The Tower's higher-ups watched Soul-Calming Douluo depart. Some looked thoughtful; others were puzzled.
"What's with Lord Soul-Calming?"
Fist Emperor Douluo asked in confusion.
"He's probably worried about his daughter's situation." Han Tianyi's eyes held a trace of pity.
At this, Fist Emperor Douluo immediately understood.
Soul-Calming Douluo's daughter, Zhao Yao,she was a well-known figure.
"With the Ancestor's return, his tension suggests his daughter caused him quite a catastrophe." Fist Emperor Douluo said meaningfully.
Han Tianyi nodded without responding. Some things were best kept to oneself; speaking them aloud wouldn't be appropriate.
After all, this involved the Ancestor's unofficial histories,not something to be discussed lightly.
Fist Emperor Douluo realized this as well and didn't continue.
But why was it so hard to suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth?
In the end, Fist Emperor Douluo couldn't hold back his grin.
Seeing this, Han Tianyi shook his head helplessly and changed the subject. "I never expected that person to be the Spirit-Ice Ancestor. The world is truly unpredictable."
Hua Yichen, passing by, sighed. "In hindsight, there were signs. When Tower Master Snow Empress suddenly took that person as a disciple, we should have suspected something."
"Indeed. I was surprised when I heard Snow Empress had taken a disciple, but I never considered that possibility."
Han Tianyi turned to Hua Yichen. "Speaking of which, the Ancestor first went to the Eastsea Spirit Transmission Tower. You spent considerable time with him, Lord Carefree. Did you notice anything else unusual?"
Hua Yichen's mouth twitched. "..."
Why must you bring up what I'd rather forget? Were you asking just to see me squirm?
He studied Han Tianyi's expression for a moment, finding it calmly curious rather than mocking, and shook his head helplessly.
"The Ancestor did display many peculiarities—even astonishing soul tool mastery—but it's impossible to connect that to someone from ten thousand years ago."
"That's true. If the Ancestor wanted to hide, we could hardly discern it."
Han Tianyi nodded, then said with genuine emotion, "We grew up hearing the Ancestor's legends. I never imagined we'd one day meet the Spirit-Ice Ancestor in person. Even now, it still feels unreal."
Hua Yichen nodded silently.
He felt the same way.
After all, the genius he'd personally discovered being his own Ancestor—if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he'd have thought it was some madman's fabrication.
Han Tianyi glanced back at the Tower, his gaze filled with emotion. "Historical records made the Spirit-Ice Ancestor seem almost saintly—so perfect it felt unreal. But meeting him today, seeing his loyalty, integrity, and openness, is far more inspiring than those rigid records."
"He wasn't overly mythologized. I think many records are quite accurate."
At this, Fist Emperor Douluo looked around and lowered his voice. "You see, the Ancestor only revealed his identity and formally reclaimed his position after recovering to the divine level. That shows he's as prudent as the records describe—exactly the Spirit-Ice Ancestor's style from history, isn't it?"
Han Tianyi paused, then nodded.
Only emerging after reaching the peak, deploying ten Limit Douluo to eliminate the Holy Spirit Cult, and even placing restrictions on everyone before the meeting ended to prevent leaks—this cautious style perfectly matched the historical accounts of the Spirit-Ice Ancestor.
The Ancestor had truly mastered the art of prudence.
Though they, as descendants, were also well-versed in this, they clearly hadn't grasped its essence.
Mentioning Huo Yuhao's cautious style also reminded Fist Emperor Douluo of the restrictions. He rubbed his chin. "Speaking of which, the Ancestor is keeping Tower Master Gu Yuena's identity so tightly guarded. What about his own identity? Does he want it kept secret?"
Han Tianyi shook his head. "Since the Ancestor chose to openly reveal his identity at the meeting and didn't restrict us from discussing it, he clearly doesn't intend to keep hiding it. And the Tower Master succession can't be kept secret anyway. But whether to spread it widely is up to the Ancestor—we shouldn't do anything unnecessary."
If the Ancestor didn't come forward, spreading the news would only leave the public skeptical.
After all, the Fire God being the Spirit-Ice Douluo was rather dramatic.
Fist Emperor Douluo laughed heartily. "I'm looking forward to seeing those youngsters' reactions. When they learn the Spirit-Ice Ancestor has truly returned, they'll be stunned speechless!"
"Ahem." Hua Yichen suddenly coughed lightly, looking in a certain direction, interrupting their conversation.
Han Tianyi and Fist Emperor Douluo stopped and followed his gaze—only to see Ji Xuanqiu accompanying Ji Juechen, his posture respectful, slightly bent as he spoke. The Sword Fanatic Ancestor from ten thousand years ago remained expressionless, only occasionally nodding, his steps steady like a sheathed blade.
