Douluo, my clone Groudon

Chapter 416 Bone Transformation Completed, Grand Competition Imminent

Inside the room, the air was filled with a faint smell of blood and the salty dampness of sweat, making it hard to breathe.

Huo Yuhao lay limp on the bed, as if he had just been pulled out of a pool of blood. His right leg and right arm hung limply at his sides. The excruciating pain from having his soul bone ripped out had almost drained him of all his strength, and his consciousness was teetering on the edge of dissipation.

Only the faint rise and fall of his chest and the occasional twitching caused by lingering pain proved that he was still stubbornly conscious.

Niu Tian looked at Huo Yuhao's state, a barely perceptible fluctuation flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a resolute expression.

He knew he couldn't stop. If he stopped, Huo Yuhao might never be able to muster the courage to face the next time, and Wang Dong'er couldn't wait either.

"Yuhao!" Niu Tian's voice, carrying a calming and focused power, entered Huo Yuhao's nearly chaotic mind. "Hold on, there's only one left left leg bone. Dong'er's breathing is starting to stabilize. Just this last step is needed!"

Upon hearing the name "Dong'er," a faint light returned to Huo Yuhao's unfocused eyes.

He struggled to turn his eyes and looked at Wang Dong'er on the bed next to him, whose complexion seemed to have really improved a bit. A new strength seemed to surge from the depths of his soul.

He opened his mouth, but could not make a clear sound. He could only nod his head very slightly with all his might.

Seeing Huo Yuhao's miserable state, Titan, this burly man, couldn't help but grin and whisper, "Brother, this kid... he's really tough!"

Niu Tian did not respond, but took a deep breath and picked up the last piece of the 100,000-year-old left leg bone that exuded a vast and ancient aura.

The energy properties of this soul bone are slightly different from the previous two, leaning more towards toughness and weight.

"Hold on, this last piece is crucial to success or failure!"

Niu Tian gave a low shout and, following the same method, placed the left leg bone against Huo Yuhao's bloodied and mangled left leg and slowly pressed it down.

"Well--!"

A more intense, soul-crushing pain swept over Huo Yuhao once again.

If the previous pain was like tearing and burning, then this time it felt like the entire earth was pressing down on his legs, trying to completely crush his bones, meridians, and even his will.

The lingering resentment of a 100,000-year-old soul beast transformed into heavy mountains, constantly impacting his spiritual world.

Huo Yuhao's body trembled violently, his teeth clenched so tightly that they clicked, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth again.

He felt that his consciousness was like a small boat in a storm, which could capsize at any moment.

The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, Ice Emperor, and Snow Emperor frantically channeled their power into his sea of ​​consciousness, stabilizing his mind. However, the pain originating from the very core of his body was almost beyond his limits.

"Guide it! Use your ultimate ice to freeze the pain and refine it!" Niu Tian's voice was like a guiding lighthouse.

With unwavering determination, Huo Yuhao desperately activated the Mysterious Heaven Skill and the ultimate Ice Soul Power.

An icy blue light flickered on his left leg, attempting to freeze the raging energy, but the power of the 100,000-year-old soul bone was too domineering. The ice layer kept condensing and breaking, and each cycle brought a new round of torture.

Unnatural cracks began to appear on the skin of his left leg, and blood seeped out, but it was frozen by the cold air, a shocking sight.

Old Master Xuan watched with trepidation, wanting to speak up and stop her several times, but seeing the increasingly obvious vitality on Wang Dong'er's face, he held back, clenching his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.

This process was much longer and more difficult than the previous two.

Huo Yuhao's screams had become hoarse and weak, with more unconscious spasms of his body and suppressed sobs in his throat.

He was almost entirely sustained by an instinct that "could not give up on Dong'er".

Finally, just before Huo Yuhao's consciousness was about to completely sink into darkness, the light from his left arm bone gradually stabilized and began to fuse with his bones.

An unprecedented sense of power, mixed with extreme weakness and pain, filled his entire body.

But this isn't over yet!
"Final step! Remove the left leg bone and insert it into Dong'er's body!" Niu Tian's voice was also tinged with a tired hoarseness.

The most brutal part is happening again!
Niu Tian pressed down on Huo Yuhao's and Wang Dong'er's left legs with both hands, and the soul power bridge was rebuilt. Titan immediately stepped forward to protect Wang Dong'er.

When the force of reverse stripping acted on Huo Yuhao's left leg, which had just endured the pain of fusion, the pain was indescribable.

It's like tearing open a wound that's just started to heal, and this time it's a form of slow, agonizing torture on the level of the soul.

Huo Yuhao suddenly tilted his head back, the veins on his neck bulging, but he couldn't even let out a scream. He could only make a hoarse sound from deep in his throat, like a broken bellows.

