Far North

Within the Sun Moon Empire's Crown Prince's residence.

"What? Are you sure there's been no mistake? Yan Jingzhe, Shrek Academy's Bright Douluo, has broken through to Limit Douluo?"

"Have the Holy Spirit Cult investigate this information. See whether it's a smokescreen released by Shrek."

"What if this additional Limit Douluo obstructs the empire's great cause of unification in the future?"

The crown prince, Xu Tianran, seated in his wheelchair, looked over the letter and gave instructions to the guard beside him.

This was the perfect excuse to have the Holy Spirit Cult's Evil Soul Masters clash head-on with Shrek Academy. No matter which side suffered losses, it would be nothing but beneficial to the Sun Moon Empire.

Body Sect.

Sect Master Du Bushi said furiously, "Damn it! Another Limit Douluo has appeared. Is heaven truly so partial to Shrek Academy? When will my Body Sect ever rise to prominence?"

His words left the elders beside him silent, each afraid of provoking Sect Master Du Bushi's temper.

After a long while, Jin Peng, the Body Sect's Great Elder seated nearby, said in a deep voice, "Sect Master, everything has two sides. While Shrek Academy gaining another Limit Douluo puts immense pressure on us, look at the brighter side. In recent years, the Sun Moon Empire has steadily grown stronger, with faint signs of a second war that could sweep across the entire continent breaking out. Shrek has always been a hurdle they cannot avoid. Having them stand in front and shield our Body Sect from the storm isn't a bad thing."

Du Bushi understood this as well, but whenever he thought of his old rival academy producing another Limit Douluo while his own Body Sect had not a single one, rage welled up inside him.

The Star Luo Empire's imperial palace.

"Jiujiu, select a ten-thousand-year Soul Bone from the treasury and send it to Shrek Academy as a congratulatory gift for Bright Douluo's breakthrough to Limit Douluo," Xu Jiawei, the Star Luo Empire's emperor seated upon the throne, said enviously.

"Yes, Imperial Brother," Xu Jiujiu replied.

The other two great empires likewise sent people to Shrek Academy with their congratulations.

Shrek Academy, Sea God Lake.

Yan Jingzhe walked out of his room looking utterly refreshed, thinking to himself.

He did not know whether it was because he had broken through to Limit Douluo, because his body had been strengthened by Life Gold, or perhaps both. Even one against two, he had not fallen even slightly behind. He had thoroughly suppressed the two women and restored his former vigor.

But that was not today's main point. The important thing was that during yesterday's mental scan, he had discovered that his disciple Huo Yuhao had already broken through to Rank 20. It was time to bring him to the Far North to find the Ice Empress.

In the original story, Skydream Iceworm had talked her into it. Now that this was happening several months ahead of time, he did not know whether any changes would arise. Hopefully, the Ice Empress would know what was good for her. Otherwise, he wanted to see just how powerful a three-hundred-and-ninety-thousand-year Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion was. Could it withstand a single slap from him?

After finishing his thoughts, Yan Jingzhe turned and vanished from where he stood.

Outer Court, Year One Class One.

Huo Yuhao was in class listening to Teacher Wang Yan explain martial soul traits when a senior student entered and said, "Teacher Wang Yan, Dean Yan from the Soul Guidance Department has asked for Huo Yuhao to go to the school gate."

"Master is here." Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up.

Upon hearing that Dean Yan was looking for someone, Wang Yan waved his hand, allowing Huo Yuhao to leave immediately.

Huo Yuhao stood, bowed, and headed straight outside.

The moment he stepped out of the school gate, he saw his master, Yan Jingzhe, standing there. He hurried over excitedly. "Master, I've reached Rank 20."

"Mm, not bad. You've already reached Rank 20." Yan Jingzhe nodded encouragingly. "Your master happens to be free now, so I'll take you to the Far North to obtain your second martial soul!"

"Skydream Iceworm, what do you think?" Yan Jingzhe said this to Skydream Iceworm.

"Fine, fine, fine! Whatever you decide!" Skydream Iceworm manifested and said, "But once we reach the Far North, leave it to me first. I'll see whether I can persuade Bingbing. If I can't, then you can threaten her with force!"

Skydream Iceworm truly feared that this great figure would simply suppress her by force from the start. Bingbing might be a three-hundred-and-ninety-thousand-year fierce beast whose strength in the Far North rivaled that of a human Rank 98, but the man before them was a Limit Douluo standing at the pinnacle of humanity—and a Limit Douluo with Yin-Yang Complementary Twin Soul Cores at that.

He could not understand how a mere human had managed to form Yin-Yang Complementary Twin Soul Cores. If humanity produced a few more people like this, Soul Beasts would likely not be far from extinction.

"No problem." Yan Jingzhe nodded without objection. Only Skydream Iceworm could truly help Huo Yuhao find his second martial soul. Yan Jingzhe himself was purely there to escort and protect him.

"Then let's set off." Yan Jingzhe grabbed Huo Yuhao and soared into the sky, tearing through space toward the Far North.

The Far North lay at the northernmost edge of the Heaven Soul Empire, within the Frozen Wasteland at the northernmost edge of the Douluo Continent, one of the continent's two great Soul Beast forbidden zones.

With Yan Jingzhe, a Limit Douluo, traveling at full speed, they arrived at the outskirts of the Far North in less than a day.

"So this is the Far North?" Feeling the chill in the air and seeing the snow on the ground, Huo Yuhao curiously surveyed his surroundings.

"Mm." Yan Jingzhe nodded. "This is actually your master's first visit here too. In the past, I mostly went to the Great Star Dou Forest to obtain Soul Rings, so I'm unfamiliar with this place. Skydream Iceworm, you lead the way from here."

"No problem!" Skydream Iceworm manifested, looked around, then pointed in a direction. "Just keep going that way. I'll tell you when we get there!"

"Alright." Yan Jingzhe nodded and directly flew with Huo Yuhao in the direction Skydream Iceworm had indicated.

As they swept deeper into the northern ice plains, they could distinctly feel the temperature dropping, while both the number and strength of the surrounding Soul Beasts continued to rise.

But for Yan Jingzhe, merely releasing a trace of Titled Douluo pressure was enough to frighten those Soul Beasts into fleeing in all directions. At the same time, he released Holy Light Flame to form a protective barrier around Huo Yuhao, preventing even the slightest cold from invading and leaving Huo Yuhao without the faintest sensation of chill.

After traveling continuously, the two had reached the Far North's core region.

"We're here." Looking at the ice valley below, Skydream Iceworm spoke to Yan Jingzhe.

Yan Jingzhe nodded and flew directly down toward the ice valley. After landing, he said to Skydream Iceworm, "Let's begin."

Skydream Iceworm understood and waved his hand. Clusters of golden light emerged from between Huo Yuhao's brows.

Huo Yuhao only felt an emptiness within himself whenever a cluster of golden light came out. By the time all nine clusters had emerged, he was even a little unsteady on his feet.

The nine clusters of golden light that had emerged gradually overlapped and took shape, unexpectedly condensing into a golden figure of light. What shocked Huo Yuhao even more was that this golden figure looked exactly like him. Even the golden fitted outfit it conjured resembled the Shrek Academy uniform, leaving Huo Yuhao unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Yan Jingzhe, standing to one side, was also astonished. As expected of the spiritual power of a Million-Year Soul Beast. If someone could absorb even one of these nine golden clusters, their spiritual power would undergo a qualitative leap.

Unfortunately, it was useless to Yan Jingzhe. His spiritual power had already reached the pinnacle attainable by humans. Beyond that lay the Divine Origin Realm, a realm belonging to Divine Sense.