Chapter 422: Journey to Tian Dou, the Beginning of Revenge
"The others have left... Shall we have a little talk as well?"
Inside the cave, silence prevailed. Dai Yao sat cross-legged by the entrance, a gentle breeze stirring his golden hair. He gazed out at the lush forest, his eyes cold as he spoke.
A mischievous voice sounded in his mind.
"Heh, weren't you enjoying yourself just now? Left and right, you were surrounded by beauties—how carefree! Now what? Are you blaming me for it?"
Dai Yao's expression remained calm. He knew that what he had done with Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu wasn't merely due to the evil impulses of another side of himself. He had been complicit, even pleased. This realization brought him closer to understanding himself.
After a moment's silence, birds chirped lightly in the forest outside. Dai Yao spoke softly.
"No, I don't blame you."
The voice in his mind paused, taken aback.
"I took advantage, so there's no need for me to push the blame. But ever since I absorbed the life orb of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, you've existed. You are me, yet another side of me—a darker side. I bear no prejudice against you, but we need to talk."
Dai Yao's frankness seemed to surprise the voice, which eventually replied in a serious tone.
"What do you want to talk about?"
Dai Yao asked, "What is it you desire?"
The voice laughed mockingly. "Ha! Now that you've avenged yourself and lack a target, you're looking to me for answers? You overthink it. I am evil through and through—greed, lust, envy, hate—these are my labels. I do whatever I please and have no demands."
The voice turned icy.
"But if I wanted, I'd take control of the entire world. Wealth, beauty, all of it—mine!"
Dai Yao fell silent. On one hand, he hadn't received the answer he'd hoped for; on the other, the dark side's desires baffled him.
After a pause, he replied slowly, "You may kill, but not without cause; you may seek wealth, but not greedily..."
"Stop, stop!" The voice quickly interrupted Dai Yao.
"Are you lecturing me? Let me tell you, no one gets to control me! Not even you!"
"This is a command, not a suggestion." Dai Yao's voice turned cold. He could tolerate the existence of another self but would never allow it to act recklessly in his name!
Recent events, had it not been for his past with Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu, would have been a complete scandal—an assault on their dignity that left him no room for excuses. Hence, he had to limit the actions of his darker self.
His words seemed to silence the voice. After a moment, it returned.
"You're certainly strict with me. Since you're so insistent, I'll comply. However, I have one condition."
"What is it?" Dai Yao asked.
The voice huffed slightly. "You've gained so many wives while I'm all alone. Coming all this way to Douluo Continent, how could I leave empty-handed? We're the same being, after all—don't you feel pity for my solitude?"
Dai Yao's heart grew heavy; he had long suspected this request.
"Say it directly."
The voice chuckled sinisterly. "Heh, my other self. Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, plus Shui Bing'er, Dugu Yan, and a few others from the Spirit Hall—you've collected the finest women of the original story. Can't I indulge a bit too? While I can't expect love, at least a few pets?"
"Don't you think so...?"
Dai Yao went silent again, looking up at the dim sky outside the cave, where light snow had begun to fall. After a moment, he spoke softly.
"Fine. But you only emerge when I allow it. No more taking matters into your own hands."
"Understood!" The voice said gleefully before disappearing, now delving into the mental world for its "training" of Xiao Wu.
Dai Yao stood silently, gazing out at the forest beyond. This single hunt for a spirit beast had sparked such turbulence.
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's spirit, a second personality, the encounters with Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu—an unexpected turn at every step. Yet, from this upheaval, Dai Yao gained clearer insights into his future plans.
"Now I have my true second spirit, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. This spirit has deep connections with the God of Evil. It's likely that I'm now on his radar, with a good chance of inheriting his god position in the future."
"Although the Douluo Divine Realm is considered quite low in the hierarchy of various divine worlds, the God of Evil is among the highest on Douluo Continent. It's no Chaos Green Lotus, but it's decent."
"If that's the case, then my Sacred White Tiger spirit has its own role."
