White World, Reincarnation God Realm.
In the Reincarnation God Realm, Huo Yuhao stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through layers of void and landing upon the heavenly screen.
The two side-by-side images were frozen at the moment the two Huo Yuhaos parted ways—one heading toward Shrek, the other heading south.
Behind him, four women stood quietly.
"Husband."
Ju Zi stepped forward, her brows and eyes settling with the composure of one who had long held a high position, "As for the lower realm, I should go back and make preparations."
Huo Yuhao turned around, his gaze falling upon her, and said gently, "You've worked hard."
Ju Zi shook her head, a hint of a smile appearing at the corners of her mouth, "What hard work? This is what I should be doing."
She paused, then added, "Once the heavenly screen appears, the hearts of the people in the lower realm will inevitably be stirred. Although our citizens have full confidence in you, Husband, the necessary preparations cannot be neglected."
"The mining of rare metals, the research on battle armor, the mass production of tenth-level spirit tools... these all need to be deployed in advance."
Huo Yuhao nodded, "I am at ease with you handling matters."
Ju Zi smiled slightly and said no more.
She turned, her dress fluttering, and her figure transformed into a pale orange stream of light, shooting straight toward the passageway from the Reincarnation God Realm to the Douluo Continent.
After Ju Zi's figure disappeared, Huo Yuhao looked at Snow Empress again.
Snow Empress stood quietly to the side, her ice-blue long hair gently swaying in the breeze of the God Realm; her skin was whiter than snow, and her appearance was peerless.
Seeing Huo Yuhao look over, she nodded slightly:
"I am going into seclusion."
Her voice was as cold as an ice spring, yet carried a trace of imperceptible tenderness, "The experiences of Heavenly Dream Ice Worm and Teacher Electrolux have given me some new insights into the Dao of Ice and Snow. Perhaps... I can use this to make a breakthrough."
Huo Yuhao stepped forward and gently held her hand.
That pair of cold hands paused slightly in his palm, then immediately grasped him back.
"Go ahead," Huo Yuhao said softly, "but don't be in a rush. Once my cultivation stabilizes, I will help you personally!"
Snow Empress nodded, released his hand, and turned to leave. Her figure transformed into an ice-blue light, also leaving the Reincarnation God Realm, returning to the Far North Land of the Douluo Continent, where it was more suitable for her cultivation.
In the Reincarnation God Realm, only Huo Yuhao, Gu Yuena, and Wang Qiuer remained.
"We should go too."
Gu Yuena said, a hint of a smile in her silver-purple eyes, "Over at Dragon Valley, the fluctuations of the Samsara Law are just right for cultivation. Qiuer and I will recover while keeping an eye on the heavenly screen for you."
Wang Qiuer snorted, a flash of stubbornness in her golden vertical pupils, "Once I recover, I will definitely make that Tang San from that World see what a true Golden Dragon is!"
Huo Yuhao laughed, stepped forward, and gently embraced them both.
"You've worked hard."
Gu Yuena leaned on his shoulder and said softly, "What foolish things are you saying? Between us, why is there a need for thanks?"
Wang Qiuer turned her head away, though the tips of her ears turned slightly red.
A moment later, two streams of light rose from the Reincarnation Heaven and shot toward the direction of Dragon Valley.
Huo Yuhao stood alone before the temple, gazing at the backs of the two youths on the heavenly screen, his eyes profound.
As a transmigrator, he was quite familiar with the experiences of the original Huo Yuhao and knew what he would do in the future.
And he knew exactly what he had done in the Sun Moon Empire, so Huo Yuhao did not continue watching the heavenly screen but instead focused on stabilizing his cultivation.
...
Meanwhile.
White World, Douluo Continent.
The moment the heavenly screen descended, the entire continent fell into a frenzy.
From the ice fields of the Far North Land to the vast seas in the south; from the former Heaven Dou Empire in the north to the former site of the Sun Moon Empire in the south—countless people looked up at the sky, gazing at the two side-by-side images, gazing at the youth in the images who shared the same World as them.
Sun Moon Empire, Bright Capital.
As the most prosperous city on the continent, the streets of Bright Capital were crowded with citizens looking up at the sky.
The light from the heavenly screen spilled down, illuminating the entire city.
"Look, look! That's our World's Huo Yuhao—no, it's Venerable Ming!"
"Venerable Ming?! You don't mean that one..."
"Nonsense! Who else could it be besides him?!"
Venerable Ming.
This was the respectful title the citizens of the Sun Moon Empire had for Huo Yuhao.
Ever since he stepped into the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, growing step by step into a tenth-level Soul Engineer, a reformer of the Holy Spirit Cult, the Imperial Preceptor of the Sun Moon Empire, and finally achieving the status of a God King—his position in the hearts of the people had long surpassed the word "Imperial Preceptor."
He was the one who brought light.
"Venerable Ming's childhood was too miserable, right? Those bastards in the White Tiger Dukes Mansion..."
"Hmph, if it weren't for those bastards abusing Venerable Ming, Venerable Ming might not have come to our Sun Moon Empire! Come to think of it, we have to thank them!"
"What you said... actually makes sense."
"Look at the Venerable Ming on the right, when facing that Wind Baboon, his movements were so crisp! One strike to kill! Much cleaner than the one on the left!"
"Nonsense, that's Venerable Ming! Can they be the same?"
"When that Heavenly Dream Ice Worm appeared, the one on the left passed out directly, while the one on the right stubbornly held on! I told you, Venerable Ming was different from a young age!"
