Douluo Continent.
Northern border of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Tonight, the snow-laden wind carried a sorrowful chill, bitingly cold.
The source of this desolation was a small hut nestled in a place known as the "Valley of Despair."
Inside the hut, there was a young boy and a couple in their late twenties.
The couple lay on the ground, grievously injured and on the brink of death, seemingly moments away from drawing their last breath.
The boy knelt beside them, weeping anxiously.
"Wuwuwu, Mom, Dad, hold on! I'll go find a healing-type Soul Master right now!"
The mother shook her head weakly, forcing a smile as she said,
"Xiao Han, it's no use. It's already too late..."
"Mom is sorry. I won't be able to watch you grow up..."
"There's some gold soul coins at home. They'll be enough for you to live on..."
"After Mom is gone, you must take good care of yourself..."
"Don't be picky with food, eat on time, and grow up quickly..."
"No matter what happens in the future, never give up on living."
As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, her voice trembling and choked with emotion.
"Mom has so much more she wants to say to you, but I'm running out of time..."
"Lastly, promise me this: don't live a life of hatred, and don't awaken your martial soul..."
"Remember, you must never think about awakening your martial soul to seek revenge. Never, ever do that."
The boy, already sobbing uncontrollably, nodded firmly.
"Yes! Mom, I promise! I promise you everything! Please, just stay alive!"
Hearing the boy's resolute answer, the mother smiled with relief.
With regret and reluctance, she breathed her last.
"Ah! Mom! Wuwuwu!"
Seeing his mother's lifeless body, the boy broke down.
He threw himself onto her, wailing in agony.
But soon, he remembered something and quickly turned to his father, choking back tears.
"Dad, you're stronger than Mom! You can hold on, right? I don't want you to leave, wuwuwu!"
The father struggled to lift his hand, wiping the boy's tears as he forced a weak smile.
"Xiao Han, don't cry. Have you forgotten our agreement?"
"Men don't shed tears when parting..."
"Dad is going to join Mom now. You must remember what she said..."
"Never awaken your martial soul, and never think about avenging us."
After uttering these final words with the last of his strength, the father could hold on no longer.
The hand that had been wiping the boy's tears fell limp, and he too passed away.
"Dad! No—!!!"
The boy let out a heart-wrenching scream, overwhelmed by grief until he fainted.
His name was Ye Han. Six years ago, he had been killed by a truck in his previous life.
He reincarnated into the Douluo Continent, becoming the child of this couple.
Both parents hailed from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, possessing pure bloodlines.
Seven years ago, while out on a training expedition, they accidentally overheard Tang Hao and Tang Xiao discussing the fact that A Yin was a spirit beast.
When Tang Hao and Tang Xiao discovered them, they promised not to reveal the secret, but the brothers still sought to silence them.
The couple fled back to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, hoping for protection after explaining the situation.
However, the clan, unwilling to provoke the infamous "Twin Stars of Haotian," callously expelled them.
Forced to continue fleeing, they eventually reached the northern border of the empire, where they temporarily evaded pursuit and gave birth to Ye Han.
The reason they didn't use the surname "Yu" but instead chose "Ye" was twofold: first, they resented the clan's abandonment, and second, it helped conceal their identities.
Their repeated warnings to Ye Han not to awaken his martial soul were meant to ensure he remained hidden and unnoticed.
Years ago, when Tang Hao's love affair with a spirit beast became public knowledge, Qian Xunji led a team to hunt him and A Yin down.
After A Yin's sacrifice, Tang Hao blamed the couple for everything and had been relentlessly searching for them ever since.
Today, Tang Hao finally found them, leaving them grievously wounded and on the verge of death before departing.
Ye Han had been hidden in the basement, sparing him from becoming another victim of Tang Hao's wrath.
Late at night, Ye Han regained consciousness.
He used a cart to transport his parents' bodies to an ice cave.
Kneeling before their remains, he kowtowed with determination.
"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry, but I cannot keep the promises I made to you!"
"The debt of killing my parents is unforgivable! I, Ye Han, swear to avenge you!"
"Whether it's Tang Hao, who killed you with his own hands, or his accomplice Tang Xiao!"
"Or even the Haotian Sect, or the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan that abandoned you!"
"They will all pay the price! I will make them repay their debts in blood! They will suffer a fate worse than death!"
After these words, Ye Han slowly rose to his feet, his eyes filled with resolve.
"Mom, Dad, watch over me from the heavens!"
"Not only will I avenge you, but I will also bring you back to life!"
"Wait for me. No matter how difficult or arduous the journey, I will succeed!"
"If reviving you requires becoming a god, then I will strive to become one!"
"If a first-level god isn't enough, then a God King! If a God King isn't enough, then something beyond!"
"What other protagonists in Douluo fanfics can achieve, I, Ye Han, will surely accomplish as well!"
With that, Ye Han sealed the entrance to the cave and returned to the Valley of Despair.
The cold wind howled through the valley.
The biting chill was sharp as frost, but it couldn't extinguish the fire of rage in his heart.
Ye Han's gaze locked onto the direction Tang Hao had departed.
His heart brimmed with overwhelming hatred as he clenched his fists and growled in a low voice.
"Today's debt will be repaid a hundredfold! Hear the dragon's roar!!!"
As soon as these words left his lips, a strand of divine consciousness descended from the heavens.
This strand silently entered Ye Han's mind without his notice.
Unaware, Ye Han began to plan his next steps.
It seemed he wouldn't be blessed with a system or anything of the sort.
Six years had passed since his arrival. If a system were coming, it would have appeared by now.
But the absence of a system didn't mean he couldn't seek revenge against Tang Hao.
He knew the original story inside and out. How could he not handle that worthless dog, Tang Hao?
Tang Hao's rise to power was all thanks to his hypocritical and double-faced thief of a son, Tang San.
As long as he intercepted all of Tang San's opportunities beforehand, killing him would be inevitable.
Based on the timeline, Ye Han was a year younger than Tang San.
Tang San was now seven years old and had only been studying under the "Grandmaster" for a year.
In any case, it would be another six years before Tang San ventured into the Sunset Forest.
In those six years, Ye Han would have more than enough time to seize Tang San's opportunities and resources.
Especially those immortal herbs. The reason the Shrek Seven Monsters could become gods was largely due to those herbs.
Both of Ye Han's parents possessed the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, so his own martial soul would undoubtedly be the same.
He knew how to help Dugu Bo and his granddaughter detoxify, which should make trading for an immortal herb feasible.
After consuming an immortal herb, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul had a high chance of evolving into a more advanced form.
Once that was done, he could join the Spirit Hall and use its resources to grow. Wouldn't that make dealing with Tang Hao and Tang San a breeze?
Originally, Ye Han had no intention of making an enemy of Tang San, as the little brat hadn't done anything to him.
But now that Tang San was the son of his parents' murderer, he would have to face Ye Han's wrath!
With this in mind, Ye Han quickly packed his belongings in the hut.
He had reached the age for awakening his martial soul, and it was time to do so.
However, he couldn't awaken it nearby. The safest option was to head to Spirit City for the awakening.
Spirit City offered free martial soul awakenings at any time, and Tang Hao would never go there. It was the best and only choice.
After awakening his martial soul, he could directly join the Spirit Hall and potentially seek its protection.
With this plan in mind, Ye Han finished packing his essentials and resolutely set off for Spirit City.