The Beginning of Revenge

It was hard to keep secrets.

Though Tianmeng Iceworm was lackluster in other areas, her spiritual power was immensely useful.

"Huh?!"

Huo Yutong froze—the voice was unmistakable.

"An Zhen ge!"

The girl gasped in delight!

Her starry sapphire eyes watched as An Zhen materialized from the grey mist. Just as she prepared to dash into his arms, she halted.

Head bowed, the blue-haired girl stood frozen like a child caught misbehaving.

"Well now, let me see—where are our academy teachers?" The boy scanned the area theatrically, then swept forward and pulled Huo Yutong into an embrace.

"Mmm..."

Their eyes met. Huo Yutong lowered her gaze, guilt coloring her youthful cheeks. "An Zhen ge, I'm sorry."

"A child sneaking off alone without a word."

An Zhen's palm lifted and gave a light tap to the bottom resting on his other arm. "Do you know how dangerous the outside world is for a 12-year-old girl?"

"Yutong knows she was wrong."

"Aaaaah!"

In Huo Yutong's spiritual sea, Tianmeng Iceworm stomped and rolled in fury.

"Don't just apologize!"

"He lied to you too! He sneaked out just like you!"

Frustration burned through her.

"I bet a certain big worm is saying I lied too?"

Tianmeng Iceworm: ?

Could he hear her?

"Um, Sister Tianmeng—"

"I did leave with academy teachers," An Zhen explained, pressing a candied hawthorn stick to Huo Yutong's lips. "In my situation, they'd never let me leave without an escort."

They'd probably lock him in a vault.

"But what I'm about to do… the academy can't know."

"I had my teacher help me slip away."

An Zhen's gaze dropped. A dusting of sugar glistened on the girl's cherry-blossom lips—irresistible. He stole a taste. So sweet.

"..."

When Huo Yutong emerged from the haze of his scent, they were floating mid-air. The landscape blurred past even through her Spirit Eyes. They were moving at terrifying speed, yet she felt no wind pressure—as if standing still.

"An Zhen ge's teacher? The Dragon God Douluo?"

Huo Yutong was confused. Hadn't he said that was the Sea God Pavilion's master?

"No. My first teacher—Calamity of the Undead, Death God Necromancer Yi Laike."

"?"

That little grey sphere from before?

"Hey! Hey!"

A lazy feminine voice cut in.

Tianmeng Iceworm shouted, "Where are you taking Yutong?!"

Something felt off.

Her spiritual senses screamed: they were flying south. In moments, Huo Yutong's half-day journey was undone.

Oh!

Huo Yutong remembered—she was heading to Tianmeng's homeland, the Extreme North, for her second soul ring and second martial soul!

"An Zhen ge, I... I have something important to do!" Her voice trembled with urgency.

"Relax. We're going to the Extreme North to kidnap the Ice Empress, right? I know." An Zhen stroked her hair. "This way, you get an Ultimate Ice martial soul, and she gets to live with her beloved Ice Empress."

"I'm doing this for Yutong's sake!" Tianmeng Iceworm interjected.

"How do you know my plan?!"

"Why wouldn't I know?" An Zhen countered.

Should I smack a copy of Douluo Dalu II in your face?

"If you know, you understand this is a once-in-an-era opportunity for her! Twin martial souls! Ultimate Ice! A hundred-thousand-year soul bone..." Rage edged Tianmeng's voice.

"Mm." An Zhen nodded, tightening his hold on the girl. "Enough, Tianmeng Iceworm. Silence."

"I'll shut up if you take Yutong back!"

"No."

An Zhen's fingers traced Huo Yutong's soft cheek. His little treasure grew more precious by the second. "I have my 'Yutong Cultivation Plan.' You have yours. Now they conflict. Clearly, yours gets scrapped while I execute mine."

"'Yutong Cultivation Plan'?" Huo Yutong blushed.

"Wife Cultivation Plan, to be precise."

"Mm..." Burying her face in his chest, she clung tighter.

"Sister Tianmeng, maybe... we should hear An Zhen ge's plan?" Huo Yutong whispered in her spiritual sea. She trusted him.

"Yutong! Don't let this playboy blind you!"

