The Holy Emperor's Identity Was Tang San?

Black World, Illustrious Virtue Hall.

Jing Hongchen was laughing so hard he slapped his thigh.

"Hahaha, the Holy Emperor of the Holy Spirit Cult is Tang San? That ancestor Tang San worshipped in the Sea God Pavilion?"

"Oh, I can't take it anymore. How are those old fellows at Shrek supposed to save face?"

He wiped away his tears as he laughed, then turned to Kong Deming.

"Teacher, if this is confirmed, how can Shrek Academy keep calling itself 'righteous'?"

Kong Deming stroked his long silver beard, a smile he could scarcely suppress playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Confirmed or not, since the Heavenly Screen has shown it, it's already half confirmed."

"Surely Huo Yuhao didn't carve the holy statue the Holy Spirit Cult worships, did he?"

"But what interests me more is that boy Huo Yuhao's judgment about Martial Soul attributes."

"The Angel God possesses ultimate light and holiness. Whatever could strike her down must have been darkness and evil."

"That deduction took a shortcut, but there's no fault to be found with its logic."

"Even if he was dumping a chamber pot of shit on Shrek Academy's head, he did a thorough job of it."

Black World. Holy Spirit Cult headquarters.

Ye Xishui gazed at the Heavenly Screen and let out a low laugh.

"Hehe... so that's how it is."

She leaned back on her spacious throne, a sickly pleasure rising on her pale face.

"I always thought the Holy Emperor's statue looked familiar, but I couldn't remember where I'd seen him. So he's the one Shrek Academy worships."

Zhongli Wu stood at her side, excitement almost spilling from his face.

"Mother, that Huo Yuhao on the Heavenly Screen said it himself! Tang San was the one who destroyed Slaughter City and freed the Holy Cult's ancestor!"

"Shrek Academy worships Tang San, and the Holy Cult worships the Holy Emperor. So Shrek Academy and our Holy Spirit Cult share the same origin!"

The Evil Soul Masters in the hall burst into laughter, mingled with shrieks and the slapping of tables.

Someone shouted.

"Holy Emperor above! Those hypocrites from Shrek shout about exterminating Evil Soul Masters every day, but their ancestor turns out to be our Holy Cult's Holy Emperor!"

Ye Xishui raised a hand, and the laughter gradually died down.

"Laugh all you like, but I want Huo Yuhao even more now."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Not only does he have an inborn aptitude for becoming an Evil Soul Master, he also has a mouth that can rip the skin off Shrek Academy's face and trample it underfoot."

"You couldn't find another holy son like him even if you searched with a lantern!"

Amid the Holy Spirit Cult's laughter, the light of the Heavenly Screen slowly faded.

The image froze at the moment Huo Yuhao turned and left the stone chamber, the light of the Asura Demon Sword illuminating the passage.

Across the Black World's continent, countless people craning their necks let out a sigh.

"It stopped again!"

"Ascending the throne... looks like next time will be when Huo Yuhao ascends the throne on the Heavenly Screen, right?"

"How long will we have to wait for that?"

"Just two days, I guess?"

"I don't want to wait even one day!"

Complaints rose and fell, but the Heavenly Screen gave no response.

Black World, Shrek Academy, Sea God Pavilion.

When Huo Yuhao was "invited" into the Sea God Pavilion's main hall, with Yan Shaozhe on one side and Xian Lin'er on the other, he was utterly bewildered.

His gaze swept across the hall before settling on the withered, stooped old man in the seat of honor.

The old man wore a gray robe washed pale with age. His face was old, but his eyes were so clear and bright that they seemed able to see through a person's heart.

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment, then blurted out.

"You're... the old grandpa by the dormitory entrance?"

Mu En smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out.

"What old grandpa?"

Yan Shaozhe reminded him in a low voice.

"This is the Sea God Pavilion Master, Dragon God Douluo Mu En, Elder Mu."

"Why aren't you paying your respects?"

Huo Yuhao hurriedly bowed.

He did remember the old man.

The ordinary old fellow who basked in the sun by the dormitory entrance and occasionally nodded in greeting to passing students was actually Shrek Academy's strongest expert.

The contrast left him momentarily unable to collect himself.

"No need for formalities."

Mu En waved a hand, his manner too easygoing for a Limit Douluo.

"I'm an old man with one foot in the grave. I sit by the dormitory entrance now and then just to soak up some of you youngsters' youthful vigor."

"If I had an entourage crowding around me, that vigor would be scared away."

He gestured for Huo Yuhao to sit, then picked up his teacup and took a sip before speaking as though making casual conversation.

"You saw everything on the Heavenly Screen too."

"What do you think about Soul Spirits?"

Huo Yuhao's back went rigid.

He instinctively wanted to put on that bewildered expression again and trot out the same excuses: "I don't know" and "I didn't understand."

But just before he opened his mouth, Electrolux's voice rang out in his Sea of Consciousness.

"Yuhao, I suggest you don't hide everything."

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment.

Elder Yi?

Electrolux's figure appeared in the center of the Sea of Consciousness, his aged face bearing the caution of a seasoned man.

"If you play dumb about Soul Spirits completely, it'll look deliberate instead."

"Reveal a little, but don't lay all your cards on the table. Use it as a bargaining chip."

"Make Shrek Academy believe you have value, and that only through you can that value be realized."

"That way, you can get far more cultivation resources than you would by obediently remaining an ordinary new student."

The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm snorted from the side.

"The old fellow has a point."

Huo Yuhao quickly turned it over in his mind, then raised his head, his face taking on a hesitant expression.

"Elder Mu, I... actually, I'm not too sure either."

"Once, I dreamed of an old grandpa with a white beard. He taught me some strange magic."

"But that magic didn't include anything like the Soul Spirit Contract on the Heavenly Screen."

Mu En's hand paused on his teacup.

"An old grandpa with a white beard?"

"Mm."

Huo Yuhao nodded, his expression sincere.

"But I think I understood a little of how I formed a contract with a Soul Spirit on the Heavenly Screen."

"Some of the patterns in that six-pointed star formation were similar to things I learned in my dream."

"But I haven't actually tried it myself, so I don't know if I can do it."

The hall fell silent for a moment, and Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er both turned to Mu En.

Mu En set down his teacup and smiled at once.

"It's a good thing that you understood some of it."

"Shrek Academy has an area specifically for raising Soul Beasts, ranging from ten-year to thousand-year Soul Beasts. They're usually used for teaching and research."

"Since you say you understood some of it, why not give it a try?"

He looked at Huo Yuhao, his gaze gentle.

"If you really can form a contract with a Soul Spirit, the academy will support you with all its strength. Whatever Soul Beasts or materials you need, just say the word."

Huo Yuhao lowered his head, putting on an overwhelmed expression.

"Thank you, Elder Mu."

"Go on." Mu En leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"Have Dean Xian take you. As for your reward afterward, the Sea God Pavilion will hold a meeting to discuss it."

When Huo Yuhao followed Xian Lin'er out of the Sea God Pavilion, he glanced back.

Mu En was still sitting in the seat of honor with his eyes closed, his aged fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, as though contemplating a vast game of chess.

Huo Yuhao turned back and let out a quiet breath in his heart.

Elder Yi was right. A bargaining chip really is more useful than playing dumb!

But I wonder if I can fleece my parallel-world self again next time.