One Dead, One Crippled

"Spare my husband and child. I'll go with you."

At that moment, a woman emerged from the canyon behind them. She wore a long blue dress and appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Her deep blue hair flowed down her back, her skin was fair as snow, and her features were exquisitely beautiful. Her body brimmed with vitality, entirely free of any tainted aura. In her arms, she held a small infant.

Perhaps because she had only recently given birth and then traveled such a long distance, the woman's face was somewhat pale. Yet the vitality within her remained exceptionally abundant. With every step she took, tender Blue Silver Grass sprouted from the ground, where the aftershocks of the great battle had flattened all vegetation.

When the people of Spirit Hall saw the woman, a trace of amazement flashed through their eyes. Whether in beauty or temperament, she was enough to rival Bibi Dong. No wonder Tang Hao had become so obsessed with her despite knowing she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

"Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor, I have searched for you so long," Qian Xunji said flatly, his eyes burning with desire. A hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring and Soul Bone were finally within his grasp. He would not feel any pity simply because she was beautiful. A Soul Beast was a Soul Beast. Even if one was killed after reaching the Transformation Orb stage, it would still yield a Spirit Ring and Soul Bone.

Qian Xunji knew well that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts could shape their appearance and figure however they wished after transforming. Even the ugliest Soul Beast could become a peerless beauty. Therefore, no matter how lovely Ah Yin was, she was still only a blade of grass in his eyes.

"Ah Yin... Ah Yin, don't..." Tang Hao's trembling voice rang out, tears streaming from his eyes. He even ignored Tang San, whom Ah Yin had just placed in his arms.

Ah Yin smiled faintly, opened Tang Hao's palm, and wrote three strokes upon it. "Hao, I've given our child a name."

After saying that, Ah Yin left behind a teardrop and walked toward Qian Xunji and the others. The Blue Silver Domain unfolded, and countless Blue-Gold Vines grew beneath her feet, forcing back the Spirit Hall Soul Masters surrounding Tang Hao and Tang San.

Qian Xunji and the others paid no attention to Ah Yin's actions. They merely watched quietly as the Blue Silver Emperor approached and stopped not far from him.

Ah Yin said coldly, "Blue grass has nowhere to return to in all its life. Through wind and rain, the years pass; blessed by the eastern wind's favor. Pope, I am the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor. Do you know what the Blue Silver Emperor's greatest trait is?"

Hearing this, Qian Xunji and the others were slightly taken aback and fell into thought. Even Spirit Hall possessed no knowledge of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor.

"My greatest trait is immortality. No one can kill me. Even if you take me away, you will gain neither my Spirit Ring nor my Soul Bone. But I will never leave my husband's side, and I will never let you touch me."

Ah Yin's voice was filled with determination. Immediately afterward, an incomparably violent wave of Soul Power erupted from her body. A hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring appeared beneath her feet, its scarlet radiance forming a small field that isolated everything. She raised both hands, and her entire body transformed into a colossal Blue Silver Grass ten meters tall, blue and gold from stem to leaf.

Qian Xunji's pupils shrank as he immediately roared, "Sacrifice! This is bad! Everyone, stop her!"

The Spirit Rings beneath the feet of the two Title Douluo and dozens of Soul Masters lit up one after another. All kinds of Soul Skills struck the scarlet field, but none could shake it in the slightest. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that had survived the hundred-thousand-year lightning tribulation generally possessed strength comparable to a level ninety-five Title Douluo. How could Soul Masters of the same level possibly break through a field formed from her life?

"Ah Yin, no! Don't sacrifice yourself! Go with them! Don't sacrifice yourself!"

"Ah Yin—"

At last, amid Tang Hao's grief-stricken roar, a scarlet Spirit Ring brimming with boundless vitality wrapped around him. Nourished by that vitality and immense Soul Power, all of Tang Hao's severe injuries healed completely, and his cultivation rose to level ninety-two. In his left hand, the one not holding the child, was a Right Leg Bone radiating blue-gold light. A blue-gold Blue Silver Grass also circled above the infant before entering the child's swaddling clothes.

When a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast died, it would inevitably yield a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone. The type of Soul Bone would match the Soul Bone missing from the person who received the Spirit Ring. During Tang Hao and Tang Xiao's travels across the continent, they had gathered four Soul Bones, leaving only the two inherited Soul Bones of the Clear Sky Sect. Thus, this Right Leg Bone had been randomly drawn from one of the six possible Soul Bone slots through Ah Yin's sacrifice.

As for how Tang Hao had obtained the other four Soul Bones besides the two inherited Soul Bones of the Clear Sky Sect, and what he had done to acquire them, only Tang Hao and Tang Xiao likely knew.

"Spirit Hall!"

Tang Hao raised his head, his eyes turning scarlet. After putting away the Soul Bone, an incomparably immense killing intent erupted from his body. That terrifying killing intent formed a Blood-Red Half-Body Giant. At a single glance, the Soul Masters of Spirit Hall below the Title Douluo rank began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Take Tang Hao down before he fully adapts to the hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring!" Qian Xunji curled his lips into a smile. The Blue Silver Emperor was gone. He had just been considering what excuse he could use to destroy Tang Hao—the new generation's Clear Sky Douluo of the Clear Sky Sect, as well as the youngest Title Douluo on the continent. Yet Tang Hao had actually unleashed killing intent toward them. Wasn't that the perfect excuse?

"Spirit Hall, ah—"

Tang Hao roared, his eyes fixed on Qian Xunji. The first and second Spirit Rings beneath his feet exploded as he charged toward Qian Xunji. Every Spirit Hall Soul Master who tried to obstruct him became a dead soul beneath his hammer. Even Qian Xunji's brows furrowed slightly at that crazed display.

As Tang Hao charged in, the Papal Palace's two Palace Guard Douluo stepped forth: Jade Flute Douluo and Diamond Douluo, one control-type and one defense-type Douluo.

Qian Xunji remained quietly at the rear, maintaining the Pope's poise. By the Qian Clan's chivalric spirit, a duel had to be one-on-one. He could not join the two Palace Guard Douluo in besieging Tang Hao.

"Ninth Soul Skill, Golden Body!"

Diamond Douluo's ninth Spirit Ring lit up beneath his feet. Brilliant golden light burst from his body, making him seem like a miniature sun. His body turned gold, as though it had been cast from molten metal.

Having unleashed his Ninth Soul Skill, Diamond Douluo was now Qian Xunji's strongest shield.

"Get lost!"

Tang Hao roared, not taking Diamond Douluo seriously in the slightest. His third and fourth Spirit Rings exploded, their energy pouring entirely into the Clear Sky Hammer. The massive hammer slammed directly into Diamond Douluo's chest.

"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes, Penetrating Word Technique!"

With a thunderous boom, Diamond Douluo's eyes filled with blood. Tang Hao's hammer sent him flying, smashing through and blowing apart a nearby mountain peak. He spat out a mouthful of blood and suffered grievous injuries.

"Ninth Soul Skill, Soul Suppressing Demon Flute."

Jade Flute Douluo's ninth Spirit Ring lit up beneath his feet. Closing his eyes, he began to play the flute. A graceful melody sounded. This Ninth Soul Skill, the Soul Suppressing Demon Flute, was hailed as the greatest control-type Soul Skill in the world. Legend had it that it could hypnotize souls. It could hypnotize people, Soul Beasts, even waves and hurricanes. Once hypnotized, one would become meat on the chopping block.