year.
Just like in the original story, before attending the Treasure Appraisal Gathering, Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er needed to visit the west counter for their status evaluation.
Though Huo Yuhao had been to the Treasure Pavilion before, this was his first time participating in the appraisal event.
On the way to the counter, just like in the original, he and Jin Qiu'er saw the golden-red left arm bone — the Golden Radiance Left Arm Bone!
This soul bone came from a ten-thousand-year Earth Dragon King and had the Light attribute.
It contained the soul skill: Golden Radiance.
Though a ten-thousand-year-level soul bone, its power rivaled that of a hundred-thousand-year soul bone — and it was a true dragon soul bone!
The Golden Radiance soul skill was highly effective across attack, defense, recovery, and healing.
Even more so, it offered deep insights into the power of Light, boasting immense potential.
This soul bone was ideal for Light-type soul masters, and second-best suited for those with dragon-type martial souls.
In the original story, Wang Dong acquired it — her martial soul resonated with the bone, and she realized it was made for her.
Now, Huo Yuhao still felt no resonance with the soul bone — but that wasn't a problem.
If it's not a perfect fit? No matter — with a little effort, it could be shaped into Brother Hao's style.
A thought flashed through Huo Yuhao's mind.
"If I get this soul bone, I'll have a solid reason to fuse Ah Hui's soul bone too. That way, I can logically gain a Light attribute, without having to search the Great Star Dou Forest for a Heavenly Dragon Horse."
Fusing Ah Hui's soul bone would surely allow his Variant Ice Jade Centipede martial soul to grow a new pair of wings imbued with the Light attribute.
Having wings of Light on his martial soul? Not a bad idea.
After all, among the seven elemental attributes of Douluo Continent, Light was considered a high-level one — universally acknowledged as powerful.
And it suited a gentleman like Huo Yuhao perfectly.
"Heavenly Dragon Horse, looks like you just dodged another bullet!" Huo Yuhao thought to himself.
Beibei and that Heavenly Dragon Horse really were a match made in heaven — both masters of last-minute survival.
There was another reason he chose this soul bone:
It was the most valuable item in the entire appraisal event.
Priced at 9.5 million gold soul coins!
For a ten-thousand-year soul bone, that was astronomical — but worth every coin.
And if it could be taken for free? Of course he'd go for the priciest item!
Many people had gathered around the soul bone, clearly desperate to own it. But even with credit, they simply couldn't afford it.
Among them stood Wang Dong, her face practically pressed against the crystal dome.
Wang Dong never imagined she'd one day realize… she was poor.
Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin stood behind her, distressed.
Even pooling their funds, the three couldn't afford the soul bone.
All Wang Dong could do was stare at it longingly.
Everyone saw it clearly — this wasn't Brother Hao stealing; he was offering Wang Dong a chance. But she just couldn't take it!
As he passed by the soul bone, Huo Yuhao deliberately observed Jin Qiu'er and Wang Dong's reactions. Surprisingly, the two really seemed to sense something as they neared each other. They turned to glance at one another.
But neither thought much of it — chalking it up to coincidence.
To Huo Yuhao, though, this was no coincidence.
Wang Dong indeed only gave Jin Qiu'er a passing glance, secretly admiring her beauty, but nothing more. Her eyes then locked on Huo Yuhao — and instantly lit up.
"Huo Yuhao!" Wang Dong called out.
"Class rep!"
"Class rep Huo!"
Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin also spotted him and greeted him warmly.
The two girls looked between Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong — this was their lucky day!
And today, there were no girls crowding around Huo Yuhao — not even Wei Na.
Most of those girls weren't core disciples.
Even the few who were, including Wei Na, hadn't come with him.
That's because Elder Xuan personally delivered Huo Yuhao's invitation. Wei Na and the others didn't know his plans for the day.
Only Jin Qiu'er had followed his scent to tag along.
Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin also noticed Jin Qiu'er standing behind Huo Yuhao. They were stunned by her beauty — then immediately felt inadequate, lowering their heads.
Still, they thought she looked oddly familiar.
Wang Dong noticed her too. Her eyes shifted cunningly as she teased:
"Big Class Rep, where'd you trick this little sister from?"
"Oh, she's my junior apprentice. Her name's Jin Qiu'er, a new student this year. I didn't trick her — she followed me herself." Huo Yuhao replied honestly.
Truth be told, Jin Qiu'er wasn't qualified to attend this event. She got in solely thanks to Huo Yuhao.
"Jin Qiu'er? Isn't that the girl who stabbed the old witch?" Lan Yin suddenly realized, exclaiming, "I thought she looked familiar! I saw it happen — she's strong!"
"Whoa, it's really her!" Xiao Xiao gasped.
Suddenly, Jin Qiu'er felt incredibly close to them.
Having been tormented by Zhou Yi before, they were actually grateful to Jin Qiu'er — if only because it felt so cathartic!
Wang Dong felt the same way, and thus decided:
She absolutely couldn't let Jin Qiu'er fall into Huo Yuhao's clutches!
Jin Qiu'er, however, was confused.
She couldn't understand why, after harming one of their kind, these people not only wanted to befriend her, but were so warm about it.
Was this… the intricacies of human emotion?
Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin no longer felt ashamed — they happily walked over and expressed their thanks to Jin Qiu'er.
"It was nothing. Not worth mentioning," she replied coolly.
Wang Dong leaned in, whispering:
"Little sister, as your… senior, I must warn you: that senior of yours — yes, Huo Yuhao — he's a total scumbag. In class, he's always surrounded by girls! Ask Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin if you don't believe me."
Jin Qiu'er looked to them. The two nodded frantically.
It was true.
And they did feel a little guilty — what if Huo Yuhao was sincere this time?
Still, Jin Qiu'er, swayed by Wang Dong's warning, immediately looked at Huo Yuhao with disdain.
Just moments ago, he'd played the gentleman — and now she learns he's a shameless flirt?
Pah!
Shameless!
Huo Yuhao just shrugged helplessly.
Don't ask — it runs in the family.
Back in the day, Dai Mubai was way worse.
Seeing the four girls chatting away — and sensing an incoming roast session — Huo Yuhao smoothly slid away.
By the time Wang Dong and Jin Qiu'er looked around again, Huo Yuhao was gone.
Jin Qiu'er stomped the floor angrily twice to vent her frustration. But she didn't go looking for him. Instead, she joined her three new companions.
Compared to Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong and the others were far more entertaining — and much more pleasant to talk to. Every one of them was a delight.
That's right—Huo Yuhao had been to the Treasure Pavilion before.
To be more precise, Huo Yuhao had a business partnership with the force behind the Treasure Pavilion.
And that force, without a doubt, was Shrek Academy.
However, Huo Yuhao simply acted as though he didn't know.
He chose not to expose it, and so everyone could remain friends.
As for what kind of business they were involved in—that wasn't something to discuss openly.
Huo Yuhao brought Jin Qiu'er along and effortlessly made his way to the second floor, entering the Treasure Appreciation Conference venue.
Compared to the first floor, the second floor was much quieter.
Though the layout appeared a bit scattered, all the booths were actually placed in the most strategic and eye-catching locations. Each display was protected under a large crystal glass case, and every case housed a unique item.
A young woman in a white dress stepped up proactively and offered a polite explanation for Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er before respectfully stepping away.
She explained the rules of the Treasure Appreciation Conference—for example, guests could obtain different levels of credit limits depending on their VIP status.
As core disciples of Shrek Academy, they were all considered VIPs, though their rank varied. There were professionals assigned to assess each disciple's VIP status.
Take Huo Yuhao for instance—he was unquestionably a top-tier VIP, entitled to take one item for free each year.
Just like in the original story, before Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er could officially participate in the conference, they had to head to the western counter for a status assessment.
