Family Bonds?

"No, don't! Daddy, it hurts!"

"Don't be afraid, Xiao Qi. You only have to suffer a little for now. Daddy is doing this for your own good."

Two trails of tears slipped from the corners of Wang Dong'er's eyes. Soon, she slowly opened her eyes to the familiar dormitory.

Across from her, Huo Yuhao and the other two were watching her with complicated expressions.

The strand of Divine Sense inside Wang Dong'er had not been difficult to deal with. Although it had resisted after they alerted it, it had caused no trouble against Electrolux and Gu Yuena's combined efforts.

But what happened afterward shocked all five of them.

That strand of Divine Sense carried few memories, but they had still uncovered some information. Wang Dong'er's birth father had actually torn her soul roughly into three pieces. Wang Dong'er was one of them, and another very small fragment of soul was also inside her.

That strand of Divine Sense served two purposes: to keep Wang Dong'er from dissipating, and to influence her to fall in love with someone. For some unknown reason, however, it had suddenly stopped influencing her. Only then had Huo Yuhao learned that he was actually Douluo Star's child of destiny.

There was another sinister purpose: when Huo Yuhao underwent an attribute connection with the daughter of destiny, that soul fragment would seize the opportunity to attach itself to her soul as a parasite and slowly take her over.

"I never thought the Divine Realm would fall this far." Gu Yuena had few memories of the Divine Realm, but she knew its gods had not been like this in the past.

Tian Meng was still shaken as well. "And I wanted so badly to go to the Divine Realm. What a lucky escape. What a lucky escape."

"That's not quite right," Huo Yuhao disagreed. "Judging by the circumstances at the time, that god didn't dare let anyone else know what he was doing.

"I can deduce the following conclusions. First, most of the Divine Realm probably despises this sort of behavior.

"Second, that god is a beast who cherishes every feather of his reputation and considers himself noble. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said this was for his child's own good.

"Finally, this god must have designs on Douluo Star."

"Yuhao, you're right." Electrolux spoke meaningfully. "A god like that should not exist!"

"Damn it!" Gu Qiu'er ground her teeth. She had only just learned that she, too, was a piece in the scheme. "It's a shame we don't know which god it was. Otherwise, I'd torture him to death."

"I have a theory." Huo Yuhao connected the information he knew and deduced the most likely possibility.

"Who?"

"Tang San."

Huo Yuhao explained, "I've read the information on Tang San and found that the history books record nothing but his glorious, magnificent deeds. That fits the personality I deduced for the mastermind very well.

"Besides, Tang San ascended from Douluo Star, so under normal circumstances, the other gods wouldn't interfere too much with this planet.

"Most importantly, Wang Dong'er joined the Tang Sect."

"How is that a reason?"

"Tang San founded the Tang Sect, but it's fallen into decline. Tang San must want to revive it. And when Tang Ya first met me, she rather abruptly wanted me to join.

"And I'm the child of destiny."

"Hehe, that's right." Gu Qiu'er's mood brightened, and she laughed. "We're a match made in heaven. No wonder I felt drawn to you the first time we met."

At that, Gu Yuena glanced at Gu Qiu'er, but Gu Qiu'er returned her look with a hint of defiance instead. Hmph! Still, both girls understood Huo Yuhao well and knew he would not favor one over the other.

Huo Yuhao remained calm. He did not care about his status as the child of destiny. This girl had been by his side all along. Even without fate's arrangements, he would be willing to marry her once everything was over. Huo Yuhao had no objection to a destiny that benefited him like this.

After resolving the problem, Electrolux crushed and devoured that strand of Divine Sense, which benefited him somewhat. Meanwhile, the unconscious soul fragment was merged into Wang Dong'er's soul, strengthening it a little.

"I..."

Seeing Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong'er wanted to say something, but she did not know what to say. She did not know what exactly had happened to her, but that dark memory was etched deep into her mind.

