This meeting didn't provide much valuable help to the various factions, but at least the words of Xian Liner and Cai Meier helped ease everyone's concerns.
People could continue participating in the Soul Master Tournament without worry.
On one hand, it was because of the tempting prize: a 100,000-year soul bone for the champion—a reward that many confident factions desired. On the other hand, since everyone was already here, they didn't want to leave empty-handed. That would feel like a huge loss.
Of course, all of this was only temporary. The next emperor of the Sun Moon Empire had seemingly caught the attention of a deity and undergone a divine trial, with the potential of becoming a god in the future.
This news had already reached the other three kingdoms, casting a shadow over their hearts.
Soon, new developments unfolded.
The Third Prince provided further clarification about the Ten Great Factions Ranking.
He stated, "The rules have already been set. Anyone on the Ten Great Factions list is acting under my name. If anyone makes trouble for them, they're disrespecting me."
"Of course, if anyone on the list wants to relocate and live in another country, I warmly welcome it. Just send word, and I'll personally come to escort you!"
This blatant attempt at poaching talent disgusted some from the other three kingdoms, but it also brought relief to many.
Because as long as the Third Prince was involved, factions with weaker foundations that had managed to make it onto the rankings didn't have to fear external threats.
And due to his overt recruitment, the empires hosting these top factions were now obligated to treat them well.
Otherwise, these factions might really take up the Third Prince's offer and leave.
Who could stop them?
So what if he was from the Sun Moon Empire? If someone offended an Ultimate Douluo, they wouldn't care about nationality when exacting revenge.
As long as these factions could develop smoothly for a few decades—long enough for the next generation to grow up—their earned benefits would solidify their place in the rankings.
Many factions were now at ease, even feeling that the Third Prince was quite a generous man.
Third Prince: "See? They're even thanking me~"
Everyone had completely forgotten that it was the Third Prince who stirred up the chaos in the first place.
Aside from that, the Third Prince also announced the creation of four supplementary rankings:
Academy Ranking
Clan Ranking
Sect Ranking
Number One Under Heaven Ranking
The first three were rankings for schools, clans, and sects respectively.
The Number One Under Heaven Ranking was to crown the top soul master in each martial soul category—divided into six types: Power Attack, Agility Attack, Control, Defense, Support, and Food-type.
The selection process was straightforward: based on performance and placement in the current Soul Master Tournament.
This time, no one objected. Everyone quietly accepted it.
And as he announced the rankings, the Third Prince promised substantial rewards.
The top faction from each of the four main rankings (Ten Great Factions, Academy, Clan, Sect) would receive a 50,000-year soul bone from the Sun Moon Empire.
Each of the six martial soul champions from the Number One Under Heaven Ranking would receive a 10,000-year soul bone.
Additionally, everyone who appeared on any of the rankings—be they individuals or members of ranked factions—would be eligible to become nobles in the Sun Moon Empire, or even obtain court positions.
This flood of rewards left many people utterly stunned. Some had never even seen a single soul bone in their entire lives.
Yet the Sun Moon Empire was giving them away to winners, and surely, this news would spread to the other three kingdoms.
Some said the Sun Moon Empire was wealthy beyond reason.
Others thought the Third Prince was overconfident or crazy.
But regardless, excitement and anticipation for the tournament soared higher than ever.
At this point, even if someone tried to drag people away, no one would leave.
What, did they think soul bones were as common as cabbages?
Even if treasures from the Blood River had depreciated, soul bones were still a dream for most soul masters.
Huo Yuhao could continuously produce soul bones only because he had killed numerous high-level soul beasts—and had destiny on his side.
Most soul masters might not acquire even one soul bone in their entire lifetime.
Even the honored worshippers like Kong Deming didn't try to stop the Third Prince. They knew they couldn't, and besides, for the Sun Moon Empire, these resources were expendable.
The Third Prince even claimed that he would personally provide the rewards, reducing the empire's burden.
If they could win over just one powerful clan, or even a single soul master with a strong martial soul, the investment would be worth it.
