Hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Liu Yuan looked at the tearful, emotionally exhausted young man before him. A faint, meaningful smile appeared at the corners of his lips.
He reached out and patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder twice. The steady pressure from his hand quickly calmed Huo Yuhao's trembling body.
"Let's go. Throwing your life away here won't solve anything. Come back to the Duke's Mansion with me first."
Liu Yuan's voice remained calm, yet it carried unquestionable authority.
He turned around, the Starlight Wings on his back reflecting a cold metallic sheen beneath the moonlight. Without waiting for a reply, he wrapped Huo Yuhao in his spirit power and soared into the sky as a streak of emerald light, flying back over Soul-Severing Valley before disappearing into the darkness.
---
Meanwhile...
Inside the God King Hall of the God Realm Committee...
Tang San stared at the scene reflected in the Divine Power Mirror, watching Huo Yuhao kneel before Liu Yuan and pledge his loyalty.
The composed, dignified expression he always wore completely shattered.
His face twisted with fury, veins bulging across his forehead.
"Bastard..."
"Huo Yuhao... how dare you swear loyalty to someone else!"
His grip tightened around the Sea God's Trident.
The divine weapon let out a shrill hum as overwhelming divine power surged through it.
According to Tang San's plan, Huo Yuhao was supposed to become his most obedient pawn—a tool to control the future of the Douluo Continent and eventually his chosen successor.
In Tang San's eyes...
Huo Yuhao's fate and loyalty belonged to the God Realm.
They belonged to him.
Yet now...
Because of a single promise from Liu Yuan...
The Child of Destiny had willingly offered his soul to someone else—to the one variable Tang San could never control.
The feeling of losing control over his pawn drove Tang San into a frenzy.
He had expected Huo Yuhao to become a blade that would kill Liu Yuan for Wang Dong'er's sake.
Instead...
Huo Yuhao had chosen death over murder.
And after being saved...
He had immediately changed sides.
"Liu Yuan..."
"You are courting death!"
Tang San glared into the mirror, murderous intent overflowing from his eyes.
---
Back at the Duke's Mansion in Bright Capital...
Liu Yuan landed in a secluded courtyard within the mansion, bringing Huo Yuhao with him.
Although Huo Yuhao still looked exhausted after everything he had endured...
The hopelessness in his eyes had finally been replaced by a spark of hope.
Liu Yuan entered the study and sat down in a large chair forged from rare metals.
He gestured for Huo Yuhao to sit opposite him.
"I can tell you plainly now."
"I truly have a way to save Wang Dong'er's divine soul."
"My method can completely restore her shattered life origin."
As he spoke, Liu Yuan briefly took the Revival Herb out of the System space.
The dark green herb radiated a faint, bitter aura before he casually put it away again.
"However..."
"There is one essential condition."
"You must first bring me her body."
"Without a physical vessel, not even Divine Laws can create a person from nothing."
Huo Yuhao stared fixedly at the place where the herb had appeared.
Although he had only caught a brief glimpse...
He had clearly sensed an unfamiliar Law emanating from it.
It surpassed every form of life energy that existed on the Douluo Continent.
His voice trembled.
"Duke... Lord Liu..."
"What exactly is that herb?"
"What method are you using?"
"Can it really bring Dong'er back after her divine soul has already collapsed?"
Liu Yuan looked calmly at the hopeful expression on Huo Yuhao's face.
He had no intention of explaining.
The Revival Herb operated under the System's laws from another world.
Even if he explained it, Huo Yuhao wouldn't understand.
"If you're willing to trust me..."
"Then trust me."
"If you think I'm deceiving you..."
"Or simply pretending to be mysterious..."
"Then this conversation ends here."
"I'm saving her because I intend to destroy someone's plan."
"Not because you're indispensable."
His words were direct and without unnecessary emotion.
Huo Yuhao fell silent.
He looked steadily into Liu Yuan's calm, unwavering eyes.
After a long while...
He took a deep breath.
His gaze became firm once more.
"I'll trust you."
"You're my only hope now."
"I could never accept the conditions those two people in the Clear Sky Fortress demanded."
Liu Yuan nodded slightly.
"Then go and bring Wang Dong'er's body."
"She's still preserved in ice, isn't she?"
The moment Wang Dong'er's body was mentioned...
Huo Yuhao's expression darkened again.
"It is."
"Her body is sealed inside an Ice Marrow coffin within the Clear Sky Fortress."
"It's guarded by the two Sect Masters—Tai Tan and Niu Tian."
"They'll never let us see her..."
"Much less allow us to take her away."
After hesitating for a moment...
Huo Yuhao finally revealed the secret he had kept buried inside.
"To be honest..."
"They ordered me to obtain your dragon blood."
"They said the only way to save Dong'er was to extract the heart's blood from your divine dragon spirit."
"I couldn't accept that..."
"That's why I left the Clear Sky Fortress."
Liu Yuan showed no surprise.
He simply picked up his teacup, took a sip, and answered as casually as if discussing the weather.
"I already knew about their plan to take my heart's blood."
"I knew it before I found you in Soul-Severing Valley."
Huo Yuhao froze.
He shot to his feet in disbelief.
"How?"
"Only Tai Tan, Niu Tian, and I knew about that!"
"Even the ordinary disciples of the Clear Sky Sect don't know!"
Liu Yuan set his teacup down.
Instead of explaining the System's abilities, he merely smiled faintly.
"Those two..."
"Aren't the elders you believe them to be."
"They're nothing more than someone's puppets."
"And the one who attacked you inside the Qiankun Love Probing Valley..."
"Is directly connected to them."
"What?!"
A chill ran through Huo Yuhao's body.
He had always believed the Qiankun Love Probing Valley was an ownerless divine trial.
He had never imagined someone had been controlling it from behind the scenes.
"In short..."
"The truth is far more complicated than you think."
"It involves conflicts between certain factions in the God Realm."
Liu Yuan stood up.
His voice became firm.
"Let's retrieve Wang Dong'er's body first."
"Once she's alive..."
"Every one of those conspiracies will collapse."
"After that..."
"I'll explain everything to you."
Huo Yuhao nodded firmly.
There was no point dwelling on the past now.
Rescuing Wang Dong'er came first.
Liu Yuan pressed a communication spirit tool on his desk.
Moments later...
The study door opened.
The Snow Empress entered first, radiating an aura of absolute frost.
Behind her came Kong Deming, dressed in silver robes, his sharp eyes filled with vigilance.
Jing Hongchen followed in his Red Dust Blessing armor.
The three strongest experts of the Sun Moon Empire all turned their attention toward Liu Yuan.
"Xiao Yuan."
Jing Hongchen spoke first, glancing curiously at Huo Yuhao.
"Calling all of us here at this hour... is something major happening?"
Liu Yuan looked at the three of them.
A trace of killing intent flashed across his eyes.
"We're heading to the Clear Sky Sect's headquarters—the Clear Sky Fortress."
"Our objective is simple."
"We're taking Wang Dong'er."
"If those two old men cooperate..."
"There won't be a fight."
"But if they refuse..."
"We'll take her by force."
"Elder Kong."
"Grandpa Jing."
"Xue'er."
"Prepare yourselves."
"We leave immediately."
Although Kong Deming knew the fearsome reputation of the Clear Sky Sect...
Seeing Liu Yuan's unwavering determination, he simply nodded without asking another question.
Without wasting another moment...
The group left the study and headed straight for the landing platform behind the Duke's Mansion.
-------------Author---------------
Read 50 advanced chapter
👉 patreon.com/Master_fic