soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

Tang Ya chose Huo Yuhao primarily because of the formidable strength standing behind him—Shrek Academy.

And also, Tang Ya was confident she could handle Huo Yuhao.

"Armour King, I want your help to build a power base that belongs solely to us outside," Tang Ya got straight to the point.

"Saintess, what makes you think I can do that?" Huo Yuhao asked coldly in response.

"Because your public identity hasn't been exposed. That makes you the perfect candidate to act under a different persona. Besides, this isn't just my decision—it's something the Evil Dragon Son and I agreed upon. We're currently under close surveillance by the Sun-Moon Empire and can't leave easily. So we're turning to you for help. Consider it a favor we owe you. Whatever you need, just name it—we'll provide it," Tang Ya said with a smile.

That's right—Tang Ya invoked Beibei's name.

She was effectively using Beibei to leverage Shrek.

And once Huo Yuhao heard it was about Beibei, as the loyal younger brother, how could he not risk life and limb for his sworn big brother?

He reacted instinctively, blurting out, "The Evil Dragon Son is also in Mingdu?"

"Indeed. But he's currently recovering from his injuries. Building a new organization is also our way of securing a future escape route," Tang Ya said meaningfully.

Huo Yuhao fell silent for a long time, then finally said, "Leave it to me—for the Holy Church."

Tang Ya smiled—brightly and genuinely.

——

Is building a faction difficult?

For an average soul master, creating a small group isn't hard. But forming a major force in Mingdu—especially under current heavy crackdowns—would be extremely difficult.

But for Huo Yuhao, it was merely a matter of saying the word.

Don't ask how. Just know—he had backing.

So Huo Yuhao accepted the mission from Tang Ya, and immediately sent the task requirements to the Third Prince. The prince responded by dispatching two of his trusted subordinates—Douluo Mo Ying and Douluo Qing Ci—to secretly establish the organization's framework.

This new group wouldn't be a shadowy underground force—it would be a legitimate, visible organization. However, it couldn't be traced back to the Holy Spirit Church. It didn't need to grow huge but had to be stable and sustainable.

It couldn't be just a shell corporation.

Given these requirements, Douluo Mo Ying and Douluo Qing Ci beat their chests with confidence, promising it would be done. Just wait for their update.

While they weren't the strongest fighters, their abilities were solid.

Even without stepping in personally, they could get the job done.

——

Later, Huo Yuhao returned to base and informed Zhang Lexuan of Tang Ya's intent to establish her own faction. He also revealed that Beibei was hiding in Mingdu and recuperating.

But he still didn't reveal that Beibei was the Evil Dragon Son.

Zhang Lexuan showed visible emotional fluctuation. Although she had agreed to Xian Lin'er's plan, she was still worried about Beibei deep down.

Even if her feelings for Beibei had fractured, to Zhang Lexuan, Beibei was still family. How could she just abandon him?

However, Xian Lin'er was right—against the many strong members of the Holy Spirit Church, they couldn't save Beibei. Making contact now might even endanger him further.

Letting Huo Yuhao help Tang Ya and Beibei build a power base—their escape route—was the only way they could help him now.

So Zhang Lexuan handed over her White Lotus Cult followers to Huo Yuhao, giving him the authority to mobilize them to support Tang Ya and Beibei.

Even if she didn't want to help Tang Ya, she had to consider Beibei.

Naturally, Huo Yuhao didn't refuse.

After all, the Third Prince was bound to plant his own men in Tang Ya's faction anyway. With the addition of the White Lotus followers, everything would go smoothly.

This, however, stirred deeper emotions in Zhang Lexuan. She felt even more powerless—and her hunger for strength only grew more intense.

At the same time, her feelings of guilt and gratitude toward Huo Yuhao grew stronger by the day.

That's why, when four maids tried to drag Huo Yuhao into a five-player queue during the day, Zhang Lexuan walked in again unannounced.

The four maids were so startled, they instantly vacated the spot for Huo Yuhao.

"Yuhao… consider this my way of saying thanks."

Zhang Lexuan swept her hair back, knelt down, and began serving him. This time, she even mimicked the maids—unfastening her collar and applying new techniques.