The Sun Moon Empire was hungry for top-tier martial soul inheritances—especially ones with proven training methods.
While they had some high-level martial souls, for such a massive empire, it was still far from enough.
"Why would the Third Prince reveal his strength and organize these rankings? Why hand out so many soul bones?"
Someone finally asked the question.
Outside Mingdu, in the main tent of the Blazing Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion, a soft conversation took place.
On a bed covered in animal pelts, Juzi massaged Huo Yuhao's body after an intense training session and gently voiced her question.
From the disheveled state of the tent, it was clear that their "training" had been quite intense.
Juzi's lips were dry, and her throat was a bit hoarse.
Juzi, a clever woman, had even learned massage just to impress Huo Yuhao. If she were to enter palace intrigue, she might truly succeed.
But she had chosen the battlefield instead.
Stationed outside Mingdu, she was well-informed of all the developments inside the city. She was shocked by the Third Prince's power and ambition, but as an outsider, she noticed many peculiarities.
After learning that Huo Yuhao and the Third Prince were allies, she couldn't help but ask when he came to visit her.
Of course, she knew this wouldn't cross any of Huo Yuhao's boundaries.
He didn't hide anything from her—after all, Juzi was part of the plan.
With his head resting in her lap, Huo Yuhao answered with eyes half-closed, "The continent is about to descend into chaos. To control the situation, we need a symbol—a banner. The strength of an Ultimate Douluo is perfect for that. Combine that with the prestige of the rankings, and it's more than enough. All you need to do now is train your troops and wait for the signal."
"Yes," Juzi replied softly, her tone full of obedience.
But her mind was a storm of emotions.
How did Huo Yuhao know the continent would descend into chaos? What exactly was going to happen? What were they planning?
She didn't ask, because she knew her place.
Juzi was aware that Huo Yuhao and the Third Prince were not like Xu Tiannan. Xu Tiannan had few people he could trust, which gave her importance. But to Huo Yuhao and the Third Prince, even though she was Huo Yuhao's woman, she never felt truly valued.
She often felt like a tool—useful now, but ultimately replaceable.
But none of that mattered if she could one day exact revenge on the Star Luo Empire.
The moment she chose revenge, she had already sacrificed her human dignity and identity.
Many of her doubts were also resolved—like why the rankings only mentioned selection criteria and not how often they would be updated.
Because maybe… there wouldn't be a next Soul Master Tournament. There was no need to create long-term ranking rules.
The Third Prince revealing himself was part of the plan.
Once he ascended the throne, he would naturally attract attention. There was no need to hide his strength anymore.
In fact, someone would need to take the lead when the four kingdoms attacked Shrek in the future.
As long as Huo Yuhao's true self remained hidden, any exposed clone could take the fall.
Despite his fame, he was still just "Sea God Pavilion's Young Master Huo Yuhao." What did that have to do with "Compassionate Demon Huo Yuhao"?
After enjoying Juzi's attentive care for a while, Huo Yuhao finally spoke again—he hadn't just come to spend time with her.
"I have a talent development project across the three kingdoms that needs executing. I'll provide the people—you'll command them. Once it's done, I'll help you break through to Titled Douluo."
Juzi's breathing instantly became ragged with excitement.
After the release of the five major ranking lists, the attention of soul masters across the continent shifted entirely to the fierce competition over the rankings.
As a result, many overlooked a significant event taking place right after the advancement rounds—the first-ever Soul Engineer Tournament.
This tournament was open to soul engineers from all four nations. Participants could register as independents and there were no age restrictions. The only requirement was an official soul engineer certification from any empire or academy—a minimum of third-rank certification.
News of this tournament had already been circulated by the Sun Moon Empire even before the elimination rounds, giving ample time for word to spread and participants to prepare. By now, even the faraway Dou Ling Empire had caught wind of the event, and many of its engineers were en route to Mingdu.
Running concurrently with the main Soul Master Tournament, the Soul Engineer Tournament featured more relaxed entry requirements, no age cap, and boasted extremely generous rewards.
