Su Tong helped Huo Yuhao into the Dean's Lounge to rest.
Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged. The depletion of his spiritual power left him dizzy and light-headed, on the verge of fainting.
The Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Dragon Hunt Across the Eight Desolations, consumed immense amounts of soul power and spiritual power, burning through them at an almost incendiary pace.
It poured nearly all of Huo Yuhao's essence, energy, and spirit into that single straight punch, and could permanently intimidate defeated enemies.
However, that was merely an additional effect of Dragon Hunt Across the Eight Desolations.
The core of Dragon Hunt Across the Eight Desolations lay in the word "hunt." It was an attack that struck directly at an opponent's martial soul, or even their soul.
Through this skill, Huo Yuhao could freeze an enemy's martial soul the instant he made contact.
Like sheep facing lions and tigers, his enemies could only rely on their physical foundations to withstand Huo Yuhao's attacks head-on.
For Soul Masters, who paid almost no attention to cultivating their bodies, this was utterly lethal, posing a far greater threat than many soul skills.
Furthermore, thanks to the role spiritual power played within it, Dragon Hunt Across the Eight Desolations could plant a Dragon Hunt Mark in an opponent's martial soul or Sea of Consciousness, waiting like a lurking hunter for its next, fiercer eruption.
Strong this time, stronger the next.
At least judging by this result, Ma Xiaotao could forget about using her Phoenix Martial Soul for some time to come.
This was also what Huo Yuhao had meant: since she refused a gentle method of treatment, he would use force.
Fine beads of cold sweat kept seeping from Huo Yuhao's forehead.
This was the first time he had suffered simultaneous depletion of both spiritual power and soul power.
He stuffed the pills Xue Xin had given him into his mouth in one handful, then took out the mental-attribute medicinal herb and began restoring his spiritual power.
At the same time, he also tried to use this depletion to practice the Second Awakening of his Spirit Eyes.
Huo Yuhao did not expect to master it proficiently right now.
As long as he could trigger it at the critical moment of Soul Shock, even for a brief instant, that would be an enormous success for Huo Yuhao.
According to Du Busi, a Second Awakening occurred when a martial soul broke through its shackles under extreme conditions and underwent a qualitative transformation.
Through his studies in the Body Sect over this period, as well as his continual discussions with Electrolux, he had developed a profound understanding of his Spirit Eyes martial soul.
This depletion of spiritual power was a perfect opportunity for Huo Yuhao, fitting the principle that without destruction, there could be no creation.
Seeing that Huo Yuhao had entered a state of cultivation, Su Tong quietly closed the door and did not stay any longer.
Huo Yuhao circulated his cultivation formula, carefully guiding the spiritual origin within his Sea of Consciousness.
Under Electrolux's guidance, Huo Yuhao's previously tranquil Sea of Consciousness began to surge violently.
"Unlike Body Martial Souls such as hands, calves, or skin."
"Your Spirit Eyes are closely connected to your Sea of Consciousness. The slightest carelessness could turn you into an idiot."
Electrolux reminded him aloud, "Remember what you've discussed with Hong Yue and Gu Tong during this time, along with the records in the Body Sect's texts. Now begin guiding your spiritual origin to merge with your martial soul."
Huo Yuhao's spiritual origin surged out and entwined with his Spirit Eyes martial soul, attempting a transformation at the deepest level.
At this moment, Huo Yuhao's consciousness seemed to rise and fall with his spiritual origin, yet also seemed to become one with his Spirit Eyes.
The two perspectives flashed alternately before Huo Yuhao, growing faster and faster.
Just as the two perspectives were flickering madly, alternating almost a hundred times a second, Electrolux's solemn voice suddenly echoed in Huo Yuhao's mind. "Now!"
Huo Yuhao abruptly opened his eyes and stuffed the mental-attribute medicinal herb straight into his mouth!
In an instant, the medicinal properties within the herb were furiously absorbed by the Martial Scripture!
Not only that, Huo Yuhao also took out a Milk Bottle and drew on the soul power stored inside, gulping it down like a whale swallowing water or an ox drinking its fill.
As he absorbed with all his might, his Spirit Eyes martial soul suddenly began trembling violently!
