Huo Yuhao held the little Soul Tool toy in his hands. He had just finished his task ahead of schedule, completing an entire book of abacus problems. Delighted, the Duchess had given it to him, though she had no idea where it had come from.
According to the Duchess, she had seen the curious item at a small auction in Star Luo City a few days earlier and bought it.
In this world, besides combat Soul Tools, there were all sorts of Soul Tools for miscellaneous purposes, including civilian-use Soul Tools. These were difficult to classify accurately.
This item, for example, was one of unknown purpose and unknown grade. Somehow it had made its way onto the underground market, where the Duchess had bought it for a very low price, treating it as a little toy. She had casually given it to Huo Yuhao as a reward.
Beyond the Sky Screen, the people of the Douluo Continent were still baffled by this "little toy." Huo Yuhao, however, had already lost his composure.
"Holy crap, should I say that a Child of Destiny really is a Child of Destiny? Even without meeting the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, he was destined to lead anything but an ordinary life!"
Wasn't this the God Sealing Platform that had trapped the Snow Empress inside it in her embryonic state, after a lucky Level 9 Soul Engineer ambushed her while she was transforming into human form to cultivate anew?
Later, no one knew how, but it hadn't fallen into the hands of the Sun Moon Empire. Instead, it had ended up in the Star Luo Empire.
Only, in the original world, the God Sealing Platform and the Snow Empress Embryo had fallen into the hands of the Star Luo Royal Auction House. They had been the crown jewels of its most prestigious auction, and the Sun Moon Empire had bought them back at an astronomical price.
But in this worldline, the God Sealing Platform and the Snow Empress Embryo had appeared much earlier. They had even ended up in the chaotic underground market, where the Duchess had unknowingly snapped them up as a novelty toy!
The power of fate really was miraculous.
Sure enough, in the scene on the Sky Screen, Yuhao accidentally got a drop of blood onto the God Sealing Platform. It suddenly activated, and a strange, glowing white light shot out and merged into Yuhao's body.
"Ah!"
Yuhao cried out and passed out. When he woke, he was horrified to find the entire room coated in frost, yet he didn't feel the slightest bit cold!
"Th-this... what's going on? Who—who's speaking to me inside my mind?"
On the Sky Screen, Yuhao looked panicked, but soon managed to calm himself down.
The next moment, Yuhao sat cross-legged. Wisps of snowy mist appeared around him, and his eyes turned icy blue. An orange-gold Soul Ring slowly rose from his body!
"That's... the Heavenly Snow Woman?"
When they saw the peerless figure appear behind Yuhao on the Sky Screen, countless powerful Titled Douluo's pupils contracted. At that moment, they could all guess what that so-called "God Sealing Platform" really was!
Was this what it meant to be a Child of Destiny?
From then on, Huo Yuhao began using his "holidays" as an opportunity to hunt Soul Beasts for Soul Rings on his own. After fusing with the Snow Empress Embryo and gaining a Second Martial Soul, his strength could no longer be measured by the level he displayed.
What was more, the Snow Empress had preserved part of her origin within him. If he truly encountered danger, he could draw upon some of her Limit Douluo-level power. It was like having a Limit Douluo-level bodyguard at his side!
Meanwhile, neither the White Tiger Duke Mansion nor the Duchess herself knew anything about it.
The Duchess was secretly pleased. She hadn't expected Yuhao to truly give up cultivation under her tutelage—to abandon the path of a Soul Master and choose instead to manage the family's business in the future.
"Otherwise, even without anyone to guide you, you should have reached two rings by now if you'd been cultivating and circulating your Soul Power on your own. This is for the best. From now on, just manage the family business for your brothers, my 'good pupil.'"
Xu Feiyan sat alone in her study, propping her chin on one hand as she thought to herself.
In Xu Feiyan's eyes, Yuhao no longer posed any threat to her son. So much time had passed, and Dai Huabin was already a Soul Elder above level thirty, even preparing to break through to the next stage.
Meanwhile, Yuhao was probably still just above level twenty. There was a gap of more than ten levels between them, and he had no chance of catching up!
"Alas, that child really does have quite a talent for cultivation. If your mother weren't that woman, perhaps I really would have taught you to cultivate properly..."
Xu Feiyan sighed again, feeling rather dispirited.
Several more years passed. All that time, Dai Hao hadn't returned even once. By now, she was practically the master of the entire White Tiger Duke Mansion, yet she found it all rather dull.
Several more years passed. Then, an upheaval she had never imagined took place in the mansion!
"Speak! Who are you, really?"
The Duchess stared at the middle-aged man being dragged before her. He wore a servant's uniform and had an utterly forgettable face. Her eyes were as cold as stars as she demanded an answer.
The man had been taken into the mansion as a servant three years earlier. He had always kept a low profile, but they later discovered he was an excellent cook and transferred him to the kitchen to prepare meals.
Unexpectedly, the personnel the Duchess had secretly assigned to keep watch over the mansion discovered that he had been adding suspicious substances to the food. He was seized and brought before her.
"Heh... hahahahaha..."
To everyone's surprise, the man suddenly burst into laughter, his voice bizarre.
"What are you laughing at?"
The Duchess furrowed her brow slightly.
"I'm laughing at how the mighty White Tiger Duke Mansion has no one but a pack of nobodies—not a single worthy powerhouse. All our Holy Cult's efforts have gone to waste!"
A burst of green poisonous mist suddenly erupted from the man, and the two people holding him collapsed on the spot. His head began to shift, transforming into something like a lizard's. His eyes glowed green as they darted around, filled with cunning and malice!
"Grab a hostage first!"
The man darted away. Xu Feiyan hurried after him.
"You Evil Soul Masters have some nerve, daring to attack the White Tiger Duke Mansion!"
"Hahaha! That White Tiger Duke is fairly capable—he's a Titled Douluo. But I never expected this mansion to be full of useless trash, with barely a few Soul Saints among you!"
The man roared with laughter as he darted through the mansion, killing people left and right. Chaos erupted throughout the estate!
Xu Feiyan's expression was grim.