Huo Yuhao's mood was unusually calm. In fact, he was silently reciting mental chants to stabilize his emotions—for fear that he might accidentally start drooling.
This was a side effect of a recent power breakthrough that had unsettled his mental state.
A typical problem for users of forbidden techniques.
But it wasn't a big issue. A few days of refining his cultivation would be enough to adapt. The Demon-Buddha technique could also help suppress the instability to a certain degree.
"After I absorb this spirit ring, my strength should break through again. With all the fortune gained from this Spirit Master Tournament, the Demon-Buddha technique might also begin to transform. Though it likely won't reach the next realm, I may be able to take two more steps forward…"
Although Huo Yuhao had advanced to the Mage level quite early on, it would still take time and practice to break through to the Zen Master level. Unless—there was some special external aid. With such help, the breakthrough might come much faster.
But no one knew what Huo Yuhao was really thinking. They were simply admiring how handsome he looked.
Countless noble young ladies and married women threw their handkerchiefs toward him, hoping he'd catch one—each marked with a home address and contact details.
But every single handkerchief was blown away by Ling Luochen's soul power. Her cold demeanor was enough to intimidate many of the more frenzied fans.
Huo Yuhao's calm and composed appearance only made him seem even more aloof and unapproachable.
From the shadows, Meng Hongchen stared at him, itching to press her face against his just to check whether his lips were as cold as his expression.
"Wow, his side profile is so handsome… and even a little cute! That mix of boyish charm and cold-blooded fierceness—it's impossible to resist! His eyes are ice-blue, like snowflakes are swirling in them… and his hair is also that same icy blue. He looks like he stepped out of a dream. He's not even thirteen yet, more than two years younger than me! His martial spirit has two forms, both powerful and elegant—and they even match mine in elemental alignment!"
A girl just beginning to understand love had already fallen for a boy with otherworldly beauty.
The [Destiny] fate aspect didn't just help Huo Yuhao absorb fortune and improve his luck—it also added an ineffable charisma to him, boosting both his talent and charm.
If you tallied all the effects granted by the [Destiny] fate, there'd be more than you could count on both hands.
Each individual effect could create an extraordinary life for one person.
But now, all of these effects were centered on one man—Huo Yuhao. That was the true value of the [Destiny] fate!
The red carpet leading to the competition stage stretched all the way from the waiting area, wrapping around the arena in a wide arc.
As they followed the red carpet, the two finalist teams eventually split and headed to their respective lounges.
Meng Hongchen couldn't help but feel disappointed.
On the distant walls of the Imperial City, Xu Jiawei stood with the officials of the Star Luo Empire, already present in full honor to witness the final battle.
Sitting in a lounge chair, Huo Yuhao suddenly felt something. He looked up toward the city wall.
But he wasn't looking at Xu Jiawei or the graceful Xu Jiujiu standing to his left.
He was looking at the man standing on Xu Jiawei's right.
This man appeared to be in his thirties, clad in golden armor with no helmet. His features were striking, with deep-set eyes, twin pupils of shining sapphire in each eye. Though his face was slightly gaunt, his entire body gave off the impression of being made of steel. Handsome, stern, upright, and exuding a ruthless aura—this was the man standing beside Xu Jiawei.
Most importantly, hovering above the man's head in Huo Yuhao's vision of fate was a ferocious white tiger!
He bore three great fates: [Tiger's Roar Shakes the World], [The Tiger Fathers Three Sons], and [White Tiger's Fate].
There was no doubt about his identity—this was the current White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao.
And also, Huo Yuhao's biological father!
More than that… he was exactly the kind of talent Huo Yuhao appreciated the most.
"Looks like the aid I needed to break through to Zen Master has just appeared," Huo Yuhao licked his small tiger fang subtly, keeping it all to himself.
"The best time to strike against Dai Hao and the White Tiger Duke's Mansion will be this upcoming holiday. But I'll need to let the conflict ferment a bit more first. That way, when I make my move, Shrek Academy and the Star Luo Empire will pose much less resistance."
At that moment, Dai Hao also seemed to sense something and looked sharply in Huo Yuhao's direction—only to see him sitting with his eyes closed, resting.
Yet Huo Yuhao's ethereal beauty and unique aura immediately drew Dai Hao's attention. When he noticed that Huo Yuhao was seated in Shrek Academy's section, he seemed thoughtful, trying to place the boy's identity.
"That's Huo Yuhao from Shrek Academy, right? He and his teammate can perform a martial soul fusion technique. Together with team captain Ma Xiaotao, they can even threaten a Titled Douluo… but I heard he's had some conflict with Huabin."
A conflict wasn't a problem—as long as it could be resolved. Dai Hao made a mental note to personally visit Shrek Academy later to smooth things over.
For Dai Hao, maintaining a good relationship with Shrek Academy was far more important than anything involving his son.
The Duchess might think only of her child, valuing her son above all else.
But Dai Hao cared for the White Tiger Duke's Mansion as a whole. More precisely—for the Dai Clan!
The continuation and strength of the Dai Clan was what truly mattered.
Even if that meant giving up personal feelings.
After all, if he had claimed the title of White Tiger Duke, he had to take on its responsibilities. If he couldn't do that, then what was the point of taking the position in the first place?
And besides, didn't he still have another son?
Xu Jiawei, who had been watching Dai Hao closely, smiled and suddenly asked:
"Brother Dai, you seem quite interested in Huo Yuhao from Shrek Academy. Come to think of it, he's originally from our Star Luo Empire. If he were to return after graduation and join our military, I'm sure he'd be a huge help in resisting the Sun Moon Empire, wouldn't you agree?"
"Your Majesty, Huo Yuhao is the prized disciple of Dragon God Douluo. I wouldn't dare have such grand expectations," Dai Hao replied respectfully with a formal cupped-fist salute, his tone serious.
But Xu Jiawei frowned a little and said:
"Brother Dai, just like in the old days—no need for titles. We are brothers, aren't we?"
"I wouldn't dare."
Meanwhile, Xu Jiujiu paid no attention to their conversation, instead glaring at Huo Yuhao with a disgruntled expression.
She had noticed—he merely gave them a glance and then shut his eyes again, as if they held no interest for him at all.
Did he not know how to admire a beautiful woman?
But when she saw the stunning girls around Huo Yuhao—including some whose appearance and status were not inferior to hers—she fell silent.
Yet while his eyes were closed, Huo Yuhao's mind was busy—thinking about a man.
He was analyzing Dai Hao's three fate traits.
[White Tiger's Fate] was fairly straightforward.
[Tiger's Roar Shakes the World] signified that Dai Hao held immense prestige in the Star Luo Empire—enough that his words alone could shake the nation. That matched his current position well.
But the key was [The Tiger Fathers Three Sons].
It didn't mean Dai Hao would only have three sons, but rather that he would have many sons.
And it wasn't just a generic "many children, much fortune" fate either.
This fate was… unique.
"Of the three tiger sons, one will become a champion!"
It foretold that among his many offspring, one would stand out as truly extraordinary.
"A fate that blesses the next generation—but only one among them…" Huo Yuhao mused.
And who that person was, was already clear.
Dai Huabin, Dai Yaoheng, and the never-before-seen Dai Luoli might be excellent.
But who could compare to Huo Yuhao, the chosen child of fate?
Then a sudden thought struck him.
"Does that mean… Dai Hao is actually a 'good father'?!"
Well then.
That just meant Huo Yuhao had even more reason not to let him go.
And he had also noticed something interesting: Dai Hao lacked any imperial dragon aura—which meant, in the natural course of things, he was not destined to ever sit on the throne in his generation.
As he pondered all this, Huo Yuhao looked over at Ma Xiaotao.
In the original storyline, she had once expressed admiration for Dai Hao, saying he was the kind of true man she liked.
"Heh… I'll show you what a real man is tonight when we get back!"
The finals were about to begin!
Xu Jiawei appeared atop the imperial city's wall, delivering a pre-battle speech to encourage the competitors and present himself as a benevolent ruler, endearing himself to the people.
The spectators in the stands and the soldiers on the field erupted into cheers of "Long live the Emperor!"
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao was quietly observing the fluctuations in fate around the arena.
At this moment, all the free, unclaimed fate within the imperial city began to slowly converge above the arena. Even strands of fate from the spectators were subtly gathering in the same spot.
A massive vortex of fate was gradually taking form, slowly rotating in wait for the emergence of a victor—whereupon it would become their reward!
"The faith of the people, the support of the grand trend," Huo Yuhao thought to himself.
This too was a method of acquiring fate—even without needing to actively seize it.
Unfortunately, such situations were rare, and only the champion could claim this fate.
Besides the fate, Huo Yuhao also detected several massive spirit projections hidden around the arena—each one unmistakably a projection of a Titled Douluo's martial soul.
This meant that several Titled Douluo were secretly observing the finals.
Two of these martial soul projections were especially massive and caught Huo Yuhao's attention—he recognized them both.
They were none other than the Gluttonous Divine Ox and the Human-Form Martial Soul Projections.
They belonged to Xuanzi and Du Busi respectively!
They had returned and were watching the finals in secret.
"Xuanzi is back? And Du Busi as well? Is Du Busi here for the tournament… or to observe me?" Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes.
As long as they didn't interfere with him, he wouldn't bother them. Now was not the time to harvest them anyway.
Interestingly, the Gluttonous Divine Ox martial soul projection was clearly restless—it opened its giant maw and attempted to bite into the vortex of fate above the arena.
However, a massive phantom of the Star Crown Martial Soul flickered briefly within the vortex. A barrier then rose up to protect all the gathered fate, stopping the Gluttonous Divine Ox's bite and nearly chipping one of its front teeth in the process.
This wasn't the work of the Star Luo imperial family—it was the national fate of the Star Luo Empire protecting the gathered fate. Because according to the will of the Emperor and all present, the champion of the finals was meant to receive this reward.
This fate must go to the champion.
No one else is allowed to touch it!
Even Xuanzi's Gluttonous Divine Ox martial soul projection couldn't overcome the fate of an entire nation.
Though the Star Luo Empire lacked treasures to suppress fate or means to manipulate it, its national fate still functioned mechanically, autonomously enforcing its rules.
Such as determining that the fate above the arena would go to the champion—and instinctively protecting it.
"I now declare: the finals of the Soul Master Tournament—officially begin!" Xu Jiawei announced loudly from the imperial palace wall.
The audience below erupted into cheers, emotions soaring.
On the arena stage, Huang Jinxu quietly appeared—he would once again serve as the referee for the finals.
"Shrek Academy Team versus Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy Team!"
"First match of the finals: Team Battle!"
"Contestants from both teams, enter the stage!"
As his voice fell, both Shrek Academy and Sun Moon Academy sent out their teams.
And then—the entire crowd was stunned.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy fielded their strongest seven-member lineup.
But Shrek Academy… sent only Huo Yuhao alone to the stage!
Everyone was utterly shocked.
Even the hidden observers—Xuanzi and Du Busi—were momentarily stunned.
Du Busi burst out laughing, "What a bold kid! I wonder if he has the power to back that arrogance?!"
Xuanzi was furious. He immediately appeared in Shrek Academy's rest area and confronted Ma Xiaotao:
"Xiaotao, what are you all doing? Why is only Yuhao out there? Are you all scared?!"
Xuanzi's concern was that Huo Yuhao would lose.
No—in Xuanzi's eyes, Huo Yuhao would definitely lose.
What about Shrek's honor?
Even if they were going to lose, they should fight to the last person—not run away and let Huo Yuhao face the battle alone.
How was this any different from forfeiting the championship—and their honor?
Ma Xiaotao, surprised to see Xuanzi return, hadn't even had time to feel happy before being berated. She gave a bitter smile and replied:
"Elder Xuan, please calm down. There's a reason for this…"
This was Huo Yuhao's tactical decision.
Don't ask why—just leave it to him. He'll handle it!
On the imperial wall—
The ministers were equally shocked.
"Huo Yuhao? Does he really think he can take on all seven?" Xu Jiujing exclaimed, visibly incredulous.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy was no ordinary school. Was Huo Yuhao being too confident?
"What do you think, dear brother?" Xu Jiawei asked the man beside him—Dai Hao.
Dai Hao: "…"
Just moments ago he was calling him "Brother Hao," and now it's "dear brother"?
Well, Xu Jiawei was older than Dai Hao, and he was already a Titled Douluo, while Dai Hao was still just a Soul Douluo.
Dai Hao answered calmly, "Your Majesty, perhaps Shrek Academy has a special strategy in mind."
Xu Jiawei nodded slightly. "Perhaps you're right."
Back in the Sun Moon rest area—
The team members all had different reactions: some were angry at being underestimated, others scoffed at what they saw as Shrek's arrogance. Some even looked regretful that they couldn't get a piece of the action in ganging up on Huo Yuhao.
Only Elder Ma seemed deep in thought.
"Perhaps something happened with the Shrek team—they might be conserving their strength for the next match, so they're letting Huo Yuhao handle this one."
"But what worries me more is… Huo Yuhao might poison indiscriminately."
The rest of the team members changed expressions at that.
Huang Jinxu and Ma Rulong shared the same concern.
Because if Huo Yuhao was fighting alone, the most likely strategy was poison.
Huang Jinxu was especially worried—if he wasn't careful and Huo Yuhao poisoned several people to death, he as the referee would bear responsibility.
Even if he wasn't punished formally, his reputation would take a huge hit.
Ma Rulong was tense as well.
