soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

Some materials from high-level soul beasts can be as valuable as soul bones — for example, whale glue from beasts over fifty thousand years old.

Materials with special properties are even more valuable for soul masters who match their attributes.

The poison sac from a ninety-thousand-year-old soul beast was undeniably precious for poison-attribute soul masters.

Yes, the poison sac that appeared on the auction stage was a "gift" the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had prepared for Huo Yuhao.

Reflecting on the four items featured in this top-tier auction, Huo Yuhao realized that all of them were well-suited for his group.

Clearly, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect knew how to plan things out.

Still, no one in Huo Yuhao's group had purchased the previous three items — the girls weren't as simple as they appeared. Those items didn't offer much benefit to them.

Now it was down to the final auction item. Surely they couldn't let the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect be completely disappointed.

"A poison sac from a ninety-thousand-year-old soul beast is enough to raise a Titled Douluo under Rank 95 by one rank. For poison-attribute soul masters below Titled Douluo, it's even more valuable," Huo Yuhao said slowly, explaining the sac's worth.

Hearing this, Zhang Lexuan and the other girls immediately perked up. Helping Huo Yuhao improve his strength benefited Shrek Academy. Upon learning the item was helpful to him, Ma Xiaotao and the others became determined to get it.

Although directly using poison to enhance strength was dangerous for poison-attribute soul masters — risking self-poisoning — Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice attribute mitigated that danger well.

"This item — Shrek wants it," Zhang Lexuan decided on the spot.

Ning Tian smiled slightly; she had been waiting for this moment. "I'll help Yuhao get the poison sac."

"No need," Zhang Lexuan replied calmly. "Shrek can afford this item."

"My apologies, I spoke out of turn," Ning Tian apologized, realizing she'd been too eager.

Weina gently took Ning Tian's hand and smiled. "Ning Tian, you meant well — how could we blame you?"

"Yes, yes, we know you meant well."

"We appreciate the thought."

Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen also expressed kindness toward Ning Tian, making her feel that these women were quite nice after all.

Zhang Lexuan merely gave the girls a strange look before beginning the bidding.

The starting bid was fifteen million gold soul coins.

But because the poison sac was so specialized — useful only to poison-attribute soul masters or those needing it for unique purposes — there weren't many competitors.

In the end, Zhang Lexuan won the item for twenty-two million gold soul coins.

Of course, the bill went to Shrek!

During their training trip, they had to cover their own living expenses, but special expenditures like cultivation resources could be reported to the academy, which would cover the cost.

Their spending limit was two hundred million gold soul coins.

After all, Huo Yuhao was the young sect master.

"Thank you, Senior Sister," Huo Yuhao said to Zhang Lexuan, a grateful expression on his face.

Zhang Lexuan smiled faintly. "No need to thank me, Yuhao. These are resources provided by the academy. And now that you're the young sect master, the academy won't treat you unfairly."

"Yes, I understand!" Huo Yuhao replied, deeply touched.

Truthfully, Huo Yuhao felt quite emotional. In the original story, it seemed like he never received much from the academy — not even the promised soul rings or soul bones.

But now, he had received quite a bit from Shrek. He hadn't spent a single coin of his own at this auction.

The top-tier auction finally concluded.

Everyone began to leave.

"I'll personally deliver the item to Yuhao later," Ning Tian said with a smile.

"Thank you, Ning Tian," Zhang Lexuan nodded slightly. She was distant and deliberately kept her distance from Ning Tian.

Ning Tian didn't mind and simply smiled as she watched them leave.

Later that night in Nine Treasure City…

The city resembled a miniature Mingdu. Even at night, it was brightly lit. The streets were illuminated by soul lamps, and many entertainment venues remained open. The dueling arena was especially lively.

At Ma Xiaotao's suggestion, the girls decided to visit the dueling arena and then explore the city, checking out exotic treasures from all over the continent.

No one objected. All the girls were interested. Even Zhang Lexuan was eager to go — partly to look around and partly to see if she could make contact with an intelligence group to gather information on Beibei.

Huo Yuhao, however, stayed behind at the hotel to wait for Ning Tian's delivery.

Outside the Nine Treasure Hotel, Ning Tian turned to Wu Feng and said, "Fengmei, wait outside. I'll just deliver the item to Yuhao and come right back."

