"Please..."
"I beg you, kill me and make me your soul ring and soul bone. Just spare my son's life," Ah Yin pleaded desperately.
Ye Hao, however, remained unmoved. "Your son wants to kill me, and you know the enmity between the Clear Sky Clan and the Spirit Hall. In the future, one of the two will inevitably be destroyed. As the young master of the Spirit Hall, I can't just stand by and watch the Spirit Hall be destroyed by your son. Ah Yin, just watch."
"Also, keep massaging. Don't stop."
The carriage slowly moved forward, gradually heading toward the Spirit Hall.
The night deepened, and darkness enveloped the land. In the forest, a campfire flickered. Ye Hao sat alone by the fire, while Ah Yin, her eyes swollen from crying, sat across from him. She glanced at Ye Hao, who was meditating, and instinctively wanted to escape.
However, the control of the Death God's Heart was too powerful. Even a hundred-thousand-year soul beast like her had no choice but to obey.
"Blue Silver Emperor, just stay put. The master's Death God's Heart is no joke," Zhu Zhu, sitting by the campfire, warned Ah Yin as she noticed her restlessness.
"You two are also hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. Why are you colluding with humans? And even recognizing one as your master!"
Faced with Ah Yin's accusation, Zhu'er coldly replied, "We're doing this for ourselves. The master has allowed us to fully transform into humans. Once he ascends to godhood, we can also enjoy eternal life."
"Weren't you also colluding with humans? How can you criticize us?" Zhu Zhu chuckled. "And you even fell for that Tang Hao. I really don't understand your taste."
"Humans often say, 'If you don't look out for yourself, heaven and earth will destroy you.' The master treats us well, and as Zhu'er said, we're just looking out for ourselves. Life in the forest was far worse than it is now. Without the master, I'd still be in the forest, perhaps dominating a territory with my hundred-thousand-year cultivation, but eventually, my life would end, or I'd be hunted by humans."
"But now, we've seized an opportunity."
They ignored Ah Yin, unable to comprehend how she could fall for a human and even bear his child. The thought of a human and a soul beast having a child together sent shivers down their spines.
The Death God's Heart hovered above Ye Hao's head. Suddenly, a faint black light entered Ye Hao's forehead.
"Ye Hao..."
"Ye Hao..."
"Ye Hao..."
Ye Hao opened his eyes and found himself in complete darkness, as if floating in chaos.
"Death God?" Ye Hao looked at the figure before him and asked, "Why are you here?"
The Death God sighed. "I came to tell you that the Sea God has specifically chosen an opponent for you."
"An opponent?" Ye Hao was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Do you remember when you captured the Devil Soul Great White Shark King in the ocean some time ago?"
Ye Hao nodded. "I remember. Is the Sea God holding a grudge? Isn't he being too petty?"
The Death God nodded helplessly and smiled. "What do you think? That guy has been alone in the God Realm for too long, and his mind has gone a bit haywire."
"Some time ago, he made a bet with me, and you're part of it."
"Me?" Ye Hao pointed at himself.
"Yes, you!" the Death God continued. "You're my successor, so the Sea God also chose a successor. He wants to bet with me to see who is stronger: the Sea God or the Death God?"
"Wait!" Ye Hao interjected. "Let me guess. The Sea God's successor isn't... Tang San, is it?"
Faced with Ye Hao's guess, the Death God could only say, "You're very smart. It's indeed Tang San."
"What the hell!!!" Ye Hao cursed. "How bored is the Sea God? He actually chose Tang San?"
The Death God shrugged, smiling bitterly. "I tried to dissuade him, but Sea God was too angry, so we went to the God Realm Committee and made the bet under the witness of the five great gods."
"This bet will determine the future development of the Douluo Continent for the next ten thousand years."
"Ye Hao, you're my successor, and I have high hopes for you. You're doing great. You have the Death Spider Emperor, the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor, the Devil Soul Great White Shark King, and now the Blue Silver Emperor. You're practically collecting hundred-thousand-year soul beasts like they're on sale."
Ye Hao scratched his head and smiled. "Enough about that. Let's talk about the bet. What did the God Realm Committee say?"
"This is a private matter between me and the Sea God, so we followed his suggestion. You will inherit the Death God's divine seat, while Tang San will inherit the Sea God's divine seat. Once you both ascend to godhood, the future of the Douluo Continent will be decided by the outcome of your battle," the Death God explained.
Ye Hao: "..."
"These guys are so irresponsible," Ye Hao complained.
"Tell me about it," the Death God waved his hand. "We have an agreement: before Tang San begins the Sea God's Nine Trials, you cannot kill him or put him in mortal danger."
"..." Ye Hao was speechless.
"What about after that?"
