Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: The Name That Stirs Fear

The ancient Star Dou Forest stood still, an unsettling quiet surrounding it as if time itself breathed its breath within the world's vast heart. Amidst the giant trees of bark and leaf, Tang Hao and Ah Yin went side by side. They moved at a slow pace, their steps dragging slightly as if the burden of unsaid thoughts weighed them down like a mist that clung to skin. The atmosphere was heavy with a disquieting tension, its weight almost tangible in the subdued rustle of leaves, every sigh of the wind repeating their turmoil within. "It feels so deeply wrong," Tang Hao whispered, a sharp crease etching itself across his brow as the shadows played in the filtered light that made its way through the canopy. His heart pounded with nameless fear, the woods that surrounded him once a haven, now a witness to their chaos. "No cult, no temple, no honored family would venture to oppose those prisoners, only because they share that title," Ah Yin said, her words filled with an anxiety that was a burden on her chest. Every word seemed to fill the silence, as heavy as an unadmitted fear. "El Dorado," she completed quietly, the name suspended between them like an abandoned curse, a specter of something awful that hung in their minds, ensnaring them in silence. A heavy look went between them, loaded with a horrific awareness of a burdened reality that tore at them. In that instant, they both understood that the ancient El Dorado had been created by a man imbued with mystery, a man who was shrouded in stories that were too terrifying to share among men. Now, irresponsible young people had dared to give life to a new El Dorado in memory of Tang Yan—a name so forbidden it ran stiff chills down the marrow of their bones. "My fear isn't for the new El Dorado," Tang Hao admitted, his voice dropping to a whisper, as if snatched away by the forest's attentive presence. "It's whether the old El Dorado will notice it… and strike back." At last, they reached a secluded grove, where the spirit energy curled about them, heavy and impenetrable, enveloping them in a dizzying hug that was both inviting and foreboding. There, in a bath of shining light, Gu Yuena waited, her silvery hair reflecting beams of light like starlight on water. Bi Ji stood beside her, a loyal guardian, both of them radiating power and wisdom. Silently, Gu Yuena indicated that they should be seated, her eyes bearing the gravity of centuries gone by. As they sat down, spirit energy glowed in front of them, calling up a vision so real that it seemed as though time itself had warped to their desire. They saw Yan'er—Tang Yan—standing up after what seemed an eternity of motionless contemplation. Sunlight poured over his naked upper torso, lightening the detailed brocade of tattoos and scars carved into his flesh, each one a painful story that smoldered in the hearts of his observers. On his right arm, a devil was seen grasping a scythe, wrapped in blood and shadow, a stark contrast to darkness lurking at the depths of the soul. To his left, a resplendent purple dragon spread its scales, giving off a power that appeared to beat with the earth's own heartbeat. Across his chest, a scar inevitably replicated the symbol of the Clear Sky Hammer, a reminder of suffering still beating strong. A lean, pitiless scar ran across his right eye, etching a gaze that was as cold as ice, piercing the very essence of their fear. Along his back, a serrated scar resembled a trident, its points a mournful reminder of fights waged and wounds hidden. Ah Yin caught her breath in her throat, her eyes snapping with sorrow and fury. "Where did he get those scars?! " Her voice cracked, raw with emotion, blazing with a fierce protective instinct. "And those tattoos—who dared to inscribe them upon my son?! " Her fiery gaze cut through the air, landing sharply on Bi Ji, then on Di Tian. "Tell me it wasn't you! Or you, Di Tian—you're the Beast God, not some back-alley tattooist! " Tang Hao's legs trembled beneath him, his face turning ghostly pale as if all the blood had drained from his body. "Impossible… it can't be…" he repeated, each word a desperate plea against the growing dread rising within him. He turned to his wife, voice quavering in a mix of fear and concern. "Ah Yin… is that all you're concerned about? Honestly… do you have any connection with that man? " Ah Yin's face burned with indignation, the air heavy with tension. "How can you suggest adultery?! " "No! Not like that! " Tang Hao stuttered, drops of sweat breaking out on his forehead as panic raked at his throat, a wild animal yearning to be free. "Then what are you saying?! Her anger burst forth, hot and unyielding, flashing in the muggy air like lightning. "I— I—" Their conversation kindled the grove with a vitality so acute that it seemed as though the very trees were creeping nearer, drawn into the turmoil of their feelings. The tension cracked like parched sticks beneath a foot, each word a spark in the tingling air. "Enough! " Gu Yuena's voice cut through the chaos with a calm authority, silencing even the whispering wind around them, her command a grounding truth amidst the storm. Turning to face them, her cool gaze pierced