Afterwards, her cultivation advanced slightly again—bringing her a little closer to level 90.

——

Night fell once more.

Huo Yuhao used the excuse of building a faction for Tang Ya to bid farewell to Zhang Lexuan. He did not return to the Holy Spirit Church.

Instead, he returned to the imperial harem.

Tonight—he was going to claim the Empress!

When the four noble consorts heard this, they were all thrilled, unwilling to miss out—as if some strange switch had been flipped. Especially the lead consort—the Third Prince's mother—she was the most excited.

Because among them, she had the worst relationship with the Empress.

Though they submitted to Huo Yuhao, it didn't mean they had become mindless puppets.

So the conflict between the Empress and the consorts intensified without restraint. After the Third Prince's return, the consorts gained the upper hand. The Empress hadn't been able to cause them trouble for several days now.

Now, the consorts even dared to skip paying respects to the Empress.

The other three consorts had already sided with the Third Prince's mother.

As for the Imperial Noble Consort and Xu Tianzhen, they were still recovering and hadn't yet adapted to Huo Yuhao's power—so they weren't part of tonight's event.

But unexpectedly, when Huo Yuhao arrived at the harem to find the Empress, he immediately noticed something was off.

Normally, the guards were no obstacle for him—but tonight, most of the guards were mysteriously absent, as if lured away… or eliminated.

Huo Yuhao instantly released his spiritual power to scout—and couldn't help but chuckle.

"This is getting interesting."

——

A battle broke out outside the palace of the Third Prince's mother—the lead consort.

Countless palace maids and eunuchs clashed in a fierce melee.

No one could have imagined that one day, a battle would erupt inside the imperial harem of the emperor.

Was the nation about to fall?

No—it was a premeditated assassination attempt by the Empress on the consorts!

The Empress herself even took to the field—wearing soul devices, wielding a soul cannon—charging directly into the consort's palace.

Unprecedented. Unheard of.

Luckily, the four noble consorts had gathered earlier that night. Together, using their high-grade soul devices, they barely managed to resist the Empress's assault.

The Empress was shocked by the strength they displayed—even though she had planned a sneak attack, the four consorts still held their ground.

Had they all grown stronger?

And why did they all have so many high-grade soul devices on them? Could it be—they were forewarned? Was there a traitor at her side?

Don't ask—just know the four consorts were terrified too.

While working with Huo Yuhao was thrilling, they feared exposure. So as a precaution, they all carried tools to "protect themselves."

Furious and shocked by the ambush, the consorts knew better than to challenge the Empress directly. Instead, they focused on defense, stalling for time.

"You're stalling?" the Empress sneered. "Let me tell you—tonight, no one can stop me!"

But she didn't realize—Huo Yuhao had silently slipped into the palace.

And at some point, the sounds of fighting outside… had disappeared entirely.

Huo Yuhao had to admit, the Empress was a force to be reckoned with.

Worthy of her phoenix aura, she acted decisively, with a keen grasp of the world's essence: all power stems from force. If authority fails, fists prevail.

Perhaps civilization makes people forget that violence underpins rule.

Huo Yuhao's fists were harder, his violence greater, so his unrestrained actions were only logical.

As the Empress prepared to strike again, Huo Yuhao's shadowy hand pinned her to the ground, instantly sealing her power.

She was stunned.

Another master?

The four consorts, overjoyed, cooed, "My lord, our lord is here!"

Seeing this, the Empress seethed, grinding her teeth.

She realized her miscalculation. She hadn't anticipated such a master hidden in the harem, someone so significant that the four consorts called him "lord." Worse, he sided with them.

Despair crept in.

"So that's it… No wonder today's plan went so smoothly. The empire has abandoned me! I haven't avenged the Crown Prince. I'm not reconciled!" she cried.

In truth, she'd outmaneuvered Kong Deming and others, who never suspected the harem's upheaval or noticed her actions tonight. To avoid impropriety while the emperor was incapacitated, they steered clear of the harem.

Though a misunderstanding, the outcome was set—her plan had failed.

As the nation's mother, the Empress, pinned to the ground, took a deep breath, steadied herself, closed her eyes, and said calmly, "I've lost. Kill or torture me as you will!"

