The Process Was All Wrong, but the Result Was Right

"Y-you wanted to see me about something?"

Huo Yuhao stared at the woman who had suddenly held out her hand, utterly bewildered.

He was certain he had never met her.

"I heard you became my dad's disciple, so I came to see what kind of student he'd taken in."

"Since you're my dad's disciple, you're my junior brother now. If you ever need anything, come find me."

Nan Qiuqiu smiled as she spoke, looking Huo Yuhao up and down.

"S-senior sister..."

Huo Yuhao was genuinely stunned to learn that she was his teacher's daughter. His teacher had never mentioned it.

Senior Bei Bei and Sister Xiaoya had never said anything about it either.

But the moment Huo Yuhao heard that Nan Qiuqiu was related to his teacher, he felt a natural closeness to her.

"Hey, this is the boys' dormitory. If you have something to talk about, can you do it outside?"

Seeing Huo Yuhao standing so close to Nan Qiuqiu only made Wang Dong more irritated. She spoke coldly, anger edging her voice.

"It's nothing, junior brother. I just came to see you."

"If you need anything later, just come find me."

Nan Qiuqiu knew she had been a little presumptuous. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Huo Yuhao, she left.

Wang Dong felt deeply uncomfortable watching Huo Yuhao walk Nan Qiuqiu to the door.

She decided she would lay down a few rules for him when he returned.

But once Huo Yuhao went out, he did not come back.

Meanwhile, Huang Jinxu was refining a pill to extend Mu En's life.

Mu En's body was in terrible shape. He had exhausted it to its limits long ago.

In his battle with Du Bisou, potent poison had dealt him a grievous blow and left a hidden injury at his very foundation. Afterward, he had relied on the White Dragon Core to force his breakthrough to rank ninety-nine Limit Douluo.

Ordinarily, with the Golden Ancient Tree and the White Dragon Core, Mu En's successful breakthrough should have replenished his Martial Soul Origin and cleansed his injuries.

Unfortunately, Mu En could not suppress the backlash from the Dragon Core's baleful energy. It had left him permanently hunched and nearly paralyzed.

He had survived all these years only because the Golden Ancient Tree sustained his life.

Under such harsh conditions, extending Mu En's life would be extremely difficult.

After all, in this era, few things possessed more life force than the Golden Ancient Tree.

As it happened, Huang Jinxu had something that could help Mu En live longer.

Gold of Life.

The piece of Gold of Life he had dug out of the Golden Hawksbill Turtle's body.

That did not mean the Gold of Life surpassed the Golden Ancient Tree in life force. Their energies were fundamentally different.

After all, the Gold of Life could heal injuries even in gods.

Although Mu En could draw on the Golden Ancient Tree's power, he could use only its most basic life force. He could never draw on its source to heal himself.

Besides, the treatment had to suit the ailment.

The greatest problem with Mu En's body was the baleful energy from the Dragon Core. Eradicating it would be difficult—it clung to him like maggots to bone—but Huang Jinxu could suppress it for a time.

Huang Jinxu sealed off his place of seclusion. With a thought, he accessed the developed regions of his brain. Data and information arranged themselves in order, forming a simple AI model that ran through possibilities to find the best pill-refining plan as quickly as possible.

Huang Jinxu soon found what he needed.

He steadied himself, and with everything ready, was just about to refine the pill when waves of Soul Power reached him.

At first, Huang Jinxu assumed a Titled Douluo was passing by and paid it no mind. But the waves of Soul Power kept coming.

Someone was clearly striking the soul-tool formation barrier outside his residence again and again.

If he had activated the barrier, it was because he was cultivating in seclusion or handling something important.

At such a time, outside interruptions were the last thing he needed.

Anyone with half a brain would know what to do.

Only an especially urgent matter—or a mortal enemy—would warrant such repeated intrusions.

Don't tell me Mu En's dead?

Suppressing his anger, Huang Jinxu deactivated the soul-tool formation and opened his door.

He was uneasy. If Mu En really had died now, what came next would be troublesome.

"Huang Jinxu, you took one of the most precious hundred-thousand-year Head Soul Bones from the Treasure Pavilion without discussing it at a Sea God Pavilion Meeting. Do you think that was reasonable?"

The moment he opened the door, Yan Shaozhe's angry voice reached Huang Jinxu's ears.

Judging by Yan Shaozhe's expression, one would think Huang Jinxu had committed some unforgivable crime.

When Huang Jinxu realized it was Yan Shaozhe, and that he had come over this, he stopped holding back his anger.

"Get lost!"

With that furious shout, Huang Jinxu activated Martial Soul Possession. The next instant, Stellar Power gathered around his arm.

"Star-Picking Hand!"

Terrifying power surged forth. Wrapped in Stellar Power and carrying a crushing pressure, it hurtled straight at Yan Shaozhe.

"You—"

Yan Shaozhe was startled by Huang Jinxu's sudden attack. Before he could say another word, he was sent flying.

He slammed into a distant street and coughed up blood again and again.

How is that possible?

He didn't even use a Soul Skill. How could he be so powerful?

Alarm surged through Yan Shaozhe as he took stock of his condition. He was a Titled Douluo too—a rank ninety-five Super Douluo—and he had been defeated in a single move.

What frightened Yan Shaozhe most was that, for one instant, he had clearly felt the threat of death from Huang Jinxu.

Huang Jinxu had always maintained the image of an easygoing good man, no matter the situation. But just now, he had truly wanted to kill Yan Shaozhe.

There was no mistaking it.

He's nothing like the man he pretends to be.

This is Huang Jinxu's true face. He's hiding within Shrek Academy, and he must have another purpose.

His intentions are sinister.

No. I have to tell everyone. Shrek Academy cannot fall into the hands of someone so treacherous.

Once Yan Shaozhe reached that conclusion, his thoughts began to race.

In an instant, he had cast Huang Jinxu as a schemer harboring designs against Shrek Academy.

If Huang Jinxu truly had Shrek Academy's interests at heart, why would he refuse to join the Sea God Pavilion and become an elder?

To the people of Shrek, joining the Sea God Pavilion and becoming an elder was the highest honor.

The more Yan Shaozhe thought about it, the more frightening it seemed, and the more certain he became that Huang Jinxu was plotting something enormous.

Given Huang Jinxu's strength, Yan Shaozhe could not stop him alone. He needed the others to work with him.

With that thought, Yan Shaozhe wasted no more time. He turned and headed deeper into the academy.

He would convene a Sea God Pavilion Meeting and expose Huang Jinxu's true face.