She's dead. Dai Yuhao thought as he kneeled before his mother's grave. His hand rested on the cold, weathered stone, tracing the engraving of her name. Tears welled up in his white eyes, blurring his vision as memories flooded his mind. He remembered her warmth, her laughter, and the way she always believed in him, even when he doubted himself.
Closing his eyes, Dai Yuhao whispered, "I miss you, Mother. I wish you were here to see me now." The wind whispered through the trees, carrying his words into the small clearing of their backyard; a small hut located in the very back of the White Tiger Mansion.
He remained there for a long time, lost in his grief and the memories of happier times. Eventually, as the sun began to set, he rose to his feet, his resolve strengthened.
"I will make you proud, Mother," he vowed, his voice firm despite the sorrow weighing heavily on his heart.
With one last lingering glance at the grave, he turned and walked away, determined to honor her memory in everything he would do in the future.
Returning back to his hut he was greeted by piles of clothing at the doorstep and the only window in the house being broken.
'These bastards...!' Dai Yuhao clenched his fists, veins bulged around his eyes. His vision turned into a near 360 scope field and expanded by 500 meters; his vision can penetrate almost any object, allowing users to see through walls, peer underground, or even examine the contents of a person's body. He didn't have to look around to find three servants were snickering behind a tree, unaware of his enhanced vision had found them. Dai Yuhao's anger flared at their disrespectful behavior.
'Even when my mother had just recently passed away, these people just wouldn't stop bullying us!'
He was a child of the White Tiger Duke, one of the most famous and influential people in the Star Luo Empire; the leading general of their army to fight against the Sun Moon Empire. With such a position, he garnered fear and respect from the common folk. As his son, Dai Yuhao should have been treated with reverence and dignity, even if his mother was just his father's maid and concubine. Both of them would at least be treated with some level of respect and dignity, given their association with the Duke.
But that all changed the day he turned six and awakened his martial soul, turning his eyes completely white as if he were a blind person, but he wasn't. His vision was actually several times better than before. He actually awakened a rare spiritual-type martial soul that was his eyes with an innate soul power of two! There was only a handful of people who has this kind of martial soul, nurtured correctly, even if he had awakened with little soul power, and he would become a great powerhouse.
But that didn't happen, all because he hadn't awaken the hereditary martial soul of the Dai Family; the White Tiger Martial Soul. Plus, with how his eyes looked, almost everyone in the household bullied him, especially his father's official main wife; the duchess and her youngest son.
From what his mother said about the duke, his father dearly loved both of them. Unfortunately however, due to the duke's many responsibilities as the empire's sword against its enemies, he wouldn't always be at home and thus leaving both of them at the duchess's mercy.
Physical and emotional harassment, one after another. Both of them endured all of them, his mother took the most of it, for over five years... and the abuse and trauma was too much for his mother to handle; resulting in her death.
The worst part about all this? No one, aside from himself, gave a damn thing about his mother's death!
Even his father gradually forgotten about Huo Yuhao and his mother.
All because... he was weak. Huo Yuhao should've hated the duchess, his half-brother who beaten her, and his deadbeat of a father!
But, no. All that he could feel right now was helplessness, despair, and self-hatred at his own perceived weakness.
Yet, amidst the darkness of his emotions, a flicker of determination ignited within him.
'I refuse this kind of destiny,' he thought fiercely, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. 'I won't let my mother's death be in vain. I won't let myself be consumed by despair!'
With each step he took towards the broken window, Dai Yuhao felt a surge of resolve coursing through him. He refused to be a victim any longer. He would rise above his circumstances and forge his own path, one that would honor his mother's memory and defy the expectations placed upon him.
'Power! I need power! I want, no, I have to become a formidable soul master in the world!
As he reached the broken window, Dai Yuhao's gaze hardened, his white eyes reflecting the determination burning within his soul. He may not have awakened the hereditary martial soul of his father, but he possessed strength of a different kind - strength born from adversity, resilience, and the unwavering love for his mother.
With a deep breath, Dai Yuhao stepped through the broken window into his humble abode. The sight of the scattered clothing and the damage inflicted upon his home only fueled his determination further. He refused to be cowed by those who sought to belittle him.
"I will rise," he declared to the empty room, clenching his fists tight. "And become the strongest soul master in the world with these white eyes of mine!"
One year later
"Hey, did you hear about the young master?"