She could accept defeat.

She believed she had nothing left to lose.

But she misjudged the situation. Huo Yuhao didn't want her life.

Looking down at her, he said softly, "As I will? You said it. Let's disarm the Empress."

The four consorts froze, caught off guard. They'd been fighting for their lives moments ago—now this? The shift was jarring.

The First Consort reacted first, smiling wickedly. She approached the Empress, crouching and trailing a sharp nail across her still-charming cheek.

"Rejoice, Empress. Your body and beauty have spared your life, heh heh…"

Vengeance surged within her.

Without the other three consorts and Huo Yuhao tonight, she might have perished. The Empress had threatened her life, making them mortal enemies.

The Empress had courted death!

But since Huo Yuhao spoke, her death could be spared—though punishment was inevitable.

Now, to make her suffer!

The water she'd endured would drown the Empress!

She, too, had been coerced initially.

The other three consorts caught on, joining in, thrilled yet nervous.

This was the Empress, the nation's mother, above even the Imperial Consort. Once untouchable, tonight they'd become "sisters."

The Empress sensed the danger, shouting, "What are you doing? I can be killed, not humiliated!"

But, stripped of strength and mobility, she couldn't resist. As the four consorts dragged her to the bed, she saw Huo Yuhao clearly, realizing he couldn't be a hidden palace master.

Even palace masters, capable of killing her, wouldn't dare disrespect her.

Only an outsider would be so brazen!

And the four consorts' practiced actions showed this wasn't their first time—it wasn't impromptu!

"Fine, fine! You're colluding! Do you know what you're doing? If this gets out, you'll all die!" the Empress spat, her resistance fiercer than the Imperial Consort's.

She was the Sun Moon Emperor's Empress—how could an unknown defile her?

But the consorts swiftly stripped her soul tool armor, exposing her voluptuous form, giving her no chance to struggle.

The First Consort whispered seductively in her ear, "I can't wait to see the lofty Empress tamed into a beast~"

"You wretch!" the Empress cursed. "Touch me, and even in death, I'll haunt you!"

"Empress, your murderous intent tonight has let a heart demon take root, endangering the continent. As they say, if I don't enter hell, who will? Tonight, I'll exorcise this demon and save the world!" Huo Yuhao said earnestly, then threw himself into the fray.

Swiftly disarm the Empress, press her song in the deep night.

…

Thus, Huo Yuhao single-handedly quelled the Sun Moon Empire's harem turmoil, stabilizing the empire.

The process was grueling. Even with the four consorts, the unleashed Empress remained insatiable, her long-neglected body ravenous. As a beast martial soul master, her physique was exceptionally robust.

The Empress, the emperor's first wife, had been sidelined as she aged. Yet, in her fifties and a Titled Douluo, time barely marked her.

Ultimately, Huo Yuhao prevailed.

After such effort, he slipped away, a good deed done anonymously.

The maids and eunuchs killed in the night's chaos were quietly handled by the Empress, Imperial Consort, and four consorts, raising no ripples. No one spoke of them again.

As if they'd never existed.

Lesser consorts dared not mention it. They cared little, more eager for the Third Prince's "comfort." They knew, regardless of who ruled the harem, the Third Prince wouldn't mistreat them.

The Empress's talent rivaled the Imperial Consort's. A self-cultivated Level 94 Titled Douluo, she had exceptional endurance and a top-tier fire-attributed dragon martial soul, the Crimson Armor Dragon.

Beyond her talent, she provided Huo Yuhao with abundant phoenix aura.

This pushed Xuelian to its final step, fully forming its domain.

Seven-colored light wreathed Xuelian(Snow Lotus), its domain born from rainbow dragon bloodline, fused with phoenix aura—a fitting outcome for the "dragon clan's heir."

Huo Yuhao named it the Seven-Colored Domain.

Like the rainbow dragon's power, it was a support domain, greatly enhancing all aspects of himself and allies within its range.

This was merely its base effect.

As the domain formed, Xuelian fused its power further, promising future enhancements.

Huo Yuhao crossed the Sun Moon harem off his list.

Yu Mandance, the Empress, Imperial Consort, and four consorts—these prime cauldrons were temporarily exhausted, yielding little for at least half a year.

