Chapter 193

The worship ceremony began with Huo Yuhao, unfolding slowly.

Huo Yuhao himself stepped back from before the spirit tablet, silently watching everything, yet unseen waves surged in the depths of his eyes.

The eulogy rose and fell, echoing within the solemn memorial hall. Echoing within the solemn memorial hall, until—

Holy Spirit Douluo took over the worship position, walking past Huo Yuhao.

Their gazes met for a moment, and Holy Spirit Douluo revealed a gentle smile like a spring breeze, nodding slightly to Huo Yuhao. That smile still carried a hint of confusion, but it did not affect her subsequent actions.

Holy Spirit Douluo stepped forward to the spirit tablet and bowed to it. Afterwards, she did not recite the eulogy she had prepared like the others, but instead softly recounted her own experiences.

"I was born in a town that was neither rich nor poor. When I was young, the elders in the village said that place had long been a slum, with living conditions and environment both very poor. But with the arrival of certain people, changes occurred."

Everyone in the memorial hall was stunned, having clearly never heard this part of her past.

And some quick-witted representatives of powers had already begun to scrutinize the high-ranking officials of the Spirit Pagoda with strange gazes.

They had already guessed who those people were.

The methods of the Spirit Pagoda were truly all-pervasive, actually having won Holy Spirit Douluo's favor from such a young age...

As expected, Holy Spirit Douluo's next sentence confirmed their guesses.

"They are Spirit Transmitters... or rather, external personnel of the Spirit Pagoda."

Soul Masters from poor families would receive funding from the Spirit Pagoda, and through the characteristic of mutual selection between spirit souls and Soul Masters, let the spirit soul choose the Soul Master, thus obtaining their first spirit soul without needing to immediately pay Federal Coins to purchase a spirit soul.

But as a price, the Soul Master needed to gradually repay this money after graduating from the Intermediate Academy. Or accept arrangements negotiated between the Spirit Pagoda and the Federation, going to some places to do work within their ability.

The people who came to the town where Holy Spirit Douluo was located were precisely such a group, and the work that came to the slums was naturally... poverty alleviation.

Holy Spirit Douluo continued in a gentle tone:

"These Spirit Transmitters stayed in the village for over ten years. The work they did was ordinary, yet important—building infrastructure, teaching children literacy and numeracy and martial soul knowledge, helping children of appropriate age awaken their martial souls for free..."

"The power of example is powerful. Their arrival injected new vitality into the town that was still a slum. After all, in the eyes of the townspeople, they were noble Soul Masters; even they were helping the town develop, so what reason did they have not to strive? Perhaps those Spirit Transmitters were merely fulfilling their mission, but no one could take their contributions for granted."

"Gradually, the once muddy dirt roads became stone slab roads, the leaky thatched houses were replaced by brick and tile houses, and the village even built its first formal Soul Master Enlightenment Academy. During this process, some Spirit Transmitters left, some fell in love with people in the town and stayed. Of course, there were also latercomers who filled the vacancies left by those who departed."

"Some lucky children became Soul Masters after awakening their martial souls, learning and growing in the academy. When they grew up, they became the next generation of Spirit Transmitters... just like that, the town gradually developed, from a former slum into a proper town."

Those present knew that Holy Spirit Douluo had omitted the hardships and darkness in the story, keeping only the best parts.

However, at this moment, no one would disturb Holy Spirit Douluo's memories.

"I heard you once said, giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish. This should be the truest portrayal, right?"

Holy Spirit Douluo looked at the spirit tablet, "Hearing such a story, I couldn't help but stay and help treat the people of the town. It's just that as my strength gradually increased, I found my soul power growing stronger, and being limited to one town was not the best choice."

"My hands are small; no matter how hard I try, lives will still slip away from my hands, but I still want to do my best to hold up more. So, I embarked on a journey, beginning to travel throughout the entire Federation. And from that moment on, my horizons continued to broaden."

"Ten thousand years ago, evil Soul Masters ran rampant, and massacring cities and destroying nations was no longer rare. Now there are no such records. Fifty years ago, a plague ran rampant, countless people fell into crisis, and the Jade Swan Clan came to aid... This is a scene that was impossible ten thousand years ago."

"Spirit Transmitters helping towns develop, the era of evil Soul Masters disappearing, and soul beasts and humans coexisting peacefully—these are results brought by the efforts of countless people and soul beasts. But that initial radiance, without a doubt, was left by you."

Holy Spirit Douluo's voice, like a clear spring, flowed past his ears. Huo Yuhao's eyelashes trembled slightly; he saw the woman in a water-green long dress with her hands clasped together, her fingertips glowing with a moist soul power light, deeply performing a salute.

"Spirit Ice Empress, thank you for lighting the way forward for us..."

