"What's the name of your third Soul Skill?"
Walking on a quiet path, Ma Xiaotao had her hands behind her back and asked with a smile.
"Imprint." Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up slightly. "This Soul Skill lets me instantly imprint and store Soul Skills released by enemies or allies. I can imprint three times per day, but each time I can only store one Soul Skill. The power of the imprinted Soul Skill is preserved 100%, but the consumption depends on my current spiritual power."
"The higher the opponent's Soul Master rank that I try to imprint, the greater the consumption when I release the imprinted skill. If it's too far beyond my limit, even if I imprint it, I can't use it. As it looks now, Soul Emperor is my limit."
Hearing this, Ma Xiaotao's eyes brightened. "Meaning you can imprint my Soul Skills?"
"Sis, what level are you now?" Huo Yuhao asked.
Ma Xiaotao placed her hands on her waist and proudly said, "Not that much, barely level sixty-nine."
Huo Yuhao raised his brows. "That means when the competition starts, you'll be at Soul Sage level?"
Ma Xiaotao nodded. "That's right."
Sure enough, after losing the Evil Fire suppression, Ma Xiaotao's cultivation was rising rapidly.
"Right, sis, when you're free, let me imprint your Soul Skill once. Otherwise, when you reach Soul Sage later, even if I imprint it, I won't be able to use it. The consumption will be terrifying — I might get squeezed dry on the spot."
Huo Yuhao quickly said as he thought of something.
Ma Xiaotao patted her proud chest. "No problem. After we order food at the cafeteria, we'll go to the Soul Fighting Area."
"Alright." Huo Yuhao nodded.
After ordering food at the cafeteria, the two immediately headed to the Soul Fighting Area. Of course, Ma Xiaotao chose one of the small arenas built around the main Soul Fighting Arena — the same type where Huo Yuhao had competed before.
Standing in the center, Ma Xiaotao nodded toward Huo Yuhao. In the next moment, six Soul Rings rose beneath her feet. A crimson flame exploded around her delicate body, twisting the air with its heat.
"Among my six Soul Skills, the fifth is my strongest single-target skill — Phoenix Piercing Cloud Strike. The sixth is the strongest group attack — Phoenix Meteor Shower. Which one do you want?"
Huo Yuhao rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. "The sixth one."
"Okay." Ma Xiaotao nodded.
"Hu—"
A strong blaze swept out. Wings of a phoenix appeared behind Ma Xiaotao, and a phoenix shadow shone behind her. She jumped and shot into the sky, her deepest-colored black ten-thousand-year Soul Ring lighting up.
Her eyes turned scarlet, aura violently rising. With a clear phoenix cry, vast flames condensed into head-sized fireballs.
At the same time, Huo Yuhao's three Soul Rings rose.
Purple, purple, black.
Yes — he had already adjusted Tianmeng Iceworm's Soul Ring color to purple.
The moment his rings appeared, a black light flashed in his eyes. A solid spiritual force surged out, fully imprinting Ma Xiaotao's Soul Skill. When the imprint finished, the black light faded, replaced by a phoenix shadow in his pupils.
That meant it succeeded.
Feeling the warm surge inside his body, Huo Yuhao understood — that was the special feeling of imprinting Ma Xiaotao's Soul Skill.
Seeing Huo Yuhao nod, Ma Xiaotao canceled her Soul Skill, flames withdrawing as she landed.
"Thanks, sis." Huo Yuhao walked forward.
"You're being too polite." Ma Xiaotao crossed her arms. "There are still twenty days left in the break. How are you planning to spend them? Want big sister to personally train you?"
Huo Yuhao's gaze flickered. "I plan to cultivate and also study in the Soul Guidance Department."
"You're going to study Soul Tools?" Ma Xiaotao looked surprised.
Huo Yuhao replied, "Just taking elective Soul Tool classes. Honestly, some things in Soul Tools are really good. I think even you can use them."
"I won't." Ma Xiaotao shook her head. She really had no interest in Soul Tools.
Huo Yuhao knew she disliked Soul Tools and immediately changed tactics. "Sis, if you don't like Soul Tools, why do you use a Storage Soul Guidance Device?"
"Uh…" Ma Xiaotao's expression froze. "Storage Soul Guidance Devices are different. They're convenient. I can't carry everything on my back."
