Divine Realm, Eternal Temple
Huo Yuhao, as usual, activated the Eye of Eternity and overlooked the Douluo Continent. In the divine perspective, the vast continent was laid bare before his eyes: the majestic and towering walls of the Spirit Hall, the resplendent Heavenly Dou Palace, the sky-piercing Battle Spirit Hammer, the dignified and solemn Clear Sky Clan, and the immensely wealthy Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan... Every detail of the continent was captured in full.
At this moment, the Star Luo Empire was hosting the once-every-five-years All-Continent Soul Master Tournament. The twin stars of the Clear Sky Clan, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, had advanced through the rounds to the finals and were now in a fierce battle against the Spirit Hall team. If nothing unexpected happened, this tournament would become the moment the Clear Sky Twins rose to fame.
"Only a few decades remain until Tang San is born. Translated to Divine Realm time, that's just a matter of days." Huo Yuhao murmured softly, his gaze deep and far-reaching. He couldn't help but wonder if, in the future, Tang San had ever stood like this, overlooking the continent from above, taking everything into view?
Only after becoming a god did he truly understand how laughable his original thoughts were when he first arrived in the Douluo world. In this world, divine authority stood incomparably high above all beings. Tang Hao, merely a second-level god, had already been able to possess the will of the Douluo plane—let alone a supreme God King. The thoughts of a God King could extend everywhere, nearly controlling every person and event within the plane. Unless encountering rare locations like the Dragon Valley, the Divine Trial Lands, or someone carrying a divine artifact, all lifeforms on Douluo Continent were nearly transparent to a god. The only thing capable of restraining the gods was the rules of the Divine Realm Committee.
Thinking of this, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but feel a bit dazed, a hint of self-mockery surfacing in his heart:
"Ridiculous... I once naively thought I could pull off some small schemes right under the nose of a God King."
Looking back, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but feel fortunate about his choices. In his past life, he was known as Huo Qiqiang, a transmigrator. The moment he escaped from the Duke's Mansion, he took over the original Huo Yuhao's body. As a transmigrator, he clearly understood his situation—there was no way he would tolerate a loser metaphorically crapping on his head.
Though he didn't have a system, Huo Yuhao had opportunities and knowledge of the future, which gave him confidence. First, he headed to the Star Dou Forest and obtained two powerful plug-ins—Skydream Iceworm and Electrolux—then refused to join the Tang Sect, choosing instead to head toward the Sun Moon Empire.
However, just when he was about to obtain a "green card" in the Sun Moon Empire, a large fan-like hand patted him on the shoulder. Huo Yuhao looked up to see a man calling himself Titan. The big guy next to him was called Niu Tian, and they brought along a youth with pink-blue hair, saying they wanted to get to know him. The moment Huo Yuhao saw that pink-blue hair, his heart collapsed—it seemed everything was being pulled back on track again.
Thus, Huo Yuhao was forced to enroll in Shrek Academy, and under Niu Tian's persuasion, joined the Tang Sect. He experienced a series of divine trials originally meant for the original Huo Yuhao—though even harder. During that time, he tried resisting the control of God King Tang San, but every deviation was immediately corrected. He barely had any room to rebel.
Against a max-level boss like God King Tang San, Huo Yuhao had only one real "advantage": his identity as a transmigrator and a Child of Destiny. This identity meant Tang San couldn't casually alter his memories or slice up his soul like he could with ordinary soul masters. Even when dealing with the original Huo Yuhao, Tang San had to resort to indirect methods—like using his daughter as a bargaining chip, guiding the original soul into the Divine Realm, modifying it to make him a tool, or imposing various trials to influence him.
(Note: If Tang San could have treated Huo Yuhao like an ordinary soul master, then there would've been no need to treat his own daughter the way he did in the original story.)
Being a transmigrator granted Huo Yuhao a crucial "amulet": his memory couldn't be read by Tang San. That meant, although Tang San could control his every move, he could never glimpse his true thoughts. The only place where Huo Yuhao could truly roam free was within the sealed world of his mind—the last refuge of freedom.
His relationship with Tang San resembled the complex and subtle struggle between the Trisolaran civilization and the Wallfacers in The Three-Body Problem. After several failed attempts to break free from Tang San's control, Huo Yuhao finally came to a cruel realization: In this world, unless one becomes a god, one can never stand against Tang San.
