Tang Wutong's awakening meant Wang Dong'er was gone forever—a fate sealed from the very beginning.
Niu Tian felt a surge of anger with nowhere to vent. Was it Tang Wutong's fault? No—she was blameless, just someone whose memory had been sealed and restored.
Was it Tang San's or Xiao Wu's fault? He and Tai Tan were powerless to interfere in Tang San's family affairs and could only bear their discontent in silence.
Watching Tang Wutong skip away, Tai Tan finally broke down. "Da Ming, Dong'er… she's really gone!"
He had no idea how to face the girl he'd loved as a daughter, who had vanished overnight. Tang Wutong's return meant Wang Dong'er's end—a fate that could not be reversed.
They couldn't blame Tang Wutong—she was the real daughter of Xiao Wu, the one they should love and protect. Even though they'd hoped that the awakened Tang Wutong would be just like Wang Dong'er, reality cruelly shattered that illusion.
…
On the other side of the continent, deep within the dangerous Evil Forest—the domain of the second-ranked Evil Emperor soul beast—Huo Yuhao was training.
Though the Evil Forest wasn't as famous as the Star Dou Forest, it was still one of the top soul beast habitats, rich in spiritual energy—a paradise for soul masters.
As the Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Sect, Huo Yuhao was under heavy protection, training in the sect's headquarters within the forest core. No soul beast dared disturb him, as the Evil Emperor, ruler of the forest, had allied with the sect. As long as the disciples didn't attack beasts, there was an uneasy but stable peace.
Suddenly, while meditating, Huo Yuhao sensed a space fluctuation, similar to when he opened his necromancy demi-plane. This was different from the spatial ripples caused by high-level teleportation—this felt like a planar portal opening.
"What was that? Not a strong person teleporting, but someone opening a planar passage?" he muttered, curious.
He ended his training and quickly moved toward the source, unconcerned about danger—he had protection. His guardian was none other than the third enshrined of the sect, Crimson Douluo Fei Yan, a level 97 evil soul master. With her, only the Evil Emperor herself could pose a threat—and the Evil Emperor was an ally.
Tang Ya, though now a puppet, also had a powerful protector, the sixth enshrined Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng.
Arriving at the spot, Huo Yuhao quickly noticed something odd in the shadows—a splash of white among the bloody grass. Investigating, he found a naked woman, covered in horrific wounds, blood soaking the grass around her. Despite her injuries, her figure and beauty were striking, exuding a mature allure.
What shocked Huo Yuhao most was her resemblance to Wang Dong'er, whom he'd met in the simulated universe survival tournament.
"Tsk tsk, she's nearly dead," Fei Yan said from above, sitting on her puppet. She, too, was surprised—a human in the forest core, so badly wounded yet still alive, was a miracle.
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes and checked her injuries. Though severe, he sensed a powerful energy within her, desperately sustaining her life. If left untreated, she would die.
Without hesitation, he wrapped her in his coat and gently picked her up.
"You want to save her?" Fei Yan asked, surprised. She thought she knew Huo Yuhao—he wasn't usually so soft-hearted.
"Don't worry about it," he replied calmly. He wasn't acting out of kindness, but because he sensed a familiar power within the woman—a force beyond the mundane, shockingly similar to the one Wang Dong'er had unleashed in the simulated universe when she wounded him with the golden trident.
That memory remained vivid, making the mysterious power unforgettable.
PS: Damn, is that Xiao Wu?