After Huo Yuhao finished absorbing the immortal herb, Mu En immediately convened a meeting of the Sea God Pavilion.
After all, such a major disturbance had just occurred—it was necessary to give the academy's upper echelon an explanation.
The members of the Sea God Pavilion quickly assembled.
Huo Yuhao was also brought along to participate in this meeting.
This also symbolized that, with Mu En's support, Huo Yuhao was officially entering the core of Shrek Academy!
Mu En had decided to cultivate Huo Yuhao as his successor.
It wasn't that Xuan Zi, Yan Shaozhe, or Zhang Lexuan weren't capable, but Huo Yuhao had a much higher cost-performance ratio.
There had never been a soul master who grew as rapidly as Huo Yuhao!
Moreover, Mu En realized something crucial: the immense benefit Huo Yuhao gained from consuming the immortal herb meant he had never taken one before!
According to records, a soul master can only consume one immortal herb in their lifetime.
Any more would drastically reduce effectiveness, or even cause internal conflicts leading to death by body explosion.
These were records left behind by the Sea God himself!
They could not possibly be wrong!
Thus, it became clear that this was indeed Huo Yuhao's first time consuming an immortal herb.
This overturned Mu En's earlier suspicion that Huo Yuhao had previously taken one.
Mu En only allowed Huo Yuhao to consume the herb because he had formed a bond of ownership with it—only then did Mu En dare to let him try.
As it turned out, his concerns had been unnecessary.
This proved that Huo Yuhao's rapid cultivation progress until now was purely due to his monstrous natural talent!
This prompted Mu En to consider passing down the position of Pavilion Master to Huo Yuhao ahead of schedule.
Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe had almost no chance of reaching the rank of Limit Douluo—one lacked the mental state, the other the talent.
As for Zhang Lexuan, Mu En bore no bias and supported her, but she too only had a chance of breaking through to Limit Douluo.
But Huo Yuhao? He was certain to become a Limit Douluo!
And it might not be long.
Even the Sea God had blessed him—if he didn't reach Limit Douluo, it would be impolite. Mu En even felt that Huo Yuhao might become a god!
Thinking of this, Mu En felt much lighter at heart.
"To be able to unearth such a monster for Shrek at the end of my life, I, Mu En, have no regrets. I've done right by the ancestors."
Thus, the arriving members of the Sea God Pavilion were shocked to see Mu En—who had seemed more aged after Bei Bei's disappearance—now looking slightly revitalized.
Some were even startled enough to wonder if this was the "final radiance before death," only to be reassured by the stable life force he still emitted.
Then, all eyes turned to the young man standing behind Mu En—Huo Yuhao—realizing that all this might be because of him.
When they sensed his soul power level...
Whether they knew Huo Yuhao or not, all were dumbfounded.
This wasn't just surprise—it was shock!
From his appearance, Huo Yuhao was clearly very young, yet he had a soul power level of 60!
"Sixtieth rank?! Junior brother Yuhao, you've already become a Soul Emperor?!" Yan Shaozhe cried out in astonishment.
"Senior brother, I haven't absorbed my sixth spirit ring yet, so technically I'm not a Soul Emperor," Huo Yuhao scratched his head shyly.
Yan Shaozhe: "…"
Did you even hear yourself?
"Heh… Everyone's here, right?" Mu En chuckled, then got straight to the point.
"I'm sure you all noticed the earlier phenomenon. Let me be direct—it was caused by Yuhao when he absorbed the immortal herb, which drew down divine grace from the Sea God."
"What? The immortal herb has already been used?!"
"He's the one the herb acknowledged as master?"
"The Sea God actually granted divine blessing?"
"This…"
The members were stunned.
After Xuan Zi returned with the herb, he'd explained many things about it. The members were already aware of the matter with Huo Yuhao and the herb.
Elder Lin even took a large sum of golden soul coins from the Treasure Pavilion to pay for it.
What shocked them was not just that the herb had already been consumed, but that it had invoked the Sea God's divine blessing!
All eyes were now fixed on Huo Yuhao, eager to see what made him so extraordinary.
"Yuhao, introduce yourself," Mu En said with a smile.
Huo Yuhao nodded obediently and stepped forward, introducing himself:
"Greetings, seniors. I'm the new disciple of Teacher Mu En, Huo Yuhao. I'm currently a second-year student in the Outer Court."