To avoid conflict, Ning Tian didn't want Wu Feng to come in.

Of course, her real goal was to spend more time with Huo Yuhao and get closer to him.

Wu Feng hesitated, then insisted, "No, I don't feel comfortable. That Huo Yuhao is not a good guy! I want to come in too — but I'll stay at the door. If anything happens, I'll rush in to save you!"

Ning Tian gave a helpless smile. "Fengmei, Huo Yuhao is just flirtatious — he's not some lecherous monster. And as far as I know, his relationships with Ma Xiaotao and the others are mutual."

"You know he's flirtatious, and you still choose him?" Wu Feng said unhappily.

"Fengmei, some things I don't get to choose. Besides, his talent, strength, identity, and status make him a good match for me," Ning Tian sighed.

"No! I still don't trust him!" Wu Feng insisted.

With no choice, Ning Tian finally took Wu Feng into the hotel, then knocked on Huo Yuhao's room door and entered alone.

Wu Feng stood guard outside, listening intently. But the hotel room's soundproofing was excellent — she couldn't hear a thing.

Watching the closed door, Wu Feng clenched her fists. Her breathing quickened. She felt utterly powerless.

She was at the age to want to protect someone — but didn't yet have the strength to do so.

Inside the room, Ning Tian saw the ever-handsome Huo Yuhao. He seemed even more attractive tonight.

"Honestly, just based on looks, Huo Yuhao might be the most stunning man alive. No wonder so many girls fall for him," she thought.

As she stared at Huo Yuhao…

Ning Tian's body began to heat up. Her heartbeat accelerated, and her mind grew hazy.

She began to forget why she'd come.

"Ning Tian, what do you think of me?" Huo Yuhao asked softly, drawing closer, his tone alluring.

"You… you're… suitable… as a lover…" Ning Tian murmured, her true thoughts slipping out.

"Then… would you be willing to give yourself to me?" Huo Yuhao lifted a hand and gently caressed her cheek.

"Give… myself…" Ning Tian echoed blankly.

Her outer robe slowly slipped off.

BOOM—

A sudden clap of thunder rang out over Nine Treasure City, followed by a torrential downpour. People on the streets rushed for shelter.

Wu Feng stood in the hotel corridor, staring out the glazed window at the heavy rain. Her face was pale. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks.

"Eh? Why am I crying…?" she murmured, wiping her face in confusion.

In Jiubao City, soul masters came and went in great numbers, and the underground factions were intricately intertwined. But all of them developed stably under the suppression of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

Zhang Lexuan, with her face concealed, easily found one of the underground factions that specialized in selling information and once again attempted to inquire about Beibei. This wasn't her first time doing so.

"Age around seventeen or eighteen, a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul master, not from the Tianlong Sect..."

"Sorry, no related information. Asking price is one gold soul coin."

"Thank you. Here is a gold soul coin."

Once again, Zhang Lexuan left disappointed. She was used to disappointment by now.

 However, just as she was about to leave, a wanted poster posted inside the underground den caught her attention.

"Sun Moon Empire Wanted Notice. Target: Death God Envoy. Status: Dead or Alive. Bounty: Two billion gold soul coins or a Marquis title in the Sun Moon Empire! Information providers will also be rewarded! Issued by: The Sun Moon Empire!"

Boom—

As she laid eyes on the wanted poster, a sudden clap of thunder echoed outside, and thunder rolled in her mind as well.

Because the one who had captured Beibei back then was the Death God Envoy!

"Finally—"

Under the black cloak, Zhang Lexuan's pupils quaked.

Thanks to the massive reward listed, the poster was displayed in the most prominent position, drawing a crowd of curious onlookers engaged in heated discussion.

"What's with this Death God Envoy? Why did the Sun Moon Empire send a wanted notice here? And with such a huge bounty?"

"If someone really catches this guy, they'd probably be set for life."

"Heh, if you had that kind of skill, you'd already be set for life! Anyone worth that kind of bounty can't be some random soul master. You might take the job, but you won't live to collect the reward."

"Yeah, but what if I get lucky~"

"Why does this guy seem familiar? I feel like I've seen this wanted notice before."

