By Divine Decree, March on the Far North

In the ocean, over a hundred kilometers off the coastline of the Douluo Continent, lay an island of immense size.

The entire island was covered in vegetation unlike anything on land. At its center stood a small mountain around five hundred meters high, its entire peak radiating a faint golden glow.

It shone upon the surrounding, shimmering seawater, casting a rainbow of colors.

At the island's summit stood a building that looked as though it had been carved from white jade. Square and domed, its outermost perimeter consisted of enormous white stone pillars. All its materials were crystalline and filled with sacred radiance-a magnificent palace.

Inside the palace was enshrined a ten-meter-tall statue of a man. His long hair spilled down his back, and he wore simple, close-fitting clothes. Coils of blue vines wound around his imposing figure. He held a trident, and a faint smile touched the corners of his mouth.

Below it, a powerfully built, two-meter-tall middle-aged man stood before the statue, silent, his eyes closed. He wore a pale blue robe embroidered with a golden trident on the chest.

He remained that way until a woman who looked to be in her fifties entered the palace. Her face was covered in wrinkles etched by time, yet her bearing remained peerlessly elegant. She bowed respectfully to the middle-aged man. "Eldest Brother, everyone has been assembled."

"Mm." At her words, the middle-aged man opened his eyes and turned his head. A single glance into those deep blue eyes felt like sinking into a bottomless sea, into darkness so deep one could not see one's own hand, falling into an endless abyss.

He walked slowly out of the hall, the woman following behind him. As they stepped outside, the view around them suddenly brightened, opening out before their eyes.

Below the small mountain stood thousands of Soul Masters. In the distant ocean, figures resembling shark backs stretched as far as the eye could see, with no end in sight.

"By divine decree, march on the Far North!" Looking down at the vast army below, the man calmly delivered his command. His voice was not loud, but tremendous Soul Power carried it across the entire island. Even the Soul Beasts in the surrounding ocean could hear every word clearly.

The next instant, a clamor rose from the crowd below and the Sea Soul Beasts in the distance. Many people's eyes burned with fanatical faith.

The core region of the Star Dou Great Forest, the Lake of Life!

The pale golden cocoon glowed faintly beneath the sunlight, ripples constantly spreading around it. It had stood there for over half a month. Above it, a multicolored vortex continuously channeled the energy of heaven and earth inside, even causing the vitality in the surrounding core region of the Star Dou Great Forest to decline somewhat.

Yet the entire Star Dou Great Forest seemed to have come alive. Looking down at it from outside, one could see what seemed like a layer of golden light covering the forest, unlike its usual appearance. In many places, saplings broke through the soil, took root, sprouted, and grew at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In a single day, they underwent nearly a month's worth of growth.

Over half a month, the Star Dou Great Forest had expanded outward by at least several hundred meters.

After more than half a month, golden light erupted from the cocoon formed around the Auspicious Beast and Huo Yuhao. The cocoon tore apart, and the force of the blast sent them flying over five meters before they crashed heavily to the ground.

The human and beast were revealed, instantly drawing the attention of everyone present.

Between them, the white membrane that had originally been the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's shed skin had now turned gold. Once the two separated, it flew swiftly before Huo Yuhao, spread out like a sheet of paper, and slowly settled over his head. After covering his entire head, it merged into his body.

"Yuhao, are you all right?" Huo Yun was the first to approach.

"I'm fine." Huo Yuhao shook his head, his eyes still somewhat dazed. He was still wondering what that golden ocean had been.

At that moment, the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, also rose on the opposite side. Looking at Huo Yuhao with a complicated expression, she said out of nowhere, "You're very unlucky, but also very lucky."

"Perhaps." Huo Yuhao merely smiled faintly at her words.

"Speaking of which, I thought giving up my essence would weaken me. I didn't expect to benefit from it instead." As she spoke, the Auspicious Beast walked to the lakeside and examined the third Eye of Destiny on her forehead, which had turned bright gold.

By helping Huo Yuhao awaken his power of destiny, she had gained quite a few benefits herself. The energy within her was more immense than before.

