Once one reaches the level of Title Douluo and becomes a four-word battle armor master, even without eating, Zhen Hua could absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to keep his body at its peak.
Previously, with his cultivation sealed, he couldn't absorb the energy of heaven and earth and had to rely solely on his physical strength to resist the cold of the Extreme North.
He had to endure both hunger and freezing temperatures. For Zhen Hua, whose cultivation had been sealed, every moment was a tremendous strain on his body.
If not for his deep cultivation, he would have frozen to death long ago.
Now that his Title Douluo-level soul power had been restored, Zhen Hua's condition had significantly improved, and his hunched body slowly straightened.
However, his full head of white hair and aged face could no longer be recovered.
Even so, this was already a good outcome.
If it hadn't been for the Demon Emperor's intervention, with his uncooperative attitude, it wouldn't have just been a matter of hunger.
From body to soul, the Holy Spirit Cult had countless ways to torment him.
"What exactly is going on?" Zhen Hua looked toward Xia Yi, then turned to the two behind him—Leng Yulai and Nanalie.
"Let's head to the Holy Spirit Hall first. Once we're there, you'll understand everything," Xia Yi said with a smile.
"You actually broke through the Holy Spirit Cult?" Zhen Hua's gaze still held disbelief. Only after being captured by them did he realize just how terrifying the Holy Spirit Cult truly was.
Let alone finding the Cult's headquarters in the vast and endless Extreme North…
Just two quasi-gods and over thirty Title Douluos—defeating them sounded impossible.
"The Holy Spirit Cult is nothing. They pose no real threat," Xia Yi smiled, leading Zhen Hua back to the Spirit Ascension Platform.
Seeing the high-ranking members of the Holy Spirit Cult all kneeling, especially the Ghost Emperor and the Nether Emperor kneeling in obedience, Zhen Hua's eyes were filled with disbelief.
"That's the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo," he said, looking at Leng Yaozhu sitting on the Holy Spirit Cult's leader's throne, his heart trembling. When did Leng Yaozhu become so terrifying?
"Greetings, Your Grace Heavenly Phoenix Douluo. Thank you for saving my life." Zhen Hua bowed deeply to Leng Yaozhu with utmost respect.
It was a nearly instinctive action—not just out of gratitude for saving him, but also because of the overwhelming pressure exuding from Leng Yaozhu.
"No need to be so formal, Divine Craftsman." Leng Yaozhu smiled slightly and raised her hand. An invisible force gently lifted Zhen Hua back to his feet.
"Hey! Where's Cun Ying?" Xia Yi looked around but didn't see Cun Ying.
"I let him go," Leng Yaozhu replied. "Considering he was just an ordinary person coerced by the Demon Emperor, I agreed to let him return to a normal life. As long as he doesn't write any more of those ridiculous things, everything before will be forgotten."
She cast a meaningful glance at Xia Yi.
Clearly, she already knew those "ridiculous things" had been Xia Yi's idea all along.
Xia Yi avoided the gaze of Lan Fozi, who stood beside Leng Yaozhu, and understood what had happened.
Leng Yaozhu must have pieced it together based on what Cun Ying and Lan Fozi said—she figured out I was the mastermind.
"That's probably for the best," Xia Yi laughed awkwardly before asking, "Zhu'er, what do you plan to do with these members of the Holy Spirit Cult?"
"I plan to leave Yulai here," Leng Yaozhu replied coldly. "As for those involved in the attack on Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, I'll take them back to Shrek City to atone for their crimes."
Her purpose in absorbing the Holy Spirit Cult was to cultivate a hidden force of evil soul masters—one that could handle necessary but unspeakable tasks.
This force would be under Leng Yulai's control.
She would operate in the open, while Leng Yulai operated in the shadows.
Leng Yaozhu practiced The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, which focuses on the Dao of Yin and Yang.
She knew very well that where there is light, there must be darkness; where there is righteousness, there must be evil. All things have two sides.
This truth applies to both Douluo Continent and the new God Realm she intended to create.
Entrusting Leng Yulai with this darker side gave her peace of mind.
Leng Yaozhu's gaze gradually turned fiery as it landed on Xia Yi.
She knew Xia Yi wielded the Earth Cauldron—one of the three central pillars of the Beast God Realm.
Xia Yi was both a soul beast and a human.
Why should Xia Yi only govern a core of the Beast God Realm and not the Human God Realm as well?
She could not accept this.
She would represent the righteous side, Leng Yulai would oversee the dark side, and Xia Yi should act as the mediator.
She was still figuring out the specifics.
But no matter what, she wouldn't let Xia Yi go.
Since Xia Yi already held an important position in the Beast God Realm, he must also hold one in her upcoming Human God Realm.
She wouldn't let the soul beasts monopolize him.
Noticing Leng Yaozhu's increasingly intense gaze, Xia Yi chuckled, "Zhu'er, if you're just craving my body, you don't have to look at me with that pervy stare."
"So what if I am craving your body? What's wrong with that?" Leng Yaozhu retorted righteously.
"Alright, alright!" Xia Yi quickly nodded.
