Tang Hao!

Sunlight fell upon the arena, illuminating the ice sculpture until it gleamed like crystal.

In the spectator stands, a figure sat quietly.

Xue Qinghe—or rather, Qian Renxue—watched the boy below. She watched him withdraw his hand, watched the frozen sculpture, watched him turn and walk toward his teammates.

The corners of her lips lifted slightly.

Back then, that child had finally grown up.

She remembered that thin, expressionless child before the ruins seven years ago. She remembered the look in his eyes when he had asked her in the carriage, "Can I achieve what you have?" She remembered those deep blue eyes, as though countless emotions had sunk within them, when he stood at the gates of Spirit Hall and watched her leave.

Seven years had passed.

She had not watched him grow up with her own eyes, but she knew everything about him. Every year, Qian Daoliu sent people to bring her letters, telling her of the child's cultivation progress, of every breakthrough, every new Soul Ring he obtained, every new soul skill he learned.

Level twenty, level thirty-three, level forty, level forty-two.

Spirit Eyes, Ice Jade Scorpion.

She had watched him grow from a frail child into the tall, upright youth he was now.

And now, he stood there, having just defeated that fellow called Tang San.

Qian Renxue's smile deepened.

On the stage, Huo Yuhao walked up to the ice sculpture and extended his hand.

Icy-blue light flowed from his palm, enveloping the sculpture. The extreme chill slowly faded, and the ice melted away bit by bit.

Tang San's body swayed, and he nearly collapsed. He gasped for breath, soaked from head to toe, his face as pale as paper. He looked at Huo Yuhao, his eyes filled with complicated emotions—hatred, unwillingness, fear.

Huo Yuhao did not look at him.

He turned and walked off the stage.

Just then, a seven-colored light shone from the spectator stands.

Ning Fengzhi stood in the stands, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda spinning in his palm. His sixth Soul Ring flashed as he called out softly:

"Seven Treasures have names, the sixth is enhancement."

A seven-colored pillar of light descended from the sky and fell upon the Shrek group.

Xiao Wu stood at the edge of the group. The instant that pillar of light descended, she instinctively took a step back.

A flower slipped from her embrace.

Lovesick Heartbreak Red.

She hurriedly bent down to pick it up, moving so quickly that almost no one saw clearly. Yet the instant the flower hit the ground, the aura unique to a hundred-thousand-year soul beast leaked out for a moment.

Only for a moment.

But it was already enough.

In the stands, Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes slightly. Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo exchanged a glance, astonishment and greed intertwining in their eyes.

Below the stage, Wang Qiu'er turned her head. Her red eyes fell on the flower, then on the girl dressed in pink. Her brows furrowed slightly, as though she had sensed something.

The Titled Douluo present all turned their gazes toward Xiao Wu at the same time.

The air suddenly grew heavy.

Bibi Dong slowly rose to her feet.

She said nothing, merely nodded to Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo beside her. Understanding her meaning, the two silently moved toward the stage.

"Now, the champion's rewards will be presented."

Bibi Dong's voice rang out, as calm as ever, as if nothing had happened.

Three trays were brought forward, each covered by red silk.

"The champions of this tournament, the Spirit Hall representative team, shall receive three soul bones over fifty thousand years old."

She lifted the red silk from the first tray.

It was a silver-white skull, faint light flowing over its surface as though something were moving inside it.

"Spirit Concentration Wisdom Skull. Over fifty thousand years old, suitable for spiritual-type Soul Masters."

The red silk was lifted from the second tray.

A crimson right arm bone emitted a scorching aura, slightly warping the air around it.

"Explosive Burning Flame Right Arm Bone. Over fifty thousand years old, suitable for fire-type Soul Masters."

The red silk was lifted from the third tray.

A green left leg bone lay there, faint wind patterns flowing across its surface.

"Rapid Pursuit Windchasing Left Leg Bone. Over fifty thousand years old, suitable for agility attack-type Soul Masters."

Low cries of surprise rose from the stands. Three soul bones over fifty thousand years old—such rewards were rare even in the entire history of the tournament.

"According to tournament rules, the champion team will distribute them as they see fit," Bibi Dong said.

Qian Ren Duo stepped forward, selected two soul bones, and walked down.

He glanced at Huo Yuhao and Wang Qiu'er, but both shook their heads at him.

"Actually... I already have one," Huo Yuhao said with a smile.

"I don't need one," Wang Qiu'er said with a glance. "And I don't think much of them."

So he accepted the left arm bone without ceremony and stuffed the leg bone into his younger brother's hands.

Hu Liena stepped forward and accepted the Spirit Concentration Wisdom Skull. Looking at the skull in her hands, a satisfied smile appeared on her face. This was the most suitable one for her; no one in Spirit Hall would compete with her for it.

Yan stood where he was, looking at the two soul bones that had been taken, his face showing little emotion. He knew his place. Though he had not obtained the fire-type soul bone, there would be other chances in the future.

Wang Qiu'er glanced at the soul bones once more.

