The Body Sect returned victorious, and everyone was in excellent spirits.
In truth, they all understood that they had achieved such results entirely because they held the moral high ground, leaving Shrek Academy bound hand and foot, unable to go all out.
Even so, they still felt they could finally hold their heads high, the pent-up frustration of years spent sealing off their mountain swept clean away.
Xuan Zi flew silently in the middle of the group the entire way. No matter how Du Busi provoked him, he refused to say a word.
Meanwhile, Ma Xiaotao was being carried by Song Yunzhi and had no opportunity at all to speak to Huo Yuhao.
The Body Sect had already learned about her Martial Soul-a Fire Phoenix at the quasi-Ultimate Fire level. However, it could not fly; she could only gain the temporary ability to stay airborne in combat through her third Soul Skill, Phoenix Wings Soaring.
Although the Body Sect was curious about why her Fire Phoenix had not evolved Ultimate Fire, they did not particularly care.
That old fellow Mu En actually still plans to kill two birds with one stone.
Du Busi grumbled inwardly, He even wants to marry her to our Yuhao? Pah! As if Ma Xiaotao were worthy!
Don't think I don't know what you're after. If the marriage falls through, you still want to use the power of Ultimate Ice, relying on the extreme violence of incompatible ice and fire to stimulate her Martial Soul Evolution. Dream on!
He turned to look at Huo Yuhao flying behind him and suddenly asked, "Boy, do you have any requirements for a wife?"
Huo Yuhao froze, cold sweat slipping down his forehead.
"Teacher, I'm only eleven. Isn't it a little early to be asking that?"
He had never considered the question at all. "Right now, I only want to seize every moment to improve my strength, then take my revenge. I have no thoughts of romance whatsoever."
Ma Xiaotao gave Huo Yuhao a surprised glance.
Eleven?
She studied Huo Yuhao carefully. Neither his appearance nor his conduct at Shrek Academy seemed at all like what an eleven-year-old child should have.
And what was this revenge he had mentioned?
Ma Xiaotao vaguely felt that she had grasped the opportunity her teacher Yan Shaozhe had spoken of.
Du Busi laughed heartily. "I'd forgotten you were eleven. Your height certainly doesn't look it."
"As long as you're in no hurry. Once we get back, I'll prod Xue Heng to hurry up and have another princess while you're still young, so he doesn't hold up your search for a wife in the future."
Du Busi believed that, given Huo Yuhao's current standing, an ordinary girl would not be worthy of him. At the very least, she had to be a country's princess or the cherished daughter of a top Soul Master power.
As for princesses from the Douluo Three Kingdoms, those from the Star Luo Empire could be ruled out.
When Huo Yuhao took revenge on the White Tiger Duke's Mansion in the future, the Star Luo Empire would have to burn incense in gratitude if he did not come looking for trouble with Dai Hao's head in hand.
As for the Heaven Dou Empire, its only princess, Vina, was already in a romantic relationship with Long Aotian.
The Dou Ling Empire... forget it.
Du Busi felt that the Body Sect alone could flatten their royal family.
If their princess really did marry Huo Yuhao, setting aside who would be climbing whose branches, the Heavenly Soul Royal Family alone would never allow its nation-protecting sect to enter a marriage alliance with the Dou Ling Empire.
Huo Yuhao wiped the cold sweat from his temples.
He said with a wry smile, "Teacher, please stop worrying about this. Right now, I just want to focus on cultivating."
"We're mending the roof before the rain. You're the precious treasure of our Body Sect, so naturally, your future marriage deserves careful consideration." Jin Peng chuckled. "I think the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would be a good choice. One attacking, one supporting-you'd make a suitable match."
Huo Yuhao broke into even more cold sweat. "Elder Jin Peng, you must be joking."
Seeing Huo Yuhao like this, everyone from the Body Sect grew interested and began teasing him.
By the end, they had even begun arguing red-faced, each believing that his own choice was the right match for Huo Yuhao, while everyone else was randomly pairing up mandarin ducks.
"Have another princess!" That was Du Busi's voice.
Jin Peng countered loudly, "The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!"
"Clear Sky Castle! No, wait, they've withdrawn from the world. We don't even know whether their heir is male or female."
"We might as well capture Bi Ji from the Star Dou Great Forest. If that won't work, we could capture the Snow Empress."
