Metamorphosis, Evolution

Time passed bit by bit. A cool breeze blew, rain drizzled down, and after a quarter of an hour, the charred skin began to curl and peel away in patches beneath the rain, revealing skin as white as an infant's.

At the same time, his dry, blackened hair visibly grew fuller and straightened, taking on a deep blue hue. In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, his smooth long hair had spread across the ground with the flowing water.

His facial features had also changed considerably, becoming softer in contour, while his formerly rough, dark skin had completely turned delicate and snow-white.

If one did not know him, Yang Yunhai would probably have been mistaken for a sleeping beauty from afar.

Who knew how much time passed.

The body lying prone on the grass suddenly trembled, and his fingertips twitched in turn. A moment later, his tightly shut eyes finally opened.

"Cough, cough!" The moment he opened his mouth, he choked on water. Yang Yunhai instinctively pushed himself up and coughed lightly while clutching his chest.

His gaze inevitably fell on the other hand bracing against the ground.

"Holy shit!" Yang Yunhai gasped in surprise.

So white, so tender! He clearly remembered that after absorbing the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, his skin had not been this pale.

He touched his face again. It really was incredibly soft.

"Was my skin damaged by the lightning and then repaired by the energy of the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, giving it new life? Or did my bloodline really evolve to the Blue Silver Emperor level?"

His thoughts raced. Thinking of that possibility, he no longer cared that it was still raining, nor did he bother checking the state of his body.

He hurriedly raised a hand and summoned his martial soul.

Its entire body was blue-green, its leaf veins a pale gold. Fine, lightning-like winding patterns spread out to both sides, while dense, faint golden markings could also be seen beneath the bark of its blue-green stalks.

"It really evolved!"

His pupils contracted as he swiftly closed his eyes and carefully sensed it. A moment later, he opened his eyes again, his face filled with regret.

It had evolved, but not completely.

According to the original work's description, if the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline completely awakened, one would directly awaken the Blue Silver Domain.

But he had not awakened a domain.

"Right. The Blue Silver Emperor I consumed was still in its juvenile stage. Perhaps its bloodline quality was still at the emperor level, but such a tiny plant definitely didn't provide much."

"So after consuming it, my bloodline couldn't directly evolve to its peak. Or rather, the bloodline quality was there, but it was still diluted and not concentrated enough."

"That's why the leaf veins of my martial soul aren't pure gold yet..."

After making a simple guess, Yang Yunhai sighed inwardly. "In that case, I'll probably have to visit the Blue Silver King in the future and see if I can try my luck. Or..."

As though he had thought of something, he lowered his head to look at his right leg and shamelessly asked, "Blue Silver Emperor, Ah Yin, are you there?"

Several seconds passed without any response.

"Looks like she isn't. Or she is, but her soul was injured by that lightning just now and is currently sleeping inside the soul bone."

Thinking back on it now, the woman's scream that had faintly echoed in his mind earlier should have come from Ah Yin's soul.

"Her injuries seem serious. She won't be able to recover anytime soon. I still need to meet the Blue Silver King, and I have to meet him. After all, his soul ring suits me very well."

"Have to say, I really am awful!"

Yang Yunhai could not help mocking himself. Then he fell silent, only raising his head several seconds later and striding toward the cave entrance.

"If the next part of the plan goes smoothly, I can compensate the Blue Silver King in another way."

"I might even help him become a divine beast."

He pondered as he walked into the cave.

"Judging from Tang San's awakening process, there are conditions that must be met to complete the awakening. First, Spiritual Power has to be strong enough. That should be related to the Blue Silver Domain. Without sufficient Spiritual Power, comprehending and using a domain really isn't realistic. Tang San met the requirement because he absorbed the Wisdom Skull awarded by the Soul Master Competition."

"The second condition is the energy needed to condense a Lifebound Soul Ring, and that energy must come from Blue Silver Grass."

"Tang San relied on the Blue Silver King and the many residents within the Blue Silver King's territory sharing their energy. The Lifebound Soul Ring Tang San condensed back then was 25,000 years old, which was no small amount."

