The ram-headed phantom didn't dissipate—it barreled forward without losing momentum, heading straight for the Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner.
"Noooo!!!" a cultist of the Holy Spirit Church screamed, eyes bloodshot, voice hoarse.
As if he had just witnessed his own mother die.
Then, the ram-headed phantom charged into the blood pool, aiming directly at the center where the Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner floated.
Ram-head: Sorry, I don't do brain teasers!
What surprised Huo Yuhao, however, was that as the phantom entered the pool, a massive surge of baleful blood energy erupted from within, wearing down the phantom's power.
The sub-division elder and the cultists had already drained much of the phantom's strength earlier.
Now, the blood pool's outburst of blood fiend energy further eroded what remained.
Eventually, the ram-headed phantom shrank smaller and smaller. Though it still managed to collide with the Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner, the impact was as gentle as a breeze. The banner wavered slightly but was not destroyed.
The ram-headed phantom faded away completely.
Seeing this, the cultists let out a collective sigh of relief—and then turned their hostile gazes toward Huo Yuhao.
Though many were injured, none were outright killed—thanks to the sub-division elder taking the brunt of the blow.
While the elder's death had shocked them, they also noticed that Huo Yuhao was clearly running on empty.
And they weren't wrong.
To activate a soul bone technique through the Ghost Banner Martial Soul, Huo Yuhao had to expend his own soul power. The strength of the technique depended on how much he poured in—but it would never exceed the soul bone's upper limit.
To unleash the full might of the Ram Descent, Huo Yuhao had consumed nearly all of his soul power.
Even someone as robust as Huo Yuhao was nearly drained dry—proving just how terrifying the phantom truly was.
After all, the ram-headed phantom had shattered a Soul Douluo's true martial soul form!
Knowing his opponent's level, Huo Yuhao hadn't held back. He had used the highest-year soul bone fused with the Ghost Banner—his ultimate trump card.
He led with a king bomb.
Following that, he cast Mental Freeze and Soul Impact, further exhausting himself.
By the end, Huo Yuhao had nothing left and had to physically hurl the Ghost Banner to kill the sub-division elder.
A great outcome: the strongest elder was dead.
But now, Huo Yuhao was running on fumes—and surrounded by hostile cultists.
Still, he remained unbothered, calmly recalling the Ghost Banner to his side.
As the martial soul faded, the elder's corpse dropped limply to the ground.
One Soul Saint-level cultist recovered first. With a roar, he lunged toward Huo Yuhao, claws extended.
"Die, you insect!"
This one was a beast-type soul master. His claws slashed toward Huo Yuhao's head, aiming to crush his skull.
But just as they were about to strike—
Clang!
A bone sword blocked them.
It was Huo Yuhao, gripping the Bone Sword Martial Soul in his hand.
The Soul Saint froze when he saw the sword's style. His face twisted in disbelief.
"No way! That's impossible! How can you have the same martial soul as the elder?!"
Huo Yuhao lifted his head slightly, ghostly white eye-shadow with crimson lines framing his eyes—mirroring the bone sword's eerie design.
His body radiated chilling, ghostly energy.
Ghost Possession!
He had possessed himself with the soul of the elder he had just slain!
"There's a lot more impossible things to come," Huo Yuhao cackled, pressing the bone sword against the cultist's claws and slowly rising to his feet.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black!
Eight soul rings shimmered around him.
"Fifth Soul Skill—Blood Blade Slash!" Huo Yuhao growled.
The fifth black soul ring lit up, coating his sword in a bloody hue. With a swing, a crimson sword wave burst forth, slicing off the cultist's claw and heading straight for his neck.
The Soul Saint's pupils shrank to pinpricks. He barely ducked in time to avoid decapitation.
But Huo Yuhao's other hand lashed out like a viper.
"Ghost-Evil Combat Art—King Serpent Life Seizure!"
As he struck, a twin-headed, rainbow-scaled king serpent ghost wrapped around his arm, thrusting itself into the cultist's body along with Huo Yuhao's hand.
"AAARGHH—!!"
The cultist screamed in agony.
Huo Yuhao's hand had pierced his heart—then the ghost serpent crushed it like a venomous bite.
The twin-headed serpent ghost emerged on the other side of the cultist's body—each head holding the man's soul in its fangs.
The serpent ghost returned to the Ghost Banner, carrying its prey.
The Soul Saint collapsed like a ragdoll.
His corpse thudded to the ground, discarded like trash.
Huo Yuhao stood tall—bone sword in one hand, shattered heart in the other. The Ghost Banner floated above him, its aura expanding outward in the Devour Life Domain.