She merely stood beside Huo Yuhao, her gaze resting on the girl in pink below the stage.

Huo Yuhao did not move either.

He stood there as his spiritual detection silently spread out, covering the entire Great Soul Arena.

He was waiting.

He knew what would happen next.

Because just moments ago, Skydream Iceworm had shouted in his Sea of Spirit, "Yuhao, Yuhao, that's a hundred-thousand-year soul beast!"

The soul bones had been distributed.

Bibi Dong stood atop the high platform, looking down on everyone. Her gaze swept over the Shrek group before finally settling on Xiao Wu.

"The competition is over," she said. "Now, it is time to deal with another matter."

Her voice was calm, yet it seemed to lower the temperature of the entire Great Soul Arena by several degrees.

"Xiao Wu," she said. "A hundred-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit soul beast transformed into human form and concealed her identity among humans. According to Spirit Hall's rules—"

She paused.

"Kill without mercy."

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo moved at the same time.

Two figures swept down from the stands and landed at the edge of the arena. Behind them, more Spirit Hall Soul Masters surged forward, surrounding the entire arena so tightly that not even water could pass through.

The Shrek group's expressions changed drastically.

Flander stepped forward, shielding Xiao Wu behind him. Liu Erlong followed immediately, and Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth before stepping forward as well.

The three clasped hands.

Golden light erupted from their bodies. Their three figures slowly fused, transforming into a massive golden dragon.

Golden Sacred Dragon.

The trinity Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the ultimate trump card of the Golden Iron Triangle.

The golden dragon raised its head and roared. Dragon might spread in every direction, forcing the Spirit Hall Soul Masters to retreat several steps.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo exchanged a glance, their Soul Rings lighting up simultaneously. They were in no hurry. This Golden Sacred Dragon would not last long against them. Once they shattered it, that hundred-thousand-year soul beast would be theirs.

Xiao Wu stood behind the others, her face pale.

She knew she might not be able to escape today.

Her gaze fell on Tang San, on the youth standing before her despite being covered in injuries.

"Third Brother..."

"Don't be afraid," Tang San said softly. "I'm here."

Tang San stood in front of Xiao Wu. Even standing upright made him sway, the backlash from Ring Detonation still lingering. Though Tang Hao had borne most of the backlash, his cultivation was ultimately too low, and his body was ultimately too weak.

Yet he still stood there without hesitation, shielding Xiao Wu. Only he knew that it was the same as in his previous life.

Below the stage, Wang Qiu'er's foot shifted slightly.

A hand caught hers.

She turned and saw Huo Yuhao looking at her.

"Watch carefully," Huo Yuhao said softly, so quietly that only the two of them could hear. "The Destiny Line above Xiao Wu's head is still long."

Wang Qiu'er froze for a moment.

She raised her head and looked at the girl in pink. In her vision, a golden Destiny Line extended from above Xiao Wu's head, stretching into the distance, toward some direction she could not see.

That line was very, very long.

It was nowhere near its end.

"Someone will come," Huo Yuhao said. "Don't be so impulsive."

Wang Qiu'er looked at him, a complicated emotion flashing through her red eyes.

"You know who I am?" she asked.

Huo Yuhao looked at her and shrugged lightly.

"Your Majesty, the Auspicious Beast," he said. "That hair color, those eyes, and that ability to sense destiny as well. The only thing I could think of was the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion."

Wang Qiu'er fell silent.

She looked at him for a long time.

Ever since their encounter in the Star Dou Great Forest, she had known that he was not simple. That Destiny Line connected them, making her unconsciously want to approach him, to understand him, to—

She did not know what she wanted.

But she knew he had been pretending all along.

Pretending not to know who she was, pretending to see her only as a teammate, pretending that there was nothing between them.

Now, he had finally stopped pretending.

"When did you find out?" she asked.

"After we returned from the Star Dou Great Forest," Huo Yuhao said. "I went to the library and checked the ancient texts. The Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, the embodiment of destiny's power, the child of fortune of the Star Dou Great Forest. Every trait matched."

He paused.

"And that Destiny Line has always been there."

Wang Qiu'er said nothing more.

She merely watched the golden dragon on the stage, the two opposing sides, and the Destiny Line above Xiao Wu's head that was still so very long.

"Then who will come?" she asked.

The corners of Huo Yuhao's lips rose slightly.

The smile was faint, so faint that it was almost imperceptible, yet Wang Qiu'er saw it.

"Just watch," he said. "It should be quite a show."

He paused.

"Though I don't know who will come."

The moment his words fell—

A massive blood-red hammer crashed down.

The hammer was so huge that it blotted out the sky, so huge that the entire Great Soul Arena was swallowed by its shadow. Its body was entirely blood-red, as if it had just been fished out of a pool of blood, exuding a suffocating pressure.

Clear Sky Hammer.

"Clear Sky Avatar!" A thunderous shout rang out.

Huo Yuhao's gaze instantly froze.

His pupils contracted sharply. His breathing stopped for an instant, and his entire body became motionless, as if he had been struck by a binding spell.

Those ruins.

