Seeing Zhang Lexuan so prepared and vigilant, Ma Xiaotao also launched a full-power assault.
"Seventh Soul Skill: Phoenix True Body!"
Ma Xiaotao's figure vanished as a blazing phoenix appeared in her place.
Immediately, she activated her sixth soul skill—Phoenix Meteor Shower. Flames surged in a massive wave toward the enormous Icefire Goldenflower. But surprisingly, despite fire usually countering plant-type soul beasts, the flames didn't deal significant damage.
After being tempered by both ice and fire elements, the Icefire Goldenflower wasn't exactly immune but had developed an extremely high resistance to both attributes.
Once Ling Luochen summoned her martial soul, she also activated a special transformation in her left arm, ready to charge in and deliver a decisive blow to the Icefire Goldenflower.
But she restrained herself, knowing full well: this strike had to end it. She had to wait for the perfect opportunity.
Vina, flustered, glanced around nervously before retreating to the back. She summoned her Snow Lotus martial soul, preparing to heal the others—or to perform a martial soul fusion with Huo Yuhao if necessary.
Without the need for words, the team naturally assumed their roles and positions, working seamlessly together to face the Icefire Goldenflower.
Huo Yuhao also joined the battle, but his role extended beyond just fighting the soul beast. He released his Ultimate Ice attribute, shielding the group from the poisonous mists spreading in all directions.
Fortunately, Zhang Lexuan's Silver Moonlight, Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Flame, and Ling Luochen's Ice Power could all partially resist the toxic fog. Without their support, the others wouldn't even be able to step out of Yuhao's protective radius—let alone fight.
Only Vina, the weakest among them, had to remain within Yuhao's protection. But she didn't need to fight.
Though night had fallen, the glow of soul power lit up the surroundings.
However, the poisonous mist dulled even that light, making the atmosphere feel heavy and oppressive.
As she faced the Icefire Goldenflower, Zhang Lexuan recalled the time she had obtained her eighth soul ring—a painful memory she could never forget.
This moment felt exactly like that moment.
Back then, she had also suddenly encountered a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in the forest, completely unprepared, with only weak juniors behind her and no teacher by her side.
But this time was different.
This time, she had the power to face a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. And she had made up her mind: she would protect everyone—no matter the cost.
Even if it meant her own death, she would see Huo Yuhao and the others safely out of the Sunset Forest.
Zhang Lexuan looked at her eighth soul ring—the power she had once gained through pain was now her greatest support.
Was this fate?
In the next instant, as she resisted the toxic mist, Zhang Lexuan suddenly launched a ferocious assault.
"Sixth Soul Skill—!"
Though her eighth soul skill was her trump card and couldn't be used lightly, Zhang Lexuan still unleashed a deadly strike.
Her silvery full moon dimmed abruptly—then turned pitch black. Only its outer rim remained silver.
It looked like a total lunar eclipse.
But in truth, it wasn't shadow but black light that had swallowed the Silver Moon.
A silver "ring" descended from the sky. It wasn't truly silver, but the darkness within was nearly invisible in the black fog of night, giving it the illusion of a glowing halo.
With a flash of black light, the ring slammed into the Icefire Goldenflower. Its body trembled violently.
Then, to everyone's shock, the Icefire Goldenflower suddenly reeled backward. Though the attack hadn't pierced through its body, it still left a deep, circular crater on its trunk. Toxic sap gushed out from the wound.
Even Zhang Lexuan was stunned. She hadn't expected this much damage.
This was just her sixth soul skill!
It gave her an odd realization—
"This Hundred-thousand-year soul beast… seems a little fragile?"
And why wouldn't it be?
On one hand, the Icefire Goldenflower had only just broken through to the hundred-thousand-year level. On the other, it had already exhausted a massive amount of power just to shield its species from elemental destruction. Most crucially, it hadn't advanced through normal cultivation—its foundation was extremely unstable.
If it had been strong, it wouldn't be so unprepared for its upcoming tribulation.
Most soul beasts faced a one-in-ten chance of survival during tribulation. The Icefire Goldenflower? Zero chance.
Enraged by its injury and maddened by the approaching heavenly tribulation, the Icefire Goldenflower went completely berserk.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Three leaves on its trunk suddenly shattered, and its aura began to skyrocket.
It looked majestic, even beautiful—as if it were sacrificing everything.
But in reality, it was burning its origin!
