"Humph!"
Watching his exhausted son fall asleep, only for his daughter to carry him from the carriage into the hotel in her arms, Tang Hao's face turned livid. Yet in the end, he allowed the two little ones to stay in the same room and walked away on his own.
Now that they had obtained their First Spirit Ring, the two children returning to Nuoding City were safe.
Tomorrow, Xiao San would go to Spirit Hall to register as a Soul Master and receive her monthly Gold Soul Coin stipend.
At such a crucial moment, as her father, he had to make some sort of move to draw Spirit Hall's attention.
Otherwise, if those fellows at Spirit Hall had nothing better to do, they might report Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power.
Once information such as the Tang family, the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, and Innate Full Soul Power reached Spirit Hall's higher-ups, his Xiao San would be in trouble!
"Perfect. Watching those two little ones fight today has made my hands itch as well."
With a sinister grin, Tang Hao clenched his right hand, and a heavy Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his grasp.
The next instant, his figure vanished completely.
That night, countless Spirit Hall branch halls were destined to remain awake all night...
"Chirp... chirp..."
Only after several red marks had appeared on Lin Yue's face did Tang Yin finally stop, her face flushed crimson as she pressed her burning cheeks tightly against the chest of the one she loved, unwilling to separate.
"Brother Lin, what were you doing just now? Why did you suddenly fall asleep in the carriage?"
"Ah, just now, I..."
Looking embarrassed, Lin Yue scratched his head. Only then did he realize that the mental strain and energy consumed during enhancement had made him appear to have fainted.
He had been too absorbed in enhancing that he had completely forgotten about the time outside.
Still, the thing he valued had finally fallen into his hands.
His divine sense swept over the dazzling Life Marrow inside his Soul Tool, and merely thinking of it made Lin Yue's heart race!
A Ten Thousand Year Spirit Bone! This was a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Bone!
As long as he obtained items such as an Amplification Protection Coupon or something that increased the success rate of enhancement later, this Spirit Bone would have a chance to advance completely to the Hundred Thousand Year level!
After taking several deep breaths, Lin Yue suppressed the excitement in his heart and looked toward the entry at the very top of the system task list.
[Epic Quest: Different Paths] [Quest content: Train Xiao San (Tang Yin) to compete against Tang San from the original world during the same period]
"System, what reward will I receive if I succeed?"
Gritting his teeth, Lin Yue asked curiously.
An Epic Quest... This was even the system's only quest released on its own initiative, rather than a commission formed from someone else's intent.
[If the protagonist cultivated by the host defeats Tang San, the host may seize Tang San's fate and enhance the protagonist cultivated by the host] [At the same time, the host will receive double fate and an additional reward]
"What additional reward?"
Fate was elusive and difficult to cash in within a short period. That additional reward was the most direct reward Lin Yue could actually see!
[The first victory will grant one Fixed Enhancement Coupon, one random External Spirit Bone reward, and one random equivalent-value reward]
"Gasp!!"
Lin Yue had just been wondering whether there were items like Fixed Enhancement Coupons that guaranteed successful enhancement, yet he had never expected the reward for winning the first match to be such a treasure!
There was even an External Spirit Bone reward, whose value was surpassed only by a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Bone!!
Besides those two, there was also a random reward of nearly equal value as an extra surprise!!!
"No, we have to win this first match. We cannot allow even the slightest possibility of failure!!"
Thinking that Tang San from the original novel might be forging some inexplicable hidden weapon in the blacksmith shop, Lin Yue gritted his teeth, unease rising in his heart.
What if, because of this arranged match, Xiao San from the original world experienced some butterfly effect and became stronger?
With rewards of this level at stake, any price was worth paying. He had to be cautious and leave no possibility of failure!
Having made up his mind, Lin Yue let out a long breath and swept his right hand over the Spatial Soul Tool at his waist.
That was right, he was considering whether to give the Life Marrow to Tang Yin now.
In the original story's growth path, Xiao San would smoothly obtain all kinds of Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Bones. The Spirit Bones in all four limbs were Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Bones, while her only Ten Thousand Year head spirit bone, a spiritual Spirit Bone, merged with the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud during the Sea God trials and rose to the Hundred Thousand Year level, reaching its peak.
But Xiao San in the original story truly did not possess a torso Spirit Bone before becoming a Titled Douluo or even reaching the pinnacle at Sea God Island.
Her torso Spirit Bone came from a million-year Soul Beast—the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.
Even for that million-year Soul Beast, the absorption of its Spirit Ring and Spirit Bone had been aided by the Sea God from behind the scenes. Otherwise, the remnant soul of that Soul Beast alone would have been enough to give Xiao San a serious headache.
In other words, if Tang Yin retraced Xiao San's old path, her torso bone would remain empty until she became a Titled Douluo.
But since all future matches would proceed with the passage of time, leaving that slot empty was clearly an enormous waste.
Even if she used this Ten Thousand Year torso bone now, once she reached the final stage, the Sea God could still strip away the Spirit Bone or fuse and strengthen it with the million-year Demonic Whale King.
Or perhaps...
Looking at the bewildered Ah Yin, a terrifying plan suddenly sprang into Lin Yue's mind—
He might be able to enhance this Life Marrow to the million-year level!!
As for the million-year Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's Spirit Bone, naturally, he could accept that for himself!
This way, not only would the Spirit Bone's attributes match perfectly, but Ah Yin's combat power would receive the greatest possible boost in the early stages, completely eliminating the possibility of her losing to Xiao San from the original story.
