soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

T.l : " Duskwater Alliance is sometimes translated as Xishui Alliance it will be referred to a s duskwater alliance for now "

Xian Lin'er didn't tell Fan Yu and the others about Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan's situation—because the less they knew, the safer it would be.

Although several years had passed, the Sun Moon Empire hadn't loosened its surveillance on the Shrek Academy exchange students one bit.

Fortunately, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy still cared somewhat about its reputation. They did, as agreed, open up a large amount of soul tool knowledge to Shrek students—even allowing access to Mingde Hall without reservation.

However, to obtain this knowledge, one had to pass the academy's assessments and be treated the same as the local students. Xian Lin'er couldn't argue with that.

Regrettably, up to now, the only Shrek student who had qualified to enter Mingde Hall for study was Fan Yu.

Despite occasional harassment and provocations from local students, things had been mostly manageable. With Fan Yu's strength, he wouldn't be in real danger unless a Title Douluo deliberately made trouble.

Xian Lin'er also told Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan about her own efforts—specifically her investigation into Jin Qiu'er's coma and the massacre in the Great Star Dou Forest. She had made considerable effort.

She'd secretly investigated most nobles and officials, even infiltrating their residences using her strength. But so far, she had found nothing—not even traces of similar tactics.

She'd even contacted the underworld forces—but again, no clues.

"There's only one place left in Mingdu I haven't investigated: the royal family," she said. "I did look into some minor royal branches, but found nothing useful. As for the main royal court, I haven't had a good opportunity. The palace is guarded by multiple Title Douluo—too risky to sneak into."

"I originally planned to exploit the conflict between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince to secretly approach the latter, but he's reclusive. Then he led troops south to suppress a rebellion, and I lost my chance."

After hearing all this, Huo Yuhao blinked.

He hadn't expected Xian Lin'er to set her sights on the Third Prince. And knowing her, it wouldn't be seduction she was planning—it'd either be political maneuvering in Shrek's name, or more likely, direct interrogation through force.

Given her temperament, the latter was more probable. If pushed, she might really kidnap and interrogate the prince before leaving.

The problem was—Xian Lin'er couldn't beat the Third Prince anymore.

Just two days ago, the prince had used resentful spirits from the White Lotus Cult to break through to Rank 95, becoming a Super Douluo—now equal in level to Xian Lin'er.

Back before the beast tide, Xian Lin'er was only Rank 94. That battle allowed her to advance, and she too had become a Rank 95 Super Douluo.

But the Third Prince had three powerful Class 9 soul tools, a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, and deadly evil techniques like the Shadow Claw.

In a real fight, Xian Lin'er would lose.

Looks like Huo Yuhao might have to play hero again…

And this wasn't even the Third Prince's final form—he was preparing to break through the third layer of the Nine Death God Technique.

He just wasn't ready yet.

The first two layers had relatively low risk, but the third was extremely dangerous.

Huo Yuhao might even need to help him with it in person.

But the rewards matched the danger. If successful, the Third Prince would become nearly unrivaled among ordinary Super Douluo—and possibly extend his life.

While Huo Yuhao was spacing out, Zhang Lexuan suddenly spoke up: "Dean Xian, there's one faction you've overlooked."

"Oh? Which one?" Xian Lin'er asked, puzzled.

"The Holy Spirit Cult—behind the Duskwater Alliance."

"The Holy Spirit Cult!" Xian Lin'er froze, then suddenly understood. "Right—I nearly forgot about them!"

Before Zhang Lexuan revealed the connection between the Duskwater Alliance and the Holy Spirit Cult, Xian Lin'er hadn't made the link. Her investigation into the Duskwater Alliance hadn't reached the core of the organization.

And only a few knew that secret.

Even other underground groups had no idea.

Zhang Lexuan analyzed: "There were signs of evil soul masters in Star Luo City. And around that time, Tang Ya must have joined the Holy Spirit Cult. It could have been her way of taking revenge on Shrek Academy."

"So it was her!" Xian Lin'er's face filled with fury, her aura rising sharply.

Huo Yuhao also looked serious. "There were definitely evil soul masters in Star Luo City. Teacher Zhou Yi was killed by one."

