soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

The so-called mental communication technique is a method modeled after "Transmission Over A Thousand Miles," but it's executed using spiritual power.

It allows one to transmit thoughts silently, quickly, accurately, and directly within a certain range—essentially projecting one's intentions into another's consciousness.

It's considered a minor technique.

The powerful figures at Shrek Academy tested it and found that even soul masters without a spiritual attribute could learn and master the technique once they reached the Soul Sage level and developed their spiritual power sufficiently.

The only differences lie in the range, distance, and duration of the transmission.

A typical Soul Sage can transmit just a few sentences, but a Title Douluo can carry out a normal conversation over time, making this quite useful strategically.

Though this can't compare to the combined power of Spiritual Detection and Sharing, Huo Yuhao has paired it with his head soul bone ability, Spiritual Whisper, which allows him to guide targets mentally—resulting in even greater effectiveness.

Because it appears that Huo Yuhao is merely commanding, and others are simply cooperating, it gives the illusion that he's leading a team when, in reality, he's subtly controlling everyone's actions during battle.

And because the others trust Huo Yuhao deeply, they don't guard against him mentally—making it easy for them to fall under his influence.

It can be said that if Huo Yuhao desires, he can effortlessly manipulate those he commands into doing things that defy common sense.

The key is, anyone who's ever been under Huo Yuhao's command becomes imprinted with Spiritual Whisper. Over time, he can attempt to subtly distort and reshape their cognition and judgment.

If this was just for competitions, Huo Yuhao wouldn't have developed it. What he cares about is: how many people in the future will accept his command and carry the seed of Spiritual Whisper?

Boom!

The Golden Stag collapsed in frustration.

In all its years of life, the Golden Stag had never fought such an aggravating battle—not once was it able to release a powerful soul skill.

Every time it tried to unleash a technique, Huo Yuhao would keenly sense it and command Xu Sanshi and Xiao Xiao to take turns using the Mysterious Underworld Shield and the Three-Life Soul Suppression Cauldron to interrupt it—exploiting the stag's large size and inability to dodge effectively.

The Golden Stag wasn't just large—it was also formidable in offense and defense. But compared to the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear, it still fell short, and Huo Yuhao's team could breach its defenses.

Under Huo Yuhao's tactical command, the Golden Stag was defeated purely through superior technique.

The battle might be over, but the mission wasn't.

Wei Na and Ou Ou, two healing-type soul masters, stepped forward and used their soul skills to restore everyone's state. Restoring combat readiness early was critical to prepare for other spirit beast attacks.

With Wang Dong protecting her, Xiao Xiao approached the fallen Golden Stag and used her Three-Life Soul Suppression Cauldron to finish it off.

Tears of humiliation streamed from the Golden Stag's eyes—it had lived a miserable end.

A pitch-black soul ring formed over the corpse of the Golden Stag. Though also a 20,000-year soul ring, it gave off a stronger aura than the one from the Soft-Boned Rabbit.

"Xiao Xiao, start absorbing the soul ring. We'll protect you!" Huo Yuhao said seriously.

Xiao Xiao nodded firmly. "Mm, I trust you, Captain—and everyone."

Wang Dong eyed Huo Yuhao warily. Xiao Xiao was a good girl—she didn't want her falling into Huo Yuhao's clutches.

But Xiao Xiao seemed oblivious to any such schemes, and Huo Yuhao looked entirely normal.

Wang Dong hesitated, then bit her tongue and said nothing, staying close by Xiao Xiao's side—clearly more guarded against Huo Yuhao than any beast.

Xiao Xiao sat cross-legged and began the absorption process. The Golden Stag's power made the soul ring harder to absorb, but Xiao Xiao, though a support-type soul master, had a strong physique thanks to years of training and her powerful martial soul.

Absorbing a high-level soul beast's ring is always more challenging, but not impossibly so—it was still within Xiao Xiao's tolerance.

During absorption, her brows furrowed, showing the strain and pain, but it was going smoothly. There was no danger to her life.

Aside from 100,000-year soul rings, what soul masters desire most are soul rings from the same species as their martial soul. After that, soul rings from high-level and super soul beasts are the most coveted.

High-level and super soul beasts often possess the power to overcome stronger foes—their rings can endow soul masters with abilities powerful enough to fight beyond their level.

As Xiao Xiao absorbed the ring, wild soul beasts—drawn by the sounds of battle—approached, hoping to scavenge something afterward.

Fortunately, the team had already been healed and could still fight.