His body arched backward, then fell limply to the ground, his eyes completely unfocused, with only physiological tears mixed with blood streaming down his face.

Niu Tian and Titan were also sweating profusely, completely focused and not daring to be distracted in the slightest. Peeling, guiding, injecting… every step was performed with utmost care, as if walking on thin ice.

Time passed second by second. When the last trace of the primordial power of the 100,000-year-old left leg bone successfully entered Wang Dong'er's body, causing a warm halo to emanate from her body, and her breathing became completely stable, even longer and stronger than before she fell unconscious—

Niu Tian finally let out a long sigh of relief, withdrew his hands, and swayed slightly, clearly having exhausted himself.

"It's a success... It's all... done..." His voice was full of exhaustion, but also carried a hint of relief.

As Huo Yuhao sensed the end of the soul bone separation, the taut string finally snapped, his will completely relaxed, his head lolled to the side, and he fell into a deep coma.

His legs and right arm lay limply on the bed, covered with terrible wounds and frozen scabs. His breath was extremely weak, like a candle flickering in the wind.

Titan rushed forward to check on Huo Yuhao's condition and breathed a sigh of relief: "Thankfully, he's out of danger, but... he's severely depleted and needs a very long period of rest. His legs and arms... I'm afraid..."

Elder Xuan also stepped forward quickly. Looking at Huo Yuhao's miserable state, and then at Wang Dong'er, whose breathing was steady, whose complexion was rosy, and who even seemed to have made a breakthrough, his old eyes were filled with extremely complex emotions, which finally turned into a heavy sigh.

Outside the room, the faint, heart-pounding energy fluctuations and painful aura inside finally subsided, and everyone held their breath.

Gula leaned against the wall, unable to resist stealing glances again and again. Based on his keen perception of energy changes and the faint screams from before, he roughly deduced the extent of Huo Yuhao's suffering.

He shook his head, thinking to himself:

"Three 100,000-year-old soul bones... first melt them, then peel them off... This isn't treatment, it's torture upon torture. Huo Yuhao is really... risking his life for Wang Dong'er."

"However, Tang San's methods... tsk, no wonder he's a 'father-in-law' who can be so ruthless to his own daughter. This 'test' is hardcore enough."

He could never fully understand this kind of love that required extreme pain to prove itself.

But in any case, Huo Yuhao survived, and Wang Dong'er was saved.

However, only the Sea God, far away in the God Realm, knew how much scheming was hidden behind this heavy "gratitude." After the bone transformation was completed, Elder Xuan dared not be negligent in the slightest and immediately invited the most elite healing-type Soul Master team from Shrek Academy.

A soft, life-giving light continued to envelop the unconscious Huo Yuhao, and pure life energy was continuously injected into his riddled body, carefully repairing his shocking external injuries and stabilizing his almost collapsing vital signs.

The meridian tears and bone damage caused by the removal of the soul bone were initially healed by the powerful healing soul skill and no longer worsened.

However, the depletion of life essence and the deep-seated loss of vital energy caused by the repeated forced fusion and separation cannot be quickly replenished by external forces.

This can only be gradually remedied by Huo Yuhao's own powerful recovery ability and long-term recuperation.

In the words of healing-type Soul Masters, it's like repairing a leaky bucket. They can plug the big leaks, but the tiny cracks and the lost water need time to fill themselves back up.

Of course, Huo Yuhao did not come away empty-handed.

After fusing with three 100,000-year-old soul bones, even though most of the original power was ultimately transferred to Wang Dong'er, the massive energy belonging to the 100,000-year level flowed through his body like the most violent forging, giving his meridians, bones, and flesh an ultimate tempering.

Although the process was extremely painful, it left an indelible "mark" and some meager nourishment from the source.

More importantly, his soul power was repeatedly compressed, purified, and impacted during this process. Although the total amount decreased due to losses, the quality achieved a leap forward.

The healing soul master judged that once he fully recovered and before he reached the Soul Emperor realm, his soul power would likely increase at a rate far exceeding that of ordinary people, which could be considered a blessing in disguise.

However, such "benefits" are probably only available to people like Huo Yuhao, who possess great fortune, have the rare treasure of life-giving gold within their bodies, and are known as "Huo the Cheat," who can endure such a near-destructive process and extract even a small benefit from it.

When Elder Xuan finally dragged his weary body out of the meditation room, the crowd that had been waiting for a long time immediately surrounded him.

Elder Xuan waved his hand, a hint of relief and weariness on his face: "Both little ones are out of danger. Yuhao needs a long period of rest, and Wang Dong'er... has already woken up."

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a long sigh of relief.

Although it seems that Elder Xuan, the bystander and protector, was quite exhausted, the outcome was ultimately good.

