Dragon Power Strategy, a Way to Break the Deadlock

The afterglow of the setting sun was like molten gold, shining through Nuoding Academy's carved window lattices and casting mottled Light and Shadow across the floor.

Lin Xuan stood before the window, his clenched fist bathed in the warm glow. His knuckles had turned pale from the force, as though he wanted to crush even the air in his palm.

When he learned that Tang San was about to head to the Soul Hunting Forest to obtain his Second Soul Ring, it felt as though a suddenly chilled block of lead had slammed into his chest, weighing heavily upon him.

The faint ease that had arisen over the past few days, as the Silver Sink Set gradually took shape and his hidden Trump Card was nearly ready, was instantly swallowed by an inescapably thick gloom. Even breathing felt somewhat labored.

He knew all too well what kind of Second Soul Ring Yu Xiaogang—the theoretical eccentric known to the world as "Master"—would choose for Tang San.

Ghost Vine!

At the thought of those two words, Lin Xuan's brows furrowed uncontrollably, and he even felt an indescribable revulsion rise in his stomach.

The Parasitic Spore of a Ghost Vine Soul Beast was practically the natural Nemesis of a Soul Master like him, one who focused on physical strength. It was so troublesome that it made one's scalp tingle, revolting to the core.

As long as even the slightest trace of spores touched someone, countless Blue Silver Vines would erupt and grow wildly in an instant, like innumerable tough chains that would Entangle and bind a person tightly, making even moving a finger a luxury.

Even though his strength had now reached the level of Thousand Jin Strength, and even if Tang San's Blue Silver Grass became far stronger after advancing to Level 20 and becoming a Soul Grandmaster, he was confident that he could tear apart several of the vines.

But Blue Silver Grass was exceptionally troublesome. Its most terrifying trait was that a single strand could affect the whole.

Once one was caught by a single vine, endless, unceasing restraints would follow. No matter how great one's strength was, it would be difficult to break free from that airtight entanglement. In the end, one could only become like prey trapped in a spiderweb—possessing strength but nowhere to use it, reduced to a lamb awaiting slaughter.

Think speed would help? Under the indiscriminate coverage of Parasitic Spores, even the fastest speed would be slowed and obstructed by dense vines everywhere, until every bit of strength and hope was gradually worn away.

Lin Xuan frowned deeply, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing against the windowsill as indescribable conflict filled his heart.

His greatest concern now was that he absolutely could not expose the abnormalities of his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. Its leaves were crystalline and translucent, as if carved from the finest jade. They were nothing like ordinary Blue Silver Grass.

The Golden Scale Pattern on the leaves shimmered faintly beneath the light. Wasn't that rather similar to the Blue Silver Emperor as well?

Not to mention its nearly indestructible toughness.

If Tang Hao, hidden somewhere in the shadows, noticed all this, then with the knowledge of a Titled Douluo, he would inevitably connect it to the Blue Silver Emperor.

Lin Xuan knew perfectly well how deep Tang Hao's hopes were for the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline within Tang San.

It was not merely tied to his longing for his deceased lover, Ah Yin. It also carried a certain obsession he held for the future.

If Tang Hao believed that Lin Xuan's Blue Silver Grass might threaten Tang San's inheritance of the Blue Silver Emperor, then forget about Old Tang appearing three months later—Lin Xuan probably would not survive even three days.

Just thinking of that Titled Douluo's methods made Lin Xuan shudder from the bottom of his heart. Even trying to speculate felt like overstepping. How could he entertain such a suicidal idea?

Tang Hao was still alive. How could he expose his Martial Soul?

But if he relied only on physical strength to fight Tang San, he had to admit that Tang San, once he advanced to a Level 20 Soul Grandmaster, would indeed become exceptionally troublesome.

The endless vitality of Blue Silver Grass, the unexpected and impossible-to-guard-against Ghost Vine spores—although Lin Xuan held the advantage in strength, he might not gain even the slightest upper hand. He could even very likely be firmly controlled by the other party's interlocking chain of restraints and fall into a passive position where he could only take hits.

Lin Xuan subconsciously stroked his wrist. Beneath the skin there, a faint yet extraordinarily tenacious power seemed to flow slowly, like a hidden stream—unremarkable, yet never ceasing.

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind like lightning.

If he had truly perfectly inherited Tang Wulin's strength at the same age, then did that mean a thin Golden Dragon King Bloodline flowed through his body as well?

If this hidden bloodline power could be activated at a Crucial Moment, then perhaps it was the key to breaking the current deadlock.

But questions immediately followed, flooding his mind like a tide.

Could he successfully awaken this deeply hidden power without using his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul?

And was exposing Dragon Power truly a wise choice?

To others, Dragon Race Bloodline was far rarer and more powerful than seemingly ordinary Blue Silver Grass. It should be treated as a Trump Card hidden away, never revealed unless absolutely necessary.

But Lin Xuan understood Tang Hao's thoughts all too well.

The Blue Silver Emperor concerned Tang Hao's bone-deep obsession with Ah Yin. In his heart, perhaps nothing mattered more than Tang San inheriting the Blue Silver Emperor and restoring the Clear Sky Sect.

Tang Hao might value him because of the Dragon Race Bloodline in his body, and might even hold back temporarily out of curiosity, but he likely would not kill him over it.

But if Tang Hao noticed any abnormality in his Blue Silver Grass and felt that it had crossed the bottom line of the Blue Silver Emperor, then what awaited Lin Xuan would certainly be a fatal strike like thunderbolts, with not the slightest room for compromise.

When weighing two evils, choose the lesser. Looking at it this way, exposing Dragon Power was undoubtedly the safest choice at present.

Of course, he could also choose to admit defeat.

As long as he took the initiative to back down after Tang San returned from the Soul Hunting Forest and calmly admitted that he was inferior, he could avoid all trouble and wait peacefully for the day Old Tang appeared.

But as a transmigrator, Lin Xuan did not want to surrender to Tang San so easily.

One concession would only make Tang San push his luck further and fuel his arrogance.

Who knew whether that guy would become even more excessive and make greater demands because of it?

For instance, demanding that he hand over his forging hammer, forge Hidden Weapon components for free, or even surrender his forging techniques—or demanding that he submit to him?

Once those thoughts surfaced, they were like thorns embedded in flesh, making Lin Xuan uncomfortable all over.

Although choosing this might be somewhat impulsive...

But he had not even tried yet. Why did it already feel like he could not win?

And in truth, there was also a voice in his heart telling him that he absolutely could not lose, as though losing would bring severe consequences.

He guessed that Tang San probably felt the same way. It was just that Tang San was the defeated side, so he had always wanted desperately to turn things around.

As the victor, the benefit Lin Xuan received was the ability to sense Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.

He had a feeling that if he chose to back down or admit defeat before Tang San, then some advantage of his would likely be weakened.

But he did not know what it was. The right to inherit the Blue Silver Emperor?

Or perhaps the power of Fortune on Douluo Continent?

Lin Xuan took a deep breath, and his gaze gradually grew resolute, as though flames burned in his eyes.

Never compromise!

No matter how difficult the road ahead was, he would face Tang San's challenge head-on. Not only would he win, he would win openly and fairly—win so thoroughly that Tang San would be convinced, completely crushing any thought of daring to provoke him again in the future.

No matter what, he could not retreat.

And the only way for him to turn defeat into victory...

Lin Xuan looked at his own body.