"As for this second condition, aside from the forest where the Blue Silver King resides, it would probably be difficult to fulfill anywhere else. So no matter what, I have to go see the Blue Silver King!"

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he arrived at the puddle by the cave entrance. He was about to jump over it when he looked down and blurted out instinctively:

"Holy shit!"

"Is that me!?" He was startled again.

The water's surface was not calm, and it was even somewhat murky, but it still reflected his fair skin and deep blue hair.

"Did I turn into some pretty boy?"

Yang Yunhai, who had not had the chance to inspect his body just now, hurriedly jumped over the puddle and sat beside the lead box. He tore off his soaked, tattered clothes and carefully examined himself.

Then he came to a new realization.

"My skin is probably far better than that of a sixteen-year-old girl, isn't it? And my hair is fucking smooth..."

"Damn, I've gotten a whole lot thinner. Is this the legendary concentrated essence? Though with this build, even my eight-pack isn't very noticeable anymore."

"Add this fair, tender face, and damn it, won't people mistake me for a girl when I go out?"

"Most importantly, how am I supposed to explain this later? My Soul Power is already level 30. That's way too fast!"

"It shouldn't be solely because my bloodline and martial soul evolved. The Blue Silver Emperor was only such a tiny plant—how much energy could it possibly contain? The bulk of it should be the Thunder Attribute energy left in my body after the lightning poured into me, along with the remaining energy of the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone that fused into my flesh."

The original explicitly stated that soul bones mainly enhanced and strengthened the physical body, while soul rings were what increased one's cultivation.

Absorbing the soul bone earlier had already raised him by more than five levels, largely because his Soul Power Level had been low to begin with. How much more could the remaining soul bone energy improve him?

So, what about my Thunder Attribute?

With a shift in thought, Yang Yunhai immediately raised his right hand and summoned his martial soul, then willed the Thunder Attribute energy into motion. In the blink of an eye, Thunder Arcs shot out in every direction, pale gold in color.

Bloodline evolution can even dye the Thunder Attribute?

He was startled once again.

What about the condition inside my body?

Soul Power Level could be felt directly, but he had yet to inspect the specific condition within his body.

He hurriedly withdrew his martial soul, closed his eyes, and looked inward. Everywhere he looked, his meridians were suffused with a faint blue hue. Soul power surged through them, flowing without obstruction.

His total amount of soul power had also clearly far surpassed what it had been before.

But then... his mind suddenly jolted.

He abruptly discovered that all the meridians throughout his body seemed to have been opened. Those that had once been blocked and unable to let soul power pass, as well as those too narrow for soul power to flow through smoothly, now all seemed completely unobstructed.

This... Yang Yunhai was astonished.

Could it be that the thing from the wuxia novels in my past life, where the protagonist got struck by lightning while traveling and had his Eight Extraordinary Meridians opened, happened to me? he could not help thinking.

When he had devoured the Blue Silver Emperor's main body this time, he had indeed drawn down numerous bolts of lightning. Moreover, he had been protected by a soul bone skill activated using the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone's energy.

Thinking it over carefully, it really was possible.

If that's really the case, then I've struck it rich! Yang Yunhai withdrew his consciousness and opened his eyes, muttering blankly.

Wasn't the strength of Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill precisely its ability to open the Eight Extraordinary Meridians? Once the eight meridians were connected, the body's internal circulation became broader, soul power capacity increased, and soul power recovery speed greatly improved. He could unleash more soul skills, which was why Tang San in the original work could throw out soul skills as though they cost nothing.

As for cultivation speed, it was not particularly evident. That could be seen from the Shrek Seven Devils' cultivation speed during their time at Shrek Academy—they had not truly pulled far ahead. The reason Tang San's level soared later was because of Xiao Wu's sacrifice, Da Ming and Er Ming's sacrifices, and the God Trial. That was how he earned the moniker of the Douluo Who Sacrificed His Dead Wife and Brother.

Although I still don't understand what happened, one thing is certain—this is absolutely a good thing! Yang Yunhai clenched his fist and could not help grinning broadly, laughing with delight.