But Huo Yuhao acted first. He summoned hisVariant Ice Jade Centipede martial soul, exhaling toxic mist to form a poisonous field and block the incoming beasts.

Alone, Huo Yuhao held off all the wild beasts using just his poison.

"Save your strength, everyone. We must always remain alert in the Star Dou Forest. Proceed cautiously," Huo Yuhao warned.

Everyone nodded. Even Wang Dong agreed, offering no objection.

While she disapproved of Huo Yuhao's character, she respected his skill and judgment.

Many wild beasts paced around the toxic mist's edge, drawn by the scent of blood and reluctant to leave.

Though the group couldn't see beyond the mist, they could hear occasional roars from outside, keeping them on edge.

While Xiao Xiao absorbed the soul ring, Huo Yuhao began dissecting the Golden Stag's corpse.

Due to its large size, they couldn't take the whole body. Huo Yuhao planned to cut out the five precious deer parts first, then pick the best cuts of meat to bring back.

The five treasures of deer are: velvet antler, antlers, hide, penis, and sinews. Since the velvet had calcified, only the antlers could be taken.

When Huo Yuhao deftly sliced off the stag's "root," both Xu Sanshi and Cao Jinxuan instinctively squeezed their legs together.

Wang Dong grimaced. "Ugh, what are you even going to do with something that gross?"

Even Jiang Nannan blushed, though she looked curious.

Wei Na and Qi Yu, being older, remained composed.

Huo Yuhao calmly boxed the item up and replied, "That thing is a treasure. Just one of these can sell for 200,000 gold soul coins."

"What?! That much? That's nearly the value of a soul bone under ten thousand years! Are you messing with me?" Wang Dong looked skeptical.

"It's used in medicine and is great for… virility. It's a hot commodity. This one came from a powerful, 20,000-year Golden Stag—that really raises its value. I'm a medical student; I wouldn't lie to you," Huo Yuhao explained.

Wang Dong hesitated. She kind of believed him—after all, Huo Yuhao never lied.

Jiang Nannan's eyes lit up. Setting aside her shyness, a bold idea sprang to mind.

Unexpectedly, Xu Sanshi leaned over and whispered to Huo Yuhao, "Yuhao, are you selling that thing? I'll buy it!"

Huo Yuhao: "…"

No joke—though the Xuanming Sect was gone, Xu Sanshi sold its assets, leaving him with nothing but money.

No man can resist the lure of enhanced virility—not even the healthy ones. They don't just want to be strong… they want to be stronger!

Cough cough "Brother Xu, the golden giant deer was hunted by all of us together. The spoils of war should be shared by everyone. Once we return, we can divide it according to its value. If there's any part you particularly want, you can pay the others for that portion. What do you think?" Huo Yuhao had no choice but to say this.

"Ah, yes, yes! Yuhao makes sense. Let's do it that way—discuss it when we get back," Xu Sanshi nodded repeatedly, grinning.

But just as Xu Sanshi finished feeling pleased, he turned around—only to meet Jiang Nannan's death glare. He shivered involuntarily in fright.

Xu Sanshi tried to explain, but Jiang Nannan coldly snorted and scolded, "Shameless!"

The others could only offer awkward yet polite smiles on the side.

It was clear to everyone what Xu Sanshi was up to. The goodwill Jiang Nannan had gained when he gave up drinking just plummeted again.

No one had expected to get a share of the golden giant deer. Cao Jinxuan tried to decline, but Huo Yuhao wouldn't allow it.

"Though we were helping Xiaoxiao hunt her soul beast, we all contributed. We are a team and must pay attention to how we distribute benefits. We can't let emotions override fairness," Huo Yuhao said seriously.

Cao Jinxuan felt that Huo Yuhao truly deserved to be the team captain—not just powerful and talented, but also wise in handling matters.

"Little brother Yuhao is right. That's what I think too. Don't you agree, Nannan?" Xu Sanshi tried to shift away from his awkward moment and strike up a conversation.

But Jiang Nannan ignored him, instead stepping past him to approach Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, little brother, I have something I'd like to ask you."

"There's no need to be so formal, Sister Nannan. If there's anything you want to know and I can tell you, I won't hold back," Huo Yuhao waved his hands quickly.

"Then I'll thank you in advance," Jiang Nannan smiled joyfully.

She then began to learn from Huo Yuhao about which parts of soul beasts had the most value.

Compared to the cash-strapped Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan—born a commoner—was quite the little money-grubber, and her funds were limited.

