soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

"Yuhao, Senior Xian!" Zhang Leixuan joyfully called out to the returning Huo Yuhao and Xian Lin'er.

Huo Yuhao and Xian Lin'er jumped and landed on either side of Zhang Leixuan.

"Senior, I'm so glad you're alright!" Huo Yuhao looked at Zhang Leixuan with surprise.

"Leixuan, let's join forces and eliminate this beast once and for all! It's time for revenge!" Xian Lin'er coldly looked at the Starry River Laurel Tree.

Zhang Leixuan collected her emotions and turned her gaze toward the Starry River Laurel Tree, nodding seriously. "Alright, let's fight together!"

The four maidservants were also very happy to see Huo Yuhao. However, they didn't approach him to talk. Instead, they became more focused on restraining the Starry River Laurel Tree.

They spread out in four directions and used a special combination formation to work together. But their task was not to attack the main trunk of the Starry River Laurel Tree. Rather, they used the combination formation to restrain the tree's branches.

With the help of their techniques, the elements of gold, wood, water, and fire resonated together. The ground, representing the earth element, formed a five-element formation with effects such as trapping, exhausting, attacking, and defending.

Previously, they had successfully held off the branches of the Starry River Laurel Tree, giving Zhang Leixuan a chance to attack the main trunk. With Huo Yuhao and Xian Lin'er joining the fray, the pressure on them was reduced, and they even had the opportunity to wear down the tree's branches.

"Although it's not a martial soul fusion technique, this martial soul combination technique is really good," Xian Lin'er naturally noticed the situation with the four maidservants and couldn't help but praise them.

In Douluo, formations were rarely discussed. It was usually referred to as a martial soul combination technique.

While it wasn't as rare as a martial soul fusion skill, it was still valuable and unique.

Then, Xian Lin'er took the lead and charged forward.

Her Cyan Dragon martial soul enveloped her, and she was surrounded by rapidly spinning cyan winds. The intense friction of the wind elements caused strands of blue flames to ignite, making Xian Lin'er resemble a Valkyrie in the flames.

Unlike before, Xian Lin'er now reflected a faint golden light, and her aura became fiercer.

The Cyan Dragon Spear appeared in Xian Liner's hand. She swiftly twisted her wrist, and a golden light shot out from the tip of the spear, stabbing toward the Starry River Laurel Tree with an overwhelming, ferocious momentum, accompanied by a dragon's roar.

Battle Skill: Dragon's Descent!

The Starry River Laurel Tree emitted a powerful spiritual wave, attempting to interrupt Xian Liner's attack, but it failed. Huo Yuhao's Frostworm martial soul also released its spiritual power to counter the tree's spiritual attack.

As a result, Xian Liner's dragon spear pierced the tree's trunk without resistance, creating a massive hole.

Intense anger surged within the Starry River Laurel Tree.

If it hadn't been severely injured by the Evil Eye Tyrant King, how could it be so powerless? Even during the day, it shouldn't have been so helpless against the attacks of these humans.

Xian Liner sneered and did not retreat. Her dragon spear continuously struck, relentlessly attacking the Starry River Laurel Tree. At the same time, she was adapting to her new body.

"The strength of my body has indeed increased. I didn't expect the enhancement to be this significant!"

After her surprise, Xian Lin'er was thrilled. She had forgotten the last time she fought so freely.

Huo Yuhao also began to use his Frost Centipede martial soul to unleash Ultimate Ice, freezing the Starry River Laurel Tree and continuously weakening its vitality.

As Zhang Leixuan watched Xian Lin'er fighting so fiercely, her eyes flickered slightly. She noticed that Xian Lin'er seemed to be unharmed and couldn't help but feel curious.

"Senior Xian endured such an attack before; how come she's not injured?"

But now wasn't the time to delve into that.

Zhang Leixuan continued to fight, unleashing crescent moon blades that successfully hit the Starry River Laurel Tree. With Xian Lin'er as the main force, Huo Yuhao as support, and the four maidservants as distractions, Zhang Leixuan was able to fully unleash her attacks.

During the day, the Starry River Laurel Tree was weaker because it couldn't harness the power of moonlight and starlight to launch such a strong attack.

