A Successor Sent by Heaven

The qi-blood vortex—or rather, the bloodline vortex—had been condensed with Elder Yi's assistance when Huo Yuhao absorbed the Dragon King bloodlines. During the examination just now, Huo Yuhao had made no effort to conceal its existence; he had merely asked Elder Yi to veil the two distinct Dragon King bloodlines swirling within. From Mu Ye's perspective, however, the vortex was naturally something Snow Empress had helped Huo Yuhao form. As for its significance... it was nothing short of vital! The most arduous parts of the Body Sect's Innate Secret Technique were its first stage and the final Flawless Golden Body. And within that first stage, the single greatest hurdle was condensing a "qi-blood core"! A qi-blood core was akin to a soul core, but unlike a soul core, it was composed entirely of condensed qi-blood power. Before such a core fully solidified, it manifested precisely in the form of a qi-blood vortex. If physical strength on par with a Soul Emperor merely granted Huo Yuhao a chance to step through the doors of the Innate Secret Technique, possessing a qi-blood vortex meant he was already standing right upon the threshold, lacking only that final stride. Consequently, the moment Mu Ye saw the qi-blood vortex within Huo Yuhao, the scales of his heart—already tipped toward teaching him—tilted even further. He was too perfect! The boy standing before him seemed practically tailor-made for the Body Sect! Leaving aside the fact that he possessed a Body Martial Soul, his spiritual power had already reached the Spirit Abyss Realm at this age, giving him an extraordinarily high chance of breaking through to the Divine Origin Realm in the future. If he cultivated the Innate Secret Technique and achieved the Flawless Golden Body, then aside from his soul power cultivation, Huo Yuhao's physical fortitude and spiritual power could both reach true god-level heights. That would be true godhood! Moreover, the timing of their encounter could not have been more ideal; it was not too late at all. As formidable as the Body Sect's Innate Secret Technique was, cultivating it was excruciatingly difficult. One had to lay the groundwork and condition the body using secret arts from early childhood—a path reserved exclusively for disciples groomed to become Sect Master, accompanied by countless tribulations and agony. One could say that the older a person was, the harder cultivating the Innate Secret Technique became, unless they were extraordinarily gifted in qi-blood. Huo Yuhao was only ten years old, his body far from fully formed, and someone had already helped him condense a qi-blood vortex. Cultivating the Innate Secret Technique would present no obstacles whatsoever. His odds of achieving great success were remarkably high, and he even had a real shot at striving for the Flawless Golden Body. The timing was simply impeccable. 'So... what should I do?' Mu Ye stared at Huo Yuhao in a daze, entirely oblivious to the faint rumbles of thunder rolling in from beyond the window. Heavenly Refinement? It wasn't as if he had never witnessed it before. The true dilemma before him was Huo Yuhao. After gaining a thorough understanding of Huo Yuhao's extraordinary natural talent, Mu Ye saw no problem in passing down the method for a Second Awakening. For potential like this, he was willing to cast aside a degree of sectarian bias. Yet the Innate Secret Technique was the foundational supreme art of the Body Sect. Without any established bond, passing it to an outsider who would never truly join the Body Sect went against the grain. And yet, how could he bear to let such peerless talent slip through his fingers...? Perceiving Mu Ye's inner struggle, Huo Yuhao added another weight to the scale. "If Senior is willing to teach me, I am prepared to consider myself a member of the Body Sect and shoulder its responsibilities." Mu Ye froze. Gazing into Huo Yuhao's clear blue eyes, he fell silent for a long moment before shaking his head. "Even if you harbor such intentions, the decision does not rest with you. Even Pagoda Master Snow Empress wouldn't agree. Forget it. I truly think highly of you, so I will teach you the method for the Second Awakening. But as for the Body Sect's other legacies..." "What if I become the Master of the Spirit Pagoda and bring everyone inside under my sway?" Huo Yuhao asked in a calm, even voice. "Or does Senior believe that my future self is incapable of achieving that?" He, the first Pagoda Master, joining the Body Sect and holding dual roles. Would anyone in the Spirit Pagoda dare raise an objection? "..." Mu Ye was struck speechless. Pondering Huo Yuhao's words, his expression grew solemn. With Huo Yuhao's talent, would becoming the Master of the Spirit Pagoda truly be difficult? After considering it for merely a breath, Mu Ye couldn't help but smile. The current Pagoda Master, Qiangu Dongfeng, was merely a demigod, and whether he could break through to quasi-god