On the other hand, this protagonist of destiny seemed like an adopted child, not encountering much fortune later on—or perhaps... he had already encountered too much?
Gu La made a guess and returned to the hotel with the others, continuing to refine his ideas about soul spirit equipment.
In the following matches, Shrek Academy did not keep Gu La in constant play.
Wang Yan flexibly arranged Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and others to take turns playing based on the opponents' strength and the team members' conditions. This both trained the team and avoided exposing all of Gu La's strength too early.
Huo Yuhao, relying on his shared mental detection and mimicry soul skills, became an indispensable "eye" and tactical core for the team.
Under Gu La's subtle guidance, those two Body Sect Soul Saints who had been lurking in Star Luo City, originally just there to "watch the show," indeed had their attention firmly drawn by Huo Yuhao.
Especially when Huo Yuhao used his Spirit Eye martial soul for precise detection and interference once, one of the Soul Saints' eyes burst with startling brilliance.
"Big Brother! Look at that kid's eyes!" he excitedly transmitted his voice, "That fluctuation… no mistake, it's a Body Martial Soul! And… an extremely rare, astonishingly potent Body Martial Soul. The purity and control of this spiritual power are unmatched by ordinary eye martial souls."
The other Soul Saint observed carefully, his expression also turning grave, "Indeed. This quality… might have the potential for a Silver-level secondary awakening. Shrek has truly found a treasure this time. No, we must immediately inform the Sect Leader."
Without hesitation, the two used a special communication method to swiftly relay the shocking discovery about Huo Yuhao's Body Martial Soul back to the Body Sect located deep in the mountains of the Tian Hun Empire.
Huo Yuhao was completely unaware of this. He was deeply immersed in the competition and cooperation with his teammates.
Xuan Zi, however, detected the presence of those two Soul Saints and their focus on Huo Yuhao. But sensing they were only at the level of Soul Saints and seeing they didn't intend to act immediately, he felt a sense of disdain.
"Hmph, two Body Sect Soul Saints dare to covet Shrek? With me here as the guardian, I doubt they would dare to act rashly." He didn't take the matter to heart and failed to promptly notify others to strengthen vigilance.
The schedule progressed rapidly, and the quarter-finals approached. Shrek advanced smoothly, thanks to the outstanding performance of the reserve team members and Gu La's crucial backup during key moments.
During a pivotal match, a terrifying pressure akin to the awakening of a prehistoric beast suddenly enveloped the entire Star Luo Grand Arena without warning.
The air seemed to solidify; all soul masters felt their hearts gripped by an invisible hand, their soul power circulation sluggish.
Xuan Zi abruptly turned his head, his face instantly changing.
At the other end of the arena, high in the sky, a figure—not tall, even somewhat stocky—hovered quietly.
He wore simple gray cloth clothes, had a rugged face, and short hair standing up like steel needles. Most striking were his eyes, which radiated intense light with each blink, seemingly containing boundless power and majesty.
It was none other than the Body Sect Leader, the Level 98 Super Douluo—Du Busi!
Xuan Zi's figure flashed, instantly appearing before Du Busi. The faint shadow of the Taotie Bull behind him barely visible, a powerful aura erupted, attempting to counteract that oppressive force, but clearly falling behind. He said gravely, "Du Busi, what brings you here?"
Du Busi bared his teeth in a grin, revealing gleaming white teeth, his voice like clashing metal, causing ear pain, "What am I doing? Naturally, I'm here to take my family from the Body Sect home."
Xuan Zi's eyes sharpened, his tone carrying a warning, "There are no Body Sect disciples here; you may leave."
"Hmph." Du Busi snorted coldly, his terrifying aura spiking again, making Xuan Zi's breath catch. "Xuan Zi, with your half-baked Taotie Bull bloodline, you're no match for me. It would be more appropriate if Mu En himself came."
Xuan Zi's face turned livid, silent. Du Busi spoke the truth; his Taotie Bull martial soul had flaws, and his strength was indeed slightly inferior to Du Busi's.
But he still stood his ground, blocking Du Busi, "With me here, you won't take anyone away."
A glint of ferocity flashed in Du Busi's eyes, but after glancing at the crowded stadium below and the grim-faced Emperor Xu Jiawei of the Star Luo Empire in the VIP seats, he reined in his aura somewhat.
He didn't want to fight Xuan Zi here and completely offend the Star Luo Empire, as the Body Sect needed to find disciples across the vast continent and couldn't do without local support.
"Fine, very good." Du Busi sneered, "Then let's see which one the little guy chooses for himself." His gaze pierced through space, locking firmly onto Huo Yuhao, who was competing in the arena below.
