soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

As soon as the championship prize of a hundred-thousand-year soul bone was announced, the entire arena erupted in excitement.

Even though most competitors knew they had no real chance of winning it, that didn't dampen their enthusiasm. Many were eager to get in the ring and fight—they could hardly wait for their chance to compete.

Unfortunately, the first match belonged to the Mingdu Imperial Soul Engineering Academy team.

Jing Hongchen was the one presiding over the tournament, with Douluo Mo Ying and Douluo Qing Ci serving as referees—a lineup that spoke volumes about the event's high standards.

But it wasn't out of concern for the competitors or the audience that such high-ranking figures were present. It was because the Third Prince himself was watching from the stands. They were taking every measure to ensure nothing went wrong.

"I hereby declare the tournament officially begun!"

"Elimination Stage, First Round—Mingdu Imperial Soul Engineering Academy versus the Dragon-Slaying Sect. Each side, select seven fighters and enter the staging area!"

As Jing Hongchen's voice rang out—

All other academy teams retreated to their respective rest areas, while the selected seven from both Mingdu Imperial Soul Engineering Academy and the Dragon-Slaying Sect stepped forward into the staging area to prepare for battle.

Though the elimination stage involved a random draw, seeded teams were intentionally kept from facing each other early on. With more teams than in previous years, there would be no byes—every team had to compete.

Despite the 50% elimination rate, the number of surviving teams would still exceed any previous tournament.

This first match was reportedly designated by the Third Prince himself, possibly as a nod to the original story—perhaps a twisted homage.

Others speculated it was simply because the Sun Moon Empire was hosting the event, so its representative team—the Mingdu Imperial Soul Engineering Academy—got the honor of opening the tournament.

Traditionally, the Shrek Academy team would have had the first match, a longstanding symbol of prestige.

Back in Shrek's rest area, the students were visibly annoyed, feeling that the Sun Moon Empire had stolen Shrek's glory.

"Hmph, that Third Prince is far too audacious. Isn't he worried Shrek Academy might hold him accountable?" Wu Ming snapped.

"He probably isn't. In fact, this might be deliberate—a declaration of sorts that the Sun Moon Empire is ready for war," Hua Yao replied, her expression grave.

Huo Yuhao glanced at them. Are they literary doing analysis now?

Xu Sanshi chimed in with a cold snort, "Stubborn and arrogant. With an emperor like that, the Sun Moon Empire is bound to self-destruct sooner or later!"

Wang Dong and the others nodded in agreement.

Wei Na, however, remained calm. She didn't seem concerned about any potential conflict between the Sun Moon and Heavenly Soul Empires—after all, she believed Huo Yuhao would handle everything.

The Seven Jewels and Seven Beauties shared the same sentiment. They didn't concern themselves with politics or strategy; they just followed Huo Yuhao's lead.

Now that's what you call true loyalty.

At this moment, the two teams had entered the ring and stood facing off.

The elimination matches were team battles—one round, winner takes all.

Leading the Mingdu team were Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, followed by five new teammates, all different from the original story due to their academy switch.

The Dragon-Slaying Sect's team captain also took the lead, each member exuding pride and confidence, as though their opponents were beneath them.

This sect hailed from the Douling Empire and had a heritage over a thousand years old. As a traditional soul master sect, they held deep-rooted disdain for soul tools and viewed the Mingdu team with contempt—confident this wasn't a fight they would lose.

When Huo Yuhao was training years ago, after leaving the Heavenly Dragon Sect and Earth Dragon Sect, he had encountered the younger generation of the Dragon-Slaying Sect in the Douling Empire. He even sparred with some of their disciples and got to know the sect's young master.

In fact, the sect's young master had recently visited Huo Yuhao at his hotel.

But today's team captain wasn't him—he was disqualified for being over twenty. Still, the captain chosen was far from weak.

Douluo Qing Ci and Douluo Mo Ying stood side by side and briefly explained the rules before officially starting the match.

This year, the rules had changed again. In the original story, the restriction on flight altitude was lifted. Now, another restriction had been removed: there were no longer any limitations on fatal strikes.

"You may attack without holding back. Fight with the intent to kill. Don't hesitate! With us here, no one will die," Mo Ying Douluo declared with confidence.

While everyone trusted a Titled Douluo's power, no one wanted to risk anything going wrong. But the rules were set, and the only thing the participants could do now was proceed with extreme caution.

You couldn't rely on your opponent to show mercy—you had to ensure your own actions left room for retreat.