"Speaking of which, does anyone know what's going on in the Sun Moon Empire lately? For them to suddenly put up a bounty like this... Did he assassinate the emperor or something?"

"Oh, now you're asking the right guy! The big thing in the Sun Moon Empire recently was the Evil Dragon emerging and the Sun Moon Massacre!"

"Oh? Tell me more, brother!"

"Ten gold soul coins, and I'll spill everything!"

"What, you're charging for this?!"

"It's intelligence, sweetheart~"

Boom!

 A surge of pressure burst out—an aura belonging to a high-level Soul Douluo—and a black soul coin card worth 10,000 gold coins flew through the air, planting itself at the feet of the person selling information.

The crowd instantly fell silent, trembling as they turned toward the source of the pressure—a figure cloaked in black robes.

A high-level Soul Douluo was no small deal in Jiubao City's underground scene.

 Revealing one's strength in such places helped avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble.

"Talk. Information on Mingdu. The card is yours."

 A cold, feminine voice came from beneath the robe.

The information peddler swallowed hard, caught between fear and joy.

Ten thousand gold soul coins—how many lifetimes would it take to earn that?

Without hesitation, he picked up the card and respectfully said,

"Please follow me, senior. I'll tell you everything I know."

He made sure to lead them to a crowded, well-lit area—no one wanted to get stabbed in a dark alley in this part of town.

Zhang Lexuan nodded slightly.

"Lead the way."

The two departed, leaving behind a group of soul masters seething with envy.

Some time later, someone finally remembered—

 Wasn't there a soul master with the same title wanted by Shrek Academy and the White Tiger Duke's Mansion years ago?

Inside the Battle Arena—

Ling Luocheng had just defeated her opponent with ease. Standing tall in the center of the ring like an ice princess, she basked in the cheers of the crowd.

Ma Xiaotao and Wei Na watched from the stands with smiles on their faces.

"Sister Luocheng has gotten even stronger. Among her peers, few can match her now," said Wei Na.

Ma Xiaotao smirked mischievously,

"All thanks to Yuhao's hard work. She's the hottest one of us, and her ice now rivals Ultimate Ice."

Wei Na's cheeks turned pink,

"Xiaotao, don't talk about this in public..."

Outside, Wei Na always acted shy and reserved. Luocheng seemed cool and aloof.

 But behind closed doors, their roles reversed—Wei Na was the boldest, while Luocheng was the most passionate.

It wasn't without reason.

 Spending time with Huo Yuhao not only improved their strength but also purified their ice attributes. They longed to merge with him completely.

Of course, Ma Xiaotao was no different. Her martial soul made her seem dignified in public—but in private, she was the wildest of them all.

Still, even when the three of them joined forces, they could never win against Yuhao. They always ended up losing consciousness entirely.

Over the course of their journeys, they'd had their fair share of suitors thanks to their looks—but none ever got a second glance.

 Huo Yuhao had already completely conquered their hearts.

Naturally, Yuhao also had his fair share of challengers—every one of whom was swiftly defeated, and their luck devoured.

Recently, the three women noticed that as Yuhao grew stronger, they could barely keep up anymore.

 They knew well—they could no longer restrain him.

"I wonder if little sister Ning Tian will seize this opportunity," said Ma Xiaotao suddenly.

"Hehe, don't worry. No one can resist Yuhao's charm—no one," Wei Na said with full confidence.

At Jiubao Hotel, in the corridor—

Wu Feng finally sensed that something was off.

 Ning Tian had been in Huo Yuhao's room for far too long. Far beyond what would be considered normal conversation.

Anxiety clawed at Wu Feng's heart.

Just as she was about to burst in, the door suddenly opened, and Ning Tian's muddled voice came from within:

"Feng... Fengmei…"

"Young Miss!" Wu Feng cried, rushing inside—only to freeze, stunned.

Covered in fragrant sweat, Ning Tian immediately grabbed Wu Feng, struggling to resist Yuhao's advances as she pleaded:

"Fengmei, help me… I can't take it anymore…"

Wu Feng's worldview shattered on the spot.

The storm passed.

Huo Yuhao lit a cigar, took a puff, and looked at his dramatically increased luck with satisfaction.

Within that swirling sea of fortune floated a seven-colored jade disc.