If it was going to die anyway, it would gamble everything on wiping out the entire group and devouring Huo Yuhao to survive the tribulation.
If it failed, burning its origin would only hasten its death.
Too bad—it wasn't the protagonist.
Huo Yuhao picked up Vina and jumped down from his Frost Jade Moth martial soul, using his Ultimate Ice to shield her in the toxic mist.
Meanwhile, his Frost Jade Moth surged forward, sixth soul ring glowing darkly.
"Sixth Soul Skill: Frost Moth Thorn Transformation!"
But in truth, this was a skill from his hundred-thousand-year Tyrant Dragon soul ring—Frost Tyrant Transformation!
A powerful enhancement skill.
The Frost Jade Moth erupted with overwhelming energy, as if trying to match the Icefire Goldenflower. Its Ultimate Ice surged, its shell darkened to jet-black, and its body expanded.
Instead of attacking, it entangled the Icefire Goldenflower, restraining its movements.
Its intense cold attribute suppressed both the poison and the elemental power of the Icefire Goldenflower.
It was the perfect counter.
No attacks—just in case it accidentally finished the soul beast off too soon.
Huo Yuhao couldn't openly absorb a hundred-thousand-year soul ring; it would expose strength he shouldn't possess. That would only bring him trouble.
At most, he'd lose a soul ring. The soul of the Icefire Goldenflower wouldn't escape. Eventually, its power would still belong to him.
As the Frost Jade Moth "bravely" restrained the Icefire Goldenflower, Zhang Lexuan and the others were reinvigorated.
"Well done, Yuhao!" Ma Xiaotao exclaimed joyfully, immediately activating her fifth soul skill.
Now was the time to unleash single-target attacks—hammer it while it was down.
Her strike landed right on the wound Zhang Lexuan had made, worsening the injury.
Then came Ling Luochen, who had been charging her strength. She activated her leg soul bone ability, quickly dashing to the Icefire Goldenflower. Her left hand clenched into a fist—and struck.
She had only this one punch, but it packed the force of a ten-thousand-year Titan Snow Demon.
And it landed right on the same wound.
How could the Icefire Goldenflower withstand it?
CRACK—
Its trunk was shattered!
The soul beast froze in shock—it had just started burning its origin to go all out, and suddenly it was grievously wounded again?
But as long as the Frost Jade Moth kept its hold, the Icefire Goldenflower couldn't fight back.
After delivering that punch, Ling Luochen completely ran out of strength. She barely kept her ice shield up, then collapsed backward.
Thankfully, the phoenix swooped in—Ma Xiaotao caught her mid-fall and carried her to Huo Yuhao and Vina.
Vina immediately began healing Ling Luochen.
After all, no one could unleash a full-power punch without consequences.
And now, Zhang Lexuan had finished charging her final skill.
Her ten-thousand-year soul ring surrounding the Silver Moon was flashing wildly—
"Eighth Soul Skill: Lunar Blood Eclipse!"
A hundred-thousand-year soul skill—fully unleashed!
The silver moon was gradually stained by a crimson light, turning into a blood moon.
The moment that blood light spread, the entire world seemed to change color.
A beam of blood-red light shot out, instantly draining the air around it as though it had been utterly vacuumed. Even the toxic mist fled in avoidance.
Immediately, the red-and-blue Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus was dyed completely blood-red, as if its entire body was on the brink of annihilation.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Faced with the threat of death, the Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus no longer held back. It burned its very source of power, with its remaining petals shattering one by one, transforming into pure energy to resist the dissolving blood moonlight.
That's right—dissolving!
The effect of the Blood Moon Eclipse wasn't just powerful damage—it dissolved everything it touched. It was terrifying in its cruelty.
At this moment, Zhang Lexuan demonstrated what it meant to be the pinnacle of an assault-type Soul Douluo!
The mutant Ice Centipede Spirit that had been coiled around the Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus twitched slightly, then chose to uncoil and retreat from the radiation of the crimson moonlight.
Although the blood-colored light couldn't penetrate the defense of the Ice Centipede Spirit, it still caused instinctive discomfort. It wanted no part of that light.
But just before leaving, the Ice Centipede Spirit bit off two small flowers—one red, one blue—from the top of the Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus.
It could clearly sense that these two flowers were treasures formed from the lotus's condensed energy.
Though they didn't quite reach the level of immortal herbs, their effects were impressive—far superior to ordinary treasures, and even more precious than the Snow Lotus Dew produced by a hundred-thousand-year Snow Lotus.
