Prologue
In a dim space, faint threads of light gradually pierced the darkness, but could only trace indistinct outlines. An oppressive atmosphere filled the space, as though countless invisible eyes were watching from the shadows. Sea God Tang San, a Divine Realm Enforcer, was directing cold mockery at another being bound within a strange radiance. "An Outer God from another dimension, you really are interesting. Wouldn't it be better to die so peacefully? Why struggle like this and add to your suffering?"
The bound figure trembled slightly, his voice tinged with urgency and anger. "What have you done to my disciple?"
Tang San let out a piercing, wild laugh that echoed through the dim space like a demon's whisper. "What have I done? He's doing very well now. He inherited a godhood, married my daughter, and became a dog utterly loyal to my Tang family. Of course, as the child of fortune of Douluo Star, his fortune naturally belongs to my Tang family too."
"Nonsense! You stole his fortune, his life! Give him back his fortune! That child's life was never supposed to be like this. His fortune belongs to him alone. His life should be his own to create, too. He's not a puppet for others to manipulate!" The bound figure grew agitated, the light around him flashing wildly as he tried to break free of the chains of divine power restraining him. But it was all in vain, and he could only roar in fury.
"What touching affection between master and disciple." A mocking, cold smile appeared on Tang San's face as he continued, "I weakened his memories of you back then so I could more easily obtain his fortune, as well as that strange power you possess.
"Now, your Light inheritance is in my hands. As for necromancy, I no longer need it. I've already seen a greater power. And you have no value left for me to exploit.
"But I want you alive, so you can watch carefully as your disciple's fortune is exhausted and my son rises. I'll have that clever disciple of yours obediently guard the gates of my Tang family, while I ascend to a supreme realm no other god can reach.
"No one else will be able to control this Divine Realm. Only I can. I am the strongest being! Hahahahaha..." His crazed laughter echoed endlessly through the darkness.
In the Divine Realm, everyone was silent amid a tense atmosphere. After the Golden Dragon King's death, his Divine Core was darting about, searching for a host, and Sea God Tang San's son, Tang Wulin, was the one it had chosen. At the critical moment, just as the Divine Core was about to enter Tang Wulin's body, a hand shot out like lightning and seized both the Divine Core and Tang Wulin, successfully averting the tragedy.
Everyone looked closely and saw that the person who had acted was Huo Yuhao, who had arrived after resisting the turbulent currents of space and time. For a moment, everyone was relieved, sighing one after another. "As expected of the God of Emotion. He can always turn the tide at a critical moment," someone murmured in admiration. Yet Sea God Tang San's expression was exceptionally ugly. He stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao, a hint of viciousness in his eyes.
"The Divine Realm Center has stabilized. There's no need to worry," Huo Yuhao said, breaking the brief silence. Just as everyone thought the crisis had passed entirely and felt relieved, an unexpected upheaval quietly began to unfold. Huo Yuhao's gaze abruptly sharpened. He stared hard at Tang San and shouted, "Now it's time to settle the score between us, my esteemed father-in-law!"
As soon as he spoke, Huo Yuhao took the recently born Tang Wulin, who was wailing in his arms, hostage and shouted, "Nobody make a rash move! Otherwise, I can't guarantee what danger my little brother might face."
"Everyone, don't make any rash moves. I'll talk to Yuhao." Tang San forced down the turmoil in his heart, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible. "Yuhao, what's wrong with you? Put Wulin down, quickly." Beside him, Xiao Wu was already a picture of tears, which fell ceaselessly like pearls from a broken string. How could a newborn child lose his mother, and how could a mother lose the flesh of her heart? Xiao Wu was on the verge of a breakdown, her eyes full of pleading. "Yuhao, what are you doing? Have you gone mad? Give me back my son!"
"Taking a little child hostage? That's utterly deranged! Are you even fit to be a god?" Seeing this, the gods shouted curses in anger. Dai Mubai's eyes went wide with fury as he bellowed, "Huo Yuhao, you really have gone mad, doing something like this!"
No one had expected that, just after the Divine Realm had been through a brutal battle and Asura God Tang San had joined forces with everyone to defeat the Golden Dragon King, Huo Yuhao, the God of Emotion, would do something so unexpected.
"Hand over Teacher's fragment, now!" Huo Yuhao roared at Tang San. His words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, leaving the gods present exchanging puzzled looks. Wasn't the God of Emotion's teacher Rong Nianbing, the previous God of Emotion? Where had another teacher come from? And Huo Yuhao had openly declared that Tang San possessed a fragment of his teacher's soul. It was truly inconceivable.