Huo Yuhao chuckled. "There are many Soul Tools like Storage Devices — tools that help us fight, defend, and even live better."
"For example — Invincible Shield. It has no offensive power, but when activated, it gives a similar effect to Invincible Golden Body. If danger suddenly appears, activating it can save your life, even reverse a situation."
"And flight-type Soul Tools — they let us travel faster or escape faster."
"We don't need to reject Soul Tools. They exist because people need them. If they were useless, who would invent them?"
"The strong Soul Masters of the future will definitely combine Soul Tools and Soul Masters. Everyone has a weakness. Soul Tools fill those weaknesses."
"Sis, you'll definitely be chosen as a future Dean of Shrek's Martial Soul Academy. If you dislike Soul Tools, what will teachers and students think?"
"Soul Tools are the future. I bet many academies will use Soul Tools in the coming tournament."
Ma Xiaotao fell silent.
If someone else said this, she'd ignore them. But it was Huo Yuhao — so she hesitated.
Huo Yuhao saw her reaction and stopped talking. Acceptance takes time.
In the original story, when they went to kill the evil Soul Master Soul King who nearly wiped out the Shrek team — if the main team had an Invincible Shield, the substitutes would have had no chance to shine.
Plot armor — otherwise how would Huo Roast-Fish and the others get spotlight?
What made Huo Yuhao laugh was — in the main team, Yao Haoxuan and Dai Yueheng were nobles from powerful families. They should know about Soul Tools. Yet they acted ignorant.
Nobles not knowing about world tools? Ridiculous.
Of course, it's understandable. Early story: Soul Tools hadn't been properly written yet. Later the author needed them, so he suddenly made them overpowered.
Thus huge inconsistency.
Example — early it said only three Rank-9 Soul Engineers in the continent. Later dozens show up.
People say they were hidden in Sun and Moon Empire — but Mu En visited Sun and Moon Empire. He saw Rank-9 stationary Soul Cannon Shells. How would he not see Rank-9 Soul Engineers?
Douluo is different from other xianxia. The world map is too small. Once early settings are fixed, later contradictions are huge.
Other novels can just introduce new world layers — Immortal Realm, God Realm, etc. Easy to reset.
By the time they picked up food, the sky had already darkened.
At Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier's residence, the four sat together enjoying dinner.
Ma Xiaotao was still thinking about Soul Tools, eating unusually gracefully, making Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier uncomfortable.
Cai Meier kept serving Huo Yuhao food — with public chopsticks, of course.
"Meier, that girl Lexuan should be returning to the Academy soon, right?" Yan Shaozhe asked softly while drinking.
Hearing that, Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao immediately looked up. Lexuan obviously meant Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan.
Only then did Huo Yuhao realize he hadn't seen Zhang Lexuan for a long time.
Cai Meier nodded. "As the Inner Court Senior Sister, her position is high and responsibilities heavy. She took some students to the Heavenly Soul Empire. Based on time, she should return soon."
"A few days ago, Elder Mu asked whether we should let Lexuan lead the team to Star Luo Empire for the new tournament. What do you think?"
Yan Shaozhe put down his cup and thought. "I originally planned to give Lexuan another task, but since Teacher asked, agree. Elder Xuan will be chief leader. Lexuan and Wang Yan will be deputy leaders."
Cai Meier nodded. "Alright, I'll arrange it."
Hearing the conversation, Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao had different reactions.
Ma Xiaotao was pleasantly surprised. Huo Yuhao was shocked.
In the original, Zhang Lexuan led the team to Sun and Moon Empire later. This timeline moved earlier.
But good — Senior Sister handling things is safer. Xuanzi's nickname: "Holy Spirit Cult Supreme Elder," "Team-Wipe Engine," "Most humiliating Rank-98 Super Douluo."
Following him is more dangerous than following an Evil Soul Master.
The meal finished peacefully.
Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao washed dishes together, then left.
Originally, Ma Xiaotao invited Huo Yuhao to sleep at her place, but he refused — he had things to do tonight.
Previously, he needed Ma Xiaotao to smuggle him out of the Inner Court. Now, using Ice Jade Scorpion martial soul, he froze the water and walked out.
"Teacher, how far can you sense Devour-attribute fluctuations?"
In the quiet Outer Court, Huo Yuhao asked in his heart.