The battle began.

Both sides activated their martial souls and equipped their soul tools.

"Trash soul engineers! Don't blame us if you die!" the Dragon-Slaying Sect captain shouted, unleashing his soul rings—two yellow, two purple, one black. Five rings in total.

A five-ring Soul King was already considered a powerhouse in these matches. Six-ring Soul Emperors were rare, typically seen only in elite forces.

But then—

Two surging auras slammed down onto him, paralyzing him on the spot. He couldn't even step forward, only gape in disbelief at his opponents.

The entire crowd erupted.

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen both bore ring configurations of two yellow, two purple, and three black soul rings.

Both of them were seven-ring Soul Sages!

Last tournament, Ma Xiaotao had been the only Soul Sage and was considered unbeatable—unfortunately, she'd been injured before the competition and couldn't participate. Otherwise, she might have steamrolled the event alone.

But this year, the opening match already featured two Soul Sages—and both were from the Sun Moon Empire.

The Shrek Academy team was in shock. After all, Shrek only had one Soul Sage this year—Huo Yuhao.

"No problem. Even two versus one, I can defeat them easily," Huo Yuhao said calmly, reassuring everyone.

That reminder helped. Huo Yuhao was an ultimate-element soul master—his level as a Soul Sage was beyond ordinary standards.

Wu Ming seemed to realize something. "Don't be fooled—they probably took enhancement drugs. That's what Sun Moon Empire soul masters do. They might seem powerful now, but forced boosts like that ruin your future potential."

The others nodded, accepting the explanation.

And indeed, many outside observers reached the same conclusion.

But Huo Yuhao's eyes gleamed.

He knew for a fact—Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen hadn't taken any drugs.

In the ring—

"Who are you calling trash?" Xiao Hongchen sneered and activated his sixth soul ring—without using a soul tool.

"Sixth Soul Skill: Golden Decay!"

The Dragon-Slaying Sect team tried to respond, but under the pressure of two Soul Sages, they were utterly helpless—consumed by despair.

A golden light burst forth from Xiao Hongchen, engulfing the entire opposing team. When the light faded, seven golden statues remained—each of the seven opponents turned into metal-like sculptures.

Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow. This move was strikingly similar to the original's Radiant Decay: Golden Path. Both were named "Decay," and both sealed enemies in metal.

The sheer strength on display proved Xiao Hongchen hadn't relied on stimulants—no drug-induced boost could produce this kind of overwhelming power.

Douluo Qing Ci glanced upward and declared, "Match over! Mingdu Imperial Soul Engineering Academy wins!"

The Sun Moon Empire spectators burst into raucous applause.

One man taking down seven in an instant—too flashy to resist!

"Heh, so that's all the Douling Empire's soul masters amount to?" Xiao Hongchen said smugly.

The Dragon-Slaying Sect rushed onto the stage to check on their teammates, relieved to find they were only sealed and not harmed.

Still, they glared furiously at Xiao Hongchen—

Only to find that he wasn't even looking at them. Instead, he was staring at one spot in the rest area—where Huo Yuhao sat.

Their eyes met.

Xiao Hongchen shot him a provocative look. Beside him, Meng Hongchen also locked eyes with Huo Yuhao, full of fighting spirit.

But Huo Yuhao simply returned a warm smile and a small nod, as if praising them for a job well done—

Like a senior gently encouraging juniors eager to impress.

Xiao Hongchen's smile froze instantly.

Jing Hongchen was quite satisfied with Xiao Hongchen's performance.

He then spoke again to announce,

 "Second match of the knockout round—Shrek Academy versus the Star Luo She Clan. Both sides, enter the preparation area!"

This time, Huo Yuhao personally led the team onto the stage. Xu Sanshi and the other core members also stepped into the ring, making their debut in this tournament.

However, Cao Jin Xuan chose to give up his spot to Bai Shanshan—otherwise, with a lineup of Soul Sages and Soul Emperors, having a Soul King would have been too embarrassing.

After all, if he joined, everyone would know he was just a benchwarmer.

Shrek Academy's opponent was the She Clan from the Star Luo Empire—a long-standing family clan. They weren't especially powerful overall, but they had made notable achievements in the fields of poison and medicine.

The She Clan's inherited martial soul was the Snake Spear, a high-tier Tool Soul that was anything but simple. Its true form combined the durability and power of a Tool Soul with the physical strength of a Beast Soul. After breaking through to Soul Sage, the enhancements it provided were comparable to those of top-tier martial souls.

