Douluo Dalu: The Legend of The Spider Emperor

The bustling streets of Heaven Dou City were teeming with well-dressed nobles. Shops lined both sides of the road, their displays dazzling in variety. This was the most prosperous area of the city.

Amidst this lively scene, a disheveled man staggered along. His clothes were ragged, his body covered in grime, and he carried a wine jug, taking deep swigs of alcohol as he walked.

Passersby, noble and well-dressed, avoided him with disdainful glances. It was rare to see such a person in the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire. If news of this reached the Star Luo Empire, it would surely become a laughingstock.

The man's eyes were dull, his face streaked with ash, and his hair was a chaotic tangle resembling a bird's nest. He wore a black hat that obscured his features.

Three months had passed since Tang Hao's attack on Spirit Hall. After returning to Holy Soul Village, he had intended to heal his wounds and spend time with his wife. However, the sight he encountered upon moving a boulder left him horrified.

His wife's sacrificed body had vanished. To make matters worse, "Ye Ritian" had taken the spirit bone and left behind a note that filled Tang Hao with fury. He swore to one day kill Ye Ritian with his own hands or die trying.

For the past three months, Tang Hao had scoured nearly every corner of the Douluo Continent but failed to find any trace of Ye Ritian. Helpless, he chose to stay near his son, secretly protecting him—the only family he had left.

His wife's body was gone, and if anything happened to his son, Tang Hao would have no reason to live.

The events at Heaven Dou Royal Academy the previous day hadn't escaped his notice. However, due to his sensitive identity, Tang Hao refrained from appearing in person.

He had developed a deep hatred for the boy named "Ye Hao." If not for him, Shrek Academy wouldn't have been expelled, leaving his son humiliated and the academy branded as outcasts.

With the new Shrek Academy reestablished, Tang Hao felt momentarily relieved of his worries. But his anguish remained. He drowned himself in alcohol, attempting to numb the pain of his past.

Now, he wandered the streets like a living corpse, his figure gradually disappearing at the end of the road.

By some twist of fate, the drunken Tang Hao stumbled to a magnificent building. The weight of his exhaustion, amplified by the alcohol, soon overwhelmed him. For the first time in ages, he slept deeply.

Inside the building, two lively young girls, dressed in elegant silver palace attire, exited while chatting animatedly. Each carried a stack of books on musical instruments.

"Wow, Teacher Tang lesson today was amazing!"

"Absolutely! I wish I could play the harp like him—it's so inspiring!"

Suddenly, one of the girls tripped over something, scattering her books across the ground.

"Be careful! Are you okay?" her companion asked, rushing to help.

The fallen girl nursed her scraped, bleeding knee, her eyes welling with tears.

"I'm fine. Just a scratch—I'll bandage it later."

Curious, she glanced at what had tripped her. The path was flat, so it shouldn't have—

"Ahhh!"

A piercing scream shattered the quiet.

People poured out of the grand building, gathering around Tang Hao, who lay sprawled on the ground.

"Who is this?"

"No idea. Do you recognize him?"

"Is he a beggar?"

Unperturbed, Tang Hao snored loudly. Exhaustion and despair had consumed him. The crowd grew, the area becoming increasingly congested.

"What's going on here?" A dignified voice cut through the commotion.

A beautiful woman dressed in silver palace attire approached, her elegant movements captivating. Though she appeared no older than twenty-seven or twenty-eight, her noble demeanor was unmistakable.

The crowd instinctively parted for her.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

The girl who had tripped explained the situation. After listening, the woman ordered the girl to have her wound treated.

"Disperse," she commanded, waving a hand.

The crowd quickly obeyed, leaving only the woman and her two maids behind. She knelt beside Tang Hao, gently shaking his shoulder.

"Sir, are you all right?"

Despite her repeated calls, the man didn't respond.

"He seems to be asleep," one maid whispered, noting his snores.

The woman recoiled from the pungent mix of alcohol and sweat emanating from Tang Hao. She hurriedly moved away, gasping for fresh air.

"So foul!" she exclaimed.

"Madam, he must be a beggar," one maid deduced, prodding him cautiously with a stick.

The woman was about to have him removed when something about his profile struck her as familiar.

"Turn him over," she ordered.

Though puzzled, her maids complied. When she saw Tang Hao's weathered face, her breath hitched. Tears welled up, and she whispered, "You…"

Catching herself, she quickly instructed, "Call someone to carry him to my room."

Her maids froze, astonished. The madam, a figure of immense status in Heaven Dou City—respected even by royalty—was ordering a filthy beggar brought to her quarters?

"Move quickly!" she urged, snapping them out of their shock.

Without further delay, they obeyed.