Bei Bei said, “That’s just fine. It’s better for you guys to wait one more day before you leave. After we finish our meal, you’ll follow me to look for Teacher Xuan. The Tang Sect’s first batch of custom-made soul tools will be given to you guys, and I trust that they should be quite useful for your operation.”
“Alright!” Huo Yuhao agreed. He wanted to look for Xuan Ziwen anyway. After experiencing the fighting strength of the Sun Moon Emipre’s soul engineer legions, he had many questions regarding soul tools that he wanted to ask Teacher Xuan.
Nan Qiuqiu suddenly said, “Yuhao, my mother asked me to tell you that you have to personally check out the place that we spoke about when you come back.”
“Eh?” Huo Yuhao was blank for a moment. He contemplated for a moment before remembering that Nan Shuishui did mention something before. She wanted to cooperate closely with the Tang Sect, and she wanted him to check out some place. That place should be where there were exotic entities of Ultimate Ice.
Huo Yuhao nodded and said, “I’d have forgotten about that if you didn’t remind me. However, we don’t have much time right now. We’ll check out that place after we complete our reconnaissance duties.”
Nan Qiuqiu said, “Why don’t we take a detour? My house is in the Heavenly Soul Empire’s territory, and it’s not that far from the Academy. We’ll need four to six hours to reach it, at most, if we use flying-type soul tools. After visiting the Great Star Dou Forest tomorrow, we’ll take a detour to my house, and then we’ll travel to the Star Luo Empire. My mother says that place should be very beneficial for you.”
Huo Yuhao nodded and said, “Alright, then. Has your mother returned?”
Nan Qiuqiu shook her head in reply. “My mother is in the city right now. The Earthdragon Sect has moved over here, and we haven’t finished transporting everything. After you check that place out, and if you can take everything out from it, then we will finish moving into Shrek City. The Earthdragon Sect has already established close connections with the Tang Sect.”
Bei Bei chimed in, “Yes. Senior Nan Shuishui is very courteous, and she’s given us a lot of rare metals.”
It turned out that the Earthdragon Sect’s previous leader had seen a business opportunity in rare metals back in the day, and had hoarded a large amount of rare metals for the Earthdragon Sect. This time, after the Earthdragon Sect moved to Shrek Academy, those rare metals were given to the Tang Sect to purchase on credit, established a close cooperation with the Tang Sect.
Furthermore, Nan Shuishui announced that they didn’t have to pay this debt for now. As long as someone in the Tang Sect married Nan Qiuqiu, then those rare metals would be Nan Qiuqiu’s dowry. That was a very extravagant and valuable dowry!
Nan Shuishui naturally hoped that Nan Qiuqiu could follow Bei Bei or Huo Yuhao, but that was obviously quite unrealistic for now. However, even if Nan Qiuqiu couldn’t marry either of them, there were many outstanding individuals within the Tang Sect. Nan Shuishui had already decided to take their cooperation with the Tang Sect one step further when she chose to move the Earthdragon Sect into Shrek City. Leaning on the Tang Sect was undoubtedly very beneficial for the Earthdragon Sect’s development.
Reality had proved that her decision was correct. The Tang Sect took large amounts of rare metals from the Earthdragon Sect, but the Tang Sect also helped the Earthdragon Sect lay down solid and stable foundations inside Shrek City. The Earthdragon Sect managed to acquire quite a spacious area in Shrek City with the Tang Sect’s help, and this place was also relatively distant from the Great Star Dou Forest Region. This area was used to re-establish the Earthdragon Sect, and this land was also very cheap… which meant that it was almost given to them for free.
At the same time, because of the Earthdragon Sect’s intimate relationship with the Tang Sect, they also received support from Shrek Academy. This meant the Earthdragon Sect’s move into Shrek City naturally became extremely smooth.
The construction of Shrek’s new city meant Shrek City was now more than five times larger than before, and the city was likely to continue expanding, as well. With Shrek City’s current location, and the addition of the Spirit Pagoda, their future development was limitless.
The Earthdragon and the Tang Sects’ intimate relationship also meant that the Earthdragon Sect’s youngsters would also have priority in obtaining spirits. This was a great thing that was absolutely mutually beneficial. Therefore, Nan Shuishui was very satisfied and felt that she had accomplished her goals. She only hoped that Nan Qiuqiu could find a great husband inside the Tang Sect, and she would use this marriage as a way to further strengthen the cooperation between their sects. That would make their relationship even more perfect.
—
Everyone enjoyed dinner in a jovial mood, and Bei Bei even made an exception and allowed everyone to have some wine. Huo Yuhao went directly to the Tang Sect’s Soul Tool Hall after dinner, and stayed with Xuan Ziwen for the entire night. Only they knew what they discussed. Huo Yuhao left some things with Xuan Ziwen, and also took some other things with him when he left.
—
The next morning, Huo Yuhao gathered his compatriots, and they departed as a group for Shrek Academy.
He had already arranged things with Elder Xuan, but if they wanted to go into the Great Star Dou Forest, they would still have to inform Elder Xuan first.
The Tang Sect’s company had quite a few people. Everyone but Wang Dong’er from the Shrek’s Seven Monsters was present, and in addition to Nan Qiuqiu, Ye Guyi, Ji Juechen, and Jing Ziyan, there were ten people altogether.
