Youyou spoke calmly, "Xiao Huo, what's the issue? Keeping those things is useless to us anyway. If he can pass the assessment, it'll fulfill what I've always wanted to do."
Infernal Delicate Apricot snorted coldly. "What do you think? I've been waiting for someone worthy. Besides, I haven't agreed yet. I'll take action in the next assessment!"
Youyou shook his large head. "Then you'd better be careful. I can't see through Huo Yuhao's exact strength. In that brief contact, I even sensed the domineering ice within him—stronger than even the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass."
Before the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass could respond, Infernal Delicate Apricot cut in confidently, "Don't worry, victory is guaranteed!"
Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass glanced at Xiao Huo and murmured, "The aura on him is indeed superior to mine."
Meanwhile, as the immortals debated Huo Yuhao's fate…the person in question was undergoing his final transformation.
In his spiritual sea, a faint purple radiance began to spread, merging with the golden seawater. To the naked eye, Huo Yuhao's spiritual power transformed into a dazzling purple-gold hue.
Even Skydream, who had taken the form of a ring on Huo Yuhao's finger, was bathed in a light purple glow.
"T-This is spiritual power at the Tangible and Intangible level!" Skydream gasped in astonishment.
Originally, Huo Yuhao had barely crossed the threshold of the Tangible and Intangible realm—likely due to his overwhelming mental power, which had required nearly three years to stabilize. But now, with the aid of Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, he had effortlessly ascended to this state.
And that was no small feat.
Huo Yuhao was merely a Soul Ancestor, yet his spiritual power had already reached a realm many Titled Douluo desperately sought but failed to attain.
Such talent. Such fortune.
Skydream grew increasingly convinced that hitching himself to Huo Yuhao's rise was the wisest decision she'd ever made.
Returning to the spiritual sea, Skydream cheerfully shared her excitement. "With the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, plus all these immortal herbs, Yuhao's luck is truly heaven-defying."
"I'm more certain than ever that he'll ascend to godhood. Now, Bingbing, tell me honestly—aren't you glad I dragged you along? I wasn't lying to you."
The Ice Empress rolled her eyes. "Ridiculous."
But inwardly, she was just as shocked.
Huo Yuhao wasn't just peerlessly talented—his journey was paved with endless fortune and divine favor. He was truly a child of destiny.
Ice Empress thought of her dear sister, the Snow Empress—the one who had always sought strength above all else.
'I wonder how Xue'er is doing now…'
Perhaps she should have tried harder to persuade her. Maybe Snow Empress would have changed her mind?
Wouldn't it have been better to lounge together rather than tread the treacherous path of transformation and rebirth?
Even with the Ice God's inheritance, they all knew the truth—the Ice God had long since fallen.
A legacy without its God was nothing more than an empty promise.
'Wouldn't it have been better to play mahjong with her in the spiritual sea?'
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao had fully assimilated the medicinal effects.
He overheard the conversation in his spiritual sea.
'Hey, hey, don't pop the champagne just yet.'
Becoming a god was easy. Staying a god was the hard part.
Huo Yuhao's enemy wasn't just Tang San—he was fighting against the very laws of the Divine Realm itself.
Even if he defeated Tang San, the Divine Realm would still be a glorified labor camp—where one day in the heavens equaled a year in the mortal world.
Huo Yuhao could never tolerate such a monotonous eternity.
Just look at the other gods, wandering around, desperately searching for successors (unfortunate souls) to inherit their divine seats (workstations).
The Divine Realm was no paradise—it was a gilded cage.
Huo Yuhao had a wild idea, though it couldn't be written here.
In short, he planned to bring entertainment from his past life into the Divine Realm—games, novels, movies…
'If we've cultivated to godhood, shouldn't we enjoy it?'
Why waste eternity on petty schemes like Tang San, whose only amusement was spying on the mortal world?
Of course, comfort required power.
The Divine Realm wasn't a safe haven.
'Ahem, getting off track.'
'One step at a time.'
For now, the priority was defeating Tang San.
As Huo Yuhao opened his eyes, the world before him had transformed.
