soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes. Although he didn't know exactly what was going on, he had his own ways of uncovering the truth.

A Soul Sage unleashed a Level-7 Soul Tool Cannon, blasting it at full power toward Huo Yuhao in an attempt to kill him in one blow.

At the same time, Huo Yuhao swung his Ultimate Ice Sword, conjuring a solid wall of ice in front of him to block the incoming blast.

Boom!

The explosion from the soul cannon engulfed both the ice wall and Huo Yuhao.

The Soul Sage widened his eyes in anticipation, scanning the explosion's center. "Is it over?"

"Not quite~" A clear voice rang out behind him—it was Huo Yuhao!

As the smoke cleared, the ice wall was revealed, completely intact.

The Soul Sage's eyes went wide with shock.

At some point, Huo Yuhao had silently appeared in the center of the five-man team, and the four teammates behind the Soul Sage had already been turned into lifelike ice sculptures. Their expressions remained fixed, gazing forward, frozen before they even had time to react.

Now, only the Soul Sage remained. Just as he turned to strike back, he felt a piercing cold spread through his body, originating from his spine and extending outward. His consciousness quickly sank into darkness under the extreme chill.

In the final moment before his awareness froze completely, he felt a hand grip his head and heard Huo Yuhao's cold voice:

"Let's see what you know."

Tang Ya, fighting one against five, held her own without faltering—and was steadily gaining the upper hand.

Though now an Evil Soul Master, Tang Ya's foundation as a soul master from Shrek Academy remained solid. Add to that the elite training and resources she received as a Saintess of the Holy Spirit Cult, and her strength and techniques had improved significantly.

With Soul Sage-level power, Tang Ya was confident she could take down most Soul Douluos.

So, facing a five-man team led by a Soul Sage and supported by four Soul Kings, Tang Ya felt no pressure. Even when the enemy used soul tools, it made no difference.

Tang Ya, too, could wield soul tools.

However, the ones she used were primarily defensive and support-type. Her offense came from her martial soul—the Dark Blue Silver Grass.

This evolved form of Blue Silver Grass had unparalleled strength and potential. In combat, it rivaled a top-tier martial soul. Tang Ya found it far more effective than any offensive soul tool.

Currently, she disguised the Dark Blue Silver Grass as a whip-like vine. In her hands, it writhed like a venomous snake, ready to strike a fatal blow.

The enemy Soul Sage launched an attack with a soul cannon. Tang Ya nimbly dodged it and swiftly closed in.

The Soul Sage panicked and quickly ordered his team to attack together, desperate to stop her approach.

They hadn't been able to defeat her at a distance—if she got in close, they'd be in serious trouble!

Despite a barrage of soul ray attacks, Tang Ya danced through the battlefield like a graceful performer, dodging effortlessly and closing in on her targets.

To avoid her attacks, the enemy Soul Sage and his team took to the air using flight-type soul tools. But then Tang Ya stomped the ground hard—her fourth soul ring lit up—and a layer of blue-black light rippled outward from the point of impact.

The next second, sharp spikes of Dark Blue Silver Grass erupted from the ground in all directions, converging in the sky like a cage.

Fourth Soul Skill: Blue Silver Spike Formation!

Soft grass, under Tang Ya's control, became a deadly weapon.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

A chorus of flesh being pierced echoed through the air. The four Soul Kings let out anguished cries—then fell silent. Their bodies were impaled by multiple spikes, killing them almost instantly.

The Dark Blue Silver Grass then began to absorb their life force, rapidly withering their bodies into mummified husks that crumbled into dust.

With her energy replenished from their life force, Tang Ya's condition improved. A faint blood-red glow flickered in her eyes.

As for the Soul Sage, he hadn't avoided the attack—he survived only because of his defensive soul tool, which generated a shield to block the spikes.

Escaping death, the Soul Sage broke into a cold sweat and was gripped by fear.

But just then, thick tendrils of Dark Blue Silver Grass wrapped around the soul shield, encircling him like a dragon ready to strike.

"No!" the Soul Sage shouted in alarm, trying to ascend again.

Too late.

"Bind!" Tang Ya sneered. The vines suddenly constricted.

In just two seconds, the soul shield shattered. Then, the Dark Blue Silver Grass crushed the Soul Sage like a ripe fruit.

Splurt! Blood oozed through the vines.

