Arc 9The Hypnotic Tapir

Huo Yuhao built ties with the Hongchen family while navigating the Sun Moon Empire’s royal struggle and demonstrating his abilities. On a mountain expedition, a Hypnotic Tapir drew Ju Zi and the others toward a cave containing an unknown metal, which sparked Huo Yuhao’s interest.

  • Huo Yuhao defeated Xiao Hongchen in a private match, revealed his twin martial souls, and agreed to represent the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy in the next tournament.
  • After the Royal Family Disciplinary Team arrested Huo Yuhao and Xiao Hongchen, Huo Yuhao escaped his restraints and helped rescue Xiao Hongchen with Xu Sheng’s apparent intervention.
  • Huo Yuhao revealed his role in the rescue, and Jing Hongchen offered him a reward while deciding to expel Wang Shaojie and report the incident to the Emperor.
  • Huo Yuhao tested Xuan Ziwen’s All-Terrain Detection Soul Tool, impressed Ju Zi and Xuan Ziwen with his driving, and shared his ambitions for soul-tool technology.
  • Ju Zi led Huo Yuhao, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu to the Jingyang Mountain Range to test equipment and search for rare metals, where Huo Yuhao defeated a Golden Tiger with his bare hand.
  • At the camp, Huo Yuhao detected a mental-attribute Soul Beast, then followed Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu when they were led toward a supposed ore deposit.
  • Huo Yuhao resisted the Hypnotic Tapir’s Mental Suggestion and followed it into a cave where unknown metal blocked his Spiritual Detection, while Ju Zi’s detector glowed green outside.
Chapters 202–226 Vol. 3 Read

Ch. 202You Paralyzed Me?

Wang Shaojie’s triggered Paralysis Ray struck Xiao Hongchen instead of Huo Yuhao, setting off a furious confrontation in the Third Laboratory. Xiao Hongchen and Wang Shaojie drew their Soul Cannons as Huo Yuhao watched from the sidelines.

  • Xiao Hongchen entered the Third Laboratory and was paralyzed by Wang Shaojie’s triggered Soul Tool Paralysis Ray.
  • Huo Yuhao caught Xiao Hongchen before he fell, while Wang Shaojie revealed that he had meant the trap for Huo Yuhao.
  • Xiao Hongchen recovered, learned that Wang Shaojie had fired the Paralysis Ray, and angrily confronted him.
  • Xiao Hongchen destroyed the Paralysis Ray and struck Wang Shaojie with the mangled weapon after dismissing his royal status.
  • Wang Shaojie and Xiao Hongchen summoned their Soul Cannons, while Huo Yuhao sat aside eating orange segments.

Ch. 203The formidable Xiao Hongchen

Xiao Hongchen defeated Wang Shaojie in the Third Laboratory and challenged Huo Yuhao to a fight at the Trial Grounds. Huo Yuhao agreed after Xiao threatened to have him expelled, and Xiao led him away while Ju Zi watched them coldly.

  • Xiao Hongchen overwhelmed Wang Shaojie with his 128 Level 5 soul cannons, shattered his shield, and left him gravely injured.
  • Ke Ke and Zi Mu recognized Xiao Hongchen as the Illustrious Virtue Hall master's grandson and decided not to intervene.
  • Xuan Ziwen arrived with Ju Zi, examined Wang Shaojie, and took him away for treatment.
  • Xiao Hongchen told Ju Zi that his fight with Wang Shaojie was a personal grievance and that the Hongchen Family would not support any prince.
  • Xiao Hongchen challenged Huo Yuhao to fight him at the Trial Grounds and threatened to have him expelled if he refused.
  • Huo Yuhao agreed to go with Xiao Hongchen, while Ju Zi watched them leave with a cold expression.

Ch. 204Facing Xiao Hongchen (Part One)

Huo Yuhao faced Xiao Hongchen in a private match at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, hoping to earn Jing Hongchen’s trust while deciding how much of his strength to reveal. He chose to fight seriously, and after Xiao unleashed 128 soul cannons, Huo Yuhao vanished just before their beams struck.