As expected, Ning Tian's fate was extraordinary. Their "duel in the lower lane" had greatly boosted Yuhao's luck. That seven-colored jade represented a powerful opportunity.

Naturally, Yuhao did not skimp on rewards.

 Given her destiny, Ning Tian could not be mistreated.

As for Wu Feng?

She was just an extra.

At that moment, both Ning Tian and Wu Feng sat beside Huo Yuhao, meditating in lotus position.

 After Yuhao's final release, they had both broken through in soul power and were busy consolidating their new strength.

Yuhao unashamedly admired the view.

Suddenly, both women's martial souls began to appear—and slowly began to evolve!

As Ning Tian's and Wu Feng's martial souls began to emerge of their own accord, they entered the Awakening stage.

Ning Tian's Seven-Treasure Glazed Pagoda did not gain additional tiers, but on one side of the first level a faint dragon pattern shimmered into view. The gem-like tower began to hint at transforming toward a four-faced pagoda design—yet it remained its usual crystal-clear jewel form.

Beyond that, one simply felt Ning Tian's martial-soul aura grow stronger and its glow more brilliant. The changes in her pagoda-type soul were subtle but real.

Wu Feng's metamorphosis, by contrast, was striking. Her Red Dragon martial soul burst forth, radiating intense flame energy that filled the entire hotel suite. Though "Red Dragon" might sound simple, it was actually a top-tier soul—its quality rivaling, even surpassing, the White Tiger soul.

No wonder Wu Feng had been chosen as Ning Tian's "study partner." She herself was a seed Titled Douluo! Now, her already high-grade Red Dragon soul was evolving further: its flame aura blazed hotter, its form grew larger and more majestic, its dragon-aura raw and fierce.

Even those unfamiliar with Wu Feng could immediately sense her power had surged. Her newly-evolved soul bore the very shadow of a Fire Dragon King.

This did not surprise Huo Yuhao. After all, he had already refined the Ice-Fire Dragon King's bones—imbuing his own bloodline with its Fire-Dragon heritage. Wu Feng's fire-attribute dragon soul naturally absorbed that bloodline's strength with great ease.

For Ning Tian, the effect was different. She had not gained draconic blood; rather, her soul had been infused with draconic aura—specifically, the Heavenly Dragon's qi. That qi had woven into her martial soul and triggered its Awakening.

Because she had only just forged her bond with Huo Yuhao, the blessing was limited—enough to amplify her soul's strength but not yet to pass the power down to offspring.

The same held true for Wu Feng. Left to stand as-is, her Red Dragon soul would simply grow stronger and might one day ascend to Red Dragon King—but not join the Fire Dragon King lineage.

Only continuous exposure to Huo Yuhao's bloodline power—or a direct blood-gift from him—could drive their souls further. Ning Tian's pagoda might even acquire traces of other lineages eventually.

That their very first exchange bore such instant results spoke volumes about Huo Yuhao's own might—not just his combat strength, but the potency of his bloodline.

Higher life-forms scatter boons with a mere thought. A true dragon's urine could turn fish into dragons and mushrooms into lingzhi. Huo Yuhao was no true dragon, but his strength and bloodline far outclassed ordinary soul masters—especially now, after fusing the Ice-Fire Dragon King's bones into himself.

In fact, the first to reap the benefits were Ma Xiaotao and the others who had recently done dual cultivation with him. Dual cultivation had amplified Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix bloodline: she not only fed her phoenix-line into Huo Yuhao, she also absorbed his flame energy in return. Now her flames were edging precariously toward the Ultimate Fire, with faint signs of distilling her True Flame—a hallmark of the Fire Dragon King.

Wei Na and Ling Luochen likewise grew stronger in their ice-aspect, nearly touching the realm of Ultimate Ice. Both showed signs of coalescing their True Water or True Ice, granting them water-control as well as ice-control.

Thanks to her Snow Lotus martial soul, Wei Na even displayed early signs of soul-evolution under the lotus's influence. Nan Shuishui's Rouge Dragon soul bore whispers of evolving from Sub-Dragon to True Dragon. And Zhu Lu, fed by the White Tiger's bloodline, saw her soul's prowess rise further.

Huo Yuhao didn't leave them waiting long. As soon as the two women's souls finished evolving, they blinked open their eyes and immediately tested their new strength—then stared at Huo Yuhao in astonishment.

