The moment Huo Yuhao vanished from sight, Xuan Zi attacked his chair at lightning speed.
With a bang, Xuan Zi's sure-hit strike missed, shattering nothing but the chair.
Back when Mu En had told him to get ready, Huo Yuhao had already used Simulation Soul Skill to create a fake body sitting in the chair. His real body had slipped away and put on his Battle Armor.
Mu En turned his head slightly and glanced in the direction of Huo Yuhao's real body.
As Huo Yuhao put on his Battle Armor, a brief ripple of Soul Power appeared around him, and Mu En had caught it with his keen senses.
But Mu En's spiritual power had long since reached the peak of the Spirit Domain Realm. Even he had only managed to detect Huo Yuhao's location for an instant. For Xuan Zi, whose spiritual power was at the peak of the Spirit Abyss Realm, it was as difficult as scaling the heavens.
At that moment, Xuan Zi was constantly searching the entire hall with his spiritual power, but he found nothing.
Had this not been the Sea God Pavilion, Xuan Zi would probably have had no choice but to use a wide-area attack Soul Skill to force Huo Yuhao to show himself.
While Xuan Zi searched tirelessly for Huo Yuhao, the aura around Huo Yuhao grew heavier and heavier. He had now unleashed Heaven and Earth Level to its full power.
Today, he wasn't just going to demonstrate his ability to stay hidden; he also wanted to test the strength of his attacks.
The art of "momentum" required both spiritual power and Soul Power.
With the amplification of his Battle Armor, Huo Yuhao's Soul Power fluctuations had nearly reached Soul Saint level. He poured all his Soul Power into Heaven and Earth Level.
Then, without compromising Heaven and Earth Level's stability, he infused it with as much spiritual power as he could.
Although Xuan Zi still couldn't sense Huo Yuhao's position or his attack, as a Super Douluo with a Soul Power Level of 98, his sense of danger was frantically warning him.
As he infused the last trace of his spiritual power, Huo Yuhao unleashed the strongest attack he could muster to date.
A powerful aura instantly filled the entire hall. Even several elders whose spiritual power had barely reached the early stages of the Spirit Abyss Realm broke into a cold sweat.
Facing the attack head-on, Xuan Zi sensed he couldn't dodge it. Careless and overconfident, he casually released a defensive Soul Skill and chose to take the hit.
Yet the instant Heaven and Earth Level struck Xuan Zi, his mind reeled. A crowd of students appeared before him, accusing him. They were the very students who had perished at the hands of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast because of his carelessness.
At that moment, the whole world fell silent. Only the students' accusations against him rang out again and again, intensifying Xuan Zi's guilt until he could no longer make excuses to himself.
The student leading the group shouted, "Elder Xuan, do you really still not believe you've made an irreparable mistake?"
The world around him changed in an instant. Everything was asking him:
"Xuan Zi, after committing such a grave mistake, how can you still show your face here?"
Trapped by their accusations, Xuan Zi sank into them, unable to pull himself free.
In the eyes of the other elders, Xuan Zi suddenly froze in place. Then Huo Yuhao punched him and sent him flying.
Even after crashing onto the hall floor, Xuan Zi still looked completely dazed.
"Xuan Zi, wake up." Only after Mu En gave a low snort did Xuan Zi gradually come back to his senses.
But now, he was no longer his usual carefree self. A deathly aura hung over him.
The chicken leg he'd been clutching had been knocked away, but he didn't bother to pick it up. He simply sat there in a daze, returning to the chair beside him.
"Elder Mu, I have no objection to this child becoming the next Sea God Pavilion Master. When the time comes, I'll stay by his side and protect him."
Mu En watched Xuan Zi, whose emotions were clearly out of sorts, and sighed softly.
"I'd hoped Yuhao's Self-Created Soul Skill would help you overcome the shadow of that year. I never expected it would only drag you deeper into it."
As soon as Mu En finished speaking, Xuan Zi burst into tears.
"Elder Mu, I never married or had children in my life. My only ambition was to protect Shrek. How can you expect me to accept that I personally destroyed the future of Shrek's next generation?"
"Every time I see those students, I think of the children who died. I can no longer teach students."
Hearing Xuan Zi's tearful confession, Mu En sighed. "Very well, Xuan Zi. Take some time to rest."
Seeing this, the elders were about to protest when Huo Yuhao interrupted them:
"Senior elders, my Self-Created Soul Skill awakens the memory a person believes to be their greatest mistake. Elder Xuan's decision now comes straight from his heart."
Normally, some of the elders would have been displeased at being interrupted by a junior. But after seeing Huo Yuhao send Xuan Zi flying with a single punch, they found it hard to muster any indignation.
"Does anyone still object to Huo Yuhao becoming the next Sea God Pavilion Master?"
Mu En asked again. When no one spoke up, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Yuhao, go on and tell the elders about the Soul Tool you're wearing."
After announcing the major decision, Mu En looked toward Huo Yuhao, signaling him to begin introducing his Battle Armor.
"Senior elders, this armor is the first humanoid Soul Tool I've made. I've named it Battle Armor."
"Normally, this set of Battle Armor should be worn by a Soul King. It can raise the wearer's strength to Soul Saint level. Aside from the Martial Soul Avatar, its offense and defense are on par with a Soul Saint's."
At these words, every elder present drew in a sharp breath.
They had already been puzzled by the difference in Huo Yuhao's Soul Power fluctuations before and after. They'd never expected it was because of a Soul Tool.
Qian Duoduo and Xian Lin'er were overjoyed. With Battle Armor, the Soul Guidance Department had finally surpassed the Martial Soul Department once and for all.
Yan Shaozhe, however, was quite troubled. How could he be happy with the Martial Soul Department's status declining?
Just then, Huo Yuhao's next words left every elder stunned.
"I've rated this set of Battle Armor as First-Class Battle Armor. The Battle Armor I'm currently envisioning can reach a maximum of four words."
"Two-Word Battle Armor can raise a Soul Emperor's strength to Soul Douluo level, and a Soul Douluo's strength to Titled Douluo level. I should be able to complete it soon."
Yan Shaozhe perked up at once. Faced with such powerful effects, it no longer mattered whether someone belonged to the Martial Soul Department or the Soul Guidance Department.
Once Huo Yuhao made a dozen or so sets of Two-Word Battle Armor, Shrek Academy would have more than a dozen additional Titled Douluo.
Yan Shaozhe spoke up at once. "Yuhao, if you're short on any resources, just tell us. The Martial Soul Department will cover all the costs of making your Battle Armor."
As the dean of the Soul Guidance Department, Xian Lin'er couldn't sit still after hearing that. She immediately retorted:
"Yan Shaozhe, you don't need to meddle in the Soul Guidance Department's affairs. From what Huo Yuhao said, this kind of Soul Tool research has absolutely nothing to do with you."
"That's not fair. The Martial Soul Department is the one that needs Battle Armor to improve its strength the most. There's nothing wrong with us supplying some materials."
"That sounds so noble. I think you just want Yuhao to make Battle Armor for your Martial Soul Department first."
Seeing that the two deans were about to start arguing again, Huo Yuhao hurriedly looked toward Mu En.
Mu En rapped on the table and said, "All right, stop arguing. It's not as if Yuhao is leaving the Academy tomorrow. Let's settle the resource issue first."
"From now on, the Martial Soul Department and Soul Guidance Department will each cover half the cost of Yuhao's Battle Armor. Shao Zhe will provide the resources he needs for further cultivation, and the Academy will help him obtain all his Soul Rings."
Before you continue