But his battle intent could be felt even from afar.
"The Sword Fanatic Ancestor is going to the Ji clan for sword discussion, isn't he?" Hua Yichen clicked his tongue. "That certainly fits the Ji clan and this Ancestor's style."
Fist Emperor Douluo watched Ji Juechen depart silently, a flicker of complex emotion passing through his eyes.
Seeing this, Han Tianyi teased, "You didn't get the chance earlier. Now that you've seen your childhood idol, aren't you going to ask for guidance?"
Fist Emperor Douluo glared at him but didn't deny that Ji Juechen was his idol.
Outside the Tower, Ji Juechen was more of a first-generation member and historical figure.
But within the Tower, Sword Fanatic Douluo was an idol and role model for countless soul masters. After all, someone with only a level-three innate spirit power had reached Level 97 Super Douluo—that alone was inspirational enough.
As for Sea God Tang San's legend of rising from the "waste" Blue Silver Grass martial soul—his martial soul was actually the Blue Silver Emperor; that rumor had long been debunked.
In this era, only Ferocious Wolf Douluo Dong Zi'an could be considered a true inspirational example—having cultivated an ordinary Green-Faced Wolf martial soul to the Limit Douluo level, comparable to this Ancestor.
"I want to follow and watch."
After a moment of silence, Fist Emperor Douluo said.
"I'm also interested in the Ancestor's sword path. Let's go together." This time, Han Tianyi didn't tease.
The two bid farewell to Hua Yichen and headed after Ji Juechen and Ji Xuanqiu. Hua Yichen stood in place, watching the three disappear into the night, shook his head, and turned to leave.
He was also on the expedition list and needed to arrange affairs at the Eastsea Spirit Transmission Tower in advance.
"Old Ji couldn't hold back any longer."
At the Tower's upper-level conference room, Huo Yuhao stood by the window, watching Ji Juechen and Ji Xuanqiu walk away side by side, a helpless smile on his face.
Still, Ji Juechen had been cooped up in the Extreme North all this time and was clearly itching for action. Encountering a sword-path Limit Douluo now, eager to test himself, was understandable.
Huo Yuhao shook his head helplessly and turned back to the conference table.
After the higher-ups had left, only he, Gu Yuena, Snow Empress, Emperor Tian, Qianku Dongfeng, and Qianku Dicing remained.
There were still matters to discuss.
Emperor Tian, seeing Huo Yuhao's attention, spoke up: "If we deploy our full force, what if the Titan Giant Ape and the others take the opportunity to act?"
With all their divine-level experts leaving, the Federation side would be somewhat vulnerable.
Though the Titan Giant Ape and the others were unlikely to act at this time, precautions were still necessary.
After all, they didn't know the specifics of their ten-thousand-year plan. If there were actions detrimental to them, the time of their departure would be the optimal moment for the other side to maneuver.
Moreover, there was still the issue of Tang Wulin.
"Don't worry."
Huo Yuhao glanced at Su Tong, Ye Guyi, and the direction Ji Juechen had gone. "I've left contingencies on Su Tong and the others. If necessary, I can return to Mingdu in an instant. And—"
His divine consciousness swept over a certain part of the Tower. Spatial power surged around him, and a spatial gate opened in midair. On the other side was a dazed ethereal figure.
Huo Yuhao smiled. "And Ning Rongrong and Oscar have agreed to join us. I'm sure Lady Tang Wutong is willing to help us with matters as well."
This was: holding Oscar and his wife hostage to command Tang Wutong.
Seeing that figure, Qianku Dongfeng and Qianku Dicing exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock.
Another deity—this world was becoming stranger by the day.
They could tell the figure across the spatial passage was a divine consciousness projection, and from the Ancestor's words, it seemed to be the Butterfly God from ten thousand years ago? When had the Ancestor brought her to the Tower?
And Ning Rongrong and Oscar—weren't those deities who'd ascended with the Sea God twenty thousand years ago? How were they connected to the Butterfly God?
And they seemed to have all joined the Ancestor's camp?
The Ancestor had been one of the driving forces behind Shrek's destruction—these deities shouldn't be on friendly terms with him.
The two had many questions, but even more amazement.
The Ancestor had managed to bring so many Shrek-origin deities to his side—clearly, he had immense influence among the Divine Realm's gods.
They wondered what the Ancestor's exact status was in the Divine Realm.
On the other side of the spatial passage, hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Tang Wutong was speechless. She walked through the spatial gate.
"You, a God King, need my help?"
She didn't know the context, only that Huo Yuhao wanted her assistance. But a reincarnated God King with a super-divine artifact needing help from a mere wisp of divine consciousness? That was absurd, wasn't it?
