With their memories shared, Qian Renxue knew about the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's so-called god-making plan and scoffed at it.
Both he and Huo Yuhao had been dancing in Tang San's palm from the very beginning. So what if they became gods? A Million-Year Soul Ring was not the deciding factor.
On the Douluo Continent ten thousand years later, the God King used the world as his chessboard, and everyone was a pawn under his control.
Moreover, judging by the original story's ending, the soul spirits who followed Huo Yuhao had never been resurrected. They remained spirits bound to their host, their lives and deaths hanging on a single thought. Immortality was merely a fig leaf used to conceal the cruel truth.
Qian Renxue suddenly asked, "Xiao Zi, do you intend to inherit a divine position someday?"
Whether in Douluo I or Douluo II, becoming a god was the goal every soul master dreamed of and devoted a lifetime to pursuing. Although a certain someone had been a God King in his previous life, that was all in the past. Facing the future with a fresh identity and seeking a god deity inheritance seemed reasonable enough, didn't it?
"No!" Xiao Zi flatly rejected the idea. "A godhood inheritance sounds nice, but in reality, it's a shackle. No matter how strong you are, there will always be a ceiling. Besides, I have the inheritance from Swallowed Star. Why abandon the roots to chase the branches?"
"Then how do you view Huo Yuhao, this Child of Fate?" Qian Renxue asked again.
Although she had offered herself as a sacrifice voluntarily, Luo Feng had actually forced them together, and neither side had known the other beforehand. Given Huo Yuhao's hard-to-judge conduct in the original story, and her uncertainty about her host's true attitude, her concerns were entirely natural.
While everyone was watching the competition and had no time to pay attention to them, Xiao Zi opened his heart in a rare moment of candor. "Xiao Xue, we both appreciate talent. That's a shared understanding and interest between us. As things stand, Huo Yuhao has done nothing wrong. But I promise you, if he stands against us one day, I won't show him any mercy!"
With that assurance, Qian Renxue visibly brightened. "The Snow Empress is part of our plans. If I remember correctly, she and the Ice Empress are close sisters. Unless there's absolutely no other choice, spare Huo Yuhao's life so we don't end up at odds with the Snow Empress."
Xiao Zi nodded. "I know what to do. If things reach the point of no return, I'll find a way to rescue the Ice Empress."
This was no flight of fancy. Once the Destruction Scepter gradually awakened and recovered the power of a Supreme God King, extracting a soul would not be impossible. It was only a question of sooner or later.
"Thank you." Qian Renxue's gratitude was heartfelt. She understood that this showed how much he valued her; otherwise, he could simply have ignored her concerns. After all, in terms of her actual standing, she was merely a fallen deity whose life and death depended entirely on her host's mood.
"I'll support every decision you make and obey you unconditionally!"
As the former Angel God, she, too, made her most solemn promise. From this day onward, there would truly be no divide between them. She would consider his interests wholeheartedly and hold nothing back.
Meanwhile, the consequences of Huo Yuhao unleashing his ferocious beast aura became apparent. All the soul beasts had sunk into a listless state, and no matter how Gong Changlong tried to command them, none could get back up.
After consulting Dean Yan Shaozhe, he announced that the examination was suspended until the soul beasts recovered. The new examination date would be announced separately.
Despite the interrupted assessment, Dean Yan Shaozhe was not annoyed in the slightest. Instead, he studied Huo Yuhao with great interest. With the ferocious beast aura emanating from him, along with his ultimate ice attribute, a suspicion gradually took shape...
Twin martial souls.
If that suspicion proved true, Shrek would welcome a genuine genius. Huo Yuhao would be an undisputed rising star!
Seeing the students leaving, Zhou Yi hurriedly asked, "Director Du, how will Huo Yuhao's assessment be scored?"
After consulting Yan Shaozhe, Du Weilun replied, "Just count it as a pass."
As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Yuhao walked up to Class Two and looked coldly at Dai Huabin. "If I remember correctly, our wager was that whoever scored higher would be the final winner. You lost!"
Dai Huabin had never expected him to win this way. With over a hundred classmates and all the teachers watching, there was no way he could bluff his way out of it.
Knowing full well that the price of defeat was kowtowing and admitting his mistake, Dai Huabin's cold, hard face instantly turned deathly pale. He instinctively looked toward his master.
Most importantly, the stakes this time included a soul bone. The White Tiger Duke's reputation was involved, so he could not afford the slightest carelessness.
"A bet's a bet..." With his master's approval, Dai Huabin took out a soul bone and prepared to hand it to Huo Yuhao.
Before he could do so, Wang Dong took it first, then passed it straight to Xiao Zi. "You put up the stakes, so this soul bone should belong to you. Don't even think about refusing it out of politeness, or I won't speak to you again~"
Xiao Zi had never intended to refuse. He thanked her, took the soul bone, and examined it closely.
On the surface, Dai Huabin had been forced into the wager; in reality, it was his master's assignment. Naturally, he dared not cut corners, and everything he offered was a treasure, such as this Twenty-Thousand-Year Head Soul Bone. If he had not been worried that the Duke's Mansion would discover the truth, Xiao Zi would have opened his lion's maw and demanded a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone from them.
The stakes had been handed over, but one promise remained unfulfilled. Led by Huo Yuhao, everyone held their breath and waited for Dai Huabin to kneel and kowtow.
"Ahem!" Xiao Zi finally stepped forward, standing in front of Dai Huabin. "Since the competition was interrupted, how about this... the wager remains in effect, and the stakes will still be soul bones. When the time comes, everyone can fight a fair and square match. That way, the loser will be convinced in both heart and mind, won't they?"
The scene he had long anticipated failed to materialize, and the person spoiling it was someone he knew. Huo Yuhao was deeply unwilling to let it go. Just as he was about to speak, Wang Dong decided for him. "Sure! Then the wager stays as it is. We'll count this soul bone as interest collected in advance. Li Lezi, make sure you keep it safe. Don't let some outsider benefit!" As she spoke, she glanced at Dai Huabin.
Having received his instructions, Dai Huabin put on a furious expression. "It's not like I can't take a loss! Then let's add another condition: whoever loses has to shout, 'I was wrong!' And we'll add another high-age soul bone while we're at it. Name your price!"
Dai Huabin himself certainly lacked the means to throw money around so generously, but the White Tiger Duke's Mansion had them!
Huo Yuhao's expression eased slightly and gradually softened. These terms seemed acceptable, and Wang Dong had already agreed...
Even at a time like this, he did not forget to secure benefits for a certain someone. "The soul bone was provided by our classmate Li Lezi. You should ask for his approval!"
That was exactly what Xiao Zi had been waiting to hear. His expression appeared calm, but inwardly, joy blossomed in his heart. I've made a killing this time!
He had pocketed both the main cast's goodwill and the White Tiger Duke's Mansion's accumulated wealth, picking up several soul bones and a sizable sum of money for free along the way. Why wouldn't he take a deal that yielded vast profits without any investment?
If the opportunity arose, he could use more wagers like this. He would not even need to cultivate; he could just lie back and collect the money!
After hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Dai Huabin waved a hand and made a startling decision. "I'll waive Li Lezi's soul bone stake. If I lose the match, I'll simply give him another soul bone. He won't have to pay anything!"
The wager was settled for a second time. On the surface, it favored Huo Yuhao even more. In reality, both sides of the bet would suffer losses, and there was only one winner.