"With the continent on the brink of turmoil, the entire land is about to plunge into chaos. For the Azure Lotus Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to remain uninvolved and safe from conflict, they must possess a level of power that commands respect. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is formidable, but it's not enough."
"Moreover, I can't predict what that madwoman Bibi Dong will do once she attains godhood. I can't afford to stake my future on her whims; I must strengthen myself."
"And the means to achieve power are already in my hands."
With a single gesture, a shimmering trident-shaped prism appeared in Dai Yao's hand, shining like the sea itself.
It was the Sea God's Heart.
Looking at this treasure connected to the Sea God's inheritance, Dai Yao mused.
"The Sea God's position may not be supreme, but it is still a top-tier god. More importantly, inheriting the Sea God's role can greatly enhance my own abilities, as well as my companions'. This was the secret behind the rapid advancement of the Shrek Seven Devils."
"Once I return from Sea God Island, the Azure Lotus Sect will be firmly established on the continent."
"The Sacred White Tiger shall inherit the Sea God position, while the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger will inherit the God of Evil's role, serving as a cover for the Chaos Green Lotus spirit. Or… perhaps I should wait? Find a better divine position for the Sacred White Tiger so as not to waste its potential?"
"What choice should I make?"
Dai Yao's golden eyes gleamed with contemplation.
Finally, he hesitated no more! The world was about to plunge into chaos, and the day of Bibi Dong's ascension was not far off. He needed the power to control his own fate!
With that, his immense mental strength surged into the Sea God's Heart!
A wave of spiritual impact echoed in his mind, rendering him momentarily blank. The Sea God's Heart greedily absorbed his blood...
In the divine realm.
A voice, both cautious and astonished, sounded softly before bursting with joy.
"After all these years, I've finally found him! This child's talent is unprecedented! He is destined to inherit my position!"
...
The next day, Dai Yao awoke from unconsciousness with a pounding headache.
As soon as Dai Yao focused his mind, the brilliant blue Sea God's Heart floated lightly in his palm. He glanced at it briefly before storing it away.
"The Sea God's Heart has already acknowledged me as its master. It's a valuable artifact, but it doesn't serve much purpose for me right now. As for the seventh spirit ring of my Sacred White Tiger spirit, I'll leave it for now. When I reach Sea God Island, I'll absorb a god-bestowed spirit ring. I'm curious to see just how far I can push my limits."
With that, Dai Yao put on his bamboo hat, equipped himself, and walked out of the cave into the snow-covered Star Dou Forest.
Before long, a fine layer of snow accumulated on his hat.
The Star Dou Forest expedition had proven bountiful. Not only did he acquire the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger spirit, but throughout his hunt for spirit beasts to restore his spirit power, Dai Yao also obtained several spirit bones, all of them of top quality, exceeding ten thousand years in age.
Most importantly, Dai Yao had solidified his path forward.
...
In a small town, at the Rose Hotel.
The door of the Rose Hotel, which had been reserved long-term, was knocked on once again.
"Who is it?"
Ju and Lu exchanged glances, asking with some curiosity.
"It's me."
A deep voice sounded from outside the room.
The two women's faces brightened immediately, and Kongque, who had been meditating, rose respectfully and looked towards the door.
Ju opened the door, and the person outside removed his bamboo hat, stepped in, greeted the three women, and asked, "How have Zhuqing and Wutong been since I left?"
Without hesitation, Ju answered, "Young master, since you left, Sister Zhuqing and Sister Wutong have both completed their tasks and are currently on their way back."
Dai Yao thought for a moment before responding, "Tell them to return to Hanhai City and not to come here. You should also return to Hanhai City."
Lu hurriedly asked, "Young master, what about you?"
Dai Yao placed his bamboo hat back on and looked over his shoulder. His golden eyes held a touch of cold, dangerous charisma as he replied, "I'm going to Tian Dou to settle an old score."
With those words, Dai Yao vanished from the three women's sight.
