NOVEL WEB Chapter 145: Finding Death God Envoy
The descent of the so-called Bright King was, in the end, nothing but a grand deception.
Eunuch Gao and the emissary of death used the name of the Bright King to lead the White Lotus Sect, recruit countless followers, spread chaos across the Sun-Moon Empire, and forced their devotees to offer up wives and daughters, draining local resources.
Huo Yuhao used the identity of the Bright King to enchant women for his cultivation.
But so what?
"All of you shall rejoice with me, ascend to supreme bliss, and enjoy eternal life—how wonderful, is it not?"
Huo Yuhao transformed all those women into his own potential, using them as keys to trigger the second awakening of his Evil Eye Martial Soul. The souls of those women were stored within his "Heaven-Holding Gourd," continuing to exist as Bright King attendants, eternally bound to him.
This grand orgy lasted an unknown length of time.
Eunuch Gao only knew that the fire in the Blue Silver Emperor Valley started as sparks, then blazed fiercely. From wisps of smoke to billowing clouds, the entire valley burned until nothing was left to consume, and the fire died out, leaving behind only ash.
Yet Huo Yuhao had not emerged.
In the underground space, once bustling with life, silence reigned. On the towering White Lotus Throne, the figures of thousands of beauties had vanished, leaving only a layer of pale ash covering the throne.
Within that ash sat Huo Yuhao, naked, cross-legged, eyes closed, appearing to meditate. Despite the aftermath of a debauched frenzy and sitting in ashes, not a single speck of dust marred his body.
From beneath his closed eyelids, radiant energies pulsed and flickered. His lids quivered, as if something were crawling underneath—a clear sign of a metamorphosis underway.
This was no ordinary second awakening of his main martial soul. Huo Yuhao was using this as an opportunity to further excavate the potential of his Evil Eye Martial Soul!
Above the throne, a projection of the Evil Eye Martial Soul had formed completely. A halo enveloped the projection, slowly changing color.
The iron-black halo gradually turned to bronze.
At the same time, a third eye slowly opened on Huo Yuhao's forehead—an anomaly born from devouring the dragon energy of the Star Luo Empire's imperial tomb and evolving his white tiger visualization.
This third eye contained no pupil; instead, it held countless stars, like the night sky, or perhaps an entire universe, radiating cosmic brilliance.
Deep within this starry eye, a faint vertical black slit could be seen—the Evil God Spear's mark.
The halo around the Evil Eye Martial Soul projection continued to evolve, shifting from bronze to lustrous silver.
On Huo Yuhao's body, faint tattoos of a black serpent appeared, coiling around his upper torso. They seemed to confront the dark-gold Dreadclaw Bear tattoos on his chest—one soft, one hard, a clash of duality.
Unfortunately, due to insufficient dragon energy, the black serpent anomaly did not fully manifest.
But it did not hinder the second awakening of the Evil Eye Martial Soul.
These anomalies were likely triggered by the awakening itself, stirring up latent powers in Huo Yuhao's body.
Then, the silver hue transitioned into a noble golden color.
Dragon-scale patterns appeared on Huo Yuhao's face and arms, born of his dragon visualization. Yet again, they were not fully formed.
But gold was not the end. The golden light grew dimmer, denser, and more substantial, finally emitting a divine violet glow—transforming into purple-gold!
His external soul bones manifested.
From his shoulder blades emerged two arms.
Behind his neck, two dragon heads curled around his shoulders—one red, one blue—both with eyes shut, yet radiating quasi-divine energy.
They were none other than the remnants of the Ice-Fire Dragon King's bones.
Arms and dragon heads, one and the same.
Horns appeared on Huo Yuhao's forehead, and under his eyes, eerie shadows took shape.
The Evil Eye Martial Soul projection suddenly trembled, then rapidly shrank, finally fusing into Huo Yuhao's eyes.
Within the pillar of his destiny, the golden potential seed within the projection of the Evil Eye Martial Soul completely merged with it!
In the next moment, Huo Yuhao's eyes suddenly snapped open. Twin beams of light burst forth, seemingly piercing the fabric of space.
The second awakening of the Evil Eye Martial Soul—completed!
Within his eye sockets, a red and a blue eye glowed, both possessing double pupils, with purple-gold brilliance flickering like flames—emitting an aura of supreme nobility and terrifying might.
