Douluo Continent: Little Huo Niang Taken Away by Di Tian

Chapter 326 A Strange Sense of Ritual

The two stood up, held hands, and walked out of the Spirit Pagoda.

The morning light shone on them, reflecting dappled light off the lenses of their glasses. Two figures, one in black and one in blue, walked side by side toward Shrek Academy.

On the shores of Poseidon Lake, the morning light spills across the lake like scattered gold.

Huo Yutong and Di Tian walked hand in hand into the inner courtyard, strolling slowly along the lakeside path.

Along the way, many inner court disciples saw them.

Those who had once secretly admired Huo Yutong were now completely devastated.

Although they already knew that the goddess had someone she liked at the Sea God's Fate Blind Date Event, they still held onto a sliver of hope since they hadn't seen him in person.

After all, the rumored "uncle" is just a vague concept, and they can comfort themselves by thinking, "Maybe he's just a grumpy old man."

Today, I'm completely heartbroken.

"Early birds do get the benefits—" Tang Ya peeked out from behind a large tree in the dense forest next to Poseidon Lake and said in a low voice, "The early bird catches the worm."

"That's right!" Xiao Xiao's head was propped up by Tang Ya, her eyes shining like two stars. "We have a new CP to ship! A beast god and a human girl, a love that transcends species, it's so romantic!"

"This will surely become a beautiful story, just like the love story of the Sea God Tang San and his wife Xiao Wu." Ning Tian rested his head on Xiao Xiao's head. "It's also a love story between a human and a soul beast, but this time, it's a soul beast marrying a human!"

"I agree." Wu Feng rested his head on Ning Tian's head. "This time it's a soul beast marrying a human. Perhaps in the future, marriages between humans and soul beasts will become more and more common."

Clearly, they were arranged from shortest to tallest, stacked one on top of the other: Xiao Xiao, Tang Ya, Ning Tian, ​​and Wu Feng. If Huo Yutong were there, she would have placed her head on top of Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao silently wept in her heart: Why have I always been down there...?

Behind another big tree.

Beibei leaned against the tree trunk, inwardly grumbling, "You guys are here again. What kind of strange sense of ritual is this?"

He Caitou, who had also been brought along, squatted down next to Beibei, watching the two figures walking side by side by the lake, and said thoughtfully:

"As expected, the Beast God truly deserves to be called the King of Soul Beasts and the Leader of the Soul Beast Alliance... No, perhaps he will become the supreme ruler of all Soul Beasts."

That was He Caitou's only remaining political intuition.

After all, he was once the crown prince of the Sun Moon Empire, Xu He. He had been groomed as the heir to the empire, witnessed the workings of power, and knew how to assess the vision of a ruler.

At this moment, what he was thinking about was the closing ceremony of the Sun and Moon Empire that he would never forget.

Memories flooded back like a tide.

He Caitou (Xu He) sat in the audience seats of the Great Soul Arena, surrounded by a dense crowd. All eyes were focused on the huge soul guidance screen on the arena.

The screen was playing an image of Xu Mu's imperial edict.

The pale, emaciated man, tormented by illness and reduced to skin and bones, lay on his sickbed, breathing weakly.

He killed his father! He killed his mother! He killed his sisters! He killed his younger sisters!

He ruined everything he had as Xu He!

Xu He's hands clenched tightly at that moment, his nails digging deep into his flesh. Blood seeped from between his fingers, but he felt no pain.

Serves you right. He stared at the frail man on the screen, gritting his teeth inwardly. That's retribution for your fratricide! You deserve to be tormented by illness!

The video on the screen continued to play.

"Gentlemen..."

Xu Mu's voice came from the soul tool, hoarse and weak, yet carrying an undeniable power.

He announced that he would pass the throne to Xu Tianzhen, appoint Kong Deming as regent, purge the Holy Spirit Cult, and abolish the evil spirit masters. Each edict was powerful and resounding.

It wasn't until the video finished playing that Xu He came back to his senses from that almost suffocating feeling.

He found himself completely absorbed in the man's words.

He accepted the edict issued by his father's killer.

This realization was like a knife, piercing his heart.

Xu Mu's words were all paving the way for a better Sun Moon Empire.

He can't beat this man.

Even if he were to regain his identity now and step forward to declare himself Xu He, no one in the entire Sun Moon Empire would support him.

Before his death, Xu Mu had already arranged everything: passing the throne to the most suitable successor, settling old scores, and paving the way. The entire empire was operating according to his will.

As far as the Sun Moon Empire was concerned, Xu He had already died in that palace coup.

But he was still unwilling to accept it.

The man who ruined his life was dying, dying on his sickbed, dying within his own scheme. He would never be able to take revenge. He didn't even have the strength to hate.

Xu He lowered his head and looked at the blood seeping from his palm.

I already knew.

Xu He's life had long since ended.

The one who survived was He Caitou.

He Caitou (Xu He) slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.

Xu He has his own life.

The prince who grew up in the palace of the Sun Moon Empire, the child who once enjoyed a life of luxury and supreme status, the boy who lost everything on the night of the palace coup—his life had indeed come to an end.

He Caitou also has his own life.

He met Teacher Fan Yu when he was at his most vulnerable. The Soul Guidance Department teacher squatted down in front of him, looking at this wounded boy with empty eyes, and said only one sentence: "Do you want to learn Soul Guidance Devices from me?"

Then he walked through the gates of the Soul Guidance Department of Shrek Academy.

The sounds of welding torches in the laboratory, the hum of the soul-power furnace, the fingers burned while working late into the night—those days were real.

When Teacher Fan Yu patted him on the shoulder and said, "Cai Tou, you are a genius, you are my pride," the bittersweet feeling that welled up in his heart was genuine.

He joined the Spirit Pagoda, participated in the previous Soul Master Competition, and stood on the field with his teammates. The sweat and cheers were genuine.

He went to study in the Sun Moon Empire. Standing on the land that once belonged to "Xu He", looking at those familiar palaces and streets, his heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. But when he returned to his dormitory and spread out the blueprints to continue studying the core array of the soul tool, the focus and fulfillment he felt were genuine.

Everything he experienced in this Soul Master Competition, fighting alongside his friends, rescuing Soul Masters imprisoned by evil Soul Masters with the Allied Forces after the competition, participating in the closing ceremony, and returning to Shrek Academy with the team afterward.

Walking along the path by the Sea God Lake, watching the inner disciples come and go, and listening to the school bell ringing in the distance, these days have all felt real.

Every single moment he experienced was real.

Every day he lived as He Caitou was real.

He is not anyone's shadow.

He is not a remnant of Xu He.

He is He Caitou.

Xu He's life had long since ended.

The one who survived was He Caitou.

But He Caitou's life goes on.