Huo Yuhao stood still, the words of Lu Jingming echoing constantly in his mind.
Confusion was replaced by a goal so difficult it was almost impossible—to grow stronger, to become a god, to ascend to the God Realm, and to reclaim his mother's soul from the hands of the Sea God, Tang San.
An unprecedented determination began to coalesce in his eyes. In the depths of his silent Spirit Eyes, a storm seemed to be brewing.
Lu Jingming ceased looking at Huo Yuhao, who was undergoing a massive internal change. He turned his gaze to the relaxed figure of Jing Yuan nearby, a casual smile on his face as he spoke:
"Senior Brother, the Holy Grail War has concluded, and your contract with Bei Bei has also ended. You are free. What do you plan to do next?"
The Holy Grail War was considered over after the Battle of Mingdou. Lu Jingming had held off on releasing the Servants' contracts with their Masters, but now, he had decided to release these Servants from their bondage, granting them freedom.
What they chose to do next was up to them. After all, these figures originating from his memories carried a special sentiment for him.
As long as they did not become his enemy, he was happy to grant them maximum autonomy.
Upon hearing this, a subtle light flashed in Jing Yuan's gold eyes, which always held a slight smile. He raised a hand to touch his chin, an expression of contemplation on his face, before breaking into a carefree smile:
"Free, am I? That suits me. I am not the true self after all. Since I have acquired this opportunity, experiencing the life of a 'Cloud-Faring Knight' in this foreign world is a good choice."
His role as the Divine Foresight General of the Xianzhou was a duty, not a dream.
Now that he had laid down the heavy burden, experiencing the long-cherished, unrestrained, and heroic life across the star seas in a different way perfectly matched his intentions.
"A Cloud-Faring Knight, you say?"
Lu Jingming also smiled. He had some understanding of his Senior Brother's dream.
"This universe is equally vast and boundless, concealing countless unknowns and wonders. I trust that in the near future, I will certainly hear the esteemed reputation of 'Cloud-Faring Knight Jing Yuan' from across the star seas."
"Heh."
Jing Yuan's smile became more languid, a hint of teasing directed at Lu Jingming.
"Little Junior Brother, that may be so, but the technological level of this world currently seems quite underdeveloped. To truly roam the star seas, I fear you will have to exert yourself more."
His gaze meaningfully swept over Jingliu, Firefly, and the others.
With a powerhouse like Jingliu holding the fort, and the technologically advanced resources from Herta, the civilization level of this world was likely to be forcibly elevated to a whole new height by this "Little Junior Brother." Reaching the interstellar era in a short time was by no means a fool's dream.
Lu Jingming merely smiled without comment, tacitly agreeing.
At this moment, Jingliu, who had been silent, fixed her cold gaze on Jing Yuan and spoke faintly, only two brief words:
"Take care."
Jing Yuan shed some of his jesting demeanor and gave Jingliu a solemn ancient Xianzhou salute:
"Teacher, please also take care. Disciple departs."
With that, he nodded to Lu Jingming and Gu Yuena, among others, with no lingering attachment. His figure transformed into a golden streak of light, soaring into the sky and instantly vanishing on the horizon, utterly unrestrained, beginning his new journey in this world as a "Cloud-Faring Knight."
As Jing Yuan departed, Lu Jingming could clearly sense that invisible contract lines were quietly snapping and dissipating in the void.
The Servants in various locations, whether accompanying their Masters or acting alone, felt the Holy Grail's bondage completely vanish at this moment.
Jing Yuan's carefree departure in a flash of gold light startled Huo Yuhao.
He looked in the direction where Jing Yuan had vanished, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.
If he had such a powerful battle force as Jing Yuan to help, the path to saving his mother would undoubtedly be much smoother.
But he quickly suppressed this regret. He knew that relying on others was not a long-term solution. True strength and hope could only come from within himself.
He took a deep breath, turning to Lu Jingming with unprecedented seriousness and determination, speaking in a deep voice:
"Lu Jingming, whatever your purpose was in telling me this—whether you want to use me or simply find it amusing... I must thank you. Thank you for letting me know that my mother's soul still exists, giving me a reason to live, a reason to become strong."
He paused, making a promise: "Perhaps you don't care, perhaps my repayment is insignificant to you, but I, Huo Yuhao, will remember this favor. If I can ultimately save my mother, and if I am still alive then... I will certainly repay today's grace."
He had already cast aside all fear of death.
To snatch a soul from the hand of a God King was virtually an act of self-destruction.