"Next, targets beyond the harem." 

Huo Yuhao hadn't neglected the nurturing of the Heavenly Dragon Maidens and Lotus Heart Demons.

The Heavenly Dragon Maidens were currently under Shangguan Wei'er's tutelage. Protected by Huo Yuhao's clone, Shangguan Wei'er and the maidens remained in Mingdu, housed in one of the Third Prince's estates.

Upon the Third Prince's return, their arrangement became simpler—he became their overt protector. With his backing, even the royal clan had to abandon their pursuit of Shangguan Wei'er, instead showing her deference.

To outsiders, Shangguan Wei'er appeared to be the Third Prince's concubine.

Unaware that even the Third Prince obeyed Huo Yuhao, Shangguan Wei'er grew more reverent toward him. Even if her control were lifted, her loyalty to Huo Yuhao would remain exceptionally high.

To dispel any doubts about her fidelity, she went to great lengths to please him.

Her submission wasn't driven by faith but by her pursuit of power. For Huo Yuhao, power was merely a byproduct of strength.

The three Heavenly Dragon Maidens progressed smoothly, thanks to the vast resources Shangguan Wei'er brought from the Ordinary Alliance. Their strength now rivaled high-tier Soul Douluos, with Titled Douluo status not far off.

Fully bonded with Huo Yuhao due to their bloodline connection, the maidens were deeply dependent and affectionate toward him. He periodically dedicated time to personally train them.

Their exceptional aptitude made them suitable not just as cauldrons but as disciples worthy of cultivation.

Shangguan Wei'er's growth as a cauldron was also remarkable. Her strength had risen another level, and breaking through to Super Douluo was no longer a distant dream.

Beyond cultivation and soul tool resources, Shangguan Wei'er brought human assets.

Assuming Huo Yuhao favored beauty, she'd brought three of the Ordinary Alliance's top beauties when she fled.

None were mere ornaments; each had significant talent in cultivation or other areas:

1. Luan Fei, the next courtesan-in-training, unmarried, with a Flying Luan martial soul, Level 48, aged 15.

2. Ye Su, Shangguan Wei'er's disciple and deputy, the Ordinary Alliance's commerce manager, with a Night-Blooming Jasmine martial soul, Level 72, in her thirties.

3. Ye Guyi, a soul engineer prodigy, with a Holy Angel martial soul, Level 61, aged 18.

Whether willing or not, under Shangguan Wei'er's coercion and inducements, the three had no chance to resist.

Naturally, they couldn't escape Huo Yuhao's grasp.

Ye Su adapted quickest. As Shangguan Wei'er's disciple, despite the ethical qualms of serving the same man as her teacher, her exposure to the Ordinary Alliance's debauchery made acceptance easier.

Learning of Huo Yuhao's power from Shangguan Wei'er and witnessing her progress, Ye Su sought similar advancement.

Luan Fei followed. Trained as a courtesan, her talent was merely a tool for the Ordinary Alliance.

Once she earned enough, she'd either be bought by a noble as a plaything if lucky, or demoted to a common prostitute, serving different men nightly for profit. Historically, the latter was more common.

Serving Huo Yuhao was arguably a better fate for her.

Ye Guyi had ambitions. Valued for her soul engineer talent, she didn't face the prospect of flesh trade and could've risen to an elder. But with the Ordinary Alliance's destruction, she had no room to resist. She owed Shangguan Wei'er for her escape.

Thus, she accepted her fate.

Huo Yuhao was most curious about Ye Guyi, whose Holy Angel martial soul intrigued him. He wondered if her ancestry tied to the Qian family from ten thousand years ago.

Ye Guyi herself was unaware.

So, Huo Yuhao personally investigated.

He only examined her bloodline. Her aptitude was excellent, worthy of further cultivation. She'd be ripe for harvesting after reaching Level 70, unlocking her martial soul's true form and fully awakening her bloodline.

Luan Fei, with her Flying Luan martial soul bearing phoenix blood, was also a prime cauldron.

Ye Su's Night-Blooming Jasmine, a high-grade plant-type tool martial soul with natural toxicity, lacked special bloodline or potential.

