Huo Yuhao, an Evil Soul Master? Ambushed by Assassins

The Beast Arena.

Huo Yuhao faced the two of them, his presence no less imposing than theirs.

Du Weilun said grimly:

"How is that the same? Dai Huabin is the White Tiger Duke's son, descended from a Deity who ascended to the Divine Realm. His inherited Martial Soul is naturally righteous. But your soul skill summons the dead. That's clearly the work of an Evil Soul Master."

Zhou Yi looked stricken.

"Huo Yuhao, Fan Yu and I placed such high hopes in you. Why did you learn such a wicked art? All the effort I put into you was wasted."

Huo Yuhao's gaze remained calm.

"Everything I have now, I earned through my own efforts. Besides, my Martial Soul has nothing to do with Evil Soul Masters. There are no evil Martial Souls, only evil Soul Masters!"

Tian Meng looked at the faces around them and fumed.

"These shortsighted fools! Yuhao, it's my fault. If I could've subdued the Ice Empress and helped you awaken the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion as your second Martial Soul, giving you Ultimate Ice, they'd be treating you very differently right now."

Huo Yuhao reassured him.

"Don't be upset, Brother Sky Dream. Having you and Elder Yi is already the greatest stroke of luck I could ask for. Trust me—I'll lead you both to godhood!"

After his failed journey to the Far North, where he had nearly died, Huo Yuhao had grown more resolute and open-minded.

He had also come to understand that the only person who would always be good to him was his mother.

No matter what his Martial Soul was or what kind of Soul Master he became, she would trust him.

She would never treat him differently because of his Martial Soul, as others did.

At that thought, Huo Yuhao's eyes hardened. No matter what happened in this life, he would avenge his mother!

Seeing the student she had pinned her hopes on remain so stubborn, Zhou Yi was nearly beside herself with anger.

"Huo Yuhao, as of today, you are no longer a core disciple of the Soul Tool Department!"

Huo Yuhao's expression stayed calm.

"Fine by me. Shrek isn't the best when it comes to Soul Tools. I'll have plenty of chances to learn elsewhere."

Du Weilun frowned.

"I don't like Zhou Yi, but you're showing far too little respect for your teachers, Huo Yuhao. If that's your attitude, the Martial Soul Department won't welcome you either."

Zhou Yi pointed at Huo Yuhao, ready to continue berating him.

Just then, Chi Hong walked down and clicked his tongue.

"Aren't you a Martial Soul Department teacher? You can dismiss a Soul Tool Department core disciple just by saying so? Don't tell me you're relying on your husband again."

Zhou Yi bristled.

"Chi Hong, this has nothing to do with you!"

Chi Hong spread his hands.

"I have an assessment too, you know. You two have hogged this place long enough. What's there to argue about?"

"As I see it, the problem is that you teachers think like weaklings. You're so incompetent that even teaching a Necromancer scares you."

"A teacher's duty is to guide students onto the right path. A truly capable teacher would be thrilled to meet a student like Huo Yuhao, who has a top-tier Martial Soul despite its risks. Guiding a student like him is what would set that teacher apart from incompetent ones like you."

Zhou Yi nearly spat blood. She pointed at Chi Hong.

"You're calling me incompetent? I'm a gold-star teacher!"

Chi Hong glanced at her.

"Didn't you say anyone who doesn't dare cause trouble is mediocre? Yet you don't even dare teach an Evil Soul Master. It's hard not to think you're a mediocre teacher. And it makes me wonder how your academy earned its title as the strongest on the continent."

"Is it based on strength? Then I declare Star Dou Forest the continent's number-one academy."

Chi Hong gave the matter serious thought.

Du Weilun and Zhou Yi both flushed. In the end, they decided not to argue with a student who talked such nonsense.

Huo Yuhao let out a breath.

"Brother Chi Hong, thanks for helping me again."

Chi Hong waved a hand.

"I didn't. I'm just in a hurry."

At that moment, the Ice Empress's puzzled voice sounded in Chi Hong's mind.

"Isn't that the host of Tian Meng, that maggot? He's still alive? What a shame I didn't eat Tian Meng last time."

"You shouldn't have been able to break free of Tian Meng's restraints. How did you end up in front of me, ready to throw your life away?"

Chi Hong asked in surprise.

The Ice Empress sounded displeased.

"I studied it for over a century. I managed to glean a sliver of its laws from the Plate. What's so hard about beating Tian Meng? And I'm not throwing my life away. I'm cooperating with you because I'm in a good mood."

"Anyway, why are you helping this kid? You don't look like a good person."

Chi Hong chuckled.

"Because staying near him will help my Greninja and Charizard grow quickly."

As Chi Hong spoke with the Ice Empress, he summoned Greninja. It killed a Thousand-Year Soul Beast in an instant, earning him full marks.

Though Huo Yuhao had been accused of using an Evil Soul Master's methods, his performance had still earned full marks.

Dai Huabin knelt before him, humiliated, and kowtowed in apology.

For the first time, Huo Yuhao tasted the satisfaction of revenge.

Outside the Treasure Pavilion.

Chi Hong held a dark, rubbery substance in his hand: the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber he had just bought from the Treasure Pavilion.

"This stuff's useful. If Greninja eats it, it should catch up to Charizard's age and level."

The Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber could greatly strengthen the body and increase its capacity to withstand energy. For a fast, hard-hitting assassin like Greninja, it would shore up a weakness.

Chi Hong examined it from every angle but couldn't sense any power within the Whale Rubber. Without the Ice Empress's reminder, he would never have recognized it.

Beside him, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong followed along, beaming with satisfaction at what they had just bought.

Clearly, neither of them knew they were about to face a relentless hunt.

And Chi Hong's reason for accompanying them was, of course, to reap a hefty haul of experience points.

Besides, neither Charizard nor Greninja had ever actually killed a person. They were still two innocent little babies.

"Wait!"

Huo Yuhao's pupils contracted. His spiritual detection had picked up other people nearby.

"There's danger here. Wang Dong, Brother Chi Hong, I'll count to three. Get ready to run!"

Wang Dong's expression turned grave.

Chi Hong nudged up the brim of his hat and scanned the small grove ahead.

He couldn't pinpoint the six people himself, but the Ice Empress had already warned him.

He summoned Greninja and Charizard, then pointed ahead with one hand.

"Charizard, use Flame Abyss. Burn down that forest."

Charizard beat his wings. Crimson flames engulfed him in midair, turning him into a miniature sun that lit up the night like day.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The flames burst outward and poured down, instantly turning the forest into a sea of fire.

"Damn it! Has he spotted us?"

"Ah! Get out of here! Those flames are no joke!"

Six figures had been hiding in the shadows. They were the assassins Dai Huabin had sent to kill Huo Yuhao.