Father's Happiness

Yang Hao went to his father's room, his heart filled with excitement and anticipation. The moment he stepped inside, his father, Yang Zhouka—who had been sitting in deep contemplation—immediately noticed something different about his son. His sharp eyes narrowed as he stood, his powerful aura filling the room.

"You… You have become a Mortal Elemental?" Yang Zhouka's voice carried both disbelief and urgency. He strode forward, placing a firm hand on Yang Hao's shoulder as his energy surged while he inspected his son's body.

Yang Zhouka's gaze turned inward, his spiritual sense sweeping through every meridian, every muscle, and every drop of blood within Yang Hao's body. His son had previously been without an Elemental Seed, but now he could feel the Fire Element within him.

Yang Zhouka had last checked his son in this way six years ago and had not detected any changes in his skin—otherwise, he would have known that his son was already in the Skin Tempering Stage.

Yang Zhouka was excited— even more so than Yang Hao.

In his heart, Yang Zhouka had long resigned himself to the idea that Yang Hao would never become a Mortal Elemental. And yet, here he was, standing before him as a Second Stage Mortal Elemental.

"No impurities… No external interference…" Yang Zhouka murmured, frowning with his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. Then he turned his gaze outward, his keen senses expanding beyond Yang Hao's physical body. There was no trace of possession, no foreign presence lurking in the shadows. Everything was as it should be.

He exhaled deeply, a mixture of shock and relief washing over him. His son had awakened his Element Seed—just as his fiancée had.

"Hao'er," Yang Zhouka said after a long silence, his calm voice tinged with emotion. "Tell me, what happened?"

Yang Hao explained that he had begun to feel the Element and had come here immediately. Since Yang Zhouka couldn't sense that his son was in the Skin Tempering Stage, Yang Hao tried to keep it secret. He knew that his father suspected he was hiding something, but it didn't matter.

"Hahaha," Yang Zhouka laughed after hearing this. "You know that your fiancée also awakened her Element Seed late—three years ago? You did the same, but you were even later than her. You two are a match for each other."

Yang Hao smiled and shrugged. He knew all too well—that was why they got engaged in the first place since both of them lacked an Element Seed. She had awakened her Element Seed three years later after the engagement, and then, three years after that, Yang Hao awakened his.

However, now Yang Hao wondered: had his fiancée obtained her Element Seed from someone else, or did she simply awaken it later? He decided he would ask Seisa or Meisa about it later.

Yang Zhouka turned and went into the secret room within his quarters, returning with a few items.

"These will aid your Skin Tempering," he said steadily, though with an undeniable hint of excitement. "Since you now have an Element Seed, I will ensure you proceed on the best possible foundation."

He placed a jade bottle before Yang Hao. "These are Scarlet Sun Pills, refined from Fire Spirit Grass and Vermilion Jade Essence. They will strengthen your skin and enhance its affinity with the Fire Element."

"Wait in your room. I will fetch the Fire Element Technique for the Skin Tempering Stage. Also, I will send a servant with a Golden Marrow Tempering Bath, infused with Ten-Year Golden Lotus and Starfire Sand. Soak in it for an hour each day, and your skin will become as tough as refined steel."

Yang Hao's breath hitched. These resources—even among elite cultivators—were rare and valuable. He had never imagined his father would prepare them for him.

Yang Zhouka's expression softened slightly. "You have been given a chance, my son. Since fate has granted you this opportunity, do not waste it. The road ahead is long, but I will ensure that you have everything you need to walk it."

Yang Hao clenched his fists, determination blazing in his eyes. With these resources, he would temper his body to its utmost limit. He would not disappoint his father. He would carve his name among the strongest.