"Hm? Which one?"
"Young master Huabin! I'm talking about young master Dai Huabin. Geez bro, just how many young masters do you know in this household?"
In a small dirt road, two servants were exchanging gossip as they went about their chores. One of them continued excitedly, "Anyway, young master Dai Huabin has gone and enrolled in Shrek Academy! The continent's number one school for soul masters!"
The other one looked at him with exasperation. "Why do you look so excited about something that's to be expected of young master Huabin? Didn't you know already? The eldest young master has also enrolled in that school for many years now, heck, I heard that he's become an inner courtyard student."
His friend opened and closed his mouth, trying to process this information. "Wait, you mean... Dai Yueheng? Already?!"
"What do you expect? He's a genius, they are the great White Tiger Duke's children after all."
"Yeah, compared to them..." They then stopped at a run-down wooden hut, a disdainful smile on their faces.
Without saying anything, they walked up to the wooden door and one of them unhesitatingly kicked it open. Inside, they found Dai Yuhao meticulously packing up some clothes, food and other essentials in a bag.
The servants looked at him surprise before anger flashed in their eyes. "What do you think you're doing, brat?" one of them demanded, stepping forward with a sneer.
"I'm packing my stuff, what else do you think I'm doing?" Dai Yuhao casually replied, continuing to pack some necessities for his journey. Because finally, he gathered enough resources to survive in the outside.
He didn't really planned for leaving the place, as this was where his targets are, but at the same time he wouldn't able to grow up stronger.
Hence, he needed to escape.
"What did you just say, trash? You're packing up?"
One of them stepped forward, cracking his knuckles with a sneer on his face. "Ha! You might be a bastard child and with a trash martial soul, but you are still a part of this household. Without the permission of the duchess, you cannot leave this place!"
Dai Yuhao paused and straightened his back, a cold glint flashing in his white eyes. "I don't need anyone's permission to leave. Also, you said it yourself. I am child of the duke," he took a step forward, veins began bulging around his eyes. "and you are just mere servants. You do not have the right to order me."
"Why you-!" The servant's face contorted with rage and he outstretched his hand to grab Dai Yuhao, but before he could make contact, Dai Yuhao swiftly sidestepped, his movements fluid and controlled.
His white eyes creeped out the servant, causing to unconsciously take a step back.
"Don't lay a hand on me," Dai Yuhao warned, his voice low and commanding. "I am not your punching bag anymore."
They ignored his words. The other servant stepped forward, his eyes blazing with anger. "You think you're better than us just because of who your father is? You're nothing but a disgrace! A freak!" He clenched his fist and lash out a straight punch at Huo Yuhao's face.
'Slow,' Dai Yuhao's gaze remained steady, letting out a deep breath, he outstretched his right palm and slapped the servant's fist away with precision and speed. He then straightened his fingers and poked the servant's arm twice, right on the pressure points, causing the servant to wince in pain and stagger backward. He looked down and was horrified to find it limp.
"AHHHH! M-MY ARM?! EUGH!!"
"Wha-" The other servant stammered, taking a step back in shock at the sudden turn of events. They both exchanged a look, and they both felt dumbfounded. How did a kid that looked frail and weak move with such speed and precision?!
Dai Yuhao snorted at their dumb look and said. "You forgot your places, servants. Even if I wasn't the duke's son, I am still a soul master. I am better than you two."
"You freak-!" They tried to regain their composure, but Dai Yuhao's cold white-eyed glare stop them in their tracks. In their hearts, they wondered how did he moved like an expert fighter? Because they never saw anyone teach the boy any fighting skills.
And that's right, no one did. Huo Yuhao thought himself how to if he wanted to survive and for self-defense; he had started out by excising and building up his stamina. Then he just started punching and kicking at the trees behind his hut, which were as strong as metal, gradually refining his movements and techniques through sheer determination and practice.
And as for how he knew pressure point attacks, he found a book about acupuncture points under his bed, which he guessed it was his mother's because before she became the duke's concubine she was initially his maid. With that knowledge and his eyes that lets him see through almost anything, which also meant a person's body, Dai Yuhao started a fighting style of his own.
"D-Don't you dare hurt us, freak!"
"Y-Yeah! Or we'll tell the duchess on you!"
Dai Yuhao raised an eyebrow at their threats, unimpressed. "Go ahead, tell her," he challenged, his voice steady and unwavering. "I'm leaving this place after all."