When that pitch-black bead appeared and that domineering voice resounded through heaven and earth, the entire street went quiet for a moment.
Then—it exploded into an uproar!
"Grasping the sun and moon to pluck the stars! Is that something a human can say?!"
"That existence... is also inside Venerable Ming?!"
"My god, Venerable Ming is... what kind of luck is this?!"
Someone muttered, "Two terrifying existences, both in his body... Is this the Child of Luck?"
A burly man next to him slapped him, "What Child of Luck! That is Venerable Ming! Venerable Ming was able to reach where he is today by his own ability!"
"Yes, yes, yes! By his own ability!"
"But come to think of it... why is the Huo Yuhao from that World so different from our Venerable Ming?"
This question left everyone around stunned.
That's right.
Same background, same opportunities, even the same Heavenly Dream Ice Worm and that mysterious existence—why was the gap so large?
Someone scratched their head, "Could it be... because he went to Shrek?"
"Isn't Shrek the number one academy on the continent?"
"So what if it's the number one academy on the continent? What is our Sun Moon Empire lacking? Didn't Venerable Ming grow up right here?"
"That's true..."
Sun Moon Empire, Imperial Palace.
Inside the Diligent Governance Hall, the atmosphere was solemn.
Ju Zi's figure sat upright on the main seat, dressed in a pale orange palace gown, her brows and eyes settling with the majesty of one who had long held a high position.
Below her, more than a dozen high-ranking officials dressed in fine robes stood solemnly. The Empress Dowager had been regent for many years, and her majesty had long been deeply rooted in people's hearts.
"You have all seen the matter of the heavenly screen."
Ju Zi's voice was calm but carried an unquestionable majesty.
The crowd below nodded one after another.
"Then this subject dares to ask..."
An old official with graying hair stepped forward, "Empress Dowager, is that Venerable Ming on the heavenly screen our..."
"Yes."
Ju Zi interrupted him directly, a hint of a smile appearing at the corners of her mouth, "It is indeed your Imperial Preceptor, and my husband."
As soon as these words were spoken, a suppressed exclamation sounded in the hall. Although there had long been rumors among the people, this was the first time the Empress Dowager had personally admitted it.
Ju Zi raised her hand to suppress the discussion of the crowd and continued,
"The result of the heavenly screen comparison will determine whether our World can obtain an overall improvement in the level of life. This matter concerns hundreds of millions of citizens, concerns the Sun Moon Empire, and concerns the future of the entire Douluo Continent."
Her gaze swept across the crowd, and she said in a deep voice, "I do not care how the other World is, nor do I care what schemes Tang San of that World has. I only know—"
"Since my husband was able to reach that step, he will definitely be able to lead us to win this comparison."
"But winning cannot rely on my husband alone."
Her voice suddenly became sharp, "I need you all to do what you are supposed to do."
Everyone bowed in unison, "Please give your instructions, Empress Dowager!"
Ju Zi stood up and walked slowly to the huge map hanging in the hall.
"First, the mining of rare metals."
She pointed to several mining sites marked on the map, "These mineral veins within the Heaven Dou Empire are to have their mining efforts fully increased immediately.
"I do not care what methods you use, whether recruiting more people or increasing pay, in short—the output must be tripled based on the current foundation."
An official in charge of mineral resources looked troubled, "Empress Dowager, is three times..."
Ju Zi glanced at him.
That glance was calm and waveless, yet it made the official's back turn cold, and he immediately closed his mouth and bowed, "This subject obeys the decree!"
"Second, the research on battle armor."
Ju Zi's finger moved across the map and finally landed on the location of Bright Capital, "Pass the order to the spirit tool Research Institute, have them concentrate all top talents, and go all out to tackle the mass production technology of battle armor.
"I want to know how to equip every Titled Douluo with battle armor in the shortest time and at the lowest cost."
"Yes!"
"Third, tenth-level spirit tools."
Ju Zi's gaze flickered slightly, "The blueprints my husband left behind, the research institute should have fully understood them by now, right?"
A middle-aged official stepped forward and said respectfully, "Replying to the Empress Dowager, the research institute has completed the theoretical verification of all the tenth-level spirit tool blueprints left behind by the Imperial Preceptor. Currently, three models have entered the trial production stage, and it is expected that the first finished product can be completed within half a year."
Ju Zi nodded, "Accelerate the progress. Three months."
The official was stunned, "Empress Dowager, three months is..."
"Three months."
Ju Zi interrupted him, her tone unquestionable, "Whatever resources you need, report directly to me. I will allocate them to you."
The official gritted his teeth and bowed, "This subject... obeys the decree!"
Ju Zi looked around at everyone, her voice slowing down a bit,
"Everyone, the arrival of the heavenly screen is a crisis, but it is also an opportunity."
"If we win this comparison, our World's life level will improve overall. By then, rare metals will be easier to mine, spirit tool technology will be easier to break through, and the lifespan and aptitude of ordinary citizens will all improve."
"By then, the Sun Moon Empire—no, the entire Douluo Continent, will usher in an unprecedented golden age."
"But the premise for all of this is—"
Her gaze was like lightning, "We must win."
In the hall, everyone bowed in unison, their voices shaking the roof tiles,
"We will definitely do our utmost to assist the Empress Dowager, assist the Imperial Preceptor, and assist the Sun Moon Empire in winning this battle!"
Ju Zi nodded slightly, her gaze passing through the doors and windows of the hall, looking at the two side-by-side images in the sky.
In the images, the two youths had each embarked on their own paths.
One headed toward Shrek, with a smiling face like a flower.
The other headed south, his back lonely.