Although there were no soul bones among the prizes, many high-level soul tools, rare crafting materials, and blueprints were up for grabs—items no less valuable than a ten-thousand-year soul bone.
Naturally, this drew tremendous interest—not only from independent engineers but also from the royal families of the other three empires.
They long coveted the Sun Moon Empire's superior soul tool technology. This tournament gave them a chance to win advanced schematics and knowledge, potentially leveling the playing field against the formidable Sun Moon Engineer Legions.
Some even sent engineers in disguise, hiding their true ranks to compete for top prizes—risking immediate disqualification if discovered.
As a result, the number of entrants swelled—from seasoned elders to spirited youth, creating a vibrant yet high-pressure atmosphere.
Despite the turnout, the event remained manageable. After all, reaching the third rank in soul engineering marked a key professional threshold, separating hobbyists from trained craftsmen.
Engineers from all four empires came. Unsurprisingly, most were from the Sun Moon Empire, but the engineers from the other three nations were especially enthusiastic. In those regions, soul engineers were often overshadowed by traditional soul masters and rarely received their own spotlight.
A strong performance here could bring them prestige and status upon returning home.
The venues used for the earlier team battles had been reconfigured into compact workshops, each soundproofed and equipped for soul tool inscription. Overhead glass allowed judges to observe participants without interference.
Every workshop contained:
Three sets of core inscription materials
A standard crafting table
Currently, the elimination round for third-rank engineers was underway. Each contestant had three chances to inscribe one of five standardized third-rank core arrays. These were fundamental soul tool designs that every advancing engineer had to master—no excuses.
Thus, the test was one of pure technical skill and composure.
Tension filled the air. The rooms were quiet, but the pressure was palpable. Every misstep counted. Some candidates had already been eliminated after exhausting all three attempts.
Sun Moon Empire engineers predictably performed better. Their training and certification systems were far more rigorous than in the other nations, where even a certified engineer might lag half a rank behind.
Though most soul masters showed little interest in the tournament, the Sun Moon Empire and various power factions watched closely, fully aware of the strategic importance of soul engineers and soul tools.
Many traditional soul master sects had suffered defeats at the hands of engineers in the main tournament. They now had no choice but to embrace soul tools or risk obsolescence.
Among the spectators was Xian Lin'er, vice-dean of Shrek Academy's Soul Engineering Department. She sat with Huo Yuhao, watching the intense competition below, a frown on her face.
Cai Mei'er had opted not to attend, disinterested. But Hua Yao and Wu Ming had tagged along again.
"Yuhao, what do you think?" Xian Lin'er asked suddenly.
Yuhao paused to gather his thoughts. "The tournament itself isn't the point," he finally said. "What matters is who's hosting it. The Sun Moon Empire."
"Huh?" Xian Lin'er looked puzzled. She had hoped he would compare the strengths and weaknesses of the engineers from each empire—something crucial for a future Sea God Pavilion Master.
Hua Yao voiced her own confusion. "Yuhao, is there something wrong with that?"
He explained calmly, "On the surface, it looks like soul engineers from the other empires are here to compete and win prizes. But in truth, the Sun Moon Empire is using this tournament to establish itself as the holy land of soul engineering—just as Shrek Academy holds that status for soul masters."
The three women stared at him, wide-eyed.
"No way, it's just a competition!" Wu Ming said, incredulous.
Yuhao shook his head. "Competitions create standards. Those who set the standards become the authorities. And authority breeds reverence—reverence that can't be questioned."
"In the other three great empires, soul engineers have always faced prejudice — even at our Shrek Academy, it's the same."
"If the Sun Moon Empire uses this Soul Engineer Tournament to establish its prestige among soul engineers and attract admiration from those in the other three empires, then in the future, soul engineers from those nations may flock to the Sun Moon Empire, or even become potential undercover agents. That would deal a massive blow to the other three nations!"
Huo Yuhao delivered these chilling words with a calm tone.
"That can't be! If they became spies, that would be a betrayal of their own country!" Wu Ming protested angrily.