This quality was a key reason why the She Clan's legacy endured. Thanks to their martial soul's potency, they produced a Title Douluo approximately once every five hundred years.

According to Shrek Academy's internal records, the She Clan might be descended from the Snake Spear Douluo of the old Spirit Hall. They'd formally existed as a family clan for over 7,000 years.

Even Huo Yuhao couldn't help but sigh. So many millennia had passed, and yet when he opened his eyes again, it was still the same kind of familiar, murky people.

During the era of Legend of the Dragon King, there had also been a Title Douluo with the Snake Spear martial soul—perhaps a She Clan descendant?

Although the She Clan had inherited the Snake Spear from Spirit Hall, they hadn't inherited its grudge with Shrek Academy. Maybe they had long forgotten their ancestral roots.

Facing Shrek Academy, the She Clan knew full well they weren't a match. Still, they didn't concede. Instead, they planned to showcase their clan's capabilities.

Many families and sects had entered this tournament with the goal of building a name for themselves.

After all, gaining fame would help them recruit disciples and grow their industries in the future.

Douluo Mo Ying announced the start of the battle.

The She Clan team consisted of five men and two women. All seven summoned their Snake Spear martial souls simultaneously—each a Soul King with optimal soul ring configurations.

Huo Yuhao didn't summon his martial soul. He simply smiled gently and gestured,

 "Please."

"Friends from Shrek Academy, be careful!" the She Clan captain called out before charging forward.

The Snake Spear martial soul was suited for either Power Attack or Control types. It could lean toward Control due to its poisonous capabilities. The seven She Clan fighters in this match, however, were all Power Attack types.

A full-blown cleaver squad.

"Charge with me!" Xu Sanshi barked, raising his Xuanming Shield and charging forward.

Huo Yuhao stood still.

Despite having one Soul Emperor and five Soul Kings, the Shrek team wasn't to be underestimated. They respected the She Clan's desire for a real fight and chose to engage head-on.

The teams clashed. Xu Sanshi's shield blocked the She Clan's charge effectively.

Compared to Xiao Hongchen's instant seven-strike barrage, Shrek's battle didn't have that jaw-dropping explosiveness—but it was much more watchable.

The fight had real back-and-forth. Though Shrek had the upper hand throughout, the She Clan wasn't without its moments.

Still, the battle didn't last long.

If a cleaver team can't gain momentum, their "blades" break fast. And the She Clan had no way to break through Xu Sanshi's iron defense.

That allowed his teammates to unleash their attacks.

Xiao Xiao provided support, locking down She Clan members. Wei Na stayed at the back, healing Xu Sanshi as he absorbed hits.

Bai Shanshan filled Huo Yuhao's usual control role. Her martial soul extended red threads to entangle the She Clan team. Upon close inspection, half of the threads were blue—though she didn't reveal their special properties.

Wang Dong and Jiang Nannan finished things off, knocking out all seven She Clan members one by one.

In less than two minutes, the match ended.

Shrek Academy won. The She Clan lost.

Despite their defeat, the She Clan fighters and their elders didn't hold a grudge—instead, they thanked the Shrek team.

They genuinely accepted the loss and were grateful that Shrek didn't completely crush them. Shrek gave them room to perform.

Otherwise, had Xu Sanshi's group gone all-out, the She Clan likely wouldn't have lasted even a minute. Don't forget—the power gap between them was an entire major rank.

"It was an honor to face you. I look forward to your future achievements. If you ever want to spar again, feel free to visit Shrek Academy," Huo Yuhao said as he shook hands with the She Clan captain, his smile bright and gentle—impossible to dislike.

The She Clan captain was stunned for a moment.

On Douluo Continent, the strong often looked down on the weak. To meet someone powerful, well-connected, and courteous? This was a first.

He didn't even know how to respond.

Once he came to, he nodded vigorously. Even the two female members of the She Clan couldn't help stealing another glance at Huo Yuhao.

Handsome and gentle? What girl wouldn't fall for that?

Huo Yuhao's gentlemanly charm was still in full effect.

Watching from the shadows, Xuan Zi nodded approvingly. By the standards of a future leader, Huo Yuhao was doing just fine—and becoming more and more like Mu En.

"Old Mu, Xuan Zi misses you dearly. Rest assured—Yuhao will become as outstanding as you once were," Xuan Zi murmured, eyes moist with emotion.