Huo Yuhao sampled the master-disciple duo's joint service.

Shangguan Wei'er, the three women, and the Heavenly Dragon Maidens could now develop independently in Mingdu. With the Third Prince's protection, they faced no significant threats.

Incidentally, after the Ordinary Alliance's fall, many of its talented women were secretly taken into the Third Prince's estate as cauldrons.

As his strength grew, he needed more cauldrons to balance his volatile internal power.

The equilibrium of strength and softness was breaking again.

The Third Prince could consider advancing to the third layer of the *Nine Deaths Divine Art*.

The Lotus Heart Demons, hidden in Mingdu, fed on human emotions, growing rapidly.

Mingdu was their ideal breeding ground.

Thousands of them, scattered across the city, caused little disturbance.

The clone oversaw them, ensuring no issues arose.

Once mature, their ability to manipulate emotions could affect even gods, disrupting their mental state or driving them to madness.

An open spear is easy to dodge, a hidden arrow hard to guard against.

The Lotus Heart Demons were Huo Yuhao's sharpened hidden arrows.

…

A week passed slowly.

Tang Ya's faction gradually took shape.

She wasn't rushing to deliver results.

With two weeks left until the exchange event ended, Huo Yuhao was dealing with Zhang Lexuan's "gratitude."

Since Zhang Lexuan barged into the bath, breaking the five-person dynamic and initiating a six-person affair, it became routine.

Her boldness grew with each encounter.

She unlocked new techniques.

Her boundaries were gradually eroding.

Strength gains, physical pleasure, and emotional recovery fueled her obsession.

Perhaps Zhang Lexuan no longer knew what she was doing, numbing herself with pleasure to escape her guilt toward Beibei.

Though she'd opened most of herself to Huo Yuhao, she held firm on the final step—her last boundary, her final purity.

Instead, she offered an alternative path.

During her indulgence, the four maidservants didn't dare approach, only watching, as if fearing to disturb her. They'd scavenge leftovers once she was done.

Another day, as Zhang Lexuan writhed in Huo Yuhao's arms, barely clothed, the maidservants' eyes burned with longing but restrained themselves.

This time, after Huo Yuhao sated her, a powerful soul force fluctuation erupted from Zhang Lexuan.

She had broken through! The bathhouse was shrouded in thick steam.

Without bothering to dress, Zhang Lexuan pulled herself from Huo Yuhao's embrace and sat cross-legged on the floor, circulating her soul power. The fluctuations of her soul power surged higher and grew increasingly solid, rapidly and massively absorbing the ambient elemental energy of the world.

Eventually, all of her soul power was drawn back into her body with a forceful pulse, and her cultivation stabilized completely.

Level 90—Quasi-Titled Douluo—Achieved!

 Just one soul ring away, Zhang Lexuan was now on the brink of becoming a true Titled Douluo!

Unlike Nan Shuishui or the Third Prince—who were forcibly elevated to Titled Douluo status due to lacking a solid foundation—Zhang Lexuan had cultivated deeply over time. She had long since begun the process of forming a soul core.

Thus, as her soul power broke through, she capitalized on the momentum to form her own soul core in one smooth motion.

The soul core did not directly enhance her strength, but it became the heart of her soul power, granting her an endless internal flow. It significantly boosted both her total soul power and her recovery speed.

Having a soul core isn't a requirement for being a powerful Titled Douluo—but those who do possess one are undoubtedly stronger in terms of soul power capacity and regeneration.

As her cultivation stabilized, Zhang Lexuan opened her eyes—emotions swirling within them.

On one hand, she hadn't expected to break through under such circumstances; no wonder Ma Xiaotao and the others were so addicted to that sort of thing. On the other hand, her breakthrough came with a twist.

A seed from the Ming King's Divine Artifact had fused into her newly formed soul core. It enhanced the core's quality and granted her certain benefits—but it also deepened the entanglement of this latent threat with her very being. She had no way of knowing what consequences it might bring in the future.

At that moment, Huo Yuhao stepped forward with the four maids, smiling as if oblivious to everything that had just happened. "Senior Sister, congratulations on your breakthrough!"