"I'm not yet thirteen years old, at soul power rank 60, with a martial soul of Ice Jade Centipede —possessing both Ultimate Ice and Poison attributes."
He showed no arrogance as a genius, just pure humility—like a model student.
The crowd froze: "Huh?"
Then came a chorus of sharp intakes of breath.
"Hsss! Hsss! Hsss!"
Not yet thirteen?!
Elder Song looked at Mu En with a bit of resentment. If that old man hadn't taken Huo Yuhao in first, such a superb disciple should have been hers!
Another member, Elder Zhuang, shook his head and sighed at Mu En.
"Old Mu, you're really good at hiding things. The academy has recruited another Ultimate attribute soul master, and we didn't hear a peep."
Mu En smiled slightly, not mentioning Jin Qiu'er.
The Sea God Pavilion members mainly fell into two categories:
One—Academy executives, like Yan Shaozhe, Cai Meier, and Qian Duoduo.
Two—Elder retirees, seasoned powerhouses who had contributed much to the academy. They either lived out retirement or managed external operations. They rarely followed academy affairs closely, so it was natural they didn't know Huo Yuhao. Examples include Elder Lin, Elder Zhuang, and even Xuan Zi.
In certain cases, there's a third category—successors to the Pavilion Master.
Such as Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao.
However, Zhang Lexuan wasn't present.
As the Sea God Pavilion members sized up Huo Yuhao, he also discreetly sized up everyone there.
He had to admit—none of those seated here were ordinary. Whether by bloodline, martial soul, destiny, or strength, each had impressive qualities—some were even top-tier.
No need to elaborate on Yan Shaozhe. The stunning woman beside him was his wife, Cai Meier.
Huo Yuhao had met Cai Meier a few times—she was also an Inner Court teacher.
After her initial shock, Cai Meier flashed a charming smile and said to him,
"Yuhao, you've once again shattered my expectations. As expected of Elder Mu's disciple."
No doubt about it—when she was young, Cai Meier had the looks and talent to attract someone like Yan Shaozhe. Her martial soul was also quite impressive.
Technically speaking, as Yan Shaozhe's wife, Cai Meier was Huo Yuhao's sister-in-law.
"All thanks to Teacher's guidance," Huo Yuhao replied modestly.
Mu En smiled and patted Huo Yuhao's head.
"I haven't taught you much—you're just exceptionally talented."
"Haha! That's our Yuhao!" Qian Duoduo suddenly called out loudly.
"Yuhao, to celebrate your becoming a Soul Emperor, come to our Soul Tool Department—I'll personally equip you with a full soul tool set, and then take you to hunt your soul ring!"
As fellow Shrek disciples, Qian Duoduo counted as Yuhao's senior too.
Qian Duoduo's martial soul, the Black Tortoise Shield, was powerful enough to withstand multiple attacks from the Bear Lord.
Before Huo Yuhao could respond, Yan Shaozhe cut in with dissatisfaction:
"Heh, no need for the Soul Tool Department's involvement. Yuhao is from our Martial Soul Department—my junior. We'll handle his soul ring!"
He had clearly seen through Qian Duoduo's attempt to "poach" Yuhao.
A woman sitting next to Qian Duoduo added sarcastically,
"Oh? Isn't Yuhao my junior too? Do we need your permission to show concern for him?"
"Uh… Ahem." Yan Shaozhe was instantly embarrassed.
"Xian Lin'er, our Martial Soul Department can guide Yuhao just fine. Your Soul Tool Department would only mislead him!" Cai Meier chimed in displeased.
The woman beside Qian Duoduo was his nominal wife, Xian Lin'er—she possessed a mutated dragon martial soul and strong dragon bloodline.
She was also Mu En's disciple—making her Huo Yuhao's senior sister.
Most notably, she was a titled Douluo who still retained her pure Yin energy!
When younger, Xian Lin'er had been a stunning beauty, standing about 1.7 meters tall, with fair skin, neatly tied black hair, and a sharp, competent outfit of white with gold trim.
Though older now, Huo Yuhao still found her charming and attractive!
He decided that in the future, he'd prepare some beauty-enhancing products to gift his senior sister and sister-in-law—and maybe add a little something special, to make his moves easier down the line.
The rest of the Sea God Pavilion looked on with amusement at the bickering quartet—Yan Shaozhe, Qian Duoduo, Cai Meier, and Xian Lin'er. It was practically a recurring show at Pavilion meetings.
