Interests

The Blue Silver King was not only essential for Han Tao to advance his rank, but also a piece of the Nine Heart Begonia's puzzle.

Yes, Han Tao did not believe Ye Lingling was being kind for no reason.

But at this moment, their interests overlapped.

Under the influence of interests, there was no right or wrong.

When interests overlapped, even hatred as deep as life and death could disappear without a trace.

This was Ye Lingling's overt scheme—a scheme that used mutual interests as bait.

With the overt scheme taking the stage, the covert scheme retreated behind the curtain.

After walking a few steps, he arrived at the edge of the bookshelves in the Library Pavilion.

In a conspicuous spot on the shelf sat a book titled Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul Poisoning Symptoms.

Originally, this had been the "gift" Han Tao prepared for Ye Lingling.

"One scheme, yet what a pity."

Before Han Tao returned to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, he had studied at Heaven Dou Royal Academy for nearly seven months.

Han Tao knew that Ye Lingling was also a girl who loved reading.

When dealing with an enemy, one naturally had to start with their weak point. This book had been written by Han Tao himself.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent was Dugu Yan's Martial Soul.

Ye Lingling was Dugu Yan's best friend.

Dugu Yan was Poison Douluo's granddaughter.

Poison Douluo controlled the "Immortal Herbs."

These pieces of information seemed ordinary, but when put together, they formed a "scheme."

The first step was to let Ye Lingling see Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul Poisoning Symptoms.

Ye Lingling would discover that Dugu Yan's Martial Soul had been eroded by poison for a long time. As her best friend, she would find a way to treat Dugu Yan.

With her abilities, if she could not do it herself, she would seek help from her mother.

The second step was for Ye Lingling to obtain Poison Douluo's gratitude.

What did a healing-type Soul Master need? Obviously, medicinal materials—medicinal materials that could assist with treatment.

And what did Poison Douluo have? Aside from the dozen or so medicinal materials in his ruined garden, what else could he possibly offer?

The final step was to obtain the Immortal Herb in Ye Lingling's possession.

With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's status, whether through purchase, exchange, or coercion—

There would always be a way to obtain one or two Immortal Herbs.

Throughout the entire plan, Han Tao only needed to place a book at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Poison Douluo's temperament was strange and unpredictable, so Ye Lingling would bear the risk.

Stealing the protagonist's opportunity would invite Fortune's retaliation, and Ye Lingling would bear this risk as well.

Avenge his grudge, avoid Fortune's retaliation, and obtain Immortal Herbs—three gains from a single move.

Ye Lingling's help to Dugu Yan contained no ulterior motive, so Dugu Bo would not become suspicious.

"Repaying a favor by seeking profit"—using someone else's favor to seek profit was precisely the result of Ning Fengzhi's teaching.

At this moment, it was just like that moment.

Han Tao had never been a kind person.

Faced with Ye Lingling's schemes against him, Han Tao would not remain unmoved.

At this point, schemes were meaningless.

Under the influence of interests, there was no distinction between right and wrong.

When their interests overlapped, the two became natural allies.

Han Tao walked to the bookshelf and put away Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul Poisoning Symptoms.

"Do you have a way to deal with the Blue Silver King?"

Faced with Han Tao's question, Ye Lingling gave a small shake of her head.

"The Blue Silver King is an advanced form of Blue Silver Grass. Its perception and Life Force are exceptionally tenacious. What could a healing-type Soul Master like me possibly do against it?"

"All right." Han Tao shook his head as well.

He did have a way to deal with the Blue Silver King, but now was not the time to discuss it.

Han Tao began weighing the method Ye Lingling had described for Martial Soul Evolution.

According to the Break Limit Evolution method, only by understanding the Martial Soul Essence and mastering the Blue Silver Origin could one find the path to strengthening Blue Silver Grass.

The first step was understanding the Martial Soul Essence. This required a Soul Master to sense, record, analyze, contemplate, and summarize their Martial Soul over a long period.

Han Tao had persisted in this practice all along. Thus, by a fortunate coincidence, he had unknowingly set foot on the path of Martial Soul Evolution.

The second step was mastering the Blue Silver Origin. This was difficult, yet simple in its own way.