At the entrance, he silently watched the remaining cultists.
All of them looked utterly terrified.
"The hunt begins," Huo Yuhao growled with a cruel smile—and charged into their ranks.
The fearsome cultists, instead of fighting back, screamed like stripped maidens.
Moments later—
The blood pool was surrounded by crimson-stained earth.
The bodies of the cultists were stacked atop the elder's corpse. Thick, root-like tendrils wrapped around them, piercing into their bodies to greedily siphon nutrients.
Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged to the side, lifting the ghost possession. While meditating, he recovered his strength and absorbed the energy from the bodies.
Despite having depleted his soul power moments ago, he had already regained more than half.
Thanks to the regeneration of the hundred-thousand-year Snow Lotus, and the feedback from the Devour Life Domain.
The slaughter had gone smoothly due to the elder's ghost soul.
But ghost possession requires using both the host's and the ghost's power.
The more Huo Yuhao expends, the less the ghost needs to—and the longer it can fight.
But since Huo Yuhao had no soul power left earlier, the battle was fought entirely with the ghost's strength.
Ghost power, however, isn't as abundant as a soul master's.
The ghost barely lasted until the fight ended.
Now, the elder's ghost was back in the Ghost Banner, recovering—unable to be summoned or possessed again for a while.
Although he was the first Soul Douluo-level ghost soul in the banner, his martial soul and potential weren't impressive—so he wasn't worthy of becoming a Main Soul.
As for the King Serpent Life Seizure technique, Huo Yuhao had developed it himself by combining the powers of various ghost souls.
It was a special technique that substituted ghost power for soul power and combined it with blood energy.
Its effects were potent—not just damaging the body, but also harming the soul.
When used, it radiated a sinister, ghostly aura. Hence the name—Ghost-Evil Combat Art.
It silenced anyone it struck.
Until he fully recovered his soul power, Huo Yuhao didn't dare approach the blood pool or the Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner again.
When he finally finished absorbing the nutrients from the corpses, not only had he restored all his soul power—
He had broken through.
A surge of soul power coursed through him—
Huo Yuhao officially reached Rank 60!
His digestion speed and energy conversion efficiency were enough to make neighboring evil soul masters weep with envy.
The third elder of the Holy Spirit Cult had gone out for something and hadn't returned even now.
"He's either gone out to do something big, or he's been taken out by someone else," Huo Yuhao analyzed.
At this moment, only two Soul Emperor guards remained at the entrance of this underground stronghold of the Holy Spirit Cult.
As for the other disciples who brought back soul beast corpses...
They were warmly invited into the Ghost Banner Martial Soul by the ten-thousand-year Phantom Avoidant Ghost Soul stationed at the warehouse.
After recovering fully, Huo Yuhao finally dared to approach the blood pool.
The blood pool was bubbling like it was boiling, releasing a dense, overpowering stench of blood.
He had to admit—it was a bit intoxicating.
Kind of like bubbling strawberry jam.
Wisps of bloody mist floated up from the pool and were absorbed by the Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner suspended above the pool.
That blood-red mist was none other than Blood Fiend Qi!
Blood Fiend Qi is a type of Baleful Qi—a baleful aura.
From Pu Du Cihang's memories, Huo Yuhao had also learned about Baleful Qi.
Important distinction: in this context, Baleful Qi is a noun, not an adjective.
Baleful Qi is mainly divided into three types.
Tangible Baleful Qi, such as Blood Fiend, Earth Fiend, Yin Fiend, and Poison Fiend.
Intangible Baleful Qi, such as Flying Star Fiend and Five-Yellow Fiend, which are tied to fate and fortune, representing misfortune and calamity.
The combined type—both tangible and intangible—the most dangerous of all. Unless one has a unique fate or constitution, encountering it means certain death.
No matter the type, Baleful Qi is inherently harmful and dangerous. It damages not only others but also the wielder—truly a negative force.
Blood Fiend Qi, a tangible type, originates from blood. It can be considered a form of power—whether you call it Blood Fiend Qi or Blood Fiend Force.
Murderous villains soaked in blood might exude Blood Fiend Qi, to the point that even spirits and ghosts dare not approach—thus the saying, "even ghosts fear the wicked."
But if they can't control the Blood Fiend Qi, it can invade their minds, driving them mad and making them lose themselves.
Places soaked in blood can also accumulate Blood Fiend Qi over time, turning into cursed lands avoided by both man and beast.
If a corpse happens to fall into such a place and the environment is just right, a few years later, the Blood Fiend Qi might nurture a monster known as a Blood Corpse.
Some areas heavily infected with Blood Fiend Qi are even excellent breeding grounds for ghosts.