Watching the spot where he had disappeared, Lu sighed softly, "Young master is perfect in every way, but he's so busy."
Ju laughed at herself and said, "We simply don't mean enough to make him stay. If it were Zhuqing and the others, do you think he would linger?"
As the two spoke, Kongque noticed something amiss. The Dai Yao she had just seen seemed different from before. His gaze had become sharper, tinged with a trace of darkness. What exactly had he experienced in the Star Dou Forest?
...
After passing through the Kingdom of Barak and entering the Pharos Province, Dai Yao hurriedly made his way to his destination.
Holy Soul Village.
Standing at the village entrance, he noted the freshly painted sign and the many new buildings. The streets were bustling with people, making the village surprisingly lively.
"What's going on? Why are there so many people in Holy Soul Village?"
Dai Yao wondered, puzzled.
"Sir, what's the occasion today? Why is it so crowded here?" he asked, stopping an elderly man.
The man, Jack the village chief, regarded Dai Yao with slight surprise. He was used to the constant stream of visitors coming to pay respects to Haotian Douluo and Lan Hao King's former residence—how could this young man not know? Still, with a touch of pride, he explained, "Young man, these people are here to pay their respects to Haotian Douluo and Lan Hao King. Isn't that why you came?"
Dai Yao paused. Due to his influence, Tang San had inherited the title of Lan Hao King, which had drawn all these people to Holy Soul Village. Without answering Jack's question, he instead asked, "Elder, is Haotian Douluo home?"
Village Chief Jack sighed slightly and replied, "He hasn't been here in a long time. Ever since Lan Hao King left, Haotian Douluo seldom returns."
As expected, Dai Yao thought. His purpose in coming was to find Tang Hao. Years ago, in front of the Pope's Palace, Tang Hao had almost killed him with one blow, with only Sword Douluo's intervention saving his life. Now was the time to settle that score.
In the original story, Tang Hao was currently recuperating with the Blue Silver Emperor, Ah Yin, by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. However, in this life, that location belonged to Dai Yao. Tang Hao should logically still be in Holy Soul Village, unless the situation at the Tian Dou Palace had become severe, in which case Tang San would have had no choice but to ask his father to leave.
Then Dai Yao noticed the word "seldom" in the old man's description, implying Tang Hao had indeed returned occasionally. Which meant, of course, that he was coming back to visit the Blue Silver Emperor hidden behind the waterfall.
To confirm his theory, Dai Yao asked in a serious tone, "Elder, you said Haotian Douluo seldom returns, meaning he has returned at least once. When was the last time he came back?"
Village Chief Jack eyed the hat-wearing man in front of him suspiciously, wary of his motives. However, after a brief hesitation, he replied, "You're correct. Haotian Douluo was here six months ago."
"Six months ago…" Dai Yao murmured.
Six months ago, coinciding with the upheaval in Tian Dou Palace. After that, Tang Hao disappeared—likely heading to Tian Dou City to help Tang San.
"Thank you, elder."
After expressing his gratitude, Dai Yao vanished into the forest outside Holy Soul Village.
Once in the woods, he summoned the Sea God's Heart, using it to conceal his aura entirely. Unfurling the wings on his back, he soared skyward, beginning his search around the village.
In the original story, the valley where the Blue Silver Emperor resided lay amidst the mountains near Holy Soul Village, conveniently close enough for Tang Hao to visit Ah Yin.
From above, Dai Yao scanned the area briefly before spotting the steepest peak and swiftly flying towards it.
As he flew, strands of black crept into his golden hair, and the golden hue in his eyes shifted to a dark, menacing black.
"Tang Hao, oh Tang Hao, I really hope you're in that valley. If you've left, this won't be nearly as entertaining. And if you've gone, you'd better have taken Ah Yin with you. Otherwise… Ah Yin will be mine!"
His dark, sinister voice echoed through the sky...
Once again, Dai Yao had transformed into his evil self.
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