One day later—
Huo Yuhao returned to Shrek Academy.
As he walked through the campus,
students passing by stopped in their tracks, staring at him from a distance.
With Huo Yuhao's current cultivation—
even from a hundred meters away—
the scattered whispers reached his ears clearly:
"Senior Brother Yuhao is so handsome! It's hard to imagine that a boy who looks like that could defeat a Super Douluo!"
"No wonder Senior Sister and Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao fought over him!"
"Have you read the latest issue of the Fate Society paper? The two Senior Sisters are going to compete for the right to date him at the Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival!"
"Tsk, a beauty that brings calamity…"
These remarks—
made Huo Yuhao's brow twitch uncontrollably.
"What a mess!"
He quickened his pace,
heading straight for the boys' dormitory area.
Sure enough—
beneath the old banyan tree outside the dormitory building—
Mu En was nestled in a reclining chair, holding a cup of hot tea in one hand and a newspaper in the other, reading with great interest.
"Teacher, I've returned." Huo Yuhao stepped forward and cupped his hands in salute.
Mu En lowered the newspaper and looked up at the young man before him. A trace of surprise flashed through his clouded eyes.
"Yuhao, you surprise your teacher once again."
"It has only been half a month, yet your aura is different."
In his perception, the Huo Yuhao of before was like a humanoid spirit beast—his blood essence surging like a roaring river, his sharp edges exposed. But now, the youth's aura was restrained and refined.
His entire being flowed with a natural harmony, vaguely revealing a state of "returning to one's true self.
As students were constantly passing by the dormitory and Huo Yuhao's fame was currently at its peak, Mu En did not wish to draw unwanted attention. He slowly paced toward a nearby quiet garden. Huo Yuhao quickly moved to support the old man's arm.
"This trip to the Star Dou Forest has indeed benefited me greatly."
Thus, the old and the young chatted casually as they entered the tranquil garden.
"Oh, right, Teacher." Huo Yuhao's blue hair ribbon fluttered in the breeze—it was a soul tool gifted by Zhang Lexuan. With a thought, a white jade ginseng appeared in his palm.
The moment it emerged,
vigorous life energy spread outward. The plants in the garden stirred without wind, as if rejoicing in response.
"Your disciple, Huo Yuhao, wishes Teacher blessings of longevity and health."
The young man presented the jade ginseng with both hands, his gaze clear and posture respectful.
Looking at this final disciple—already the continent's foremost prodigy, yet still as humble as ever—
a gratified smile appeared on Mu En's wrinkled face.
To gain such a disciple in his later years was the greatest comfort and pride of his life.
Mu En helped Huo Yuhao straighten up.
The latter already seemed somewhat impatient. "Teacher, please take the jade ginseng quickly."
"Your disciple has newly obtained a Spirit Ability. It may be able to offer some help in healing your old injuries."
Faced with his disciple's filial devotion, Mu En did not refuse.
A mass of supremely pure light-attributed Spirit Power gathered in his palm.
When the jade ginseng touched the glow, it transformed into a stream of spiritual liquid, which he slowly absorbed.
At the same time—
six Spirit Rings rose one after another beneath Huo Yuhao.
One blood-red, etched with eight golden patterns; three dark-gold rings radiating unmatched dominance; and the final two shimmering in emerald light, as if carved from jade.
"Fifth Spirit Ability — Swan Sanctuary!"
One of the emerald rings blazed brilliantly.
In an instant—
circles of warm yet majestic life-domain energy burst forth, centered on Huo Yuhao.
The emerald radiance flowed like water, sweeping across the entire garden in a breath.
This was the first Spirit Ability granted to him by Bi Ji—a supremely precious healing-type domain ability.
Within the domain, allies were bathed as if in sweet rain, restoring 50% of their Spirit Power and vitality every second, and gaining immunity to all spiritual-type attacks.
Enemies who stepped inside, however, would feel as though trapped in mire, their Spirit Power consumption tripling.
The nourishing force of the Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Ginseng, combined with the miraculous healing effects of Swan Sanctuary, acted simultaneously upon Mu En's withered body.