Its main fighting method was now spiritual attacks and branch strikes.

However, it still had the strength of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast.

In the past, with the help of other soul beasts, even a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast and a Title Douluo couldn't easily defeat it.

But now, with its soul beasts all killed and it heavily wounded, the Starry River Laurel Tree was forced to resist but was gradually losing power. Its injuries continued to worsen.

It couldn't even escape.

Finally, after half an hour, despite its great life force as a plant-type soul beast, the Starry River Laurel Tree was defeated.

With boundless hatred and unwillingness, Zhang Leixuan ended the life of the Starry River Laurel Tree.

A powerful soul power wave erupted, and a blood-red soul ring condensed around the shattered body of the Starry River Laurel Tree, releasing the formidable aura of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast.

The four maidservants saw this and felt some pressure, but they also revealed joy at their victory.

They had successfully hunted a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast. Even though they had only been holding it back, they felt a deep sense of pride.

The four maidservants: We are really strong!

"Leixuan, absorb the soul ring first. No other soul beasts will dare approach for now, and with us here, you don't need to worry," Xian Lin'er told Zhang Leixuan.

Zhang Leixuan nodded.

Without further ado, she sat cross-legged and began to absorb the soul ring, drawing it onto her martial soul.

Xian Lin'er smiled with satisfaction. "Another Title Douluo is going to emerge from Shrek. With Leixuan's talent, she'll at least be as strong as Elder Xuan in the future."

She didn't think Zhang Leixuan would fail to absorb it, since Leixuan had already absorbed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring before and had a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, so her body was strong enough.

Huo Yuhao had also learned about the Starry River Laurel Tree from the Evil Emperor. The reason the Starry River Laurel Tree had been kept alive was that its power could assist the Evil Eye Tyrant's cultivation.

Later, Huo Yuhao exchanged a few words with the four maidservants, feeling their concern, joy, and suppressed eagerness.

However, since there were "outsiders" present, Huo Yuhao didn't engage in a deeper conversation.

Afterward, Huo Yuhao took out tools and began to dissect the remains of the Starry River Laurel Tree, with the four maidservants helping him.

The materials from a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast were treasures, especially those from plant-type soul beasts. Their essences could be used for medicine.

Moreover, beyond the materials, the most important thing was the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, which Huo Yuhao also extracted.

A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast always dropped a Soul Bone, and if the killer was missing a particular soul bone, it would likely drop an external soul bone.

Zhang Leixuan's soul bones were not fully configured, so the soul bone that dropped was one of the six main bones, specifically the head bone, which was most compatible with spiritual attributes.

Time passed.

Huo Yuhao completely dismembered the body of the Starry River Laurel Tree, sorting and storing everything carefully.

Finally, Zhang Leixuan finished absorbing the soul ring.

The aura of a Title Douluo fully erupted from Zhang Leixuan, and her Moon Martial Soul appeared. Nine soul rings, two yellow, two purple, three black, and two red, surrounded her martial soul.

Xian Lin'er smiled with satisfaction.

Huo Yuhao also smiled, his face full of contentment.

"It was worth my nurturing. It's finally matured."

Compared to other women, although Zhang Lexuan did not possess a special resource like phoenix qi, she had a far rarer destiny trait — one that could bless those around her.

Therefore, Zhang Lexuan was not someone to miss out on.

Women with such special destinies were few and far between in Huo Yuhao's life — even in a place like Shrek Academy, where elites gathered, there were only a handful.

Zhang Lexuan was among the most outstanding.

Among those with stronger destinies than her, only Wang Dong, the daughter of a God King, and Xiao Xiao surpassed her.

Unfortunately, Xiao Xiao was still too young — not yet ripe for "harvest" — whereas Zhang Lexuan was already mature.

Both in strength and potential, she had ripened, making her far more valuable to Huo Yuhao.

Zhang Lexuan didn't notice the greed deep in Huo Yuhao's eyes, assuming, like Xian Lin'er, he was simply happy for her breakthrough.

Then, Zhang Lexuan proceeded to absorb the remaining 100,000-year soul bone.

