Entering Shrek (Part One)

Yang Jian looked deeply at Huo Yuhao. A trace of approval flashed through his eyes, almost too faint to notice, but his tone remained calm. "You passed."

"This is a wisp of my divine consciousness, which will also form a Martial Soul solely for you—

"It is my shadow and your soul, yet neither mine nor yours. It belongs to you alone."

Huo Yuhao frowned, utterly baffled. "?"

The tongue-twister made his head ache. He grumbled inwardly, Couldn't the Perfected Lord put it more plainly? Why make it so mysterious? My brain can't keep up.

Huo Yuhao asked nothing more and quietly waited for him to continue.

As if seeing through his confusion, Yang Jian added, "This Martial Soul is called 'Perfected Lord of Clear Origin and Wonderful Dao.' Its traits are unique."

As he spoke, a figure of light took shape in Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea—

"I have adapted it to Douluo's system. It possesses nine Ultimate Attributes—not merely Ultimate Ice, but ice (water), fire, earth, metal, wood, light, darkness, wind, and lightning, each pushed to the ultimate."

"Holy shit?!" Huo Yuhao's pupils contracted, and shock rocked him to the core. His thoughts raced. Nine Ultimate Attributes? This cheat is even more outrageous than Tian Meng's Million-Year Soul Ring! Ultimate Attributes are as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns on Douluo Continent, and he's maxed out nine of them? Perfected Lord, did you empty your entire treasure chest for me?

"Howling Celestial Dog will merge with the Martial Soul and pass down cultivation methods, Daoist arts, and spear techniques to you. Once he finds his own successor, that successor will share a life with you. You must stand together through life and death, never at odds." Yang Jian paused, a trace of helplessness crossing his eyes—

He regarded Howling Celestial Dog as a brother, but the dog's attachment ran deep. He had even given his future successor an absolute order to address Huo Yuhao as "My Lord." Such loyalty moved Yang Jian.

In a corner of the spiritual sea, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm clicked his tongue. He kept his cheeky muttering to himself. Nine Ultimate Attributes weren't enough? He gets a divine beast guardian and two inheritances on top of that? This kid's luck is even better than mine was!

"I have a task for you: find the successors to the Divine Positions of Four Waste Star, Heavenly Plague Star, Desolation Star, Subduing and Severing Star, Shattered Star, Knife and Anvil Star, and Reversed Chant Star. Help them take their places. They will also form your retinue." Yang Jian's gaze burned, and his voice carried a divine solemnity.

(Surely nobody thinks Yang Jian had no divine subordinates besides the Seven Brothers of Meishan and Howling Celestial Dog, right?)

Few people mattered to him: only Yang Chan, Chen Xiang, and that uncle who was half his own. Everything else was merely a debt of cause and effect to bear.

Huo Yuhao gathered himself from the shock and nodded gravely. "I understand, senior. I won't fail you."

Yet inwardly, he sighed. Find seven successors to Divine Positions? That's about as hard as collecting a full set of Soul Bones... But I've accepted the Perfected Lord's inheritance. I can shoulder this much.

Yang Jian nodded, and his figure dissolved into specks of golden light. A black shape abruptly landed—

It was a magnificent great dog, black as ink from head to tail. His coat gleamed, his four paws shone silver as though dusted with snow, and his eyes were like crimson glass. Divine majesty radiated from him. This was Howling Celestial Dog, whose Divine Position was called Sun-Swallowing Divine Lord.

Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, suppressed his surging emotions, and bowed respectfully. "Huo Yuhao greets you, Martial Uncle."

Yang Jian had not specified how Huo Yuhao should address him, but Huo Yuhao knew how much Howling Celestial Dog meant to Yang Jian. The title was proper and respectful.

Howling Celestial Dog lifted his chin, satisfaction flickering through his crimson eyes. His voice was deep as thunder. "Young Lord, we'll be traveling together from now on. I'll be in your care."

His tone carried a Deity's authority, but not a trace of arrogance—

He would treat Erlang Shen's successor with wholehearted devotion.

"You're too kind, Martial Uncle." A gentle smile touched Huo Yuhao's lips. He seems easy to get along with—much friendlier than I expected.

Huo Yuhao nodded his farewell and withdrew his consciousness from the spiritual sea.

The moment he opened his eyes, a pungent stench rushed up his nose. He frowned instinctively and nearly threw up.