There was no doubt: this second awakening had surpassed the legendary highest level of the golden awakening, stepping into the divine realm, an unprecedented feat.
Alas, no one remained in the underground chamber to witness it.
Only Sky Dream Iceworm and the Golden Xuanwu spirit beasts watched in stunned silence, not daring to speak for fear of disturbing Huo Yuhao.
The ashes of those women, drawn by his powerful aura, lifted from the throne and encircled Huo Yuhao, eventually converging into a slender shinbone.
Smooth and lustrous like jade, the bone gleamed with gentle brilliance—it looked like a piece of art.
In truth, it was the product of the second awakening's divine power—a special magical artifact born from the ashes of thousands of women.
It could be named: Beauty Bone.
Without hesitation, Huo Yuhao grasped the floating bone and gently examined it.
As he finished his cultivation, the anomalies on his body faded. He returned to his normal form—still breathtakingly handsome—with eyes of icy blue, now even more vibrant and pure, like a child's innocence.
The Beauty Bone was a pleasant surprise. Its quality was excellent, influenced by the second awakening. It could be refined with the Evil Eye Martial Soul and grow stronger alongside it.
The main point, however, was this: the transformation brought by the second awakening went beyond the golden level, and the change was correspondingly far more terrifying.
Huo Yuhao activated his Martial Soul once again. Behind his head, a purple-gold halo appeared, faintly forming a ring shape.
The Evil Eye Martial Soul had officially evolved into—
Divine Martial Soul!
"Since it is a divine-grade Martial Soul, it can no longer be called the Evil Eye. From now on—it shall be named... Saint Eye!"
The Saint Eye Martial Soul no longer bore a mere spiritual attribute—it now held dual attributes of creation and destruction, clearly derived from the power of the Yin-Yang Eyes.
The transformation of the Saint Eye Martial Soul empowered the nine pairs of eyes it controlled, enhancing their strength and mysterious abilities.
This did not mean the spiritual attribute had vanished. On the contrary, it had been refined into an ultimate spiritual attribute, massively boosting Huo Yuhao's mental power.
A field of invisible force slowly expanded.
This was the domain of the ultimate spiritual attribute, and also the domain granted by a divine Martial Soul—
Saint Eye Domain!
Saint Eye Domain: Grants access to all eye abilities and their derivatives, with a 300% power boost. Where the mind can reach, so too can the power.
Put simply, wherever Huo Yuhao's mind could perceive, he could unleash the powers of the Saint Eye—at three times their original potency!
To compare, the Seraphim Martial Soul of the past could only boost attributes by 30%. The Saint Eye increased power by 300%—an enormous difference, made possible by its purple-gold second awakening.
Of course, the Seraphim Martial Soul's domain had other effects as well. Each had its strengths. But the Saint Eye's combat power remained superior.
Even more critical was this:
The true effect of the purple-gold second awakening was that it granted Huo Yuhao the battle strength of an additional soul ring level—unconditionally.
That is to say, with his current 99th level strength, by activating the Saint Eye Martial Soul's second awakening power...
He would step into the ten-ring, divine-level realm!
Huo Yuhao murmured softly:
"In this mortal world—I am invincible."
Zhang Lexuan was drawn away by the matter of the Death God Envoy, which gave Huo Yuhao ample time to undergo his second martial soul awakening.
But in truth, Huo Yuhao wasn't just trying to distract Zhang Lexuan—she was close to breaking through to Titled Douluo, and he intended to give her a push.
Helping her achieve that breakthrough could only come from two things: techniques or resources. Zhang Lexuan wasn't one to casually practice unfamiliar techniques, so that left only one viable option—resources.
Immortal herbs? None.
Soul bones? Possible, but unnecessary.
That left one option—Huo Yuhao's technology and hard-hitting methods.
Free of charge—and incredibly effective.
So, while secretly gathering intel, Zhang Lexuan overheard some White Lotus leaders discussing the origins of the White Lotus Sect. Her sharp instincts caught several key details.
Reportedly, the sect's formation began when two " Bright King Envoys" received divine favor from the Bright King himself. These two envoys then vowed to spread his faith across the continent. In return, the Bright King gifted them with his divine artifact—the Bright King Artifact.
