Though Huo Yuhao had such thoughts, obtaining the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings' soul bones was far from simple.
It was worth a try, but the matter involved the intricate lore of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings and the Dragon God.
However, the information Huo Yuhao possessed about the Dragon God had been revised repeatedly—that esteemed figure had far too many retcons.
In Douluo Dalu 3, the Dragon God, as the co-ruler of soul beasts, maintained a grand and righteous image.
After his defeat in the war against the gods of the Divine Realm, he was suppressed by the God King and ultimately split into two entities: the Golden Dragon King and the Silver Dragon King.
But in Douluo Dalu 4, the Dragon God was reduced to a mere clown. Due to a series of events, he bore the greatest blame.
Dragon God: "This king shall bear it! This king shall bear it!"
Having failed to breach the realm beyond the God King, the Dragon God eventually went mad, slaughtering his younger brother and numerous human gods who tried to stop him.
Upon regaining his senses, he realized the gravity of his crimes and begged the old Asura God to execute him.
Thus, he was cleaved in two—the Golden Dragon King, embodying his negative emotions, was sealed within the Douluo Divine Realm, while the Silver Dragon King, representing his positive emotions, fled to the lower realm, the Douluo Continent.
To atone, the Dragon God himself imposed a restriction: No beast within the Douluo Divine Realm could ascend to godhood.
What?! The plan to exterminate soul beasts was devised by the Dragon God himself!
Truly a stroke of divine wisdom.
Of course, Huo Yuhao had no way of knowing the exact truth. But regardless of the version, none of it affected him now.
In every iteration, the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings possessed god-level combat prowess during their lifetimes.
Even after their deaths, the dragon souls of these two mighty beings likely lingered. Hastily extracting their bones could trigger catastrophic consequences.
Huo Yuhao extended his spiritual power, but the dense spring water, infused with the divine energy of the two Dragon Kings, limited its range to mere tens of meters.
'As expected…'
At his current level, his spiritual power couldn't penetrate the spring's depths. Left with no choice, he sought guidance from his "parents."
Following Electrolux's directions, Huo Yuhao discovered the hundred-meter-long remains of the Ice Dragon King.
Good news was that the god-level soul bones existed—not solidified into specific parts but capable of forming any bone Huo Yuhao lacked, akin to a hundred-thousand-year soul beast's offering.
As for the bad news: A divine barrier enveloped the dragon's head, blocking his spiritual probe. The same was true for the Fire Dragon King's remains in the Fiery Hot Spring.
The dragon's head was its core—a massive structure spanning tens of meters. To claim the soul bone, Huo Yuhao needed to either refine the dragon's core himself or commune with its lingering soul to manifest the bone.
The former was beyond his current strength.
Attempting such a feat within the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings' domain—especially the Fiery Hot Spring—was suicidal.
The Cold Spring might offer a slim chance, but the Fiery Hot Spring was a different beast entirely.
As for the latter, Huo Yuhao lacked Tang Wulin's protagonist-level plot armor. Currently, only the Silver Dragon King could safely interact with the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings' remnants.
Electrolux confirmed that fragments of their souls still lingered within the corpses.
He proposed a solution: transport the dragon remains to the Undead Demiplane (Spectral Demiplane), stripping them of their home-field advantage to refine them safely.
But doing so would destroy the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, a treasure trove Huo Yuhao wasn't willing to sacrifice.
After some thought, he dismissed the idea.
'If I can't extract the bones now, I'll return for them later. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well aren't going anywhere.'
…
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well brimmed with dense elemental energies and pure heaven-earth vitality.
Combined with the divine power seeping from the dragon corpses, it was an unparalleled cultivation ground.
If an ice- or fire-attributed soul master could refine the spring water in a specific manner, they could remold their physique—even achieving the Ultimate Attribute state.
But this was nearly impossible.
Even a Titled Douluo would perish upon falling into the springs.
A soul master with an Ultimate Attribute martial soul could only endure brief exposure to their aligned spring.
As for drinking the water? Instant death by explosion.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, a being of immense power, couldn't withstand the Fiery Hot Spring's assault—let alone a human.