"Congratulations, Saintess, on reaching Titled Douluo!"

The four maids spoke in unison, expressions full of awe and reverence.

"This is thanks to you too," Zhang Lexuan replied reflexively—then immediately blushed, realizing how embarrassing that sounded.

After all, breaking through in that way was something she found deeply shameful. And right now, both she and Huo Yuhao were completely unclothed, having seen each other without reservation.

Unable to bear it any longer, her usual calm thoroughly spent, Zhang Lexuan jumped to her feet and fled the bathhouse, practically escaping back to her own room.

The four maids, however, moved in eagerly—clearly having restrained themselves with great effort.

"Looks like Senior Sister won't be seeing me for a while… So I'll just enjoy some time with you four," Huo Yuhao said, pulling the maids into his arms as a new round of indulgence began.

The next day.

Huo Yuhao, Zhang Lexuan, Xian Lin'er, and the four maids quietly departed from Mingdu, heading for the Evil Demon Forest in search of a ninth soul ring for Zhang Lexuan.

Naturally, Xian Lin'er was thrilled about Zhang Lexuan's breakthrough and decided to personally assist in hunting a suitable soul ring.

However, she didn't place too much hope in the venture—after all, for Zhang Lexuan's ninth ring, it had to be a 100,000-year soul ring, and such soul beasts were exceedingly rare.

If they happened to encounter one, then with the combined strength of Xian Lin'er, Zhang Lexuan, and Huo Yuhao, there was a decent chance they could succeed.

Ultimately, with Huo Yuhao subtly manipulating the situation behind the scenes, Xian Lin'er decided they would spend one week searching for a 100,000-year soul beast. If they found nothing, they would return to Mingdu and begin preparations to withdraw with the exchange student delegation from the Sun Moon Empire.

In truth, Xian Lin'er's decision wasn't based solely on a whim—she had learned from Fan Yu that detailed data on soul beast distributions within the Sun Moon Empire revealed that the Evil Demon Forest did, indeed, contain 100,000-year beasts.

Apart from the Evil Demon Forest, the Jingyang Mountain Range also had 100,000-year soul beasts—but its terrain was far more complex, with the beasts hiding in even deeper regions, making them harder to find.

The Evil Demon Forest was smaller by comparison—not as vast as the Star Dou Forest—but still one of the largest in the Sun Moon Empire. More importantly, it was home to a powerful soul beast clan: the Evil Eyes!

Perhaps they would be able to find a 100,000-year Evil Eye.

Of course, whether they would dare to fight it was another matter—they'd decide based on what they found.

Besides, if they managed to leave the Sun Moon Empire with a 100,000-year soul ring and a soul bone, that would be one fewer resource for the enemy's future soul masters.

Harming the enemy while helping themselves—why not?

The Evil Demon Forest was located west of the Jingyang Mountains.

The group made great time—reaching the forest in just one day, even faster than when Huo Yuhao had followed Tang Ya back to the Holy Spirit Sect headquarters.

Thanks to Huo Yuhao's guidance, they avoided the region around the sect's HQ. None of the women wanted to risk an encounter with the Holy Spirit Sect and complicate their mission.

Once inside the Evil Demon Forest, the party grew far more cautious, quietly searching for signs of powerful soul beasts.

Huo Yuhao scanned the surroundings, thinking to himself: if they were relying solely on Xian Lin'er and the others to find a 100,000-year soul beast, the odds of success were slim. Even if they did find one—like a 100,000-year Evil Eye—there was no guarantee they could kill it. And if they did, they'd still have to deal with the Evil Eye Tyrant's wrath.

But with Huo Yuhao present, none of that was an issue.

In fact, their eagerness to go on this soul hunt was largely due to Huo Yuhao's mental influence behind the scenes. Xian Lin'er had simply convinced herself with various self-justifications.

Coming to the Evil Demon Forest served two purposes: Huo Yuhao wanted an Evil Eye Tyrant soul ring, and more importantly—Xu Tianran was finally ripe for the taking.

Yes, Xu Tianran was currently hiding in the Evil Demon Forest.

The forest was not only home to the Evil Eye clan but to many other powerful soul beasts. Any beast that could survive under the Evil Eyes' rule was no weakling—many were particularly dangerous.

