Douluo Dalu: Huo Yuhao Knows the Plot

Mu En understood that his disciple, Yan Shaozhe, wouldn't grow up. Yan Shaozhe didn't have the mindset to become a top powerhouse. Mu En no longer held any expectations for this disciple and decided to let things take their course.

Mu En stopped trying to educate this disappointing disciple and turned to look at Ma Xiaotao. "The evil energy within Xiaotao is very active, on the verge of eruption. It's a miracle she's held on this long. What intrigues me is that there seems to be a force that once helped Xiaotao expel the evil energy. Xuanzi, Xiaotao, tell me the whole story in detail."

Xuanzi was a little embarrassed upon hearing this. Could he say that he was only concerned with eating and drinking and wasn't present at the time? Of course not. "Xiaotao, you go first."

Ma Xiaotao didn't think much and, after a moment of recollection, began to narrate, "That day, during the competition, we drew the Body Sect Academy. Uh, the Body Sect Academy is the Body Sect's recent…"

Ma Xiaotao then recounted in detail the entire story of the battle against the Body Sect that day, without exaggerating or embellishing.

Afterward, Xuanzi also added some details.

"So, Xiaotao had already lost her mind during the competition, and it was the Body Sect's little fellow's methods that restored Xiaotao?" Mu En roughly understood after listening to their narration.

Xuanzi was puzzled. Weren't they discussing methods to resolve the martial soul mutation? Why were they suddenly talking about Huo Yuhao? It didn't seem to matter what that kid thought. Besides, that kid was now Du Bus 死's disciple. That was a foregone conclusion, and Shrek Academy and the Body Sect had always been irreconcilable.

"That kid was originally a student of our academy. I don't know why that old geezer Du Bus 死 snatched him away. As for his attitude towards the academy, I happened to overhear his conversation with an academy student in Star Luo City yesterday…" Xuan Lao narrated the conversation between Huo Yuhao and Jiang Nannan that he had eavesdropped on yesterday, word for word. There were no outsiders here, so Xuanzi had no reservations and told everything.

After listening to Xuanzi's narration, Ma Xiaotao fell silent. Before joining Shrek, Yan Shaozhe had discovered her, and after becoming his disciple, she had been living in the inner courtyard, not knowing much about the outer courtyard.

Now, suddenly knowing so much about the academy's darkness and scheming, she was speechless.

Yan Shaozhe's old face completely darkened. He hadn't expected a child to see things so clearly. And that Zhou Yi, relying on the soul tool department having people, was becoming more and more presumptuous. It seemed necessary to rectify things. As the dean, he had an inescapable responsibility for this.

Mu En, however, was calm and collected, without any reaction. Having lived for so long, he had seen everything. It was inevitable that a few bad apples would appear when a force grew large. He was more open-minded about this.

Avoiding this topic, Mu En continued to ask, "Xuanzi, in a while, take a trip to the Body Sect and invite that little fellow to the Sea God Pavilion. I've thought of some ways that might be able to solve the drawbacks of Xiaotao's martial soul mutation, but I need that little fellow's help."

Xuanzi smiled wryly upon hearing this. "Mu Lao, given that kid's animosity towards the academy, how could he possibly agree to our request?"

"Animosity? It's not that serious. If that child truly hated the academy, Luo Chen and his little group wouldn't have been able to walk off the competition stage. If that Xuanming Sect's kid hadn't made a deadly move first, he wouldn't have ended up like that. So, that child isn't as bad as you imagine." Mu En's eyes were half-open, and his aged voice echoed in the room.

"Moreover, I think that child wouldn't want another evil soul master to appear on the continent."

"Then, alright, I'll go and give it a try." Although Xuanzi felt that the hope of persuading Huo Yuhao to help was slim, Mu Lao had already made the decision, and he had no choice but to bite the bullet and do it.

"Mm, if that child is willing to help, then these two soul bones will be considered a thank-you gift." As he spoke, two balls of light suddenly appeared in front of Mu En. Under Mu En's control, the balls of light flew to Xuanzi.

This is… soul bones!

Xuanzi was shocked. After these two soul bones appeared, a surge of majestic life energy spread out in the room. Xuanzi took a closer look and, good heavens, one was fifty thousand years old, one was eighty thousand years old, and the other was very close to one hundred thousand years old.

Xuanzi's lips moved, wanting to say something but unable to. Ma Xiaotao's talent was indeed good, but was it really worth the academy paying such a high price?

Although the academy had a certain number of soul bone collections over the years, those over ninety thousand years old were still extremely rare and were extremely important resources.

The key was that Xuanzi felt it wasn't necessary. Even if Huo Yuhao asked for some reward for helping, he wouldn't be so greedy.

"Pavilion Master, this is absolutely impossible. Xiaotao has not made any contributions since entering the academy and is truly unworthy. Please, Pavilion Master, take back your order." Ma Xiaotao was panicking at this moment. Three soul bones over fifty thousand years old, one of which was even close to the hundred-thousand-year soul bone that countless soul masters dreamed of. How could she dare to accept such a great favor? Selling herself wouldn't be worth this price.

Seeing Ma Xiaotao's panicked appearance, Mu En smiled slightly. "Xiaotao, you should call me Grandmaster. Don't worry, these three soul bones are all mine personally and have nothing to do with the academy. Moreover, you don't have to belittle yourself. This mutation of your martial soul is not entirely a bad thing. The flame in your martial soul has now sublimated, reaching the level of ultimate fire. As long as the evil energy is eliminated, with your current talent, the limit is achievable in the future."

"But…" Ma Xiaotao was still a little uneasy. Those were two soul bones, after all, a bit too precious.

Mu En waved his hand to interrupt her. "Alright, there's no but. Do I need a reason to treat my disciples and grand-disciples? There's no need to say anything more about this."

Ma Xiaotao hesitated for a moment, then silently nodded. She didn't thank him or anything but engraved this kindness in her heart.

"Alright, next, you'll stay here for the time being. Turn left when you go out, the third room has a ten-thousand-year profound ice bed. That thing has a certain effect on suppressing the evil energy in your body." Mu En waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

The three of them bowed slightly to Mu En before retreating together, leaving only the slightly lonely old man in the room, leaning on the recliner alone.

…

The scene changed. After a day and a night of long journey, Huo Yuhao and his master arrived at their destination, Qitian Town, north of Ok City in the Sun Moon Empire. Ok City is an important town in the Sun Moon Empire. Because of its fertile land and abundant grain production, it is known as the Northern Granary.

Huo Yuhao had also heard of this. Before coming here, he thought he would see a landscape of clear mountains and rivers, but the current Qitian Town was a different scene. As far as the eye could see, there were ruins and broken walls. Houses collapsed and closed down, and scattered white bones could occasionally be seen on the road. The air was filled with gunpowder smoke, and the flames of war spread here.