Chapter 456.3. The Experiment Fails?

Huo Yuhao finally came to from his deep dream after a long while, and he glanced at Tang Wutong with an apologetic look in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I phased out. Thank you.”

Tang Wutong was momentarily stunned. “What are you thanking me for?”

Huo Yuhao smiled and said, “Thank you for not waking me from my dream. It feels great to be home – let’s go.” With that, he soared into the sky like a large bird gliding across Sea God’s Lake.

He tapped gently on the surface of the lake, and a small piece of ice formed underneath his feet and supported the weight of his body. He continued gliding forward as he strode across the lake like rolling clouds and flowing water.

Tang Wutong followed behind him. She didn’t step on those ice pieces but quietly flew behind him instead. Huo Yuhao glowed with spirit, health, and vigor when he spoke his thanks to her. She seemed to have seen Huo Yuhao in such a state when they left Shrek Academy – back then, he still thought she was Wang Dong’er. Now, that Huo Yuhao that she recalled seeing seemed to have returned.

Tang Wutong wanted to tell Huo Yuhao that the handkerchief belonged to her, but she erased that thought from her head when she witnessed the vigor and vitality in his eyes. Even though it was just a small thread of hope, some was better than none.

They stepped onto Sea God’s Island. Huo Yuhao went to the Sea God’s Pavilion, while Tang Wutong returned to her own place. Huo Yuhao would be doing the reporting, so she didn’t have to follow him.

Huo Yuhao stood in front of the Golden Tree and knelt down in front of it before going to the Sea God’s Pavilion. He respectfully kowtowed thrice toward the Golden Tree.

“I have returned, teacher. Even though you might find this hard to believe, I did meet Ye Xishui on my expedition. She is now the Sun Moon Empire’s Death God Douluo, and she is an evil soul master who is also an Ultimate Douluo. She is likely to be the continent’s first Class 10 soul engineer.”

Faint golden light rippled from the Golden Tree, and dense elements of light were clearly visible. These undulations were extremely intense at first before they returned to complete calm.

“Teacher, did you hear me?” Huo Yuhao exclaimed joyfully.

The Golden Tree no longer gave him any signs. Faint golden hues radiated gently, and everything seemed to return to tranquility.

“Elder Mu can’t answer you anymore. He released his strength the last time, and his spirit has been damaged. He can only nurture himself inside the Golden Tree. Yuhao, were your words really true?”

Elder Xuan had arrived beside Huo Yuhao, and his face was overcome with solemnity.

Huo Yuhao nodded and got to his feet. He recounted everything that had happened when he faced off against Ye Xishui and everything else that he had heard and seen on his expedition in front of the Golden Tree.

Elder Xuan’s expression turned even blacker when he heard Huo Yuhao’s words. He glanced at the Golden Tree and said, “Follow me inside.”

Elder Xuan brought Huo Yuhao into the Sea God’s Pavilion. They didn’t wait in the main hall, but Elder Xuan brought him directly into his own room.

“Sit down,” Elder Xuan pointed at a chair inside the room.

Huo Yuhao walked over to sit down and said apologetically, “I apologize for disturbing your rest by coming so late in the night.”

Elder Xuan sighed and said, “How can I have the mood to rest? The situation in the continent has suddenly become so deplorable. I never thought that the Sun Moon Empire has hidden such deep secrets.”

Huo Yuhao hurriedly asked, “Back when I was at the Star Luo Empire’s frontlines, I heard that the Heavenly Soul Empire has lost a lot of territory, and even the Heaven Dou City has been lost. What is the situation like now?”

Elder Xuan shook his head and said, “The situation is terrible. The Heavenly Soul Empire has already lost two-thirds of their territory to the Sun Moon Empire. The Sun Moon Empire had to task some of their soldiers to handle their conquered territories, and they also had to pacify the Heavenly Soul Empire’s citizens – if not for those reasons, the Sun Moon Empire would have conquered every inch of the Heavenly Soul Empire. The Heavenly Soul Empire’s remaining soldiers have already rendezvoused with the Star Luo Empire and the Dou Ling Empire, and they are holding on to the last of their territories. However, it will be extremely difficult for them to defend it. The Heavenly Soul Empire has already sent messengers to the academy for aid. The Dou Ling Empire has also started to send their armies into the Heavenly Soul Empire.”

Huo Yuhao wasn’t overly surprised, as he had already predicted such a situation. The Dou Ling Empire’s thoughts were very simple – they hoped to keep their enemies out of their borders and keep the battle in the Heavenly Soul Empire. That would evidently be more beneficial for them. Therefore, it was natural that they were sending their armies forward. Otherwise, the Dou Ling Empire would end up like the Star Luo Empire if the Heavenly Soul Empire was destroyed. They would have to prepare to suffer the Sun Moon Empire’s cannon fire at any moment.

The Heavenly Soul Empire sending for aid from the academy was also expected. However, the Heavenly Soul Empire’s nation-protecting sect, the Body Sect, couldn’t protect them against the Sun Moon Empire’s assault. How much stronger could Shrek Academy be than the Body Sect?