Ice and fire alone were destructive, but when absorbed in balance, they tempered the body. This was the principle behind Ice and Fire Body Tempering.
Herbs like the Infernal Delicate Apricot and Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass neutralized each other's toxicity when combined, creating a small Yin-Yang cycle within the body.
With the external Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's aid, they granted immunity to ice and fire.
Huo Yuhao wasn't foolish enough to drink the spring water. His survival here relied on talent, effort, and a little help from the Achievement System.
"Eat Strength Immortal Gu—show me your limits!"
At the junction of the two springs, Huo Yuhao activated the Eat Strength Immortal Gu, using stored Golden Ancient Tree vitality to form a vortex.
The Gu absorbed the springs' energies, converting them into a form he could safely assimilate.
His muscles strengthened, meridians expanded, and soul power surged like a raging river.
But the pain was unavoidable.
His jade-like skin now mirrored the springs—half scorching red, half deathly pale. Veins bulged as his body trembled uncontrollably, yet his expression remained blank.
As time passed, the colors faded, but his aura intensified.
Finally—a breakthrough!
Huo Yuhao opened his eyes, having achieved Ice-fire immunity. But the Immortal Gu's effects didn't stop there.
"Ice and Fire Condensation Ring!"
With the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's aid, his Ice Soul Body's second soul ring formed—instantly turning black, then red, reaching a hundred thousand years in an instant.
A terrifying cold erupted from his body, freezing even the Fiery Hot Spring.
Then, crystalline, diamond-shaped dragon scales emerged—Ice Soul Body: Mimicry—Ice Dragon King!
..
Huo Yuhao leaped from the spring, assessing his gains: Soul Power skyrocketed from Level 45 to 50.
His physique advanced from Soul Sage-tier to peak Soul Douluo-tier, capable of bearing a hundred-thousand-year soul ring.
And his Ice Soul Bodymartial soul gained a second red ring, with potential for further growth via the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Though his ice control saw minimal improvement, his physical combat prowess soared in Ice Dragon King Mimicry.
"The first tempering yields the greatest benefits," he mused. Further sessions wouldn't be as impactful.
Had he known, he'd have brought the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng for an extra boost.
With his goals achieved, Huo Yuhao prepared to leave.
Aromatic Silk Beauty, the guardian immortal herb, spoke: "You've passed our trial. Take seven herbs of your choice."
Huo Yuhao nodded. "I'll take the Infernal Delicate Apricot for now. I'll return for the others when needed."
The fairy herbs were pragmatic—they knew when to compromise.
Aromatic Silk Beauty pressed further: "What about my immortal pill? It cures all poisons!"
Huo Yuhao declined. "It's useless to me now."
With his Ice Soul Body, ordinary toxins were irrelevant.
Undeterred, Aromatic Silk Beauty suggested: "The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass? It'd greatly benefit your cultivation!"
Huo Yuhao smirked. "You're not asking for yourself, are you?"
The pink flower wilted slightly. "I—I'm asking for others! I'd never leave!"
Of course, the other herbs would never let it go—without Aromatic Silk Beauty, who would suppress the poison miasma?
Huo Yuhao addressed the gathered plant soul beasts: "I have two methods to free you."
1. Purge the Poison Miasma—but only when he reached sufficient strength.
2. Soul Contract—like Skydream, they could become human soul ring, retaining their consciousness even if their host died.
Unlike beast soul beasts, plant souls could reform their energy bodies after their host's death.
"Think it over. Next time I visit, any who wish to become human martial soul, I'll find you suitable hosts."
Seeing their intrigue, Huo Yuhao left with the Infernal Delicate Apricot.
….
Huo Yuhao checked his new soul skills on his way to Shrek Academy.
The Ice Dragon King's second ring granted two straightforward skills:
Sword of the Ice Emperor (Emperor Sword) – A blade of Ultimate Ice, sharper than even the original Ice Jade Empress Scorpion's techniques.
Ice Limit – Doubles Huo Yuhao's attributes, amplifying his Ultimate Ice's potency.
Both were overpowered.