Everything seemed richer, more vivid. Details that once required his Spirit Eyes to perceive were now laid bare before him.
He gazed at the distant, multicolored poison clouds—every particle in the miasma was visible.
Turning to Aromatic Silk Beauty, he could see the vibrant life force flowing within it—pink energy swirling between petals, stamens, and stems.
He could even faintly discern the energy fluctuations in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well behind it.
Huo Yuhao summoned an ice mirror to examine himself.
In the original story, Huo Yuhao's absorption of immortal herbs had triggered a mutation—twin pupils, foreshadowing his eventual return to the White Tiger lineage.
But perhaps due to the Gu's influence, his Spirit Eyes, now infused with time and space attributes, showed no such change.
His eyes remained dark blue, his pupils pure black—but now, a faint halo shimmered at their centers.
When he activated his Spirit Eyes, time itself seemed to slow further.
Not only was everything clearer, but the flow of the world decelerated several times over.
His eyes now glowed purple-gold, with distinct rings—gold in the left, silver in the right.
'Time in the left eye. Space in the right.'
In that moment, Huo Yuhao understood—his martial soul was undergoing its second awakening!
With a thought, his mental power surged, and a golden halo materialized behind him, morphing into a pair of profound, illusory purple-gold eyes.
Gold-rank secondary martial soul awakening!
No silver-rank transition—straight to gold!
It was absurd.
But to Huo Yuhao, it made perfect sense.
Time and space were already broken attributes.
And with Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew compensating for his last mental weakness, time, space, and spirit had finally harmonized.
His Spirit Eyes had now evolved into a god-grade martial soul.
The innate talent "Moment" had ascended to a true innate domain.
Of course, the second awakening also granted new abilities—but Huo Yuhao had no time to dwell on them.
His gaze locked onto the fiery-red plant at the center of the fiery hot spring.
The plant stood nearly three meters tall, its flower resembling a ruby-carved cabbage.
A clear, heroic female voice rang out: "Kid, since you're awake, get over here. My second test awaits. Lose, and you leave immediately."
Infernal Delicate Apricot—the 100,000-year-old Apricot.
As light flared from its body, the valley's temperature spiked.
"Yuhao, your opponent wields Ultimate Fire," Skydream warned.
Huo Yuhao nodded.
After refining Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, his perception had sharpened exponentially. He could now sense others' emotions—Aromatic Silk Beauty's hopeful anticipation, Infernal Delicate Apricot's proud battlelust.
'Too straightforward.'
Huo Yuhao almost felt that even if he lost, this fiery cabbage would let him pass.
But that wasn't necessary.
A 100,000-year-old immortal herb? Perfect training material.
With a single step, Huo Yuhao crossed dozens of meters, arriving at the fiery hot spring's center.
Infernal Delicate Apricot was far more domineering than Aromatic Silk Beauty.
Within a sixty-meter radius, no plants grew—only fiery-red flora thrived beyond that border.
Scorching air rushed at Huo Yuhao, distorting the surroundings.
With a thought, the Ice Empress's armor encased him, repelling the heat.
Infernal Delicate Apricot trembled. "So it is Ultimate Ice. Let's see whose element reigns supreme."
"I won't bully you. You'll face an Ultimate Fire opponent of equal strength—but with the fiery hot spring's support. Defeat it, or leave."
Its massive body leaned back, and a crimson beam shot from its core.
A fiery vortex formed, drawing a torrent of blazing spring water into the air.
The scorching column twisted the atmosphere, raising the valley's temperature to unbearable levels.
"Begin."
The red column crashed toward Huo Yuhao.
Empowered by the fiery hot spring, this attack was terrifying—its heat surpassed even Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Evil Fire at full power.
This was true Ultimate Fire.
The gap between near-Ultimate and true Ultimate was like heaven and earth.
Huo Yuhao didn't dodge.
'My strength? You haven't seen it yet.'
'Fine, I'll humor you.'
His fist, clad in the Ice Empress's claw, struck—shattering the fiery column instantly.
The scattered spring water coalesced into a female figure—fiery braid trailing to her feet, twin flaming swords in hand.