"After that, there are no restrictions. During the trials, you can attack Tang San as you please. That's the fairness of the trials."
The Death God added, "Also, your Death God's Nine Trials have been adjusted. The difficulty has been reduced."
"Did you water it down?"
"Just a little..."
"Just a little?"
"Okay, a lot..."
Ye Hao: "..."
The Death God patted Ye Hao's shoulder and comforted him. "With your current physical condition, there's no need for such brutal trials. Take Poseidon's first three trials, for example: crossing the Sea God's Light, breaking through the Ringed Sea's blockade, and surviving the Raging Waves. Aren't those all headaches?"
"To me, Sea God is just being stubborn. He's bored and wants to cause trouble for others."
"Is that all?"
"That's all."
"Goodbye!"
With that, Ye Hao quickly disconnected...
The Death God: "..."
---
"Damn it!"
By the campfire, Ye Hao suddenly woke up.
"That Sea God is so petty. I just captured the Devil Soul Great White Shark King. Was it necessary to go to such lengths?" Ye Hao muttered to himself.
Then, he looked at Ah Yin, who was sitting across the fire, visibly agitated.
"Ah Yin, you're lucky."
Ah Yin looked at Ye Hao, confused.
"I've decided not to kill Tang San."
As soon as he said this, Zhu Zhu and Zhu'er were puzzled, while Ah Yin was stunned. "You... you're serious?"
She couldn't believe her ears.
"Don't get too excited. This is only temporary. I made a promise to someone, and that's why."
"To be honest, Tang San was supposed to die during this trip to the Spirit Hall, but someone interfered and set up some stupid bet.!!!"
In the God Realm, Sea God's Temple.
Sea God: "Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!"
"Who's talking about me?"
---
"As long as Xiao San is safe, that's all that matters," Ah Yin thought to herself, secretly relieved.
Ye Hao stared at the campfire. The Death God had made it clear that he couldn't kill Tang San before he began the Sea God's Nine Trials. However, once Tang San went to Sea God Island, Ye Hao could go all out.
"I must intercept the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King!" Ye Hao decided.
"Since I can't kill him, that doesn't mean I can't make him suffer. Sometimes, tormenting someone is more effective than killing them," Ye Hao thought, glancing at Ah Yin with a slight smile.
"Ah Yin, come here and massage me."
Ah Yin's body moved against her will. Despite her reluctance, her body obeyed.
She sat behind Ye Hao and began massaging his shoulders with her delicate hands.
Seeing this, Zhu Zhu felt envious and turned to Zhu'er.
Zhu'er's eyes lit up, and when her green spider legs appeared, Zhu Zhu quickly shook her head, showing a strong desire to survive.
"Not killing him now doesn't mean I won't kill him later," Ye Hao smiled, looking at Ah Yin behind him.
Ah Yin remained silent, calmly massaging Ye Hao.
There was no point in overthinking things now. Ye Hao could read her thoughts anyway. As long as her son was safe for the time being, that was enough.
The journey to the Spirit Hall was still long, and Ye Hao enjoyed himself along the way, with Ah Yin attending to his needs.
In contrast, Grandmaster, who was also heading to the Spirit Hall, wasn't so lucky.
To reach the Spirit Hall quickly, Grandmaster took a shortcut.
As he drove the carriage, he looked down at the thousand-foot cliff below and felt a chill run down his spine.
"For Xiao San, I'll risk it all!"
---
Five days later, in Heaven Dou City.
The teams heading to Spirit City for the elimination round had gathered. Led by Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, and after an impassioned speech by Emperor Xue Ye, the team, accompanied by five hundred Heaven Dou Royal Knights, set off in grand fashion.
"By the way, did any of you see Ye Hao in the crowd just now?" Flender asked as he boarded the carriage, looking around at the Shrek Academy members.
"Oh no!" Flender's heart sank. "Ye Hao must have gone to the Spirit Hall ahead of us. Xiaogang is in serious danger!"
"What!" Tang San was shocked and furious, clenching his fists tightly.
"Ye Hao, if anything happens to my teacher, I swear I'll kill you myself!"
Tang San silently vowed.
The carriages moved in a grand procession, soon leaving Heaven Dou City. The journey to the Spirit Hall was long, taking four to five days.
In the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's carriage, Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi were accompanying the group to protect Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
However, an unexpected guest had joined them.
"Master Ning, Sword Douluo, it's been a while," Tang Xiao smiled.
"Patriarch Tang Xiao!" The two were shocked.
It was obvious that he was here for Tang San.
"Patriarch Tang Xiao, it's been so long. You're as impressive as ever," Ning Fengzhi said politely.
"Where's the Clear Sky Douluo?"
