Chapter 396: The Past
"He's hoping to see me?"
Dai Yao frowned deeply.
If Uncle Hengyu hadn't been restricted, what was the story behind this supposed execution date? Could it be that Uncle Hengyu truly betrayed him, trading his safety for his own power and privilege? But Dai Yao quickly dismissed the thought. If Hengyu had truly intended to betray him, he could have done so long ago, with just a word to draw Dai Yao back to Xingluo Empire. Dai Yao would have been defenseless then, at their mercy.
"Dai Yao," Zhu Zhuqing spoke gently, her voice full of concern.
"I'm fine," Dai Yao replied in a calm voice, though his mind was racing.
If Hengyu hadn't betrayed him, then why use an execution as bait to lure him back to Xingluo? Following this logic, if the premise of Hengyu's supposed death sentence was merely a ploy, Dai Yao could have assumed that someone wanted him to return to Xingluo with a group of powerful allies.
A powerful group of allies…
The thought struck Dai Yao like lightning. It wasn't Uncle Hengyu he was meeting; it was someone else, someone orchestrating this entire situation. Uncle Hengyu must have known that someone harbored malicious intentions, intending to use him to threaten Dai Yao, but, kept under surveillance, couldn't warn Dai Yao directly. His only option was to find a way to signal him through this ruse.
Understanding dawned on Dai Yao's face. He turned to Ye Nantian, his voice steady.
"Thank you for this information, Brother Nantian. Please let Uncle Hengyu know that I'll visit Xingluo Royal Academy tomorrow."
Ye Nantian paused, then nodded in agreement.
The next day, the Titled Douluo known as "Jade Scale Douluo," Dugu Bo, arrived at Xingluo Royal Academy on official business, warmly received by the Academy's members. As Dai Yao's protector, Dugu Bo was granted entry, allowing Dai Yao to slip in quietly with the help of Lan Yuxuan. Years ago, Lan Yuxuan had helped Dai Yao escape the Empress's watchful eye, enabling his initial flight from Xingluo City. Now, by Lan Yuxuan's aid once again, he was able to enter the Royal Academy.
It felt like a cycle completing itself.
Dai Yao had little time to express his gratitude to Lan Yuxuan. With a quick nod, he made his way toward the Headmaster's Office. Soon, he stood before its closed doors, staring at the nameplate as an odd sense of dread filled him. Taking a deep breath, he composed himself, then knocked softly.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in." The familiar voice that called out made Dai Yao's heart skip a beat. It had been many years since they last met; seeing him now filled him with a surge of emotions. As he opened the door, there was Uncle Hengyu, focused on his work.
Seeing Dai Yao, Hengyu froze for a moment, his face lighting up with a mixture of joy and disbelief. He rose, joy brimming in his eyes.
"Dai Yao, is it really you?! You're back!"
Feeling a flood of emotions himself, Dai Yao embraced his uncle.
"Yes, Uncle—it's me. I've come back."
Hengyu examined Dai Yao closely, his face full of pride. After a moment, he sighed deeply.
"You've grown into a strong, capable man. As soon as you heard I was in trouble, you rushed back without hesitation. Part of me wanted you to come back, yet another part… didn't."
Taking a moment to center himself, Dai Yao asked the question that had been weighing on his heart.
"Uncle, what's truly going on? Wasn't there supposed to be an execution? Why haven't they restricted you?"
Hengyu glanced out the window, his gaze lingering on the sea of people surrounding the figure cloaked in dark green—Jade Scale Douluo, Dugu Bo. Rather than answering directly, Hengyu asked,
"That man—Jade Scale Douluo—he's one of your allies, isn't he?"
Dai Yao nodded.
Hengyu smiled with a hint of relief.
"It seems you understood. Still, Dugu Bo might not be powerful enough. Why didn't you seek a stronger ally from Spirit Hall?"
Dai Yao sighed.
"Uncle Hengyu, it's a long story. Though I'm technically affiliated with Spirit Hall, the relationship isn't as close as you'd imagine. And even if Jade Scale Douluo's strength is limited, I have confidence that I could protect myself, even against a Titled Douluo."
