soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

The fallen Ice and Snow Empress did not cause any grand explosion, nor did she create a terrifying crater in the Far North.

Instead, she began to slowly disintegrate as she descended—so poignantly beautiful.

It wasn't just the Empress's self-sacrifice; it was also because of Huo Yuhao's overwhelming power that utterly shattered everything of the Ice and Snow Empress.

This was the final dignity Huo Yuhao left for them.

After her initial disbelief, the Ice Empress gradually came to terms with it and accepted this ending.

"Sorry, Xue'er."

"It's alright, Bing'er. I'm the one who dragged you down."

"No, as long as I can be with you, I can accept anything."

Their consciousness began to fade into chaos.

To the Ice Empress, dying like this together with the Snow Empress was not a bad ending.

Huo Yuhao was not at all surprised by this result—his fusion with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion was fate itself!

That palm strike was destiny's decree. It gathered the power of heaven and earth, and all creation lent its will to defeat the enemy.

Even with the aid of the Far North, the Ice and Snow Empresses could not withstand it. In fact, the moment they struck out against Huo Yuhao, they became traitors to the will of heaven and lost its blessings.

Unless one possessed power that surpassed the entire Douluo Continent or was free from its laws, there was no way to resist that strike. Unfortunately, neither of them could achieve that.

"So strong? Even Di Tian wouldn't be able to block this strike, right?" the Three-Eyed Golden Lion muttered to herself, suddenly wanting to flick her tail skyward and shout, "Who else?!"

Indeed, Di Tian could not withstand that strike.

Even Huo Yuhao felt drained after using it. If his main body hadn't supported him, he might've plummeted from the sky.

Xuelian hurried to aid his recovery, emitting a faint pulse that seemed to scold Huo Yuhao for pushing himself too far, yet she still did everything she could to help him recover without hesitation.

But Huo Yuhao wasn't idle. He quickly sat cross-legged and began to absorb and cultivate.

The energy released from the Ice and Snow Empresses upon death was far too precious to waste. Guided by Huo Yuhao's power, it turned into a torrent of ice-blue and jade-green soul power that surged into his body.

At the same time, two brilliant red-gold soul rings appeared—soul rings of the Ice and Snow Empresses.

The Snow Empress's soul ring was 600,000 years old. The Ice Empress's had risen to 400,000 years due to the Snow Empress's sacrifice.

Had they won, the Ice Empress would have soon faced her own tribulation. With the Snow Empress's sacrifice, her success rate would have been much higher.

Huo Yuhao used his power to draw in the two soul rings and began fusing them into his variant Frost Centipede martial soul.

Their soul bones also turned into streams of light and entered his body.

For an ordinary soul master, absorbing such a massive influx of soul power would be fatal. But Huo Yuhao's body was strong enough to withstand it.

He focused entirely on cultivation, absorbing the power of the two Empresses. Within his spiritual sea, the images of the White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Heavenly Dragon stirred restlessly, aiding him in digesting this overwhelming gift.

He had absorbed many soul rings before, but none felt as seamless and natural as these two—perfectly suited to his attributes.

His variant Frost Centipede martial soul was positively elated.

Meanwhile, the fading souls of the Ice and Snow Empresses were drawn out of the soul rings by the Ghost Banner martial soul, imprisoned without any resistance.

Without the Ghost Banner, even if their souls had hidden inside their soul rings or bones, they would have eventually been shattered by the effects of Huo Yuhao's fated strike.

Still, this wasn't their wish. They were clearly unwilling as they were pulled into the Ghost Banner, but it was no longer up to them.

The strange thing was that Snow Empress's soul was entwined with a centipede-like spiritual projection—Huo Yuhao's hidden trick embedded in the Ice Bamboo earlier. It mimicked the Ice Spirit's fluctuations and would play a key role in controlling the Snow Empress moving forward.

With the deaths of the Ice and Snow Empresses, the remaining beast army completely lost the will to fight. The soul beasts, including several remaining 100,000-year-level ones, began fleeing in all directions.

But compared to the overwhelming might of their original march, the surviving ten percent now seemed pitifully desolate.

And they wouldn't be spared.

The Command Token flashed.

The Titan Snow Demon Clan, the Snow Demon Clan, and the Ice-Snow Titan Clan—over six hundred troops, including more than fifteen 100,000-year soul beasts—appeared.

