Chapter 85

Chapter 85

“Cough, cough… Little Fifth Uncle, Hao’er is so tired…”

“Little Fifth Uncle, you must be tired too… don’t keep running for Hao’er’s sake…”

“Let’s rest a bit… Hao’er is so sleepy… Hao’er really misses Mother…”

The child’s innocent voice rang out from his arms again and again. The once-bright black eyes were now dim and lifeless…

“Hao’er!! Don’t sleep! Hao’er!”

The middle-aged man couldn’t hold back his grief at this sight.

“You wicked woman! Vicious woman! How could you bear to do such a thing to a child like this!”

His body was covered with countless wounds, large and small. With his Star Holding realm cultivation, he was staggering just to walk.

There was not a trace of a Star Holding powerhouse left in his appearance—he was weeping like a broken man.

“If only I could’ve stayed by Hao’er’s side at all times, none of this would’ve happened!”

“Big Brother! Father! You sacrificed so much for so-called cultivation, for so-called alliances, and now… even Hao’er—the Su Family’s last bloodline—is about to be lost!!”

His voice trembled uncontrollably.

“Little Fifth Uncle… what is a Supreme Bone… why did Aunt dig open Hao’er’s chest?”

“It hurts… If you wanted something from Hao’er, you could’ve just said so… If Little Brother wants something… Hao’er… Hao’er would give it…”

As he spoke, his breath grew weaker. Besides pain, there was boundless confusion in his young heart.

Only five or six years old, he could not understand at all—

why did my beloved aunt, who had always been so kind to me, lock me in a pitch-dark room?

Why did she allow an ugly-looking man to carve open my chest?

Why did the Little Brother who always cared for me now just coldly watch?

Did I do something wrong?

But no… Hao’er had been a good boy. When my parents were gone, I played alone at home. When no one paid me attention, I ate and lived alone.

He had thought that after Aunt started taking care of him, he finally had a family. But…

Listening to little Hao’er’s words, blood seemed to drip from the man’s eyes.

“Hao’er did nothing wrong! The one in the wrong is that heartless, venomous woman!”

“Mo Dao Sheng! Just you wait. If Hao’er dies, even if it costs me my life, I, Su Tian, will take a piece of your Mo Family with me!”

Su Tian swore bitterly in his heart.

“Little Fifth Uncle… Hao’er… is sleepy…”

The child’s voice was nearly inaudible.

Su Tian instantly panicked.

“Hao’er!! We’re almost there! We’re almost there! According to the legends, our Su Family’s main branch is in the Tiandu Domain!”

“Lingxiao Su Family—that’s our main family. Once we reach them, you’ll be saved!”

“Lingxiao Su Family… will I have family there…?”

Hearing Su Tian’s words, a trace of hope appeared on the child’s pale face.

“There will be! There will be!”

Su Tian forcibly activated his law power despite his nearly shattered Dantian, pushing through to take one final step toward the direction of Lingxiao Blessed Land on the map.

But what appeared before his eyes left him in utter despair.

There was no Lingxiao Blessed Land—only an endless, desolate mountain summit.

All for a legend, he had crossed an entire region with his nephew. He had survived numerous near-death encounters.

But upon seeing this barren emptiness, all the helplessness and despair he’d suppressed exploded at once.

In his arms, little Hao’er smiled faintly and kept muttering:

“Great… Hao’er has family now… so many family members… Hao’er is not a bastard child…”

Amid these murmurs, the child’s eyes slowly closed.

“No!!”

Su Tian cried out in despair.

He could no longer suppress his injuries. Blood sprayed from all over his body.

“The main family… I was so foolish… the Su Family has long since vanished… there is no… main family…”

He cradled the dying Hao’er and muttered hopelessly.

At that very moment—

Buzz!!

An incomparably radiant light burst forth.

In an instant, warmth surged into Su Tian’s body like a tide.

His wounds began to rapidly heal, and his nearly shattered Dantian quickly stabilized.

He looked up in shock—

A piece of ethereal mountain stone floated in the void, with a deeply engraved character on it—

Su!!

That stone radiated a mighty power that not only healed his body but also nourished little Hao’er.