Absorbing a soul bone was much easier.

Another hour passed.

Zhang Lexuan completed the absorption, her soul power smoothly breaking through to Rank 93. The soul ring and bone provided her with rich energy and even enhanced her spiritual power.

She didn't advance all the way to Rank 94 like Nan Shuishui, because Nan Shuishui had received plenty of "nourishment" from Huo Yuhao — her body still held unassimilated nutrients that allowed for rapid advancement.

Under normal circumstances, when a quasi-Title Douluo absorbed a 100,000-year soul ring and bone, advancing to Rank 92 was typical. Only those with excellent foundations or top-tier soul beasts could reach Rank 93.

After Zhang Lexuan finished absorbing the ring, Xian Lin'er didn't ask her about the abilities it granted. Instead, she immediately ordered everyone to prepare to leave the Demonic Forest and return to Mingdu.

Earlier soul rings were easier to discuss, but abilities from 100,000-year soul rings and bones were a soul master's greatest secrets.

…

After a grueling journey—

The group safely returned to Mingdu.

Once back in the city, Huo Yuhao and his party parted ways with Xian Lin'er, who acted as if nothing had happened — not even exchanging a single extra word with him.

Perhaps, in her heart, everything with Huo Yuhao had been a mistake. A fleeting dream. She even gave up on advancing her martial soul further.

Huo Yuhao said nothing. After all, Xian Lin'er didn't have a phoenix qi bloodline, and he had already taken her vital yin and whatever other benefits he needed.

This trip had taken less than a week round-trip. With about eight days left before the exchange program ended, the schedule was tight — but manageable.

At least for Huo Yuhao.

His remaining tasks were now much simpler.

The only side missions left were targeting Tang Ya and Ju Zi.

Tang Ya's mission wasn't urgent — it could even wait until the next opportunity.

Ju Zi, on the other hand, had lost Xu Tiannan's support. Even if she was capable, she would need time to develop. Besides, Huo Yuhao had a mole close to her. He could even take her by force if needed.

As for resource collection, that was a long-term mission. Leaving his Centipede-Leg clones in the Sun Moon Empire to mine resources was enough.

Deep in the Jingyang Mountains, those clones had already unearthed many precious ores, which were being used to feed his mutated Frost Centipede martial soul and to fuse into the shaft of the Hao Sovereign Banner.

Even the Lotus Demoness, the Dragon Girl, and others had already been arranged accordingly.

 With the Third Prince now holding a high position in the empire, he just needed a good day to ascend the throne — fully capable of overseeing Huo Yuhao's industries in the Sun Moon Empire.

Recently, Huo Yuhao had been investing more effort into studying the inheritance of the God of Wisdom. Aside from divine techniques and resource knowledge, there was a lot of wisdom worth borrowing.

For instance: the creation of Divine-bestowed Soul Rings.

He hadn't yet added soul rings to the Third Prince's Purple Radiance Dragon martial soul — because of the existence of divine-bestowed soul rings. Huo Yuhao had realized he could actually make one for the Third Prince.

All he needed was to learn the method, then use the remnants of divine realm power within the Realm of Wisdom to form the prototype of a divine-bestowed soul ring.

Then, the Third Prince could absorb that prototype and merge it with the natural world energy of the Douluo realm — enhancing the soul ring's quality over time.

After acquiring this knowledge, Huo Yuhao uncovered more secrets of the divine-bestowed soul rings. For most soul masters, they were extremely beneficial.

Though divine-bestowed soul rings didn't directly increase soul power — even a 100,000-year ring only granted one skill — the skill would be highly compatible with the martial soul and help develop its potential.

Absorbing external power can strengthen you, but true cultivation comes from internal discovery. Only then can you walk the long path of cultivation.

Divine-bestowed soul rings came in two types:

Ordinary divine-bestowed rings, which could be crafted without god-realm power, had a limit of 100,000 years.

Enhanced divine-bestowed rings, created using god-realm power, could reach 999,999 years. If the soul master later broke into godhood, the ring could evolve into a true million-year divine ring — and the skill it granted would evolve into a divine ability.