Though the Titan Snow Demon King was confined within his soul bone and unable to step out, he could still command the troops. He even activated his right arm bone's ability, unleashing the Snow Demon Domain, granting all soul beasts of his bloodline an enormous power boost.

"Kill them all! Leave no one alive!" commanded the Titan Snow Demon King.

In the Far North, when it came to interspecies war, the Titan Snow Demon Clan feared no one!

Six hundred troops thundered forward, the ground itself trembling as if the Far North were about to collapse.

The roaring Titans charged at the remaining soul beasts. Even those who could fly were yanked from the sky by leaping 100,000-year Titans and crushed into the earth.

"Titan Snow Demons?! You traitors too?! ROAR—DIE!!!" Xiaobai bellowed in fury.

Not all soul beasts had lost their will to fight.

The Ice Bear King Xiaobai, members of the Ice Jade Scorpion Clan, and a few other 100,000-year soul beasts still had battle intent. In fact, their grief had only made them stronger.

They would avenge the Ice and Snow Empresses!

Huo Yuhao, eyes closed in meditation, looked like the perfect target.

"Give me back my mother and Aunt Bing's lives!" Xiaobai roared mournfully, leading a suicidal charge.

"Ice Bear Blizzard!"

Xiaobai unleashed his strongest soul skill.

But before it could even form, a beam of black-red light obliterated it.

A tiger's roar echoed out.

A massive, pure-black tiger over ten meters long stepped from the icy crater—none other than the Evil God Spear's spirit, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!

He feared no tribulation, and with the Evil God Spear's upgrades, his current power far surpassed Xiaobai's.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's sinister eyes gleamed with mockery as he stared at Xiaobai. The oppressive aura radiating from him rendered Xiaobai completely motionless.

If Xiaobai was frozen in fear, the rest of the soul beasts stood no chance.

Even the only remaining 200,000-year Ice Jade Scorpion was pinned to the ground by the descending Light Holy Dragon.

Mu En appeared, working with the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger to clean up the remaining soul beasts.

The final skirmish didn't last long. In a short while, everything fell silent again.

The Ice Bear King's corpse was hoisted high. After the Healing Angel Puppet martial soul finished absorbing the previous two soul rings, it immediately began extracting the Ice Bear King's as well.

Only the six hundred troops remained, scattered to guard against any new threats.

Huo Yuhao hovered in the air, his main body having re-entered him. All the eyes in the sky had vanished.

With the two soul rings embedded into his Frost Centipede armor, Huo Yuhao's soul power surged like a flood.

80, 81, 82… 89, 90!

91, 92… 95, 96…

And finally, his soul power reached the Earthly Peerless level—Rank 99!

After three days and nights...

Huo Yuhao finally completed the digestion and fusion process. He had fully absorbed the power, soul rings, soul bones, and destiny (qi luck) of the Ice and Snow Emperors.

When Huo Yuhao opened his eyes again, they had returned to their icy blue hue, snowflake patterns subtly shimmering at their depths. A chilling aura radiated from them, akin to the icy plains of the far north, as if they could freeze one's very soul.

This wasn't just a manifestation of Huo Yuhao's powerful Extreme Ice attribute—it was also a result of his formidable spiritual power. With his current strength, he could fully wield the million-year soul power of the Skydream Iceworm. His gaze alone was enough to shake a person's mind.

Quickly retracting his gaze, Huo Yuhao blinked and returned to his usual appearance. Now was still not the time to reveal his full strength—after all, that person wasn't dead yet.

"Tch, not letting me show off? I'll remember this grudge!" Huo Yuhao muttered internally.

Clad in his Frost Centipede Armor, Huo Yuhao floated in midair, surrounded by nine soul rings. A biting chill radiated from his body.

His nine soul rings were as follows:

 Red-Gold, Black, Black, Black, Black, Red, Red-Gold, Red-Gold, Red-Gold!

Red = 100,000-year soul ring

Red-Gold = over 200,000 years (with golden patterns denoting different levels)

Orange-Gold (from the original novel) = soul rings condensed from soul spirits

His second to fourth soul rings were all ten-thousand-year rings, which stood out awkwardly. Huo Yuhao planned to upgrade them using secret methods while the opportunity was ripe.

There were still some soul beasts left in the Extreme North, especially deep in the Ice and Snow Mountains where beasts hadn't responded to the Snow Empress's call.

Upgrading these soul rings to 100,000 years wouldn't drastically improve his combat power—just a few more soul skills—but they would look better. Besides, it would bolster his foundation and shore up weak points.