They deliberately waited until morning lessons started in the Academy before they went over. Otherwise, with the Tang Sect’s current reputation, they would attract everyone’s attention once they entered the Academy grounds.
The Sea God’s Lake’s waters sparkled and rippled. It was as clear and limpid as it had always been, and the smell that was so familiar and new at the same time refreshed Huo Yuhao, who hadn’t slept for the entire night.
Huo Yuhao had had a long discussion with Xuan Ziwen last night. He told teacher Xuan everything that he had heard and seen, while Xuan Ziwen gave him an even deeper explanation into what he knew regarding the Death God. Huo Yuhao had been thinking at a high degree continuously, and even for someone like him who had such formidable spiritual power, he still felt a little exhausted. As for Xuan Ziwen, he fell asleep right after Huo Yuhao left, and he probably would only wake up that night.
Huo Yuhao tapped lightly on the ground with his foot and drifted across the Sea God’s Lake. He was already a Soul Sage, but he didn’t choose flight. Instead, he opted for what he did back during the Sea God’s Fate, and a small patch of ice would form beneath his feet from his soul power of Ultimate Ice whenever his foot touched the lake’s surface, supporting his steps.
Xu Sanshi followed behind him. He was very opportunistic, and just followed in Huo Yuhao’s footsteps. He didn’t have to release any soul power at all, and just stepped on the ice blocks that Huo Yuhao had created.
The Sea God’s Island came into view after over ten leaps. A pretty figure was standing on the lakeshore in the distance, gazing in their direction.
This girl’s long pinkish-blue hair was tied into scorpion braids, and her hair dangled in front of her as she fiddled with the ends of it. Her large, beautiful eyes seemed like they could talk as she stared at the people leaping across the lake. She was clad in a white warrior robe, which brought out her slender and exquisite figure. Her lips were rosy and alluring, and she was so brilliant that the morning sun covered her in a layer of golden radiance.
Huo Yuhao immediately felt a little dazed when he saw her. He slipped a little on the ice block that his soul power had created on the lake’s surface, and immediately lost his balance.
This was entirely unimaginable for a Soul Sage, but it happened to Huo Yuhao at this moment.
Countless images surfaced and flickered in his memory. Some scenes were of Wang Dong’er as he saw her for the first time when he came to Shrek Academy, and some showed Dong’er’s attractiveness and brilliance when he first saw her in girl’s clothing during the Sea God’s Fate right there on the Sea God’s Lake. Some other scenes in between contained his experiences when he first became acquainted with her. Everything made him feel a little lost and dazed.
Huo Yuhao fell backwards, and his right foot slipped into the lakewater. Huo Yuhao only recovered when the lake’s ice-cold water rinsed the bottom of his foot, and he tapped on the lake’s surface lightly before jerking up and rising back into the sky. He hastily created another ice block where he descended before he managed to regain his balance.
However, Xu Sanshi had already arrived behind him when he lost his balance. Xu Sanshi was startled when Huo Yuhao fell backwards, and he hurriedly paused in midair.
Xu Sanshi was quite mischievous! Huo Yuhao could see Tang Wutong standing on the lakeshore, which meant that he could naturally see her, as well. Xu Sanshi’s six soul rings rose instantly, and his fourth soul ring lit up in the next moment as black light flickered. Tang Wutong couldn’t even react on the lakeshore before she switched positions with Xu Sanshi.
Tang Wutong’s cultivation wasn’t low, but Xu Sanshi’s Mysterious Netherworld Displacement was way too sudden. This soul skill was powerful enough to be called a divine skill among Xu Sanshi’s many soul skills, and even Huo Yuhao had used his Spirit Eyes’ fifth soul skill, Spiritual Duplication, to duplicate Mysterious Netherworld Displacement on several occasions.
Tang Wutong also seemed to be a little dazed when she saw Huo Yuhao bounding across the lake. Something in her mind seemed to have been triggered, and she was staring at Huo Yuhao’s stunned face at the same moment Xu Sanshi used Mysterious Netherworld Displacement on her.
Her vision blurred as her surroundings changed. Afterwards, she realized that she was standing on the lake’s surface, and couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.
Huo Yuhao was still descending from the sky at this point. The exclamation that came from behind him was all too familiar, and he spun around in midair without hesitation. Coincidentally, he met Tang Wutong’s surprised expression as she was dropping into the water.
Huo Yuhao activated his left leg’s soul bone immediately. He was several meters away from Tang Wutong, but he arrived in front of her with Instant Teleportation. He grabbed her arms with both hands and stabilized her.
Their eyes met at that moment. Huo Yuhao’s eyes were full of longing and tenderness, and Tang Wutong’s startled eyes were a little stunned when she saw them. She could feel those strong hands of his holding onto her arms, and for some reason, she felt very safe and secure, even though she was hovering above the lake’s surface.
A dash of cold flowed into the lake, and they were standing on an ice block when they came down from the air.
Tang Wutong’s momentary daze disappeared, and she immediately frowned as she growled, “Release me!”
Huo Yuhao subconsciously released his hands. Tang Wutong glared at him furiously before she surged into the air and flew straight for the lakeshore. She was also a Soul Sage, and she could fly through the air with her soul power without releasing her martial soul.
