As for Huo Yuhao's current points, he'd earned 30,000 for completing Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's task and 80,000 for Electrolux's, giving him a total of 110,000.
What's more, recruiting another person would earn him a points reward.
Huo Yuhao quickly gathered his thoughts, then drew in a sharp breath.
Under the hazy moonlight, Xiao Wu had quietly begun taking off her clothes.
Her smooth skin glimmered softly beneath the moon's tender caress.
Her long black hair spilled down her back, with a few strands reaching all the way to her shapely backside.
For some reason, the sight gave Huo Yuhao an uncontrollable urge to brush the hair away from Xiao Wu's backside.
Then there were Xiao Wu's long, straight legs.
Beneath the moonlight, they traced an alluring curve.
Her lovely body was laid bare before Huo Yuhao's eyes...
Xiao Wu jumped straight into the water, leaving only her head above the surface. She looked at Huo Yuhao and called, "Yuhao, this bathtub is huge. Come on in and wash with me!"
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
In the Heaven Dou Empire, a magnificent, secluded mountain rose into the sky.
A grand palace stood atop the mountain.
A massive, lifelike **statue stood at the very top of the palace.
Inside the palace stood a young man and a middle-aged man.
The young man had pale yellow hair and a roguish smile. He held a Mystic Fan in one hand.
He was Xu Sanshi, young master of the Mysterious Underworld Sect.
The middle-aged man facing Xu Sanshi was his father, Xu Zhongyi.
Xu Zhongyi looked at Xu Sanshi and said, "Sanshi, you're fifteen now. The new term starts in three months."
"Before it begins, I've picked out some women for you. It's time to awaken your Mysterious Underworld Turtle Martial Soul."
Xu Sanshi nodded slightly. "All right, Father. But could I choose one of them myself? There's a junior from a lower year who's very pretty."
As he spoke, Xu Sanshi couldn't help thinking of Jiang Nannan.
It wasn't for any other reason. She was beautiful.
That alone was enough.
Besides, he'd spent a little while pursuing Jiang Nannan, but hadn't won her over.
That had only roused his competitive spirit.
Xu Zhongyi didn't seem to mind. He simply said, "Ideally, the first candidate should be from one of the sects."
"After all, marriage alliances between sects are the norm, and they help both sides prosper."
"My first choice was the young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"But that girl is a tomboy. With your tastes, you'd surely prefer someone pretty, so I left her out."
"Besides, although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has fallen to second-rate status, it's still not to be underestimated."
"Then there's the girl from the Skywater Sect. Its predecessor was Skywater Academy a thousand years ago, and most of its students are beauties."
"Their Martial Souls are mostly water- or ice-aligned, which makes them a good match for our Mysterious Underworld Sect. The Skywater Sect is a little weaker, but that's a good thing too. It'll be easier to keep them in line."
As he spoke, Xu Zhongyi took out an album.
Xu Sanshi took it and saw seven or eight girls inside. His eyes lit up at once; every one of them was a stunning beauty.
But if he had to choose the prettiest, Jiang Nannan still came out on top.
Xu Sanshi wanted beauty, above all.
Of course, he didn't object to any of these seven or eight girls, either.
"Father, if I can choose, I already have someone in mind," Xu Sanshi said.
Xu Zhongyi smiled knowingly. "You mean that junior one year below you, Jiang Nannan, right? She really is a peerless beauty."
Xu Sanshi was surprised. "Father, you know about that?"
"You're my son, and the young master of the Mysterious Underworld Sect. Of course I keep an eye on you," Xu Zhongyi replied calmly.
Xu Sanshi's eyes lit up. "Then, Father, what do you think?"
"Of course I'll give my precious son what he wants."
Xu Sanshi was thrilled, but then he remembered something and continued, "But Jiang Nannan is really hard to pursue."
Xu Zhongyi smiled knowingly. "I have my own way."
Xu Sanshi looked puzzled. "What are you going to do, Father?"
"I've already had people look into Jiang Nannan's circumstances. Her mother has recently fallen seriously ill. If she wants to survive, she'll have to ask our Mysterious Underworld Sect for medicine," Xu Zhongyi replied.
"And Jiang Nannan is famous for being filial. For her mother's sake, she'll surely be willing to sacrifice her body and perform the ritual for you."
Xu Sanshi's eyes lit up again.
"When will we hold the ritual, then?"
Xu Zhongyi shook his head. "Not yet."
"Why not?" Xu Sanshi asked.
"That girl Jiang Nannan is stubborn. She's doing everything she can to save her mother right now. We have to wait until she's out of options before we step in. That'll work better."
Xu Sanshi nodded.
Before long, though, a trace of hesitation crept into his heart.
Wasn't this a little like taking advantage of someone in trouble?
But Xu Sanshi shook his head. He'd possess her first; they could work out the rest later.
He didn't believe that after possessing her, he still wouldn't be able to win Jiang Nannan over...
And so Xu Sanshi began to wait.
Just then, Xu Zhongyi seemed to remember something. "By the way, you've never been with a woman before, have you? You know what to do, right?"
Xu Sanshi stiffened, then waved a hand. "Of course I do."
Then Xu Sanshi strolled out of the hall as if he didn't care.
Xu Zhongyi furrowed his brow slightly.
He had a strange feeling that his son didn't really know much about that sort of thing.
If he went for the wrong opening, that would be a problem. After all, there were two...
Time passed, and before long, six days had gone by.
The scene shifted to Thor City in the Heaven Dou Empire, a relatively prosperous city.
There were quite a few doctors here.
It was early morning. One clinic had only just opened when a young woman rushed inside. Her clothes were disheveled, and she looked frantic.
Before long, they forcibly drove her back out.
At the same time, a sharp-faced servant sneered contemptuously. "Get lost! You've only got a few Copper Soul Coins, and you think you can get our great doctor in Thor City to treat you? What a joke! If you don't leave, I'll break your legs!"
As he spoke, he revealed his Martial Soul: a gleaming spiked club. His Soul Ring appeared too—a gleaming white Ten-Year Soul Ring!
Seeing this, Jiang Nannan shook her head in disappointment.
As a three-ring Soul Elder, she could easily defeat the servant, but she wasn't in the mood to fight.
She walked away sadly.
A handcart stood nearby. On it lay a gaunt woman covered with a blanket.
Seeing Jiang Nannan like this, the woman shed two lines of tears. "Nannan, don't worry about me anymore.
"We've been to three cities these past few days. The clinics either refused to treat me because we couldn't pay, or agreed to help only to say my illness was beyond saving."
"Nannan, listen to your mother. Live well, and don't go to the Mysterious Underworld Sect. Most of all, don't go against your conscience or sacrifice yourself."
Hearing this, Jiang Nannan was heartbroken. She could no longer hold back her tears. They welled in her eyes, and then she threw herself into her mother's arms and sobbed.
The woman smiled weakly. Then her eyes closed, and her breathing grew faint.
Jiang Nannan sensed something was wrong and panicked. "Mother, Mother, don't be like this! Don't die! I... I can keep you alive."
Without hesitation, Jiang Nannan thought of the Mysterious Underworld Sect. A trace of sorrow crossed her face. She gritted her teeth and made her choice.
She would keep her mother alive.
But just then, two figures came running toward them...
Before you continue