"But as long as the benefits are great enough, who can truly guarantee absolute loyalty? Besides, the empire belongs to the royal family — not to the families or sects. As long as their family and influence can continue, whether the empire they currently reside in still exists doesn't matter to them. Isn't this the mindset of most sects and clans?"
"In fact, if the Sun Moon Empire unifies the continent one day, then what betrayal is there to speak of? They would all be meritorious contributors to the new dynasty!"
"Moreover, the main soul engineer forces in the other three empires now consist of commoners or small families with weaker martial souls. These people have no deep-rooted ties."
"Even soul engineers from the Mingde Hall have defected to Shrek Academy. So why wouldn't others head for the Sun Moon Empire?"
Huo Yuhao's thorough analysis left the three women speechless.
Wu Ming looked dazed.
Hua Yao was amazed by Huo Yuhao's long-range vision. A soul master with such strategic insight and still so young — she had never seen one. After all, most soul masters were absorbed in cultivation, not in plotting and scheming.
Xian Lin'er was caught between wanting to refute him and having no grounds to do so. She could clearly envision the consequences if such a day ever came.
Shrek Academy, as the holy land of soul masters, could summon top-tier soul masters from the three great empires with a single command.
If the Sun Moon Empire became the new holy land for soul engineers, would the other empires dare to still use them? Without soul engineers, they would fall behind militarily. But by using them, they risk raising potential traitors.
A total dilemma.
In the end, Xian Lin'er could only feel both helpless and comforted.
Helpless because the Sun Moon Empire's open scheme couldn't be countered — they could easily host the Soul Engineer Tournament themselves, without involving any external factions.
Comforted because Huo Yuhao could see this far ahead and lead Shrek Academy in preparing countermeasures early.
"Is there any way to counter this?" Wu Ming asked, still unwilling to accept it.
Huo Yuhao could only sigh,
"We can only offer generous rewards to attract talented soul engineers, and then bet on their integrity."
The three women fell silent once again.
The tournament before them now seemed filled with hidden agendas, making it hard to view it innocently anymore.
Huo Yuhao said no more. There was nothing to hide — everything he said only strengthened the Sun Moon Empire's dominance.
To be precise, it was all part of bolstering the Third Prince's prestige.
Originally famous only within the Sun Moon Empire, the Third Prince was now gaining recognition across the entire continent of Douluo, slowly becoming an influential figure.
Furthermore, as one of the symbolic figures of this era, soul engineers carried vast amounts of destiny energy. This tournament allowed Huo Yuhao to harvest a great deal of that fortune.
The elimination rounds for Tier-3 soul engineers concluded smoothly. Next came Tier-4, then Tier-5, and so on. Despite four rounds being held, less than a day had passed.
By now, over 80% of soul engineers had been eliminated — the difficulty was truly high.
Tomorrow, the advancement rounds would continue, testing soul engineers across multiple dimensions. In the end, only a handful would reach the finals and compete for the championship and rewards.
Tier-3 had the most participants.
Tier-6 had the fiercest competition and the most excitement. Every soul engineer not only fulfilled the required tasks but also showed off their skills and innovations. Some even simplified or modified the exam's soul core formations on the spot.
Naturally, the judges didn't penalize them. In fact, these improved formations were collected by the Sun Moon Empire as prized research assets.
This was because, in the Tier-6 matches, not only were there experienced veterans, but also higher-level soul engineers hiding their true ranks. As long as no direct evidence surfaced about their real level, they couldn't be disqualified.
Even officially registered contestants were no pushovers.
Level 7 was a major watershed in soul engineer rankings. Many stuck at Level 6 were just a single original soul core formation away from promotion — a common occurrence even in the Sun Moon Empire.
In other words, the Tier-6 matches were absolute hell mode. Some even resorted to using List-Ranking Engraving Knives to make up for lack of strength.
Younger contestants were sweating buckets.
They weren't incapable of completing the formations — they just knew they couldn't match up to these "monsters." Many wisely chose to withdraw after clearing the minimum bar, fearing the psychological damage future rounds might cause.
Yet against all odds, two young soul engineers broke through the siege.
