"Senior, I only thought it seemed strange..."
In the jungle, Lin Yan lowered his head.
He was respectful, while also showing just the right amount of apprehension.
Apprehension toward Tang Hao's strength as a Titled Douluo! Apprehension that his words might upset someone important!
Sure enough, a deep curiosity surfaced in Tang Hao's eyes.
"Speak!"
He uttered just one word, but it carried Soul Power and sounded immensely weighty.
Lin Yan hurriedly began to explain.
"Senior, Blue Silver Grass is the most typical life-attribute Martial Soul. Its essence is rapid growth and tenacious vitality."
"But Tang San's Blue Silver Grass goes against that!"
"Poison attributes, parasitism... These aren't abilities Blue Silver Grass should possess."
Lin Yan raised his head slightly. Seeing that Tang Hao was listening intently, he straightened up a little.
"You know that if a Martial Soul is forcibly given a Soul Ring that conflicts with its attributes, it will inevitably suffer backlash over time."
"For example, giving a Fire Dragon Martial Soul an Ice Dragon Soul Ring..."
Lin Yan didn't continue, but realization had already dawned in Tang Hao's eyes.
Taking advantage of this, Lin Yan continued.
"Besides, he has Innate Full Soul Power. His cultivation speed shouldn't be this slow!"
At these words, the last trace of wariness in Tang Hao's heart vanished completely.
That was right!
How could life-attribute Blue Silver Grass be compatible with the poison-attribute Datura Snake?
No wonder Tang San had only barely reached level 29 at the age of twelve. The Datura Snake Soul Ring must have affected him.
Otherwise, if Tang San had absorbed a plant Soul Ring of similar quality when he reached level ten, he might already have become a Soul Ancestor by now.
"Damn Yu Xiaogang! He used a bunch of crooked theories to set Little San back by six years!"
Regret welled up in Tang Hao's heart!
"I should have noticed sooner!"
"Ah Yin's cultivation route was right there. Why did I insist on having Little San follow that useless Yu Xiaogang's theories?"
"One hammer, one stalk of grass—Twin Martial Souls!"
"And one of them has been wasted just like that!"
At the thought, Tang Hao clenched his fists. The air around him grew heavier.
"Phew..."
"Is there any way to fix this?"
Tang Hao let out a long breath and looked at Lin Yan.
Lin Yan nodded.
"There is!"
"The most direct way is for him to absorb life-attribute Soul Rings and a life-attribute Soul Bone later on, to neutralize the poison-attribute Soul Power he already has."
"But... I'll need to do more research before I can determine which Soul Beast would best suit Tang San's current condition."
"That will take some time."
When he finished, the air fell silent for a moment.
Tang Hao's fist, which had been clenched so tightly it creaked, relaxed slightly.
A short while later...
"Good!"
A hint of restrained excitement colored Tang Hao's voice. He even took a seemingly casual step forward.
"After winding through mountains and rivers with no way out, dark willows and bright flowers reveal another village!"
"Who would have thought that this obscure young man before me might be able to solve Little San's problem?"
When he looked at Lin Yan again, his gaze was no longer cold. Instead, it was filled with a peculiar trust and gratitude.
"My name is Tang Hao, and my title is Haotian."
"Tang San is my son. If you can restore his Martial Soul to its original state, I'll grant you one favor."
Lin Yan cupped his hands and bowed again.
"So you're His Excellency Haotian!"
"Your Excellency is too kind. It's my honor to meet a powerhouse like you."
"Please rest assured. I've always enjoyed researching Martial Soul Theory. Before long, I'll find the third Soul Ring best suited to Tang San."
Seeing how respectful and courteous Lin Yan was, Tang Hao couldn't help developing a favorable impression of him.
Of course, it was the kind of favorable impression one had for an admirable talent.
Tang Hao's current goal was to take revenge on Spirit Hall. In theory, the Heaven Dou and Star Luo empires had little to do with him.
But...
"The Heaven Dou Imperial Family?"
"You're quite capable, kid. You could make a fine subordinate for Little San one day."
Tang Hao took it for granted that Lin Yan was beneath him. He had even gone so far as to regard the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's army as a force he and Tang San could command.
It had to be said: when a person was too powerful, it was easy for him to become arrogant.
Lin Yan didn't follow up on Tang Hao's words. Instead, while the man was in high spirits, he brought up his true reason for luring Tang Hao out.
"Senior, have you... been staying by Tang San's side all this time?"
Tang Hao nodded.
Lin Yan continued:
"I heard Dean Flender say that we'll soon be going to the Star Dou Forest for Soul Hunting. When we do..."
"Don't worry. I'll be there the whole time! You don't need to worry about your safety."
At these words, the stone that had been hanging over Lin Yan's heart finally dropped.
He let out an unrestrained sigh of relief, the corners of his mouth lifting.
Seeing this, Tang Hao assumed Lin Yan was relieved because he'd heard his safety was assured.
The jungle fell briefly silent again.
It seemed they had both achieved what they wanted.
Before long, Tang Hao spoke first.
"All right, that's all."
"Little San is level 29 now. Go back and find a suitable Soul Ring for him as soon as possible."
"Also, don't tell him about me."
Lin Yan remained respectful.
"I'll remember."
Tang Hao nodded.
"Good. You can go back now."
"If you have any questions in the future, come out alone at midnight and meet me."
"Understood!"
Lin Yan had no need for further pleasantries. The moment Tang Hao let him leave, he turned and walked away from the back hill, heading back to his dormitory.
Tang Hao didn't linger either. He vanished back into the shadows.
The sun shone brightly overhead, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves. The world returned to its former quiet.
A short while later, inside the dormitory.
Lin Yan pushed open the half-closed door and immediately spotted Wen Ruan pacing anxiously back and forth in the living room.
"Did it work...?"
"Shh!"
Lin Yan raised a finger to his lips and shushed Wen Ruan, stopping her excitement.
He was afraid Tang Hao might still be watching him.
The room fell quiet. Wen Ruan forced down her emotions and walked into the bedroom, with Lin Yan right behind her.
In broad daylight, the two of them climbed right into bed.
It wasn't because they had any improper intentions. The enclosed space simply offered a strange sense of security.
Under the covers, Lin Yan and Wen Ruan pressed close together, each able to feel the other's heart pounding wildly.
Before long, Lin Yan finally spoke in a low voice.
"It worked."
Wen Ruan was overjoyed, but Lin Yan clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Just act like you don't know anything. Everything stays the same as before."
"But lately, we have to stick close to Tang San. Wherever he goes, we go."
"Only by staying with Tang San can Tang Hao protect us."
Wen Ruan didn't say another word. She simply blinked her beautiful eyes obediently.