Moreover, she had yet to absorb all those benefits. She felt that once she had absorbed them completely, never mind a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast-even against the Ferocious Beast who had always served as her protector, she would have the confidence to win.

"What did you say? What you gave up was your essence! Losing essence didn't weaken you, but actually benefited you and made you stronger? That flies in the face of common sense." Di Tian was stunned. Essence was extremely important to any living creature, especially the powerful. The stronger they were, the more they valued their essence. Even a small loss could leave a creature extremely weak.

Yet not only had the Auspicious Beast not weakened after giving up her essence, she had actually become stronger.

"Maybe it has something to do with that golden ocean we saw?" Huo Yuhao scratched his head. That golden ocean was the only explanation he could think of for the change.

"A golden ocean?! Could you have seen the River of Destiny?" Huo Yun froze briefly and searched her store of knowledge as the world's consciousness. In the end, the only golden ocean she found that matched was the River of Destiny.

In theory, that river was a manifestation of destiny. It had no physical form and was simply a place where laws manifested. Once one progressed far enough along the path of destiny, one could see it.

"Probably. We don't know what that thing was called, but there really was a lot of power of destiny inside. And while we were there... what did we see again?" The Auspicious Beast had just been about to describe what they had seen, but many of those memories seemed to have been erased. She could not recall them at all.

"Perhaps the power of destiny won't allow you to speak of it. You must have absorbed a great deal of power of destiny in the River of Destiny. Not only did it make up for the loss of your essence, it also brought you enormous benefits," Di Tian said. This was the only explanation he could think of at present.

"That should be it. In any case, you're both fine, and your power has awakened. That's what matters. Yuhao, rest a little, and then we'll get ready to head back. This awakening of yours took over half a month," Huo Yun said.

"That long? Then Uncle Cao, Aunt Lan, and the others must be worried." Upon hearing how long his awakening had taken, Huo Yuhao's first thought was of Uncle Cao and Aunt Lan.

He had originally thought he would return in ten days or so, less than half a month at most. Instead, this awakening alone had unexpectedly used up more than half a month.

"But isn't it safer to stay in the Star Dou Great Forest?" the Auspicious Beast asked in confusion.

When she had helped Huo Yuhao awaken his Martial Soul, she had also seen his memories. She knew that someone was watching him now.

"It's safe here, but there's no environment for him to grow in. Human society is better suited to his growth, and there are bonds there that he can't abandon," Huo Yun said.

Humans were not solitary creatures, but social ones. Spending a little time alone occasionally was fine, but living out in the wilderness like this for too long, even with someone to talk to, would still make one sorely miss being with one's own kind.

Besides, Huo Yuhao was not alone now. There were people in Shrek City waiting for him to return. After so long, they would already be frantic with worry.

Furthermore, although they spoke of cooperation now, they were merely collaborators. That cooperation could end at any time due to all manner of changes.

Their relationship was not yet close enough for them to lay all their plans bare.

"All right. But someone promised to treat me to grilled fish. Fulfill that promise first. If I can't have grilled fish, I wouldn't mind having a taste of human instead." As she spoke, the Auspicious Beast raised her forelegs and adopted a pouncing stance.

"Sure, no problem." Huo Yuhao smiled at the sight, no longer as frightened as he had been at first.

Huo Yuhao then went to find branches, while Di Tian helped prepare the ingredients for the grilled fish.

Before long, the fish were grilled golden and crisp, their grease sliding down the tree roots skewering them.

The enticing aroma made saliva dribble from the corners of the Auspicious Beast's mouth, wetting the golden fur around it. Though her mouth watered, she stubbornly clung to her pride. "It smells all right."

"As long as you like it. There, done." Huo Yuhao smiled at her words. Seeing that the fish were about ready, he spoke, and the instant his words fell, the fish he had just finished grilling vanished without a trace.

"Hot, hot, hot!" He looked toward the voice and saw the Auspicious Beast sprawled rather ungracefully on the ground, chewing the fish with her head raised and constantly crying out that it was hot.

"If you know it's hot, can't you eat more slowly? No one's fighting you for it," Huo Yuhao said, speechless.

"Mind your own business." The Auspicious Beast shot Huo Yuhao an irritable glance.