Next up: Match Three—the Body Sect entered the stage.

To everyone's shock, they had three Soul Sages, and every member had soul rings exceeding the optimal configuration.

Their captain, Long Aotian, had a configuration of two purple, four black, and one red!

Don't ask. It's "sect secrets."

Even Jing Hongchen was stunned. He had thought his grandkids were unmatched—who knew other monsters were lurking?

The Body Sect team remained cold and disinterested, but the audience interpreted their silence as cool aloofness.

"The Body Sect… we'll have to watch out for them," Xuan Zi said gravely.

Match Four: Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Tian, Nanmen Yun'er, and Wu Feng all revealed Soul Sage power, with optimal configurations.

Match Five: Sun-Moon Xu Clan.

Only Xu Tianzhen fought—but she, too, was a Soul Sage with optimal soul rings.

Match Six: Heavenly Dragon Sect Gate Sect.

They won. Their captain was a Soul Emperor, the team's strongest.

Match Seven: Star Luo Dai Clan.

They won too—but Dai Huabin looked very unhappy. He was their strongest, a Soul Emperor.

Match Eight: Earth Dragon Sect.

They won. Captain Nan Qiuqiu turned out to be a Soul Sage with optimal configuration—her mom, Nan Shuishui, clearly gave her a boost.

Match Nine: Holy Spirit Sect.

Tang Ya and Beibei both displayed Soul Sage strength. Their identities remained hidden, but everyone realized they were evil soul masters.

Match Ten: Star Luo Zhu Clan.

Zhu Lu revealed Soul Sage power and instantly defeated all seven opponents.

Match Eleven: …

By this point, the audience was numb.

Even Shrek Academy was stunned.

The other three major empire teams also lost all their confidence.

What the hell is up with this year's Soul Master Tournament?!

Why are so many Soul Sages popping up out of nowhere?!

Did the continent get a version update and forget to include me?!

Truth be told, while the Third Prince currently wields immense influence in the Sun Moon Empire, he hasn't yet reached the point where every single titled Douluo in the empire would kneel before him.

The reason Jing Hongchen and the others knelt is simple—they were already the Third Prince's people. As for An Litong and the rest, they've now realized that the Third Prince is aligned with the so-called Messenger of Death. In their eyes, it makes no difference whom they kneel to—they're one and the same.

As for those titled Douluo who refuse to kneel to the Third Prince, they simply avoid appearing in public and thus haven't exposed their stance.

But that doesn't mean those Douluo aren't paying attention to him or the Soul Master Tournament—especially the consecrators of the Worship Hall. They've chosen to align themselves with the Third Prince, and they're also on guard for any foreign power trying to stir up trouble at the tournament.

After all, this Soul Master Tournament has drawn the strongest lineup in history. Even Xuan Zi of Shrek Academy has entered Mingdu without disguise—he's like a ticking time bomb.

And then, the Third Prince pulled off a massive stunt.

The first day of the tournament had just ended when the Third Prince returned to the imperial palace, only to find Kong Deming already waiting at the gates.

Seeing the Third Prince, Kong Deming skipped the pleasantries. With a serious expression, he asked bluntly, "Your Highness, are you truly serious about giving away that 100,000-year soul bone as a prize?"

Kong Deming knew better than to try to order the Third Prince around. All he could do was attempt to advise or persuade him.

When he heard that the Third Prince planned to give away a 100,000-year soul bone as the champion's reward, Kong Deming was utterly stunned—and then deeply heartbroken.

If that soul bone were used to train a royal consecrator, it might just produce the first super Douluo-level Rank 9 soul engineer in the Sun Moon Empire. The significance for both the empire and the field of soul engineering would be tremendous.

Even if not used for a consecrator, it could be given to loyal ministers like Kong himself, to members of the royal family, or even to the prince himself—wouldn't that be more reasonable?

But no, the Third Prince decided to make it a tournament prize!

Let a bunch of children fight over a 100,000-year soul bone—are they even worthy? Do they deserve such a treasure?

If Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, or Xu Tianzhen won, that would be one thing. But if they lost? Wouldn't that mean the bone goes to another nation?

Before the Third Prince brought out the soul bone, Kong Deming hadn't even known he had one to spare.

Sure, everyone knew the prince's ninth soul ring was a 100,000-year one, and he probably gained a matching bone with it. But no one had imagined he hadn't absorbed it yet!

That's right—Kong Deming suspected that the prize soul bone was the same one the prince had obtained when acquiring his ninth ring.