In other words, Blood Fiend Qi not only harms the soul and body—it can also nurture ghosts and corpses. It all depends on how you use it.
One thing is certain: Blood Fiend Qi is not a good thing. Righteous cultivators are absolutely forbidden from touching it—it would corrupt their cultivation.
But... Huo Yuhao? He wasn't exactly a righteous cultivator.
Staring at the Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner, Huo Yuhao declared seriously, "Using Blood Fiend Qi to nurture ghosts will produce extremely dangerous BalefulGhosts. If this Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner is fully refined, it'll become a catastrophic magic artifact—a menace to the world!"
So, what did Huo Yuhao decide to do?
Help it along, of course.
Because... he wanted those Baleful Ghosts too!
Compared to regular ghosts, BalefulGhosts were much more powerful. Some even possessed unique abilities—and higher intelligence.
Like the legendary Twin Sha—Red and White—whose combined assault could make even immortals kneel.
"Normally, the formation of a BalefulGhost requires special conditions. I wonder how they'll turn out when refined this way using beast spirits."
Muttering to himself, Huo Yuhao began to move. Forming hand seals and chanting incantations, he drew more Blood Fiend Qi from the pool to hasten the banner's refinement.
While the Holy Spirit disciples relied on dumping soul beast corpses to fuel the process, Huo Yuhao could directly manipulate the Blood Fiend Qi sediment at the bottom of the pool.
Massive amounts of Blood Fiend Qi floated upward, feeding into the banner and speeding up its refinement.
This was called: professionalism.
As the Blood Fiend Qi continued merging into the banner, the Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner gradually radiated a strange crimson glow.
It was changing.
Its quality was improving.
Electrolux appeared, his expression stern as he stared at the transforming Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner.
Skydream Iceworm and the Golden Tortoise also manifested, both looking to Electrolux in confusion.
"Elder Electrolux, is something wrong?" Skydream Iceworm asked curiously.
"There's a big problem," Electrolux said solemnly. "If this thing completes its transformation, Yuhao may not be able to suppress it."
"W-What?!" Skydream Iceworm was shocked. "Then what should we do?"
"Don't worry—I'll handle it." Electrolux suddenly chuckled and dropped the serious act.
Skydream: "..."
Golden Tortoise: "..."
If you had it under control, then why act so serious?! You scared us half to death!
You sly old man—you're just messing with us!
"But," Electrolux added, looking upward, "Yuhao needs to move faster now."
Skydream quickly activated his spiritual detection—and immediately noticed a figure entering the underground base. The figure was carrying something heavy and radiated an overwhelming aura.
"Not good! That soul power fluctuation—it's a Titled Douluo! Is it the third elder? He's back! This visitor comes with ill intent!" Skydream cried out.
Golden Tortoise whispered from the side, "Skydream, we're the ones who came here."
Skydream paused, then smacked Golden Tortoise on the head. "You talk too much!"
They promptly returned to the spiritual sea to avoid distracting Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao, meanwhile, remained focused on chanting, accelerating the refinement of the Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner.
As the banner grew bloodier, the blood pool itself turned strangely clear.
It wasn't that the blood was purified—but rather that it had been transformed into something else entirely.
Huo Yuhao: Just doing a little multitasking.
Just as Huo Yuhao was performing the ritual, the third elder returned.
He walked in—and immediately saw someone tampering with his banner.
Instantly, he panicked. Tossing aside the heavy object he was carrying, he shouted, "Who are you?! What are you doing to my banner?!"
But Huo Yuhao ignored him and kept going.
Fury erupted in the third elder's eyes. Activating his Martial Soul, he pulled out a high-grade soul tool and unleashed a soul skill—Nether Thunder Slash—straight at Huo Yuhao.
Nether Thunder was a type of thunder infused with dark, sinister energy extracted from corpses. Unlike regular thunder, which had righteous might, Nether Thunder was devious and twisted.
The third elder wasn't just a Titled Douluo—he was also a Level 9 Soul Engineer.
He could combine soul tools with soul skills to unleash tremendous power.
That's why he was entrusted with refining the Level 9 soul tool—the Bloodthirsty Holy Spirit Banner.
And he was supposed to use it once completed.
Now that Huo Yuhao was interfering with the banner, there was no way the third elder would let it slide.
He wanted to kill Huo Yuhao—to vent his rage!
However, just as the Nether Thunder Slash was about to strike—
Huo Yuhao's body suddenly shifted—and the attack missed entirely.
"Huh?!" the third elder was stunned.
"That was the Auspicious Protection activating!" Golden Tortoise shouted triumphantly.
