Blue Silver King: "Damn Tang Hao"

At this point, Lin Ye cast a meaningful glance at the Blue Silver King before continuing, "Tang Hao went back this time to bring Ah Yin to meet his father, and his father was a Titled Douluo."

"What!" The Blue Silver King exclaimed, then said with a mix of anger and disappointment, "What is Tang Hao thinking? Doesn't he know how attractive a transformed soul beast is to soul masters? He might resist temptation, but can he guarantee his father would do the same? Isn't he gambling the Empress's life on his father's conscience?"

The others shared the same thought, all feeling Tang Hao was being far too naive.

"So what happened when they went back? Did Tang Hao's father take the Empress's life?" the Blue Silver King asked nervously.

Lin Ye shook his head. "No. Before they even reached the Clear Sky Sect, they ran into a Titled Douluo from Martial Soul Hall. At that time, Ah Yin hadn't yet entered her mature stage, and the Titled Douluo recognized her as a transformed soul beast at a glance."

The Blue Silver King hurriedly asked, "Did that Titled Douluo harm the Empress?"

Lin Ye frowned. "What's the rush? Let me finish."

The Blue Silver King choked. "Alright, alright. Go on, go on."

"A conflict broke out on the spot. By then, Tang Hao was already a Soul Douluo, and his Clear Sky Hammer martial soul was indeed powerful enough. Not only did that Titled Douluo fail to gain the upper hand, but Tang Hao even broke one of his legs. Tang Hao took Ah Yin and fled. He was a sect slave, worried about implicating the Clear Sky Sect, so he never went back. Not long after, the current Pope of Martial Soul Hall issued a decree condemning the Clear Sky Sect, demanding they hand over Ah Yin. Around that time, Tang Hao's father was gravely ill. When he learned of this, he flew into a rage, and since he couldn't find Tang Hao anywhere, he died of anger—yes, literally angered to death by his own son."

Everyone remained silent, listening quietly to Lin Ye's story. Even Lin Qiu'er, who had been listless before, was now listening with keen interest.

When Lin Ye mentioned Tang Hao angering his father to death, everyone could clearly hear a shift in his tone, as if he were gloating.

"After that, Tang Hao took Ah Yin and went into hiding, living a life on the run. Years later, Ah Yin gave birth to a son for Tang Hao, named Tang San. And on the very day Tang San was born, Martial Soul Hall came again—this time led by the Pope himself."

"Martial Soul Hall... Martial Soul Hall again..." The Blue Silver King was furious, his entire trunk trembling. The Blue Silver Grass in the flowerpot swayed incessantly.

Seeing this, Lin Ye said mockingly, "What are you getting so worked up about? You've been sold out and don't even know it."

The Blue Silver King froze. "Human, what do you mean by that? Is there some hidden truth here?"

"You're not stupid," Lin Ye chuckled lightly. "At that time, Tang Hao's soul power had just reached level ninety. Level ninety! He was just one soul ring away from becoming a Titled Douluo. Just one soul ring. So where was that soul ring going to come from?"

His words carried a pointed implication.

"The Pope led the team personally, with two Titled Douluo in tow. Tang Hao fought one against three and was quickly gravely wounded. That was when Ah Yin appeared. She chose to sacrifice herself—to become Tang Hao's Ninth Soul Ring."

The Blue Silver King's vine-woven face twisted, his heart churning. From Lin Ye's words, he sensed the stench of conspiracy. Being straightforward, he asked whatever came to mind.

"Is Tang Hao involved in this?"

The others also looked at Lin Ye, feeling that things weren't as simple as they seemed on the surface.

Lin Ye didn't answer directly. Instead, he said, "If you want to know who the instigator is, you have to look past the surface and see the essence. Whoever benefits the most from this is the most suspicious."

That was practically naming names.

Ah Yin kept swaying, even using a long, slender blade of grass to whip Lin Ye's hand. But to Lin Ye, it was no more than a tickle.

Seeing her like this, Lin Ye didn't need to ask to guess that Ah Yin thought he was slandering Tang Hao. What a love brain.

"Fool. You lived in hiding for so many years, and Martial Soul Hall never found you. Yet the moment you finished giving birth, they showed up, and at the same time, Tang Hao broke through level ninety. Do you really think that's just a coincidence?"

Ah Yin wouldn't listen, still whipping Lin Ye with her grass blade. But his next words struck her like a thunderbolt.

Lin Ye said softly, "Martial Soul Hall's target was you. You were doomed. In that situation, you had only two choices. First, be captured by Martial Soul Hall, kept in captivity, and eventually become some other soul master's soul ring. Second, sacrifice yourself to Tang Hao, become his Ninth Soul Ring, and help him become a Titled Douluo. That way, Tang Hao's strength would skyrocket, and he might be able to break free. Once you died, Martial Soul Hall would have no reason to keep chasing Tang Hao. Either way, you were going to die. Better to benefit your husband than your enemy. More importantly, this could save your newborn child."

At this, Lin Ye sighed. "Women are weak by nature, but mothers are strong. Quite the scheme."

Boom!

Ah Yin was struck as if by lightning. The grass blade whipping Lin Ye stopped.

The others also felt a chill in their hearts. Listening to this, was Tang Hao scheming against Ah Yin the whole time? Even his own child was part of his calculations.

Xiao Wu trembled. The human world is too treacherous. I want to go back to the forest.

The Blue Silver King was already beside himself with rage. "Despicable... despicable humans..."

The voice was like thunder, deafening, and also like a wild beast roaring, sound waves surging like a tidal wave, wave after wave, spreading in all directions.

After a full ten minutes of cursing Tang Hao, the Blue Silver King's emotions slowly calmed down.

It looked at Lin Ye again and asked, "Speak, what is your purpose in coming here?"

Lin Ye smiled faintly. "Nothing much, just to tell you the truth. Also, in the future, if Tang Hao and his son come looking for you, I hope you won't help them."

As he spoke, Lin Ye was also observing the Blue Silver King's expression.

His purpose in visiting the Blue Silver King this time was to sow discord.

Without Ah Yin's spirit bone and the Blue Silver King's support, that little bastard Xiao Biesan wanted to achieve a second awakening of his Blue Silver Grass spirit? Dream on.

In truth, Lin Ye would rather just kill the Blue Silver King outright and be done with it, but Xue Di and Bing Di would most likely disagree.

No helping it, since they were all spirit beasts after all.

Now it all depended on the Blue Silver King's choice. If it didn't know its place, he would still find a way to kill it later.

And the Blue Silver King's reaction did not disappoint Lin Ye.

"Damn humans, driving the Empress to such a state, and you still want my help? Dream on."

Lin Ye nodded in satisfaction, but inwardly, he still felt uneasy.

Maybe he should just find a way to kill it after all?

PS [The reception's been bleak, so I'm asking for some votes, just to know I'm not writing in a void.]