So, he made a painful yet firm decision—to feign loyalty, plot in secret, and wait for the perfect moment to strike.
Yet this road was destined to be filled with thorns and dangers. Every move Huo Yuhao made was under God King Tang San's tight surveillance. He had to constantly display his deep, undying love for Dong'er—if even a trace of insincerity showed, divine trials would descend instantly. Through one test after another, Huo Yuhao gradually evolved into an expert "actor," loving the stitched-together "Frankenstein" created by the God King with obsessive passion. That cringeworthy "Hao-Dong Triple Absolute" routine—Huo Yuhao performed it more earnestly and awkwardly than the original. Later, his father-in-law even told him, "Back then, I nearly shed crocodile tears watching that."
While acting, Huo Yuhao also focused on improving his foundation and spiritual power—knowing full well that "if the foundation is unstable, the ground will shake." He accepted the original Huo Yuhao's fate but never gave up, because he knew the key to reversing everything lay in the future Divine Realm—not Douluo Continent.
Only by becoming a god could he rewrite the heavens and trample Tang San beneath his feet.
Finally, with permission from the God King, Huo Yuhao ascended to godhood—becoming the God of Emotion, just as in the original.
And so, with a body weighing 100 jin and 99 jin of rebellious spirit, Huo Yuhao soared to the Divine Realm.
The moment he ascended, he rushed to the Sea God Temple to greet Tang San. Tearfully, he exclaimed:
"Father-in-law, from now on, your son-in-law will follow you to the ends of the world without hesitation!"
That bow made the God King beam with joy.
Afterward, Huo Yuhao earned Tang San's trust step by step, won his favor, and gradually entered the God King's inner circle of decision-making. At the same time, he deepened the conflict between the camps of Destruction and Tang San, secretly exposed the identity of undercover Zhou Weiqing, eliminated threats around the God of Destruction, and even forged a covert alliance with the Golden Dragon King.
Eventually, war broke out between Tang San and Destruction. Because of Huo Yuhao's interference, Tang San suffered repeated defeats. To balance the God of Destruction, Tang San reluctantly loosened some restrictions and allowed Huo Yuhao to enter the divine core and study the laws of the universe to enhance his divine rank.
Through repeatedly raising wolves to control tigers and seizing opportunities for personal gain, Huo Yuhao grew into a God King himself—becoming Tang San's most indispensable and trusted right-hand man.
At last, the Divine Realm faced a great crisis. Life and Destruction sacrificed themselves to preserve it and entrusted their two divine seeds to Tang San.
The Golden Dragon King broke free. After the war with Destruction, Tang San had to face the Golden Dragon King alone. His calls for help to Ji Dong and Lie Yan were intercepted by Huo Yuhao's overwhelming spiritual power, and the two God Kings were lured away by him.
At the same time, Huo Yuhao triggered his backdoor plan on Douluo Continent—erasing Ah Yin and Tang Hao, who had seized control of the plane's will and life core, thereby freeing the continent.
When Tang San and the Golden Dragon King fought to a draw, both gravely wounded, Huo Yuhao arrived—giving the battered Tang San hope.
Tears streaming down his face, Tang San cried out:
"Yuhao, you finally came! Help me take down this beast!"
But Huo Yuhao's face twisted with malice. He had endured for centuries—counting both Douluo and Divine Realm time—for this very moment.
He struck.
As his claws pierced Tang San's heart, the God King stared in disbelief:
"Why… why did you betray me?!"
Huo Yuhao sneered,
"Tang San, you old bastard—how can a true man be content living beneath others for eternity?!"
And with that, he crushed Tang San's heart, stole the divine seeds of Life and Destruction, and vanished into the turbulent river of time and space.
Amidst the chaos of the space-time turbulence, Huo Yuhao once again encountered the Golden Dragon King. However, their alliance had already collapsed the moment Tang San fell. In order to seize the Seeds of Life and Destruction from Huo Yuhao, the Golden Dragon King launched a sudden ambush.
