"Your Blue Silver Grass isn't suited to poison-attributed Soul Rings," Tang An said bluntly.
Tang Ya froze, confusion appearing on her face. She instinctively wanted to argue.
"How could that be, Sect Master? I've been cultivating according to the path of the Tang Sect's founder, Sea God Tang San. How could it be wrong?"
"You're half right."
Tang An clasped his hands behind his back, his tone calm.
"Tang San's Martial Soul was never Blue Silver Grass."
"What?" Tang Ya's eyes widened.
"Tang San's Martial Soul was the Blue Silver Emperor."
"One word makes all the difference in the world. The Blue Silver Emperor is the bloodline origin of all Blue Silver Grass, and it possesses an innate imperial aura that lets it command all plants.
"The reason Tang San could follow the poison-attributed path was that the Blue Silver Emperor's endurance and compatibility far surpassed those of ordinary Blue Silver Grass. It could accommodate multiple attributes at once without conflict."
Tang Ya opened her mouth, but for a moment, she couldn't say a word.
Tang An continued, "What's more, Tang San was guided toward the poison-attributed path by Yu Xiaogang. Yu Xiaogang..."
Tang An paused, unconcealed contempt entering his voice.
"That so-called Grandmaster was nothing but a pile of theories and a paper strategist."
"He spent his entire life stuck at level twenty-nine. He couldn't even figure out the cause of Martial Soul Mutation, yet he dared to advise someone with Twin Martial Souls on their path of cultivation."
"If Tang San had followed the path of life dominion back then, his achievements would certainly have been even greater."
If these words got out, they would likely cause an uproar across the continent.
Tang Ya was shaken to her core. Her mind buzzed, but what came next shocked her even more.
"What's more, there's a problem with your Martial Soul's attributes."
Tang Ya's delicate body shuddered violently, and her face instantly turned deathly pale.
The attributes of her Blue Silver Grass had always been her deepest, most closely guarded secret. She had never told anyone—not even Beibei.
Yet this Sect Master, whom she had just met, had seen right through it with a single remark.
"Sect Master, you..." Tang Ya's voice trembled.
Tang An turned and walked to the side. "Come with me."
Tang Ya bit her lip and hurried after him.
"Beibei, Yuhao, don't come over." Tang Ya called back without turning around, her voice carrying a hint of urgency and nervousness.
Beibei furrowed his brow and started to follow, but Xiao Wu stopped him.
"Xiao An has something to discuss with her. You can wait here." Xiao Wu folded her arms and spoke as if it were only natural.
Beibei looked at the mysterious woman cloaked in black and asked curiously, "Who are you?"
Xiao Wu thought for a moment. "Young Master Tang An's personal bodyguard."
Beibei hesitated after hearing that, but ultimately stopped where he was.
Huo Yuhao obediently nodded. He was a little curious too, but since it was Tang An's arrangement, he wouldn't ask questions.
Deep in the woods, about a hundred paces from the others.
Tang An stopped and turned around.
Tang Ya stood in front of him, gripping the hem of her clothes tightly. Her eyes held panic and unease, along with a faint glimmer of hope.
"Sect Master..." Tang Ya took a deep breath, lowering her voice. "How did you know?"
Tang An raised his right hand, palm facing upward.
A pale green glow spread out and instantly enveloped Tang Ya. It was his first Soul Skill, Life Perception Resonance.
Tang Ya felt a warm, immense vitality wrap around her. Then she felt as though she had been seen through completely, inside and out, with no secrets left to hide.
"This is my first Soul Skill, Life Perception Resonance."
Tang An's voice sounded beside her ear. "Within a certain range, I can sense everyone's vital signs and Martial Soul attributes with perfect clarity."
Tang An lowered his hand, and the glow faded.
"So I knew the moment I first saw you."
Tang Ya could no longer hold back her tears. They spilled out all at once.
All these years, Tang Ya had actually been afraid every single day—afraid that one day she would lose control and become an Evil Soul Master.
"Sect Master, can my Martial Soul... still be healed?"
Tang Ya's voice was choked with tears, and her shoulders trembled slightly.
Tang An looked at Tang Ya standing before him, tears on her face and eyes red. She looked utterly pitiful.
Yet the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, forming a smile with a hint of pride.
"What are you afraid of? Do you even know who your Sect Master is?"
Tang An reached out and gently tapped Tang Ya on the forehead, his tone carrying an all-conquering arrogance.
"I, Tang An, am destined to become a God King. A mere darkening of your Martial Soul is nothing."
Tang Ya stared at him blankly. Tears still clung to her face, but the despair in her eyes had already faded by more than half.
The words this young man spoke were outrageously arrogant, yet the aura Tang An exuded made it impossible for her to doubt him in the slightest.
"Sect Master..." Tang Ya murmured.
A strange feeling welled up in her heart. The warmth and sense of security rising from deep within made her want to draw closer to Tang An without even realizing it.
"Relax your mind and let me take a deeper look at your Martial Soul."
Tang An reached out and placed a hand on Tang Ya's shoulder.
This time, he wasn't using Life Perception Resonance. Instead, he summoned the power of Life Origin belonging to the Undying Scythe and sent it straight into the core of Tang Ya's Martial Soul.
Tang Ya felt a vast, everlasting power surge into her body.
That power was countless levels stronger than her Dark Blue Silver Grass, carrying a sacred aura that made even her soul tremble.
When this power touched her Dark Blue Silver Grass, something strange happened.
The dark-attributed power that had always stirred restlessly within Tang Ya instantly quieted in the face of this origin power.
Tang Ya's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul unfurled of its own accord, eagerly reaching out to touch the aura of origin. Fine black patterns appeared along its vines, and the entire plant trembled with excitement.
Even more astonishing to Tang Ya, the moment Tang An's Life Origin merged with her Dark Blue Silver Grass, the two powers began to resonate in a strange way.
A warm and powerful force surged through the connection between them and into Tang Ya's body. Her Soul Power began to soar at a speed visible to the naked eye—several times faster than when she cultivated normally.
"W-what is this?" Tang Ya was startled and embarrassed, her voice trembling.
The sensation was so strange—so warm and intoxicating—that she felt as if she were floating on air, barely able to stand.
Tang An noticed the change too, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
"Interesting."
"Your Martial Soul is resonating with my origin power. This fused energy is accelerating your cultivation. What an unexpected bonus."
Tang Ya bit her lip, fighting to endure the intoxicating comfort. "Sect Master... are you done yet?"
Before you continue