Not only due to the Martial Soul vs. Soul Tool departments' rivalry, but also the tangled love-hate drama among the four.
After hearing the good news about Huo Yuhao, everyone relaxed and enjoyed the show.
Elder Song rubbed her temples—Xian Lin'er was her daughter, after all.
She found all the noise tiresome—it felt like she had become the commotion.
Seeing the flustered Huo Yuhao caught in the middle, Elder Song finally snapped and scolded them:
"Shut up, all of you! What do you think this place is, a market? If you want to fight, take it outside! I won't stop you!"
None of the four dared utter a word after being scolded. They all shrank back and quieted down.
The others were even more amused.
Truly, one thing always restrains another.
Elder Song's martial soul was the Blue Shadow Divine Eagle—noble in bloodline.
Sitting next to her, Elder Zhuang's martial soul was the rare Tree of Life—perfectly compatible with snow lotuses.
The other Sea God Pavilion members' martial souls and bloodlines also made Huo Yuhao envious—but he wasn't close with them.
Moreover, he noticed a powerful figure seated toward the front—someone with time-space powers.
"Time-space abilities? I wonder if I can obtain them too…"
The Sea God Pavilion meeting ended in a very pleasant atmosphere.
Mu En said nothing—and yet, said everything.
After Mu En brought Huo Yuhao to the Sea God Pavilion meeting and had him showcase his talents, the members of the Pavilion all understood Mu En's intentions.
Unless something unexpected happened, after Mu En passed away, Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe would temporarily assume the role of Pavilion Master.
And when Huo Yuhao eventually matured and stepped into the Super Douluo realm, he would take over the Sea God Pavilion Master's position.
Regardless of how old Huo Yuhao was at that time!
Just the Sea God's Blessing alone was enough to silence any dissenting voice.
As for Zhang Lexuan… Actually, some members did approve of her.
But her current state was truly worrisome.
Bei Bei's disappearance hit Mu En the hardest, but Zhang Lexuan came second.
After all, she had always regarded Bei Bei as her fiancé, and he was one of her few remaining family members. Given her deeply emotional nature, Bei Bei's disappearance had truly devastated her.
Although Zhang Lexuan didn't cry every day, she couldn't conceal her sadness, and it had even started to affect her cultivation.
Rather than distracting her with other matters, it would be better to let her rest, focus on cultivation, and strive to become a Super Douluo, and eventually a Peak Douluo.
In the future, there might come a day when Shrek Academy sees two Peak Douluos shining together!
Moreover, in terms of raw talent, Zhang Lexuan simply couldn't compare to Huo Yuhao.
Ten-thousand-year spirit rings?
Huo Yuhao could have them too—possibly even earlier and in greater numbers!
After the Sea God Pavilion meeting ended...
It was already nighttime.
Huo Yuhao didn't return to the outer courtyard; instead, he stayed directly on Sea God Island. From now on, he would be residing there permanently.
During the meeting, a proposal had passed—to promote Huo Yuhao directly into the inner courtyard.
Passed unanimously.
The outer courtyard no longer had any teachers capable of guiding Huo Yuhao. The Sea God Pavilion members viewed him as a precious treasure, and if they could, they'd tie him to their hips and mentor him personally.
It's easy to imagine the incredible opportunities that awaited Huo Yuhao from now on.
His living quarters had long been prepared—the same villa he had lived in before.
As they parted, Mu En reminded Huo Yuhao to rest well and come see him tomorrow.
As for the next spirit ring, there was no rush. Huo Yuhao had just undergone a massive soul power breakthrough, and Mu En felt it would be better to stabilize his cultivation first.
However, Huo Yuhao didn't need to stabilize anything.
But he agreed to everything.
Because what Huo Yuhao needed wasn't the sixth spirit ring—it was the seventh!
His target was a 200,000-year-level fierce beast spirit ring!
Inside the villa bedroom...
Huo Yuhao didn't turn on the lights. He sat cross-legged, examining himself and feeling the gains from today.
His soul power was still at level 70, and his cultivation realm was still Mage.
But he had accumulated a vast reserve of soul power. Huo Yuhao estimated that if he successfully absorbed a 200,000-year spirit ring, his soul power might surge close to level 80!
At the very least, it would exceed level 75.