Huo Yuhao activated his Aura Sight, instantly mapping out most of the Evil Demon Forest and identifying many soul beasts whose fortunes left distinct imprints.

Armed with Huo Yuhao's full-map perspective, his hidden Centipede-Leg Avatars began their hunt.

Rare and powerful soul beasts—none were spared!

Deep within the forest, a three-meter-tall Earth Dragon was foraging. It resembled a miniature Tyrannosaurus Rex in appearance but was much smaller.

This was a Devour Dragon, sometimes called the Mini-Tyrant Dragon. Unlike the Tyrannosaurus, it didn't have incredible physical strength. Instead, it belonged to the same category as the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger—a savage, devour-type soul beast.

It would eat anything—other soul beasts, plants, even insects—absorbing their energy. After just 1,000 years, it could reach a cultivation of 10,000 years. A true scourge of the soul beast world.

Its signature talent was Devour Heaven and Earth, which turned a surrounding area into a death zone, allowing it to consume corpses to heal and evolve.

However, unlike the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, the Devour Dragon lacked intelligence. Driven purely by instinct, it rarely reached high cultivation years.

This particular Devour Dragon had only reached the 10,000-year level.

It had just captured a 1,000-year-old soul beast and was about to devour it when—

It never got the chance.

A Centipede-Leg Avatar burst from the ground, dragging the Devour Dragon below to become a snack for the Frost Centipede Martial Soul.

Of course, the 1,000-year soul beast was taken along too.

A tradition of frugality—passed down through the ages.

Within the Demonic Forest.

Using the excuse that he needed to send his Mutant Ice Jade Centipede Martial Soul to scout the area, Huo Yuhao secretly had it burrow underground. Then, activating his Devouring Technique, he began consuming the rare and powerful soul beasts brought back by the Centipede Leg Clones one by one, converting them into his own strength and stealing their abilities.

In truth, though, very few soul beast abilities were still of value to the current Mutant Ice Jade Centipede. Only those from super soul beasts or ones with unique traits could truly elevate his combat power.

More than a week passed, and even the entirety of Mingde Hall had been digested inside the Centipede's belly. As a result, the Centipede inherited the properties of over a hundred different ores and materials.

But the most significant improvement came to its physical durability.

At this point, the Mutant Ice Jade Centipede could withstand a direct hit from a Grade Nine Fixed Soul Tool without suffering a scratch!

Furthermore, perhaps due to the vast number of soul tool arrays within Mingde Hall, the Centipede gained a postnatal divine ability: it could condense special array markings on its body to amplify its defense, speed, and attack simultaneously.

Huo Yuhao named this ability: Soul Tool Array Markings.

It was considered a postnatal divine ability because the Centipede had to actively condense the array markings itself. If it were an innate divine ability, the enhancements would have been permanent and automatic.

In fact, the Centipede gained two new postnatal divine abilities. The second one came from the Inheritance of the God of Wisdom, a state-type ability that could only be used while invoking the God of Wisdom's legacy.

If the Centipede ever fully became the God of Wisdom and ascended to first-rank godhood, then perhaps this second ability would evolve into an innate divine power, becoming even more potent.

As for the God of Wisdom's inheritance, its other effects—besides bestowing knowledge—included boosting the Centipede's intellect.

But so far, no other major changes had appeared.

After all, knowledge is not the same as wisdom—the former can be learned, but the latter must be discovered and understood.

Thanks to the constant feeding from the Centipede Leg Clones, the Mutant Ice Jade Centipede enjoyed a luxurious, couch-potato-like lifestyle, with food practically delivered to its mouth.

Even that ten-thousand-year-old Devouring Dragon had been consumed by it, and unsurprisingly, the Centipede acquired the dragon's Devour Heaven and Earth ability.

This ability was quite useful—it allowed the Centipede, with its immense power, to affect over half of the Demonic Forest when unleashed.

However, using it came at the cost of harming the Douluo Continent's fate.

Killing soul beasts was one thing—but destroying forests was another.

As for the abilities of other soul beasts, they weren't nearly as practical. Most of them either had inferior versions of powers the Centipede already possessed or were simply redundant.

