"Huo Yuhao…" Ma Xiaotao stared blankly at the weakened boy in front of her. Her mind replayed everything that had just happened, and for a moment, she didn't know how to face him.
There was no doubt she had just experienced an exquisite illusion—a dreamlike vision of pure, euphoric release that still lingered in her senses. Even though nothing had truly happened between her and the boy, deep down, she could no longer bring herself to strike down this so-called Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Sect.
Facing Ma Xiaotao's complicated expression, Huo Yuhao awkwardly rubbed his nose. After all, he had just created such an illusion for her. While it had served to awaken her martial soul, from an ethical standpoint, his actions certainly skirted the line.
"You deserve to die…" Ma Xiaotao's red lips trembled slightly. She took a sharp step forward, grabbed his collar with one hand, and her soul power surged wildly—as if she were one word away from launching a deadly attack.
"You should be thanking me. From now on, you'll never be tormented by your evil fire again. Your martial soul has evolved into the legendary Sin Desire Enchantress Phoenix from ancient texts." Huo Yuhao shrugged, wearing a look of smug benevolence.
"And besides… you can't kill me."
"What did you say? You shameless, despicable evil soul master—" Ma Xiaotao's beautiful eyes glistened with rage, just as she prepared to strike. But suddenly, her body went limp, as if all her strength had been drained in an instant. She collapsed into Huo Yuhao's arms.
"I've left a mental imprint in your spiritual sea. With a single thought, I could turn you into a drooling idiot." Huo Yuhao gently patted her head and chuckled. "Wanna bet whether your fire is faster than my neural impulses?"
Ma Xiaotao didn't quite understand what "neural impulses" were, but she clearly knew—she'd lost. Not only had she been captured and brought to the Holy Spirit Sect's base, but now her life was literally in the palm of this boy's hand.
"If you've got any guts, then just kill me. I'll never yield to an evil soul master!" Ma Xiaotao shut her eyes. Tears silently rolled down her cheeks as she buried her head in Huo Yuhao's chest. That familiar masculine scent instantly brought back the shame of her earlier breakdown. In that moment, death almost seemed preferable.
"Why would I kill you? I'm here to save you." Huo Yuhao sighed and gently lifted her chin so she had to face him. "I only implanted the imprint for my own protection."
"You're an evil soul master. Why should I trust you?" Ma Xiaotao sneered. "Don't think you can use me. I'd rather die than be your pawn."
"Ugh…" Huo Yuhao rubbed his tired brow, then placed both hands gently on her shoulders. After confirming through Bibi Dong's divine sense that there were no eavesdroppers, his expression turned serious.
"Listen to me…"
"One whole night?"
Zhongli Wu listened to the report from two maidservants, and his expression turned oddly stiff. Zhongli Yu, who had been calmly sipping tea beside him, nearly spilled it when he heard Ma Xiaotao had been "busy" with Huo Yuhao all night, even letting out moans.
"The Holy Son is full of potential, but he seems far too… enthusiastic about worldly pleasures. I fear…" one elder muttered, only to be brusquely cut off by Zhongli Wu.
"Silence. The Holy Son is still just a boy. Regardless of whether he has such desires, he's far from physically capable of acting on them."
"Yes, I spoke out of turn…" the elder replied with a bitter smile.
"Reporting in—Supreme Elder Ye has returned," a subordinate announced.
Mother's back? Perfect timing. She should meet the Holy Son—she'll be delighted. Zhongli Wu stepped forward to greet her, but before he could move, a streak of blood-red light flashed and two figures emerged out of thin air.
One of them distorted the surrounding air upon arrival. All the blood light seemed to revere her presence, as if welcoming a goddess into the world.
"Mother. Uncle Long." Zhongli Wu quickly bowed.
"Is the Holy Spirit Sect celebrating something?" The speaker was an elegant woman who appeared to be in her fifties. Her magnetic, slightly husky voice had an almost bewitching quality, inspiring both closeness and awe.
"Reporting, Mother. During our mission to Star Luo, we unexpectedly discovered both a Holy Son and a Holy Maiden. We celebrated their arrival last night," Zhongli Wu replied with a smile, clearly referring to the post-banquet mess.