As a side note, among the 14 people across the two teams, Jiang Nannan was the only one truly from a civilian background.

Huo Yuhao had just mentioned the value of the deer's root, and Jiang Nannan saw a chance to make some money.

Though Xu Sanshi would gladly give her everything if she asked, Jiang Nannan didn't want to owe him anything.

There was a full-fledged industry chain for hunting and selling soul beast materials, whether for medicinal or culinary use. Huo Yuhao was fairly well-informed.

He'd recently been involved in Shrek Academy's management, including cafeteria matters like daily purchases of soul beast meat.

Without holding back, Huo Yuhao began teaching Jiang Nannan, using the golden giant deer as an example to show her how to dismantle parts of a soul beast.

Jiang Nannan listened very seriously.

Xu Sanshi also shamelessly squeezed in to join the lesson—but his eyes weren't on the golden giant deer or Huo Yuhao, but on Jiang Nannan.

That is, until Jiang Nannan snapped at him, at which point he awkwardly looked away and pretended to listen attentively.

As Huo Yuhao started to dismantle the golden antlers, his expression suddenly changed. He applied slight pressure with his hand—and the antlers shattered.

"Yuhao, did you break the antlers because they need to be ground into powder for medicine?" Xu Sanshi immediately asked, trying to seem clever to impress Jiang Nannan.

Huo Yuhao instead turned to Xiao Xiao, his expression serious. "I didn't damage them. The essence inside the antlers has already completely disappeared."

"The essence is gone?"

Huo Yuhao hadn't lowered his voice. Everyone could hear the seriousness in his tone, and they all looked toward him, sensing something unusual.

Only Wei Na seemed to realize what was happening. She quickly looked toward Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao's expression was pained, as if she were under immense pressure.

The next moment, two small bulges suddenly appeared on Xiao Xiao's forehead, and soon, a pair of small golden antlers grew out. The golden antlers didn't break the skin—it was as if they had always been there, making her look like a cute forest sprite.

Wang Dong, who was guarding her side, was startled.

"Huo Yuhao, come quick! Why did Xiao Xiao grow antlers?" she called out urgently.

"An external soul bone?!" Wei Na exclaimed, shocked. When Ling Luocheng had obtained an external soul bone, it had happened in the same way—she had absorbed a soul ring and gained the bone at the same time.

"External soul bone?!"

Some were astonished, others confused.

Not everyone had paid attention in class. Some didn't even know what an external soul bone was.

So Wei Na explained for everyone's benefit.

She was very familiar with external soul bones. Not only did Huo Yuhao have one, but so did Ling Luocheng. When they played together, Ling Luocheng often used her external soul bone for cool tricks, which Huo Yuhao really liked.

Even in this age of abundant soul bones, external soul bones were still rare. Once fully fused with a soul master, they couldn't be removed or taken.

Ling Luocheng had only fully fused hers with Huo Yuhao's help.

Now understanding what had happened, everyone looked at Xiao Xiao with envy—but not jealousy.

After all, Xiao Xiao was well-liked and had good relationships with everyone, and their team was very united.

After the antlers appeared, the pain faded from Xiao Xiao's face, and her absorption of the soul ring went more smoothly.

Finally, she completed the soul ring absorption.

As soon as Xiao Xiao opened her eyes, she found herself surrounded by everyone, and it startled her.

"Xiao Xiao, let me touch your antlers!" Wang Dong exclaimed impatiently.

Xiao Xiao: "Huh?!"

After some playful teasing, Xiao Xiao didn't hide her gains.

She had successfully advanced to level 62. The soul ring and the external soul bone gave her a surge in soul power.

Her Martial Soul, the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron, gained a sixth soul skill: Dominion Over the World.

Its effect was to apply suppression to the target, with two usage modes:

If all three cauldrons suppress a single target, and the target's level is not more than two major realms above Xiao Xiao's, the target will completely lose the ability to resist and suffer damage from the cauldrons. The heavier the cauldrons, the more damage they deal.

If the cauldrons suppress three different targets, each target (within two major realms) will suffer the cauldron's pressure and have all soul skills and strength weakened by at least 50%.

"This soul skill is truly powerful. With it, Xiao Xiao can even pose a threat to a Soul Douluo," Jiang Nannan couldn't help but exclaim.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Of course, they were genuinely happy for Xiao Xiao—her strength was the team's strength.

Next came the part everyone was most curious about—the effect of Xiao Xiao's external soul bone.

