A Birth Debt Is No Match for the Debt of Raising; Even Blood Ties Can Be Severed
Dai Hao took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently before slowly calming down.
He looked at Huo Yuhao with a complicated expression, his voice lowering. "No matter what, it doesn't change the fact that you are my son."
"You are from the White Tiger Clan and carry the bloodline of the Dai Clan!"
Huo Yuhao snorted coldly, his voice full of disdain.
"The kindness of raising is greater than the kindness of giving birth; even blood ties can be severed."
"If you don't like your mother and don't want me as your child, you shouldn't have bothered with me in the first place."
His voice was calm, yet it betrayed years of suppressed anger.
"I don't care whether you used sweet words or force back then."
"Since he never showed up after Mother became pregnant, leaving us, mother and child, to suffer endless humiliation at the Duke Mansion..."
His gaze was like a knife, piercing straight at Dai Hao.
"Then you have wronged my son and me."
"Since you are not fit to be a father and husband, then we will simply disown you!"
These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over my head.
Dai Hao slowly loosened his clenched fists, and his hands, with white knuckles, fell to his sides.
A sense of guilt did indeed rise in his heart.
Over the years, he has indeed failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a father.
But looking at Huo Yuhao in front of him, he still couldn't bring himself to like him.
This boy is nothing like him.
This refers not to appearance, but to personality.
Although he only rushed back yesterday, Dai Hao has already learned some information about Huo Yuhao.
A twelve-year-old Soul King, with a Soul Ring ratio that surpasses all limits—all of this demonstrates that he is a super genius!
Dai Hao is the White Tiger Duke Empire and the head of the Dai Clan, White Tiger Lineage clan!
With such a genius emerging from his family, he naturally wouldn't let him go easily.
So even if you don't like it, you can put it aside for the sake of family interests.
Suppressing the surging anger within him, Dai Hao's expression returned to calm.
His resolute face showed no trace of his earlier loss of composure, as if the argument had never happened.
He sat back down in his chair, his back straight, his gaze fixed on Huo Yuhao, a serious expression on his face.
"Yuhao, what happened before was indeed my fault, and I'm willing to make amends."
Huo Yuhao's expression remained indifferent, his eyes as calm as a stagnant pool.
With his Divine Power, how could he not sense that Dai Hao's words were not from the heart?
But he still asked, "How do you plan to make amends?"
Dai Hao then said, "Bring your mother back to the Duke Mansion. From now on, you are the heir apparent, the next White Tiger Duke, and you can use all the resources in the family as you wish."
He observed Huo Yuhao's expression as he spoke, and finally asked, "How is it?"
These words were spoken so generously, as if they were a tremendous blessing.
The position of heir apparent, successor to the White Tiger Duke, and full support from family resources.
Any one of them would be enough to attract countless people.
But Huo Yuhao didn't care at all. Instead, he asked, "What do you plan to do with your wife?"
The Dai and Zhu families have been linked by marriage for generations, not only because of the Hell White Tiger Martial Soul Fusion Skill, but also because of a political alliance.
The White Tiger Lineage and the Zhu Clan form the strongest political alliance in the Star Luo Empire, which is crucial to ensuring the continuation of both families' lineage within the Star Luo Empire.
So even knowing that Zhu Yunqing bore an undeniable responsibility for this matter, Dai Hao still hesitated.
After a moment, he said, "She has realized her mistake. She will apologize to you and your son, and will then be confined to the Duke Mansion."
He paused, then added, "Furthermore, your mother will become my secondary wife, making you a legitimate son and allowing you to rightfully inherit the title of White Tiger Duke."
Hearing Dai Hao's words, Huo Yuhao suddenly laughed.
The laughter sounded like it was squeezed out from deep in the throat, devoid of any warmth.
He raised his head, looking directly at Dai Hao, and said, slowly and deliberately, "Is this your sincerity?"
Dai Hao frowned again, a hint of displeasure flashing across his resolute face.
He suppressed his impatience and tried to make his voice sound calm, "Isn't that enough? You can make any other requests."
Huo Yuhao shook his head, the movement slow and gentle, yet conveying an undeniable resolve.
"The title of White Tiger Duke means nothing to me."
"I don't lack cultivation resources."
"My mother is doing very well after leaving the Duke Mansion and has no plans to go back."
He paused, his gaze suddenly sharpening.
As for Zhu Yunqing...
"I want her dead!"
These words exploded like a thunderclap in the small room.
Dai Hao's expression changed instantly, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
He stood up abruptly and shouted, "She's your mother too!"
The coldness on Huo Yuhao's face was replaced by anger at this moment.
His eyes reddened slightly, and his voice rose a few decibels. "She was never my mother!"
The voice was filled with years of suppressed hatred. "There's no mother who wants her own son to die!"
Dai Hao's lips moved, but he found himself speechless.
He knew, of course, what Zhu Yunqing had done, but he couldn't say, nor was he able to say.
Huo Yuhao snorted coldly again, his voice full of disappointment and mockery. "It seems I've come for nothing this time. You've disappointed me once again!"
"I will make sure everyone knows what this Duchess has done!"
After saying that, Huo Yuhao turned to leave, unwilling to stay any longer, because it was pointless.
Dai Hao watched Huo Yuhao's retreating figure and called out in a hoarse voice, "Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public, are you really going to be so ruthless?"
Huo Yuhao stopped in his tracks and said without turning around, "It's your family scandal, not mine!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out and opened the door, then walked out without looking back.
"Bang!"
The door slammed shut, the sound echoing in the corridor, making the walls tremble slightly.
Huo Yuhao glanced at Dai Yueheng by the door, his gaze indifferent, revealing no emotion.
He didn't say anything, but simply looked away, turned around, and strode away.
The footsteps faded into the distance and soon disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Dai Yueheng stood at the door, watching the figure disappear into the distance.
He took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and walked into the house.
Inside the room, Dai Hao sat in a chair, his once resolute face now clouded with gloom.
His hands were on his knees, his chest heaving violently, clearly suppressing a surge of anger.
Dai Yueheng stood in front of him, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
A silence spread between them, so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
A moment later, Dai Hao suddenly raised his head, his gaze as sharp as a knife as he stared at Dai Yueheng, and couldn't help but shout angrily, "Look what your mother has done!"
Dai Yueheng lowered his head, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his brows furrowed.
All of this was indeed the result of the seeds sown by the mother.
He could neither refute nor agree with it; he could only remain silent.
After a moment, he raised his head and asked, "Father, what should we do next?"
Upon hearing this, Dai Hao's chest heaved again, his voice still tinged with lingering anger. "How should I know what to do?"
After shouting, he gradually calmed down.
The anger on his ashen face slowly subsided, replaced by a deep weariness.
He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and remained silent for a long while.
When he opened his eyes again, his gaze had returned to clarity.
"Tomorrow is the final," his voice calmed, tinged with thoughtfulness, "I'm worried he might cause trouble, so I need to make some arrangements."
Dai Yueheng then asked, "What can I do?"
Dai Hao looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
This son is calm, obedient, and considerate of the big picture; he is the person he trusts the most.
He sighed, his voice tinged with weariness. "You've done a great job. Just let things take their course. I'll handle the rest."