The sticky, dark-brown impurities on his skin had already dried and were peeling away in layers. They gave off the distinctive rank odor left by the cleansing of his muscles and marrow—

Even though he had expected it, the smell was overwhelming.

This is the price of getting stronger? It's a bit much... He wiped the grime from his face and felt his meridians flowing freely. His Soul Power was not particularly abundant, but its purity was astonishing.

In the original story, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had given Huo Yuhao four Soul Skills, including Spiritual Detection Sharing and Soul Assault. But his Spirit Eyes had already been elevated by their fusion with the Heavenly Eye. They retained their core abilities while transforming into a divine-level Martial Soul with both Ultimate Spirit and Ultimate Lightning. His Soul Skills had evolved as well:

"Heaven's Apex: All-Seer Clarity," "Illusion's Limit: Azure Thunder Tribulation," "Heaven's Limit: Thunder Kill, Realm Breaker," and "All Beings: Myriad-Sight Heaven."

Every Soul Skill was powerful, but Huo Yuhao wanted to cry—

His cultivation had once been slow but steady. Now the Ultimate Attributes weighed on him like mountains, and his Soul Power's progress had plunged off a cliff. What kind of cheat was this? It was a shackle!

The thought of everyone else advancing at breakneck speed while he remained stuck, slowly honing himself, made his heart ache—

Top-tier talent came at a price after all!

"Forget it. I'll try a Soul Skill first." Huo Yuhao steadied himself. At a thought, his eyes turned brilliant gold.

"First Soul Skill, Heaven's Apex: All-Seer Clarity!"

Invisible spiritual power spread like a tide. Everything within a ten-mile radius sprang into focus in his mind: every blade of grass and tree in the forest, ants beneath the rocks, the auras of Soul Beasts lurking in the distance, even the elemental fluctuations drifting on the wind. Nothing escaped him. It was over a hundred times more precise than the Spiritual Detection in the original story.

That range and precision... It's ridiculous! Delight surged through Huo Yuhao, and he instantly forgot his worries about slower cultivation—

With this Soul Skill, venturing through forests and avoiding danger would be like walking on level ground!

He slipped the pale-gold husk Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had shed into his spatial ring. A slight stir of his Heavenly Eye picked out an abundance of water elements to the southwest—

He was sticky all over after the cleansing of his muscles and marrow. Going without a bath was unbearable.

He drew a breath and sprinted, streaking through the forest like an arrow. Fifteen minutes later, he reached a clear, winding stream. Water burbled over the stones, lush plants lined its banks, and a faint sweetness hung in the mist.

"Finally, I can get clean!" Huo Yuhao breathed a sigh of relief and leaped in. The cool water washed away the filth and stench at once, leaving every pore on his body feeling refreshed.

He splashed about in delight, then climbed out five minutes later, stepping onto the slippery pebbles.

Wet black hair clung to his forehead. Droplets ran down his fair, healthy skin, tracing the boy's straight, sturdy frame—

After the cleansing, his features had grown more refined and defined, as though carefully carved by the Creator. His deep golden eyes held a clear, cool light. The lines of his bare torso flowed smoothly, his sharply defined abdomen like a sculpture, hinting at strength held in reserve.

In his hand, he carried a piece of black cloth wrapped around several thrashing fish—

While bathing, a casual sweep of his spiritual power had located the plump prey in the stream. A slight exertion of Soul Power had brought them up with barely any time or effort.

Wilderness survival skill acquired! Huo Yuhao smiled wryly. A feeble wisp of Ultimate Fire gathered at his fingertip, and with a wave, he lit the dry twigs on the bank.

As the flames danced, he swiftly prepared the fish: scaling and gutting them, rinsing them in clean stream water, then skewering them on branches over the fire.

The fish gradually turned golden over the flames. Fat dripped into the fire with a sizzle, and a rich, savory aroma filled the air.

Huo Yuhao crouched beside the fire, turning the skewers now and then. A gentle smile played on his lips, though he grumbled inwardly, Too bad there's no salt or sauce. This barbecue really is as natural as it gets. A packet of chili powder would make it perfect!

A breeze passed through the forest, carrying the scents of greenery and roasting fish. Firelight danced across the boy's face, and his eyes were clear and resolute—

His first meal in the wilds of Douluo Continent was simple, but it held the hope of a new beginning.