Mu En returned to Shrek Academy with Huo Yuhao and Gu Tong in tow.
Upon their return, Huo Yuhao immediately began fusing the Ice Explosion soul bone from the Ice Jade Scorpion clan. The process was turbulent, but under the silent protection of Ice Emperor, it succeeded.
He then entered the Golden Ancient Tree's inner sanctum, as promised by the Sea God Pavilion.
The pure, immense Life and Light energy within the Golden Ancient Tree not only purified his soul power and solidified his foundation, but also naturally propelled his cultivation past the thirty-level bottleneck.
He now needed to obtain his third soul ring.
During this time, Jing Hongchen arrived at Shrek Academy as agreed, to negotiate the details of the "academic exchange."
He relied on his top-tier concealment soul guidance devices and dared to attempt infiltrating the Sea God Pavilion. Yet the moment he crossed the boundary of Sea God Island, he was instantly locked onto by Mu En's abyssal spiritual power.
"Lord Jing, the Sea God Pavilion of Shrek Academy is not a place where anyone may come and go as they please," Mu En's voice resonated directly within Jing Hongchen's mind, carrying unshakable authority.
Jing Hongchen turned pale. His prized ninth-grade concealment soul guidance devices were rendered useless before this man.
He had no doubt—had Mu En wished to kill him, he would already be dead.
He immediately appeared before Mu En, bowing deeply, offering profuse apologies, and reluctantly surrendered several priceless artifacts—some even considered the very essence of Mingde Hall—as "compensation." Only then did Mu En's displeasure subside.
The exchange terms were finalized. Mu En added one final, chilling remark: "Lord Jing, should any one of my students suffer harm while in Mingdu—regardless of cause—I will not hesitate to personally visit the Sun Moon Empire and 'have a proper talk' with you."
Jing Hongchen's back was instantly drenched in cold sweat. He felt the icy, lethal intent woven into those words.
He swore repeatedly that he would ensure not a single hair of Shrek's prodigies was harmed in Mingdu. With profound frustration and unbearable pain, Jing Hongchen departed Shrek—this encounter had been a total defeat.
Unfortunately, he did not know: this threat from Mu En was among the very last acts the dying elder could afford to perform.
Following the reward, Elder Xuan personally led the team escorting Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao to the Great Star Dou Forest to obtain their third soul rings. Accompanying them was Wang Dong, inseparable from Huo Yuhao.
Gu La, meanwhile, requested leave from the academy under the pretext of needing a quiet environment to forge the next batch of Evolution Watches for Xingluo—and secretly followed them into the Great Star Dou Forest.
His target was clear: the Auspicious Energy of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
This power, tied to fate, must be of an extremely high tier. Though he could not judge whether it surpassed Faith Energy, it was undoubtedly a tremendous asset.
To ensure absolute success, he did not activate his Groudon martial soul or any of his avatars' martial souls. Instead, he donned his Three-Word Battle Armor and switched to his Celebi martial soul, preparing to use space-time power to seal and capture the ethereal force of fate.
Elder Xuan deposited Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao at the edge of the mixed zone, euphemistically calling it "training," while he himself hid nearby, his real focus fixed on hunting for delicious bird eggs.
The three cautiously advanced through the forest. Gu La remained hidden within the phase space, an invisible observer, watching their every move.
One night, they encountered a powerful thousand-year soul beast: the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear.
This soul beast's offensive power was terrifying—far exceeding that of an ordinary ten-thousand-year soul beast. And at the critical moment, Elder Xuan vanished.
The three were thrown into a desperate battle. Huo Yuhao's newly acquired Ice Explosion soul bone proved unexpectedly effective, creating ice mists and explosive shocks that disrupted and wounded the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear.
At the decisive moment, Xiao Xiao remembered the gift Gu La had given her—the Evolution Watch, crafted with a thousand-year Plant-type soul bone as its core.
She activated the wrist device. A vibrant emerald Life energy instantly enveloped her.