Snatching the flowers without hesitation, it fled decisively.
With the Ice Centipede Spirit no longer nearby, Zhang Lexuan had no fear of collateral damage and unleashed the final power of her soul skill without restraint.
Buzz—
After an unbearable wave of vibration, everything returned to calm. The crimson moonlight vanished, and the blood moon in the sky disappeared.
Zhang Lexuan released her true spirit form and staggered to land beside Huo Yuhao, supported by Ma Xiaotao, who had also deactivated her spirit body. The other women all drew on the aura of Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice to resist the poisonous mist surrounding them.
Clearly, the use of her spirit avatar and eighth soul skill had cost Zhang Lexuan dearly—but she could still remain standing.
Then they looked toward the Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus.
It had miraculously endured the corrosion of the crimson moonlight—but at an enormous cost. Now that the light had faded completely, the lotus was nothing but a bare, battered stalk. All its leaves and flowers were gone, and the stem itself was riddled with cracks and pits.
The section previously struck by Zhang Lexuan, Ma Xiaotao, and Ling Luochen had snapped clean off—only a few strands of fibrous tissue still connected it.
At this moment, the Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus was utterly at death's door. It seemed a single blow would finish it off and yield its soul ring.
A look of regret surfaced in Zhang Lexuan's eyes.
Unfortunately, neither she nor Huo Yuhao—the only two capable of absorbing a hundred-thousand-year soul ring—were at the bottleneck needed.
Naturally, Huo Yuhao felt regret too. For someone like him, not making a profit meant taking a loss—and earning too little was also a loss.
Still, he had consumed many rare treasures before. He knew how to let go and wouldn't do anything rash over just one soul ring.
Better to do nothing than make a mistake.
Every move made near the Icefire Yin Yang Well was like walking on thin ice. A single misstep could ruin everything.
And the danger wasn't over yet...
Huo Yuhao raised his head slightly.
The real threat wasn't the Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus's soul ring—but the impending heavenly tribulation!
Given its condition, the lotus had no chance of surviving.
The real problem was: if they got caught in the heavenly tribulation's blast, they would be seriously injured as well.
The recent battle had exhausted Zhang Lexuan. The poison mist obscuring the area had kept her from noticing the tribulation forming overhead.
The Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus, knowing it was doomed, refused to die in vain. Desperation brought madness.
Well, truth be told, it had never had good intentions.
Had it not gone after Huo Yuhao in greed, but instead entered the Icefire Yin Yang Well, it might have carved out a place for itself there—and avoided the heavenly tribulation entirely.
Of course, it was also possible the lotus didn't know the well had such a shielding effect. Only the immortal herbs inside knew the truth. Soul beasts outside weren't aware that the Icefire Yin Yang Well could block tribulations.
But it was too late now.
Facing death, the Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus still couldn't let go—and chose to self-destruct!
If it was going to die from the heavenly tribulation anyway, it might as well blow itself up—and take a few humans along for the ride. A fitting send-off on the road to the underworld.
Zhang Lexuan hadn't noticed the tribulation—but she had sensed the irregular fluctuations of soul power within the lotus.
She recognized it instantly as a soul beast's self-destruction.
"Fall back! It's going to blow!" Zhang Lexuan cried out.
Ma Xiaotao and the other two girls instantly turned pale.
Fortunately, the Ice Centipede Spirit burst out from beneath their feet at that moment, scooping them up and bolting deep into the Sunset Forest—trying to get as far from the explosion as possible.
They had just started fleeing when—BOOM!
The world changed again.
This time, the shockwave was even more terrifying than Zhang Lexuan's eighth soul skill.
Ma Xiaotao and the other girls suddenly lost their hearing. Blood began leaking from their ears. The sheer intensity of the noise had surpassed the limits of human hearing, leaving them temporarily deaf.
Then, a massive shockwave blasted into them from behind.
Huo Yuhao shielded the four girls with his own strength. But even so, they were still hurled like bullets into the depths of the Sunset Forest.
When the world finally fell silent, the poison-mist-shrouded region had a massive vacuum zone. Not a trace of poisonous fog remained—not even a single toxic plant.
Only a massive crater, several meters deep, remained—a grim testament to the sheer destructive force of the self-destruction.
Self-destruction was always the final move. The power gained by burning everything... was unimaginably terrifying—especially from a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
So terrifying that not even a soul bone remained.
