Why the Duchess Was Jealous of Huo Yun'er

The Duchess frowned slightly and walked unhurriedly toward the source of the sound. Dai Huabin knew clearly that it was the ringtone of a Communication Soul Tool.

At a time like this, who was calling Mother?

"Speak." The Duchess picked up the Communication Soul Tool and looked at it, her tone indifferent.

"Madam, someone from the Outer Mansion Patrol Team reports that Huo Yun'er's son, Dai Yuhao, has gone to Steward Chen's residence." A cool female voice rang out.

Dai Huabin's brows instantly rose.

After hurting someone, that guy had actually not fled right away.

The Duchess fell silent for a moment. "I understand."

With that, she immediately ended the call and turned to look at Dai Huabin. "Your people made another move? This time, that little bastard ran straight to that old fool Chen Hongsheng's residence."

Dai Huabin would not lie to his mother. He nodded. "That fellow had always endured humiliation without resisting. I never expected him to fight back today and even hit someone. I thought it was a good chance to punish him. Even if that old fool wanted to stop it, he wouldn't be able to."

The Duchess said gravely, "Leave him alone for now. He's only trash with Innate Soul Power at rank one. Once he comes of age, I'll send him to one of the family's businesses. Then we can dispose of him quietly. Chen Hongsheng did follow your grandfather and father, after all, so we should give him some respect. Besides, instead of wasting time tormenting him, you should devote yourself fully to cultivation."

"Mother is right." Dai Huabin stood respectfully where he was.

"Go rest. Zhu Lu will probably arrive tomorrow. Be prepared, and don't give the girl a terrible first impression." A smile reappeared on the Duchess's face.

"Yes." Dai Huabin answered, then left with light steps.

Perhaps Zhu Lu's arrival had made him stop paying so much attention to someone else.

Only the Duchess remained in the vast living room. She sat back down on the sofa, staring silently at the flames in the fireplace.

Outsiders believed that she targeted Huo Yun'er simply out of jealousy.

But she was the daughter of the Zhu Family Head, of lofty status and no less beautiful than anyone else. Why would she envy a mere maid?

No matter how favored a maid was, she was still only a maid.

Who could have known that the source of all this hatred actually lay with Dai Hao?

Back then, Dai Hao had finally returned home from the Border. The husband and wife had not seen each other in a long time, and a brief separation made their reunion all the sweeter. When Evil Fire surged up, they naturally could not resist, and then made a transaction worth over a billion.

Originally, she was happy and he was happy, and together they worked hard to complete that billion-plus transaction. But after Dai Hao finished and fell asleep, he mumbled a single name without thinking. "Yun'er."

Who was Yun'er?

Wasn't that Dai Hao's personal maid, Huo Yun'er?

I made a billion-plus transaction with you, but you were thinking about another woman.

Who could stand that?

Recalling that incident, the Duchess clenched her fists on the sofa, her expression turning ugly.

The more she remembered, the angrier she became. But knowing that anger could make her less beautiful, the Duchess forcibly calmed herself down, picked up her wineglass, and drained it in one gulp.

The fragrance of grapes and oak eased the Duchess's anger. Perhaps because her younger son now had a fiancée, she thought of her eldest son far away in Shrek City. Her eyes flickered as she murmured to herself, "Xu Jiujiu and Yue Heng are about the same age. Though they're a generation apart in seniority, should I..."

"Please punish me, Second Young Master..." On the carpet glowing with a soft red light, a Dark Guard in a gray robe knelt on one knee.

Dai Huabin glanced at him. "Get up."

The gray-robed Dark Guard rose obediently, though he felt rather embarrassed inside. As a dignified Soul Saint leading fourteen Soul Emperors, he had failed to capture someone who was not even a Soul Master. It was truly humiliating.

"Second Young Master, that little bastard may have dug a hole and buried himself. The fifteen of us searched all around the Duke's Mansion and still couldn't find him." The gray-robed Dark Guard spoke with a grim face.

"Oh." Dai Huabin had his back to the Dark Guard. "It's normal that you couldn't find him. That guy never left the Duke's Mansion at all. He went to Steward Chen's place."

"Huh?" The gray-robed Dark Guard froze.

Then why did you send us Dark Guards outside to look for him?

So we could enjoy the freedom of a torrential downpour?

Dai Huabin turned around and instructed, "Don't concern yourself with this matter for now. I have another task for you."

"Please give your orders, Second Young Master," the gray-robed Dark Guard said respectfully.

Dai Huabin said, "Notify the Dark Guards I left in Shrek City. Starting immediately, cancel the surveillance on my elder brother."

"This subordinate obeys." The gray-robed Dark Guard did not ask for the reason and immediately accepted the order.

"Go." Dai Huabin waved his hand.

The gray-robed Dark Guard said nothing more and soon disappeared.

"Zhu Lu, Zhu Lu, I hope you can help me. The position of Duke is mine for the taking." Dai Huabin's sinister eyes reflected the fireplace's flames, carrying a trace of anticipation. "As for you, I'll let you live a few more years for now."

At the same time, within Falling Maple Courtyard.

Huo Yuhao's body trembled as he felt the Soul Power beginning in his abdomen spread throughout his body. His meridians were extremely obstructed, which was one of the reasons his cultivation progressed so poorly.

When Soul Power flowed through the body, if the meridians were clear, it was as smooth as silk, circulating naturally. But if the meridians were blocked, the Soul Power would continuously irritate them as it moved, causing waves of stabbing pain.

At the same time as the pain arose, part of the Soul Power absorbed into the body for circulation would be lost, making it impossible to fully absorb and refine it into one's own power.

The more severe the pain, the worse one's talent was, and the more Soul Power would be lost.

From awakening his Martial Soul at the age of six with rank-one Innate Soul Power to now, at ten years and seven months old, Huo Yuhao had spent four years and seven months barely raising his Soul Power to rank seven.

"What dense Soul Power. It came from that bowl of noodles." Huo Yuhao paid no attention to the stabbing pain. He had already immersed himself completely in cultivation. Of course, all he used was an ordinary Meditation Method.

He did not dare waste even a trace of the help Old Chen had given him. Even though his body hurt as if countless sharp needles were piercing it, he did not let out a single pained groan.

Yet bead after bead of sweat rolled down his body, soaking him through, while his skin felt scorching hot.

Faint ripples of Soul Power continuously spread from his body into the surroundings, gradually rising from an extremely weak level to merely weak.

If someone could see through his body, they would surely discover a powerful stream of Soul Power spreading from Huo Yuhao's abdomen in all directions. Like countless threads, it continuously circulated and connected within his body.

As he persevered and maintained this stability, Huo Yuhao's body grew just a tiny bit stronger.

When the warm current of Soul Power from his abdomen finally ended, Huo Yuhao abruptly opened his eyes. An ice-blue faint light flashed through those star-bright eyes.

"Rank eight."

Huo Yuhao clenched his callused hand, a smile appearing at the corner of his lips.

By his own estimate, without the help of that bowl of noodles, he would have needed another two months to reach rank eight.

One bowl of noodles had saved him two whole months.

However, before Huo Yuhao could rejoice for long, his expression suddenly changed...