Although the Body Sect was the Protector Sect of the Heaven Dou Empire, its reclusive nature meant that many people within the empire did not know it existed.
Jiang Peng, however, happened not to be among them.
As Di'ao Academy's current top student, a genius soul master who might one day enter the empire's central government, he knew many secrets hidden from others.
For instance, on the day Shrek came to demand Huo Yuhao, Prince Xue Xin had ostensibly forced Xuan Zi back. In reality, the Body Sect's sect master had intervened in secret, clashing with Xuan Zi and driving him away.
"How did you learn about the Body Sect?"
Jiang Peng's gaze grew wary.
Since Huo Yuhao knew to use Di'ao Academy as a lead to track down the Body Sect, that meant he knew about its relationship with the Heaven Dou Empire.
At this point, any attempt by Jiang Peng to play dumb and deny it would only be deceiving himself.
"Even if you have a body martial soul, you shouldn't know to look for a way into the Body Sect through Di'ao Academy-or, more precisely, through the Heavenly Soul Royal Family."
Jiang Peng could hardly help being suspicious.
Things might seem peaceful at this juncture, but beneath the surface, dark currents surged.
Friction between the Sun Moon Empire and their empire along the border was growing fiercer by the day. No one knew whether Huo Yuhao might be a spy the Sun Moon side had painfully sacrificed to plant among them.
Huo Yuhao offered no explanation, merely withdrawing the two soul rings of his Spirit Eyes martial soul.
"Brother Jiang Peng, this way, please." Huo Yuhao walked to a corner no one was paying attention to.
Jiang Peng quickly followed.
Confident in his formidable strength and the fact that he would soon become a Six-Ring Soul Emperor, he was not afraid of any tricks Huo Yuhao might play.
Yet the next instant, Jiang Peng felt a savage pressure like that of a primordial beast surge from Huo Yuhao, toppling mountains and overturning seas.
Before Jiang Peng's eyes, Huo Yuhao's figure underwent an astonishing transformation.
A dazzling, icy light erupted between his brows, and the snow-white dragon marking spread wildly in an instant, as though it had come alive.
Layers of ice-blue dragon scales grew across Huo Yuhao's skin, producing metallic ringing sounds as his body moved.
The water element in the air froze into tiny ice crystals that pattered down. By the time Jiang Peng recovered from that pressure, he discovered in horror that Huo Yuhao had taken on a dragonman's form, his body covered in dragon scales and his face encased in dragon armor.
A purple soul ring tinged with black spiraled up from beneath Huo Yuhao's feet.
In an instant, Huo Yuhao's already savage aura boiled higher and higher, like oil over a raging fire.
"I have twin martial souls."
Huo Yuhao raised an arm, condensing an eyeball-shaped piece of ice in his dragon claw. "My first martial soul is Spirit Eyes, a body martial soul."
"My second martial soul is the Azure Sky Profound Ice Dragon, an ultimate martial soul."
As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Yuhao withdrew the Azure Sky Profound Ice Dragon martial soul with a thought, returning in the blink of an eye to a noble-looking youth.
Every hair on Jiang Peng's body stood on end, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
An ultimate martial soul?
A martial soul that existed only in legends had actually appeared before him!
Jiang Peng no longer doubted Huo Yuhao's identity.
No soul master faction would bear to use a soul master Huo Yuhao's age with twin martial souls as bait for a trap.
Especially not one with a combination of a body martial soul and an ultimate martial soul.
Because this was talent capable of changing the entire landscape of the soul master world!
Jiang Peng drew a deep breath, trying to calm the shock in his heart.
His gaze swept back and forth over Huo Yuhao, as though getting to know the youth anew.
Huo Yuhao smiled slightly. "Now you can believe who I am, can't you, Brother Jiang Peng?"
"I'm an orphan from the Star Luo Empire. I once read a description of the Body Sect in the imperial public library, which was how I learned that such a soul master sect existed within the Heaven Dou Empire."
"And the very reason I want to join the Body Sect is my ultimate martial soul."
Huo Yuhao's fingers turned into dragon claws.
He lightly hooked his dragon claws against the wall, and a thick layer of solid ice instantly spread from his nails.
Huo Yuhao's gaze grew profoundly deep. "We all know that twin martial souls can only appear when the two martial souls are of comparable quality."
"And since Spirit Eyes can coexist with an ultimate martial soul, I believe it can't be that simple. That is why I came to the Heaven Dou Empire, hoping to join the Body Sect and unravel the mysteries of my Spirit Eyes martial soul."
