"Dai Yuhao, both your parents are here in the Divine Realm." Dai Mubai's voice came from afar, breaking the deathly silence, taut with the threat of drawn swords. Huo Yuhao turned at the sound and saw Dai Mubai hurrying over with two people. They were Huo Yuhao's parents-Dai Hao and Huo Yun'er.
Tang San's taut nerves eased a little at the sight of Dai Mubai, and the grave expression on his face softened somewhat. He carefully held Tang Wulin out to Dai Mubai and said gravely, "Mubai, help me take care of Wulin for now."
Dai Mubai took Tang Wulin securely, a flicker of complicated emotion passing through his eyes. He gently patted Tang Wulin, soothing the little life in swaddling clothes, then raised his head and looked at Tang San. "All right, but let his parents try to persuade him first. Unless we have no other choice, we shouldn't fight. He is a descendant of my Dai Family, after all."
Tang San did not answer immediately. He merely nodded slightly. His eyes were deep and inscrutable, with a trace of smugness showing in them. He calculated that having Huo Yuhao's parents intervene might make Huo Yuhao compromise and hand over the Golden Dragon King's core. After all, he could now have Dai Mubai run away with Tang Wulin at any time.
Failing that, he could find any excuse to finish Huo Yuhao off later, or have Huo Yuhao's parents do it. Of course, he would not have them act directly; sometimes words were the deadliest weapons. He only needed to hold the butcher's knife ready, and it would be only a matter of time. That way, he could eliminate a grave threat, earn himself a reputation for magnanimity, and transfer Huo Yuhao's providence to Wulin as well. It was truly killing three birds with one stone. At the thought, the corners of his mouth rose involuntarily in a faint, barely perceptible sneer. Then he stood quietly to one side, watching the grand drama unfold.
The moment Huo Yun'er saw Huo Yuhao, her eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled as she called out, "Yuhao."
Dai Hao also put on the airs of a father. His expression was stern as he spoke with a hint of reproach. "Dai Yuhao, I've heard everything about what you did. You actually committed such a monstrous crime, seizing Lord Sea God's youngest son. You're clearly trying to rebel! If you still refuse to repent, I'll consider myself to have no son like you!"
Tang San added, "Dai Yuhao, as long as you personally kill that fragment, or offer up the Golden Dragon King's core and the fragment, I'll spare your life. This is your last chance."
Huo Yun'er's eyes were full of worry as she continued, "My son, turn back." Her voice held a note of tenderness.
"Mother," Huo Yuhao called softly, his voice choking slightly. His eyes held both joy at seeing his mother and helplessness at the situation.
His eyes grew somber as he looked at her and said, "Mother, I can't turn back anymore."
Seeing this, Tang San let out a timely, deep sigh and put on an expression of profound anguish. He spoke slowly. "Actually, to be precise, this fragment was originally a demon from outside. Back then, I used a stratagem to capture him in the lower realm and confined him within a space, hoping to suppress his demonic Qi. I didn't expect Yuhao to see him. When they were in the lower realm, this demon beguiled Yuhao from within his body for a time. Now Yuhao wants to save him again. Remembering that Yuhao is my son-in-law, I showed him every possible leniency. I never expected him to have fallen completely under that demon's spell." As he spoke, he shook his head and sighed, pretending to be a victim who upheld the greater good but was helpless in the face of family ties.
Huo Yun'er's face was full of anxiety, her brows tightly furrowed as she continued to urge him, "Yuhao, don't do anything foolish. Be good and listen to Lord Sea God. Hand it over." Her voice was almost pleading, and tears glistened in her eyes as she tried to move Huo Yuhao with a mother's love.
Though Huo Yuhao was filled with grief, the conviction in his heart was as firm as steel. He gritted his teeth and said, "Impossible. Unless I die here today, no one is taking my teacher's fragment from me. As for the Divine Core, don't even think about it. The Divine Core is my only bargaining chip. Otherwise, how would I know Tang San won't go back on his word?"
