Make Huo Yuhao Join the Body Sect!

"Well said." Du Busi gave Dai Tu's shoulder a heavy slap, nearly knocking him sideways.

"Dai Tu, you see things more clearly than I do. That's right—the foundation of the Body Sect is its people, its family. As long as the family remains and the people remain, everything else can change."

He rose to his feet, clasped his hands behind his back, and stared at the last trace of twilight on the horizon. That familiar, domineering, unquestionable light rekindled in his eyes.

"Fine, it's settled! Starting today, the Body Sect will begin looking into Soul Tools! I'd like to see just how formidable these Soul Tools really are, and whether they can take our Body Sect to the next level!"

Long Aotian stood as well, excitement flashing through his eyes. "Teacher, what exactly should we do?"

"No rush." Du Busi waved a hand. "We know nothing about Soul Tools. If we rush in blindly, we'll only make fools of ourselves. First, we need to find someone—someone who knows what they're doing—to help us."

He looked at Dai Tu, a sly gleam flashing in his eyes. "Little disciple, you said we should bring in talent. So... do you have anyone suitable to recommend?"

Dai Tu fell silent for two seconds, then slowly spoke.

"Yes."

"Who?"

"My younger brother."

"Your younger brother?" Du Busi froze. "You have a younger brother? A biological one?"

"A half-brother from the same father." Dai Tu's voice was calm, but beneath that calm lay deep, complicated emotions.

"His name is Huo Yuhao. He should be... nearly twelve this year. His martial soul is his eyes."

"Eyes?!" Du Busi's eyes immediately lit up. "Another eye-type Body Martial Soul? Like yours?"

"Not quite." Dai Tu shook his head. "His eye martial soul is called the Spirit Eye. It excels in spiritual detection, spiritual sharing, and spiritual interference, leaning toward support and control. But fundamentally, it is still an eye, still a Body Martial Soul."

"Spirit Eye... Spirit Eye..." Du Busi muttered the name to himself, and his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"Good, excellent! Another eye-type martial soul! The Body Sect is finally turning its luck around! One Mangekyo, one Spirit Eye—if we can nurture them both, then in the future..."

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, rubbing his hands vigorously. "Where is he? Where is he now? I'll go bring him back right away! Leaving such a genius out there is an absolute waste!"

"He's at Shrek Academy," Dai Tu said.

Du Busi's smile instantly froze.

"Sh-Shrek Academy?" Du Busi's voice rose several notches, anger flashing in his eyes. "Why is it Shrek again? How do those hypocrites get every good thing?!"

He paused and looked at Dai Tu, a vicious glint passing through his eyes.

"No, we have to get him out! Stay at Shrek Academy too long and you'll be ruined! Running, running, running all day—what the hell can that accomplish? I'll go demand him! I'll go straight to Shrek Academy, find that old bastard Mu En, and make him hand the boy over! If he refuses, I'll tear Shrek apart!"

Seeing Du Busi look ready to go snatch someone right then and there, Dai Tu felt both helpless and... warmed.

This was the Body Sect.

This was Du Busi.

Protective, domineering, unreasonable—but when it came to his own "family," he gave them everything he had and wished he could give them the best of everything in the world.

"Teacher, no rush." Dai Tu shook his head and stopped Du Busi, who was about to turn and leave.

"No rush?" Du Busi glared. "How can there be no rush? Every extra day that kind of genius stays at Shrek is another day of being corrupted! We need to get him out before Shrek's twisted nonsense brainwashes him!"

"For now... he still needs to remain at Shrek Academy for a while." Dai Tu's voice was calm, but beneath it lay an emotion so deep that even he could not fully explain it.

Dai Tu did not elaborate. He merely said that Huo Yuhao needed further training at Shrek Academy before his potential could be fully realized. Bringing him back now would only hold him back.

Du Busi fell silent.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he paced back and forth along the official road, his brows tightly furrowed as though pondering something of utmost importance.

After a long while, he finally stopped and looked at Dai Tu, his expression complicated.

"Dai Tu, tell me honestly. What do you think of this younger brother of yours?"

Dai Tu remained silent for a long time.

The evening breeze drifted past, carrying the fragrance of ripening rice from the fields and the faint scent of cooking smoke wafting from distant villages.

The sun had completely sunk below the horizon. Only a final smear of dark-red afterglow remained, like dried blood streaked across the deep-blue sky.

"He's my younger brother," Dai Tu finally said. His voice was soft, yet clear.

"A half-brother from the same father, connected to me by blood. Like me, he is Dai Hao's illegitimate son, an 'error' Zhu Yue wanted erased. Like me, he suffered endless bullying and hardship from childhood. Like me... he hates the White Tiger Duke Mansion, hates Dai Hao, hates Zhu Yue, hates the people who ruined his life."

Dai Tu said no more, but disappointment stirred within him.

Because in the original story... no, in the predetermined fate, Huo Yuhao would ultimately choose forgiveness, choose mercy, choose to be shackled by that hypocritical 'greater good' and 'responsibility.' He would become a pawn in certain people's hands, a sacrifice offered up to preserve the 'bigger picture.'

That was... something Dai Tu could not tolerate.

If Huo Yuhao still chose to forgive the White Tiger Duke Mansion so easily, then this younger brother could just die!

Dai Tu raised his head and looked at Du Busi. The cold flame in his eyes burned faintly in the gathering dusk.

"So I will pull him out. Before he is completely 'corrupted,' before he walks that predetermined, foolish path, I will pull him out. I will make him see clearly who the real enemy is, and who... deserves to die."

"And," Dai Tu added, his tone returning to calm.

"He is a genius in Soul Tools. A true genius, one seen only once in a millennium—a genius capable of changing an era. If we can bring him into the Body Sect, let him research Soul Tools, let him combine Soul Tools with Body Martial Souls... then the Body Sect's revival will not be a dream. It will be... inevitable."

Du Busi stared at Dai Tu for a long time before giving his shoulder a hard slap.

"Fine, I understand. This kid is your younger brother, and he's also my disciple. Since you value him, I'll wait for him. Once he has enough strength to protect himself, I'll personally go to Shrek Academy and bring him back. When that time comes, whoever dares stop me, I'll kill them!"

Dai Tu nodded, gratitude flashing through his eyes.

"Thank you, Teacher."

"Thank my ass!" Du Busi waved a hand, then seemed to remember something. "Right, you said we have to wait until he grows stronger. About how long will that take?"

Dai Tu silently calculated the timeline in his mind.

According to the original story, after the freshman assessment ended, Huo Yuhao would encounter the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in the Far North and obtain his second martial soul, the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion.

The freshman assessment was three months away. The trip to the Far North would take place in half a year, and absorbing the second martial soul would take more time...

"Half a year." Dai Tu gave a conservative estimate. "At most half a year, he will obtain his second martial soul. Then we can go bring him back."

"Half a year..." Du Busi rubbed his chin, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. "Fine. Then we'll wait half a year."

P.S.: What do you think about having Huo Yuhao fight Tang San?