The road ahead was surely fraught with thorns, and hope was slim, but he would never retreat.
His mother was the first and only light in his dark life. For this light, he was willing to burn everything, including his own life.
As for whether Lu Jingming was deceiving him? After the initial moment of excitement, Huo Yuhao had already calmly considered it.
Given the strength Lu Jingming had shown and the unfathomable power of his forces, if he truly wished him harm, he would already be a corpse.
Why bother spinning a lie to an object that could be erased at any moment, a lie that was bound to be exposed by time or truth? It was meaningless.
Therefore, he chose to believe.
Having given his solemn promise, Huo Yuhao no longer hesitated.
He looked at Xiao Wu, who had been silently guarding him nearby. A consensus was reached through their shared gaze.
He had to return to his original world. His mother's soul was imprisoned in that world's God Realm, and his target for vengeance—the Duke of White Tiger—was also there.
The death of Dai Huabin alone was far from enough to quell the hatred and pain accumulated in his heart.
The two said no more, their figures turning into streaks of light, speeding away towards the direction where a spatial-temporal passage might exist, quickly disappearing into the sky.
Watching Huo Yuhao's receding back, Lu Jingming slowly withdrew his gaze, the meaningful smile never leaving his face.
"Repayment?"
He muttered softly, a hint of playfulness in his tone.
"It is interesting, but alas, you ultimately do not understand that from the moment you learned the truth and resolved to embark on this path to save your mother, your destiny was no longer your own."
He saw things very clearly.
For Huo Yuhao to gain power capable of challenging a God King in a short period, the only fast and effective way was to deeply tap into and rely on the Herrscher of Sentience Core within him.
And the power of this core, seemingly mighty and unrivaled, already bore his brand.
As long as Huo Yuhao did not relinquish this power, he would never truly escape Lu Jingming's control.
"I have to say, Huo Yuhao, your luck is indeed quite poor."
Lu Jingming slightly shook his head, his tone carrying a touch of almost cruel pity.
In his original fate, Huo Yuhao was the 'Son of Destiny' carefully selected, guided, and manipulated step by step by the Sea God, Tang San.
Now, having escaped Tang San's chessboard, he had, in his naiveté, fallen into Lu Jingming's game.
His gaze seemed to pierce through layers of space, observing Huo Yuhao's vanishing figure.
"But this is reality; it is the most naked and fairest truth in the universe."
Lu Jingming's voice was calm and cold, stating the laws of the world.
"The strong control the destiny of the weak."
"Who told you... that you are not strong enough yet?"
The faint words drifted on the wind.
Soon after Huo Yuhao left, in the distant sky, two opposing yet equally boundless divine powers erupted like dormant volcanoes, instantly agitating the primal energy of the world for thousands of miles around.
One was magnificent and brilliant, like the rising sun, carrying the glorious righteousness that purified all things and judged evil—that was the power of the Angel God, Qian Renxue.
The other was cold and foul, like the gaping maw of the abyss, filled with malice, curses, and the wicked intent to destroy everything—that was the power of the Rakshasa God, Bibi Dong.
The two divine powers collided fiercely in the air like two primordial beasts, bursting into a soundless, yet soul-shaking roar.
Space violently warped and collapsed at the point of collision, as if unable to withstand the clash of these two extremely opposing laws.
Lu Jingming did not even need to look up. The crystal-clear opposing auras in his soul perception had already told him everything.
"They finally started fighting."
His tone was calm, as if he had long anticipated it.
"These mother and daughter... one proud as the blazing sun, the other prejudiced and demonic. Words are useless to them. Only power can force them to truly face each other and resolve this grievance spanning over twenty years."
A subtle smile played on his lips. He nodded slightly to Jingliu, Gu Yuena, and the others beside him:
"Let us go and watch this... battle of justice and evil."
With a flow of light and shadow, they appeared on the summit of an isolated peak a few miles from the battlefield, observing the distant fight.
At the center of the battlefield, the two deities had pushed their divine power to the extreme.
Qian Renxue hovered in the air, enveloped in pure golden divine light.
She wore the magnificent and majestic Angel God Armor, with six massive golden wings fully spread behind her. Every feather flowed with the brilliance of True Solar Fire.
The golden Angel Holy Sword was gripped in her hand, its blade burning with eternal, sacred flame.
Seven dazzling divine rings slowly rotated behind her head, radiating a vast, awe-inspiring divine might that compelled reverence.
