In the God Realm, a single day equaled an entire year in the mortal world.
Douluo Continent — one year later.
Huo Yuhao still had no idea what the God King of Destruction was planning in the God Realm.
But throughout this past year, he had brought a brief period of peace to Douluo Continent.
Because he was still waiting for reinforcements from the God Realm.
More precisely—he was waiting for Tang San to invest more resources.
Unfortunately, Tang San was truly stingy, forcing Huo Yuhao to find his own ways to "steal bricks from the wall."
Thus, under Huo Yuhao's secret control, Ning Rongrong and Oscar started their operations.
They quietly released divine inheritance positions and special resources into the universe.
These inheritances and resources would be retrieved by Huo Yuhao's avatars scattered across the cosmos, then sent back to Douluo Continent—either secretly distributed by him or arranged within his divine kingdom.
But after a year had passed, the "God Realm downshift" plan for distributing vacant god positions was essentially reaching its end.
The easy-to-obtain inheritances and resources had mostly been taken by Huo Yuhao or were firmly under his control.
Many vacant god positions still remained, but nearly all had special backgrounds—either overseen by other God Kings or under their watch.
They were not easy to seize.
Huo Yuhao knew that it was almost time to move into the next stage.
During this year, Douluo Continent had not truly been peaceful either; it had gradually turned into an even larger powder keg.
The four empires expanded their military forces aggressively, engaging in an arms race in preparation for the final confrontation.
Since the other three empires could not compete with the Sun Moon Empire in soul tools, they instead poured more resources and funding into enlarging their armies and cultivating high-ranking soul masters.
Although Huo Yuhao had already plundered the continent several times, the four empires still managed to squeeze out quite a few valuable items.
For example, the three empires developed some special secret elixirs.
These elixirs, combined with certain resources, could forcefully extract a soul master's potential, rapidly producing formidable troops.
This significantly enriched the talent pool of Douluo Continent.
Not only the four empires were busy—independent powers and inheritors of divine positions were also racing to strengthen themselves.
Some once-hidden families or sects that Huo Yuhao had overlooked earlier also began to resurface.
One example was Qian Gu's family, where Wang Yan belonged.
Back when Huo Yuhao was still weak, he had to avoid clashing with such factions and couldn't wipe them out nor develop them into his own faith-based forces.
These closed-off families allowed no interference.
But Huo Yuhao grew too quickly—by the time he became strong enough, he no longer needed them.
Now, ironically, they had room to grow.
The divine inheritors were also progressing well.
With abundant resources and the help of their inheritances, everyone who had obtained a divine legacy had made great strides.
Naturally, Huo Yuhao contributed quite a bit.
For those out in the world, he quietly guided them toward abundant "wild" resources.
The divine inheritors in Shrek Academy improved even faster—under Huo Yuhao's strong support, they had almost all reached the threshold for receiving their full divine inheritance.
Huo Yuhao felt that after this year, even his waist and abdomen felt stronger.
New Shrek City.
Here, a massive fortress had been constructed—a strategic barrier against the Sun Moon Empire.
The city's economy had also prospered.
The population was growing rapidly.
Many people had come specifically because of Huo Yuhao.
They believed that staying near the "strongest being below the divine level" meant greater safety.
Even nobles from the four empires sent their younger generations here.
On the bustling streets, Huo Yuhao strolled casually with an ice-mask covering his face so no one could recognize him.
Without it, he would immediately be surrounded by fans, making any attempt at sightseeing impossible.
After all, his unparalleled looks were already famous throughout Douluo Continent.
At this moment, he was accompanying a young girl on a shopping trip.
She was petite, with delicate features—playful and lively as she skipped along the street.
It was Xiao Xiao.
With free time on his hands, Huo Yuhao had decided to "pursue" Xiao Xiao.
As a result, their relationship had advanced rapidly—they were only one final step away.
Xiao Xiao's fate pattern was special, so Huo Yuhao didn't want to manipulate her casually in case it affected her destiny.
Yet the progress turned out to be faster than expected.
Xiao Xiao had already liked him.
And though she was innocent and cute, she wasn't a mere decorative vase—she had her own determination and resilience. Once she decided on Huo Yuhao, she refused to leave him even knowing there were other women around him.