Fortunately, Huo Yuhao had been on guard. The two clashed in a titanic battle within the space-time turbulence. Their fight tore apart space-time itself, obliterating the Great Dao. In the end, the severely wounded Golden Dragon King was no match for Huo Yuhao and was slain. Yet, in his final moments, the Golden Dragon King injected his bloodline essence and all his power into Huo Yuhao, attempting to burst him from within in the chaotic void.
To suppress this overwhelming power, Huo Yuhao had no choice but to seal it within himself using his divine power. However, this act also caused him to lose all his godly strength, forcing him to drag his broken body into an unfamiliar realm, where he had to integrate the Golden Dragon King's essence and cultivate anew.
Initially, Huo Yuhao believed he had arrived in another plane, but he soon realized something was off. Due to distortions in the time-space flow, he had actually arrived at an upstream point in the Douluo timeline—a wild era tens of thousands of years before the first generation of the Douluo Continent. In this era, the Sea God and Angel God had not yet ascended; the Dragon God had already fallen; soul beasts held absolute dominance; and humanity could only cower on small plains, barely surviving through the power of soul masters.
Upon learning of the time he was in, a smile crept onto Huo Yuhao's face—so confident it couldn't be suppressed even by an AK-47. After all, why had Tang San been able to trample him like that? Was it luck? Huo Yuhao had started with a million-year soul ring. Teachers? Yu Xiaogang wasn't even fit to shine Electrolux Moon's shoes.
Tang San had gained the upper hand simply by being born at the right moment—ten thousand years before Huo Yuhao. He leveraged timing, terrain, and social alignment to meticulously orchestrate Huo Yuhao's life into defeat. In other novels, the protagonist might struggle from being an ant to a powerful being, only to be reset to ant status after ascending. Yet Tang San soared from Douluo straight into a ruling seat among the five top gods of the Divine Realm. The Evil God and Good God reincarnated, and the core power of the Divine Realm ended up in his hands, as if the whole world was paving the way for him. Based on what?
But now, everything was different. Huo Yuhao could finally deliver judgment from the upper reaches of time.
In this reborn era, Huo Yuhao used his ultimate spiritual power and the physical strength from the Golden Dragon King's bloodline to forcibly merge the powers of life and destruction into a prototype of a god position. Over time, he ascended step by step, comprehending the laws of the universe, finally forging the Eternal God Seat. Combining the Divine Seeds of Life, Destruction, and Emotion—the essence of three Supreme Gods—Huo Yuhao became a God King the moment he ascended.
In order not to disrupt Tang San's future birth, Huo Yuhao refrained from drastically altering the era. After laying down enough contingencies on Douluo Continent, he ascended to the Divine Realm.
But the moment he set foot in the Divine Realm, he was met with fierce opposition from the five God Kings. The Asura God once declared:
"It was hard enough to get rid of the Dragon God, the 'Big Daddy'—how can we let another 'Big Daddy' in? We five are the true rulers of the Divine Realm!"
Thus, the Asura God allied with the Gods of Life, Destruction, Good, and Evil. They stood united and isolated the newly risen Eternal God—Huo Yuhao.
Tang San's ascension and acquisition of power was due to timing. When he arrived, the old Asura God had left, and for some inexplicable reason, the Evil and Good Gods handed him their authority like fools.
But Huo Yuhao earned his power through sheer strength, forcibly carving out his share from the hands of the five God Kings.
Twenty thousand years after Douluo, the Angel God and Sea God ascended. Ten thousand more years passed, and a new era began.
"If I hadn't chosen betrayal, I'd probably still be Tang San's lapdog. I walked a path full of peril, but I've finally crossed the river. Now it's your turn to tread carefully, you little brat," Huo Yuhao muttered.
"Tang San isn't even born yet—so let's start with Yu Xiaogang and Tang Hao," he said through gritted teeth.
The Eternal Eye's vision shifted to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. A noblewoman was sipping afternoon tea while being tended to by a maid, unaware of the tiny life forming inside her. The lady, Wang Bilian, was the wife of Yu Yuanzhen. The child in her belly was likely Yu Xiaogang.
At this thought, Huo Yuhao sent a divine message to the lower realm, contacting the Ice Silkworm, Tianmeng.
"Tianmeng, I've got a job for you."
"Oh? So soon? What is it, Yuhao?" asked Tianmeng from below.