It was said the artifact could greatly enhance a soul master's strength, and it was thanks to this relic that the envoys broke through to Titled Douluo.
Other believers, however, could only receive the artifact's blessing if they had done great deeds and had unshakable faith.
Zhang Lexuan suspected that the Death God Envoy's rapid rise from Soul King to Titled Douluo in just a few years had everything to do with this artifact!
Something that abets evil—how could it be called divine? Surely, it must be a wicked object!
As Zhang Lexuan dug deeper, she discovered the commanders themselves were just repeating rumors—they hadn't personally used the Bright King Artifact either.
Still, they believed in its existence and hoped to one day earn its blessing by contributing to the sect.
In the Sun Moon Empire, Soul Douluo dream of becoming Titled Douluo—but even in the peak of the original Douluo continent, not all Soul Douluo succeeded.
Clearly, the information she had wasn't enough.
Zhang Lexuan expanded her investigation.
Though she couldn't locate the Death God Envoy directly, she quickly found leads related to the Bright King Artifact, since even high-ranking members of the sect talked about it.
One strange thing about the White Lotus Sect: nearly all its secrets were semi-public.
So Zhang Lexuan didn't doubt much.
This time, she found a more complete set of intel.
It included the location of the artifact and details about its guards.
The artifact was reportedly under the personal watch of the two Bright King Envoys.
That's why they were rarely seen—they took turns guarding it.
In addition, a hundred-man unit of White Lotus troops guarded the surrounding area.
She also learned something else:
"The envoys don't let their entire families use the artifact because only those with utterly unwavering faith can withstand its blessing—otherwise, something goes wrong."
An elderly sect member had told her this, seemingly concerned that Zhang Lexuan might try to use the artifact forcefully and get herself hurt.
Whatever the truth, Zhang Lexuan was determined to find the artifact and locate the Death God Envoy—to uncover the truth about Bei Bei.
Even if it meant facing two Titled Douluo.
For Bei Bei, she was willing to risk it all.
Before setting off, she secretly left a letter for Huo Yuhao, to be delivered in a few days by her subordinate. The letter told him that if she didn't return, he should go back to Shrek Academy immediately and report everything to the Sea God Pavilion.
She didn't tell Huo Yuhao directly—fearing he would follow her into danger.
She was sure he would.
Then, she departed.
Using an excuse, she left the White Lotus Army.
There was no strict discipline in the army—everyone acted according to the sect's doctrines, so no one stopped her.
Leaving the front lines, she headed deep into the southern province to find the artifact.
According to the rumors, the artifact was hidden in a small mountain in the area, guarded by the two envoys and about a hundred White Lotus soldiers.
After a week's journey, Zhang Lexuan located the place—the time had been spent mostly on travel.
To find the exact location, she simply asked local sect believers. As fellow "family," they enthusiastically provided answers.
After all, everyone's family—sharing information wasn't going to break the household!
When she arrived, she saw the hundred-man garrison outside the mountain. There were no civilians nearby.
She quickly made preparations and stealthily infiltrated the mountain. The guards were average and couldn't stop her.
Inside, Zhang Lexuan became even more cautious.
She knew—the easier the start, the harder the challenge ahead. She was about to face at least one Titled Douluo!
She couldn't be sure she'd win, but she had prepared.
To confront the Death God Envoy, she had obtained some soul tool bombs from the White Lotus Army—though only Level 5 and 6, they could still be useful.
The White Lotus sect was so unreal—it felt like home. If she needed something, she just made a request. If logistics had it, they handed it over—no questions asked.
Don't ask why—just say "the teachings guide us." It's always the right answer.
Zhang Lexuan couldn't help but sigh—if she had come to the sect years ago, she might have fully devoted herself, just like the other believers.
But now, she saw only madness. It didn't feel like a normal organization at all.
Finally—she encountered the Death God Envoy.
He found her first, as she approached the artifact's location.
Battle broke out—inevitably.
The Death God Envoy was far stronger than she'd imagined. His soul ring configuration surpassed all known intel—and he even had a 100,000-year ninth soul ring!
Zhang Lexuan had to use everything—her silver lines at full power, and her ten-thousand-year soul skill unleashed.