Yet as the Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus's dazed soul began to dissipate, it was suddenly captured by a strange force and pulled underground.
Ultimately, it was sealed within a special banner artifact—not the Ghost Banner Spirit.
While moving underground, the Ice Centipede Spirit hadn't been idle. It had secretly planted a soul-capturing banner for Huo Yuhao, ready for him to come collect the lotus's soul later.
…
The Icefire Nine-Petal Lotus's explosion caught the attention of the immortal herbs inside the Icefire Yin Yang Well. But they couldn't leave its confines to investigate.
Still, the incident left them all on alert, wary of potential threats from outside.
At the same time, after the lotus self-destructed, the heavenly tribulation it had drawn began to slowly dissipate.
Somewhere within the toxic region...
Huo Yuhao's eyes suddenly snapped open. He sat up from the ground and immediately surveyed his surroundings with alertness.
It was as if he had just awoken from a bombing—his nerves still tense.
In truth, he had just decided it was time to wake up.
It was his first time witnessing a hundred-thousand-year soul beast's self-destruction. It really had been deafening.
But he knew exactly when to wake up—even in the midst of a blast.
Huo Yuhao looked around cautiously.
Zhang Lexuan, Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luocheng, and Wei Na had all been scattered, but Huo Yuhao wasn't overly concerned. Aside from Zhang Lexuan, the other three women each had means left on them by Huo Yuhao, enough to keep them alive.
As for Zhang Lexuan, a Soul Douluo wouldn't die so easily.
Besides, in the final moments of the battle, Huo Yuhao had "risked his life" to protect them—not just to earn favor, but to genuinely shield them from considerable damage.
Even his mutated Ice Jade Centipede martial soul had been affected by the explosion and suffered minor injuries. It had now returned to Huo Yuhao's body to recuperate.
In roughly ten minutes, the injuries would fully heal.
As Huo Yuhao scanned his surroundings, he was surprised to find the place where he landed was rather… peculiar.
What made it special was the presence of a large number of skeletons.
It looked like some sort of burial ground.
These remains included both human and soul beast skeletons, stripped of all flesh—not gnawed off, but completely corroded.
The toxic miasma permeating the area originated mainly from the Jade Phosphor Sevenfold Flower. As one of the deadliest poisons in the world, it not only inflicted mental toxins but could also dissolve flesh and blood.
This plant was exceedingly rare and precious. As a soul beast, it was a dream target for plant-type soul masters.
Because of its rarity, not even Zhang Lexuan had recognized what plant the Ice and Fire Ninefold Flower had originally been.
Huo Yuhao approached a massive soul beast skeleton. Peering inside, he discovered a soul bone?
He reached out to touch the bones, testing cautiously. The next moment, as if a delicate balance had been broken, the skeleton instantly crumbled into a pile of ash.
Clearly, the bones had long since been corroded from the inside out by the overwhelming poison.
What's more, Huo Yuhao noticed a trace of toxin trying to invade his body from the fingertip where he'd touched the bones.
But it was quickly driven out by his Ultimate Ice.
Even alone, Huo Yuhao didn't expose his Ultimate Poison ability—remaining on high alert instead.
Thanks to Ultimate Ice's passive body protection, even when he had been unconscious earlier, the toxic mist hadn't harmed him.
As that massive skeleton collapsed, like a line of falling dominos, all the other skeletons in the area—both human and soul beast alike—along with their clothing, fur, and even soul tools, also disintegrated into ash.
Naturally, the soul bone Huo Yuhao had seen earlier also turned to dust.
The entire scene was eerily quiet and terrifying.
Huo Yuhao instinctively took two steps back, seemingly startled.
What a shame—this graveyard hadn't given rise to any malevolent spirits. He felt like something was missing.
However, once all the remains had turned to ash, something else caught Huo Yuhao's eye.
Because amidst the destruction, one item had remained intact!
Everything else had been reduced to dust, so this surviving item immediately drew attention.
Huo Yuhao quickly approached. With his hand coated in Ultimate Ice soul power, he reached into the ashes and pulled it out—revealing a strange type of soft armor.
The armor was made of unknown materials. It had a jade-like hue and felt warm and supple to the touch. It seemed highly resistant to poison—likely the reason it had survived the miasma.
Soul power flowed freely through the armor, more smoothly than through most soul tool metals.
But as Huo Yuhao examined it more closely, he discovered two small characters etched on the inside: Tang Sect!
