Just as Yu Xiaogang was about to climb into bed and rest for a while, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.
"Could Xiao San have forgotten something?" Yu Xiaogang didn't hesitate. He quickly went over and opened the door.
To his surprise, however, the person outside wasn't Xiao San. Instead, a tall figure in a gray robe stood there, radiating an air of age. His face was hidden beneath a hood, as if he were deliberately concealing his identity.
"Who are you?" Yu Xiaogang immediately grew wary, and Soul Power instinctively spread throughout his body.
The gray-robed man gave a faint, inscrutable smile.
"It's been more than twenty years. I imagine you no longer recognize me, Grandmaster."
The gray-robed figure stepped past Yu Xiaogang and strolled into the room. He pulled back his hood and turned around. His weathered face and deep-set gaze met Yu Xiaogang's abruptly shocked eyes.
Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened. He immediately recognized the man. "You... you're..."
"It's me."
The tall figure slowly nodded. "I'm Tang Hao."
Tang Hao glanced over the books and papers scattered throughout the room, their pages covered in notes and data. He withdrew his gaze and looked at Yu Xiaogang, who stood before him. "It seems you're still the same as you were back then, still devoted to your research. In that regard, you're far better than I am."
There seemed to be a hint of complicated emotion in Tang Hao's words.
"Looks like I was right. Xiao San really is your son." Yu Xiaogang's complicated shock gradually subsided. Looking at the face before him, which bore some resemblance to his disciple Tang San, he asked, "He doesn't seem to know who you are."
"There are things someone his age has no right to know. He's too young and immature. He still needs to be tempered." Tang Hao pulled out two chairs and pushed one toward Yu Xiaogang before sitting down himself.
After taking a seat, Yu Xiaogang recalled the great incident seven years ago, which had forced Spirit Hall—and even the Clear Sky Sect—to withdraw behind their gates. He asked quietly, "What exactly happened back then? Why did you kill Qian Xunji?"
"I can't tell you about that either." Tang Hao's voice was icy. "I came today mainly because of Xiao San."
"Xiao San?"
Yu Xiaogang froze. Then, as if he'd suddenly thought of something, his expression changed drastically. "You're leaving?!"
"That's right." Tang Hao's voice remained cold, devoid of emotion. "I have things I need to do. As his teacher, I'd like to entrust him to your care. I trust you can manage that."
"He's only seven! You're just going to abandon him like this?!" Yu Xiaogang sprang to his feet, his face twitching.
"Don't get worked up. Sit down and talk." Tang Hao made a gentle pressing-down motion with his right hand. An invisible, irresistible force pressed Yu Xiaogang back into his chair.
"I already asked him before. Since he chose to become a Soul Master, there are some things he'll have to face on his own."
Tang Hao's voice was calm. "If he can't stand on his own now, then ten years from now, he'll surely die at the hands of that boy named Su Yun."
Su Yun?!
Yu Xiaogang's expression stiffened. "You know about him?"
"Of course." Tang Hao's expression remained calm. "Do you think that boy would have accepted Xiao San's challenge if I hadn't secretly intervened?"
What?!
Yu Xiaogang froze again. He hadn't expected Su Yun to have accepted their wager because Tang Hao had acted behind the scenes.
"But why force Su Yun to agree to a fight to the death with Xiao San?" Yu Xiaogang was confused. Why would Tang Hao, Xiao San's father, want his son to fight someone else in a death match?
At that, a faint smile appeared on Tang Hao's face for the first time. Yu Xiaogang found it strangely unsettling.
"Grandmaster, do you know what Su Yun's Martial Soul is?"
"His Martial Soul?" Yu Xiaogang answered without thinking. "It's naturally Blue Silver Grass, though his Martial Soul absorbed Lazy Tree's Soul Ring and mutated. It can no longer be called Blue Silver Grass. It should be called Blue Silver Tree."
"Furthermore, according to my deductions, he should have a second Martial Soul, just like Xiao San."
Yu Xiaogang thought he'd given a sufficiently thorough answer. Yet when Tang Hao heard him, he merely shook his head slightly, seeming to disagree with his assessment.
"Grandmaster, you've devoted years to studying theory, but there's still knowledge in this world you don't understand." Tang Hao's gaze had been calm, but it sharpened as his voice rose. "I can tell you that Su Yun's Martial Soul isn't the Trash Martial Soul Blue Silver Grass that everyone talks about. It's the true ruler among Martial Souls, the king of all grasses, second only to Spirit Hall's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul—the Blue Silver Emperor!"
