Douluo Continent: The Eternal Order of the Azure Sky.

Faced with such a hopeful gaze, which at this moment felt more like a judgment to him, Huo Yuhao struggled so hard that it felt as if his whole body was being torn apart.

Why! Why! He screamed silently in his heart.

Why make him make this choice after losing Tianmeng? He has already betrayed his companions once for the safety of the academy, why make him make an even more difficult choice!

Qiu'er had recently sacrificed herself to Kong Tianxu for him, and even risked her life to explore the slumbering place of the Soul Beast Overlord, the Silver Dragon King. How could he possibly...?

He clearly just wanted to be with Dong'er!

Dong'er, Dong'er... Everything is for Dong'er, yes, for Dong'er!

He found the answer. But he felt as if his internal organs had been completely emptied out in that instant.

With his jaw clenched, Huo Yuhao trembled as if every bone in his body was shaking. He gripped the rotting soil beneath him tightly with both hands, turned his head away, and dared not look any further.

Qiu'er paused for a moment, then gave a self-deprecating smile. A conversation from not long ago vaguely surfaced in her mind—

……

"So you didn't actually agree to sacrifice yourself for Huo Yuhao, right? Even if I hadn't captured him, you would still have agreed to my conditions?"

"……Um."

"Did you know perfectly well that you couldn't pluck the Heartbreak Red Flower during this sacrifice, so from the very beginning you never intended to live and only sought death?"

"Ah."

"The dream of Rotten Chessboard, the same drug Cain used to subdue you in Sunrise City last time, the reason you woke up so quickly was not because of the power of fate, but because I woke you up?"

"Ah."

Do you remember me telling you which hair color looks best?

"Ah."

"You like me?"

"I hate...you."

"Oh."

"Tch, Puxin."

"So what are you planning to do next? You don't have a martial spirit or soul power now. You're not going to go back to the Star Dou Great Forest, are you? The soul beasts definitely won't accept you."

"I don't know. To be honest, although I feel very sorry for Di Tian and the others, these few years in the human world have been more exciting than the ten thousand years I lived in the Star Dou Great Forest. I want to stay and live a good life as a human."

"With Huo Yuhao? You don't know about the feud between us, do you?"

"It's not him... I don't hate... I don't like him. Don't misunderstand, there's nothing between us, and there never will be. It's just that right now, you've molded me into such a beautiful shape, and I have no soul power to protect myself. Where else can I go besides Shrek City? Actually, I know that you saved me and helped me rebuild my body. You don't owe me anything, but let me walk alone for a while. When I've thought things through, I'll come find you."

"Shrek, ha, when that time comes, Huo Yuhao's actions may not be as you expect."

"You may not know him, although... he is actually a good person, and he once saved my life."

"I don't deny that he has some excellent qualities, but at times, he's too soft-hearted."

"Humph."

"It seems you're determined. How about you do me a favor? And while you're at it, let's test Huo Yuhao's true colors."

"……explain."

"Don't you hate me? Then when Huo Yuhao wakes up, just say that... and then..."

"What! You'll be..."

"Consider it helping me, and also helping the ancient imperial beast. Take good care of what I gave you, and if anything goes wrong, remember what I told you."

……

As the memories receded like the tide, she spoke softly:

"You didn't even have the will to resist? It seems I still don't understand people's hearts. Kong Tianxu is right, you're just a lucky coward."

Gentle, yes, truly gentle, so gentle that even when faced with the most difficult choices, he would relinquish the right to choose.

Qiu'er's indifferent gaze and the sarcasm in her tone were more painful to him than killing Huo Yuhao.

"I'm sorry, Qiu'er, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Huo Yuhao still didn't dare to turn his head, but his voice was already trembling with tears. "Qiu'er... Wang Qiu'er, Dong'er and I will never forget your great kindness. I, Huo Yuhao, will be your servant in my next life!"

Titan curled his lip.

"No, don't call me Wang Qiu'er. My surname isn't Wang, it's Kong."

A calm voice came again, interrupting Huo Yuhao's sobbing.

Huo Yuhao turned his head blankly and looked at her. Her eyes were completely hidden under her long golden hair, making it impossible to see her expression. She clenched her hand tightly around a wisp of blue light on her chest.

I am sorry.

She thought to herself.

Because of my stubbornness, there's something I've never been able to tell you.

"My name is Kong Qiu'er."

"Kong as in Kong Tianxu!"

Her long, golden hair suddenly flew wildly.

Her body moved like a golden lightning bolt, turning and crashing into the boulder beside her.

A golden arc of light streaked across the desolate canyon, like the last rays of a shooting star streaking across the night sky. Her movements were swift and decisive, leaving no room for hesitation or reservation, so resolute that it took one's breath away.

I actually like you.

It's not because of fate, not because of the fireworks that night, but because you are you.

But I could not escape this inevitable fate.

The last word still echoed on the canyon wall, her forehead less than a foot from the boulder. Just as Wang Qiu'er—no, Kong Qiu'er—was about to perish, a terrifying force of gravity suddenly descended upon her!

The golden-brown light, almost tangible, suddenly spread outwards from Titan's core. Qiu'er's body abruptly stopped under that terrifying gravity, unable to move forward even an inch, like a butterfly frozen in amber, stuck in a posture heading towards death.

The golden-brown divine light completely transformed the surrounding space into its own domain, and the Titan's cold laughter echoed through the canyon:

How you die is not up to you!