His Sea of Consciousness churned, and two enormous golden vortices vaguely began to form slowly in midair.
Huo Yuhao began guiding these two vortices formed from spiritual power, using soul power as a bridge to attempt to merge them with his Spirit Eyes martial soul.
The golden vortices spun madly, their immense suction seemingly threatening to tear his entire Sea of Consciousness apart.
They collided thunderously with his azure Spirit Eyes. The intense pain forced a low roar from Huo Yuhao, and even a trace of blood seeped from the corners of his eyes.
"Hold on!"
Electrolux's voice echoed, "The initial transformation of a Second Awakening will inevitably be accompanied by extreme pain! But as long as you endure it, you will achieve a qualitative leap!"
Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth and endured as the storm within his Sea of Consciousness grew ever fiercer.
Following Hong Yue's teachings and Gu Tong's experience in attempting a Second Awakening, he divided his attention, carefully guiding the two completely different forces.
Gradually, a layer of radiance of an indistinct color began to suffuse his originally azure Spirit Eyes.
Huo Yuhao's heart jolted, and he recognized this as a good beginning, because he could feel what seemed to be a power originating from the source of his Spirit Eyes slowly beginning to burst outward from the deepest reaches of his martial soul!
The collisions between the golden vortices and his Spirit Eyes martial soul grew increasingly violent, and Huo Yuhao's entire consciousness seemed to cycle endlessly between collapse and reconstruction.
His consciousness was torn apart and healed countless times, each impact bringing indescribable agony.
But he clenched his teeth, not daring to relax in the slightest.
Meanwhile, within Di'ao Academy.
Du Busi, who had heard about the Mind-Soul Forging Method from the Body Sect, stood before the ruins of the Dean's Tower, speaking with Xue Xin.
"That's what happened."
Xue Xin gazed at his tower, reduced to ruins once again, with an expression of heartache. "Su Tong has taken Yuhao over there to rest."
"As for Ma Xiaotao, without treatment from Shrek's Zhuang Yusen, there's no chance she'll be out of bed and moving around within a month or two."
Du Busi turned toward Huo Yuhao's location, his lips stretching into a grin that nearly reached his ears.
"Good, good. He didn't hesitate at all when he struck. Just what I'd expect of my disciple."
"So decisive. He's showing more and more of my bearing in my younger days."
Xue Xin shook his head helplessly. "Uncle Du, is this really the time to talk about that?"
Du Busi raised an eyebrow. "If we're not praising Yuhao now, what else should we be talking about?"
"The imperial family already warned Shrek over two months ago. Now Ma Xiaotao has caused trouble at Di'ao Academy again, and even nearly injured a student."
"Don't tell me that a prince like you doesn't know how to handle this."
Xue Xin gave a bitter laugh. "Uncle Du, aren't we still waiting for that child Ao Tian to see whether Shrek has any forging insights?"
"If we weren't waiting for that, and if things with Clear Sky Castle weren't still up in the air, I'd have sent Ma Xiaotao back just now."
Du Busi spat onto the ground. "Ptooey!"
"This Ma Xiaotao-Shrek fears her evil fire, and we dislike her temper. Truly, people despise her and even dogs fear her."
"What exactly was Mu En thinking? A phoenix that already had evil fire, and he actually dared to let that fighting cock Yan Shaozhe raise her."
"Even that old ox Xuan Zi would've been better than him!"
Xue Xin wore an appeasing smile and was just about to say something more to Du Busi when a violent fluctuation suddenly came from above the lounge where Huo Yuhao was staying nearby!
Du Busi and Xue Xin turned to look at the same time, only to see the phantom image of a pair of enormous eyes looming above the lounge!
Those eyes were as deep as the starry sky, radiating a heart-quaking spiritual pressure.
A silver-level Second Awakening!
Immersed in the deepest state of cultivation, Huo Yuhao rose to his feet, silver radiance flowing around him.
He could feel that his combat strength had doubled with his Second Awakening!
Even though he could not maintain his Second Awakening for long right now, it was already enough for his attempt to complete the Talisman Seal Transformation of his Spirit Eyes through Soul Shock!