"Good, you know your place. I'll deal with you when we get back." Leng Yaozhu beamed with satisfaction at his reaction.
The surrounding high-ranking members of the Holy Spirit Cult and Zhen Hua were all dumbfounded.
The awe-inspiring, untouchable Heavenly Phoenix Douluo had suddenly turned into a flirtatious girl?
"Let's go. You're coming with me." Leng Yaozhu looked down at the Ghost Emperor. He had led the attack on Shrek Academy and Tang Sect.
She had grown up in Shrek City. Seeing so many of its citizens die at the hands of the Holy Spirit Cult—she couldn't let it go.
With a wave of her hand, she swept up the Ghost Emperor and other top members of the Holy Spirit Cult, along with Xia Yi, Lan Fozi, and Zhen Hua, and disappeared from the Holy Spirit Hall.
On their way through Heaven Dou City, Leng Yaozhu stopped and dropped off Xia Yi, Lan Fozi, and Zhen Hua.
"You don't need to worry about Shrek City. Take the Divine Craftsman back to the Blacksmith Association first."
A flash of light—and the three landed in front of the Forging Association headquarters in Heaven Dou City.
"The Blacksmith Association!" Zhen Hua's voice trembled as he looked at the building.
He had resigned himself to dying in the Holy Spirit Cult after being handed over by the Tang Sect.
He never imagined he'd one day return to the headquarters of the Forging Association.
"P-President!" the two disciples guarding the gate were equally shocked to see Zhen Hua.
One rubbed his eyes, and upon confirming he wasn't hallucinating, shouted with soul power-enhanced voice:
"He's back! The President is back!"
"He's back! The President is back!"
The excited announcement echoed through the entire Forging Association.
Just as the two disciples were about to approach, a burst of fire shot down from the top of the building.
"Senior brother!" Mu Chen, eyes red with emotion, opened his arms and hugged Zhen Hua tightly. Just one look, and he could tell how much Zhen Hua had suffered.
"I'm fine. Where's Xier?" Zhen Hua hugged Mu Chen back, his own eyes growing misty.
"Uncle Master, I'm here." Mu Xi appeared right after Mu Chen. Her beautiful eyes immediately landed on Xia Yi—specifically on Lan Fozi, who was holding Xia Yi's hand.
In that instant, her eyes reddened.
She had grown noticeably thinner during this time apart. Once a lively and cheerful girl, she now seemed to have lost her sparkle.
"Don't cry, Xier. I'm okay," Zhen Hua said, seeing her teary eyes and feeling immense guilt. If it weren't for him, Mu Chen and Mu Xi wouldn't have had to worry so much.
"Good, as long as you're alright," Mu Xi's mother, Yuan Bao'er, nodded gently. She looked at Mu Xi, then at Xia Yi and Lan Fozi, and said to Xia Yi, "Thank you for bringing my senior brother back."
"By the way, Uncle Master, why did you come back with Xia Yi? Was it he who saved you?" Mu Xi asked, remembering how she had once begged Xia Yi through soul communicator to rescue Zhen Hua.
She hadn't expected he'd actually do it.
"Yes, it was indeed Xia Yi who saved me. But even now, I still don't understand exactly how it all happened." Zhen Hua turned to Xia Yi and bowed again. "Thank you, Xia Yi, and Her Grace Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, for saving my life. I do have some questions—could you help me understand?"
"Of course," Xia Yi nodded.
"Let's talk inside. We can't just block the entrance," Yuan Bao'er said.
"Alright, we'll talk inside." Zhen Hua nodded and gestured to Xia Yi. "Please, my friend—cough, cough…"
Zhen Hua suddenly broke into a fit of coughing, startling everyone.
"Senior brother!"
"Uncle Master!"
"President!"
"I'm fine!" Zhen Hua waved his hand. "This is just an old condition from being frozen in the Extreme North. Now that my soul power is restored, I just need some time to regulate it."
"Okay, I'll take you to the cultivation chamber. Bao'er, call the Spirit Healing Douluo. No matter what, she has to come," Mu Chen's eyes flashed with determination. Seeing Zhen Hua so old and weak, he couldn't rest easy without Yali's help.
"Understood!" Bao'er didn't hesitate. Just as Zhen Hua was about to protest, she already had Yali on the communicator.
"Xia Yi, please wait here at the Association. Once I've recovered a bit, I'll come see you." Zhen Hua looked at Xia Yi apologetically.
"No problem!" Xia Yi smiled casually. He looked at Mu Chen, knowing the coming conversation might not be so smooth.
"Xier, help entertain Xia Yi," Mu Chen said to Mu Xi before leading Zhen Hua to the cultivation chamber.
"Xia Yi!" Mu Xi looked up at him. Words were on the tip of her tongue, but when she saw Lan Fozi by his side, she didn't know what to say.
She had tried so hard to move on, but seeing Lan Fozi holding Xia Yi's hand—how could she be willing to let go?
She could accept losing to Gu Yue, or to Leng Yaozhu…
But Lan Fozi? She had only met Xia Yi in the Star Luo Empire!
When she had known Xia Yi, Lan Fozi wasn't even around.
She couldn't accept this.
(End of Chapter)