The True Body and the Blue Silver Emperor, the Excited Sky Dream Ice Silkworm

The blood-red light of the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring had yet to fade, its terrifying pressure weighing down on their hearts like a mountain.

The air was deathly still.

Staring at this "monster" who was younger than herself yet possessed seven rings of cultivation, Tang Ya's worldview crumbled.

Her pride, her faith in her ancestors, her pitiful talent with Blue Silver Grass—all were ground to dust before absolute power.

The immense psychological gap instantly transformed into hysterical madness.

"Fake... it's all fake!"

Tang Ya scrambled up from the ground, eyes bloodshot, hair disheveled, like a madwoman.

"How could you be a Soul Saint! You must be using some trick to insult the Tang Sect! I won't let you defile my ancestors!!"

Her reason snapped. Tang Ya shrieked as she lashed out with several Blue Silver Grass vines, charging at Gu Yuejin like a moth diving into flame.

"Xiaoya! Don't be rash!"

Beibei's face went pale. He wanted to stop her but it was too late.

Watching his beloved spiral into madness, he could only grit his teeth and follow, forcibly activating Thunder Dragon Claw to support from the side.

Though he chose to act, Beibei's heart was hollow with dread, even filled with despair.

He and Tang Ya—a three-ring Soul Elder and a two-ring Soul Grand Master.

The combined years of their soul rings didn't even amount to a fraction of that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.

This wasn't a fight. This was suicide.

"Lacking confidence, yet forcing yourselves to charge in. So this is what they call a Shrek Academy top student?"

Gu Yuejin stood motionless, watching the two approaching with nothing but indifference in his eyes.

The soul power from the reward had just arrived; he was now a Seventy-third Level Soul Saint.

Dealing with these two ants didn't even require using his martial soul.

"Scram."

Just a single word.

No deafening roar, but accompanied by an instant shockwave of seventy-third level soul power, it turned into an invisible, terrifying blast.

"Bam! Bam!"

No suspense at all.

Tang Ya's proud Blue Silver Grass vines shattered inch by inch the moment they touched the shockwave, and Beibei's Thunder Dragon Claw dispersed into a shower of electric sparks.

The two flew back like kites with broken strings, crashing heavily into a tree trunk dozens of meters away, shaking leaves to the ground.

"Pfft—"

Tang Ya spat another mouthful of blood, her face as pale as gold paper. The madness in her eyes was finally replaced by fear.

Gu Yuejin hadn't struck to kill, only giving them a flesh wound as a lesson.

After all, behind Beibei stood that old fossil Mu En; now wasn't the time to burn bridges completely.

He withdrew his pressure, walked over to Huo Yuhao, and pointed at the disheveled Tang Ya sprawled in the distance. His tone was flat but each word cut deep:

"Disciple, do you see clearly now?"

"This is your so-called Tang Sect Master."

"Thirtieth Level Soul Power, yet she dreams of reviving the number one sect under heaven. Pathetically weak, but still wallowing in her ancestors' glory."

"This is what they call—unworthy of the position."

Huo Yuhao looked at Tang Ya, who moments ago had been so high and mighty but now couldn't even withstand a single blow. The last shred of his rose-tinted view of the "Tang Sect" shattered completely.

Too weak.

Without Shrek Academy's protection, a sect like this wouldn't last three days in the Soul Master World.

"You... just you wait!"

Humiliated in front of her would-be "disciple" and utterly crushed, Tang Ya was overwhelmed with shame and fury, tears welling in her eyes.

How could she bear to stay any longer?

After scrambling to her feet, clutching her chest, she didn't even dare look at Gu Yuejin again. She fled headlong out of the forest without looking back.

"Xiaoya! Wait for me!"

Beibei shot a deep, complicated glance at Gu Yuejin, but ultimately didn't dare throw out any threats. He turned and chased after her.

The so-called halo of the Tang Sect had, in that moment, shattered completely.

"Master..."

Watching the two disappear into the distance, Huo Yuhao's eyes flickered with worry. "They're from Shrek Academy after all. Will we have trouble?"

Having survived years in the Duke Mansion, the ingrained habit of fearing retaliation after being bullied still lingered.

"Trouble?"

Gu Yuejin chuckled lightly, unconcerned. "Relax, they don't have the face or the guts."

"Beibei might have some background, but he stays in the Outer Court year-round and almost never returns to the Inner Court."

"Unless that Sea God Pavilion Master is on his last breath."

"Let's go. It's getting dark."

Gu Yuejin said no more, grabbed Huo Yuhao, and vanished in a flicker.

Before sunset.

Gu Yuejin raced with Huo Yuhao, leaving the Star Dou Forest behind and arriving at a small town on the border of the Heaven Spirit Empire.

They found a relatively clean inn and booked two superior rooms.

Inside the room.

Gu Yuejin sat cross-legged on the bed. After confirming the doors and windows were shut, a flash of golden light appeared in his right palm.

A crystalline little grass emerged, its veins flowing with a golden halo.

Second Martial Soul, Blue Silver Emperor.

As the Blue Silver Emperor appeared, a gentle yet domineering wave spread out, instantly sealing off the entire room's aura.

"If that idiot Tang Ya saw this, she'd probably be furious~"

Gu Yuejin gazed at the Blue Silver Emperor in his hand, a playful curve tugging at his lips.

Back when his martial soul first awakened, because his Body Martial Soul was dominant, this second martial soul hadn't manifested. In fact, due to the concealment of the Body Martial Soul, he was almost mistaken for having no martial soul at all.

If not for the old farmer who adopted him, spending his life savings to help him awaken...

At that thought, the mockery in Gu Yuejin's eyes faded, replaced by a trace of nostalgia.

He had been transmigrated for eighteen years, raised by an ordinary old farmer.

No resources from a great clan, no illustrious background.

Relying on his Innate Full Soul Power, he had walked step by step to where he was today.

That old man died without ever knowing that the child he raised through thrift was a true genius.

"Old man, rest assured."

"Since I've come to this world overlooked by gods, I won't let your hard work go to waste."

Gu Yuejin put away the Blue Silver Emperor, his gaze drifting to the starry sky outside the window.

Changing Huo Yuhao's fate was just the first step.

The future was full of unknowns, and who knew when it might draw the attention of the God Realm.

But so what?

With a system and strength, if he still lived as stifled as in the Original Work, he might as well find a block of tofu and bash his head in.

Next door.

Huo Yuhao lay on the soft bed, feeling a comfort he had never known.

His Master had not only bought him new clothes but also brought him to such a nice inn and fed him food he'd never tasted before.

This feeling of being cared for made his nose sting a little.

"Little Yuhao, don't get all sentimental. You've hit the jackpot this time!"

In the Sea of Consciousness, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's excited voice rang out.

"Brother Tianmeng, just how strong is Master?" Huo Yuhao couldn't help asking.

"Very strong! Stronger than I imagined!"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's tone turned serious. "That Seven-Ring Soul Saint's cultivation is absolutely solid, and his Spiritual Power is terrifying—even I can't see through it."

"Becoming his disciple is nothing but good for you."

At that, a glint flashed in Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's bean-sized eyes.

His original plan was to wait until Huo Yuhao had trained for a few years and gotten a bit stronger before heading to the Extreme North to try and trick the Ice Empress.

But now...

With such a powerful and protective Master, this plan seemed like it could be moved up?

"Hehe, Little Yuhao, our good days are still ahead."