Huo Yuhao's brows twitched violently.
In his Sea of Consciousness, the Ice Empress erupted into curses. "What do you mean, get the Snow Empress if that won't work?! How is the Snow Empress inferior to that green-headed goose?! Besides, the Snow Empress can only be... can only be the sovereign of the Soul Beasts of the Far North!"
Huo Yuhao felt sheepish. Is this really the time to quibble over that?
And Ice Empress, why are you joining in with them?
Huo Yuhao unleashed his Azure Sky Profound Ice Dragon Martial Soul. Its bitterly cold aura spread, making everyone present shiver in unison.
Only then did the Body Sect members stop arguing.
"Teacher, elders, it won't be too late to discuss this once I'm an adult."
Huo Yuhao said helplessly, "It's really far too early to talk about this now."
Xuan Zi, who had remained silent beside them all this time, turned to glance at Ma Xiaotao after sensing the bitterly cold current.
He suddenly snorted and said, "A pack of uncouth louts, thinking of nothing but pipe dreams."
A cold gleam flashed in Du Busi's eyes at those words.
He flew over to Xuan Zi and barked, "You old ox, what did you say?!"
Xuan Zi immediately glared back and sneered, "I said your Body Sect is indulging in delusions! You lunatics think you're worthy of setting your sights on the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?!"
Du Busi's Soul Power surged. "What, your Shrek sticks its nose into everything under heaven, and now you want to lord it over my Body Sect too? Why don't you piss yourself a puddle and take a look at your own reflection?!"
The words provoked Xuan Zi so much that his hair and beard bristled. "Du Busi, you..."
"You what?!"
Du Busi cut him off. "Don't forget that you're a captive now!"
At that moment, Ma Xiaotao remembered Yan Shaozhe's instructions. After exchanging a glance with Song Yunzhi, she let the latter release her grip.
She used her third Soul Skill, Phoenix Wings Soaring. Huge, dazzling wings of flame and a phoenix tail instantly formed behind her, temporarily granting her flight.
"I won't let you humiliate Xuan Zi!"
Seeing this, Huo Yuhao immediately sent Ultimate Ice enveloping Ma Xiaotao.
With Ma Xiaotao's current strength, she could not possibly hurt Du Busi.
But as a junior of the Body Sect, and with the ability to suppress her Martial Soul absolutely, Huo Yuhao had to make his stance clear at this moment.
The icy-blue, bitterly cold current turned into dragon-shaped radiance, freezing every flame spilling from Ma Xiaotao through the sheer suppressive power of its attribute.
"Teacher, elders, Heaven Dou City is just ahead."
Seeing that swords were drawn and a clash could erupt at any moment, Huo Yuhao spoke up. "We need to come down from the sky."
Xuan Zi snorted and enveloped the shivering Ma Xiaotao with his Soul Power. "What skill is there in suppressing someone through pure Martial Soul attributes? If he's got the ability, let him fight Xiaotao one-on-one."
"How do you have the gall to say that?!"
The first thing Du Busi did upon landing was kick Xuan Zi. "She's a Six-Ring Soul Emperor, with a full four more rings than Yuhao, and you have the nerve to make her fight him one-on-one? Why don't you have her fight me instead? I only have three more rings than she does!"
The two old men, each over two hundred years old, began wrestling on the ground without a shred of dignity.
The Body Sect members neither went to help nor tried to break up the fight. They all stood to one side with great interest and began giving Du Busi pointers.
"Sect Master, yank his hair!"
"Kick him in the crotch, the crotch! Oh, come on, why are you kicking his backside?!"
Meanwhile, Ma Xiaotao approached Huo Yuhao. "You're the Body Sect's young sect master, aren't you? Is this how you treat your guests?"
Huo Yuhao replied, "First, I'm not the Body Sect's young sect master."
Then he gave an incredulous laugh. "Second, I'd like to ask-guest? He's currently a prisoner of the Heaven Dou Empire! We've already shown Shrek Academy considerable respect by not sealing his Soul Power."
Ma Xiaotao's expression darkened, and she stepped closer.
"A teacher's humiliation is a student's humiliation," she said. "I'll only use my first two Soul Skills. As a member of the Body Sect, do you dare accept my challenge?"