Chapter 76: Death God's Heart

Under Ye Hao's watchful gaze, the stone suddenly levitated into the air, radiating an eerie, dim purple glow.

"No way…"

Ye Hao murmured in astonishment.

The outer layer of the cube-shaped stone began to crack and fall away, revealing its true form within.

What emerged was a shimmering purple cube, hovering in mid-air. Its glow didn't diminish—it grew brighter by the second. Though it was broad daylight, the entire room seemed to plunge into night, bathed in the increasingly intense purple light.

The next moment, the cube shot straight toward Ye Hao's forehead. Before he could react, it embedded itself in his brow, causing his head to throb. Seconds later, Ye Hao collapsed unconscious.

While Ye Hao lay unconscious, his mind began to absorb a flood of unfamiliar memories.

"Finally… I've waited so long…"

A shadowy figure, cloaked in black and exuding an ominous aura, appeared silently in the room. His crimson eyes glimmered as he glanced briefly at the unconscious Ye Hao. Without a word, the figure dissolved into the air.

The golden hues of sunset painted Heaven Dou City as smoke from countless chimneys wafted into the sky. The aroma of dinner filled the air as citizens retreated to their homes.

Perhaps it was hunger that woke him, but Ye Hao groggily got out of bed. Seeing the tidy, spotless room around him, he scratched his head in confusion, puzzled by the sudden influx of foreign knowledge in his mind.

"The… Death God's Heart?"

The phrase slipped from Ye Hao's lips as if by instinct. It seemed to be the name of the mysterious cube that had integrated with him.

Curious, Ye Hao noticed a faint sensation in his brow, as if something new resided there. He rushed to the mirror to investigate.

To his surprise, he saw…

"This… stone?"

A vivid purple cube-shaped mark now adorned his forehead. The mark exuded an enchanting allure, enhancing Ye Hao's already striking features and adding an air of mystery.

The memories embedded in his mind revealed that the cube wasn't just a simple relic—it was a soul tool.

Ye Hao lightly touched the mark on his brow, and the purple cube reappeared in his hand. It expanded to roughly ten centimeters and radiated a dazzling purple light.

The Death God's Heart spun in Ye Hao's palm, revealing itself to be no ordinary soul tool. It carried with it four unique abilities.

Death's Gaze: Paralyzes an enemy for five seconds, rendering them completely immobile. Against a Titled Douluo, the paralysis lasts three seconds.

Abyssal Bind: Traps an opponent within the cube, sealing them indefinitely and stripping them of freedom. Works on a single entity at a time, including soul beasts, but only those below 100,000 years old.

Dark Shroud: Conceals the user's presence, rendering them undetectable.

Death's Descent: A single-target attack that requires a specific weapon to activate. The exact weapon wasn't detailed in the information Ye Hao received.

"This thing is almost identical to the Sea God's Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud owned by the Heaven Dou royal family. They're practically twins!" Ye Hao exclaimed, perplexed by the similarity.

He quickly dismissed the thought. "It's impossible. The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud is connected to the Sea God. There's no way this 'Death God's Heart' could be related… right?"

Shaking his head, Ye Hao laughed at his overthinking. "Gods aren't exactly commonplace. I must be imagining things."

"Still... spending 20,000 gold soul coins on this Death God's Heart was absolutely worth it! Big Sis Qian thought I wasted money, but this time, she's the one who misjudged."

Ye Hao returned the cube to his forehead. As it merged back into his brow, the purple mark reappeared, standing out against his skin.

Satisfied, Ye Hao nodded to himself. "Another trump card in my arsenal. Perfect!"

But then he paused. Did I forget something important?

Looking out the window, Ye Hao realized with a sinking feeling that the sky had already turned pitch black.

Oh no!

Seven days ago, before he left, Qin Ming had explicitly ordered him to return to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy by sundown on the seventh day. Not only that, but Ye Hao was supposed to report directly to Qin Ming in person.

Clearly, that ship had sailed.

Now, Ye Hao had no choice but to rely on his Six-Winged Purple Light Wings to make it back. The problem was that flying within city limits was strictly forbidden, especially in Heaven Dou City, the imperial capital. If caught, it would be seen as a serious affront to the royal family.

Ye Hao sighed and pressed a finger to his forehead.

The Death God's Heart emerged once more.

"Death God's Heart, activate Dark Shroud."

As Ye Hao murmured the command, the cube exploded into six separate pieces, each forming one of its faces. These pieces floated around Ye Hao and began enveloping him in an invisible cloak of darkness.

When the transformation was complete, Ye Hao stood inside a larger version of the cube. The dark, fluid energy surrounding him blocked all traces of his presence. Through its transparent walls, Ye Hao could still see his surroundings clearly.

"Guess no one can see me now."

To confirm, Ye Hao stood in front of the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection was completely absent.

Satisfied, Ye Hao unfurled his Six-Winged Purple Light Wings, their radiant purple glow merging seamlessly with the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone's flight abilities. Together, they were an ideal combination.

The Blue Silver Emperor soul bone was a cause for concern—what if Tang Hao somehow detected it?

But with the Death God's Heart shielding his aura, Ye Hao's worries evaporated.

Meanwhile, back at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, deep into the night:

In the guest hall, three school deans were sitting uneasily.

Though they appeared calm, their anxious expressions betrayed them. They exchanged furtive glances, each looking more unsettled than the last.

Standing beside them, Qin Ming was even more restless.

Meng Shenji, the chief dean, gestured subtly to Qin Ming, who quickly leaned in.

"Qin Ming, didn't you say Ye Hao would return before sunset? It's already late. Could he have run into trouble on the way?"

Qin Ming replied firmly, "Don't worry. Ye Hao is a sly one. He always manages to get others into trouble rather than himself. My guess is he's just having too much fun and lost track of time. But…" He glanced at the guest of honor, a man sitting silently with his eyes closed. "Why has Senior Dugu Bo come here personally? And why is he asking for Ye Hao by name?"

Indeed, the renowned Poison Douluo was sitting there, his aura as imposing as ever.

As tension filled the room, Ye Hao raced through the sky, drawing ever closer to his destination…