Upon hearing Skydream Iceworm's words, Huo Yuhao paused slightly.
"Hm?"
"Once you break through Level 70, you'll need to absorb your seventh Spirit Ring."
Skydream Iceworm's small eyes rolled craftily.
"Originally, we planned for you to continue absorbing a ferocious beast spirit soul. But now that Brother Zhexian is here, you've got a better path!"
"If it works, it'll bring you immense benefits in the future—perhaps even lay the foundation for becoming a Great God King!"
A spark flashed through Huo Yuhao's mind.
"Brother Skydream, you mean the Martial Soul True Body?"
In the Spirit Master system,
upon advancing to Spirit Saint and obtaining the seventh Spirit Ring,
regardless of what kind of Spirit Beast it comes from, the Spirit Ability granted will always be the Martial Soul True Body.
And the strength of that True Body
depends entirely on the age of the Spirit Ring.
"Exactly!" Skydream Iceworm nodded.
"Your Level 70 Martial Soul True Body could come from this world's core of life—the Ancient Golden Tree!"
"Just imagine—a god-level Martial Soul True Body! Its power would be unimaginable!"
"Yuhao, do you know? Brother Zhexian's Sword and Wine Martial Souls—his seventh Spirit Rings came from me, Skydream, and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King!"
He paused, lowering his voice, though the awe within it was unmistakable.
"After Brother Zhexian became a Creation God, he used supreme spacetime laws to temper his Martial Soul True Body beyond the level of a God King!"
"As for how strong he is now—even I don't know."
"I even suspect that he roams the myriad heavens to absorb the strengths of countless cultivation systems, constantly perfecting himself."
Huo Yuhao listened, his heart surging.
He could scarcely imagine
how magnificent and turbulent Li Zhexian's path of cultivation must have been.
A god-level Martial Soul True Body!
If he wished to follow in that man's footsteps, he had to become stronger than he was in his previous life.
"But can the Ancient Golden Tree truly become a Spirit Ring?"
"And at a god-level tier, with my current cultivation, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to withstand it."
Calming himself, Huo Yuhao voiced another concern.
"Besides, if I absorb the Ancient Golden Tree, would this world be affected?"
Skydream Iceworm said speechlessly,
"That's why I told you to ask Brother Zhexian for help!"
Huo Yuhao hesitated.
"Senior has already helped me so much. Wouldn't it trouble him too much if I ask again…?"
Skydream Iceworm rolled his eyes.
"After becoming a Creation God, Brother Zhexian still sneaks off to mortal taverns to drink with ordinary folks!"
"Don't worry—Brother Zhexian has the most free time and loves liveliness the most!"
He was getting carried away—
when suddenly, a chill swept over him.
An overwhelming terror descended.
Skydream Iceworm instantly straightened his chest and declared righteously:
"Though Brother Zhexian is the exalted Creation God, he still observes the mortal world and keeps all living beings in his heart!"
"For the universe to have such a Creation God is the great fortune of countless worlds and the blessing of all life!"
He had learned much about survival instincts from that Sea God fellow.
Li Zhexian withdrew his gaze with a half-smile.
"Senior… this junior has another request." Huo Yuhao raised his eyes, slightly nervous.
"After breaking through Level 70, I wish to attempt absorbing this world's Ancient Golden Tree as my seventh Spirit Ring."
"First, to use its god-level life energy to heal my teacher Mu En's chronic old injuries."
"Second, to obtain greater strength—so that I may one day catch up to your silhouette."
Li Zhexian's lips curved faintly.
"Not bad."
"To save your teacher, to seek your path ahead—spoken openly, without pretense."
"I can help you absorb the Ancient Golden Tree. But if you encounter danger or enemies, I will not intervene."
He spoke calmly.
"This world is your trial ground."
"If you place your hopes of overcoming hardship upon me, then the trial itself loses meaning."
Joy and understanding surged into Huo Yuhao's eyes. He respectfully performed a disciple's bow.