Everything was starting to fit.

After leaving Shrek, Tang Ya somehow joined the Holy Spirit Cult. With her corrupted Blue Silver Grass martial soul, she had become the Blue Silver Saintess.

Then she had the Death Envoy abduct Bei Bei under Xuanzi's nose and killed other elite inner court soul masters.

The plot in Star Luo City? Likely her doing too—ordering the evil soul masters to harm Zhou Yi and Jin Qiu'er.

The beast tide? That too may have been caused by the Holy Spirit Cult's slaughter of soul beasts—something only evil soul masters would do.

If the Holy Spirit Cult had real power, and Tang Ya held a high position, everything suddenly made sense.

All of it was her revenge on Shrek.

Now—they just needed evidence.

Tang Ya and Bei Bei might now be hiding within the Duskwater Alliance in Mingdu. According to the Death Envoy, the Duskwater Alliance was an external arm of the Holy Spirit Cult, and it was now under Tang Ya's control.

——

Zhang Lexuan and Xian Lin'er weren't ones to waste time. That very night, they brought Huo Yuhao into Ghost Street to begin re-investigating the Duskwater Alliance.

Xian Lin'er had previously looked into it, but only as an ordinary underworld group—she never discovered its connection to the Holy Spirit Cult.

That secret was known only to a select few.

Even other underground organizations were unaware.

As they made their way, Xian Lin'er filled Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan in on how Mingdu's underground powers had changed. She had been a firsthand witness during the Austo Trade Association incident.

"These underground factions all have backing—some even linked to the royal family. For example, the Peaceful Alliance, which is second only to Xishui, is likely backed by royalty."

"I used to think the Duskwater Alliance was under a prince—maybe even the Crown Prince. Never guessed it was the Holy Spirit Cult."

"I did find a few evil soul masters within the Duskwater Alliance before, but the numbers were small. And in underground networks, especially in the Sun Moon Empire, that's not unusual—they don't crack down on them as harshly."

Her voice turned sharp again—this time blaming the Sun Moon Empire.

"If they cracked down on evil soul masters like we do at Shrek, how could a twisted cult like the Holy Spirit Cult even exist? They have the continent's strongest military, yet they ignore evil soul masters. Disgraceful!"

Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao both nodded in agreement.

With Xian Lin'er leading the way, they soon reached Ghost Street, now transformed before their eyes.

It had become more bustling and lively—expanded, too. The darker, unstable zones had all been cleared out.

More soul lamps had been installed, and the whole place was brightly lit.

It looked more like an underground shopping street than a criminal haven.

The original Ghost Street was already a den of vice. Even though the Austo Chamber of Commerce conducted legitimate business there, it also operated assassin guilds and other shady operations.

Now, Ghost Street had completely transformed into a den of debauchery.

Of course, it was all illegal.

Trafficking of contraband, human trafficking, the sex trade... These weren't new, but now they were far more "open and public."

It was like a piece of rotten meat, wrapped in golden foil—attracting even more flies.

The newly renovated Ghost Street was bigger, flashier, and no longer had to worry about sinister soul masters lurking in the shadows, threatening lives.

After all, many big shots came here for thrills—not to deliver packages—so their safety had to be guaranteed.

No matter how powerful the underground forces were, they still relied on the influential figures above ground for survival.

That's why, within Ghost Street, Huo Yuhao even saw patrol teams formed by underground factions to maintain order.

Compared to the old Ghost Street, there were now more shops, more entertainment, a wider variety of goods for sale, and of course, a lot more foot traffic.

It made Ghost Street far more lively.

No longer cold and dangerous in atmosphere, but instead loud and bustling.

The only two things that hadn't changed were: everything here still couldn't be shown in public, and people still wore masks to hide their faces.

"Mingdu has become filthy again," Huo Yuhao sighed inwardly, restraining his impulse to purge Ghost Street.

If he could clean up this place, there'd be major gains—and Mingdu might become even more lively.

To avoid trouble, the three of them—Huo Yuhao, Zhang Lexuan, and Xian Lin'er—wore cloaks covering their entire bodies and masks concealing their faces and genders. People generally kept their distance from those dressed like them.

