Gu Tian's Conspiracy Theory

The air in the Soul Hunting Forest was permeated with a faint, earthy scent. Tang San slowly opened his eyes and let out a long breath. He felt that thin thread of soul power finally settle within his body. As his thoughts stirred, a pale, miserable white ring of light rose from beneath his feet, appearing exceptionally cheap and pathetic against his tattered grey cloth robes.

Forget it, the first soul ring of Blue Silver Grass isn't of much use to me anyway. I still have the Clear Sky Hammer martial soul, and this ring at least helped me break through the first level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill. Tang San thought to himself, attempting to numb his mind with lies so he could accept this ridiculous reality.

The Mysterious Heaven Skill used for cultivating internal energy is one of the six martial arts recorded in the Tang Sect's Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record. The other five are the Mysterious Jade Hand, which forges palms into blades; the Purple Demon Eye, which sees through the red dust; the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, which leaves no trace; the Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, which manipulates objects and captures people; and the Hundred Variations of Hidden Weapons, which never misses its mark.

These correspond to the five dimensions of the Taoist path: "body, eye, heart, breath, and spirit." The first five exist solely to serve the final one, the Hundred Variations of Hidden Weapons. Only by laying a solid foundation can one achieve the surprise effect of hidden weapons in battle.

"Little San, did you succeed!" Yu Xiaogang stepped forward, his eyes filled with an undisguised eagerness. "Quick, release your first soul skill and let your teacher see the results of the Martial Soul Mimicry Theory."

Tang San nodded and held his right hand level. Under the infusion of soul power, the thin, weak stalk of Blue Silver Grass grew slightly thicker, yet it still retained the withered texture of a Lone Bamboo.

"First soul skill, Bind."

Tang San gave a low shout. Several slender grass vines slid along the ground toward a small tree not far away. The vines wobbled as they climbed the trunk, wrapping around it twice in a sparse, ragged fashion, looking utterly devoid of vitality.

The smile on Yu Xiaogang's face froze. He walked over and tentatively reached out to tug at the vines, only for them to be snapped with ease by this trash Soul Grand Master.

"This... this power..." Yu Xiaogang coughed twice in embarrassment, forcing an explanation. "This is only the first soul ring; the age is indeed a bit low. But it doesn't matter. As long as the resilience is there, it can be stacked later. Your current control should have reached one hundred and ten points."

Tang San stared fixedly at that pale, miserable soul ring, the humiliation in his heart nearly drowning him. As a disciple of the Tang Sect, when had he ever suffered such indignity? He even thought that the soul ring produced by Old Jack, the village chief of Holy Soul Village, would be stronger than this!

Just then, the temperature throughout the forest plummeted.

"BOOM—!"

A deafening crash of a heavy object hitting the ground shook the heavens. Immediately following, a massive black silhouette plummeted from the canopy.

"Ah!" Xiao Wu let out a sharp scream. She recognized the big guy in front of her at first glance—it was the Titan Giant Ape, Er Ming—and she was instantly stunned in place.

Watching this behemoth stand before Xiao Wu, Tang San instinctively unleashed the soul skill he had just acquired.

"Xiao Wu!" Tang San exclaimed, "First soul skill, Bind!"

Those few white vines wrapped limply around Er Ming's ankle, which was as massive as a millstone. However, Er Ming merely gave his leg a slight shake, and the Blue Silver Grass shattered into a sky full of flying debris, failing to hinder him for even a single second.

Er Ming let out a low growl and swept his massive hand, precisely scooping Xiao Wu into his embrace. Then, his figure erupted, kicking up a gale of wind as he vanished into the depths of the dense forest in an instant.

"Third Brother!" Xiao Wu cried out in the wind, though a hint of confusion flickered in her eyes.

Tang San shouted Xiao Wu's name until his voice grew hoarse, wanting to give chase, but he found Yu Xiaogang blocking his path.

"Little San, it's dangerous! Don't chase him!" Yu Xiaogang was scared half to death, his undergarments soaked through.

"How is this possible! The Titan Giant Ape only lives in the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Great Forest; it has nothing to do with this place!"

"What is a Titan Giant Ape! Why did it take my Xiao Wu away?" Tang San was somewhat frantic. If anything happened to Xiao Wu, he wouldn't have such an easy-to-fool girl in the future.

"According to previous investigations by Martial Soul Hall, there are only two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts remaining in the Star Dou Great Forest. One is this Titan Giant Ape, and the other is the bull-headed, snake-bodied Sky Azure Bull Python."

"If Xiao Wu has been captured by him, I'm afraid her life is in danger. Let's look for a while, and if we really can't find her, we'll head back!" Yu Xiaogang sighed, invisibly declaring Xiao Wu's death.

"Er Ming! What are you doing? Didn't I tell you it was safe here? I've only been gone for a few months, and you couldn't help but come find me?" Xiao Wu pouted, pounding her small fists against the Titan Giant Ape to vent her emotions.

"Big Sister Xiao Wu, I'm taking you to a place. Stand still and don't fall." Er Ming had no intention of stopping and continued running toward the distance.

Lake of Life, lakeside.

A silver portal shimmered with a soft light, and Er Ming landed steadily with Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu stumbled to find her footing, and when she looked up at the scene before her, she was completely dumbfounded.

Four people stood by the shimmering lakeside. Gu Tian and Gu Yue were strolling on the grass, holding Na'er's hands, while Gu Yuena, standing behind them, exuded such an extreme aura of divinity that the Soft Bone Rabbit origin within Xiao Wu couldn't stop trembling.