"In cultivation, it's not just about enhancing your strengths—you must also fix your flaws.

 In exams, being bad at one subject only hurts your rank. In cultivation, it could get you killed."

"I, Huo Yuhao, only like red!"

6th Soul Ring: 100,000-year Tyrannosaurus Rex

7th Soul Ring: 200,000-year Titan Snow Demon King

The Titan Snow Demon tribe's soul rings fused with their souls to become puppets, so there was no ring age increase here.

8th Soul Ring: 700,000-year Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor

Combined all the rings of the Ice Jade Scorpion tribe, including a 200,000-year-old one. Some power was lost during fusion, ending just past 700,000 years.

9th Soul Ring: 700,000-year Ice Heaven Snow Lady

He tried to upgrade this one too, combining it with other 100,000-year rings. Surprisingly, it worked—probably because the Snow Lady was born of the Extreme North, making her bloodline compatible. It reached the upper limit of 790,000 years, restrained only by Huo Yuhao's current capacity.

1st Soul Ring (his life-bound ring): also upgraded to 790,000 years, matching the 9th.

"There's no stopping now—I have to keep improving my physique!" Huo Yuhao sighed.

 After all, he still had higher-level soul rings waiting to be absorbed.

All remaining soul beasts and their soul rings were not wasted—they were devoured by the Evil God Spear along with their corpses and essence.

Now, eight blood-red halos were condensed on the Evil God Spear. Each one had the destructive power equivalent to a full-force attack from an Ultimate Douluo, and the nutrients they could return to Huo Yuhao were comparable to those of such a powerhouse.

This was the result of harvesting at least 30% of all soul beasts in the Extreme North, including some 100,000-year ones.

But the enhancements didn't stop there.

Through the fusion of the Ice and Snow Emperors' soul rings, Huo Yuhao's Frost Centipede martial soul—his Extreme Ice—was pushed closer to absolute zero.

Soul Skills Gained:

8th Ring (Ice Emperor):

Ice Emperor's Claw (Pincer)

Ice Emperor Armor

9th Ring (Snow Empress):

Emperor's Frost Heaven: Snow Dance Radiance

Emperor's Palm: Great Chill Without Snow

Because of their powerful bloodlines and skills, the techniques remained unchanged. The Frost Centipede martial soul lacked pincers, so the skills were adapted to be used through his legs—or, when armored, his hands.

Furthermore, because Ice and Snow Emperors had used something akin to a Martial Soul Fusion Technique before death, their rings could now be combined for combo soul skills.

Similar to Xiao Xiao's Trinity Suppression Cauldron, where using the first and second skills together produces the "Nation's Heaviest Weapon, Cauldron Shock."

Soul Bones

The soul bones of Ice and Snow Emperors had not fully formed before being absorbed. As such, Huo Yuhao could partially shape them.

Since he already had a full set, the two new ones adapted themselves into external soul bones, saving him the effort of restructuring.

Ice Emperor's Soul Bone:

Became an external spinal soul bone, devouring the previous one

Over 400,000 years old

Includes a scorpion tail extension from the tailbone, preserving Extreme Ice power (though the scorpion tribe lost its venom)

Allowed Huo Yuhao to release Extreme Ice Poison

Skills: Eternal Freeze Domain, Wrath of the Ice Emperor

Higher quality than the original trunk bone and also growth-capable

Snow Empress's Soul Bone:

Transformed into an exquisite Ice Sword: Imperial Sword: Ice Supreme Unmatched Blade

A summonable external soul bone, similar to a sword cultivator's life-bound flying sword

Although it didn't contain soul skills, it housed a Sword Intent—the one Snow Empress comprehended in life

Huo Yuhao named it: Snow Empress Sword Intent

In the world of Douluo, even though soul masters heavily rely on soul ring skills, there are gifted individuals who can grasp the power of intention.

 For example, Dustheart the Sword Douluo ten thousand years ago, or Ji Juechen in this era.

"Maybe I can refine this blade into a special artifact that resides within my body," Huo Yuhao decided.

 It was this uniqueness that piqued his interest—the bond was far weaker than that with his Ghost Banner Martial Soul.

Besides these two, he also acquired several external soul bones and multiple 100,000-year ice-attribute bones, all suitable for fusion.

However, without the concealment of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Cave, fusing them would trigger Heavenly Tribulation due to the bone spirit's awakening.

There was no rush. External soul bones could grow stronger as Huo Yuhao improved. For now, he had ample time and power to nourish them naturally.