Dai Yao had escaped from formidable foes before, including the terrifying Di Tian himself.
Hengyu's expression dimmed, and he let out a bitter chuckle.
"I miscalculated, it seems, but it's too late to regret it now. The old man is already on his way here. But don't worry—even if things go south, I'll do my best to protect you."
Dai Yao's face grew serious, the urgency clear in his tone.
"Uncle, please, tell me—what's going on here?"
Pouring a cup of tea for him, Hengyu's gaze grew distant as he began his story.
"To tell the truth, if I had my way, I'd have wished you never returned. But knowing your nature, I knew you'd return the moment you had the strength to avenge yourself. The Dai family knew that, too."
"That's why our family's elder, the Grand Elder of the council, came to me. He wanted me to call you back, hoping to settle this grudge between you and the family. I couldn't refuse; I, too, hoped you could make peace with them."
"So, to prepare for the worst possible outcome, I used my 'upcoming execution' as a pretext. Knowing you'd come with strong allies to protect me should talks break down, or aid you in revenge if they succeeded."
Dai Yao stared down at his reflection in the tea, deep in thought. Uncle Hengyu had leveraged Dai Yao's concern to lure him back into the empire, something that left him with a pang of disappointment. But he understood, too. As a Dai family member, Hengyu had his own loyalties. If he thought there was even a slight chance for reconciliation, he would push for it.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Dai Yao thought of the deep-seated hatred he harbored for the Dai family. How could that ever be resolved? But he also knew that pressing forward would place Uncle Hengyu in a difficult position, stuck between family loyalty and his nephew.
If Dai Yao chose to reject peace, he would force Uncle Hengyu to either sever ties with the Dai family or sever ties with him. There was no third option.
Running his fingers along the tea cup, Dai Yao murmured,
"Since things are as they are, I'll meet with him."
One way or another, everything would be decided in this talk.
Hengyu's face softened with relief and gratitude. He knew he'd taken advantage of Dai Yao, but looking at the familiar features of his nephew's face, he couldn't hold back his pride.
"Dai Yao, you've truly grown up… You're so much like your mother."
Dai Yao felt his heart skip. He'd long wondered about the past and his mother's history with the Dai family. And here was Uncle Hengyu, one of the few who knew the story. This was the perfect chance to learn the truth.
"Uncle Hengyu, what happened back then? What grudge existed between my mother and that vile woman in the palace? And why did the Emperor of Xingluo turn his back on both my mother and me?"
Dai Yao asked, his voice hard as he fixed his gaze on Dai Hengyu.
Caught off guard, Dai Hengyu looked into Dai Yao's resolute eyes, sighed deeply, and began.
"Do you truly want to know?"
Dai Yao nodded.
With a distant look, Dai Hengyu sank into memory.
"Then I'll tell you a story… More than twenty years ago, I was out training with the then-Crown Prince of Xingluo Empire."
"We were hunting spirit beasts in a forest when we came across a beautiful young woman. The Crown Prince had been surrounded by luxury and beauty since childhood and wasn't impressed by her."
"But I… I was different. Unlike him, born into a world of privilege, I was just a lowly clan member, lucky only because of blood ties to accompany him. The moment I saw her, I fell for her."
Dai Yao's face darkened slightly. Here was yet another love triangle—so typical of Douluo Continent. This pattern seemed to repeat: Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong, Flender; Tang Hao, Ah Yin, Tang Xiao; and now, his own parents' generation was no different. That young woman must have been his mother—Bai Su.
But if it was Uncle Hengyu who had fallen in love with his mother, then why did she end up with the Emperor?
Keeping his questions to himself, Dai Yao listened in silence.
"The Crown Prince, being the perceptive man he was, saw right through me. So, he suggested the three of us travel together. The young woman, dressed in plain clothes and clearly from a humble background, accepted our offer when she saw two powerful spirit masters by her side."
"We hunted spirit beasts while our guards trailed behind, out of sight."
"Over time in the forest, the Crown Prince would often step aside, giving me chances to be alone with her. But the young woman kept her distance from us both and spoke often of repaying us for helping her acquire her spirit ring."
