CHAPTER 365: CHAPTER 365: A YOUNG HERO EMERGES

Da Zhen·Imperial City

In the empty Taihe Palace, Zhu Haomiao gazed up at the bloodstained, mountain-like majestic giant cauldron, his mind filled with swirling thoughts.

"Brother~"

The light and pleasant call sounded behind him. As the black-clad youth turned around, Zhao Nuo came walking slowly while holding Diao Chan.

Having not seen her for a while, the little girl seemed to have grown a bit taller. Her tender and childish features subtly transformed, faintly exuding a natural allure.

"Chirp~"

Diao Chan wriggled out from Zhao Nuo’s arms and leaped onto Zhu Haomiao, snuggling and licking enthusiastically.

Allowing Diao Chan to dote on him, Zhu Haomiao stroked the little girl’s head and smiled gently.

"Look, the National Guardian Divine Tripod has been recovered."

"But it seems to have been severely polluted..."

Gazing at the cauldron’s body, which wriggled like a living creature, with all its ancient and gorgeous inscriptions and patterns of mountains and rivers corroded, dull, Zhao Nuo couldn’t help frowning her small eyebrows.

As the designated Child of Destiny, she naturally had a mystical connection to this National Guardian Divine Artifact.

At this moment, she clearly understood that this National Guardian Divine Artifact had undergone an incomprehensible transformation, completely breaking free from her control.

Hearing this, Zhu Haomiao rubbed his chin with difficulty and sighed helplessly.

Polluted by refining and affected by the Ascension Secret Ceremony, even the Heavenly Destiny True Object has suffered irreversible damage, making it difficult to restore its former divine power.

"The only way now is to treat the dead horse as a live one. I’ll refine it again with the Secret Technique; perhaps there’s a glimmer of hope."

As he spoke, Zhu Haomiao looked into Zhao Nuo’s bright, black eyes, asking seriously.

"Is it okay?"

Instinctively sensing something amiss, but soon casting aside her worries, Zhao Nuo looked directly into the youth’s eyes and nodded solemnly.

"Brother, you go ahead and do it. It’s okay if you fail."

Having received the owner’s permission, Zhu Haomiao felt the waves of fate in the unseen and raised his lips meaningfully.

From this moment on, he possessed ’administrator’ authority over the National Guardian Divine Tripod.

Additionally, considered a part of the world’s will, refining the Divine Tripod again would not provoke Heavenly Dao’s backlash, nor would it summon the Child of Destiny’s attack.

"Rest assured, I will return you a stronger National Guardian Divine Artifact."

Caressing the little girl’s hair, Zhu Haomiao stated with a hint of implication.

"Okay."

Narrowing her eyes in enjoyment, Zhao Nuo suddenly realized something and grasped the youth’s clothes with her tender hands, looking at him longingly.

"Are you leaving again?"

"Yes, those rebels on Jianghu haven’t been dealt with. I must eradicate these tumors swiftly and consolidate internal forces."

"Then..."

Biting her lip, the little girl hesitated for a moment, then mustered the courage to ask softly.

"Can I go with you?"

The doting smile froze slightly, and Zhu Haomiao instinctively wanted to refuse. But looking into Zhao Nuo’s teary black eyes, the words couldn’t come out.

Poor, helpless, yet wanting to play...

It was at this moment that Zhu Haomiao realized that the person in front of him was just a lively and active nine-year-old girl, not a scheming and ruthlessly unemotional empress.

"Ooh~ Brother~~ Please~~"

Noticing the youth’s attitude was not firm, Zhao Nuo hugged his leg, her big, watery eyes blinking at him, pleadingly acting spoiled.

"..."

Who did you learn this from?

Learning to act spoiled from Diao Chan?

Do you think I’ll fall for this?

With a reluctant smile, the black-clad youth hesitated for a moment, sighed long and wearily.

"Alright, as long as you can persuade your mother, I’ll take you out with me."

Her eyes lighting up, Zhao Nuo excitedly cheered, "No problem, I’ll go ask mother right now!"