They had brought Meng Hongchen into the match specifically to counter Huo Yuhao's poisons—but they still weren't confident that she could handle it.
Thus, Ma Rulong decided to probe.
He stood confidently, arms crossed, gazing disdainfully at Huo Yuhao and spoke:
"So, it seems your strategy is to rely on poison? But our Sun Moon Academy's defensive soul tools are not so easy to break through!"
But to everyone's surprise—
Huo Yuhao shook his head.
"All five of my soul skills are poisonous—each more dangerous than the last. But this is just a tournament. I won't go for the kill. Therefore, I won't use any of my poison in this match."
Huang Jinxu's pupils shrank.
Ma Rulong's face was also stunned.
Xiao Hongchen couldn't help himself. In disbelief, he blurted out:
"You mean… you won't even use your soul skills?!"
"My soul ring skills are too lethal," Huo Yuhao said seriously, "so for everyone's safety, I won't use them."
Meng Hongchen was already blushing, pink bubbles rising above her head: Wow, such a gentleman~ But what if he gets hurt?
Xiao Hongchen, however, snapped—his face twisted in rage, gritting his teeth:
"Who do you think you are?! Stop spouting nonsense! Are you looking down on me?! Use your soul skills and fight us fairly!"
Ma Rulong and the others wished they could slap Xiao Hongchen right then and there—Is he still thinking straight?!
But to Xiao Hongchen, being looked down on was more painful than being defeated.
Huo Yuhao simply shook his head and fell silent, waiting for the match to begin.
Finally, when the time was right, Huang Jinxu raised his hand and declared:
"Preparation phase over—match start!"
The lineup of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy team—Ma Rulong, Mika, Chen Fei, Lin Xi, Li Yan, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen.
Aside from Ma Rulong, the others were all five-ring Soul Kings and level-five Soul Engineers, while Ma Rulong was a six-ring Soul Emperor and a level-six Soul Engineer.
Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, though part of the reserve team, possessed such strength at their age that they were undeniably geniuses. Even among Shrek Academy's talents, apart from Huo Yuhao, none could compare to them.
For reference, Xu Sanshi of the same age had only just reached four rings.
It couldn't be denied that Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen had used quite a bit of medicine in their cultivation.
Yet, despite that, they were still level-five Soul Engineers—a discipline requiring extensive time for study and practice. Their time wasn't solely devoted to cultivation.
However, in Huo Yuhao's view, the overall quality of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy team's lineup was inferior to the other academy teams.
Because their team members' martial souls and bloodlines simply couldn't compare with those of other teams of the same level.
There were only three members that caught Huo Yuhao's attention:
Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Ma Rulong.
Meng Hongchen's martial soul was the Zhuqing Ice Toad. Her bloodline was the strongest among them, and her attributes matched Huo Yuhao's best. Inside and out, she could be considered exceptional—but only just that.
Xiao Hongchen's martial soul was the Three-Legged Golden Toad. The name sounded impressive, but unfortunately, it wasn't the kind of toad with deep symbolic meaning. It was just a toad-type martial soul with metal-controlling abilities that had grown a third leg. Huo Yuhao's evaluation: high-quality feed.
Ma Rulong's martial soul was the Big-Head Spirit Ape—rare and of the mental attribute. His bloodline was quite advanced, and Huo Yuhao could smell the aroma on him.
"I've heard that eating monkey brains is good for the mind~" Huo Yuhao's throat bobbed.
These three were certainly excellent, but still not top-tier.
As for the others, their martial souls and bloodlines were average—only qualifying as regular feed.
Such a group being the main lineup of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy team was thanks to their innate talent and ability as Soul Engineers.
Cultivating soul power, with the help of medicine, became secondary.
In Douluo Continent, where bloodline and lineage were highly valued, the Sun Moon Empire emphasized talent instead.
This made the Sun Moon Empire seem out of place compared to the three other Douluo nations—clashes were inevitable.
But it also allowed the Sun Moon Empire to discover the "meta," and grow stronger and stronger.
Of course, this also resulted in the lack of high-level soul masters in the Sun Moon Empire. The soul masters there became too reliant on medicine and overlooked the essence of the soul master system: the martial soul and personal cultivation. As a result, their development lagged far behind.
True power lay in the integration of soul masters and soul tools. But whether it was Shrek Academy or the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, the two top academies, both had a missing leg in this integration.
As Huo Yuhao was selecting his "ingredients," the Sun Moon team made their move.
They deployed a massive barrier that protected all of them, clearly intended to prevent Huo Yuhao from launching a surprise attack.
But Huo Yuhao didn't move at all.