Unless he found another haven like the Ice Cave or gained enough fate/luck to mask the celestial fate, he wouldn't risk it.

Sadly, he couldn't do that yet. His luck was still too weak—he could only hide for a while, not through the entire process.

"Still not enough luck... I need to plunder more!"

One must always feel small to dream bigger, not get stuck in the present.

"If I can absorb the fate of just one more empire, I should be able to mask myself from the divine realm," Huo Yuhao estimated.

By killing the Ice and Snow Emperors, Huo Yuhao also absorbed their fate energy, giving him 80% control over the fate of the Extreme North!

And as for the remaining 20%?

 Huo Yuhao wouldn't let that slip away either.

"I want 99% of the fate of the Extreme North!"

Huo Yuhao deployed his forces into the Ice and Snow Mountain Range, driving out soul beast herds and harvesting the rare ones among them.

These days, Huo Yuhao no longer needed to act personally.

Back when he first ventured into the Ice and Snow Mountain Range, he had moved cautiously, fearing unexpected crises. But now, to Huo Yuhao, the Ice and Snow Mountain Range was as familiar and accessible as his own backyard.

The soul beasts living in the mountains were no different than small animals that had wandered into his courtyard — their fate was entirely at his discretion.

After all, Douluo Continent had no laws protecting animal rights.

Even soul beasts with cultivation exceeding 100,000 years hidden within the mountain range had no choice but to surrender before Huo Yuhao's forces.

Those soul beasts captured were handled just like others previously taken from the Extreme North: their souls were absorbed into the Ghost Banner Martial Soul, while their flesh essence, soul power, and soul rings were consumed by the Evil God Spear. Their soul bones were either kept or refined depending on their quality and bloodline.

There was no longer any need to use the snow lotus to condense blood-seed essence. If required, Huo Yuhao could directly absorb it through the Evil God Spear. The snow lotus's development had now shifted toward mastering the power of the Sea God, preparing for the future.

As for soul beasts with unique bloodlines, Huo Yuhao was no longer particularly interested — unless they matched the powerful bloodlines already within him or could rival them. Only then would he consider devouring them.

After all, the bloodlines in his body were already among the most powerful in this world.

Currently, Huo Yuhao's bloodline was centered around five major sources: White Tiger, Phoenix, Dragon, Behemoth, and Black Tortoise.

The Behemoth bloodline was currently the weakest, but that couldn't be rushed. As the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear in his tattoo continued to grow, the Behemoth bloodline would eventually grow stronger alongside it.

The Black Tortoise bloodline, although a bit stronger than the Behemoth, was progressing very slowly.

Thus, Huo Yuhao planned to start by strengthening his Black Tortoise bloodline.

His Phoenix bloodline, while not particularly powerful, was at a medium level. But Huo Yuhao had long acquired enough Phoenix essence through dual cultivation with Ma Xiaotao. Furthermore, he had devoured many flying-type soul beasts, many of which carried traces of Phoenix blood, which helped replenish and enhance it.

The White Tiger bloodline was already quite strong, having undergone a transformation. With a constant supply of essence from Dai Hao and the future harvest from the White Tiger Duke's estate, this bloodline would only grow stronger.

The Dragon bloodline had also evolved — now merged with the mutated Frost Wyrm Martial Soul, Sky Dragon Horse, Bright Holy Dragon, Hell Demon Dragon King, and even the Golden Dragon King from the Tyrannosaurus Rex. These had collectively transformed into the Sky Dragon bloodline.

In the realm of cultivators, just his White Tiger and Sky Dragon bloodlines alone would qualify him for the celestial ranks.

And it wasn't just soul beasts — rare herbs and valuable ores growing in the Ice and Snow Mountains and their core regions had also become Huo Yuhao's private property. With his aura-sensing technique, he could easily identify treasures and wouldn't leave even a single precious herb behind.

Ever since acquiring 80% of the Extreme North's destiny, all of Huo Yuhao's actions there had gone smoothly.

He faced no resistance from slaughtering the soul beasts of the region. In fact, his connection with the Extreme North only deepened.

Perhaps it was because the Extreme North was merely a part of the world, and Huo Yuhao's actions didn't provoke the will of the Douluo World.

Or perhaps soul beasts simply weren't important to the Extreme North. With or without them, the region could still endlessly generate treasures.

…

This "reclamation" of the Extreme North didn't just strengthen his mutated Frost Wyrm Martial Soul — his other three Martial Souls also improved.

