A Promise

As he listened to the God of Death's ceaseless temptations, Dai Yueheng's expression grew calmer and calmer.

"What you've said is very tempting, and you've painted me a future worth looking forward to."

"But I'm afraid I still can't become a beast like you and throw more than a decade of honor to the wind."

The God of Death Avatar faltered, looking at Dai Yueheng with unease.

"You have to trust me. If we join forces, and add your status to the mix, once we seize control of the army, we'll be able to achieve the great feat of uniting the entire continent."

"Then it'll be easy to take revenge on Huo Yuhao. We might even reclaim the throne of the Star Luo Emperor."

Dai Yueheng shook his head, answering with a calm expression.

"I used to think Huo Yuhao would become one of the continent's top powerhouses. I thought that as long as I weathered this round of attacks and kept improving, I'd eventually get a chance to prove myself."

"Then, as the Duke of White Tiger, I might not have been much worse than him. But now, it seems this is a goal I'll never reach in my life."

"Watching him fight you, I understood that I'd never have the chance to compete with him. Your arrival truly gave me hope."

"But let me tell you this: you're far too arrogant. You've underestimated me, too."

"Before I met Huo Yuhao, I was a genius who'd made it to the top ranks of Shrek Academy's inner court through my own efforts, one step at a time."

"I hate Huo Yuhao. I hate him for killing my younger brother, and for making me live like a stray dog."

"But I'll tell you this: I'm not like Dai Huabin. I became the Duke of White Tiger to be a hero who protected the empire, to guard the border and protect the people of the Star Luo Empire."

"I wanted fame, a name that would be remembered for generations. And you want me to work with you? To become another Rakshasa God?"

"Still, you did me a favor today. If I kill you, I'll at least count as half a hero who defended the Star Luo Empire."

The God of Death Avatar sensed something was wrong. He frantically drove his divine sense into Dai Yueheng's Spirit Sea, risking its destruction as he prepared to forcibly possess him.

But Dai Yueheng paid no heed to the danger to his Spirit Sea. Instead, he sent his Soul Power rampaging through his body.

After activating his White Tiger Martial Soul, he drove a claw into his own heart.

As Dai Yueheng's life force rapidly ebbed away and it became clear he wouldn't survive, the God of Death Avatar could no longer control his emotions. He roared like a madman.

"Dai Yueheng, I've already gone through your memories. You're nothing but a selfish, self-serving hypocrite, putting on a virtuous act and actually thinking you're a hero?"

"You think sacrificing yourself will earn you a good name? Dream on! Your family will only say you got what you deserved because of the Duchess!"

Before Dai Yueheng could answer, a voice abruptly cut off the God of Death's hysterical tirade.

"He'll die a hero. I make that promise as the next Sea God Pavilion Master."

"Dai Yueheng, son of the Duke of White Tiger, sacrificed himself in the Mingdou Mountain Range to destroy a wisp of divine sense belonging to the God of Death worshipped by the Evil Soul Masters."

Huo Yuhao had just arrived at the camp. He used his divine sense to interrupt the God of Death, then temporarily sealed him and used the power of Life Gold to stabilize Dai Yueheng's injuries.

Dai Yueheng turned to look at Huo Yuhao. His lips had gone pale from blood loss.

Even with Life Gold treating him, it was like pouring water into a shattered bowl. It was still nowhere near enough.

A flush of returning color tinged Dai Yueheng's face. He stopped suppressing his short temper and snapped at Huo Yuhao.

"Huo Yuhao, let me tell you: I hate you. You're the person I hate second-most, after Dai Hao."

"I'm going to die today anyway, so I don't need to suck up to you, my enemy, anymore. And I don't need to keep up this damnable noble etiquette."

"There are things I've kept bottled up for more than a decade. I never thought I'd end up telling you on my deathbed."

Huo Yuhao formed a barrier with his divine power to keep their voices from carrying. With that, Dai Yueheng finally revealed his true self.

"One thing you said was absolutely right: Dai Hao is a bastard. He has no idea what fairness means."

"Just because of some lousy Martial Soul Fusion Skill, he favored Dai Huabin—that narrow-minded, hot-tempered good-for-nothing—for five years, letting that bastard strut around in front of me for five whole years."

"He's always bragging about how upright he is, saying that anyone who can't resist temptation is worthless. What a shameless hypocrite."

"If he were a righteous man who could keep his pants on, would I have so many younger siblings? Would I have ended up like this?"

"Dai Hao lied to me. Since I was a child, he told me I could become the Duke of White Tiger, that I could become a general, that I could protect the people of the Star Luo Empire."

"Now I'm so selfish that even after he deceived me, I still can't throw away what little humanity I have left and become an Evil Soul Master bent on revenge."

"That does work out in your favor. You've had your revenge at last. Apart from that bastard, everyone who caused your mother's death got what they deserved."

Huo Yuhao looked at Dai Yueheng, who was so different from the way he'd acted before, and sighed softly. He quietly listened.

Two streams of tears ran from the corners of Dai Yueheng's eyes. He choked back a sob, almost unable to help himself.

"That bastard Dai Hao lied to me for more than a decade, and I believed him for just as long. All these years, I never once slacked off."

"Huo Yuhao, tell me. What did I do wrong?"

"As the eldest son of the Duke of White Tiger, I awakened my Martial Soul at six and entered Shrek Academy at twelve. I haven't taken a single day off."

"Every day, I did nothing but cultivate and train. Now I'm only nineteen, yet I've already become a Soul Emperor at level sixty-four."

"Why can Dai Huabin, whose talent is inferior to mine, threaten my position as heir? Why did my family give up on me because of the feud between you and him?"

Huo Yuhao didn't answer Dai Yueheng's questions. Everyone had their own hardships. He could never forgive the Duchess's family, but he could understand Dai Yueheng's pain.

In his place, Huo Yuhao wouldn't have been able to calm himself, either.

"Do you have any last wishes? Apart from the Duchess, I'll do my best to help you with anything else."

At Huo Yuhao's reply, Dai Yueheng burst into laughter.

"Huo Yuhao, I, Dai Yueheng, apologize to you and Huo Yun'er on my mother's behalf. After I die, I only hope you'll protect the Star Luo Empire."

"If the Sun Moon Empire ever launches an invasion, help me hold the Mingdou Mountain Range and protect the people of the Star Luo Empire."

"If any books about this survive in the future, then at least my name will live on. I, Dai Yueheng, will have erased the rift between Huo Yuhao and the Star Luo Empire."

As his words fell, Huo Yuhao withdrew the barrier at Dai Yueheng's pleading look, and Dai Yueheng's voice carried far into the distance.

Everyone nearby noticed Dai Yueheng's life slowly fading. They stared at the laugh on his face as he neared death, momentarily stunned.