Chapter 28: A Dual Apprenticeship! Poaching Talent in Broad Daylight!

Mastering the "Sovereign Over the World" technique proved far more difficult. Even with the foundation of spiritual consciousness, it was impossible to grasp in a short amount of time.

"I had better spend a few days contemplating it," Huo Yuhao thought.

He bowed to Mu En and said, "Teacher, I will need some time to digest this 'Sovereign Over the World'."

Mu En felt a subtle sense of relief. "Sovereign Over the World" was already his strongest self-created soul skill. If Huo Yuhao had achieved enlightenment in mere seconds, the only things left for him to teach would be various bits of experience. As a teacher, that would be far too embarrassing. Having been idle for so long, he felt a rare sense of urgency—what would he do if his disciple was too monstrous and he ran out of things to teach?

"Yuhao!" Wang Dong trotted over and gave Mu En a playful wink. "Elder Mu, I didn't expect to find you resting here. My Second Uncle mentions you often; you should come visit the Clear Sky Sect when you have time for a spar."

"So it’s you, little one," Mu En smiled kindly. "It is a rare thing indeed that those two old antiques at home were willing to let you out."

"Um, Teacher..." Huo Yuhao said cautiously, "Wang Dong and I have highly compatible martial souls, and our soul power fusion is progressing very smoothly. A martial soul fusion skill is just around the corner... would you consider taking him as a disciple as well?"

Wang Dong straightened up in surprise, his gaze toward Huo Yuhao becoming incredibly complex. Being taken as a disciple by a Peerless Douluo was a stroke of fortune that could change one's destiny. For Huo Yuhao to make such a request right after being accepted was undoubtedly a heavy expenditure of the "bond between teacher and student." If he accidentally angered the teacher, being expelled from the sect was not out of the question.

Such a sacrifice warmed Wang Dong's heart. This friend was worth keeping!

However...

He stepped forward, grabbed Mu En's arm, and shook it coaxingly. "Elder Mu, Yuhao and I have a martial soul fusion skill; we are practically one. You should take me as a disciple too~"

Such an intimate and familiar gesture made Huo Yuhao realize that the young master of the Clear Sky Sect was far more noble than he had imagined.

"Oh? Practically one?" Mu En’s smile was meaningful. He naturally knew Wang Dong's true identity, so his words were a double entendre.

Wang Dong averted his gaze, looking unnatural. "Oh, come on! Just take me in as well. Otherwise, won't I be bullied by him at Shrek Academy later?"

Huo Yuhao wanted to retort that he was not the type to bully others with his status, but he was silenced by a glare from Wang Dong, who had clearly anticipated his response. This left Huo Yuhao scratching his head. They had only known each other for a few days, so why did it feel like the other party understood him so well? And... why was it that even when this kid glared at someone, he looked so good that it made one want to...

"I cannot argue with you, little one. Very well, I shall take on two closed-door disciples," Mu En agreed with a chuckle.

Wang Dong was overjoyed and knelt down to perform the ritual, but he was held up by Mu En's soul power.

"I do not care for these tedious formalities. You two need not be so restrained in the future."

[Fate of Wang Dong rewritten. Fortune points +50,000!]

Huo Yuhao was slightly surprised. Only 10% of his own? With a Peerless Douluo as a teacher, wasn't that a bit low? Or perhaps... even for a Peerless Douluo like Mu En, the amount of fortune blessed upon Wang Dong was limited?

*Whoosh—*
*Whoosh—*
*Whoosh—*

...

One after another, figures flashed into view, each carrying a powerful aura. Huo Yuhao felt a slight pressure, but that was all. The quality of his spiritual consciousness was extremely high; the unintentional pressure of Title Douluos was not enough to shake his will. This caused the newcomers to look at him with expressions of approval.

"I’ve had my eye on you for a while, kid. I didn't expect you to be taken in by Elder Mu so quickly," Yan Shaozhe said with a hint of regret. "I am Yan Shaozhe. You may call me Senior Brother."