Ma Rulong's gaze flickered—unsure of what Huo Yuhao intended. He could only proceed with the plan.
The plan was: if Huo Yuhao couldn't break through the barrier, then—blast him!
"Focus fire!" Ma Rulong shouted in a low voice.
With only one opponent—Huo Yuhao—it was easier to concentrate their firepower.
Xiao Hongchen laughed cruelly. "Huo Yuhao, you dare look down on me? Then feel the terror of soul tools!"
Meng Hongchen hesitated a bit—thinking it dishonorable to gang up on a lone opponent—but followed orders. She was, after all, representing the Sun Moon Empire.
All members of the team equipped themselves with their fastest-firing soul cannons and launched attacks.
They didn't intend to give Huo Yuhao even a second to react. If they could suppress or even defeat him with firepower, all the better.
As dense beams of soul power shot from the cannons, raining down on Huo Yuhao like a storm, everyone's hearts tensed.
Then, the entire volley struck—engulfing Huo Yuhao completely.
Huang Jinxu immediately moved to intervene—he had noticed that Huo Yuhao hadn't dodged or defended himself at all!
But just as he took a step, Huang Jinxu froze. His pupils constricted, as though he had seen something unimaginable.
Xuanzi was in the same stunned state.
"Did we get him?" Ma Rulong frowned. A strange sense of unreality crept over him. With his sharp senses, he too had noticed—Huo Yuhao hadn't moved.
Boom boom boom—
Explosions of soul power erupted. Multicolored waves of energy drowned Huo Yuhao's figure.
Xiao Hongchen's attacks didn't cease—as long as Huo Yuhao didn't surrender, he wouldn't stop firing.
In fact, his firepower was the fiercest and fastest of the team.
Then, Ma Rulong suddenly gave the order to stop all attacks.
"Captain?" The others looked at him in confusion.
Ma Rulong said gravely, "He didn't dodge or defend!"
"What?!"
Everyone was shocked. They hadn't expected Huo Yuhao to do nothing at all.
Wasn't that just handing them a free kill?
"Did we... kill him?" Meng Hongchen's face turned pale.
"Will there even be any pieces left?" Xiao Hongchen asked hesitantly—he knew the strength of his own firepower.
"You're all under a delusion if you thought you hit me."
Huo Yuhao's calm voice echoed across the battlefield.
The smoke and glowing soul power gradually dispersed, revealing Huo Yuhao's figure.
Everyone's eyes widened.
Ma Rulong, Xiao Hongchen, and the others' pupils contracted sharply.
Xu Jiujing stood up in disbelief. "How is that possible?!"
Xu Jiawei and Dai Hao also wore serious expressions.
Because Huo Yuhao was still standing there, arms folded—he hadn't even summoned his martial soul. There was not a hint of soul power on him.
Nor was there a single wound on his body.
And yet, at his feet and behind him, the traces of attacks were everywhere.
Not even the corner of Huo Yuhao's robe was torn.
"How did you do that?" Xiao Hongchen asked in disbelief. The shock was so great that he instinctively questioned his opponent's method.
Unexpectedly, Huo Yuhao actually answered.
"How did I do it? It's simple!"
"When I am vastly stronger than you, your instincts will subconsciously guide your attacks away from me—because your primal fear knows I could destroy you in retaliation!"
The expression on the young man's face was deadly serious—making it seem like his words were absolute truth.
"Quit joking! Are you messing with me?" Xiao Hongchen refused to admit that he had subconsciously feared Huo Yuhao.
So he raised his arm, carefully aimed again—and fired.
Huo Yuhao still didn't move.
But the soul cannon blast grazed past him and landed behind him again.
This time, everyone saw it clearly.
Xiao Hongchen continued to fire repeatedly—stepping forward and aiming with full focus.
Yet every shot veered slightly—avoiding Huo Yuhao's body.
Huo Yuhao remained perfectly still. No martial soul, no soul power.
Even Ma Rulong could confirm—Huo Yuhao hadn't even used spiritual power.
Eventually, Xiao Hongchen stopped attacking.
The entire arena was silent. No one could understand what they had witnessed—yet they were all deeply shaken.
Xiao Hongchen's hands trembled. A cold, creeping fear slowly rose in the depths of his heart.
Because he knew—every single one of his shots had been aimed directly at Huo Yuhao. There was no reason they should've missed.
Unfathomable. Terrifying!
Even Du Bushi, observing from the shadows, was stunned: "Holy crap, this kid!"
Huo Yuhao stood on the field, arms folded—not out of arrogance, but to conceal the golden glow of the Golden Heart Mirror as it activated.
