Above the Sky Screen, light and shadow flow.
Black World is currently in the auction phase, as is White World.
White World Star Luo City, the base of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy esports team.
[After the knockout stage, the team members returned to their rooms to rest. Huo Yuhao sat by the window, reviewing the tactics of the strong teams he had observed during the day. Suddenly, Spirit Eyes Martial Soul stirred slightly—he sensed a subtle anomaly.]
[His gaze swept across the room, finally settling on the crack between the windowsill and the wall. There, an unsigned letter had appeared sometime earlier.]
Huo Yuhao didn't retrieve it immediately. He closed his eyes, and Spiritual Detection silently activated. After confirming there were no abnormalities inside or outside the room, he got up and took the letter.
[The letter was brief. The Star Luo Empire's royal family wished to establish contact with Huo Yuhao —not requiring him to betray the Sun Moon Empire, but simply to provide the Star Luo Empire with appropriate assistance in the future, within their means. In return, the Star Luo Empire would provide him with Cultivate resources. At this auction, he could choose any item except for the final 100,000-year-old embryo.]
[ After reading the letter, Huo Yuhao remained silent for a long time. Then he folded the letter and stored it in his spirit tool.]
He neither replied nor refused.
He knew this was a transaction. Star Luo Empire was investing in his future, and what he needed were resources. Once he was powerful enough, there were many ways to repay Star Luo Empire. As for future criticism of his actions—what did he have to fear?
[His only desire was the 100,000-year-old Spirit Beast embryo. It was the transformed Snow Empress, a crucial partner in his future. But it was a bargaining chip used by the Star Luo Empire to delay the Sun Moon Empire's attack; it was understandable that he couldn't obtain it. However, he had a greater chance of acquiring the Spirit Beast embryo in the future while he was with the Sun Moon Empire, so there was no need to rush.]
[As for other things—resources delivered to our doorstep, why not take them?]
[But Huo Yuhao knew he couldn't proactively contact the Star Luo Empire. That would leave evidence against him and could be discovered by others in the Sun Moon Team. Therefore, he could only wait.]
...
Black World, Douluo Continent.
Inside the tavern, the people looked at the Sky Screen on the right and discussed it amongst themselves.
" The Star Luo Empire is trying to win over Huo Yuhao of that world? That's tantamount to colluding with the enemy."
"What enemy are you colluding with? He's originally from the Star Luo Empire. He spent a few years in the Sun Moon Empire and forgot where he's from?"
"But he's currently representing the Sun Moon Empire in the competition, using resources from the Sun Moon Empire. It's inappropriate for him to secretly make deals with the Star Luo Empire, isn't it?"
"What's inappropriate about it? Star Luo Empire is offering this to us, why not take it? He didn't promise anything, just 'help within his capacity'—what does 'within his capacity' mean? He said it's beyond his capacity, what can Star Luo Empire do about it?"
Someone sneered: "You guys just can't stand someone's talent. Two Empires are fighting over him, would he care about your opinions?"
"It's not that I disapprove, it's that I feel he should have a stance. Whose side is he on?"
"He's on our side. He'll side with whoever gives him resources. What's wrong with that?"
The argument raged on in the tavern, with neither side able to convince the other.
...
Shrek City, Inner Court.
Yan Shaozhe gazed at the Sky Screen, his brow furrowing slightly: "This child is indeed cautious. He receives the letter but doesn't reply, doesn't initiate contact, and doesn't leave any evidence. This thoughtfulness..."
Xuan Zi said calmly, "He's been in the Sun Moon Empire for two years, and his success isn't solely due to talent. Knowing when to step in and when to wait is more important than talent."
"His wisdom is almost demonic! He's completely different from the Yuhao people here. He'll do anything to achieve his goals!"
Qian Duoduo sighed, " Huo Yuhao here doesn't get this treatment. He's been living in anonymity for so many years; we only found out about him through Sky Screen. " The Star Luo Empire royal family and the White Tiger Dukes Mansion probably only learned about Yuhao's background now.
"Even if they have any ideas, the best opportunity has already passed!"
...
[ Star Luo City, on the day of the auction, Huo Yuhao entered the venue with the rest of the Sun Moon Team. He didn't sit in the VIP section, but instead mingled with the other team members in the crowd, keeping a low profile like a student just there to watch the spectacle.]
[On the auction stage, one rare item after another was presented. A level nine spirit tool, a ten-thousand-year-old spirit bone, a Heaven and Earth Treasure … Every bid tugged at the nerves of the entire audience. Huo Yuhao remained seated quietly, never raising a paddle.]
