He clearly recognizes me, but I am certain I have never seen this person before... How does he know me? And how much does he know about my affairs?
Thinking this, Huo Yuhao withdrew his second Martial Soul, the Deep Blue Glazed Dragon. In its place, his eyes shifted to a dual coloration of black and gold, and his hair began to turn black and grow longer, cascading down to his waist.
When using his third Martial Soul, the Holy Demon Angel, Huo Yuhao exuded an intensely sinister charm. Coupled with that long hair and his slightly thin frame, at a glance, he looked more like a girl born with a natural enchantment aura.
Raising his left hand, a grey current of air swirled around his slender, elongated fingers.
This was the Necromancy inherited from Electrolux—the Soul Searching Technique. It could extract an enemy's memories, provided there was a massive disparity in Mental Power.
Frankly speaking, although Lan Xuanyu harbored clear malice toward him, the two had not had any actual conflict of interest until now. As the saying goes, "I will not attack unless attacked." Even though this guy was hysterically shouting about the Dragon God Bloodline, Huo Yuhao truly did not want to harm him from the bottom of his heart.
However, if he didn't glean something from Lan Xuanyu, Huo Yuhao couldn't feel at ease. Yet, he was also afraid of learning something world-shattering...
With these conflicting emotions, his Mental Power enveloped the surroundings. Huo Yuhao crouched down and reached his left hand toward Lan Xuanyu's forehead.
...
The timeline shifts back to just after Huo Yuhao defeated Lan Xuanyu's team.
Sitting directly at the front of the Freshman Class 5 rest area was a handsome yet cold youth. He was taller than his peers, with long golden hair parted down the middle. His most striking feature was the double pupils within his eyes.
This was the second son of the White Tiger Duke's lineage, Dai the Second, Dai Huabin.
As a rare Soul Elder powerhouse among the Shrek Outer Court freshmen, Dai Huabin naturally led his own team. Due to his illustrious background, he had even been elected as the class monitor of Class 5.
Originally, Dai the Second was very confident in his strength to lead his team to the Outer Court finals and even claim the freshman assessment championship.
Until he saw that blue-haired boy... the one he had seen when he was seven years old.
His habitually cold, handsome face was full of shock. Although the boy's features had matured since childhood, Dai Huabin felt he could never mistake those blue eyes.
He... he actually came to Shrek Academy...
Uncontrollably, his heart—which had once received "electrotherapy" from Ultimate Lightning—began to throb violently. It beat so fast it felt like it would jump out of his chest, causing Dai Huabin's face to flush crimson. His vision blurred, and he couldn't help but cough.
Cold, moisture, electric shocks—all of these cause massive damage to the human body.
Particularly for Dai Huabin, who at the age of seven had been given a full-body electrotherapy session by Huo Yuhao using Ultimate Lightning. The destructive power of Ultimate Lightning is immense, and back then, the young Huo Yuhao had not held back.
This resulted in a severe acquired condition for Dai Huabin: heart disease.
Despite long-term observation and treatment by high-ranking Healing System Soul Masters of the Star Luo Empire, they had explicitly told the Duchess and the White Tiger Duke that Dai Huabin's heart was severely damaged. Even if he consumed expensive medicinal herbs every day, he would absolutely not live past the age of twenty.
Upon hearing this news, the Zhu Family, who were originally allied through marriage with the Dai Family, decisively broke the engagement between Zhu Lu and Dai Huabin. After all, no young girl was willing to live as a widow for a man destined for a short life.
Over the years, the Duchess had spent untold effort on Dai Huabin. Even the legendary general Dai Hao, who usually claimed he was too busy with war to return home, returned to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion in Star Luo City to seek medical help for his son every day.
But strangely, Dai Hao knew nothing of Huo Yun'er and Huo Yuhao...
For reasons unknown, Dai Hao still sent Dai Huabin to Shrek Academy alongside his elder brother, Dai Yueheng, fulfilling Dai Huabin's childhood dream.
It was truly strange. As a pillar of the Star Luo Empire and a commanding marshal, Dai Hao didn't send his son to the imperial educational institutions but to Shrek Academy instead...
Did General Dai Hao not understand the concept of a "hostage"? Furthermore, the Star Luo Emperor, Xu Jiawei, was truly bold to leave the empire's hundreds of thousands of troops under Dai Hao's command with such peace of mind...
Back to the point: Dai Huabin, sitting in his seat, looked as if he were having a seizure, his head shaking as if he had epilepsy.
...
From age seven to eleven, God only knows how much he suffered because of his heart! Those painful experiences almost swallowed Dai Huabin's consciousness.
But those pains were irrepressibly suppressed by the sentence Huo Yuhao had left him with years ago:
"So... I will also kindly give you a chance. Cultivate with your proud White Tiger Martial Soul. In the year you turn twelve, I will officially take your life. Of course, your end will not change. You are welcome to try and resist."
The four years of suffering from heart disease made him furious; the death declaration for his twelfth year made him terrified.
No, no, no, no, no...
I don't want to die... I don't want to die!
He suddenly stood up and roared, "I'm going to kill him!!!"
"!!!"
This outburst drew the astonished gazes of everyone present, though to others, it sounded like he was merely pumping himself up.
Dai Huabin struggled to calm his breathing. Ignoring the stares, he turned and ran out of the arena.
No matter the cost, he had to kill Huo Yuhao!
At this moment, Dai Huabin's mind was exceptionally calm as he rapidly formulated an assassination plot against Huo Yuhao.
He definitely couldn't win in a head-on fight... he couldn't win at age seven, let alone now at eleven.
Moreover, most of his Soul Power had been bolstered by expensive natural treasures. He could handle those with lower cultivation, but he'd be finished the moment he encountered someone stronger.
Therefore, he had to use the family's resources!
To look after him, the White Tiger Dai Family had arranged plenty of personnel in Shrek City. Because of his illness, his father and mother doted on him excessively; they granted his every request.
Huo Yuhao, oh Huo Yuhao, what's the use of being able to fight? You still have to die! You must die!
But Dai Huabin also found it strange: why did his mother hide Huo Yuhao's identity and tell his father that his heart disease was caused by an accident?
...
Returning to his dormitory from Zhang Lexuan's place, Huo Yuhao saw someone he didn't expect at the door.
The person was wearing the white freshman uniform and seemed a bit drowsy from a long wait, head lowered. Pink-blue hair hung down, looking strangely well-behaved.
Huo Yuhao stopped in his tracks, feeling uneasy.
...It was him.