Sixth Soul Skill: Blue Silver Serpent Devour!

A soul skill with three combined effects—entrapment, poisoning, and absorption—originating from a 50,000-year-old evil serpent soul beast. It was a perfect match for Tang Ya's dark martial soul.

The Soul Sage's life force was fully drained, transferred into Tang Ya's body. A wave of satisfaction and pleasure washed over her, coloring her cheeks red.

Evil Soul Masters gained strength and pleasure by devouring others' flesh, life force, and souls.

After stabilizing herself, Tang Ya turned to see that Huo Yuhao had long since finished his battle and was sitting atop the ice wall, watching her.

Tang Ya smiled sweetly. "Armor Emperor, let's keep moving. More patrolling soul masters will be arriving soon."

"Yeah." Huo Yuhao nodded, jumped down, and followed Tang Ya into the forest.

The two vanished into the woods, using the cover of trees and darkness to flee swiftly.

By the time another patrol arrived, the pair were long gone. All that remained were corpses and battle traces.

From the signs, they deduced that the attackers were an Evil Soul Master and an ice-type soul master.

"Ice? And strong enough to beat a Soul Sage? That has to be the Frost Armor Emperor!"

"Search the area! The princess has ordered that he must not escape—dead or alive, the bounty is high!"

"They must be fleeing further—after them!"

Through the Soul Sage's memories, Huo Yuhao finally understood why he was suddenly the empire's most wanted criminal.

Back when Huo Yuhao, Tang Ya, and Bei Bei joined the Evil Soul Masters in the attack, someone had spotted them.

Thanks to Huo Yuhao's iconic ice armor and frozen battlefield signs, his identity was confirmed.

No one knew who Tang Ya and Bei Bei were, but many recognized the Frost Armor Emperor—Huo Yuhao.

Including Princess Xu Tianzhen, who had once tried to recruit Huo Yuhao.

After failing to win him over, Xu Tianzhen took the matter to heart. Once she learned Huo Yuhao had participated in the attack on Mingde Hall, she used her royal privilege to issue a bounty on him.

Though Xu Tianzhen didn't have much official power, the royal family usually granted her wishes—so long as they weren't too outrageous.

That included placing a bounty on Huo Yuhao.

Moreover, Kong Deming, while unable to oppose the Holy Spirit Cult openly, could still use Xu Tianzhen as a tool. Framing the bounty as a "personal vendetta," he could target the cult's young talent without breaching the fragile alliance.

Kong Deming feared the Holy Spirit Cult might become a threat to the empire. Until the Sun Moon Empire recovered its strength, he would secretly undermine the cult whenever possible.

Huo Yuhao didn't care about all the twists and turns — all he knew was that Xu Tianzhen was targeting him.

"What's wrong with this princess now? Why target me? But since she dares to go after me, don't blame me for striking back — no, for pounding back! And if I say you're crazy, then you're crazy!"

Huo-ge hasn't even stabbed you yet, and you're already backstabbing him?

Young lady, you've got no martial ethics!

Is this good? No, it's not!

Due to the urgency of the situation, Huo Yuhao temporarily gave up on the two resource points — the Imperial Consort and the Empress — and instead chose to first plunder the richer resources of the Holy Spirit Cult.

But unexpectedly, Xu Tianzhen suddenly made her presence known.

"No big deal," Huo Yuhao analyzed, "As a powerless princess, her bounty probably won't have long-lasting impact. It shouldn't raise too much attention."

And then... they were chased all night.

The soldiers had an abnormal level of enthusiasm and dedication in pursuing Huo Yuhao.

That's because in the background, Kong Deming had given secret orders. Once the patrolling officers heard that the Frost Armor Emperor had appeared, they made up their minds to kill — even abandoning regular patrols to go hunt Huo Yuhao instead.

"Damn it! I didn't expect these soldiers to be this persistent! Could it be that my identity's been exposed? Damn it — who leaked it?" Tang Ya cursed under her breath. She hadn't anticipated such relentless pursuit.

Her first suspicion fell on Huo Yuhao and the people from Shrek Academy. But after thinking it through, she decided that was unlikely.

After all, Huo Yuhao's status was no less important than hers. Even if Shrek Academy was playing some game, they wouldn't risk Huo Yuhao's life.

That left only the Xishui Alliance, the Elegant Pavilion, or the Holy Spirit Cult as suspects. She would have to investigate later.