Huo Yuhao: "?"
That wasn't all. Inside the armor was a sealed compartment. Upon undoing the fasteners and opening the hidden pocket, he found two items within:
"The Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record" and a letter?
Thanks to the armor's protection, neither item had been damaged.
He opened the letter and began reading.
"I am the ___th Sect Master of the Tang Sect, Tang Yin."
The very first line nearly made Huo Yuhao burst out laughing.
Tang Yin?
Are you serious?\
He continued reading.
"Our Tang Sect…"
It began with a long, boastful history of the Tang Sect, full of exaggeration, eventually explaining its decline.
"To restore the Tang Sect, I ventured deep into the Sunset Forest in search of immortal herbs to revive the glory of our ancestors. Unfortunately, I was poisoned by the Jade Phosphor Ninefold Flower. Though I developed an antidote that could suppress its toxin, by then the poison had seeped into my very bones. Beyond all healing, I was left here in this graveyard to die.
I am ashamed to have failed the Sect's trust!
To you who reads this letter, regardless of who you are, I offer this anti-toxin treasure—the Xuan Jade Soft Armor—as compensation. In return, I ask that you return the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record to the Tang Sect.
If you are not of the Tang Sect, do not pry into the Treasure Record. Otherwise, you must formally join the Tang Sect, acknowledge your lineage, and follow the Sect's rules: do not betray the Sect, and do not share its techniques lightly. Should you defy this, you will suffer divine punishment!
If the Tang Sect has truly fallen, then you shall be our rightful heir.
May you walk the righteous path, ask not about the future, carry forward our Tang Sect's thousand-year legacy, safeguard the peace of the continent, and uphold the will of our divine ancestors!"
Well, damn!
Huo Yuhao couldn't help but exclaim in his heart.
What kind of "young hero falls off a cliff and gains secret martial arts" plot twist was this?
So this was what fate had in store for him?
He had avoided Tang Ya, sent Bebe on his way, and now he was suddenly receiving an ancestral inheritance?
There really was no escaping the Tang Sect, was there?
And, knowing his luck, something unexpected was bound to happen soon—something that would force him to read the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record and become a disciple of the Tang Sect.
You really are watching me, aren't you, you sneaky brat!
Just then, Huo Yuhao sensed a familiar soul power fluctuation in the distance. His expression tightened. Without hesitation, he packed away the items and rushed off at full speed.
The energy felt familiar—someone he knew.
When Huo Yuhao arrived at the source of the fluctuation…
He saw Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luocheng locked in battle, using what soul power they had left to fight off the remaining Jade Phosphor Sevenfold Flowers. Leading the attack were several Jade Phosphor Ninefold Flowers.
Despite the heavy casualties among the flower-type soul beasts, they still retained considerable power. The remaining Ninefold Flowers, though only ten-thousand-year-level, could manipulate the ever-present poisonous mist to launch attacks.
With low poison resistance, both girls had to fully focus just to defend against the toxins. Thankfully, they still had plenty of antidote and anti-toxin pills prepared by Zhang Lexuan—otherwise, they would have already succumbed.
Even so, they couldn't pierce through the poisonous fog.
The only reason the fog had become thin enough for them to fight at all was due to the destructive Ice and Fire elements wreaking havoc earlier, combined with the self-destruction of the Ice and Fire Ninefold Flower.
Otherwise, under normal conditions, Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luocheng wouldn't have been able to walk in this poison mist—let alone fight.
Huo Yuhao didn't bother hiding his arrival, and the two women saw him immediately. Their faces lit up with joy.
Ma Xiaotao cried out in delight, "Yuhao, thank goodness—you're alright!"
"Xiaotao, Luocheng, why are you two fighting these plant-type soul beasts?" Huo Yuhao asked, confused.
At his question, the two women's expressions grew serious. "Yuhao, Wei Na's been trapped by those soul beasts. Please, save her!"
Huo Yuhao quickly looked toward the depths of the Jade Phosphor flower field and saw Wei Na lying there. Her eyes were closed, her face pale. She was clearly in poor condition.
The poison of the Jade Phosphor Seven-Death Flower was indeed rare in the world, but on the Douluo Continent, what truly mattered was raw power.
A mere cluster of Jade Phosphor Seven-Death Flowers, with their strongest—the Jade Phosphor Nine-Death Flower—barely reaching twenty thousand years in cultivation, and even then, only a few of them… how could they possibly be a match for Huo Yuhao, wielder of the Ultimate Ice?
