Driving a Wedge?

His voice was so grief-stricken that it moved the heart.

Tang San had never imagined that the mother who had carried him for nine long months and given him life had actually been killed by his own father's scheming.

How could he possibly accept that?

After all, he should have had a complete, happy family in this life.

Yet his father's calculations alone had robbed him of his mother from the moment he was born.

Hearing his son's accusations, Tang Hao panicked.

This boy was the hope of their Clear Sky Sect-and his own hope as well. How could he let him hate him?

"Little San, listen to me. Your mother can still be resurrected. She's the Blue Silver Emperor. Her vitality is incredibly tenacious. She..."

"Hahahahaha..." Liu Hao suddenly burst out laughing.

"Resurrected? Tang Hao! Do you even believe that yourself?"

Tang San's emotions, which had begun to soften when Tang Hao said his mother could be resurrected, were instantly shattered again by Liu Hao's words.

"What do you mean?" His heart clenched, and he asked urgently.

Tang Hao's face flushed red. "Little San, don't listen to him. He's trying to drive a wedge between father and son! Don't believe him!"

But Tang San merely gave him a cool glance, then ignored him and turned back to Liu Hao.

Driving a wedge? Having lived two lives, how could I fail to see that?

But if I can learn the truth, what does it matter if he's scheming against me?

If your conscience is clear, why fear someone telling the truth?

"Heh, Tang San, tell me-does a plant need plenty of sunlight to grow strong and healthy?" Liu Hao did not reveal the answer immediately, instead asking Tang San with a smile.

The moment Tang Hao heard this, he understood that Liu Hao truly knew. He was merely keeping them in suspense on purpose to torment him. But what could he do? He could only close his eyes in anguish and await Tang San's final decision.

"Of course. Without enough sunlight, a plant will struggle to grow and become increasingly weak. It'll be more susceptible to disease and pests, and may even wither and die!" Having formally studied medicinal herbs in the Tang Sect in his previous life, Tang San answered without hesitation.

Clap, clap-

Liu Hao applauded with a smile. "An expert. A true expert! Just what I'd expect from the prized disciple who was the only person in the Tang Sect to create the Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus in two hundred years."

Whoosh!

At those words, much of Tang San's resentment toward his father instantly vanished, replaced by terror of Liu Hao.

Impossible! This is the deepest secret in my heart. How could he know?!

Tang San stared at Liu Hao with eyes as round as saucers, as though he had seen a ghost.

"The Tang Sect? The Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus? A prized disciple?"

Hearing these unfamiliar terms, Tang Hao was naturally utterly baffled.

When did my son join some sect? And become the Tang Sect's prized disciple, at that?

Hasn't Tang San been cultivating by my side all these years?

Suddenly, Tang Hao recalled the oddities his son had displayed over the years.

Those movement techniques, those hand techniques, his Soul Power cultivation, and that ability to make his eyes glow-all learned without a teacher...

Could he... not be my son? No! He is my son! My blood flows in his veins. He is my son!

After thoroughly convincing himself, Tang Hao's gaze toward Tang San shifted from uncertainty and suspicion back to firm, paternal affection.

"Boy, you really are a cunning one. Not only are you trying to blacken my image in Little San's heart, you're also trying to undermine my trust in him! You're too naive. Do you think we'd believe you?" Struck by inspiration, Tang Hao suddenly stood up with a cold laugh.

Even Liu Hao was stunned by this. Why had this bastard suddenly changed his tune?

Ah, I get it.

Liu Hao suddenly understood. That bastard Tang Hao was hinting to Tang San that they both had their own secrets. Better for each to take a step back and unite against their common enemy.

After all, they were father and son. Could a few words from someone else really turn them into bitter enemies?

Clearly, Tang San had also understood Tang Hao's meaning, and much of his resentment toward him faded.

Then so be it if I don't have a mother. At least I still have Dad and my little sister Xiao Wu.

"Liu Hao, say whatever you like. Dad will always be my dad. I won't let you sway me."

"..."

For a moment, Liu Hao was at a loss for words.

Who said I only said all that to drive a wedge between Tang San and his father?

My most important target is this adorable little rabbit...

The corners of Liu Hao's lips curled slightly as he looked at Xiao Wu beside them. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at that. Your dear Brother Tang San has made up with his scumbag father. Do you really still dare to stay with him? Aren't you afraid that one day, his father-or he himself, following his father's example-will do the same thing to you?"

At these words, Xiao Wu's face instantly turned deathly pale, and boundless desolation filled her heart.

That's right. The Brother San I thought was as pure as ice and jade can actually forgive someone who schemed against and killed his own mother.

Most importantly, the victim had been one of her own kind-a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.

She thought about what might happen if she continued growing closer to Tang San, or even walked down the aisle with him. Would she end up following in that predecessor's footsteps...?

How did that saying go? Like father, like son.

If Tang Hao could do such a thing, could Tang San guarantee that he never would?

A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and a Soul Bone...

Could anyone truly resist that temptation?

Wait, no!

Xiao Wu suddenly snapped out of it and looked at Liu Hao, demanding, "What about you, then? Why did you approach me? Aren't you plotting to take my Soul Ring and Soul Bone too?"

Utterly bewildered, Liu Hao pointed his right index finger at his own nose. "Me? After your Soul Ring and Soul Bone?"

"What else? Don't think I didn't see them. You have four Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings. That means you've already hunted down four hundred-thousand-year soul beasts."

Xiao Wu's gaze was icy as she continued, "When it comes to being despicable, you're hardly any better than Tang Hao."

At this point, she had already resigned herself to her fate.

There were two Titled Douluo present, and she trusted neither of them. But it didn't matter. At worst, she would die.

"No, no, no, no, Little Rabbit. You've got it wrong. I don't have four hundred-thousand-year soul beasts."

Liu Hao wagged his index finger at Xiao Wu while shaking his head in denial.

Then, under Xiao Wu's somewhat puzzled gaze, he released his second God-King-Level Martial Soul-the Purple Flame Ultimate Emperor Phoenix!

Screech!

With a clear, piercing phoenix cry, an enormous dark-purple phoenix bathed in purple flames appeared above Liu Hao's head, radiating overwhelming God King-level pressure.

Immediately afterward came red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, gold!

Nine Soul Rings radiating terrifying auras appeared one after another, circling and pulsing around Liu Hao.

"Armor... oh, no. Martial Soul Possession!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Purple Flame Ultimate Emperor Phoenix's enormous energy body merged into Liu Hao.

The next moment, a pair of dark-purple feathered wings blazing with purple flames sprouted from Liu Hao's back.

His hair rapidly turned deep purple as well, and a purple flame mark appeared on his forehead.

With a whoosh, his wings spread. As they beat, a wave of terrifying heat swept outward, sending the surrounding temperature soaring. The lush green trees instantly yellowed, withered, blackened, carbonized, and crumbled into drifting ash.

Not only that, even the air around Liu Hao was constantly warped by the intense heat radiating from him, making it hazy and indistinct.

This sudden sight left everyone present utterly stunned.

Their eyes bulged like bronze bells, and their mouths gaped wide enough to fit an egg.

"Little Rabbit, take a good look. How many Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings do I have here?"