A Strange Encounter! Tang Ya's Spirit Guardian?

Looking at the ground dampened by her tears, Tang Ya rubbed her already reddened eyes and forced a smile. "Hehe, let's not talk about such unhappy things."

She shook the new storage Soul Tool on her wrist, a flicker of excitement crossing her features as she said triumphantly, "Isn't it pretty? Mu Guiyun gave this to Xiao Ya!"

At the mention of Mu Guiyun, the sorrow in Tang Ya's heart vanished in an instant, and she couldn't help but let a smile tug at the corners of her lips. "Right, Guiyun is Xiao Ya's best friend!"

"Ever since the day we met, Guiyun has always been taking care of me. It's just... he seems to treat Xiao Ya purely as a good friend."

Speaking of this, Tang Ya's tone became somewhat resigned. "It makes sense. Guiyun is a heaven-sent prodigy rarely seen in thousands of years on this continent; how could he possibly fancy someone like me?"

"But I'm not willing to give up..."

Recalling the vengeance for her parents and the little moments shared with Mu Guiyun, a sense of unwillingness suddenly surged in Tang Ya's heart.

"As long as it can give me power, I am willing to pay any price!"

Tang Ya bit her lip, her desire for strength reaching its peak at this moment.

As if hearing her obsession from the void, a voice filled with temptation suddenly exploded in Tang Ya's mind.

"Do you... truly desire power that much?"

This sudden voice made Tang Ya freeze. She hurriedly turned her head to scan her surroundings, yet the bamboo forest remained empty. A sense of vigilance rose in her heart, and she subconsciously gripped the jade slip in her hand.

"Who... who is speaking?"

"Hehe, who I am is unimportant. You only need to know that I possess the power you desire most!"

The voice whispered like a demon, crazily bewitching Tang Ya's ears.

Power...

Tang Ya swallowed hard, her small feet silently taking a half-step back.

"I don't need it, thank you!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Tang Ya turned and ran.

Mu Guiyun had warned her many times that if she encountered any strange things or people while out, she must stay away.

"You don't need it? Hehehe."

Watching Tang Ya's fleeing back, the eerie voice showed no surprise, instead letting out a soft chuckle. "The Emperor guarantees that if you leave like this today, it will be the most regrettable decision of your life!"

Regret? I'd only regret it if I listened to you! This Sect Master can tell at a glance that you're nothing good!

Ignoring the voice, Tang Ya increased her speed even further.

"Don't you want to avenge your parents? Accept The Emperor, and The Emperor will grant you infinite power!"

Vengeance...

Thinking of the Tang Sect's stolen foundation and the blood feud of her parents, Tang Ya's footsteps gradually slowed.

"And that... Guiyun? The Emperor can tell you seem to like him very much, but what a pity. How could a genius ever allow himself to be with a piece of trash? Hehehe!"

By the end, the voice even carried a hint of emotional fluctuation, sounding like mockery, or perhaps self-derision.

At the mention of Mu Guiyun, Tang Ya's movements slowed until she finally came to a complete stop.

Tang Ya knew her own talent better than anyone.

Even though she had reached the two-ring cultivation level at such a young age, her Blue Silver Grass martial soul would only become harder to cultivate as her Soul Power Level increased. Whether she could even graduate from the Shrek Outer Court was a question in itself.

Thinking of this, a bitter smile tugged at the corners of Tang Ya's mouth.

She was just thick-skinned and spoke without thinking, not truly stupid.

The fact that Mu Guiyun could bring an outsider to the third floor of the Treasure Pavilion spoke for itself; he would certainly remain at Shrek Academy in the future.

But what about her?

After leaving Shrek Academy, where could she go?

As if the voice could read Tang Ya's thoughts, the seductive tone echoed in her ears once more: "You have nothing left to lose anyway, so why not give it a try?"

"The lifespan of a Titled Douluo is very long. That person you speak of will eventually be with another woman, marry, have children, and live a happy life."

"And you? You can only watch it all silently from a corner like a rat, eventually turning into a pile of dust."

"Of course, he might occasionally remember that he once had a good friend like you, but that is all, hehehe~"

The eerie voice crazily stirred the softest parts of Tang Ya's heart, leaving her expression dazed for a moment.

That's right, she had nothing left anyway, so why not try?

Having made up her mind, Tang Ya cast her gaze toward the depths of the bamboo forest, raising the jade slip as she threatened with a show of bravado: "I... I warn you not to play any tricks, or else Guiyun will surely come riding on colorful auspicious clouds to save me!"

"Hehehe, he really is a good friend of yours."

The undisguised mockery in the voice made Tang Ya lower her head.

"Come with The Emperor."

Tang Ya's face hardened with resolve. She followed the voice deep into the bamboo forest, finally stopping before a hidden cave.

"How do I not remember there being a cave here?"

Tang Ya blinked in confusion. When she had built the grave for her parents, she had searched the entire bamboo forest from front to back.

Hearing these words, that voice rang out once more, brimming with arrogance: "Heh, as long as The Emperor wishes, no one in this world can find this place."

"Go in. The item is inside."

Not a single ray of light shone into the cave, yet Tang Ya could still see her surroundings with perfect clarity.

Such an eerie sight filled Tang Ya with trepidation, but she did not shrink back in the slightest; gritting her teeth, she walked straight toward the depths of the cave.

After an unknown amount of time, the path suddenly opened up. A vast, empty space appeared before Tang Ya, yet the scene before her left her so shocked she couldn't speak.

Standing in the center of the clearing was a dilapidated statue, which had clearly spent many long years in this place.

The surface of the statue was covered in cracks, its edges chipped and weathered, making it impossible to discern its original appearance. Even the three pairs of wings on its back had all been broken off, exuding an ominous and ancient aura.

Behind the statue stood an archaic, weathered altar.

Resting quietly in the very center of the altar was a scythe with a ferocious design. The entire weapon was wreathed in a dense, black-purple halo, as if it were emitting wisps of black mist. The terrifying aura radiating from it was enough to make Tang Ya feel inexplicably panicked just by looking at it.

"Where is this place?"

Tang Ya swallowed hard; she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't exactly a reputable place...

"Where this place is does not matter. What matters is that it can grant you unprecedented power!"

"Go and take it."

The voice was clearly referring to the scythe on the altar that was emitting wisps of black mist.

After hesitating for a moment, Tang Ya nodded firmly.

"I'll risk it. At worst, I'll just die!"