But not everyone was so covered up.

Some dressed shockingly revealing—just a few strips of cloth here and there. Some wore half-masks, others were glammed up like they were heading to a masquerade ball.

These outfits clearly hinted at something. From time to time, people would approach them for a chat that quickly turned into flirtation.

Soon, they would need a more private space.

Hence, the hotels lining the streets were extremely busy, with couples—and sometimes groups—coming and going.

Huo Yuhao blushed at the sight.

Xian Lin'er scoffed, grabbing his ear and lecturing, "Yuhao, you better not pick up bad habits!"

She absolutely despised those who indulged in promiscuity.

"Got it, don't worry, I won't!" Huo Yuhao promised repeatedly, looking rather wronged.

Zhang Lexuan, however, remained silent. She thought of Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, Veena… then Nan Qiuqiu, and finally Jin'er, Mu'er, Shui'er, and Huo'er—the four maids.

And these were only the ones she knew of.

Remembering what she'd seen through the crack in the door, her emotions stirred—but not quite enough to move her heart.

Although many girls surrounded Huo Yuhao—and some situations were clearly group affairs—Zhang Lexuan knew he wasn't the one seducing others. He was often the passive party.

More importantly, those girls accepted and even approved of Yuhao's behavior.

At that moment, Xian Lin'er softly explained, "This area is under the Plain Alliance. They've always been in the sex industry—the most obvious underground force. They cater to soul masters and nobles."

"Those who dress so provocatively aren't just here for thrills—actually, most of them are professionals in the trade, backed by the Plain Alliance."

Thanks to Xian Lin'er's explanation, Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan gained a deeper understanding of Ghost Street. But their target wasn't the Plain Alliance. So the trio continued toward the territory of the Duskwater Alliance.

Ghost Street had already been carved up among various underground forces.

Although the Plain Alliance was now the second-largest underground power, trailing just behind the Duskwater Alliance, the gap between them was vast. Only after swallowing some of the Austo Chamber of Commerce's business could the Plain Alliance expand into other areas.

So, in terms of territory, the Duskwater Alliance dominated.

The Plain Alliance controlled 30% of Ghost Street, while the Duskwater Alliance held 50%. The remaining 20% was split among other underground groups.

This essentially reflected how the surface powers divided the spoils of Ghost Street.

Once they left the Plain Alliance's zone, there were fewer flirtatious sights. People on the streets dressed more normally.

Still, some individuals carried an air of nobility and status. They were usually aristocrats and well-connected elites—the juiciest "big fish."

When the group arrived at the Duskwater Alliance's territory, they immediately became more alert, observing their surroundings for any clues.

Xian Lin'er continued explaining.

"The Duskwater Alliance used to mainly deal in drugs, weapons, and human trafficking. After taking over parts of the Alto Chamber's assets, they added assassin guilds, underground fight arenas, and auction houses. Compared to other underground groups, their operations are far more upscale, attracting more aristocratic clients."

"If Tang Ya is really in charge of the Duskwater Alliance now, she's truly impressive."

Huo Yuhao suddenly asked, "Dean Xian, does no other force oppose Tang Ya's control over such a huge interest?"

"Of course they do! But they simply don't have the strength to challenge the Duskwater Alliance!" Xian Lin'er sneered. "There's a rumor that a Title Douluo resides in the Duskwater Alliance. Given what we know, that's likely an evil soul master from the Holy Spirit Cult."

"So how do we find Tang Ya?" Zhang Lexuan cut to the key point.

They had come to rescue Bei Bei, and if they couldn't find him, finding Tang Ya would do.

Tang Ya would definitely know where Bei Bei was!

"I don't know," Xian Lin'er replied regretfully. "I didn't even know she controlled the Duskwater Alliance before. I have no idea where she's hiding—but..."

She suddenly changed tone.

"I do know a way to join the Duskwater Alliance—and even get a personal audience with their leader."

"What is it?" Zhang Lexuan pressed.

"Challenge the Evil Dragon Arena!"

After absorbing part of the Austo Chamber's assets, the Duskwater Alliance grew and needed more manpower.