With no answers in sight, all she could do was keep running.

As time passed and her energy depleted, Tang Ya's condition began to deteriorate. She had been moving at full speed this whole time — and as she wasn't an agility-type soul master, her consumption was even greater.

They didn't dare use flying soul tools either. Flying would only expose them and make it easier for their pursuers to lock on.

So they continued dodging through the wild terrain, masking their tracks, and trying to mislead their hunters — buying themselves more time to escape.

Though Huo Yuhao hadn't used up much energy, even he was getting annoyed at how persistent the soldiers were. If Tang Ya weren't with him, he would've already turned around and devoured the lot of them.

And so, Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya spent the entire night fleeing.

Thankfully, the journey, while thrilling, was not fatal. Once they reached the wilderness, their strength made it easy to break through the thin blockade lines.

Had it not been for the constant pursuit, they would've vanished long ago instead of being forced to keep running like this.

Being surrounded would be extremely dangerous.

Tang Ya didn't believe that she and Huo Yuhao, even working together, could face a full soul engineer legion. Even a fifty-man elite team could prove fatal.

Thanks to strategic hiding and deliberate misdirection, they had managed to avoid capture so far.

Finally, at dawn, the two reached Rising Sun City, south of Mingdu. But they didn't enter the city — instead, they slipped into the nearby Jingyang Mountains, where they finally felt safe enough to rest.

They chose a small mountain with a river running by as a temporary base to rest and recover soul power.

"Let's rest here for now. We've likely shaken off any pursuers," Tang Ya said after scouting the area.

Huo Yuhao nodded in agreement. "Alright."

They pulled out some dry rations, ate while drinking from the river, and replenished their physical strength.

After eating, they began recovering soul power. Huo Yuhao sat in meditation while Tang Ya got up and headed into the forest.

"Where are you going?" Huo Yuhao asked coldly.

"Don't worry, I'm not leaving. I just have my own way to recover soul power quickly. Want to come watch? You might learn something~" Tang Ya smiled teasingly.

Huo Yuhao was silent. Instead of replying, he simply sat cross-legged and pretended to meditate.

Seeing he wasn't curious enough to follow, Tang Ya looked a little disappointed. If Huo Yuhao had shown interest, she'd be even more confident in tempting him to fall.

Curiosity, after all, is the beginning of descent.

Because her so-called "method"... was an evil soul master technique — devouring.

Tang Ya entered the forest alone and released her Dark Blue Silver Grass. The dark tendrils spread like a web, entangling the surrounding plants and began to siphon their life force.

As the vitality drained, the lush forest quickly withered and died. The once vibrant woods became a barren graveyard.

In contrast, Tang Ya's complexion grew rosy, her lips redder, and her eyes gleamed with crimson light.

In the pleasure of restoration, she couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.

The early morning light bathed her in a golden glow, giving her an almost holy and pure aura — ironically contrasted with the death all around her.

Tang Ya's inherent sanctity stood in stark opposition to the devastation she wrought.

In the past, Tang Ya had feared her devouring powers. She didn't want to be an evil soul master.

But once she embraced her identity and began using her devouring abilities, she finally understood joy.

What she once dreamed of, she could now have with ease. Her strength and status were things she could once only envy.

Life had become simple.

And her desires, once caged, now burst forth like a broken dam.

About half an hour later, Huo Yuhao opened his eyes. He had given Tang Ya plenty of time to "recover."

Since she hadn't returned, he no longer saw the need to continue pretending. But with her now fully restored, Huo Yuhao stood up and began walking in her direction.

Time to find her.

Passing through the now-dead forest, Huo Yuhao's expression didn't change at all. He continued onward.

He soon heard the sound of flowing water.

Pushing through the woods, he came upon a clear river, where Tang Ya — clad in a blue robe that perfectly outlined her alluring curves — was crouching by the bank, gently combing her long black hair.

Her graceful movements and the soft forest light gave her an ethereal beauty, like a forest fairy, mysterious and flawless.

Huo Yuhao stood silently.

He hadn't tried to be quiet, and Tang Ya clearly knew he was coming — yet she didn't try to cover up at all.

Her intentions were crystal clear.

She was even pulling the seduction card now!

Sister Xiao Ya, you've really caused me trouble!

How am I supposed to explain this to Brother Bei Bei?