During this worship ceremony, no one left midway; only after the last person finished worshiping did everyone leave together.

When the crowd began to disperse, Gu Yue Na wanted to go home with Huo Yuhao, but discovered that two people were already standing beside him.

One of them was Zhao Chengyuan, and the other was Holy Spirit Douluo.

Holy Spirit Douluo smiled slightly upon seeing Zhao Chengyuan come over, "You two talk, I'll go find Snow Empress to chat first."

Zhao Chengyuan watched Holy Spirit Douluo leave, then turned to Huo Yuhao. His short silver-gray hair shone with a cold luster under the dim light of the memorial hall, but his eyes flickered with an interested light.

"At this age, your cultivation has reached the Soul Emperor stage; truly, the younger generation is formidable. From the looks of it now, your cultivation speed even surpasses Erqing Douluo, so it's no wonder the various Tower Masters are so confident in you serving as the next Tower Master."

Huo Yuhao was somewhat surprised that Zhao Chengyuan took the initiative to speak to him; hearing this, he raised an eyebrow, "Elder Zhao flatters me. If we truly talk about soul power cultivation speed, you are far stronger than me. There are rumors that you broke through to Super Douluo before the age of twenty."

Zhao Chengyuan smiled and transmitted his voice with emotion: "In the end, I used special methods, which cannot compare to a true genius like you. And upon reaching a certain level of cultivation, one still relies on their own comprehension; external objects are not omnipotent."

"..."

Although he was being humble, his words carried a hint of barely perceptible amusement, making Huo Yuhao feel he was just showing off.

Taking elixirs to directly ascend to Demigod—what was there to be dissatisfied about?

Soul Masters ten thousand years ago wanted to take this kind of elixir with not too great side effects but didn't have the ability or the means to do so.

Rolling his eyes secretly, Huo Yuhao transmitted his voice: "I've heard Soul Tablet Empress once said— in order to become a Limit Douluo, she took elixirs until she vomited; I don't know if that's true?"

That's right, this Zhao Spirit Transmitter before him was Soul Tablet Douluo, and also the original Dark Blood Demon.

Soul Tablet, as a Limit Douluo, the Spirit Pagoda might want to preserve this trump card, but it was impossible to let him just lie there quietly doing nothing. Only using him when they needed this trump card—wouldn't the resources provided to him be completely wasted?

Great seclusion lies within the city; giving him a Spirit Transmitter identity as an open cover, openly participating in some affairs—wasn't that wonderful?

Anyway, a Super Douluo with extraordinary talent but exhausted potential, unable to break through to Limit... all parties could accept that.

Zhao Chengyuan's eyes flickered slightly; he looked at Huo Yuhao with some surprise, then a smile curled at the corner of his mouth, "I didn't expect Snow Empress Tower Master and the others had already told you about the Execution Department and matters concerning me... That's right, I did say that. But it was just a joke; if I had to do it again, I would definitely still take it."

"After all, speaking of pure soul power cultivation, my talent really isn't that great, far inferior to freaks like you and Erqing Douluo. If I hadn't joined the Spirit Pagoda, I wouldn't have a future." In the current Federation, Soul Masters like him without the support of the Spirit Pagoda would find it very hard to achieve anything. Let alone surpassing Erqing Douluo in age when advancing to Titled Douluo.

Even, if it weren't for the opportunities given by the Spirit Pagoda, perhaps he would have become an evil Soul Master long ago.

So getting tired of it, vomiting from it, and such, were naturally just jokes.

Hearing this, Huo Yuhao's eyes flickered slightly.

In his memory, in this era, following the original development, there were two existences who advanced to Titled before the age of twenty.

One was naturally Nether King Douluo, and the other was Dark Blood Demon. The former was nineteen years old, and the latter's speed was even faster; he ultimately didn't reach the final battle until sixty, but had already become a Super Douluo over forty years ago. In other words, he became a Super Douluo in just over ten years...

However, both of their situations were quite special; Dark Blood Demon cultivated by absorbing the souls of other creatures, while Nether King did so through killing and death, which could not be considered normal cultivation methods.

In the original development, how many killings Dark Blood Demon caused when advancing, Huo Yuhao wasn't very clear, but he did have relevant memories of Nether King's advancement.

Nether King was not born with full soul power; after slaughtering an orphanage, he completed the transformation to innate full soul power. When he advanced to Super Douluo at twenty-five, he killed one hundred thousand people. Later, he continuously hunted soul beasts in the ocean, and when he advanced to Limit Douluo, probably millions of lives had perished at his hands.

And Dark Blood Demon's advancement speed was even faster than Nether King's; obviously, the number of humans and soul beasts who perished at his hands would not be few.