As the towering tree of the underground world, they naturally attracted many hopefuls. So they needed a way to filter and promote talent.

Thus, the Evil Dragon Arena was born.

"Win one match and you become an outer member. Win three in a row and you're a full member. Win ten and you become a cadre—with a chance to meet the alliance master!"

"And the more matches you win, the higher your rank. It's said that if someone wins a hundred in a row, they can become the deputy leader of the Duskwater Alliance."

As Xian Lin'er explained the rules, she led Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan to the Evil Dragon Arena.

It resembled the above-ground soul arenas, but the building was pitch black, emanating a faint scent of blood. Its entrance was shaped like a fearsome dragon's maw—ready to devour anyone who entered.

And the moment they crossed the threshold, they were hit by thunderous cheers from inside.

This underground battle arena was even hotter than any legal one.

Because here, spectators got to witness more primitive, blood-soaked battles—and fighters stood to gain more wealth, even status.

The rules of the Evil Dragon Arena are largely similar to those of the mainstream Soul Duel Arenas of this era. There are even comparable level divisions, and of course, the classic betting booths are present.

But this is, after all, an underground Soul Arena.

There are three notable differences here.

First, deathmatches are popular in the Evil Dragon Arena.

Soul Arenas have always been divided into two modes: competition and deathmatch.

 Competition is about determining a winner, stopping at the point of defeat.

 Deathmatch determines not only the victor, but also life and death.

Most Soul Arenas in this era have abolished the deathmatch mode. It's considered barbaric and bloody by powerful figures, even labeled evil, thought to foster the rise of evil soul masters. As a result, deathmatches have become a gray industry.

However, in the Evil Dragon Arena, deathmatches are exceptionally popular—for both fighters and spectators, they bring far greater profit.

If you want fair competition, why not go to a proper Soul Arena? There, you'll find a bigger audience and the chance to become famous under the spotlight.

Still, not everyone wants a deathmatch. Occasionally, conflict resolution requires duels, so the competitive mode is retained. But it's clearly overshadowed by the allure of the deathmatch.

Second, the Evil Dragon Arena has no limit on the number of matches per day.

That means—if a soul master has the ability—they could fight a hundred matches in a single day.

Of course, that's assuming they can find that many opponents.

Lastly, the rules here are far more savage.

Soul skills, soul tools—anything that can be used in combat is fair game. Even popping pills mid-fight is allowed.

These details aren't hard to find out. A quick word with a staff member gets you the whole breakdown.

In pursuit of an audience with the leader of the Duskwater Alliance—Tang Ya—Huo Yuhao chose to register for the soul duels.

Zhang Lexuan and Xian Lin'er did not participate due to their unsuitable strength levels.

Technically, even Huo Yuhao, as a Soul Sage, could only participate in high-level duels. But at least he could still get matched with opponents.

He handed over ten gold soul coins, registered his soul power level, and received his identity tag. Naturally, he gave himself a code name:

Codename: Frost Armor Sovereign!

 Your Sovereign of Frost—Unbridled and Wild!

And the battle he registered for? Of course, the most popular kind—Deathmatch!

Zhang Lexuan and Xian Lin'er sat in the stands, waiting for Huo Yuhao's match.

Xian Lin'er was a little worried, but also excited. Knowing Huo Yuhao's strength, she believed he could pull it off. In theory, a Soul Sage with an ultimate attribute could match a Titled Douluo. In a Soul Sage-level duel, defeat was nearly impossible.

Of course, the allowance of soul tools might lead to surprises—like someone using a high-grade fixed-installation soul cannon.

Zhang Lexuan remained stone-faced, as if this had nothing to do with her, yet her eyes never left the sandy arena floor.

Lately, she had been unusually focused on Huo Yuhao.

Battles in the Evil Dragon Arena didn't take place on traditional raised platforms—they were held in a sandpit-style arena.

Like a coliseum, with raised seats all around. At the lowest central point was the sand-covered battlefield, protected by a large soul shield. Four gated entrances were set in the surrounding walls. These gates remained sealed until it was time for the fighters to enter—preventing escape.

At the moment—

Two Soul Emperors had just finished a brutal fight. One used a soul cannon to blast off the other's head, ending the match.

