Xuan Zi Is Leading the Team—Danger

Seeing Huo Yuhao endure excruciating pain from beginning to end without making a sound, as if he did not know what pain was, the Ice Empress could not help but sigh.

"Compared to me, merging with the Snow Empress was even more painful. Tian Meng, Yuhao is only eleven this year, right? For a child so young to possess such unyielding willpower... it is truly terrifying."

"Hehe, Yuhao has swallowed an even more terrifying kind of flame before."

At the mention of this, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm felt immensely proud. He believed that clinging to Huo Yuhao's thigh had been the wisest decision of his life.

As the fusion neared its end, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm began exerting his strength as well. Within the Sea of Spirit, he worked with the Snow Empress to seal away her origin power.

Before long, seven ice-white Light Orbs appeared in Huo Yuhao's Sea of Spirit.

They represented the Snow Empress's nearly seven-hundred-thousand-year origin power.

The Mark of Life opened upon Huo Yuhao's forehead. Dense, pure Life Aura flowed downward from his head through his body, healing his remaining injuries and further integrating the Snow Empress's arm bone with him.

Just as Huo Yuhao was sensing the effects of the Soul Skill Praying White Snow, the Snow Empress's clear voice entered his mind.

"Yuhao, this Soul Skill's primary effect is to summon snow clouds and bring down icy snow and cold air throughout the area covered by the domain."

"The quality and quantity of the cold air you control determine the domain's range. Once your mastery of cold air reaches its peak, even after you retract the domain, the surrounding area will remain like the Far North Land—a natural forbidden zone that ordinary Soul Masters cannot approach."

Huo Yuhao understood somewhat. It was simply a Soul Skill focused purely on manipulating cold air. What effects it could produce depended on how he used that cold air.

Seeing Huo Yuhao forcibly endure pain beyond ordinary imagination, the Snow Empress actually admired him quite a bit. Her tone carried a hint of concern.

"Senior Old Yi, my Soul Spirit ritual with Yuhao was successful, correct?"

"Yes. The most difficult stage has passed. Yuhao is adapting to your power." Old Yi nodded slightly.

The Snow Empress then asked a question she had considered for a long time, hoping that Electrolux would enlighten her.

"Senior Old Yi, the divine level you reached in life... in your view, what is the greatest meaning of becoming a god? Immortality?"

The Snow Empress felt that the reason she and the Ice Empress had been willing to become Huo Yuhao's Soul Spirits, aside from their shared goal of becoming gods, was mainly because they were unwilling to perish in Heavenly Tribulations. That was why they wished to survive in this form.

Electrolux pondered for a moment, recalling this plane's cultivation system. "Since I have not personally witnessed the power of this plane's gods..."

"I do not know how the gods of this world differ from the 'gods' as I understand them."

Electrolux looked at the Snow Empress. "As Soul Beasts, your primary pursuit is eternal life. In that regard, it still falls somewhat short of the 'godhood' I pursue."

Then Old Yi shifted his gaze to Huo Yuhao, his eyes filled with profound expectations and unwavering faith in him.

"However, I believe Yuhao will certainly achieve something far greater than the so-called God of Emotion. Even I cannot predict how far he will go. Perhaps the godhood I seek will be proven through Yuhao."

By the warm pool atop the Snow Peak, when Huo Yuhao fully awoke, all his injuries had already healed. He felt refreshed and brimming with energy.

He took out the Xuan Heavy Ruler from his Ring of Holding and swung it through several horizontal and vertical cuts. With a thought, an endless stream of coldness burst from his palm.

Almost instantly, the moisture in the surrounding air condensed into dazzling ice flowers that clung to the Xuan Heavy Ruler's surface, releasing faint chills. The originally black and ancient-looking Xuan Heavy Ruler was dyed Ice Blue.

Huo Yuhao slung the Ice Blue Xuan Heavy Ruler, wreathed in cold air, over his shoulder. The corners of his lips curled into a smile.

"I've been stuck at level twenty for so many days. It's about time I had a satisfying surge in levels."

An ice-white glow shot out, and the Snow Empress appeared before Huo Yuhao in Spiritual Projection. Having become a Soul Spirit, she remained lofty, peerlessly beautiful, and exquisitely elegant.

"You're awake?"

Huo Yuhao looked at the Snow Empress and blinked. "How long did our fusion last in total?"

"One week." The Snow Empress stood sideways, her fair arms folded across her chest, and softly praised Huo Yuhao.

"Your willpower is not bad. No wonder you did not make a sound even when I broke your arms several times."

"Snow Empress, my physique cannot be compared to yours. You are a Soul Beast nearing seven hundred thousand years of cultivation, while I am merely a Soul Master obtaining his second Soul Ring. Any little movement from you would be a devastating blow to me."

Huo Yuhao answered with a smile, then examined himself internally. After successfully merging with the Snow Empress, a constant ice-white radiance circulated through his body, nourishing his bones and meridians.

