"So we're getting a few days off?" Huo Yuhao asked as he quietly slurped his Demon Flower-tailed Chicken soup.
The dish was a delicacy, prepared for VIPs in the Star Luo Grand Hotel. The rich broth was made from the tender meat of a hundred-year-old Demon Flower-tailed Chicken, its flavor deep and savory.
The soft texture of the meat melted in his mouth, and Huo Yuhao couldn't help but feel some of the tension drain from his body as he enjoyed the meal.
'Hmm. I need to get a hold of this chicken,' Huo Yuhao thought, savoring the delicate flavor. 'If I recall, Demon Flower-tailed Chickens are commonly found in forests. I wonder if I could find them in the Great Star Dou Forest....or maybe even breed a few. With this flavor, it would make an excellent addition for the future.'
He leaned back, considering the idea seriously.
"—Yuhao, Yuhao!"
"Hm? Oh, sorry. I kinda got preoccupied with something," Huo Yuhao shook his head and eyed Wang Dong'er, who was sitting in front of him. He blinked as a smooth slender hand rested on his forehead.
"You don't have a fever, yet you look so... weak," Ma Xiaotao commented, her voice laced with concern. Wang Dong'er mirrored her worry, lowering her meal and frowning slightly.
"I'm fine," Huo Yuhao replied, giving them a reassuring smile. "Just tired, I guess. A lot has been going on lately." He glanced down at his half-eaten meal, suddenly aware of how drained he felt after the intense process of helping Snow Empress.
The process of sealing her within his body to heal her had some...slight side effects. For one, his skin had turned a shade paler, almost unnaturally so, to the point that it was as smooth and white as fine porcelain. It was subtle but noticeable, especially to those close to him. Then he would uncontrollably release an icy chill that could make even a Soul King shiver.
The only reason why Ma Xiaotao and Wang Dong'er are unaffected was because she possesses flames close to Ultimate Fire while the latter is connected with Huo Yuhao; which made her resistant to the chill as well.
The three were in Huo Yuhao's room; their group has a private room to dine in but most, if not all of them, preferred eating in their rooms and concentrate on cultivation and training.
For Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong'er and Ma Xiaotao, being together with Huo Yuhao is part of their cultivation and training regime.
Ma Xiaotao normally lets Wang Dong'er have her alone time with Huo Yuhao, but that changed last night because she broke through to rank 69! The sudden increase of her cultivation made her Evil Fire act up a bit, so she needed Huo Yuhao's help to calm down her issue.
To her surprise, not only had Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice easily resolved her Evil Fire, but she felt that she could finally grasp total control over it and evolve it to the next stage—Ultimate Fire!
But...it felt as though it still needed one more step.
And she had a feeling what that step was...
Ma Xiaotao blushed and shook her head. She still has a lot of time, especially with her Evil Fire issue kept control, so...she'll bring it up when there's really no other way and Huo Yuhao's a bit older.
"Did they give a reason as to why the tournament was put on hold?" Huo Yuhao asked.
Wang Dong'er said, "From what we hear, it's because an Evil Soul Master from Sun Moon Empire had attacked some part of the city last night, bringing an army of undead! They say it was like a sea of them, with the strongest being a low level Soul Sage."
Ma Xiaotao also added, "Thankfully, they only targeted high level soul masters, though we don't know if it were a coincidence or not. They specifically targeted the soul masters from the other empires, the guards of the representative team of both Heavenly Spirit and Dou Ling Empires. The royal guards of Star Luo Empire was the most unfortunate."
"How terrible," Huo Yuhao muttered, his expression darkening and looked. "Evil Soul Masters....damn them!"
He hoped his act fooled them successfully, because goddamn, he felt like breaking out in cold sweat and start cursing.
He had....miscalculated in his control over the zombies, he had become weak after he annihilated most of the soul engineers in the secret passageway and was running low on all his energies.
He had thought that a few minutes of undead carnage to divert people's attention on him couldn't possibly do so much damage, would it?
He was wrong, so, so wrong.
Not only did it caused the tournament to be put on hold, but the tension between the mainland empires and the Sun Moon Empire had intensified! At this rate, war would soon break out on the continent.
It was one thing for a war to break out between countries, but it was another entirely to know that it was your fault.
People die almost everyday, especially so for soul masters and soul engineers since they put their lives in danger more than the regular people; from killing dangerous soul beasts and undergoing dangerous research.
But in a war, numerous regular people would be caught in the crossfire.
Huo Yuhao was a realist, but he wasn't apathetic—far from it. He had seen, experience and performed much suffering in his life, and he couldn't stand the thought of innocent people being caught in the crossfire of a war.
While he understood the harsh realities of the world, that soul masters and soul engineers often faced death in their line of work, war was different. War didn't just claim the lives of those who fought on the front lines; it tore apart families, destroyed cities, and left deep scars on society.
His mind raced, torn between the practical decisions he needed to make and the moral weight of what he'd unintentionally set in motion.
