36: Chapter 36 A crushing defeat? Not afraid of pressure! Is it Sister Tao?!

"Little Yuhao, have you really thought this through? That person called Ma Xiaotao is a five-ring Spirit King! A five-ring!

And her Spirit is the Evil Fire Phoenix, a top-tier Spirit with extreme offensive power. You are only a three-ring now; the gap is just too big, isn't it?"

The worried voice of the Tianmeng Iceworm echoed in the Spiritual Sea.

Its round spiritual form floated back and forth beside Huo Yuhao's consciousness, like an anxious spinning top.

"Hmph, so what if she's a five-ring Spirit King?"

A cold and arrogant female voice rang out. The Ice Empress's stunningly beautiful spiritual phantom crossed her arms and floated on the other side, her emerald green long hair moving without wind. "What Yuhao possesses is my Ultimate Ice. Ultimate attributes are inherently existence that transcends ordinary elemental attributes.

Mere Evil Fire is nothing more than impure flames; in front of Ultimate Ice, it only deserves to be purified and extinguished. As long as it is used properly, the suppression of attributes is enough to make up for the gap in Soul Power levels."

"It's not impossible to capture her." The Ice Empress's tone was filled with absolute confidence in her own power.

"That may be true, but..."

The Tianmeng Iceworm's voice weakened, but it quickly found a new point of worry. "But, what if? What if that Ma Xiaotao doesn't play by the rules?

And there are so many monsters in Shrek Academy. You've only just arrived; it's better to keep a low profile, right?"

"Sister Tianmeng, Ice Empress, don't worry."

Huo Yuhao, who had been silent, finally "opened" his eyes in the Spiritual Sea.

His spiritual form carried a gentle smile, soothing the two powerful Soul Spirits who were worried sick about him.

"I don't intend to go head-to-head with Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao the moment I arrive. I know my strengths and weaknesses. My strengths lie in my Mental Energy and the attribute suppression of Ultimate Ice, as well as the various techniques you have taught me. My weaknesses are my Soul Power level and practical combat experience."

His voice was calm and unhurried, carrying a composure and ease that surpassed his age.

"Going to Shrek, my primary goal is to improve myself and to learn. As for the problem with Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao, I believe there will always be a way to solve it.

The Ice Empress is right; Ultimate Ice is her nemesis. This is an opportunity for me, not a crisis."

"Hehe, Little Yuhao, you see things so clearly!"

The Tianmeng Iceworm immediately changed its tune, floating over to rub against Huo Yuhao. "I knew you were the best!"

The Ice Empress watched this scene and just gave a soft hum, but deep within her cold eyes, a trace of approval was revealed.

The person she chose did not disappoint her.

This temperament, this insight, were far beyond what his peers could compare to.

Huo Yuhao smiled in the Spiritual Sea, his "gaze" penetrating the barriers of the Spirit.

It was as if he saw the distant Shrek City and saw those familiar people who were about to become different.

"Actually, it's not just Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao."

His voice carried a hint of anticipation and tenderness that others could hardly detect. "There is also Wang Donger... I want to solve her divine sense problem and truly make her an independent individual, rather than a sacrificial pawn for Tang Wutong."

He said this resolutely, with an unquestionable determination.

The Tianmeng Iceworm and the Ice Empress were both stunned.

Huo Yuhao did not explain further.

Some things were his obsession; they were reparations he had to complete.

He owed her an encounter that was perfectly right from the beginning.

This time, he would personally smooth over this regret.

He would let her be the Donger who could act spoiled, be willful, and rely on him openly again.

Just as Huo Yuhao's mind was full of thoughts, adding a heavy stroke to the blueprint of the future,

"Roar!"

A beast roar full of violence and cruelty came from outside the carriage without warning, instantly tearing apart the peace of the afternoon!

This beast roar had strong penetrating power and carried intense Soul Power fluctuations, causing the two horses pulling the carriage to let out terrified neighs.

The carriage driver was experienced and pulled the reins tightly, preventing the carriage from overturning.

The carriage shook violently, and the intense jolting woke everyone up.

"What happened?" Jiang Nannan reacted immediately. Her face was a bit pale, but she still subconsciously protected the petite Tang Ya behind her, her eyes vigilantly looking outside the carriage window.

Tang Ya was startled by this sudden change, clutching Jiang Nannan's sleeve tightly, poking her little head out, her face full of nervousness.

Wang Qiuer's golden eyes instantly became as sharp as knives. She stood firm almost the moment the carriage shook.

She stood up directly, the aura of a powerhouse unconsciously radiating out, and said in a deep voice: "A Spirit Beast is blocking the road."

Gu Yuena remained seated, her posture not even changing in the slightest, only her beautiful purple eyes narrowed slightly.

Her brows furrowed very slightly, and her gaze was cast calmly toward the front of the carriage, as if she had already seen through everything.

Huo Yuhao returned from the Spiritual Sea in an instant and opened his eyes.

In those clear eyes, there was no panic, only a profound calmness.

"I'll go take a look."