But even with all her cards played, she couldn't defeat him—and had no chance to escape.
Her soul power depleted, she was finally defeated. With her last strength, she kept her silver pattern activated—to die with dignity.
She thought—dying here might repay her debt to Mu En. This was her second time risking death for Bei Bei.
She only hoped that Huo Yuhao wouldn't do anything foolish.
But then—just as the Death God Envoy was about to kill her—a sacred white light burst from within the mountain, halting him.
She didn't know what had happened.
Too exhausted, she lost consciousness.
But before blacking out, she vaguely heard the Death God Envoy growl in a terrible voice:
"Saintess!"
Zhang Lexuan couldn't remember the last time she had slept so comfortably. As she slowly awakened from her deep slumber, she felt completely at ease.
Compared to the time when she had vented her pressure through the Silver Mark, this time felt even more refreshing — as if both her body and soul had been thoroughly cleansed.
Then she realized she was lying in a luxurious bedroom. The room was decorated mainly in white, elegant but not tacky. What caught her eye most were the white lotus motifs — a clear sign she was still within the White Lotus Sect.
Her memories gradually returned, and Zhang Lexuan recalled what had happened before she lost consciousness — defeated by the Death Envoy and ready to embrace death, she had suddenly been enveloped in a white light. In the haze, she heard the words "Holy Maiden".
"I… didn't die?"
Not only was she alive, but she found herself unscathed. In fact, her condition had never been better. All the exhaustion from the battle was gone — clearly, a high-level healing soul master had treated her.
But...
When Zhang Lexuan stepped down from the bed, dressed in pure white sleepwear, and walked to the mirror, she looked at the reflection of her cold and flawless face, and instinctively touched it.
It was the face of an aloof and ethereal beauty, like a celestial maiden — untainted by the mortal world, unreachable, and intimidating.
Yet her face bore no expression at all.
Not because of facial paralysis, but because she truly felt nothing. No joy at surviving death, no panic at the unfamiliar surroundings. Her heart was calm as still water, unshaken even if the sky were to fall.
This mindset was strange.
And made her uncomfortable.
Zhang Lexuan now felt she was frighteningly calm.
Almost indifferent.
At that moment, the door was pushed open from the outside. A blue-haired girl dressed as a maid entered carrying a basin of water.
Though dressed as a servant, the girl's attire was neat and refined, and her appearance was far from ordinary. In different clothes, she could easily pass as a noble lady.
Seeing Zhang Lexuan awake, the maid froze in surprise, then turned and called out excitedly, "The Holy Maiden! The Holy Maiden is awake!"
Instantly, the outside erupted in commotion, with the sound of several footsteps approaching.
Zhang Lexuan instinctively tensed, ready for combat.
Soon, three more maids arrived. The four stood in a row, each with hair of a different color — gold, green, blue, and red. All were stunning beauties, each with her own charm, and all were dressed with care and elegance.
"Greetings, Holy Maiden!" ×4
The four maids bowed in unison, their manner respectful.
"Holy Maiden? Me?" Zhang Lexuan silently assessed them and determined they weren't enemies.
She turned her cold gaze to the first maid and asked calmly, "What do you mean by 'Holy Maiden'? Explain everything."
The maid was visibly thrilled that Zhang Lexuan had spoken to her, as if she had received a tremendous honor. Stepping forward eagerly, she began explaining everything she knew.
Zhang Lexuan said nothing in return, merely listening in silence and analyzing the situation. Her expression remained unchanged throughout the maid's explanation.
According to the maid, Zhang Lexuan had been brought back to the White Lotus Sect by the Death Envoy, who proclaimed that she had been chosen by Lord Bright King and bestowed with his divine artifact. She was now to be the Holy Maiden of the White Lotus.
Her status was second only to the two Envoys. In their absence, she would manage all sect affairs and lead the followers.
No one objected — in fact, the followers were overjoyed. They finally had a Holy Maiden of their own, a new banner to rally behind.
The palace she was currently in was the Holy Maiden's Palace, formerly the estate of Prince Yongning, now confiscated by the sect.
The four maids were specially chosen to serve and assist her. They also functioned as her secretaries and were no weaklings — each was at the Soul Emperor level.
