Dou Ling Empire, Lingdou City.
Lan Xuanyu looked at the magnificent mansion before him with a complex expression.
"The Xuanming Sect, one of the prominent great sects in Lingdou City... joining here as a servant for a few years will allow them to awaken my martial soul for free."
He, Lan Xuanyu, the dignified reincarnation of the Dragon God and a Supreme God King, actually had to come to such a sect to be a servant—it was simply a humilitating disgrace!
But at the moment, Lan Xuanyu truly had no other choice. He had struggled to survive by picking through trash in Lingdou City for over a year, barely managing to stay alive. He was already over six years old; if he delayed any longer, he would have no time left to cultivate.
Having such a disastrous start by being born in the slums, what way did he have to make money?
Although he lived in that technologically advanced era twenty thousand years in the future, he personally didn't understand much about soul tool technology.
The sub-profession he mastered was forging, but at his current age, he simply didn't have the strength to utilize it.
If he wanted to make money, he needed to forge; if he wanted to forge, he first needed to awaken a martial soul to obtain strength.
It was a total catch-22.
Therefore, he really was out of options and had to resort to this lower strategy.
In this era, without the Martial Soul Hall and the Spirit Transmission Pagoda, the ancient ritual of martial soul awakening was controlled by the soul master noble class. And with such a large cake, how could those soul master lords not step up to take a bite?
You either spent money to awaken—ten gold soul coins—or joined a powerful family to provide free labor for several years. Otherwise, you wouldn't awaken a martial soul and would remain a commoner for life, with no way out.
It is merely the road I must travel, he believed. Relying on his own wisdom and ability, he would surely find a way to reach the pinnacle!
Lan Xuanyu clenched his fists and walked into the gates of the Xuanming Sect without looking back.
...
Three days later, the northern suburbs of Star Luo City.
"This is the place!"
Baili Du stood before a duplex three-story villa, clapping his hands with satisfaction as he gestured for an exceptionally clean-cut child and a gentle, beautiful woman to enter.
This was their new home.
If one were to ask which cities had the best public security, it would be the capitals of the various nations and Shrek City.
In Heaven Dou City, one might encounter the remaining forces of the Tang Sect, and since that place was near the Clear Sky Sect, there was no guarantee he wouldn't run into some backup plan left by that grandson Tang San; he didn't want to be exposed to Tang San just yet. Shrek City was also off-limits for now, as Tang San's mother was right there inside the Golden Tree. Mingdu was even worse. As for Lingdou City over there... it was better not to prematurely provoke the "Grandson of the Tang Saint."
After all, he was also a very important chess piece.
As the saying goes, the most dangerous place is the safest. No matter how clever the Duchess was, she would never imagine that Huo Yuhao and Huo Yun'er would be living right under her nose.
Moreover, with him here, let alone the Duchess's spies, even Tang Hao and Ah Yin—who had now replaced the [Plane Ruler] and the [Life Core]—could forget about finding them.
Baili Du looked at them with a smile: "M... Madam Huo, and little Yuhao, this will be our new home from now on."
Huo Yun'er took a step forward with some worry and suggested cautiously: "Mister Baili, perhaps we should go back. I believe Brother Hao won't abandon us..."
After a moment of inner conflict, Huo Yun'er added: "If it doesn't work, we can go back and admit our mistake to the Duchess. We'll accept whatever punishment is given. We are a family; there's no need to make things like this..."
"..."
Baili Du's brow couldn't help but twitch as a surge of anger began to spread from the bottom of his heart.
Constant retreat and compromise, habitually prioritizing the needs of others...
This was what Huo Yun'er had taught Huo Yuhao during his childhood. In this world where the strong prey on the weak, these were "excellent qualities" that were absolutely useless...
It wasn't that Huo Yun'er protected Huo Yuhao too well; it was that she didn't protect Huo Yuhao at all.
But looking at his mother's somewhat haggard yet radiant face, he forced himself to swallow the retort he wanted to hurl back.
As a mother, Huo Yun'er had already done everything flesh and blood could do. As a son, he had no right to criticize her further.
"...Madam Huo," Baili Du suppressed his rage and smiled at Huo Yun'er. "I ask you to use your brain—the one that hasn't been completely occupied by romance cells—to think for a moment. Who gives a [Dagger] as a token of love? And if that White Tiger Duke truly had you in his heart, how could Yuhao suddenly have a younger brother who is a year younger than him?"
Huo Yun'er was stunned, subconsciously gripping little Huo Yuhao's hand, her body trembling slightly.
It wasn't that she didn't understand these truths, but on this Douluo Continent allegedly created by the God of Love, the power of love was still too strong.
As the former [Emotion God King], although he had lost his Divine Position, his perception of emotions was unsurpassed in the entire God Realm. Baili Du immediately sensed the "Love" for Dai Hao in his mother's heart beginning to weaken.
A golden opportunity!
"Or rather..." Baili Du struck while the iron was hot, slightly mobilizing the power of emotion to control and influence Huo Yun'er's feelings of "Love" for Dai Hao. Looking at little Huo Yuhao, whose expression had also turned quite ugly, he sneered: "Do you want to drag your only son to hell right now? Let me remind you, after that day, the attendants who took Dai Huabin back were executed by the Duchess on the charge of failing to protect him."
"I don't need to tell you what the consequences for you two would be, do I? If you want to go back now and walk into the trap, I won't stop you." He then kicked the door open somewhat violently, stepped aside, and pointed outside. "Be my guest."
...
Baili Du's overly harsh criticism made Huo Yun'er's eyes turn red. She looked somewhat vacantly at her son, who was looking up at her with hope.
Huo Yuhao just gripped Huo Yun'er's hand tightly. From his expression, it was clear he agreed more with Baili Du's words.
As a mother, she could endure suffering for her son's future life, and it didn't even matter if she died—but she had to consider what her son would do after she was gone. Could he really face this cruel world?
That "husband" who said he would come back to take her to enjoy life after the war—why would he rather have another child than come back to see her even once? Even... even refuse to give her a formal title?
On one side were reality and the child she bore and raised; on the other were ethereal promises and romance. As a mother, this was not a difficult choice.
Looking at it now, letting little Huo Yuhao stay by this Baili Du's side was undoubtedly the best choice.
Without needing to think for much longer, Huo Yun'er squeezed little Huo Yuhao's hand and bowed deeply toward Baili Du. "I've troubled you, Mister Baili." Then, she resolutely led little Huo Yuhao into the villa.
...
After the two went into their room, a look of relief appeared on Baili Du's face. He lowered his head, covered his mouth, and stifled the urge to shed tears.
In the past, he could only watch helplessly as his mother's body withered day by day until she passed away while longing for Dai Hao. After death, she was snatched to the God Realm by Tang San, coerced and bribed to serve as a vital link in "training the dog"...
Now he had finally... finally changed everything and brought his mother out of that prison!
He knew his mother far too well, so he had to resort to this lower strategy.
People are forced by circumstances. Although his methods were indeed not very pleasant, there was no choice—he didn't want his mother's past tragedy to play out before his eyes again. He didn't want her to become a bargaining chip for Tang San to threaten Huo Yuhao again, and he certainly didn't want her to suffer these unmerited hardships.