Divine-bestowed soul rings were, in fact, simplified versions of divine soul rings condensed by gods — representing the true orthodox cultivation path.

In Douluo, when a divine inheritance began, the body and spirit transformed first. Only upon ascending to the divine realm would one begin evolving one's power and condense true divine rings.

Currently, Huo Yuhao's own divine rings weren't the orthodox Douluo kind — they were Fate Rings.

Still, whether Fate Rings or orthodox Divine Rings, ordinary soul rings couldn't compare to them.

"The key is the divine realm's power. The main difference between Douluo and the divine realm lies in the hierarchy of power. Higher-level power absolutely suppresses the lower," Huo Yuhao couldn't help but sigh.

It's the same for cultivators — martial artists train internal energy, soul masters refine soul power, but true immortals and gods wield spiritual energy or divine power.

From this divine soul ring technology, and through the perspective of the All-Laws Eye, Huo Yuhao had also developed ways to upgrade, utilize, and enhance soul rings.

It would further improve his combat strength.

After all, strengthening his own soul rings would deepen his foundation.

…

After returning to Mingdu, the four maids — unlike Xian Lin'er — showed no hesitation and directly dragged Huo Yuhao to the bathhouse for a "party."

The bathhouse was always chosen because it was spacious, had a constant-temperature soul formation, and a warm water pool — unlocking new experiences and making everything more enjoyable.

After a moment's hesitation, even Zhang Lexuan chose to join. She convinced herself that it was to improve her strength and eventually save Bei Bei.

And since she had already given herself once — with only one step left — she no longer cared. Perhaps letting go of Bei Bei wasn't such a bad thing.

She only wanted to save him — and would give anything for that.

Thanks to the recent trip to the Demonic Forest, the bond between Zhang Lexuan and the four maids had improved. During their "lineup," they even began coordinating with one another…

Instead of the old system, where Zhang Lexuan would go first and the others waited their turn.

But even with all five working together, they still couldn't challenge Huo Yuhao.

**Crown Prince's Mansion**

Even at night, Ju Zi was reviewing intelligence.

Ju Zi was undeniably capable. Disguised as a man and acting as the Crown Prince's advisor, she not only stabilized his faction but unified it further, firmly under her control.

Most crucially, no one suspected her.

To the outside world, she remained the naive genius mage, unremarkable otherwise.

Her competence frustrated the palace elders, who anticipated the Crown Prince's faction would falter, allowing them to crush it in one fell swoop.

Yet, with the faction so composed, the elders wondered if they'd caught wind of something.

Or… was Xu Tianran still alive?

That was beyond Ju Zi's purview.

She knew the Crown Prince's faction obeyed her because she wielded Xu Tianran's authority by proxy.

But once Xu Tianran returned, this power would slip from her grasp.

Ju Zi needed her own faction.

Previously, she lacked the chance. Now, holding the Crown Prince's seal and free from Xu Tianran's oversight, her ambitions surged unchecked.

Using the seal's privileges, Ju Zi covertly amassed resources and, with Nana's help, recruited talent, forming her own inner circle.

She knew Xu Tianran would anticipate her moves—this was the price of entrusting her with the seal and his faction.

But she also knew Xu Tianran wouldn't act against her. He understood that her vendetta against the Star Luo Empire bound her to him. She'd support his ascent to the throne, even if he was currently at a disadvantage.

Moreover, Ju Zi noticed Xu Tianran seemed different upon his last return, perhaps emboldened by a surge in strength.

She never considered betraying him. Building her faction was a precaution, a fallback.

Her revenge incomplete, she couldn't afford to die.

A spectral figure phased through the wall into the study, materializing as a young girl—Nana.

Ju Zi, sensing her arrival, relaxed slightly, smiling warmly. " Nana, visiting so late? What's up?" Her tone was intimate, like a close friend.

"Xu Tianran is dead," Nana dropped a bombshell, her expression unchanged, as if discussing an inconsequential stranger.

Ju Zi's hand trembled. Her smile vanished, replaced by wariness as she fixed her gaze on Nana.

 Nana's sudden visit and shocking claim clearly had an ulterior motive.

And to convince her, Nana needed proof.