The Golden Antler External Soul Bone not only increased her physical strength, making it easier to wield the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron, but also enhanced the cauldron's weight and boosted the effectiveness of her sixth soul skill!

With the addition of her sixth spirit ring and the external spirit bone from the Golden Antlers, Xiao Xiao instantly rose to the top tier among spirit masters of her level in terms of support ability.

Most importantly, after some experimentation, Xiao Xiao discovered that her sixth spirit ability could actually synergize with her previous five abilities.

While she couldn't yet combine them into completely new techniques like her first and second abilities, the sixth ring could amplify the power and effects of the previous five.

Including the Golden Antlers, Xiao Xiao now had three spirit bones.

The other two were the Ten-Thousand-Year Purple Vine Right Arm Bone, which she won as a prize from the last Spirit Master Tournament, and the Fifty-Thousand-Year Mountain Giant Right Leg Bone, a reward from the academy meant to win her favor, which had been obtained during the Beast Tide.

Thanks to these high-quality spirit bones and her own hard work, Xiao Xiao had achieved her current level.

Though the Beast Tide at the Star Dou Forest had brought great losses to Shrek Academy, it also left behind abundant resources. If used wisely, they could nurture a new generation of talent.

And Shrek Academy could no longer afford to hold back—nurturing young talents was a matter of urgency.

Xuanzi didn't have much time left. Only by continually demonstrating Shrek Academy's power could they deter all would-be troublemakers.

Besides, the continent was far from peaceful. If Shrek no longer held power, who knew what chaos might arise?

Though the Sun Moon Empire's Mingde Hall and its Royal Soul Engineering Academy were gone, the Holy Spirit Sect remained—more dangerous and more feared by the Sea God's Pavilion Elders.

By the time Xiao Xiao finished absorbing her new spirit ring, it was already evening. The group needed to set up camp and rest.

Huo Yuhao dispersed the poisonous mist, revealing that the nearby wild soul beasts had already left—after all, they weren't just hanging around idly; they had their own hunting grounds to get to.

With guidance from the variant Frost Centipede martial soul, the group found a safe spot to make camp.

Now only Wang Dong was left to acquire a spirit ring.

However, later that night, Wang Dong finally spoke up.

"Sorry, I've been keeping something from you. Actually, I don't need to hunt for a spirit ring. Once I return to the Clear Sky Sect, I'll receive one that's perfectly suited to me," Wang Dong said with some guilt.

Everyone had come to help her get a ring, and she hadn't said anything because the atmosphere didn't feel right for a confession.

She hadn't expected the ring hunts for her teammates to go so smoothly—two had already succeeded in less than a day.

To her relief, no one blamed her. They only sighed in admiration, acknowledging that the Clear Sky Sect truly lived up to its former title as the strongest sect on the continent—rich and powerful.

Huo Yuhao glanced at Wang Dong, thinking to himself that her rings were probably all God-bestowed, and the kind that could evolve in power over time.

Not that he minded.

He already had the technology to create God-bestowed spirit rings, and when he left the Sun Moon Empire, he'd given the Third Prince nine of them. The next time they met, that prince's Purple Radiance Dragon martial soul would likely boast nine one-hundred-thousand-year rings.

With Wang Dong not needing a ring, the group could prepare to return tomorrow. Everyone was in a good mood.

If it weren't for the ban on lighting fires, they might've already started celebrating. After dinner, everyone returned to their tents to rest.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong stayed up for the night watch. As team leader, it was Huo Yuhao's responsibility, while Wang Dong volunteered out of guilt.

They had the first watch.

The night was quiet… but something strange was brewing.

Huo Yuhao looked up at the dark sky, feeling that things wouldn't end so simply—because nearby, a special luck projection had appeared.

It was none other than Jin Qiu'er's—whom they hadn't seen in a long time!

"Maybe she sensed Wang Dong and me and came to investigate on her own. Gutsy girl. If she runs into Xian Lin'er or Cai Mei'er, she's definitely getting dragged back to Shrek," Huo Yuhao mused.

"But Chì Wáng's (the Red King's) projection is further away. Looks like he noticed her movements. If anything happens to her, he definitely won't just stand by. If they do meet, Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er might be in real danger."

Huo Yuhao activated his spiritual detection to check on Jin Qiu'er.

Perhaps due to her status as an Imperial Auspicious Beast, she was naturally lucky. She had gone in the opposite direction from Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er—meaning they hadn't run into each other.

