Xu Xiao hadn't expected Yue Guan's Soul Skill to have an effect like this. Perhaps this was the benefit of having the Immortal Herb best suited to him.
The Imperial Chrysanthemum of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was naturally powerful. He wondered whether Yue Guan's later Soul Skills would also be connected to the Imperial Chrysanthemum.
If they were, then once Yue Guan grew stronger, his Martial Soul would surely surpass the Blue Silver Emperor.
Still, though both were emperors, there was a vast difference between them. The Blue Silver Emperor presided over life, while the Imperial Chrysanthemum presided over defense.
Xu Xiao couldn't even imagine having both Martial Souls himself. He'd be impossible to kill, and could endlessly regenerate. He'd be a perpetual-motion machine!
Perhaps Yue Guan didn't possess the bloodline of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum's emperor, so for now, he couldn't evolve his Martial Soul into an emperor. Maybe he'd get the chance in the future.
It was like Tang San. His Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul could evolve into the Blue Silver Emperor, partly because of his bloodline. Without the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline, the Blue Silver King wouldn't have helped his Martial Soul evolve.
If Yue Guan had the bloodline of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum's emperor, his Martial Soul would surely have evolved into an emperor when he consumed the Immortal Herb.
But for now, he could only display the emperor's might through his Martial Soul.
"Big Brother, once I get back, I'll go make friends with those Immortal Herbs."
At the thought of the Immortal Herbs he adored, Yue Guan couldn't contain his excitement.
This Soul Skill's ability to communicate with flowers and plants was what pleased him most. He didn't care about the rest.
Xu Xiao could already picture his Third Brother using his Soul Skill every day to chat with flowers and plants.
Of course, this had its benefits, too. Yue Guan could communicate with them and learn what they were useful for. That would reveal the resources available to their faction, wouldn't it?
Yue Guan would also become an exceptionally skilled botanist. For all he knew, no one on the continent would understand flowers and plants better than him.
Xu Xiao could see the potential of this Soul Skill at a glance. Even Ah Yin might not be able to do as much.
"Good. Big Brother will support you. Third Brother, from now on, you'll be in charge of tending our faction's garden." Xu Xiao patted Yue Guan on the shoulder. By "tending the garden," he really meant managing their resources.
"That's right, Third Brother. Just do what you love. Second Brother will support you, too. With your communication skills and Fourth Brother's poison research, who knows? We might make even more progress."
Gui Mei understood how important this Soul Skill was. If put to proper use, it would be an absolute weapon.
With both his big brothers' support, Yue Guan grew even happier and quickly promised, "Big Brother, Second Brother, don't worry. I definitely won't let you down."
"All right, we're brothers. There's no need to be so formal."
"By the way, Third Brother, I'm thinking of using your Soul Skill to find the emperor they mentioned."
Xu Xiao guessed that the emperor these plants spoke of was most likely the Blue Silver Emperor, but he wasn't sure. He could only rely on Yue Guan to ask and find out.
After all, they were in Sunset Forest. How would the Blue Silver Emperor have come here? Xu Xiao didn't know. If it really was the Blue Silver Emperor, he'd have to ask her about it.
And if it really was the Blue Silver Emperor and she hadn't taken human form yet, he could help her transform early and have her follow him.
Using her to pry open the door to the Soul Beast Clan—that was what Xu Xiao wanted. As for Ah Yin as she was now, he couldn't bring himself to take an interest.
Everything Xu Xiao did was for the sake of his own future.
Xu Xiao remembered that when Ah Yin met Tang Hao, she hadn't yet reached Level 60 and the Mature Stage. It seemed they had trained together for five years, too.
Assuming Ah Yin was like Xiao Wu, with Innate Full Soul Power after taking human form, she would have reached at least Soul Ancestor or Soul King by the time she met Tang Hao.
At an average rate of about three levels of Soul Power a year, it would have taken at least ten years or so.
By that reckoning, the Blue Silver Emperor hadn't taken human form yet.
Of course, all of this depended on whether the plants were talking about the Blue Silver Emperor. If they meant someone else, that was another matter.
At least, Xu Xiao had never heard of any other emperor among plants. Of course, Yue Guan, who could manifest one through his Soul Skill, was an exception.
"Big Brother, let me ask them."
As he spoke, Yue Guan used his Soul Skill again. The golden light of Imperial Chrysanthemum Myriad Crowns enveloped him once more.
Xu Xiao hurriedly reminded him, "Be polite to them."
Yue Guan nodded cheerfully and began to listen to the plants, trying to understand their words until he could communicate with them. "Can you tell me where your emperor is?"
"I mean you no harm. Don't worry."
He had to show goodwill from the very beginning. He wasn't strong enough to do whatever he pleased. After all, you didn't strike someone who came smiling.
Xu Xiao had his own concerns, too. If the emperor wasn't the Blue Silver Emperor, then there was no need to seek them out.
The Blue Silver Emperor was gentle and mild, but the others might not be.
Xu Xiao didn't do things unless he was sure of success.
If he hadn't known where the Blue Silver Emperor was, he would have gone to find her long ago. He'd planned to wait until he was stronger and then snatch her away. But now Yue Guan had given him a pleasant surprise.
Enveloped by the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Yue Guan listened carefully to the flowers and plants. Their words came in fits and starts, clearly because they weren't very old.
"Big Brother, this way!" After getting a clue, Yue Guan pointed to his left.
Xu Xiao and the other man hurried after him.
After walking for a while, Yue Guan did the same thing again, using his Soul Skill to communicate with the nearby plants. Once they pointed him in a direction, they set off again.
The plants knew very little, and could only offer scraps of vague impressions. As a result, the three of them searched for a full week without finding what they were looking for.
"Big Brother, I don't think these plants know where that emperor is," Gui Mei finally said. They'd been at it for a week. If the plants really knew, it wouldn't have taken this long.
Xu Xiao looked around before replying, "Second Brother, take a close look. Aren't the plants around us older?"
"Back where we started, there was Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo. Here, some of the plants are already Hundred-Year Soul Beasts."
"I don't think we're mistaken. Their intelligence is just too low, so they're giving us inaccurate directions. They can only lead us toward places where the plants have cultivated for longer."
There was one more thing Xu Xiao didn't mention: Blue Silver Grass was growing more and more thickly in the area, far more abundant and lush than elsewhere.
Seeing this, Xu Xiao grew increasingly certain that this emperor was the renowned Blue Silver Emperor of Douluo Continent.
At the thought of having found this stepping stone, Xu Xiao grew excited.
Xu Xiao's words made Gui Mei and Yue Guan look around. It really did seem that way.
"Big Brother, Second Brother, I'll keep asking."
As he spoke, Yue Guan continued questioning the plants. The emperor's aura on him kept them from doubting him. Among plants, who else but a plant could possess such an aura?
Two weeks later, the three of them appeared in Star Dou Forest.
They proceeded even more cautiously. Xu Xiao was now certain that the emperor was the Blue Silver Emperor, and that Blue Silver Forest was inside Star Dou Forest...
Yue Guan had found her!
Blue Silver Grass blanketed the ground. Life thrived here, and a rich vitality washed over them.
"You... are an emperor, too?"
A gentle, ethereal voice came from the forest.
Everyone in Xu Xiao's group heard it clearly.
Before the three of them could respond, another voice, tinged with age, rang out. "No, that's not right. You don't have an emperor's bloodline!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Three incredibly thick vines shot out and wrapped tightly around Xu Xiao and the others. They moved at lightning speed, dragging all three into the forest in an instant.
"Xiao Lan, don't be rude."