"How was this possible?!"
Beneath the massive net woven from Blue Silver Grass that filled the sky, Tang San's pupils contracted. He had nowhere to evade!
Why wasn't her First Spirit Ring's skill Binding? Could it be that her first soul skill had not come from a Mandala Snake at all?
What had this girl experienced? Why was the gap between her and him so enormous?
Feeling the heavy, surging Soul Power in the air, Tang San clenched his teeth and tried to break free, but a strand of Blue Silver Grass still tightly wrapped around his arm.
Countless dense strands of Blue Silver Grass erupted beneath his feet in an instant, coiling upward layer by layer. Whether in toughness or growth speed, they were far beyond his Blue Silver Grass!
The gulf-like disparity was like a massive hammer smashing viciously into Tang San's heart, crushing the last trace of pride within him.
"Your Blue Silver Grass is poisonous."
Tang Yin lightly shook her head as she fiddled with the clump of Blue Silver Grass on the ground, its leaves tinted purple and bearing several additional snake-like patterns.
Sure enough, Brother Lin had been right. While such Blue Silver Grass could inflict poison upon hitting its target, how could a mere Binding soul skill compare to the growth ability she had obtained?
The difference between them now was the clearest possible contrast between heaven and earth!
"Just what kind of creature did your Spirit Ring come from?"
Having personally experienced the difference in strength between the two types of Blue Silver Grass, Tang San clenched his teeth and stared in disbelief at the vines wrapped around his body.
His Blue Silver Grass absolutely did not possess such toughness or growth speed!
"Enough. You lost, so let's end this here."
As Tang Yin approached him and raised her hand to disperse the Blue Silver Grass, her pupils suddenly shrank and instantly turned purple!
A flash of cold light shot from Tang San's hand, hurtling straight toward her eyes!
"Clang!"
A crisp metallic clash rang out as a jade-like hand caught the hidden weapon that had burst through the air.
"A Silent Sleeve Arrow? An enhanced version, too? Not bad."
Though she had been ambushed under such circumstances, Tang Yin showed not the slightest anger. There was only contempt for the person before her and the disdain that made Tang San unwilling to accept it.
The same method was completely useless against Tang Yin, who was also a disciple of the Tang Sect.
"But you still refuse to accept it even after losing so badly. You really are making quite an ugly display of yourself."
Her jade-like hand flicked lightly, and the Silent Sleeve Arrow's bolt floated away. As Tang Yin spoke, her delicate hand brushed over her bracelet—
"I have hidden weapons too..."
In the blink of an eye, a Zhuge Repeating Crossbow appeared in Tang Yin's hand before Tang San's utterly shocked eyes.
How could she have already forged even this kind of hidden weapon? Where had she gotten the materials? Where had she found the time? How could she still have done all this with such a high Soul Power Level...
"Bang!"
Giving Tang San no room to dodge, the strands of Blue Silver Grass wrapping around him left him able only to watch in despair as the crossbow bolts grew larger in his vision...
The swift bolts pierced through the boy's body completely, accompanied by bursts of bloody mist.
[ Ding, the outcome has been decided ] [ Victor: Tang Yin! ] [ Congratulations, Host. The first stage of A Different Path has been completed. Next match: after both sides obtain their Second Spirit Ring ] [ Releasing first-stage rewards ] [ Congratulations on receiving mission rewards: one Fixed Enhancement Coupon, one Divine External Soul Bone, and one God-bestowed Spirit Ring! ]
A Divine External Soul Bone?!! And a God-bestowed Spirit Ring too!!
The moment he heard the voice in his mind, Lin Yue's breathing stopped.
An External Soul Bone could grow without limit! What he had obtained was even the highest quality. A God-bestowed Spirit Ring could increase in age according to the user's maximum tolerance, with the highest limit approaching a perfect hundred-year Spirit Ring!!!
Before he could inspect them closely, an intense wave of dizziness struck him, and Lin Yue's figure instantly vanished from this arena...
The original world.
"Ha!"
Tang San suddenly bolted upright from his bed, gasping heavily, his face pale as ice.
A strange sense of loss lingered in his heart, making him unable to stop himself from clenching his fists.
That mysterious feeling of something missing made his entire body uncomfortable.
"Fortune theft? Was this what it felt like to have my fortune stolen?"
[ Ding, would you like to view a replay of your opponent's life? ] [ If you choose to view it, you may watch all information regarding your opponent's experiences prior to battling you ] [ Warning: As the other party is in a parallel world, all information may not be accurate. Please treat it with critical judgment ] [ Warning: Once you choose to view your opponent's past information, due to world interference, the information you view will be simultaneously played in the mind of one random person in your world ] [ Warning: Viewing information multiple times will increase information leakage. More people in your world will learn related information. Please use the replay function with caution ]
Tang San, who had just awakened, clutched his chest with tightly furrowed brows and gradually understood what the system meant.
In other words, although he could choose to replay and view everything from Tang Yin's past, that information would also be randomly sent into the mind of anyone in his world.
And the more information about Tang Yin he watched, the further it would spread. The first viewing might only be shared with one person, but the more he watched, the more people would be exposed to it at the same time. Eventually, it might become known to everyone.
