Initial Cheat Acquired

Night fell.

Ten-year-old Bai Fan took Huo Yun'er's hand, preparing to leave under cover of darkness.

The two kept their footsteps as light as possible and finally arrived at a dilapidated back gate.

Just as Bai Fan was about to pull Huo Yun'er out the gate, she stopped, crouched down, and gently stroked his cheek.

She took a white dagger from her robes and placed it in Bai Fan's arms.

"Yuhao, this is the White Tiger Dagger your father gave Mother. Take it and leave."

"Mother, we can leave together. We can get away from this disgusting White Tiger Duke's Estate."

Huo Yun'er gave a gentle smile and carefully tidied Bai Fan's hair.

"Yuhao, Mother can't leave with you. Once I leave the White Tiger Duke's Estate, the Empress will surely send people to search for us."

"Yuhao, you've grown up now. Mother won't be able to take care of you anymore, so you must take good care of yourself. Mother has been bound to the White Tiger Duke's Estate for her whole life, but you're different. You still have a wonderful life ahead of you. Go. Leave this White Tiger Duke's Estate that made you suffer, and never come back."

Several crystal-clear tears suddenly appeared at the corners of Huo Yun'er's wrinkled eyes.

"Mother, I don't care. You have to leave with me today. We can run somewhere they can't find us."

Bai Fan pulled Huo Yun'er through the dilapidated back gate, but the moment they stepped out, several stray dogs at the entrance spotted them.

The barking woke the resting servants.

Bai Fan cursed inwardly.

Damn fate! Why are you targeting me at every turn? I just want to save poor Huo Yun'er. Does the protagonist have to go through all this?

Bai Fan had checked this back gate several times and had never found any stray dogs here. Yet on the very day he was leaving, they appeared.

Lights came on behind them in the Duke's Estate as servants carried lanterns over to inspect the area.

Huo Yun'er shoved Huo Yuhao away and gave him one final warning. "Yuhao, you must live well. Don't hate your father."

Just as in the original story, Huo Yun'er still could not bring herself to hate Dai Hao at the very end.

The servants behind them closed in step by step. Bai Fan knew that if he did not leave this time, he would not get another chance to escape so easily.

This escape would inevitably make the Empress wary.

Bai Fan suppressed the sting in his nose and ran toward the bushes in the darkness, not daring to stop for even a moment.

Huo Yun'er revealed a satisfied smile.

Just then, the servants found her and took her away.

With her lingering attachment finally gone, Huo Yun'er died the day after returning to her residence.

This was enough to prove that Huo Yun'er's body had long since been exhausted. The only reason she had remained alive was the attachment in her heart.

Having escaped the White Tiger Duke's Estate, Bai Fan ran with all his might.

He did not dare pause for a moment. Sweat flew freely, while tears ran down mixed with it.

"I am not that coward Huo Yuhao, not some chess piece to be manipulated by others."

"From this day onward, I, Bai Fan, swear that I will destroy that foul-smelling White Tiger Duke's Estate someday."

"And Dai Hao, I will kill you and send you to hell with the rest of them. Why should someone like you be able to ascend to the God Realm in the end? You deserve to die!"

"That coward Huo Yuhao couldn't bring himself to strike at you, but that doesn't mean I can't."

In just two short years, Bai Fan had grown accustomed to this gentle mother and regarded Huo Yun'er as family.

"Next, I'll just wait for Sky Dream Ice Silkworm to come find me. I'll take every cheat belonging to the Child of Destiny!"

Outside the Heavenly Screen.

Within the Star Dou Great Forest, Huo Yuhao watched the Heavenly Screen and continuously examined himself.

"I am a coward. I can't compare to the me on the Heavenly Screen. If I had been more considerate of Mother when I was young, could she have lived a few more years?"

Within the Star Luo Empire's army.

Dai Hao watched the Heavenly Screen, feeling miserable.

"Yun'er died? My own son wants to kill me. I am a failed father."

"No, there is still room to make amends. I have to find Yuhao. I will apologize to him in person."

Inside the Heavenly Screen.

A year passed quickly.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Electrolux's cheats arrived as hoped, and the plot continued according to the original arrangement.

"Kid, you don't seem surprised by my appearance at all?"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm tilted his chubby head and asked from within the spiritual sea of consciousness.

"Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, a million-year soul beast. I know everything about your situation."

"Oh no, it seems I've just escaped the tiger's den only to enter a wolf's lair. Why is Brother Sky Dream so miserable?"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm screamed within Bai Fan's spiritual sea of consciousness.

Bai Fan impatiently cut him off. "Stop yelling. Don't you just want to rely on me to become a god? Our goals are the same. What are you yelling about? We're a shared entity!"

"It's over. You know everything. I, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, am going to become a sacrifice."

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had probably been scared stupid by those soul beasts at Life Lake. Bai Fan had made things so clear, yet he still thought he was going to die.

They had already said it was a mutually beneficial symbiosis, yet he was still imagining persecution.

"Enough. Keep yelling, and I'll send you back to Life Lake."

The moment Bai Fan finished speaking, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm instantly fell silent.

Having just settled Sky Dream Ice Silkworm within his spiritual sea of consciousness, Bai Fan saw Bei Bei arrive with Tang Ya.

Unlike in the original story, Bai Fan did not appear in a bedraggled state. He stood before the two in neat, proper clothes.

Bei Bei was highly wary of Bai Fan, and Bai Fan did not deliberately try to strike up a conversation.

The three rested in the same area. Bai Fan began grilling fish, having perfectly inherited Huo Yuhao's skill at grilling fish.

The fragrance drew Tang Ya's attention, and slurping sounds escaped her mouth.

"Little brother, could you share one of your grilled fish with me?"

Bai Fan had already prepared enough for all three of them, so he casually tossed one to Tang Ya.

He then started eating in front of them, an action entirely meant for Bei Bei to see.

It was to prove that there was nothing wrong with the grilled fish and that it was safe to eat.

Watching the two devour the fish, Bei Bei unconsciously swallowed.

Bai Fan casually tossed out a grilled fish, and Bei Bei swiftly caught it.

"Meeting is fate. Have one."

A faint blush appeared on Bei Bei's cheeks, and he lowered his head to eat.

"Little brother, your skills are incredible. Want to come to my Tang Sect as a cook? I really want to eat your grilled fish every day."

Tang Ya spoke unclearly through a mouthful of unchewed grilled fish.

Just as Bei Bei was about to excuse Tang Ya's words, Bai Fan immediately interrupted him.

"Stop eating. Something's coming. Prepare for battle."

The moment he spoke, a Thousand-Year Datura Snake shot out from the nearby grass and charged at the three of them.

Bei Bei instantly used Martial Soul Possession, blocking the Datura Snake's first round of attacks.

Tang Ya then joined the battle, and the two worked together with excellent coordination.

Seeming to sense the threat posed by the pair, the Datura Snake began using its speed advantage to constantly keep its distance.

The two were continuously kited by a thousand-year soul beast.

Suddenly, a wave of Soul Power rippled out as Bai Fan's first soul skill was applied to both of them.

"What a marvelous feeling!" the two said in unison.