They had even abandoned their original names. Now they were called Jin'er (Gold), Mu'er (Wood), Shui'er (Water), and Huo'er (Fire) — each name corresponding to their martial soul's elemental attribute. Together, they could rival a Soul Sage.
The one speaking earlier was Shui'er.
"So I also have command over the White Lotus Army?" Zhang Lexuan asked.
Jin'er stepped forward and replied, "Your Highness, your authority is second only to the two Envoys. You can mobilize all forces within the sect except them."
Zhang Lexuan nodded slightly.
With command over such an army, she was now one of the most powerful figures on the continent. Yet she had no interest in conquest. Her true concerns lay elsewhere.
"I want to see the Death Envoy," she said expressionlessly. "The Body Envoy."
"I will contact the Body Envoy immediately," Jin'er responded and hurried off.
The remaining maids — Mu'er, Shui'er, and Huo'er — began assisting her with bathing and dining. Zhang Lexuan didn't resist.
She was, after all, quite hungry.
Given her current identity, it was unlikely anyone but the two Envoys could harm her.
Even with her cold and distant demeanor, the maids weren't the least uncomfortable. On the contrary, they believed this was exactly how a Holy Maiden should be — lofty and untouchable — and their loyalty and devotion only deepened.
While bathing, Zhang Lexuan took the opportunity to examine her body. She was fully aware that something about her current state wasn't right.
Soon enough, she sensed a mysterious force within her lower dantian.
She didn't know what it was, but it didn't feel malicious — in fact, it aided her cultivation. Still, she was convinced that this force was the reason for her transformation.
She would have to quietly investigate it further.
After enjoying a delicious meal and changing into a resplendent Holy Maiden outfit, Jin'er returned to report that she had arranged a meeting with the Body Envoy.
Accompanied by her four maids, Zhang Lexuan returned once more to the mountain where the Bright King Artifact was kept.
This time, however, she entered openly. Every White Lotus soldier she passed bowed respectfully.
The four maids stayed behind — they were not qualified to enter. Only Zhang Lexuan had that right.
She walked in with a calm and emotionless face, familiar with the path, and arrived at the sacred site of the artifact. There, she once again saw the Body Envoy — the Death Envoy.
Neither spoke.
Still, Zhang Lexuan was fully prepared to strike if needed.
This time, she also saw what the Bright King Artifact truly was.
A massive jade pillar like an ancient tree, standing tall within the mountain. It emitted a soft white glow, its shape indistinct, but its aura deeply mysterious.
And it was the same as the power residing in her lower dantian — they shared the same origin.
"So this is the thing that saved me, made me the Holy Maiden… and turned me into this?" Zhang Lexuan wondered.
Though her emotions were faint, she was still capable of being surprised — just barely.
This was a problem that had to be solved.
She did not like her current self, nor did she trust the force inside her.
The Death Envoy stood silently before the jade pillar as if worshipping it. The surroundings were extremely bare — no decorations or buildings at all.
It was Zhang Lexuan who finally broke the silence.
"Death Envoy, where is Beibei?"
She chose to confront him directly!
Zhang Lexuan's inquiry finally received a response.
The emissary of Death let out an unpleasant, hoarse voice. "It really has been a long time since anyone called me by that title. But since the Saintess is the one asking, I won't keep anything from you. The 'Beibei' you mentioned—he's that Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Master from Shrek Academy, right?"
"That's right." Zhang Lexuan nodded. In her cold eyes, a rare ripple of emotion surfaced, but it quickly disappeared.
"That young man is currently in the Holy Spirit Sect. He's now the knight of the Blue Silver Saintess," the Death God Envoy stated bluntly.
"The Holy Spirit Sect? Blue Silver Saintess?"
"I was only responsible for bringing him to the Holy Spirit Sect. After all, I was once a dark soul master under them, so I naturally had to follow orders."
"What do you mean?"
"Because, in fact, the Blue Silver Saintess of the Holy Spirit Sect is also related to that young man." The Death God Envoy turned to face Zhang Lexuan. She couldn't see his expression under the hood, but she had a strong feeling he was smiling. "The Blue Silver Saintess's name is Tang Ya. She was once the head of the Tang Sect and also a student of Shrek Academy. It's said that her relationship with that boy is... not simple."
Upon hearing the name Tang Ya, Zhang Lexuan's pupils contracted. She stared at the Death God Envoy and said coldly, "You're lying!"