As if just noticing him, Tang Ya turned around and smiled gently, completely unashamed.

The two of them gazed silently at each other, as if frozen in a painting.

"Armor Emperor, you're here?"

"Mm." Huo Yuhao merely nodded lightly.

Had he not come, Tang Ya would've been in serious trouble — because...

A terrifying aura suddenly exploded above them.

"So this is where you've been hiding!"

A voice dripping with malice rang out.

Both Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya looked up instantly and saw an old man floating in mid-air, surrounded by nine soul rings.

A Titled Douluo had arrived!

If you want to assassinate a Holy Spirit Cult genius, of course you'd bring a real powerhouse!

The overwhelming aura of a Titled Douluo enveloped the surroundings, the pressure descending like a thousand-pound boulder on Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya's shoulders, making their bodies sink involuntarily.

One could clearly feel the intense malice within.

These were pursuers from the Sun-Moon Empire!

Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya instantly understood.

Tang Ya began to panic. She hadn't expected that a Titled Douluo would actually pursue them relentlessly. She regretted her decision, cursing inwardly, "If I had known, I would've left a day earlier instead of waiting for him!"

Once again, a poor decision had put her in danger.

But it was too late for regrets.

The worst-case scenario had occurred — now the focus had to be on how to escape.

Tang Ya glanced at Huo Yuhao, noticing his calm and composed demeanor. She wondered, "Are people from Shrek hiding nearby? Will they intervene?"

In the sky hovered an elder in luxurious red robes, his face marked by the arrogance typical of a Titled Douluo. He made no effort to conceal his indifference or murderous intent toward the two of them.

Looking down at Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya, he spoke slowly and coldly, "Frost Armor Emperor and the remnant of an evil soul master — daring to invade Mingde Hall means you've already chosen your death. Today, I will kill you both. Remember the name of the one who kills you: the Indestructible King, Zheng Zhan. Feel honored."

With that, Zheng Zhan raised his hand and struck downward, releasing a soul power imprint aimed at them.

A Titled Douluo's attack like this wasn't something regular Soul Sages could withstand — but Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya were no ordinary Soul Sages.

Tang Ya immediately countered, releasing a mass of dark Blue Silver Grass, weaving it into a large net to intercept Zheng Zhan's attack.

At the same time, Huo Yuhao used ice to freeze the grass net, forming a solid ice wall in front of the two of them.

Boom!

The soul power imprint slammed into the ice wall, leaving a deep dent — yet the wall didn't shatter.

The combined defensive techniques actually reinforced each other, making the ice wall both stronger and more resilient.

The fact that his attack had been blocked made Zheng Zhan frown.

Still, he didn't take it seriously — it only made him more determined to kill.

The two below clearly had skill — they could not be allowed to live!

At that moment—

"Now!" Tang Ya shouted.

She and Huo Yuhao moved out from behind the ice wall, attacking Zheng Zhan from left and right.

They didn't try to run. Against a Titled Douluo's pursuit, escape wasn't an option. Their only chance was to fight — maybe even to survive through desperation.

At least that was Tang Ya's perspective.

Huo Yuhao slashed out with the Ice Ultimate Sword, sending a blade of sword qi at Zheng Zhan.

Tang Ya lashed out with a vine whip, activating her sixth soul skill to bind and strangle Zheng Zhan.

Zheng Zhan scoffed at their attempt and casually raised his hand, summoning a soul tool shield to block both attacks.

The vine whip failed to wrap around him. The sword qi shattered upon hitting the soul shield.

But then — an invisible force followed after the sword qi, piercing through the soul shield's defenses and striking at Zheng Zhan.

It was the Snow Empress's Sword Intent!

The soul shield could block visible sword qi — but it could not defend against formless sword intent.

Zheng Zhan instinctively sensed danger, but it was too late. The next second, an invisible force pierced into his body.

A soul-deep pain exploded inside him. A deep, razor-sharp wound appeared on his body, and Zheng Zhan couldn't help but let out a miserable scream.

"Ahhh!!"

The physical pain was secondary — it was the pain of his soul that truly tormented him. This was unlike anything he'd ever felt, and he had no resistance against it. He was in so much pain he couldn't continue fighting and even fell from the sky.

Though his soul shield remained intact, the man inside was broken.