"Er Ming... why did you bring me here?" Xiao Wu hid behind Er Ming, her voice trembling. "That person... who is she?"

Gu Yuena turned her head, her purple pupils revealing a coldness that seemed to see through the ages.

"Xiao Wu of the Soft Bone Rabbit clan, you should not have gone to the human world." Gu Yuena's voice was cold and melodious. "I am the co-ruler of the soul beast clan, the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena. And this person beside you..." She glanced at Gu Tian.

Gu Tian stepped forward, the nine-colored pressure of the Dragon God leaking out slightly. That supreme sense of being above all beasts caused Xiao Wu to collapse onto the grass.

"I am the successor of the Dragon God bloodline, Gu Tian." Gu Tian looked into Xiao Wu's ruby-like eyes, his tone turning serious. "Xiao Wu, do you think Tang San is someone worth entrusting your life to?"

Xiao Wu was stunned. She instinctively protected her chest and said stubbornly, "Third Brother is very good to me; he promised to protect me."

"Protect you?" Gu Tian sneered and turned to look at Er Ming. "Er Ming, just now over there, did you sense the aura of Tang Hao?"

Er Ming nodded heavily, his thunderous voice echoing within the Lake of Life: "I felt it. That man known as the Clear Sky Douluo was hiding in the shadows the whole time. It wasn't until I intentionally released my aura that he hurried over in a rush."

Gu Tian turned back to look at the incredulous Xiao Wu and began his psychological assault.

"Xiao Wu, you are too naive. Who is Tang Hao? He is a gambler who would even scheme against his own wife. Back then, his lover Ah Yin, that Blue Silver Emperor, was forced to sacrifice herself under his machinations, eventually becoming his ninth soul ring. As his son, do you really think Tang San's appearance by your side is just a coincidence?"

"No... that's impossible." Xiao Wu shook her head desperately. "Third Brother doesn't know I'm a soul beast, and he has never hurt me."

As a fellow hundred-thousand-year soul beast, Xiao Wu naturally knew the Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin; her mother, Da Wu, and Ah Yin had been close friends. The Blue Silver Grass clan was a single-lineage tribe; only one Blue Silver Emperor could exist in the entire family at once. And Ah Yin was a full hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor, holding a pivotal status in the Star Dou Great Forest.

"He indeed doesn't know, but Tang Hao does." Gu Tian pressed on, step by step. "You are a soul beast who has reincarnated into human form. Before you reach level 70 and possess a Martial Soul Avatar, you can be detected by a Title Douluo. Tang Hao sent you to Tang San's side specifically for your soul ring and soul bone. When Tang San needs a soul ring, Tang Hao will expose your identity. When that time comes, how do you think Tang San, who views Tang Hao as his great father, will choose?"

"Furthermore, looking at the worst-case scenario, this trip to the Soul Hunting Forest to find your first soul ring might have been Tang Hao's conspiracy. If I hadn't appeared, you would have already been turned into a soul bone by now. The temptation of a soul bone from a hundred-thousand-year soul beast is something ordinary people cannot resist."

Xiao Wu was left bewildered; Gu Tian's conspiracy theory completely overturned her understanding. She still clung to a final shred of fantasy, whispering in defense, "Third Brother's surname is Tang, but he... he might not necessarily be that Tang Hao's child."

Hearing this, a playful arc hooked the corner of Gu Tian's mouth. It seemed Xiao Wu had been successfully misled. While she didn't fully believe it, it didn't matter; prejudice is the product of ignorance, and once suspicion is born, the verdict is already rendered.

Gu Tian could already imagine the scene of him riding the rabbit in the future; it was simply enough to make one's heart flutter!

"That Clear Sky Hammer martial soul of his, which he never dares to show anyone, is the best proof. Give me time, Xiao Wu, and I will let you see the truth with your own eyes."

"But for now, condense your first spirit ring here. Once you have finished absorbing it, I will personally take you back so you can tear off that hypocritical mask in front of that father and son yourself."

Xiao Wu looked at the vast Lake of Life, then at Gu Yuena, who stood to the side with a complex expression. Though her heart was filled with fear and doubt, she dared not resist and could only obey.

On the altar of the Lake of Life, as the life energy gradually receded, Xiao Wu slowly opened her eyes, and a bright, deep yellow spirit ring rose from beneath her feet. Under the infusion of that rich vitality, her first spirit ring had actually crossed the four-hundred-year threshold, reaching the seven-hundred-year level directly.

"Success?" Gu Tian walked forward with a smile.

"Mm." Xiao Wu nodded, her expression somewhat complex.

"Show me your first spirit ability," Gu Tian suggested.

Xiao Wu took a deep breath, a flash of red light appearing in her eyes.

"First spirit ability, Waist Bow!"

Her body vanished from its original spot in an instant, transforming into a pink afterimage. The next second, she had already appeared beside a tree thick enough for two people to embrace. With a loud "crack," the sturdy ancient tree was snapped clean in two by her instantaneous explosive power, the break as smooth as a mirror.

Because she had just finished using her spirit ability, Xiao Wu's pant leg slid down slightly, revealing a fair, tender calf.

"But the depth of your spirit ring's color must have reached seven hundred years, right!" Gu Tian stared closely at the deep yellow spirit ring beneath Xiao Wu's feet.

Of course, he was definitely not taking the opportunity to look at Xiao Wu's leg; ahem, Gu Tian was a gentleman, after all.