Although Huo Yuhao had visited the Treasure Pavilion before, this was his first time attending the Treasure Appreciation Conference.
As they headed toward the counter—again, like in the original—they spotted a golden-red left arm bone: the Radiant Gold Left Arm Bone!
A soul bone from the Ten-Thousand-Year Earth Dragon King—the Radiant Gold Left Arm Bone, with a light attribute.
It carried the soul skill—Radiant Gold Flash.
Though the skill originated from a ten-thousand-year soul bone, its effects were comparable to a hundred-thousand-year soul bone. It was a true dragon soul bone!
Whether for attack, defense, recovery, or healing, the Radiant Gold Flash was tremendously powerful.
Moreover, it allowed one to comprehend the power of light, boasting tremendous potential.
Naturally, this soul bone was best suited for soul masters with light attributes—second best for those with dragon-type martial souls.
In the original story, it was obtained by Wang Dong, whose martial soul resonated with the bone, indicating it was the perfect fit for her.
But now, Huo Yuhao still didn't sense any particular reaction from the bone. Not that it mattered.
Even if it wasn't a good match—just a bit of effort, and it could still become something that suited him.
A spark flashed in Huo Yuhao's mind as an idea struck.
"If I manage to obtain this soul bone, I could use it as a reason to fuse Ah Hui's soul bone as well. That way, adding a light attribute to myself would make sense, and I wouldn't need to waste time searching for traces of the Heavenly Dragon Horse in the Great Star Dou Forest."
Fusing with Ah Hui's soul bone would cause his Variant Ice Jade Centipede martial soul to grow another pair of wings—this time, imbued with the light attribute.
And adding a light attribute to those wings? Not a bad idea at all.
After all, among the seven major elements in the Douluo Continent, light was a high-tier attribute, widely recognized as a powerful force.
It was also the attribute most fitting for a righteous gentleman like Huo Yuhao.
"Heavenly Dragon Horse, you've escaped with your life again!" Huo Yuhao muttered to himself.
Bebé and the Heavenly Dragon Horse really were a pair—masters of cheating death.
There was another reason for choosing this soul bone:
It was the most valuable item in the entire Treasure Appreciation Conference!
Priced at 9.5 million gold soul coins!
A sky-high price for a ten-thousand-year soul bone—but worth every coin.
And if you can get it for free, why not go for the most expensive?
A crowd had gathered around the soul bone, all clearly yearning for it. Unfortunately, even with credit allowances, most couldn't afford it.
Among the crowd stood Wang Dong, her face practically pressed against the glass.
She hadn't expected that she'd ever find herself feeling like... a pauper!
Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin stood behind her, their hearts aching.
Even if the three of them pooled all their gold soul coins, they still couldn't afford this soul bone.
All they could do was let Wang Dong stare longingly.
Everyone could see—it wasn't that Huo Yuhao was trying to snatch it away; he was clearly giving Wang Dong a chance! But she just wasn't up to the task.
As they passed by the soul bone, Huo Yuhao deliberately observed both Jin Qiu'er and Wang Dong's reactions. To his surprise, as they approached, the two girls seemed to sense each other's presence—they turned their heads and made brief eye contact.
However, neither gave the other much thought. They both assumed the glance was just a coincidence.
But in Huo Yuhao's eyes, that glance was anything but a coincidence.
Wang Dong did glance at Jin Qiu'er, secretly admiring her beauty, but didn't think much of it. Her eyes quickly turned to Huo Yuhao—and immediately, her spirits lifted.
"Huo Yuhao!" Wang Dong called out directly.
"Class Rep."
"Class Leader Huo."
Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin also noticed Huo Yuhao and quickly greeted him.
The two girls looked at Huo Yuhao, then at Wang Dong, and suddenly felt like today was their lucky day.
And even better—Huo Yuhao wasn't surrounded by any girls for once. Even Wei Na wasn't with him.
