Although Ah Yin was also close to Tang Hao, Yang Fan knew that once Tang Hao saw Xiao Wu, he would definitely focus most of his attention on that rabbit.
Either he would make Tang San follow the same path he had, or he would kill her for her Soul Ring and Soul Bone. In short, he would never let her go.
With Xiao Wu drawing attention up front, dealing with Ah Yin would be much easier.
The new term at Nuoding Academy was about to begin, and Tang Hao would certainly follow along to observe for a few days.
That had been explicitly stated in the original story. Still, it probably wouldn't be for long, so he had only a few days. For safety's sake, he'd best keep it to no more than two.
Shambhala Village wasn't far from Holy Soul Village, and there weren't many waterfalls around. He'd been considering Ah Yin and her Soul Bone for a very long time.
There weren't many natural treasures outside blessed lands in the Douluo series, but Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were treasures from head to toe. Their Soul Rings, Soul Bones, and even their corpses were all rare and precious.
If he hadn't gotten that Whale Rubber by chance, and didn't have the confidence that came with the Heart of Eros, he truly wouldn't have dared target Ah Yin.
He'd arrived four years before Tang San. Without his cheat, even if he obtained Ah Yin's Soul Bone, he would struggle to break through to level forty after all those wasted years.
As long as he didn't become a god, Tang San would settle the score with him sooner or later. Would a Tang Sect disciple renowned for poisoning people with Hidden Weapons really be a kind soul?
There weren't many scenes in Douluo that directly showed Tang San killing people, but that didn't mean he'd killed few. His experience obtaining the Divine Slaughter's Domain, in particular, showcased his merciless killing to the fullest.
You had to slaughter at least ten thousand people to qualify for Asura God's legacy.
Actually, the best time to take Ah Yin was when Tang San and Xiao Wu graduated and headed to Shrek.
But that was far too long to wait. In other worlds, a ten-year-old to sixteen-year-old would only just be beginning cultivation, but in Douluo, the earlier you started cultivating, the better. The older you got, the slower your cultivation became, and many gods even imposed strict age limits for breaking through to the Title Douluo realm.
With the Heart of Eros, Yang Fan wasn't particularly interested in becoming a god. At worst, he could create his own godhood. Add to that the several invading planes in Douluo 3, and creating a Second-Level Godhood—or even a First-Level Godhood—wouldn't be difficult for him.
But time was something he had to consider. The earlier he crossed over in the timeline, the greater his chances of becoming a god in the future. Whatever else you could say about this world, which had been called the shame of the fantasy genre, its promise of immortality was undeniably appealing.
Yang Fan pondered all this as he made his way forward.
He'd secretly found out when Old Jack from Holy Soul Village had hired a carriage, then used that to work out when Tang San would leave.
He had just broken through to Soul Master, and Soul Power didn't do much to help him travel faster. He needed to set out early and scout the waterfall.
Once Tang San had been on his way for half a day, he'd cross the waterfall, enter the cave, make off with Ah Yin's body, and absorb her Soul Bone.
Flight and life-force healing were both excellent abilities. They would let him build up his strength much faster.
The life-altering powers of a life-element Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Bone might also further replenish his Martial Soul Origin and raise his Innate Soul Power.
It was a shame his Martial Soul wasn't a Body Martial Soul or Blue Silver Grass. Otherwise, he'd have a good chance of evolving it.
The sun had reached its zenith, and Yang Fan knew the time had come.
Tang San and Old Jack had most likely already reached Nuoding Academy, with Tang Hao following behind them.
He couldn't let this opportunity slip by.
Yang Fan summoned his Martial Soul. The monocle, set in a gold frame with a purple crystal, appeared over his right eye, and he couldn't help grinning like the Dragon King.
The waterfall was enormous and the current ran fast. It wouldn't be easy to climb without using unconventional methods.
But what sort of person was Yang Fan?
A transmigrator, that's who! Sure, he didn't have much hands-on climbing experience, but he'd watched plenty of short videos. Combined with the slight boost to his physique from absorbing a Soul Ring and Whale Rubber, he only had to put in a little effort before he successfully crossed the waterfall and reached a dark, damp cave.
Even at high noon, the cave was pitch-black.
But that didn't trouble Yang Fan, who was wearing his monocle.