The Destiny Fate Skill, combined with the Golden Heart Mirror's passive effect—essentially granted 100% evasion!
After a stunned silence came a deafening cheer.
Even experts at the level of Titled Douluo couldn't understand what had just happened.
"Is it truly possible in this world," muttered Xu Jiawei, "that sheer fear can prevent an enemy from attacking accurately?" He turned toward Dai Hao. "What do you think, brother?"
"..." Dai Hao paused before responding, "It could be something akin to aura or momentum, like in military campaigns—a powerful army's presence can be so overwhelming that it strikes fear in the enemy's heart, rendering them unable to fight. But I think Huo Yuhao's ability probably has limitations. For example, it might only affect opponents of similar or lesser strength."
Xu Jiawei nodded. "That's my take as well."
"Your Majesty is wise," Dai Hao said smoothly.
"No need for flattery, brother," Xu Jiawei replied with a chuckle, as if he didn't mind the praise at all.
Standing quietly beside them was Xu Jiujie.
She suddenly realized that when Huo Yuhao was with Jin Qiu'er, he didn't seem so unreachable. But when he was alone, he became completely incomprehensible—almost as if Jin Qiu'er lowered his level just by being near him.
"Huo Yuhao... can you really take on all seven of them alone?" Xu Jiujie recalled the task Xu Jiawei had assigned her, and doubt crept into her heart.
"Can I truly control someone like Huo Yuhao?"
…
Even the spectators felt the pressure—let alone the seven members of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy team who were directly facing Huo Yuhao. For Xiao Hongchen, his mental composure was nearly shattered.
Fortunately, Ma Rulong was mature and level-headed. He spoke up in time to stabilize their morale. "Even if we can't land a hit on him, so what? We'll focus on defense! As long as he can't defeat us, once his soul power is drained, the victory will still be ours!"
"Besides, we still have our trump card! Cover me—I'll prepare it and see if I can take him out in one strike!"
The team snapped out of their panic, their spirits rallying once more.
Yes, their goal was to win. Looking good while doing it was secondary.
Could Huo Yuhao really outlast all seven of them?
Ma Rulong's trump card wasn't just for a flashy win—it was also a strategic play. If he could injure or wear down Huo Yuhao now, it would give their team a huge advantage in the upcoming individual and 2v2/3v3 battles.
To be honest, Ma Rulong didn't have full confidence in beating Huo Yuhao one-on-one.
But as the saying goes: "Victory and defeat both hinge on Huo Yuhao."
If they could bring him down, then the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy team would practically have the tournament in the bag.
Even if Ma Xiaotao entered the ring, she might only win one match in the 2v2 or 3v3. In the solo rounds, how many battles could she realistically last?
As for Ling Luochen and Jin Qiu'er—the former wasn't considered a serious threat, and the latter hadn't even appeared, clearly sidelined by some unknown issue.
Their trump card?
A terrifying Class 8 soul tool—the Sword of Judgment.
A massive golden sword materialized in Ma Rulong's hands.
To activate it, he used a Class 7 soul tool—The Chapter of Sacrifice—sacrificing part of his own life force and potential. A steep price, to be sure.
"Even if I can't improve for a whole year, I will cut Huo Yuhao down with this sword!" Ma Rulong had made up his mind.
The more he gave, the more he would gain if they won.
Gripping the sword with both hands, he slowly raised it above his head.
Intense golden light radiated from the blade. From the tip to the hilt, nine core formations were visible—glowing brightly, bursting into flares of light.
As he lifted the sword, Ma Rulong's eyes also began turning gold.
"Awaken, Sword of Judgment!" he roared.
His soul power surged into the blade at a tremendous rate. It was so forceful that rings of white light visibly rose from his feet, coursed through his body, and converged at his hands before pouring into the sword.
Outside the ring, some people noticed that Ma Rulong had been hiding in the back—clearly preparing something deadly.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao, hands in his pockets, finally summoned his martial soul.
"Frost Centipede." He uttered the words calmly.
Behind him, a spectral image of the Frost Centipede slowly materialized. From phantom to solid form, it grew with the wind until it reached its maximum size.
The massive entity hovered in the air, glowering at the Sun Moon team with oppressive intensity.
Some of the more weak-willed spectators involuntarily swallowed hard.
Yet Huo Yuhao's composed demeanor gave Ma Rulong the time he needed to finish preparing.
The overwhelming soul power emanating from the Sword of Judgment stunned the crowd—and finally drew Huo Yuhao's attention.
"That energy... Is that a Class 8 soul tool?" many gasped in disbelief.