As for his Mage cultivation, it was also on the verge of a breakthrough—he only lacked a soul master with strong White Tiger bloodlines, or ideally, a pureblood White Tiger, to serve as a catalyst.
However, both his constitution and spiritual power had seen massive improvements.
After further integration with the Snow Lotus, Huo Yuhao's physical body had reached the level of a Titled Douluo!
His spiritual power now rivaled that of spirit-type Super Douluos!
And that's without the help of Skydream Iceworm or Electrolux.
Just these gains alone gave Huo Yuhao the strength to duel a Super Douluo and easily crush an ordinary Titled Douluo.
And he didn't stop there.
The evolution of the Snow Lotus and its deeper fusion with Huo Yuhao allowed him to channel its power more fully.
Let's not forget—the Snow Lotus had absorbed part of the Sea God's divine power!
It also boosted Huo Yuhao's vitality, making him much harder to kill.
Even more astonishingly, the Snow Lotus had begun to develop a faint sentience, leaving Huo Yuhao shocked and delighted.
He felt no fear of betrayal or desire to suppress it.
To Huo Yuhao, the Snow Lotus was his most trusted companion—even more so than the spirits connected to his life, like Skydream Iceworm.
Because the Snow Lotus was closest to his heart.
"Snow Lotus, grow up soon. I'll take you to eat all kinds of delicious food," Huo Yuhao said with a soft smile.
This opportunity benefited the Snow Lotus the most, followed by Huo Yuhao himself.
All three of his spirits experienced enhancement:
The Variant Ice Jade Centipede gained stronger light attributes, though it benefited the least.
The Evil Eye gained significantly—unlocking two hidden potentials!
This granted Huo Yuhao two new types of special eyes:
One empowered by the Golden Ancient Tree, the other by Sea God divine power.
First, his eyes turned platinum, resembling the Eye of All-Things, but filled with vitality and light.
Golden Eye of the Ancient Tree — Radiant Infusion
Attributes: Light and Life
Effect: Gathers ambient spiritual energy and converts it into life force, which can then be infused into a target.
Range: As far as his spiritual detection can reach.
In simple terms—it's like Soraka's ultimate in League of Legends.
While not particularly impressive in combat, it had its uses.
Huo Yuhao even found he could target himself, not just for healing, but for channeling energy directly into cultivation.
Within the Golden Tree's domain, it wasn't too impressive, but outside it?
It was like carrying a mini Golden Ancient Tree with him!
He also felt a faint link between the Golden Eye and the tree itself.
This link could be strengthened by cultivating within its aura and absorbing its essence.
Next, he activated the second pair of eyes.
Blue-gold light appeared in his pupils, carrying divine majesty—like the eyes of a god—and in the center of his pupils appeared the Snow Lotus insignia.
This was derived from the Snow Lotus's Sea God power!
Blue-Gold Eye of the Sea God — Sea God: Devour!
(Or more precisely, Sea God, Devour!)
"This… is a skill from Tang Godking?" Huo Yuhao exclaimed.
This ability resembled dispelling abnormal states. Tang Godking had once used it to easily nullify Qian Renxue's Angel's Judgment.
He hadn't just inherited Tang Godking's power—he'd also inherited one of his skills!
However, activating it required consuming the Snow Lotus's divine energy.
And restoring that divine energy took a long time, as converting Douluo Continent's natural energy into divine power was extremely difficult.
So Huo Yuhao couldn't use this lightly.
But that didn't mean the Blue-Gold Eye was useless.
Eyes infused with Sea God power naturally excelled in the ocean.
After awakening them, Huo Yuhao's perception of water-based power became incredibly acute.
He felt he could develop new water-based abilities ideal for underwater combat.
And that was important, because his seventh spirit ring target…
…was a sea spirit beast!
When the time comes, he'll definitely need it!
He deactivated the Evil Eye martial soul and activated the Ghost Banner martial soul.
The Ghost Banner martial soul was by far the one with the greatest gains.
From the outside, it didn't look much different—just a bit thicker and more substantial.
In truth, though, the Ghost Banner's attributes somewhat conflicted with the powers of the Golden Ancient Tree and the Sea God's divine energy.
But the source of the Ghost Banner's power was ghosts, and for ghosts, abundant life force was a tremendous supplement.