[It's not that he doesn't want to, it's that he genuinely doesn't have the money. While he has considerable resources in the Sun Moon Empire, his cash reserves are limited. At auctions, even a simple item can cost millions of gold coins, which he can't afford.]
However, he hadn't originally planned to pay.
[Halfway through the auction, a maidservant approached with tea and snacks, pausing briefly beside Huo Yuhao. Unnoticed, a folded piece of paper silently slipped into Huo Yuhao's sleeve along with the tea tray.]
Huo Yuhao remained expressionless, continuing to watch the auction stage. Only when everyone's attention was drawn to a particular item did he unfold the slip of paper.
[The content is simple: the conditions remain the same, he can state what he wants.]
Huo Yuhao paused for a moment, picked up a pen from the table, wrote two lines on the back of the note, and handed it back to the maid as she passed by again.
[ Ice jade scorpion left arm bone. Two engraving knives, one of which must be the Soul of Life Blade, the cursed engraving knife.]
[A moment later, the maid returned, nodding slightly.]
...
Black World, Douluo Continent.
Inside the tavern, the people watched this scene with complicated expressions.
" Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone? Two engraving knives? Soul of Life Blade? That cursed engraving knife? Star Luo Empire is willing to give it up? And that Huo Yuhao dares to take it? Aren't they afraid of the backlash?"
"You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub. What will Huo Yuhao of World achieve in the future? Invest now, and you'll get a hundredfold return later."
"As for that cursed carving knife, you've forgotten that Huo Yuhao has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. He can even influence the Evil Soul Master, so the curse on that carving knife definitely won't affect him."
"But he didn't mention cooperation at all, he only said he wanted things. Star Luo Empire just gave them to him like that?"
"What can we do if we don't give it to them? We haven't even taken pictures of the items yet. Besides, only Ultimate Ice can use that Spirit Bone, so it's just scrap metal if we keep it. The carving knife is expensive, but it's nothing to Star Luo Empire. It's worth it to gain Huo Yuhao's favor."
Some people exclaimed to Dao: "His mind is truly brilliant. He gets the goods and doesn't need to make any promises. Star Luo Empire is even eager to give them away."
"Don't forget, Star Luo Empire definitely values this kind of transaction record highly. They might use it to blackmail Huo Yuhao in the future."
"Moreover, when Huo Yuhao becomes stronger in the future, he must be able to break through higher Realms with his mind."
"If he doesn't resolve what he promised, it will definitely have an impact on Cultivate in the future!"
"Well said!"
...
Meanwhile, in Shrek City, Inner Court.
Yan Shaozhe frowned: "He didn't agree to anything, yet he dared to ask for things?"
Xuan Zi said calmly, "He doesn't need to agree. What Star Luo Empire wants is his future, not the present. The more he takes now, the harder it will be for him to refuse when Star Luo Empire asks for his help in the future. He understands this principle, but he doesn't care. Because when he is strong enough, the things Star Luo Empire asks him for may just be a piece of cake for him."
Qian Duoduo smiled wryly: "At thirteen, she's already calculating all this so clearly. Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao here is still fighting tooth and nail for a little bit of resources."
...
[At the end of the auction, Xiao Hongchen won the bid for the 100,000-year-old Spirit Beast embryo at an astonishing price. The entire audience erupted in cheers, and countless eyes were fixed on him.]
Xiao Hongchen stood up, looked around, and said calmly, "Don't even think about it. This is definitely for my future use."
Huo Yuhao sat calmly in the crowd, watching the confident young man on stage. He knew that the embryo was the Snow Empress. He also knew that now was not the time to fight.
After the auction, the Sun Moon Team returned to their hotel. Huo Yuhao walked at the back of the group, his expression as usual. No one noticed that the note in his sleeve had been completely destroyed.
[Back in his room, he closed the door, leaned against it, and closed his eyes.]
[ Ice jade scorpion left arm bone, Soul of Life blade, and another engraving knife. These items will soon be delivered to him. He made no promises or agreements. But Star Luo Empire knows Dao; if he accepts them, it means he remembers.]
"That's enough," he whispered.
He doesn't need any more. These things are enough for him for a long time. The future can wait.
...…
Black World, Douluo Continent.
Inside the tavern, the people watched the young man resting with his eyes closed on the Sky Screen on the right, and they discussed it among themselves.
"He accepted it. He didn't say anything, didn't agree to anything, but Star Luo Empire knows that he remembered it."
"Isn't this just getting something for nothing? They take the goods but don't do the job?"
Whether or not he does it depends on his mood. Once he's strong enough, helping Star Luo Empire will be a piece of cake. That's what Star Luo Empire is betting on.