"Greetings, Dean Yan," Huo Yuhao said hurriedly. "Sister Xiaotao gave me a soul bone called the 'Jade Spirit Phantom Pupil' skull. I wonder..."

Instantly, two mature women stared at Yan Shaozhe—one with scrutiny, the other with fury. Yan Shaozhe broke into a cold sweat! He shouted, "I was the one who asked Xiaotao to give it to you! A mental-attribute head soul bone is perfectly suited for you!"

"Hmph!" one of the women snorted. "You were even willing to give away a love token. That’s just like you!"

"Oh? A love token?" the other woman smiled sweetly. "It’s been so many years, and I’ve never seen it. Who gave it to you?"

Yan Shaozhe laughed nervously, casting a look of desperation toward those around him for help. But everyone ignored him, some even wanting to watch the show. *The romantic debts incurred in his youth must be repaid now.*

Huo Yuhao, however, keenly noticed that a white-haired middle-aged man wearing glasses, despite his best efforts to hide it, looked quite unnatural. It seemed the relationships here at Shrek were a bit... complicated?

But it was awkward to let the atmosphere stagnate, and he had taken the gift, after all. He immediately interjected, "Dean Yan, I don't recognize the elders present. Could you please introduce them for me?"

Yan Shaozhe felt as if he had been granted a reprieve and gave Huo Yuhao a look of gratitude. He began to introduce them one by one.

"The first one to speak just now was Xian Lin'er, Dean of the Soul Guidance Department, a Level 95 Martial God Douluo."

[Fate of Huo Yuhao rewritten. Fortune points +1,000!]

Huo Yuhao’s eyes brightened, and he bowed respectfully to Xian Lin'er. Just getting to know her increased his fortune by 1,000 points—as expected of a Title Douluo!

"The white-haired one is Qian Duoduo, Xian Lin'er's... husband, Vice Dean of the Soul Guidance Department, a Level 95 Black Dragon Douluo."

[Fate of Huo Yuhao rewritten. Fortune points +1,000!]

The slight pause caused the other mature woman to frown. Yan Shaozhe put his arm around her shoulder and laughed, "This is my wife, Cai Mei'er, Vice Dean of the Martial Soul Department, an Elder of the Sea God Pavilion, and a Level 94 Soul-Breaking Douluo!"

[Fate of Huo Yuhao rewritten. Fortune points +1,000!]

"This is Elder Xuan, a Level 98 Super Douluo of the Assault System, titled 'Taotie,' and an Elder of the Sea God Pavilion."

[Fate of Huo Yuhao rewritten. Fortune points +1,000!]

...

Huo Yuhao was left feeling dazed. Was everyone who showed up a Title Douluo?! By the time he finished meeting everyone, his fortune had increased by nearly 10,000 points. This was the foundation of the continent's number one academy—he loved it! Furthermore, looking at the attitude of the various Title Douluos, his own teacher was clearly the most noble among them.

No wonder taking him as a master added 500,000 fortune points—how incredible!

After Yan Shaozhe finished the introductions, he changed the subject. "I heard from Xiaotao that you want to recruit the students in your class into the Holy Fire Cult?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of many changed! They cast scrutinizing gazes at Huo Yuhao; this was a matter that could be either trivial or momentous! But Mu En simply waved his hand, and everyone immediately withdrew their hostility.

"That is true," Huo Yuhao said, neither humble nor pushy. "As you all should know, my Holy Fire Cult possesses a cultivation method called the 'Yijinjing,' which is of great benefit to soul masters and can improve one's innate cultivation talent."

"I was thinking of recruiting my classmates into the cult so I could teach it to them. Would any of you honorable experts like to join?"

"The first stage of the Yijinjing might be useless to you, but there are seven stages in total. As long as you reach the high level of the Holy Fire Cult, you will definitely be granted higher stages!"

Good heavens! He wasn't afraid at all, and he even wanted to poach a few people on the spot? Don't say it—some were actually tempted. After all, who doesn't want to improve?