His Evil Eye Martial Soul, through soul harvesting and life absorption, had been nourished and strengthened. As its potential had already been fully developed, it was time to consider a second awakening.

But rather than calling it a second awakening, it was more accurate to call it a divine awakening!

His Healing Angel Puppet Martial Soul had gained four rare 100,000-year soul rings:

— Snowstorm Swan

 — Profound Ice Crystal Turtle

 — Ice Bear King

 — Ice Jade Scorpion

Huo Yuhao specifically added the Ice Jade Scorpion soul ring to this Martial Soul, granting it the power of Ultimate Ice.

Given that all the rings absorbed this time had ice attributes, mastering Ultimate Ice significantly enhanced the puppet's combat power.

It wasn't that more 100,000-year soul rings weren't available, but the selected soul beasts had potential far beyond the ordinary, providing exceptionally powerful soul rings.

The Snowstorm Swan had Phoenix blood, and her combat burst could increase by a whole tier. Her soul ring granted the Silent Cold Light soul skill.

While this skill posed no threat to Huo Yuhao, its actual attack power was second only to the Ice Emperor — even stronger than the Ice Bear King's attacks.

Combined with the Ultimate Ice of the Ice Jade Scorpion, Silent Cold Light would now be even more terrifying.

The Profound Ice Crystal Turtle had Black Tortoise blood and incredible defensive power. Huo Yuhao tested it personally and found it capable of manipulating profound ice energy. Its soul ring inherited the Heaven-Bearing Turtle skill, and its second skill allowed absorption of damage via profound ice to heal the user.

The Ice Bear King's soul ring was also formidable. Ice Bears were among the strongest bear-type soul beasts, second only to the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear — and the King's soul ring was on a whole other level.

It provided two skills: the devastating Ice Bear Blizzard (AOE), and Frost Meteor (single target). Both had tremendous power.

The Ice Jade Scorpion soul ring granted one offensive and one defensive skill, but more importantly, it allowed the Healing Angel Puppet to master Ultimate Ice, which could amplify all other ice-type soul ring skills — creating combo effects.

These four rings far surpassed those gained from the Forest Deer King and Colorful Scaled Butterfly King. The bloodlines of the Profound Ice Crystal Turtle and Snowstorm Swan were directly devoured by Huo Yuhao, bolstering his Black Tortoise and Phoenix bloodlines.

Later, from the captured soul beasts in the mountain range, Huo Yuhao selected another 100,000-year ancient-bloodline beast to serve as the Healing Angel Puppet's seventh soul ring:

The Three-Tailed Frost Scorpion!

A scorpion with three tails and an archaic bloodline. Unlike the Ice Jade Scorpion, it had abandoned all ice attributes to retain its poisonous nature — though regrettably, it didn't possess Ultimate Poison.

However, due to its special bloodline, it retained a unique ability to survive in extreme cold.

This seventh ring wasn't a typical Martial Soul Avatar ring but retained two soul skills. For the Puppet Martial Soul, the Martial Soul Avatar form was its default state anyway.

This ring was chosen not only for its excellent quality — second only to the Ice Jade Scorpion — but also because its poison-type skills had reference value for Huo Yuhao.

With this, the Healing Angel Puppet Martial Soul was equipped with seven soul rings. The remaining two could wait until suitable options presented themselves.

Finally, there was the Ghost Banner Martial Soul.

This Martial Soul had received the greatest boost during this expedition.

Because — the Ghost Banner Martial Soul was no longer a life-bound weapon.

It had evolved.

It was now a life-bound divine artifact!

A faqi and a fabao—though differing by only a single word, the chasm between them is vast.

One could liken it to the difference between an ordinary rock and a fine jade.

A farmer may use a common stone to drive away wild beasts.

But a fine jade can only radiate its brilliance in the hands of a master.

In the world of Pudu Cihang, a single fabao can serve as the legacy of an entire sect. It's not something that can be forged merely through wealth or power.

Even someone as ancient and powerful as Pudu Cihang, a millennium-old great demon, lacked a fabao at his side. Otherwise, he wouldn't have to rely solely on brute strength in battle.

Now that the Ghost Banner Martial Soul had transformed into a fabao, its power had become even more immense. Its abilities had been both enhanced and reshaped.

At this point, the Ghost Banner Martial Soul surpassed not just ordinary divine tools, but even god-grade martial souls. For example, Jin Qiu'er's golden dragon spear was no match for Huo Yuhao's Ghost Banner Martial Soul.