After all, most of the girls weren't core disciples.
Even Wei Na and the other core-ranked girls hadn't come with Huo Yuhao.
That was because his invitation was delivered personally by Xuan Zi, and neither Wei Na nor the others were aware of his plans for the day.
Only Jin Qiu'er, who had followed him by instinct, was here.
Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin soon noticed the girl standing behind Huo Yuhao. They were stunned by Jin Qiu'er's beauty—and immediately felt inadequate by comparison, lowering their heads in embarrassment.
But both also felt she looked somewhat familiar.
Wang Dong noticed her too. Her eyes flickered as an idea formed, and she curiously asked,
"Huo Class Rep, where'd you trick this little girl from, huh?"
"Oh, she's my junior. Her name's Jin Qiu'er. She's a new student this year. I didn't trick her—she followed me on her own," Huo Yuhao replied honestly.
To be fair, Jin Qiu'er technically didn't qualify to attend the Treasure Appreciation Conference. She was only here thanks to Huo Yuhao.
"Jin Qiu'er? Isn't that the name of the girl who poked the Old Witch?" Lan Yin suddenly recalled. She looked at Jin Qiu'er in surprise. "No wonder she looked so familiar—I saw her that day! She's super strong!"
"It is her!" Xiao Xiao gasped in shock.
Suddenly, the two of them found Jin Qiu'er extremely endearing.
After all, they had suffered under Zhou Yi's torment before. They couldn't help but feel a bit grateful to Jin Qiu'er—it was oddly cathartic.
Wang Dong felt the same way. That's why she made up her mind—she wouldn't let Jin Qiu'er fall into Huo Yuhao's clutches!
Jin Qiu'er, however, was completely confused.
She couldn't understand why, after hurting one of their people, not only did a powerful figure want to take her as a disciple, but the rest of them were being so friendly.
Was this what humans called "social norms"?
Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin no longer felt embarrassed. They warmly approached Jin Qiu'er and expressed their thanks.
"It was nothing," Jin Qiu'er replied coolly.
Wang Dong leaned in and whispered,
"Little sister, as your… senior, I have to warn you—your senior brother, yeah, that guy Huo Yuhao? He's a total player. In our class, he's always surrounded by girls. Don't believe me? Ask Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin."
Jin Qiu'er looked over—Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin both nodded quickly.
It was true.
Though… they did feel a little sorry for Huo Yuhao.
What if, just this once, he was being genuine?
But Jin Qiu'er, influenced by Wang Dong's words, cast a look of pure disdain at Huo Yuhao.
Just a moment ago, he was pretending to be a righteous gentleman—yet now it turned out he played around in secret?
Pah!
Shameless!
Huo Yuhao just spread his hands helplessly.
Don't ask—he was simply following family tradition.
Back in the day, Dai Mubai was even wilder.
As the four girls chatted away, clearly preparing to roast him, Huo Yuhao smoothly slipped away from the scene.
By the time Wang Dong and Jin Qiu'er turned to find him again—he had vanished.
Jin Qiu'er stomped the floor twice in frustration, venting her displeasure, but didn't bother chasing after him. Instead, she joined her three new companions.
Compared to Huo Yuhao, the three girls were far more entertaining. Their conversation was pleasant, and each of them was a gem in their own right.
Huo Yuhao was alone when he went to the counter to have his status assessed.
Naturally, he was awarded the highest VIP level.
With his goal clear, Huo Yuhao immediately redeemed the Golden Light Left Arm Bone.
Something amusing happened afterward.
Not long after Huo Yuhao left, Wang Dong and the others brought Jin Qiu'er to try for a status evaluation as well. After all, Jin Qiu'er wasn't a core disciple, so it wasn't guaranteed she'd be granted a VIP level.
To their shock, despite not even being a core disciple, Jin Qiu'er was also awarded the highest VIP level!
The trio was stunned and baffled.