Although Ah Yin was already very strong, there was no guarantee that Xiao San over there would not encounter some fortuitous opportunity. To be safe, Xiao San, you'll have to work a little harder and endure Ah Yin's beating.
The corners of his mouth lifted. Having made his decision, Lin Yue reached out, took the crystalline, dazzling Spirit Bone from the Twenty-Four Bridges Bright Moon, and held it before Tang Yin.
The instant the Spirit Bone appeared in the guest room, a faint emerald-blue glow lit up the entire space and immediately captured the girl's attention!
At this sight, Tang Yin's pupils constricted as she murmured in disbelief:
"Th-this... what is this?"
The vast, boundless life aura on the Spirit Bone even caused the origin of her Blue Silver Grass to stir faintly!
Especially the familiar sensation coming from the Spirit Bone, which made her First Spirit Ring resonate slightly.
"Could this be a Spirit Bone?"
Without touching the divine object suspended before her, the girl bit her lip and stared at Lin Yue in shock.
Having once read scattered records about Spirit Bones in the academy library, Ah Yin knew that her judgment was correct. She simply did not understand where Brother Lin had obtained such a treasure!
"That's right, it's a Spirit Bone. I prepared it for you, so absorb it. It should suit your Blue Silver Grass and First Spirit Ring very well."
As he spoke, Lin Yue revealed a faint smile. He had long since made plans for Ah Yin's development.
Blue Silver Grass would follow a path of ultimate vitality, strengthening itself, endlessly regenerating, inexhaustible and infinite.
The Clear Sky Hammer, meanwhile, would follow another path: ultimate attack, absolute slaughter, brewing destruction and shattering everything.
Possessing two top-tier Martial Souls while pursuing two extreme paths, merging her Soul Power into one and balancing offense and defense—this was the path most suitable for Ah Yin in Lin Yue's plans.
With such planning and development, if nothing else, it would certainly be far superior to the bullshit plan of that so-called master, Yu Xiaogang...
"But Spirit Bones are such important things..."
The moment Tang Yin reached out and touched the Spirit Bone, her expression changed drastically. She withdrew her hand as if shocked by electricity.
That surging vitality, that attraction that made her crave it to the extreme...
Without question, her Blue Silver Grass instinctively yearned for that rich life energy.
Tang Yin even vaguely felt that if she successfully absorbed this Spirit Bone, her Blue Silver Grass would undergo some astonishing transformation.
But shouldn't such an important Spirit Bone be absorbed by Brother Lin himself?
"All right, don't dwell on it. This Spirit Bone is filled with immense life energy and is the best match for your Blue Silver Grass. It doesn't suit my Martial Soul very well, and I wouldn't gain much from absorbing it."
Seeing Tang Yin struggle as she looked at him, fully aware of what she was thinking, Lin Yue smiled with a calm expression and not the slightest hesitation.
Seeing the expression of the one she loved, the softest place in Tang Yin's heart was struck fiercely once more, and her entire body began to tremble faintly.
This was a treasure that ordinary Soul Masters would shed rivers of blood to obtain. A Spirit Bone that could turn father and son against each other, or even cause an entire faction to collapse...
Yet before Brother Lin, it was given to her so easily.
Did she truly deserve this favor and care?
No, she deserved it!
With that thought, Tang Yin's face flushed crimson. Rather than touch the Spirit Bone on the ground, she lunged forward and tightly wrapped her arms around Lin Yue's neck.
Because even she herself... should belong entirely to Brother Lin.
"Brother Lin, I'll teach you the Mysterious Heaven Skill right now."
The girl breathed softly, her eyes bright as stars.
"Ah? Aren't you going to think it over some more?"
"No. I'm teaching you now."
Puffing out her cheeks, Tang Yin's entire body burned hot, but she clung tightly to Lin Yue and refused to let go.
"Ah, all right."
Recalling the slight sluggishness and difficulty from when he had absorbed the Spirit Ring earlier, Lin Yue nodded.
Indeed, among the Tang Sect's many cultivation methods, the thing most useful to him was undoubtedly the Mysterious Heaven Skill.
As Arad's Sword Saint, he knew everything. He lacked neither moves nor combat techniques; only this internal cultivation method, the Mysterious Heaven Skill, could truly be of some help.
As he pondered, a thought suddenly sprang into Lin Yue's mind—
"Since the Universal Amplifier can enhance anything, can it enhance the Mysterious Heaven Skill and elevate it into an even more powerful cultivation method?"
But when he saw Tang Yin blush as she extended her delicate hand and began fumbling around his body, seemingly preparing to remove his outer clothes, Lin Yue's eyes widened. He immediately covered his collar and said in panic.
"Wait, aren't you teaching me the Mysterious Heaven Skill? Why are you taking off my clothes?"
"This is to point out the meridians Brother Lin's internal energy needs to travel through... It's a necessary step for passing on the technique."
"Is that so?!"
That was not how the books from his past life described it, hey!!
"That's exactly how it is. This is so I can personally pass the technique on to Brother Lin more effectively."
With her cheeks flushed red, Tang Yin raised her left hand. As Blue Silver Grass appeared, her dark yellow Spirit Ring glimmered faintly, and her lips parted slightly:
"Brother Lin... don't resist. It'll be over soon... It won't hurt..."
The rapidly growing Blue Silver Grass wrapped around the entire room, completely drowning out Lin Yue's muffled cries of resistance...