"I'm from the White Lotus Cult, a disciple of the Death God Envoy," Nana continued, unfazed by Ju Zi's reaction. "Xu Tianran's death was orchestrated by the Third Prince and Lord Bright King three days ago in the Demonic Forest."

Ju Zi was stunned, the information overwhelming.

Her confidante was a White Lotus Cult spy?

The Third Prince and the cult had collaborated to kill Xu Tianran?

No wonder reports of disturbances in the Demonic Forest yielded no useful leads from the Sun Moon Empire…

The Third Prince's southern campaign, his rapid rise, and Xu Tianran's demise in the south now made sense.

Ju Zi had heard of the White Lotus Cult's Bright King, dismissing it as legend. Yet he existed, likely immensely powerful.

"Well played, Third Prince. What a grand scheme, executed to perfection. A silent strike that shakes the world," Ju Zi praised.

Then, she leaned back, smiling faintly, and asked Nana, "So, Nana, why reveal this now?"

Knowing she had no chance to turn the tables, Ju Zi resigned herself. The Third Prince and the White Lotus Cult were allied—perhaps the mansion was already surrounded by his men.

She felt like a clown. The faction she'd built with Nana's help—could it truly be loyal to her? Unlikely.

Unwilling but helpless, she chose to let go.

At least she could die with some peace.

Had she met the Third Prince instead, the outcome might've been different.

But that was mere fantasy.

 Nana's approach suggested she had another agenda.

 Nana studied Ju Zi. She felt no loyalty but acknowledged her ability.

Helping Ju Zi was merely her master's order.

"You can guess why I'm here this way," Nana said. "You have two choices: perish with the Crown Prince's faction or join us."

"The Third Prince fancies my looks?" Ju Zi scoffed.

The Third Prince's lechery was infamous in Mingdu.

"No, join the White Lotus Cult. Though, Lord Bright King does fancy your beauty," Nana admitted, her earlobes reddening as she recalled her master's instructions.

If possible, she'd…

Ju Zi fell silent, sitting upright, catching a detail. "The Third Prince and the White Lotus Cult—does the cult lead?"

"That's not for you to know," Nana deflected.

She didn't know either.

"Fine, I'll join. What do I do?" Ju Zi decided instantly, betting on a chance.

Her body? A dog's bite. As long as she lived, there was hope!

The response came not from Nana but a man's voice, laced with malice. "The right choice! Since you're joining, let's ascend to ecstasy together."

A powerful force pinned Ju Zi to the desk.

Her body stiffened, but she endured, not resisting.

The voice continued.

" Nana, why aren't you undressing Ju Zi—no, the former Crown Princess?"

 Nana blushed but stepped forward.

"Here?" Ju Zi's heart jolted, and she struggled fiercely. "No, not here…"

Even if she had to surrender her body, doing so in the study was unthinkable!

But she had no say.

The study's sealed door locked all sounds within.

At dawn, Huo Yuhao looked down at the unconscious Ju Zi and Nana.

Ju Zi clutched a bloodstained cloth, torn during her desperate resistance at her deflowering—a traditional keepsake.

Worthy of the woman fated for a fleeting romance with the Child of Destiny in the original story, she was indeed captivating, leaving Huo Yuhao faintly nostalgic.

Most crucially, claiming Ju Zi made his luck surge, as if the world's consciousness signaled he'd found the right keyhole.

 Nana's cultivation technique, paired with her martial soul, gave Huo Yuhao a sensation akin to dual cultivation with Zi Ji, cooling his soul.

But Nana was still too weak.

With no intent to linger, Huo Yuhao left. Little Ya was waiting.

The Third Prince would handle their next steps.There were still a few days left before leaving Mingdu, but Huo Yuhao had not shown any signs of abnormal behavior. Just as before, he frequently visited Tang Ya, maintaining appearances.

Because of this, even now, Tang Ya had no idea that Huo Yuhao was planning to leave.

She still thought that with Bei Bei's involvement, she could keep stringing Huo Yuhao along.

Huo Yuhao would even report the progress of the new faction's establishment to Tang Ya.

