After finishing his strategic discussion with Jing Hongchen about Mingde Hall's contingency plans for the coming civil war, Huo Yuhao took his leave and returned home.
From this moment onward, all that was left was to wait for the war to erupt. In truth, Huo Yuhao hoped it would come sooner rather than later—quick to begin, quick to end—so Xu Tiannan could ascend to the throne. Only then could Huo Yuhao turn his attention to a matter of greater personal importance: fully resolving the issue of Meng Hongchen's cold poison backlash.
Though they had already obtained the ten-thousand-year Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, the ten-thousand-year Fiery Apricot and the method to purify Meng Hongchen's inherited Ice Toad Beast bloodline remained elusive. Huo Yuhao believed that regardless of whether it was the Extreme North or the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he would have to pay them a visit soon.
The Extreme North wasn't much of a concern. With Snow Empress accompanying him, Huo Yuhao was practically king there. It posed no danger—like returning home.
But the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well were a different story.
That place was suspected to harbor the divine sense of Tang San—a potentially lethal threat. Huo Yuhao's only protection there would be Snow Empress, and her strength could only be temporarily restored to peak by burning through Huo Yuhao's own life force. Against a divine being's will, that was a paper-thin shield.
And when facing Tang San's divine sense, Huo Yuhao couldn't rely on communication with the Gods of Destruction or Life, both of whom remained maddeningly out of reach. Though on paper, these divine backers seemed like a flawless safety net, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but worry. If those two gods couldn't respond in time, how could he possibly defend himself against the divine presence Tang San had left behind in the mortal realm?
That's why, beyond Snow Empress, Huo Yuhao hoped he could find another trustworthy powerhouse—a second extreme-level guardian to travel with him to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. After all, Tang San's divine sense wouldn't dare to act openly in the mortal world with two such beings standing guard. Without alerting the Gods of Destruction or Life, even a divine will wouldn't easily interfere.
So who could he turn to?
Just one man—Kong Deming.
But right now, Kong Deming was still in seclusion, attempting to break through to the rank of Super Douluo and become a Class Ten Soul Engineer. Huo Yuhao sighed. All he could do was hope the elder would complete his breakthrough as soon as possible.
Once Kong Deming succeeded, his power as a Class Ten Soul Engineer would be terrifying. There was an unbridgeable chasm between Class Nine and Class Ten—Kong Deming's ascension would mark him as the undisputed strongest Limit Douluo of the continent. Even Ye Yushui, with her dual martial souls, evil soul attributes, and Class Nine title, wouldn't compare.
With such a titan by his side, Huo Yuhao would have the confidence to storm the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well unafraid. He could sweep through the area and turn it into Mingde Hall's private backyard. After all, unless a true god descended, not even Tang San's lingering divine sense could pose much threat to a mortal guarded by a Class Ten soul engineer—one who had already begun to touch upon divinity.
That was Huo Yuhao's speculation, but his instincts told him he was probably right.
So his plan was this: wait for the civil war to end, Xu Tiannan to take the throne, and Mingde Hall's major projects to be finalized and handed off. Once he, the chief architect, no longer had to personally design everything, he'd take Meng Hongchen to the Extreme North.
That "chief architect" title was just a bit of self-deprecating humor, a way for Huo Yuhao to keep things light despite the weight of the role.
Besides purifying Meng Hongchen's bloodline, the journey north had another purpose. With Snow Empress and Ice Empress at his side, Huo Yuhao had the support of the entire Extreme North soul beast faction—a force he could rally in every domain.
He had no intention of sending soul beasts into war for humans. He couldn't bear the thought of Snow Empress and Ice Empress' kin dying meaningless deaths for others.
But aside from warfare, the Extreme North had countless resources it could offer, especially the rich mineral veins and rare metals buried deep beneath the permafrost.
The Sun Moon Empire had long coveted those deposits. But between the deadly cold and the threat of soul beasts, mining there had always been a pipe dream.
Now, if Huo Yuhao could gain the soul beasts' approval—or even their cooperation—in mining efforts, who could say how much the empire's metal reserves would grow? With such a boost in resources, who could say how much faster the empire would develop?
And when it came to soul spirits, the soul beast cooperation would also give Mingde Hall's Spirit Transmission initiative a massive push forward.
As Huo Yuhao imagined the future taking shape in his mind, he soon returned home.
There, in the dining room, a warm scent greeted him. On the table were dishes prepared by Meng Hongchen. His heart warmed instantly—but he also noticed there were only two sets of utensils.
After changing shoes, Huo Yuhao walked into the kitchen and found Meng Hongchen—wearing an apron, full of domestic charm—tidying up the dishes.
"Senior Meng, where's Xiao Rui?"
He reached over to stroke her head, his tone gentle.
Startled by his sudden appearance, Meng Hongchen turned quickly to glare at him—but only for a moment. She soon closed her eyes with a soft smile, enjoying the affection.
"She's sound asleep in the room we set up for her. Let's eat first."
"Okay."
Indeed, the Auspicious Beast was sleeping deeply. Human beds were far too comfortable.
---
Zhao Yuan was once just a simple farmer on the outskirts of Mingdu. He had no soul power, no noble bloodline, and no remarkable martial soul. His only trait was his physical strength, which helped him farm. His life had been a cycle of planting, harvesting, paying taxes, and barely scraping by.
At least, that was how it used to be.
But a few days ago, everything changed.
Though his village was near the imperial capital, it was little more than a dot on the map—ignored, isolated. The only visitors were grain merchants and tax collectors.
But recently, a special group of people had arrived.
And with them came strange, massive, iron-built constructs that left the villagers curious, wary… even afraid.
(End of Chapter)
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