Completing the Fourth Trial

Huo Yuhao stood in a relatively open patch of woodland, took a deep breath, and stopped hesitating. He directly activated the power of the undead within him. A faint gray-black aura spilled from his palm, condensing into a simple gate of undead light in midair. There were no unnecessary dazzling effects, only a deathly, icy aura slowly spreading outward.

The next moment, a hunched yet still upright figure slowly emerged from the gate of light.

It was Dugu Bo, whom he had revived with Necromancy and turned into a puppet.

Dugu Bo's complexion was deathly gray, and his eyes held no light, yet he could accurately receive Huo Yuhao's soul commands. A faint poisonous mist of the Jade Phosphor Snake Emperor still lingered around him, but this deadly poison no longer carried the sharpness and wildness of a living person. Instead, it bore the unique chill and stillness of the undead. Having become a puppet, he possessed no independent consciousness; every action was controlled by Huo Yuhao's soul.

Huo Yuhao looked at the Poison Douluo puppet before him and directly issued an order through soul transmission, his voice clear and steady:

"Dugu Bo, leave immediately and head to the ruins of the Jialing Pass battlefield. Ghost Douluo Gui Mei and Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan died in battle at Jialing Pass back then. Go there and find their bodies. At the same time, keep watch for any other Soul Master factions guarding the area. Remember to remain hidden and do not expose your tracks."

Dugu Bo nodded stiffly. His body flickered, transforming into a gray-green shadow that silently shot out of the Evil Demon Forest and sped toward Jialing Pass.

Watching the puppet depart, Huo Yuhao closed his eyes and quietly sensed the invisible connection deep within his soul.

This was the Supreme Necromantic Secret Art Electrolux had taught him—not simple control, but one soul controlling two bodies, or even one soul controlling multiple bodies. He could directly see through Dugu Bo's eyes, hear through his ears, and feel through his body, as though he possessed two bodies at once. One was his original body, while Dugu Bo was the other. Once he found the bodies of Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo and revived them as puppets, those two bodies would likewise become external bodies extending from his soul, entirely under his control and incapable of betraying him in the slightest.

After confirming that Dugu Bo had successfully headed for Jialing Pass, Huo Yuhao withdrew his focus and turned to Ye Guyi beside him.

The girl wore white, her body surrounded by a sacred angelic aura that stood utterly at odds with the sinister Evil Demon Forest. Though she had previously slain several Evil Soul Masters, her aura remained steady. Only her eyes held a little more brightness after receiving the divine revelation.

"Guyi, you haven't filled all your spirit rings yet," Huo Yuhao said. "This is the Evil Demon Forest, so it's the perfect place for you to find spirit rings. I'll take you to find suitable ones now."

Just as he was about to move, Ye Guyi gently raised a hand to stop him. Excitement and solemnity filled her face as she looked at Huo Yuhao.

"Yuhao, there's no need to look for spirit rings anymore." Ye Guyi spoke softly, stopping Huo Yuhao as he was about to depart. A sacred and excited light flickered in her eyes.

Huo Yuhao halted and looked at her in confusion.

Ye Guyi took a deep breath, unable to hide her delight. "The Angel God just transmitted her voice to me. She said that as long as I complete the fourth trial, she'll directly reward me with a God-Given Spirit Ring."

Huo Yuhao was delighted upon hearing this. A God-Given Spirit Ring was one of the finest spirit rings in the world. There was no need to hunt Soul Beasts; one could directly obtain the spirit ring age most suitable for oneself. It was a priceless treasure that Soul Masters could only dream of. But he soon frowned. They were currently in the Evil Demon Forest, and gathering enough Evil Soul Masters in a short time would not be easy.

Just as he was considering where to find enough Evil Soul Masters, Ye Guyi spoke again. "The Angel God also told me that the requirement for the fourth trial is to kill or purify a total of one hundred beings such as Evil Soul Masters."