Wang Qiuer said, already preparing to lift the carriage curtain.

With her strength, dealing with a Spirit Beast blocking the road was just a matter of lifting a finger.

"Wait."

Huo Yuhao spoke. His voice was not loud, but it made Wang Qiuer's movements stop.

He stopped her, shook his head at her, and then smiled gently: "Let me handle it."

Wang Qiuer was stunned, looking at him with some confusion.

Huo Yuhao stood up and stretched his body, his joints making a faint cracking sound.

The smile on his face was still gentle, but the words he said carried an unquestionable confidence.

"It's just right to test the results of my recent cultivation."

After speaking, he didn't wait for everyone to react and went straight to lift the curtain and get off the carriage.

The afternoon sun was a bit dazzling. The official road was empty, with only their solitary carriage.

About thirty meters in front of the carriage, a robust Spirit Beast was eyeing them covetously in the middle of the road.

Its body was covered in a layer of pitch-black fur, which shimmered with a cold luster in the sunlight. Its figure was slender and full of explosive power, its limbs thick and strong, and its claws and teeth sharp.

A pair of emerald green eyes stared fixedly at the carriage, low growls issued from its throat, and saliva dripped onto the ground along its sharp fangs, corroding the ground with a "hissing" sound.

"It's a Nether Wolf!"

The driver was experienced and recognized it at a glance, his voice even trembling. "Looking at this size and aura, it has at least... at least three thousand years of cultivation! We're done for, we're done for..."

A three-thousand-year Spirit Beast was already a terrifying existence fatal to ordinary people.

Inside the carriage, the hearts of Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya were in their throats.

"Can the benefactor... can he do it alone?" Tang Ya asked in a low, worried voice, her palms full of sweat.

Jiang Nannan did not answer because she didn't know either.

She only knew that although Huo Yuhao gave her a feeling of being unfathomable.

Wang Qiuer stood at the carriage door, not sitting back down. Her pair of golden eyes locked tightly onto Huo Yuhao's back; if the situation was even slightly wrong, she would take action immediately.

Only Gu Yuena remained sitting still. She picked up the tea that had already cooled slightly on the table and took a light sip.

Her purple eyes reflected the figure of the young man outside the window, and the corner of her mouth hooked into a faint arc, full of interest.

On the official road, Huo Yuhao and the Nether Wolf stood opposite each other from a distance.

The man and the wolf formed a sharp contrast.

The Nether Wolf had a massive body and a fierce aura, full of primitive wildness and power.

Huo Yuhao had a slender figure, a handsome face, and a calm expression, looking just like a harmless neighbor's boy.

"Roar!"

The Nether Wolf seemed to lose its patience. It exerted force with its four limbs, lowered its body, and made an attacking posture, its emerald green eyes filled with bloodthirsty killing intent.

To it, this human who looked weak in front of it would be its meal today.

Huo Yuhao didn't even use Spirit Body Possession.

He just stood there quietly, and then slowly raised his head.

The moment he raised his head, his entire temperament changed abruptly.

If he was a gentle young man just a moment ago, now he was a Divinity descending upon the World.

An invisible and intangible, yet vast as an abyss, pressure spread from him!

His eyes lit up.

First Spirit, Spiritual Eyes!

Gold, purple.

Two spirit rings rose silently from under his feet, circling upward.

The brilliant light of the spirit rings made the driver and Tang Ya let out low gasps.

Especially that purple spirit ring, which represented the thousand-year level!

However, this was just the beginning.

Huo Yuhao's gaze intersected with the gaze of the Nether Wolf in the air.

There was no earth-shattering collision of Spirit Abilities, and no dazzling light effects.

Huo Yuhao just looked at it.

His eyes were his most powerful weapon.

Mental Shock!

"Buzz!"

An invisible mental blade, moving at a speed exceeding sound and light, fiercely pierced into the mind of the Nether Wolf!

"Awoo...?"

The Nether Wolf's movement of about to pounce stiffened suddenly, its fierce roar stopped abruptly, turning into a short and confused whimper.

Its brain felt like it had been hit hard by an invisible heavy hammer, and the whole World was spinning.

The thoughts that were originally clear and full of killing desire were instantly stirred into a mess.

Fear!

A huge fear originating from the depths of its soul, from the instinct of life, instantly drowned all its consciousness!

In its perception, the tiny human in front of it suddenly became incomparably huge, as if a god connecting heaven and earth.

And itself, it was as tiny as an ant.

Those purple-gold eyes were the sun and moon hanging in the sky, indifferent and majestic, judging everything in the World.

Just one encounter.

Just one glance.

In the emerald green eyes of this infamous three-thousand-year Nether Wolf, the bloodthirsty light instantly dissipated without a trace.

Replaced by a blankness and emptiness, followed by endless fear and submission.

"Thump."

In the shocked eyes of everyone, the massive body of this Nether Wolf, which had been fierce just a moment ago, softened, its limbs curled up, and it actually prostrated itself on the ground just like that.