Back in his dorm, Huo Yuhao found Ma Xiaotao waiting.
"Yuhao! My Evil Fire is acting up again!" she blurted, somewhat embarrassed.
Huo Yuhao: "..."
'Are you an Evil Fire magnet?'
'At least put your clothes on before talking!'
"Sister Xiaotao, I actually found a way to help you break through to Ultimate Fire," he said, grinning.
But hesitation flickered across Ma Xiaotao's face.
"Is there a problem?" Huo Yuhao asked confused.
"Well… if I reach Ultimate Fire, will the Phoenix Evil Fire be completely gone?" Ma Xiaotao asked tentatively.
"We used it for body tempering before. Even if it's less effective now, it's still somewhat useful…"
Huo Yuhao shook his head, amused.
"My method will elevate you to Ultimate Fire, but first, I must fully suppress the Evil Fire in your body—which requires… deep communication. You understand, right?"
He felt a little guilty—it almost sounded like exploitation.
'I should've brought the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower…'
But Ma Xiaotao's eyes lit up. "You should've said so earlier!"
She'd been worried that without the Evil Fire excuse, she'd have no reason to visit. Now, she didn't need one.
And so—she pounced.
"Wait, let me shower first—"
"Let's shower together."
...
[Achievement Triggered!]
[Achieved Ma Xiaotao's "Ice and Fire" achievement. Reward obtained: Locking Love Gu.]
[Locking Love Gu: A fifth-turn Gu worm that can lock a soul master's emotions under any circumstances, rendering them unaffected by external influences.]
[Evaluation: Heart as clear as ice.]
…
The Next Day
Sea God Island, Huo Yuhao's Dormitory
A graceful figure lay sprawled across the wide bed, hugging the quilt tightly. The woman's voluptuous form was partially exposed, revealing smooth, fair thighs that gleamed under the morning light.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft glow on her neck and collarbone—both adorned with faint red marks, their pale sheen accentuated by the light.
Ma Xiaotao yawned and drowsily sat up.
Her delicate face was flushed, like morning sunlight reflecting off snow, and her pink eyes shimmered with satisfaction—a woman basking in the afterglow of passion.
A newfound tenderness and charm radiated from her, as enchanting as a freshly bloomed flower.
Her mind took a moment to reboot, thoughts circling sluggishly before finally settling.
Once the memories of last night fully returned, Ma Xiaotao stretched languidly.
In a world like Douluo Continent, where maturity came early, women like Ma Xiaotao were practically considered "leftover maidens" by societal standards.
Her nickname in the inner courtyard said it all.
But now, having finally found someone she truly liked, she wasn't about to let him slip away. She had long been prepared for this.
"That kid… I finally got him…"
Shaking her head with a sigh, she glanced around the empty dormitory before her gaze landed on the pillow beside her.
She buried her face in it, inhaling the lingering scent that still clung to the fabric. Slowly, her restless heart calmed.
Before yesterday, there had always been an unspoken barrier between her and Huo Yuhao—a thin sheet of paper that neither had pierced.
Huo Yuhao had once said: "I only crossed over not long ago. My mindset hasn't fully adjusted yet. But honestly, the people of Douluo Continent develop at an absurdly fast pace—no wonder it's called the Love Continent."
At first, Ma Xiaotao hadn't been in a hurry.
Though fate had bound them together perfectly, there was still a six- or seven-year age gap between them.
She had thought there was plenty of time—that things would develop naturally.
But then…
Huo Yuhao's natural charm with women began to shine.
Watching from the sidelines, Ma Xiaotao grew anxious. The fear of losing him gnawed at her, and more than once, she had been tempted to just claim him then and there.
But that had been a long time ago.
Thanks to the natural counterbalance of ultimate ice against fire, Huo Yuhao's strength had long surpassed hers.
Every time he came to suppress her Evil Fire, she was the one who ended up defeated.
Every time she tried to take the initiative, his domain would overwhelm her, leaving her helpless and flustered.
In the end, she had no choice but to relent.
Until yesterday—when Huo Yuhao finally gave her the signal.