All she needed was some companionship and "genuine affection" from Huo Yuhao, and her heart was completely his.
"Brother Hao, look at this. Does it suit me?" Xiao Xiao picked up a small accessory from a stall and tried it on her head.
Huo Yuhao examined it thoughtfully, then picked another one.
"To be honest, I think this one suits you better. You'll look even prettier wearing it."
"You're so bad~"
Xiao Xiao's cheeks flushed red as she snatched the accessory from him and ran off.
Huo Yuhao smiled, paid the vendor, and strolled after her.
Their date passed quickly, and night arrived.
They returned to the academy and sat together on a bench by the newly restored Sea God Lake, bathed in the setting sun.
Xiao Xiao leaned in Huo Yuhao's arms; he had already removed his mask.
"Brother Hao, I'm so glad I met you. I love you," Xiao Xiao said softly—she was now accustomed to expressing her affection.
Huo Yuhao replied, "I love you too."
"How much do you love me?" she asked mischievously.
Huo Yuhao gazed into her eyes and answered tenderly, "More than yesterday, less than tomorrow."
Xiao Xiao—whose defenses were famously low—could not withstand that.
Blushing deeply, she did not run away this time. Instead, she lifted her chin, closed her eyes, and offered her lips.
Her trembling eyelashes revealed her nervousness.
This was exactly what Huo Yuhao loved about her—after a year together, she was still like a girl in the beginning stages of love.
But the fact that she didn't run away was already a huge step forward.
Their shadows intertwined beneath the sunset.
The evening breeze grew warm and ambiguous.
The faint, indistinct whispers drifted away with the wind.
"Brother Hao… not here… let's go to my room…"
A new day brought new hope.
Xiao Xiao had also broken through to Rank 90. All she needed now was to obtain her ninth spirit ring, and she would officially step into the realm of a Titled Douluo.
When the news spread through Shrek Academy, many people reacted with ambiguous expressions. The girls especially looked complicated.
After all, Huo Yuhao's "special physique" was no secret to anyone.
It could only be said that Xiao Xiao had now officially joined the "sisters' group."
Yan Shaozhe looked at Huo Yuhao with a complex expression—gratified, teasing, and even a bit envious.
Because Huo Yuhao's unique physique… was something every man would want.
It was just that the "method" of power-ups was not very proper. It absolutely could not be spread outside.
Still, thanks to Yuhao's special physique, Shrek Academy's strength had recovered unusually fast.
Right now, more than half of Shrek's top-tier fighters were women—because they had all advanced using Yuhao's strength.
Yan Shaozhe also noticed something else: recently, the relationship between Xian Lin'er and Huo Yuhao had become… subtly different.
Xian Lin'er's increase in strength was also abnormal.
In only one year, she had broken through to Rank 98. She was just one step away from becoming an Ultimate Douluo.
Yan Shaozhe understood the reason, but he dared not think too deeply nor comment on it.
Ever since Qian Duoduo died, Xian Lin'er's desire for power had only grown stronger—everyone could see that.
She needed strength to avenge Shrek Academy… and to avenge Qian Duoduo.
To gain such strength, she had clearly chosen to make certain "sacrifices."
Yan Shaozhe did not approve, but he could understand.
At the same time, he felt that Yuhao was being taken advantage of.
Using Yuhao just for power—it felt like he wasn't being treated as a person. It was somewhat insulting to his dignity.
But the situation was special. Yan Shaozhe could only turn a blind eye, as long as nothing irreversible happened.
Fortunately, Yuhao exercised restraint. No woman in the academy had suddenly become pregnant.
On the other hand, if Yuhao truly left descendants, that would also be a blessing for the future.
Whether it was his special physique or his Ultimate Ice, either one would be an invaluable inheritance and foundation for Shrek Academy.
Even if something disastrous happened, as long as Yuhao remained, he could quickly raise another batch of powerful cultivators.
"Yuhao, thank you for everything. But… I hope you can treat everyone equally," Yan Shaozhe finally said.
Yuhao replied sincerely, "Senior, I treat everyone with true feelings."
Yan Shaozhe: "…"
Watching Yuhao openly maintain a harem with such sincerity, Yan Shaozhe regretted that he didn't have such thick skin when he was young.