The "Blue Silver Origin" was ultimately nothing more than accumulated energy. When choosing Soul Rings, there was already an assembly plan from Martial Soul Evolution Studies that could increase the Martial Soul's Origin Power.

A Soul Bone—the 100,000 Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone. This was a superior Soul Bone of Blue Silver Grass.

Even if three Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones were placed before Han Tao and he could choose only one, he would still take the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone.

Favored by heaven, perfectly compatible, and an unparalleled choice.

At the very end came the Blue Silver King, the unavoidable step Han Tao had to overcome to raise his rank.

The Blue Silver Forest was the Blue Silver King's reserve energy source. Every Blue Silver Grass was its eye, on top of its innate perception and Life Force.

Once it sensed danger and hid within the forest, there would be no way to find its whereabouts again.

It was difficult to kill—extremely difficult.

Even if Han Tao could summon Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, and even if Ning Fengzhi provided support, Han Tao would have only a seventy-percent chance of success.

"First, I need to make the Blue Silver King reveal itself."

The Blue Silver King looked very similar to Blue Silver Grass. If it did not come out on its own, then unless every strand of Blue Silver Grass in the entire forest was killed, there was no way to find its true body.

"The Blue Silver King will help Tang San awaken his Bloodline."

"The Aromatic Silk Beauty can halve the combat strength of all Plant Soul Beasts."

These were the two crucial pieces of information.

To help Tang San awaken his Bloodline, the Blue Silver King's true body had to appear. It would be exposed beneath the sunlight.

Constructing the awakening ritual would consume a huge amount of its Soul Power. Once the Bloodline awakening ritual was completed, the Blue Silver King would lose Fortune's protection.

"This is an opportunity."

"An opportunity that comes once in a thousand years!"

This was not merely a chance to kill the Blue Silver King. It was also the moment to seize the Blue Silver Origin of the entire forest.

Tang San's Martial Soul was Blue Silver Grass, and Han Tao's Martial Soul was Blue Silver Grass as well. He could completely absorb this vast and surging Origin Power.

In this way, Han Tao could tread upon the Blue Silver King's bones and become the true "Blue Silver King"! Tang San's awakening ritual would continue as usual, transforming him into a "Figurehead Emperor" who possessed only a rank and no Origin Power.

Yes, aside from his rank, he would possess nothing.

The Blue Silver King was not the peak of Blue Silver Grass. If Han Tao wanted to advance, he had to create an "Emperor."

An "Emperor" that could be usurped and provide a direction for future advancement.

With the plan determined, Han Tao began to think.

Time, space, external factors, subsequent changes—all of these needed to be considered.

Even with the advantage of moving first, plotting against the protagonist's opportunity still required the utmost caution.

"Blue Silver Grass and the Blue Silver King have a qualitative difference in their Growth Base, while the growth of Soul Power Level is related to Growth Base."

"The earlier one advances to the Blue Silver King, the greater the benefits."

If Tang San did not obtain an Immortal Herb, then when he participated in the All-Continent Elite Soul Master Competition, the Elemental Academy would definitely teach him a lesson.

Blue Silver Grass had almost no ability to resist the elements. Han Tao had experienced this deeply.

He would doubt himself. He would doubt his Martial Soul. He might even switch to the Clear Sky Hammer.

Tang Hao was Tang San's father. He certainly would not let him switch to the Clear Sky Hammer and would definitely intervene.

If that happened, Han Tao's goal would be achieved.

"No!"

When the plan reached its conclusion, Han Tao noticed something amiss.

Han Tao looked into Ye Lingling's eyes.

She seemed to be hiding something.

The "Fallen Red" Secret Method—this bait Ye Junlan had offered—had vanished without a trace from the entire Evolution route.

When Tang San awakened his Bloodline, he consumed an enormous amount of Soul Power.

A qualitative change arose from a quantitative change. Without quantity, how could one obtain an improvement in quality? The meticulous answer came from linking together microscopic information.

Han Tao guessed that the energy of "Fallen Red" was the foundation and energy that enabled Blue Silver Grass to raise its rank.

The "Fallen Red" Secret Method was not merely bait Ye Junlan had offered him. It was also a bargaining chip held by the two of them.

It was the source of Ye Lingling's confidence in presenting the theory of "Martial Soul Evolution."