Having finally found someone he could confide in, Baili Du naturally no longer needed to pretend to be strong; he let out a long, hearty cry before his mentor, Electrolux.
Back in the Douluo God Realm, he had been the pillar of his family. Aside from occasionally saying a few words to his mother, he had no one he could truly trust.
Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing claimed that living together with the ancestors was for the sake of lively company, but in reality, they were sent by Tang San to keep an eye on him.
His two children? He didn't want to burden the younger generation with the miseries of the old...
Could he possibly cry to Dai Hao about the sorrow in his heart? That grandson Dai Hao was practically Tang San's lackey; no matter what conflict arose between him and Tang San, even if the fault wasn't his at all, Dai Hao would force him to apologize and kneel to Tang San...
As for Tang Wutong... it was almost better to not have her at all. Though his teacher Rong Nianbing stood on his side, even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes, so he couldn't say much either.
Electrolux did not interrupt, nor did he blame Baili Du, because he knew this disciple had already done his absolute best.
But in his heart, Tang San was already on his must-kill list.
To bully his disciple like this, and even to have plotted his own downfall—did Tang San truly think he, the Necromantic Holy Magic God, was someone with a mild temper?
Once Baili Du finished crying, the two sat down casually within little Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness.
"To put it simply, Yuhao, you wish for this teacher to help nurture the other 'you' so that he may achieve Godhood?"
Baili Du nodded earnestly: "Exactly, but there is one difference. In this life, I absolutely do not want this 'me' to live as a dog of the Tang Family. When he encounters Tang Wutong, I'll trouble you, Teacher, to step in and block any interference from Tang San's Divine Consciousness. If necessary, you can use forceful means! In short—I don't want this 'me' to have any relationship with Tang Wutong beyond that of a passerby!"
Electrolux nodded silently, but then let out a somewhat melancholy sigh: "...Sigh, in the end, did you also fall out with your beloved?"
"Also? Could it be that you, Teacher..." Baili Du was startled. After all, his time with Electrolux had been cut short by Tang San's plot at the Clear Sky Sect, and Electrolux rarely mentioned his own past.
Electrolux looked deeply at the sky within the Sea of Consciousness: "Recovering lately has brought back many memories. I suppose I'll tell you."
Then, Electrolux briefly recounted his experiences on the Holy Magic Continent to [Baili Du], including the betrayal of the woman named Fenghuo...
Regarding this, Electrolux was quite at peace; after all, so many years had passed that he had long let it go.
Baili Du laughed at himself gloomily: "The two of us are quite alike. We truly are master and disciple..."
He and Tang Wutong had been matched by Tang San. Though they eventually married and had children, various conflicts resurfaced in the days following Tang San's death.
Tang Wutong's various bouts of unreasonableness and looking for trouble... Baili Du could endure all of that, but the one thing he couldn't stand was that Tang Wutong never once stood on his side.
Whenever he had a conflict with anyone else in the Tang Family, regardless of the scale, Tang Wutong would demand he retreat without limits... retreating again and again, to the point where outsiders wouldn't think he was a son-in-law, but rather a dog raised by the Tang Family.
[A key reason couples in reality consider divorce is this very issue: either the man always listens to his parents, or the woman is always biased toward her own family.]
Baili Du promptly changed the subject: "Teacher, the injuries on my body are still too heavy; I cannot stay on the Douluo Continent forever. I will tell you all of my plans now. Of course, more than completing the plan, I simply wish for this 'me' to live happily and not be as exhausted as I was. So, I will trouble you to guide this 'me' through these tasks."
Electrolux immediately caught the key words: "Injuries too heavy? What happened?"
Baili Du smiled and waved it off dismissively: "Don't worry, Teacher, I know what I'm doing. To be able to arrive at this timeline alive is already a stroke of luck; I won't ask for too much."
He then laid out his entire plan to Electrolux.
According to his findings, there are likely several other "outsiders" who were brought back to life by the [Samsara Hurricane]... Therefore, on the Douluo Continent, having the unknowing little Huo Yuhao deal with these people is the best choice.
This included how to handle Tang San's interference and how to deal with Lan Xuanyu—the two biggest problems.
Electrolux pursed his lips after listening, remaining silent for a long time.
Only after a while did he speak with a complex expression.
"Yuhao, you... you are treating yourself as a chess piece as well..."
Baili Du's plan would naturally not be as abstract or death-filled as Tang San's Ten-Thousand-Year Grand Plan. In fact, at the end of the day, the one most hurt by it would be himself.
"This is called the strategist entering the game in person to win the match by half a move. I'll take that as a compliment from you."
Then his expression became exceptionally solemn: "All I hope for is to let things be the way they were meant to be. For this hope, I am willing to use myself as a piece."
Electrolux also turned serious, patting Baili Du hard on the shoulder: "Whatever the case, Teacher is with you!"
"Good! Teacher, tomorrow we go to the Star Dou Forest to find Brother Skydream!"
...
Once the sun was high in the sky, little Huo Yuhao took a comfortable stretch.
"Mmm..."
Then, a familiar and gentle voice sounded by his ear: "Awake?"
Little Huo Yuhao's hazy eyes cleared instantly as he looked in surprise at Baili Du sitting by the bed.
"Uncle Baili!"
Baili Du rubbed his head and smiled: "Hurry up and wash up. Today, I'm taking you to the Star Dou Forest to obtain your soul ring."
Little Huo Yuhao immediately leaped off the bed, shouting in pleasant surprise: "Ah? Really?!"
His soul power had been suppressed for over a year; now that he could finally become a true soul master, how could he not be excited?
Any soul master yearns to become stronger!
Baili Du said calmly: "How has your practice with water and lightning control been going? If you don't meet my standards, I won't be taking you."
"Um..." Little Huo Yuhao scratched his head bashfully: "I think it should be okay."
He then extended his hands. A swirl of water and a streak of rapid lightning appeared in his left and right hands respectively. He then brought his hands together toward the center; the swirl and the lightning merged, turning into a purple-black vortex with occasional lightning trails flashing through it, showing not a hint of repulsion.
Baili Du's eyelids twitched twice. To control lightning—the most violent of elements—as if it were flowing water... such control at this age was simply ridiculous!
His spiritual power is already approaching the Spirit Sea Realm? Well, that is quite normal then.
Why didn't he have such talent back then...
Still, he maintained a calm facade: "Hmm... it's passable. After you eat, tell your mother, and then I'll take you to get your soul ring."
"Yay!" Little Huo Yuhao jumped down from the bed and vanished into the bathroom in a flash.
Looking at the child's joyful departing figure, even a smile couldn't help but appear on his face.
I truly wish he could stay this happy forever...