"Yuhao understands. Many thanks, Senior!"
As he spoke—
Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan, He Caitou and Xiao Xiao returned one after another from the mortal world.
The way they looked at each other was filled with flowing affection—clearly, the confusion in their hearts had vanished.
Li Zhexian did not show favoritism.
Several spiritual herbs drifted gently toward the four of them.
"These herbs will greatly aid you. Since you have seen your true hearts clearly, treat one another well from now on. Do not betray this bond forged in the mortal world."
The four accepted the herbs and quickly bowed.
"Thank you, Senior, for your guidance!"
Bei Bei and Tang Ya were already lovers who had pledged themselves to one another, so there was no need for them to undergo tempering in the mortal world.
Li Zhexian likewise granted each of them spiritual herbs to enhance their talents.
Thus—
their journey to the Yin Yang Love Querying Valley came to a perfect end.
...
As everyone left the valley,
Xu Sanshi and the others were surprised to discover that the mysterious white-robed youth was traveling with them.
Clearly,
they had not heard the earlier conversation between Huo Yuhao and Li Zhexian.
With such an unfathomable being walking at their side, they could not help but feel uneasy.
Seeing their stiff expressions, Li Zhexian smiled. "What? Am I not welcome?"
"N–No, not at all!"
Xu Sanshi and the others hurriedly shook their heads and waved their hands.
Huo Yuhao explained,
"I asked Senior for a favor. He'll be accompanying us to Shrek."
Only then did Xu Sanshi and the others understand. Suppressing the awe churning in their hearts, they followed Li Zhexian and Huo Yuhao toward the academy.
The return journey was not as rushed as when they came.
They did not use soul tools to hurry along, but instead strolled leisurely through the forests and fields.
When they reached a clear stream,
it happened to be noon, so they decided to stop there and cook in the wild.
Gradually, Xu Sanshi and the others realized—
this senior, who appeared to be a youth, was unexpectedly approachable.
When hunting and catching fish,
he used no divine abilities. He even rolled up his sleeves with enthusiasm, joining them in the woods and wading into the shallow stream.
When eating, he casually clinked cups with them.
Between bites, he let out satisfied sighs, utterly unrestrained in manner.
In truth, Huo Yuhao himself had not interacted much with Li Zhexian before. In the past, he had only heard scattered descriptions from Brother Skydream and several ferocious beasts about how carefree and powerful this existence was.
But now, after spending half a day together,
he felt that the man before him was even more vivid and alive than the legends suggested.
"Senior… how old are you this year?"
Summoning their courage, Xu Sanshi and the others asked.
Li Zhexian held a fish head in one hand and a fish tail in the other, answering unhurriedly:
"The flow of time in my world differs from yours."
"If measured by years alone, I would roughly be of the same generation as you."
At his current realm, time had long since lost meaning.
Space and time were eternally fixed at his will; youth was but a single thought.
"Same… generation… different world…"
Just those few words
left Xu Sanshi and the others staring in shock.
This senior came from another world… and at such an age had already reached such power…
They had thought Huo Yuhao's talent was already unprecedented!
They had not expected there to be someone even more extraordinary.
Compared to the harmonious and relaxed atmosphere around Li Zhexian,
Tang Wutong—who had been separated from Wang Dong—remained silent.
She was utterly dazed.
Why hadn't Father protected her in the Yin Yang Love Querying Valley?
She was the daughter of a God King—pampered even in the Divine Realm—yet now these people treated her as if she were invisible.
It would have been one thing not to offer her food.
But in the valley, everyone else had received spiritual herbs and opportunities—only she had been left out.
"Shrek Academy was brought to glory by Father!"
"I will return to Shrek, become the leader of this generation's Seven Monsters, and in the future be revered by all beings just like Father!"
Tang Wutong cast a complicated glance at Huo Yuhao. Then she spread her resplendent Martial Soul wings and flew alone toward Shrek.