Douluo Dalu 2: Peerless Gu master

On the serene Sea God Lake, Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao walked along a path formed by condensed ice crystals. The air was crisp, and the moonlight reflected off the icy surface, creating a tranquil yet slightly tense atmosphere.

"Yuhao, if I do this, you won't blame me for taking the initiative and repaying a favor, right?" Ma Xiaotao asked, her voice tinged with worry as she glanced at the handsome boy beside her.

"Sister Xiaotao, you're being too generous. I can't thank you enough," Huo Yuhao replied, shaking his head gently. "Helping you suppress the evil fire this morning was something I did willingly. Since your condition hasn't been fully cured, I'll take responsibility for it in the future."

He thought of it as a mission—using his Ultimate Ice to aid her.

Hearing Huo Yuhao's sincere and magnetic voice, Ma Xiaotao felt her body grow warm, her cheeks flushing slightly. Her phoenix-like eyes shimmered with emotion. "Yuhao, I... I really can't thank you enough!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with gratitude. Without another word, she smiled and hugged him tightly.

The upcoming Continental Elite Young Soul Master Tournament, set to begin in a little over a year, weighed heavily on her mind. As the captain of Shrek Academy's team, the pressure to lead her team to victory was immense.

At her age, Ma Xiaotao's cultivation had already reached the level of a Soul Emperor at rank 63, a testament to her extraordinary talent.

In terms of pure cultivation potential, she was even comparable to Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan and was hailed as Shrek Academy's once-in-a-century genius.

However, Ma Xiaotao's martial soul carried an evil attribute that she constantly had to suppress during battles to avoid losing her rationality. This significantly reduced her combat effectiveness.

With her current soul power level and the occasional interference of the evil fire, she couldn't guarantee that she could lead her team to victory. Yet, protecting Shrek's glory was her unshirkable duty.

Fortunately, Huo Yuhao's presence now greatly alleviated her inner anxiety. As she felt her body temperature rising, Ma Xiaotao greedily inhaled the cool air around Huo Yuhao, which refreshed her senses.

'Damn it, the evil fire must be acting up again', she thought, blaming the fiery affliction for her current state.

"Sister Xiaotao, what's wrong?" Huo Yuhao asked, unaware of the pressure she was under. He felt a slight tension himself as he noticed her slightly heavy breathing and the warmth radiating from her body.

'Why is she acting like this all of a sudden?' he wondered. 'Didn't she invite me to practice together and refine the whale glue? Why is she getting so worked up now?'

During a recent treasure appreciation event, Huo Yuhao had acquired a ten-thousand-year whale glue, along with a Soul-raising Pill that Ma Xiaotao had purchased for him.

The Spirit Ascension Pill, crafted from several natural treasures, could only be taken once in a soul master's lifetime. Its primary function was to boost soul power, equivalent to the amount needed to advance from rank 30 to 31.

It was also known for its mild medicinal properties, making it suitable for any soul master above rank 10.

This pill had originally been given as compensation by Shrek's higher-ups after Ma Xiaotao's evil fire had flared up and accidentally affected Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong in the original story. Now, it seemed fate had brought it back to him through Ma Xiaotao.

'Well, it's not a bad deal', Huo Yuhao thought, glancing at the beauty before him.

---

"Huh, this is quite tough," Ma Xiaotao remarked as she examined the whale glue. The quality of this ten-thousand-year whale glue was far superior to any she had encountered before.

As she continued to stimulate her Phoenix Fire to melt it, the black whale glue gradually began to change color, emitting a faint red glow. Eventually, it transformed into a soft, dark golden gelatinous substance.

A rich, condensed aroma wafted from the glue, lingering within a meter of her hand. "Alright, how do you plan to eat it? It's a little hot," she said, handing it to Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao smiled calmly. "Don't worry, Sister Xiaotao." He took the warm, gelatinous substance, and the cold air emanating from his hand instantly cooled it.

The intense heat of the Phoenix Fire couldn't harm him at close range, let alone the warm whale glue. His Ice Soul Body, even without summoning his martial soul, allowed him to maintain a natural immunity to extreme temperatures.

Ma Xiaotao's eyes widened as she realized her mistake. 'Of course, Yuhao is the Ultimate Ice user. Why was I even worried?'

As the whale glue cooled, Huo Yuhao ate it mouthful by mouthful, savoring the rich flavor.

Soon, a warm current began to flow through his limbs, and he guided it with his soul power. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the vigorous energy surged through him, making him feel almost euphoric.

This ten-thousand-year whale glue was indeed a treasure. For ordinary soul masters, it could significantly enhance their physical endurance, allowing them to withstand soul rings of higher ages.

However, for Huo Yuhao, whose physique was already comparable to a five-ring Soul King, the improvement was merely a bonus.

As the energy of the whale glue was fully absorbed, Huo Yuhao felt a slight side effect—the yang energy within the glue was intense, leaving him slightly flushed. But with his Ultimate Ice, he quickly neutralized the excess heat.

Seizing the opportunity, Huo Yuhao took out the Spirit Ascension Pill and swallowed it, aiming to break through to rank 28.

For him, the sooner he took the pill, the better the effect. With his current soul power quality, the pill would only boost him by less than one level, but every bit counted.

---

As Huo Yuhao finished his meditation and opened his eyes, he saw Ma Xiaotao practicing diligently nearby. 'Well, she's focused', he thought.

But as he retracted his martial soul and domain, Ma Xiaotao suddenly let out a muffled groan, her body swaying as if she were about to collapse.

Huo Yuhao quickly caught her, noticing the fiery red light flickering in her pink eyes.

The evil fire within her had been reignited. He sighed inwardly. 'I just helped her suppress it this morning, and it's already flaring up again? So impatient, huh?'

"Alright, I'll help you suppress it completely this time," Huo Yuhao said, his voice firm yet gentle. As he met Ma Xiaotao's slightly dazed gaze, he knew there was no turning back.

'It seems I won't be going back tonight', he thought, resigning himself to the situation.

It's all because of the evil fire!

…

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