Why? Because the Ghost Banner Martial Soul was forged from Qi Luck!

As Huo Yuhao waited for the soldiers to return with captured soul beasts, he continued to examine the state of his martial soul:

Martial Soul: Ghost Banner

 Attribute: Yin and Evil

 Quality: Natal Fabao, Low-grade Fortune-Fabao

Effects:

Heaven's mandate enhancement

The return of ten thousand souls

Connection to the Netherworld

Limitless potential

Abilities:

Fortune-Fabao: Based on the soul, it can absorb treasures from heaven and earth to continually upgrade in quality.

Commanding the Ghost King: Grants the ability to appoint a ghost within the Ghost Banner as its primary soul, transforming it into a Ghost King. The Ghost King draws power from the banner and can command ten thousand spirits. More Ghost Kings = greater strength.

Soul Chasing and Seizing: Can track and extract a target's soul using their aura as a guide. Requires forty-nine days of continuous spellwork. Only works on souls of targets with cultivation not exceeding Huo Yuhao's own.

Spirit Driving into the Nether: Allows the wielder to harness all ghosts within the banner, drawing upon their power for insight, illusion breaking, and ghost capture.

Ninefold Heavens: The Ghost Banner can split into up to nine spatial layers depending on the number of Ghost Kings. Each layer possesses unique powers and offensive capabilities. As more Ghost Kings are appointed and the fabao ascends, more layers are unlocked.

After examining all this, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

"A *Fortune-Fabao!?"

Beyond the usual quality gradings, fabaos could also be categorized by special traits—such as those infused with Qi Luck or merit.

These types were exceedingly rare and often wielded power far beyond their apparent grade, boasting mysterious and formidable abilities. Likewise, those who could tame such treasures were rarely ordinary.

Just like Huo Yuhao himself!

A natal fabao belonging to the Child of Destiny becoming a Fortune-Fabao—that sounded just about right.

Sanctioned by Heaven, hindered by nothing!

Even if the Douluo Dalu plane didn't follow a traditional cultivation system, the concepts of fate and destiny remained universally applicable.

Returning to the Ghost Banner Martial Soul, its newly awakened five abilities truly embodied the exceptional qualities of a Fortune-Fabao.

Two of its abilities even qualified as divine techniques, and both carried significant power.

Like the Flame Emperor's "Burning Art," the Ghost Banner Martial Soul could continue evolving. But in its case, it was even easier—just feeding it treasures from the world allowed it to ascend.

Future evolution into a Lingbao (spiritual treasure) wasn't out of the question!

Even the ordinary ghosts within the banner now had a way to strengthen themselves. When Huo Yuhao extended his spirit sense into the inner space of the Ghost Banner, he saw countless spirits cultivating greedily, drawing in ghostly energy. The more intelligent ones had already sensed the change in the fabao, while the instinctual ones were training purely out of habit. Even newly captured beast souls were being assimilated by the older spirits.

The root of this mass cultivation was the Ghost Banner's ability to absorb external energy and convert it into dense ghostly aura, supplying the spirits endlessly.

Not only could they cultivate, but their soul power regeneration rate had also improved drastically.

Take Moon, for example—he had spent a great deal of power in the recent war but was now rapidly recovering.

Unlike the soul soldiers, whose power stemmed from integrated soul rings and could cultivate outside the banner by absorbing ambient energy, ghosts relied solely on soul power and had to return to the Ghost Banner to replenish themselves.

Hovering above the inner space of the banner was a radiant ring. When Huo Yuhao projected his consciousness into it, he was transported into a world of flame.

A blazing sun hung high above, casting down torrents of fire.

This time, Huo Yuhao could truly feel the heat—not an illusion, but a genuine environment. Still, the flames didn't harm him. On the contrary, he could use them offensively.

"So this is the effect of the Ninefold Heavens..." Huo Yuhao realized.

This fiery domain existed because of the Ghost King sealed within this layer—He Caitou!

As the original soul ring of the Ghost Banner, He Caitou had been automatically appointed Ghost King when the fabao evolved.

Amid the blazing heat, Huo Yuhao found He Caitou squatting and deeply absorbed in something.

On closer inspection, he realized He Caitou was studying necromantic spells.

Electrolux had taken He Caitou as a disciple and had long tried to teach him. In the past, He Caitou had been slow-witted and lacked awareness, making lessons difficult—Electrolux had mostly been talking to himself. But now, He Caitou seemed fully awakened, able to learn on his own.