Coincidentally, Huo Yuhao, in order to break through his opponent's strong defensive soul skill, had no choice but to release his Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion martial soul. An extreme chill instantly spread, his emerald green eyes captivating.
"Oh?" Du Busi's eyes blazed with even more fervent light, enlightened, "So that's how it is. No wonder you dare to confront me over a student. That little guy actually has twin martial souls, and his other martial soul is Ultimate Ice! Good, very good!"
His desire grew stronger. Dual martial souls usually didn't differ much in quality. A Body Martial Soul capable of matching Ultimate Ice would undoubtedly be extraordinary.
This was truly a gift from heaven, the perfect heir for the Body Sect to inherit his mantle.
"Xuan Zi, I heard that your Shrek produced a kid with Ultimate Fire this time?"
Du Busi suddenly changed the subject, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Gu La in Shrek's rest area, his tone carrying naked threat.
"Shrek's luck is truly enviable. But… you guess, if I were determined to take someone away, whom could you protect?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Zi's pupils contracted sharply, his face instantly turning extremely grim. Du Busi's meaning was clear:
If Xuan Zi dared to fully prevent him from taking Huo Yuhao, then the Body Sect wouldn't mind also "inviting" another Ultimate martial soul, or… directly destroying it!
If someone else had said this, Xuan Zi could have dismissed it as a mere threat. But the Body Sect was always a gathering place for madmen, unafraid to do anything.
Xuan Zi believed they dared to commit such an act tantamount to declaring war!
Facing a single Du Busi already pressured him immensely; if the Body Sect sent out other strong individuals… Xuan Zi felt unprecedented frustration and helplessness. He stared fiercely at Du Busi, yet dared not easily make bold threats again.
Especially recalling the two Body Sect Soul Saints he hadn't dealt with earlier, Xuan Zi regretted deeply. Had he known the Body Sect valued Huo Yuhao so highly, even sending Du Busi personally, he would have secretly eliminated them.
But now it was too late for regrets. Xuan Zi could only maintain a standoff with Du Busi, preventing him from acting personally.
He still held hope; Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, having mostly recovered their combat abilities, might hold out until the Star Luo Empire's city defense forces arrived alongside others.
Time slowly passed, and the match ended.
The Shrek group returned to the hotel with heavy hearts and concern for Elder Xuan. It wasn't that they wanted to leave, but someone covertly forced them away with Soul Saint-level pressure.
Just as they reached a relatively quiet street near the hotel, two towering figures suddenly appeared, blocking their path.
It was those two Body Sect Soul Saints, their auras fully unleashed, displaying their Soul Saint-level pressure without concealment. Their sharp gazes locked firmly onto Huo Yuhao.
Wang Yan's heart sank, but he feigned calmness and stepped forward, "Who are you two, why block our way?"
One of the square-faced strongmen ignored Wang Yan, addressing Huo Yuhao directly,
"Huo Yuhao, come with us. The Body Sect is your true home. Your Body Martial Soul can only shine its true light within the sect."
Bei Bei immediately stepped in front of Huo Yuhao, saying gravely, "Yuhao is a disciple of our Tang Sect and will never join another sect. You've mistaken someone."
Huo Yuhao also looked bewildered and wary, "I don't know you, and I won't go with you."
The hawk-nosed Soul Saint interrupted impatiently, "What's the point of talking nonsense? Kid, your Body Martial Soul talent is extraordinary, but without a secondary awakening, you'll never catch up with your Ultimate martial soul. The Body Sect has secret methods to awaken you, unlocking your true potential. Coming with us is your opportunity."
Wang Yan sternly said, "You've heard him, Huo Yuhao doesn't want to go with you, please step aside!"
"Stubborn fools." A flash of ferocity appeared in the hawk-nosed Soul Saint's eyes, "Take him directly."
Before the words faded, the two simultaneously attacked. Their bodies instantly expanded.
The square-faced strongman's right arm muscles bulged, his skin turning bronze with a metallic luster, resembling a divine giant's arm. He threw a punch, causing the air to explode.
Martial Soul: Arm. Bronze-level secondary awakening.
The hawk-nosed Soul Saint's left calf suddenly swelled, veins coiling like dragons. He stomped the ground, cracking it, and shot forward like a cannonball.
Martial Soul: Calf. Bronze-level secondary awakening.
"Protect Yuhao!" Though Dai Yueheng and Ma Xiaotao were still injured, they roared and charged forward.
White Tiger Vajra Transformation!
Phoenix Cloud Piercing Strike!
Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and He Caidou also unleashed their soul power, going all out.