Ma Xiaotao struck without hesitation, capturing him at last.
Their night had been one of indulgence and bliss.
The memory alone made her cheeks burn.
"He's… quite impressive."
They say there's no such thing as a flawless victory.
But last night's defeat had been entirely hers.
She had been so overwhelmed with pleasure that she lost all control.
"Maybe having a few sisters around wouldn't be so bad…"
Her thoughts drifted to her senior sister, Zhang Lexuan.
According to her teacher's hints, due to her slow progress, Zhang Lexuan had been assigned a special mission by Mu En.
Under the guise of "teaching guidance," Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao had grown increasingly close—perhaps even crossing the line of mere friendship.
That was the true source of Ma Xiaotao's urgency.
Who could resist the senior sister when she took the initiative?
If Ma Xiaotao were in Huo Yuhao's shoes, she wouldn't have been able to refuse either.
As for other potential rivals—Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Wu Feng, Ning Tian, Ling Luochen, even Meng Hongchen from Sun Moon—none of them posed a real threat.
She was already miles ahead.
"Huo Yuhao's first time belongs to me, Ma Xiaotao!"
The thought made her hug the quilt tightly, rolling around in sheer delight.
Squeak—
The door opened, and Huo Yuhao returned with breakfast from the inner courtyard's dining hall.
Seeing Ma Xiaotao awake, he smiled.
"Get up and eat first, Sister Xiaotao. We can discuss your breakthrough to Ultimate Fire over breakfast."
"Mmm… Let me shower and freshen up first."
"Alright."
Ma Xiaotao rose without hesitation, showered quickly, and changed into fresh clothes from her storage soul tool.
She then settled beside Huo Yuhao on the sofa, picking up a meat bun—specially provided by the inner courtyard to replenish stamina.
Huo Yuhao's fingers gently combed through her fiery red hair as he spoke.
"You know the legends about immortal herbs, right? During my last mission, I obtained the essence of a 100,000-year-old Infernal Delicate Apricot..."
He didn't go into excessive detail, focusing instead on the herb's effects and the conditions for advancing to Ultimate Fire.
There were two paths for Ma Xiaotao to fully transform into a soul master with ultimate attributes:
First one was to embrace the Evil Fire—accept the evil attributes in her martial soul and become a Black Phoenix. But Huo Yuhao had long since dismissed this path.
The other was to purify the Martial Soul—remove the evil attributes entirely, elevating the Fire Phoenix into a true Fire Phoenix.
Simply suppressing the Evil Fire wasn't a permanent solution.
The evil nature of her martial soul remained, meaning the fire would eventually return.
Only Huo Yuhao's overwhelming strength allowed him to cleanse the Evil Fire so effortlessly. Without him, Ma Xiaotao's cultivation would have been far more turbulent.
In the past, when he wasn't around, she had to constantly suppress the evil influence to avoid losing herself.
As a result, her combat effectiveness and cultivation speed suffered greatly.
From the perspective of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, two immortal herbs were ideal for Ma Xiaotao:
Infernal Delicate Apricot—the one Huo Yuhao obtained.
And Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower used by Ma Hongjun, one of the first-generation Shrek Seven Monsters.
Both could resolve her Evil Fire issue, but the outcomes differed.
Ma Hongjun's Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower had purified his martial soul and flames but hadn't elevated them to the ultimate level.
Thus, relying solely on it would likely only cleanse Ma Xiaotao's martial soul—not push her flames to the ultimate tier.
In contrast, the Infernal Delicate Apricot—when combined with Huo Yuhao's manual removal of the Evil Fire—could not only purify her martial soul but also elevate her flames to the Ultimate Fire in one step.
Of course, the specifics still required careful planning.
After temporarily suppressing the Evil Fire, Huo Yuhao needed to consult Mu En and the others—making Shrek invest some resources to prepare for Ma Xiaotao's breakthrough.
In the original timeline, Ma Xiaotao had reached the ultimate level after being struck by the Sword of Judgment during the Tournament, forcibly evolving into a Black Phoenix.
Now, without that trigger, her Phoenix Evil Fire remained a step away from the ultimate tier—despite the boost from her Red Flame Golden Phoenix Left Arm Bone.