That corpse whose face could not be seen clearly.

That hand reaching toward him.

Memories from seven years ago surged over him like a tide, drowning him whole. He stood before those ruins, watching his mother pinned beneath a beam, watching those mangled corpses, watching that name—

Tang Hao.

Hatred surged up.

As if it would devour him.

His body began to tremble. His eyes turned blood-red. His nails pierced his palms, and blood dripped to the ground, drop by drop.

But he did not move.

Because reason still remained.

He raised his head and looked at that blood-red hammer that blotted out the sky, at the figure descending from above, at that face he had seen somewhere far away, countless days and nights ago.

Tang Hao.

The man who had killed his mother seven years ago.

The man who had destroyed that Spirit Hall branch seven years ago.

The man who had made him an orphan seven years ago.

He was now right before him.

Huo Yuhao clenched his fists until they cracked. Blood flowed through his fingers and dripped to the ground, spreading into a small dark stain.

He wanted to rush forward.

He wanted to tear that man apart with Ice Empress's Pincer, freeze him with Emperor's Palm, blast him apart with Ice Blast Art. He wanted to kill that man with every method at his disposal.

But he could not.

Because he was still too weak.

A level forty-two Soul Ancestor was no different from an ant before Tang Hao. Rushing forward would only be suicide, a meaningless death.

He needed time.

Only time was needed.

Until he became stronger, stronger still—strong enough to take revenge.

A hand grasped his bloodied hand.

That hand was warm, soft, yet powerful. It held his hand and slowly pried open his tightly clenched fist.

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment and turned his head.

Wang Qiu'er stood beside him, her long golden hair fluttering gently in the wind, her blood-red eyes fixed on him. She held his hand without the slightest disgust as his blood stained hers.

"I know," she said.

Her voice was soft and cold, just as usual.

"Fate Guidance," she said. "You saw my memories, and I saw yours."

Huo Yuhao looked at her.

There was no sympathy or pity in those blood-red eyes, only an indescribable calmness. As if she were saying: I know what you went through. I know how deeply you hate. So—

You don't need to pretend in front of me.

Huo Yuhao fell silent for a moment.

Then he took a deep breath and forced down the surging hatred.

His hand gradually stopped trembling.

"Thank you," he said.

Wang Qiu'er said nothing.

She simply continued holding his hand as she watched the falling giant hammer with him.

Boom!

The giant hammer crashed into the soul power barrier raised by Bibi Dong, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and Ghost Douluo, erupting with a deafening roar. The entire Great Soul Arena shook. The seats in the stands toppled in every direction, and fine cracks spread across the walls.

The three Titled Douluo had joined forces and forcibly blocked the strike.

Tang Hao did not linger in battle, nor did he say another word.

He reached out, scooped up Xiao Wu and Tang San, and tucked them beneath his arms.

"Go!"

He could not stop himself from spitting out a mouthful of blood. Gritting his teeth, he pushed off the ground and shot into the distance like a cannonball. His speed was astonishing. In the blink of an eye, he had rushed out of the Great Soul Arena, out of Spirit City, and vanished beyond the horizon.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo wanted to pursue him, but Bibi Dong stopped them.

"No need to chase him," she said. "You won't catch him."

She stood there, looking in the direction Tang Hao had vanished.

Yet there was a nearly imperceptible smile in her eyes.

Tang Hao.

You finally came.

You finally exposed yourself.

Now that I know your weakness...

Next time, I won't let you escape.

On the stage, the Shrek group stood there blankly, staring at the vanished figure. Flander opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out. Liu Erlong supported Yu Xiaogang, and both of them were pale-faced.

The Golden Sacred Dragon had long since dispersed.

They had exhausted all their soul power, yet they had only held on for that brief moment.

If Tang Hao had not arrived in time, they would all have died here today.

Below the stage, Huo Yuhao stood where he was, looking toward the direction Tang Hao had disappeared.

Wang Qiu'er was still holding his hand.

There was no expression on his face.

But a voice echoed over and over in his heart.

Tang Hao.

Just wait.

One day.

One day—

He withdrew his gaze and lowered his head, looking at his bloodied hand.

The blood had already congealed into dark red scabs.

He suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint, so faint it was almost impossible to see, but Wang Qiu'er's eyes flickered slightly.

"Let's go," he said.

He released Wang Qiu'er's hand and walked toward the exit.

Wang Qiu'er followed behind him.

Qian Ren Duo and Qian Ren Jun exchanged a glance and followed as well.

Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan remained where they were, watching the backs of those people. No one spoke.

Sunlight poured down from the dome, gilding everything in gold.

Huo Yuhao walked at the front, his steps steady.

No one knew what he was thinking.

Nor did anyone know how much hatred had surged through his heart in that moment.

Only Wang Qiu'er knew.

Because she had seen it.

In his memories, she had seen those ruins.

She had seen the corpse pinned beneath a beam.

She had seen that six-year-old child standing motionless before the ruins.

She clenched her hand.

Though she had already let go, his warmth and his blood still lingered in her palm.