Jin Qiu'er didn't think much of it, but she did notice how much Wang Dong liked the Golden Light Left Arm Bone.
So, she decided to use her free redemption opportunity to exchange for the Golden Light Left Arm Bone and intended to gift the soul bone to Wang Dong.
After all, Wang Dong always gave Jin Qiu'er the feeling of a sister.
Even though Wang Dong was clearly a guy.
But that wasn't really a problem.
He was like… her guy bestie~
If they were on opposing sides, Jin Qiu'er would likely feel jealous and hostile toward Wang Dong. But since they were on the same side now, she felt warm and affectionate toward him.
At present, both Jin Qiu'er and Wang Dong were united in their mutual dislike for Huo Yuhao and wanted to stir up some trouble for him.
As for the Golden Light Left Arm Bone, Jin Qiu'er didn't care about it much. She had already accumulated quite a few soul bones in the Great Star Dou Forest, including some hundred-thousand-year soul bones.
So she didn't place much value on a mere ten-thousand-year bone like the Golden Light one.
But in the end, Jin Qiu'er was told that the Golden Light Left Arm Bone had already been purchased, and as for who the buyer was, Treasure Pavilion wouldn't reveal that information.
This left Jin Qiu'er feeling a bit disappointed.
Although Wang Dong didn't receive the soul bone, he was deeply moved by Jin Qiu'er's gesture and declared that from now on, in the Outer Court, he'd look out for her.
Even Xiao Xiao and Lan Yin developed a better impression of Jin Qiu'er.
After all, what soul master wouldn't like a friend who's willing to toss around soul bones like candy?
Meanwhile…
After obtaining the Golden Light Left Arm Bone, Huo Yuhao didn't leave right away. Instead, he leisurely strolled around the Treasure Appreciation Fair.
There really were quite a few excellent items at the fair that would appeal to ordinary soul masters. And perhaps because of the recent beast tide in the Extreme North, many of the items this time were related to soul beasts.
For instance, there were rare materials harvested from soul beasts that could help boost soul masters' cultivation.
After some searching, Huo Yuhao finally found something pushed off to a corner—the weathered ten-thousand-year whale glue.
This was actually a very valuable item.
It had been mistakenly identified as only thousand-year whale glue because of the discoloration caused by weathering.
But consuming it could strengthen the body.
And right now, strengthening his physical body was exactly what Huo Yuhao needed.
Even low-quality thousand-year whale glue was considered worthy of inclusion in the Treasure Appreciation Fair, albeit tucked away in a corner.
That alone spoke volumes about its value.
Let alone ten-thousand-year whale glue.
High-grade whale glue was clearly rare. Otherwise, students like Wang Dong wouldn't be the only ones with a second thousand-year ring.
Wang Dong had managed that feat largely thanks to consuming large quantities of thousand-year and hundred-year whale glue—so much that she said it made her want to throw up.
The weathered ten-thousand-year whale glue was probably second in value only to the Golden Light Left Arm Bone.
And Huo Yuhao snagged it.
It cost only 6,000 gold soul coins—pocket change for him.
He browsed the rest of the fair but didn't find anything else quite like the whale glue—no more hidden gems of that caliber.
And the other so-called treasures wouldn't help him much.
Finally, he arrived at one particular booth—and saw two familiar faces.
Beibei and Xu Sanshi.
There was a crowd gathered around the booth, mostly men with a few women. The men had stars in their eyes, while the women blushed bright red.
Xu Sanshi was squeezed in among the other men, leaning over the glass display. Beibei stood behind him, covering his face in embarrassment as if terrified of being recognized.
Displayed under the glass were four pills.
Eastern Heretic Kidney-Boost Pill, Western Poison Black Steed Pill, Southern Emperor Vitality Pill, and Northern Beggar Longevity Pill.
Together, they were known as: The Four Diamond Pills!
Taking them supposedly made you "as hard as diamond, unshakable, seven times a night, enhanced stamina"…
"Brother Beibei! What a coincidence, you're here too!" Huo Yuhao came up and greeted him enthusiastically.