But when Huo Yuhao saw her through spiritual detection, he was visibly surprised.

Jin Qiu'er's appearance had changed.

Her golden hair was now a soft pink-blue hue, cascading down to her hips. She wore a verdant green dress—elegant and exuding a natural aura, like a spirit of the forest.

Seeing her new hair color, Huo Yuhao glanced at Wang Dong—it was the same as hers now.

Even though their faces weren't identical anymore (thanks to his interference), their temperaments were nearly identical. Anyone would say they looked like family.

"Is this due to the soul connection?" Huo Yuhao wondered.

Wang Dong, sensing Huo Yuhao's gaze, frowned. She was dressed in male attire. Could Huo Yuhao possibly be… into both genders?

"What are you staring at?" Wang Dong asked bluntly, pulling her clothes tighter.

"You look good," Huo Yuhao said with a grin.

"!!!"

Wang Dong broke into a cold sweat. He was definitely hitting on her!

Was it too late to scream for help?

Then Huo Yuhao leaned in and threw an arm around her shoulder.

Wang Dong froze. She let her guard down—she hadn't dodged in time.

Over their time training together, Huo Yuhao had realized that without interference from the Tang Divine Realm, their soul powers wouldn't accidentally fuse on their own.

Still, he was always cautious. Whenever he got close to her, he suppressed his own spirit power first—making himself unselectable for fusion.

"Huo Yuhao, what are you doing?! I'm warning you—don't try anything, or I'll scream!" Wang Dong said nervously. She couldn't run; his grip on her shoulder was too tight.

"I know I'm insanely good-looking," Huo Yuhao said. "But to me, you're just as beautiful. The difference is… bro, you smell amazing."

Wang Dong's fists clenched. She seriously wanted to scream for help.

"Haha, just kidding," Huo Yuhao laughed, clapping her on the back loudly. "Wang Dong, I know you might misunderstand me, but trust me—I'll never let my own people suffer."

"Got it, got it! Just move away from me!" Wang Dong snapped. She realized he was trying to ease the tension between them, but she just wanted him to back off.

"See? Always in a rush," Huo Yuhao sighed, letting go and patting her chest. "Not the best place to talk, but once we're back at the academy, we have to sleep back-to-back. Also, bro, is your chest muscle… maybe a bit much?"

Wang Dong was stunned. As realization hit, her face turned beet red.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Her yell startled the birds in the forest and had the others peeking out of their tents, all on high alert.

Wang Dong didn't want to explain what happened, so she gave a vague excuse and sent everyone back to sleep.

Then she stormed off to the other side of the camp, cursing under her breath.

Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao was analyzing the connection between Wang Dong and Jin Qiu'er.

"Just as I thought. When Wang Dong gets emotionally triggered, both their luck readings fluctuate!"

What did this mean?

It meant that the bond between Wang Dong and Jin Qiu'er was growing stronger—they were sharing fate itself!

And that… might just be exploitable.

In the depths of the forest, shrouded in night.

Jin Qiu'er stood atop a tall tree in the distance, her expression complex as she watched Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong interact. For some reason, she felt an inexplicable agitation in her heart.

"Have they become that close?"

"Why do I suddenly feel like Wang Dong and I share similar features?"

That evening, Jin Qiu'er had been wandering the Great Star Dou Forest as usual, when she suddenly felt a unique resonance. Following that sensation, she arrived at this location and spotted Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.

As she approached, however, the sensation weakened, as if its source had been calmed or suppressed. This left Jin Qiu'er unable to determine precisely whether the source was Huo Yuhao or Wang Dong.

Still, she leaned toward Wang Dong being the cause, due to their similar appearance and hair color—an observation that fueled her curiosity.

After all, the biggest change she'd undergone was in her hair color, a transformation that had long puzzled her. She was determined to uncover the reason.

Perhaps her previous coma was somehow related to it.

Yet, she also suspected Huo Yuhao might be the cause of the resonance, given their shared martial soul fusion skill.

"If I can't figure it out, then I'll just test it!" A glint of golden light flashed in Jin Qiu'er's eyes as the Golden Dragon Spear materialized in her hand.

Although the previous beast tide from the Great Star Dou Forest had inflicted massive damage on Shrek Academy, Jin Qiu'er didn't feel much remorse.

She never truly saw herself as part of Shrek Academy.

Even though she had been accepted as a disciple by Elder Mu En.