Some spectators cursed, others roared with laughter. Most were simply basking in the thrill of bloodshed.

There were no private viewing boxes. Every spectator experienced the carnage up close and personal.

The victor exited. The loser's corpse was dragged away by staff. Blood was buried directly by the sand.

No time to mourn the fallen—because next, came the announcer's voice:

"Next up—!"

"A rookie challenger, Frost Armor Sovereign, versus the two-time winner, Bloodthirsty Fang!"

"This will be a Soul Sage-level battle!"

"Will this cool-named rookie rise atop the corpses of the fallen? Or will the veteran crush the newcomer to claim his third win?"

"Let's find out!"

The earlier wailing and howling in the audience immediately turned to renewed frenzy. Everyone shouted the codename of the fighter they bet on.

They had money on the line, after all.

Some were there simply to enjoy the thrill of death and blood.

Judging by the cheers, Bloodthirsty Fang had more supporters. Naturally—he had two wins already. But some fans of upsets had placed their bets on Frost Armor Sovereign.

Both entrances opened simultaneously. From the right came the first figure—a man already in Martial Soul Possession form.

His Martial Soul appeared to be wolf-type. His entire being radiated bloodlust. He was decked out in a full set of melee soul tools, his main weapons being clawed gauntlets on both arms—designed for both ferocity and power. Seven soul rings circled him in optimal configuration.

This kind of savage aesthetic was a big crowd-pleaser.

"Looks like a close-combat agility-type soul master," Xian Lin'er analyzed. "That should work in Yuhao's favor."

After all, Huo Yuhao was a control-type, which traditionally counters agility-types.

But with soul tools in the mix, those old class relationships were far less reliable.

That was one reason many traditional soul masters resisted soul tool integration.

Zhang Lexuan said nothing—just watched, waiting for Huo Yuhao to appear.

Bloodthirsty Fang crouched low, grinning savagely, eyes locked on the shadowed tunnel across from him. His whole body was coiled like a spring, ready to strike.

As a veteran fighter, he understood the brutality of deathmatches. The moment you stepped into the arena, the battle had already begun.

But before he saw his opponent—he felt something else.

A chill.

A sudden shiver passed through Bloodthirsty Fang, and his expression twisted.

 "I'm trembling? No… This isn't fear. It's the cold!"

The opponent was still unseen—but the cold had already reached him.

A thin layer of moisture began to condense and freeze on the surface of his metallic soul tools.

This foreign sensation triggered a sense of danger in Bloodthirsty Fang—he became even more guarded.

Footsteps echoed down the opposing tunnel.

Each step seemed to strike directly against Bloodthirsty Fang's heart.

This time, he was sweating cold. His animalistic soul instincts screamed of danger!

But he couldn't retreat.

He had offended a noble.

He had to win—and join the Holy Spirit Cult as an officer. Only then could he earn protection.

Finally, a figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the soul lamp's light.

A man clad head-to-toe in icy armor, his face hidden behind a frost mask etched with dragon patterns. The lower half of his youthful face was smooth, giving away his young age. An aura of chill radiated from him. In his hand—an ice-forged longsword. His soul rings were not yet revealed.

The moment he appeared, it was as if the temperature in the entire arena dropped.

Even the crowd's fervor seemed to cool.

Because this figure clashed utterly with the entire blood-soaked aesthetic of the Evil Dragon Arena.

Like a pristine, fragrant flower blooming in a filthy, bloodstained wasteland.

Which only made them…

Want to tear it apart all the more.

"Bloodthirsty Fang, kill him! Rip him to pieces!"

"Kill him! Kill him!"

As he stepped into the battlefield, Huo Yuhao caught a whiff of blood, causing him to frown slightly.

Because this blood… wasn't fresh.

The sand on the ground was filthy—clumped from dried blood and bodily fluids, stained red, and scattered with uncleaned human remains and fragments of flesh.

Boom!

Suddenly, two loud bangs sounded.

The gates of the passageways on both sides slammed shut simultaneously.

From the sound alone, it was clear: the gates were extremely heavy and nearly impossible to break open by force.