  • Meng Hongchen recognized Huo Yuhao and wondered why he had come to Sun Moon, while Xiao Hongchen explained that Huo Yuhao had withdrawn from Shrek Academy.
  • Huo Yuhao considered using the match to build trust with Xiao Hongchen and gain Jing Hongchen’s confidence.
  • Jing Hongchen arrived, made the match private, and appointed himself referee so he could assess Xiao Hongchen.
  • Huo Yuhao and Xiao Hongchen entered the arena, and Huo Yuhao decided to reveal more of his abilities and fight at full strength.
  • Xiao Hongchen deployed 128 soul cannons and fired at Huo Yuhao, who used a Propulsion Soul Tool to charge forward before vanishing as the beams closed in.

Ch. 205Fighting Xiao Hongchen (Part Two)

Huo Yuhao used Simulation and mental interference to evade Xiao Hongchen’s Soul Cannons, then froze the cannons and forced a stalemate. Jing Hongchen ended the match and asked whether Huo Yuhao intended to stay in Mingdu and serve the Sun Moon Empire.

  • Huo Yuhao used Spiritual Detection, Simulation, and Mental Interference Domain to make Xiao Hongchen’s first two barrages miss.
  • Huo Yuhao revealed that Simulation was his second soul skill and told Xiao Hongchen and Jing Hongchen that he had twin martial souls.
  • Xiao Hongchen swept the arena with all 128 Soul Cannons, striking a simulated Huo Yuhao while the real Huo Yuhao approached from behind.
  • Huo Yuhao froze Xiao Hongchen and the cannons with his Eternal Frozen Domain, leaving them unable to continue fighting.
  • Jing Hongchen melted the ice, stopped the match, praised both fighters, and asked Huo Yuhao whether he would stay in Mingdu and serve the Sun Moon Empire.

Ch. 206The Hongchen Family

Huo Yuhao agreed to compete for the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and revealed his soul skills to Jing Hongchen and the Hongchen siblings. After advising Xiao and Meng Hongchen about their training, he was left alone with Meng, who confessed that she might have fallen for Wang Dong.

  • Huo Yuhao agreed to represent the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy in the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament.
  • Jing Hongchen brought Huo Yuhao, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen to a private room, where Huo Yuhao demonstrated his Spiritual Detection Sharing, Simulation, and Weakness skills.
  • Jing Hongchen recognized the strategic value of Huo Yuhao's mental abilities but worried that he could not trust someone born in an enemy nation with Plan One.
  • Huo Yuhao warned Jing Hongchen that Xiao Hongchen and other Sun Moon Academy students risked harming their cultivation by relying on drugs and neglecting physical training.
  • Xiao Hongchen left vowing to find a way to defeat Huo Yuhao, and Meng Hongchen confessed that she might have fallen for Wang Dong.

Ch. 207Serving the Sun and Moon

Huo Yuhao weighed the cost of earning Jing Hongchen’s trust and considered how the Hongchen Family might become an ally in changing the Sun Moon Empire. Meanwhile, Ju Zi told Crown Prince Xu Tianran that Xiao Hongchen’s assault on Wang Shaojie offered a chance to build ties with Jing Hongchen.

  • Meng Hongchen asked Huo Yuhao about Wang Dong, and Huo Yuhao avoided revealing Wang Dong’s identity while telling her there would be no result between them.
  • Huo Yuhao discussed with Tian Meng and the Ice Empress his need to accommodate Xiao Hongchen to remain in the Illustrious Virtue Hall and find the Snow Empress.
  • Huo Yuhao reasoned that the Hongchen Family could be won over because it was an independent rising force amid the Sun Moon Empire’s rival imperial factions.
  • Ju Zi entered the imperial palace using the Eight-Clawed Fire Dragon Token and met Crown Prince Xu Tianran.
  • Ju Zi told Xu Tianran that Xiao Hongchen had badly injured Wang Shaojie and proposed using the incident to build a relationship with Jing Hongchen.