"Yuhao, what are you going to do to my little brother? You're his brother-in-law! How can you do this?" a tearful female voice called from across the way. It was Tang Wutong. She looked at Huo Yuhao in disbelief, her eyes dimming slightly.
"Wutong, stay out of this. This is between your father and me. As long as he hands over Teacher's soul fragment, I'll let him go immediately, and I'll return the Divine Core as well." Huo Yuhao paid no heed to Tang Wulin crying in his arms as he said coldly, "Make your choice, now!"
"What are you talking about? How could my father have your teacher's soul fragment?" Tang Wutong's voice trembled slightly. Clearly, she could not accept such a fact. When the gods heard this, an even greater uproar broke out, and they began to murmur among themselves.
"Huo Yuhao, stop spreading lies and misleading everyone!" Tang San's face was solemn, but inside, he was already beside himself with rage. His hands clenched involuntarily as he struggled to control his emotions.
"I'm spreading lies and misleading everyone?" Huo Yuhao sneered, his gaze blazing as he looked Tang San straight in the eye. "When I first entered the Divine Realm, I asked around everywhere for information about Teacher. I also went out looking for him. I searched every plane, but never found a clue.
"But one day, the resonance between necromantic spells allowed me to pick up a few faint traces. Although the sensation was weak, I was certain Teacher was in the Divine Realm. I had asked you to help me find him before, but your answers were always vague.
"Perhaps because of some rules for Divine Realm Enforcers, I didn't pay it any mind at the time. But after that, I never thought about Teacher again. Not until this battle with the God of Destruction, when I burned my divine soul, did all those sealed fragments of memory resurface in my mind. By sheer chance, I also remembered everything about searching for Teacher.
"That made me suspect even more that you had something to hide. Otherwise, why cover up my search for Teacher? Later, I discovered that you actually had Teacher's Light inheritance. Magic isn't unusual, just like our Soul Ring skills, but there's one thing you couldn't conceal.
"We both came from Douluo Continent, so how could you possibly know that sacred Light magic? Also, among the traces I found were signs of a battle between necromancy and the Asura God. I don't think there's a second Asura God in the entire Divine Realm, is there? That made me even more certain that you were the culprit!"
Huo Yuhao said it all in one breath, staring fixedly in Tang San's direction.
Seeing the situation growing more tense, Rong Nianbing, the former God of Emotion, hurriedly tried to dissuade him. "Yuhao, don't make trouble. Give Wulin back to your father-in-law. Then there'll still be room to talk."
"Master, say no more. If even this can't move the Sea God, then it proves he doesn't care about this son either." Huo Yuhao had made up his mind and did not soften his words in the slightest.
Tang San looked at the gods and hesitated to speak. In the end, he let out a long sigh and said, "Since that's how it is, I won't hide it from everyone any longer. Back in the lower realm, I captured a fragment of an Outer God. This god's evil Qi reached the heavens. In his original plane, he committed every evil imaginable, controlling armies of the undead to capture one city after another and slaughtering people like hemp.
"As he neared death, he turned into fragments and entered Douluo Continent by chance. So I devised a plan to capture him and brought him to the Divine Realm to be kept under strict guard. I never expected Huo Yuhao to still cherish their bond as master and disciple, to the point of acting against me, his own father-in-law. He truly has gone mad."
"So you finally admit it? What have you done to Teacher?" Huo Yuhao pressed.
Within the sea of his divine soul, Tian Meng said anxiously, "Yuhao, we still don't know what really happened. Don't make enemies of the gods just yet."
"Brother Sky Dream, I don't want to make enemies of the gods. I only want Teacher back. Now that he has given us proof that he's holding Teacher captive, how can I compromise?"
The Snow Empress said softly, "Tian Meng, be quiet for now. Don't you know what kind of person Yuhao is? I believe him. Yuhao, whatever you want to do, go ahead and do it. I'll always be by your side. We'll bring Elder Yi back together."
"Thank you, Snow Empress." Huo Yuhao's voice caught slightly.
"We're as one. Is there any need for thanks between us?" the Snow Empress said gently.
The Ice Empress also stepped forward and said frankly, "So what if we make an enemy of the Divine Realm? Elder Yi helped us plenty back then, and it's not as if our Yuhao can't escape. Let's take the gamble!" The other Soul Spirits voiced their agreement. "Us too. Since we chose to follow Yuhao, we'll follow him to the end."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm looked at them all and sighed helplessly. "Since even Bingbing says so, Yuhao, we'll lend you all our strength."
Huo Yuhao had made up his mind. He continued to address the gods:
"As long as he hands over the fragment, I'll spare my little brother's life."