To Kong's question, the Third Prince merely gave him a sideways glance and said coolly, "Why would I ever need to explain myself to anyone?"

With that, he walked into the palace on his own.

"You—!" Kong Deming's eyes widened, anger flashing in them. He hadn't expected the Third Prince to be so stubborn and self-willed.

Had he misjudged him?

Was such a ruler truly a good choice for the Sun Moon Empire?

Just then, a whistling sound cut through the air.

Kong instinctively reached up and caught a storage ring tossed his way. A moment later, the Third Prince's voice echoed from within the palace.

"Take it and leave. From now on, when you see me, even the Worship Hall must kneel!"

Bang!

The palace doors slammed shut behind him, leaving Kong Deming outside.

His face shifted with uncertainty, but curiosity won out. He checked the contents of the ring—and his eyes flew wide open.

He pulled out a lead box and carefully opened it. A massive wave of soul power erupted from within, a red glow reflecting off his stunned face.

"A 100,000-year soul bone!"

That's right—inside the lead box was indeed a 100,000-year soul bone!

And there weren't just one of them—there were nine such boxes in total inside the ring.

Coincidentally, there were nine consecrators in the Worship Hall—including himself—all of whom were the Sun Moon Empire's top Rank 9 soul engineers.

No doubt about it: the Third Prince intended one for each of them.

A 100,000-year soul bone each, in exchange for kneeling when they saw him… not such a bad deal.

Plenty of titled Douluo would happily kneel for something like this—if only they had the chance.

"Did the Third Prince stumble across some kind of treasure trove? Could it be… a god's inheritance?" Kong Deming dared not speculate further.

That seemed to be the only plausible explanation.

If that were true, then the Sun Moon Empire's golden era might truly be upon them.

In the end, Kong Deming bowed deeply toward the tightly closed palace gates.

"Your servant takes his leave."

Though by blood and rank he was the prince's senior, he could only address himself now as a subordinate—a minister.

Inside the palace, the Third Prince leaned lazily against his bed, smiling disdainfully toward the door.

"My treasures aren't so easily claimed."

Revealing so many 100,000-year soul bones at once—obviously, this wasn't normal.

Because they weren't real 100,000-year soul bones.

They were artificial 100,000-year soul bones, made using a technique developed by Huo Yuhao through the inherited knowledge of the God of Wisdom. It was based on the secret method for creating Mystic Soul Bones.

The method involves selecting at least ten soul beasts of the same type, each over 10,000 years old, and using a forbidden ritual to create an artificial 100,000-year soul bone.

This method was faster, more efficient, and far more brutal than the Mystic Soul Bone technique.

Because it required live refinement—yes, the beasts had to be alive while being refined. That's the only way to ensure "authentic flavor" and smooth absorption—no coughing!

Naturally, artificial 100,000-year soul bones differ from genuine ones.

When absorbing them, one must endure intense spiritual backlash caused by the lingering resentment of the soul beasts. Normally, only a titled Douluo could withstand it—unless someone had special means to cleanse the resentment, which would make it much easier.

Artificial bones only grant one soul skill, but it's still at the 100,000-year level.

Moreover, they provide even greater boosts to soul power and physical constitution, and they contain richer beast bloodlines—making them especially beneficial for soul masters with matching martial souls.

The explosive growth of Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Xu Tianzhen wasn't solely due to training and resources—their artificial 100,000-year bones played a major role.

With the Third Prince helping them, even a full set of artificial bones wouldn't pose a problem to absorb.

Of course, the quality of the bones depends directly on the soul beasts used in their creation.

The better the material, the stronger the result.

But of course, anything the Third Prince hands out will always come with strings attached.

Those who absorb the bones will never have full control over their lives again.

So yeah—listen to your elders. Don't just stuff everything into your body.

"With this, even the Worship Hall is in my pocket. Now I just need more titled Douluo to take the bait…" the Third Prince muttered to himself.

The only blind spot in his control over the Sun Moon Empire now lay with the haughty titled Douluo and Rank 9 soul engineers. The artificial 100,000-year soul bones were his fishing bait for them.

As for the champion's prize from the Soul Master Tournament—that bone would serve its purpose too.

Feeling pleased, the Third Prince summoned a few consorts from the harem to his palace.

He called for music. He called for dance.

After all, entertainment options in the Douluo Continent were woefully limited.

That's right—the Third Prince no longer bothered hiding anything from anyone.