Ch. 208Xiao Hongchen: In Danger

Xu Tianran learned that Xiao Hongchen had injured Wang Shaojie and planned to exploit the incident to turn the Hall Master of Illustrious Virtue Hall against the Third Prince. He ordered Ju Zi to arrange Xiao Hongchen’s arrest by the Royal Family Disciplinary Team, even if the young Soul King had to suffer for the scheme.

  • Ju Zi told Xu Tianran that Wang Shaojie had attacked Xiao Hongchen, been badly wounded, and remained unconscious, while the Third Prince’s side demanded an explanation without knowing Xiao Hongchen was responsible.
  • Xu Tianran rejected Ju Zi’s suggestion to use the dispute to win Hall Master Hongchen’s favor and instead proposed having the Royal Family Disciplinary Team take Xiao Hongchen into custody.
  • Xu Tianran revealed that he had planted an informant in the team and ordered Ju Zi to make the arrest happen as soon as possible, preferably that night.
  • Xu Tianran said the team’s methods should make Xiao Hongchen suffer enough to inflame the conflict, and disclosed that his informant was a death soldier who would be killed if necessary.

Ch. 209The Arrested Principal and Accomplice

Ju Zi reflected on her dependence on Xu Tianran as he gave secret orders, while the Royal Family Disciplinary Team arrested Xiao Hongchen and Huo Yuhao over Wang Shaojie's injuries. Huo Yuhao appeared to submit, but he had already disabled the soul-tool handcuffs.

  • Ju Zi recalled Xu Tianran's ruthless methods and questioned Huo Yuhao's challenge to her belief about her parents' deaths.
  • Xu Mochen ordered his subordinate to arrest Chen Xiaohong and Huo Yuhao after Wang Shaojie blamed them for his injuries.
  • The subordinate secretly followed the Crown Prince's orders as he left to carry out the arrests.
  • The Royal Family Disciplinary Team detained Xiao Hongchen outside the academy, and he asked Huo Yuhao to notify Director Lin and his grandfather.
  • The team accused Huo Yuhao of being an accomplice and handcuffed him, unaware that he had corroded the handcuffs' core array with freezing energy.

Ch. 210Torture

Huo Yuhao let the Royal Family Disciplinary Team arrest him so he could investigate the Imperial City while waiting for Jing Hongchen to arrive. In the torture chamber, he concealed that he was unharmed and discovered that Xiao Hongchen appeared to be suffering even worse treatment.

  • The Royal Family Disciplinary Team arrested Huo Yuhao and Xiao Hongchen and took them to its headquarters in the Imperial City.
  • Ju Zi told Lin Jiayi about the arrests, and Lin Jiayi hurried to inform Jing Hongchen while Ju Zi watched calmly.
  • Huo Yuhao secretly disabled his handcuffs and used Spiritual Detection to check the Imperial City before entering the disciplinary office.
  • The team separated Huo Yuhao and Xiao Hongchen, and the middle-aged leader took Xiao Hongchen into a soundproofed torture chamber.
  • Huo Yuhao pretended to endure torture while Simulation and Ice Emperor's Protection kept him unharmed.
  • Huo Yuhao focused on Xiao Hongchen's room and realized that Xiao Hongchen seemed to be suffering worse treatment than he was.

Ch. 211Xiao Hongchen Rescue Plan

Jing Hongchen rushed to the Imperial City after learning that the Royal Family Disciplinary Team had arrested Xiao Hongchen and Huo Yuhao, while a conspirator arranged to have Xiao tortured. Huo Yuhao escaped his interrogation room and decided to rescue Xiao, planning to exploit the Sun Moon Empire’s royal family struggle.

  • Jing Hongchen flew toward the Imperial City, where Xue Chen intercepted him before agreeing to take him to demand justice for Xiao Hongchen.
  • A mole in the Royal Family Disciplinary Team had Xiao Hongchen strapped to a metal cross and prepared for corporal punishment without the interrogators knowing his identity.
  • Huo Yuhao realized Xiao Hongchen was being framed and used Soul Shock to incapacitate his interrogators and destroy the room’s monitoring soul tools.
  • Huo Yuhao freed himself and told Tian Meng and Ice Empress that he would rescue Xiao Hongchen rather than flee.
  • Huo Yuhao asked Ice Empress to help him set the Sun Moon Empire’s royal family factions against each other.

