Clever by Half

After the referee announced the result, Huo Yuhao and the other six walked off the competition stage in turn.

Xu Jiawei, who had already decided to invest wholeheartedly, could naturally see that this was paving the way for Huo Yuhao to succeed the Sea God Pavilion Master.

He gestured to the host to bring over the Amplifying Soul Tool.

"Pavilion Master Huo is truly a young talent. To have such cultivation at your age is unprecedented, and it will likely be a long time before anyone matches it."

The bewildered spectators erupted in cheers once again. Xu Jiawei's praise only fueled their enthusiasm.

The leaders of the various Soul Master academies, however, fell into thought, especially the representatives of Dio Academy and Douling Royal Academy, representing the Heaven Dou Empire and Dou Ling Empire.

Judging by Xu Jiawei's remarks today, he had already begun betting on Huo Yuhao.

Yet Huo Yuhao was merely the next Sea God Pavilion Master. Building a relationship with him so early inevitably invited speculation.

Seeing Xu Jiawei heap praise on him, Huo Yuhao naturally wouldn't snub him. He replied, "I only have a little talent. But we're determined to win this year's Soul Master Tournament."

"Excellent. Once Pavilion Master Huo has led the academy to victory, we can discuss things further at the award ceremony."

Xu Jiawei replied with a broad smile, then left with the empress and a group of officials.

Xiao Hongchen looked at Elder Ma's grave expression, puzzled.

"Elder Ma, what's wrong? You look like something terrible has happened. The Star Luo Emperor and Shrek Academy are just trading compliments as usual."

"I doubt Huo Yuhao is really a Titled Douluo. Maybe he's just a Soul Saint with powerful spiritual force. With Meng and me holding our Martial Soul Fusion Skill in reserve, the winner is still anyone's guess."

Elder Ma's expression didn't change at Xiao Hongchen's words. His brows remained knitted as he explained, "Didn't you notice that the Star Luo Emperor kept calling Huo Yuhao 'Pavilion Master Huo'? He spoke to him as an equal."

"Shrek Academy must be making some major moves that we don't know about. And after seeing that, I'm more inclined to believe Huo Yuhao really is a Titled Douluo."

Hearing Elder Ma praise Huo Yuhao so highly, Xiao Hongchen immediately put on a defiant expression.

"Elder Ma, the older you get, the more timid you become. Even a little thing like this has you cowering in fear. I'll go see for myself what Huo Yuhao's cultivation really is."

Before Elder Ma could stop him, Xiao Hongchen headed straight in the direction Huo Yuhao had gone.

Elder Ma couldn't stay seated after that. Xiao Hongchen was the grandson of Mingde Hall's master; he couldn't let anything happen to him here. He immediately hurried after him.

But unseen by Elder Ma, a glint flashed in Xiao Hongchen's eyes.

On his way back to his room, Huo Yuhao spotted Xiao Hongchen and Elder Ma catching up with him.

Before Elder Ma could speak, Xiao Hongchen cut in, questioning him in a voice full of arrogance.

"You can't really be a Titled Douluo, can you? For one thing, you look no older than fourteen or fifteen. Even if you're right at the tournament's maximum age, you still couldn't have reached Rank 90."

"More importantly, your Soul Rings. Even a Limit Douluo couldn't turn their First Soul Ring black, let alone have six Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings. It's obviously fake."

"Clever by half."

Huo Yuhao tossed out the reply to Xiao Hongchen's confident theory and kept walking. Given that they were temporarily on opposing sides, there was no need to explain anything to him.

Elder Ma had just breathed a sigh of relief when Xiao Hongchen continued with his brazen remarks.

"You're being pushed into the spotlight so hastily. Is your previous Pavilion Master on his deathbed?"

"I'd guess he won't last another two years. That's why they're doing everything they can to build you up. Looks like Shrek Academy is all show and no substance."

"Why not join our Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy after the Sun Moon Empire conquers the Douluo Three Kingdoms? Then you could—"

Before Xiao Hongchen could finish, Huo Yuhao stopped and cut him off.

"You're quite interesting. Congratulations, you've achieved your goal of testing me. But you'll pay for it."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Huo Yuhao merely glanced at Xiao Hongchen. Xiao Hongchen clutched his head and collapsed to the ground, letting out a heart-wrenching wail.

At that moment, Xiao Hongchen felt as though ten thousand needles were piercing his brain one by one. Yet his consciousness remained painfully clear; he couldn't even pass out.

Elder Ma panicked at the sight and, in his desperation, chose to attack Huo Yuhao outright.

Huo Yuhao activated his Battle Armor, then used Simulation Soul Skill to hide it from view and simulated the God of Death's presence within his Spirit Sea.

After blending his Soul Power and spiritual force into the simulated aura of the God of Death, Huo Yuhao imbued it into his hand.

As Elder Ma charged at him, Huo Yuhao used the pressure of his spiritual force to slow him down, then struck him squarely in the face with his palm.

Elder Ma was sent flying by the blow and slammed into the hotel floor, half his body embedded in the ground.

His spirit was gravely wounded at once. Images of mountains of corpses and seas of blood flooded his Spirit Sea, as though he'd spent ten years living in hell.

When the Illusion Realm ended and he came to, Elder Ma gasped for breath before forcing himself to face Huo Yuhao.

"Pavilion Master Huo, we were in the wrong. But Xiao Hongchen is the grandson of Jing Hongchen, master of Mingde Hall. Please let this matter go for Mingde Hall's sake."

Huo Yuhao snorted and glanced casually at the two men lying on the ground.

"Don't think you're anything just because you're a mere Level 8 Soul Engineer. Even if Jing Hongchen himself came, if I wanted to kill this brat, no one could save him."

"One Level 8 Soul Tool for his life. Otherwise, neither of you is leaving."

After witnessing the aura of Huo Yuhao's power, as terrifying as a Shura hell, Elder Ma didn't dare hesitate. He immediately handed over the Judgment Sword he'd brought along.

Huo Yuhao took the Judgment Sword and looked it over with satisfaction. Then he left without another word to the two men.

Back in his room, Huo Yuhao continued refining the simulated presence of the God of Death.

Heaven and Earth Level wasn't useful in every situation. Against an opponent who'd provoked him so brazenly, it might have won the fight.

But Elder Ma knew he couldn't actually kill them. A person's presence was the manifestation of their convictions, so he wouldn't have gotten the Level 8 Soul Tool either.

Elder Ma took Xiao Hongchen to find a Soul Master from the Star Luo Empire to treat him. If Xiao Hongchen really ended up mentally impaired, Elder Ma would be in for a world of trouble.

"What a clever fool. If Huo Yuhao didn't have the strength of a Titled Douluo, Shrek Academy would never have pushed him into the spotlight."

"You thought I could help you find out what Huo Yuhao was capable of. And how did that turn out? You can explain the Judgment Sword to your grandfather yourself. It was his Soul Tool anyway."

Watching Xiao Hongchen gradually recover, Elder Ma thought with scorn, no longer worried about his own prospects.