Auspicious Protection was a passive ability granted by the ten-thousand-year Golden Heart-Guard Mirror external soul bone. Its greatest feature? A chance to dodge incoming attacks.
The higher the user's luck and fate compared to their enemy, the greater the chance to dodge!
"He still has the strength to dodge?!" The Third Elder was shocked, but not intimidated. He launched another fierce assault on Huo Yuhao, even more ferocious than before.
A net of lightning came crashing down over Huo Yuhao.
"Let's see where you can run this time!"
Suddenly, the Ghost Banner martial soul activated. A massive skeletal claw stretched out from the void and tore the lightning net to shreds.
Before the Third Elder's stunned eyes—
The Skeletal Tortoise slowly emerged from the void, merging seamlessly with the Golden Tortoise. Together, they unleashed the terrifying pressure of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, bearing down on the Third Elder.
"A hundred-thousand-year soul beast skeleton?!" The Third Elder was truly stunned—then overwhelmed by greed.
The Holy Spirit Cult had many evil soul masters adept at using soul beast remains. As a Level 9 soul engineer himself, he could even craft powerful soul tools from such bones.
A complete skeleton of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast was comparable in value to a soul bone of the same age—enough to make any evil soul master's heart race.
The Third Elder prepared to bring out an even more powerful Level 9 soul tool.
But Electrolux had already said he would intervene.
Electrolux stepped forward, raising his hand to conjure a whip, lashing it down on the Skeletal Tortoise.
This move was called "Whip of Death"!
It could either lash the soul of a living being or temporarily empower an undead creature.
As an undead entity, the Skeletal Tortoise was strengthened by the lash and now radiated even greater power.
Electrolux shouted, "You've been strengthened—go now!"
The Skeletal Tortoise charged at the Third Elder.
In life, the Golden Tortoise was known for its defense and strength.
In undeath, the Skeletal Tortoise retained those traits—and now had additional offensive power. Its bony claws and fangs carried a corrosive force inherent to the undead.
Merged with the Golden Tortoise's soul and enhanced by the Whip of Death, the Skeletal Tortoise's current power briefly surpassed that of the Third Elder.
After all, the Third Elder was only at Rank 92.
Watching the rampaging Skeletal Tortoise barrel toward him, the Third Elder hastily activated three Level 9 defensive soul tools, stacking three layers of shields over himself.
BOOM—
The Skeletal Tortoise slammed into the defensive shield.
Though the barrier held, the impact force transmitted through it, sending the Third Elder flying and nearly embedding him in the wall.
"Damn it!" he cursed, scrambling to his feet to counterattack.
From the shadows, the Skydream Iceworm chuckled sinisterly and launched a Soul Shock at the Third Elder.
His mind reeled as his consciousness wavered.
The Skeletal Tortoise charged again.
The Golden Tortoise shouted, "Don't dodge—run toward me!"
Electrolux prepared his next move.
Raising his power-charged hand, he shouted:
"Withering Spell!"
The Skeletal Tortoise crashed into the Third Elder again, shattering one of the Level 9 shields.
The Withering Spell then struck, ignoring the remaining two layers and landing directly on the Third Elder.
"ARGHHH!!"
The Third Elder screamed in agony as he snapped back to his senses—realizing he had been hit.
The Withering Spell would continuously drain soul power for three minutes. Once depleted, even his physical vitality would begin to decay.
As a Titled Douluo, the Third Elder could withstand the erosion—but the spell's effect horrified him.
Worst of all, he didn't know it only lasted for three minutes.
"What kind of power is this?! It's weakening my soul power!"
If it kept going endlessly, what chance would he have to fight back?
But Electrolux had no intention of explaining. He was already preparing his next move.
He even pulled He Caitou over for a live demonstration.
"Watch closely and learn."
He Caitou: "Ababababa…"
Seeing the chaotic battlefield, the Third Elder was bewildered. Wasn't he only facing one opponent? Why were there suddenly so many?
There was the charging Golden Tortoise, Electrolux attacking from afar, He Caitou observing nearby, an unknown force working in secret—and of course Huo Yuhao, who was going wild with the Bloodthirsty Spirit Banner.
It felt like the goons were holding back the dad while the big boss defiled the daughter—utterly humiliating.
Only two paths remained before the Third Elder: either risk everything in a last-ditch struggle, or flee and lose everything he had worked for.
Before he could decide—
A terrifying aura of Bloodfiend energy erupted behind Electrolux.
He paused, turning to look—
Huo Yuhao had completed the refinement of the Bloodthirsty Spirit Banner.
No, what he finished was no longer the Bloodthirsty Spirit Banner!