Even without summoning his martial soul, Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice alone was more than enough to overwhelm such a weak mob.
The deadly poison these flowers relied on was thoroughly restrained by the Ultimate Ice, preventing them from even getting close to Huo Yuhao.
Had the Jade Phosphor Seven-Death Flowers survived past disasters and still numbered in the hundreds or thousands, with countless Nine-Death variants among them, they might have been worthy of clashing with Huo Yuhao.
But reality had no room for "ifs."
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen failed to rescue Vina—hindered by the poisonous miasma and lacking any means to suppress it, they ended up deadlocked in a stalemate.
As for why Vina alone had fallen into the flower thicket and been taken hostage—was that something anyone could say out loud?
It was best not to even think about it!
At that moment, Huo Yuhao, face full of worry and love-driven resolve, charged in with all his might from the start.
Golden light flared around his body.
"Sovereign of the World!"
He slowly raised his hand. Though the motion appeared sluggish, it carried an undeniable force as it met the poisonous miasma driven toward him by the flowers.
His hand became coated in icy-blue armor, like a gauntlet of frost. Behind him, the phantom of a massive mutated Frost Centipede appeared. His right arm transformed into a crystalline ice-blue form, clear and radiant.
A piercing insect cry rang from deep within him.
With a mighty strike of his palm, a power capable of freezing the earth erupted forth, transforming into a giant Frost Centipede that smashed through the toxic fog.
This technique was unmistakably familiar—it was a derived combat skill from Mu En's "Dragon Emperor's Evil-Breaking Slash":
"Frost Centipede: Demon-Slaying Strike!"
Don't ask why—it's just that disciples must always follow their master's naming convention. These move names must be passed down properly!
The poisonous fog was shattered by the soul power-formed Frost Centipede, which then slammed into the ground and exploded into snow and ice, freezing everything in its wake.
Countless Jade Phosphor Seven-Death Flowers were frozen to death in this extreme cold!
Still at full momentum, Huo Yuhao reached Vina just before the ice spread to her, scooped her into his arms, and leapt away.
By the time he returned with her, the entire thicket of Jade Phosphor Seven-Death Flowers had been turned into a field of ice sculptures by the rampage of Ultimate Ice. Only a few of the ten-thousand-year Jade Phosphor Nine-Death Flowers were barely clinging to life.
Yet even then, they were on the verge of death.
Still feeling unsatisfied, Huo Yuhao coldly declared, "These Jade Phosphor Seven-Death Flowers have harmed the innocent and poisoned countless plants and soul beasts in Sunset Forest. They are pure evil and deserve death! Today, I shall cleanse this forest of this blight!"
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen didn't stop him—in fact, they fully supported him. Ma Xiaotao quickly took Vina from him and administered an antidote pill, allowing Huo Yuhao to act without worry.
Huo Yuhao struck again.
"Frost Centipede: Armor Form!"
An icy-blue full-body armor enveloped him. Though he hadn't activated his bloodline to make the armor components golden, his Sovereign of the World mode still cast a golden glow over the Frost Centipede Armor.
At this moment, with divine features and golden brilliance, Huo Yuhao looked like a god descending. Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen couldn't help but be dazzled.
His aura as Sovereign of the World became even more imposing.
Soul power of the Ultimate Ice swirled around him, forming the faint shape of a dragon that hovered above his head.
Then, with a single punch, the dragon dove down!
"Extreme Ice – Demon-Slaying Strike!"
A new, more powerful combat technique developed by combining the Extreme Ice Centipede Fist and the Frost Centipede's Demon-Slaying Strike.
Why does Huo Yuhao know so many combat skills?
To be honest, once he learned enough, he realized that all of Mu En's techniques shared common principles. Without even needing the All-Spells Eye, Huo Yuhao could now casually produce rough but upgraded versions using his current strength and insight.
In short, with enough power, spiritual force, and skill, he could brute-force new techniques that looked unique enough to pass for deadly finishing moves.
Sure, you could say he was just throwing bricks with raw strength—but he made them fly prettier and harder!
The dragon's roar shook the heavens as the ice dragon descended.
Ten miles frozen, everything sealed!
Not a single Jade Phosphor Seven-Death Flower remained in the field. All of the Jade Phosphor Nine-Death Flowers were also destroyed.
Black ten-thousand-year soul rings floated across the frozen land.