Ch. 212Timely Rescue

Huo Yuhao and the Ice Empress intervened after the Royal Family Disciplinary Team tortured Xiao Hongchen, entering the interrogation room disguised as two strangers. The cloaked companion revealed Titled Douluo-level power, leaving the team stunned as the tall youth refused to identify himself.

  • Xiao Hongchen was restrained and tortured by the Royal Family Disciplinary Team after they suppressed his Soul Power.
  • Huo Yuhao vanished from his interrogation room with the Ice Empress as Xiao Hongchen’s defensive Soul Tool failed and a spike pierced his back.
  • Xu Mochen noticed that the monitoring feed from Huo Yuhao’s room had disappeared.
  • A tall, dark-skinned youth and a cloaked figure burst into Xiao Hongchen’s room, and the youth recognized him and demanded to know who had hurt him.
  • The team attacked the trespassers, but the youth swiftly defeated Fourth Brother and the cloaked figure revealed nine Soul Rings, forcing the others to back down.

Ch. 213The Sun Moon Imperial Family

Xu Sheng exposed the Royal Family Disciplinary Team’s mistaken arrest of Xiao Hongchen and freed him from the torture device. He escorted Xiao Hongchen away with Huo Yuhao, while Xu Mochen realized Xu Sheng might be a powerful ally of the Third Prince.

  • Xu Sheng confronted Xu Mochen and revealed that the prisoner was Xiao Hongchen, grandson of Jing Hongchen, rather than Chen Xiaohong.
  • Xu Sheng freed Xiao Hongchen, who showed his bloody injuries and accused the team of needing a thorough cleanup.
  • Xu Mochen blamed the middle-aged arresting officer and claimed someone had framed the Royal Family Disciplinary Team.
  • Xu Sheng revealed his sun martial soul, proved his imperial status, and identified himself as Xu Sheng.
  • Xu Sheng and Xiao Hongchen left to return to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, taking Huo Yuhao with them.
  • Xu Mochen suspected Xu Sheng was a trusted ally of the Third Prince and considered what the Titled Douluo’s support could mean for the prince’s bid for the throne.

Ch. 214Jing Hongchen's Helplessness

Jing Hongchen learned that Xiao Hongchen had been arrested in a plot against the Third Prince, while Shadow Douluo Xue Chen killed the informant to conceal the Crown Prince’s involvement. As Xiao Hongchen left the Imperial City with Xu Sheng and the black-robed figure, he discovered that Xu Sheng was Huo Yuhao.

  • Xu Mochen confronted his subordinate over concealing Xiao Hongchen’s identity, then Jing Hongchen arrived demanding to know where his grandson was.
  • The subordinate revealed that Xu Sheng had escorted Xiao Hongchen back toward the academy and described the mysterious Sun Martial Soul youth and the black-robed Titled Douluo.
  • Xue Chen questioned the subordinate, then killed him and framed his death as payment for the mistaken arrest.
  • Jing Hongchen left for the academy, worried that the princes were using his grandchildren to draw him into their struggle for the throne.
  • Xiao Hongchen asked Xu Sheng about Huo Yuhao, and Xu Sheng and the black-robed figure vanished, revealing Xu Sheng’s true identity as Huo Yuhao.

Ch. 215Jing Hongchen's Gratitude

Huo Yuhao helped Xiao Hongchen escape a scheme that had landed him in the Royal Family Disciplinary Team, then explained how the arrest had been manipulated. Back at Sun Moon Academy, Jing Hongchen thanked Huo Yuhao and promised him a reward, which Huo Yuhao left open for later.