"Yu Xiaogang is about to be born. According to history, he had no siblings. That means Yu Yuanzhen had only one son—him."
"You have something in mind?" Tianmeng asked.
"Give him another son—preferably one born the same year. You know what to do."
"Why though?" Tianmeng replied teasingly, seemingly catching on. "Hehe, Yuhao, you're bad!"
…
Just like how Tang San left his divine beasts behind on Douluo for his own plans after becoming a god, Huo Yuhao also stationed divine beasts to carry out his strategy. Tianmeng was one of them. Due to the plane's limitations, Tianmeng's strength was only at the level of a quasi-god Extreme Douluo—but even so, Yu Yuanzhen, a mere titled Douluo, was no match.
Once given the task, Tianmeng sprang into action. He made Yu Yuanzhen drunk out of his mind and summoned a maid from the clan to "serve" him.
As the clan leader and renowned Thunder Douluo, Yu Yuanzhen was a man with a top-tier beast martial soul and exceptional talent. Women drawn to his power or the clan's wealth weren't in short supply. If he lifted a finger, plenty would willingly share his bed—for ambition, for lineage, or for power.
Looking at the unconscious and utterly drunk Yu Yuanzhen, his personal maid Yun Niang had a bold idea—and she acted on it.
The next day, Yu Yuanzhen vaguely recalled what happened, glanced at Yun Niang, and, thinking that as a titled Douluo it was difficult for him to sire children, brushed the whole affair aside.
What he didn't know was that night had hit the mark. A brother to Yu Xiaogang—nonexistent in history—was now about to be born.
In the months that followed, Yu Xiaogang's mother, Wang Bilian, began to show. The child in her womb continually sapped her life essence. As her belly grew larger, her body grew weaker and weaker.
Yu Xiaogang, while still in the womb, was unrestrainedly plundering his mother's life essence. As he grew, Wang Bilian's health deteriorated—why?
For powerful soul masters who inherit top-tier martial souls, the gestation of the fetus and the formation of the martial soul in the womb consumes immense life essence. And where does this essence come from? From the mother. Therefore, the more exceptional the offspring, the more life force they drain from the mother, highlighting the critical role of the maternal body.
Wang Bilian's body could have easily borne a soul master with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, but the one in her womb was Yu Xiaogang.
Don't be fooled by the original story portraying Yu Xiaogang as weak—that was only because he failed to awaken properly. His martial soul, Luo Sanpao, if successfully evolved, would become the Golden Holy Dragon, a super martial soul, second only to the Seraphim in the First Era of Douluo Continent. That's the true reason why historical records state that Yu Xiaogang's mother died when he was very young.
We can put it this way: to give birth to Yu Xiaogang, his mother sacrificed enough life essence for an SSR-grade martial soul, only for Xiaogang to awaken with a normal N-rank martial soul at the age of six.
When Wang Bilian was six months pregnant, Yun Niang, belly visibly swollen, sought out Yu Yuanzhen.
Unlike the feudal society of Huo Yuhao's past life, in the sects of Douluo Continent, children were rare among powerful cultivators. As such, every child was cherished. "Mother rises with the child"—even if Yun Niang had little talent, the child in her womb was still Yu Yuanzhen's bloodline. Upon awakening, the child would surely possess the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul. With a new direct disciple on the way, the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was overjoyed. Yu Yuanzhen even took Yun Niang as a concubine.
Only one person wore a dark expression—Wang Bilian.
On the night Yu Yuanzhen took a concubine, Wang Bilian furiously tore at her handkerchief and muttered venomously:
"That damned slut. I had barely gotten pregnant and she was already climbing into his bed. Just wait—once that child is born, I'll make her suffer!"
On Douluo Continent, one year equals a single day in the Divine Realm. From Huo Yuhao's perspective, the day when Xiaogang and his brother would be born was fast approaching.
Yu Xiaogang was born first. That day, dark clouds loomed overhead, thunder roared—like divine punishment had descended. At the same time, plagues of locusts struck the southern Heaven Dou Empire, a once-in-a-century flood hit the northern Star Luo Empire, and famine spread through the Barak Kingdom...
With a sharp cry, Yu Xiaogang was born into the world. Yu Yuanzhen lifted him joyfully and exclaimed,
"This is my son! I finally have a son!"