Since all Jade Phosphor Nine-Death Flowers required at least ten thousand years of cultivation, there were no soul beasts here under that level.
This entire colony, which had barely escaped the devastation of the Ice and Fire Elements, had already paid dearly for survival—only to be completely annihilated by Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice. Not a single spark of life remained.
Thanks to Huo Yuhao's punch, the surrounding poisonous mist had thinned considerably, and the air felt fresher.
Without the Jade Phosphor Seven-Death Flowers continuously generating toxins, the mist would eventually dissipate completely.
Although there were still some remnants in other directions, without any Nine-Death Flowers to lead them, they would be no threat for a long time.
Perhaps in another ten thousand years, the Jade Phosphor Flowers might recover their former prosperity.
Huo Yuhao, having unleashed such an attack, seemed drained. He staggered to the ground, his armor vanishing as his face turned pale with exhaustion.
Ling Luochen quickly stepped up and caught him in her arms.
Leaning against her soft figure, Huo Yuhao looked weary but content.
"Brother Hao, wasn't that a bit wasteful?" murmured the Skydream Iceworm. "Those Jade Phosphor Flowers still had value, didn't they? Now we can't even absorb their souls."
"Brother Tianmeng," Huo Yuhao explained mentally, "those flowers actually weren't all that valuable to me. I've already reached the Ultimate Poison level. Unless it's an immortal herb or something with a hundred-thousand-year cultivation, they won't help me improve further."
"Even if I tried to achieve a breakthrough through quantity, I'd still need someone to give me the opportunity to do it."
"Besides, destroying those Jade Phosphor Flowers aligns with his will to create Evil Soul Beasts. I bet he'll be thrilled."
"And if wiping them out clears the poisonous fog… maybe other soul beasts will eventually discover the Icefire Yin-Yang Well?"
Of course, this method only served to mildly annoy him. At most, it was just a bit of mischief.
But this wasn't over yet!
Sure enough, the very next second, Ma Xiaotao cried out in alarm.
"Yuhao! Luochen! Something's wrong—Nana's life force is dropping!"
"What?!"
Both Huo Yuhao and Ling Luochen turned pale with shock and rushed to Vina's side.
Huo Yuhao: "If I say you're an Evil Soul Beast, then you'd better be one!"
At this moment, Vina's condition was dire. She had been poisoned by the deadly Ninefold Jade Phosphor Blossom, leaving her in a deep coma. The venom was corroding her flesh and meridians from within.
She hadn't died instantly only because of two factors—first, her powerful physique supported by multiple soul bones, and second, her identity as a healing-type soul master. Her own soul power had some resistance to poison, and her Snow Lotus Martial Soul was autonomously protecting her vital organs and heart meridians, preventing the venom from destroying her body outright.
But now, even that soul power shielding her heart was reaching its limit. The venom was beginning to invade her heart, and her life force was gradually fading.
Even unconscious, Vina's face twisted in pain from the venom's ravaging effects, yet she remained unable to wake.
If nothing was done, in just a short time, when her soul power was fully depleted and the venom struck her heart, she would die—her body melting into a pool of blood under the corrosive poison.
Ma Xiaotao had already fed her an antidote pill earlier, but the effect had been minimal.
"Yuhao!" Ma Xiaotao's eyes were red as she turned to Huo Yuhao, her voice full of desperation. "Your Ultimate Ice—it has to save Nana, right?"
Huo Yuhao withdrew his hand from Vina's chest, shook his head grimly, and instantly drained the color from Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen's faces.
"My Ultimate Ice can only stall for time—it can't expel or extract the venom from her body. I've used it to protect her heart for now, but if we can't find a way to cure her within half an hour…" Huo Yuhao didn't finish. He simply lowered his head.
"How could this happen?" Ling Luochen was in disbelief.
The sister she was always so close with—were they really about to be separated by life and death?
Ma Xiaotao felt the same.
At that moment, a figure swiftly approached from the distance—it was Zhang Lexuan!
However, Zhang Lexuan was also clearly drained of soul power. She had likely just fought off a group of the Ninefold Jade Phosphor Blossoms herself and was only now able to arrive, her face pale and her soul power stretched thin from resisting the toxic mist.
She had sensed the soul power fluctuations from the earlier battle and had rushed over immediately.
Seeing Huo Yuhao and the others, Zhang Lexuan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled in spite of her fatigue, hurrying closer.