Though she was merely another version of himself from a parallel world, if her information was exposed, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous loss for him as well. After all, they still shared many similarities...
At the very least, Tang Yin and he were alike in their Twin Martial Souls, birth circumstances, and many other things.
But the first viewing should be fine, right?
With that thought, Tang San gritted his teeth and ultimately chose to confirm.
The information about Blue Silver Grass evolving into the Blue Silver King was far too crucial. She had also possessed an innate Blue Silver Grass martial soul, so why had she become so powerful? He had to uncover the reason and tell his teacher, helping himself become stronger!
That was right. Losing a portion of his fortune was not frightening, and losing to another version of himself was not shameful. He still lived in this world. As long as he could help his current self grow stronger and become a Titled Douluo, then everything would be worth it!
Having made up his mind, Tang San took a deep breath and finally chose to watch through the information in his mind.
[ Ding... please wait ]
In Tang San's world, elsewhere.
Heaven Dou Imperial City, the crown prince's chambers.
"Young Master, we have already handled the information you requested. Those two groups of assassins were indeed prepared by the Second Prince and Third Prince's men..."
"Alright, leave it there. Have our people make their move. Show them no more mercy... However, since Xue Beng and Xue Ke were not involved, do not touch them."
"Yes!"
Within the secret chamber, an incomparably beautiful young woman sat before a mirror, applying makeup. Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure reflected within it, a trace of uncertainty surfaced in her eyes.
Who exactly was she? Qian Renxue, or Crown Prince Xue Qinghe?
She had worn the mask for so long that even she sometimes felt dazed.
She had come to Heaven Dou Imperial City at the age of nine to play the crown prince. She had spent even more time here than she had at Spirit Hall.
Looking at the haggard girl in the mirror, Qian Renxue could not help asking herself inwardly.
After giving up so much and coming to Heaven Dou Imperial City as an undercover agent, had it truly been the right choice?
Perhaps she should follow her grandfather's advice and devote more energy to her own cultivation. She could begin the Divine Examination early and accept the Angel God's inheritance.
But at the thought that this method could make that woman acknowledge her, Qian Renxue hardened her resolve once more and clenched her teeth.
Even if she had to endure all this conflict and suffering, she would succeed and make that woman look at her differently!
Casting aside every stray thought in her mind, Qian Renxue returned to her chair. This time, however, she did not choose to meditate.
She was tired, truly exhausted.
Her gaze fell upon the gifts from her second and third brothers on the dressing table, and a trace of anger appeared on Qian Renxue's face.
Royal blood, close family... Hmph, they were all nothing but sacrifices beneath the pursuit of power.
In the neighboring Star Luo Empire, brothers were respectful and close. Was Heaven Dou Empire any different? It was merely more concealed and more sinister. So many ministers found fault with her every day—weren't the aristocratic families behind them, those hoping to support a contender for the throne, the ones pulling the strings?
Unable to gain attention from her, unable to secure a place at her side or earn the merit of supporting the future ruler, they ran to the camps of the Second Prince and Third Prince, set up their own schemes, and sought to advance further. To that end, they did not hesitate to provoke conflict between the princes, using every underhanded and sinister method in an attempt to overturn the situation and seize the succession...
What had the rise and fall of six dynasties amounted to, if not private schemes for family interests?
"I only wanted to be a good elder brother... a good crown prince. But if you insist on this, then don't blame me..."
Rubbing her temples, Qian Renxue muttered as though comforting herself, or perhaps explaining herself to some god who might not even exist...
Recently, she had repeatedly plotted against the ministers' accusations while also planning to strike back at the Second Prince and Third Prince. Her energy had been stretched far too thin.
Forget it. She would indulge herself just this once.
That day, Qian Renxue did not meditate through the night. For the first time, she lay down on her bed, hugged the bedding, and fell into a deep sleep.
Yet the instant she fell asleep, a strange memory slowly began flowing into her mind...
From a first-person perspective, she seemed to have been reborn into the body of an unfamiliar little girl.
She had been born in a remote village in Fasino Province. From the day of her birth, there had been no trace of a mother. There was only an alcoholic father, who cared for her in the roughest possible manner.
The difficult years before she could move properly soon passed. Once she could finally walk steadily and take care of herself, that inhuman father completely stopped paying her any attention, as if she did not exist at all.
Every day, she went hungry and poorly clothed. Yet she could make no decisions for herself and could only grit her teeth and endure in silence.
Experiencing this unprecedented dream, a trace of sorrow rose in Qian Renxue's heart.
Though she vaguely realized that she was observing someone else's dream, the miraculous first-person perspective made her feel a thread of sympathy.
Hadn't she been the same? She had lost a loved one from a young age, while the other treated her as though she did not exist, ignoring her without the slightest concern. All she had received was cold indifference.
Trapped within the girl's body, Qian Renxue continued experiencing every hardship she had suffered from the first-person perspective.
Until...
A pair of warm hands firmly grasped her hand.
"Alright, this is enough."
That person's appearance was like a ray of light, illuminating the girl's previously dark life...