It was just ordinary darkness, not some Soul Skill formation. With night vision from his Martial Soul, which enhanced his eyesight, it was child's play.
He soon found the Blue Silver Emperor sapling.
Though it possessed abundant vitality, anyone could see that the plant wasn't growing well.
It looked rather sickly. It didn't resemble Ah Yin so much as Lin Daiyu.
Tang Hao had quite a knack for tormenting the Blue Silver Grass royalty until it was in this state.
Just as he'd expected, there wasn't any other Blue Silver Grass in the cave besides Ah Yin.
Blue Silver Grass could be found even in the Extreme North, yet there wasn't any here.
Clearly, Tang Hao had deliberately cleared it away.
Yang Fan thought about many things, but his hands and feet were quick. He soon found the wooden box containing the Soul Bone and transplanted Ah Yin into a small flowerpot.
Yang Fan could feel Ah Yin resisting, but he didn't care.
If he let Ah Yin grow in the sunlight and call on the surrounding Blue Silver Grass, she might actually become difficult to deal with. He didn't have much time. If Tang Hao returned before he was done, he'd be doomed with no chance of escape.
But right now, this sickly Blue Silver Grass—no, the Blue Silver Emperor—was his for the taking.
He grabbed her and refined her in an instant.
After achieving his goal, Yang Fan carefully cleaned up all traces he'd left behind.
Tang Hao wasn't a kind man. Once he discovered that the Soul Bone and Ah Yin had been stolen, he would be absolutely furious.
Yang Fan might be able to escape, but the people of Shambhala Village would probably be slaughtered to the last.
The whole operation had taken much less time than Yang Fan had expected.
He returned to his shabby little house in Shambhala Village and began to reflect on whether he'd overlooked anything during the operation.
He'd covered his tracks meticulously. With Tang Hao's fiery temper, he shouldn't find any leads, so naturally he'd suspect experts above the Soul Sage level.
Ordinary people couldn't leave behind no traces at all, let alone find that hidden cave.
That was the habitual arrogance bred over tens of thousands of years by powerful Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent toward those at the bottom.
Who would have thought that a ten-year-old Soul Master could find Ah Yin and clean up after himself so thoroughly?
Only Tang San, with his Purple Demon Eye and lack of fixed assumptions, might be able to spot a few clues.
But Tang Hao wouldn't tell Tang San the truth anytime soon. He was still planning to raise Tang San so he could return to the Clear Sky Sect. He wouldn't let these matters affect Tang San's growth.
Besides, could Tang Hao really trust this strange son who seemed to know things from birth?
He wasn't stupid. A truly clever person simply knew when to play dumb.
If Tang San had really been his son, he wouldn't have tormented him so badly. He only changed his attitude after Tang San awakened twin Martial Souls and revealed Innate Full Soul Power.
Next came absorbing the Soul Bone and winning Ah Yin over.
The latter wouldn't be easy in the short term, but the sooner he absorbed the Soul Bone, the better.
He wasn't worried that Ah Yin would use the Blue Silver Grass to contact Tang Hao.
He'd already told Ah Yin what Tang Hao was really like. Her faint consciousness didn't believe him, but after years of torment in darkness and now enjoying sunlight and freedom, she must have some idea.
Yang Fan didn't hesitate any longer. He circulated his Soul Power with all his might, and his Monocle Martial Soul instantly appeared.
"Buzz—!"
The instant he touched it, the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone seemed to come alive. It turned into a brilliant blue-gold streak of light and shot straight into Yang Fan's right leg without the slightest resistance!
"Boom!"
An indescribably terrifying energy erupted within him! An endless torrent of life force surged through his limbs and body, sweeping through him like a flood breaking through a dam. Yang Fan grunted as countless intricate gold-and-blue patterns appeared across his skin. His right leg was completely enveloped in brilliant light, and he seemed to transform into a sacred Blue Silver Grass towering to the heavens.
Pain? No, there wasn't the slightest trace of pain.
Instead, a warmth and nourishment beyond compare washed over him. The energy was both gentle and domineering. Wherever it passed, his meridians continued to widen and strengthen. His bones, muscles, and every last cell underwent a complete transformation.
A crystal-clear Blue Silver Grass had appeared beside his sunlit window, glowing as it danced in the breeze.
Yang Fan's aura seemed to resonate faintly with its dance.