"Thank goodness, you're all here… Huh? What happened to Nana?" Zhang Lexuan finally noticed Vina lying unconscious on Ma Xiaotao's lap.
"Senior Sister!" Ma Xiaotao quickly turned to her, explaining Vina's condition in full. Zhang Lexuan's expression immediately changed.
She personally examined Vina and confirmed the situation—it was as bad as it looked. Vina was teetering on the brink of life and death. Zhang Lexuan's legs gave out slightly from the stress.
Was the tragedy of the past truly going to repeat itself today?
If something happened to Vina, the blame would rest with her—for bringing everyone into the Sunset Forest. How could she live with that?
Seeing the moment was critical, Huo Yuhao finally made a decision. He clenched his teeth and spoke with resolve.
"There's still one way to save Nana!"
The women immediately turned toward him, hope returning to their eyes.
"We need an antidote," Huo Yuhao said directly.
But Zhang Lexuan frowned. "This kind of poison from a plant-type soul beast is extremely rare. We don't even know the exact type of poisonous herb it comes from—how could we possibly develop an antidote?"
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen's expressions darkened again.
But Huo Yuhao spoke of a discovery he'd made.
It came from a certain Tang Sect predecessor's "legacy."
"That senior had been trapped here for a long time. The fact that he was able to develop an antidote means that within this poisonous mist, there must be herbs that can counteract it. There's also an old saying in medicine: 'Within ten steps of a poison, there lies an antidote.'"
"That senior even wrote the antidote recipe in the back of the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record. All we have to do is find the herbs it lists, and we'll be able to cure Vina!"
Holding the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record in both hands, Huo Yuhao spoke with determination. The women around him saw a ray of hope.
But Zhang Lexuan warned, "Yuhao… once you read the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, you'll become a disciple of the Tang Sect."
Huo Yuhao wasn't just a student of Shrek Academy—he was the heir to the Sea God's Pavilion. Becoming a Tang Sect disciple might provoke backlash from the elders, and even affect his future succession.
"Senior Sister, that doesn't matter anymore. I've already made up my mind!" Huo Yuhao said firmly. "Besides, wasn't Brother Beibei also a Tang Sect disciple? As long as I can save Nana, I'll give it my all—to restore the Tang Sect!"
"Let me do it instead. I'll join the Tang Sect," Zhang Lexuan offered, trying to take his place.
Truth be told, she didn't have the best impression of the Tang Sect.
Its glory was in the past, but now it was on the verge of collapse.
Still, to save Vina, someone had to join. Zhang Lexuan was willing to make that sacrifice—even if it meant leaving Shrek Academy and joining the Tang Sect.
This way, Huo Yuhao could stay at Shrek and help lead its future.
Besides, if Beibei could not be found, passing down the Tang Sect would honor his memory.
But Huo Yuhao shook his head.
"No, Senior Sister. Nana is my beloved. How could I let you make this sacrifice for her? Besides, I'm not leaving Shrek Academy!" he said with conviction.
Zhang Lexuan could only sigh and respect his choice.
"Yuhao, do you really want to study the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record? Won't that mean falling into that man's trap?" Skydream Iceworm asked, puzzled.
"Skydream, these kinds of things—once, twice, thrice—if we're not on equal footing, we'll always be manipulated," Huo Yuhao replied calmly. "Back then, I didn't join the Tang Sect because I wasn't strong enough. I didn't have the fortune or power to bear the burden of the Sect's hardships. But now? I've grown. I'm not afraid of the Tang Sect anymore. In the future—who leads the Tang Sect? That's not yet decided."
"I wonder—when the Tang Sect's hidden weapons and secret techniques reappear in Mingdu, what will Brother Beibei and Sister Xiaoya think?"
"Jie jie jie—" Skydream Iceworm was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "That's the Yuhao I know. Jie jie jie—"
Even the Golden Tortoise chimed in: "Jie jie jie—"
The Sky Dragon just felt out of place among these personalities.
What followed was Huo Yuhao flipping through the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, locating the antidote recipe, and then searching for the necessary herbs with the girls to save Vina.
Everything seemed to go smoothly.
Once all the herbs were collected, Huo Yuhao crushed them into juice, mixed them, and fed it to Vina mouth-to-mouth. The venom within her body began to dissolve, and her life force gradually returned.
When the sun rose—
Huo Yuhao and his companions walked out of the Sunset Forest, carrying a now-stable Vina.
This time, no one stood in their way.