NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: LENG YAOZHU AND GU YUENA
After selecting the soul, Huo Yuhao stood at the center of the hall with the soul in hand, following Hua Yichen's instructions.
He glanced at the intricate magic circle surrounding him and understood its purpose.
It was a magic circle designed to facilitate the contract, having evolved significantly over 10,000 years from its original form.
However, the Spirit Pagoda lacked the ability to alter the core of the soul contract.
To finalize the contract, the soul's consent was still required.
With a faint smile, Hua Yichen glanced at Huo Yuhao, uttered a few words, and began to chant the soul contract left behind by Spirit Ice Douluo.
The souls here were all provided by the Star Dou Great Forest and the Extreme North.
They had long agreed to exist as souls, patiently waiting to be chosen by a soul master, eliminating the need for additional steps.
Golden ripples emanated from Hua Yichen, swiftly spreading in all directions until they enveloped both Huo Yuhao and the soul he held.
"Brother Tianmeng."
"Alright, I'm here!"
Responding to Huo Yuhao's call, Tianmeng in the Spirit Sea sprang into action, securing the position of the first soul of the Spirit Eye before the contract was finalized.
After all, it was Huo Yuhao's first soul, and it wasn't about to let a newcomer take its place.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao used his spiritual power to envelop the bewildered ice silkworm, temporarily pulling it into the sea of spirits.
The core of the contract remained unchanged, and as the creator of the soul contract, it was effortless for him to manipulate it, allowing Tianmeng to occupy the contract position.
Since Huo Yuhao couldn't generate his own soul ring, he required some soul supplements, though not immediately.
From Hua Yichen's perspective, the Ice Silkworm Soul gradually became ethereal, eventually merging into Huo Yuhao's body, with a yellow soul ring manifesting around him.
Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged, bathed in a soft glow of soul power, entering a meditative state.
Observing this, Hua Yichen quietly exited the room without disturbing him.
Shortly after leaving, a staff member approached and handed him a document containing Huo Yuhao's basic information, including his family background and address.
Hua Yichen's gaze lingered momentarily on the details of his parents' divorce and his mother's passing, raising an eyebrow in contemplation.
An orphan, no wonder he's so mature and composed in my presence.
But it's fine; without a family, Huo Yuhao would likely develop a stronger sense of belonging to the Spirit Pagoda.
As Hua Yichen looked away from the document, the staff member continued to report:
"Branche Pagoda Master, I've sent Huo Yuhao's information to the headquarters, but we haven't received a response yet. Should we arrange a special plane to transport Huo Yuhao to the headquarters?"
"No need," Hua Yichen replied, shaking his head as he considered the complex power dynamics at the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters.
"The sky above Skysea City may be smaller, but it's sufficient to provide the early cultivation resources he needs."
With Huo Yuhao's talent, it was only a matter of time before he would go to the headquarters to train, but not at this moment.
The soul contract left by Spirit Ice Douluo had deeply bound the soul beasts to the Spirit Pagoda.
As a result, for many years, the upper echelons of the Spirit Pagoda had not dared to cross the line and target the soul beasts.
This situation had both advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage was that, with the power of the soul beasts, the Spirit Pagoda had been elevated to its peak, boasting unparalleled combat strength.
Including the soul beasts, the Spirit Pagoda now had seven powerhouses comparable to Limit Douluo, four of whom were quasi-gods!
Was there any force in the world stronger than them?
Even Shrek Academy couldn't match their number of top-tier experts!
However, the greater the power, the stronger the strength, and without a single individual capable of overwhelming the rest, internal conflicts were inevitable.
Today's headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda was like a vast dye vat, with various factions intertwined in constant open and covert struggles.
Sending a half-grown child into such an environment would do little to benefit his growth.
At the very least, Huo Yuhao needed to attain a certain level of strength and develop a clear sense of right and wrong before being sent to the headquarters.
As he pondered this, Hua Yichen suddenly smiled.
With this kid around, the younger generation of the Qiangu Clan would likely face a formidable opponent, and the Pagoda master would have his hands full.
...
Mingdu, the former capital of the Sun and Moon Empire before the continent's unification, had not declined in development even after ten thousand years.
It remained the most modern city in the Douluo Federation and the western core of the entire Douluo Continent.
In the heart of Mingdu stood an imposing 81-story tower-like structure, grand and majestic.
This was the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda!
Unlike the original story, since Huo Yuhao did not join Shrek, the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda was not established in Shrek City.
Instead, with the Sun and Moon Empire emerging as the ultimate victor, the headquarters was ultimately placed in Mingdu, the seat of the federal government.
On the top floor of the Spirit Pagoda headquarters, a tall woman sat behind a desk, her striking red hair cascading down her back.
Her beauty was undeniable as she casually flicked through the soul guide screen on the table, her eyes scanning the information displayed with keen interest.
"Huo Yuhao, huh? A genius with full innate soul power, a body martial soul, and spiritual power of three hundred points? This innate spiritual power is even stronger than yours," she remarked with a smile, her voice tinged with amusement.
Turning to the young girl beside her, Leng Yaozhu, the deputy Pagoda Master of the Spirit Pagoda, spoke gently, "See? There's always someone better out there. I've told you, the world is full of geniuses. You can't afford to slack off, Na'er."
The girl, known as Na'er, had short silver hair and a delicate, porcelain-like face.
Her amethyst eyes sparkled as she studied Huo Yuhao's information. She nodded lightly at her teacher's words.
"I understand, Teacher," she replied softly.
'Spirit Eyes Martial Soul... and this appearance... It's definitely Huo Yuhao, the one Di Tian mentioned. But how is he still alive after ten thousand years?' Gu Yuena thought to herself, though her expression remained calm.
She looked up at Leng Yaozhu and smiled faintly. "Teacher, you didn't call me here just to talk about this, did you?"
"Of course not," Leng Yaozhu replied, reaching out to affectionately ruffle her disciple's hair.
"Your martial soul has awakened. Do you want to continue cultivating here at the Spirit Pagoda, or would you prefer to attend an academy?"
Gu Yuena shook her head slightly, pulling away from Leng Yaozhu's hand with a hint of awkwardness. "I'll follow your guidance, Teacher."
'She's still not used to being close to me' Leng Yaozhu thought, retracting her hand with a faint sigh.
"Then you'll study with me for the next three years. After that, I'll send you to a Soul Master Academy before the changes take place. Let me know in advance if you have any preferences."
The atmosphere at the Spirit Pagoda headquarters was far from ideal for a child.
Leng Yaozhu didn't want her disciple to be exposed to the intrigue and power struggles at such a young age.
Especially since, in three years, another decade would pass.
According to the regulations set by the first-generation Pagoda Master, a re-election ceremony would be held to choose new leaders for the three departments and four towers.
While the outcome seemed predictable, the process was bound to be tumultuous.
Leng Yaozhu's expression grew serious as she glanced at Gu Yuena, sighing inwardly.
If it weren't for Gu Yuena's young age and the need to lay a solid foundation, she would have preferred to send her away from this den of conflict, allowing her to enjoy a carefree childhood.
"Where do you want to go...?" Gu Yuena murmured to herself, her gaze drifting back to Huo Yuhao's information.
The human prodigy who had appeared like a meteor, giving the soul beasts a chance to survive and not be swept away by the tides of time.
Why had he done it? And how was he still alive after all these years?
Most importantly, would he interfere with her plans?
These questions, especially the last one, were things Gu Yuena needed to confirm.
After a moment of contemplation, she gave her answer.
"I want to go…"