Blue Silver Emperor!
Tang Hao's words struck Yu Xiaogang's heart like a heavy hammer. He sucked in a sharp breath, feeling the cold sweat soaking through the back of his clothes.
Blue Silver Emperor. It differed from Blue Silver Grass by just one character, yet the words left Yu Xiaogang breathing rapidly, his eyes brimming with a fierce thirst for knowledge. He hurriedly asked, "What's the difference between Blue Silver Emperor and Blue Silver Grass?"
Tang Hao explained, "Blue Silver Grass grows across the entire Douluo Continent. Though it's the weakest of Soul Beasts, no one has ever managed to wipe it out completely. The Blue Silver Emperor is the rarest and most powerful of all Blue Silver Grass."
"Only Blue Silver Grass that has lived for more than a hundred thousand years can be called the Blue Silver Emperor. And among the Blue Silver Grass, there can only be one Blue Silver Emperor in each generation. Only after the previous Blue Silver Emperor dies can the next inherit its crown and become the new Blue Silver Emperor."
"I think you should have noticed the subtle differences between Xiao San and Su Yun's Martial Souls during their match." Tang Hao spoke calmly. "Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul is blue all over, like other Blue Silver Grass. Su Yun's Blue Silver Emperor looks much the same as ordinary Blue Silver Grass, but faint golden patterns trace the surfaces of its leaves, giving it an aura of nobility."
"In the presence of the Blue Silver Emperor, all other Blue Silver Grass can only bow in submission. That's also why Xiao San's first Soul Skill had no effect on Su Yun yesterday."
So that was it... Yu Xiaogang recalled yesterday's match. Su Yun's Blue Silver Grass really had looked more refined than Xiao San's. It turned out his Martial Soul wasn't a Trash Martial Soul at all, but a true top-tier Martial Soul!
"Hiss—" At the thought, Yu Xiaogang couldn't help feeling a pang of regret. He'd only learned today that a top-tier Martial Soul like the Blue Silver Emperor existed. If he'd known Su Yun had the Blue Silver Emperor, he would have done anything to take him as a disciple!
Su Yun was very likely the only Soul Master on the entire Douluo Continent whose Martial Soul was the Blue Silver Emperor. He was a true genius!
Yu Xiaogang was certain that if Spirit Hall or the Seven Great Sects learned the true nature of Su Yun's Martial Soul, they would spare no effort to recruit him.
He was an uncut jade that already revealed its rare brilliance, something every major power wanted to possess.
"Heh, Grandmaster, I know what you're thinking. I was hiding nearby when Su Yun turned down your offer to take him as a disciple. But he didn't reveal his Martial Soul back then, so I didn't realize there was anything special about him either."
Tang Hao looked at Yu Xiaogang, whose face was gradually filling with regret, and chuckled. Then he revealed another shocking piece of news: "However, I can tell you that Su Yun isn't the only person in this world with the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul."
"What?!" Yu Xiaogang exclaimed, immediately pressing him for an answer. "Who is it?!"
Tang Hao replied calmly, "My son—and your disciple—Xiao San."
"How is that possible?!" Yu Xiaogang frowned and shook his head. "No. I specifically examined Xiao San's Martial Soul before. It was no different from the Blue Silver Grass Martial Souls I'd seen before. The only difference was his innate Soul Power."
"That's why I said your research still isn't enough, Grandmaster."
Tang Hao said calmly, "Xiao San's situation is special. His Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul hasn't fully awakened, so his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul is only a semi-finished product for now."
A semi-finished Martial Soul... Yu Xiaogang met Tang Hao's gaze and asked, "Then what does it take to awaken Xiao San's Martial Soul? If Xiao San can awaken his Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul soon, I'll have absolute confidence that he can defeat Su Yun in their fight to the death ten years from now!"
But in the face of Yu Xiaogang's conviction, Tang Hao merely shook his head. "The answer to that question is precisely why I forced that boy named Su Yun to fight Xiao San to the death."
"It has something to do with Su Yun... Wait! You mean—" Yu Xiaogang rubbed his chin, then suddenly recalled what Tang Hao had just told him. His pupils dilated, and his voice cut off in a gasp.