Shrek Academy would definitely be stronger in terms of overall strength. However, Shrek was an academy, not a sect. The academy didn’t have the same common interests as the Body Sect. The academy’s elders naturally wouldn’t be a problem, but the teachers and students didn’t have a duty to fight for the academy. Even if they agreed to, the academy’s higher levels would definitely have to consider the safety of these teachers and students – quite unlike the common interest shared within sects.

Therefore, Elder Xuan had been very hesitant these days about the Heavenly Soul Empire’s request for aid, and he hadn’t sent out any reinforcements yet.

Reinforcements were important, but the question of scale posed a very large problem. If the Heavenly Soul Empire had been completely dominated by the Sun Moon Empire, they would be able to directly threaten Shrek City. There was no question that the Sun Moon Empire would attack Shrek City. In the beginning, Shrek Academy’s participation in the war finally allowed the Douluo Continent’s three native empires to beat the Sun Moon Empire back, and the Sun Moon Empire was ultimately defeated. The Sun Moon Empire holed up for a thousand years after that.

The Sun Moon Empire had obtained all possible advantages, and they would never let Shrek City go. They had the most advanced technology on the continent, and their assault could likely be even more frightening than the Great Star Dou Forest’s beast wave back then.

“Elder Xuan, you have to take care of your body,” Huo Yuhao could clearly see that there were more wrinkles around the corners of Elder Xuan’s eyes.

Elder Xuan glanced at him and smiled warmly as he said, “To be honest, I’m not very good at being a leader. My life was carefree when Elder Mu was around. I was wanton and unrestrained, and I was very happy from beginning to end. Ever since Elder Mu left, that burden has been shifted onto my shoulders. I finally truly understand the kind of responsibility that Elder Mu had borne for so many years.”

“If only the Sun Moon Empire had delayed their assault for a few decades more! By then, you would have grown to become a man, and I could have passed this mantle to you.”

Elder Xuan smiled, but there was some bitterness in that smile, which was bathed with the vicissitudes of life.

Huo Yuhao said, “Elder Xuan, I will work hard to grow up. I am willing to give everything for the academy.”

Elder Xuan said, “Now is not the time to give everything you have. If the situation forces our hand in the end and we cannot defend ourselves against the Sun Moon Empire, then you must remember that you must continue to live on. You and the other young men are the hope of the academy. Do you understand?”

Huo Yuhao felt his heart skip a beat. He could clearly sense some bad omens in Elder Xuan’s words.

Elder Xuan said, “Ye Xishui is actually still alive – I didn’t expect that. Furthermore, she has become the Sun Moon Empire’s Death God Douluo. With her and Long Xiaoyao around, unless the Beast God stands directly with us against them, there is no chance that we can defeat them. Furthermore, the Beast God represents the benefit of all soul beasts. With his personality, he is no doubt more than eager to watch humans hurt each other and to see the human elites perish. That is most beneficial for soul beasts. Therefore, even if he did participate, he would wait until both parties have been badly hurt. We can’t depend on him at this moment.”

Huo Yuhao said, “Elder Xuan, can we gather some reclusive sects to come together and fight the Sun Moon Empire? In the end, things will be bad for them if the Sun Moon Empire conquers the Douluo Continent’s three native empires.”

Elder Xuan answered, “We are already doing that, and some sects have already responded positively. However, the Sun Moon Empire’s soul tool technology is far more advanced than ours. Their prowess in battle sweeps aside everything in their path. I have obtained some detailed battle reports from the Heavenly Soul Empire. The Sun Moon Empire and Heavenly Soul Empire’s losses are one to ten! Even with the Body Sect’s participation in the defense of the Heaven Dou City, their losses were still five to one compared to the Sun Moon Empire. It’s hard to say what the war will be like in the future. Fortunately, you helped the Star Luo Empire regain the Ming Dou Mountain Range, and you’ve finally held the Sun Moon Empire back for a period of time. Time is increasingly important for us. I have already instructed the Tang Sect to push back all soul tools that are meant to be sold and all purchase requests so that they can focus all their efforts on crafting soul tools to equip Shrek’s city defense army. We can only hope that Shrek city’s defense army can turn the tides of battle.”

Huo Yuhao could feel fear creeping into his heart. He naturally understood the kind of pressure that Elder Xuan had to bear to make such a decision. The Star Luo Empire and Heavenly Soul Empire both lacked resources, but the Tang Sect’s production was very limited! How much effort would they have to put in to equip a legion with enough strength to fight against the Sun Moon Empire’s soul engineer legions?

“Elder Xuan, why don’t I seek out Di Tian tomorrow?”

Elder Xuan shook his head and said, “There’s no use. Soul beasts have always only protected their own and not outsiders. Di Tian can only protect you; he’s more than happy to see other humans die – the more the better. Don’t waste your time. You should go and rest. You should return to the Tang Sect after resting up for a few days so that you can help the Tang Sect’s Soul Tool Hall produce soul tools more quickly. All of the academy’s resources and the resources that the Douluo Continent’s three native empires have sent to support us have been granted to the Tang Sect. Perhaps the Tang Sect’s strength will be key to the final outcome of the war.”

“Yes,” Huo Yuhao acknowledged and stood up.

Elder Xuan said, “We will send news from the frontlines to the Tang Sect as soon as it comes. You can rest assured as you cultivate and craft soul tools in your sect. You don’t have to bother yourself with other things for the moment.”