Chapter 468: Return to Heaven Dou and Resurrecting Xiao Wu
On the western border of the Heaven Dou Empire, a lone figure in a wide-brimmed hat entered a small town, carrying a long, cloth-wrapped object across his back. In these times of war, such attire did little to attract attention, blending well into the chaotic background. This traveler was none other than Dai Yao.
Lifting his gaze to the town's gates, Dai Yao adjusted his hat and entered the town, merging seamlessly with the passing crowds.
"Since I've started on the path toward Heaven Dou City, should you take control now?" Dai Yao's thoughts drifted toward his darker half.
"No, keep going. Once you reach the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and bring Xiao Wu back, I'll take over," replied the mischievous voice within his mind: his evil persona.
After settling a peace agreement with Hu Liena, the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Empire, Dai Yao had returned to the Qinglian Sect. But before he could enjoy a few days of peace, his alter ego suggested it was time to revive Xiao Wu.
Though this timeline had denied Xiao Wu the chance to temper her soul through the Sea God's trial, her role was simple: she was merely a tool to absorb and eliminate lower-level spirit rings for Dai Yao. Therefore, her revival didn't require perfection or any exceptional match between her soul and body.
Having contemplated the timing, Dai Yao agreed it was time to resurrect Xiao Wu. Yet he preferred to keep Xiao Wu's secret from prying eyes, especially given that he intended to eventually erase her from existence. Following his other half's suggestion, he chose the secluded Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well as the resurrection site, where his darker persona had a separate agenda to pursue.
After receiving his darker self's response, Dai Yao proceeded through the town, staying in step with the crowd. Once he found himself on a deserted road, he launched into flight, skimming close to the ground as he headed toward the Sunset Forest outside Heaven Dou City.
Several Days Later, Sunset Forest, Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well
At last, after several days of relentless travel and avoiding detection, Dai Yao saw the familiar valley and felt a sense of relief. Though his spirit power was considerable, days of uninterrupted flight had been exhausting.
"Finally," he murmured, before descending directly toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Passing through a dense fog created by the poisonous Biphos Septonica flowers, he caught sight of the familiar spring, its waters swirling in their distinctive yin-yang pattern. Near the center of the well, a sprawling Blue Silver Emperor plant occupied several square meters.
The moment Dai Yao breached the fog, a blue tendril striped with gold whipped toward him, piercing the air with an intent to strike.
"It seems Yin'er thinks I'm an intruder," Dai Yao thought with a faint smile.
Yin'er, a new personality born within the Blue Silver Emperor through Dai Yao's Chaos Green Lotus, recognized him as her master. But just before he could announce himself, the Blue Silver Emperor tendril softened, lowering to let Dai Yao gently descend, ultimately placing him at ground level.
"Master, what brings you here?" A blue spectral figure appeared before Dai Yao, bowing gracefully. Her face was identical to that of Ah Yin, yet her gaze held an innocent purity rather than Ah Yin's calm strength.
Dai Yao cast a reserved glance toward Yin'er. As beautiful as she was, Yin'er's likeness to Ah Yin, Tang Hao's late wife and Tang San's mother, was impossible to ignore. A part of him felt a twisted satisfaction at the thought of possessing her, but an instinctive distaste held him back.
"You're mistaken. I'm not your master. The other me is," he replied, his voice distant.
A look of confusion crossed Yin'er's face. Her expression morphed into distress, and she hurriedly moved closer, clutching Dai Yao's hand. "Master, you are my master—how could it be anyone else? Are you going to leave me?"
Dai Yao sighed, realizing that explaining the situation to Yin'er was futile. Her understanding was too simple, her loyalty too unwavering.
"Fine," he relented. "I'm your master, for now."
Satisfied with his response, Yin'er's expression softened into a radiant smile. She eagerly guided him toward the well, pointing out two radiant spirit plants in the spring: the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Fiery Delicate Apricot. Both plants had regrown and, under the influence of the Chaos Lotus, had developed intelligence.