It stretched out its giant hand and clenched its fist in the air. Earthy yellow flames burned in its palm, and although the power belonging to the deity was greatly reduced due to its injuries, it was still something that Qiu'er could not resist at this moment.

A piercing cry burst from her throat, but under the suppression of the flames, it became a series of broken syllables, disappearing as soon as it came.

Huo Yuhao held himself tightly, as if embracing Wang Dong'er's wrinkled and bony body.

He dared not look, dared not listen, dared not think; in such a short time, he had lost far too much.

But at least, he still has Dong'er.

"Damn it, what is this thing?"

The Titan's furious roar suddenly rang in their ears, shattering the brief silence.

Within the earthen-yellow flames, a sudden change occurred!

The next moment, a streak of azure light, enveloped in a pale pink halo, rose from the flames, within which a small coin could be vaguely seen spinning rapidly. The Titan's brown-gold divine power dissipated like boiling water splashed on snow the instant it touched the azure light. The azure light pierced straight through the layers of earth-yellow flames, soaring into the sky at an unimaginable speed and disappearing into the night.

That is the will of the gods, which transcends fate!

Chapter 393 Refined Snacks

Shrek City.

From afar, Tang Ya could see the outer wall of the Tang Clan. The vermilion wall was over two zhang high and extended nearly a hundred meters in the direction of the street. However, nearly half of the side had been cut off, with a smooth cut, clearly the work of a deceased Bear King.

The main gate of the Tang Clan is three zhang high, with a huge plaque hanging above it, covered with cracks, and the two large gilded characters of Tang Clan are prominently displayed on it.

When Tang Ya saw the signature below the plaque, her feelings instantly became complicated.

Moon.

When the Tang Clan was first wiped out, she sought help from both the Clear Sky Sect and Shrek Academy. The former said they would only help in an emergency, not in the long run, and that the decline of the Tang Clan was inevitable, so they were unwilling to help in the slightest. The latter, however, was willing to give her a place to stay, and although they didn't offer much, it was enough for her. She was extremely grateful to the entire Shrek Academy, especially the legendary Sea God Pavilion.

But why, precisely after she left, did they suddenly start supporting the Tang Clan so strongly?

Tang Ya's eyelashes trembled slightly as she tightly gripped a snow-white book in her hand. A faint warmth emanated from it, and a thousand emotions swirled within her, ultimately transforming into a helpless resoluteness.

She forced out a single word:

"dismantle."

Upon hearing this, the Holy Spirit followers behind her sprang into action, their white robes fluttering in the night. Most of them were earth-attribute soul masters; a few soul skills from them caused the earth to tremble and the Tang Sect, which had only recently been completed, to crumble precariously.

"Who's causing trouble here! Holy Spirit... Hmm? Xiaoya! You've come too? You weren't hurt in the beast tide, were you?"

Beibei, who had rushed to the door with an angry expression, was immediately stunned. Upon seeing Tang Ya, his anger vanished in an instant, replaced by a clear look of joy.

Before he could say anything, a pink figure swayed out of the door.

She was a woman with a rather striking face, but her makeup was a bit too heavy compared to her naturally light eyebrows and eyes. As she moved closer, a strong scent of perfume immediately wafted over her.

"Master, Master, Brother Xu and the others..." She stopped mid-sentence when she suddenly saw Tang Ya. Her voice abruptly halted, and her heavily made-up eyes scrutinized Tang Ya's face, first showing surprise, then an inexplicable wariness.

But her wariness was fleeting; she quickly put on a miserable expression and her voice was shrill and loud, “Oh, it’s you! You’ve come to see the master again, haven’t you? Oh, master, why is our life so miserable? We’ve only had two good years.”

"What nonsense are you spouting! Come back here!"

Beibei's face, which had turned rosy upon seeing Tang Ya, suddenly became extremely embarrassed, and she quickly pulled the woman aside.

This woman was none other than Xiao Tao Hong, who had met Bei Bei in the brothel beneath the Hundred Flowers Deep Tavern back then. After Shrek Academy withdrew that night, she was determined to stay with Bei Bei and eventually ended up going directly to Shrek Academy.

Bei Bei, being the kind of person he is, couldn't bear to turn her away so easily, so he gritted his teeth and brought her back to the Tang Clan. At that time, Bei Bei was going through a period of great distress and depression. As the two lived together for a while, and Xiao Tao Hong, a woman who admired Bei Bei immensely, eventually managed to win her over after a few intimate encounters, and Bei Bei finally lost her guard.

The two officially moved in together and even held a small wedding ceremony.

However, they were ultimately from different worlds, and their married life, much like today, was filled with awkwardness and embarrassment.

This made Beibei miss Tang Ya even more. Now, in this desolate post-war world, how could he not be excited to see each other again?

Beibei's lips moved slightly: "Xiaoya..."

"Boom!" Another earth-shaking tremor followed.

The Holy Spirit followers did not pause for a moment because of this reunion at the gate. The earthen-yellow soul power light shone again, and the ground cracked open with a deafening roar. One of the outer walls of the Tang Sect had been demolished. The vermilion wall broke in the middle, and the upper half collapsed with a crash. Debris and rubble poured down like a waterfall, hitting the ground and stirring up a cloud of grayish-white dust.

Beibei suddenly realized her surroundings and angrily said: