Chapter 115: Fate Is a Bitch!
Douluo Star.
Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu.
Evening.
Huo Yuhao, who had already returned to the Sun Moon Empire, inexplicably felt the 'Destiny' chime on the End-Time Bell begin to resonate. The unique bell pattern belonging to 'Destiny' had now surpassed 'Strong Luck' and 'Heaven's Movement is Vigorous,' suddenly becoming even more powerful.
This situation left him somewhat puzzled, as if something good had happened.
Huo Yuhao looked up at the sky, as if sensing something, and a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Indeed, fate is a bitch."
Because they had not returned with Lin Jiayi, Elder Ma, and the others, Huo Yuhao, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen naturally did not receive the same homecoming treatment.
The news of the Sun Moon Empire winning the championship of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament for the first time had spread throughout the empire shortly after the competition ended. Elder Ma and the others were grandly received by the Crown Prince and officials, and the rewards were self-evident.
Ma Rulong, Lin Xi, Mi Jia, and the other main team members were all granted noble titles of the empire and were rewarded with many high-grade Soul Guidance Devices, along with vast amounts of gold coins and precious metals.
Aside from that, the doors to their future development as Soul Engineers were wide open. As long as they had the ability, all research materials for Soul Guidance Devices below ninth-grade from the empire, excluding core secrets, would be made available to them.
Huo Yuhao's name also spread more widely in the Sun Moon Empire due to his performance in the tournament, reaching a point where no one was unaware of him.
Now, the entire Sun Moon Empire—including old, young, women, and children—knew that their number one genius was Huo Yuhao. His performance in the tournament was also a popular topic of discussion and an amusing anecdote for many.
To put it this way, for the Sun Moon Empire, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy winning the championship of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament brought an honor no less significant than the national football team reaching the World Cup final and lifting the Hercules Cup.
Of course, this had been said before, but how could the national football team compare to the Sun Moon Empire? After all, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy had frequently finished as runner-up in the Academy Soul Dueling Tournament.
Logically, Huo Yuhao should have appeared in the Holy Spirit Church's intelligence reports by now, but there was nothing to be done. Who could have known that our Holy Spirit Church's Grand Elder Xuan Zi would provide such a powerful assist?
Ma Xiaotao was now the Holy Spirit Church's darling. With Kong Deming as his background, the Holy Spirit Church was truly unwilling to approach Huo Yuhao for now.
And the moment Huo Yuhao and the others returned to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, Jing Hongchen appeared with an excited expression, followed by Xuan Ziwen.
Jing Hongchen looked at Huo Yuhao and his own grandchildren, laughing heartily with satisfaction.
"Dean, Senior Brother!"
"Grandpa!"
"Good, good, good!" Jing Hongchen felt a sense of vindication.
He was among the first to know what had happened in Star Luo City. Beating Shrek, stepping on the Star Luo Empire, and finally winning the championship of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament—where could you find such a story?
If the news hadn't been absolutely accurate, he would have thought someone was making up a storybook to tease him!
"This old man knows you are all very tired, but you cannot rest yet. News has come from the imperial family, asking you three little ones to go to the palace."
"You haven't received your rewards yet, and you weren't present for the honorary parade in Mingdu before. It would be inexcusable not to go now."
Not only Crown Prince Xu Tianran, but also the old Emperor and many Sun Moon Empire ministers wanted to see them in person.
The rewards for the three had already been issued. All they needed to do now was to go and collect them directly, sparing them from the public appearances that Ma Rulong and the others had to endure, and avoiding the glorious parade through the crowds like monkeys.
After Jing Hongchen finished speaking, Kong Deming no longer concealed himself. Since they were already home, what was there to hide?
"Yuhao, when you see His Majesty and the Crown Prince later, do not listen to their promises, and do not care about others' flattery."
"If the Crown Prince openly bestows something, accept it generously. If he tries to give you something in secret, do not accept it."
The waters of the Sun Moon imperial court were actually deeper than imagined. Kong Deming was worried that his disciple might not be clear-headed, so he came out and nagged a bit.
"Understood, Teacher."
Huo Yuhao understood that his teacher was a cornerstone of the Sun Moon Empire and the head of the Worship Hall. There was no need to be so cautious with the imperial family. The reason for this was simply to prevent him from being accidentally forced to take sides.