Huo Yuhao shook his head. He had grilled three fish just now, and the Auspicious Beast had snatched them all. He could only grill another batch.

He grilled three more. This time, the Auspicious Beast snatched two, showing enough conscience to leave Huo Yuhao one.

Looking at the sole remaining fish in his hand, Huo Yuhao did not know whether to laugh or cry. So this was what she meant by "all right." Well, it certainly was all right.

"This one's for you." Huo Yuhao turned toward Di Tian, who was sitting by the lake, and offered him the last grilled fish in his hand.

"Thank you!" Di Tian accepted without ceremony. Raising his hand, he sent the fish flying out of Huo Yuhao's hand, across a distance of over ten meters, and into his own.

"Here. Inside are the cultivation resources that person requested for you. They should last a year or two. Take it." As he spoke, Di Tian tossed Huo Yuhao a ring.

Hearing "that person," Huo Yuhao knew he meant Huo Yun-his mother. Only now did he understand that he was the only one who called her Mom. As the Douluo Consciousness, calling her "mother" seemed somewhat inaccurate.

Nor could just anyone call her that simply because they wanted to. At present, only he and the Silver Dragon King, hidden somewhere nearby, could address her that way.

The ring was, in fact, a Storage Soul Tool. It contained resources suitable for Huo Yuhao's cultivation, which Di Tian and the others had gathered over the past half month according to Huo Yun's requests. It was filled with natural treasures that would actually last a little over a year.

This was the advantage of having a major power behind him, especially one with an enormous territory. Resources and the like could be gathered much faster.

Huo Yuhao put it away. Once he had finished eating the grilled fish, Di Tian took him away from the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Watching Di Tian's retreating figure, a trace of reluctance flashed through the Auspicious Beast's eyes. She stood there for a long time before finally seeming to make up her mind and running swiftly away.

Lying within a strange space deep in the Star Dou Great Forest, the Silver Dragon King took in everything that had happened above. Watching the departing Auspicious Beast, she murmured, "What towering waves will this gathering storm stir up?"

Di Tian escorted Huo Yuhao all the way to a small grove not far from Shrek City. After making sure no one was around, he set him down there and only then departed.

It was only about half a day's journey from there to Shrek City. As dusk approached, Huo Yuhao returned to the city.

Seeing the city once again stirred a different sort of emotion in Huo Yuhao's heart.

When he had left, he had still been a poor boy, a Soul Scholar without a Soul Ring, carrying nothing but some dry rations and Copper Soul Coins in his pockets.

Upon returning, not only had he become a Soul Master with his first Soul Ring-a Million-Year Soul Ring-he had also become the unprecedented bearer of three Martial Souls on the Douluo Continent. His pockets now held cultivation resources that ordinary families might never see in their entire lives.

His future could be described as boundlessly... bright, my foot!

Cao's Rice Bowl!

Huo Yuhao had returned brimming with joy, but the sight of Uncle Cao's and Aunt Lan's dark faces drove every trace of that delight away. All that remained was fear as he stood there stiffly.

Uncle Cao took a deep breath. Looking at Huo Yuhao standing there so stiffly, he forcibly suppressed the urge to give him the full childhood experience and asked, "Explain yourself. You left a letter, then disappeared for twenty-odd days. Do you have any idea how worried your Aunt Lan has been?"

"Wasn't it all explained clearly in the letter? I was checking my things and discovered that one of Mom's keepsakes was missing, so I went back to look for it. I'd be back soon." Huo Yuhao repeated the reason he had given in the letter.

"Then why didn't you tell us to our faces? What was leaving a letter supposed to mean? It's so dangerous out there. Do you think your wings have grown strong enough? That you can go anywhere under the heavens? This may be a small shop, but I don't need someone who has no respect for the rules. Other people at least tell their employer before leaving. But you!

"What, are your Uncle Cao and Aunt Lan so unreasonable? Would we stop you from looking for your mother's keepsake? We wouldn't have stopped you, so you could at least have told us! We couldn't find you for so many days. If you were my child, I'd break both your legs right now, believe it or not!" As he spoke, Uncle Cao had even raised the rolling pin beside him.

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