They were none other than — Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, the brother-sister duo!
Though both were Soul Saints, they hadn't publicly taken the Level-7 certification, so they still qualified as Tier-6 and were eligible to participate. Both carried List-Ranking Engraving Knives.
More importantly, their skills and expertise were on par with the older generation. They passed the elimination round using modified soul core formations of their own design.
They were also the youngest Tier-6 contestants.
Most other Tier-6 soul engineers were in their 20s or 30s at the youngest. Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen weren't even twenty yet.
Not only were their soul cultivation levels far beyond their peers, but their soul engineer talent was astonishing. People couldn't help but marvel at how unreasonable some geniuses could be.
In the arena, they radiated youthful pride and confidence — just like the protagonists of a martial novel, young, powerful, flamboyant.
Xiao and Meng Hongchen now faintly appeared as the rising leaders of the Sun Moon Empire's younger generation, earning the title of Twin Stars of the Sun Moon Empire.
The chief judge, Jing Hongchen, couldn't stop smiling with pride.
That is, until someone commented that Meng Hongchen had both talent and beauty, making her a perfect candidate to be the Third Prince's consort — the future Empress.
Then, Jing Hongchen stopped smiling.
Political marriage with the royal family was a great honor for any clan — especially with the Third Prince. But once one entered the palace, the sea of troubles began. How could doting grandfather Jing Hongchen bear to let his beloved granddaughter spend her life behind palace walls?
After watching the match, Huo Yuhao and the others returned to their hotel.
But Xiao and Meng Hongchen left a deep impression on Xian Lin'er. She even warned Huo Yuhao:
"Yuhao, those two may be your rivals in the future."
Xiao and Meng Hongchen represented the Sun Moon Empire's rising generation. Huo Yuhao, surrounded by the elite of the other three empires, was like their destined opponent.
Their relationship might mirror that of the Sun Moon Empire and the three other empires — inevitably headed for conflict.
As Huo Yuhao and his group returned to the hotel, they were met with a surprising figure.
"Dean Xian, it's been a long time. How have you all been?" asked the white-haired Fan Yu, smiling warmly.
Huo Yuhao: "???"
Wait… Why is Fan Yu here?
Then… who did that old eunuch Gao go after?!
When the news of the Soul Engineer Tournament reached Shrek Academy, after some deliberation, the Elders ultimately decided to send Fan Yu to lead the team and participate in the competition.
They didn't expect to achieve any great rankings but saw it as a good opportunity to increase communication with other soul engineers and broaden the horizons of the Soul Engineering students.
Of course, if possible, it would be best to recruit a few more talented soul engineers to strengthen the Soul Engineering Department of Shrek Academy.
This decision was mainly influenced by the continuous decline in Shrek Academy's overall strength, prompting the Elders of Sea God's Pavilion to consider alternative ways to compensate for this weakness.
Soul tools naturally became the top choice.
After all, the advantages of soul tools were clear to everyone, and at this point in time, Shrek Academy had already started placing greater importance on them.
The initial proposal actually came from Yan Shaozhe. Out of guilt toward Qian Duoduo, he decided to support the development of the Soul Engineering Department.
At the same time, Xuan Ziwen submitted a report on the prospects of soul tool development, hoping to secure more funding for research, which caught the attention of the other Elders.
However, Xuan Ziwen and the other soul engineers from the former Sun Moon Empire did not participate in the tournament. Partly, they feared reprisals from the empire; partly, Shrek worried that their newly recruited talent might defect again.
Everything was negotiable before arriving at Shrek. But once they experienced the disparity between Shrek's Soul Engineering environment and that of the Sun Moon Empire, there was always a risk they'd grow discontent.
Those who've betrayed once might well do it again. Fickle opportunists are hardly rare.
While soul tool research may know no borders, soul engineers certainly have national allegiances.
…
After Huo Yuhao and the others welcomed Fan Yu and his team, he and more than a dozen Soul Engineering students temporarily moved into the Shrek team's reserved quarters.
These rooms were spacious enough to accommodate everyone comfortably.