Following the standard refinement, it should have only gained a basic bloodthirsty growth ability. But with Huo Yuhao's expertise, the banner had ascended to a new peak.
It now held the powers of Bloodfiend control and Ghoul conversion!
Thus, the weapon before them had to be renamed—
"Bloodfiend Spirit Banner!" Huo Yuhao declared.
In the next instant, a horrifying suction force burst from the Bloodfiend Spirit Banner, as if to pull everyone's souls into it.
"Whoa, whoa! Brother Hao, what's going on?!" Even the Skydream Iceworm in Huo Yuhao's mental sea felt the pull and cried out.
The imagined White Tiger spirit slammed down with a paw, pinning the Iceworm in place.
Rather than scold it, the Iceworm thanked it: "Thanks, bro~"
Huo Yuhao explained, "The Bloodfiend Spirit Banner hadn't absorbed enough souls—it's been in a constant state of hunger. Now it's feeding!"
A truly insatiable spirit artifact...
But to think it could affect Huo Yuhao's soul? Foolish.
"Imagine the White Tiger! Imagine the Black Tortoise!"
"Suppress!"
The Golden Tortoise's consciousness was drawn back into the imagined Black Tortoise.
Now fully grown, the imagined Black Tortoise joined the imagined White Tiger in unleashing a thunderous roar, stabilizing Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea and protecting his soul.
The Skydream Iceworm no longer felt the pull and sighed in relief.
In the real world, Electrolux scooped up the nearly-absorbed He Caitou and shoved him back into the Ghost Banner martial soul.
What came next was not for children to see.
As for Electrolux, his divine soul was immune to the Bloodfiend Spirit Banner's pull.
The Third Elder, however, felt the tug on his soul. Panic overtook him—he backed away frantically.
"Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!"
Just then, two Soul Emperors who had been guarding outside rushed in.
"Elder, we heard fighting!"
"Elder, what's happening—"
Before they could finish, their souls were yanked from their bodies and twisted, absorbed by the Bloodfiend Spirit Banner.
The banner's suction power grew even stronger.
Their corpses collapsed limply to the ground.
The Third Elder, seeing this, stopped hesitating and turned to flee.
"Damn it! What the hell did he make?! That's no longer the Bloodthirsty Spirit Banner!"
But he still held onto hope—that Huo Yuhao's soul would be consumed too.
As for the things he had discarded earlier, he could no longer care.
"The Bloodthirsty Spirit Banner's refinement failed, and the disturbance has drawn the Heavenly Soul Empire's attention. I can't stay here any longer—I must retreat."
He made up his mind.
As he fled, he destroyed the hideout's tunnels—both to cover his tracks and to bury Huo Yuhao underground.
Once outside, he hurled several soul-guided explosive shells at the base.
"Be buried forever beneath this place!"
BOOM—
Without looking back, the Third Elder fled.
Even if the explosion didn't bury Huo Yuhao, it would surely attract Heavenly Soul Empire's experts—resulting in a clash.
Now the Third Elder's biggest worry was explaining his failure to the Holy Spirit Cult.
After all, they had provided the materials to refine the Bloodthirsty Spirit Banner—and it was one of their official missions.
Deep underground—
A golden light flared.
The Golden Tortoise used its power to hold up the collapsing hideout.
Electrolux lent a hand as well, concealing all traces and fluctuations in the area.
The Blood Fiend Spirit Banner's pull on souls was growing ever stronger.
Naturally, Huo Yuhao wouldn't let the Blood Fiend Spirit Banner continue rampaging unchecked.
"Don't get too full of yourself—it won't help!"
The Ghost Banner Martial Soul floated above Huo Yuhao's hand before he hurled it toward the Blood Fiend Spirit Banner.
"If you're not satisfied, then fine—I'll let you borrow my Ghost Banner Martial Soul."
Whoosh—
The Ghost Banner Martial Soul shot toward the Blood Fiend Spirit Banner like a bolt of black lightning.
The Blood Fiend Spirit Banner hadn't yet realized the gravity of the situation.
The very next moment, the Ghost Banner Martial Soul pierced through it.
"Merge!" Huo Yuhao formed a hand seal and began manipulating the Ghost Banner Martial Soul.
The Blood Fiend Spirit Banner began to tremble violently, as if sensing impending danger and attempting to flee—only to be firmly restrained by the Ghost Banner.
"Hm? It's actually developed rudimentary intelligence? Too bad—I don't accept surrender," Huo Yuhao said coldly, increasing the power output.
The Ghost Banner Martial Soul mounted the Blood Fiend Spirit Banner and took control.
