Chapter 354 - 51

Chapter 51: Huo Yuhao's Fury: The Opportunity for the Evolution of the Eternal SpiritJust as Dai Hao was praising his two sons, his keen perception quickly caught something unusual. His gaze went past his sons and landed on the young man behind them.From the moment he appeared, the young man's breathing had become unusually rapid and chaotic. The look in his eyes when he gazed at Dai Hao was incredibly complex, containing an unspeakable emotion, far more than just the nervousness of meeting an important figure.Dai Hao frowned slightly, looking at Huo Yuhao, and asked in a deep voice, "Little brother, have we... met before?"Huo Yuhao's body trembled violently, his hands at his sides instantly clenched into fists, his nails almost digging into his palms. He forcefully suppressed his turbulent emotions, almost squeezing out two words through gritted teeth: "No!"What kind of person was Dai Hao? He had been through countless battles and could discern people's hearts. How could he not see Huo Yuhao's abnormality? But he genuinely couldn't recall where he had seen this young man. Seeing that the other party was unwilling to say more, he didn't bother to delve deeper. It was just a stranger; perhaps he was just nervous.But just as he was about to shift his gaze, Huo Yuhao suddenly lifted his head, as if he had made some kind of decision, his voice filled with uncontrollable excitement, even a hint of accusation: "Duke! Do you still remember your other son, Dai Youheng?"Dai Hao was startled.Huo Yuhao ignored Dai Huabin's instantly darkened expression and continued, "In fact, the strength he displays now is far superior to your legitimate son, Dai Huabin! But in the Shrek Academy's core disciple selection, he was eliminated by Dai Huabin's sneak attack while he was weakened after an intense battle with Senior Xu Sanshi. As a father, do you have no opinion on such a matter? Do you just let it go?""Huo Yuhao, how dare you!" Dai Huabin was furious. He hadn't expected Huo Yuhao to directly complain in front of his father, and even distort the truth like this.Dai Hao raised his hand to stop Dai Huabin. His expression returned to calm as he looked at Huo Yuhao, his tone flat but imbued with a soldier's iron resolve and pragmatism: "Little brother. I am a soldier; I believe in the battlefield, where all is fair in war. Once you step into the arena, it's no different from a battlefield. As long as Huabin didn't violate the established rules, then whatever means he used to win is his capability. If he truly committed a transgression, the teachers of Shrek Academy would naturally not let him be selected for the Shrek Seven Devils, right?"His words were calm and realistic, revealing a judgment based on rules rather than emotion."But... Dai Youheng is also your son!" Huo Yuhao's voice trembled with a hint of unwillingness, "As a father, shouldn't you uphold some justice for your son?""Justice?" Dai Hao looked at Huo Yuhao, his gaze sharp as a blade, "In this World, true justice must always be earned by one's own strength, not by the charity or favoritism of others. That child Youheng has always been fickle and impetuous, not steady enough. His loss to Huabin might have been bad luck, but fundamentally, it was also due to his own flaws; no one else is to blame."Dai Hao's impression of Dai Youheng was still stuck in his bootlicker phase.Hearing this, Dai Huabin's face showed a smug smile, and he echoed, "Father is absolutely right. Dai Youheng is merely a concubine's son. Even if he occasionally has some strength, his temperament isn't up to par, and he will never achieve greatness! How can he compare to me and Big Brother?"Listening to Dai Hao's cold, realistic words, and Dai Huabin's scornful mockery, Huo Yuhao felt a bone-chilling sadness and anger surge from the bottom of his heart, instantly overwhelming his reason.The cold treatment Youheng received in the Duke's mansion, his own mother's bitter lifelong wait and her eventual desolate passing.Everything, everything, seemed incredibly ridiculous and pathetic under Dai Hao's statement of "justice lies in strength."He clenched his fists tightly, his body trembling slightly from the extreme emotion. So, in this man's heart, Dai Youheng, this concubine-born child, was utterly insignificant to him.It was no wonder that Dai Hao didn't even know of his own existence, a bastard child even less significant than a concubine's son.The grievances of these bastard and concubine-born children, their efforts, their very existence. In this man's eyes, perhaps they were less important than an ordinary military drill.His mother, after all, had given her life to the wrong person. And this man, he simply wasn't worthy of being a father!Huo Yuhao suddenly lowered his head, no longer looking at Dai Hao, afraid that the surging hatred in his eyes would uncontrollably burst forth. He merely buried this cold hatred and pain deeper into his heart, like a dormant volcano, waiting for the day it would erupt.At this moment, far away in the Extreme North Land, inside the Snow Empress's palace, Dai Youheng was diligently cultivating and healing, completely unaware that someone was thinking of him.The phantom of his Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger Martial Soul appeared behind him, and on his Spirit and his own forehead, a character for "King" flickered faintly.As Dai Youheng cultivated the Golden Adamant Evil Warding Body deeper and deeper, his Beast Spirit seemed to be undergoing a transformation.Originally, the fate reversal heavenly demon pill could not coexist with the Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger, because the Spirit grade of the fate reversal heavenly demon pill was far higher than the Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger. It was only because his Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger was special, born later, that it could exist.But at this very moment, the fleeting aura of that Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger had almost reached the level of a Super Spirit.The Snow Empress's remnant soul, who had been silently observing, now let out a faint sound of surprise."This situation?" The Snow Empress's will carefully sensed the subtle yet fundamental changes in Dai Youheng's Spirit. "Youheng's Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger Martial Soul, its aura seems to be rising, almost touching the threshold of a Super Spirit? Is this a sign of a second awakening?"This discovery astonished even the knowledgeable Snow Empress. It was commonly known that second awakenings were mostly seen in Body Spirits, but second awakenings were not exclusively for them.Some top-tier Tool Spirits or Beast Spirits, when extremely stringent conditions were met, also had the possibility of further advancement, transforming into a stronger form!For example, the Black Tortoise Sect, where Xu Sanshi belonged, possessed a special ritual for their inherited Black Tortoise Shield Spirit, which could guide the Spirit to undergo a second awakening, evolving into the stronger Black Tortoise Shield."That's right," the Snow Empress quickly understood the key, "The Golden Adamant Evil Warding Body that Youheng cultivates originates from a certain Spirit Beast King, and its compatibility with his Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger Martial Soul is extremely high. During cultivation, it continuously tempers the Spirit's origin, stimulating its potential. And the two-thousand-year Abyssal Ice Prison Tiger spirit ring he just absorbed is even more crucial!""The Abyssal Ice Prison Tiger is a top-tier existence among tiger-type Spirit Beasts in the Extreme North Land. Its bloodline is much stronger than ordinary tiger-type Spirit Beasts, second only to the Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger. When Youheng absorbed its spirit ring, he not only gained a Spirit Ability but also, unintentionally, drew a faint trace of the ancient tiger king's power from its bloodline, integrating it into his own Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger Martial Soul."These two factors combined unexpectedly created the opportunity for the Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger Martial Soul to evolve.Unfortunately, the two-thousand-year-old Abyssal Ice Prison Tiger was still too weak. The opportunity was merely an opportunity. To truly complete a second awakening... the Snow Empress's will grew fervent, and an even bolder, more astonishing thought emerged in her mind, "Just a two-thousand-year Abyssal Ice Prison Tiger spirit ring can bring such significant changes. Then in the future, if Youheng absorbs the hundred-thousand-year one, and even the patriarch behind it, turning them into a 'family photo meal'... Hehehe, it must work!"