Her Azure Phoenix martial soul emitted a piercing, crystal-clear cry—and its quality surged, temporarily evolving into an Ultimate Wood attribute.
Her perception and control over surrounding plants exploded. With a single thought, thick vines surged to life, wildly entangling and restraining the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear. At the same time, potent Life energy rained down, rapidly healing her companions' wounds.
Under the support and control of Ultimate Wood, the three easily cooperated to defeat the formidable thousand-year soul beast.
The Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear collapsed, its abdomen torn open by an explosion—but still alive, though barely. Its attribute was unsuitable for Huo Yuhao. It was decided that Xiao Xiao would absorb it; the bear's Metal attribute perfectly matched the Three-Lives Soul-Sealing Cauldron.
A dagger pierced its eye socket. The bear's corpse shimmered, revealing a deep purple soul ring. Xiao Xiao began fusing the soul bone.
At that moment, Elder Xuan appeared in an instant, drawn by the commotion. He looked at the soul ring and the corpse, his eyes glinting. After a moment of searching, he found the right palm bone of the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear. He cleared his throat and turned to Huo Yuhao:
"Yuhao, this Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear is exceedingly rare. Its soul ring and soul bone originate from the same source. If absorbed by one person, the benefits are maximized—greatly strengthening the body and deepening resonance with the martial soul."
"Xiao Xiao's martial soul now leans toward support and control. This Dark Gold Terror Claw Bone suits her perfectly. Could you… consider giving this soul bone to her? I will find you a supreme Ice-type soul bone as compensation!"
Yes—just as in the original timeline—Elder Xuan had quietly taken Xiao Xiao as his disciple long ago. Naturally, he now sought to secure her advantage.
Gu La, watching from the shadows, glanced once. Seeing that Elder Xuan genuinely acted in Xiao Xiao's interest, he chose not to interfere. After all, Elder Xuan was likely to neglect her anyway—she would suffer little harm.
Huo Yuhao stared at the powerful external soul bone, his heart aching with reluctance. But Elder Xuan had spoken, and Xiao Xiao was both companion and classmate. He finally nodded:
"Elder Xuan, I agree. No compensation is needed—so long as Xiao Xiao grows stronger." Still, a quiet disappointment lingered. The promise of compensation eased it slightly.
When Xiao Xiao awoke and learned the situation, she was profoundly grateful to Huo Yuhao.
Then, under Elder Xuan's protection, she began fusing the external Dark Gold Terror Claw soul bone.
The overbearing Dark Gold Terror Claw soul bone reshaped the hand's meridians—a process excruciatingly painful, as if her bones were being torn apart and reforged. Yet the powerful recovery force of her near-ultimate Wood attribute continuously repaired the damage, allowing her to complete the fusion without disaster. Her right palm bone turned dark gold, radiating terrifying power.
Elder Xuan smiled in satisfaction. "With the Dark Gold Terror Claw external soul bone, you no longer need to worry about lacking offensive power."
"The Three-Lives Soul-Sealing Cauldron will focus on control and defense. Your Azure Phoenix martial soul will be dedicated to adding Wood and Life soul rings. Combined with that little Gu La's Evolution Watch, your chance of evolving into an Ultimate attribute increases dramatically!"
He clearly felt proud of his plan—completely oblivious that without the Evolution Watch's prior evolution of her martial soul, she would never have been able to fuse the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bone at all.
"Evolution Watch? That one from earlier?"
Huo Yuhao asked curiously about Xiao Xiao's astonishing martial soul transformation during battle.
Xiao Xiao explained the Evolution Watch's function. Huo Yuhao was stunned—he had never imagined soul guidance devices could unlock a martial soul's potential to such a degree.
Yet he paused, thinking of the severed soul bone, and asked: "But… isn't it wasteful to cut a complete soul bone into pieces for soul guidance devices? The soul bone itself can directly enhance a soul master's power and physique."
Xiao Xiao answered seriously: "It's worth it. soul rings and soul bones compatible with my Azure Phoenix martial soul are exceedingly rare."