All the ghosts apart from the main soul had visibly grown stronger—their combat power had improved. Their levels didn't increase, but they evolved from low-tier grunts into elite monsters.
Take Grand Eunuch Gao's ghost, for example—he was already aware of his own strengthening and was now praising Huo Yuhao's greatness to the other conscious ghosts.
And truth be told, Grand Eunuch Gao's flattery was quite pleasant to hear.
"When there's a chance in the future, I'll give him a promotion."
Surely there would be a soul bone with a suitable bone spirit slot for him.
By contrast, the ghost of the Tyrannosaurus was much less obedient. It was bound in a confined space, still looking rebellious.
But at least it was far more subdued than it had been in the beginning.
It wouldn't be long before he fully tamed it.
As for the four main souls of the Ghost Banner, all of them experienced power boosts.
He Caitou directly rose to level 60, with noticeably sharper eyes.
Electrolux's divine soul had slightly recovered—only just a sliver, but progress nonetheless.
The Golden Tortoise's age and strength had increased, now advancing toward the 200,000-year mark.
Jin Qiu'er's soul power also rose to level 60—but she couldn't form a spirit ring on her own.
"What's going on? Why can't I form a spirit ring?" Jin Qiu'er asked, flustered.
"Are you dumb? You're a ghost now. Where would you form one from?" Huo Yuhao said, exasperated.
"You—you dare mock me? Want me to bite you?!"
"Then at least work on your technique before trying."
"Huh?!"
"Anyway, not the point," Huo Yuhao said with a faint smile. "Soon I'll help you and He Caitou obtain your sixth spirit rings, so you can break through. After that, your levels should rise even higher."
Jin Qiu'er frowned slightly. "Absorb a spirit ring…"
She instinctively disliked the idea of absorbing spirit rings or bones—it just felt icky.
But considering her current situation, she didn't really have the right to complain.
"I've eaten enough soul beasts anyway. Now I just need one soul beast ring to break through. Once I become a god in the future, I'll definitely help solve the soul beasts' plight."
"Yes—this is a necessary sacrifice!"
With that thought, it became easier to accept.
Still, Jin Qiu'er reminded him:
"Huo Yuhao, you'd better find me a pretty or rare soul beast to absorb. If it's ugly, I'll cough when I absorb the ring!"
Huo Yuhao: "...You're so damn picky."
"Whatever! Just let me pick the one that suits me best, okay?" she said, hands on hips.
"Sure~"
Afterward, Jin Qiu'er resumed her blissful cycle of eating and sleeping.
Huo Yuhao exited the ghost space and examined changes in the Ghost Banner martial soul in other areas.
His Devour Life Domain and Blood Fiend Domain had become stronger after absorbing large quantities of life force and part of the Sea God's divine power.
The Devour Life Domain now had enhanced effects and a wider range.
The Blood Fiend Domain had evolved—enemy weakening was now boosted to 10%, and attack amplification had reached 110%.
Moreover, it now possessed growth potential.
It would require more blood or life force to continue advancing.
Additionally, he gained the ability to directly manipulate blood fiend energy for attacks.
"This domain needs a new name—let's call it the Blood Slaughter Domain!"
"The Domain of Bloody Massacre!"
Perfect.
Finally, the blood pearl atop the Ghost Banner, which originated from the Blood Fiend Holy Spirit Flag, was beginning to stir—its artifact spirit showing signs of awakening.
That meant it wouldn't be long before the artifact spirit fully revived.
The only question was whether it would submit to Huo Yuhao.
If it refused—well, his Ghost Banner martial soul would teach it a lesson: when it comes to souls, artifact spirits and ghosts are no different.
They can both be annihilated by soul-restraining techniques.
Despite all his gains today, Huo Yuhao didn't slack off. He continued his cultivation with discipline.
For once, he spent the night alone.
Ma Xiaotao and the others needed proper rest—so they could serve him better later.
Ling Luochén hadn't started absorbing the Ice Jade Scorpion soul bone early either. Huo Yuhao had told her he'd assist with the process, and she'd agreed. So she wasn't going behind his back.
Just thinking about soul bones jolted Huo Yuhao awake—he slapped his thigh.
"Crap! I forgot!"
He'd been so focused on absorbing immortal herbs and organizing his gains that he forgot to bring back his rewarded soul bone.
"No way—I have to get it back tomorrow!"
He sat back on his bed.