This time, it was the Ghost Banner Martial Soul devouring the Blood Fiend Spirit Banner!
The Blood Fiend Spirit Banner was no longer an ordinary soul device—it had evolved into a true magical artifact.
Among magical artifacts, the strong devouring the weak was not unusual—especially among those of the same kind.
Although a Grade-9 soul device was undeniably powerful, this particular one wasn't suited for regular use and conflicted with the abilities of the Ghost Banner Martial Soul.
Moreover, once absorbed, the Ghost Banner Martial Soul would gain access to the Blood Fiend Banner's Blood Fiend power.
The Blood Fiend Banner thrashed about wildly.
But it had no chance of escape.
During its forging, Huo Yuhao had already figured out every sensitive point of the Blood Fiend Spirit Banner. Now, with precise strikes at its weak points, it stood no chance—unable even to mount a last-ditch counterattack.
Eventually, it completely broke down.
All the evil spirits and Blood Fiend power within the banner were absorbed by the Ghost Banner Martial Soul, which visibly grew stronger by the second. The fabric of the Ghost Banner began to glow faintly red.
That was the power of Blood Fiend!
The Blood Fiend Banner had suffered irreversible destruction.
Its flag and components were shattered, leaving only a crimson flagpole that fell limply into the pool below.
The last trace of power from the Blood Fiend Spirit Banner gathered at the tip of the Ghost Banner Martial Soul, condensing into a blood-red pearl.
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes. "So that faint artifact spirit didn't die—it's trying to cling to life by attaching itself to my Ghost Banner?"
Like he'd let that happen.
But before he could act, a surge of powerful Blood Fiend energy radiated from the red pearl, spreading outward and forming a domain.
The artifact spirit of the Blood Fiend Spirit Banner had granted the Ghost Banner Martial Soul a brand-new domain!
Seeing this, Huo Yuhao's expression changed from cold to pleased.
"Not bad—I can afford to keep you around."
Electrolux glanced over and commented, "Shameless."
Huo Yuhao didn't care. As the Blood Fiend Domain dissipated, he beckoned, summoning the Ghost Banner Martial Soul back and examining its changes.
After devouring the Blood Fiend Banner, the Ghost Banner Martial Soul had undergone further evolution.
Visibly, the red markings on the banner cloth became more demonic, and a blood-red pearl now adorned the top of the banner pole—housing the artifact spirit of the Blood Fiend Banner.
However, that spirit was far too weak, especially after the destruction of its artifact form, so it had fallen into slumber.
In terms of abilities, the Ghost Banner Martial Soul had now gained access to Blood Fiend Power, allowing it to release Blood Fiend energy for attacks. It could also use this energy to refine spirits into Fiend Ghosts.
All the Fiend Ghosts previously residing in the Blood Fiend Banner—including the souls of two evil Soul Emperor-level Spirit Masters—had been absorbed. Altogether, there were over 3,000 of them.
Most were below the 10,000-year beast soul level, but sheer numbers made them formidable.
Finally, there was the new domain it acquired—the Blood Fiend Domain!
Though derived from the artifact spirit, the spirit's slumber didn't hinder its usage.
Formed by condensed Blood Fiend energy, this domain weakened enemy power by 5% within its bounds, and eroded their minds. Once the blood fiend energy invaded their brains, they'd lose all rationality. Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao's own attacks would gain a 105% power amplification.
Fresh blood could further enhance the domain's effects.
"It's a bit like the Slaughter God Domain from 10,000 years ago," Huo Yuhao mused. "Though the amplification is weaker, it has unique effects—and it's scalable."
He was very satisfied with it.
Together with his Devour Life Domain, the next time he faced an enemy, he could activate both simultaneously—automatically suppressing their power.
And with these domains, Huo Yuhao was no longer afraid of drawn-out battles. The longer the fight dragged on, the more the tide would shift in his favor.
Even if he faced off against a division elder and a group of Holy Spirit cultists, he could now kill them using his own power—no need for ghost possession.
With a pleased expression, Huo Yuhao retracted the Ghost Banner Martial Soul.
"The Third Elder escaped, and buried this base on his way out... Guess he was fast enough."
Huo Yuhao scanned his surroundings.
The Golden Tortoise Skeleton was still supporting the space.
Electrolux was concealing the underground energy fluctuations.
"That means I can finally use this thing in peace."
He turned his gaze toward the clear, transparent pool in front of him.
It was the once horrifying Blood Pool.
But that didn't mean the water was useless now—nor that it wasn't dangerous.
To an ordinary person who didn't understand how to handle it, stepping in would reduce them to a mindless husk.
