Led by Wang Donger, the two of them traversed layers of clouds and mist all the way, finally stepping onto the mountaintop.
Their vision suddenly opened up as a towering grey castle stood quietly at the peak of the mountain ranges, like a giant beast that had slumbered for Ten Thousand Years crouching above the sea of clouds.
The entire castle was built from heavy cyan-grey stone bricks, with simple yet rugged lines and no redundant decorations, yet it possessed a composure and grandeur refined by the passage of time.
Above the arched gate at the entrance of the castle, three large characters were inscribed with powerful strokes like iron hooks and silver strokes — Clear Sky Fortress.
At the doorway, a middle-aged man with an extremely robust figure was standing there, his gaze calmly falling upon the two people walking up the steps.
The moment Huo Yuhao saw the other party, a flash of bright light crossed his eyes. He stepped forward, cupped his hands in a salute, and called out politely: "Senior Tai Tan."
This person was precisely Tai Tan, whom he had briefly crossed paths with at the Spirit Pagoda. Huo Yuhao had always suspected that the other party was none other than the King of the Forest, Titan Giant Ape, who had become Tang San's spirit ring Ten Thousand Years ago.
Tai Tan looked at Huo Yuhao, nodded with a calm expression, and did not say much else.
Then, when he shifted his gaze to Wang Donger, a trace of gentle laughter finally appeared on his rugged face: "Your Big Dad has been waiting for you to come back."
Led by Er Ming, the three of them passed through the ancient and majestic buildings in Clear Sky Fortress, heading all the way up.
Clear Sky Fortress had a total of three floors, with the overall layout dominated by grey and black, appearing composed and restrained without showing luxury.
Finally, the three of them arrived at a grand hall on the third floor.
The space of the grand hall was extremely open, with the floor paved in dark grey stone slabs. Several thick stone pillars stood on both sides; their shafts were smooth and patternless, yet they possessed a natural, inherent weight.
Sitting on the main seat directly in front of the grand hall was a middle-aged man.
He wore a set of white martial attire, with a slender and upright figure. A head of cyan long hair casually cascaded behind his shoulders, and his pupils were also cyan, echoing his hair color. His gaze was calm and profound, carrying a subtle scrutiny as it landed on Huo Yuhao.
In Huo Yuhao's perception, this person's strength was likely even stronger than Tai Tan's. According to the judgment standards of Ten Thousand Years later, he was at least a powerhouse of the Quasi-God level.
Afterwards, under Wang Donger's introduction, Huo Yuhao learned this person's identity.
Just as he had guessed, this person was Wang Donger's Big Dad, and also the current Grand Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect, named Niu Tian.
On the surface, Huo Yuhao respectfully called him Senior, striking just the right posture without showing any abnormalities.
But deep inside, he couldn't help but inwardly complain; one was called Niu Tian and the other Tai Tan, anyone with intentions would easily associate them with those two Spirit Beasts that sacrificed themselves for Tang San back then.
Although there was no evidence at this moment, Huo Yuhao was basically certain in his heart that these two Sect Masters of the Clear Sky Sect were none other than the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape.
The subsequent conversation was just like an ordinary son-in-law visiting and meeting his partner's parents.
Niu Tian sat on the main seat, inquiring one by one about Huo Yuhao's background, mentorship, cultivation, and the process of how he and Wang Donger met and got to know each other, and so on.
Huo Yuhao answered each question truthfully, his tone neither humble nor arrogant, neither deliberately exaggerating his achievements nor falsely masking his brilliance with feigned modesty.
With his current talent and achievements, looking across the entire Douluo Continent, he could indeed be said to be a one-of-a-kind existence.
A Titled Douluo under twenty years old, the founder of the Spirit Pagoda, and the cornerstone builder of the Soul Spirit System.
Such a son-in-law could be called an exceptional candidate that couldn't be found even with a lantern in any faction.
If it were anyone else, they probably would have been smiling from ear to ear with satisfaction long ago.
Yet at this moment, on the faces of Niu Tian and Tai Tan, no obvious look of satisfaction could be seen.
Actually, as far as they themselves were concerned, Huo Yuhao was indeed excellent, and even in terms of talent, he was somewhat stronger than Tang San before he became a god.