It buried its head deeply between its front paws, its body shivering, and its throat made "woo-woo" whines like a puppy begging for mercy, no longer having any of its previous ferocity.

It had submitted.

Completely, from Spirit to body, it had completely submitted.

For a time, one could hear a pin drop on the entire official road.

The driver opened his mouth wide, enough to fit an egg.

He rubbed his eyes, completely unable to believe what he was seeing.

That was a three-thousand-year Nether Wolf!

And just like that... it knelt?

At the carriage door, in Wang Qiuer's golden eyes, there was a real sense of shock for the first time.

She had imagined that Huo Yuhao might have some special means, or that there might be a bitter battle, but she never expected such a result.

Instant kill?!

This was absolute crushing on a spiritual level!

It was absolute suppression at the life level!

He didn't even use any offensive Spirit Ability, just used one look to make a three-thousand-year cultivation ferocious beast bow down!

This man... to what extent was his Mental Energy powerful?

Wang Qiuer slowly sat back down. She looked at Huo Yuhao's back, her eyes becoming incomparably complicated.

"Wow! The benefactor is so amazing!"

Tang Ya's exclamation broke the silence, her little face full of worship, her eyes sparkling with stars.

Jiang Nannan was also in disbelief, covering her mouth, her beautiful eyes shining with brilliance.

This young man was refreshing her understanding of the word "genius" again and again.

Inside the carriage, Gu Yuena put down her teacup, and the faint arc at the corner of her mouth.

Finally turned into a clearly visible smile with a hint of satisfaction and pride.

"This little man..."

"Has become stronger again."

Huo Yuhao didn't pay attention to the movement behind him. He looked at the Nether Wolf prostrated on the ground and walked over slowly.

The Nether Wolf felt his approach, and its body shook even more violently, but it dared not move at all.

Huo Yuhao walked to its front and reached out to pat its massive head gently.

"Go away, don't come to the official road again to disturb passersby."

His voice was very light, but falling into the ears of the Nether Wolf, it was like a divine decree.

The Nether Wolf acted as if granted amnesty, whimpered, and its massive body jumped up from the ground immediately.

Then, without looking back, it tucked its tail and rushed into the nearby forest with the fastest speed in its life.

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared without a trace, as if afraid that Huo Yuhao would go back on his word.

Solving this small episode, Huo Yuhao clapped his hands and turned to walk back to the carriage.

The gentle, indifferent smile was still on his face, as if he had just driven away a stray dog blocking the road.

"Alright, it's fine, let's continue on our way." He said to the driver who was already dumbfounded.

"Ah... oh! Okay! Okay!"

The driver finally came to his senses, nodding and bowing repeatedly. Looking at Huo Yuhao again, his eyes were already full of awe.

Huo Yuhao returned to the carriage. As soon as he sat down, he was greeted by several distinct gazes.

Tang Ya's was pure worship, Jiang Nannan's was curiosity and exploration, and Wang Qiuer's was scrutiny and seriousness.

And Gu Yuena's was with a hint of playful appreciation.

"What ability was that just now? So amazing." Jiang Nannan couldn't help but ask.

"Just a small technique regarding Mental Energy." Huo Yuhao smiled modestly and didn't explain too much.

His gaze intersected with Gu Yuena's in the air. The latter raised the teacup in her hand to him, the smile in her purple eyes deepening, as if saying: Not bad performance.

Huo Yuhao also smiled at her, everything understood without words.

The carriage started slowly again, continuing to move in the direction of Shrek City.

With that scene just now, the atmosphere in the carriage became a bit subtle.

Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan stole glances at Huo Yuhao from time to time, while Wang Qiuer fell into a long silence.

Time passed quietly in the steady driving.

When the clouds in the sky were stained with a gorgeous orange-red, dusk arrived.

The speed of the carriage gradually slowed down. Ahead, a very dense forest appeared.

The official road passed through the forest. The light in the forest was dim, appearing a bit eerie.

"My lords, it's getting late. Shall we pass through this 'Sunset Forest' overnight, or rest outside the forest for the night?" The driver's voice came from outside, carrying a hint of inquiry.

"Is there any talk about this forest?" Huo Yuhao asked.

"There are many Spirit Beasts in the Sunset Forest. Although most are of the hundred-year level, they are more active at night, and occasionally some blind ones come out. However... with you here, it shouldn't be a problem." The driver's tone was full of confidence.

Huo Yuhao was about to say to go straight through to save time.

Suddenly.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

A rush of weapon clashing sounds faintly came from the depths of the dense forest ahead.

Immediately after, a crisp female shout with a hint of urgency drifted over with the wind.

"You shameless villains! If you have the ability, come at me, don't touch my things!"

The voice was clear and melodious, yet carried a bit of undisguised anger and stubbornness.

Everyone in the carriage was stunned.

And Huo Yuhao, the moment he heard this voice, his eyes suddenly focused!

This voice...

Although it was a bit far away and mixed in with the sounds of fighting, that unique vocal timbre, that familiar tone...

Huo Yuhao's brows instantly furrowed.

This voice... sounds familiar?