On the other side, Tang Wulin and the others chose to part ways. After their encounter with Dai Yueheng and the others, they learned a bit more about the surrounding situation, and Huo Yuhao took the initiative to propose training on his own.
Of course, he intended to go back and see his mother.
After sensing Huo Yuhao's emotions, the others expressed their understanding.
"Yuhao, stay safe."
Tang Wulin patted his shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness.
"If anything happens, contact us at any time."
Huo Yuhao nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Don't worry, I will."
Xie Xie and Ling Luochen also offered a few words of caution before they all went their separate ways.
Huo Yuhao turned and walked in another direction, eventually reaching a road he knew very well. Eight months ago, he had escaped from the White Tiger Duke's Mansion along this very path.
At that time, he had just reached level ten, without even a single decent Spirit Ability, carrying nothing but a heart full of hatred and despair.
He hadn't known where he could go or if he could even survive; he had simply run with all his might, desperately wanting to leave that suffocating place.
Now, eight months had passed.
Huo Yuhao walked alone on this road, looking at the familiar scenery on both sides, his heart filled with a myriad of emotions.
He was no longer the person he was eight months ago.
Back then, he was an illegitimate son who was bullied and trampled upon by others.
But now...
Huo Yuhao looked down at his hands.
He was now a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, and he possessed very powerful Spirit Abilities.
He also had Brother Tianmeng, friends and teachers he had met at Sky Shrek Academy, a future, and hope.
Eight months.
Only eight months.
Huo Yuhao looked up at the looming city in the distance, a complex light flashing in his eyes.
It felt like a lifetime ago.
He truly felt as if he had been given a new life.
Following the familiar dirt road, Huo Yuhao passed through several woods and bypassed a field of farmland, finally arriving at the desolate slope on the rear mountain of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion.
This place was very remote, and almost no one ever came here on ordinary days.
Huo Yuhao walked to the end of the desolate slope and stopped under an old, crooked scholar tree.
Beneath the tree was a small mound of earth.
The mound wasn't large; in fact, it was quite inconspicuous. It was covered in weeds—some withered and yellow, others still green—mixed together in a way that looked rather desolate.
There was no tombstone or stone tablet in front of the mound, nor any marking.
Only a stone, smoothed by rainwater, was stuck diagonally in front of the mound, making it barely recognizable as a grave.
This was the grave of Huo Yuhao's mother.
He had dug the earth with his own hands, buried her with his own hands, and placed that stone with his own hands.
At that time, he had knelt before this mound and sworn to avenge his mother and sever the Legacy of the White Tiger Duke's lineage.
Now, eight months had passed.
Huo Yuhao stood before the mound, his gaze complex.
"Mother."
Huo Yuhao spoke, his voice very soft, as if afraid of disturbing the person sleeping underground.
"I'm back."
He crouched down and sat beside the mound, his eyes fixed on the small pile of earth, filled with tenderness.
"In these eight months, many things have happened."
The corners of his lips curled up slightly into a smile.
"I met many good teachers who taught me many things—not just Spirit Abilities, but also how to be a good person."
"I also met many good friends, and they treat me very well too."
Huo Yuhao's voice choked up a bit, but he still tried his best to maintain his smile.
"Oh right, Mother, I've become stronger."
"I'm already a Four-Ring Spirit Ancestor now, and I even have a million-year spirit ring—it's the First Spirit Ring Brother Tianmeng gave me."
"And my Spirit Eyes Martial Soul has already completed its silver-level awakening. Teacher Mu Ye said I can even undergo a gold-level awakening to become even stronger."
Huo Yuhao chattered on, just like a child acting spoiled toward his mother.
"Mother, did you know? The academy I'm at now is an academy built in the sky. There are the best teachers, the best resources, and the best classmates. I've learned so many things there—not just Spirit Abilities, but also Spirit Tools, mechas..."
"I'm truly very lucky."
His voice grew softer and softer.
"So, Mother, you don't have to worry about me. I'm doing very well."
He fell silent for a moment.
Huo Yuhao looked up toward the towering White Tiger Duke's Mansion in the distance. His eyes, which were originally tender, instantly became incomparably cold.
His eyes were filled with fury, but this fury was being suppressed, waiting for an opportunity to explode.
"I won't forget."
"I won't forget how those people treated you, nor will I forget how you died."
His hands clenched tightly into fists, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force.
But soon, he relaxed them again.
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart. The coldness in his eyes gradually faded, and he regained his composure.
He knew that now was not the time.
Even if he didn't move against the White Tiger Duchess, as long as he acted against the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, he would inevitably be discovered.
At that time, he would be facing not just the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, but the hostility and pursuit of the entire Star Luo Empire.
Currently, he didn't have the ability to oppose an Empire, and he didn't want to bring trouble to his academy. Even if these Empires were nothing more than slightly larger ants in front of the academy, Huo Yuhao knew that the shackles of hatred had to be severed by his own hands.
He wasn't strong enough yet.
"Please wait a little longer."
Huo Yuhao stood up, looked at the small mound of earth, and spoke softly.
"When I return next time, I will bring good news."
He took a small trowel out of his Storage Soul Tool, crouched down, and began to clear the weeds from the mound.
He didn't use Spirit Power; he simply used the most primitive method, digging spade by spade. The weeds were pulled out by the roots and tossed aside.
The mound gradually became tidy, revealing the yellow earth beneath that had been somewhat loosened by rainwater.
Huo Yuhao took out a new stone and carved a few words onto it with a small knife.
"Tomb of My Beloved Mother."
Then, he placed the stone in front of the mound, replacing the previous stone that had been smoothed by the rain.
After completing all this, Huo Yuhao stood up, took two steps back, and bowed deeply toward the small mound.
"Mother, I'm leaving now."
He said softly.
Afterward, Huo Yuhao turned around, intending to leave the Star Luo Empire.
Since his current identity was that of a Soul Engineer, Huo Yuhao had heard rumors on the Douluo Continent about which Spirit Tools were the most powerful.
It was said that the Sun Moon Empire excelled most in Spirit Tools.
Of course, in Huo Yuhao's view, the Sun Moon Empire's Spirit Tools definitely couldn't compare to the Spirit Tool technology he had learned at Shrek Academy.
However... he still needed to learn to supplement his weaknesses with others' strengths. Perhaps the Sun Moon Empire had technologies he hadn't yet studied.
Huo Yuhao also wanted to witness the brilliance of the Spirit Tool geniuses within that Empire of Spirit Tools.
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A/N:
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.