As for the Nine-Colored Poison Seed—that had to be refined in secret later. It would take some time.
Huo Yuhao didn't plan to handle it on Sea God Island.
Too risky—it might get noticed.
After all, he was cultivating practically under their divine gaze.
Even with the [Destiny] fate trait, good fortune, and the Sea God's divine aura from the Snow Lotus to shield him—he couldn't be careless.
Be cautious when you should be cautious. Be bold when you need to be bold. That's the way to survive long-term.
And at the moment, he wasn't in urgent need of poison power.
Later, he'd need to gather herbs to aid the refinement of the Nine-Colored Poison Seed, so its effects could reach their peak.
Maybe it could even push him past a critical threshold.
The next morning.
After a night of cultivation, Huo Yuhao quickly went to find Mu En.
Huo Yuhao: Old man, jackpot! Time to cough up that soul bone reward from yesterday!
Mu En was even more pleased with Huo Yuhao's diligence.
"He didn't slack off after such a big power boost. Still takes everything seriously. Such a personality is truly rare in a young man—and all the more valuable."
With a sigh, Mu En led Huo Yuhao into a quiet room.
Before Huo Yuhao could even ask for the soul bone, Mu En spoke up.
"Yuhao, your soul bone reward from yesterday—it hasn't been handed over yet, has it?" Mu En asked with a smile.
Huo Yuhao pretended to be surprised, then quickly replied:
"Teacher, I've already received precious immortal herbs. I wouldn't dare ask for more."
(Huo Yuhao, thinking: Old man, if you don't give it to me, there'll be hell to pay!)
Thankfully, Mu En didn't actually intend to withhold it. He worried that if he joked about it, Huo Yuhao would take it seriously, given his obedient personality.
Mu En believed he already understood Huo Yuhao well.
He wasn't lacking in cunning or cleverness, but when it came to friends and loved ones, he was completely defenseless.
"Finally found a flaw in Yuhao—this trait might someday get him hurt by those closest to him... or be used by his enemies. I have to guide him carefully. I hope he doesn't repeat my mistakes," Mu En thought, recalling his own past.
Pushing aside the memories, Mu En finally said:
"No worries. What's yours is yours. And because of your outstanding performance, the academy has decided to give you an even greater reward. But in return, we'll ask you to complete a task."
(You give Brother Hao a soul bone—he's happy. But if you attach a mission to it—he's not!)
Still, Huo Yuhao maintained a touched expression.
He didn't ask about the task either.
(If I can slack on it, I will.)
Mu En didn't keep him waiting. He directly took out a soul bone to show Huo Yuhao.
It was a head-type soul bone, radiating intense spiritual power.
"A 70,000-year-old Terror Demon Dragon head-type soul bone! Dragon-type, with spiritual attributes—perfect for you!" Mu En explained.
This wasn't just one of those spirit-enhanced skulls—they had given him a real, full head soul bone!
A 70,000-year-old Fear Demon Dragon Skull Soul Bone!
Spirit attribute, dragon-type soul bone.
It certainly appeared suitable for Huo Yuhao.
But what Huo Yuhao valued wasn't the age — it was the soul skill that came with it.
Because Huo Yuhao had ways to increase the age of soul bones.
A soul bone with a good soul skill could be worth far more than its age might suggest — like his Golden Light Left Arm Bone.
And any soul bone that Muen would bring out certainly wouldn't be trash.
Head soul bones typically enhanced a soul master's spiritual power, and the skills they carried were usually spirit-type soul skills.
As such, head bones produced by spirit-type soul beasts were often even more precious.
Not to mention spirit-type beasts were more likely to produce head bones.
"The Fear Demon Dragon, though merely a terrestrial dragon and considered a sub-dragon, is a rare spirit-attribute creature and possesses a special innate soul skill — Fear Stare."
"This soul bone was produced by the leader of its clan. Though the leader failed to evolve into a Fear Demon Dragon King, the bone it left behind is still a top-tier piece, carrying the species' innate soul skill."
"'Fear Stare' allows the user to induce uncontrollable fear in a target just by looking at them, greatly reducing the opponent's fighting will. While it needs a bit of time to take effect, it can also be instantly triggered by rapidly burning spiritual power, instantly plunging the target into fear."
Muen explained calmly.
Huo Yuhao realized that this was indeed no ordinary soul bone.
