When Xue Qinghe Inquired About Martial Soul Hall

Xue Qinghe also cast a puzzled glance. As Soul Masters, they knew very well that a ten-year soul ring couldn't achieve this.

Under the three pairs of burning gazes fixed on him, Huo Yuhao felt his scalp tingle. He scratched his head and explained, "My martial soul is very special—it's my eyes, possessing both time and spirit attributes. I named it the Time Eye. Actually, my first soul ring is infinitely close to a hundred years. The soul skill Time Pause can halt all motion and objects for two seconds, but its range is only fifty meters. If not for that Ghost Shadow Leopard Emperor being severely wounded by Your Excellencies, I believe it could have broken free."

Huo Yuhao's explanation left the three exchanging glances. Taking advantage of the darkening sky, the four chose to rest on the spot for the night and set out again in the morning.

Lighting a campfire in the forest was inadvisable, especially in the Sunset Forest, which teemed with soul beasts, including countless ten-thousand-year ones.

"Thanks." Huo Yuhao accepted the dry rations and water handed over by Xue Qinghe, making do with a simple meal.

The moon was very round tonight, hanging high in the sky, its light scattering through the woods and casting dappled shadows.

Xue Qinghe's skin was delicate, shimmering under the moonlight.

"How much farther is our destination?" Xue Qinghe asked, sitting beside Huo Yuhao after finishing his dry rations.

"In the central area of the Sunset Forest, there's a valley carved into a mountain body. Our target is there." Huo Yuhao, full and satisfied, leaned against a large tree to rest.

Transmigrating to the Douluo Continent was bad enough, but then he had to go through Dou Two first, then Dou One—what kind of mess was this?

Huo Yuhao's mood was complicated right now. He had left the Duke's Mansion intending to avenge his mother, and everything was fine when he set out, but now he couldn't return to his own era.

"Are you really from ten thousand years in the future?" Xue Qinghe, after observing Huo Yuhao throughout the journey, had come to believe about thirty percent of what this unfamiliar youth said.

"You can ask me any questions, as long as I can answer them." Huo Yuhao looked at Xue Qinghe as he spoke.

"Alright then, tell me what the landscape of the Douluo Continent is like ten thousand years from now." Xue Qinghe asked with keen interest.

The era ten thousand years later—just thinking about it was exciting. Although Xue Qinghe still didn't fully believe whether the youth named Huo Yuhao was telling the truth or not, he couldn't resist his curiosity.

At the same time, the two Titled Douluo hidden in the shadows pricked up their ears, listening silently.

Huo Yuhao coughed a few times and slowly began, "Ten thousand years later, the original two great empires of the Douluo Continent—the Heaven Dou Empire has split into Heaven Soul and Dou Ling. The Star Luo Empire still exists, but the White Tiger Royal Family has changed hands. During a national crisis, the Star Crown Sect saved the empire from the brink of extinction and eventually became the new royal family. The White Tiger Lineage was then enfeoffed as the White Tiger Duke, sharing the nation's fortunes."

"The Star Crown Sect—I recall that sect. It's a hidden sect of the Star Luo Empire. Its inherited martial soul, the Star Crown, is extremely powerful, combining both support and attack. It's said that among the Elder Tokens held by the Martial Soul Hall's elders, one of them bears the Star Crown insignia." Xue Qinghe nodded, signaling Huo Yuhao to continue.

"Four thousand years ago—that is, six thousand years from our era—the Sun Moon Continent collided with the Douluo Continent due to continental plate movement. The Sun Moon Empire on the Sun Moon Continent immediately entered a state of war with the three kingdoms of the original Douluo Continent. Relying on advanced soul tool technology, the Sun Moon Empire's army even pushed into the Douluo Continent's interior in the early stages of the war. Ultimately, an academy dean gathered nearly sixty Titled Douluo from across the entire continent to turn the tide of battle."

"Soul tool technology? What is soul tool technology?" Xue Qinghe, gradually drawn into Huo Yuhao's narrative, couldn't help asking.

"Isn't there something on the continent now called a soul tool storage ring?" Huo Yuhao asked.

Xue Qinghe nodded, took out a soul tool ring, and injected soul power into it in front of Huo Yuhao. A pile of gold soul coins then fell before them.

Huo Yuhao: "..."

"In our era, the focus is on crafting soul tools—there are storage soul tools, attack soul tools, defense soul tools, detection soul tools, and all sorts of others. Since I haven't truly begun learning soul tool crafting, that's all I know."

"The emergence of soul tools also gave birth to a brand-new profession, which we call soul tool masters. Soul tool masters are ranked from one to nine, each rank corresponding to a Soul Master up to a Titled Douluo."

"It's said that a Rank 9 soul tool master is a nation's strategic weapon. Among the three kingdoms of the original Douluo Continent, no Rank 9 soul tool master has ever been born. In contrast, the Sun Moon Empire has nearly ten or even twenty Rank 9 soul tool masters."

"Why is that?" Xue Qinghe, a native of the Douluo Continent, had no goodwill toward that so-called Sun Moon Empire.

"Before the Sun Moon Empire made contact with the Douluo Continent, our homeland relied on Soul Masters as its main combat force. Every Titled Douluo in an empire was a strategic weapon. Moreover, the belief that a Soul Master's inherent strength could overturn anything was deeply ingrained and unchangeable."

The two Titled Douluo hidden in the shadows nodded in strong agreement after hearing this. If any Rank 9 soul tool master stood before them now, they were fully confident they could crush them.

"Actually, that belief is wrong." As soon as Huo Yuhao said this, the two Titled Douluo immediately took offense.

"Kid, do you have any idea how hard it is for a Soul Master to cultivate to Titled Douluo? That soul tool you mentioned and the Sun Moon Empire ten thousand years from now—I think you're just making it all up." The Titled Douluo wielding the Snake Lance leaned against a large tree, casting a cold glare at Huo Yuhao with a snort.

Xue Qinghe said nothing, merely watching Huo Yuhao in silence.

"Even if I were making it up, I'd need a draft. I swear on my martial soul that if I can ever return to ten thousand years from now, I will definitely lead you all to witness what the Douluo Continent looks like then." At Huo Yuhao's words, the Titled Douluo with the Snake Lance immediately fell silent.

"You've talked about the four great empires and soul tools, but why haven't you mentioned the Martial Soul Hall at all?"

Huo Yuhao's body stiffened. He looked calmly at Xue Qinghe, but inside, his heart was in turmoil.

Why did you have to ask about that? Of all things, you had to bring up the Martial Soul Hall.

"What? Did the Martial Soul Hall decline afterward?" When Xue Qinghe noticed Huo Yuhao's expression, he hesitated but still asked.

"Flourishing to the point of decline is a natural principle—no empire or sect can avoid it. As the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, the Martial Soul Hall is the empire's biggest headache. Its decline would be good news for the empire."

"No, the Martial Soul Hall didn't decline." Huo Yuhao shook his head as he spoke.

"Oh!" A glint of light flashed in Xue Qinghe's eyes, unnoticed by Huo Yuhao.

"..."

Huo Yuhao was silent for a moment, organizing his words.

"Historical records state that the Martial Soul Hall was destroyed ten thousand years ago." Huo Yuhao said, extremely euphemistically.

For a time, the air in the woods fell completely silent.