All the Soul Spirits knew what Snow Empress had on her mind. As for Liya, there was even less to say—would she have given him the mermaid's blessing if she didn't have feelings for him?
After years of enduring hardship, Tang Wutong had died in the God Star catastrophe, and they had unexpectedly returned to their original era. There was no need to keep their relationship hidden anymore.
Snow Empress traced circles on Baili Du's chest with her fair, jade-like hand, seemingly acting coy. "...I don't care what else you do, but you have to make this version of you come find me in the Far North first."
A gentle curve appeared at the corner of Baili Du's mouth. Snow Empress was rarely like this...
He reached out and pinched her soft, fair cheek. "What? Are you afraid this version of me will fall for Princess Tang?"
Snow Empress pouted and snuggled into Baili Du's arms, looking a little put out.
Huo Yuhao was a man who judged by appearances. The only reason he had fallen for Tang Wutong was that the so-called Goddess of Light had left an overwhelmingly dazzling impression on him when he was young.
You really shouldn't meet someone too dazzling when you're young...
If he had met Snow Empress first, whose beauty was in no way inferior to Tang Wutong's, it went without saying whom Huo Yuhao would have fallen for.
Of course, Snow Empress wasn't insisting that the Huo Yuhao of this era fall for the Snow Empress of this era. She simply didn't want Huo Yuhao to be deceived emotionally by that woman and the Tang Family again... Those Soul Spirits had seen with their own eyes just how miserable Huo Yuhao's life in the Divine Realm had been.
"Even if he is me, I don't want to interfere too much with his choices. In every sense, he and I aren't the same person anymore. Whom he likes and falls in love with is up to fate. But..."
At that, Baili Du's voice turned colder and more resolute. "Tang Wutong is the one exception! Even if I have to plant a spiritual imprint on him, I will never let this version of me have anything to do with Tang Wutong!"
Having been caught in the rain himself, he wanted to give others an umbrella. And this person was himself, no less.
"But in that case..." Liya spoke up, her words full of concern. "Tang San will definitely do everything he can to interfere with this version of you. He'll use every underhanded trick he can think of. What will you do then?"
No one knew Tang San's true nature better than Baili Du—not even Xiao Wu.
Baili Du kissed Liya's forehead. "I've already thought of that. This version of me will need Teacher's help. Then I'll go to the Divine Realm and keep an eye on that bastard myself. Ideally, I'll get him to show his hand early. Besides..."
Thinking of this, Baili Du grinned mischievously. "Tang San's precious grandson is also around in this era... Two Children of the Plane, hehe. Tang San only has one daughter. Let's see how he handles this."
Lan Xuanyu had been reborn in this era through Baili Du's doing. Otherwise, even if Lan Xuanyu had been the Dragon God, with only a fragment of his Divine Soul left, he couldn't possibly have preserved his consciousness while traveling through two cosmic calamities: the Space-Time Turbulence and the Samsara Hurricane.
Did he really think Baili Du had sworn himself to be a loyal dog of the Tang Family?
Near dawn, his two lovely wives had already gone to sleep. After getting dressed, Baili Du went to little Huo Yuhao's room.
Baili Du had always taught Huo Yuhao that cultivation required perseverance and balance: train when it was time to train, sleep when it was time to sleep. There was no need to push himself so hard, especially at his young age.
Looking at little Huo Yuhao, who was already fast asleep, Baili Du stood beside the bed, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and touched a finger to his brow, sending in a wisp of his divine sense.
He really... really wanted to see Teacher again...
The gray bead, which had been asleep, seemed to sense something. It slowly formed an extremely indistinct figure, which appeared in Huo Yuhao's sea of consciousness and met Baili Du's spiritual form face-to-face.
There was no need for Baili Du to keep hiding himself now, so he revealed his true appearance.
After looking over the handsome young man with blue hair, Electrolux let out a soft exclamation and asked uncertainly, "May I ask who you are...?"
There was no doubt that this young man was using divine sense, and the level of his energy was so high that even Electrolux at his peak could not have reached it.
Why did such a powerful being look so remorseful? Why was he in a world with such a low level of energy? And why had he appeared here?
More importantly... if Electrolux wasn't mistaken, this young man looked... looked a lot like little Huo Yuhao! Especially his eyes—they were almost identical.
Baili Du pressed his lips together, lowered his head in shame, clenched his teeth, then fell to his knees and kowtowed heavily. His voice was choked with tears. "Your unfilial disciple, Huo Yuhao, pays his respects to his honored teacher, Electrolux."
"???"
Electrolux stared blankly at Baili Du and asked uncertainly, "You actually know me? And the 'Huo Yuhao' you just mentioned—is it... But this child isn't..."
"It's like this..." Baili Du then spent a great deal of time explaining everything from beginning to end, including where he came from and his complicated-yet-not-so-complicated relationship with little Huo Yuhao...
Fortunately, this was a spiritual space. With memories shared directly, there was not the slightest obstacle to their communication or explanations. Baili Du told him everything.
To convince Electrolux, he also took the opportunity to show him the Super Divine Artifact, the Staff of the Undead Scourge, and the Soul Spirit Magic Contract.
The explanation left Electrolux, the Necromancer Saint Mage, wide-eyed with astonishment and marvel. The Super Divine Artifact, the Staff of the Undead Scourge, was the most irrefutable proof of all: this man was his disciple!
"So something like this actually happened. Time truly is the most wondrous force in the world! Then should I... should your teacher call you Yuhao or Baili Du?"
Electrolux's voice had already grown noticeably warmer.
Baili Du shook his head, his expression dimming. "Call me Baili Du for now. This child is the real Huo Yuhao, while I... I'm just a good-for-nothing who lived as Dai Yuhao. I really don't deserve to call myself Huo Yuhao anymore."
Electrolux helped Baili Du to his feet, his voice turning gentler. "My child, don't say that. I've seen countless people, but I've never met anyone as shameless and sinister as your father-in-law. But I suppose it's my fault as your teacher, too. I taught you magic but never taught you how to be a decent person..."
Tears welled in Baili Du's eyes. He hugged Electrolux and wept like a child. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Teacher! I... I kept trying to search the myriad worlds for fragments of your divine sense, but when I was in the Divine Realm, Tang San forbade me from leaving. It wasn't until Tang San died that I finally had enough standing and strength. But by the time I could look for you, I couldn't find you anywhere..."
"Only then did I understand. Tang San was afraid I'd escape his control. First, he schemed to have you killed and destroyed the keepsakes you left me. Then he secretly destroyed every fragment of your divine sense throughout the myriad worlds... I... I didn't have the power to avenge you..."
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