He even held a cigar in his mouth, seemingly to help him focus while studying.

His power had also reached Level 70, only one soul ring short of the next step.

When Huo Yuhao arrived, He Caitou immediately stood up, respectfully bowing to him.

This caught Huo Yuhao off guard.

"So it's not just higher intelligence—he's learned manners too?"

He could feel it: his control over He Caitou had grown deeper. It wasn't just about issuing commands anymore—he now had a full awareness of his being.

He Caitou had indeed gained greater wisdom and inherited his memories, though his personality had changed completely—he was now someone new.

After borrowing a cigar from He Caitou, Huo Yuhao made a mental note to grant him a 100,000-year soul ring as his seventh.

Then, Huo Yuhao advanced to the next layer.

Above the blazing sun was another glowing ring—the gateway to the next space.

This one belonged to Electrolux. But unlike what Huo Yuhao expected, the domain wasn't ghostly and grim. Instead, it was a bustling, vibrant city, even populated with moving humans.

Yet Huo Yuhao saw through it immediately. It was an illusion. The real essence of this domain was hidden within—an ocean of necrotic energy.

The moment he arrived, Electrolux appeared beside him.

"Old Yi, are you reminiscing about the past?" Huo Yuhao asked curiously.

The city clearly didn't reflect Douluo's culture. That left only one explanation: it was the cityscape of Electrolux's homeland.

Electrolux stood with hands behind his back, gazing at the city. He didn't deny it.

"Perhaps."

Then he changed the subject. "Yuhao, come with me."

He led Huo Yuhao to a cathedral-like building.

Inside, Huo Yuhao was astonished to see a massive gateway brimming with necrotic energy.

Electrolux explained,

"Yuhao, I intend to link the half-plane of the undead to this domain—to expand and empower it!"

"Ah?"

Huo Yuhao was momentarily stunned before turning to Electrolux. "Old Yi, are you sure? If your Undead Demiplane merges with this space, it'll no longer be yours."

All along, Huo Yuhao had never asked Electrolux for the Undead Demiplane—because he didn't need it. He believed he would forge something far greater in the future.

Like refining the entire Douluo Plane.

Besides, constantly eyeing the assets of one's own people felt disgraceful.

But unexpectedly, Electrolux now proposed to merge his Undead Demiplane into the Ghost Banner Martial Soul.

If successful, it would vastly upgrade the quality of the Ghost Banner. However, the Undead Demiplane would then become Huo Yuhao's.

Electrolux merely chuckled, seemingly very pleased. Though Huo Yuhao was ruthless, he was genuine toward his own people.

"Haha, Yuhao, I already consider myself yours. What's a measly Undead Demiplane compared to that?"

Huo Yuhao: "..."

He had no idea how to respond to that.

"However," Electrolux continued with a smile, "fusing the Undead Demiplane won't be quick. It may take a year or two. Are you willing to wait that long?"

"You flatter me, Old Yi. Regardless, thank you. I'll remember this favor." Huo Yuhao responded earnestly.

Electrolux nodded with a faint smile and said no more.

Though he disapproved of some of Huo Yuhao's actions, there was always justification behind them. More importantly, Yuhao's growth would benefit the world, so Electrolux was willing to assist him.

Besides, what other choice did he have?

With Huo Yuhao's capabilities, he was destined for godhood. Those loyal to him would surely be by his side at the top. Electrolux just hoped Yuhao wouldn't stray down a dark path—he would need guidance from a mentor figure like himself.

"Go on with your work, Yuhao. I'm going to console that big bug. Sigh~" Electrolux sighed deeply, clearly thinking of something.

He empathized with such matters of the heart, and maybe he could offer the Ice Jade Scorpion some advice.

Above this layer, there was another glowing ring.

Huo Yuhao entered the next level.

It was the space belonging to the Golden Tortoise.

The Golden Tortoise excitedly floated over to greet him the moment he arrived.

"Welcome, Brother Hao! Mighty Hao! The civil and martial saint who will unify the Extreme North!"

The Golden Tortoise always did know how to flatter.

"Haha, Gugu, keep it low-key!" Huo Yuhao laughed and began his inspection.

The Golden Tortoise's realm resembled a picturesque natural landscape—lush mountains and clear waters—imbued with both water and earth attributes. The terrain was marshy and perfectly suited to the tortoise's nature.

However, beneath the swamps lay countless skeletal remains. The largest of them all was the carcass of the Bone Tortoise.

After taking a full tour of this level, Huo Yuhao continued upward.

Next was the domain of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion—Jin Qiu'er.

This space astonishingly resembled the Star Dou Forest. Floating throughout the area was the power of destiny. Light, flame, and strength were just superficial—at the core of the Emperor Auspicious Beast was destiny itself.

At the center of the forest stood a magnificent palace instead of the Lake of Life.

The moment Huo Yuhao entered the realm, a force pulled him directly into the palace. He didn't resist.

Inside, he saw Jin Qiu'er in her human form, seated atop a golden throne. Dressed in a lavish golden robe that accentuated her fiery figure, she gazed down upon him.

"Huo Yuhao, I have a mission for you! Go kill the one who stole my body!" she declared imperiously.

Huo Yuhao: "???"

Clearly, the Ghost Banner Martial Soul's upgrade had made Jin Qiu'er overconfident. She now wanted revenge against the one who had taken over her original body.

Plus, Jin Qiu'er had reached Rank 70.

She did, however, seem to forget who the real boss was.

"You dare appear before me in human form?" Huo Yuhao smirked wickedly.

Startled, Jin Qiu'er immediately attempted to revert to her Three-Eyed Golden Lion form.

"Furry is fine too~"

"!!!"

A while later, Huo Yuhao finally exited this layer.

There was no higher level—only four spaces, corresponding to four soul rings.

For the fifth ring, Huo Yuhao had already made his decision: Snow Empress's soul.

Back in the Ghost Banner's inner space, Huo Yuhao summoned the souls of the Snow Empress and Ice Empress before him. Both had had their self-awareness sealed by him.

Their bodies were destroyed, but their souls had been preserved—and mostly intact.

With the upgraded Ghost Banner, Huo Yuhao's control over souls had become stronger. Appointing Ghost Kings was now much easier—even the soul's own will no longer mattered. The Snow and Ice Empresses could be reconditioned later.

Very quickly, the Snow Empress became the fifth soul ring of the Ghost Banner Martial Soul, opening a fifth realm—an icy world.

Then Huo Yuhao instructed each primary soul to choose spirits compatible with their realm. These spirits would not only strengthen each level but also train faster when placed in an aligned environment.

Soon, every Ghost King had made their picks.

He Caitou chose fire-attribute ghosts.

Electrolux didn't pick any; his realm would later house undead creatures from the Demiplane.

The Golden Tortoise chose water and earth spirits. Purple Princess's soul was also placed in this realm—she did, after all, possess water attributes.

Jin Qiu'er picked cute and beautiful ghosts. Huo Yuhao also threw in a bunch with power and light attributes.

The Snow Empress chose icy spirits—souls like the Ice Empress and Little Bai were added to her realm.

Some ghost spirits still remained in the inner space.

Those with intelligence and loyalty were placed appropriately. Those unwilling to submit had their will erased before being used.

Low-level ghosts (under 50,000 years) weren't a problem—just pack them all in like a dormitory.

With his mind withdrawn from the Ghost Banner, Huo Yuhao selected a 100,000-year soul beast for He Caitou to absorb as his next ring.

Jin Qiu'er's seventh soul ring would have to wait. Most soul beasts in the Extreme North carried ice elements, which didn't suit her.

Then, the soldiers returned—bringing Huo Yuhao a surprise.

In the hand of a 100,000-year-old Titan Snow Demon Beast was a little creature.

Huo Yuhao grinned. "It's been a long time!"

That little creature was none other than a variant Frost Centipede!

Yes—the very same one from back in the day. Only now, it had grown and reached the ten-thousand-year level.

It had clearly consumed the inner core left behind by the larger Frost Centipede, allowing it to rapidly mature and break through.

But it still couldn't escape Huo Yuhao's grasp.

Now, the little Frost Centipede had a pair of tiny wings on its back, emanating psychic energy.

Though it wasn't too intelligent, it knew how to avoid danger. Clutched by the Titan Snow Demon Beast, it behaved obediently.

Huo Yuhao extended a hand, releasing the aura of his own Frost Centipede bloodline. The small creature responded with excitement and crawled up his arm—wrapping around him.

Yet it caused no harm.

"From now on, you'll stay by my side. Your old ancestor here will ensure you a bright future!" Huo Yuhao said with a smile.

When it came to his centipede descendants, he always assumed the role of grand patriarch.