Oh, Electrolux!

He turned around and headed toward the Heaven Dou Empire with light steps.

"Let's go."

Shadow Douluo followed half a step behind him, his gray figure trailing soundlessly through the dust of the main road.

The wind blew from the north, carrying a hint of chill.

Xu Jingyao opened his fan, half concealed his face behind it, and narrowed his eyes.

This trip to Shrek had gone even more smoothly than he had expected.

The Golden Tree had willingly acknowledged him as its master, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had been handed over on a silver platter, and Electrolux's remnant soul had delivered itself to his doorstep.

Three things, each more precious than the last, and all obtained with barely any effort.

The slap Yan Shaozhe had received, however, had been rather unexpected.

Remembering Shadow Douluo's words-"The ring reflected Yan Shaozhe's Soul Power back at him"-Xu Jingyao could not help chuckling.

That ring of his was the God of Destruction's Life-Bound Divine Artifact, an existence at the level of a Super Divine Artifact.

Yan Shaozhe was a rank-ninety-five Super Douluo, but what difference was there between striking it with all his strength and smashing an egg against a rock?

Still, that was just as well. Let Yan Shaozhe learn his lesson and take a detour whenever he saw him in the future.

It would save him the trouble.

Xu Jingyao folded his fan and quickened his steps a little.

Sunset Forest lay in the northeastern part of the Douluo Continent, and even after crossing the Heaven Dou Empire's border, there would still be quite a distance to travel.

But he was in no hurry. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was right there; it could not run away.

Besides, his other objective on this journey was the Body Sect.

The Body Sect was somewhere near the border between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Sun Moon Empire. He had no precise intelligence on its location, but he knew the general direction.

If he could run into someone from the Body Sect along the way, that would be ideal.

If not, it did not matter. He could find another opportunity later.

After all, he was only twelve now, with rank-forty-nine Soul Power, just one step away from forming a Soul Core.

There was no rush to take that step. Breaking through after returning from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well would not be too late.

He thought as he walked, turning over his next arrangements in his mind.

Among the Original Three Kingdoms-the Heaven Dou Empire, the Star Luo Empire, and the Dou Ling Empire-the Heaven Dou Empire had the most complete Soul Master system, the Star Luo Empire had the strongest imperial family, and the Dou Ling Empire was the weakest.

Shrek Academy had deep influence in all three countries, but the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tools were gradually making inroads.

The Carefree Pavilion's civilian Soul Tools had already established sales channels throughout the three countries. Household lighting, heating, cooking, communication-these products were cheap and easy to use. Nobles and wealthy merchants bought them first, with commoners slowly following.

Once the market had matured, the next generation of Soul Tools could expand into combat applications.

By then, the Original Three Kingdoms' Soul Master systems would be eroded little by little by Soul Tools.

Soul Masters cultivated slowly, while Soul Tools were quick to learn. Once the balance between the two was broken, the Sun Moon Empire's advantage would completely overwhelm the Original Three Kingdoms.

But that was a matter for later.

Xu Jingyao gathered his thoughts and looked up at the sky.

The sun was directly overhead. They had already been walking for nearly half a day.

"Shadow Douluo, find somewhere to rest and have something to eat."

"Yes."

The two turned into a grove beside the road and found a clean rock to sit on.

Shadow Douluo took dry rations and a waterskin from his bundle. Xu Jingyao accepted a flatbread, broke it in half, and handed half back.

The Heaven Dou Empire's border lay to the northeast, roughly two days' walk from Shrek City.

Xu Jingyao did not intend to take the main road. It was too slow, and they could easily encounter people from Shrek Academy.

He had Shadow Douluo lead the way, and the two stuck to narrow trails, passing through woods and crossing streams, their pace considerably faster.

Toward evening, the sky darkened, and the light among the trees turned dim and yellow.

Xu Jingyao stopped on a sheltered slope and had Shadow Douluo set up a simple camp.

A campfire sprang up, its warm light reflecting off his golden mask. The pattern of the half-rotted tree and sword flickered in and out of sight in the firelight.

He sat cross-legged beside the fire, closed his eyes, and regulated his breathing.

After the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's spiritual origin had merged into his Soul Ring, his spiritual power had grown far stronger than before.

The nebula within his Sea of Consciousness had expanded to nearly twice its former size. Green and purple halos intertwined as they slowly revolved, while the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's spiritual form huddled quietly in a corner, curled into a ball.

The wisp of origin that the Golden Tree had separated from itself also lay dormant within the Soul Ring, dwelling beside the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's spiritual origin without either disturbing the other.

Electrolux's remnant soul, meanwhile, had merged into that green ocean and vanished without a trace, as though it had never appeared.

Xu Jingyao could sense his presence.

That wisp of a remnant soul was very weak, so weak it could almost be disregarded, yet it was there, lying quietly dormant, waiting to be awakened one day.

With sun and moon in my grasp, I pluck the stars; none in this world is my equal.

Xu Jingyao silently recited the words once, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Electrolux, the Undead Scourge, the Holy Necromancer!

This time, as long as he was willing to teach me, I would not mind accepting him as my teacher. If he could return to the Divine Realm one day, he too would become a new god!

This being, who had once stirred bloody winds and rains of slaughter across the Douluo Continent, now had only a wisp of a remnant soul left, merged into his Sea of Consciousness.

Xu Jingyao opened his eyes. The fire crackled, sending sparks leaping upward to disappear into the night.

He reached out and touched the bracelet on his left wrist. The Goddess of Life's Life-Bound Divine Artifact rested quietly against his skin, its smooth warmth reaching him through his fingertips.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Just because the immortal-grade herbs there were useless to me did not mean they were useless to others!

He closed his eyes and continued regulating his breathing.

He still had to travel tomorrow.

Early the next morning, Xu Jingyao left Shrek City with Shadow Douluo and traveled northeast along the main road.

The Heaven Dou Empire's border drew ever closer. Travelers on the road gradually grew scarce, and the planted roadside trees on either side of the main road gave way to dense, wild forest.

The farther north they went, the more the air of prosperity belonging to Shrek City faded, replaced by a remote, unfrequented silence.

Shadow Douluo scouted ahead, occasionally pushing aside vines and low-hanging branches that blocked their path.

His footsteps were light, making almost no sound on the dead leaves. The shadows among the trees swallowed most of his gray robes, like a shadow blending into its surroundings.

Xu Jingyao followed behind, his fan tucked at his waist and his pace unhurried. Dew and grass seeds clung to his blue-green martial attire, and his golden mask flickered between light and darkness beneath the dappled shadows of the trees.

The two walked for nearly a day and a half, passing through one dense stretch of forest after another and crossing two low ridges, until finally, on the morning of the third day, they stood at the edge of Sunset Forest.

Sunset Forest was far larger than Xu Jingyao had expected.

Viewed from its outskirts, the entire forest was shrouded in a thick layer of mist. Unlike ordinary water vapor, it carried an indescribable, cloyingly sweet odor that made one's scalp prickle after breathing it for too long.

The trees at the forest's edge grew exceptionally tall, their branches gnarled and tangled, their bark covered in vines and fungi of every color. Merely looking in from outside gave the impression that this was no benign place.

"Pavilion Master, this is it." Shadow Douluo stopped and glanced back at Xu Jingyao, a measure of inquiry in his eyes.