Both had advanced a whole level of soul power, but that was secondary. What truly mattered was their soul's Awakening.

"How do you feel?" Huo Yuhao smiled, prompting them.

Ning Tian did not hide her shock. With a solemn yet amazed expression, she said slowly, "My soul's strength increased—and although my soul-skill's amplification rate didn't change, I can feel my soul-skill now uses less soul power. Most importantly… I feel my soul can evolve!"

That last line was the heart of the matter. Ning Tian's face glowed with excitement and disbelief. She'd finally snapped out of her past haze, realized what crazy thing had happened—and pulled Wu Feng in with her!

But… an evolution was literally at her fingertips. Nothing else mattered. This was what the Nine-Treasure Glazed Sect had pursued for ten thousand years—and here, by the most scandalous means, they'd achieved it?

"What on earth did you do to us?" Wu Feng, finally composed, bared her teeth like an angry mother dragon and moved to stand behind Ning Tian.

Had Wu Feng thought she could beat Huo Yuhao, she would've dragged him off and tortured every secret out of him—if only she were clothed right now.

Yet soul masters' regenerative power was astonishing. Perhaps the very Awakening had healed them, for both now looked battle-ready once more—despite Huo Yuhao's earlier ravages.

Huo Yuhao watched them and curled a grin. "Maybe it's just my unique physiology."

"Don't insult our intelligence!" Wu Feng retorted.

"Want to test it?" Huo Yuhao stood calmly, and once more the jet-black dragon shadow flickered across her face.

Ning Tian and Wu Feng blushed in embarrassment—but then something startling happened: their bodies responded.

"N-No way… why would I react to this disgusting thing… mmph!" Ning Tian stammered.

"Feng… sister, don't… uh!" Wu Feng moaned.

Huo Yuhao observed their flustered retreats and noted that Ning Tian still held hidden potential—and Wu Feng, though secondary, likewise had cultivation value. Wu Feng's bloodline feedback was strong, and as Wu Feng was crucial to Ning Tian, controlling her would help keep Ning Tian's fate intact.

Just then, Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and Wei Na returned. Pushing open Huo Yuhao's door, they found Ning Tian and Wu Feng in a pitiful state.

Forget modesty—they cried out for rescue, desperate to escape their predicament.

"Help… help me…"

What they didn't expect was for the three women to glance at each other, enter the room together, and lock the door behind them.

"Two little sisters, let big sisters give you a proper lesson~"

While Huo Yuhao fought tirelessly through the night...

There were others who remained sleepless as well.

Zhang Lexuan spent the entire night gathering every piece of intelligence she could about the Sun-Moon Empire. She even reached out to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was baffled. They had been wondering how to deal with Huo Yuhao and his group, especially since Shrek Academy had seemed a bit distant toward them over the past two years.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Lexuan took the initiative to visit them and requested information on the Sun-Moon Empire. The sect almost thought Shrek Academy was preparing for war with the Sun-Moon Empire.

Although the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was located in the Dou Ling Empire—the furthest region from the Sun-Moon Empire—their commercial network spanned the continent, even reaching into the Sun-Moon Empire. As such, they had thorough and up-to-date intelligence.

Out of respect for Zhang Lexuan, the sect held nothing back. After all, she had once been considered the most likely heir to the Sea God Pavilion. Though Huo Yuhao eventually took that position, her relationship with him remained good, and she still held a prominent role.

The position of head of Xuanzi's inspection group might fall to Zhang Lexuan in the future—a seemingly minor role within Shrek Academy, but a crucial one for the original three Douluo empires.

Compared to underground organizations, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's intelligence was far more reliable.

Combining this with the intelligence she'd already gathered, Zhang Lexuan quickly pieced together the truth and drew the correct conclusions.

"Death God Envoy, member of some Evil Soul Master organization, possesses... corpse-controlling abilities? Originates from the Ming Dou Mountains? It really is him!"

"Which means Beibei was taken to the Sun-Moon Empire by the Death God Envoy? Given Beibei's identity, unless the Envoy has gone mad, he likely won't harm Beibei!"