"I just tried something casually... didn't expect it to work. So this is Beast Corpse Water?" Huo Yuhao said with interest.
The pool water could now be called Beast Corpse Water.
It was a product of dark cultivation methods, something only evil cultivators could create.
Evil cultivators really were inventive, always managing to create horrifying things.
In his youth, Pudu Cihang had gathered many of these techniques.
Otherwise, how could he have become a great demon?
In ancient times, there were the "Three Light Divine Waters" of the sun, moon, and stars. Evil cultivators created their own twisted version: the "Three Corpse Divine Waters" of man, beast, and ghost.
These waters could aid cultivation and strengthen a cultivator's Essence, Energy, and Spirit.
Human Corpse Water strengthened Essence.
Beast Corpse Water strengthened Spirit.
Ghost Corpse Water strengthened Energy.
Essence, Energy, and Spirit can roughly be understood as: life essence, cultivation, and vitality.
As for the nature of the three waters...
Human and beast corpse waters were made from corpse oils.
Ghost corpse water was made from the source power of souls.
They were not things mortals could touch casually.
This entire blood pool had been created by tossing entire soul beast corpses into it, melting them into blood water.
Now that all the Blood Fiend energy had been extracted, the remaining liquid, once purified, became a pool of Beast Corpse Divine Water.
Using it would strengthen Huo Yuhao's spirit treasure.
"Spirit" here refers to vitality—including mental strength, willpower, physique, and life force.
In plain terms—
It could enhance Huo Yuhao's spiritual power and physical constitution.
No reason to hesitate.
Huo Yuhao immediately stripped off his clothes, preparing to jump in.
But just then, the skeletal tortoise dragged something out and tossed it in front of him.
"What's this?" Huo Yuhao asked, tail flicking like a dragon's, crouching beside the object.
"That's something the Third Elder brought back earlier," explained Skydream Iceworm.
It was a human-sized burlap sack radiating soul power fluctuations—clearly a soul tool.
And judging from its slight movements, something alive was inside!
Curious, Huo Yuhao opened the soul tool bag.
Inside was the unconscious face of a stunningly beautiful mature woman.
"Nanshui Shui?!"
It was none other than Nanshui Shui, the Sect Master of the Earth Dragon Sect!
Nan Shuishui, the sect leader of the Earth Dragon Sect, was a voluptuous and stunningly beautiful woman. Her tall, curvaceous figure was breathtaking, with a fullness that could captivate anyone, making it impossible to look away. Her skin, however, remained as fair and delicate as a young girl's, like porcelain glowing faintly under moonlight.
She was like a perfectly ripened peach, irresistibly plump. Her rosy lips, with each breath, exuded a faint fragrance that tempted one to taste.
And now, this beauty lay unconscious before Huo Yuhao, her eyes tightly shut, completely defenseless.
She was at Huo Yuhao's mercy.
What hot-blooded young man could resist such temptation?
Huo Yuhao admitted, "In this situation, how should I put it? I'm *standing at attention*!"
He was aroused!
But it hadn't gone to his head.
"Why is Nan Shuishui here? And brought back by the Third Elder…" Huo Yuhao's eyes narrowed as he suddenly recalled their connection.
It was mentioned in the original story!
The Holy Spirit Cult's Third Elder, Dark Thunder Douluo, had once pursued Nan Shuishui in his youth but lost to Nan Qiuqiu's father and was no longer a complete man. As a result, he turned to the path of an evil soul master.
Yet, even though the Third Elder was no longer whole, he still couldn't forget Nan Shuishui.
In the original story, he even captured her for a twisted game of confinement.
However, judging by how the Third Elder fled this time and forgot to take Nan Shuishui, his feelings for her weren't exactly deep-seated.
"Third Elder, I get you. Your taste is impeccable," Huo Yuhao nodded, considering the Third Elder a kindred spirit.
"Since we're on the same wavelength, it should be fine if I have a taste of Nan Shuishui, right?"
The Third Elder didn't jump out to object, so it must be fine.
Then Huo Yuhao looked up and saw Electrolux floating above him, one eye open, one closed, peering down.
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm and Golden Tortoise were secretly watching.
He Caitou tried to emerge but was kicked back by Electrolux.
The White Tiger in his spiritual sea yawned boredly.
"You guys think I'm about to *do* her, don't you?" Huo Yuhao asked with a grin.
"Isn't that the case?" Electrolux chuckled. "Your body's being pretty honest! But I've lived long enough to see it all. Do what you want; this old man won't say a word."
"Yeah, yeah, Brother Hao, I swear I'll keep quiet," the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm nodded eagerly.