"My dear, what shall we name our child?" Wang Bilian, though weak, asked with a smile.
"Let's call him Yu Xiaogang. I hope he grows to be strong, steadfast, and brave—a man who stands tall against all challenges."
Wang Bilian nodded, gently caressing his wrinkled little face.
"Our child is destined to make a name for himself."
She knew clearly that to bear this child, she had sacrificed too much of her life essence. She didn't have much longer to live. But precisely because of that, Xiaogang was destined for greatness.
Suddenly, thoughts of that woman crossed her mind. A cold light flashed in her eyes.
"Better a stick-wielding mother than a high-ranking father."
Her body wouldn't last more than a few years—after her death, what if that woman and her son mistreated Xiaogang?
No! Even if I die, I'll drag that bitch down to hell with me.
She made up her mind.
A month after Xiaogang's birth, Yu Yuanzhen's second son was born. Holding this frail child, Yu Yuanzhen didn't pay much attention. After all, while his own talent was immense, Yun Niang wasn't even a soul master. Even if the child inherited the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, his innate soul power would likely be low.
He casually said,
"Let's name him Yu Xiaomen. Just raise him for now—we'll assess his talent when he turns six."
From the Divine Realm, Huo Yuhao observed the newborn. Though Xiaomen had yet to reach the age to awaken his martial soul, Huo Yuhao had already deduced his future soul and innate power through the power of fate: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, innate soul power level five. Not too high, not too low.
Though Huo Yuhao's own innate soul power was only level one due to later circumstances, even under normal growth, his Spirit Eyes martial soul wouldn't have exceeded level six.
After all, the mother's body greatly influences a child's talent.
Five was decent—but not interesting enough for contrast. Besides, for the now-deified Huo Yuhao, innate soul power didn't matter. He only needed Yu Xiaogang to have a brother; talent was irrelevant. With a flick of his finger, he sent down a blessing from the Divine Realm.
The blessing descended upon the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and fell upon Yu Xiaomen, gradually transforming his meridians and increasing his innate soul power.
After the birth of Yu Xiaogang and Yu Xiaomen, as a direct descendant of the sect, Xiaogang received much attention. His father, mother, and clan elders all focused their care on him. Meanwhile, Yu Xiaomen was like a transparent figure—few paid him any mind.
Even Yu Yuanzhen only showed him casual concern.
Yun Niang's life became even more tragic. After childbirth, she was immediately assigned heavy chores by Wang Bilian. Behind the scenes, Wang Bilian also instructed the servants to mistreat her and her child, even withholding food.
To ensure her child's healthy growth, Yun Niang often gave her own share of food to Xiaomen, enduring hunger herself while still completing backbreaking work.
Yu Yuanzhen saw all this but didn't care. The only reason he paid even slight attention to them was because of Xiaomen—his bloodline. As for Yun Niang, she was just a tool. Once the child was born, her purpose was over. Wang Bilian could torment her however she pleased.
Growing up under his mother's influence, Yu Xiaogang also hated Yun Niang and her son. He took pleasure in bullying Yu Xiaomen.
Thus, Yu Xiaomen grew up in a cold and indifferent environment. He became used to his father's apathy, the mistress's hostility, and his brother's constant targeting. He watched his mother repeatedly shield him from bullying.
Finally, when Xiaogang and Xiaomen turned five, Yun Niang collapsed from exhaustion and illness.
Seeing Yun Niang finally "breathe her last," both Yu Xiaogang and Wang Bilian were elated.
But joy turned to sorrow. As Wang Bilian laughed, she suddenly "passed away" as well.
With his mother's death, Yu Xiaogang's hatred toward Xiaomen deepened. He blamed the entire tragedy on Xiaomen and his mother, treating them as the source of his pain.
From then on, Yu Xiaogang's bullying grew even more excessive, tormenting his younger brother without restraint.
Growing up under such abuse, Yu Xiaomen became increasingly silent and withdrawn. He buried his rage and resentment deep inside, hiding his violent temper behind calm eyes.
In front of his elder brother, Yu Xiaogang, he always maintained an obedient, submissive demeanor—like a lamb completely tamed, not daring to resist in the slightest.