"So, that's the situation." Ma Xiaotao's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"If I successfully reach Ultimate Fire now—as a Soul Sage—I won't be held back by the usual slowdown in cultivation speed for ultimate martial souls?"
"Exactly." Huo Yuhao nodded. "But even if you succeed, your Fire Phoenix will still have room for growth. It might not awaken any ultimate-tier abilities immediately—just pure, high-temperature flames. Among ultimate attributes, it'd likely rank near the bottom."
Ma Xiaotao shot him a playful glare. "I'll be satisfied just reaching the ultimate level."
Enjoying the benefits of an ultimate attribute without the usual drawbacks?
'What kind of heavenly luck was this?!'
She couldn't help but feel that her years of enduring the Evil Fire's torment had finally paid off.
Huo Yuhao smirked.
'Just wait until later.'
With two suitable 100,000-year spirit soul options, her Fire Phoenix could advance even further.
Ma Xiaotao suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace, her ample curves pressing against him.
She planted a firm kiss on his cheek.
"No more talking. Kiss me."
And so, another battle began.
…
Several Days Later
After days of being "distracted" by Evil Fire suppression, the two finally remembered their original goal—helping Ma Xiaotao break through to the ultimate level.
Though she was reluctant to part with the Evil Fire and its benefits, it was a necessary sacrifice.
Besides, given their current relationship, she no longer needed excuses to indulge.
And with Huo Yuhao's Soul Douluo-level physique, the "Ice and Fire Body Tempering" had minimal effect now anyway.
Fortunately, Shrek had already prepared everything.
The Sea God Pavilion elders placed great importance on Ma Xiaotao's breakthrough.
Success would mean Shrek possessed two young soul masters with ultimate attributes—a monumental achievement!
As for the origin of the immortal herbs?
Mu En and the others tactfully avoided prying.
The fact that Huo Yuhao had procured such treasures spoke volumes about his loyalty to both Ma Xiaotao and Shrek.
'No need to question further!'
Two key resolutions were passed: Huo Yuhao was officially designated as the sole successor to the Sea God Pavilion Master.
First: The elders unanimously agreed. Previously, this had only been a verbal understanding.
Mu En had planned to formalize it in a few years, once Huo Yuhao's achievements and soul power (currently Level 50) were more widely recognized.
But upon learning of Huo Yuhao's rapid progress, Mu En was stunned.
'Reaching Quasi-Soul King in just six years?! With an ultimate martial soul's slowed cultivation speed?!'
This was beyond genius—this was a god-tier talent!
If not for Huo Yuhao's youth, Mu En might have abdicated on the spot.
Second: The academy would invest heavily in constructing a temporary cultivation site for Ma Xiaotao's breakthrough.
Multiple high-quality fire-attribute treasures and soul bones were allocated.
The site was set up near the Golden Tree, forming a fire-element meditation circle to amplify heaven and earth's energy.
Similar to an upgraded version of the Golden Tree's meditation room, it functioned as a simplified Fiery Hot Spring from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's perspective.
As Ma Xiaotao sat cross-legged within the circle, Huo Yuhao observed with satisfaction.
'Perhaps the title of "weakest ultimate" wouldn't apply to her for much longer.'
Historically, no human had ever awakened an ultimate martial soul directly—all breakthroughs occurred post-birth.
But unlike Ma Xiaotao, most weren't burdened by an evil-tainted martial soul.
Without external intervention, reaching the ultimate tier would have required severing part of her soul—akin to cutting off an arm.
That was why Huo Yuhao had cautioned that her breakthrough might not immediately grant ultimate-tier abilities.
…
Time passed steadily.
Within the meditation circle, countless fire-attribute treasures ignited with a crimson glow, their energy saturating the air.
The temperature skyrocketed as dense fire element gathered.
Ma Xiaotao's body was bathed in a radiant rose-gold light.
Seeing the moment had come, she took a deep breath and summoned her martial soul.
"Fire Phoenix—ignite!"
A blazing scarlet fire erupted around her.
…
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