What she did feel, however, was regret. She regretted losing the camaraderie she once shared with Huo Yuhao and the others. She couldn't return to Shrek City to visit anymore, though she could still move freely in nearby cities.

So, even when facing people from Shrek Academy—even Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong—she didn't hesitate to strike if she wanted to.

Jin Qiu'er decided to test Wang Dong first.

Whoosh—

A sound tore through the darkness of the forest. A streak of golden light broke through the shadows.

Huo Yuhao, pretending he'd only just noticed, shouted, "Watch out!"

In a flash, he surged forward, pulling Wang Dong into his arms and dodging away.

Wang Dong was still stunned.

The next second, a loud explosion erupted. The shockwave blasted them back. Fortunately, Wang Dong was unscathed thanks to Huo Yuhao's protection.

Even in her confusion, Wang Dong realized they were under attack.

She quickly peeked out from Huo Yuhao's arms to look back at where she had just been standing—and saw a familiar golden spear embedded in the ground, radiating a majestic glow.

The sudden disturbance brought everyone else, who had just returned to their tents, rushing back out.

"What's going on?"

"Yuhao? Wang Dong? Are you fighting?"

"No—this is a real attack!"

Huo Yuhao's gaze darkened as he stared at the golden spear. "That's Jin Qiu'er's Golden Dragon Spear!"

"Who? Jin Qiu'er?" Wei Na's expression changed drastically, and she quickly warned, "Everyone, release your martial souls! Stay alert!"

Although the rest were confused, they obeyed and activated their martial souls defensively.

The academy had never publicly revealed Jin Qiu'er's situation. Only Huo Yuhao was supposed to know. But Wei Na, being close to him, also learned about her.

"Could it be... Qiu'er has returned?" Jiang Nannan asked, puzzled.

"Didn't she go back to her clan because of her injuries? I wonder if she's healed," Xiao Xiao added.

Officially, the academy had claimed Jin Qiu'er left for health reasons. Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong, Jiang Nannan, and others had once been quite close with her.

"Didn't expect you all to still remember me. It's been a while, everyone~" A charming female voice called from the darkness, and then Jin Qiu'er strolled out, hands clasped behind her back, carefree and elegant.

"You're... Qiu'er?" Jiang Nannan asked with some uncertainty. Jin Qiu'er's hair color had changed, but her face remained recognizable.

Yet compared to before, she seemed far more mature. Her beauty was now undeniable, leaving the other girls feeling self-conscious. Gone was the innocence and clumsiness—now replaced with pride and nobility.

Among those present, only Huo Yuhao—and Wang Dong, who was perceived as male—could compare to her appearance.

At that moment, Wang Dong suddenly realized she was still in Huo Yuhao's arms. She blushed and quickly broke free, stepping aside.

"Don't get close to her! She's a transformed soul beast! The beast tide was because of her!" Wei Na shouted.

Everyone's expressions shifted dramatically. Their gazes at Jin Qiu'er were now filled with disbelief, anger, and fear.

Jin Qiu'er ignored the rest. With a wave of her hand, the Golden Dragon Spear flew back into her grasp. Her gaze was fixed on Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.

Clearly, she had come for them.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest, Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er had completed their martial soul fusion and stood on guard, facing a humanoid figure.

It was the Crimson King blocking their path.

The Crimson King didn't know what Jin Qiu'er planned with Huo Yuhao and the others, but he didn't intend to interfere. Besides, Jin Qiu'er had other guards, and these soul emperors and soul kings—only one being a soul sage—posed no real threat to her.

He only needed to block these two Title Douluo.

No—perhaps he could finish them off.

The agreement had only forbidden the fierce beasts from leaving the forest to attack Shrek Academy—it said nothing about academy members entering the forest and being attacked.

"From Shrek, are you trespassing?" the Crimson King asked playfully, a malicious glint in his eyes.

"Your Excellency Crimson King, we haven't damaged the forest in any way. If you allow it, we'll take the students and leave," Cai Mei'er replied calmly.

"What if I don't agree?" The Crimson King smiled even wider, sensing her lack of confidence.

"Hmph. Then let's see if you've got the strength to stop us. My Blueflame Dragon Spear is not to be underestimated!" Xian Lin'er retorted coldly.

Ordinarily, the two 94-level Title Douluo, Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er, wouldn't be a match for the Crimson King, especially since Cai Mei'er wasn't a strong combatant.

But Xian Lin'er believed otherwise. She felt she had gained new strength, even though her level hadn't increased nor her martial soul evolved. A fierce battle might be all she needed to break through and become a Super Douluo—without Huo Yuhao's help.