There was no need for an announcement. The battle had already begun—because death duels had no referees. Only when one combatant died would the gates open again!

At the moment the gates fell, Bloodthirsty Fang lunged into action. His sixth soul ring lit up, and he charged straight at Huo Yuhao. Simultaneously, all his soul tools activated—glowing as they surged with energy. These tools boosted his speed and strength, and the claws on his arms grew razor-sharp when infused with soul power, appearing ready to tear through space itself.

Though dozens of meters separated the two, Bloodthirsty Fang closed the gap in an instant—as if teleporting.

He chose to strike first. His specialty was instant-killing opponents with overwhelming speed—a deadly first strike. He had won his previous two matches using this same tactic.

And now, in his third fight, he went with the same plan. This time, the pressure he felt ignited a burst of adrenaline, pushing him into a peak state—faster than ever before.

A sinister grin spread wider across his face.

But to Huo Yuhao, Bloodthirsty Fang's speed… was still slow.

Huo Yuhao stepped forward and raised his longsword.

In a flash of light, the two crossed paths. Huo Yuhao's sword danced—elegant and effortless—before stopping calmly at his side.

He stood still.

Bloodthirsty Fang's body froze mid-stride, his wicked grin locked on his face. Then, starting from his forehead, a thin red line slowly appeared down his face.

Not just his face—his whole body.

A moment later, Bloodthirsty Fang split cleanly in two. His soul tools shattered along with his body, scattering blood, viscera, and metal fragments across the sand.

Instant kill!

The audience was stunned. Not out of fear—just slow to react.

But once they processed what had happened, the arena exploded in cheers. They reveled in the clean, direct slaughter—as if it were a form of art.

Some cursed Bloodthirsty Fang, angry over lost bets.

Most, however, cheered for the codename: Frost Armor Emperor—because in this place, glory belonged to the strong.

Losers met death, buried beneath sand, and were utterly forgotten.

"Oh my god! An instant kill!" the announcer shouted, his voice trembling with excitement. "A Soul Sage-level battle ended in an instant kill! Frost Armor Emperor's strength has blown everyone away!"

"Let's congratulate Frost Armor Emperor on his victory! With a crushing strike and his opponent's life and blood, he's made sure none of us will forget him!"

In the stands.

Xian Lin'er, after her initial shock, smiled with satisfaction and nodded slightly. "An ultimate element Soul Master—just as expected."

Zhang Lexuan wasn't surprised in the slightest either.

Neither was disturbed by Huo Yuhao splitting Bloodthirsty Fang in half. Instead, they believed that as the heir to Sea God's Pavilion, he should be decisive and ruthless.

After all, those who came to fight here were desperate criminals—hands already stained with blood. Their deaths were no tragedy.

As Huo Yuhao basked in the cheers, he held his icy sword horizontally. Reflected in the blade was the lower half of his face—twisted into a strange smile.

He took a deep breath.

"Now this blood… is fresh."

To defeat Bloodthirsty Fang so easily, Huo Yuhao hadn't even used much power. He'd mainly relied on his weapon.

His sword wasn't simply formed from ice—it was the Emperor Sword: Ice Polar Peerless Blade, an external soul bone from Snow Empress, cultivated to 700,000 years!

Originally at 600,000 years, he had nurtured it to evolve—drastically increasing its power. The sword intent of Snow Empress had become even stronger.

This was the first time Huo Yuhao had used this external soul bone in front of others, and he hadn't summoned it openly. So Zhang Lexuan and Xian Lin'er assumed it was simply a sword made from Ultimate Ice.

As for the audience, some thought it was a powerful soul tool; others believed it was crafted from rare metal.

No one connected it to a soul bone.

The gate from which Huo Yuhao entered rose. Sword in hand, he walked back into the passage. The door shut behind him.

Only then did the north and south gates open for staff to clean up the body.

This staggered timing was to prevent crazed contestants from accidentally killing the staff as well.

"Yuhao, you did very well," said Xian Lin'er as they exited Evil Dragon Arena, praising him without hesitation.

Huo Yuhao forced a weak smile—playing the role of someone emotionally shaken after killing.

Xian Lin'er comforted him.