Thanks to the efforts of Douluo Mo Ying and Douluo Qing Ci, the new faction had been mostly established. On paper, they distanced themselves and the Third Prince from the organization to ensure that any investigation would come up clean.

But in truth, the new faction was entirely composed of people loyal to the Third Prince and the White Lotus Sect.

Even the Lotus Heart Demons had secretly moved in, using the new faction as one of their nests.

When Tang Ya heard the faction was almost ready for occupation in a few days, she was thrilled and couldn't wait to inspect it.

She placed even more value on Huo Yuhao, praising his efficiency and capability—though she still saw him as someone from Shrek.

"Maybe… I can turn the Armor Emperor into one of my people," she mused, her ambition stirring again. She hadn't given up on turning Huo Yuhao into an evil soul master.

Unfortunately, Mingdu was not the right place to make a move. If they were in the Holy Spirit Sect, she would have already begun preparations for the conversion ritual.

But Tang Ya believed there was no rush. She could first win Huo Yuhao's trust, then betray him at his most vulnerable, flooding him with hatred to make his transformation into an evil soul master even smoother. Just thinking about it thrilled her.

Huo Yuhao personally handled the final steps in the establishment of the new faction.

That night, he eliminated one of their rival factions with a simple and direct method—assassination. After all, the other side had made the first move.

The new faction took the form of a business guild called the Mingya Chamber of Commerce. On the surface, it had no backing—just a few spirit masters taking advantage of recent unrest to rise up. For now, it lacked noble or official support and had little foundation.

In business, growth inevitably threatens the interests of others in the same field. Some older, more domineering players sought to "teach the young ones a lesson" and greedily plotted to swallow the Mingya Chamber whole.

The first to strike was a chamber called Liuming.

Thus, one night, Huo Yuhao came knocking.

Despite the Liuming Chamber's head having soul power equivalent to a Soul Douluo and a forest of bodyguards at home, none could withstand the power of Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice. The battle ended in their bitter defeat.

Not even a sound escaped their estate.

This was helped by the recent relaxation of Mingdu's patrols—the streets were no longer guarded, making Huo Yuhao's job even easier. He didn't even need to use noise-suppression techniques.

He simply stormed the house, slaughtered everyone, and left without a trace.

"Now they'll understand the strength of the Mingya Chamber," Huo Yuhao said with satisfaction. "With Liuming's leader dead, their faction will fall into chaos. Mingya and the other chambers can seize the opportunity to devour them, accelerating our own growth."

He nodded with approval. It was a win-win situation. As for the noble behind Liuming…

Coincidentally, the Third Prince was looking to purge some unruly minor nobles to strengthen his control over the Sun Moon Empire and Mingdu—and that noble happened to be on the list. Talk about timing.

After Huo Yuhao left, a blood-red shadow silently emerged from the darkness—Ye Xishui's Blood Soul.

After being defeated by Huo Yuhao's true body double, Ye Xishui's true body had gone into hiding, location unknown—not in the Demonic Forest nor in Mingdu.

Now, she used her Blood Soul projection to observe the outside world.

 Ye Xishui was well aware of the Holy Spirit Sect's internal affairs—how Zhongli Wu had sent Tang Ya and Bei Bei to Mingdu. She had been keeping tabs on them because Long Xiaoyao had asked her to look after them.

With Long Xiaoyao currently injured and unable to protect Bei Bei, he had entrusted Ye Xishui with the task.

Thus, Ye Xishui took notice of the peculiar figure—Huo Yuhao.

His identity was unknown, his strength immense—clearly suspicious.

Out of boredom that night, she decided to tail him and ended up making a surprising discovery.

"Ultimate Ice? As far as I know, there's only one user of Ultimate Ice at Shrek Academy. And that move in battle—Sovereign's Descent—it belongs to Mu En."

"So that's it… He's Mu En's disciple. If I recall correctly, his real name is Huo Yuhao. He must be here for Bei Bei."

"Heh… I wonder if he knows that Bei Bei has already fallen and become an evil soul master. If that news reaches Shrek, things will get very interesting."

"What a pity…"

What a pity that Mu En was dead.