She knew Tang Ya's talent well—how could she possibly become a dark soul master? And how could she qualify as the Saintess of the Holy Spirit Sect?
Having eradicated many branches of the Holy Spirit Sect, Zhang Lexuan had some grasp of its power. She could tell the sect was incredibly strong, and she understood that the title of "Saintess" held a high position within it.
"Jie jie jie..." The Death God Envoy let out a low, eerie laugh and didn't argue. He simply continued, "From what I know, although the Blue Silver Saintess's martial soul was the weakest—Blue Silver Grass—it mutated into a dark martial soul: Dark Blue Silver Grass, terrifyingly powerful. After all, when something common and benign becomes something horrifying, that's true despair. Her becoming the Saintess is no surprise. In fact, her strength is now extremely formidable."
"Mutation? Dark Blue Silver Grass?" Another ripple of emotion flickered across Zhang Lexuan's face.
Tang Ya's martial soul had actually mutated into a dark soul?
Was Beibei's capture also on Tang Ya's orders?
Zhang Lexuan had always had complicated feelings about Tang Ya. After all, Tang Ya had taken Beibei away, which once caused Zhang Lexuan great sadness. Later, when both Beibei and Tang Ya encountered danger and Tang Ya was forced to leave the academy, Zhang Lexuan felt some guilt.
She'd even had a falling out with Ma Xiaotao for hurting Beibei and Tang Ya. Only because of Huo Yuhao's efforts had they reconciled.
But now, Zhang Lexuan—who no longer indulged in sentiment—believed that if Tang Ya was truly behind all this, then no matter her status, she deserved to die.
Now that she knew Beibei's whereabouts, Zhang Lexuan unexpectedly felt a sense of relief. Whether or not Tang Ya had orchestrated everything, she likely wouldn't harm Beibei. He should still be safe.
But Zhang Lexuan wasn't finished asking. "What about the explosion in Mingdu and the appearance of the Evil Dragon—what were those about?"
"That, I don't really know." The Death God Envoy turned back toward the artifact of the Bright King. "But it was thanks to those events that I managed to break away from the Holy Spirit Sect and pursue the path of the Bright King. That's how I founded the White Lotus Sect."
...That part was a lie, which is why the Death God Envoy didn't look Zhang Lexuan in the eye.
However, everything he had said earlier was true—at least in individual, standalone statements. He had simply left out specific timelines and order of events. Every sentence, taken alone, was factual.
The Death God Envoy didn't just let Zhang Lexuan ask questions—he also laid out her responsibilities as the Saintess.
"Saintess, from now on, the White Lotus Sect will be yours to lead. Let the world be purified by our sect. The Soul Emissary and I will only intervene when necessary."
Zhang Lexuan remained silent. She couldn't understand why the Death God Envoy thought she would help them lead the White Lotus Sect.
Fortunately, he soon gave her a reason she couldn't refuse.
"The Holy Spirit Sect has multiple Title Douluos and even some Super Douluos. If you want to rescue that young man, you can't do it alone. But the White Lotus Sect can be your strength. Since the Holy Spirit Sect is made up of dark soul masters, they too are a target of purification. The White Lotus Sect can help you grow stronger—to gain the power to save him."
"Also, I'm sure you've noticed your problem. Although the Bright King artifact has granted you a blessing, because your faith is not devout, your emotions are being suppressed. If this issue isn't resolved, you'll become a Saint devoid of all feeling—and probably won't even want to rescue that young man anymore."
This caused Zhang Lexuan's emotions to stir again. She asked coldly, "How do I fix it?"
"You must either choose to believe in the Bright King… or experience a surge of overwhelming emotion. Saintess, you don't have much time to decide." The Death God Envoy then let out another creepy laugh. "Jie jie jie—"
Zhang Lexuan fell silent again. In the end, in order to save Beibei, she chose to stay—but not because she believed in the Bright King.
There were still many things she wanted to ask and probe about, especially the secrets behind the Bright King and the artifact. But the Death God Envoy spoke again.
"Saintess, you've noticed the power within your body, haven't you? That is a blessing from the Bright King's artifact. You can treat it like a soul core—it will assist your cultivation and combat. If you run into problems while cultivating, you can come find me again. If you seek more blessings, return here. As for other matters, your maids can help. Now, time's up—you may leave the mountain."
