Chapter 352: Hu Liena's Advance
Under the crashing waterfall, Dai Yao stood with his eyes closed, feeling the pressure around him. As he slowly opened his eyes and took in the solidified soul power within, he exhaled a long breath, thinking,
"Finally adapted to my boosted soul power. I have the trip to Xingluo Empire to thank for this. Sparring with three Soul Douluo-level powerhouses and then getting hunted by the Dai family's pack of Soul Douluos—though they never posed a real threat—has nonetheless tempered my soul power."
After absorbing Xiao Wu's hundred-thousand-year soul ring, Dai Yao's soul power had surged from level sixty to sixty-eight. Such rapid advancement could easily undermine his foundation if left unchecked, but fortunately, the encounters solidified his elevated power and stabilized his base.
With a light jump, Dai Yao leapt from under the waterfall to the stone on the riverbank, letting the sun's warmth bathe him as he contemplated his next moves.
"Following the original timeline, we should be at the Heaven Dou palace incident by now. Tang San will enter the royal palace to treat Emperor Xue Ye's illness, then Bibi Dong will pressure Qian Renxue to act sooner, forcing a palace coup. Qian Renxue is defeated by Tang San, and from there, she's haunted by him."
"But now, because of my influence, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has taken a neutral stance, Dugu Bo is aligned with me, and Yang Wudi of the Broken Clan has joined my sect. The three crucial allies Tang San used to defeat Qian Renxue are now out of reach."
"The only uncertainty is the Clear Sky Sect, but they're still trapped by the Second Worshiper. They have no way out. This time, there's no way Tang San can win against Qian Renxue."
"With Heaven Dou overthrown by Qian Renxue, Tang San will have no choice but to escape to the Xingluo Empire. And then, the Dai family and Tang San can settle their grievances with me."
A hint of coldness flashed in his golden eyes at the thought.
Of course, he hadn't forgotten his grudge with Tang Hao, who had nearly killed him. Tang Hao, now crippled with a broken arm and leg, lived in a secluded valley near Saint Soul Village. At the right time, he intended to uproot the grass Tang Hao was so determined to protect.
As Dai Yao considered his future path, he knew there were still important choices ahead.
Firstly, without the inheritance of a god, his cultivation progress would be much slower. Spirit Hall was filled with aged Soul Sages and Soul Douluos who had failed to progress beyond a certain point; their paths served as a clear warning. But which god's path to pursue?
With Rakshasa and Angel already chosen, the only divine inheritances remaining from the first part of Douluo Dalu were Sea God and Asura God.
He knew Sea God's trials well, having read Douluo Dalu, but Sea God's power was limited as it was only a first-tier god. In contrast, Asura God was far more powerful, though he had no idea what the trials would entail. Even the great Tang Chen had failed the final test, but Dai Yao believed he could pass it.
However, inheriting the Asura God position would likely mean staying in the Hell City, preventing him from aiding his loved ones with their cultivation and forcing separation from them. No matter how powerful the Asura God position was, it wasn't worth it if it meant abandoning those closest to him.
"Going through this, it really is a dilemma. At my current level, a first-tier god seems insufficient. But aside from Asura, where would I even begin to search for one of the other Supreme Gods?"
As he mulled it over, Dai Yao's mind grew unsettled, but in his spiritual realm, the Chaotic Green Lotus gently swayed, and he felt a wave of calm wash over him.
"Forget it; who knows if I'll ever inherit a god's position. The Chaotic Green Lotus may guide me on a completely different path. Perhaps godhood itself is nothing compared to it."
Dai Yao consoled himself with this thought.
Just then, the servant girl, Peacock, approached him and softly said,
"Young master, you have a visitor."
Dai Yao looked surprised. His valley was remote and secluded, and visitors were almost unheard of. "Who is it?"
Peacock replied, "It's... the Holy Maiden."
"Hu Liena?" Dai Yao's surprise deepened. Truthfully, he wasn't keen on meeting her. Because of her obsession with the "Asura Emperor," Hu Liena had been searching for him for years. He couldn't reveal his identity to her, and after rejecting her so harshly last time, he had avoided her whenever possible.
What could she want this time?
Quickly, he waved a hand, "Tell her I'm not here."
"Oh? Do you really want to avoid me that much, Dai Yao?"
Just as he finished speaking, Hu Liena's tall, graceful figure appeared before him, her tone laced with displeasure. Her fox-like eyes sparkled as she gazed at him.
Dai Yao sighed and waved for Peacock to withdraw. Turning back, he found himself locking eyes with Hu Liena, and a bad feeling crept over him.
"Nana, you must have misheard. I'm always happy to see you," he said with a strained smile.
Hu Liena gave a haughty little hum, "I should hope so."
Under his lead, the two of them walked to a lakeside pavilion he had constructed within the valley for peaceful moments like this. Sitting across from each other in the pavilion, Dai Yao poured Hu Liena a cup of tea, his gaze sneaking cautious glances her way. But he found her watching him intently, only deepening his unease. Once he finished pouring, he asked casually,
"So, Nana, what brings you here today?"
Resting her chin on one hand, Hu Liena twirled her tea lid idly with the other, her movements exuding a subtle allure. Her fox-like eyes narrowed, and she smiled.
"Since you joined Spirit Hall, we haven't seen each other much," Hu Liena began, her voice soft but laden with intent. "Back then, I went through training in the Valley of Death, then took on the trials in Slaughter City. I barely made it out alive, struggling to suppress the murderous aura I'd acquired. We only crossed paths once in the Star Dou Forest during a soul beast hunt."