Beibei nearly died of embarrassment on the spot.
It was bad enough just looking at those pills—but now his pure-hearted little brother Huo had caught him in the act!
"Ah, Little Brother Huo! You're here for the Treasure Appreciation Fair too?" Beibei could only respond with awkward small talk.
"Yup," Huo Yuhao nodded and glanced curiously at the display. "So… what are you guys doing?"
Beibei couldn't take it anymore and shouted, "Xu Sanshi! Get back here right now!"
Hearing the shout, Xu Sanshi reluctantly shuffled back, muttering, "Beibei, why are you yelling so loud? Hey! Isn't this Junior Brother Huo? Long time no see!"
"Long time no see, Senior Xu!" Huo Yuhao greeted politely.
Thanks to Beibei, he was acquainted with Xu Sanshi, though they weren't close.
"Xu Sanshi, we're here for the fair, not to shop for enhancement pills! Let's go!" Beibei snapped.
"Hmph! Beibei, what do you mean 'enhancement pills'? You don't know anything!" Xu Sanshi bristled.
You could insult his skills, but not his… vigor!
In a hurry, he explained, "Those Four Diamond Pills, taken together, don't just help with that kind of thing—they also temporarily boost cultivation speed and strengthen the body. They're as valuable as whale glue!"
If he didn't explain himself now, he feared rumors would spread across the entire Outer Court by tomorrow.
What would Jiang Nannan think then?
"What? Those pills can do all that?" Beibei was shocked.
He finally understood why there were women checking out those pills too.
"Indeed," Huo Yuhao nodded from the side, confirming Xu Sanshi's claim. "And if you take them and abstain for a while, they can even further enhance male performance. The boost in cultivation speed also lasts longer. Though in terms of body strengthening, they're still not as good as whale glue."
"Wait… what???"
Beibei and Xu Sanshi both froze.
"Little Brother Huo, how do you know all this?" Beibei asked suspiciously.
"Because… I made them," Huo Yuhao answered with a pure smile.
Beibei: "???"
Xu Sanshi: "!!!"
"You made those pills?!" Beibei was stunned.
Huo Yuhao looked at him strangely. "Big Brother Beibei, didn't I already tell you? My family passed down these formulas. I specialize in concocting enhancement pills."
Beibei fell silent.
He had thought Huo Yuhao was joking. Turns out he'd been completely serious!
What kind of family legacy passes down this sort of recipe?!
Xu Sanshi immediately threw an arm around Huo Yuhao and grinned lewdly. "Junior Brother Huo—no, Little Brother Huo! Big Brother here has a very lucrative business proposal for you…"
Indeed, Huo Yuhao's partnership with Treasure Pavilion centered around the Four Diamond Pills!
The ones displayed at the Treasure Appreciation Fair were premium versions with enhanced effects.
There were also standard versions sold individually, which offered a one-night enhancement for male performance and general male health—but no additional effects. Even those sold quite well.
Did people really think soul masters didn't need little blue pills?
Especially soul masters constantly fighting battles—injuries in certain areas weren't uncommon. Boosters were essential.
As expected, in any world, the phrase "enhances male performance" was a command no man could resist.
This entire business had been arranged for Huo Yuhao by Ouyang Zhen, the master who taught him poison arts.
A sustainable and lucrative venture.
Xu Sanshi's "big business deal" involved ordering a batch of the high-grade Four Diamond Pills.
But Huo Yuhao replied that such negotiations would have to go through Shrek Academy.
Who was he, after all?
As if he had time to grind out enhancement pills all day.
These days, he only took a cut of the profits. The ingredients and production were all handled by Shrek's business arm.
Very few knew that Huo Yuhao was the creator of the Four Diamond Pills.
But those personally crafted by him were masterpieces—top tier, commanding the highest prices.