Infernal Delicate Apricot bathed her in red light, turning her golden-red.
The Fire Girl lunged, swords raised.
Huo Yuhao's ice sword flashed—
And she was obliterated.
But the fiery hot spring roared to life.
Sensing the Ultimate Ice's intrusion, the entire spring surged like a tidal wave, reinvigorating the Fire Girl.
Her golden-red form now gleamed like molten gold.
'Home-field advantage—how cheap.'
The spring weakened Huo Yuhao's ice while fueling the Fire Girl endlessly.
Infernal Delicate Apricot gloated, "Not bad. Keep it up, or you will fail."
Though it claimed neutrality, it was clearly tipping the scales.
With the fiery hot spring's support, Huo Yuhao was at a severe disadvantage.
A direct fight was hopeless—unless he drained the spring dry.
But that'd be wasteful.
'A domain is needed.'
'And I must destroy their advantage!'
'Perfect chance to test my new mental power.'
Huo Yuhao exhaled.
"Northern Dark Ice Soul Domain + Domain of Perpetual Ice!"
With a wave, the distant Frozen Spring answered.
Under his will, the frigid waters shot skyward, crashing toward the fiery hot spring.
A surreal scene unfolded.
The icy torrent halted mid-air—as if frozen in time—before spreading like a glacial tide, encircling the spring.
Ultimate Cold clashed with Ultimate Fire.
The fiery hot spring's aura was suppressed.
...
In truth, the battle between Huo Yuhao and the Infernal Delicate Apricot had lasted only a brief minute.
The immortal herbs spectating were still reeling from Huo Yuhao's soul ring configuration.
Though he had wielded his second martial soul, the Ultimate Ice, during the fight, the soul rings he displayed belonged to the Spirit Eyes—yellow, purple, purple, black—marking him as a four-ringed Soul Ancestor.
How could someone so powerful only possess the cultivation of a Soul Ancestor?
Even the initial column of fire unleashed by the Infernal Delicate Apricot had reached Soul Sage-level intensity.
And this soul ring configuration…
Even that person from back then hadn't possessed such an outrageous arrangement at this age, had they?
It truly broadened the horizons of these immortal herbs.
Had the times changed so drastically?
A mere four-ringed Soul Ancestor, yet his combat prowess defied all reason.
They could see that after the initial test, the Infernal Delicate Apricot had gone all out, even drawing upon the power of the fiery hot spring.
The might of a 100,000-year Ultimate Fire had been unleashed in full force—yet it still failed to overwhelm Huo Yuhao.
Ah Jiao, ranked among the top two in combat power within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, watched as Huo Yuhao guided the cold spring's energy skyward. The situation was spiraling into something even more absurd.
Suddenly, Youyou's pupils contracted. "Stop fighting!" she shouted. "If this continues, our home will be destroyed!"
If vast quantities of water and fire were allowed to collide, the resulting explosion might not harm them, but it would certainly devastate the land they depended on for survival.
Especially if the fiery hot spring went berserk—the destruction of the surrounding terrain would spell disaster for most plant life nearby. That was the last thing Youyou wanted.
Huo Yuhao sensed Youyou's anxiety immediately.
The Infernal Delicate Apricot, too, wore an expression of shock and bewilderment.
'I've gone too far…'
While it could manipulate the fiery hot Spring to a degree, Huo Yuhao's domain had already unfurled, plunging the surrounding temperature to a staggering -200°C in an instant.
The fire elements within his domain were ruthlessly suppressed.
The once-mighty Ultimate Fire crumbled under the assault of this extreme cold, leaving behind only a flickering ember.
'Didn't Youyou say his Ultimate Ice was comparable to Star Anise's?'
'What nonsense!'
At this moment, Huo Yuhao was using the free combat session to familiarize himself with the changes brought by his recent breakthrough.
For him, wielding both martial souls had become second nature.
Even after his Spirit Eyes martial soul ascended to god-level, he discovered that the synergy between his two martial souls had improved yet again—likely surpassing even the level achievable through Self-Martial Soul Fusion Techniques.
