Ma Xiaotao's allure to the Holy Spirit Cult

Huo Yuhao paused in his steps.

Looking up, I saw Tang San in the distance, taking medicine and regulating his breathing, not even glancing at me.

He looked down at the bottle of Ice-Cold Rain Dew in his hand, which he had finally managed to obtain through the academy's intervention, and his lips moved, but he remained silent for a moment.

The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm couldn't stand it any longer. With a twist of its massive body, it blocked Yu Xiaogang's path and interrupted him:

"Alright, old man, stop pretending to be something you're not. At most, your Soul Body has suffered a bit of a shock; you won't die!"

Before Yu Xiaogang could even get angry, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm coldly snorted:

"Let me make this clear: from today onwards, all resources must be prioritized for Yuhao's own cultivation!"

"You saw it yourself just now, there are monsters everywhere outside. Yuhao doesn't become stronger himself, relying on anyone else won't help."

"His only main goal is to ensure his smooth growth and future ascension to godhood. Once Yuhao becomes a god, you won't need to nag him anymore; I'll be the first to arrange for you to be sent out to Reshape the Physical Body!"

Yu Xiaogang's face turned ashen from the rebuttal. He opened his mouth, wanting to invoke the bond between master and disciple.

But when she met the cold, silkworm-like eyes of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, and thought about her current predicament of being dependent on others and needing their Spiritual Power to manifest her Soul Body, she ultimately swallowed her words.

Huo Yuhao breathed a sigh of relief in his heart and silently thanked Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.

Ignoring the argument in his mind, he took the Sea of Consciousness bottle, walked to a clearing in the corner of the mountain wall, sat cross-legged, uncorked the bottle, and carefully swallowed the icy blue dew.

Inside a guest room on the second floor of an inn in Heaven Dou City.

Gu Mingyuan had just put down his luggage and locked the door when the Communication Soul Tool on his wrist lit up faintly before he could even take a sip of water.

As Soul Power was injected, Feng Ling's slightly cold voice quickly came from the other end:

"Gu Mingyuan, I heard you took a long leave from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy a couple of days ago. Where did you go?"

"Reporting to the Vice Cult Master, I am currently in Heaven Dou City."

"Heaven Dou City?" Feng Ling paused for a moment, "Sunset Forest?"

Gu Mingyuan's tone revealed a hint of surprise. "How did the Vice Cult Master know I entered Sunset Forest?"

Feng Ling didn't explain the the Cult's clandestine activities, but directly pressed, "What's so strange about the sect having spies all over the continent?"

What happened inside?

"I don't know the specifics, I just saw the Shrek members heading deeper into the forest."

"At the very back, there's a patch of Seven-Colored Poison Miasma, which has even corroded the surrounding trees, some as thick as a person's embrace, beyond recognition."

"My cultivation level wasn't high enough at the moment, so I didn't dare to go any deeper." Gu Mingyuan paused, lowering his voice.

"However, as I was leaving, I overheard something strange outside the woods."

"Explain."

Before Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe ventured into that Poison Miasma, they actually addressed a seven- or eight-year-old blue-haired child as their ancestor.

"Ancestor?" Feng Ling's voice noticeably deepened. "Who overheard this message?"

"A herb gatherer I bumped into in the woods."

"I can't tell if that person is a spy sent by another family, or a genuine herb farmer making a living in the mountains," Gu Mingyuan casually deflected the question.

According to that person's description, when the blue-haired child was standing in front giving instructions, Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe both listened obediently to him, not daring to even breathe loudly.

There was a moment of silence on the other Communication Soul Tool before Feng Ling's voice came through again:

"In your opinion, what are they looking for in the woods with all this fuss about?"

"Immortal Herb," Gu Mingyuan answered readily.

"Ten thousand years ago, the first generation of the Shrek Seven Devils consumed Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb that possessed the power to cleanse their meridians and improve their aptitude."

"This matter has never been a secret; it's just been treated as a rumor."

"The Star Luo Imperial Family might still have records about that Herb Garden. Now that the two elders, Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe, are personally escorting people there, I guess it's mostly related to this."

Inside the Ming Capital garrison, Feng Ling's fingers, which had been resting on the wooden armrest, tightened. "Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe, are they both currently inside that Poison Miasma?"

"According to the herb gatherer's description, those were the two who entered the Poison Miasma. As for whether there were others following them in the shadows, I don't know," Gu Mingyuan added.

"However, when I went into the mountains, I did personally witness Xuan Zi leading a group of people flying overhead through the forest."

Feng Ling pondered for a moment, then decisively gave the order:

"I understand. You stay in Heaven Dou City and await further instructions. Do not return to Ming Capital Academy for now. I will contact you again if the the Cult needs your assistance later."

After cutting off the communication, Gu Mingyuan put the Soul Tool back into his sleeve.

He glanced at the bustling street outside the window, then took out the jade box containing the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.

After drawing the curtains and setting up a soundproof Soul Tool, Gu Mingyuan, under the Divine Sense guidance of Electrolux, opened the jade box and swallowed the entire petal of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum one by one, following the method recorded in the medicine manual.

He sat cross-legged and slowly circulated his Soul Power.

As the potent medicinal power dissolved in his abdomen, fine Golden Patterns gradually appeared along the skin of his arms, and his Golden Jade Body Martial Soul was activated on its own.

The medicinal properties seeped into the muscles and bones little by little along the meridians of the limbs and bones.

On the other side, in Ming Capital, at the Main Altar the Holy Spirit Cult.

As soon as Feng Ling put down the Communication Soul Tool, she got up, pushed open the door, and strode towards the main hall to see Zhongli Wu.

"I just received definite information that there is likely a garden of immortal herbs left over from ten thousand years ago hidden deep in Sunset Forest. Xuanzi and Yan Shaozhe have already led people in." Feng Ling got straight to the point as soon as she entered the room.

Zhongli Wu put down the dossier in his hand and said:

"These past few days, the Star Luo Empire and the Sun Moon have been restless and uneasy."

It's highly unlikely that nothing happened in Sunset Forest.

Seeing her tense expression, Zhongli Wu immediately guessed what she was thinking:

"You're thinking about Ma Xiaotao?"

"In order to protect his precious disciple, Yan Shaozhe has searched all over the continent for a way to suppress the Evil Fire over the years."

"Now, a ready-made ancient Herb Garden lies before him, filled with rare Immortal Herb possessing extreme ice and fire attributes. Can he resist the urge to try them?" Feng Ling's voice turned completely cold.

"Moreover, there is a precedent for the Evil Fire Phoenix consuming Immortal Herb dating back ten thousand years."

"The Evil Fire within Ma Xiaotao is perfectly suited to the foundation of my sect's Holy Maiden, and she is the most suitable person to inherit my mantle!"

"If Yan Shaozhe really uses the Immortal Herb to cleanse that girl of the Evil Fire within her, not only will our Holy Spirit Cult lose a Holy Maiden, but I will also lose a disciple!"

Zhongli Wu hesitated for a moment, then tapped his fingers on the table. "Since Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe are both in the Heavenly Soul Realm, Shrek City must be vulnerable."

"First, have someone keep a close watch on the Shrek Academy gates to see if Ma Xiaotao will leave the school."

"No need to wait for the slow reports from below, this time you and I will go and intercept them ourselves. Just have Zhang Peng come along."