"Every time she spoke of paying us back, the Crown Prince and I would exchange amused glances. What could she, a commoner, offer us?"
"Days passed, and at last, we both obtained the spirit rings we wanted. We knew it was time to go our separate ways. But I felt increasingly frustrated—no matter how I tried, the young woman remained unmoved by my advances."
"Still, her every smile and glance were etched into my heart. Her spirit was the Fire Fox, and though her manner carried a subtle allure, she possessed a unique elegance that set her apart. She was gentle, yet it felt as if she could see into my heart. I was deeply infatuated with her."
"But her indifference toward me caught the Crown Prince's attention."
"One day, he turned to me and said that if we revealed our true identities, she'd be unable to resist throwing herself at me, like countless others before her."
"Though I didn't believe she was that type of person, I was desperate enough to agree."
"When a group of Spirit Saints and Spirit Emperors knelt in respect before us, I looked for the reaction the Crown Prince had promised—but it never came. She was only surprised for a brief moment before returning to her calm, elegant self. To her, we were as ordinary as anyone else."
"Her response intrigued the Crown Prince even further."
"For the first time, he'd met a woman who didn't care about his rank. I could see the look in his eyes—a desire to possess her, as if she were a rare prize."
"You have to understand—the Crown Prince, adored from birth, was used to adulation. To him, this woman's indifference was a challenge, something to conquer."
"He told me bluntly that he intended to pursue her but that he'd do so 'fairly.' How could I, a lesser member of the family, dare to compete with him? I immediately withdrew."
"From there, I'm sure you can guess what happened."
"No matter how he pursued her, she remained unmoved. And in the end, the Crown Prince's patience ran out. If he couldn't have her, he would rather destroy her."
"But things didn't go as expected. Many people had their eyes on the Crown Prince's actions, and word reached her family. They sent her to the Crown Prince, essentially offering her to him."
"Eventually, she became his concubine. The Crown Prince showered her with affection, hoping she'd eventually love him. But she didn't, and his frustration only grew."
"Then the Prince became the Emperor. By then, his anger and resentment led him to banish her to the Cold Palace. Shortly after, he discovered she was with child. But a ruler doesn't let such matters affect his heart."
"Not long after, she died—killed at the hands of the Empress, leaving you behind."
"It was only then that I realized my cowardice. I couldn't save her, but I could protect you from the Empress. For the first time, I defied the Emperor, attempting to free you from the Cold Palace. He refused but promised to let you live."
"Afterward, I felt as if I'd been granted salvation. I was flooded with relief, like a turtle retreating back into its shell, never daring to bring it up again."
"I'd staked everything on the Emperor's goodwill; if he came to hate me, I would lose everything."
When Dai Hengyu finished, he was sobbing, covering his face with his hands. The pain he'd buried for years resurfaced, the unhealed wound bleeding fresh once more.
Dai Yao watched him, expressionless.
He knew that none of this was truly Dai Hengyu's fault. His uncle had even risked his own life to save him—a debt he could never repay.
The true culprit was the Xingluo Emperor.
The Emperor had forced a woman to be his concubine, only to discard her when she didn't reciprocate his feelings. Then, as though she were a forgotten object, he'd left her to waste away in the Cold Palace.
For any ordinary noble, this was routine—a woman's emotions were often disregarded in such arrangements. If the woman dared to be unhappy, she alone bore the blame. Countless women would have eagerly taken her place.
But that woman was Dai Yao's mother.
To Dai Yao, the Crown Prince—later the Emperor—was his mother's murderer. Titles meant nothing—revenge was his only goal.
So what if that man was his father?
From childhood, Dai Yao had grown up alone, with no father in sight. Many times, he'd nearly died at the hands of this family, yet that man had never lifted a finger to help him. Now, they were nothing more than mortal enemies.
Even the Empress was a victim in some ways. But to Dai Yao, she was the one who had killed his mother, and he would ensure she paid the price.
Dai Yao looked deeply into his uncle's eyes.
"Uncle Hengyu, none of this is your fault. Thank you for explaining everything. Now, I know exactly who my enemies are."
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