Wu Tian and Han Mei stepped quietly into the study, careful not to startle Xue Li, yet the room's energy drew them forward as if the air itself pulsed with a profound change.
Their eyes immediately fell upon Xue Li, who sat in serene meditation at the room's center.
A radiant aura enveloped her, pulsing with vibrant energy that resonated deeply.
Wu Tian's brow furrowed in awe as he sensed the breakthrough—his mother had shattered the bottleneck at level 89 and ascended to level 90.
Her Soul Power now radiated with impressive intensity, a testament to the strength and mastery of a seasoned cultivator.
Pride swelled within Wu Tian's chest, a son's joy in witnessing his mother reach a new pinnacle.
Han Mei inhaled sharply, admiration and amazement shining in her eyes as she regarded Xue Li with newfound respect.
The breakthrough was no small feat; it marked a monumental step in Xue Li's cultivation, bringing not only greater power but also a protective aura that now enveloped the entire family.
After all, Xue Li, old as she may be, was a formidable Soul Douluo, but even she recognized the enormous gulf between a Soul Douluo and a Title Douluo.
Now that she had reached level 90, just one Soul Ring shy of becoming a Title Douluo, both Wu Tian and Han Mei could hardly contain their excitement.
Noticing his parents' arrival and their awestruck reaction, Hanrui chuckled softly before drawing them out of the chamber.
"I didn't expect her to break through this early—I thought it would take at least a few months.
But now that she has, it will take a few days for her to stabilize, so you two should go ahead and continue your cultivation. I'll stay by grandmother's side," Hanrui said kindly to the eager duo.
Staring at each other, Wu Tian and Han Mei suddenly moved in, hugging their son from either side and momentarily startling Hanrui.
Caught in their warm embrace, Hanrui felt a rush of comfort and healing wash over him, yet he couldn't resist teasing his father.
"Hey old man, what are you doing? Unhand me this instant. My body is Sacred, it can only be touched by beautiful women," he declared with a mischievous grin.
Wu Tian stiffened at his son's words, about to offer a retort, only to catch the playful glint in Hanrui's eyes.
Han Mei, amused by the father and son's banter, simply hugged her son tighter and let out a light laugh.
"Rui'er, you cheeky brat," Wu Tian chided, but the affection in his voice was unmistakable. In the end, he just pinched Hanrui's cheek before letting him go.
Recalling all the surprises and gifts his son had brought into their lives, Wu Tian's expression softened, a mix of pride and gratitude flickering in his eyes. He spoke with rare candor, his voice steady but warm.
"Rui'er, I've never said this before, but I want you to hear it now: thank you for choosing me as your father. If it weren't for you, I might never have survived, let alone become Marquis—or found the happiness I have with your mother."
Han Mei nodded quietly beside them, her gaze full of gratitude and pride.
Seeing his father so sincere, Hanrui froze, momentarily unsure how to respond.
After a pause, his voice softened. "You don't have to thank me, Father. It wasn't some conscious choice on my part to join this family—I was just lucky to be born into a loving and understanding home,"
Hanrui finally replied.Warmth filled the room, each word strengthening the bond between them. Wu Tian smiled gently, pride and gratitude mingling in his gaze.
"Hmm?Wait, did you just say you wouldn't have survived?
. . .
Did I mess with your future as well?"
Wu Tian realising his slip up, avoids eye contact with his son and stares at the floor, suddenly feeling they look really good."umm the floor really looks good."he says subconsciously making his wife laugh while covering her mouth and looking sideways making wu tian feel even more embarrassed.
Seeing his Father not wanting to talk about it and to get rid of his embarrassed state Hanrui drops the subject and says.
"Alright, putting all that aside—Father, you're already at level 69. With the 'Nine Yang Technique,' it'll probably only take you two or three months at most to break through again," Hanrui said, his tone both encouraging and matter-of-fact.
He paused for a moment, examining his father and mother with a sweep of his soul power. "Even though both of your elements didn't quite reach the extreme grade I'd hoped for, it's honestly not far off."
"I'll tell Grandmother once she's out of her cultivation state. You two should start your own cultivation now," Hanrui said, gently but firmly, practically ushering them out of the room so he could stay by his grandmother's side.
Seeing Hanrui step back inside, Wu Tian and Han Mei exchanged a smile and quietly left to attend to their own matters, their expressions tinged with helpless affection.
Hanrui closed the door behind him and settled near his grandmother.
"Status," he thought sharply.
Instantly, a holographic projection flickered to life before his eyes, displaying the vital information he sought.
[Name: Wu Hanrui
Age: 6 years
Bloodline: Uzumaki (upgrading), Dragon Emperor.
Spiritual Rank: Spirit Sea Realm (3000)
Martial Soul:
- Azure Dragon King
- Void Weaver
Cultivation Level: 13 →14 (60%)
Chakra: Kage
Void Reserve: 20.6%
Martial Soul Information:
Azure Dragon King:
Spirit Skill 1: Dragon King's Grace (9300-->10960 years, Black soul ring)
Void Weaver:
Spirit Skill 1: None
Elemental affinity: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Ice, Wood, Yin and Yang
Special Abilities:Charm(Max),Extreme Fire, Extreme Ice, Extreme Wood/Life, Sealing Arts, Adamantine Sealing Chains, The Mind's Eye of the Kagura, Heal Bite,Jujutsu...]
"Well, shorter than I expected but not bad," Hanrui muttered to himself.
"Except for lightning, I have almost all the elements. And my chakra is at Kage level huh, well for a 6 year old to have kage level chakra aint that bad. Honestly, I didn't expect my spiritual rank to be this high." he thought.