deeply into their souls. "Listen. Yan'er… your son… was ensnared in a Time-Space storm. He traversed the past, and from what we've sensed, it seems he spent years there… yet returned stripped of memories. The man that you so dread. was perhaps Yan'er himself, another era. Ah Yin's mouth trembled, hope and despair warring as she stared at the scars, tears sparkling in her eyes, doubt hiding like a specter. "But who did this to me.?" Tang Hao shook, fear throwing a long shadow on his eyes, a tempest of feelings churning in their depths. "Why do you feel such fear for your own son?! " Ah Yin insisted, her words cutting like knives, penetrating the tension. Tang Hao gasped, struggling to still his pounding heart, each thud reminding him of the risks involved. Bi Ji leaned forward, interest piqued, eager to solve the puzzle. "Tang Hao… what exactly did Yan'er do in the past, to terrify even you—and Da Ming and Er Ming? " There was tension in the air, thick as wet water, as Tang Hao swallowed, his own throat dry as ancient dust, memories crawling in his mind. "None of us who were members of the Clear Sky Clan ever met him personally. Only my grandfather… Tang Chen, an Extreme Douluo of level 99." Even Di Tian's golden eyes narrowed, a spark of recognition kindling within him, feeling the seriousness of the situation. "My grandfather showed me only a portrait… and gave one stern injunction: Never upset him. Never stand in his path. His name… is Yan… Ah Yan." As his voice fell to a whisper, every syllable was as heavy as iron, with the burden of dread. As his voice fell to a whispered intimacy, every syllable was as heavy as molten iron flowing into the stillness of the forest. "He disappeared for almost a decade, hidden in mystery following almost two decades of stubborn presence. But what I know to be true is this…" "Some tales ensnare your imagination as they come to life, but others kindle your spirit with their raw intensity. But his tale… is a nightmare among nightmares.". Just saying his name—Yan… Ah Yan—seeks out tremors of terror among the boldest hearts. He bent closer, speaking almost too softly to the still air, as if trees themselves listened with ears bent to hear. "And I am afraid… he has arrived to claim your family name." Ah Yin breathed in deep, a deliberate, measured inhalation that combined her pride with the pain taking root in her heart like some black flower. "Fact is, he is my son. I brought him up with sense that seemed a soft storm: 'It's not the others who measure your deeds as good or bad. It's the depths of your own heart that count. Many parents hope for their children to be bathed in unparalleled power and wealth—or at least, deep happiness.". But my desire for you goes off on a different course: taking that power and wealth forever… yet living joyfully. Simply be yourself, never putting on a veneer of goodness if there is evil behind. Embrace the nature of what you are and the greater sacrifices that go along with it.'" There was a stifling hush that settled over the grove, a cold shiver whispering across the skin and scales of all who stood there, the intensity of her words vibrating in the air like an uncomfortable echo. It was such a wish—so deep, so massively large—held a power that hummed through the very essence of nature gathered around them. Tang Hao knelt on the forest floor, his voice a gravelly whisper, filled with intense emotion. "When I heard the name 'Ah Yin' for the first time, hope flared hot in my heart. I saw you as one beloved by him—maybe a sister, or even more.". Even after learning your nature as a soul beast, I devoted myself to training with an unshakeable passion, desirous of being worthy of your affection. If you had turned your back on me, I would have slunk into the shadows, tolerating a life in the background, so long as it meant staying close to you." Ah Yin's voice shook, her tears sparkling like shining diamonds against the verdant emerald backdrop of the forest."I envied human couples who could present each other to their families.". That's why I consented to hear yours, knowing well that my presence in their midst would echo forever as a reluctant whisper." Tang Hao took her hand, his hand burning and sure, his words a soft but fierce confessionsoever"Ah Yin… there are two confessions I've wanted to make: I am sorry.". And… I love you." She pressed his face against hers, their foreheads lightly touching, creating a tender bridge between their hearts.undefinedThe towering trees that encircled them in that brief moment appeared as if they were also holding their breath, the very air heavy with unspoken vows, charged and electric.jsdelivrEach other soul there stood stock still, their hearts clenching with a nameless deluge of feelings. But as the couple shared a gentle, lingering kiss, even Gu Yuena and Bi Ji were unable to suppress the onrush of overwhelming love that flooded over them—like a tsunami of sweet nostalgia, unexpectedly sweeping them up. In the hushed aftermath, a silent understanding spread among the minds gathered there, a shared thought pulsing like a heartbeat: History may claim that powerful figures emerge from powerful places… but it is a flawed narrative.undefinedTrue strength makes the place they reside strong.