Tang Ya was both stunned and amazed. She glanced at Huo Yuhao, seeking an explanation. Her experience didn't allow her to recognize the concept of sword intent.

But Huo Yuhao didn't plan on explaining.

With limited means and power available, his options for breaking the deadlock were few — so he chose to act like a "mechanics-based boss" from a game.

Sword intent was something most soul masters and soul engineers couldn't comprehend or defend against — it was a natural counter.

Of course, Huo Yuhao didn't go all out. If he had, the battle would've ended in one blow — and that would've exposed him.

If Zheng Zhan lacked a way to counter sword intent, he'd be forced to keep taking damage — possibly even be slowly killed on the spot by Huo Yuhao.

And even if Zheng Zhan did have a countermeasure, Huo Yuhao had a backup plan… and a backup to the backup… and another one after that…

In short, he wouldn't die.

"I've got a way to deal with him. Just buy me a little time," Huo Yuhao said, wanting Tang Ya to feel included. To that end, he even made a show of needing to charge up his next move.

"How long is 'a little'?" Tang Ya asked.

"Count to sixty."

"1, 2, 3, 4…"

"Count normally!" Huo Yuhao snapped. Tang Ya's tongue was practically twisting itself into a knot — at that rate, even a hundred seconds wouldn't be enough.

So he clarified, "Give me ten breaths' worth of time. Eight breaths left."

In cultivation terms, one breath equals one inhalation-exhalation cycle during meditation — roughly six seconds. So ten breaths is around one minute.

"I don't get it, but fine! I'll stall for you. Just hurry!" Tang Ya stomped her foot and attacked again.

Since she'd been watching Zheng Zhan closely, she noticed he was beginning to recover.

"Third soul skill: Sarospider Web!"

"Fourth soul skill: Blue Silver Spike Formation!"

Though both were thousand-year soul skills, they offered effective binding and restraining effects. With the current strength of her dark Blue Silver Grass, they were enough to slow down even a Titled Douluo — perfect for stalling.

Zheng Zhan, just recovering from the soul-piercing pain, didn't counterattack. Instead, he immediately summoned a large shield and placed it in front of him.

The soul skills couldn't get past it.

Tang Ya was stunned — then became even more cautious.

Inside Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea, the Skydream Iceworm flipped through mental pages. He finally remembered who Zheng Zhan was.

He appeared in the original timeline.

"Brother Hao, he's one of the Sun-Moon Empire's Worship Hall elders, titled Indestructible — known as the Indestructible King, Zheng Zhan. Not only is he a Titled Douluo, but also a Level 9 soul engineer. He specializes in defensive-type soul tools, and his signature soul tool is the Indestructible Divine Shield. Apparently, he doesn't get along with Jing Hongchen. But his personal strength is no joke — he's a strong combatant."

"Unbreakable defense? I see… a soul engineer specializing in defense? That's rare," Huo Yuhao mused, intrigued. "I wonder how he'd compare to an expert from the Clear Sky Sect in terms of defense?"

Maybe he'd find out one day.

At that moment, thirty seconds had passed.

Zheng Zhan had fully recovered. He didn't care about the physical wound — just a minor injury. But the pain in his soul left him with lingering fear.

"What kind of attack was that?"

Then he noticed Huo Yuhao charging up again — and his heart clenched in alarm. Killing intent flared in his eyes.

"I absolutely cannot let him unleash that attack again!"

And thus, he had yet another reason to kill Huo Yuhao.

As expected of a soul engineer specialized in defense-type soul tools, Zheng Zhan didn't retaliate in anger. Instead, he remained hidden behind his Indestructible Divine Shield, raising his soul cannon and aiming it at Huo Yuhao.

He was playing it safe—methodical and composed.

Tang Ya attacked repeatedly in desperation, trying to disrupt Zheng Zhan. But expecting her attacks to break through his defense was nothing short of delusional.

Zheng Zhan didn't even spare her a glance.

When a Titled Douluo gets serious, a regular soul master like Tang Ya has no means of resistance.

Compared to real monsters, Tang Ya was ordinary. Even an ordinary genius... is still ordinary.

To ensure a fatal strike, Zheng Zhan used a Class-9 soul cannon, and not just any—he fully charged it to unleash devastating power.

After a brief charge-up, he pulled the trigger.

At the very last second, it just so happened that Huo Yuhao completed charging his sword intent. He swung again, sending out another wave of icy sword energy.