Tianmeng Iceworm's mind reeled. One 'wife' and the girl lost all sense!

As Tianmeng prepared another retort, An Zhen spoke: "We're here."

"Where is this?" Tianmeng wondered.

Grey mist enveloped them but didn't obscure their vision or muffle sound.

"50 miles northwest of Star Luo City."

"White Tiger... Duke's Manor!"

Hate seethed in the hissed words. A small, pale hand clenched An Zhen's sleeve.

Before them loomed a palace-like structure—golden roofs, crimson gates, steeped in solemn history. The dying sunset bled over its façade, painting it gold and blood-red.

"Isolate."

A soft command, like a cosmic decree. An invisible barrier severed the 3,000-acre estate from the world.

"One Soul Douluo, three Soul Sages, a dozen Soul Emperors. Cannon fodder." A handsome grey-robed man materialized beside An Zhen.

"Soul Douluo? Is Dai Hao home?"

Yi Laike raised a hand. A white-haired, muscular elder appeared before them. Grey necromantic energy instantly sealed his spiritual sea and body. The mighty Soul Douluo flopped like a fish out of water.

"That's the Soul Douluo."

"Not Dai Hao."

No wonder the 'guard dog of Star Luo' had only one Soul Douluo. Dai Hao likely took the manor's real power to the front lines. Who'd dare attack so close to the capital?

"Yutong, recognize him?" An Zhen asked.

"No."

Huo Yutong stared in shock. This struggling man was a Soul Douluo? So powerless before An Zhen's teacher?

"That grey sphere... feels more threatening than the old man by your dorm," Tianmeng Iceworm murmured. That's why she hadn't acted.

A wisp of divine consciousness shouldn't be this strong...

Yi Laike flicked his wrist. The bound Soul Douluo vanished.

"Why the hesitation?"

Setting Huo Yutong down, An Zhen tapped her soft cheek. "Break down this wretched gate. Then—take your revenge."

Yi Laike waved. Two grey sparks enveloped her small hands.

Revenge.

Huo Yutong stood dazed.

Memories flooded back—her pitiful escape from this place a year ago.

An orphan with innate soul power of level one. Eleven years to reach rank 10. No hope. No future. The White Tiger Duke's manor was an immovable mountain. She'd buried her hatred deep.

Her lips dried. A tear traced her cheek.

"An Zhen ge, thank you."

The blue-haired girl bowed deeply to the grey figure. "Elder, thank you!"

"My power amplifies your strikes—up to five tons. Any soul master who attacks you will be crippled. The Death Mist only hides your face now. An Zhen says you can disguise your voice. Go."

He controlled everything here.

"Yes!"

The blue-haired girl marched toward the imposing redwood gates. A breath. A punch. The psychological chains—and the gates—shattered.

The pressure crushing her crumbled like the plaque beneath her feet: "Duke's Manor."

"Who dares trespass?!"

Guards rushed toward the grey-misted figure striding through the ruins. One roared an alarm, reaching for his martial soul—until a wisp of grey invaded his brow. Weakness slammed into him. He crumpled to his knees.

Thwack!

A wooden rod struck the guard and snapped.

Pain flared as a boy's voice growled:

"I remember you. You beat my mother unconscious."

She'd never forget those who hurt her and her mother.

A grey-fisted blow slammed his chest. Blood sprayed. He fell unconscious.

Huo Yutong pressed inward. She knew where the Duchess lived.

"Our little Yutong's too soft," An Zhen mused as he followed.

She could've killed him with that punch.

Good—hatred hadn't consumed her.

But scum belong in hell.

Necrotic energy coated his hand as he scooped up a pebble. A flick. A whistle. Crimson bloomed.

Poverty excuses no cruelty. Evil servants reap what they sow.

Elsewhere, Huo Yutong felled another guard.

A dark-haired woman stormed out, seven soul rings blazing.

Author's Note:

Original work inconsistency: Inheriting the Duke title requires the ability to perform a martial soul fusion skill, yet the Duchess is a royal princess. I've merged the plots: the royal family married into the Zhu family, and their daughter (this Star Luo princess) awakened the Nether Spirit Cat martial soul before marrying Dai Hao.

(End of Chapter)