"The two major explosions in Mingdu, and the emergence of the Evil Dragon—these could also be the work of the Death God Envoy. After those events, the Sun-Moon Empire did issue a warrant for his arrest. Even some of their hidden factions were chasing him. It's possible he's betrayed his former Evil Soul Master organization."

"The Evil Dragon's emergence... a dragon? Could that be related to Beibei? A martial soul corruption? No—this is bad!"

Any clue related to Beibei made Zhang Lexuan extremely uneasy.

With Mu En already gone, if something happened to Beibei as well, she wouldn't know how to face Mu En in the afterlife.

"No, I have to find Beibei!"

Zhang Lexuan stood up suddenly, unable to contain her anxiety.

After searching for years without any news, a lead had finally appeared. Who could remain calm at a time like this?

Even if there was only a sliver of hope, she had to pursue it.

And if Beibei had truly been killed, then she would hunt down the Death God Envoy and take revenge—to console both Beibei's and Mu En's souls.

Without any hesitation, Zhang Lexuan made her decision. She left only a letter for Huo Yuhao and his group, and before dawn, she departed from Nine Treasure City, heading straight for the Sun-Moon Empire.

Now that Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao had reached the Soul Sage level, and Ling Luochen and Weina were at the Soul Emperor and Soul King levels respectively, the four of them traveling together wouldn't be in much danger.

After all, even Zhang Lexuan wasn't confident she could defeat Huo Yuhao after his Soul Sage breakthrough. The power of an Ultimate Elemental Soul Master was absolute.

Thanks to the support of the [Wall Maiden] destiny ability, Huo Yuhao was in such a good mood that he ended up overfeeding the girls—completely exhausting them.

"Are you... really... human?" Wu Feng murmured before passing out, her face no longer hostile, but tinged with fear.

Ning Tian, having a weaker constitution, had already fainted long ago.

Huo Yuhao looked at the five unconscious girls on the bed. Standing at the bedside, he watched the sunrise with a smile.

"Even I don't know if I'm still human."

After all, even soul masters shouldn't be capable of such feats in bed.

Especially since his opponents had been soul masters too.

He felt refreshed. Extremely refreshed.

But before the girls woke up, Huo Yuhao received a letter from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—sent by Zhang Lexuan.

After reading it, his expression became rather intriguing.

The letter stated that Zhang Lexuan had gone to the Sun-Moon Empire, without giving a clear reason. She simply asked Huo Yuhao not to follow her and laid out her plans for their training journey through the Dou Ling and Star Luo Empires. She also mentioned families and sects they needed to visit. At the end, she entrusted Shrek Academy to Huo Yuhao.

It read like a farewell letter.

Huo Yuhao thought for a moment and understood.

"So Senior Sister is going after Beibei…"

Zhang Lexuan had only found out about the Death God Envoy's bounty the night before, but Huo Yuhao had known for a while and had long anticipated this day.

He just didn't expect her to act so quickly.

Without hesitation, Huo Yuhao also left a letter and quietly departed Nine Treasure City—heading straight for the Sun-Moon Empire.

Loyal little brother Huo Yuhao, of course he had to care for his big brother's 'widow', right?

How could he let her go alone to the Sun-Moon Empire?

The letter left behind for Ma Xiaotao and the others explained his whereabouts and gave some instructions regarding Ning Tian and Wu Feng.

By nightfall, Ning Tian and Wu Feng regained consciousness and found themselves back in the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, attended by maids.

They immediately realized what had happened between them and Huo Yuhao had been exposed.

The sect's leadership, especially Ning Tian's father—the current sect master—was furious.

Even the titled Douluo elders wanted to confront Huo Yuhao for an explanation.

They had wanted Ning Tian to snare a golden husband, not be given away for free! From Wu Feng's reaction, they suspected coercion.

Ning Tian's father even thought Huo Yuhao had used and abandoned them.

As for Ma Xiaotao and the other girls, they had already awoken but were "hospitably" confined within the sect.

Their sect leader's daughter had been taken—how could the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect let that slide, even if Huo Yuhao was the heir to the Sea God Pavilion?

That changed when Ning Tian and Wu Feng revealed their evolved martial souls.

The moment the elders noticed that Ning Tian's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda showed signs of evolving, all concerns were thrown aside.

Unable to hide it any longer, Ning Tian revealed Huo Yuhao's special constitution.