The elimination rounds of the tournament lasted several days, ruthlessly and efficiently cutting down half of the participating teams.

The Third Prince only watched the first day's matches. After that, the tournament continued under Jing Hongchen's supervision, with Douluo Mo Ying and Douluo Qing Ci serving as referees. However, the matches that followed grew increasingly dull—none of the Soul Sages made another appearance.

The strongest competitors were merely Soul Emperors, and even they were few in number.

In past tournaments, having a Soul Emperor on your team would have been enough to shock the audience. Any team with a Soul Emperor was seen as a top contender for the final four.

But in this year's tournament, the value of a Soul Emperor seemed to have plummeted. Teams with Soul Sages were the real focus of everyone's attention.

In fact, there were more than five teams with Soul Sages—so many appeared that they were hard to count on both hands.

Only a few of Huo Yuhao's overpowered loyalists had come to participate. Most remained in their families or sects, developing steadily.

After all, not every power was willing to flaunt its wealth. Take the Nanmen Family for example—they had two Titled Douluo in the same household, yet still chose to quietly grow in strength.

If they revealed their true capabilities, it might not lead to admiration but rather to greed and hostility. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, which once had a good relationship with them, might even become the most malicious of all.

Earth Dragon Sect dared to reveal their strength because of their unique relationship with Heavenly Dragon Sect Sect. Both sects descended from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan of ten thousand years ago, and their connections were anything but simple. Additionally, they were located in a remote region and didn't participate in the struggle for power on the continent, making them an unlikely target.

When you're weak, others bully you. When you're on equal footing, you might befriend them. When you surpass them but aren't yet invincible, you become a threat—they'll want to know your secrets and claim your power for themselves.

And when you truly stand undefeated, the so-called respect, recognition, and admiration are all just masks built on fear. Beneath that fear still lies a deep, festering desire to eliminate the source of that fear.

To profane the sacred, to taint the noble—only that can satisfy the evil in people's hearts.

If you want to live long and safe, then never hesitate to judge others with the worst possible intentions.

The more you understand human nature, the more hope you'll lose in humanity. And isn't that just like staring into a mirror?

After the elimination rounds ended, a one-day break was given for teams to rest and recover.

At the same time, Mingdu held a large-scale auction, offering many soul tools and resources suitable for the competitors—an opportunity for teams to temporarily enhance their strength.

Teams who realized their members weren't strong enough had no choice but to grit their teeth and spend big on soul tools and resources.

Some traditional soul master families and sects, who had previously looked down on soul engineers and soul tools, were now reconsidering. Having witnessed their power during the tournament, they began to think about arming their own soul masters with such tools.

This was also a form of advertisement for the Sun Moon Empire's soul tool industry.

And the auction didn't just include items for the competitors—many rare treasures were available, suitable for high-level individuals from all factions.

After all, how much money can you really make off students? If you're going to make money, make it off the big shots!

Naturally, Shrek Academy also attended the auction, though not everyone went.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong both opted out.

Huo Yuhao didn't need any soul tools or external aids given his current strength. As for Wang Dong—thanks to the Tang God King's curse—he coughed uncontrollably whenever he tried to use soul tools.

Besides, none of the auction items were particularly useful to Huo Yuhao. Anything truly valuable had already been intercepted by the Third Prince on his behalf.

However, instead of going back to the hotel to rest, Huo Yuhao took a quiet detour—slipping into the Sun Moon Empire's imperial harem.

Meanwhile, Wang Dong went out for a leisurely stroll. Mingdu was still bustling with life.

In the Imperial Harem of the Sun Moon Empire —

 After the Act...

Huo Yuhao held the soft body of Yu Manwu in his arms, feeling the benefits of another round of dual cultivation. He had once again harvested a special wave of black phoenix energy, and his understanding of fire attributes had reached a new peak.

With his current accumulation, Huo Yuhao was ready to master that divine fire technique.

Suddenly, as she lazily traced circles on Huo Yuhao's chest, Yu Manwu casually spoke, "You're not really the Third Prince, are you?"

Huo Yuhao wasn't surprised. He had long suspected that Yu Manwu had seen through him—after all, facial expressions and emotions could be faked, but the body's natural responses couldn't.

Yu Manwu's reactions had grown less intense compared to before.

Without the forbidden thrill, her excitement seemed to have dulled.

"Go on," Huo Yuhao encouraged her to share her deductions.