"As for why I approached Di'ao Academy..."
Huo Yuhao spread his hands and shrugged. "I just wanted to take a gamble. If even the Heavenly Soul Royal Family doesn't know where the Body Sect is, where else could I look?"
Jiang Peng nodded thoughtfully.
He did not suspect anything about Huo Yuhao's explanation.
After all, no one would imagine that Huo Yuhao had only obtained his Azure Sky Profound Ice Dragon martial soul a few days ago.
Jiang Peng looked around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he lowered his voice and told Huo Yuhao, "Young man, hurry and put away this ice. Then I'll take you to the headmaster and have him introduce you to someone from the Body Sect."
With that, Jiang Peng turned around, rubbing his hands in excitement. "My heavens, this is an ultimate martial soul! We've struck gold! The Heaven Dou Empire has really struck gold this time!"
Following behind Jiang Peng, Huo Yuhao inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
His explanation would not actually withstand any scrutiny.
But he had counted on no one suspecting that a second martial soul could be acquired later in life, which was why he had dared to stride openly into Di'ao Academy.
Huo Yuhao's aim was to display his potential so that he could receive the joint support and training of the Body Sect and the Heaven Dou Empire from the very beginning.
Jiang Peng led Huo Yuhao through Di'ao Academy's main campus, heading straight for an old-fashioned building at the very back.
The teaching buildings here had a solemn, dignified architectural style, displaying everywhere the grandeur of Di'ao as an imperial academy.
Enormous soul guidance lamps hung between the columns, bearing signs directing people to Di'ao's various classrooms. Whenever students passed, the lamps would also read the nameplates on their chests and announce where they should go for their next class.
"Senior Jiang Peng, who's this?" A student noticed Huo Yuhao following behind Jiang Peng.
Jiang Peng hurried along, clearly unwilling to linger.
"A new transfer student. Don't ask so many questions," he said without turning around.
Soon, Jiang Peng brought Huo Yuhao before a towering building.
The tower was a dull gray all over, looking out of place beside the magnificent teaching buildings surrounding it.
"This is the headmaster's office," Jiang Peng explained quietly. "The headmaster is His Majesty's younger brother, and he'll soon become a Titled Douluo. If you want to join the Body Sect, you can only contact them through him."
Huo Yuhao followed Jiang Peng up the spiral staircase.
When they reached the tower's top floor, an old-fashioned wooden door appeared before them, carved with elaborate patterns, with faint fluctuations of soul power circulating within.
Jiang Peng knocked respectfully. "Headmaster, your student Jiang Peng requests an audience on an important matter."
Ordinary students naturally did not enjoy Jiang Peng's standing.
But as the first genius student since Di'ao Academy's founding who might break through to Soul Emperor before turning twenty, Jiang Peng had been granted many privileges at the academy by Xue Xin.
For instance, whenever Jiang Peng's soul power level reached its peak, he could come straight to the headmaster's office without prior notice and request that the Heaven Dou Empire's authorities send someone to take him soul hunting.
After a brief silence, a gentle voice came from inside. "Come in."
Then, with a creak, the wooden door opened on its own.
A middle-aged man in a moon-white robe sat behind a broad desk.
He had refined features and bright eyes like spring waters; a single glance at him would make people unconsciously relax.
"This student looks rather unfamiliar." Xue Xin's gaze fell directly on Huo Yuhao.
Jiang Peng hurriedly stepped forward and explained Huo Yuhao's circumstances to Xue Xin.
The teacup in Xue Xin's hand froze in midair. His gaze flickered violently, but soon returned to calm.
Yet at that moment, the air in the room seemed to solidify.
He slowly rose, an invisible pressure spreading outward. Huo Yuhao keenly noticed a glint of seriousness flash through Xue Xin's previously gentle eyes.
Xue Xin walked up to Huo Yuhao, his moon-white robe stirring without any wind.
He gently patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder, suppressing his excitement as best he could, and asked in a trembling voice, "Child, may I see your martial souls?"
Huo Yuhao nodded.
He first released his Spirit Eyes martial soul, and two soul rings, one yellow and one purple, slowly revolved beneath his feet.
At the sight of that second ring, signifying the thousand-year level, Xue Xin's pupils abruptly twitched.
Then Huo Yuhao switched to his Azure Sky Profound Ice Dragon martial soul. Terrifying cold instantly erupted from him, sweeping through the entire headmaster's office and coating it in frost.
A soul ring nearly ten thousand years old, filled with a savage aura, rose from beneath Huo Yuhao's feet.