This particular soul bone came from a secret room filled with Fear Demon Dragon skulls — it had been hidden deep within, unknown to most people. Few realized there was a soul bone hidden inside that room.
But taking out this bone meant the room's original effects would be significantly weakened.
Still, if it could nurture Huo Yuhao, the price was worth it.
Because Muen believed Yuhao had the potential to become a god. As his teacher, he naturally wanted to lend him all the support he could!
Even at the cost of some benefits for Shrek Academy.
As long as Huo Yuhao succeeded in becoming a god, the rewards for Shrek would far outweigh the losses.
"Yuhao only absorbed the most suitable left arm bone, which shows he has high standards. This Fear Demon Dragon Head Bone should meet his expectations."
"Let this be one final indulgence from this old man in his waning years." Muen sighed inwardly.
His earlier examination of Yuhao had led to a misjudgment of his situation.
But choosing to give him a head bone ended up saving his own life — if he had instead brought out a right leg bone, Yuhao would've had to consider how to kill him.
Because Yuhao had already absorbed a right leg bone — and there was no way he could reveal his soul bone fusion method in front of Muen.
"Thank you, Teacher!" Yuhao responded seriously, extending both hands to receive the head bone from Muen.
Muen nodded with a smile.
"Yuhao, you should absorb it here."
"Yes, Teacher!"
Without hesitation, Huo Yuhao began absorbing the soul bone.
The low age wasn't an issue — worst case, he'd later fuse it with a ferocious beast soul bone to enhance it.
"Whose head bone should I fuse with in the future? Evil Eyed Tyrant? Or the Three-Eyed Golden Lion?"
"Still, this 'Fear Stare' soul skill really is impressive. Inducing direct fear in an opponent is an excellent spiritual control skill."
"And I have no shortage of spiritual power, which means I can cast it repeatedly — just glare and they tremble! Since it's eye-based, it fits perfectly with the Evil Eye martial soul. I might even combine it with some techniques from the Demonic Buddha Doctrine…"
Under Muen's gaze, Yuhao sat cross-legged and brought the soul bone to his forehead, beginning absorption.
The reason Yuhao absorbed it so readily was that, at this moment, he had no room to refuse.
Under Muen's watchful eye, agreeing was the best way to gain his further trust.
Even if the soul skill was good, it didn't change the fact that it was only a 70,000-year-old bone.
Huo Yuhao: Old geezer, you want me to absorb a mere 70,000-year soul bone? You're asking for death!
The absorption went smoothly.
But Huo Yuhao still put on a painful act.
Absorbing soul bones isn't exactly pleasant.
It's like having all your bones shattered and then fusing in new ones. Some soul masters with weaker physiques could suffer limb destruction from the process.
Rare, but not unheard of.
The original Douluo Dalu didn't show this happening, either due to outdated versions or limited understanding of soul bones at the time.
After all, the theory of soul bone absorption was introduced by the big master — you know who.
Even though Yuhao didn't really find it painful, he still played the part — acting matters.
Life Pro Tip: The best warriors don't flaunt flashy accomplishments.
It's not about being strong — it's about letting others see how strong you are!
Just like the story of Bian Que's three brothers. The worst of the three was the most famous, because he saved people from terminal illness — everyone noticed. The best one prevented disease early — no one saw.
So Yuhao had to show some pain — how else could Muen appreciate his hardship?
As expected, Muen was thoroughly impressed by Yuhao's resolve.
And what should've taken ten minutes, Yuhao dragged out for a full hour.
The dragon bloodline within the soul bone didn't awaken any new talents. Instead, it was directly devoured by Yuhao's own dragon bloodline, strengthening it.
When Yuhao opened his eyes, Muen smiled with satisfaction and asked gently,
"Yuhao, how do you feel?"
"Teacher, my spiritual power has improved significantly," Yuhao replied with visible excitement.
"Hmm, let me check."
"Yes, Teacher."
Yuhao had always kept his fortune concealment up in front of Muen, so he reached out his hand without hesitation.
Muen placed a hand on his arm and quickly nodded with approval.
"As expected — your spiritual power and physical strength are now about equal."
To handle Muen's inspection, Yuhao's fortune took a slight hit, but since the probe was shallow, the cost was minor.
Now came the real deal.
Muen's expression grew solemn, and his clouded eyes lit up with sharp clarity.