  • Huo Yuhao told Xiao Hongchen that someone had used an information gap to turn the Royal Family Disciplinary Team against him, likely as revenge for Wang Shaojie.
  • Huo Yuhao suggested that Xiao Hongchen seek compensation from the royal family, and Xiao agreed to tell Jing Hongchen what Huo Yuhao wanted in return for saving him.
  • Xiao Hongchen learned that Huo Yuhao had never been restrained by the Dragon-Binding Lock and had used his physical fitness to handle the Soul Kings.
  • Huo Yuhao and Xiao Hongchen returned to Sun Moon Academy, where Jing Hongchen was waiting and asked who had helped Xiao.
  • Xiao Hongchen revealed that Huo Yuhao had rescued him, and Jing Hongchen offered Huo Yuhao any reward he wanted.
  • Huo Yuhao asked for a Level 9 Soul Tool, then said he would decide on his reward later, and Jing Hongchen agreed.

Ch. 216Hongchen and Sun Moon

Jing Hongchen warned Xiao Hongchen that the royal incident could be part of a struggle among the princes, while Xiao resolved to lead the Hongchen Family beyond choosing sides. Huo Yuhao reflected on how his information-gathering abilities could help him exploit the Sun Moon Empire’s infighting, and Xu Tianran ordered an investigation into the mysterious Xu Sheng.

  • Jing Hongchen ordered Huo Yuhao and Xiao Hongchen to keep the day’s events secret, then dismissed Huo Yuhao.
  • Xiao Hongchen told Jing Hongchen about his dealings with the Royal Family Disciplinary Team, and Jing decided to expel Wang Shaojie and report the matter confidentially to the Emperor.
  • Jing Hongchen warned Xiao Hongchen that the princes were pressuring the Hongchen Family to choose a side, and Xiao resolved to find a way to free his family from that choice.
  • Huo Yuhao used Spiritual Detection to listen to Jing Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, then told Tian Meng and the Ice Empress that information was a powerful weapon in the Sun Moon Empire’s internal conflict.
  • Xu Tianran heard Xue Chen’s report about a Sun Martial Soul and a Titled Douluo, then ordered him to investigate Xu Sheng.

Ch. 217The soul guidance tech tree gone astray

Xuan Ziwen announced Wang Shaojie's expulsion and demonstrated Huo Yuhao's Soul Tool Machine, then brought his students to see the All-Terrain Detection Soul Tool prototype. Huo Yuhao recognized the machine as resembling a Terror Drone and began explaining what he meant by a tech tree going astray.

  • Xuan Ziwen told Huo Yuhao, Ke Ke, Zi Mu, and Ju Zi that Wang Shaojie had been expelled, while Huo Yuhao learned his Illustrious Virtue Hall access was still delayed.
  • Xuan Ziwen demonstrated Huo Yuhao's Soul Tool Machine, and Ju Zi recognized its potential to strengthen the Sun Moon Empire's military.
  • Ke Ke asked Ju Zi whether something was troubling her, and Ju Zi concealed her thoughts about informing the Crown Prince.
  • Xuan Ziwen revealed that Huo Yuhao had devised the Soul Tool Machine and invited the students to see his nearly completed project.
  • Xuan Ziwen showed the students the All-Terrain Detection Soul Tool, and Huo Yuhao recognized it as resembling a Terror Drone.

Ch. 218Driving

Huo Yuhao questioned why the Sun Moon Empire had developed a six-legged detection Soul Tool but not a Soul Tool Car, inspiring Xuan Ziwen to plan a prototype. He then tried the detection vehicle with Ju Zi and ended by recalling another girl named Ju Zi whose Martial Soul was a flatbed cart.

  • Huo Yuhao asked why the Sun Moon Empire had not replaced horse-drawn carriages with Soul Tool Cars, and Xuan Ziwen eagerly resolved to build a prototype.
  • Xuan Ziwen had Ju Zi test the All-Terrain Detection Soul Tool in the Trial Grounds and invited Huo Yuhao to try it as well.
  • Ju Zi showed Huo Yuhao the controls, and he quickly learned to operate the vehicle.
  • Huo Yuhao drove the vehicle smoothly at high speed, impressing Ju Zi and Xuan Ziwen.
  • Huo Yuhao told Ju Zi he had learned to drive from a girl named Ju Zi, then revealed that her Martial Soul was a flatbed cart.