Watching the little girl run towards the harem, Zhu Haomiao shook his head with a smile.

Although taking a nine-year-old Emperor out to play seemed preposterous, Zhao Nuo, deemed an Outer Heaven Demon dismissive of rules, appeared more as a pet and a little sister in his eyes.

A pet, after all, is to be spoiled...

No matter how outrageous the request might seem to others, it was nothing to him!

As long as it didn’t affect his true nature, Zhu Haomiao always did as he pleased!

Besides, he would eventually ascend and leave this Illusion Realm, so the time spent with the little one wasn’t much...

Being together even for one day was worth it...

The only concern was whether taking an extra...companion along would pose danger during the mission...

Thinking of this, Zhu Haomiao couldn’t help but look at the Book of Black.

[Gluttony]: LV.3→LV.7

[Body] +50 (25x200%)

[Strength] +13

[Essence] +9

Glancing at his golden Dragon Emblem, Zhu Haomiao had a vague premonition that he was just a step away from the Second Layer Heaven Hegemony Level.

However, that wasn’t the source of his confidence. What truly assured him of protecting Zhao Nuo was a few Basic Forces, which had completed their final refinement, sealed deep within spirit and body by the Sloth Cocoon, and were undergoing rapid transformation!

Especially the Gale Force!

Once this Basic Force breaks through to the Great Perfection Realm, movements as swift as gusty winds, the power of the Spiritual Rhinoceros covering a radius of a hundred meters, mind as clear as a mirror, nothing could remain hidden, and the world could be conquered!

Nodding thoughtfully, Zhu Haomiao suddenly had a thought and stepped towards the Imperial Garden.

Before long, in a garden resembling a fairyland, the youth saw an old figure sitting on a stone bench, staring blankly at the shimmering lake.

He sat down beside him slowly, and the two of them silently watched the lake, speechless for a long time.

Until sunset, a trace of a smile finally appeared on Luo Ming’s wrinkled face, looking at the youth sitting beside him.

"When one gets old, one tends to reminisce about the past. I appreciate you sitting quietly with me for so long..."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Haomiao shook his head calmly, changing the topic.

"Are you returning to Yong State?"

"Yes, my days are numbered. I must prepare for the end."

Knowing his time was limited, Luo Ming’s tone held little sadness, as calm as describing what to eat tomorrow.

Then, Luo Ming suddenly shifted the topic, growing excited like a child.

"Li Lin, you saw that world, didn’t you?"

"So, there really is a heaven beyond the heavens!"

"Perhaps death isn’t the end, and I’ll meet those old pals in another world!"

Watching the animated Luo Ming, a complex gleam flickered in Zhu Haomiao’s eyes momentarily. Unable to shatter his illusion, he could only smile silently.

"By the way, what happened after I left?"

"What do the people of that world look like?"

"Do they have a Demon Race over there?"

...

Faced with Luo Ming’s barrage of questions, Zhu Haomiao could only selectively satisfy his curiosity with what he could.

Even so, Luo Ming still found it incredible.

"Thanks to you, we managed to reclaim the National Guardian Divine Tripod this time. Leaving the nation to you now, I can depart with peace of mind."

Bathed in the golden glow of sunset, Luo Ming got up and strolled, Zhu Haomiao walking alongside him, the two wandering in the garden as if in paradise.

"Are you going to continue sweeping through Jianghu next?"

"Yes."

"Be cautious, some hidden ancient demons are tough to deal with. They are also bearers of Heavenly Destiny."

"It doesn’t matter; I wield a righteous cause. If they remain obstinate, they will lose the Heavenly Destiny’s support, allowing me to eradicate them with ease."

Seeing the youth’s confident and arrogant profile, Luo Ming saw his younger self, sighing deeply.

"Heroes are born young... Have you already grown to such an extent?"

After a moment of silence, Zhu Haomiao shook his head with a wry smile.

"Strictly speaking, not yet, but one more retreat, and it should be just about there!"