 Ye Xishui had no deep feelings for Mu En. She never liked him. To her, Mu En was just a piece in her twisted relationship games with Long Xiaoyao.

Having Mu En outside the room watching only made things more exciting.

The real entanglement had always been with Long Xiaoyao. Now, Bei Bei was even Long Xiaoyao's disciple.

After identifying Huo Yuhao, Ye Xishui didn't intend to act. She knew that if she attacked Huo Yuhao, Long Xiaoyao would not be pleased.

Instead, she grew more curious about the relationships among Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei, and Tang Ya—and what might happen in the future.

Once close comrades, now fallen into darkness… How similar to the past.

Huo Yuhao returned to the safehouse where he and Zhang Lexuan's group were stationed.

Zhang Lexuan was actually the first to know about the business-related plans. Huo Yuhao hadn't hidden the creation of the chamber from her.

In fact, he clearly stated: the chamber was not for Tang Ya—but for Bei Bei.

"Even if we're no longer in Mingdu, Brother Bei Bei can live well with this chamber. And I've planted trusted people inside to regularly report on Tang Ya and Bei Bei."

Huo Yuhao looked completely dedicated to Bei Bei's well-being.

Zhang Lexuan was deeply moved.

She had already made preparations to return to Shrek Academy, with four maids choosing to follow her as exchange students.

The rest of the White Lotus Sect members had been placed inside the Mingya Chamber, beyond Zhang Lexuan's control—but she didn't mind.

Still, knowing she was about to leave, her feelings were complicated. She worried about Bei Bei, but Huo Yuhao's thorough planning eased her concerns.

Words felt too shallow to express her gratitude. So, she gave her body instead.

During their team cultivation sessions, Zhang Lexuan and her four maids became even more enthusiastic and obedient, trying new positions.

Perhaps emotions overwhelmed her.

This time, as she sat on Huo Yuhao, she accidentally slipped—and he broke through the final boundary she had always protected.

"Senior Sister? We can't…" Huo Yuhao exclaimed in shock. In private, he still addressed her as "Senior Sister" to avoid confusion with Xian Lin'er.

But Zhang Lexuan bit her lip, endured the pain, and shook her head. She didn't pull away—she instead chose to lean in and continue.

She felt unworthy of Bei Bei. So, for his sake, she would give her body to Huo Yuhao.

"Yuhao… love me."

The Fairy of the Moon Palace, from that moment, fell into the mortal world.

Perhaps because their past encounters had always been shallow and fleeting, this night, Zhang Lexuan was utterly unrestrained.

Even with her body as a Title Douluo, she eventually collapsed in exhaustion, completely losing consciousness.

Huo Yuhao, at last, received the blessing of Zhang Lexuan's destiny fate mark—

 [Moon Authority: Kill Constraint], a fate that impacts the lives of those intimately close to Zhang Lexuan. If they cannot withstand the pressure, they face a deadly tribulation. If they can, they gain great benefits.

Huo Yuhao was undoubtedly the latter.

In the past, back at Shrek, those close to Zhang Lexuan were all prodigiously talented with strong destinies. Even if calamities emerged, they were often minor and easily resolved.

There were only two notably deadly calamities:

The extermination of Zhang Lexuan's original family.

The disastrous mission where she obtained her eighth soul ring, which resulted in severe casualties.

The second incident might have involved some interference from Xuanzi, but regardless, this fate was undeniably dangerous—yet it also offered great opportunities.

Now that Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan had reached the ultimate form of unity, this fate bestowed massive benefits upon him. His spirituality and vitality were thoroughly refined, fundamentally altering his perception of the world.

Simply put, his already extraordinary talent had been elevated yet again!

"My acquired spiritual body has now reached its peak—it's enough to rebel against innate constitution!" Huo Yuhao was elated.

The spiritual body can be developed through cultivation. Once it matures, it may transcend acquired limits and become an innate spiritual body.

There are three main methods to achieve this:

Attaining the Power of Creation—This would allow one to ascend innately through destiny. Huo Yuhao instantly dismissed this option. If he had that kind of power, he'd already be in the Divine Realm.

