White Tiger!
The other Martial Soul had to be the White Tiger,
Twin Martial Souls: White Tiger and Hell Spirit Cat!
After realizing this possibility, the duchess felt not a trace of resentment or jealousy,
but relief!
For fuck's sake, he awakened both of those Martial Souls. What else was there to say?
Fine, you can have it!
She had let it go...
"It seems Dai Hao still has me in his heart. He knew to give me a warning."
The duchess no longer felt the slightest anger toward Dai Hao.
Looking at it this way,
Dai Hao had treated her with considerable kindness and consideration.
Just imagine: if she were Dai Hao, and Dai Lingfeng had awakened Twin Martial Souls of the White Tiger and Hell Spirit Cat, she would have beaten herself up too!
That beating had not been excessive in the least!
And Dai Hao had even warned her.
Otherwise, given Dai Lingfeng's importance, the slightest thought of doing him harm would surely bring a calamity crashing down on her head!
Even her birth family, the Zhu Family, would not be able to protect her.
Dai Hao would certainly kill her!
"I need to go deal with that unfilial son Huabin and make him apologize to Dai Lingfeng!"
"And tell Yueheng to hurry back and meet his younger brother."
"They're all brothers by blood. They mustn't grow distant."
"I should also take out some of my dowry to provide Lingfeng with cultivation resources. I am his legal mother, after all."
The duchess's mind worked quickly.
In Dai Lingfeng's case,
she had no chance of winning a direct fight. She could only do her best to make amends and see if they could let their past grievances melt away.
Dai Lingfeng was still young,
and he had never lived a good life. As long as she was willing to bestow a few favors on him, she would surely be able to move him.
Otherwise, once he grew up, it would be even harder to make amends.
Dai Huabin certainly had to be beaten.
Dai Hao had beaten her,
so she would beat Dai Huabin. She had to show the proper attitude.
And there was more to be said about Dai Yueheng.
Dai Yueheng had never bullied Dai Lingfeng and his mother. She had done all the bad things, and Dai Huabin had followed her example.
Dai Yueheng only needed to play the emotional card as the eldest brother. Wouldn't it be easy for him to build a good relationship with Dai Lingfeng?
Dai Lingfeng was the White Tiger Lineage's chance to soar into the heavens in a single flight.
If Dai Yueheng clung tightly to that thigh, his future would be limitless!
"How did that woman Huo Yun'er get so lucky?"
"Her belly really did her proud."
"She actually gave birth to such an outstanding son. A mother's status rises with her son's. Won't she be riding roughshod over me from now on?"
Although the duchess dared not harbor any designs against Dai Lingfeng, she was fiercely jealous of Huo Yun'er.
Why?
How could Huo Yun'er, who was inferior to her in every way, give birth to such a favored son of heaven?
Wouldn't she have to watch Huo Yun'er's expression from now on?
Fortunately, Huo Yun'er was rather spineless, with neither power nor influence and a lowly background. Even if she gained power, she would not be too oppressive toward the duchess.
"Go find out what's happening with Huo Yun'er."
The duchess gave the maid the order in a sour tone.
With such a formidable son, Huo Yun'er must have been feeling mighty pleased with herself.
In fact,
for Dai Lingfeng's sake, that snob Dai Hao might very well elevate Huo Yun'er to take her place as his legal wife!
"Yes."
The maid soon returned with news.
She told the duchess that Dai Lingfeng did not acknowledge Huo Yuhao and his mother.
"Hm?"
"Hahaha, Huo Yun'er, it seems you have luck but no fortune."
"So what if the son you gave birth to did you proud?"
"You're too lowly yourself. To your son, you're nothing but a stain."
"Hmph, that son of yours was born for me!"
The duchess was instantly wild with joy.
If Dai Lingfeng did not acknowledge Huo Yun'er,
then Dai Hao would not care about Huo Yun'er either. And the child was so young, he could not do without a mother.