Without waiting to see the result, Huo Yuhao grabbed Tang Ya's arm and dashed away.

Because Zheng Zhan's cannon shot had arrived!

The cannon's energy beam grazed past Huo Yuhao's sword wave—no collision, no interference.

BOOM!!!

The cannon struck the ground, detonating in a thunderous explosion. The violent shockwave blasted Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya into the air as they fled.

Fortunately, Huo Yuhao quickly created a massive ice sphere around them, protecting them as they tumbled away with it.

Inside the cramped space of the ice sphere, they inevitably bumped into each other. But Tang Ya couldn't care less at this point. As long as she survived, she could endure anything.

Meanwhile, Zheng Zhan raised his Indestructible Divine Shield again—his proudest and strongest defensive tool. He had full confidence in it.

As the explosion rang out, Huo Yuhao's sword wave struck the shield. Zheng Zhan instinctively tried to dodge, wary of the mysterious intangible attack.

But to his surprise, the shield glowed, successfully blocking even that strange sword intent.

Zheng Zhan was ecstatic.

"As expected of my Indestructible Divine Shield! No enemy can break its defense! Hahaha!"

Now that the invisible attack had failed, he was energized once again. He flew into the sky to search for Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya.

All he found was a shattered ice sphere.

Zheng Zhan snorted coldly. "Trying to escape? No chance!"

In such a short time, Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya couldn't possibly leave his sensing range. Soon enough, he detected their presence and gave chase.

While fleeing, Huo Yuhao once again took a charging stance. The job of holding off Zheng Zhan now fell to Tang Ya.

She had no choice but to pin her hopes on Huo Yuhao. After all, he had managed to injure Zheng Zhan earlier.

Their only hope now was to fight while escaping—and pray for a miracle.

Huo Yuhao unleashed another wave of sword energy behind him. Zheng Zhan threw his shield again, blocking both the sword wave and the sword intent—completely unharmed.

"Heh, out of tricks, kid? Give up. I'll make your death quick," Zheng Zhan sneered. Even as he spoke, he had already cut off their escape path.

Now Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya couldn't even flee while fighting.

Neither of them was an agility-type soul master. Hoping to keep distance from a Titled Douluo was pure fantasy.

Huo Yuhao looked ready to make a last stand.

Tang Ya bit her lip, her mind racing for any path to survival. She glanced nervously at Huo Yuhao. "He really looks like he's ready to die... Could it be he really doesn't have backup? Damn Shrek! What are those old geezers thinking?"

"I haven't rebuilt the Tang Sect. I haven't taken revenge on Shrek. I have a bright future ahead—I can't die yet!" 

She didn't notice that at this life-or-death moment, she hadn't thought of Bei Bei at all.

Maybe it was because Bei Bei had been rescued alone by Long Xiaoyao earlier, and faced with death, she had come to some realizations.

Facing death brings great terror, but also great opportunity—a time to see one's true heart.

Seeing no one coming to their aid, Tang Ya's eyes turned cold. "Heh, so this guy beside me was abandoned by Shrek too? Just like Shrek's usual cold-blooded ways—they'll discard even a genius if needed."

"Maybe I'll have to use my forbidden technique... But if I do, I'll be powerless for a while... If I take him with me, maybe I'll have some protection."

Last night, even though Tang Ya knew Huo Yuhao had his own motives, he had still saved her. That act had made its mark on her heart.

Just as Tang Ya was about to use her secret technique to escape, the ground suddenly trembled violently, startling even Zheng Zhan.

Then, roars of soul beasts erupted from all directions.

Such a telltale sign made both Tang Ya and Zheng Zhan go pale. At the same time, they thought of the same word—

Beast tide!

And sure enough—

Countless soul beasts stormed out from the forest, charging toward them. There were ten-year, hundred-year, thousand-year beasts, and even many ten-thousand-year ones—and some over fifty-thousand years!

Faced with this, Zheng Zhan couldn't bother chasing anyone anymore. He activated his defenses and flew into the sky.

If he got caught in the tide, even as a Titled Douluo, he'd be dragged to death.

When he looked for Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya again, he found they had cleverly slipped into the tide, using it as cover to escape.

The immense soul power of the beasts disrupted Zheng Zhan's senses, making it impossible to precisely locate them. After all, he wasn't a spiritual-type soul master—his sensory abilities weren't that refined.