Tang Xiao sighed lightly. "Brother Hao was injured recently and is currently recuperating. I'm now fully responsible for Xiao San's safety. The reason for my visit should be clear to you."
Ning Fengzhi nodded. "I'm sorry, Patriarch Tang Xiao. It's not that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is afraid, but the Spirit Hall is no longer what it used to be. With Ye Hao as their young master, the future of the top three clans is uncertain."
"Master Ning, let me tell you something," Tang Xiao said seriously. "Not long ago, Brother Hao and I fought Ye Hao."
"What!" Ning Fengzhi was shocked. "You fought Ye Hao? How did it go?"
Sword Douluo pricked up his ears. The Twin Stars of the Clear Sky Clan had once shaken the continent. Even he wouldn't stand a chance against them together.
"To be honest, we lost. Completely lost," Tang Xiao sighed deeply.
It seemed Tang Xiao wasn't lying. Ning Fengzhi could tell.
"You lost?" Sword Douluo was stunned. "You and Tang Hao together lost? Ye Hao is only a Soul King, and you two are Title Douluos with the Clear Sky Hammer, the number one tool martial soul in the world. How could you lose?"
"The number one tool martial soul?" Tang Xiao smiled bitterly. "That might be the most ironic thing I've ever heard."
"Ye Hao and those two Title Douluos with the Death Spider Emperor and Soul Devouring Spider Emperor can perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. After fusing, their power rivals that of a level 99 Limit Douluo."
Hearing this, Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi were both shocked.
"Level 99 Limit Douluo!"
Tang Xiao nodded and continued, "Not only that, during the battle with Ye Hao, Brother Hao lost an arm and a leg. His soul power dropped to level 78. He's effectively crippled."
"..."
"..."
The carriage fell silent, the atmosphere heavy.
A level 99 Limit Douluo!
This was the dream of every Title Douluo. Currently, only Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen had reached this level on the continent, with Poseidon's high priestess, Bo Saixi, being the third.
These three were the pinnacle of power on the Douluo Continent. Now, Ye Hao had joined their ranks, and he was so young!
"Not long ago, Ye Hao openly threatened Vice Dean Liu Erlong of Shrek Academy."
"He said, 'Visit your clan more often. Even the most vibrant flowers will eventually wither.'"
Ning Fengzhi, being a cunning old fox, immediately understood the implication.
"Ye Hao is targeting the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"
Sword Douluo frowned. "How bold! Is Ye Hao insane?"
Tang Xiao added, "That's not all. Ye Hao isn't just targeting the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. The Clear Sky Clan is also on his hit list."
"First the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, then the Clear Sky Clan. His next target will undoubtedly be..." Tang Xiao trailed off, but it was clear what he meant.
"Ye Hao, as the young master of the Spirit Hall, has been staying in Heaven Dou City for years. He must have some ulterior motive."
Ning Fengzhi remained silent for a long time before sighing.
"The Spirit Hall is finally making its move against the top three clans. I thought it would take longer, but it's happening now."
Sword Douluo said, "Fengzhi, what should we do? We can't just sit back and take this! We need a strategy!"
Ning Fengzhi nodded in agreement.
"I know what to do. Patriarch Tang Xiao, thank you for telling us this."
Tang Xiao shook his head. "The top three clans are interconnected. Master Ning, don't forget that. If one falls, the others will suffer."
"You probably don't know this yet, but the Strength Clan was destroyed by Ye Hao himself."
Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi fell silent. They should have expected this. The situation was worse than they thought.
They needed to act fast!
---
Meanwhile, after five days of travel, Ye Hao finally arrived at Spirit City.
Stepping out of the carriage, Ye Hao stood before the gates of Spirit City. The last time he was here was a year ago, when he had been wanted.
But that had all been a misunderstanding...
"Mom, I'm here!"
Ye Hao entered the city openly. As he stepped inside, the familiar sights greeted him.
His destination: the Pope's Hall.
At the same time, Xiao Hong and Bibi Dong were in the Rakshasa Secret Realm.
"So this is the Rakshasa Secret Realm. Not bad. Bibi Dong, how far have you progressed in the Rakshasa Nine Trials?"
Bibi Dong replied, "I've gained the recognition of the Rakshasa Scythe. Now, I need to gather two more soul rings. The Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python in the Star Dou Forest are the best choices. The Titan Giant Ape is about to die, and next is the Azure Bull Python."
"There's actually another way for you to reach level 100 without going through all this trouble," Xiao Hong said with a sly grin.
"Oh?" Bibi Dong's eyes lit up. This dog loved to be cryptic, but his words were always true.
"What method?" Reaching level 100 was incredibly difficult. No one had done it in tens of thousands of years. Everyone wanted to be the first, and Bibi Dong was no exception.