That worked out perfectly for her!
If she put some thought into it, adopted Dai Lingfeng, declared that he was the third son she had given birth to, and raised him as her own, wouldn't that be a massive win?
She had status and resources and could give Dai Lingfeng support. What did Huo Yun'er have?
Even Dai Lingfeng did not acknowledge her!
With that thought in mind, the duchess went back and beat Dai Huabin even harder.
"Mother, what are you doing?"
Dai Huabin felt terribly wronged.
His own father, Dai Hao, had just scolded him, and when he came back, the duchess had given him another vicious beating.
This was the most miserable day of his life.
"What am I doing?"
"Why don't you think about what you've done!"
"That boy Dai Lingfeng awakened Twin Martial Souls, and they're the White Tiger and Hell Spirit Cat."
"You should know what it means for those two Martial Souls to appear in one person."
"Hurry and apologize to Dai Lingfeng. Carry a thorny switch on your back and beg his forgiveness. If he doesn't forgive you, don't come back."
The duchess gave Dai Huabin a furious dressing-down.
Her precious son, whom she had usually been afraid to drop even while holding him in her arms, now displeased her no matter how she looked at him.
The kick-the-cat effect was also at work.
The duchess had just been beaten by Dai Hao, leaving her miserable and disheveled. Now, the sight of Dai Hao's son made her furious.
"What?"
"Twin Martial Souls of the White Tiger and Hell Spirit Cat?"
"How is that possible?!"
"That kid must be cheating!"
Dai Huabin was dumbstruck.
The White Tiger and Hell Spirit Cat were of similar quality, and their attributes were compatible. They had a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, and the two families had intermarried for ten thousand years.
In theory, it was not strange for this combination of Twin Martial Souls to appear.
One could even say its appearance was inevitable.
But when that theory actually became reality, Dai Huabin was completely at a loss.
No wonder!
No wonder Dai Hao had suddenly returned and scolded him, and the duchess had beaten him too.
Now it all made sense.
"I still need a woman from the Zhu Family to use the Hell White Tiger Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Doesn't that mean he can do it alone?"
Dai Huabin clutched his hair, numb.
If he could use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill by himself, just how strong would Dai Lingfeng's individual combat power be?
Could human strength even match a monster like that?
"It's good that you understand."
"Know your own limits and don't harbor thoughts you shouldn't. His appearance is a stroke of fortune for the White Tiger Lineage, and it's a good thing for you too."
"Everything the White Tiger Clan has lost, he can take back!"
The duchess spoke meaningfully.
Not just the throne of the Star Luo Empire, but even the unification of the Douluo Continent!
"Yes, I'll go carry a thorny switch on my back and beg his forgiveness right away!"
"Mother, Father caught me bullying Huo Yun'er and Huo Yuhao today. What did Father say about it?"
"Do I need to apologize to Huo Yun'er and the others too?"
Dai Huabin gritted his teeth for a moment, then clenched his fists.
A true man knew when to yield and when to stand tall.
He conceded.
The White Tiger was what the White Tiger Lineage prided itself on most. Now that Dai Lingfeng had surpassed him in that respect, he truly conceded.
"Hmph, you don't need to worry about your father."
The duchess gave a cold snort.
What had Dai Hao said?
He had made it perfectly clear with his fists and feet.
"As for Huo Yun'er and Huo Yuhao, Dai Lingfeng didn't acknowledge them. That's good news for us."
"Huo Yun'er is nothing but a lowly maid. In name, I'm Dai Lingfeng's mother."
The duchess gave a rather smug cold snort.
She had picked up Dai Lingfeng like a bargain.
If she then chose a niece from her birth family, the Zhu Family, and bound her to Dai Lingfeng through marriage, she could raise him as her own son.
The Dai and Zhu families had intermarried for generations.
It was just that Dai Lingfeng's situation was unusual, and she did not know whether he would need a woman from the Zhu Family.