Clear Sky Sect
Led by Wang Dong'er, the two traversed through layers of clouds and finally reached the summit.
Suddenly, a magnificent gray castle appeared before us, standing silently atop the mountains like a colossal beast that had slumbered for millennia, crouching above the sea of clouds.
The entire castle is built of thick, bluish-gray stone bricks, with simple and rugged lines. There are no superfluous decorations, yet it exudes a sense of calm and grandeur that has been refined by the passage of time.
Above the arched gate at the castle entrance, three large characters are engraved in bold, iron-like strokes: Haotian Castle.
At the entrance, a burly middle-aged man stood there, his gaze calmly fixed on the two people climbing the steps.
The moment Huo Yuhao saw the other person, a glint flashed in his eyes. He stepped forward, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and greeted him politely, "Senior Tai Tan."
This person was none other than Tai Tan, whom Huo Yuhao had met once before at the Spirit Pagoda. Huo Yuhao had always suspected that the other party was the Titan Giant Ape, the king of the forest who became Tang San's Soul Ring ten thousand years ago.
Tai Tan looked at Huo Yuhao, nodded calmly, and didn't say anything more.
Then, when his gaze fell on Wang Dong'er, a gentle smile finally appeared on his rugged face, "Your Big Uncle has been waiting for you to come back."
Led by Er Ming, the three of them walked through the ancient and grand buildings of Haotian Castle, heading upwards.
Haotian Castle has three floors, and the overall layout is mainly gray and black, which is calm and restrained and does not show luxury.
Finally, the three arrived at a large hall on the third floor.
The main hall is extremely spacious, with a floor paved with dark gray stone slabs. Several thick stone pillars stand on both sides, their surfaces smooth and unadorned, yet possessing a natural weight.
A middle-aged man sat in the main seat at the very front of the hall.
He was dressed in a white, fitted outfit, with a tall and slender figure. His long, cyan hair was casually draped over his shoulders, and his pupils were also cyan, echoing his hair color. His gaze was calm and deep, and when it fell on Huo Yuhao, it carried a kind of silent scrutiny.
In Huo Yuhao's perception, this person's strength was probably greater than Tai Tan's, and according to the standards of judgment ten thousand years later, he was at least Quasi-God level powerhouse.
Later, through Wang Dong'er's introduction, Huo Yuhao learned the man's identity.
Just as he had guessed, this was Wang Dong'er's Big Uncle, who was also the current Grand Master of the Clear Sky Sect, named Niu Tian.
Huo Yuhao addressed him respectfully as "senior," his demeanor perfectly poised, revealing no sign of anything amiss.
But in his heart, he couldn't help but secretly complain. One was named Niu Tian, and the other was named Tai Tan. Anyone with a discerning eye could easily associate them with the two Soul Beast that Sacrifice for Tang San back then.
Although there was no evidence at the moment, Huo Yuhao was basically convinced that the two sect leaders of the Clear Sky Sect were the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape.
The ensuing conversation was just like that of a typical son-in-law visiting his parents.
Niu Tian sat in the main seat and asked Huo Yuhao about his background, teachers, cultivation level, and how he met and fell in love with Wang Dong'er.
Huo Yuhao answered truthfully one by one, his tone neither humble nor arrogant, neither exaggerating his achievements nor feigning humility to conceal his brilliance.
With his current talent and achievements, he is indeed a unique figure in the entire Douluo Continent.
Titled Douluo under the age of twenty, the Founder the Spirit Pagoda, and the pioneer of the Soul Spirit System.
Such a son-in-law would be an extremely rare find in any powerful organization.
Anyone else would probably be beaming with satisfaction.
However, at this moment, neither Niu Tian Tai Tan showed any obvious satisfaction on their faces.
In fact, Huo Yuhao is indeed quite good, and in terms of talent, he is even stronger than Tang San before he became a god.
But since they had received Tang San's divine decree, the Sea God had specifically instructed them to properly "test" Huo Yuhao.
After chatting for a while, Niu Tian glanced at Wang Dong'er and said in a flat tone, "Dong'er, why don't you go out for a bit? I have something to say to Huo Yuhao alone."
Wang Dong'er was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. She was all too familiar with this scene. The last time her Second Uncle went to the Spirit Pagoda, he used the same words to send her away.
Without thinking much about it, she obediently left the room.
This time, however, she wasn't going to be as obedient as before.
Her gaze slowly swept over Niu Tian and Tai Tan's faces as she asked, "Big Uncle, Second Uncle, are you hiding something from me?"
Niu Tian Tai Tan exchanged a glance, a barely perceptible hint of embarrassment flashing deep in their eyes. They hadn't expected her to see through them, but naturally, they wouldn't admit it so easily.
Tai Tan stiffened his neck, trying to mask his guilty conscience with a gruff tone. "What do we have to hide from you?"
Wang Dong'er, however, was unconvinced. Her pinkish-blue eyes held a stubborn seriousness as she asked, "Stop lying to me. What's wrong with my body?"
Huo Yuhao had examined her body before, and although Huo Yuhao said there was nothing wrong at the time, Wang Dong'er was not oblivious and clearly realized that something was amiss.
When Jin Li Sacrifice in the Heaven-and-Earth Valley of Love's Questions, she herself vaguely sensed some unusual fluctuations within her body.
She had a vague feeling that her body might not be as normal as it appeared on the surface.
Upon hearing this, Tai Tan's gaze instantly locked onto Huo Yuhao. His brows furrowed, and he questioned with displeasure, "Didn't you say it was a secret? How come you told Dong'er already?!"
In his understanding, he clearly believed that Huo Yuhao had told Wang Dong'er the truth.
Upon hearing this, Huo Yuhao's face flashed with an innocent expression; he hadn't said anything at all.
Wang Dong'er snorted coldly and said, "You really are hiding something from me. Second Uncle, don't wrong Yuhao. He didn't tell me anything. I guessed it myself. I was just bluffing you earlier, but I didn't expect you to give it away so easily."
Tai Tan's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and he thought to himself, "Did I expose myself?"
He opened his mouth, wanting to argue further, but realized that he had indeed been tricked into revealing something by Wang Dong'er's probing question, and anything he said now would sound like sophistry.
Seeing this, Niu Tian sighed softly and said, "Alright, Dong'er, now that you know, please sit down."
Wang Dong'er pouted and sat back down, her tone carrying a hint of resentment from being kept in the dark for so long. "Big Uncle, Second Uncle, what's wrong with my body?"
Tai Tan glanced at Niu Tian, his eyes clearly saying, "You say it."
Niu Tian remained silent for a while, as if he was repeatedly organizing his thoughts in his mind.
He wants to say something, but he can't say everything.
What can be said and what cannot be said still requires careful consideration.
After a moment, he sighed softly and said, "It all started when you awakened your martial soul..."
What he said next was almost identical to what Huo Yuhao had heard from Tai Tan.
His congenital weakness, the immense burden brought by his Twin Martial Souls, and the hidden injury that was forcibly suppressed to the age of twenty.
Huo Yuhao sat quietly to the side, not interrupting, but silently observing the changes in Wang Dong'er's expression.
Wang Dong'er never imagined that her body actually had such a fatal "defect".
She fell silent instantly, as if something had gently shrunk her stubbornness, and an indescribable emotion surfaced in her pinkish-blue eyes.
Tai Tan turned his gaze to Huo Yuhao, his tone urging, "Kid, you said you'd go pick the Lovesick Heartbreak Red after the competition, when are you planning to leave?"
This was a test personally arranged by Tang San, and it was also a hurdle that Huo Yuhao had to overcome in order to truly be with Wang Dong'er.