Chapter 441: Recalling the Past

Over the years, for some reason, he couldn’t come into direct contact with Rod. Even though he had seen him several times in secret, he couldn’t recognize him each time. One could only imagine his feelings—witnessing Rod grow step by step, through hardships and dangers, each time it was heart-stopping! Every time, he could only sigh in secret from behind—the boy had truly grown up!
As it turned out, a son is like his father. He was just like his father—not someone who could tolerate loneliness, not someone who would lead a plain life. There would eventually be a day of explosion! And now, that day had come.
Now, everyone knew him, especially after he acquired a divine status. What the future held was unimaginable. It seemed the distance between him and Rod was growing wider, which made Bianuo feel heartache. In his eyes, that little boy had long been regarded as his grandson, his only family member.
He felt both relieved and emotional, but everything was for the better. At least he had fulfilled his master’s wishes and hadn’t wasted the master’s efforts in entrusting the young master to him. Thinking back to how he had once wanted Rod to live a plain life, to idle away his days, Bianuo secretly smiled bitterly—many things were beyond his control.
If things had really gone that way, what would have become of the Source of Darkness now? What would the continent be like? And what about the trolls? Would he still be able to face his master then?
“I have always been a member of the Scorpion King clan. Back then, I met your father at the Source of Darkness. He saved me several times, and from then on, my life belonged to him. Later, I followed him to the continent, where I witnessed and experienced so much, until… until your father was in danger. At the critical moment, he handed you to me, asking me to take good care of you, while he…” Recalling the past, Bianuo was filled with emotion and tears streamed down his face.
“Was the masked man who was always with Brother Hori you all along?” After a long silence, Rod suddenly asked.

The first time he saw the masked man in black, he sensed a sense of familiarity, but he never considered that possibility. He kept guessing, yet never figured it out to be him. However, after arriving at the Source of Darkness, he learned a lot—at least that Hori was someone trained by the Scorpion King clan, and that the mysterious organization was established by them. One thing was certain: those mysterious figures whom Hori called “masters,” those superpowers, must be members of the Scorpion King clan. And who was the one who saved him the first time, continued to help him, even had Hori protect him, intervened in several dangerous situations, and finally took him away when he was in a desperate situation in Iron Bar Town? Now, the answer seems obvious.

“Because of the Pro-War faction, I couldn’t meet you, so I had no choice but to use that method!” Biano said with emotion.

He didn’t deny it, clearly admitting this answer. It was a time filled with many emotions for Biano. In Fire City, when he thought he was doomed, who would have thought that the second group of rescuers would be his own family—the Scorpion King clan? They had also infiltrated the continent, with their target being the young master. Unlike the Pro-War faction, the Scorpion King clan wanted to find Rod and bring him back to the Source of Darkness. It was a task entrusted to them by the Troll clan.

The young master left, and he was taken back to his family. With the help of the skilled doctors of the Troll clan, he was cured of a deadly poison believed to be incurable.

After that, he returned to the Scorpion King clan and became a member of that organization, returning to the continent. His mission was simple: to find Rod again, protect him, and help him grow stronger. At the same time, he had to get Rod back to the Source of Darkness as soon as possible.

So, it can be said that Biano was well aware of almost everything Rod had gone through over the years—indeed, he witnessed it all. He stood silently behind him, helping him grow stronger and become a powerful man.

Many times, when he saw Rod in danger, he almost couldn’t resist showing up, but he held back. The Pro-War faction was watching closely, and if they discovered him and figured out Rod’s identity, Rod, who wasn’t yet strong enough, would be in great danger.

Fortunately, Rod persevered through sheer willpower and strength until today! If he had appeared when Rod was in danger, could Rod have achieved what he has now? At least Biano didn’t know, so he felt somewhat relieved that he had held back until now.

An old man and a young man met again, only to find that everything had changed. The youthful recklessness and rebellion were gone, as were the authority and discipline of the elder. The distance between them shrank significantly in an instant. Looking back, years had passed, and the atmosphere was incredibly warm at that moment.

“The trolls are about to return. Father’s poison should be cured!” Thinking of this, Rod smiled slightly, feeling relieved that his efforts hadn’t been in vain. As for the missing ingredient in the antidote—the Heart of Earthfire—the Wolf Clan had already obtained it and given it to him a year ago. One of the conditions for the Wolf Clan to ally with the war faction was the need for that Heart of Earthfire, so the war faction readily provided it to gain their support.

