Coward

In the brief interval of regulating his breathing, Tang Hao subconsciously reached his left hand toward his chest.

There was a specially crafted hidden pocket sewn into his inner garment.

It was the place where he kept the most precious item of his life.

The 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone left behind by Ah Yin had always been kept close to his body.

It was his wife's relic, and the spiritual sustenance that had allowed him to survive in this world all these years.

However, when his rough fingers touched the location of the hidden pocket.

What his fingertips felt was nothing but a flat, empty space.

Tang Hao's movements froze instantly.

Even his breathing stalled for a beat, and his eyes widened in shock.

His left hand, acting as if possessed, tore open the already tattered lapels of his shirt.

The hidden pocket was completely empty.

There was nothing there.

Not even a trace of the Blue Silver Emperor's aura remained.

"No... this is impossible!"

Tang Hao's lips trembled uncontrollably, his voice raspy and unrecognizable.

He frantically searched his body, turning out every pocket and checking every corner.

Nothing.

There was absolutely nothing.

His heart felt as if it had been gripped by an invisible hand, instantly plunging into a bottomless abyss.

His memory flashed back to the moment Gu Qing had severed his right arm.

That brat's movements had been fast to the extreme; the vines of the Life-Type Blue Silver Grass had not only cut through bone and flesh.

In the split second of extreme agony, when his defenses had crumbled, they had snatched the item from his person.

"Gu Qing!"

A shrill, mournful roar exploded throughout the entire cavern.

The powerful sound waves caused the stalactites on the ceiling to snap off one after another, crashing into the water-logged ground.

Tang Hao's eyes were bloodshot, and two lines of murky tears mixed with blood streamed down his face.

Not only had he lost his arm, but he had failed to protect the last thing his wife had left in this world.

That was Ah Yin's spirit bone!

"How dare you take Ah Yin's spirit bone!"

Tang Hao knelt on one knee in the mud, his remaining left hand clawing at the filth on the ground.

His fingernails curled back from the excessive force, dripping with blood.

The pain of losing his right arm was not even one-ten-thousandth of the agony brought by the loss of the spirit bone.

The hatred for Gu Qing climbed to an unprecedented peak at this moment.

This blood debt could not be washed away even if all the waters of the rivers and lakes were poured out.

"I swear!"

Tang Hao tilted his head back, staring at the pitch-black rock wall above, his teeth grinding together with a clicking sound.

"No matter the cost, I will make sure you are smashed to pieces!"

"On the day of your grand wedding, I will have the entire Martial Soul City buried with Ah Yin!"

Violent killing intent spread out like a physical force, grinding the surrounding rubble into fine powder.

Martial Soul City, the mansion of the newly appointed Holy Son.

Inside the underground secret chamber, the lights were bright.

This was a private space specifically built for cultivation and healing.

The walls were inlaid with precious light-attribute crystals, illuminating the entire chamber as if it were broad daylight.

The air was filled with a faint, fresh scent of vegetation.

Gu Qing sat cross-legged on a white jade cushion in the center of the chamber.

His expression was extremely calm.

He wore a well-tailored moon-white robe, spotless and pristine.

It formed a sharp contrast to the wretched and disheveled Tang Hao far outside the city.

Just half an hour ago.

Qian Renxue had just delivered the snacks she made with her own hands.

The two were still in the mansion's courtyard, sipping tea and discussing the plan to make an example of someone during the grand finals.

The date for the grand wedding had been set for the dusk immediately following the conclusion of the finals.

Bibi Dong would personally preside over the grand ceremony.

Gu Qing was well aware that the undercurrents of various factions had already converged upon Martial Soul City.

The Thunder Prison Formation Disk of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the covert arrangements of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

And that Tang Hao, who had lost an arm and was lurking in the shadows like a mad dog.

Everyone was waiting for that very moment.

And Gu Qing was waiting as well.

He slightly raised his right hand, palm facing upward.

Accompanied by a gentle ripple of soul power, a cluster of blue-gold light appeared in his hand.

As the light dissipated, it revealed the physical object within.

It was a crystal-clear leg soul bone.

The entire piece appeared a deep, profound blue, yet within it flowed specks of golden radiance.

It was none other than the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, seized from Tang Hao.

Gu Qing lowered his eyes, quietly examining this treasure, rare in all the world.

The surface of the soul bone radiated an extremely pure aura of life.

Even after being separated from its original host for so many years, it still maintained a tenacious vitality.

This was the essence left behind by the supreme existence among plant-type soul beasts.

"A hundred thousand years of cultivation, sacrificed for a hypocritical human, only to end up as a dead object."

Gu Qing spoke softly, his voice echoing in the empty secret chamber.