Otherwise, Cai Meier, Xian Lin'er, Feng Ling…
Cough cough, thinking too much only brings tears.
But that was all it could ever be—just a thought.
He admitted that when he was young, he absolutely couldn't treat every woman with "genuine affection" the way Yuhao did.
He really was too lustful.
"To think my junior brother can make so many women sincerely devoted to him, without emotional chaos… It must be that his sincere heart moved them all," Yan Shaozhe sighed.
At last, the first inheritor of a god position was about to begin her trial.
It was Jiang Nannan!
Jiang Nannan had reached Rank 90.
And her ninth spirit ring had been arranged by the Silver Dragon King herself—
A 100,000-year spirit beast would sacrifice itself for her.
The Silver Dragon King attached great importance to Jiang Nannan's god inheritance. She had invested heavily to ensure Nannan could pass smoothly.
In her eyes, Jiang Nannan was her backup vessel—her first chess piece toward returning to the Divine Realm.
Nannan's ninth spirit ring came from a 100,000-year Golden Eagle.
Di Tian personally sought it out. At the Silver Dragon King's command, the proud Golden Eagle agreed to sacrifice itself.
The Golden Eagle possessed the golden bloodline, making it immensely powerful—an apex aerial predator known as the king of the skies.
It roamed the Douluo Continent without a fixed home, always soaring above ten thousand meters. Most people could never find it. Even if they did, capturing it alive was almost impossible.
Only someone like Di Tian, and the Silver Dragon King herself, could convince such a proud creature to willingly offer its life.
Besides the spirit ring, the Golden Eagle also gifted Nannan a torso bone—exceptionally complete due to the voluntary sacrifice. Attached to the torso bone was a pair of golden wings resembling external spirit bones.
The Golden Eagle's spirit remained within the torso bone, protected by the Silver Dragon King.
In exchange, once Nannan became a god, she would help the Golden Eagle reconstruct its body.
Right now, Jiang Nannan had only two spirit bones:
—The 100,000-year Sea Princess head bone
—The 100,000-year Golden Eagle torso bone
Few in number, but both of extraordinary quality.
Fortunately, the Love God's trial did not require her to obtain all six spirit bones or forge a full set of godly armor.
To begin the Love God assessment, she needed only the Love God's twin artifacts: the Sun Emotion Wheel and the Moon Desire Wheel.
Everyone took the matter very seriously. They decided to hold the ceremony in a valley within the Star Dou Forest.
Both the Shrek group and the ferocious beasts were present.
To initiate the trial, Jiang Nannan needed not just herself—she also needed the partner chosen by the artifacts: the holder of the Sun Emotion Wheel.
That person was Huo Yuhao.
In the valley, Jiang Nannan was already waiting.
Clad in a simple white dress, she still could not hide her mature, alluring figure. Her beauty dimmed both sun and moon; her plain attire only further emphasized her divine elegance.
The ferocious beasts stood on one side of the valley.
Huo Yuhao arrived with the Shrek team, standing opposite them.
"Yuhao, I envy you," Xu Sanshi said with a complicated tone.
Yes—Xu Sanshi had come as well.
Partly because he couldn't let go of Jiang Nannan, and partly to learn for his own future god inheritance.
Seeing Jiang Nannan standing in the valley, Xu Sanshi's emotions churned. He had pursued her and failed. Only after giving up did he gain the strength to protect her.
Fortunately, he wholeheartedly accepted Nannan's final choice.
His beloved white moonlight and the person he admired most walked the same path.
"Yuhao, I entrust Nannan to you. I'm at ease."
"I know Nannan isn't your only one… but I hope you'll treat her well."
By the end, Xu Sanshi's eyes reddened, his voice trembling.
Bei Bei hugged his shoulder silently. He understood Xu Sanshi's pain.
Yuhao pulled both of them into an embrace. "I'll definitely treat her well!"
Not just Jiang Nannan, of course~
Huo Yuhao also flew into the valley.
Inside the valley, he and Jiang Nannan looked into each other's eyes. Her gaze was filled with deep affection—so deep that it seemed she could see no one but Huo Yuhao in her entire world.
Huo Yuhao returned her look with gentleness.