Looking at his crystalline, jade-like skin, Huo Yuhao could clearly feel that his body's strength had undergone a qualitative leap. Even the Xuan Heavy Ruler on his shoulder felt much lighter, and his frame had grown taller and sturdier.

The Ice Empress crawled over with the creaking of her scorpion legs. Looking at Huo Yuhao, whose features had become several times softer than before, she said with a touch of jealousy.

"Being the first to merge with the Snow Empress really is different. You've become better-looking all over."

"Really?" Huo Yuhao was rather happy to hear that. Becoming more handsome was never a bad thing.

The Snow Empress pursed her lips in a faint smile. With a wave of her hand, ice flowers condensed into a smooth mirror that appeared out of thin air before Huo Yuhao.

The exquisite face reflected in the mirror looked like a male version of the Snow Empress.

Judging by his expression, he was still the familiar Blue Hair. However, his skin had become as fine and fair as snow, his azure eyes brighter, and his entire person carried a little more otherworldly air.

Huo Yuhao smacked his lips and half-jokingly said, "Snow Empress, now that I look like someone who could make a living off his face, it'll be easy for me to start thinking about taking shortcuts."

The Snow Empress glanced at him. "I possess nearly seven hundred thousand years of cultivation. Merging with me does not count as taking a shortcut?"

"That's true." Huo Yuhao smiled.

Seeing that the Soul Spirit ritual had concluded smoothly, Electrolux smiled warmly. "Compared to the traditional Soul Ring system, Soul Spirits possess two major advantages."

"First, during the fusion process, a Soul Spirit is not an inanimate object like a traditional Soul Ring. Through conscious guidance, its energy can fully merge without excessive dissipation, making it more compatible with the Soul Master."

"Second, a Soul Spirit is a new form of life. It allows certain Soul Beasts nearing death to survive in another form. If the Soul Master is willing, the Soul Spirit can even assist in battle outside the Soul Master's body."

Thinking carefully, there was indeed a difference between what Tang San and Huo Gua did in the Original Work.

After Tang San became a god, he sent away Spirit Hall, which helped rural children awaken their martial souls. After Huo Gua became a god, he left behind the Soul Spirit system and the Spirit Pagoda that accompanied it.

During the Spirit Pagoda's early construction, Soul Spirits did indeed reduce the need to hunt Soul Beasts, giving them a certain era-defining significance.

Soul Beasts nearing death could form a bond with Soul Masters, extending their lives by decades or even centuries.

At that moment, the Snow Empress's cool voice sounded. "Yuhao, since I have already become your Soul Spirit, this hundred-thousand-year Snow Lotus is no longer of much use to me."

As she spoke, the Snow Empress beckoned. The icy mist lingering above the Hot Spring parted, and an Ice Blue lotus flew from the center of the spring into her palm.

"Yuhao, should we take this lotus with us, or let Bing'er bring it back to her habitat to nurture for now?"

What the Snow Empress had in mind was that after Huo Yuhao fused with the Ice Empress and cultivated a new Soul Ring slot, he could absorb the hundred-thousand-year Snow Lotus.

Huo Yuhao considered it briefly. "We do not have an extra Soul Ring slot to absorb it right now. Let the Ice Empress bring the Snow Lotus home and nurture it first."

The Snow Empress handed the Snow Lotus to the Ice Empress.

The Ice Empress wrapped her tail around the Snow Lotus. "Don't worry, Snow Empress. I'll take good care of it."

Then the scene fell silent. Huo Yuhao's Extreme North Journey had come to a satisfying end, and it seemed it was time to part ways with the Ice Empress.

The Ice Empress froze. "Eh? You're leaving?"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm came out and expressed his reluctance to part with the Ice Empress. "Bing Bing, wait for us. Once Yuhao reaches level thirty, we'll come to the Far North Land and welcome you into the team. Don't miss me too much..."

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm spoke with deep emotion, only to be physically silenced by a fierce strike from the Ice Empress's front claw.

"Mm-hmm-hmm~ Hm-hm~~"

At Shrek Academy, beside the small pond near the girls' dormitory.

Wang Dong, with her pink-and-blue short hair, hummed a little tune as she walked along the path by the pond with Xiao Xiao. Each of them held a bag of snacks.

Xiao Xiao stuffed a potato chip into her mouth. Seeing that Wang Dong seemed very happy, she asked, "Wang Dong, you're in a great mood today. Did something good happen?"

"There was always this damned consciousness in my head, pestering me every day to cultivate Hidden Weapons Unraveling. Until this morning, when I accidentally smashed a spider together with its web into mush."

"Guess what happened, Xiao Xiao!" Wang Dong's tone brightened with delight.

"The irresistible consciousness in my head seemed like it had broken its legs and could not walk. It was practically dying, and suddenly became so weak. It feels wonderful."