Using vast resources to refine and transform the body—a cumbersome process requiring both immense and precious resources, and time. Using rare herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well might work, but it's uncertain.

Supplementing one's innate qi through special methods.

This last method highlights the essential difference between innate and acquired bodies:

 Innate bodies contain pure, untainted innate qi—a fundamental life force present at birth, but which gradually diminishes and becomes polluted over time.

Think of innate qi as fuel. Ordinary people keep burning fuel until it's gone. Those with innate bodies continuously generate more fuel, enabling longer, further journeys.

Huo Yuhao currently lacked enough innate qi to complete the transformation on his own. He needed external supplementation, and in large enough quantities to trigger a bodily evolution.

The third method and the second method are essentially similar—they both aim to replenish innate qi. The second uses alchemy and self-tempering, while the third is more ruthless—extracting it from others. This third method is often used by evil or demonic cultivators.

If Huo Yuhao hadn't known about the third option, he might've tried the second—possibly targeting the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

But now, he decided to harvest innate qi from other people.

"Everyone's innate qi is slightly different. Especially in adults, where it's already changed. Collecting it from many adults would result in a chaotic mix—bad for future cultivation."

"Unless I could gather innate qi from newborn infants, which is the purest... But where would I find so many newborns? The moment they start growing, their innate qi shifts—it's just a matter of degree."

"The best choice would be to obtain the purest innate qi, ideally my own..."

He had an idea.

There's a technique called "Womb Rebirth".

Huo Yuhao wouldn't need to reincarnate himself. Instead, he could implant a clone containing his origin essence into a womb, allow it to be born, then devour or possess it.

"The better the mother, the better the resulting offspring. There's even a chance the child might be born with an innate spiritual body. I'll have to carefully choose the mother."

If he could successfully birth a clone with an innate spiritual body, Huo Yuhao could abandon his current body and possess the new one.

He would lose some power in the process, but it would be a worthy trade for greater long-term gains.

Besides, it wouldn't be a complete loss—his strength wouldn't drop below god-level no matter what.

Meanwhile, the Mingya Chamber of Commerce had finally established its foothold in Mingdu. Although it was just a small, obscure business, its location in Mingdu gave it some legitimacy.

Finally, Huo Yuhao brought Tang Ya to the chamber, introducing her to her new power base.

Its headquarters were in the outer ring of Mingdu, near the city's edge—not a glamorous location and far from the prominence of the former Dusk Water Alliance in Ghost Street, but still bustling.

Tang Ya was very satisfied. A low-profile organization perfectly fit her goals. More importantly, the business was entirely unknown to the Holy Spirit Cult—and entirely hers.

Her smile never faded after entering the chamber.

Because the Mingya Chamber of Commerce was new and small, it didn't operate the most profitable or popular businesses.

Its main business was retail and wholesale of general goods, focusing on small profits and quick turnover. It also took contracts from larger chambers for transportation.

It had three stores: two retail shops and one pharmacy.

The pharmacy sold few types of medicine, mostly healing and aphrodisiacs. Though its market share was small, the aphrodisiacs were surprisingly profitable—now the main source of revenue.

"Aphrodisiacs?" Tang Ya's lips twitched as she read the financial report.

No weapons, no soul tools, no rare metals—just aphrodisiacs?

"Yes, aphrodisiacs. No man can resist them. No one!" Huo Yuhao declared seriously.

Tang Ya chose silence.

Thankfully, the chamber wasn't limited to just this line of business.

"I've already killed the president of the Liúmíng Chamber of Commerce. That organization is in chaos now. You can attack them—take their clients and stores to grow the Mingya Chamber."

"But you'll have to lead the effort."

"Also, many key positions in the Mingya Chamber are currently being held by temporary staff. You can appoint your own people."

After saying this, Huo Yuhao fell silent, as if he had no further involvement in the chamber.

Tang Ya stared deeply at him, then smiled and said,

"Thank you. But this is our chamber of commerce. Don't worry, it will always be partly yours, no matter what."

Huo Yuhao remained silent.

But in Tang Ya's heart, hope surged.

"Rebuilding Tang Sect and taking revenge on Shrek—it all starts with this tiny chamber of commerce!" (lol)