Ch. 219Ju Zi's Return Gift

Huo Yuhao joined Ju Zi and Ke Ke for a barbecue in the laboratory, where the two women learned about his age and orphaned background. Ke Ke then suggested that Ju Zi should marry Huo Yuhao because he was a better cook than she was, leaving both of them stunned and Ju Zi blushing.

  • After testing the All-Terrain Detection Soul Tool, Huo Yuhao accepted Ju Zi's offer to cook him a barbecue as a return gift.
  • Ju Zi prepared and grilled food in the Third Laboratory while Huo Yuhao and Ke Ke watched.
  • Ke Ke tried Huo Yuhao's grilled fish and was astonished by how delicious it was.
  • Huo Yuhao said he was thirteen, almost fourteen, and had earned his first money by selling grilled fish.
  • Ke Ke revealed that Ju Zi had vowed to marry the best cook in the world and proposed that she marry Huo Yuhao.
  • Ju Zi blushed and scolded Ke Ke for talking nonsense.

Ch. 220That Huo Fellow Raised a Flag

Huo Yuhao shared a meal with Ke Ke and Ju Zi, discussing romance, ideals, and the kind of girl he admired. Ju Zi asked him about his dream, leaving his answer for what came next.

  • Ke Ke teased Ju Zi about being attracted to Huo Yuhao, while Ju Zi denied it and privately focused on her revenge against the Star Luo Empire.
  • Ke Ke asked Huo Yuhao what kind of girl he liked, and he said he admired strong, brave people with lofty ideals, regardless of gender.
  • Ke Ke described a Titled Douluo who died after losing his beloved, but Huo Yuhao doubted that such an expert would be overcome by love.
  • Ju Zi reflected that she matched Huo Yuhao's description but had goals of her own, then asked Ke Ke and Huo Yuhao about their dreams.

Ch. 221Soul Guidance Technology Revolution

Huo Yuhao described his plan for a soul guidance technology revolution and discussed the Sun Moon Empire’s royal family with Ju Zi and Ke Ke. After learning about the disabled Crown Prince Xu Tianran and the princes’ rivalry, he returned to his dormitory and began cultivating.

  • Huo Yuhao told Ju Zi and Ke Ke that he wanted to transform the continent by replacing manual labor with soul tools and other power sources with soul power.
  • Huo Yuhao explained that his soul tool machine and Xuan Ziwen’s sealed milk bottle could drive the soul guidance technology revolution.
  • Ju Zi asked Huo Yuhao to serve the Sun Moon Empire and suggested he seek an official post, but Huo Yuhao said he preferred to avoid the royal family.
  • Ke Ke told Huo Yuhao that Crown Prince Xu Tianran had lost both legs after the Second Prince plotted against him, and that other princes challenged his position.
  • Huo Yuhao reflected on Xu Tianran and the royal succession struggle after returning to his dormitory, then began to cultivate.

Ch. 222Field Test

Xu Tianran learned that Huo Yuhao had proposed a plan for mass-producing soul tools and ordered Ju Zi to investigate the mysterious Xu Sheng while cautiously considering whether to recruit Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao then traveled with Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu to the Jingyang Mountain Range for field tests, where his cooking impressed Zi Mu and Tian Meng teased him about girls.

  • Ju Zi told Xu Tianran that Xuan Ziwen's prototype could lead to mass production of Level 8 Soul Tools within twenty years, and Xu Tianran recognized Huo Yuhao's contribution.
  • Xu Tianran and Ju Zi discussed the mysterious Xu Sheng, whose genuine Sun Martial Soul had no matching identity in the royal genealogy, and Xu Tianran told Ju Zi to learn more about him.
  • Xuan Ziwen sent Huo Yuhao, Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu to the Jingyang Mountain Range to test soul tools and collect rare metals, while Ju Zi hoped to find a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for her fifth soul ring.
  • During the flight, Ke Ke and Ju Zi asked Huo Yuhao to handle the group's cooking, and Zi Mu sampled his Grilled Fish and admitted that Huo Yuhao's cooking was better than his.
  • Tian Meng asked Huo Yuhao whether he wanted to pursue a girl, and Huo Yuhao said he did not while Tian Meng teased him about his affinity with girls.