He had only ever heard about the Eight Extraordinary Meridians from television dramas and the like in his past life, and did not know the specifics. Still, that did not stop him from being happy about what had happened to him.

A stroke of good fortune was enough.

Then, it's time for me to acquire my Third Soul Ring! Yang Yunhai gathered his thoughts, his expression turning solemn.

Going back to Uncle Ao probably won't work, and neither will seeking someone at a higher-ranking Spirit Hall. The generally accepted age limit for a Third Soul Ring in the Spirit Master world is a little over 1,700 years. Now that I've absorbed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, my physical strength has increased enormously. I wouldn't dare claim too much, but 2,500 years should be the minimum, right?

No, more than that! Tang San had no soul bone, had not eaten Immortal Herbs, and had not undergone lightning tempering, yet he still dared absorb a 2,000-year Man Faced Demon Spider. Shouldn't my baseline be 3,000 years?

Three thousand years—Uncle Ao definitely won't agree. Besides, a soul beast of that age is not something that can be hunted in the Beginner Soul Hunting Forest. I can't put him in danger.

As for a higher-ranking Spirit Hall, it'll be difficult to explain. Two thousand years might work, but three thousand years would be too hard to justify. And I haven't been gone for long at all—the time is too short. My soul power has leaped directly from level 21 to level 30.

They might put me through a thorough examination. If they discover the right leg bone, that'll be a huge problem.

Better safe than sorry!

At that thought, he immediately sank into contemplation.

After a while, his brows furrowed slightly. It seems I can only hunt it alone. When the time comes, I'll claim it's 1,900 or 2,000 years old, which still counts as Cross-Level Soul Ring Absorption. As for the increase in my level, I can only call it a fortuitous encounter. I'll have to think about that.

In any case, no one can know for now that my Third Soul Ring can absorb one at the 3,000-year level.

Mm. He nodded slightly, narrowing his eyes. As for where to hunt the soul ring, the Star Dou Great Forest doesn't seem far from here. I should be able to find a suitable one there.

Notting City was located in the southeast of Fasinuo Province, with the Balak Kingdom to the east. To the south, it bordered the Star Luo Empire, while the Star Dou Great Forest lay between the two great empires.

By coincidence, the mountain range where he currently was lay directly south of Notting City. Thus, he only needed to travel southeast for roughly two days. Since he had a flight skill, he should be able to reach the Star Dou Great Forest in a single day.

With a flight skill, safety in the Thousand-Year Soul Beast Area shouldn't be a problem. Most importantly, what I need to hunt is an immobile plant-type soul beast.

With my first and second soul rings, I can keep draining it from afar while electrocuting it.

Hunting alone isn't impossible!

What's more, my martial soul has already evolved! Yang Yunhai's eyes flickered, his face brimming with confidence.

Because of the Martial Soul Evolution, his martial soul's Life Attribute had increased greatly. After continuously drawing down lightning earlier, his martial soul's Thunder Attribute had also been raised to a level close to that of its Life Attribute.

Its strength could be considered quite high.

In terms of realm, he might not yet be a Soul Elder. But in terms of martial soul strength and the power of his Thunder Attribute attacks, he believed himself stronger than the vast majority of Soul Elders with Thunder Attribute martial souls.

This was the result of a qualitative transformation in his martial soul!

I'll clean up and set off! Having made his decision, Yang Yunhai no longer delayed and immediately rose to pack his things.

The Lead Box was buried on the spot.

His underwear was dried over a fire. This place was dozens of li away from the Waterfall and in the opposite direction, so he did not believe Tang Hao's eyesight was sharp enough to spot the smoke.

The result was obvious: nothing happened.

At dusk, Yang Yunhai walked out of the cave. Using the dim cover of night, he activated his flying soul bone skill and rose into the air.

Once in midair, he turned back to look toward the Waterfall.

His brows lifted slightly as he murmured, Tang Hao, your... was really useful. The main body was useful, and the soul bone was useful too. As for the soul, sorry, I took that along with me.

Farewell!