After checking his status, Hanrui settled into cultivation, sinking deep into the flow of energy and spiritual resonance.
His Dragon King Domain unfolded naturally, and the Little Azure Dragon materialized at his side, curling up on his thighs and dozing peacefully.
The aura of Extreme Vitality radiated through the room, soothing Xue Li and accelerating her stabilization after the breakthrough.
Days slipped by in tranquil silence before both Hanrui and Xue Li gradually stirred from their deep meditation and opened their eyes.
Xue Li stretched slightly, her gaze sweeping inward as she checked the state of her body and soul.
Xue Li, satisfied with the gains from her cultivation, was just about to speak when Hanrui's stomach growled, breaking the quiet concentration.
Smiling warmly at her grandson, she summoned the servants to bring food."Congratulations, Nainai. You're only one soul ring short of becoming a Title Douluo," Hanrui said, embracing her gently.
Xue Li patted his head affectionately. "Thank you, Rui'er, but this is all thanks to you."
"Nainai, Father has also leveled up—he's now reached level 69. Should we wait until he breaks through level 70 before beginning your soul ring hunt? I have a feeling something good might happen if we delay your absorption," Hanrui asked cautiously.
"Um, Granny will listen to Rui'er,"she said while pinching his cheeks.
As they discussed further, the servants arrived with the meal, and Xue Li busied herself feeding her grandson with a gentle smile.
But suddenly they noticed the little Azure Dragon woke up and looked at them with pitiful look.
Amused and surprised at the little dragon's intelligence, Xue Li orders the servants to get more dishes and serve the dragon.
Who promptly nuzzles it's head on her feet, as the food arrives it dives into it.
Looking at his Martial Soul, which is showing the same autonomous self aware traits as Luo San Po of yu xiaogong(scamgong) he felt something off.
Suddenly Hanrui recalled he missed something and quickly looked at his status page.
[Bloodline: Uzumaki(upgrading), Dragon Emperor
Cultivation Level: 13 →14(75%)
Void Reserve:69%
Special abilities: Jujutsu]
'. . . I can understand the Uzumaki bloodline upgrading—after all it's just a branch bloodline from the Otsutsuki Lineage.
Since I'm in a cultivation world it is only natural it will try to adapt and evolve itself.
But where did this Dragon Emperor Bloodline come from? Getting a Dragon King bloodline from a mere Sea Dragon is already a stretch okay?
This Dragon,'he started at his Azure dragon who looked back at him with innocent eyes.
'Someone please tell me it's not what i think it is.
If it's really what I think it is, then I'll be waiting for its evolution.
And jujutsu?I thought it's just a fan theory and Uzumaki are not involved in that, but it's actually true?' Hanrui thought in disbelief. Sighing he decided to deal with it later and started eating faster.
As Hanrui finished the last bite of his meal, the lingering fragrance of hot rice and ginger broth clung to the air, warming the quiet room.
He slipped his hand over his grandmother's, feeling her pulse steady and warm beneath his fingertips.
Drawing in a breath, he sent his soul power gently into her—like cool water flowing into a well
The moment his senses brushed her inner world, a shiver of unease raced up his spine.
The two soul cores shimmered within, but their energy twisted in irregular patterns, casting fleeting shadows in her spiritual sea.
Hanrui's brow knit in concentration. He probed deeper, tracing the disharmony until it became clear—something was missing, the core's resonance incomplete but pulsing with restrained promise.
He exhaled, letting relief cool his nerves. "Nainai, your soul core isn't whole yet," he said, his tone gentle but steady. "But don't worry. Once you gain your soul ring and ascend, everything will fall into place."
"By the way, Nainai, do you know anything about Dugu Bo—the Poison Douluo?"
A spark of amusement danced in Xue Li's eyes. The firelight caught the silver in her hair as she tilted her head, a smile curling her lips. "You want to know if Poison Douluo is cured, by your future self right?"
Hanrui blinked, surprise flickering across his features. "Nainai… just how much do you know about my future self?" Curiosity crept into his words, mingling with respect, as if he sensed her wisdom stretching far beyond the present.
"Enough," she said, her answer wrapped in mystery as her hand ruffled his hair, the warmth of her touch grounding him.
"As for Poison Douluo, yes—he's cured. Still spends his days in the heart of Sunset Forest, just like your future self predicted."
"I see, then it makes things easier, when father breaks through, send him a letter to escort us to Star Dou Forest.
Hanrui let out a slow breath, tension easing from his shoulders. "That settles it. After Father breaks through, send word to Poison Douluo and ask him to escort us to Star Dou Forest."
"Um, Granny will arrange it," Xue Li replied with a knowing smile.
Hanrui nodded, watching as his little Azure Dragon finished its meal, then rolled playfully across the floor with harmless clumsiness. The sight brought a brief, genuine smile to his face.
He recalled the past few days of relentless cultivation and felt a rare weariness settle in. His body ached for rest—a pause after pushing past his limits for too long.
the warmth of the afternoon sun spilling softly through the window as he walked to his chambers.
As Hanrui left, Xue Li's eyes narrowed and fixed coldly on a distant point. Her voice dropped to a sharp, almost icy whisper, 'It's about time for a family reunion, Brother. You're going to pay back every last debt'
In the grand imperial palace of the Heaven Dou Empire, Emperor Xue Ye sat solemnly on his throne, engaged in conversation with his son's teacher.
Suddenly, a chill crawled up his spine, breaking the warmth of the chamber and dripping cold sweat down his back.