"Hahaha! Bold humans—let's see what you've got!" the Crimson King laughed wildly, reverting to his true form and launching an attack.

Cai Mei'er hadn't expected Xian Lin'er to be so reckless. "You violence-addicted woman!" she cursed.

"Hmph, less talk, more fighting! Or you could just run away," Xian Lin'er sneered before charging into battle.

Grinding her teeth, Cai Mei'er followed, wielding her Holy Dragon Spear to fight alongside her.

—

Elsewhere...

Jin Qiu'er had also begun battling with Huo Yuhao and the others.

Six soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and two black—circled around her. She had already broken through to the Soul Emperor level!

Despite not being swayed by the human world's temptations, Jin Qiu'er's strength as a reincarnated soul beast shone through.

With her ultimate power attribute and the Golden Dragon Spear, even Soul Douluo-level foes could be slain!

Unfortunately for her... she encountered Huo Yuhao.

"Frost Centipede, Unite!"

"Frost Centipede Dragon Spear!"

The mutated Frost Centipede martial soul transformed into a full-body armor, attaching itself to Huo Yuhao and accentuating his lithe figure. However, it retained its original icy-blue appearance and didn't turn golden to enter its complete form. In addition, a frosty blue spear appeared in Huo Yuhao's hand.

The spear was exquisitely crafted, about two meters long, as if carved from pure ice. The shaft bore a detailed relief of a centipede—not fearsome, but vivid and imposing.

Clang!

 Huo Yuhao swung his spear, clashing against the Golden Dragon Spear and forcing Jin Qiu'er to retreat repeatedly.

Jin Qiu'er's expression turned sour as she cursed under her breath,

 "What strength! Is he some kind of humanoid soul beast?"

Her so-called ultimate strength attribute seemed almost fake!

Although the Golden Dragon Spear far outclassed the Frost Centipede Dragon Spear in quality, Huo Yuhao's power vastly outmatched Jin Qiu'er's. His sheer physical strength alone was enough to suppress her.

Even with her body enhanced by the ultimate strength attribute—making her comparable to a power-type Soul Douluo—Huo Yuhao was only using the strength of a Titled Douluo. Combined with the boost from his armor, how could she possibly endure it?

What's more, Jin Qiu'er couldn't even draw out the full power of her Golden Dragon Spear yet.

"Huo Yuhao, where did you get that spear? Your martial soul can provide you with weapons now?" Wang Dong exclaimed from the rear.

Most importantly, Huo Yuhao had never used this spear during any of their previous group training sessions.

Huo Yuhao didn't hide it. "It was Principal Xian who inspired me. Her martial soul can form a Dragon Spear as a weapon. My Frost Centipede soul has dragon lineage too—technically a sub-dragon—so I tried copying her. I didn't expect it to actually work."

He had already been formidable enough without using a weapon—if he used one now, he feared he might accidentally skewer someone.

"You lucky bastard, why do all the good things happen to you?!" Wang Dong fumed.

Still, he rushed up behind Huo Yuhao, fusing with his Light Goddess Butterfly spirit and charging at Jin Qiu'er alongside him.

"Jin Qiu'er! How dare you ambush me?! I'm going to smash your face in!"

"Yeah! Break her face, then flatten her chest!" shouted the soul of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, watching from within the Hao Emperor Banner.

"But isn't that your body?" asked the visiting Blue Silver Empress with confusion.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion paused, her eyes gleaming with realization.

"Eh?"

…

Wang Dong refused to lose to Huo Yuhao, but her animosity toward Jin Qiu'er was genuine.

After all, Jin Qiu'er had just nearly taken her life. Wang Dong now considered herself a part of Shrek Academy, and her hatred toward Jin Qiu'er—whose actions had caused the beast tide that harmed the academy—was deep and real.

All the fond memories between them? Lies and deception!

And Jin Qiu'er's current coldness was proof of that.

"Fifth Soul Skill, Light God Possession!"

"Third Soul Skill, Butterfly God Slash!"

Wang Dong used her fifth skill to enhance the third, making her attacks far more powerful. Dozens of light slashes rained down on Jin Qiu'er.

"Get lost!" Jin Qiu'er shouted irritably.

One thrust shattered all the light slashes, and another sent Wang Dong flying.

Jin Qiu'er quickly withdrew her spear to focus on blocking Huo Yuhao's next strike. The two of them became locked in combat, while the others could only support Huo Yuhao from the sidelines.