"You three," Dai Yao said coolly, his gaze traveling between the Blue Silver Emperor and the two spirit plants. "Did anyone try to breach this place while I was away?"
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass responded in a cool tone from its icy perch. "In the past three years, a dozen intruders attempted to enter, but most were thwarted by the fog outside the valley. Judging by their appearance, they were likely spirit masters seeking spirit beasts. Only one intruder managed to break through."
"A single intruder?" Dai Yao's brow furrowed. "What was unusual about this one?"
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass paused, thinking back. "I recall he seemed surprised, particularly when he saw Yin'er. His reaction to her presence was… odd. But, as per your orders, we left no trace of him."
Dai Yao's eyes sharpened as he processed this clue. Perhaps the intruder was someone from the Clear Sky Sect, given how nearly everyone in the sect knew Tang Hao's wife was a Blue Silver Emperor. The appearance of another Blue Silver Emperor might have startled them.
"Where's the body?" Dai Yao asked.
Before the plant could respond, Yin'er eagerly tugged on his hand, directing a Blue Silver Emperor tendril to excavate a patch of earth and reveal the distorted remains of a corpse.
"Master, here! Here!" she chimed, her expression eager, as if hoping for his approval. Watching Yin'er—her face identical to Ah Yin's but wearing such a childishly hopeful expression—stirred a strange feeling in him. He gave a slight nod, patting the tendril, and Yin'er's projection seemed to shiver with delight, like a contented kitten.
But suddenly, her expression shifted. Yin'er's face contorted with an inexplicable pain, a glimmer of hatred flashing in her eyes before vanishing as quickly as it came.
Dai Yao froze, his attention piqued.
Yin'er reverted to her innocent demeanor.
"That bad woman showed up again. She's so annoying," Yin'er muttered unhappily.
"Bad woman?" Dai Yao frowned and asked.
"Yes, that bad woman keeps saying bad things about Master, calling you a villain and telling me to betray you! Hmph! How hateful. I was born because of Master; how could I ever betray you?"
Hearing Dai Yao's question, Yin'er grew indignant and began recounting all the slander Ah Yin had whispered about him over the past days.
Dai Yao nodded thoughtfully. The mature aura Yin'er had just emanated, coupled with the flicker of hatred in her eyes, must have been Ah Yin. Judging by Yin'er's current state, she wouldn't betray him—but it was always wise to stay vigilant.
"You've done well, Yin'er," Dai Yao commended her.
However, he couldn't always stay by Yin'er's side to monitor her every move. Under Ah Yin's influence, there was always the risk of betrayal, no matter how small. Precautions needed to be in place.
Yin'er beamed with pride at Dai Yao's praise, lifting her head with satisfaction.
Dai Yao turned his attention to the corpse before him, scanning it carefully. Although the face was decomposed, the robes were unmistakable—it was a member of the Clear Sky Clan, clad in their signature gray.
"This person is indeed from the Clear Sky Clan. If he ventured alone into the Sunset Forest, it's unlikely he was hunting soul beasts. A single person wouldn't have the strength for that. His purpose must have been something else—likely a reconnaissance mission ordered by Tang San to locate a rumored treasure trove of heavenly materials."
"His death here will definitely attract Tang San's attention. However, given the ongoing war, Tang San must be too tied up to act on it."
A sneer crossed Dai Yao's face.
"He'd never expect that his mother is waiting here, ready to counter him!"
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Dai Yao waded into the pool of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Turning to the two immortal herbs nearby, he issued an order.
"Stand guard for me. I have something important to do."
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot swayed their petals in acknowledgment, signaling their agreement.
In the pool, Dai Yao removed his upper garments, his soul power swirling around him. From his storage pouch, he retrieved Xiao Wu's delicate body. With a gentle motion, her lifeless form floated into his hands. Beside it, the 100,000-year-old Soft-Boned Rabbit soul bone hovered.
"It's time," Dai Yao thought to himself.