All he could do was curse, "They won't get out alive from that beast tide! May they be torn to pieces!"

But cursing was all he could do.

What truly concerned him now was—how did the beast tide form? This wasn't the season for it. There had to be something strange going on.

"This mountain range is close to Sunrise City. I must investigate the cause of this tide—eliminate the trigger—otherwise, the city might be endangered."

Just as Zheng Zhan was about to leave, his body suddenly tensed. He quickly raised his shield.

Because he felt himself locked on by three powerful auras.

Then, from within the beast tide, three ice-blue centipedes crawled out. They looked like perfect copies of one another, exuding chilling cold. Clearly, they were ice-type soul beasts.

They were the three Centipede Leg Clones!

The trio surrounded Zheng Zhan.

"What kind of soul beasts are these? I've never seen them before... And they can move freely within a beast tide? Could they be the cause?!"

"But even if they're strong, they're not enough to keep me here…"

Suddenly, a frigid wind howled.

More precisely—a ghostly wind.

Thick black clouds rolled in, blotting out the sun.

Without a sound, three human figures appeared atop the centipedes. But it was clear at a glance—they weren't alive. They were ghosts!

They were:

Xuanming Sect's Xu Tianyi

Xuanming Sect's Xu Diyi

Dragon God Douluo, Mu En!

Two Titled Douluo capable of performing a fusion skill, one Limit Douluo, and three soul beasts comparable to 100,000-year beasts—

Zheng Zhan was completely trapped.

"Ghosts? Evil soul masters? Are you from the Holy Spirit Cult?" Zheng Zhan cried out in shock, breaking into a cold sweat. "This was a trap?!"

He believed this was the Holy Spirit Cult using gifted students as bait to lure out and ambush powerhouses from the Sun and Moon Empire.

Too many coincidences. It had to be orchestrated.

And the situation looked worse by the second.

But the only response he got was—

A barrage of overwhelming attacks.

There are several ways to trigger a beast tide, and one of the simplest is the emergence of a valuable treasure that attracts a large number of soul beasts, thus inciting a stampede.

Huo Yuhao used this exact method. A mere wisp of aura released by the Snow Lotus was enough to enrage all the soul beasts within the entire mountain range.

Creating chaos to escape was just one part of his plan. Ambushing Zheng Zhan was the second. And the third? Going on a thrilling adventure with Tang Ya.

How else could he show his sister-in-law how good her little "brother" was? If she didn't start to care, what would happen if he got bullied after joining the Holy Spirit Sect?

Huo Yuhao tightly held Tang Ya's hand, swiftly weaving through the beast tide while fending off soul beast attacks that appeared at any moment, guiding her to escape further away.

Tang Ya allowed herself to be pulled along without resistance. On one hand, her strength and soul power had been heavily drained while fleeing from Zheng Zhan's pursuit. On the other, she felt an inexplicable sense of safety in that moment.

Watching Huo Yuhao wield his sword and carve a path through the beast tide for her, Tang Ya's heartstrings were tugged once again. It reminded her of the events of the previous night—when Huo Yuhao had saved her from certain death and led her out of danger.

This moment now felt just like that moment then.

Tang Ya's thoughts drifted to a soul-hunting trip with Bei Bei, where both of them had faced grave danger. Bei Bei had risked his life to hold off a Mandrake Snake just to buy her a slim chance to escape. But back then, how could she possibly abandon him?

If not for a passing Soul Emperor who happened to help them, they might have both perished—two star-crossed lovers dying young.

Comparing Huo Yuhao and Bei Bei wasn't really fair, but Tang Ya couldn't stop herself.

The romantic ideal of a first love clashed with the reality of newfound safety and reliability.

Suddenly, a thought popped into Tang Ya's mind:

 "If only he weren't from Shrek Academy…"

The thought startled her. And immediately she told herself:

 "No. Impossible. Even if he weren't from Shrek, he still wouldn't stand a chance. Besides… his current behavior must have ulterior motives. That's right, he's faking it!"

But just thinking that everything in front of her was a lie made her feel upset again. She instinctively tried to pull her hand away to create distance between herself and Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao had no choice but to grip her hand even tighter and glanced back at her with a strange look.

"What's your problem? We're trying to escape here. Focus!"