Everyone watching from both sides of the valley stood in complete silence.
The inheritance of the godhood had officially begun!
Huo Yuhao and Jiang Nannan both activated their martial souls.
"Come out, Ice Centipede!"
"Soft Bone Rabbit, Possession!"
With two low shouts—
The Ice Centipede appeared, maintaining a size of about two meters. It coiled at Huo Yuhao's feet, the three pairs of transparent wings on its back trembling gently. A chilling aura spread from its body.
Now, the Ice Centipede looked far less vicious than before, possessing instead a sense of perfection, harmony, and elegance.
After inheriting the God of Wisdom's position, the Ice Centipede had not gained much additional intelligence—but its temperament had undergone an epic transformation.
Jiang Nannan's martial soul possession activated as well. Her figure grew taller, her long legs becoming even more shapely and powerful. Her body gained elasticity and flexibility, full of inner strength.
Golden hair cascaded down her back, a pair of rabbit ears stood upright atop her head—cute and mischievous. Her eyes turned pink, radiating an enchanting glow.
Huo Yuhao and Jiang Nannan exchanged a smile.
In the next moment, the Ice Centipede transformed into a suit of icy armor, covering Huo Yuhao. The wings turned into a fluttering cloak behind him.
A pair of golden wings unfurled behind Jiang Nannan, making her look like a goddess.
"Yuhao, I finally caught up to you…" Jiang Nannan said emotionally.
"Nannan, I always knew you could." Huo Yuhao's eyes were gentle.
Overwhelmed by emotion, Jiang Nannan leaped lightly into Huo Yuhao's arms and kissed him.
Huo Yuhao lowered his head, accepting her lips and tasting their sweetness.
Seeing this scene, Xu Sanshi didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
As Jiang Nannan sank deeper into her emotions, her soul power merged with Huo Yuhao's. Pink light erupted from both of them, enveloping them completely.
Martial Soul Fusion Skill — Descent of the Goddess of Love!
Within the pink-gold pillar of light, a divine phantom slowly appeared—nine parts resembling Jiang Nannan—eyes closed.
When the phantom's eyelashes trembled and it slowly opened its eyes, everyone saw the shadows of the sun and moon reflected within them.
The sun and moon shadows gradually solidified. The Sun Emotion Wheel and the Moon Intention Wheel appeared out of thin air, circling the phantom playfully.
The two divine artifacts seemed alive—chasing one another like lovers.
As they drew closer, silver and gold lights intertwined, and the artifacts began to merge.
From the phantom, Huo Yuhao and Jiang Nannan's voices rang out in unison—
"Sun's Passion and Moon's Devotion—our lives bound as one!"
"Love eternal, inseparable!"
"Manifest—Wheel of Eternity!"
The other name of the fused Sun-Moon Wheel was—the Wheel of Eternity, symbol of everlasting love.
Boom—
Gold and silver light spiraled upward into the sky. In that instant, the outside world's light seemed to vanish, leaving only the pillar reaching the heavens.
The sky split apart, and a gigantic rotating wheel appeared high above.
The wheel resembled a vast formation, covered in beautiful, intricate patterns. The left side bore the mark of the sun; the right, the moon. Gold and silver flowed like starlight, surrounding the celestial duo.
"That… that is the power of a god?!"
Yan Shaozhe whispered in disbelief.
Everyone lifted their heads, eyes filled with awe.
Even Di Tian sighed.
He had stayed briefly in the God Realm as a child and had seen powers of the gods—
But this artifact of the Goddess of Love was truly the most beautiful he had ever seen.
Below, the phantom moved.
Like Chang'e ascending the moon, she flew gracefully toward the heavens, guided by the gold-silver light, disappearing into the Wheel of Eternity.
Light returned to the valley, where only the rotating Wheel remained in the sky.
Everyone knew—
Huo Yuhao and Jiang Nannan were inheriting godhood inside the Wheel of Eternity!
When Huo Yuhao and Jiang Nannan regained consciousness—
They found themselves in a hellish landscape.
Blood-red flames burned around them. The air was filled with darkness and ominous energy. The sorrowful cries of women echoed in their ears.
In the depths of darkness, something dangerous watched them.