"That's right! You should know that this world will eventually have a single emperor, just as the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire stand opposed to each other like two tigers today. The two empires are bound to go to war one day, and when that war ends, the entire Douluo Continent will inevitably be unified."
Tang Hao's voice grew slightly stern. "The Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul is no different from a Soul Beast. Since it's an emperor, then just like the emperors of this world, there can only be one true Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul."
"Su Yun's Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul has awakened. Naturally, an invisible force of bloodline suppresses Xiao San's Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul, preventing it from evolving."
Damn it!
At the thought of Su Yun's face, Yu Xiaogang's expression twisted. Xiao San's Martial Soul couldn't evolve into the Blue Silver Emperor because of that little brat!
That thought instantly extinguished Yu Xiaogang's desire for Su Yun. Instead, he wondered: if Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass could successfully evolve into the Blue Silver Emperor, wouldn't he possess the two most powerful Martial Souls in the world—the Blue Silver Emperor and the Clear Sky Hammer?
With those two top-tier Martial Souls, Yu Xiaogang was absolutely certain that once Tang San reached the Titled Douluo realm, he would be able to crush any opponent of the same level. He might even be able to fight above his level!
"So, according to you, Su Yun has to die before Xiao San's Martial Soul can evolve into the Blue Silver Emperor." Yu Xiaogang posed another question. "Then why don't you just..."
He left the question unfinished, a ruthless glint in his eyes.
His meaning was clear: if they dealt with Su Yun now, wouldn't Xiao San's Martial Soul naturally be able to evolve into the Blue Silver Emperor?
Born into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect as the clan leader's son, Yu Xiaogang had witnessed both the bright and dark sides of great clans from a young age. Secretly killing someone for a goal or for profit—especially for the sake of the clan—was nothing unusual. He was sure Tang Hao, a direct descendant of one of the Upper Three Sects, the Clear Sky Sect, understood that as well.
"You think I don't want to?"
Tang Hao's eyes gleamed too. "Unfortunately, I once happened upon an ancient text that recorded some details about the inheritance of the ancient Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul."
"To evolve from a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul into a Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul, one must defeat a person with the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul using a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. Their duel must earn the recognition of a god, and it must be completed before the former's eighteenth birthday."
Tang Hao's voice was calm. "That's why I forced Su Yun to accept the challenge that day. First, they'll both be seventeen ten years from now, so they won't exceed the age limit. Second, Spirit Hall itself serves the Angel God. I may dislike Spirit Hall, but its contract can indeed represent the god's recognition to a certain extent."
Yu Xiaogang nodded slightly when he heard this, then furrowed his brow again. "But have you considered that, according to what you've said, the Blue Silver Emperor can suppress the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul? If we can't find a way around that, then ten years from now, even if Xiao San reaches the Four-Ring Soul Ancestor or even the Five-Ring Soul King realm, he still won't be able to threaten Su Yun."
"You don't need to worry about that."
Tang Hao waved his hand. "When the time is right, I'll take Xiao San somewhere. There's someone there who can help him temporarily evolve his Martial Soul into the Blue Silver Emperor state."
"Oh?! Martial Soul Evolution?!"
Yu Xiaogang looked shocked. Even Spirit Hall didn't possess a means of temporarily evolving a Martial Soul like that. He hurriedly asked, "Who? Who could possibly have such an ability?"
Tang Hao shook his head. "You don't need to know who she is. Just know that with her help, the gap between Xiao San's Martial Soul and Su Yun's will be reduced almost entirely."
"As for the rest of his training, I'll have to rely on you, the great master of Martial Soul Theory, to make plans."
With that, Tang Hao stood up and turned to pull his hood back on. "I probably won't be by Xiao San's side for a while. I'll leave him in your care."
"Where are you going?" Yu Xiaogang asked.
"To the place I'm meant to go, to do what I'm meant to do." Tang Hao didn't turn around, but his voice now sounded incredibly deep. "I thought I'd spend the rest of my life as I was, but I never expected heaven to grant my son Xiao San unprecedented talent."
"One day, I'll take Xiao San and crush that place beneath our feet."
That place?
Yu Xiaogang was confused. For some reason, the words "Spirit Hall" suddenly came to mind. Just as he was about to ask what Tang Hao meant, he realized the tall figure who had been standing before him had vanished without a trace.
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