Yu Manwu lifted her gaze to meet his and said, "The Third Prince has stopped hiding his actions with the harem concubines, yet he's never once come to me. Also, I noticed that he hasn't touched any women ranked consort or higher."

"Either he has some hidden agenda, or those women he avoided already have a new master."

Huo Yuhao smiled, dropping his pretense. "You're very clever. But clever people... don't tend to live very long."

Yu Manwu's expression froze in shock. "It's you—you're the captain of the Shrek Academy team!"

That she recognized Huo Yuhao wasn't surprising. If she had been following the tournament, he would've been impossible to ignore.

"So, are you going to kill me?" she asked, quickly hiding her shock with a flirtatious smile.

She went on, "I suppose the Third Prince has been taken over by you—or rather, by Shrek Academy. You even helped me get revenge. And now that I know the Sun Moon Empire is already in Shrek Academy's hands, I suppose it's only fitting. I have nothing more to say. To die after experiencing this with you... I suppose I've no regrets."

Yu Manwu clearly misunderstood, believing all this was orchestrated by Shrek Academy, the only force powerful enough to pull it off.

"You're not as carefree as you act," Huo Yuhao said with a smile, making no move to attack. "I saw the fear of death in your heart. But you're gambling that I won't kill you—because I passed on a cultivation technique to you. You believe you're still useful to me, and that I won't touch you."

Indeed, he didn't move. Because from the very first time, Yu Manwu's fate had already been sealed.

How could Huo Yuhao allow a furnace to exist without a collar around its neck?

"What a terrifying man you are~" Yu Manwu murmured. She sat up, shamelessly exposing her body as she stared seriously at Huo Yuhao, her ambitions laid bare.

"You're right. I don't think you'll kill me. I revealed your identity today because I want more! If you could support the Third Prince, why not support me?"

Huo Yuhao could only admire her. This was what it meant to carry phoenix energy—the daring and ambition she showed wasn't something common in women, especially not in the feudal society of the Douluo Continent.

"Sigh... Why do you have to overthink things?" he said with a hint of indulgence. Then he gently tapped her forehead.

Yu Manwu didn't dodge. The next moment, her eyes rolled back, and she fell unconscious.

"Tsk, a furnace should act like a furnace~"

Then, Huo Yuhao raised his hand, using his spiritual power to erase the inappropriate ambitions and memories from Yu Manwu's mind.

The first round of eliminations had ended, and the second round—the group advancement matches—was about to begin.

This advancement stage used a lottery system to determine whether the matches would be team battles, solo duels, or 2v2v3 matches. The format was largely the same as the previous Star Luo Empire tournament.

Due to the still sizable number of teams remaining, the competitors were divided into sixteen groups, rotating in battle to earn points: three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss.

At the end, the two teams with the highest points in each group would advance. If teams were tied on points, no tiebreaker match would occur immediately. Instead, net wins would be compared first. If those were equal, the total number of surviving members across all matches would be compared. Only if those were also equal would an actual tiebreaker match be held.

In other words, teams now had to think not just about winning—but about how to win while minimizing their own eliminations.

That arrogant tactic of having all teammates withdraw to let one member solo the opposing team? Completely out of the question now.

Without a doubt, teams with Soul Sages held a distinct advantage.

However, the teams with Soul Sages were intentionally spread across the sixteen groups—obviously deliberate, but no one voiced any complaints.

After all, the Soul Master Tournament wasn't just a competition—it was a spectacle. There had to be some entertainment value. You couldn't just pit all the powerhouses against each other right away; otherwise, what would be left for audiences to look forward to?

Groups with a Soul Sage-led team were expected to lock in at least one qualifying spot. The remaining teams in those groups would battle for the second slot.

Although not all sixteen groups contained Soul Sage-led teams, the rest included multiple Soul Emperor-level teams—ensuring fierce competition regardless.

Zhang Lexuan and others took on some duties of a leading instructor—namely, helping Huo Yuhao and the team scout the other competitors. Thanks to their intelligence-gathering skills, they indeed uncovered some useful insights.

Hua Yao shared the findings with Huo Yuhao and the others:

"Based on our investigation, there are eleven teams in total that have a Soul Sage!"

"Ten of them are publicly known: Shrek Academy, Mingdu Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the Body Sect, Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Star Luo's Zhu Clan, Sun Moon's Xu Clan, Earth Dragon Gate, Holy Spirit Cult, Heavenly Soul's Bai Clan, and the Douling Hai Clan."