"That ability isn't easy to detect. Go to places with few people but lots of plants. If that girl wants to absorb life energy, she'll go to such places."
Electrolux's calm voice replied.
"Okay." Huo Yuhao rushed toward Shrek City.
After exiting the back gate, he went to parks nearby.
Since it was late, parks were empty — except a few young couples doing wild things.
Finding such indecent behavior distasteful, Huo Yuhao casually threw a few fireworks Soul Tools toward them.
Amid screams, he calmly left without leaving credit.
Nearly two hours passed. He searched many parks, but found no signs of weakened plants.
Helpless, he sat by a riverside park, sitting on a stone stool and gazing at the bright city.
Could it be Tang Ya hasn't started absorbing life energy?
Feeling puzzled, Huo Yuhao picked up a Blue Silver Grass and played with it.
Just as he was about to leave, he sensed someone approaching from the dark.
Without hesitation, he activated Spiritual Detection and hid.
With Spiritual Detection, everything was clear.
A slim figure walked slowly, wearing a mask, constantly looking around nervously before slipping into bushes.
She paused a few seconds, as if struggling, then suddenly a dark-gray aura rose from her and her right hand released a red vine-like tendril.
The vine pierced into the soil. Soon, strands of green light flowed into her body.
"Sister Xiaoya, so you really awakened Devour Talent."
Huo Yuhao instantly recognized her.
The red vine — Tang Ya absorbed a Scarlet Sun Snake Soul Ring before, turning Blue Silver Grass red.
And she was absorbing life energy — no doubt it was Tang Ya.
At this moment, Tang Ya looked tense. Gray light flowed in her eyes — no vitality.
Since the day she left the Academy, Tang Ya had decided — awaken Devour Talent, raise strength quickly, return to Heaven Dou City and take back Tang Sect, and get revenge.
She knew once she awakened it, she could never openly revive Tang Sect — Devour ability means "Evil Soul Master" to the world.
She also knew Bei Bei would help her reclaim Tang Sect, but she didn't want to trouble him. Outsiders already said she reached too high marrying him. Asking him again would bring gossip and trouble.
Energy entered her body, soul power slowly rising. Tang Ya's tension faded into excitement.
She didn't dare absorb fast — afraid of losing sanity.
At this pace, she believed she could reach Soul King before age twenty, even Soul Emperor with higher absorption.
That was top-tier genius cultivation speed.
But she didn't notice someone silently approaching while her senses weakened.
Huo Yuhao looked at her and spoke softly, "It's late. What are you doing?"
"Whoosh!"
Tang Ya jolted. Her mind, weakened by Devour ability, panicked. Instinctively, she sent a vine shooting to stab the intruder.
Pa.
Huo Yuhao's right hand turned crystal-like, catching the vine, ignoring its heat. A terrifying cold spread, freezing the vine and nearby leaves and ground with frost.
Tang Ya awakened from the shock, looking up — only to see Huo Yuhao.
"Yu… Hao?" Tang Ya murmured blankly.
Huo Yuhao grinned. "Sister Xiaoya, you also don't want Brother Bei to know you're secretly devouring life energy, right?"
...
Fully Completed English PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
Brothers I've uploaded some High Quality english translated fanfic on my Patreon shop! recently Feel free to check it out—if you're interested, you can grab a copy and support me there.
Here are a few titles of recently uploaded fanfics:
" Douluo 2: Martial Soul Wish Tree — Wang Dong Got Addicted (18+) "
" BTTH: Writing Up a Diaries, Xiao Yan Became My Fanboy "
" Douluo 3: Adopting Gu Yuena at the Start "
" Douluo: The Transmigrator Judgment System"
" Douluo: The Power of Support "
" Douluo: Transmigrated as the Second Young Miss of Spirit Hall "
" Douluo Dalu 3: Legend of the White Fox "
" Douluo: Master of Body Techniques "
" Douluo: The Holy Emperor Dragon King"
" Douluo: Ranking the Top Ten Peerless Goddesses at the Start "
" Douluo: Transmigrated as Huo Yuhao "
" Douluo 2: I, Huo Yuhao, Refuse to Be Tang San's Son-in-Law "
many more up to 130+ are available.
Your support means a lot—thanks in advance, legends!
Patreon.com/UIGOD
(End of Chapter)