The White Tiger Duke stared at Huo Yuhaoâs much gentler expression as he forced a laugh and said, âYou canât take your revenge against her even if you wanted to.â
âEh?â Huo Yuhao was momentarily taken aback.
Dai Huabin gritted his teeth as tears continued flowing down his face. âMy mother passed away a long time ago. She passed away five years ago. Come at me if you want to take your revenge!â
The duchess is dead?
Huo Yuhao was momentarily stunned. Yes! Everyone has to die at some point. He suddenly felt very relaxed in this moment, and he felt it deep in his heart as the heavy stone that had weighed on his heart for all these years crumbled just like that. Itâs over. Yes, everything is over. My hatred and revenge have been resolved.
Dai Hao stared at Huo Yuhao with a complicated look in his eyes. âWhat do you plan to do next, child?â
Huo Yuhao replied, âOur matters here have been settled, and I have accomplished everything that I wanted to. The Sun Moon Empire will definitely not go back on their word this time. Furthermore, we still have that level of connection between us. Xu Jiawei has abdicated his throne to you, and that is an absolutely excellent move. Even though I canât say that the Star Luo Empire wonât run into any trouble within a thousand years, there shouldnât be a war within a hundred years. The Star Luo Empire will be fine if it continues developing steadily. There are still some things I have to do.â
âWill you return?â The White Tiger Duke asked.
Huo Yuhao shook his head. âI donât think so. Iâm going to a faraway place.â
Dai Hao heaved a sigh. âI know that Iâm not worthy of you calling me your father. But I still have to say: take care, my son. If someday you find yourself too tired and fatigued outside, then come home.â
Huo Yuhaoâs body shook as Dai Hao addressed him as âsonâ, and the last thread of hate in his eyes disappeared. Huo Yuhao stared at his motherâs gravestone, and his motherâs smile suddenly surfaced in his mind, like his mother was staring at him with hope brimming in her eyes.
âFatherâ¦â The gentle word emerged from Huo Yuhaoâs mouth.
The White Tiger Duke quivered. He stared at Huo Yuhao in disbelief, then he suddenly opened his arms as he took Huo Yuhao into his embrace.
Yes! This is my son!
Huo Yuhao didnât address Dai Hao as âfatherâ because of him, but because he knew that that was what his mother wanted most. He would do anything so that his mother could be happy.
âYou can leave. I wish to accompany my mother for a few moments more.â Huo Yuhao muttered softly.
The Duke let go of Huo Yuhao and turned towards the gravestone as he said gently, âWait for me, Yunâer. I will be back soon to accompany you. Iâll return everything that I owe you for the rest of my life.â
âBrother!â Dai Luoli exclaimed.
Dai Yueheng stood up as he pulled Dai Huabin to his feet.
Dai Yueheng walked up to Huo Yuhao and patted him on the shoulder.
Dai Huabin walked over as he gazed at Huo Yuhao with a complicated look for a long while. He was struggling as he said, âIâm sorry.â
A forced smile appeared at the corner of Huo Yuhaoâs mouth. âMy mother cannot be revived no matter what, and neither can your mother. Let bygones be bygones. Forget it!â
Forget it! It was so difficult for Huo Yuhao utter those two words, but he finally said them in the end. He  finally and completely liberated himself of all his hate and resentment.
The Star Luo Empireâs new Emperor, Dai Hao, left with his three sons. Huo Yuhao was the only one left in front of the gravestone.
Huo Yuhao knelt down in front of his motherâs grave, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
âThatâs what you want to see, donât you, mother? Youâre so kindhearted, and Iâve done it. Iâve finally brought him back to your side. He will be here to accompany you in the future, and you no longer have to feel so lonely. I really miss you, mother! If only you had still been alive.â
Huo Yuhao muttered as he knelt in front of his motherâs gravestone like that. Time continued to pass, and he remained on his knees for a day and a night, which passed in the blink of an eye.
Faint golden light condensed behind him and gradually took shape.
âHave you dealt with everything?â A gentle voice jolted Huo Yuhao awake from his memories of his mother. He looked up, and what he saw was a familiar face.
âItâs you.â Huo Yuhao stood up and bowed respectfully at the golden-haired youth behind him.
The God of Emotions, Rong Nianbing, smiled faintly as he said, âI have found out about your affairs. Seems like youâre not in a particularly good mood!â
Huo Yuhao forced a laugh and replied, âIâve done everything that I ought to. But I suddenly have a son out of nowhere, and Wutong has left my side. I donât even know where she is.â
Rong Nianbing asked, âThen what plans do you have?â
Huo Yuhaoâs eyes suddenly grew resolute. âI have to search for her, and I have to bring her back to my side no matter what price I have to pay. Please take me to the God Realm, because she must be there. Do you know where she is? Who exactly is Wutongâs father?â
Rong Nianbing answered, âNobody can take you to the God Realm, not even I can. Youâll have to rely on your own strength if you wish to go to the God Realm, not some external aid. Thereâs one more test that you havenât completed if you wish to inherit my spot. You have to become the strongest individual in the Douluo Continent. As for your future father-in-law, I will tell you when you officially take over my seat in the God Realm.â
Huo Yuhaoâs eyes moved. âYouâre talking about the Beast God?â
Rong Nianbing tilted his head slightly, and his body slowly became faint and illusory as he disappeared into a million golden specks of light.
