After venturing several miles into the forest, the three sensed a rich aura of life spreading through the air. They stopped, warily surveying their surroundings for any unusual movement.
"My king, great king, you have finally come to me."
An old man in white robes, glowing with blue light, materialized on the branches of an ancient tree. His voice was steeped in exhaustion.
Ever since the Blue Silver Emperor had taken human form and departed, their Blue Silver clan had grown increasingly weak. Even with all his strength, he had been unable to change that...
So that means I already have the Blue Silver Emperor's bloodline?
Ye Yan grew a little excited. This meant he would not have to take the most troublesome route of stacking life-attribute Soul Rings to achieve Martial Soul Evolution. Still, he wanted the Blue Silver King's eighty-thousand-year Soul Ring too. ૮₍ˊᯅˋ₎ა
Should I come back when I reach level forty and become a Soul Ancestor? Or should I awaken my Martial Soul first, then sweet-talk him into sacrificing himself to Ah Yin to help her recover her hundred-thousand-year cultivation sooner?
"Are you the Blue Silver King Sister Ah Yin told me about?"
What?!
The Blue Silver King descended before him in agitation and asked whether he knew the Empress's whereabouts.
"Ah..."
Ye Yan lowered his head with a sigh, then choked out the story of how Old Haozi had schemed against Ah Yin and tricked her into sacrificing herself.
Upon learning that the Empress had met with disaster, the Blue Silver King closed his eyes in anguish. Tang Hao, you really outdid yourself!
Snake Lance listened with great interest from the side. Naturally, he knew about Qian Xunji leading a team to capture a Soul Beast in human form, but this was the first time he had heard Ye Yan's version.
Really, though, Tang Hao running all over the continent with a pregnant Ah Yin had never made sense. They had failed to catch him after such a long pursuit, yet the moment he reached level 90, he had suddenly been cornered.
When the Blue Silver King opened his eyes again, a trace of grim resolve colored his gaze as he looked at Ye Yan. He wanted that Titled Douluo named Tang Hao to pay.
"Great king, I believe the Empress's original body, which still remains in this world, sensed the bloodline within you and guided you here.
"As your most loyal subordinate, I should not overstep my bounds. But out of my own selfish desire, I ask that you avenge the Empress once you possess sufficient strength."
Avenge Ah Yin?
Ye Yan agreed without hesitation. Even without the Blue Silver King asking, he would never spare Old Haozi or the Clear Sky Sect. After producing the likes of Tang Hao and Tang Chen, they still wanted to cling to life? As if they could get off that easily!
"Thank you, Your Majesty. From now on, please carry the strength of my fellow subjects and me as you continue onward."
As his words fell, his body transformed into a black pillar that reached into the heavens, enveloping Ye Yan. At the same time, the countless stalks of Blue Silver Grass throughout the Blue Silver Forest trembled in unison, willingly relinquishing the vitality and Soul Power they had accumulated.
Countless wisps of blue light rose from the earth. Glimmers gathered into streams, streams converged into rivers, and rivers merged into an ocean!
Within mere breaths, a boundless blue tide took shape and engulfed Ye Yan. Vast life energy surged madly into him through his skin.
His previously blocked extraordinary meridians opened under the rush, while the immense vitality washed impurities from his flesh, leaving it translucent as jade.
Seven days later
The surging tide of life finally subsided, and the forest returned to its former tranquility. But the Blue Silver Grass covering the ground had all dimmed, no longer possessing its earlier splendor.
Within the forest, the once fresh-faced boy was gone, replaced by peerless features a hundred times more beautiful:
Brilliant ice-blue hair hung to his waist, swaying gently; his slender brows seemed lightly painted in ink, their softness carrying a hint of nobility.
His lashes fluttered, and a watery haze suffused his pale-purple eyes. With a single upward glance, they seemed to hold an entire dazzling starry sky.
