"Your Eminence! Your Eminence?"
Inside the room, Ye Rou'er saw that Tang Hao seemed lost in thought and had not responded for quite some time, so she called softly to him twice.
Only then did Tang Hao cast aside the thoughts in his mind and pull himself back to the present.
"What is it?"
Ye Rou'er looked at Tang Hao with pleading eyes, her tone utterly humble.
"Your Eminence, the injury to your arm has been stabilized for now. As for your internal injuries and disordered meridians, there truly is nothing I can do."
"Please, for the sake of the treatment I have provided, show mercy and release my daughter."
Indeed!
Tang Hao had come to the Ye Residence and used Ye Lingling as leverage to force Ye Rou'er to treat him.
Otherwise, who would have dared become involved with a fugitive wanted by Spirit Hall?
Inside the room, Tang Hao gave a cold snort, then released the soul power restraints on Ye Lingling beside him.
The girl instantly collapsed to the floor, yet...
Faced with Tang Hao's ferocious expression and the enormous hammer in his hand, Ye Rou'er did not even dare step forward to help her own daughter.
"Remember! No one came here tonight. If you dare leak so much as a word, I won't mind making her disappear from this world ahead of her time."
Tang Hao's voice brimmed with killing intent, plain for anyone to hear.
Had he not feared that killing the Ye Family's mother and daughter would cause an even greater disturbance and expose his whereabouts, his disposition would never have allowed him to leave survivors.
Their only saving grace was that nine heart begonia enjoyed some renown in Heaven Dou City.
"Rest assured, Your Eminence. I will never let anyone else learn what happened tonight."
Ye Rou'er's manner was so humble that she all but knelt to speak to Tang Hao.
Seeing this, Tang Hao decided not to waste any more time with her. After looting every piece of jewelry in plain sight in her bedroom, he swiftly left the room.
Boom!!!
An explosive sound suddenly rang out in the courtyard. Ye Rou'er hurried to the doorway to look, only to discover that Tang Hao had shattered the courtyard's bluestone paving beneath his feet and launched himself into the air.
Once that god of slaughter had finally left, Ye Rou'er, her heart steeped in fear, could no longer hold herself up. Her body went limp, and she collapsed in the doorway.
"He's finally... finally gone!"
Heaven only knew how terrified she had been.
It had been the dead of night. Having lost her husband, she and her daughter were already left to keep watch over the vast Ye Residence alone, only for Tang Hao to suddenly break in and seize Ye Lingling without a word.
Ye Rou'er had even thought that death was certain tonight, or that an even worse fate awaited them.
Fortunately, he had only wanted her to treat his injuries and had taken some money and valuables...
"Lingling, Lingling, are you all right?"
Elsewhere.
Tang Hao streaked swiftly across the sky above Heaven Dou City as a dark red beam of light.
His injuries had now been stabilized, but his fallen cultivation had not recovered, nor had his internal injuries been treated.
All he could say was that several days of rushing about had barely saved his life.
How strange!
Why does my heart still feel so empty?
The farther Tang Hao flew, the more he felt something was wrong. A feeling lingered in his heart, as though something had been drawn out from the depths of his soul.
The last time he had felt this way was when his father had been angered to death...
Could something have happened to little San?
No! Since that fellow didn't kill me, it proves he bears no hostility toward little San or me.
Little San should be safest at his side.
Then why?
Tang Hao's heart was full of questions. This inexplicable dread left him deeply unsettled. Unless he figured it out, he would not even be able to sleep soundly.
"Oh no! Ah Yin!"
The following day.
The sun was already high, shining brilliantly overhead.
The students of Nuoding Academy had finally endured their morning classes and were now rushing toward the cafeteria to the sound of the dismissal bell.
Inside Lu Xuan's room.
Having completely refined the last trace of energy from the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, Lu Xuan abruptly opened his eyes. Life-aspected soul power, so dense that it nearly took tangible form, spread outward in ripples and filled the entire room.
"Phew..."
"Finally done!"
With the physical strength of a level 99 Peerless Douluo, Lu Xuan had needed less than half a day even to absorb a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.
He slowly exhaled, and information about the skills surfaced in his mind.
[Soul Bone Skill: Revival] [Upon activation, instantly restores all of the target's soul power, stamina, and vitality, regardless of their physical condition. (Can also trigger passively when on the verge of death.)] [Soul Bone Skill: Blue Silver Wings] [Upon activation, grants the target the ability to fly. The effect lasts until the target's soul power is exhausted.]
They were similar to the healing and flight skills Tang San had gained after absorbing the soul bone in the original story.
The two skills Lu Xuan had obtained could only be called enhanced versions of those, which left him somewhat disappointed.
Especially the second skill.
"The second skill is too much of a chicken rib-hardly worth keeping, yet a shame to discard. At best, it'll increase my current flight speed a little. Still... I can use it on other people. That's its only redeeming feature."
By now, Lu Xuan possessed two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones.
One from the Blue Silver Emperor, and one from the Soft Bone Rabbit.
The Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone had given him two support skills, while the Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Bone had given him two life-saving skills: Invincible Golden Body and Void.
"I've got survivability now, but I'm still short on ways to attack."
"From now on, I absolutely can't keep absorbing support soul bones. Not even hundred-thousand-year ones."
Lu Xuan made up his mind. Even if he encountered a two-hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone in the future, he would not absorb it. He would wait for soul bones with offensive skills.
After all, his current means of attack were far too limited. When he encountered enemies, he could only rely on his overwhelming strength, making even a brick fly through sheer force and bulldozing his way through.
Satisfying as that was, it lacked any beauty of combat.
"Tsk..."
"Let's see whether the system can give me rewards in that area later."
Setting aside his thoughts, Lu Xuan looked up and glanced out the window.
Judging that it was roughly time for the midday dismissal, he simply flashed over to the cafeteria entrance.
The moment he appeared, he spotted Xiao Wu looking around. Xiao Wu saw him at the same time and ran over exuberantly.
"Teacher, Teacher! You finally came out!"
The girl threw herself into Lu Xuan's arms, utterly affectionate, and chattered, "I want Crystal Carrots today, and carrot cake, and I also want..."
"Teacher!"
While Xiao Wu was still chattering, Tang San appeared from who knew where and suddenly interrupted them.
Lu Xuan turned his head. "What is it, little San?"
"Teacher, I'd like to ask you some questions about twin martial souls."
"Mm. Then wait for me at the cafeteria entrance after you've eaten."
After answering Tang San, Lu Xuan took Xiao Wu's hand and headed toward the cafeteria's second floor, as though the person he had just spoken to were merely an ordinary student passing by.
Tang San stood frozen in place. Watching their backs disappear around the bend in the stairs, he made no attempt to conceal the trace of loneliness in his eyes.
In the end, however, he did not follow them. He silently walked to the serving counter on the cafeteria's first floor.
On the cafeteria's second floor.
Lu Xuan and Xiao Wu approached the serving counter. The staff member immediately beamed and eagerly struck up a conversation.
"Teacher Lu, you're here!"
"Mm, the usual. Give me some extra greens."
"Coming right up!"
The middle-aged woman knew that Lu Xuan kept a low profile and did not like receiving special treatment, so she simply directed all her enthusiasm toward Xiao Wu.
"What would you like, Xiao Wu? Aunt Li specially made your favorite carrot cake today!"
"I want some, I want some! I want carrot cake!"
Before you continue