'I never wanted this... but it's already started.' The guilt gnawed at him, but Yuhao knew he couldn't let it paralyze him. Moreover, what could he even do?
He was but a soul master and soul engineer, the ones who truly had the power to decide the outcome of war were those with great power and authority—the monarchs.
Until the time he has enough strength and political influence, Huo Yuhao knew his role in the grander scheme was limited. He could fight on the battlefield, sure, but the larger decisions that shaped the future of nations were far beyond his control for now.
'I have to make the Akatsuki great!' Huo Yuhao's thoughts sharpened, his mind racing. 'To be a great giant that even empires can't ignore us!'
'This feels like déjà vu...'
'Ancestor?' Huo Yuhao slightly widened his eyes upon hearing Indra's voice.
'Never you mind. Yuhao, stop advancing your cultivation for now. You've gained too much power in a short amount of time, your body is having trouble keeping up even with the Life Gold supplementing your vitality.' Indra explained.
'What should I do then?'
'Like a water bottle overflowing with water, it needs to be filtered out.' Indra's voice echoed firmly within Huo Yuhao's mind. 'Your cultivation has surged rapidly, but without proper control, it could backfire. The first thing you need to do is stabilize your foundation.'
Huo Yuhao frowned. 'So, stop advancing and focus on balance. But how do I do that exactly?'
'First is through tempering,' Indra replied. 'It's not about gaining more power for now, but refining the power you already have. Your body and soul power need to synchronize with your recent gains, although you haven't gone up in cultivation—your soul power has become much more potent.'
Indra continued. 'You've crossed a threshold, Yuhao. It's not just about quantity anymore; it's about quality. Your abilities have reached a level where control and refinement are more important than simply advancing your cultivation rank.'
'Spend time meditating, engaging in physical training, and mastering the abilities you've unlocked. That means controlling your Ultimate Ice that has been enhanced with the influence of Snow Empress, honing the Eye of Eternity, and understanding how the Life Gold enhances you.'
'So, the usual?' Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow.
'Not quite, it needs to be filtered out, remember? Create more shadow clones that takes up more of your spiritual power, the issue of the imbalance between your soul and spiritual powers still remain. These girls would be able to you out as well.' Indra said.
'With this kind of method, I'm sure you'll start to feel the balance come naturally over time,' Indra finished, his voice calm but authoritative.
Huo Yuhao sighed, realizing the truth in Indra's words. 'So more training, more refining, and more... patience.' It wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear, but it made sense. His body had undergone so many changes recently, and his power had surged far beyond what it was before.
'Yes, patience,' Indra replied, his tone softening slightly. 'Power isn't something to be rushed, Yuhao. You've already come a long way. Don't let your ambition make you reckless.'
'Aren't you the one who kept pushing me to get stronger, whatever it takes?'
'Yes, but you've already achieved a level that none of your peers can hope to match,' Indra replied, his voice firm. 'Pushing you before was necessary to survive and grow, but now you're standing at the edge of something far greater. If you rush this stage, you risk losing control, and that could be far more dangerous than being underpowered.'
'I....our previous incarnations went through a lot that I've learned from,' Indra continued, his voice laced with a rare hint of emotion. 'The thirst for power, the need to be the strongest, it led us to dark places. And I won't let you make the same mistakes, Yuhao."'
Huo Yuhao paused, reflecting on Indra's words. 'I understand,' he muttered, his expression thoughtful.
"Yuhao? Aren't you going to finish your meal?"
Wang Dong'er's voice brought Huo Yuhao back to the present. He blinked, realizing he'd been lost in thought for longer than he intended.
"Oh, sorry," he said with a sheepish smile. "I got a bit distracted. I'll finish it now."
He picked up his spoon and resumed eating, the delicious flavor of the Demon Flower-tailed Chicken helping to ground him back in the moment. Wang Dong'er and Ma Xiaotao watched him with concern, but their expressions softened as he started to regain his composure.
"You seemed deep in thought," Wang Dong'er commented, her tone gentle. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah, just... processing some things," Yuhao replied, his smile a bit more genuine now. "It's a lot to take in, but I think I'm getting a handle on it."
"Good to hear," Ma Xiaotao said, her earlier tension easing. "So, what are your plans for today?"
Huo Yuhao smirked and said, "Training, as always."
Both Ma Xiaotao and Wang Dong'er smiled wryly, the latter pouting.
Huo Yuhao glanced at his left arm and his eyes narrowed.
'Ancestor, are you sure that nothing's wrong with the Ice God's Bone?'
'I've analyzed the seal and the bone within it, I'm certain that there are no problems with it.' Indra said. 'Yuhao, are you sure that you're not sensing it wrong?'
Huo Yuhao hummed, his brow furrowing in thought. 'Maybe. But since Ancestor hasn't sense anything, then it might've been nothing. It should be safe to absorb the Ice Jade Scorpion left arm soul bone...'
....
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