"But what if he denies it?"
"Whether he admits it or not is not important. What's important is that Star Luo Empire thinks he will admit it, and that's enough."
"And Huo Yuhao can't possibly deny it!"
...
White World — the scene on the Sky Screen was so vivid that countless people only realized what was happening afterward.
"So that's why Venerable Ming ultimately let Star Luo Empire off the hook!"
"I was very curious at the time why Empire let Star Luo Empire go. Star Luo Empire was full of defeated soldiers and could not hold on for long, but then things took a turn for the better."
" The Star Luo Empire is so lucky! It only cost them ten or twenty million gold coins to save the Star Luo Empire from the risk of annihilation. Emperor Xu Jiawei's investment has been incredibly profitable!"
"Who could have imagined that Venerable Ming would grow up so quickly!"
"..."
...
White World, an overseas continent, the exiled palace of the Star Luo Empire.
Emperor Xu Jiawei stood by the window, gazing at the distant sea, and remained silent for a long time.
On the Sky Screen, the young Huo Yuhao is conducting a silent transaction with the Star Luo Empire at an auction.
That was me ten years ago—the me who hadn't yet been driven from my homeland and was still trying to delay the Sun Moon Empire's attack with a 100,000-year-old embryo.
The appearance of Huo Yuhao was an unexpected bonus for him.
He initially paid out only the value of ten million gold coins, but ultimately received a return of over a hundred times that amount.
Although everything is now in the past, the Sun Moon Empire has unified the entire continent, and he has retreated overseas with the remnants of the royal family.
But he has never regretted that trade.
They recalled that after Huo Yuhao returned to the Sun Moon Empire, he broke through to Titled Douluo in less than four years and quickly became the Grand Master of the Sun Moon Empire and the Grand Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult.
Meanwhile, the marshal of the Sun Moon Empire, Orange, is also his confidante. Under their leadership, the Sun Moon Empire is invincible, and the original three kingdoms of Douluo, along with Shrek Academy and those top-tier sects, are no match for it.
In less than two years, Heavenly Soul and Empire were destroyed one after another, and Shrek Academy was also crippled. It was only by cooperating with the Clear Sky Sect that it managed to survive.
Just as the Star Luo Empire was about to be destroyed, Huo Yuhao appeared and gave the Star Luo Empire a chance to leave the Douluo Continent, as a fulfillment of their original agreement.
He agreed to Huo Yuhao's request without hesitation, which gave the Star Luo Empire a chance to survive on another continent.
Just as Emperor Xu Jiawei was reminiscing, the old eunuch behind him whispered, "Dao: "
" Your Majesty, that Spirit Bone and carving knife from back then..."
"It's worth it," Emperor Xu Jiawei said softly. "Very worth it."
He offered no explanation, nor did he need one. The stakes he placed at the auction years ago have now grown into a towering tree.
However, the Star Luo Empire is still in a very bad situation. Not only does it have to explore new lands, but it also has to be on guard against attacks from the Sun Moon Empire at all times.
But before Sky Screen began, he knew Dao After Huo Yuhao became God King, he no longer had any thoughts of rebellion.
Now, looking at everything on the Sky Screen, he feels only gratitude.
He wondered what his counterpart in another world had done in the face of the future war against the Sun Moon Empire.
Therefore, he was very interested in what was happening in the Black World in Sky Screen.
What he didn't know was that, at this very moment, the war in the Black World was not yet over.
...
Meanwhile, in the Black World, at the Star Luo Empire's palace.
Emperor Xu Jiawei gazed at the Sky Screen, his expression complex. In another world, his counterpart had placed a bet on a young boy at an auction.
That boy later became the God King, and the Star Luo Empire of that world, though driven from its homeland, was preserved because of that deal. And what about him?
He looked at the boy fighting hard on the field in the Sky Screen on his left. That boy was from their Star Luo Empire, the son of the Duke of White Tiger.
However, the child was living under an assumed name, so he had no idea who Dao was and had no way to invest in him.
Moreover, Huo Yuhao was already a key student being cultivated by Shrek Academy at that time, so even if he wanted to invest, he had no way to do so.
After all, even now, their world's Huo Yuhao is still the Eighth Ring Spirit Douluo.
At 23 years old, Spirit Douluo, with his eight rings, is already a Genius that comes along only once in a millennium, but he still cannot play a decisive role on the battlefield.
Thinking of this, Emperor Xu Jiawei looked at Huo Yuhao in the White World on the Sky Screen and muttered to himself, " Dao:
"What a pity! What a pity!"