But none of them posed a real threat to Jin Qiu'er—not even Xu Sanshi could take more than three strikes from her.

"Wang Dong!" Xiao Xiao cried out, rushing to find her fallen friend.

Ou Ou followed, ready to provide healing.

They found Wang Dong hanging from a tree, dazed and disoriented.

Two shots—shattered the heroic dream.

Xiao Xiao carefully carried Wang Dong down, while Ou Ou began treatment immediately. Wang Dong had several broken bones—her condition wasn't great.

But worse than her physical pain was the devastation in her heart.

"I... I really am useless…" Wang Dong murmured.

"Oh no, Wang Dong's brain is broken!" Xiao Xiao cried in panic, holding her tightly.

Ou Ou broke out in a cold sweat. "That's strange—there's no injury to her head! Did I miss something? We have to get Sister Wei Na!"

Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao continued to dominate Jin Qiu'er. In his hands, the Frost Centipede Dragon Spear moved like a true dragon, striking from agile and deadly angles toward her vitals.

Jin Qiu'er could only rely on her Golden Dragon's tough physique and brute strength to resist, looking more and more desperate.

In terms of power, battle awareness, soul power level, spear technique, and martial skills—Jin Qiu'er was thoroughly outclassed.

Had she faced anyone else—even surrounded—she wouldn't have lost.

But against Huo Yuhao, a monster even stronger than her, she now felt the looming shadow of death.

Worse still, that special resonance she had once felt? Gone.

Jin Qiu'er began contemplating retreat.

"Sixth Soul Skill—Golden Bloodlust!"

Boom!

 Her sixth soul ring flared. Her attack power surged by another 30%, and stacked with her prior boosts, she briefly forced Huo Yuhao back with a sudden burst of power.

Yet she was still surrounded.

Instead of chasing him, Jin Qiu'er raised her delicate hand to her lips and blew a sharp whistle in a unique rhythm.

"Not good! She's calling for backup!" Xu Sanshi shouted in alarm.

Huo Yuhao's expression turned cold. He struck again, activating Sovereign's Dominion—and suddenly, his icy spear turned golden, enveloped in a phantom of the mutated Frost Centipede martial soul.

Sovereign's Dominion: Absolute Ice Demon Slayer!

Faced with this attack, Jin Qiu'er's pupils shrank in shock. She hadn't expected Huo Yuhao to be hiding a move this deadly. When she tried to dodge, she realized his aura had locked onto her—she couldn't move.

Boom!

 Huo Yuhao's spear pierced her directly in the chest, blasting her into the forest like a cannonball. Blood splashed through the air, tinged faintly with golden light.

But Huo Yuhao frowned—something felt wrong.

That strike wasn't casual—it was carefully aimed.

Jin Qiu'er naturally had a life-saving item: Di Tian's Reverse Scale.

Just as the spear struck, the Reverse Scale automatically activated, deflecting most of the spear's power.

Though she coughed up blood on the spot, it was mostly internal damage—nothing fatal.

Jin Qiu'er's backup finally arrived: an eighty-thousand-year-old eagle-type soul beast swooped in, arriving overhead in an instant.

But the real problem wasn't the eagle—

It was the sudden opening of a space rift. A terrifying aura surged out—

Di Tian was coming.

Xu Sanshi and the others were paralyzed with fear, instinctively trembling. Even the mighty eagle dropped from the sky in fright.

Triggering the Reverse Scale had summoned Di Tian.

Huo Yuhao had wanted to see what would happen if Di Tian went after Wang Dong, but…

If they didn't leave now, it would be rude.

They'd accomplished enough today.

Wang Dong and Jin Qiu'er were now enemies. Their twin-fate destinies would be affected. Together, they flourished. Apart, they'd hurt each other. Friends or foes—he looked forward to seeing what they'd become.

"Jin Qiu'er—you just barely clung to life today."

With that, the armor dissolved from Huo Yuhao's body, reverting to the Frost Centipede spirit, and he gathered everyone up.

Then burrowed underground and escaped.

Jin Qiu'er could only sit clutching her chest, stunned, staring at the place where Huo Yuhao had vanished. She had lost—to a human. She hadn't even been able to run away.

Her pride was shattered.

By the time Di Tian emerged from the rift, Huo Yuhao and the rest were long gone—only a few damaged tents remained.

Moments later, a roar of fury echoed through the Star Dou Forest—

"SHREK!!!"