A few days later in the Blue Silver Forest. Honestly, you'd hardly know any humans ever set foot in this place. The plants looked ancient, and the Blue Silver Grass was everywhere—thick enough to make you think the whole forest was breathing. Spirit power hummed through the air, and the place just felt alive.
All these plants were Spirit Beasts, but Yin Xuan didn't spot a single animal-type Spirit Beast here. Not one. He'd been walking for ages when a sudden urgent voice echoed in his mind.
"Emperor, come to me! Emperor!"
It raced through him. Then Ah Yin chimed in, her voice calm but clear.
"Do you feel it, child?"
"I do. It's Blue Silver Grass. The aura's everywhere." Yin Xuan closed his eyes, soaking up that thick energy radiating from the Blue Silver Grass clan. He let the Blue Silver Domain spread out—three hundred meters wide. The second it appeared, the grass stirred and a massive, dreamlike blue-silver tree came into view.
"Strictly speaking, that's a Blue Silver King," Ah Yin explained. She sounded slow and thoughtful. "It's a senior of the clan. Its cultivation crawls, just like always—blame the bloodline."
Yin Xuan frowned and walked toward the Blue Silver King.
After a moment, he was close enough to see it: the Blue Silver King looked more tree than grass, towering so high it felt unreal.
"How is this possible?" Yin Xuan muttered.
The trunk of the Blue Silver King shifted, and an elderly face formed in the bark, behaving almost like a human. "Emperor, what happened to you? How did you become like this?"
But the King was talking to Ah Yin, not Yin Xuan. Ah Yin sighed, "Long story. I lost my hundred-thousand-year cultivation in a blink. Only ten years left now. If this child hadn't used the Blue Silver Domain, I wouldn't even count as a ten-year Spirit Beast."
"Emperor, who did this?" The Blue Silver King's anger made the whole forest shiver—Blue Silver Grass everywhere tensed up, their spirit energy prickling in the air.
"I'll explain everything later," Ah Yin said. "This boy is my son. He carries my bloodline."
The Blue Silver King turned to Yin Xuan and looked genuinely excited. "Emperor!"
Yin Xuan nodded. "Hi. My strength isn't enough to protect my mother yet. I want you to look after her, keep her safe until I return."
"No problem!" The Blue Silver King promised. "This is home for Blue Silver Grass. The Empress will be safe, I'll protect her with my own life."
"Be careful," Yin Xuan warned. "Tang Hao, the man who hurt my mother, knows this place. He'll bring his son Tang San someday. Tang Hao's a Titled Douluo, as strong as a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast. Don't underestimate him."
The Blue Silver King paused for a second, clearly shaken, but then nodded, serious as ever. "I understand. I'll handle it carefully."
Yin Xuan turned to Ah Yin. "Mother, wait here for me. I'll come back for you in two years, five at most."
Ah Yin reached out, touching his cheek with a leafy branch. "I believe in you, child. Out there, you've got nobody to rely on—so stay sharp and safe. And if you meet pretty girls, don't let them trick you."
Yin Xuan chuckled. "I'll remember. Take care of yourself too."
Ah Yin smiled, "Don't worry, I will."
He paused. "Mother, one last thing. I accidentally condensed my first spirit ring. Can I condense the second, third, and fourth by myself?"
Ah Yin thought for a bit. "You can probably self-condense the first three rings, but you need guidance and energy you haven't mastered yet."
The Blue Silver King spoke up, "Let me help you, Emperor."
Yin Xuan remembered that in the original story, it was the Blue Silver King who helped Tang San condense his fifth ring.
"Alright, what do I need to do?"
"Sit down. Leave the rest to me," the King said.
All at once, points of azure light lifted from the grass and poured toward Yin Xuan like a river—no, an ocean. He felt like a black hole, swallowing all that energy.
He asked, "Blue Silver King, can you spare some energy for my mother?"
The King replied, "Don't worry. After helping you condense your soul ring, we'll do everything we can for the Empress. Your second ring only needs about one thousand three hundred years' worth of energy. The rest is hers."
Ah Yin spoke softly, sadness clouding her words. "Think of yourself, child. I'm sorry I brought you into this family. You never felt love growing up, and you even faced death."
Yin Xuan looked cold. "Tang Hao did this. He ruined us. I want him to pay, and you shouldn't plead for mercy when that time comes."
Ah Yin just gave a quiet "mm."
Half a day slipped by, and a purple spirit ring formed around Yin Xuan, joining his other purple ring. He realized his spirit power had jumped to Rank 26—not just from the energy, but thanks to the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone. It didn't add much to his spirit power directly; it toughened his body and expanded his meridians.
Still, it was a huge improvement. Yin Xuan felt pretty satisfied—it was a pleasant surprise, shaving nearly two years off his cultivation.
Once Yin Xuan's spirit ring finished condensing, the Blue Silver King guided the leftover energy to Ah Yin. Yin Xuan activated the Blue Silver Domain to help. Ah Yin's cultivation soared, quickly passing the hundred-year mark, then stopped. That's how it works with plant Spirit Beasts—cultivation rises painfully slow, bit by bit, unless they've got devouring talents.
"Thank you, Blue Silver King."
"If I succeed one day, I'll come back and help you break through the hundred-thousand-year limit," Yin Xuan promised.
The Blue Silver King gave a peaceful smile. "Emperor, when you hit Rank 30, come back. I'll help you condense your third innate soul ring."
"Thanks."
Yin Xuan looked at Ah Yin one last time. "Mom, I'm heading out."
Ah Yin's voice was gentle but firm. "Be careful, Xuaner. Don't rush for revenge. Learn to endure."
He nodded. "I'll be careful."
With that, Yin Xuan took a final look and walked away, determined and steady.