If legends of hell were true, this was surely the place.
Their bodies still maintained the form of the Martial Soul Fusion—still the Goddess of Love's phantom.
"This is the Goddess of Love's inheritance space? Why does it look like this?" Jiang Nannan asked uneasily.
This was nothing like what she imagined.
From the earlier manifestations of the Goddess, her power should have been elegant, noble, and beautiful—
Not this inferno.
Huo Yuhao immediately realized the issue.
He sensed divine resentment.
This was indeed the Goddess of Love's inheritance realm—her secret sanctuary.
But something had gone wrong.
Not because Tang San tampered with it—
But because of the former Goddess of Love.
The previous Goddess did leave behind a proper inheritance.
But she also left behind—resentment.
A resentment born from being betrayed by the one she loved. It did not dissipate with death, but instead fused into the inheritance, transforming the sanctuary into this corrupted state.
Resentment does not fade with time.
It only grows more terrifying.
Hatred Without End!
Huo Yuhao did not know the difficulty of the original inheritance, but this resentment-tainted realm—
Was undoubtedly a place of ten deaths with no life.
Jiang Nannan and the Martial Soul Fusion Skill alone could not handle a god's resentment.
But…
Huo Yuhao was here.
Sweeping his divine sense across the realm, he located the true inheritance deep within.
Since they had come—
The Goddess of Love's inheritance must be taken!
"Nannan, be careful. This may also be part of the trial," Huo Yuhao said.
Jiang Nannan nodded seriously.
But before they could move, danger descended.
From the blood-red flames, ghastly female specters flew out—screaming, hideous, fanged—rushing toward them.
Jiang Nannan instinctively attacked. Even a casual strike from the Goddess of Love's phantom carried the power of a full-force blow from a typical Super Douluo.
However—
When the attacks hit the specters, they shattered momentarily before reforming instantly.
More specters flew toward them. Jiang Nannan dodged quickly.
After a few exchanges, she exclaimed in shock,
"These monsters… can't be killed?"
Even worse—
She noticed that the longer they fought, the more specters appeared.
"Ordinary methods won't be able to eliminate these monsters!"
Huo Yuhao reminded her.
"Then what should we do?" Jiang Nannan asked nervously.
She had thought the hardships were finally over, yet another calamity appeared before her.
"Since this is related to the Love God's Trial, why not try using the power of love?" Huo Yuhao offered a solution. "This is your trial. You must believe in yourself!"
Jiang Nannan froze for a moment, then suddenly understood.
She nodded firmly.
"I understand!"
The Love God's phantom suddenly halted its attacks, dropped its defenses, and floated quietly in mid-air, even closing its eyes as if entering a silent state.
But the attacking ghostly women did not stop. They rushed forward frantically, shrieking as they tried to tear the Love God's phantom apart.
Just as they were about to strike—
The Love God's phantom moved.
It blurred into an afterimage and vanished from its original position.
The ghostly women's attacks missed completely.
The next second, Jiang Nannan's voice came from above.
"Love God's Three Arts!"
"Joy! Sorrow! Love!"
These were the battle techniques Jiang Nannan had developed herself during the trial—techniques infused with her intent, born from her love for Huo Yuhao.
There were three forms in total.
At this moment, she unleashed all three at once.
Three techniques chained together, merging perfectly, their power rising exponentially.
Light flickered over the Love God's phantom.
It transformed into a blade of light and descended from the heavens.
Within the blade of light, faint images flashed—Jiang Nannan's insights fused into the three forms.
A young girl's experiences and perception of love quietly emerged:
The joy of being with the one she loved.
The worries about the future she shared with them.
And, after sweeping away all disturbances—
The purest, most genuine love.
The moment the blade descended, love spread outward.
The ghostly women were instantly purified into ash, unable to reform ever again.
Even the blood-red flames burning around them began to weaken.
"I did it!" Jiang Nannan exclaimed joyfully.
"Congratulations, Nannan. You succeeded!" Huo Yuhao said with warmth.
Encouraged by his praise, Jiang Nannan looked at the remaining ghostly women and charged forward proactively.
Huo Yuhao nodded with satisfaction.
Jiang Nannan truly had talent.