They entered the room quietly. They saw that Wang Dong'er had already woken up, sitting against the headboard, her face rosy and glowing, her eyes clear, and her breathing steady. There was no indication that she had just been unconscious, and her cultivation level had also jumped to level seventy.

She didn't pay attention to herself, but turned slightly to the side, her gaze fixed on Huo Yuhao, who was still unconscious on the bed next to her. Her beautiful eyes were filled with an overwhelming sense of heartache, gratitude and guilt.

Hearing the noise, she barely managed to raise her head and give a weak smile to the crowd as a greeting.

Seeing that the two were indeed unharmed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing that it was not the right time to disturb them, they offered words of comfort and blessings before quietly taking their leave.

As the sun set, Gula and Xiao Xiao walked side by side on the path of Shrek Academy.

Xiao Xiao recalled the scene she had just witnessed and couldn't help but sigh softly, "I really don't know how much suffering Yuhao and Dong'er endured this time... When I saw Yuhao unconscious, his brows were tightly furrowed, as if he was still in pain."

Gula nodded, his tone calm with a hint of detached understanding: "Fortunately, the outcome was good; both of them pulled through. Huo Yuhao has a strong foundation, and with some rest, he should be able to recover."

Xiao Xiao suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at Gula earnestly, her tone filled with worry and determination:
"Gula, if... I mean if, one day I also fall into a coma like Dong'er, you absolutely must not do such a foolish thing for me. I would rather remain in a coma than see you suffer such pain for me!"

Gula looked into her worried eyes, but slowly shook his head, a confident and profound smile appearing on his face:

"Don't worry, that day will never come." His words carried an undeniable certainty, "Because I'm here, I will never let you suffer that kind of harm."

Since his cultivation level broke through to Soul Saint and he truly mastered Celebi's true form, he has been able to travel between the current universe's timelines.

In his dictionary, words like "regret" and "irreversible" are gradually losing their meaning. He has enough confidence to avoid the worst-case scenario.

Xiao Xiao took it as Gula's words of comfort, and although her heart was warmed, she did not fully understand the deeper meaning behind his words.

Not wanting to continue this heavy topic, she took Gula's arm and began to talk enthusiastically about the interesting things that had happened at the academy and the Tang Sect recently.

She has gradually taken on some responsibilities in the Tang Sect, and has come into contact with more people and things, showing a strong desire to share.

Gula listened with a smile, not particularly interested in these trivial matters, but would nod occasionally or give a brief response.

The two figures cast long shadows in the golden sunset, intertwining together, creating a warm and peaceful scene, as if they belonged to a completely different world from the thrilling surgery that had just taken place in the quiet room.

Huo Yuhao slept for five days and five nights.

When Gula saw him again, it was on a path by the Lake of Neptune.

Huo Yuhao sat in a wooden wheelchair, his face still somewhat pale. Most of his body was covered with a thin blanket, and only his right hand could move slightly.

Wang Dong'er carefully pushed the wheelchair, her steps slow and gentle. Every now and then she would lower her head and whisper a few words to him, her eyes so tender they could melt your heart.

Gula stepped forward and greeted him cheerfully: "Yuhao, you seem to be in a good mood."

Upon hearing the sound, Huo Yuhao raised his head, a weak but genuine smile appearing on his face.

He turned back and looked at Wang Dong'er affectionately, his eyes full of relief and satisfaction: "Dong'er is alright, of course I'm happy."

Simple words, yet they fully express all his dedication and unwavering commitment.

Hearing his words, Wang Dong'er's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head shyly. However, her fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the wheelchair handle, her heart filled with indescribable emotion and sorrow.

Gula, being sensible, didn't disturb the young couple who had gone through so much hardship as they enjoyed their rare moment of peace. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he took his leave.

The All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament is just around the corner, and the team is about to depart for Mingdu. He also needs to make some preparations.

In fact, Gula had an important plan recently—to awaken his third martial soul.

The red mecha, forged by his own hands and assembled entirely from soul-forged metal, was completed and quietly awaited in his demiplane, ready to transform into his powerful third martial soul at any time.

However, considering the immense importance of the upcoming Soul Master Tournament, which involves research on the power of faith, as well as his knowledge of the potential "big blast" tragedy that might occur in Mingdu and the fate of millions of souls, and the mysterious and unpredictable Qiankun Wenqing Valley...

With numerous events intertwined, he needed to devote a great deal of energy and could not afford to be distracted.

Awakening a third martial soul is no small matter; it involves uncertainty and risks. He has recently had a new idea that he needs to consider further.

After much deliberation, Gula decided to postpone the matter until these complex and far-reaching events were resolved before focusing on awakening his third martial soul.

Right now, maintaining peak condition and preparing for the upcoming turmoil is the top priority.

(End of this chapter)