"The eleventh team is the Douling Xie Clan. If not for Elder Xuan and the others detecting the concealed Soul Sage aura within their ranks, they might've gone unnoticed. They weren't placed in the same group as any other Soul Sage team—whether that was because the Sun Moon Empire noticed them too, or just a coincidence, we don't know."

"Among these teams, four are known to have more than one Soul Sage: Mingdu Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the Body Sect, the Holy Spirit Cult, and the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. As for the Xu Clan and the Douling Xie Clan, their situations are more mysterious and can't be clearly determined."

So there were eleven Soul Sage teams in all—comprising two academy teams, four sect-based teams, and five clan-based teams.

The clan-based teams clearly outnumbered the others.

People had already drawn their own conclusions: within clans, it's easier to focus large resources on nurturing a few highly talented individuals, while sects and academies had to prioritize fairness, which made resource distribution more even.

Still, sects and academies had their own advantages—like recruiting a broader range of talented students—so all four teams with multiple Soul Sages came from those groups.

Sects dominated three of the four because they focused on cultivating a specific type of martial soul, often with detailed and well-established training systems—making results easier to achieve.

As for Mingdu Royal Soul Engineer Academy's two Soul Sages… well, they probably achieved that through "medication enhancement."

Even if Shrek Academy's team only had one Soul Sage, that one was stronger than any trio!

In short, Shrek Academy would never admit to being inferior to any other faction.

After all, excluding the "freakishly gifted" Huo Yuhao, not a single student cultivated by Shrek had broken through to Soul Sage level.

But clearly, it wasn't a failure of Shrek's training—it was just that they hadn't admitted enough exceptional students.

That might not be the case for the next generation. With someone like Qiyu, in five years it was entirely possible for one or two Soul Sages to emerge—technically still Shrek-trained by association.

Shrek Academy even believed that Qiyu's current level of achievement was entirely due to their fine instruction.

In truth, they just didn't know the whole story.

Only Huo Yuhao knew how those Soul Sages in the other teams had come to be.

Except for the Douling Xie Clan!

Because Huo Yuhao genuinely didn't remember the Xie Clan ever having their own divine patron. In other words, the Xie Clan's Soul Sage was self-raised!

"The Douling Xie Clan… I didn't expect them to have such hidden depth," Huo Yuhao murmured with intrigue.

He had looked into them before.

According to Shrek Academy's records on families across the continent, the Douling Xie Clan was an old and established lineage. But they had no particular closeness to Shrek and had never sent students there.

Many families were like this—fearing that their martial soul secrets might be uncovered at the academy and leaked, potentially endangering their own soul masters.

Besides, academy training wasn't necessarily more suitable than family training for a family's own heirs.

When family members enrolled in academies, it was usually just to expand their social networks. Martial soul cultivation remained under the family's control, using family-provided resources.

The Douling Xie Clan was no different. However, their overall strength wasn't particularly impressive, and since there were many similar families, Shrek had never paid special attention to them—just kept a record.

What had made Huo Yuhao notice them was the unique nature of their inherited martial souls: one was the top-tier Tool Soul Moon Blade, the other the top-tier Beast Soul Flame Lord.

And with the surname "Xie"…

It was hard not to wonder if they were descended from Xie Yue and Yan, two members of the former Spirit Hall's Golden Generation—who had gone on to found their own clan.

After Spirit Hall's fall, although its wealth and legacies were looted and its history distorted, even the Qian Clan had survivors. The elders of the Worship Hall weren't entirely wiped out either—let alone minor figures like Xie Yue, Yan, and Hu Liena, who never even reached the front lines.

Hu Liena, perhaps a hopeless romantic, might have died alone.

But Xie Yue and Yan would never have allowed their bloodlines to disappear. Perhaps their descendants intermarried and eventually formed the Douling Xie Clan, continuing the line to this day.

Due to historical obfuscation, even some high-level personnel in Shrek had forgotten the origins of those martial souls.

Now that a young Soul Sage had emerged from the Xie Clan, Huo Yuhao found himself extremely curious—did the Xie Clan harbor some unique secret?

He was definitely intrigued!

After all, they had once belonged to Spirit Hall. There was a real possibility they had inherited something special from it.

Even if it was all just coincidence…

The Flame Lord martial soul's bloodline alone was enough to draw Huo Yuhao's attention. The Flame Lord was an ancient inheritance—known for extreme heat, offense, and defense.

It might just be a bloodline of an Ultimate Martial Soul!