Living together also gave them a sense of safety and helped guard against possible enemy attacks.
Fortunately, all of Fan Yu's students successfully passed the preliminary elimination rounds.
Most had participated in the exchange program; the rest were all highly talented with solid skills. They might not be top-tier, but clearing the elimination stage posed no problem.
Once everyone had returned to rest, Huo Yuhao stood alone by his window, gazing outside. In truth, his spirit was communicating with the Bloodlust Pearl — and Grand Eunuch Gao.
"How are things going, Gao?"
"Brother Hao, this humble servant has already infiltrated Shrek City with Zhou Yi's soul — just waiting for Fan Yu to show up~"
"Oh? Then head back to the Sun Moon Empire. Come to Mingdu — Fan Yu has appeared there."
"...HUH???"
Grand Eunuch Gao immediately set off for the capital, mind already scheming how he might interrogate the couple, Fan Yu and Zhou Yi.
Gao: "Now that you're in my hands, you two are gonna suffer! Hehehe..."
…
After ending the transmission, Huo Yuhao didn't go out to cultivate with the others. Instead, he set up a spiritual barrier in his room, cutting off all external interference.
He took out a cushion woven from the leaves and branches of the Blue Silver Emperor, sat cross-legged on it, and lit a Forest Mirage Gold Cigar, its Blue Silver Tobacco filling the air as he began his cultivation.
The Blue Silver Emperor had grown the materials personally, and Huo Yuhao had crafted the cushion into a magical item.
It helped calm the mind, absorb spiritual energy, and accelerate cultivation.
Combined with the Gold Cigar, the effects multiplied significantly, making his breakthrough smoother.
Typically, Huo Yuhao only cultivated alone when facing a major breakthrough.
And this was one of those times.
Thanks to his dual cultivation sessions with his furnace partners and his consistent training, his understanding of several elemental forces had reached a critical point — he was ready to advance.
Upon breakthrough, the divine skills embedded in his Haotian God Armor would become innate abilities — he'd be able to use them without relying on the armor's enhancements.
This was the moment Huo Yuhao had been preparing for.
Without any forced effort, everything progressed naturally — four elemental forces emerged from his body, gradually strengthening and eventually evolving.
The four elements were — Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth.
The most fundamental elemental attributes.
No grand phenomena occurred outside; all four forces remained completely under his control. They surged from within, not disturbing the heavens.
But inside his body, a wondrous transformation unfolded.
The advancing elemental energies surged through his meridians, rapidly enhancing his physique and even nudging his cultivation level higher.
From within his heart, the snow lotus released a torrent of life force and blood essence seeds, infusing Huo Yuhao's body. His Healing Angel puppet martial soul also channeled its life-type power.
All of this nourished and fortified him further.
His Demonic Buddha cultivation rose along with the elemental powers — another step forward.
His blood turned completely golden, and his organs and muscles shone with radiant light.
He was now one step closer to achieving Zen Master realm.
Huo Yuhao's consciousness descended into his spiritual sea, where he sat atop the snow lotus's phantom. Around him floated his four visualization beasts: White Tiger, Black Tortoise, Heavenly Dragon, and Phoenix.
The Phoenix had also been successfully visualized, though no beast soul was assisting it. Instead, its birth resonated with the lotus's phoenix aura, empowered by its strength.
Hence the lotus's projection appeared beneath him.
His spirit energy had turned to liquid, flowing like a true ocean. Each wave washed over his soul, tinting it with a golden hue.
Both his body and soul now shone with a golden light — not Buddhist radiance, but a glow that signified true cultivation achievement.
After two full hours, Huo Yuhao finally finished his breakthrough, his divine soul returning, breathing calmly.
He wore a serene smile of inner peace.
Then he slowly opened his eyes.
One red and one blue — mismatched eyes — opened, emitting golden glows, revealing a distinct yin-yang duality.
A blink later, all phenomena vanished. His eyes returned to their usual clear ice-blue, with beautiful snowflake patterns at their centers.
The peaceful smile faded, replaced by his familiar bright and youthful grin.