This was a clear dismissal. Zhang Lexuan didn't insist on staying.
After all, she still couldn't defeat the Death God Envoy.
But she saw new hope—the hope of saving Beibei. If she could rescue him, she would return to Shrek Academy with him immediately. Even if she eventually lost all emotion, it wouldn't matter.
Zhang Lexuan left the mountain with her four maids and returned to the Saintess Palace.
After she left, the Death God Envoy turned again, gazing in her direction, and said, "Senior Sister, if Big Sis Xiaoya is a Saintess, I can't let you fall behind. Now you're both Saintesses—starting from the same line again."
To ensure Brother Beibei's two love interests were equally matched, Huo Yuhao had gone to great lengths—determined to keep things balanced.
Then, Huo Yuhao directly controlled the Death God Envoy to leave.
As for the so-called Bright King artifact? Just a casually crafted tool. Even the surrounding myths were spread by Huo Yuhao himself.
In this world without anti-fraud apps, rumors, once widely spread, start to sound incredibly real.
Even Zhang Lexuan wasn't immune.
The power within her body was the result of Huo Yuhao's tech and trickery—like an internal energy core—helping her cultivate and grow stronger rapidly.
It was similar to how monsters have inner cores or how cultivators possess golden cores. Others could use them to speed up their own cultivation. Zhang Lexuan was now in the same situation.
The price?
The cultivator becomes influenced by the core's owner.
In her case, it meant her emotions would be suppressed.
One could only say that once Zhang Lexuan's unnecessary emotions were suppressed, her efficiency became frighteningly high, and her goals extremely clear.
After returning to the Holy Maiden's palace, Zhang Lexuan quickly formulated her next move: to leverage the power of the White Lotus Sect to strike at the Holy Spirit Sect and rescue Beibei.
In this process, she needed to strengthen herself as much as possible, in order to have greater certainty when it came time to save Beibei.
Thus, although she still resisted the power granted by the Bright King's artifact, she had no choice but to make use of it.
What Zhang Lexuan didn't expect was that the Death God Envoy would later send someone to deliver intelligence regarding the Holy Spirit Sect.
This included the location of the Holy Spirit Sect's headquarters, and information about Beibei—before the Death God Envoy left the Holy Spirit Sect, he had last heard that Beibei had followed the Blue Silver Saintess to the Ming Capital, where she took over the Yishui Alliance there.
"Holy Spirit Sect, Yishui Alliance," Zhang Lexuan murmured to herself.
Now that she had a target and a direction, the question was how to act.
Furthermore, the Death God Envoy's actions revealed that he likely feared the Holy Spirit Sect's retaliation, and sought to recruit her as an ally against them.
Considering that the Holy Spirit Sect had multiple titled Douluo, possibly even Super Douluo, the White Lotus Sect stood no chance in a head-on clash.
Zhang Lexuan and the Death God Envoy could never be true allies, but with a shared enemy, there was at least a foundation for cooperation.
"Still, my goal is only to rescue Beibei. There's no need for all-out war with the Holy Spirit Sect—just to eliminate those who stand in my way," Zhang Lexuan thought.
This approach would significantly reduce the difficulty. She wouldn't have to confront the entire Holy Spirit Sect—at most, she'd face Tang Ya, the Blue Silver Saintess.
The cost? She would have to give up any help from the Death God Envoy or the other Soul Envoy, relying solely on herself.
She chose the latter.
Zhang Lexuan did not stay long in the Holy Maiden's palace. She quickly began to act, bringing four of her maidservants to the frontlines of the White Lotus army. There, she aimed to gather a group of elite soldiers to prepare for Beibei's rescue.
She also tested her four maidservants, and ultimately confirmed that they were not spies from the two envoys. Rather, they were truly loyal to her.
Still, loyalty alone wasn't enough—their faith needed to be stabilized. They were loyal because she was the Holy Maiden.
And the faith in the White Lotus Sect was the true foundation of everything.
So, the answer was: they could be used.
Zhang Lexuan decided to keep the four maidservants.
Back at the frontlines.
The tension had risen again.