Her divine power attributes were the ultimate Light, Holiness, Judgment, and Solar Fire. Wherever she passed, shadows and evil retreated, and the air was filled with warmth and purification.
Opposite her, Bibi Dong presented a scene of total apocalypse.
The Rakshasa God Armor covered her body. The purple-black armor seemed to be condensed from countless vengeful spirits and curses, continuously twisting and writhing, emitting a sickening, wicked aura.
A massive Rakshasa Avatar roared viciously behind her, holding the same Rakshasa Scythe as her true body. The scythe's blade was entwined with foul, demonic thoughts capable of eroding divinity.
The divine rings behind her head were deep purple-black, and as they rotated, countless resentful spirits seemed to wail.
Her divine power was pure Darkness, Evil, Curses, and Death. Her mere presence stained the surrounding space with an ominous dark purple. Life was cut short on the ground; plants instantly withered and decayed.
Angel and Rakshasa were natural enemies.
Had it not been for that complicated mother-daughter blood bond, this fated battle should have erupted the moment they achieved godhood, instead of being delayed until now.
"Nether Rakshasa."
Bibi Dong was the first to attack. The Rakshasa Scythe swung, and the purple light in the sky instantly transformed into hundreds of twisted, snake-like, purple-black scythe blades, surging towards Qian Renxue like a tidal wave, devouring even the light in their path.
"Sacred Flame: Judgment!"
Qian Renxue's cold shout rang out. The Angel Holy Sword pointed forward, and endless golden Sacred Flames poured forth like a tsunami. The holy fire condensed into countless burning light swords, precisely meeting every Rakshasa Scythe Blade.
"Boom! Boom boom boom—!!"
Gold and purple-black fiercely collided and annihilated each other in the air. The Sacred Flame purified the evil, and the Rakshasa Divine Power eroded the light.
Every collision unleashed a blinding flash that could blind mortals and deafening roars that shook the soul.
The resulting shockwaves spread outwards in rings, once again flattening the already ravaged earth below. Mountain peaks were severed midway, and massive boulders turned to dust.
"Calamity Curse Extinction!"
The madness in Bibi Dong's eyes grew stronger. The Rakshasa Scythe pointed at the earth, and the foul Rakshasa Divine Power delved deep into the ground, summoning the deepest resentment from the earth's veins.
In an instant, countless bloody eyes condensed from foul blood and resentment opened on the ground. Beams of dark red light, filled with curses and decay, shot up into the sky, weaving a huge web of death that shrouded Qian Renxue.
"Angel Domain: World Cleansing Holy Light!"
Qian Renxue did not back down. Her six wings shook violently, and a golden domain filled with a sacred aura rapidly unfolded around her.
In the domain, holy songs echoed, and golden light rain scattered. The Holy Light, imbued with the ultimate power of purification, collided with the death web of Calamity Curse Extinction, producing a "hissing" sound of searing. The wicked curses melted away like ice and snow in the Holy Light.
"Rakshasa Scythe: Soul Sever!"
Bibi Dong's body and avatar merged into one, and she moved with her scythe, transforming into a purple-black streak of fierce light that tore through space. The demonic scythe aimed directly at the core of Qian Renxue's divine soul.
This strike contained the Rakshasa God's absolute suppression of the soul.
"Angel God Skill: Solar Holy Sword!"
Qian Renxue raised the Angel Holy Sword above her head, as if drawing on the core power of the sun from the Ninth Heaven. The Holy Sword instantly expanded, transforming into a colossal golden sword that spanned the heavens and the earth. With the will to burn mountains, boil seas, and judge all, it fiercely cleaved towards the purple-black streak of light.
"Clang—!!!!!"
The divine artifacts clashed, emitting a terrifying noise that shook the divine soul, as if attempting to tear the entire world apart.
At the point of collision, an energy sphere, a mixture of golden Sacred Flame and purple-black evil energy, rapidly expanded, then abruptly exploded.
A massive gap was torn open in the sky, revealing the chaotic void beyond.
The earth below shattered and sank like a fragile eggshell, forming a colossal circular pit more than ten kilometers in diameter beneath the two combatants. The pit's walls were as smooth as a mirror, the result of instantaneous vaporization by extreme energy.
The shockwaves swept for hundreds of kilometers. Hurricanes howled, and clouds dispersed, as if the apocalypse had arrived.
The holy Angel Divine Power and the wicked Rakshasa Divine Power were not just consuming energy; they were vying for dominance over the laws of this world.