"Brother Sky Dream, I know you're thinking of my safety, but I really can't just leave like this!"
Huo Yuhao said solemnly, "Before this, I needed the Snow Empress's power. You and the Ice Empress both agreed to help me persuade her to become one of us and lend me her strength to save my mother!"
"From that moment on, the Snow Empress was already a future companion in my heart!"
"I won't abandon my companions, just as I won't give up on saving my mother!"
"If I retreat today because of danger, then if I encounter even greater difficulties on the road to saving my mother in the future, I'll lose the will to continue."
"If I can abandon my companions because of danger today, then one day I'll be able to abandon my mother because of danger!"
"My safety is certainly important, but once I retreat even once, I'll never be able to remain steadfast again. Then it'll happen twice, three times... So I won't retreat, and I can't retreat!"
After saying all that, the corners of Huo Yuhao's lips curved slightly, revealing a bold smile. He said softly, "Besides, if I really retreated this time, even if you didn't say anything, you'd be disappointed in me deep down, wouldn't you, Brother Sky Dream?"
"How could that be?!" Tian Meng protested stubbornly in the Sea of Consciousness, but the relief and emotion in his voice were impossible to hide. "You and I are in the same boat. If you went off adventuring and died, I'd die too. I'd be delighted if you gave up, hmph!"
"Shut up, you dead bug!" The Ice Empress, who had remained silent ever since that explosion, finally spoke again. "Yuhao, it seems I didn't choose the wrong person despite having no other choice! The heavens are still taking care of me this time!"
After a pause, the Ice Empress continued, "This time, when we go find the Snow Empress, your safety will still be our top priority. You must be careful! If things truly become impossible..."
"In short, from now on, you're a companion I acknowledge, Yuhao!"
"I, the Ice Empress, swear here that I'll do everything in my power to help you bring your mother back!"
Huo Yuhao beamed. "Thank you, Ice Empress!"
"Heh, you don't have to be so polite from now on. You said it yourself—we're companions!" the Ice Empress said. "Besides, I really do want to meet your mother. Anyone who could raise a child like you must be a wonderful person..."
"Yes..." A trace of remembrance flashed through Huo Yuhao's clear Ling Mou, and his voice unconsciously grew much gentler. "My mother is the best person in the world!"
"She was gentle and strong. She weathered the storms of life's hardships and raised me to adulthood. Although she wasn't a Soul Master and had no powerful strength, and although she couldn't provide me with a comfortable life..."
"But in my eyes, my mother is the strongest woman in the world! She's the sun that lights up my life! I can't live without my mother! And I won't allow her to leave just as my life is beginning to change!"
Huo Yuhao's voice grew louder and firmer. "I'll bring my mother back to life! I'll become my mother's pride! I'll heal the wounds she suffered! I'll give her a good life!"
"We'll help you!" This time, Tian Meng didn't act cheeky or fool around. Instead, he was unusually gentle:
"Yuhao, just as you said, we're companions! The Ice Empress, Elder Yi, and I, along with the companions you'll meet in the future—we'll all help you fulfill this dream!"
"Then let's work hard together!" Huo Yuhao smiled brightly, nearly illuminating the night of the Extreme North. "Heaven will not disappoint those who work hard. We'll definitely have a happy ending!"
Beneath the Heavenly Screen.
Within the territory of the Heaven Dou Empire, Huo Yun'er once again burst into tears inside an inn. "Yuhao! My child... You were already your mother's pride! You're the greatest pride of my life!"
Huo Yun'er had already broken down in tears back when Huo Yuhao accepted the Ice Empress's Sacrifice beneath the Heavenly Screen and shouted, "I can take it!"
In truth, because Huo Yuhao had gradually recovered the memories of his Past Life after awakening his Martial Soul at the age of six, he had become much more mature than other children his age.
On top of that, he still had to work hard to improve their lives under the heavy pressure of their circumstances. He no longer threw himself into his mother's arms and acted spoiled at the slightest opportunity like an ordinary child.
Therefore, although the bond between mother and son was deep, Huo Yun'er had never imagined that her son would be willing to do absolutely anything for her!
In Huo Yun'er's eyes, she had given birth to Huo Yuhao and made him endure eleven full years of hardship. She had even forced him to go out and sell Grilled Fish at such a young age to help support the family.
She felt that she had utterly failed to fulfill a mother's responsibilities. Aside from her maternal love, she also felt an intense sense of guilt toward Huo Yuhao.
That was precisely why she had insisted on remaining in the White Tiger Duke Mansion to wait for Dai Hao. Aside from still loving Dai Hao, she also felt that getting Dai Hao to acknowledge Yuhao's identity was the only benefit she could fight for on her child's behalf!
She had never expected Yuhao, who had grown up amid hardship, to feel any deep gratitude toward her as his mother. She would already have been satisfied if her child did not blame her for being incapable.
Yet when she saw Huo Yuhao forcing himself to the brink of death for even the slightest hope of reviving her, she suddenly realized that, in the eyes of her incompetent child, she was actually this important!
At that moment, Huo Yun'er's heart no longer contained any trace of Dai Hao! There was only an unprecedented sense of fulfillment and a heart-wrenching pain!
The excitement and joy she had originally felt upon learning through the Heavenly Screen that Huo Yuhao was the Son of Destiny.
The fear and hatred she had felt when she learned that Tang San intended to scheme against Huo Yuhao.
The relief she had felt when she saw Huo Yuhao meet teachers who valued him and kind classmates at school.
The anger and indignation she had felt when she saw Huo Yuhao treated unfairly by Zhou Yi and Yan Shaozhe.
The pride she had felt when she saw Huo Yuhao defeat Dai Huabin and win the Champion title.
The sorrow she had felt when she saw herself willingly seek death before an assassin and ultimately pass away in Huo Yuhao's arms...
All those emotions were torn to pieces by Huo Yuhao's repeated cries of "I can take it!" leaving behind only a piercing pain.
It was also from that moment that Huo Yun'er suddenly discovered that her Obsession with Dai Hao, which had lasted for more than a decade, had vanished in an instant.
Even that heroic figure engraved in her heart, whom she had not forgotten for twelve years, suddenly became indistinct.
Compared with the son who had recklessly given everything he had just to let her see the sights of the world one more time,
the person who had not come to see her even once in more than a decade made the oaths of eternal love they had sworn during their sweetest days seem as ridiculous as soap bubbles, bursting at the slightest touch.
"The White Tiger Dagger... Heh, I should have come to my senses long ago." Huo Yun'er wiped away the tears in her eyes as the weakness in her gaze gradually transformed into resolve.
"I won't be naive anymore... I won't let my weakness and hesitation become Yuhao's weakness!"
"Goodbye, White Tiger Duke. I've already obtained the greatest happiness in this world!"
Before you continue