"If not for the Evolution Watch guiding me to unlock the potential of Ultimate Wood, I might reach Super Douluo level—and still never evolve my martial soul into an Ultimate attribute."
"But now, with the Evolution Watch's guidance, the possibility of my martial soul evolving completely has skyrocketed. This is a shortcut to a higher realm."
"Now, with the external soul bone supplementing my offense, I no longer need to rely on offensive soul skills. My chances improve further."
Huo Yuhao understood. Indeed.
He himself was Ultimate Ice—his cultivation was slow, but his starting point was high. For other soul masters, elevating their martial soul's quality was nearly impossible. The Evolution Watch was an unprecedented shortcut. It might not benefit him, but for his companions, it was everything—perhaps even the key to martial soul evolution and bloodline awakening.
Realizing this, he became deeply interested in Gu La's Evolution Watch. He turned to Xiao Xiao: "Xiao Xiao, may I see your Evolution Watch? I'm curious about its structure."
Knowing Huo Yuhao had just given up an irreplaceable external soul bone, Xiao Xiao could not refuse. She removed the device and handed it to him.
Huo Yuhao took the Evolution Watch. His eyes glowed faint gold as he activated his Spiritual Detection to its maximum, penetrating deep into the device's interior.
Instantly, an incomprehensibly complex and precise soul guidance device array unfolded before his mind's eye—far beyond his current understanding. He felt dizzy, his heart pounding in shock: "How could Gu La's Soul Engineering skill reach this level?!"
At the same time, he "saw" the finely divided soul bone fragments serving as the energy source—and a strange, iridescent liquid energy he could not comprehend at all.
At that moment, Electrolux in his Spiritual Sea stirred.
The old man, observing through Huo Yuhao's perception, let out a soft murmur: "Hmm? This energy… interesting."
"It does not originate from the laws of this world. It is saturated with the meaning of 'evolution' and 'awakening'—like a highly purified catalyst of life's origin."
"It seems your classmate has had an extraordinary encounter of his own. But this energy appears gentle—only briefly stimulating potential, with no danger."
Huo Yuhao exhaled in relief—and understood part of the reason behind Gu La's strength. In his Spiritual Sea, he told Tianmeng Ice Worm and Ice Emperor:
"So that's it. They say Gu La's original martial soul was merely a mutated Fire Sprite. It seems he gained some astonishing encounter, allowing his martial soul to evolve to this level."
Tianmeng Ice Worm: "Whoa! His luck isn't worse than yours, Yuhao!"
Ice Emperor snorted: "Encounters are part of strength too. Dual Ultimate attributes… are terrifying."
No one understood the terror of Ultimate attributes better than her—especially when they complemented each other, as in Gu La's case. His combat power was unquestionably monstrous.
Huo Yuhao returned the Evolution Watch to Xiao Xiao. His curiosity toward Gu La deepened.
Meanwhile, hidden nearby, Gu La observed everything. A faint smile touched his lips. He paid no mind to Huo Yuhao's probe.
Without the Mega Evolution Energy Liquid, knowing the structure and principle of the Evolution Watch would be useless—it could not awaken a martial soul's potential.
Yet Gu La was also curious: Could Electrolux, with his world's magical knowledge, replicate a similar effect?
Similarly, Huo Yuhao had the same thought.
Somewhere in the Great Star Dou Forest, during watch or brief rest, Huo Yuhao's consciousness sank into his Spiritual Sea.
He addressed the gentle, deep gray orb: "Teacher Electrolux, did you see it? The structure of this Evolution Watch is so exquisite—especially that strange energy… With your vast knowledge of magic, could we attempt to replicate even a fraction of its effect?"
The gray orb rippled faintly, and the old man's voice, thoughtful, responded:
"Rainfall, the greatness of magic lies in its near-infinite possibilities."
"Yet magic is divided into countless schools, each profoundly complex. In the realm of Soul Magic, I believe I have achieved some mastery. But this field—stimulating bloodline potential, guiding life's origin—belongs more to ancient bloodline magic or alchemy of life. It is not my specialty."