Qianku Dongfeng's eyelids twitched. His gaze toward Huo Yuhao was filled with shock: "Spirit-Ice Ancestor, you... you're a God King?"
A God King—according to various records, the supreme beings of the Divine Realm, its true rulers.
No wonder the Ancestor could gather so many deities to his side. He was himself the pinnacle of the Divine Realm, a superior to many gods, standing at the very top of the pyramid.
In that moment, Qianku Dongfeng felt an epiphany, his gaze toward Huo Yuhao growing even more reverent.
Not just Qianku Dongfeng—Qianku Dicing beside him was equally shaken, looking at Huo Yuhao as if gazing upon a deity—though the person before him already was one.
The Spirit-Ice Ancestor was actually a God King!
Then the Tower's foundation was more than eternal—it was unshakable!
Perhaps even they, as descendants, would benefit from this, achieving godhood on the spot.
Huo Yuhao: "..."
Can I say this is a misunderstanding?
And Su Tong, you know the truth—why are you joining in the excitement!
Looking at Su Tong, who wore the same expression of admiration and shock as Qianku Dongfeng and the others, Huo Yuhao's eye twitched in annoyance.
Just then, Tang Wutong's confused voice sounded: "Spirit-Ice Ancestor?"
She looked at Qianku Dongfeng, who had called Huo Yuhao "Spirit-Ice Ancestor," then at Huo Yuhao, her mind spinning.
What was going on? Wasn't this person a foreign God King? Why was he being called "Ancestor" by the Spirit Transmission Tower?
And "Spirit-Ice Ancestor"—could it be that—
Facing Tang Wutong's surprised gaze, Huo Yuhao temporarily ignored Qianku Dongfeng and Su Tong, nodded, and said with a faint smile: "As you suspect, we were indeed from the same era. I even met you once."
Receiving his confirmation, Tang Wutong was completely stunned.
She'd never imagined that this foreign God King wielding a super-divine artifact was actually the Spirit-Ice Douluo who'd founded the Tower and created the Spirit Soul system ten thousand years ago.
Of course, regarding the fact that "Huo Yuhao was the Spirit-Ice Douluo" itself, Tang Wutong wasn't overly shocked—she wasn't from the Tower and wasn't familiar with him.
This matter was far less impactful than the realization that Huo Yuhao was a God King who had lived in the same era as her.
Indeed, in Tang Wutong's mind, she still believed Huo Yuhao was a reincarnated God King—just one who had arrived on the Douluo Plane earlier than she'd imagined.
After all, there were only so many super-divine artifacts in the Divine Realm, and she knew the whereabouts of most. The one Huo Yuhao had was unknown to her, so it could only be an outsider's.
"You—you reincarnated to the Douluo Plane ten thousand years ago? How did you evade the Divine Realm's surveillance?" Tang Wutong looked bewildered. "And when did we meet? I have no memory of it."
Huo Yuhao immediately understood—she was like Gu Yuena in the past, taking him for a foreign God King on a casual reincarnation tour, never considering that he might not be a God King at all.
Yes, he'd be seated at the same table as Great Yayoi-sensei.
With a nostalgic and teasing glance at his girlfriend, Huo Yuhao turned to Tang Wutong and smiled: "I saw you once in the audience, watching you get knocked down by a soul master from another academy."
Tang Wutong's face darkened. "Your memory is excellent."
So he was looking at her embarrassing moments!
Huo Yuhao smiled, but didn't continue joking: "We seem to have digressed. As you thought, what I said just now was in jest—I don't actually have anything for you to do. I called you here to ask your opinion."
"You know our relationship with your two fathers is adversarial. If this continues—"
Huo Yuhao's voice was calm, but carried an undeniable coldness: "Then I'll have to send them to reincarnation."
Tang Wutong's pupils contracted sharply.
"But—"
Huo Yuhao's tone shifted. "As of now, we don't have a life-or-death grudge with them. It's more a conflict of position. If you can persuade them, I won't lay a hand on them."
He'd always distinguished between grievances. The conflicts between Huo Yuhao and Tang San in the original story wouldn't be applied to him and Tang San.
His personal grievance with Tang San was more about obstructing his path—and that didn't involve others. He wouldn't displace his anger.
Setting aside Tang San, he had no real grudge against Da Ming and Er Ming—after all, in their few clashes, the other side had always been the ones losing.
Of course, Tang Hao and Ah Yin were a different matter.
The Douluo Plane's consciousness had shown him great kindness. They had usurped its authority—he wouldn't go easy on them.
Tang Wutong took a deep breath. "I understand. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I'll find a chance to persuade them."
She paused, then asked in confusion, "But I don't understand—why are you giving me and my two fathers this chance?"