However, perhaps due to the sheer quality of his martial souls—or the presence of his third martial soul, the Necromantic Holy Magic God—activating the fusion technique remained impossible.
'Electrolux: Don't blame me.'
Of course, Huo Yuhao didn't mind.
Even without the fusion technique, he was already invincible.
Besides, such high-cost, long-cooldown ultimate moves had never been his preference.
At the same time, the improved compatibility between his martial souls had elevated the quality of his soul power once more—transcending even the level of Ultimate Soul Power—without any adverse effects on his cultivation speed.
With his mental power now at the tangible-intangible stage, Huo Yuhao's control over his domain had reached unprecedented heights.
The Hundred-Meter Northern Dark Ice Soul Domain unfurled, intertwining with the Permafrost Domain, dispelling all heat in an instant and spreading outward at an alarming rate.
Simultaneously, Huo Yuhao harnessed the Cold Spring's power to temporarily repel the Fiery Heat Spring's influence.
His mental power wove an invisible net, connecting every flake of snow and shard of ice within the domain. With a mere thought, the frigid energy surged forth.
The plants near the Cold Spring thrived—this was their ideal environment.
But those near the fiery hot spring, now bereft of its fiery protection, trembled under the Ultra-Low Temperature of the Ultimate Ice. Many instinctively released their own soul power in resistance.
And this was merely the aftermath of the battle.
With a single thought, Huo Yuhao suppressed all elemental power within the Infernal Delicate Apricot's range—except for ice.
The fire-attributed energy, in particular, was utterly stifled, leaving the Infernal Delicate Apricot isolated—unable to draw upon any external elemental support.
Huo Yuhao stood as the undisputed Emperor of Ice and Snow, stripping the Infernal Delicate Apricot of its authority in an instant.
The once-proud plant now shivered under the crushing weight of his domain, its crimson glow dimming to a feeble flicker.
Rejected by the world itself, it could only rely on its own dwindling strength.
But even the Ultimate Fire proved pitifully weak before Huo Yuhao.
As his bone-chilling blade swept forth, it seemed to split the world apart. The fire spirit beside the Infernal Delicate Apricot dissipated into smoke, vanishing without a trace.
The ground around the Infernal Delicate Apricot froze solid in an instant, encasing it in an icy prison.
Huo Yuhao had ended the battle decisively.
"Stop! Stop! I was wrong—you've passed the test! You've passed!"
A desperate plea echoed from within the ice sculpture.
Huo Yuhao smirked.
'You're not admitting fault—you're just afraid of dying.'
He realized his emotional perception still needed refinement. Superficial emotions couldn't be trusted.
This arrogant plant was just as ignorant as in the original timeline.
Still, Huo Yuhao wasn't one to waste resources. With a wave, he withdrew his domain and released the Infernal Delicate Apricot.
After all, it was a rare 100,000-year Ultimate Fire fairy grass—perfect as a soul ring for Ma Xiaotao, with two additional rings to spare.
Returning to Infernal Delicate Apricot, Youyou spoke first:
"Yuhao, Xiao Huo didn't mean any harm. This second test wasn't supposed to escalate like this..."
Huo Yuhao nodded dismissively and extended his hand. "It's fine. I've passed both tests. Now—the book?"
'Poisons Record Book—it'd be a shame not to read it.'
"Take it."
A book crafted from unknown materials floated out from her flower heart. "But remember to return it after you're done."
Huo Yuhao nearly laughed aloud.
'Tang San's already dead. Why would I care about his mementos?'
'Still clinging to that white moonlight of yours?'
Observing Youyou's dazed expression, Huo Yuhao sighed as he closed the book.
"The dead deserve respect, but I must speak honestly. Youyou, have you ever considered that Tang San's poison barrier wasn't for your protection—but to trap you here?"
Youyou's brows furrowed. "We're not prisoners! The poison barrier safeguards us, preventing intruders. And his arrangements allowed us to cultivate more efficiently using the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!"
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "If it's truly for protection, then answer this: Can any of you leave? As for his arrangements—doesn't that just prove you're nothing more than flowers he planted in a garden?"