Because Huo Yuhao had imbued them with special techniques and his spiritual energy.
Occasionally, he had to personally produce a few such premium pills for auctions, to maintain prestige and build brand reputation.
He could recognize the pills at the booth as his own because he could feel the fluctuations of his own spiritual power inside them.
Even Mu En had mixed feelings about this particular "specialty" of his student.
Yan Shaozhe had once come to Huo Yuhao in private… to request a supply.
Huo Yuhao had been sorely tempted to ask whether the senior needed his junior's assistance in person.
For Huo Yuhao, bold and upright as he was, nothing could shake his integrity or heritage of masculine virtue!
After chatting with Beibei and Xu Sanshi for a while, Huo Yuhao left alone.
Beibei and Xu Sanshi wanted to continue exploring the Treasure Appreciation Convention, while Huo Yuhao decided to return to Shrek Academy.
This time, he was by himself.
Jin Qiu'er had been let go.
After leaving Shrek City, Huo Yuhao's figure vanished into the darkness.
Outside of Shrek City, hidden within the shadows, were more than ten concealed figures.
They were none other than Dai Huabin and his group.
"Young Master, when the target returns, if there are others with him again, should we make our move?" A cloaked figure respectfully asked Dai Huabin.
Dai Huabin was also shrouded in a black robe, concealing his appearance and physique.
Upon hearing the question, Dai Huabin's expression turned grim. "Kill!"
"If there are others with him, kill them too! Blame her misfortune for following someone she shouldn't have."
Today, Dai Huabin had come for revenge.
He brought with him a group of people entrusted to him by the Duchess, along with one of her most trusted confidants, to assassinate Huo Yuhao near Shrek City.
Huo Yuhao must die!
To Dai Huabin's surprise, fate seemed to be on his side. He just so happened to spot Huo Yuhao leaving Shrek Academy on his own and heading to the city.
As long as Huo Yuhao left Shrek City again, they would have a perfect opportunity to strike on his way back to the academy.
Earlier, the presence of others around Huo Yuhao made Dai Huabin hesitate.
But there would not be a second time.
"What a pity about that little beauty," Dai Huabin recalled Jin Qiu'er's appearance from earlier.
Lust and greed stirred within him.
It had to be said—Jin Qiu'er's looks were truly top-tier.
That alone had made Dai Huabin hesitate previously.
Someone next to Dai Huabin chuckled upon hearing his murmuring, and said in a raspy, duck-like voice, "If Young Master likes her, this servant can capture her and bring her to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion for your enjoyment."
"But what about Zhu Lu…"
"Young Master need not worry. The Zhu family girl won't find out. Once you've had your fill, this servant will clean everything up."
"Good! Then I'll be counting on you, Eunuch."
"To serve the Young Master is this servant's greatest honor."
The man standing next to Dai Huabin was, indeed, an imperial eunuch.
Unlike the others, he had been brought out of the palace by the Duchess and was her most trusted agent.
This time, the Duchess had assigned the eunuch to Dai Huabin to ensure his safety and clean up all loose ends.
After all, Dai Huabin alone couldn't handle the aftermath of an assassination.
"Two Soul Douluo, five Soul Sages, and ten Soul Emperors. With these people buried alongside you, Huo Yuhao, you can rest in peace," Dai Huabin thought to himself.
Sacrificing two Soul Douluo pained him slightly—but only for a moment.
Because he knew, once he succeeded the White Tiger Duke title, even more Soul Douluo-level powerhouses would serve him.
These individuals had accepted this mission in hopes of proving their loyalty to Dai Huabin by eliminating Huo Yuhao.
They had once been loyal to Dai Yaoheng.
But now that Dai Yaoheng was dead, they realized that without a new patron, they wouldn't survive in the White Tiger Duke's household.
The Duchess recruited them merely to strengthen her son's faction. They, in turn, treated this allegiance as an investment—betting on Dai Yaoheng's future to bring them prosperity.