The solemn master of spiritual cultivation looked once more like the sunny, cheerful young man.
He raised his hand, and the four elements — water, fire, earth, and wind — appeared in his palm, subtly drifting toward each other as if to merge.
"As I thought... These forces can be fused. Is it because they all stem from my own insight? Or is it thanks to my divine armor and feathers? Or maybe... both?"
Huo Yuhao pondered for a moment but didn't delve too deeply.
It didn't matter.
What mattered was this: His four divine skills now had the potential to fuse.
"Wouldn't that be just like a fusion technique for innate soul skills? What should I call this… 'Innate Divine Skill Fusion Technique'?"
"I'll try it out when I get the chance."
Clenching his fist, the four elemental lights faded, returning within him.
Huo Yuhao could feel the power of his upgraded state, a happy expression blooming across his face.
"Didn't expect such a pleasant surprise — this breakthrough not only enhanced my attributes but also advanced my realm. That'll save me a lot of time and destiny energy."
"If I can push three more attributes to this level, completing all seven elemental forces, I should be able to fully achieve the Zen Master realm!"
............….
Since Fan Yu also brought a team to participate in the Soul Engineer Tournament, naturally, Huo Yuhao and the others were going to watch the qualifying rounds.
This was actually at Xian Lin'er's insistence. She said:
"You are all the future of Shrek Academy. The Academy still needs your leadership. Whether or not you like soul tools, you must understand them. This is also about understanding your potential future enemies. Know yourself and your enemy, and you'll never lose a hundred battles."
So even Wang Dong, who hated soul tools, forced himself to endure the disgust and came to watch the matches.
Then Huo Yuhao witnessed for the first time—someone actually throwing up just from watching a competition.
Wang Dong was carried out by Xiao Xiao like that.
The tournament results were not much of a surprise. Most of Shrek's students only made it to the qualifiers.
The same applied to most of the soul engineers from the other three nations.
In the competitions across four soul engineer levels, only a very few from the other nations or from Shrek made it to the finals.
Everyone knew the Sun Moon Empire had a massive advantage in soul tool development, but now, gathered together for this comparison, the sheer gap between the Sun Moon Empire and the other three nations was starkly clear.
If the gap was this big for mid-level soul engineers, what about high-level ones?
Oh right, the other nations barely had any high-level soul engineers—so that's that.
After all, even Shrek Academy had only Fan Yu, an eighth-level engineer with the potential to reach level nine.
The soul engineers from the other nations and factions might not even be able to match Fan Yu.
In the Sun Moon Empire, every soul engineer corps commander had at least one level-nine soul tool. Meanwhile, the other three nations had very few level-nine tools at all. If not for their stronger Titled Douluos and the deterrent and leadership of Shrek Academy, they wouldn't even be able to stand against the Sun Moon Empire.
This tournament had the Sun Moon Empire's citizens cheering with pride, while the representatives from the other three nations were all grim-faced.
Especially those from the Star Luo Empire, since they were still in a military standoff with the Sun Moon Empire at the border.
Dai Huabin looked particularly grim. Having actually fought against the Sun Moon Empire's engineer corps, he knew full well the threat posed by soul engineers and their tools.
Ordinary engineers might not be strong fighters themselves, often neglecting their martial souls for soul tools—but once they're fully equipped, with enough soul power, they become killing machines in an instant.
And let's not forget fixed-installed soul cannons—superweapons capable of killing stronger opponents at minimal cost.
You can scorn soul engineers all you want, but you must never underestimate them—that's a lesson written in blood.
Those who mock soul tools are usually far from the battlefield.
Dai Huabin's participation in this tournament was actually quite risky. If anything happened to him, the Duke White Tiger's household would face problems, and the Star Luo Empire's frontlines could fall into chaos.
But Dai Huabin still came—not just to see Zhu Lu, but to uphold the Duke's honor in the ring and deter the Sun Moon Empire's ambitions.
After all, he had broken through to Soul Emperor level—surpassing his brother. A Soul Emperor in the tournament was enough to lead a team to fight for the championship.