Ch. 223Field Testing in the Wilderness

Huo Yuhao discussed his complicated feelings for Princess Jiujiu while traveling with Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu to test a metal-detecting Soul Tool in the Jingyang Mountain Range. Their search soon brought them face-to-face with a five-thousand-year-old Golden Tiger.

  • Huo Yuhao admitted that he liked Jiujiu but felt their difference in status made a relationship unrealistic.
  • Electrolux recalled how the first necromancer developed Undead Magic while trying to keep his deceased wife's soul company.
  • Ju Zi explained how the modified Level 3 detector could locate Rare Metal deposits, and Huo Yuhao chose not to reveal that his Spiritual Detection had a much greater range.
  • Ju Zi led the group toward an unexplored peak, and the detector suddenly glowed dark gold.
  • Huo Yuhao warned Ju Zi that the detector might be reacting to a metallic Soul Beast and spotted a five-thousand-year-old Golden Tiger blocking their path.

Ch. 224Beating the Tiger

Huo Yuhao and the three senior students encountered a Golden Tiger during their survey mission, and Huo Yuhao subdued it with his bare hands. The group continued toward their target peak, newly aware of his extraordinary physical strength.

  • Huo Yuhao warned Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu that a Golden Tiger was approaching, and they prepared their Soul Tools to fight it.
  • The Golden Tiger dodged their attacks and pounced at Huo Yuhao, who avoided it and pinned it down with his right hand before beating it unconscious.
  • Huo Yuhao offered the Golden Tiger to Ju Zi as a possible fifth Soul Ring, but she declined, and Zi Mu and Ke Ke killed it.
  • Zi Mu asked whether Huo Yuhao had used a Soul Tool, and Huo Yuhao explained that his physique had been rated at level sixty and that he had learned to fight tiger-type Soul Beasts from a senior surnamed Wu.
  • Ke Ke and Huo Yuhao discussed the senior students' use of drugs to raise their soul power, and Ju Zi warned that metal-attribute Soul Beasts were stronger in the Jingyang Mountain Range.
  • Ju Zi resumed studying the detector as the group continued toward their target peak.

Ch. 225Strange

Huo Yuhao noticed a mental-attribute Soul Beast approaching the camp after Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu woke abruptly and insisted on searching for metals. He agreed to follow them while suspecting the beast was influencing their behavior.

  • Huo Yuhao, Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu continued searching the mountains for rare metals and camped on an open slope.
  • During dinner, Huo Yuhao suggested searching from the air, while Ju Zi warned that flying in Soul Beast territory was dangerous.
  • Huo Yuhao took the first watch, and Tian Meng and Ice Empress emerged to spend time with him.
  • Huo Yuhao detected a six-to-seven-thousand-year-old mental-attribute Soul Beast approaching the camp, and Tian Meng recognized its attribute before Ice Empress silenced him.
  • Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu woke and urged Huo Yuhao to follow them toward a supposed metal deposit, despite Ju Zi's detector showing no sign of one.
  • Huo Yuhao agreed to go with them and wondered whether the Soul Beast was controlling them.

Ch. 226The Hypnosis Tapir

Huo Yuhao discovered that a six-thousand-year-old Hypnotic Tapir had hypnotized Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and Zi Mu into searching a cave for ore. Inside, he recognized a detector’s green glow as connected to the Ice Jade Scorpion Clan, though the metal deposit’s identity remained unclear.

  • Huo Yuhao resisted the Hypnotic Tapir’s mental suggestion and realized it had led Ju Zi and the others toward a supposed ore deposit.
  • Huo Yuhao recognized the creature as a tapir and learned from Tian Meng that its one-sided Mental Suggestion avoided backlash.
  • Huo Yuhao decided the Hypnotic Tapir would make his ideal fourth soul ring, but Ice Empress reminded him that he had not yet reached the fortieth rank.
  • The Hypnotic Tapir entered a cave where an unknown metal blocked Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection.
  • Ju Zi’s detector glowed green outside the cave, and Huo Yuhao recognized the color as resembling the Ice Jade Scorpion Clan and grew excited.
Arc 9 of 17