Ma Lao was thrilled beyond words.
Xuanzi, on the other hand, wanted to slap Huo Yuhao silly.
"Why are you still playing it cool at a time like this?"
Wang Dong looked ready to bite him. "If he tarnishes Shrek Academy's honor, I swear I'll never forgive him!"
"I believe in Yuhao!" Wei Na declared earnestly.
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen watched with solemn expressions.
Xu Jiawei let out a faint sigh. "Huo Yuhao wanted to play mind games... but he didn't expect it would give the enemy such a chance. That's the backlash of showboating."
You had the upper hand—why not press the advantage?
You wanted to act cool? Go ahead and suffer for it!
Xu Jiujie stared anxiously at the ring.
Dai Hao was already contemplating how to manage the fallout if Shrek lost. If the Sun Moon team won, the empire would definitely be emboldened. Test raids—or even limited conflict—would become inevitable.
But they couldn't be allowed to break through the border defenses.
Still, this could be used as a political opportunity to mend ties between the White Tiger Duke's household and Shrek Academy at a minimal cost.
Poison Undying's face was serious.
In the audience, some people were nervous. Others were cursing Huo Yuhao for his arrogance.
Only the Sun Moon Empire's contingent was visibly excited.
Zhu Lu, hiding among the crowd, had a complicated expression.
Elsewhere, Nan Qiuqiu nervously gripped her mother's hand. "Mom, can Yuhao really win?"
"Don't worry. He will win," Nan Shuishui whispered, eyes filled with fervent admiration.
Back in the arena.
The golden sword in Ma Rulong's hands began to change.
Starting from the hilt, the golden light receded, revealing two distinct colors.
One side of the blade turned white. The other, black.
The stark contrast against the still-radiant gold gave the weapon an eerily ominous aura.
The Sun Moon team parted to let Ma Rulong face Huo Yuhao directly.
"For he is darkness—judgment of the heretic!" Ma Rulong shouted, pointing the sword at Huo Yuhao and aligning the black edge with his body.
A streak of black light shot out, vanishing into Huo Yuhao's form.
It caused no visible damage.
But that wasn't the end.
The Sword of Judgment, a fusion of darkness and light, could inject dark energy directly into a target's soul power, corrupting it. Then, the weapon's light-based power would 'judge' that corrupted force. Weaker foes could have their soul power instantly shattered—or even be annihilated outright.
A trace of pride flashed across Ma Rulong's face.
"Huo Yuhao, your arrogance will be your downfall."
Immediately after, Ma Rulong flipped the giant sword in his hand. The white side burst forth with an intense incandescent light, and the golden sword radiance blazed to its peak in an instant.
Then—Judgment of Light descended!
And then—
The light dissolved, as if nothing had ever happened.
Huo Yuhao stood there, completely unharmed.
Once again, silence fell over the entire arena.
That was it?
All that spectacle, yet zero damage?
Are you kidding me?!
This time, it was Ma Rulong's mental state that collapsed.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could you have taken no damage at all?!"
It felt like he had used a fake Sword of Judgment!
But he'd poured in all his potential and vitality—how could it do nothing?!
Just then, Huo Yuhao raised his arm. A brilliant light of holy power bloomed, enveloping him and making him appear radiant and divine.
Above in the sky, his Ice Jade Centipede Martial Soul had spread its wings, emitting a surge of light-attribute soul power.
"Although I don't know what exactly you did, I'll gladly accept this power," Huo Yuhao said with a smile of gratitude.
Ma Rulong's eyes widened, and all the members of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy team were utterly stunned.
"You have a light attribute?!"
Huo Yuhao nodded gently. "Mm-hmm."
"Huo Yuhao, you're a ruthless man! You've hidden deeper than anyone!"
"Pfft—"
Ma Rulong roared in frustration, gritted his teeth, then vomited blood and collapsed to the ground in a faint—his fury overtaking his senses.
"Captain!" The others turned pale and rushed to his side in panic.
Huo Yuhao hadn't even lifted a finger, yet their captain had gone down.
The Sword of Judgment might indeed be powerful—but it had one fatal flaw: it was completely ineffective against opponents with light or dark-attribute martial souls.
As a result, not only was Huo Yuhao unharmed—he had actually healed! The soul power carried life energy and even tasted good.
No one had expected that Huo Yuhao also possessed the light attribute. From the start of the tournament, he'd never revealed it!
"Hahaha…" Xuanzi burst into hearty laughter like a heroic figure from the Sichuan opera. He didn't understand all the details, but he was overjoyed.
"Yuhao really is a good kid!" he exclaimed in praise.