"Yuhao, next I will teach you a technique I created — my strongest battle technique. The Bright Dragon Fist I taught you before was merely a small extension of it. Its name is —"
Dominating the World! (君临天下)
Yuhao's gaze sharpened.
It's here!
The legendary Dominating the World from the original novel!
He had tried to replicate it himself using the description from the book — even opened his Eye of Ten Thousand Techniques to help.
He managed to come up with something — like his Mystic Ice Burst Fist — but it was far from the real thing.
This meant either:
The book left out some crucial details, or
Yuhao just wasn't the right fit for this technique.
Either way, he was going to learn it first and figure things out later.
Muen's battle technique masterclass had officially begun!
After explaining the core principles and key details, Muen led Yuhao to a waterfall, where Yuhao began intense training under its crushing pressure.
The training for Dominating the World had officially begun.
Under Mu En's guidance, Huo Yuhao gained deeper insights into many details not explicitly covered in the original story, especially regarding combat techniques.
These combat techniques are a specialized form of self-created skills, distinct from soul ring or soul bone techniques. They're more physical in nature and stem from intense understanding of one's own body, a practice notably advanced by the Body Sect.
Unlike general self-created soul skills, combat techniques focus primarily on body-driven attacks — sometimes powered solely by vital energy (qi and blood). The Body Sect's techniques fall into three main types: destructive, defensive, and movement-based.
Though many such techniques are basic and rough, only elite Body Sect members can wield the top-tier ones. Nonetheless, the sect's large reserve of accessible techniques makes it ideal for disciples to train and improve.
Powerful soul masters from other factions have also developed personalized combat techniques, often blending in unique elements from their spirit attributes or soul power to create special effects or boost strength. For example:
Mu En's technique "Dominating the World combines spiritual energy and physical power, forming a unique melee ability that surpasses ordinary soul techniques.
Huo Yuhao's own techniques, such as the Ice Mirage Fist, incorporate freezing effects using his innate attributes.
Mu En encouraged Yuhao to fuse a head soul bone to enhance his spiritual power and achieve a balance with his body — a crucial step in mastering Dominating the World. While the technique doesn't involve soul power directly, it doesn't interfere with the use of soul skills, making it versatile and effective in battle.
More than physical damage, this skill can crush the opponent's morale, instilling long-lasting fear. Yuhao questioned its purpose, noting:
"Why not just finish off the enemy instead of leaving a mental debuff? Is this technique just for tournaments?"
For him, defeating an enemy meant total elimination — no chance to linger under any "debuff."
Still, he acknowledged:
"It greatly boosts combat capability. If not for that, it'd be a pretty useless move."
Mu En, not being a spiritual-type soul master, couldn't apply the technique to long-range attacks. But Yuhao, as a spiritual-type, pondered extending the technique outward through spiritual channels. He considered modifying the technique to better suit his own path, recalling how Yan Shaozhe once created a variant of the skill infused with personal insight.
Training under a waterfall, Yuhao activated the Eye of All Laws and the Golden Eye, progressing steadily. Though physically drained, he quickly recovered with the help of the Snow Lotus spirit within his heart — a consciousness recently awakened, capable only of expressing joy.
After his training, he returned to the villa to rest, his spiritual cultivation aided by the Golden Ancient Tree, making up for the lack of external cultivation partners.
Midnight Visitors
Late at night, Yuhao heard a knock at the door. Outside stood Ma Xiaotao, with a dazed expression, and Ling Luochen, visibly blushing.
Ma Xiaotao, experienced in this kind of encounter, entered confidently. Ling Luochen, visiting like this for the first time, was more nervous but still stepped forward.
This time, Wei Na was absent, still in the outer courtyard.
Without hesitation, Yuhao let them inside. The three remained in the living room, where emotional and physical intimacy unfolded — not just for affection, but as part of their mutual cultivation method that enhanced their soul power.
Ma Xiaotao had reached level 74, recovering from her injuries with the help of the Golden Ancient Tree and after absorbing a right arm soul bone.
She now had three soul bones: left arm, right arm, and torso.
Ling Luochen, while not having absorbed new bones recently, had reached level 58, partly from absorbing a right leg soul bone granted as a reward and partly from her dual cultivation with Yuhao.
Even without being "harvested" by Yuhao in the traditional sense of cultivation novels, she still gained benefits from their sessions — a point of emotional and strategic significance.