Hearing Rod’s words, Bianuo froze, his eyes instantly filling with tears as his body trembled slightly. “Is that true?”

“The fall of the war faction will mark the return of the trolls. After some time, the Gates of the Netherworld will open, and then the trolls will return. As for Father, his poison has been cured. I saw him last time I went to the Netherworld, but unfortunately, he was still in a coma. After years of sleep, he needs time to recover. I believe he should be back to normal now!” That time, Rod had forced his way into the Netherworld for Nightingale, sustaining serious injuries. The memory was still fresh in his mind. Rod would never again risk entering the Netherworld—it was not a place ordinary people could easily access.

Yet, thinking of the Netherworld, his father, and Nightingale there, a faint smile appeared on Rod’s lips.

“Good! Very good! This old servant will go with you! We’ll go together!” Holding Rod’s hand tightly, Bianuo said loudly, as if he had waited far too long for this day.

“I might go there ahead of time. In a few days, when the gates of the Netherworld loosen, I’ll enter first to deal with the matter of the demon souls as soon as possible!” With a long sigh, Rod said helplessly.

If tomorrow’s plan succeeded and the demon souls were found, perhaps he could wait a while before going together, or even wait until the trolls returned. After all, less than half a month remained.

But if the location of the demon souls couldn’t be found, he would likely have to enter the Netherworld once more. Time was of the essence, and in a few days, the gates would start to loosen, creating a gap before they reopened. Entering then would be much easier than before.

“Indeed, you can’t avoid this matter—you should go there as soon as possible!” Nodding in agreement, Bianuo sighed. One problem after another kept piling up. The matter of the demon souls weighed heavily on his heart. Could the troll clan, once an ancient great family, truly remain calm? With conflicts resurging, they couldn’t stay out of it. It seemed another storm was on the horizon.

The two fell silent, seemingly both pondering the issue of the demon souls and how to deal with it. The demon soul in the city was a huge hindrance. With so much at stake, they hoped nothing would go wrong.

“Those two girls must be the future young ladies!” Finally breaking the silence, Bianuo joked, thinking of Lucy and Ada. Everyone could see how these girls were behaving.

This left Rod in an awkward position. But unusually, this time he didn’t refuse. Instead, he fell deep into thought, his gaze wandering, unsure of what he was thinking, with a faint smile on his lips. It seemed he had changed a lot over this time. Daily contact inevitably led to feelings, especially after undergoing the baptism of divine essence. Rod had gone from death to life, gone through a cycle, and seemed to have understood many things, grasped many truths, and learned to cherish.

“Cherish it well!” Seeing Rod not deny it, Bianuo smiled with relief. The kid had truly grown up. Eagles must soar high; those raised under their wings will never achieve anything. Only by letting them fly freely can they grow strong and stand tall. Marriage was inevitable—they couldn’t stay with an old man like him forever.

Listening to Bianuo’s reflections, Rod felt a bit embarrassed. There was still no sign of marriage, so why cherish anything yet? Yet, thinking about it, his heart warmed a little. Memories of life with those girls flashed through his mind, bringing a sweet smile. Rod knew they had become the most important part of his life.

For most of the day, the old man and the young man chatted and laughed, gradually easing the tension. It was as if they had returned to their life in Fire City, only with fewer scolds and more laughter.

It wasn’t until midnight that they realized how much time had passed. Bianuo left first to rest, as there was still much to handle the next day. Their reconnection had lifted his spirits greatly.

Watching Biano leave with his slightly hunched figure, Rod took a deep breath. He took out the packet of powder medicine he had treasured for many years and hesitated to use, then smiled. These were all precious medicinal powders made from rare ingredients, specifically designed to enhance physical strength—things that were extremely hard to come by. Back in that desolate Fire City, the old man must have spent a lot of effort to obtain them. Thinking of those outings, Rod felt warmth in his heart.
The two finally recognized each other, marking a satisfying ending and resolving one of Rod’s concerns. Instantly, he felt much lighter!
He turned and headed back to his room. It was getting late; he should rest. It seemed like he hadn’t had a proper rest in days. The difficult days would only truly begin tomorrow.