"Holy Son and Holy Maiden?" The other figure, a towering, silver-haired man who hovered silently, looked intrigued. Not a single wisp of soul power leaked from his body, and yet his aura was imposing.
These were none other than Ye Xishui, Supreme Leader of the Holy Spirit Sect, and Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao.
"Yes. The two possess the Resentful Spirit Eye and Evil Fire Phoenix martial souls. And the Holy Son… he has the legendary innate Rank 30 soul power!"
"What? Innate Rank 30?" Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao exchanged shocked glances.
If true, the Holy Spirit Sect was about to welcome a future god.
"Take us to see him," Long Xiaoyao said grimly. The gravity of such a talent emerging—especially among evil soul masters—was hard to overstate.
"Uh… they're currently cultivating. If you're not in a rush…" Zhongli Wu hesitated, suddenly worried about what Huo Yuhao might still be "doing" with Ma Xiaotao.
"That Evil Fire Phoenix girl—you captured her from Shrek, didn't you?" Ye Xishui asked calmly.
"Yes. She was leading the Shrek inspection team at the time…" Zhongli Wu explained how they had found both the Holy Son and Holy Maiden.
"Return her to Shrek," Long Xiaoyao said bluntly. "With a Holy Son like that, what use do we have for an extra Phoenix?"
"What? Why?" Zhongli Wu was stunned. Wouldn't keeping a talented soul master benefit the sect?
He turned to Ye Xishui with pleading eyes.
"Listen to Xiaoyao. We don't need Shrek's elders storming our gates." Ye Xishui's tone left no room for debate. "That girl is Yan Shaozhe's direct disciple. Right now, all of Shrek is in chaos."
"What?! She's the personal disciple of the Dean of Shrek's Martial Soul Department?" Zhongli Wu gasped, and suddenly everything clicked. "But Mother, why not use her as leverage? That would buy us years of peace from Shrek."
"If we use her like that, Mu En himself might come knocking," Long Xiaoyao said with a dry chuckle.
"Mu En? Bright Holy Dragon, Dragon God Douluo Mu En?" Zhongli Wu felt a chill down his spine. The name alone was legendary—he'd grown up on tales of Mu En's might.
Indeed, Ma Xiaotao's disappearance had nearly driven Yan Shaozhe mad. When evidence pointed to the Holy Spirit Sect, he immediately reported the matter to Dragon God Douluo Mu En.
In the original timeline, Mu En didn't have long to live and was powerless to act. But in this altered timeline, he was still far from death—and he reached out to Long Xiaoyao, who had long been monitoring Ye Xishui in atonement and subtle opposition.
Even the strongest speak through power. Every living Limit Douluo is a continent-shaking force.
And here's the twist no one else knows: Yan Shaozhe is actually the son of Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao. That means Ma Xiaotao, in a sense, is Ye Xishui's grand-disciple.
So naturally, they weren't too resistant to returning her—especially after learning the Holy Son had emerged.
Now Zhongli Wu was starting to panic. They wanted her returned as-is—but Ma Xiaotao had just gone through an "awakening" with Huo Yuhao… Could she really be returned unscathed?
His heart began to race.
Meanwhile, Ma Xiaotao gazed intensely at Huo Yuhao. "Is everything you said true?"
"Ninety percent, at least. Don't worry. Oh—and you must keep it secret," Huo Yuhao said, tapping his nose. He had just given her the whole run-down: her likely return to Shrek, the behind-the-scenes drama of three Limit Douluo, and Yan Shaozhe's real identity.
"Just who are you?" Ma Xiaotao felt dazed. The boy before her seemed to know everything—as if nothing was beyond his reach.
"Holy Son, the Sect Master asks us to escort the Holy Maiden now," came the voices of Feifei and Yingying from outside.
"Don't worry—we'll meet again soon." Huo Yuhao smiled brightly. There was no need to explain everything just yet. After her martial soul awakening, Ma Xiaotao's soul power had soared to Rank 70. All she needed was a soul ring, and she'd become the only Soul Sage in the upcoming Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament!
Ma Xiaotao gave him a long, complicated look. Then suddenly, she leaned forward and kissed him gently on the cheek.
"…Thank you."
Pulled an all-nighter to finish this—Little Yuhao's departure from the newbie village is imminent!
(End of Chapter)
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