1% Killing Intent

But even Tang Ya herself could not convince herself with that rebuttal. Under Jiang Mu and Jiang Nannan's gazes, her voice grew softer and softer.

"I..."

"Anyway, Sea God Tang San never used soul tools, so we successors naturally cannot use them either."

Jiang Mu was speechless. He raised a hand and pointed at the Twenty-Four Bridges in Moonlight hanging from her waist.

"Isn't that a storage soul tool?"

Tang Ya's face instantly turned red when she heard that. She opened her mouth and argued, "Th-this was passed down by the Tang Sect."

"Exactly. You said it was passed down, which means someone used it, didn't they?"

"Th-that's different."

Tang Ya's confidence grew weaker and weaker, and she nearly buried her head in her chest.

Jiang Mu calmly tried to persuade her.

"What's different about it? In the end, aren't they all just tools? Why not use a useful tool? Don't be so stubborn. Sometimes, you need to change—not just your actions, but your heart as well."

Tang Ya's reaction was easy to understand. She had been indoctrinated from childhood with the idea that Tang Sect hidden weapons were unrivaled under heaven, and she had grown up listening to Tang San's stories. Naturally, those ideas had influenced her over time.

Tang Ya might have recognized the problems with the sect rules, but those same rules were also what had allowed her to become sect master.

The Tang Sect had been destroyed, her parents had died, and he was the only one left.

So who was to blame?

Should she blame the Tang Sect's hidden weapons for not being powerful enough to compete with soul tools?

That conflicted with everything Tang Ya had been taught since childhood.

Should she blame herself for being inadequate, for her Blue Silver Grass martial soul failing to grant her strength like Tang San's?

Who would blame themselves?

After counting through the possibilities, the only thing left to shoulder the blame was the soul tools openly stealing their business.

That was why Tang Ya needed to change her way of thinking.

"..."

Tang Ya had been left speechless.

Jiang Mu did not care whether she spoke or not. He checked the revenge list to see whether Tang Ya had been added because of what he had said.

However, Bei Bei was still the only lonely name on the list.

"Don't put Tang San on too high a pedestal. He was still human and had selfish desires. When he was weak, he used soul tools too."

"Besides, are the techniques he passed down really complete? His techniques could allow one to become a god. If they truly had not been altered at all, then after tens of thousands of years of such rapid development, it would not be impossible for a genius even stronger than him to emerge. With those techniques, creating a god position would not be difficult."

"Tang San was a schemer. Who's to say the techniques he gave you were complete?"

Jiang Mu did not hold back this time. He wanted to see whether Tang Ya could make it onto the list.

Every word struck straight at her heart. After all, Tang San was exceptionally sacred in her mind, without a single blemish.

Just as Jiang Mu expected, after hearing those words, Tang Ya's embarrassed expression darkened. Yet after only a moment, it fell again.

Jiang Mu checked the list, and sure enough, there was a new entry.

[Tang Ya, Soul Elder, killing intent index: 1%, available range of retaliation...]

Only 1%?

That was far too little. At most, he could take advantage of her backlash. What use was the rest?

Yet even after staring at it for a long while, the killing intent did not rise. Jiang Mu's expression fell. Had he raised her favorability too high earlier?

Then perhaps this killing intent was merely a subconscious reaction. If it could drop, she would probably have already disappeared from the list.

Just as expected, when he checked again, her current killing intent had vanished.

But Tang Ya still raised her head, unwillingness written across her face as she spoke.

"I don't believe Sea God Tang San would have such selfish intentions and scheme against future Tang Sect masters."

Everyone had selfish desires. Tang Ya might have understood that, but she would never admit it.

Jiang Mu fell silent at those words. Tang San could even scheme against his own daughter. What the hell was a Tang Sect master worth?

Seeing Tang Ya's hesitation, Jiang Mu felt that perhaps all she needed was confirmation. After a moment of silence, he said, "Think whatever you want. But I can give you a hint. When you have time, try looking for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. You may find the answers you want there."

"Th-this..."

When Tang Ya heard that, the stern set of her mouth instantly collapsed.

"If the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well could really be found, the Tang Sect would not have declined to this point."

"I heard that Shrek Academy's inner court has a disciple who inherited Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul from the original Shrek Seven Monsters. He needs the legendary immortal herbs to suppress it. Even they have not found it, so how could I possibly find it? Even if it really contains what I want to know..."

Tang Ya was deeply dejected. Even if there truly was information she wanted inside, even Shrek, with its enormous resources and influence, had failed to find it. What ability did she possess that could possibly let her find it?

"..."

It truly would not be easy to go there. Perhaps the divine soul Tang San left behind would slaughter him the moment he arrived?

As a must-visit location for anyone who transmigrated into Douluo, Jiang Mu had some thoughts about it as well. After all, immortal herbs were very useful for improving the quality of his martial soul.

But finding the place would be difficult. There was a poisonous miasma outside and hundred-thousand-year soul beasts within. Those would not be too troublesome once he reached the Title Douluo level, but the key issue was the safeguard Tang San had left behind.

That was not something a Title Douluo could handle.

Still, he did not know how to enter that must-visit mandarin duck hotpot.

As for Tang Ya's situation, Jiang Mu did not have too many thoughts about it. Since she had helped him, he casually offered a few words of advice. Whether she believed him or not had little to do with him.

If she did not make it onto the list later, he could simply watch from the sidelines. If possible, he could also take her into his harem.

Jiang Mu subconsciously raised his head to look at Tang Ya.

Tang Ya was quite pretty, especially with her youthful aura. Perhaps because she was in a bad mood, she looked truly dejected now, but that gave her a different sort of beauty.

If he transmigrated and did not build a harem, would that not make the whole journey pointless?

Besides, Bei Bei already hated him. Shouldn't he take revenge a little?

With that thought, Jiang Mu said, "Xiao Ya, have you ever considered joining another faction?"

Tang Ya looked at Jiang Mu again and asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Jiang Nannan, standing nearby, had already puffed out her cheeks.

Jiang Mu ignored her. "The Tang Sect has already been destroyed. Why not consider joining another sect?"

"Hehe."

Tang Ya lowered her head and replied calmly.

"With my talent, what faction would want me? Even if they did, it would only be for the Mysterious Heaven Technique. Once I handed it over, I would have no value left and could be discarded at any time. Besides, I don't want to live under someone else's roof."

In the end, she smiled as though mocking herself.

But Jiang Mu ignored that and spoke with a smile.

"How about joining my faction? In the future, I want to establish an extremely powerful sect. It is still in its early stages, so we could keep each other company."

"Forget it. With this sister's talent, I won't hold you back, Xiao Mu." Tang Ya shook her head in refusal.

Jiang Mu had not expected her to agree immediately. This answer was within his expectations.

For the rest of the journey, no one spoke again.

Tang Ya was normally a lively person, but because her hand was injured, she kept her legs stretched flat on the seat and maintained her distance from the two of them, appearing quite shy.

She would blush even when changing her medicine, though she was not overly fussy and did not insist that Jiang Mu and Jiang Nannan turn away.

And so, they hurried nonstop toward Shrek City.