A trace of rosiness surfaced on his dull complexion; his gaunt limbs seemed to regain a measure of vitality.
Just as joy began to appear in Huo Yuhao's eyes—
The next moment—
a wave of ashen-gray energy, reeking of decay, suddenly surged back out from within Mu En's body.
The spiritual liquid of the jade ginseng and the healing radiance of the domain were quietly neutralized and dispersed before this stubborn, deeply rooted old injury.
"Teacher's old wounds actually…"
Huo Yuhao clenched his teeth.
He knew.
Back then, in Mu En's earth-shaking battle against Du Busi, the former sect master of the Body Sect, both sides had suffered grievous injuries.
Du Busi returned to his sect and died from his wounds.
Mu En, meanwhile, had hovered at death's door and, left with no choice, swallowed the Dragon Pill to break through Level 99 by force.
Yet the violent energy of the Dragon Pill invaded his body, leaving him crippled for life.
In the decades that followed,
Mu En had dragged this broken body while guarding the academy, fighting one bloody battle after another against evil Spirit Masters.
Now his lifespan was nearing its end.
This body had long become like a candle flickering in the wind—riddled with holes.
It was not that the jade ginseng was ineffective.
Nor that the domain lacked power.
But that the accumulated dark injuries of a hundred years were simply too severe.
"Again!"
Huo Yuhao's Spirit Power surged wildly.
His sixth Spirit Ring flared with emerald brilliance.
Above the garden, it was as though a flowing emerald sea had overturned in the sky, vitality surging like tides.
"Yuhao, stop."
Two voices rang out almost simultaneously.
One was Mu En's.
The other was Skydream.
Mu En gazed at the stubborn expression on the young man's face, his eyes gentle.
"For this old, broken body to have lasted until today is already a blessing."
"Do not waste your Spirit Power in vain for this decaying shell."
Within his spiritual sea, Skydream sighed faintly:
"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural order of heaven and earth."
"Unless, in the future, you attain the position of a Great God King and gain the power to reverse life and death."
Huo Yuhao naturally knew that Mu En's fate was nearly exhausted.
But having been reborn into this life—
he was unwilling to watch regret repeat itself.
"Brother Skydream, is there any other way?"
The Iceworm pondered for a moment before speaking:
"Your teacher's cultivation has already reached the limit of the mortal world. Ordinary methods are useless."
"Unless…"
"You can completely devour the Golden Tree before his lifespan ends, and use its god-level life origin to cleanse his diseased body."
Huo Yuhao's thoughts raced.
He was now at Level 65.
But he was still far from being able to devour the Golden Tree.
"Brother Skydream once told me the Golden Tree can also become a Spirit Ring."
"If I devour it, I would become the continuation of this world's life core. The ancient tree would simply endure in another form."
"So…"
"How can I quickly increase my Spirit Power?"
At that thought—
he and Skydream spoke at the same time: "The Yin Yang Love Querying Valley!"
"Yuhao, we were thinking of the same place." Skydream laughed.
"Most of the wondrous secret realms across the myriad worlds have already been gathered by Brother Zhexian."
"Only this realm's 'Yin Yang Love Querying Valley,' which is famed alongside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, still remains. It is likely an opportunity deliberately left behind for you."
"Yuhao, this time you must seize it well. Don't act foolishly like in your previous life. You're bound to gain greatly."
Huo Yuhao acknowledged inwardly, then turned to look at Mu En. "Teacher, rest assured. Your disciple will surely find a way to heal you."
"As for healing and prolonging life, there is no need to rush."
Mu En's gaze fell upon the swaying tree shadows beyond the pavilion, then returned to Huo Yuhao as he spoke gently:
"Yuhao, you are my final disciple. If there is one wish your teacher still holds…"
He paused.
"It is to personally see you find a kindred soul—someone to accompany you through the rest of your life, to weather storms together."
The old man extended his hand.
He placed the newspaper he had been holding into Huo Yuhao's hands.
"Tomorrow's Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival—go and take part in it."
...
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