The servants exchanged uncertain glances and they slowly backed away and turned around, intending to tell on the duchess on time before Dai Yuhao leaves and would received his punishment.
The thought of seeing him get tortured by the duchess brought a twisted satisfaction to their faces-
"And when did I say you two could leave?"
The two barely took a few steps away from the hut when they felt a painful impact to their neck, causing them to collapse to the ground unconscious. Dai Yuhao stood behind them, his expression cold and unforgiving.
"I only let you walk away because I didn't want you both to sully my home." Dai Yuhao muttered, his words dripping with contempt. He towered over the fallen servants, his presence commanding and imposing.
"You think you can treat me like dirt and then walk away without consequences?" he continued, his tone icy. "You're mistaken if you believe I'll tolerate such disrespect."
Exhaling, Dai Yuhao went inside and continued packing his things.
After a few minutes, he walked out of his house, his eyes covered by a white cloth(to make people underestimate him), and gazed around at the familiar surroundings, a mix of determination and sadness in his eyes. He knew he had to leave, to escape the toxic environment that had surrounded him for so long. But it wasn't easy to say goodbye to the only home he had ever known, despite the hardships he endured there.
As he stood there, he shook his head and walked away, leaving his house, the unconscious servants, and his previous life behind.
Sprinting towards the back door of the White Tiger Mansion, he then vowed in his heart.
"I shall return, for vengeance and... for my peace."
...
"Haaaa... Why did we take the long route for this?" Tang Ya complained, slouching her shoulders and walking around lazily.
Bei Bei chuckled at his girlfriend's complaints, shaking his head fondly. "You know, Tang Ya, sometimes it's good to take the scenic route. Besides, it's a beautiful day for a walk, isn't it?"
Tang Ya rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Bei Bei. But you owe me some extra snacks for this."
Bei Bei laughed, reaching into his bag to pull out some snacks. "Consider it done, my dear. Anything for you."
As they continued their leisurely stroll towards the Great Star Dou Forest. Tang Ya had ate a few chips when her nose perked up, a delicious smell wafting through the air. "Hey, do you smell that?" she asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
Bei Bei nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, it smells amazing. Let's follow the scent and see what it is."
They quickened their pace, following the tantalizing aroma until they stumbled upon a small clearing near a river. There, they found a makeshift campfire with a boy with a white cloth tied around his eyes, roasting a couple of fishes over a campfire.
'His eyes... Is he...?' Both Tang Ya and Bei Bei shared a curious glance, wondering if the boy was blind. Despite their curiosity, they approached him cautiously, not wanting to startle him.
"Hey there," Tang Ya called out with a friendly smile, "mind if we join you by the fire?"
The boy turned towards them, his face partially illuminated by the flickering flames. Despite his apparent blindness and a cloth covering his eyes, there was a certain intensity in his gaze that caught Bei Bei and Tang Ya off guard.
"...Sure, feel free," the boy replied, gesturing to the space around the fire.
As they settled down, Bei Bei began to introduce themselves. "Hey there, little brother. My name is Bei Bei and the girl besides me is Tang Ya."
Tang Ya was slightly drooling at the roasting fishes and had almost not responded if it weren't for Bei Bei nudging her. "Oh, uh, hi! Nice to meet you," she said, trying to regain her composure.
The boy nodded in acknowledgment. "...I'm Huo Yuhao," he replied simply, his voice carrying a hint of weariness.
"Nice to meet you, Huo Yuhao," Bei Bei said warmly.
Huo Yuhao slightly smiled at them and his destiny as a powerful soul master, the White Death Douluo and God of Death began.
....
AN: To be continued, in part 2. I'm thinking of making this a five chapter series that covers most of the important events in Huo Yuhao's life.
❄️Shout out to the great Cultivators of my patreon, may you reach the peak of the heavens and conquer the earth! Pursue immortality and receive enlightenment!
•Julien
•Shisui34
•kaotic
•Nicholas Berenguer
•Swift Arrow
•DaoOfAnime
❄️A bigger shout out to the ones who ascended to become a One Above All!! The GOATS! THE MAJESTIES!!
•Vora
•Adrian Durand
Wanna read advanced chapters and support me so I can feed myself and my little sister? Then head over to my patreon and become a member!
patreon.com/FroztDouluo