"I learned at the academy that Yuhao's martial soul is the Ultimate Ice attribute centipede, but it actually contains dragon blood. The dragon patterns on my pagoda and the changes in Wu Feng's martial soul may be due to this. Plus, both of us advanced two levels and haven't experienced any negative effects."

The elders were stunned.

They didn't understand it—but were deeply shaken.

If Huo Yuhao wasn't the Sea God Pavilion heir, they would've tried to capture him immediately. Now, they understood why Shrek didn't stop him from being surrounded by so many women—his physique was simply that rare.

Who could've imagined this in their wildest dreams?

In the end, the sect leadership made a decision:

"Tian'er, your cousin Ning Zhirou is the most talented of her generation. Introduce her to Huo Shao Pavilion Master. Our sect also has many girls of suitable age, some with dragon-type martial souls. Feel free to choose."

"We elders and titled Douluo will keep quiet, but don't stop others from getting close to Huo Yuhao. Help them if you can."

"Spend more time bonding with those inner court senior sisters."

"Later, go on your journey, then return to Shrek Academy."

"As for Huo Shao Pavilion Master—we'll track his whereabouts and ensure his safety!"

"Tian'er, this may be difficult for you, but please understand: you are to inherit the sect. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect desperately needs to advance."

When it came to bloodline evolution, no level of shamelessness was too much.

If the benefit wasn't immense, why would the sect master's daughter be given such an "oldest profession" kind of task?

Still, Ning Tian wasn't left empty-handed—she was formally named the sect's heir, first in line for succession.

Ning Tian remained silent.

Wu Feng was angry on her behalf, but there was nothing she could do. Even her own parents expressed similar sentiments—they felt lucky.

If their top-tier martial soul—Red Dragon—could evolve further, her family might one day claim the title of the strongest beast martial soul in the world.

Huo Yuhao said he was going to chase after Zhang Lexuan, but in reality, he made a sharp turn and headed in the opposite direction of the Sun Moon Empire, toward the eastern coast of the Dou Ling Empire.

That was the direction of the Xuanming Sect, which Huo Yuhao had previously investigated.

For a sect that had inherited the bloodline of the Black Tortoise, Huo Yuhao was extremely curious—and had no choice but to give it a try.

This was because the fifth and sixth soul rings of his bloodline soul rings corresponded to the Black Tortoise bloodline. However, due to the insufficiency of that bloodline within him, the corresponding soul rings had been difficult to obtain.

Brother Hao couldn't tolerate that.

So, Huo Yuhao had a clear goal: he was determined to conquer the Xuanming Sect.

As for Zhang Lexuan, even if she managed to enter the Sun Moon Empire, he could just have the Death God Envoy expose a few traces. That would surely lure her in.

He could deal with her later.

Zhang Lexuan had a unique fate, and Huo Yuhao didn't want to rush things. He intended to savor her slowly. Her talent and strength had not yet reached the level ripe for harvest.

Xuanming Sect

A hidden sect within the Dou Ling Empire.

There were many hidden sects on the Douluo Continent, and even more within the Dou Ling Empire. Many of them were founded by old noble houses of the former Heaven Dou Empire or royal families from various duchies.

After all, the fragmentation of the Heaven Dou Empire had stirred the nerves of many major powers. If anyone were to attempt "usurping the throne," they might face collective retaliation. Without righteous cause and surrounded by wolves, no one dared become the target of public fury.

Thus, the Dou Ling Empire was founded by choosing someone from the Xue family as the imperial clan. Considering the Heaven Dou Empire's previous intermarriage with duchies, the selected royal family likely still had royal Heaven Dou blood.

As for the real power—former Heaven Dou nobles and influential duchies—some joined the new government as officials, becoming the new Dou Ling aristocracy. Others chose to withdraw, founding hidden sects or families to protect their own interests.

The Xuanming Sect was among the latter.

According to what Huo Yuhao had read in the Shrek Inner Court Library, the Xu family that founded the Xuanming Sect had likely changed its surname, as no such family with the Xuanming Turtle martial soul existed before the Heaven Dou split.

Judging by the martial soul, the Xu family likely originated from old Heaven Dou nobility, with their martial soul evolving from the Black Tortoise Turtle into the Xuanming Turtle—hence the potential to evolve into the actual Black Tortoise martial soul.