Her gaze lingered on him as she continued, "Over these years, I've progressed so much that even the Teacher praised me. But compared to you, I still feel so insignificant."
She sighed, leaning forward, her expression one of both curiosity and something far deeper. "I really want to know, what have you experienced over these years?"
Dai Yao suppressed a wry smile. How could he possibly tell her that he was by her side while she was in Slaughter City?
Instead, he laughed and replied, "While you were training, I was training too."
"Oh? As I recall, Slaughter City is known as the most brutal training ground on the continent. Where, exactly, were you training then?" Hu Liena cast a seemingly casual glance at the broken rocks beneath the waterfall—rocks once used by Dai Yao to practice his spear techniques.
The damage to the stones was remarkably uniform, as if caused by something razor-sharp. Hu Liena strongly suspected they'd been shattered by a spear. If Dai Yao had been training at the same time she was in Slaughter City, it would confirm her theory that he was the elusive "Asura Emperor." How else could there be so many coincidences?
Dai Yao's heart sank. Why was she asking about this? Was she testing him? A wary glint flickered in his eyes as he laughed it off, saying,
"Even Spirit Hall hasn't discovered all the secrets of the continent. The place I trained was one the Holy Lady personally led me to. I'd say it was possibly even more dangerous than Slaughter City."
"And as for when… let me think. I believe it was around the time you'd just left Death Valley."
He couldn't hide the time he'd been away from Spirit Hall, so he told her straightforwardly.
Hu Liena's hand stilled, and she cast a complicated look at him. Her suspicions were confirmed: Dai Yao was indeed the "Asura Emperor."
The "Asura Emperor" had entered Slaughter City a mere six months before her, and Dai Yao had conveniently disappeared during that exact period. There couldn't possibly be so many coincidences.
Before coming here, she'd investigated his history in Spirit Hall. Oddly enough, most of his records were completely blank, as if some invisible hand had erased them. Only one person in Spirit Hall had the power to hide information from her: her teacher, Bibi Dong.
All she could confirm was when Dai Yao had been in Spirit Hall and when he'd been gone.
Moreover, Yan had told her that Dai Yao had spent an entire year secluded in the Spirit Hall library. Thinking back, that was likely when he was working to subdue the murderous aura within him.
A surge of grievance rose in her heart. Knowing she was desperately searching for him, Dai Yao had remained silent even though he'd been right beside her. And recently, he'd even rejected her so coldly.
Her heart swelled with a mix of joy at finding the "Asura Emperor" and a mischievous urge for revenge. "So, now that I know he's the 'Asura Emperor,' but he doesn't know I've figured it out, let's see how he'll keep up this act!"
She gave a slight smile, set down her tea, and took out a jade bottle from her soul guide. Opening it, a rich fragrance filled the air.
"Since we've both been through so much, we should celebrate," she said.
Dai Yao quickly tried to decline. "No, no, Nana, I think I'll stick to tea."
Hu Liena's face fell slightly, a pout forming on her lips. "What's wrong? I'm a girl and can drink; are you telling me you can't?"
Dai Yao relented, "Alright then, just a little."
Hu Liena poured them each a drink, then raised her glass with a smile. "This first toast, to surviving our trials."
Dai Yao downed the drink, wincing slightly at its intense burn. Just as he set his cup down, Hu Liena filled it again. Though they were both soul masters and could handle some alcohol, he wasn't particularly fond of drinking. But Hu Liena's relentless toasts had him swallowing glass after glass, and soon her cheeks flushed, her gaze turning misty as she looked at him.
"Dai Yao," she murmured with a soft, slightly slurred voice, "How about I dance for you?"
A loud alarm sounded in Dai Yao's head. Here, alone with Hu Liena—this wasn't just any dance, it was clearly meant to convey something deeper. He was about to refuse when she rose gracefully, looking down at him with a bold smile.
"We're friends, right? And we'll be working together in the future. If I'm not bothered, why should you be? No one's here to see it but us."
Seeing her determination, Dai Yao gave a slight smile and resigned himself. "Then I'd be honored to witness the Holy Maiden's dance."
Hu Liena nodded and moved to a patch of soft sand by the lake, striking a pose to begin. As a gentle breeze drifted through, she began her enchanting fox dance.
At first, Dai Yao watched, captivated by the beauty of her movements. The graceful scenery paired with her mesmerizing dance was breathtaking. But as the dance continued, he began to sense an emotion he hadn't noticed at first. There was a yearning in her steps, a story of waiting for a lost love and the anguish of loneliness.
A complicated emotion stirred within him, and he looked away, swallowing another glass of the fiery drink to quell the unease.
He wasn't sure if she was performing this dance because she knew he was the "Asura Emperor" or because her search had left her heart aching, and she'd found a friend in him who could empathize with her pain.
When her dance finally ended, he forced a smile and clapped his hands, offering polite applause. "That was beautiful. I'm honored to have seen such a dance."
Hu Liena smiled softly, brushing back a stray lock of hair and steadying her breath. She approached him but suddenly stumbled as if she'd tripped on something.
"Careful!" Dai Yao exclaimed, catching her just in time.
Her stumble was remarkably well-timed, landing her right in his arms. Her face, already flushed from the alcohol, now held a captivating pink hue. She looked up, her eyes dreamy as she reached out, her fingers brushing gently across his cheek.
"Dai Yao," she murmured, voice barely a whisper. "If only you were the 'Asura Emperor'…"
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10