The current situation was still unclear, and rashly getting involved in the struggle for imperial power might be exploited by those with ulterior motives.
While there might not be any real danger, it would certainly delay his growth, and it would definitely be sickening.
Kong Deming and Huo Yuhao's intentions were very clear: everything should be centered on one's own strength, and power struggles should be avoided.
Seeing that his disciple was clear-headed, Kong Deming felt at ease. Why hadn't he met such a worry-free disciple earlier? Inexplicably, he now found Xuan Ziwen displeasing to the eye.
"What are you looking at?"
Xuan Ziwen didn't expect his teacher to give him a cold shoulder as soon as he arrived. Why was he inexplicably disliked by his teacher?
"Teacher, Yuhao, aren't I worried about you? Besides, since Yuhao has returned from the competition, as his senior brother, I should naturally come to greet him."
Kong Deming was originally intentionally teasing Xuan Ziwen, his disciple. Now seeing him unable to utter a word, he lost the mood to jest. Why don't you dare to fight me!
Look at Yuhao, the avenger of his father—he even killed his dad, cough cough.
Ignoring Kong Deming and Xuan Ziwen, Jing Hongchen also shared the same sentiment. The olive branch the Crown Prince had extended to him was not just once or twice, but he had never explicitly stated his position. Why? Was it not because he didn't want to get involved in those troublesome matters?
As the Dean of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, a Level 9 Soul Engineer, and the head of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, he could maintain political neutrality for a long time based on his authoritative position in the Soul Engineer Domain, and no one could do anything to him.
No matter which prince ascended the throne in the end, they would have to rely on the Soul Guidance technology of the Illustrious Virtue Hall. He could maintain a transcendent status without actively taking sides. All of this was based on his strength.
Prince factions, Crown Prince factions... as long as one is strong enough, even the Grand Ancestor himself won't be able to do anything!
Therefore, he repeated the words to Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen: "You two listen as well. Take the rewards given openly, but if the Crown Prince or the Third Prince try to win you over in secret, just play dumb."
Xiao Hongchen pouted, "What good things can the imperial family have? If we do that, won't we become beggars?"
Jing Hongchen gave his grandson a sharp rap on the head.
"Follow Yuhao later. If you dare to talk nonsense, I'll beat you to death when we get out."
Beggars? If such words were to spread, the Hongchen family would truly be disgraced. Who would dare say the Hongchen family were beggars? They must be tired of living.
Moreover, the rewards were so generous. How many people wanted them but couldn't get them? You don't have the conditions, understand!
Xiao Hongchen was momentarily annoyed, while Meng Hongchen giggled and hid behind Huo Yuhao. Honestly, ever since she met Yuhao, she hadn't seen her older brother get beaten in a long time. It was great!
The three, led by Jing Hongchen, headed to the imperial palace. At this moment, the 'Destiny' chime on the End-Time Bell once again produced a faint ripple. Unlike before, this change in 'Destiny' was very bizarre.
Huo Yuhao couldn't tell if it was good or bad. 'Destiny' seemed to be constantly changing, as if he would encounter a very dangerous situation next, but within that danger was a huge opportunity.
It was bizarre, truly too bizarre.
He wanted to see what kind of danger could make him feel such a strange sensation.
Without alarming anyone else, he applied Spiritual Detection Sharing to himself. With the Ice Silkworm True Body's enhancement, his mental power was tripled. His mental power, which was already halfway to the threshold of tangible yet formless, surged again, causing the range of Spiritual Detection Sharing to cover the entire Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy.
The existence that could bring him danger and cause a ripple in destiny under these circumstances must be hidden within the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy.
At this moment, Huo Yuhao, following the 'ripples' of destiny, finally sensed the origin point that caused the change in fate.
Spiritual Detection was applied to a specific area, and the subtle analysis ability presented an extremely clear three-dimensional image, even down to the precise colors.
It was the figure of a woman, with silver hair and purple eyes, a high nose bridge, and fair skin, exuding a mysterious yet fragile aura, like the Creator's most perfect work.
She stood at the highest point of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy's building, gazing at Huo Yuhao from afar, a faint, cold smile on her flawless face.
This was their first meeting.
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End of Chapter