Lies don't cut deep—truth does.
The surrounding immortal herbs fell silent, no longer debating the Infernal Delicate Apricot's strength.
Huo Yuhao's earlier revelation of Tang San's death had already shaken their faith. Now, his words shattered whatever illusions remained.
"You—aren't you a descendant of the Tang Clan? How can you slander your ancestor?" Youyou stared at him in disbelief.
"I've never claimed to be a Tang descendant. My connection is only with the current Tang Sect Leader."
Huo Yuhao's tone was firm. "Did you know the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well were stolen by Tang San from a powerful faction?"
"The original guardian—Dugu Bo—protected this place for decades without harvesting a single plant. Yet Tang San twisted his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's poison into the barrier you see today."
He continued mercilessly, listing Tang San's transgressions:
"The Eight Spider Lances that devoured soul beasts for cultivation… The destruction of Slaughter City's prison, unleashing evil soul masters upon the world…"
Huo Yuhao's voice grew colder. "History has exposed Tang San's deeds. He's now reviled, and the Tang Sect has declined because of him—even expelling him from their lineage couldn't salvage their reputation."
The immortal herbs were stunned.
Huo Yuhao pressed on: "Youyou, I know you crave freedom. Trapped here for ten thousand years… Have you ever wondered about the world beyond this valley?"
"Will you stay here, waiting to be harvested as medicinal ingredients? Or will you seize the chance to see the outside world? If you choose the latter… I can help."
Silence lingered, but Huo Yuhao saw the flicker of longing in their eyes.
This was exactly what he'd anticipated.
A major reason the Octagonal Black Ice Grass had willingly become Huo Yuhao's soul ring in the original timeline was the poison barrier's confinement—plant-type soul beasts couldn't escape.
And Youyou's authority here stemmed not from strength, but her immunity to poison. Without her, most immortal herbs wouldn't survive the miasma's spread.
"Regardless, I've spoken the truth. The choice is yours."
Having memorized the Poisons Record Book, Huo Yuhao stowed it away and strode toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The Medicine Chapter's preface alone had nearly made him scoff.
"Discoveries shared with companions are treasures beyond measure."
'How ironic.'
If memory served, Tang San had looted Dugu Bo's entire garden without remorse. The current 100,000-year immortal herbs were merely regrown from leftover seeds.
Reaching the boundary between the two springs, Huo Yuhao knelt and plunged his hand into the Cold Spring.
Youyou called out in alarm: "Be careful! The Spring's waters are lethal! Even with Ultimate Ice, you must follow Tang San's method—consume the Infernal Delicate Apricot and Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass simultaneously to forge the Ice and Fire Alchemy Body—"
"That won't be necessary."
Huo Yuhao's hand submerged effortlessly into the spring. To him, the legendary extreme cold felt no more biting than chilled water—even refreshing.
He repeated the motion with the fiery hot spring.
Thanks to his Ice Soul Body, even its scorching heat registered as little more than a warm bath.
Without hesitation, Huo Yuhao leaped into the springs.
A colossal geyser erupted as the opposing energies clashed—ice and fire entwining in a violent dance.
The immortal herbs stared in horror.
'Is he trying to die?!'
'Even with Ultimate Ice, no Soul Ancestor could survive this!'
Youyou sighed.
The brutal truth could no longer be avoided.
…
Huo Yuhao wasn't here to show off.
He needed soul bones.
The immortal herbs—and even Tang San—had no idea of the true origin of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
But Huo Yuhao knew.
This was no natural formation—it was the graveyard of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings.
Their remains, infused with divine power, had birthed the springs.
This was the secret behind one of the Three Great Treasure Basins.
And where there were dragon bones…
There were soul bones.
During Douluo 3, Tang Wulin had entered the Dragon Tomb and obtained the Mountain Dragon King's Torso Bone—proof that even divine dragons left behind soul bones.
Though millennia had passed, soul bones were eternal.
And god-level soul bones? Even more so.
Thus, Huo Yuhao's true objective: The fallen Ice and Fire Dragon Kings' remains.
…
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