Of course, she also had the guidance and training of the Silver Dragon King.
Without guidance, Jiang Nannan would never have been able to merge the three forms.
Three-form fusion clearly came from expert instruction.
Back when she first created the Love God's Three Arts, Huo Yuhao had seen them before. Although they were good, he felt they were more artistic and aesthetically pleasing rather than powerful.
But now, with the three forms fused together, they showed the beginnings of a divine skill.
It was impossible for Jiang Nannan to comprehend this alone—especially since she wasn't even a Titled Douluo back then. How could she reach the domain of divine techniques?
Unless she had crossed the river by touching the stones.
These ghostly women were manifestations of the Love God's resentment.
To defeat them, one either erased them with divine power or purified them with the Love God's power.
Purification was clearly more suitable for Jiang Nannan.
Understanding how to use love might be difficult for others, but not for her.
During the trial, Jiang Nannan had gained compatibility with the Love God's divine position.
It deepened her understanding and perception of love.
Divine position compatibility wasn't simply fitting a role—it meant fitting the associated power and laws.
It was a type of innate aptitude being awakened and developed.
The powers purified by Jiang Nannan didn't simply disappear.
They were guided by the Love God's aura and merged into the Love God's phantom.
The phantom gradually solidified. Slowly, it began to feel almost… alive.
As if the Love God had resurrected.
Except—the resurrected Love God had Jiang Nannan's appearance.
Jiang Nannan fought more and more fiercely.
But the Love God's resentment would not be resolved so easily.
Or rather—those ghostly women were only the beginning.
The true crisis was never a clash of power—
but the test of one's inner heart.
This was one of the strengths the Love God was best known for.
Huo Yuhao could sense that the Love God's resentment was quietly infiltrating Jiang Nannan's mind and spirit.
But he didn't stop it.
Because if Jiang Nannan wanted to absorb even the resentment's power to grow further, she had to confront it directly.
While purifying the ghostly women, Jiang Nannan suddenly felt dizzy.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in an elegant masquerade ball.
The place was filled with all sorts of people.
She had lost all her abilities and was wearing a golden, exquisite gown, becoming one of them.
Everyone danced to the gentle music, faces filled with blissful smiles.
"Yuhao? Yuhao, where are you?"
Sensing something was wrong, Jiang Nannan instinctively searched for Huo Yuhao.
Her intuition told her—he was somewhere in this ball.
But everyone wore masks, hiding their faces.
She could only search through the masks.
The ballroom was enormous—so large she couldn't see its end.
There were countless people—she couldn't even count them.
Many even looked similar to Huo Yuhao.
Finding him among them all would not be easy.
Yet—Jiang Nannan felt certain:
She would find him.
"Yuhao must be right beside me. He wouldn't leave me!"
She closed her eyes and felt from the heart.
Slowly, the music faded.
The warm lights cooled.
The dancers' figures dissolved away.
Darkness closed in.
But that feeling grew clearer.
Finally—
Jiang Nannan opened her eyes sharply and turned around.
All illusions vanished.
Only one masked figure stood behind her.
Two beams of light illuminated only the two of them.
Without hesitation, Jiang Nannan smiled, stepped forward, and extended her hand.
A glow lit up her palm.
The masked figure took her hand.
The two beams crossed.
A gentle hand rested on Jiang Nannan's waist.
Together, they moved across the dance floor.
Soft music rose once more.
They danced like sprites gliding over ice each movement smooth and graceful, like art itself.
They swayed.
They flowed.
Their mutual understanding was laid bare.
When the music stopped, so did their dance.
Jiang Nannan gazed at the man holding her. The mask on his face shattered.
Revealed beneath it Huo Yuhao's warm, gentle smile.
The next second, his figure dissolved into motes of light and merged into her body, cleansing her mind and spirit.
Jiang Nannan gained insight.
While searching for Huo Yuhao, she had comprehended a new power.
The light belonging to Huo Yuhao guided her.
Darkness surged in from all directions, devouring the ballroom and threatening to swallow her whole.
But light blossomed in Jiang Nannan's hand.
"Thank you, Yuhao. I understand it now. It's wonderful… that you're here."
She thrust her palm forward Light pierced the darkness She named this new move—
"Seeking the Light!"