After all, his situation was too extreme; ordinary cultivation methods could almost not increase soul power, and he could only increase it by absorbing soul energy. If this time he hadn't joined the Spirit Pagoda, the possibility of him walking the path of an evil Soul Master was extremely high...

"Elder, you've come to find me now — is there some guidance you wish to impart?"

"Guidance would be too strong a word. I'm merely a bit curious about you. After all, I haven't been at Headquarters for many years, and since this opportunity has arisen, it's only proper that I see for myself the heir whom the various Tower Masters all look favorably upon."

Zhao Chengyuan said: "But judging from the present situation, you're even more interesting than the rumors. Before, when I learned of your circumstances, I discovered your promotion speed was too fast, which made me suspect whether you'd also employed some special means. But after close contact, I can only sigh that the world truly has no shortage of heaven's pride and monstrous talents..."

Zhao Chengyuan and Huo Yuhao chatted idly for a long while, from the road to the Memorial Hall all the way to the Spirit Pagoda's First Floor, before he finally bid farewell and left at Zhao Yao's summons.

And the last sentence he left before departing gave Huo Yuhao a slight start: "Using this Spirit Transmitter identity as cover is also for my daughter's sake. She doesn't know I'm the Director of the Spirit Pagoda's Execution Department. So regarding my matters, I ask that you keep them confidential."

The Dark Blood Demon is also living the life of wife and children on a warm kang?

Before awakening in this era, I never could have imagined such a scene.

Thinking this, Huo Yuhao nodded in assent, watching the two depart.

"Yuhao, this fellow's personality is somewhat unexpected — unexpectedly proper. I thought someone who could say 'to become an Ultimate, I ate elixirs until I vomited' would be an interesting wonderful person."

In the Spiritual Sea, the Tianmeng Ice Worm — once shocked by Zhenhun's startling remark — chimed in with a complaint.

The Ice Empress rolled her eyes. "Meeting a junior with the status of an elder, one naturally puts on some airs. You think everyone is like you?"

Someone who could say that sort of thing — no matter how you look at it, Zhenhun Douluo wouldn't be too proper.

Moreover, a child's personality sometimes reflects their parents' personalities. The Ice Empress also knew what sort of temperament this Zhenhun Douluo's daughter — Zhao Yao — had.

One can only say... worthy of being father and daughter.

After Zhenhun Douluo left, Gu Yue Na walked up beside Huo Yuhao and asked curiously: "Yuhao, what's wrong? What did he just transmit to you?"

"Nothing, just chatted about some cultivation matters."

Huo Yuhao shook his head, gazing toward the several figures currently walking this way.

"But with him opening this precedent, I'm afraid what follows will take some effort."

Previously there was the worship ceremony; these Spirit Pagoda high-ranking officials and various forces' representatives, even if interested in him, found it inconvenient to approach and chat. But once the ceremony ended, it was a different matter.

Likewise, around the Snow Empress, Xiong Jun, Qian Gu Dong Feng and the others, quite a few guests gradually gathered to strike up conversations.

Worldly social obligations are always unavoidable.

"Then I'll accompany you." Gu Yue Na smiled lightly: "If you don't want to talk with them, I'll put on a cold face and make them retreat in the face of difficulty."

Sister Na with a cold face...

That would indeed chill the atmosphere — after all, it's an ultimate technique tempered through a thousand hammerings and hundred refinings, meant for dealing with Gu Ruiqiu.

Thinking here, Huo Yuhao suddenly glanced around. "Speaking of which, where's Rachel? How come she's disappeared again? Recently her movement patterns have been very strange, like she's hiding from me."

"Don't know. She just finished participating in the worship ceremony, then who knows where she ran off to..."

Speaking thus, a perplexed expression also surfaced on Gu Yue Na's face.

A large-scale celebration like this is precisely the perfect opportunity for Gu Ruiqiu to fulfill her identity and call her younger sister — how could she leave the scene without reason?

Moreover, she's clearly not personnel responsible for managing the celebration, yet Gu Ruiqiu surprisingly didn't come harass her all day — that's also very strange. Coupled with the other party's previous abnormal behavior...

A trace of worry rose in Gu Yue Na's heart. "Could it be she's encountered some thorny trouble? If that's truly the case, why wouldn't she discuss it with us?"

Huo Yuhao grew increasingly certain of a certain guess of his, and said quietly: "Is it possible that the trouble she's encountered happens to be related to us?"

Gu Yue Na froze.

"Rest assured. The monk can run, but the temple can't. Her home is right here; we'll find her later and get to the bottom of it."

Seeing that the female Councilor from the Federation had already walked up before him, Huo Yuhao temporarily ended the topic.

"Didn't expect you'd be the first to come greet... Miss Nana Li, so this is your public-facing identity?"

(End of Chapter)