"Wait until your precious son arrives, and we'll talk about it then," Xiao Hong said mysteriously.
Bibi Dong: "..."
Damn dog!
Xiao Hong loved to be cryptic, always speaking in half-truths. Bibi Dong was used to it.
---
"Stop! The Pope's Hall is sacred ground. No unauthorized personnel are allowed!"
Ye Hao, accompanied by Zhu Zhu, Zhu'er, and Ah Yin, arrived at the Pope's Hall. Just like when Xiao Hong and the Evil Spirit Orca King had arrived, they were stopped by two Holy Hall Knights guarding the entrance.
However, what shocked the knights the most was that the young man before them looked exactly like the Pope...
"Damn it, just like my sister said, only a few people know my identity."
"Let me shout first!"
"Ju Douluo!!!" Ye Hao's voice echoed loudly, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. Was this guy crazy? He dared to call Elder Ju by his... nickname.
Sure enough, within a second, a golden light flew out from the Pope's Hall, and Ju Douluo appeared before Ye Hao, looking furious.
"Who called me!" Ju Douluo gritted his teeth.
"It was me," Ye Hao smiled, stepping forward.
"You..." Ju Douluo froze when he saw Ye Hao's face, which was identical to the Pope's. He couldn't help but circle Ye Hao, examining him closely.
"You... who are you?" Ju Douluo recalled the Pope's words. The young master would be returning soon, and they should be on the lookout. This young man looked exactly like the Pope.
"Are you... the young master?" Ju Douluo asked tentatively.
Ye Hao nodded with a smile. "Elder Ju, you have a good eye. I had to shout earlier. My apologies for the rudeness."
With that, Ye Hao summoned the Death Spider Emperor and Soul Devouring Spider Emperor martial souls.
Seeing this, Ju Douluo was completely convinced.
"Young master, you've finally returned," Ju Douluo said, meeting Ye Hao for the first time. He was amazed.
He had heard from Hu Liena that the young master looked exactly like the Pope. Now, he could see it for himself.
"I didn't bring any gifts for my return, but here's something for you."
Ye Hao reached behind his head and pulled out a yellow chrysanthemum.
"This... this is!!!" Ju Douluo's eyes widened as he trembled, staring at the flower in Ye Hao's hand.
"If I remember correctly, Elder Ju's martial soul is the Chrysanthemum. This is it. I found it by chance while traveling. It's useless to me, so I'm giving it to you."
"Young... young master, are you really giving this to me?" Ju Douluo asked in disbelief.
"You don't want it? Fine, I'll take it back."
"No, no, I want it!!!"
Ye Hao smiled helplessly and handed the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum to Ju Douluo.
Ju Douluo held it like a treasure, carefully cradling it in his hands.
"Young master, if you ever need anything, just let me know. I'll handle it perfectly."
Ye Hao smiled. "Let's work together from now on. Where's my mother?"
Ju Douluo stored the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. "The Pope and your dog went to the secret chamber to train."
"Train?" Ye Hao was puzzled.
"What is Xiao Hong up to now?"
"Oh," Ju Douluo remembered something. "The Grand Worship said that once you arrive, you must visit the Elder Hall."
Qian Daoliu?
"Got it," Ye Hao nodded. This was his first time at the Pope's Hall, and everything was still unfamiliar.
"Lead the way," Ye Hao gestured.
Ju Douluo nodded. When his gaze fell on Ah Yin behind Ye Hao, he froze.
"It's you! You're still alive!"
Ju Douluo recognized Ah Yin. He had been part of the team that captured her years ago.
Ah Yin avoided his gaze. In the Spirit Hall, she was a "special person of interest."
"Relax," Ye Hao smiled. "I revived Ah Yin. Now, she's just my maid, nothing more."
With that, Ju Douluo could only silently give Ye Hao a thumbs-up.
"Zhu Zhu, Zhu'er, you and Ah Yin go to the Pope's Hall and wait for me. After I meet my grandfather, we'll regroup with Xiao Hong and the Evil Spirit Orca King."
"Yes."
After giving his instructions, Ye Hao followed Ju Douluo toward the Elder Hall.
As he walked, Ye Hao felt his heart pounding. This was Qian Daoliu, one of the few level 99 Limit Douluos on the continent.
Ye Hao took a deep breath to calm his nerves.
If meeting Qian Daoliu was this nerve-wracking, how would he handle meeting his "mother" later?
As Ye Hao entered the Spirit Hall, outside the city, Yu Xiaogang finally arrived at Spirit City after a grueling journey. His clothes were tattered, his pants and shirt full of holes. He looked much thinner, having taken shortcuts to get here.
After countless hardships, Yu Xiaogang had finally arrived...