Feeling the pressure that made his Snow Cloud martial soul tremble uncontrollably, Xue Xin pressed his lips together, unable to speak for a long time.
His gaze lingered on Huo Yuhao for a long while before he suddenly turned to Jiang Peng. "Jiang Peng, step outside."
Jiang Peng bowed respectfully, then left the room.
Once the door was firmly shut, a golden barrier abruptly appeared, completely sealing off the office.
Xue Xin's expression became exceptionally grave. "Yuhao, do you know what these two martial souls of yours mean?"
"They mean that in the future, I will become the strongest expert in the soul master world."
Huo Yuhao answered frankly, "Not merely one of them."
"Correct." Xue Xin nodded slightly, then asked, "Are you certain Shrek Academy doesn't know what your martial souls are? You truly never displayed your martial souls in front of them?"
"Never."
Xue Xin fell silent for a moment, then stared into Huo Yuhao's eyes. "Tell me your real reason for wanting to join the Body Sect. Don't try the story you used to fool Jiang Peng on me. You know it won't work."
Huo Yuhao took out the White Tiger Dagger, his expression still calm. "The White Tiger Duke's Mansion is responsible for my mother's death."
"Their War God Ancestor, Dai Mubai, came from Shrek Academy. I have no fondness for that place. If I seek revenge against the White Tiger Duke's Mansion in the future, not only will they not help me, they will hold me back."
"When I first underwent martial soul awakening, my Azure Sky Profound Ice Dragon martial soul did not manifest for various reasons. It only truly completed its awakening when I obtained my first soul ring after leaving the White Tiger Duke's Mansion."
Xue Xin took the White Tiger Dagger and carefully sensed its aura.
"It is indeed something from the White Tiger family."
His gaze grew particularly deep. "It seems the White Tiger Duke's lax management of his household cost him his final chance to rise."
Huo Yuhao remained silent.
For someone like Xue Xin, the moment he saw the White Tiger Dagger, Huo Yuhao's origins were no longer a secret.
There was nothing new under the sun. Such things did not happen only in the White Tiger Duke's Mansion; illegitimate children were bullied by the main family line almost every day in the Heaven Dou Empire as well.
It was just that none of those people had opportunities like his.
Xue Xin turned and walked to the cabinet behind his desk, opened a hidden compartment with his soul power, and took out a piece of jade, emerald-green and crystal clear.
"I'll contact the Body Sect right away. But before that, I need you to promise me one thing."
"Please tell me, Your Highness."
"No matter what heights you reach in the future, remember that you grew up in the Heaven Dou Empire."
Xue Xin said, "Until you have the ability to stand on your own, Heaven Dou will always be your strongest support."
"Not merely one of them."
"I'm only a prince. From the empire's standpoint, I have no authority to make promises to a genius soul master like you. But I can guarantee that if my imperial brother's rewards fall short in the slightest, I'll fight for you even if it costs me my position as headmaster."
"Still, you needn't worry. My imperial brother certainly isn't that sort of person."
A talent like Huo Yuhao was far too important.
Huo Yuhao cupped his fist and bowed, his tone solemn. "I understand. So long as Heaven Dou does not fail me, I, Huo Yuhao, will devote myself wholeheartedly to protecting Heaven Dou in the future."
Xue Xin smiled in satisfaction, then abruptly tightened his grip and crushed the jade.
In an instant, azure light spread from the jade, forming a complex pattern before him and Huo Yuhao.
Mysterious runes flowed, and a blurry figure gradually emerged from the light.
"Xue Xin, what is it?"
A deep question came from the figure. "Have Shrek's people come to cause trouble again?"
"Poison Sect Master," Xue Xin said with a smile, pushing Huo Yuhao before the figure, "I've found an interesting youngster. I believe you'll certainly be interested."
At Xue Xin's words, the figure immediately grew somewhat more solid.
Only then did Huo Yuhao get a clear look at him.
He was a balding old man with long, dark-green hair.
His complexion was rosy as a baby's, and his body was packed with muscles containing explosive strength. Even as a mere projection, he radiated a distinctly oppressive pressure.
"Show the Poison Sect Master your martial souls."
Xue Xin patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder. "I believe the Poison Sect Master will certainly like you."
Huo Yuhao did as instructed.
Ten minutes later.
An enormous dark-green meteor streaked across the skies above Heaven Dou City with the speed of thunder that left no time to cover one's ears, then plunged toward Di'ao's headmaster's office.
"Xue Xin!"
Du Busi shouted urgently, panting for breath, "I'm here to pick him up!"