His tone carried a hint of contemptuous mockery.

He slowly closed his fingers, feeling the faint warmth emanating from the soul bone.

The next moment, Gu Qing focused his intent.

The soul power within his body surged without reservation.

A pure, intensely rich emerald-green light erupted from his body.

It was a power of life essence that far surpassed ordinary plant-type martial souls.

Behind Gu Qing, the phantom of a massive Blue Silver Grass slowly emerged.

This was no ordinary Blue Silver Grass, nor was it merely a Blue Silver Emperor.

It was a unique Life-Type Blue Silver Grass that stood above the rules themselves.

The vines looked as if they had been carved from jade, with every leaf showing clear, distinct veins.

Vast vitality flowed across them, causing even the potted plants in the corners of the secret chamber to begin growing wildly.

"Come out."

Gu Qing looked at the soul bone in his hand.

He channeled his own pure life force through his palm, injecting it bit by bit into the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone.

The vines of the Life-Type Blue Silver Grass extended along with it, gently wrapping around the blue-gold bone.

As the vitality poured in continuously, the previously silent soul bone began to tremble violently.

The blue-gold light grew increasingly intense, almost enveloping Gu Qing entirely.

Nourished by this life force—which was of the same origin yet of a much higher order—a faint consciousness deep within the soul bone was forcibly awakened.

Specks of blue-gold light drifted out from the soul bone, converging in mid-air.

Gradually, the light spots intertwined to form an illusory figure.

It was the silhouette of a woman.

With long blue hair reaching her waist and a graceful figure, she exuded an aura of gentleness and sorrow.

This was the sliver of original vitality that Ah Yin had left behind within the soul bone.

When a hundred-thousand-year soul beast sacrifices itself, its soul usually dissipates along with it.

But as a Blue Silver Emperor with tenacious vitality, there would always be an indelible trace left behind.

At this moment, under the infusion of life force regardless of the cost, this sliver of vitality was reignited.

The illusory Ah Yin did not seem to have fully regained her consciousness yet.

She merely felt, by instinct, a familiar and majestic aura.

That was a source of life even purer than when she had once been the Blue Silver Emperor.

The phantom trembled slightly, seemingly wanting to draw closer to Gu Qing.

Gu Qing looked at the pitiful phantom before him, a flash of disdain crossing his eyes.

"Do you feel it?"

"This is the true power of life, not something that useless husband of yours could ever provide."

Gu Qing ceased the infusion of soul power, maintaining the vitality at a stable, critical threshold.

He had no intention of resurrecting Ah Yin.

This was merely a means to verify the tier of his own martial soul and, incidentally, to secure a bargaining chip.

"Tang Hao, that coward."

Gu Qing leaned back against the jade chair, his gaze appraising Ah Yin's phantom.

"He claims to love you so much, saying he dared to risk his life against Martial Soul Hall for your sake."

"But what was the result?"

"He couldn't protect you, and could only watch helplessly as you sacrificed yourself."

"After the sacrifice, he took your original body and found some dark, sunless cave."

"He planted you in that gloomy, damp, godforsaken place."

Gu Qing's words were heart-piercing, mercilessly tearing away the facade of Tang Hao's deep affection.

"For a plant-type soul beast, sunlight, rain, and pure soil are the keys to recovering vitality."

"As a Titled Douluo, even if he had gone to the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest to find a treasure land rich in spiritual energy,"

"It would have been ten thousand times better than stuffing you into that broken cave."

Ah Yin's phantom swayed slightly in mid-air.

Although she lacked clear consciousness, she seemed to have an instinctive reaction to these words.

The blue-gold light on the soul bone began to flicker unsteadily.

Gu Qing let out a cold snort and reached out to pull a vine of his Life-Type Blue Silver Grass.

"He doesn't understand plants at all."

"He only knows how to take that broken hammer and smash people."

"Hiding you in a remote place like Holy Soul Village, getting dead drunk every day, and putting on a decadent display of having lost his true love."

"This kind of self-indulgent sentimentality is nothing more than cowardice pushed to the extreme of hypocrisy."

Gu Qing pressed the Life-Type Blue Silver Grass against Ah Yin's phantom.

Pure life force surged in once again, stabilizing the tottering phantom.

"If he truly wanted to save you, there are so many heavenly treasures and life-attribute soul beasts across the continent."

"With his strength, had he gone to rob, to seize, to risk his life, he could have found a way to accelerate your growth."

"But he did nothing."

"He only guarded your seedling, wallowing in his own sorrow and escaping reality."

The mockery in Gu Qing's eyes grew more intense.

In Gu Qing's view, Tang Hao's actions were utterly ridiculous.