"Yuhao, don't carry a burden. These people aren't innocent. Each one has multiple lives on their hands."

Hearing that, Huo Yuhao nodded, seeming somewhat relieved.

"Dean Xian, I understand. I'll get used to it… I just want to make sure they don't suffer."

"Still too kind," Xian Lin'er murmured, with a trace of admiration.

After that, she left Ghost Street with Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan.

Today was just a trial run—to help Huo Yuhao get used to death matches. To become a true cadre and earn the right to meet Tang Ya, he would need nine consecutive wins.

After leaving Ghost Street, it was time to part ways. Xian Lin'er had to return to Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy to avoid raising suspicion.

Before she left, she privately told Zhang Lexuan to take care of and "guide" Huo Yuhao.

From now on, they would return to Ghost Street on their own—Xian Lin'er couldn't always accompany them. They had to be more cautious.

Of course, she'd still help when she could, as Evening Water Alliance had powerful allies—even Titled Douluo-level experts.

They parted ways.

Huo Yuhao returned to the hideout with Zhang Lexuan.

But Zhang Lexuan didn't know how to empathize with him. Unsure how to comfort him, she thought for a moment and summoned four maidens to "guide" him in her place.

The four maids accepted the task—and exchanged mischievous smiles—before heading into Huo Yuhao's room.

"What are you four going to do?" Huo Yuhao asked nervously, clutching his blanket, looking small, weak, and helpless.

"By order of Her Holiness, we're here to… properly guide you~!"

"Yuhao dear, if you're feeling stressed, just let it all out~"

"This is called gentle guidance~"

"With two mouths up and down, how can we not handle you?!"

What they didn't know was—

In the corner of the room, through a specially carved peephole, a beautiful eye was quietly watching everything unfold.

In those usually calm pupils… a ripple of emotion appeared.

When it came to achieving ten consecutive victories, Huo Yuhao wasn't in a rush — a conclusion he reached after discussions with Xian Lin'er and Zhang Lexuan.

Winning too quickly would make his goal far too obvious. Even if the Duskwater Alliance accepted him, they'd still harbor suspicions.

Simply put, the ones who throw themselves in too eagerly never make for good deals. In the underworld, no one's hands are clean — if someone displays overwhelming strength and potential, coupled with a hint of ambition, no faction would feel comfortable using such a person.

Overeager bootlickers end up with nothing.

The best strategy was to fish.

It would be more effective if Huo Yuhao acted nonchalant, attracting the Duskwater Alliance to recruit him on their own — especially if it came with promises of benefits. This would emphasize his value and reduce suspicion, making it easier to investigate Bei Bei's whereabouts.

At the same time, he could also engage with the Pingfan Alliance to make it seem like he was playing both sides, stirring up competition for his allegiance.

Of course, all this hinged on no one in the Duskwater Alliance recognizing his true identity.

Zhang Lexuan and Xian Lin'er believed Huo Yuhao wouldn't be exposed. After all, Tang Ya had only seen the "past" Huo Yuhao — his appearance had since changed, and he hadn't revealed his martial soul or soul ring setup.

The one most likely to recognize him was Bei Bei. But if Bei Bei did realize who he was, he'd likely reach out privately instead of turning him in — which would make it easier to bring him back to Shrek.

In short, everything now depended on how well Huo Yuhao played his part.

Meanwhile, Zhang Lexuan, Xian Lin'er, and the White Lotus followers had other tasks to handle.

Xian Lin'er would continue her usual activities, collecting intel around Mingdu. She'd go to Ghost Street when needed, ostensibly to investigate, but secretly to assist Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan.

Zhang Lexuan, on the other hand, would lead the White Lotus followers in gathering intelligence on Mingdu, particularly related to the Holy Spirit Sect. They had to prepare in case Bei Bei returned to the sect.

Zhang Lexuan also mentioned she needed to deal with her own "issues," though she never said how she intended to resolve them.

The four handmaidens and other White Lotus believers weren't useless either — they were now a crucial hidden card. Spread out across Mingdu, if anything happened to Huo Yuhao or Zhang Lexuan, they would launch coordinated disruptions to draw the Sun Moon Empire's attention and provide cover for their escape.