âGo, you can inherit my seat in the moment when you defeat the Beast God.â
Thoughts spun in Huo Yuhaoâs head as he remained rooted to the ground, and a faint smile slowly appeared on his face.
Rong Nianbing didnât mention it, but Huo Yuhao could tell that he was acquainted with his future father-in-law from his words. That meant that as long as he could reach the God Realm, searching for Wutong wouldnât be that difficult.
The Beast God, Di Tian! Is it finally time for us to fight?
Intense belligerence and fighting spirit radiated from Huo Yuhaoâs eyes. He could only find Tang Wutong if he defeated the Beast God, and nobody would stop his passage to the God Realm!
Huo Yuhao turned back around and knelt down in front of his motherâs grave once more.
âMother, Iâm going to find your daughter-in-law. I will bring her to see you once I find her.â
Huo Yuhao kowtowed a few more times before he got to his feet and flew toward Star Luo City.
Celebratory spirits permeated the city.
Huo Yuhaoâs Spiritual Detection easily covered the entire city, and he searched for the people that he wanted to find. He quickly found where the Tang Sectâs individuals were located.
Huo Yuhao broke through space as he appeared in front of his companions.
Huo Yuhao was about to leave, and he had to bid his farewells to his companions, and to Elder Xuan.
âYouâre leaving?â Bei Bei stared at Huo Yuhao, and his eyes were filled with yearning and longing. They hadnât seen each other for three years, and Huo Yuhao was finally back, yet he was going to leave once more.
Huo Yuhao wore a gentle smile on his face as he stared at Bei Bei. âDonât worry, eldest senior brother. We will return when I find Wutong. I want to conduct our marriage at the Tang Sect, inside Shrek City. Our happiness cannot be complete without your blessings.â
Bei Bei, He Caitou, and Xu Sanshi laughed heartily as they heard his words.
âThen what are you waiting for? Hurry and bring her back. Otherwise, donât come back.â Jiang Nannan chimed in as she laughed.
âYes, definitely!â
Huo Yuhao left Star Luo City once more as he said goodbye to his companions. Huo Yuhao didnât leave right away as he rose into the sky and he turned around and gazed in the Sun Moon Empireâs direction.
They should be on their way back. Yunhan, little Yunhan. A thread of lamentation flowed through his heart. Ju Zi, oh Ju Zi. I donât know how to face you anymore. Perhaps fate and destiny have played us after all. Youâre right, I am not worthy of being Yunhanâs father. He belongs to you. Heâs your son.
Huo Yuhao shook his head forcefully as he tossed away all the distracting thoughts at the back of his mind as he soared into the sky and raced towards the Great Star Dou Forest.
â¦â¦
The rubble that was the White Tiger Dukeâs Mansion outside Star Luo City was cleared, and a ceremonial altar was erected.
Xu Jiawei announced to the world that he would abdicate his throne to the White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao. Xu Jiawei was appointed as a Crown Duke, and he began building his own residence where the White Tiger Dukeâs Manion used to be after the ceremony.
Dai Hao took over as Emperor, and he made Dai Luoli crown prince as Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin also became princes. He made his beloved wife, Huo Yun, who had passed away, Empress, while he appointed the Spirit Ice Douluo, Huo Yuhao, as the Imperial Tutor.
Shrek City removed their lockdown, and Shrek Academy started enrolling students once more. The Tang Sect expanded their Soul Tool Hallâs research structure, while He Caitou took over as the Soul Tool Hallâs master. Xuan Ziwen entered Shrek Academy and became the Soul Tool Departmentâs Dean, while Ma Xiaotao took over as the Martial Soul Departmentâs Dean.
Elder Xuan passed his position as Master of the Sea Godâs Pavilion to Yan Shaozhe, and he went back to his wonderful days of enjoying beautiful wine and delicious chicken thighs.
The Spirit Ice Douluo, Huo Yuhao, was named the Sea God Pavilionâs Honorary Master.
Three months later.
The Sun Moon Empireâs armies had completely retreated from the Star Luo Empireâs territory, and they returned the Ming Dou Mountain Range.
Six more months went by.
The War God Empress stood her ground against the opinion of the masses, as the Silvermoon Douluo Kong Deming and the military supported her while she announced that the Sun Moon Empire would be renamed as the Heaven Dou Empire.
The Douluo Continent regained the standoff between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire from ten thousand years ago in the North and the South from this moment onwards.
Peace returned to the continent, and the damage wrought by the war was slowly remedied as soul tool technology continued advancing rapidly.
â¦â¦
Huo Yuhao covered hundreds of kilometers in the blink of an eye.
Only a few moments seemed to pass as the Great Star Dou Forest appeared within his sight.
Silver light flickered as Huo Yuhao broke through space and reappeared in midair. He was high above the Great Star Dou Forestâs skies at this moment.
The Great Star Dou Forestâs skies were known as a forbidden region, but not a single flying soul beast dared to come close when Huo Yuhao appeared.
The skies were clear, and the weather was excellent. Gentle sunlight shone upon the Great Star Dou Forest, and the vast forest radiated with thick life energy.