After a week had passed, reinforcements from the Sun-Moon Empire arrived: two Beast King legions had now reached the battlefield.
With the banners of the Beast King legions raised, the morale of the Sun-Moon Empire's forces soared, while the White Lotus army—who had heard the fearsome reputation of these legions—began to feel the pressure.
Strangely, the Beast King legions had yet to launch an attack, but the White Lotus army did not dare lower their guard.
All commanders and leaders gathered their troops and prepared for a decisive battle with the Sun-Moon Empire.
With the " Bright King's Blessing," the White Lotus army feared no enemy, not even the Beast King legions. They believed they would not lose—only the degree of sacrifice was in question.
With the arrival of the Holy Maiden, the White Lotus army's morale rose dramatically. War fervor burned bright, and there were even signs they might take the initiative to attack.
Zhang Lexuan naturally assumed command as the supreme commander. She was very satisfied with the current state of the army.
"Even if we can't defeat the Beast King legions, this army can cause them heavy losses," she assessed. "But there's no need for a direct clash with the Sun-Moon Empire. If we can stall them here, it may help with my greater plan."
If the Sun-Moon Empire could be distracted in the south, then her secret journey north to the Ming Capital to rescue Beibei might go more smoothly.
That is, if the Beast King legions could truly be held off.
According to scouts and analysis by the top commanders, the Sun-Moon Empire was likely preparing to strike soon.
The great battle was imminent.
To boost morale, Zhang Lexuan toured the White Lotus army in her role as the Holy Maiden.
She sat atop a specially designed high platform, veiled in white gauze, with the four maidservants scattering flower petals at each corner. Carried by Soul Masters, she passed through the army. Wherever she went, the troops erupted in cheers and knelt in prayer, their fighting spirit visibly rising.
Once Zhang Lexuan returned to her command tent, someone quickly came to see her.
Mu'er reported, "Your Holiness, one of the high commanders seeks an audience."
"Let him in," Zhang Lexuan said coldly from her Holy Maiden throne, maintaining her detached, divine demeanor.
Mu'er left and soon brought the visitor inside. Upon seeing the person, a flicker passed through Zhang Lexuan's eyes.
"Greetings, Holy Maiden!" the visitor bowed.
"Leave us," Zhang Lexuan said to her four maidservants.
Without a word, they respectfully withdrew and guarded the entrance. The tent was also soundproof, preventing any eavesdropping.
Zhang Lexuan looked at the visitor and said calmly, "Yuhao, you're still here."
Indeed, the high commander was Huo Yuhao. Zhang Lexuan had thought he had already left the White Lotus army, but it seemed he had stayed, perhaps waiting for her return.
Even with her emotions suppressed, Zhang Lexuan was still moved.
Hearing her words, Huo Yuhao became emotional.
"Senior Sister! What happened? How did you become the Holy Maiden of the White Lotus Sect? And... this version of you feels like a stranger."
"Yuhao, there's a reason for everything," Zhang Lexuan replied, quickly regaining her cold demeanor as she explained her experiences, the problems she faced, and her upcoming plans.
After hearing her out, Huo Yuhao was both surprised and deeply concerned.
"Beibei is in the Ming Capital now?"
"What? Sister Xiaoya became the Holy Maiden of the Holy Spirit Sect? She's turned into an evil Soul Master?"
"Senior Sister, not only will I help rescue Brother Beibei—I'll also help you overcome your problems. Then we'll return to the academy together!"
In the end, Huo Yuhao made his vow.
From having a supporting director play the villain with a shocking twist, to the main director playing the sidekick swearing to save everyone—this story was full of surprises.
Zhang Lexuan remained expressionless but nodded slightly.
"I believe you."
It was hard to tell whether she was comforting him or genuinely believed in him.
Next came the discussion on how to rescue Beibei.
"Senior Sister, your plan is to draw the Sun-Moon Empire's attention to the White Lotus army while we sneak into the Ming Capital to save Brother Beibei?" Huo Yuhao asked.
"Exactly. But the Beast King legions are known for their might, and this time there are two of them. I doubt the White Lotus army can withstand them," Zhang Lexuan replied.
"Then we'll step in and force a stalemate between both sides!" Huo Yuhao made a firm decision.
"How?"
"Poison. Assassination. Guerrilla tactics!"