Zhang Lexuan told her followers their mission was to sow chaos in Mingdu, paving the way for a greater cause for the southern White Lotus.

None of the believers doubted her.

Of course, if push came to shove, and the situation allowed, Zhang Lexuan wouldn't sacrifice the four handmaidens lightly — in her eyes, they were already part of Shrek's team.

With everyone splitting up to carry out their missions, Huo Yuhao had his own workload. During the day, he dug tunnels in Mingdu. At night, he fought deadly battles in Ghost Street, participating daily in the Evil Dragon Arena. He also wandered around Ghost Street deliberately, leaving behind clues of his presence.

Only from early morning till noon did he get a few hours of rest — and even then, he had to deal with the four handmaidens' "training" and Zhang Lexuan's secret lessons.

"But it's fine. All of this is for saving Brother Bei Bei. I, Huo Yuhao, won't hesitate to make sacrifices!" he vowed, full of determination.

Just like that, two more days passed. Huo Yuhao won three consecutive fights in the Evil Dragon Arena.

Each night's deathmatch ended in a one-hit KO — after all, his opponents were only Soul Sages, far beneath his level.

After each match, Huo Yuhao walked to the betting counter under a mix of fearful, admiring, envious, and sinister gazes to collect his winnings.

Winners in the arena earned gold soul coins — with rewards scaling by level. At the Soul Sage tier, each victory netted 10,000 gold soul coins, and consecutive wins increased the total payout.

With three straight victories, Huo Yuhao earned 40,000 coins in total.

He'd also bet on himself — staking 20,000 gold coins and winning 24,000 in return.

That night, Huo Yuhao took home 44,000 gold soul coins. Not bad — just two more wins and he'd have enough to buy a ten-thousand-year soul bone.

This was one of the reasons underground fight arenas were so popular — the profits were real.

Still, as Huo Yuhao kept winning, his odds continued to drop. His next match would offer even lower returns.

But if he kept his streak, the bonus rewards would keep piling up.

Huo Yuhao had no plans to hoard his winnings. He would spend them around Ghost Street, leaving traces of his activity.

However, just as he was about to leave the Evil Dragon Arena, someone suddenly stopped him.

It was a middle-aged man in a well-tailored suit, concealing his soul power. But Huo Yuhao could tell he was a Soul Douluo.

The man stood before him, smiling warmly and speaking politely:

 "Froststeel Armor Sovereign, please wait. I am Long She, the director of the Evil Dragon Arena. May I trouble you for a moment of your time?"

"What is it?" Huo Yuhao replied coldly, his tone distant and guarded.

Long She wasn't offended. His smile remained as he spoke openly:

 "May I ask if you currently belong to any organization?"

"What, I can't fight here if I'm affiliated with someone?" Huo Yuhao shot back.

"You misunderstand. I mean no offense," Long She replied evenly. "I only wish to ask: if you are not yet affiliated with a group, would you consider joining the Duskwater Alliance? We are the most powerful underground force in Mingdu, always on the lookout for talent. With your strength, the organization will certainly value and invest in you. I can even recommend you directly to our leader. If you gain their favor, reaching the Title Douluo stage would be entirely possible."

This was no routine recruitment. Normally, even three-time winners didn't warrant Long She's personal attention.

But Huo Yuhao had shown exceptional strength and appeared to be quite young — the potential was enormous.

Spectators all around looked on with envy, wishing they were in Huo Yuhao's shoes.

An invitation directly from the arena's director — joining would mean protection, resources, and the chance to be noticed by the Duskwater Alliance's top brass.

But Huo Yuhao's response was ice-cold:

"Not interested."

And with that, he stepped right past Long She and walked out the arena doors.

He was making a statement — rebellious and untamed.

Long She didn't take offense. Still smiling, he bowed slightly and said courteously,

 "Very well. We hope to see you again soon at the Evil Dragon Arena."

In the underworld, he'd seen plenty of arrogant types. They all eventually made the right choice.

Huo Yuhao didn't reply. After leaving the arena, he wandered Ghost Street casually.

To be honest, Ghost Street really did have some treasures.

Like those rare ores, for example.