The child, who had been at death’s door, slowly opened his eyes again. Though his chest still lacked a piece of bone, his life force was clearly stabilizing!

“The main family!! It’s the main family! The legend is true! It’s all true!!”

Su Tian was so excited, he could barely speak coherently.

Just then—

A majestic figure stepped out before him.

Dressed in dark robes, with an imposing presence and jade-like features, the man’s eyes seemed to contain the stars and galaxies.

“A descendant of my family?”

He spoke gently, his voice warm.

Upon hearing this, Su Tian—who had braved death, never once bowed to any enemy, who had been hunted across an entire domain—could finally hold back no longer.

He fell to his knees.

“Descendant of the Canglan Su Family, greets the main family!”

“I beg the main family to save my nephew’s life!”

Su Tian kowtowed deeply, his bloodline instinctively sensing kinship—something that could not be faked.

Little Hao’er, still strapped to his chest, also looked toward the majestic man.

He felt an instinctive sense of closeness.

“Are you… my family?”

“Are you… Little Hao’er’s… family?”

Seeing the child’s clear eyes, a wave of inexplicable fury rose in Su Zhou’s heart.

[Ding!! A Black Destiny family member detected—eligible for investment!]

[Investing in “Reversing Three Lifetimes” grants: Myriad Ancient Dragon Blood Pill!]

[Investing in “Reincarnation Creation Sutra” grants: Supreme Freedom Law!]

[Investing in personal mentorship grants: Hundred-Year Cultivation!]

[Investing in Nether River Dead Blood grants: Nether River Dao Scripture!]

The system’s constant notifications rang in Su Zhou’s ears—

But they could not distract him in the least.

He stepped forward and gently picked up Little Hao’er, his gaze filled with pity.

Just moments ago, he had held another baby of similar age—a child who was happily nestling in their family’s arms, asking innocent questions.

But this one—this child of the Su Family—had his heart ripped open and showed a heartbreaking maturity in his gaze.

Both children bore the Su Family’s blood…

How could someone who once declared that Su Family blood is nobler than others bear such a thing?

How could he not be angry?

Yet on the surface, he forced a gentle smile. He gently said to Little Hao’er:

“Yes. I’m your family. I’m the patriarch of the Su Family. The entire Su Family—is your family.”

“Patriarch Grandpa… I… I don’t have a Supreme Bone anymore… am I still your family…”

The child was happy at first, then became nervous again.

Su Zhou’s brow furrowed slightly at those words.

Seeing this, Little Hao’er thought he was being disliked, and hurriedly added:

“Patriarch Grandpa, Hao’er will eat well, sleep well, and the bone will grow back soon!”

“When it does, you can take it and give it to the other big brothers… Hao’er is useful… Hao’er… just wants family…”

He spoke with innocent sincerity—but the journey had been too exhausting.

Before long, this barely five-year-old child had fallen asleep in Su Zhou’s comforting embrace.

Before Su Zhou’s eyes, a glowing screen appeared:

[Name: Su Hao]

[Destiny: Black]

[Comprehension: World-Caliber]

[Innate Roots: Heaven-Grasping]

[Realm: None]

[Talent: Innate Supreme, Son of Destiny, Dao Comprehension, Invincible Heart]

[Innate Supreme]: Born with Supreme Bone—engraved with sovereign techniques.

[Son of Destiny]: Bears the luck of Heaven and Earth.

[Dao Comprehension]: Natural-born understanding of the Dao.

[Invincible Heart]: Born with an undefeatable will—not weaker than any genius in the heavens.

[Fated Opportunity]: Survives being de-boned, meets family patriarch, Supreme Bone is rebuilt. Walks the Dao alone. All that he passes becomes treasure. His very existence mirrors the ancient and modern ages.

[Quality Rank]: Mortal < Commoner < Superior < Genius < Prodigy < Peerless < Monster < World-Caliber < Heaven-Grasping

Black Destiny—the most powerful tier in the system’s evaluation.

Bearing four terrifying talents, and even praised as someone who could reflect all of time and history alone!

Yet in Su Zhou’s eyes, he was still just a child—

A child whose chest had been hollowed out, his flesh and bone carved away…

A child of his family.