The morning light was faint.
Huo Chen carried Huo Yuhao through the air, the vast mountains and rivers beneath them racing backward. The biting high-altitude currents were parted by an invisible force when they came within three feet of them, not even stirring the corners of their clothes.
Perched on his uncle's shoulder, Huo Yuhao watched the mountains and rivers flash by below, his eyes filled with curiosity and wonder. He had never imagined that he would one day fly through the sky, much less that the person carrying him would be the uncle he had never met.
"Uncle, how much longer until we get home?"
"Soon." Huo Chen lowered his head with a gentle smile. "About half an hour."
"Half an hour to fly from the border of the Star Luo Empire to Sunset Forest in the Heaven Dou Empire?"
Though Huo Yuhao was young, he knew that the two great empires were separated by thousands of miles. Filled with shock, he could not help asking, "Uncle, just how strong are you?"
Rather than answering directly, Huo Chen softly asked, "How strong do you think a Title Douluo is?"
"A Title Douluo..." Huo Yuhao seriously considered the things he had heard at the duke's mansion. "They are the strongest beings on the continent, capable of fighting ten thousand alone. The Duke is only a Soul Douluo, yet he is enough to guard an entire region."
"Well, your uncle is just a little stronger than a Title Douluo."
Huo Chen's tone was casual, as though he were merely mentioning something insignificant.
Huo Yuhao's eyes widened instantly, his face full of disbelief. "Stronger than a Title Douluo? What realm is that?"
"An Ultimate Douluo, also known to the world as a Demigod."
Huo Chen's voice was calm and composed, carrying an unquestionable confidence. "Only half a step away from becoming a true god."
The words "Demigod" softly settled into Huo Yuhao's heart.
He could not yet fully understand the supreme power and status those words represented, but he clearly understood that from this day onward, he would no longer be the unwanted illegitimate child of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, bullied by all and cared for by none.
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and an elegant manor hidden amid verdant mountain forests gradually came into view.
The manor did not cover a vast area, but its arrangement was exquisitely refined. White walls, dark tiles, upturned eaves, and flying roof corners gave it an ancient charm. Before its gates, a clear stream murmured past, while several old plum trees stood gracefully along its banks.
The entire manor was shrouded in a faint golden glow. It was a defensive formation personally set up by Huo Chen, incomparably sturdy and capable of withstanding the full-force attack of a Title Douluo.
"We're here."
Huo Chen slowly descended and gently pushed open the ancient vermilion gates.
Huo Yuhao immediately jumped down from his arms and curiously looked over his new home. A path of bluestone slabs ran through the courtyard, flowers blooming thickly on either side amid lush greenery. A faint floral fragrance lingered around his nose, refreshing his heart and mind.
Beneath the corridor pillars, a snow-white cat lazily basked in the morning sun. Seeing its master return, it let out a soft, sweet cry.
"Her name is Little White. She's the little one I keep, and from now on, she'll be your companion," Huo Chen introduced softly.
Huo Yuhao carefully crouched down and slowly extended his little hand. The white cat gently sniffed his fingertips, then obediently rubbed her head against his palm, affectionate and well-behaved.
"She... she isn't afraid of me?" Huo Yuhao asked, his face full of surprise.
In the cold duke's mansion, everyone despised and excluded him. Even the cats, dogs, and other animals in the manor would flee in panic whenever they saw him. Never had any living creature treated him with such affection.
"Why would she be afraid of you?" Huo Chen bent down and rubbed his soft hair, his tone gentle and doting. "You are the only young master here. She can't possibly fawn over you fast enough."
Huo Yuhao's nose suddenly stung. He hurriedly lowered his head and pretended to focus on playing with the cat, hiding the sourness and warmth surging in his eyes.
"Come on, let's go inside first."
Huo Chen rose and took his slightly cold little hand. "Your uncle will first cure all your old injuries."
Upon entering the main hall, Huo Yuhao found its refinement far surpassed the courtyard's exterior. The rosewood tables and chairs were ancient and weighty, an old landscape painting with far-reaching artistic conception hung on the wall, and wisps of smoke curled from a bronze incense burner in the corner. A faint, calming fragrance filled the room, relaxing both body and mind.
"Sit." Huo Chen raised a hand in indication.
Huo Yuhao obediently sat down, his posture proper and docile.
Huo Chen crouched before him, and a small, exquisite Reincarnation Other Shore Flower slowly appeared in his right palm. Its crimson petals swayed gently as a soft, warm red glow flowed outward.
"Don't be afraid. It will only itch a little. Don't move around."
As soon as he finished speaking, he gently placed his palm over Huo Yuhao's forehead.
A warm, soothing force instantly swept through every limb and bone in Huo Yuhao's body. He felt as though he had been immersed in a warm spring, every pore opening in incomparable comfort.
The bruises accumulated over the years, the old and new wounds, and the faint scars on his body rapidly faded and healed beneath the red light. His formerly rough, damaged skin became fair and smooth again, as though it had never suffered any harm.
The miraculous transformation did not stop at his surface. Deep within his body, he was quietly changing as well. The weakness caused by long-term malnutrition completely vanished, his bones gave off faint cracking sounds, and his thin, frail muscles grew firm and strong. The very foundation of his body was gradually being reforged.
In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Huo Chen withdrew his hand.
Huo Yuhao hurriedly lowered his head to examine his hands, his eyes full of shock. His palms, once rough, chapped, and scarred, had become tender and fair, while his damaged nails had fully recovered. He rolled up his sleeves, and the crisscrossing old scars on his arms had all vanished without leaving the slightest trace.
