Escaping Star Dou Forest—Testing the Soul Seed's Power
Leaving Star Dou Forest was far easier than entering.
Tang Lan activated Blue Silver Domain,
masking both his and Tang San's aura as mere Blue Silver Grass.
🔹 With his spiritual power scanning ahead, he easily avoided the powerful ten-thousand-year soul beasts.
🔹 Any smaller soul beasts that tried to ambush them?
—Tangled up by Life Spirit Blue Silver Emperor.
Then—
🔹 "Life Burial!"
—A single mass absorption drained them dry!
—Spiritual energy was fed into his Divine Pupils, and excess soul power was stored for later use.
🔹 Encountering lower-tier ten-thousand-year soul beasts?
—Perfect opportunity to test the Soul Seed's parasitic ability!
Soul Seed—A Parasite with Terrifying Potential!
🔹 Only one Soul Seed could be created at a time.
🔹 Without a host, it would dissipate in just 30 seconds.
But once it entered a body…
🔹 If the target had an open wound → The Soul Seed could directly invade through the bloodstream.
🔹 Once inside, it would slowly absorb soul power to sustain itself.
🔹 If the host used soul power?
—The Soul Seed would latch onto their very soul!
—Completely undetectable.
However—
If there was no wound, and he tried to force it in through breathing…
🔹 The host couldn't be using soul power to guard themselves.
🔹 They couldn't be in Martial Soul Possession.
🔹 They couldn't be using Martial Soul Avatar.
Only under these strict conditions
could the Soul Seed infiltrate their lungs and bloodstream through normal breathing.
—A high-level, precision attack!
But considering the sheer destructive potential of the Soul Seed,
—These restrictions made perfect sense.
A Surprising Discovery—The Right Leg Bone Still Evolves!
Tang Lan unexpectedly realized something!
🔹 The Life-Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone had retained the external soul bone's ability to evolve!
🔹 It could continue to grow stronger by absorbing life energy!
Although—
🔹 Due to its high age, every additional year required an absurd amount of life force.
—But the fact that it could evolve at all was already incredible!
Previously—
🔹 Life Spirit Blue Silver Emperor often absorbed excess life energy with no immediate use.
Now?
🔹 It had become the most precious resource!
🔹 Rebirth required life force.
🔹 Healing required life force.
🔹 Now evolution required it too!
Because of this—
Wherever Tang Lan walked,
🔹 A trail of soul beasts lay collapsed—completely drained and paralyzed.
The other soul beasts that stumbled upon this scene…
🔹 The cowards fled instantly.
🔹 The bold ones?
—They saw free food and started feasting!
This mysterious phenomenon soon spread through Star Dou Forest.
24 Hours Later—Time to Leave
As Tang Lan stood at the edge of Star Dou Forest,
he felt an unexpected reluctance to leave.
In just one day—
🔹 His Eight Spider Lances absorbed toxins and gained 300 years.
🔹 His Right Leg Bone absorbed massive life force, but only gained 52 years.
🔹 His Divine Pupils?
—A staggering increase of 6,100 years!!!
—Now surpassing 10,000 years—totaling 12,074 years!
With this breakthrough—
🔹 His Divine Pupils evolved again, unlocking a third skill slot!
🔹 He could now store and replicate self-created soul skills from other people!
—Meaning… If Tang Hao was here?
🔹 Tang Lan could now store three uses of "Ring Explosion"!
🔹 Techniques like Tang San's "Purple Demon Eye" and "Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon" were now within his reach!
This taste of power only left him hungrier for more.
—Would his Divine Pupils evolve again at 20,000 years?
—He had to find out.
But not now.
🔹 Zhao Wuji and the others were waiting at the Tang Sect Inn.
🔹 A day and a half had already passed.
If he delayed any longer—
🔹 They might come charging back into the forest, creating unnecessary trouble.
For now—
🔹 He needed to return and stabilize the situation.
🔹 Once he secured a foundation in Heaven Dou City, he could visit Sunset Forest for more spirit beast energy.
—After all, there was still a 6,000-year-old Man-Faced Demon Spider there.
—Small gain, but still worth taking!
As for the Man-Faced Demon Spider Emperor of Star Dou Forest?
—It exceeded 50,000 years.
🔹 He'd save that one for later—when Eight Spider Lances needed a final push toward becoming a divine weapon.
🔹 Then… it would be time to kill and absorb it!
A Heated Argument at Tang Sect Inn
Under the dark night sky,
Tang Lan and Tang San finally arrived at Tang Sect Inn after a full day of non-stop travel.
Strangely—
🔹 No one was standing guard outside.
🔹 And from inside… an intense argument was underway!
Inside the Inn—Yu Xiaogang & Flender's Accusations
🔹 "I already said it!"