But who made them receive Tang San's divine decree? That Sea God specifically issued instructions for them to give this Huo Yuhao a good "test".
After chatting for a while, Niu Tian glanced at Wang Donger and spoke in a flat tone: "Donger, go outside for a moment. I have some words to speak with Huo Yuhao alone."
Hearing this, Wang Donger was slightly stunned. She was far too familiar with this kind of scene; the last time Second Dad went to the Spirit Pagoda, he had also used the exact same words to send her away.
Back then, she didn't think much of it and obediently exited the room.
Yet this time, she did not plan to be as obedient as before.
Her gaze swept slowly across the faces of Niu Tian and Tai Tan, and she asked: "Big Dad, Second Dad, are you two keeping something from me?"
Niu Tian and Tai Tan exchanged a glance, a trace of imperceptible awkwardness flashing deep within their eyes. They hadn't expected her to see through it, but naturally, they wouldn't admit it just like that.
Tai Tan stiffened his neck, attempting to use a rugged tone to mask his guilty conscience: "What do we have to hide from you?"
Wang Donger didn't buy it at all, those pinkish-blue eyes carrying a stubborn seriousness: "Stop lying to me. What on earth is wrong with my body?"
Previously, Huo Yuhao had examined her body. Although Huo Yuhao said there was no major problem at the time, Wang Donger was not slow-witted, and she had clearly realized something was amiss.
And when Jin Li sacrificed herself in Qiankun Asking Love Valley, she herself had also vaguely sensed a certain unusual fluctuation within her body.
She vaguely felt that her body perhaps wasn't as completely normal as it appeared on the surface.
Hearing this, Tai Tan's gaze instantly locked onto Huo Yuhao, his brows knitting together as he questioned with dissatisfaction: "Didn't you brat say you would keep it confidential? Why did you tell Donger already?!"
In his understanding, he obviously concluded that it was Huo Yuhao who had told Wang Donger the truth.
Hearing this, a timely trace of an innocent expression flashed across Huo Yuhao's face; he hadn't said anything at all.
Wang Donger, on the other hand, let out a cold snort and said: "You really are hiding things from me! Second Dad, don't wrong Yuhao either. He didn't tell me anything; I guessed it out myself. I was just probing you earlier, and I didn't expect you to expose yourself just like that."
Hearing this, Tai Tan's expression changed slightly, and he muttered inwardly: "Did I really expose myself?"
He opened his mouth, wanting to retort further, but found that he had indeed been trapped by Wang Donger's probing remark. Saying anything at this point would just sound like a lame excuse.
Seeing this, Niu Tian sighed softly and spoke: "Alright Donger, since you already know, then sit down."
Wang Donger pouted as she sat back down, her tone carrying a bit of petty emotion after being kept in the dark for so long: "Big Dad, Second Dad, what on earth is going on with my body?"
Tai Tan glanced at Niu Tian, his eyes clearly conveying the meaning of "You explain it."
Niu Tian fell silent for a moment, as if repeatedly organizing his words in his mind.
He had to speak, but he couldn't say everything.
What could be said and what could not be said still needed careful consideration.
A moment later, he sighed softly and spoke: "All of this must begin from when you underwent your Spirit Awakening..."
Afterwards, the contents he spoke of were practically identical to what Huo Yuhao had heard from Tai Tan earlier.
Innate physical weakness, the immense load brought by Twin Spirits, and that hidden injury that had been forcibly suppressed until the age of twenty.
Huo Yuhao sat quietly to the side without interrupting, simply observing Wang Donger's facial changes in silence.
Wang Donger had never expected that her body would truly possess such a fatal "flaw".
Her entire person instantly quieted down, as if the stubborn aura from just moments ago had been gently drained away by something, and a layer of indescribable emotion surfaced within those pinkish-blue eyes.
Tai Tan shifted his gaze to Huo Yuhao, his tone carrying a sense of urging: "Brat, you previously said that after the competition ended you would go pick the Yearning Heartbroken Red. When do you plan to set off?"
This was a trial personally arranged by Tang San, and also a hurdle that Huo Yuhao had to experience if he wanted to truly be together with Wang Donger.
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A/N:
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.