Unfortunately, their premium stock, Dai Yaoheng, suddenly dropped dead.
To avoid losing everything they had invested and to maintain a foothold within the White Tiger Duke's sphere, they chose to serve Dai Huabin instead.
But they never imagined how much crueler the world of noble power struggles could be.
The relationship between Dai Huabin and Dai Yaoheng was never as close as they thought.
Their loyalty to Dai Yaoheng meant Dai Huabin could never fully trust them—like widows entering a second marriage.
Thus, they were doomed to be discarded.
Even those among them at the Soul Douluo level—if they had to be sacrificed, so be it.
Without reaching the level of Titled Douluo, they offered little benefit to the White Tiger Duke's household.
In great clans and powerful sects, those who weren't direct descendants or close confidants, no matter their talent or strength, would never access the core legacies and could be abandoned at any moment.
In fact, before a certain God-King transmigrated, he had once stolen Tang Sect's secrets. While his morals were questionable, it was also because, as an adopted outer disciple, he would never have had access to those techniques otherwise.
Ten thousand years ago, Spirit Hall was the same. In order to recruit Tang San, Qian Renxue had discarded two Titled Douluo who had been loyal to Spirit Hall their entire lives.
Even though Huo Yuhao was highly valued by Shrek Academy for his talent—and Elder Mu even took him as a disciple—top-tier techniques like Dominating the World were never passed on to him, nor even mentioned.
So the truth is clear: don't count on mountains—they collapse. Don't count on people—they leave.
In this world, if you want to survive—and thrive—you must become powerful on your own!
However, what Dai Huabin and the others didn't realize was that, in places their eyes couldn't reach, danger was already silently approaching.
What truly triggered their awareness was the sudden collapse of the ten weaker Soul Emperors.
This unexpected event alarmed everyone.
A Soul Sage rushed over to support one of the fallen Soul Emperors, pulled back the mask, and was stunned to see the man's face blackened and foaming at the mouth.
"This is bad! He's been poisoned!" the Soul Sage cried in alarm.
"Poison?!"
Everyone panicked. They grouped up immediately, scanning their surroundings and checking themselves.
To their shock, they discovered that they too had poison inside them—though it hadn't erupted yet, and they hadn't even sensed it until now.
They quickly swallowed their emergency antidote pills.
After taking his antidote, Dai Huabin asked in a panic, "What kind of poison is it? Is it ice poison?!"
"No, Young Master. It's not ice poison," the Soul Sage replied. He didn't sense any cold aura from the fallen Soul Emperors.
Hearing that it wasn't ice poison, Dai Huabin felt slightly relieved.
Just the mention of poison had reminded him of Huo Yuhao—who had previously poisoned him with ice toxins.
The eunuch beside him frowned, soul power surging around him. Suddenly, a blood-red sunflower bloomed—this was the eunuch's martial soul.
Heaven's Withered Earth Sunflower!
Two yellow, two purple, four black—eight soul rings circled the martial soul.
The eunuch was indeed a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse.
His fifth soul ring lit up.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Abandoning Suffering and Reaching Tranquility! Break for me!"
A wave of blood-red energy pulsed from the sunflower, dispersing the surrounding illusions like a torn curtain.
Finally, the group could see clearly—they were surrounded by thick, dark-green poison mist.
And deep within that toxic fog—
A figure in a black robe stood still, palm hovering over a banner-type martial soul. It was the source of the poison gas.
Ten-Thousand-Year Poisonous Marsh Spinedrake Soul Bone Skill – Poison Mist Shroud!
Realizing they had been exposed, the robed figure showed no panic. Instead, he mocked them calmly:
"Not bad. You're not quite as useless as I imagined."
"Who are you?!" Dai Huabin demanded angrily.
The black-robed figure raised his head slightly, revealing a pair of mysterious red and blue eyes, though his face remained obscured.
"Our first meeting... you may call me—"
"The Compassionate Demon!"