A pause. Then, the tone shifted, carrying the curiosity of a scholar and the pride of a Deathless Necromancer:
"Still… the conception of this soul guidance device, the nature of this energy—has stirred my interest. That iridescent energy contains pure 'evolution' and 'awakening' principles. Though temporary, it is safe and efficient."
"Replicating its full effect is nearly impossible. But simulating only its 'awakening' aspect… combining it with the Soul and contract power… perhaps, it may be attempted. But it will require time—extensive experimentation and deduction."
Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up with excitement—but he quickly calmed himself: "Even if we can simulate only part of its effect, it would still be immensely valuable. Thank you, Elder."
Electrolux replied: "To teach you magic is to teach you the logic of learning. You possess a rare spiritual power talent—you are an ideal candidate for magic."
"But, Yuhao… observing this Evolution Watch, and your description of Gu La's martial soul fighting independently—has given me a far grander, more fitting inspiration for you."
Huo Yuhao asked curiously: "A grander inspiration? What is it, Teacher Electrolux?"
Electrolux's voice carried the excitement of a creator:
"Killing soul beasts to obtain soul rings—this method has endured for ten thousand years. Yet it is bloody and inefficient, limited by the soul beast's age and attribute. Why not pursue a more harmonious, sustainable path?"
"Look at Gu La's martial soul—it has sentience, fights autonomously, like an independent life form, yet remains tightly bound to its master. Look at this Evolution Watch—it guides the martial soul's core energy…"
"Could we not combine them?"
"Imagine: we do not kill. Instead, we use powerful spiritual power to communicate with a soul beast upon its death, forging an equal contract."
"The soul beast willingly separates its soul power and soul skills, forming a new, intelligent, growing, energy-based lifeform—a spirit soul."
"A spirit soul can grant a soul ring, fight independently, and even retain some of the soul beast's wisdom. The soul beast itself may not die—only temporarily weakened. This would utterly transform the relationship between soul master and soul beast."
Huo Yuhao was stunned into silence. His eyes shone with disbelief:
"A contract… spirit soul… obtaining a soul ring without killing a soul beast… and gaining a combat partner? This… this is unimaginable! If it could be realized…"
Electrolux affirmed: "This will be a revolution, Yuhao. And your path may not lie in evolving your martial soul itself."
"Your Spirit Eyes and Ice Jade Scorpion are already supreme. Their evolution is difficult. Your future lies in developing your immense spiritual power—mastering my Soul Magic!"
"Only by mastering soul power can you understand soul beast consciousness, forge equal contracts, and ultimately realize the spirit soul concept!"
"This will be your unique path. You must systematically learn my magic, and together, we will research, refine, and ultimately realize this spirit soul system. Will you accept?"
Huo Yuhao drew a deep breath. His eyes became resolute, without a trace of hesitation:
"Elder Electrolux—I accept! Fully! To coexist harmoniously with soul beasts, gain power without killing… this is far more meaningful than mere martial soul evolution. Please teach me Soul Magic. I will give my all to assist you in this research!"
Electrolux nodded, satisfied: "Good. Then from today, beyond soul power cultivation, your primary task is to study magic fundamentals with me—especially Spiritual perception, communication, and contract runes. The road ahead is long—but the horizon is boundless."
In his Spiritual Sea, Tianmeng Ice Worm leaned in curiously: "Wow! Sounds amazing! Is it similar to my state?"
Ice Emperor snorted—but did not refute. She, too, seemed intrigued. After all, she occasionally wished to leave her Spiritual Sea and stretch her limbs.
Huo Yuhao's consciousness withdrew from his Spiritual Sea, gazing into the distant dark forest. His eyes were no longer clouded with confusion—they burned with the desire for a new power, and the sacred mission to forge history.
Gu La did not know—he had merely slightly intercepted Huo Yuhao's opportunity.
Yet he had given Electrolux the spark of inspiration.
This lifetime, the spirit soul contract would be perfected—perhaps even bring him a surprise.
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