The Golden Tortoise played the neutral observer. "I just think it'd benefit Brother Hao. A Soul Douluo's cultivation could boost you significantly."
"Then keep dreaming!" Huo Yuhao snapped, exasperated. "Am I that kind of guy? I'm pure as ice and jade, okay!"
"Oh, right, right…"
Electrolux and the others didn't argue.
Huo Yuhao genuinely had no intention of harvesting Nan Shuishui *that* way.
It wasn't about resisting temptation but about cultivation concerns.
There were two reasons.
First, Huo Yuhao was stuck at Level 60. If he harvested Nan Shuishui now, most of her soul power would go to waste. Did they think soul power stored without a soul ring had no limit?
Second, Huo Yuhao still retained his primordial yang. To maximize benefits, he'd need a woman with her primordial yin intact to achieve yin-yang balance.
That didn't mean he'd do *nothing* with Nan Shuishui. On the contrary, he planned to transform her inside and out.
"The annihilation attribute is a destructive force. It's perfect for studying, and it might help my poison attribute grow."
"Plus, my Evil Eyes martial soul needs to cultivate with an attribute. While annihilation isn't elemental, it's powerful enough."
"Since Nan Shuishui is defenseless now, I'll imprint my mark in her spiritual sea."
"A soul master with the Rouge Dragon martial soul is too rare to ruin carelessly."
"Woman, I want you to aid my cultivation!"
Huo Yuhao let out a sinister laugh, then dragged Nan Shuishui into the beast corpse water.
Using both together doubles the effect~
Electrolux watched Huo Yuhao's mental state and sighed silently, suddenly worried for him.
"Will there ever be a woman who truly moves Yuhao's heart?"
In the original story, Huo Yuhao was naive and easily swayed by the God King's daughter.
Now, though still inexperienced, Huo Yuhao's heart was consumed by cultivation, thanks to the Pudu Cihang Technique's memories. Women were just resources to him.
Huo Yuhao: *Ten thousand years ago, my ancestor Dai Mubai said women don't count as population resources! So they're just cultivation resources, right?*
In the water pool, the moment Huo Yuhao entered, he felt the beast corpse water's power trying to invade his body.
Without a method to refine it, the water's energy would turn a person into a mindless husk, scattering their consciousness.
Huo Yuhao quickly enveloped Nan Shuishui with his power.
Don't misunderstand—he wasn't protecting her but preventing her from taking advantage.
A pseudo-Buddhist light glowed from Huo Yuhao, helping him refine the beast corpse water's power.
Once adapted, he began dual operations.
On one hand, he used the beast corpse water to strengthen his physique and spirit.
On the other, he injected pseudo-Buddhist light into Nan Shuishui, stimulating her Rouge Dragon martial soul's annihilation attribute while invading her mind with his chant.
The Third Elder's methods had left Nan Shuishui unable to wake, sealing her power and weakening her body and spirit.
This made things easier for Huo Yuhao.
As the annihilation attribute was activated within her, Huo Yuhao guided its destructive power to his eyes, tempering his Spiritual Eyes martial soul.
When the annihilation attribute entered, its destructive force caused excruciating pain, as if his eyeballs were shattering.
Yet Huo Yuhao endured, only holding the beautiful woman in his arms tighter.
Nan Shuishui let out a soft moan, instinctively wrapping her arms around him, letting him feel her exquisite form.
In her spiritual sea, amid a golden glow, Nan Shuishui opened her eyes in confusion, muttering, "Where am I?"
A figure seated on a golden lotus appeared before her.
Huo Yuhao extended a hand, inviting her with a smile, his voice layered and dreamlike. "My consort, why not join me in ascending to bliss?"
"Consort? Is that me? What's going on? I was… why do I feel like I've forgotten something… Oh well, it's just a dream."
Nan Shuishui's eyes dulled, and she woodenly took Huo Yuhao's hand, stepping onto the golden lotus.
Then…
Dew nourished the lotus, and mandarin ducks sang on the branches.
In the pool, a golden lotus formed from pseudo-Buddhist light took shape on Nan Shuishui's forehead, a sacred yet elegant mark.
Her face bore a satisfied smile.
But Huo Yuhao, holding her, was in agony as the annihilation attribute continued tempering his eyes.
It felt like his eyes were being smashed and ground to pieces.
During this, his physique and mental strength were also being enhanced.
The dual effects multiplied the results!
And the pain multiplied too!
Finally, after half an hour, within Huo Yuhao's fortune, a white potential mark in the Evil Eyes martial soul's projection shattered.
Huo Yuhao's eyes snapped open, shooting out two beams of colorful light, radiating an extremely dangerous aura!