🔹 "In that situation, there was no time to turn back for them!"
Zhao Wuji's furious voice roared through the inn.
🔹 "I was planning to sacrifice myself to cover their retreat!"
🔹 "It was only because the Sect Master was confident in his own escape that he sent us away!"
Tang Lan halted his steps.
Tang San also paused, listening carefully.
🔹 "Then why didn't you go back to search for them later?!"
A furious voice rang out.
🔹 "Xiao San and Xiao Lan are both geniuses—letting them stay behind was a massive loss for the entire continent!"
Tang Lan: (¬_¬) Hah… here we go.
Flender & Yu Xiaogang Have Arrived
Tang Lan recognized the voice.
🔹 Yu Xiaogang.
Most likely—
🔹 He and Flender had tracked them down
🔹 After hearing about the Titan Giant Ape, they were blaming Zhao Wuji for his "poor decision-making."
And of course—
🔹 Yu Xiaogang didn't actually care about anyone else.
🔹 Only Tang San.
Because to him—
🔹 No one else's life mattered
🔹 Compared to "verifying his theories" through Tang San.
Tang Lan?
🔹 In Yu Xiaogang's mind, he had "personally trained" Tang Lan.
🔹 A "masterpiece" like that being "ruined" would naturally make him furious.
—Tang Lan couldn't help but laugh.
Tang Lan's Telepathic Question to Tang San
🔹 "Xiao San, do you think your teacher is right?"
Tang San paused, thinking back on what happened in Star Dou Forest.
If Zhao Wuji had—
🔹 Escorted Dai Mubai's group out and immediately turned back to search for them…?
🔹 Or charged in recklessly to "rescue" them?
It would have been—disastrous.
🔹 All the Flying Mushroom Sausages had been thrown to the ground—Tang San had collected them.
🔹 Without those, they wouldn't have been able to use Fire Wings to cover long distances.
Meanwhile—
🔹 Oscar wouldn't have been able to produce enough sausages fast enough.
🔹 By the time they reached Tang Lan and Tang San…?
They would have already gotten their spirit rings and been preparing to leave.
And worse—
🔹 What if they ran into other high-tier spirit beasts along the way?
🔹 Or if they encountered the Titan Giant Ape—who had already "lost" Xiao Wu?
—That would have been a true disaster!
But—
🔹 As Yu Xiaogang's disciple, Tang San—just like Oscar—couldn't openly disagree.
He hesitated before responding—
🔹 "Teacher didn't know the situation at the time."
🔹 "It's normal that he couldn't make the right judgment."
🔹 "Besides… he's only worried about us."
Tang Lan chuckled coldly.
—What a beautifully diplomatic response.
But he didn't press the issue.
Instead—
🔹 He stepped forward and pushed open the doors to Tang Sect Inn.
The Room Falls Silent—Tang Lan & Tang San Return
"BANG—!"
🔹 The doors slammed open.
🔹 The arguing voices instantly stopped!
Everyone whipped their heads around.
🔹 "Sect Master!"
🔹 "Sect Master, you're back!"
🔹 "Tang Shu, you're safe! That's great!"
Among them—
🔹 Ning Rongrong was the first to react.
She rushed forward, arms wide open—
🔹 Ready to throw herself into Tang Lan's embrace!
But—
🔹 Tang Lan sidestepped.
Ning Rongrong—caught off guard—
🔹 Activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track mid-fall, spinning gracefully to a stop.
She turned back—
🔹 Gazing at Tang Lan with a pitiful, wounded look.
But before she could say anything—
🔹 The rest of the group surged forward, bombarding Tang Lan with concerned questions.
Tang San? Shoved Aside!
As for Tang San—
🔹 He was immediately shoved to the side by the burly Zhao Wuji.
🔹 Tang San: (ಠ_ಠ) …
Thankfully—
🔹 Yu Xiaogang and Flender stepped forward, pulling him aside for a check-up.
Only after confirming he wasn't injured did they breathe a sigh of relief.
🔹 "Xiao San, how did you escape?"
🔹 "That was a 100,000-year Titan Giant Ape! You two…"
Yu Xiaogang asked urgently.
Tang San struggled to find the right words.
He was about to answer—
🔹 When Zhu Zhuqing's cold voice cut through the room.
"Where's Xiao Wu?"
The Room Falls Silent—Again!
For the second time that night—
🔹 The entire room fell silent.
—Right!
—Where was Xiao Wu?!?
Weren't they supposed to be rescuing her?!?
Did something happen to her?
All Eyes on Tang Lan—Waiting for an Explanation
🔹 Everyone turned to Tang Lan, waiting for his response.
Tang Lan looked at them all and…
(END)