The seeds he'd planted years ago were finally ready to bear fruit. For Xiao Wu, this resurrection would be little more than a luxury, a flourish to her fate. For Dai Yao, the sacrifice of a few soul rings wouldn't boost his strength significantly, but something was better than nothing.
Though Dai Yao held contempt for Tang San's character, he couldn't deny the sincerity of Tang San's feelings for Xiao Wu. In his past life, watching Tang San sacrifice himself to save Xiao Wu had been deeply moving. Yet now, having reincarnated into the world of Douluo Dalu, Dai Yao found himself in Tang San's position—resurrecting Xiao Wu, only to erase her from existence afterward.
The irony wasn't lost on him.
In the spiritual realm, Xiao Wu seemed to sense something. She raised her head, her expression tinged with confusion and deep unease.
She was powerless now, completely at Dai Yao's mercy. What would he do with her after the resurrection? She couldn't imagine, and the thought terrified her.
As Dai Yao channeled his soul power, the Soft-Boned Rabbit soul bone shone brilliantly. Crimson soul rings emerged from beneath Dai Yao's feet, and the overwhelming pressure of his soul power surged out from the valley, sweeping through the entire Sunset Forest.
The nearby immortal herbs, being closest to the source, felt the intensity most acutely. To them, Dai Yao's presence was akin to that of a god descending upon the mortal realm.
Buzz!
Dai Yao's gaze sharpened as his powerful spiritual energy concentrated on his sixth soul ring. The blood-red ring trembled before slowly detaching from his body.
Despite his preparation, removing a 100,000-year soul ring was agonizing. Dai Yao's aura weakened slightly, his breath coming in heavier bursts.
The blood-red soul ring floated over Xiao Wu's body, fusing with her Soft-Boned Rabbit soul bone. Crimson light filled the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and waves of energy unique to 100,000-year soul beasts rippled outward.
As the soul ring and soul bone connected, Dai Yao focused his mind and summoned Xiao Wu's soul. A translucent red figure gradually coalesced in the air—it was Xiao Wu.
Her lips couldn't form words, but her expressive eyes betrayed a storm of emotions.
Dai Yao was truly reviving her.
Meeting her gaze, Dai Yao's face remained impassive. Taking a deep breath, he prepared for the final and most challenging step of the resurrection.
"Rise again..."
He stopped himself mid-sentence, recalling the iconic scene from the animation. The memory left him feeling somewhat uneasy, and he shook his head.
Without another word, he unleashed all his soul power at once.
The Sea God's trident mark on his forehead shone brightly, releasing a flood of divine light. A golden pillar descended from the heavens, engulfing Xiao Wu's body and soul entirely.
Seizing the moment, Dai Yao began stripping away his first, second, third, and fifth soul rings.
In the original story, Tang San removed all his rings to ensure Xiao Wu's resurrection was flawless. Dai Yao, however, wasn't Tang San. He couldn't care less about the quality of Xiao Wu's revival. To him, she was merely a tool to rid himself of low-level soul rings. As such, he sacrificed only four rings, sustaining minimal injuries.
Under his control, the four soul rings merged into the golden pillar of light.
Within the Sea God's radiance, Xiao Wu's spirit cast one final, complex look at Dai Yao before turning and merging with her physical body.
Layers of brilliant red light enveloped Xiao Wu, forming a cocoon. Dai Yao knew that once the red glow fully integrated into her form, her resurrection would be complete.
However, Xiao Wu's revival was of little consequence to him.
Glancing at his now-reduced collection of soul rings, Dai Yao smiled sincerely. Although only his fourth, seventh, and eighth rings remained, his potential had surged dramatically. When he reabsorbed new rings, his strength would ascend to an even greater level—potentially breaking through Rank 90 in one leap.
"Over ten years of planning has finally borne fruit. Now, it's up to Xiao Wu to make her choice..."
Dai Yao's gaze lingered on the crimson cocoon, his eyes dark and inscrutable.
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