"Yuhao, if I remember correctly, Yu Xiaogang doesn't belong to your era and barely had any interaction with you. So why do I feel like your resentment toward him nearly matches what you feel for Tang San?" the Ice Emperor asked in confusion.
Her question stirred old memories in Huo Yuhao's mind. He spoke in a deep voice, "Originally, I planned to escape to the Sun-Moon Empire, but those two bastards from the Clear Sky Sect forced me into Shrek Academy. The moment I stepped into the academy, the first thing I saw was the plaza, where three majestic statues stood—Flender, Liu Erlong, and Yu Xiaogang."
"I stared at Yu Xiaogang's statue, watching as people across the era sang praises of his great deeds. He was revered for his wisdom and credited with nurturing the great Sea God, Tang San. Wherever his name was mentioned, it was with admiration—no exceptions, not even among our enemies in the Sun-Moon Empire."
"So—" Ice Emperor said thoughtfully, "You're targeting him because he trained Tang San?"
"No!" Huo Yuhao suddenly shook his head, voice filled with suppressed rage. "Tang San is my mortal enemy. The death of my teacher Electrolux, the erasure of Dong'er and Qiu'er's personalities, my manipulated fate—these are all debts I'll make him pay in full. Killing him back then was far too merciful. But as for Yu Xiaogang… he just disgusts me to the core."
"You might not believe this, but I think I'm the only one in that era who saw his true face—a total fraud who only sought fame and glory. And yet, that kind of man was glorified across the entire continent for tens of thousands of years. He died, but his reputation lived on. Ten thousand years, twenty thousand—people still sing of his 'accomplishments.'" Huo Yuhao sighed. "To let such a person go down in history—what a tragedy for the Douluo plane."
"To me, a worm should stay in a worm's place."
Gazing at the divine realm projected through the Eye of Eternity, he declared word by word: "As long as I exist, Yu Xiaogang will never be remembered through the ages. He will never overcome the defects of his spirit. He should remain forever at level 29—nailed to the pillar of shame!"
Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan – Archive Pavilion
A boy wearing black robes and sporting a short flat-top haircut was engrossed in a book titled "Legendary Stories of Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Former Clan Chiefs." As the pages turned, his eyes sparkled, as if conversing with the legendary figures written within.
When he finished the last section, he closed the book slowly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. He opened his broad mouth and said with a hint of excitement, "Over a thousand years ago, one of our ancestors awakened a mutated spirit, nobler than even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon—the Golden Sacred Dragon. During his time, he led the clan to a glory comparable to the Clear Sky Sect under Tang Chen. It's truly inspiring."
He paused, then added, "Today is the day of spirit awakening. I wonder how much innate soul power I'll have?" His tone was filled with expectation.
This boy's name was Yu Xiaogang, and he had just turned six years old. Six—a critical age when spirit awakening determines a person's future. Yet Yu Xiaogang had no worries about what spirit he might awaken, because his father, Yu Yuanzhen, was the renowned Thunder Douluo, famous across the land. He was confident he would at least inherit his father's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon spirit and begin writing his own legend.
His gaze returned to the book cover, which featured a mighty golden dragon—the Golden Sacred Dragon. In his heart, he thought, "If I too awaken the spirit that once forged our ancestor's legend, what then? My own legend will begin, and I will become the clan chief of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. I will lead it to unprecedented glory. All of the continent will sing praises of my name. When that time comes, what should my title be?"
"Golden Dragon Douluo? No, too cliché! Sacred Dragon Douluo? Sounds okay, but lacks edge. Dragon God Douluo? Yes! On the day I claim my title, I shall be known as Dragon God Douluo Yu Xiaogang, and carve my name into legend!"
Knock knock knock… A series of knocks interrupted his daydreaming.
Yu Xiaogang said impatiently, "Come in."
The door creaked open, and in came a boy about the same age, with black hair and a small, timid frame. He bowed and said, "Brother Xiaogang, Father sent me to bring you to the Spirit Hall for the awakening."
Upon seeing the boy, Yu Xiaogang's eyes flickered with contempt. With a lofty tone, he said, "What brother Xiaogang? You're not worthy. In the clan, address me as Young Master Xiaogang. Understand?"