Gu La also pretended to release his soul skills, even using the Mega Evolution device, but no one paid attention to him, diminishing his satisfaction.
However, the gap in strength was still despairing. The two Body Sect Soul Saints activated their True Body, increasing their strength two to three times.
"Bang bang bang!"
Dai Yueheng and Ma Xiaotao's full-force ten-thousand-year soul skills were shattered by the square-faced strongman's punch. They grunted, flying backward, aggravating their injuries, blood trickling from their mouths.
Such was the power of the Body Martial Soul. Their own bodies were the strongest weapons, even their soul skills were "external" aids to enhance their physical prowess.
Bei Bei's Thunder Dragon Claw, mighty thunder, was kicked apart by the hawk-nosed Soul Saint, sending him flying.
Xu Sanshi's Shield was severely dented by the giant arm, his martial soul breaking and rebounding, sending him and the shield retreating several meters.
Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly, Xiao Xiao's Three Lives Soul Sealing Cauldron, and He Caidou's soul-guided artillery struck the opponents' bodies, strengthened by secondary awakening, leaving only shallow marks before being deflected. They couldn't penetrate their defenses!
Within just a few breaths, everyone from Shrek, including Gu La, was knocked down, losing their fighting ability.
Huo Yuhao was locked by that terrifying pressure, unable to move.
Huo Yuhao mentally cried for help, "Brother Tian Meng! Ice Empress, Elder Electrolux, save me!"
Tian Meng Ice Silkworm lazily responded, "Hey hey, don't rush, little Yuhao. Brother feels they mean no harm, just want to take you back for Body Martial Soul awakening. The Body Sect's secret methods are quite something; it might benefit you to learn. Go study, watch the show~"
Ice Empress snorted coldly, remaining silent but not forcefully intervening.
Their goal was to help Huo Yuhao become a god, regardless of which faction he joined. Especially seeing the strength of the Body Martial Soul, they didn't interfere with this obvious opportunity.
Huo Yuhao's heart raced with urgency and helplessness. Facing the two menacing approaching Soul Saints, he ultimately chose to temporarily submit, "...I'll go with you, but don't hurt my companions."
"This is better. Rest assured, we know our limits. They're just superficial injuries, nothing serious."
The square-faced strongman grinned, grabbing Huo Yuhao's shoulder, and the two vanished like ghosts at the end of the street, taking Huo Yuhao with them.
Less than three minutes after Huo Yuhao was taken away, a yellow streak of light landed with a violent aura—it was Xuan Zi, his face filled with anxiety.
He saw the chaos, the students injured and lying on the ground, but Huo Yuhao was nowhere to be found. His face instantly turned livid.
"Where's Yuhao?!" Xuan Zi roared, his surging soul power stirring up dust.
Wang Yan struggled to stand, blood at the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with grief and accusation,
"Elder Xuan, why did you… Yuhao… Yuhao was forcibly taken away by two people claiming to be from the Body Sect!"
Xu Sanshi, clutching his chest, indignantly said, "Elder Xuan, weren't you following us all along? Why at the critical moment…"
Xuan Zi looked at the students' eyes, some angry, some sad, some disappointed. His facial muscles twitched, filled with frustration and helplessness.
He sighed heavily, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness and fatigue, "Old me… was detained by that old poisonous thing Du Busi. His cultivation equals mine, and he excels in toxins."
"He threatened me with all of your safety. If I dared to fully stop him from taking Huo Yuhao, he'd have other Body Sect members attack you… Old me… couldn't handle everything."
He paused, looking at their still unreconciled eyes, and could only muster his spirits to console them,
"But rest assured, Du Busi personally said he took Huo Yuhao because of his talent, intending to take him as a disciple and teach him the Body Sect's secrets. Huo Yuhao won't be harmed. After the tournament ends, I'll personally go to the Body Sect to retrieve him!"
Upon hearing this, though still worried, angry, and frustrated, they knew blaming Xuan Zi further wouldn't help at this point.
They supported each other to stand up, the atmosphere as oppressive as the silence before a storm.
Gu La stood aside, calmly watching all this unfold, as if an outsider.
"Du Busi… truly a straightforward brute. The Body Sect hasn't experienced the torment of soul-guided weapons, hence their arrogance."
"But for Huo Yuhao to visit the Body Sect and undergo a secondary awakening of his Spirit Eye, it might not be a bad thing."
Gu La looked up at the sky, as if seeing the god realm hanging above Douluo Continent, "Huo Yuhao's connection with Tang Sect and Shrek is tenuous. What moves will Tang San make?"
Things seemed to be getting increasingly interesting.
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