"Do you want to know the truth?" Huo Yuhao did not tell her the truth outright, but gave her a choice.

"Yuhao, let me tell you a few things."

Wang Dong'er did not answer Huo Yuhao's question. Instead, she began telling her own story:

"I've never met my father or mother, but I have a Big Daddy and a Second Daddy who dote on me.

"They treat me very well. Sometimes, I'd ask about my father and mother.

"They told me my parents had gone somewhere very far away, but that they loved me very much.

"Sometimes, I'd envy the other children in the sect. They had their fathers and mothers with them, while I didn't. But I believed my parents must love me just like other parents loved their children.

"But..." Wang Dong'er finally could not hold back her tears. "It was all a lie. A lie!"

"I have no memories from before I was six. I asked Big Daddy and Second Daddy, but they were vague every time.

"When they looked at me, who were they really seeing? That Xiao Qi?"

Wang Dong'er leaned against the wall. It took a long while before she recovered.

"Tell me, Yuhao. Who was the mastermind?"

"According to my deductions, Tang San."

"Tang San..." After a moment of silence, Wang Dong'er raised her hand. A dark golden light flashed, and a hammer adorned with magnificent dark golden patterns appeared in her hand. "You're right."

The Clear Sky Hammer! Huo Yuhao recognized this Martial Soul. It seemed this was the truth.

"So I'm Sea God Tang San's daughter? Why? In the books and the stories I've heard since childhood, he was so honorable and upright!" Wang Dong'er found it hard to believe, yet had no choice but to believe it. The collapse of her faith dealt her a tremendous blow.

"No one is perfect. Everyone has flaws. Often, we've simply been kept in the dark."

"What is he after?" In the end, Wang Dong'er still asked the question.

Huo Yuhao told Wang Dong'er what he had deduced, but did not tell her that Gu Yuena and Gu Qiu'er were also Soul Beasts.

"Waaah..." Wang Dong'er looked up at Gu Qiu'er. "I'm sorry, Sister Qiu'er."

Gu Qiu'er waved a hand. "You weren't the one who did it. You're a victim too."

Before long, Wang Dong'er exhausted herself crying and fell asleep on Huo Yuhao's bed.

Huo Yuhao watched Wang Dong'er, then suddenly said, "Come watch the stars with me tonight."

"Mm." Both girls answered.

The two girls leaned against Huo Yuhao's shoulders while he gazed at the stars and thought.

He thought about many things, about the Emperor, about Dai Hao.

The Emperor was not a competent father, but he still loved his children. He did not know how to express it, nor did he have the time.

Huo Yuhao knew many of the Imperium's secrets. He knew the threat the Warp posed to humanity. The Emperor was the tallest one standing. If he did not shoulder the burden, no one could bear it. He had chosen all of humanity.

As for Dai Hao, Huo Yuhao could understand him as well, but he would definitely kill him.

Huo Yuhao knew Dai Hao was aware of his existence, but he was merely a son a maid had given birth to without permission. If he had possessed the White Tiger Martial Soul, he would certainly have been valued, and even his mother's status could have risen through her son.

But Huo Yuhao did not. Even a tiger-type Martial Soul would have sufficed. Among nobles whose legacies stretched back ten thousand years, especially families whose ancestors had included gods, the closer their descendants were to their ancestors, the more they were valued.

They had caused his mother's death, and Huo Yuhao wanted revenge. But he wanted no connection whatsoever with the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, so he had assassinated Dai Huabin, and the duchess would certainly contract the virus and die as well.

It was not that Huo Yuhao did not want to kill Dai Hao right now. Without his tacit consent, how could his mother have died? But Huo Yuhao's investigation had revealed that Dai Hao was a mainstay in resisting the Sun Moon Imperium. He could not die yet.

The White Tiger Lineage was deeply rooted in the military. Until someone who could replace him was found, killing him would cause unrest. He could live a few more years for now.

It was time to build his own armed force!