Below them, his nose was delicately sculpted and elegantly raised. His moist, softly gleaming peach-colored lips pressed together, looking especially alluring~
His figure was slender, his skin luminous and whiter than snow. He even carried a faint fragrance of cloud osmanthus; one gentle breath of it could soothe the vexation in one's heart...
Upon waking, Ye Yan immediately summoned his Martial Soul. Its sapphire-like stems and leaves were covered in fine golden patterns. After confirming that his Martial Soul had evolved into the top-tier Blue Silver Emperor, he looked toward the now-withered tree trunk nearby.
Ah, I miscalculated this time. He had not expected the Blue Silver King to react so strongly upon learning that Ah Yin had been schemed to death. To help him grow as quickly as possible, the king had sacrificed himself outright. Now his third ring started at over eighty-five thousand years.
But this had only worked because it was a sacrifice. He could not possibly absorb a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring for his next ring; his body simply could not withstand it. Still, it was too late to say anything now.
Ye Yan walked up to the trunk and pressed a hand against it. Before he applied any force, it crumbled into dust and scattered on the breeze. He fell silent for a moment, but soon, a blue glow left at the bottom of the pit caught his attention.
Ye Yan crouched, picked it up, and examined it. It was a right arm bone. He certainly would not absorb it himself, so whom should he give it to?
Hmm~
Looks like I can give it to Qian Renxue first to earn some affection. She has a Soul Bone set, so she definitely won't absorb it; then I can give it to Bibi Dong, who already has a Right Arm Soul Bone and won't want it either; finally, I'll give it to Yanyan as an engagement gift. Perfect. ≽^⚈⩊⚈^≼
After putting away the Soul Bone, the great genius Ye Yan had barely stepped out of the Blue Silver Forest when he spotted Dugu Bo and Snake Lance cultivating in meditation. Sensing movement, the two were about to stand and congratulate him on his Martial Soul Awakening.
Then Dugu Bo looked up. Holy crap, who's this? Is this still my dear grandson-in-law?
Snake Lance was dumbstruck too. Seriously, how are the rest of us supposed to live? I won't even go on about your unrivaled talent, kid. I've already griped about that endlessly with my good partner Pufferfish.
You were already handsome, and awakening your Martial Soul gave you a makeover too? Look at those features, that bearing. Tsk, we're done for. He remembered that their young lady, Qian Renxue, seemed to be a sucker for good looks. But doesn't this kid already have a fiancée?
At that thought, he cast Ye Yan a gleeful glance. There'll be quite a show to watch later.
With two grown men staring fixedly at him, Ye Yan felt a chill crawl over him. I know I'm handsome enough to leave the world weeping in despair, but you don't have to act like this.
I can understand my ready-made grandfather being shocked, but is there something wrong with Snake Lance?
Forget it, forget it. I won't stoop to their level for now. Ye Yan urged the two to set off back to Heaven Dou City. Dugu Bo finally came to his senses, his old face flushing red.
"Ahem, Xu Xiaoyan, how's that new Soul Ring of yours?"
Ye Yan knew he was changing the subject, but he was his grandfather, after all. He still had to let the old man save a little face.
"My new Soul Ring is an extremely special life-bound Soul Ring. It's currently over eighty thousand years old, and its Soul Skill is the weapon-type Blue Silver Overlord Spear. My cultivation also rose from level thirty to level thirty-five."
"A life-bound Soul Ring?"
The two were puzzled. They had cultivated for decades, even a century, and as Titled Douluos, their knowledge was naturally extensive. Yet what was this?
"A life-bound Soul Ring can keep growing alongside the limits of what its Soul Master can withstand. Mine formed when I received the sacrifices and homage of the entire clan during my Martial Soul Awakening. It's the only one of its kind on the whole continent."
After hearing Ye Yan's explanation, Dugu Bo laughed heartily and patted his shoulder.
"Wonderful! That's my grandson-in-law for you! You even managed to get your hands on a Soul Ring without precedent. Come on, let's head back first. Yanyan will definitely be delighted when she sees you looking like this."
Before you continue