Confrontation! Helplessness!

A blade aura that seemed capable of splitting a hill hacked fiercely toward Xu Xingling below, just as she was preparing to unleash a soul skill. Seeing the sudden attack, Xu Xingling immediately activated her sixth ten-thousand-year Soul Ring.

"Sixth Soul Skill! Myriad Phenomena Star Core!"

The Star Crown above her head emitted dazzling starlight, rapidly condensing a brilliant star core above it. Under Xu Xingling's control, a shield of starlight enveloped her.

The blade aura struck the starlight shield, setting off massive ripples. The enormous Soul Power fluctuation instantly alerted the old monsters within the White Tiger Family.

"What's going on?" The old man in the third seat abruptly opened his eyes and stared in shock toward the source of the Soul Power disturbance. The other three elders opened their eyes as well.

"Let's go take a look first. That Soul Power fluctuation seems to belong to that girl Xu Xingling, as well as that old brat Old Mo."

The elder seated highest up wore a grave expression. As the White Tiger Family's strongest cultivator, he was a level ninety-three White Tiger Douluo—and currently the family's sole remaining Titled Douluo!

The other elders nodded and immediately turned into streams of light, flying toward the source of the Soul Power disturbance.

Inside the side residence, the old steward slowly descended from the air. Looking at Xu Xingling before him, his eyes overflowed with killing intent. If he had not been wary of those old monsters in the White Tiger Family, he would not have held back with that strike!

"Xu Xingling, you've got some nerve. I was only gone for a while, and you dared lay a hand on little Yuhao? You must be tired of living!"

The old steward raised his greatsword. Eight Soul Rings appeared—one white, one yellow, two purple, and four black—declaring his formidable Soul Douluo cultivation. Xu Xingling looked at the old man before her and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

"Kill him? That would be letting him off easy. He dared touch my son—he's the one courting death!"

Yet the old steward only looked disdainful. Did he not know perfectly well what sort of trash Dai Huabin was?

"Touch your son? He brought that upon himself! If you won't properly discipline your precious son, then next time, this old man will personally teach him a lesson!"

"You old bastard, how dare you!" Xu Xingling's face twisted viciously. If the old steward before her dared touch her son, she would not hesitate to drag that little bastard down with her.

"Yuhao, how are you? Are you hurt?" The old steward paid her no attention and turned to examine Huo Yuhao. Discovering that his Soul Power had merely been exhausted, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, the old steward seemed to realize something was wrong. He asked anxiously, "Yuhao! Where is your mother?"

The weak Huo Yuhao instantly had reddened eyes upon hearing the word "mother." Seeing this, how could the old steward fail to understand? The aura of a Soul Douluo erupted from him at once.

"Xu Xingling, you truly have a death wish!"

He lifted his greatsword, and his sixth Soul Ring lit up!

"Sixth Soul Skill! Blade Slash!" As the Kangjin Blade in his hand unleashed a terrifying blast of air, the old steward swung down from above, sending a massive blade aura hurtling fiercely toward Xu Xingling.

"First Soul Skill! White Tiger Protective Shield!"

A deep voice rang out. An elderly man in white robes appeared before Xu Xingling, immediately unleashing his first soul skill. An incomparably sturdy protective barrier emerged and effortlessly blocked the old steward's blade aura.

"Old Mo! What are you doing? You cannot kill the Duchess!"

The First Elder descended from the air with a stern expression. Calmly facing the old steward, he unleashed the cultivation of a Titled Douluo, holding back the enraged old steward.

Sensing the overwhelming Soul Power, the old steward regained his composure. Looking at the four elders before him, he understood that there was nothing he could do to that vile woman today!

"Why not? Dai Hao's second wife was murdered by this woman, and now you're telling me nothing can be done?"

His words instantly stunned the elders present. They all turned toward Xu Xingling with disbelief written across their faces. Did this woman truly think she held such immense power?

If it had been an ordinary person, the elders would not have cared. But Xu Xingling's sons, Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin, were both exceptionally talented and had the potential to restore the glory of the White Tiger Douluo from ten thousand years ago.

Dai Yueheng had even become one of the Shrek Seven Monsters, entered the Inner Court, and received guidance from those old monsters. Hua Bin's talent was also remarkable, and he even possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with a young girl from the Zhu Family!

"Even so, you cannot touch her. You should know her identity—we cannot afford to act against her!" the First Elder said sternly.

Looking at the ugly faces of those old men, the old steward sneered. Still, he could not defeat that old bastard right now, so he could only endure for the moment and state his conditions directly.

"Fine! I won't touch her! But make her keep her son under control. If he dares approach the side residence again, this old man will not mind breaking a great taboo and killing that beast!" As he spoke, he fully unleashed his aura and confronted the First Elder's Titled Douluo aura.

"Fine! Let's go!"

The First Elder nodded. He knew the old steward's words were his final concession, so he immediately led the others away from the side residence.

Watching them leave, the old steward finally relaxed. At the same time, he clutched his chest as intense pain swept through it. The wounds he had sustained on the battlefield had been stirred by his use of Soul Power.

"I'm getting old. Looks like I really can't refuse to admit it anymore!" Because of his first Soul Ring, the old steward had been unable to break through to Titled Douluo and had remained at level eighty-nine Soul Douluo. Still, his strength was already roughly comparable to that of an ordinary Titled Douluo.

"Grandpa Steward!" Thinking the old steward was injured, Huo Yuhao tried to rise and support him, but his weakened body left him unable to move.

Fortunately, Wei Qing was beside him. He supported the old steward, then carried Huo Yuhao back into the side residence as well. After the old steward meditated for a while and recovered somewhat, he turned to Huo Yuhao.

"Yuhao, can you tell Grandpa about this? What is the situation with this general?" The old steward looked seriously at Wei Qing before him. Knowing he could not hide it, Huo Yuhao explained his Twin Martial Souls.

However, he concealed Liu Ju's existence. Hearing that this was an ability of Yuhao's second Martial Soul, the old steward was stunned. What kind of Martial Soul could summon a general to aid its wielder?

Though he did not understand it, the old steward knew Yuhao had his own plans and did not press further. He thanked Wei Qing at the side, who waved a hand to indicate that it was simply his duty.

"Grandpa Steward, I want to cultivate. I want to avenge Mother!" Huo Yuhao's eyes were bloodshot. The hatred of having one's mother murdered could never be forgotten!

"Sigh! Grandpa understands. From now on, I'll properly guide your cultivation. Your second Martial Soul is fairly similar to my Kangjin Blade, so I can offer you some guidance as well!"

The old steward spoke helplessly, yet with a trace of delight. At the same time, Wei Qing beside him said that he could teach Yuhao some swordsmanship and provide guidance.

The days that followed were filled with grueling cultivation. Huo Yuhao trained during the day, and at night, he would usually fall asleep as soon as he had eaten and lay down in bed.

Wei Qing did not hold anything back in his swordsmanship instruction.

Thrusting, chopping, slashing, sweeping, lifting—these basic offensive moves—along with several core defensive moves: parrying, blocking, and drawing. With these eight fundamental techniques as his training goals, Huo Yuhao began his arduous cultivation.

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, three months had gone by. Huo Yuhao had already committed these sword techniques to memory, and as long as he was given a sword, he could perform them with a mere lift of his hand.

Today, while training, Huo Yuhao noticed a small figure peeking at him from a large tree beside the training ground.