It was a gigantic vine that had grown for an unknown number of years.
Its main trunk was as thick as a dozen grown adults linking arms around it. Its bark resembled dried rock, covered in the weathered traces of time.
Countless thick vines spread in every direction like coiling dragons, blotting out the sky and sun.
And on the main trunk of this ancient vine, there was actually an exceedingly aged human face formed from folds in the bark!
When Tang San approached the ancient vine, that aged face slowly opened its eyes.
"Great Emperor, you have finally come..."
An incredibly ancient and sonorous voice, as though it had traveled across primordial time and space, resounded directly in Tang San's mind.
Tang San shuddered, staring fixedly at the ancient vine before him.
"Y-you... who are you? Why do you call me Emperor?"
A deeply humanlike look of reverence appeared on the ancient vine's aged face.
"In reply to the great Emperor, this old servant is the guardian of this forest, the king of the Blue Silver Clan—the Blue Silver King."
"And Your Majesty bears the purest bloodline of the previous Blue Silver Emperor! You are the fated new emperor of our Blue Silver Clan!"
Hearing the Blue Silver King's words, Tang San's mind raced.
"The previous Blue Silver Emperor's bloodline? My martial soul was inherited from my mother. In other words... my mother was the previous Blue Silver Emperor?!"
Tang San's heartbeat abruptly quickened as he urgently asked,
"Then where is my mother? Where is she now?!"
A look of profound grief flashed across the Blue Silver King's aged face.
"Great Emperor, your mother, the previous Blue Silver Emperor... has already fallen."
"What?!"
Tang San was struck as if by lightning. He staggered back two steps, his face instantly