Wang Dong spoke happily, feeling incomparably relieved inside. From now on, whenever she encountered spiderwebs or anything like that, she would just burn them away.

Xiao Xiao indignantly took her side. "Whose idiotic consciousness is that? Everyone uses Soul Tools now. What the hell is the point of cultivating Hidden Weapons Unraveling?"

Wang Dong waved her hand. "It's fine. I've found a way to break it anyway. As long as the consciousness doesn't grow stronger, I can keep playing happily and freely."

As she spoke, Wang Dong joyfully stuffed two potato chips into her mouth. Unconsciously, she thought of that Blue-haired Figure and sighed with feeling.

"I really miss Huo Yuhao's grilled skewers. I wonder if he'll come to Shrek City during the break to set up a stall and earn money."

Xiao Xiao felt the same. "I miss them too. His grilled skewers really were delicious."

The two ate snacks and chatted happily. Before long, they left the woods and arrived at Shrek Plaza.

Xiao Xiao spotted two familiar people and gently tugged Wang Dong's sleeve.

"Hey, Wang Dong, aren't those two upperclassmen the ones who helped us set up Huo Yuhao's Barbecue Stall before, then ate grilled skewers with us?"

Following Xiao Xiao's gaze, Wang Dong saw a slovenly old man standing on the steps, holding a wine gourd in one hand and a chicken leg in the other. His clothes were filthy, and he was explaining something to a group of upperclassmen.

As the slovenly old man spoke, he wore a chuckling smile that put everyone at ease through his own formidable strength.

The two familiar people Xiao Xiao had spotted were Tang Ya and Bei Bei.

"Come on, Xiao Xiao. Let's go take a look." Wang Dong had never been intimidated by any occasion at Shrek Academy.

Mostly because the two great powers in her family would not allow her to be timid. Big occasion or small, she never hesitated. If she wanted to go, she went.

The slovenly old man with the chicken leg was gesturing as he instructed the upperclassmen. Wang Dong could tell that the old man's status was extraordinary, but she was not afraid.

With Wang Dong backing her up, Xiao Xiao naturally had nothing to fear either.

Eating their snacks, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao leisurely walked to the side of the group.

Xuan Zi, who was speaking on the steps, lifted his gourd and took a gulp of wine. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Wang Dong, pretended not to see her, and continued his pre-departure safety speech.

When they reached Bei Bei and Tang Ya, Wang Dong curiously asked Bei Bei, "Senior, are they holding some kind of event? Why does everyone look so excited?"

Bei Bei turned around and realized who they were. "So it's you two."

He remembered Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao. Then Bei Bei gestured toward the group. "These upperclassmen from the Inner Court are all students of the Shrek Supervision Corps."

"Several of them happen to need Soul Rings, so Elder Xuan plans to lead them in hunting Soul Rings while also eliminating any Evil Soul Masters lurking nearby, bringing peace to the local people."

"And Xiao Ya happens to lack her Third Soul Ring. I spoke to Teacher, and he agreed to bring Xiao Ya and me along."

At that moment, Tang Ya was chatting with a beautiful senior student with large orange-gold curls.

"Hey, Nannan, you're saying the boy who cured your mother is even younger than you?" Tang Ya blinked and asked curiously.

Jiang Nannan did not casually reveal Huo Yuhao's name. Smiling, she nodded. "Yes. And the grilled fish he makes is delicious too."

Grilled fish? Tang Ya froze for a moment, and the image of Huo Yuhao—a thin, frail-looking boy with blue hair—flashed through her mind.

But remembering that Huo Yuhao did not know medicine at all, Tang Ya shook her head and cast aside the unrealistic thought.

"Nannan, no matter what, it's truly wonderful that your mother recovered." Tang Ya was sincerely happy for Jiang Nannan.

"How long are you planning to take leave to care for your mother?"

Jiang Nannan honestly told her close friend, "Half a year. Given my mother's physical condition, half a year should be enough to nurse her back to health."

Tang Ya nodded happily. "Mm-hmm, that's good too. Later, Bei Bei and I are also planning to go obtain Soul Rings with the upperclassmen. There's no one in the dorm anyway."

At this point, Xuan Zi's safety speech had reached its most passionate moment.

"Outstanding students of the Shrek Supervision Corps, for the school's honor and your ideals, if you encounter Evil Soul Masters on this journey, act without restraint. This old man will cover for you."

"With this pavilion elder's formidable strength, protecting you little fellows will be as easy as turning my hand!"

Though Elder Xuan's voice was low, it carried an undercurrent of confidence.

Wang Dong casually picked up a potato chip and put it into her mouth, biting down with a crisp crunch as she gestured at Xuan Zi on the stage with her eyes.

"Senior Bei Bei, look at that slovenly Chicken Leg Teacher. All he knows is how to drink."

"If he leads students to hunt Soul Rings, who knows? The students might end up becoming the prey."