A man with true responsibility would never let his woman suffer such grievances only to commemorate her in such a passive way.

In Gu Qing's heart, Tang Hao was not worthy of being called a powerhouse.

He was even less worthy of possessing a supreme plant-type soul beast like the Blue Silver Emperor.

"The one who can truly command plants and bestow life is me."

Gu Qing stood up abruptly.

The aura of life within the secret chamber surged violently with his movement.

Tender green moss even began to grow on the surrounding stone walls, and tiny white flowers bloomed.

The Life-Type Blue Silver Grass emitted a heart-stopping pressure.

This was not destructive power, but an absolute dominance over lower-level plants from the top of the food chain.

In the face of this dominance, Ah Yin's phantom involuntarily lowered her head.

The blue-gold light was completely eclipsed by the emerald vitality of Gu Qing.

In this secret chamber, there was no Blue Silver Emperor.

There was only Gu Qing, the true King of Plants.

"Do you see, Ah Yin?"

"Your imperial bloodline is utterly fragile before my Life-Type Blue Silver Grass."

"Tang Hao treats you as a fig leaf for his own heroic decline."

"Yet I, with a mere wave of my hand, can restore a glimmer of vitality to you."

Gu Qing slowly withdrew his hand, and that phantom image merged back into the hundred-thousand-year right leg bone.

The spirit bone lay quietly in his palm.

After the nourishment just now, it was no longer a dead, silent bone.

It contained a truly existing Life Spark.

If he so desired, he could sever this vitality at any moment, turning it back into a lifeless object.

Or, he could use it at some future moment to deliver a devastating blow to Tang Hao's fragile heart.

"Tang Hao, oh Tang Hao."

Gu Qing tucked the spirit bone into his storage Soul Tool and brushed his hands together casually.

"You swore to take revenge and wipe away your shame."

"You pinned all your hopes on the high-level spirit master tournament, on those brats from Shrek Academy."

"You think that on the day of the grand wedding, you can turn everything upside down."

Gu Qing sat back down on the meditation cushion, tidying his sleeves with the ease of a leisurely stroll.

In his mind, the stunningly beautiful face of Qian Renxue appeared, along with her joyful expression when she put on the Life Grass Ring.

He would never let anyone ruin that wedding.

Tang Hao was nothing more than a clown who only knew how to delude himself.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Heaven Dou Empire.

These forces gathering in the shadows would, in the face of absolute power, ultimately only become stepping stones at the wedding ceremony.

"I am the true King of Blue Silver Grass."

The sky gradually darkened, and a travel-worn group walked toward the gates of the towering Martial Soul City.

The green flag of Shrek Academy snapped in the wind.

Tang San, walking at the very front, looked up at the magnificent city.

He clenched his fists tightly.

The journey, traveled day and night, had not diminished the fighting spirit of these young people in the slightest.

On the contrary, because of the upcoming grand finals, a raging fire burned in everyone's eyes.

Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back at Tang San's side.

"San, Martial Soul City is not like Heaven Dou City."

"This is the headquarters of Martial Soul Hall; remember not to act recklessly."

Grandmaster patted his disciple's shoulder, exhorting him with earnest words.

Tang San nodded heavily.

Yet, the killing intent deep within his eyes could not be hidden.

The tragic sight of Teacher Zhao Wuji dying without a whole corpse still lingered in the minds of the Shrek Seven Devils.

Dean Flender, overcome with grief, had been silent throughout the journey.

Dai Mubai took a large stride forward, the aura of his Evil Eye White Tiger faintly surging.

"Don't worry, Grandmaster, we know our limits."

"But Shrek will definitely take the championship in this grand final!"

Oscar and Ma Hongjun nodded in agreement.

Spirit power surged around both of them, their fighting intent soaring.

Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu stood to the side, holding each other's hands tightly.

The beautiful eyes of both girls were equally filled with determination.

At this moment, this group of monster geniuses displayed unprecedented cohesion.

Tang San looked around at his companions, his blood boiling.

"That's right, we are not just fighting for the glory of Shrek."

"We are fighting to avenge Teacher Zhao."

"No matter if the opponent is the Golden Generation of Martial Soul Hall."

"Or that Holy Son Gu Qing who is being hyped to the heavens."

"Our Shrek Academy will definitely win the championship!"

"We will surely make the murderer pay the most painful price!"

Tang San's resonant words echoed outside the city gate.

This drew frequent side-glances from the many passing spirit masters of various factions.

Several Martial Soul Hall knights responsible for guarding the city gate heard these words.

They immediately tightened their grip on their long spears, preparing to step forward and reprimand the speaker.

However, they were forcibly held back by a meaningful look from their captain.

This was the ground beneath the feet of His Holiness the Pope.