"What is this?"
Just as Huo Yuhao was still celebrating his successful cultivation level up, a strange situation suddenly occurred. A sense of surging inexplicably appeared in the area of his brow, where the Heavenly Eye was located.
The importance of the Heavenly Eye went without saying. Huo Yuhao immediately focused all his attention on observing, lest something went wrong. He wouldn't know where to cry if that happened.
Ever since the Heavenly Eye had emerged, it seemed to have always activated automatically. He didn't quite understand how the Heavenly Eye was activated, perhaps he could use this opportunity to observe it carefully.
However, as Huo Yuhao waited for some change to occur, the surging sensation in his brow suddenly disappeared, as if it had never been there.
This left Huo Yuhao stunned in place.
"Strange, I clearly felt a surging sensation."
Huo Yuhao rubbed his temples in confusion. He had just felt a very special energy pulsing within his mind, as if urging him to quickly release his Heavenly Eye.
What exactly was that? Why did the feeling suddenly stop?
"How does it feel to break through, kid?"
Suddenly, a voice interrupted Huo Yuhao's thoughts.
Huo Yuhao quickly looked up and saw Old Chen approaching from the side, holding a teapot.
"Thank you, sir," Huo Yuhao quickly stood up and expressed his respectful gratitude.
"No need to thank me," Old Chen said casually. "Sit down and talk. Don't keep standing up. It makes you look young and energetic."
Huo Yuhao scratched his head and smiled, then sat back down on the sofa.
"I know you're curious as to why I'm helping you?" Old Chen refilled his teacup. Then, under Huo Yuhao's curious gaze, he explained, "The reason is simple. Your mother once saved my granddaughter's life."
Huo Yuhao was clearly taken aback by this explanation.
"I won't dwell on what happened back then; it was many years ago," Old Chen said, looking at Huo Yuhao with a serious tone. "What do you plan to do next?"
Huo Yuhao wouldn't press for details since Old Chen didn't want to talk about it. Seeing that he was getting to the point, Huo Yuhao paused before saying, "I want to leave the Duke's Mansion. Inside the Duke's Mansion, the Duchess and Dai Huabin are like a sword hanging over my head. If I'm not careful, that sword will fall and pierce me."
Old Chen nodded in understanding but still asked, "But you're only a little over ten years old. How do you plan to survive in the future? Don't forget, your Innate Soul Power is only one rank. Even if you reach rank ten, it'll be incredibly difficult for you to obtain a Soul Ring without the help of an elder."
"As for hunting Soul Beasts on your own, do you know? Soul Beasts aren't ants you can casually step on. Any Soul Beast would be deadly to you."
"To be honest, I can protect your life within the Duke's Mansion. But once you leave, I can't help you anymore. I also have family in Star Luo City, and there's a limit to how much I can help you, so I can't cross that line."
"I understand what Old Chen is saying," Huo Yuhao took a deep breath.
Old Chen held up two fingers. "I'll give you two choices. First, stay at the Duke's Mansion for a few years, and then I'll send you to the Military Camp, just like Dai Luoli. Second, leave in a few days and never return to the Duke's Mansion. In the future, you'll only have yourself. You'll only be able to rely on yourself."
"I choose the second one," Huo Yuhao said with a smile, without the slightest hesitation.
"Are you sure?" Old Chen's tone was extremely serious, his face filled with authority.
"I'm sure," Huo Yuhao's smile remained, but his tone was exceptionally firm. He was alone, after all. Hadn't it always been this way?
"With the second choice, you might lose your life at any moment," Old Chen said in a deep voice.
Huo Yuhao was silent for a moment before saying, "If I was afraid of death, I wouldn't have chosen to resist those people. With the first path, I can live, but I'll ultimately be useless. The second path is different. Perhaps I can turn things around. Maybe one day I'll return to the Duke's Mansion and successfully take revenge on the Duchess and Dai Huabin."
"You've got some guts, kid," Old Chen was stunned. He hadn't expected Huo Yuhao's thoughts to be so bold, not only leaving the Duke's Mansion but also thinking about returning for revenge.
"Hehe," Huo Yuhao chuckled. "I'm just a worthless life anyway. If I bet wrong, I'll just lose my life. But what if I actually turn things around?"
Old Chen shook his head. "If you can really turn things around, then even if I die in the future, I'll have to make a will to have my granddaughter carve the words 'You're amazing' on my tombstone."
Huo Yuhao's lips twitched. "Old Chen, you flatter me."
Old Chen chuckled like a mischievous child. "Alright, since you chose the second option, I won't object. You can leave the Duke's Mansion in five days."
"Why five days?" Huo Yuhao asked, confused.
Old Chen said casually, "I still have a lot of Thousand-Year Soul Beast Meat left. I can't finish it all myself. Stay for five days and help me eat some; otherwise, it'll go bad and be a waste."
Huo Yuhao's expression instantly froze, and his lips moved unconsciously.
Old Chen continued, "It's a pity your meridians are too blocked. This Soul Beast meat will only make you a bit stronger; it won't help you much otherwise."
"Old Chen..." Huo Yuhao wanted to say something but didn't.
Old Chen said calmly, "We're men, no need for all the fuss. You must be tired, go take a bath and rest. I'll teach you some things tomorrow that might be useful after you leave the Duke's Mansion."
"Yes." Huo Yuhao stood up and obediently started to leave the living room. Suddenly, he stopped. "Old Chen, do you have a cellar to store food?"
Old Chen looked puzzled. "Why are you asking?"
"Here." Huo Yuhao pulled out a damaged Fish from his trouser pocket. "I caught this. It's food, after all, we can't waste it."
"There's an ice cellar in the basement, go yourself." Old Chen's eyelids lifted slightly, seemingly surprised.
"Okay." Huo Yuhao nodded and left.
The Sun Moon Empire might have had Refrigerator Soul Tools, but the original three great empires of the Douluo Continent definitely didn't. That's why Huo Yuhao asked Old Chen about the ice cellar.
After putting the Fish in the ice cellar, Huo Yuhao found a side room and took a shower, washing away all his fatigue. Of course, he also washed the quilt his mother had left for him.
When everything was done, he lay directly on the soft bed. The rain had stopped outside, but thick dark clouds still covered the sky. Without the illumination of lights, everything would be swallowed by darkness.
The cool wind seeped through the gap in the window, ruffling Huo Yuhao's hair. He gazed at the ceiling, slowly raising his hand, and sighed with feeling, "I wonder what my future holds? I hope everything goes smoothly… Oh right, I can't be a dog in this life."
(End of Chapter)