Huo Yuhao's eyes instantly lit up. The first thing that came to mind was the endless undead creatures in his Undead Demi-Plane. He immediately closed his eyes and used his soul power to communicate with Electrolux's remnant soul in his Spirit Sea, quickly explaining the situation.

Electrolux's aged yet gentle voice soon sounded. "It's feasible. Undead creatures also fall within the range of purification. Let her try."

Having received confirmation, Huo Yuhao immediately opened his eyes and nodded to Ye Guyi. With a casual wave of his hand, undead power stirred, and a small skeleton soldier was summoned from the void.

"Guyi, try purifying it."

Ye Guyi raised her hand, and a strand of gentle angelic holy light descended upon the skeleton soldier. The instant the holy light touched it, the death aura around the skeleton rapidly dispersed, while a pure energy slowly rose from it. At nearly the same moment, Ye Guyi clearly felt the progress of her divine trial advance by one step.

"It worked!" she said excitedly, looking at Huo Yuhao.

Relief filled Huo Yuhao's heart, and he hurriedly asked Electrolux again, "Teacher, these skeleton soldiers won't disappear completely after being purified, right?"

"Don't worry." Electrolux's voice remained calm. "Only their undead aura is being purified. Their bodies will not be damaged. Before long, they will automatically return to the Undead Demi-Plane, with no loss whatsoever."

Huo Yuhao was completely relieved. With a turn of his wrist, dense undead power erupted outward. This time, he directly summoned ninety-five skeleton soldiers from the Undead Demi-Plane.

Adding the four Evil Soul Masters Ye Guyi had killed earlier and the skeleton soldier she had just purified, the number was neither more nor less than exactly one hundred—the amount required by the Angel God.

"Guyi, begin. There are exactly one hundred."

Ye Guyi no longer hesitated. Golden holy light surged around her body, and the Angel Holy Sword floated before her. Vast waves of sacred purifying power poured forth like a tide, enveloping all the skeleton soldiers. One skeleton after another shed its death aura within the holy light, turning into faint gray radiance that rose into the air as the progress of her divine trial rapidly increased.

Before long, the final skeleton soldier was purified.

At that moment, incomparably dense golden light suddenly descended from the sky. A majestic and sacred will pierced through the clouds and fell directly upon Ye Guyi.

The Angel God's voice was vast and solemn, echoing across the entire Evil Demon Forest:

"Ye Guyi, my inheritor, congratulations on perfectly completing the Angel God's fourth trial!"

"Now, I shall bestow upon you your trial reward—a God-Given Spirit Ring!"

Just as Ye Guyi was about to have the Angel God send down the divine spirit ring for her to absorb, Huo Yuhao interrupted her. "Ye Guyi, this is a rare opportunity. Don't absorb this God-Given Spirit Ring so carelessly. I'll give you some immortal herbs and pills to raise the limit of the spirit ring age you can absorb."

After speaking, Huo Yuhao took immortal herbs and pills from his Spirit Sea and had Ye Guyi consume them slowly. After taking them, Ye Guyi quietly sat cross-legged on the ground and focused on refining and absorbing the medicinal power within her body. Gentle spiritual energy flowed through her limbs and bones, continuously nourishing her meridians and physique. Before long, her aura became steady and full, and her entire body returned to its peak state.

Once Ye Guyi had fully absorbed them, a gentle golden light suddenly shone from between Huo Yuhao's brows. His third eye slowly opened, and he walked before Ye Guyi, devoting himself entirely to guarding and protecting her.

Ye Guyi looked up at Huo Yuhao and nodded gently.

Huo Yuhao also gave her a calm nod, signaling that everything was ready.

Ye Guyi immediately sat cross-legged and looked up at the sky, her voice clear and resolute:

"Angel God, I am ready. Please bestow the God-Given Spirit Ring."

After speaking, she closed her eyes, focused her mind, and prepared to begin absorbing the God-Given Spirit Ring.

Huo Yuhao stood guard at her side, his third eye remaining vigilant throughout the entire process to ensure that nothing disturbed her absorption.