Huo Yuhao forcefully suppressed Tang Ya's moment of emotional hesitation, making her obediently follow him.

The two finally escaped the mountain range and entered another, leaving the beast tide behind. At last, they could rest.

Once they were safe, Huo Yuhao let go of Tang Ya's hand and said in a deep voice,

 "Let's restore our soul power quickly. We can't stay here long. That Titled Douluo might not be held off by the beast tide for long."

Tang Ya rubbed her soft hand that had just been held by Huo Yuhao. Her gaze flickered, and she nodded gently. Then she suddenly tossed him a soul tool shaped like a milk bottle.

 "Here, take this. It'll help you recover faster… so we can keep going."

Catching the object, Huo Yuhao looked down and found it was a level-7 milk bottle, filled with gentle soul power that could be directly absorbed.

"Thanks."

 Huo Yuhao didn't stand on ceremony. He sat cross-legged right there and began recovering his strength as though he had no defenses up toward Tang Ya.

Tang Ya gave him a deep look before heading off alone into the forest, drawing life force from the plants to restore her own strength.

What she didn't know was that the moment she left, Huo Yuhao opened his eyes. His earlier depletion had already been more than recovered. That whole act had just been a test.

"Looks like Sister Ya is getting a little emotionally invested. She even gave me a gift~"

 Huo Yuhao's lips curled into a faint smirk.

Just then, the ground beside him suddenly split open, and a miniature centipede-leg clone poked its head out.

Huo Yuhao showed no surprise. He casually raised a hand, and the centipede opened its mouth. From it flew the souls of Mu En, Xu Tianyi, Xu Diyi, Zheng Zhan, and a large number of soul beasts, all of which were absorbed into Huo Yuhao's Ten Thousand Soul Banner Martial Soul.

Of course, he couldn't just eliminate Zheng Zhan. Since the soul beasts had come out, none of them were going back. Into the banner they went!

Brother Hao has always been a generous host.

The centipede-leg clone then spat out a storage soul tool ring—Zheng Zhan's corpse and gear had been sent earlier. The other two centipede clones were still busy cleaning up the battlefield.

The corpse would be given to Electrolux to turn into an undead creature—or used as fodder for the Evil God Spear, or even nourishment for the Snow Lotus. Nothing would go to waste.

As for Zheng Zhan's equipment, including the famed Indestructible Divine Shield, Huo Yuhao removed all rare minerals to feed his Frost Variant Centipede Martial Soul, and sent the rest to the Third Prince.

His own body didn't need it, but the prince happened to lack a top-tier defensive soul tool.

The Indestructible Divine Shield, which could even block sword intent, ranked among the top ten of all level-9 soul tools—higher than the Flame Heaven Net.

After delivering the items, the centipede-leg clone restored the underground passage and retreated. Huo Yuhao stood up, pocketing the milk bottle.

Soon after, Tang Ya returned.

Having restored about 80% of her soul power, she saw that Huo Yuhao had also finished and didn't question him, assuming he'd simply recovered enough to continue. The two said little, and this time, Tang Ya led the way toward the headquarters of the Holy Spirit Sect.

The headquarters lay in the Demonic Forest, which was actually connected to the Jingyang Mountains—though they still had a long way to go.

It took them another full day before Tang Ya finally led Huo Yuhao through secret paths the sect had carved through the mountain and forest regions, arriving at the Holy Spirit Sect headquarters.

She even teased him, asking him to guess where the headquarters was located. Huo Yuhao, somewhat speechless, thought,

 "Why would I not know where it is?"

Still, he played along, feigning confusion and surprise, which made Tang Ya laugh happily, as if their bond had deepened again.

They wasted no time. With Tang Ya being the Holy Maiden, no one stopped them on the way in.

But once inside, Tang Ya's expression grew strange. She sensed something… off in the air—a subtle tension she couldn't explain.

Just as she brought Huo Yuhao back to her palace and was about to summon her subordinates to investigate, an envoy from the Sect Master arrived, inviting her to a meeting.

Left with no choice, Tang Ya asked Huo Yuhao to wait in her palace for now. To prevent any issues, she gave him one of her personal tokens.

After Tang Ya left, Huo Yuhao activated his Aura Sight to probe the sect's interior—and soon smiled with intrigue.

"Interesting… The Holy Spirit Sect is truly not simple."

Something inside was actually blocking his Aura Sight.