So far, among all the powers gained through the Devouring Technique, only three had proven truly valuable. All three came from just two species: the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear and the Devouring Dragon.

From the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear came:

Darkgolden Defense

Darkgolden Centipede Legs

One for defense, one for offense—these were now the Centipede's main tools in close combat.

From the Devouring Dragon came:

Devour Heaven and Earth

This could be used as a finishing move and greatly enhanced the Centipede's devouring efficiency.

…

While the Centipede was busy "feasting," the task of seeking out soul beasts naturally fell to Huo Yuhao.

But for Yuhao—who had full map awareness—this posed zero difficulty. Not only did he know the locations of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, but he could also pinpoint the safest routes.

Thus, scenes like this played out:

"Let's go this way. There's a soul beast over there."

 "There's a water source ahead—no soul beasts nearby right now."

 "A pig-type soul beast is on the left. We can catch it for lunch."

When that pig-type beast ended up on the grill, the rest of the group found themselves dazed. Was this really how soul hunting was supposed to feel?

They had ventured deep into the forest without encountering any danger. It was easier and more relaxing than taking a walk at home.

"Yuhao, your martial soul is really… convenient," Zhang Lexuan commented.

Yuhao grinned brightly, "As long as I'm here, no problem~"

But Xian Lin'er frowned slightly as she watched the campfire blaze, "Yuhao, doing this might attract wild soul beasts. Don't be careless."

"No worries," Yuhao replied with a smile. "The Ice Jade Centipede already checked. There are no powerful wild beasts nearby, and the weaker ones wouldn't dare come close."

And for good reason—most of the powerful wild soul beasts had already been eaten by the Centipede.

Xian Lin'er could only nod reluctantly. After all, they really hadn't encountered many soul beasts on their way here.

"The Sun-Moon Empire is said to have scarce soul beast resources, and it seems the rumors were true. Even in their famed Demonic Forest, high-level soul beasts are this rare. No wonder their soul masters are so weak."

"Yeah, yeah, totally," Yuhao echoed her words enthusiastically.

Thanks to his cooking, the pig-type soul beast was transformed into delicious roast meat, and the women enjoyed the meal thoroughly.

As soul masters, none of them had small appetites.

After lunch, they resumed their journey.

Under Yuhao's intentional guidance, the group gradually approached the territory of a hidden hundred-thousand-year soul beast.

Originally, Yuhao had planned to lead them to hunt a hundred-thousand-year Evil Eye, but after examining the forest's fate, he found an even more suitable beast for Zhang Lexuan—easier to kill and a better match.

It was a plant-type soul beast.

For a plant beast to survive a hundred thousand years in the Evil Eyes' territory, it must be:

Excluded from their diet,

Not competing for resources,

No threat to the Evil Eyes' survival.

Most plant-type soul beasts had one major flaw: unless they took human form, they couldn't move. That made them easier to hunt.

The group continued exploring. By dusk, they reached a sheltered area and set up camp.

Soul beast forests were more dangerous at night, so the standard practice was to rest at night and hunt by day.

Yuhao glanced at the sky. "Nice moonlight tonight."

They took turns standing watch.

When the night deepened—

A soft call from Xian Lin'er woke everyone up. As they exited the tents, they were greeted by a stunning sight.

A beam of moonlight descended from the sky like the Milky Way, falling upon a patch of forest not far from camp.

Anything involving moonlight instantly piqued Xian Lin'er's curiosity—they had to investigate.

"Lexuan, come with me to check it out. Yuhao, you stay here and guard the camp," she instructed, then set off with Zhang Lexuan toward the phenomenon.

Yuhao remained behind with the four maids—but he already knew exactly what was going on in the distance.

As Xian Lin'er and Zhang Lexuan approached the spot, they saw a massive tree, glowing with a gentle silver radiance, drawing in moonlight to nourish its growth.

"That's a hundred-thousand-year soul beast!" Xian Lin'er exclaimed in delight. "Lexuan, that one is perfect for you!"

Zhang Lexuan nodded, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.

Because it was a hundred-thousand-year Laurel Tree!

The most coveted soul beast for any soul master who cultivated with the power of the moon!