The boy—Yu Xiaomen—lowered his head humbly and said, "Yes, Young Master Xiaogang."
"Hmph!" Yu Xiaogang snorted and glared at him. As he passed by, he suddenly threw a sharp elbow, striking Yu Xiaomen hard.
Yu Xiaomen collapsed, clutching his ribs in pain, yet didn't utter a sound. He struggled to get up and quietly followed behind.
Yu Xiaogang walked ahead with his hands behind his back, head held high. Yu Xiaomen trailed with his head down. As they walked, the servants they passed all bowed and greeted, "Greetings, Young Master Xiaogang."
Reaching the clan's pavilion, Yu Xiaogang looked up at the sky. It was a bright, clear day with fresh air—like a sign of the promising future ahead. He reached out, as if to grasp the sunlight, to seize his brilliant destiny.
With theatrical seriousness, he said to Yu Xiaomen, "In this world, birth decides everything. Though we share the same father, we have different mothers. Listen carefully, Yu Xiaomen. Your mother was a lowly servant who shamelessly climbed into my father's bed. That's the only reason you bear even half the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon bloodline. But filth remains filth. Your mother wasn't even a soul master. Even if you awaken the clan's spirit, what of it? Your innate soul power won't exceed level 5. You'll be lucky to become a Soul King in your life. But I—"
Yu Xiaogang's face radiated pride and arrogance as he continued, "I inherited the elite bloodlines of both my father and mother. I am destined for greatness. My innate soul power will be at least level 8. Soul Douluo is just the beginning—I will become a Titled Douluo. I'll lead the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to new heights of brilliance!"
He paused, glanced at Yu Xiaomen, and concluded, "Today, our lives diverge. My legend begins now. As for you, Yu Xiaomen, you'll fade into obscurity. You're only fit to gaze at my back."
Yu Xiaomen didn't respond. He simply lowered his head, his expression unreadable. But his fists were clenched tightly—so tightly that his knuckles turned pale.
In the center of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Awakening Hall stood an enormous awakening square, surrounded by a seated crowd. At the front of the awakening platform sat the clan leader, Yu Yuanzhen, with two elders on either side—Yu Luoguan and Yu Luomian to the left, and Yu Luotang and Yu Luohuang to the right. Beneath them were many Soul Saints and Soul Emperors of the clan.
This year's awakening ceremony was grand, having gathered almost all core members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. The reason was simple—among those awakening today, there were five direct-line disciples, including Yu Xiaogang and Yu Xiaomen. Unlike the Clear Sky Clan, which still had the twin successors after the loss of Tang Chen, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had been in decline, barely maintaining its place among the top three clans, solely supported by Yu Yuanzhen, the only Title Douluo left.
As such, the clan held this martial spirit awakening ceremony in extremely high regard. The one under the most scrutiny, without question, was Yu Yuanzhen's biological son—Yu Xiaogang. His mother, Wang Bilian, was a collateral member with innate spirit power level 8. With a top-tier father and a gifted mother, Yu Xiaogang was seen as the most likely candidate to inherit or even surpass his father's talent. As for Yu Xiaomen, his mother Yunniang wasn't even a soul master—barely considered an accessory.
Yu Yuanzhen scanned the children awaiting awakening, and his gaze finally landed on Yu Xiaogang. At that moment, Yu Xiaogang stood in the center position, chest out, hands behind his back. Unlike the other nervous children, he radiated confidence.
Seeing his son so sure of himself, Yu Yuanzhen smiled gently and gestured, "Xiaogang, come here for a moment." He then glanced at the timid Yu Xiaomen beside him, his expression flashing with displeasure. He had never liked this fearful child, though he was still his son. Coldly, he said, "Xiaomen, you too."
"Yes, Father," both boys responded and stepped forward to stand before Yu Yuanzhen.
Yu Yuanzhen pulled Yu Xiaogang into a hug, gently stroking his cropped hair. "Do you have confidence in today's awakening?"
Yu Xiaogang didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Father, what was your innate spirit power when you awakened your martial spirit?"
"I was level 9.5—just a bit short of full spirit power," Yu Yuanzhen replied proudly.
Yu Xiaogang smirked confidently. "Then mine will definitely be full spirit power."