"That's incredible..." Huo Yuhao murmured, deeply shaken.
"This only treats the symptoms, repairing wounds to the flesh and skin." Huo Chen smiled faintly and took out a lustrous white jade porcelain bottle. "The true opportunity that will change your life is in here."
He pulled out the stopper, and a pill the size of a longan slowly rolled into his palm.
The pill was milky white throughout, with fine, dazzling seven-colored radiance flowing across its surface. A rich, mellow medicinal fragrance rushed forth. With only a light sniff, Huo Yuhao felt refreshed, as though even the dormant blood within him had begun to boil and leap with excitement.
"This is the Samsara Divine Pill."
Huo Chen's expression turned solemn as he handed the pill to Huo Yuhao. "It is a supreme treasure personally bestowed upon me by the God King after I passed the Reincarnation Divine Trials. It can completely reshape your martial foundation, forge a Flawless Dao Body, eliminate every hidden injury and impurity in your body, and purify your innate constitution."
"After taking this pill, your cultivation speed will far surpass that of ordinary people, and your affinity with soul power will reach the utmost limit. Your path of cultivation will be incomparably smooth."
Holding the pill carefully, Huo Yuhao asked softly, "Uncle, can it directly raise my Soul Power Level?"
"It cannot directly raise your cultivation." Huo Chen gently shook his head and patiently explained, "You awakened your Spiritual Eyes martial soul at the age of six, with innate first-level soul power. Through four years of steadfast cultivation by sheer perseverance, you advanced to level ten. Such effort is truly rare."
"I do not wish for you to reach the heavens in a single step. Cultivation gained too quickly only results in an unstable foundation, and the loss outweighs the gain. But this divine pill can transform you from the very root, ensuring that every future cultivation session and every breakthrough will be faster, steadier, and more solid than others'."
After hearing this, Huo Yuhao was not disappointed. Instead, his heart was filled with relief.
Through four years of bitter winters and scorching summers, he had endured endless cold stares and hardship in the duke's mansion, cultivating day and night without ever slacking. Only he knew the pain and difficulty involved. If a single pill erased all those efforts, he would have felt unwilling instead.
"Thank you, Uncle."
He thanked him solemnly and raised the Samsara Divine Pill to his mouth.
The pill melted the instant it entered his mouth, turning into a warm, mellow current that slid down his throat and into his abdomen. Vast yet gentle energy instantly burst forth, spreading through every inch of his flesh and every meridian.
There was no domineering, violent pain—only warm comfort from head to toe.
He could clearly sense the transformation of his body: the internal injuries left by years of beatings, the deficiency of blood and vitality caused by malnutrition, and the origin energy depleted by excessive cultivation were all repaired and eradicated by the warm current.
His originally narrow and fragile meridians became broad and resilient. His blood and vitality flowed freely throughout his body, and with every breath, his body and mind received the greatest nourishment.
The transformation continued for a full quarter of an hour.
Once the medicinal power had completely dissolved and been fully absorbed by his body, a thin layer of gray impurities emerged over Huo Yuhao's skin. They were all the filth and hidden toxins accumulated within him over the years.
He went to the bathing room and carefully washed himself clean, then changed into the moon-white brocade robe Huo Chen had prepared in advance. His entire appearance was completely renewed.
His formerly dry, yellowish black hair became glossy and soft, while his rough skin turned fair as jade. His brows and eyes inherited his mother Huo Yun'er's gentleness, while gaining a touch of the spirited vigor unique to a young boy.
Most striking were his eyes. Once dim and lifeless, filled with inferiority and timidity, they were now clear and bright, sparkling like stars, as though an entire vast galaxy lay hidden within them.
"Very good." Huo Chen looked at his transformed nephew and nodded in satisfaction. "This is what a child of the Huo Family should be."
Huo Yuhao shyly scratched his head, unable to suppress the anticipation in his heart as he hurriedly asked, "Uncle, when are we going to hunt for a soul ring?"
"No rush."
Huo Chen shook his head slightly, a subtle mystery entering his expression. "Before we go to the Extreme North to obtain your soul ring, I'll first take you to meet an old friend."
"An old friend?" Huo Yuhao blinked his clear eyes, utterly puzzled. "Do I know them? Who are they?"
"A very special fellow."
A faint smile curved Huo Chen's lips, his eyes filled with deep meaning. "It has been waiting for you for many, many years."
Huo Yuhao grew even more confused. He had been trapped in the White Tiger Duke's Mansion since childhood and knew very few people. He had never had an old acquaintance who would wait specifically for him.
"Don't guess. You'll understand when you meet it." Huo Chen gently rubbed his head. "Rest well tonight. We'll set out first thing tomorrow morning."
Night gradually fell, and the mountain manor returned to tranquility. Only the evening breeze brushed through the branches and leaves, bringing faint rustling sounds.
Huo Yuhao lay on a soft, warm bed beneath a new, fluffy quilt, quietly gazing at the stars filling the sky outside the window. Warmth surged through his heart.
For the first time in his ten years of life, he had a safe, warm bed. For the first time, he did not have to worry about being beaten, scolded, or bullied in the middle of the night. For the first time, he truly felt that he finally had a home of his own.
He gently touched his chest, where the lingering warmth of the medicinal power slowly circulated, nourishing his renewed body.
"Mother..." he murmured softly, a faint light shining in his eyes. "Did you see? Uncle came to take me away. From now on, no one will ever be able to bully me again."
Above the night sky, a bright moon hung high, its clear radiance spilling over the entire manor, gentle and peaceful.
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