However… the Sun Moon Empire didn't pay him any mind. Instead, he found himself overwhelmed by a group of monstrous Soul Saints.
Even Zhu Lu, the one he missed so dearly, had already become a Soul Saint—and had distanced herself from him due to family reasons.
With the Sun Moon Empire continuously displaying such power, Dai Huabin's confidence was increasingly shaken. Never mind reclaiming his family's former glory—he wasn't even sure if he could hold the line against them now.
"I can't fail—for Zhu Lu's sake!"
Fortunately, Douluo Continent's unique brand of pure love gave Dai Huabin the courage to stand up again and search for a breakthrough.
What was his solution?
Of course—recruiting talented soul engineers!
Dai Huabin wasn't the only one doing this—the high-level powers of the other three nations were all doing the same.
With enough benefits on offer, they believed no talent was out of reach.
To their pleasant surprise, due to the extreme competition within the Sun Moon Empire, many disheartened engineers ended up accepting their offers after some hesitation.
Their loyalty was still uncertain—but it was a promising start.
They couldn't lure away high-level engineers, but fifth or sixth-level ones were good enough. With a little investment, they might one day break through.
If one of them ended up becoming a genius ninth-level engineer? That would be a dream come true.
Sun Moon Imperial Palace
In the study
The Third Prince was still idly fiddling with a soul beast egg—something he did often lately. But the egg in his hand had clearly been swapped out again.
Jing Hongchen and Kong Deming were seated respectfully below, reporting their progress. Although they had been granted seats, they sat stiffly, not daring to relax in front of the Third Prince.
Jing Hongchen had long submitted to the prince in exchange for protection for the Hongchen family.
Kong Deming, meanwhile, acknowledged the prince's overwhelming strength—he no longer had the status to face the prince as an elder. But rather than minding, he took pride in the prince's power.
The one reporting was Jing Hongchen.
"Your Highness, the engineers we planted have successfully been recruited by the powers of the other three nations. No one has aroused suspicion."
"Additionally, using the methods you passed down, we've also managed to secretly control many of the other nations' soul engineers."
"However, I did notice some unintended engineers from our empire also being recruited. I didn't alert them—awaiting your orders."
The Third Prince nodded slightly and smiled:
"Well done, Lord Hongchen. I trust your work."
Indeed, the soul engineer tournament was also a setup. But this was just some casual maneuvering in the shadows. Recruiting engineers from other countries didn't require subtle tactics—just direct action.
What Huo Yuhao and Xian Lin'er talked about was the kind of thing that takes time to ferment—but the prince had ways to accelerate things.
With the same calm smile, the Third Prince continued:
"As for those unintended engineers who were recruited—no need to keep them. Arrest them all and send them to the secret prison. If loyalty isn't absolute, it's absolute betrayal. I will not allow another Xuan Ziwen incident."
"Be bold about the arrests. Use collective punishment—arrest their relatives too, make it high-profile. If the other nations are trying to poach our talent, the empire must show a response. It will also make our infiltrators more trusted."
"Of course, don't be unfair—arrest the families of our own agents too, but secretly protect them. Only when the other nations suffer some setbacks will they learn to truly value our people."
Jing Hongchen quickly bowed. "Your Highness is wise."
He didn't even dare imagine what kind of treatment their agents would receive on the other side after their "family sacrifice."
And when the truth is finally revealed—when the dagger plunges in from behind—what devastating damage it will do.
Just to protect their infiltrators, this round of action would likely end in rivers of blood. But under the Third Prince's rule, such things were becoming routine.
As for Xuan Ziwen's betrayal, they had long been aware. As a highly valued researcher in Mingde Hall and an eighth-level soul engineer, he had naturally been under close watch by the Sun Moon Empire.
In truth, Jing Hongchen bore some responsibility for failing to detect his betrayal.
He quickly reassured the prince:
"Please rest assured, Your Highness—I will not let a single traitor escape. As for Xuan Ziwen—I will personally take his head and return it to the Sun Moon Empire!"