Looking at the disoriented Sun Moon team, Huo Yuhao asked politely,
"Um, may I begin now?"
He sounded extremely courteous, as though afraid of scaring them.
But the Sun Moon team looked at him as if they were seeing a ghost—or rather, their lifelong nemesis. All fighting spirit drained from their eyes.
"We concede!" Ma Lao declared in a heavy voice. Though filled with unwillingness, he had no other choice.
To be toyed with by Huo Yuhao in such a way—it was unbearable!
Humiliation. Deep humiliation!
Xiao Hongchen wanted to speak, then stopped, then wanted to speak again. His heart was full of bitter resentment, but in the end, he too spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted into Meng Hongchen's arms.
Holding Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen looked at Huo Yuhao. Her gaze became dreamy, as if she was etching his image into her soul.
She only knew that on this day, that young man had forced them into surrender—without taking a single step!
"Huo Yuhao! Huo Yuhao! Huo Yuhao!"
The crowd erupted into cheers once more, this time calling only Huo Yuhao's name—not Shrek Academy's.
Then, a voice rang out—no one knew which little cutie shouted it first:
"Nemesis of Sun Moon!"
And the chant changed—
"Nemesis of Sun Moon, Huo Yuhao!"
"Nemesis of Sun Moon, Huo Yuhao!"
"Nemesis of Sun Moon, Huo Yuhao!"
"..."
Xuanzi wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and said with pride,
"Good, good, good. That's a great title! Yuhao is truly a blessing to Shrek!"
The rest of the Shrek Academy team was equally thrilled.
"The most dangerous team battle—and Yuhao actually won it! It's like a dream!"
"Huo Yuhao has defended Shrek's honor!"
Especially Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and Vena—hearing all the praises around them made them feel proud beyond words.
But the Sun Moon team didn't completely give up.
If they surrendered outright, it would be disgraceful. Worse, the Empire would punish them harshly upon return.
Next was the two-on-two match.
Ling Luochen's eyes sparkled—it was finally her turn to fight.
In the first match, she teamed up with Jiang Nannan.
One specialized in control, the other in agility. With great effort, they finally secured a victory.
Though they had lost the team battle—and in such an overwhelming way—the psychological damage was heavy. The Sun Moon team couldn't fight at full strength.
In the second match, Huo Yuhao teamed up with Vena.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, not strong enough for this stage, stayed on the bench. But they bore no resentment—this match was about the championship.
Their true time would come—five years later.
Their opponents were a now-recovered Ma Rulong and a Soul King-level teammate.
Even though Ma Rulong had used up his Sword of Judgment and had been severely impacted, he still had some fight left in him.
Though not at peak condition, he could still bring out 60–70% of his power. Combined with soul tools, he was still formidable.
"Huo Yuhao," Ma Rulong said grimly, "Let me see how big the gap between us really is!"
"As you wish!"
This time, Huo Yuhao activated a Martial Soul Fusion Technique with Vena.
A golden snow lotus slammed down from the sky. The healing-type martial soul unleashed terrifying long-range offensive power.
In their fusion state, Vena even retained strong healing and recovery ability.
Able to heal, attack, and defend—with only a slight weakness in mobility—Vena had no other flaws!
Ma Rulong and his teammate were soundly beaten without even a chance to fight back. In the end, they had no choice but to accept defeat.
Though Huo Yuhao never personally struck, everyone could see just how extraordinary his power truly was.
It felt like every good fortune in the world had fallen into Huo Yuhao's lap.
Others yearned in vain for a Martial Soul Fusion Technique—yet Huo Yuhao had two!
But Zhu Lu knew—Huo Yuhao actually had three!
Even more shocking!
Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujium finally understood what was going on with the Heavenly Soul Empire—why they had sent a princess to join Shrek Academy.
Their expressions grew even more solemn.
Now, with a 2–0 sweep, there was no need for the individual match.
Shrek Academy had already won. They were the champions!
The crowd erupted in joy.
Cheers for Shrek—and even more for Huo Yuhao.
Today, he was the center of it all!
Only now did Xiao Hongchen slowly regain consciousness.
Had he woken sooner, he and Meng Hongchen might have performed a fusion technique and taken a win.
But there are no "what ifs."
Xiao Hongchen: "Has it begun?"
Meng Hongchen: "It's already over."
Xu Jiawei composed himself and stepped forward to announce the final results and distribute the rewards.
At the moment the championship was declared—
The vortex of fate gathered above the arena suddenly descended, pouring into the bodies of all Shrek Academy team members.
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes.
"White Tiger, activate!"
"Black Tortoise, activate!"