In truth, not all disciples of the Xuanming Sect awaken the Xuanming Turtle martial soul, just as not every descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family awakens that exact soul. Variants occur.

Some may awaken pure water-attribute turtle martial souls or other kinds of turtle spirits.

The Black Tortoise martial soul, evolving from the Xuanming Turtle, was the Xu family's ultimate form—a soul beast martial soul hailed as the number one defensive type.

The Xuanming Sect was located in a major city on the eastern coast of the Dou Ling Empire, named Xuanwu City. Though their control wasn't as absolute as the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's hold over Nine Treasure City, within Xuanwu City, their authority was still unshakable.

What cemented their standing wasn't just the martial soul's potential—it was also a miraculous pill known as the Xuan Shui Pill, which could raise innate soul power.

Thanks to this pill, the sect not only bartered for many external resources but also built ties with major powers. After all, every family has a few under-talented yet beloved juniors.

This powerful network was one of the Xuanming Sect's core supports.

To craft Xuan Shui Pills, rare herbs and dozens of sea soul beasts were required as ingredients—hence their miraculous effects.

Compared to other pills on the continent, Xuan Shui Pills were indeed extraordinary.

They didn't just increase soul power but could also heal injuries and save lives, thus earning the nickname Black Tortoise Divine Pill.

Given the need for both marine beasts and medicinal herbs, it was no surprise the Xuanming Sect settled near the coast.

Even so, the number of pills produced yearly remained limited. After meeting internal demand, very few made it to the outside world.

That scarcity ensured their sky-high value.

Before noon, Huo Yuhao reached Xuanwu City, sneaking in quietly and using his aura perception technique to scout the area.

Though technically a hidden sect, the Xuanming Sect had an actual base within Xuanwu City.

The Body Sect was what you'd call truly hidden. The Xuanming Sect was more semi-hidden.

Moreover, not all disciples in the sect had turtle-type martial souls. Likely due to their coastal location, most were water-attribute soul masters.

"The sect's top-tier strength only includes four Soul Douluo-level experts, two of whom have the Xuanming Turtle martial soul," Huo Yuhao quickly assessed.

That lineup was already formidable—stronger than the Earth Dragon Gate.

Also, not every turtle martial soul user could evolve their martial soul into a Black Tortoise. In each generation, only one or two disciples might succeed, and even then, only through a special ritual.

At fifteen, while still a virgin, a disciple would trigger the evolution ritual.

Intercourse with a virgin was just one component of the ritual.

According to the original records, the Xuanming Sect kept this deeply secret. Even the women involved were unaware, thinking they had merely sold their bodies.

There were no detailed records of the ritual in Shrek's library, but it was clear that the Xuanming Turtle could only become the Black Tortoise through such rites.

The Xuanming Sect had done a good job of keeping this under wraps.

But for Shrek Academy to have investigated this at all—now that was a little shady. Why go digging into another family's secrets? Just curiosity?

Back to the main topic.

The sect also offered generous compensation to the women involved—sometimes even taking them as concubines or eventually marrying them as official wives.

If one just focused on the transactional aspect, it was already quite generous. Who else gets to "sell it once and get rich"?

Though Huo Yuhao found the practice of using women to awaken martial souls rather disgraceful, he had to admit the sect handled it fairly decently. In a world where strength ruled, even dirty methods were tolerated if they brought power.

Joking aside, Huo Yuhao would not hesitate to do the same.

Actually, he already was.

Because these women might become proper wives, those selected were typically of high quality.

Huo Yuhao still didn't understand why Jiang Nannan was being so emotional, or why Xu Sanshi was acting like a simp.

"If it's to save her mother, just marry Xu Sanshi. Wouldn't her mom get better treatment?"

"Is your emotional purity more important than your own mom's life?"

"If it's about cultivation, then focus on that. If it's just physical, why get emotionally involved?"

Most absurd of all—why didn't the Xuanming Sect provide any technical guidance for such an important ritual? Not a single instructor?

Couldn't they at least hand out a picture book? Ancient ancestors knew better. With even a bit of guidance, the ritual wouldn't go wrong.

Xu Sanshi's martial soul had already awakened—why keep fumbling like this?