remained an open question. Had other powerhouses not refrained from vying for his position, and had he not possessed a quasi-god backing him, his seat as Pagoda Master would have been far from secure. In Mu Ye's eyes, Huo Yuhao breaking through to quasi-god was virtually guaranteed. He might even replicate the feats of the Skyreaching Douluo, reaching quasi-godhood around the age of thirty. Ascending to the seat of Pagoda Master would be entirely within his grasp. Still, bringing every single member within the Spirit Pagoda under his sway struck Mu Ye as the naive bravado of youth. Even with Snow Empress backing him as her disciple, that would be no simple task. The Super Douluos and Fierce Beasts of the various factions could never be subjugated by a single person—unless he were the reincarnation of the first Pagoda Master himself. Nevertheless, Mu Ye did not voice those doubts aloud. Instead, he smiled and said, "Allow me to consider the matter first before giving you an answer." Since things had been laid out so plainly, he wished to observe Huo Yuhao's character first; everything else took a back seat in his eyes. The child before him possessed the talent of a quasi-god—that was an undeniable fact visible to anyone who wasn't blind. With Snow Empress as his teacher, the chances of him falling prematurely were slim. Why burden himself with so many reservations? As long as the boy remained respectful upon becoming a quasi-god, addressed him as teacher, and offered protection to the Body Sect, what harm was there in imparting the Innate Secret Technique to him now? Consider it an unconventional investment. With such immense potential right in front of him, he could hardly pretend not to notice. Just as Pagoda Master Snow Empress had said, sectarian divides did not always need to be held so rigidly... At worst, once Huo Yuhao came of age, he could ask for a few Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Spirits from the Spirit Pagoda in exchange. Hearing those words, Huo Yuhao broke into a smile. Hesitation meant victory was already within reach; it was only a matter of spending a little more time... In fact, that single "trump card" in his hand would be more than enough to make the man commit. The next instant, before Mu Ye had fully gathered his thoughts, Huo Yuhao rose and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Teacher Mu!" Mu Ye's brows knit in startled confusion. "What is the meaning of this? I told you I still need to consider it, and besides, you are the disciple of Pagoda Master Snow Empress." "You stated that you would teach me the method for the Second Awakening, which makes you my teacher," Huo Yuhao said with a grin as he straightened up. "As for the sectarian bias Teacher Snow Empress spoke of, she was naturally reminding me not to neglect my respect toward you. Or could it be that Teacher Mu regrets his words and is unwilling even to teach me the Second Awakening?" "Seizing every inch you're given, aren't you? Quite sharp-witted," Mu Ye chuckled and shook his head, though inwardly he felt thoroughly pleased. Having such a peerless genius willingly address him as teacher was deeply gratifying, tipping the scales in his heart yet another notch. Afterward, the two moved beyond sectarian matters and chatted about other topics. A few minutes passed in a flash. Peering through the window, Huo Yuhao saw the final strike of the four-colored Lightning Tribulation descend. Knowing that Zhenhua had safely weathered today's tribulation ordeal, he prepared to take his leave. Just then, Mu Ye posed one final question. "Do you have a secondary profession?" "I do." Huo Yuhao paused, a faint glimmer of amusement dancing in his eyes. "I am a Rank 4 Mecha Designer and a Rank 4 Mecha Crafter." Mu Ye, who had immersed himself so deeply in mecha research that he had failed to break through to Super Douluo, stared blankly as his expression froze. What did Yuhao just say? What were his secondary professions? And what ranks? "Yuhao... say that one more time." "Mecha Designer and Mecha Crafter. Both are Rank 4." Ten years old, without hindering his cultivation speed in the slightest, yet a Rank 4 in both design and crafting? The corners of Mu Ye's mouth curled upward. The scales in his heart collapsed completely to one side, and he burst into a string of ecstatic laughter. "Hahaha! Good, wonderful! What a match made in heaven!" "Forget what I said earlier! Yuhao, from this day forth, you are the true mantle successor to both myself and the Body Sect!" Unrivaled talent, mastery over two secondary professions, and the capacity to inherit his mecha research... There was no longer any need for hesitation. Yuhao was practically the ideal successor bestowed upon him by heaven itself! In this lifetime, he would likely never encounter another Huo Yuhao. This was no time to weigh petty gains and losses, nor was it a moment to cling to sectarian dogma. He had to take him as his disciple!