"Wretch!" After hearing Tang San's words, Dai Hao was even more furious. He pointed at Huo Yuhao and shouted, "What a wretch! A disgrace to the family! Lord Sea God, this unfilial son of mine has actually colluded with an evil demon and even dreams of attacking you. He must have fallen into the Devil Dao. Please capture him, Lord Sea God!" Rage was written all over his face, as though he wished he could cast Huo Yuhao out of the family at once.
"Shut up! If it weren't for Mother, I would have killed you long ago. Otherwise, would someone like you have had a chance to come to the Divine Realm? What gives you the right to spout nonsense here?" At Dai Hao's words, the fire of anger in Huo Yuhao's heart flared up. His eyes reddened as he glared at Dai Hao, his voice full of fury and contempt.
"Hmph! Your own flesh and blood, your parents, raised you, and this is how you repay them, by insulting them? Your sins are grave now. I advise you to surrender obediently, and I can still plead with Lord Sea God for you. For the sake of our bond as father and son, I'll see that your worthless life is spared." Dai Hao's face was red with anger, veins bulging on his neck as he roared.
Huo Yuhao sneered. "Do you really think I regard you as my father? How could you possibly understand my hatred for you? I told you, it was for Mother's sake that I had no choice but to return to the family and acknowledge my ancestors.
"Dai Yuhao? What Dai Yuhao? Why should I return to the family and acknowledge my ancestors? And how are you fit to be my father? Could the suffering of my childhood really be wiped away with a smile now? If I forgave you, wouldn't I be betraying the child I once was? The only thing I regret now is not killing every last member of your Dai Family to avenge the hatred in my heart.
"It's only because Mother needs you now that I've swallowed my anger and allowed you to stay by our side." As he spoke, he clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly. The hatred in his heart surged like a raging tide, nearly drowning him.
"You, you unfilial son!" Huo Yuhao's words left Dai Hao red-faced with rage. Both hands trembled as he pointed at Huo Yuhao, but for a moment he was at a loss for words. All he could do was curse, "Bastard!"
"Since everything's out in the open, let me tell you: I never cared for the name Dai Yuhao. My surname is Huo. From beginning to end, my surname has been Huo," Huo Yuhao said indifferently.
Hearing this, Huo Yun'er stepped forward and urged him, "Yuhao, what nonsense are you talking about? He's your father. His blood still flows in your veins." Her voice trembled slightly.
"Mother, I won't acknowledge him!" Huo Yuhao declared resolutely, tears glistening in his eyes.
Dai Hao turned to Tang San. "Lord Sea God, please eliminate this wretch. Yun'er and I will consider ourselves never to have had such an unfilial son. An evil demon like him must be put to death!"
Hearing Dai Hao's words, Huo Yun'er was heartbroken, but for the sake of the greater good, she too said to Tang San, "Lord Sea God, my son has now suffered Qi deviation. Please subdue him first. I'll persuade him to mend his ways." Her eyes were full of helplessness, and she hoped Tang San would give Huo Yuhao a chance.
Their words were like sharp blades, stabbing straight into Huo Yuhao's heart. A sharp pain pierced him, and disbelief appeared on his face. Never had he imagined that his own mother, the mother who had endured so much to raise him and had treated him with gentleness and tolerance, would say such things.
Tang San did not answer the two of them. Instead, Huo Yuhao spoke first.
"Are you my mother? Are you still the mother who truly cared for me when I was little, who gave everything for me?" Huo Yuhao's voice trembled slightly, his eyes full of disappointment and pain.
Huo Yun'er only looked at Dai Hao and said resolutely, "I am your mother, but I am also your father's wife. Besides, you've made a mistake now, Yuhao. As your mother, I don't want to watch you continue down the wrong path. Lord Sea God said you were only beguiled. Child, trust Lord Sea God, trust your father and me, and hand over the things. Then our family can continue living happily together."