Yu Yuanzhen laughed heartily, stroking his beard. "Hahaha! Good! Then I'll look forward to witnessing the birth of a full innate spirit power genius with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial spirit!"
Then, he turned to Yu Xiaomen and asked, "And you? Are you confident?"
Yu Xiaomen hesitated. "Replying to Father... I…"
Yu Yuanzhen sighed. "Forget it. I don't expect much from you. As long as you awaken with level 6 innate spirit power or more, I'll secure you a core disciple position. Becoming a Soul Saint in our clan should be enough for you."
Nearby, Yu Xiaogang's eyes gleamed slyly. He was already planning that after the awakening, he'd order his servants to seize Yu Xiaomen's resources to stunt his development—claiming double for himself.
Yu Yuanzhen focused on Yu Xiaogang again. "So Xiaogang, do you want to awaken first or last?"
With a smug grin, Yu Xiaogang replied, "Father, the protagonist always appears last. Let the others awaken first—I'll go last."
"Hahaha! Good! Let's save the best surprise for the end." Yu Yuanzhen turned to the awakening master and ordered, "Start with the subsidiary clan disciples, then the outer sect disciples. My two sons will awaken last."
"Yes, Clan Leader!"
Following the command, the awakening master began the ceremony.
"Chen Xuan, martial spirit: Earth Tyrant Dragon, innate spirit power: level 4."
"Lu Ming, martial spirit: Bipedal Wyvern, innate spirit power: level 5."
"Le Kai, martial spirit: Flying Lizard, innate spirit power: level 3."
As the rays of awakening light flashed one by one, the disciples of the subsidiary clans awakened their martial spirits. While they were all spirit master material, only those with level 5 innate power or more could be considered little geniuses. Some children were thrilled by strong martial spirits; others walked off quietly, disappointed with their results.
Next came the outer sect disciples.
"Yu Xiaotian, martial spirit: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, innate spirit power: level 6."
"Yu Xiaoshan, martial spirit: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, innate spirit power: level 5."
"Yu Xiaoming, martial spirit: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, innate spirit power: level 6."
All the outer sect children awakened the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, showing higher average talent than the subsidiary disciples. Yet, Elder Yu Luoguan shook his head and sighed, "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is weakening with each generation."
Yu Luomian added, "The outer disciples aren't the focus. The key is still our direct-line descendants."
Yu Luotang stroked his beard. "I hope my Ren'er gives this old man a pleasant surprise!"
Yu Luohuang said, "Let's hope these five little ones awaken strong talents. If the Clear Sky Clan has two stars, then we'll have our own Five Elites of Blue Tyrant!"
"Five Elites of Blue Tyrant?" Yu Yuanzhen muttered doubtfully. "You don't really think all our children will awaken with over level 8 spirit power, do you? I'd be happy with just two of them reaching that level—just enough to rival the Clear Sky Clan's twin stars."
When he heard the phrase 'Blue Tyrant's Five Elites', Yu Xiaogang sneered inside. He knew exactly which five people the elders meant. Glancing at Yu Xiaomen beside him, he scoffed inwardly: You? Worthy?
Finally, only five children remained. Everyone's eyes turned to them—especially Yu Xiaogang, standing center stage. In a way, these five represented the future of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
"Next, Yu Xiaoren!"
Elder Yu Luotang's son was the first among the five to step onto the platform. As the awakening master aided the process, a flash of electricity and a dragon's shadow emerged—it was indeed the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. His innate spirit power: level 8.
Yu Luotang murmured, "Level 8… Not bad. He's bound to become a Spirit Douluo. If he works hard, maybe even break into the Title Douluo realm."
Yu Luomian shook his head. "Hard. Too hard. Don't forget, I was level 8 at awakening too."
"Next, Yu Xiaozhu!"
This was Elder Yu Luoguan's child. He also awakened the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, but his spirit power was slightly lower.
"Only level 7.5?" Yu Luoguan's expression darkened. He had to accept it, but in his heart he thought: Seems like my lineage is heading into decline.
"Next, Yu Xiaoke!"
Yu Luomian's son Yu Xiaoke stepped forward. He too awakened the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, with innate spirit power: level 8. A good talent, though still not enough to become the clan's shining symbol.