Four days later, in Nuoding City.
Yin Xuan walked down the street, head held high, dressed in black. His Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline had awakened, so now he looked strikingly handsome—those sharp features, that icy vibe. It made people stare, but he didn't care.
Two years had gone by. Since he became a Spirit Master, his body shot up like a weed and, honestly, he wasn't the same person anymore. Everything about him was different, and it felt like he'd finally left the old Tang Yin behind—no way Tang Hao or Tang San would recognize him now.
Still, just to be safe, he reached for the mask tucked at his waist and slipped it on.
He'd barely moved when a girl in pink—with a long scorpion braid—leaned in, sniffing around him without a word.
"What are you doing?" He frowned and backed up, keeping an eye on her.
Her style and that braid made him think of Xiao Wu. And sure, her behavior was odd, so he felt a little uneasy.
"My name's Xiao Wu, Wu as in dancing. Who are you? Why the mask?" she blurted, curiosity all over her face.
"Sorry, I've got things to do." Yin Xuan sidestepped her and walked off without another glance.
"Hey—wait—ugh, whatever!" Xiao Wu watched him leave, brows pinched, biting her thumb as she quietly wondered, "Weird, he's just like Tang Yin. There's a Spirit Beast vibe to him, but it's not as strong as mine. Little San and Tang Yin are brothers, so why does Little San lack that aura? They don't really look alike, either. But Little San swears they're real brothers. Man, it's confusing…"
Yin Xuan didn't know what Xiao Wu was thinking—he was already heading for Saint Spirit Village.
A long time later, deep in the mountain forest near Saint Spirit Village, Yin Xuan called out his talent: the Blue Silver Domain. It had awakened with his Spirit and was crazy useful—he could control Blue Silver Grass in the area, sense stuff, nourish himself, and even hide his aura.
Three hundred meters in every direction—he sensed every single blade. Each one became a set of eyes, making it so much easier to search for the Blue Silver Emperor.
Before long, his domain led him to a waterfall, where he suspected the Blue Silver Emperor was hidden. The waterfall was massive—twenty meters wide and shooting down two hundred meters. It pounded the rocks below until they gleamed.
He glanced at the rush, thinking, "Yikes, I'd be swept away in a second if I went unprepared."
His domain slipped behind the roar, and he felt Blue Silver Grass back there carrying an aura just like his. Something inside him shifted, maybe the bloodline calling, and he stepped closer.
He looked up at the cliff, waved his hand, and several dark-gold Blue Silver Emperor vines shot out, gripping the stone and forming a big net to block the waterfall's force.
He climbed, trusting his gut, and braved the rushing water to slip into the cave behind it. As soon as he got in, the net snapped under the pressure and tumbled into the pool.
Inside, the cave stretched dark and empty—no traps, nothing scary, just pitch black. Yin Xuan pulled out a fire starter, lit it, and walked ahead.
Soon, he reached the end. A pale glow came from a thumb-sized hole, and directly below that, a small mound grew a blue-gold Blue Silver Grass. It looked almost exactly like the Spirit he'd first awakened.
He stepped closer, knelt, and stroked the Blue Silver Emperor—half a meter tall, shining blue-gold. Its leaves swayed, twining gently around his finger.
"This—this is the bloodline bond," he whispered.
He opened his right hand, summoning his own Dark Blue Silver Emperor.
"My Spirit used to look exactly like yours, but after Tang Hao killed me and I was reborn, it changed."
The Blue Silver Emperor stopped moving, but its leaves wrapped tighter around his palm. Another leaf brushed his cheek gently.
"I know. He's the one who killed me. Because I only awakened the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul, not the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Hao took me out to ensure Tang San could get both—the Hammer, and the Martial Soul. He pretended well, but I got wise eventually. Tang Hao's a hypocrite, always hiding the truth.
"I figured out everything—he knew you were pregnant, yet still led you straight into the Pope's sights at Spirit Hall, pushed you to sacrifice yourself. That's how he got a hundred thousand year spirit ring, guilt free.
"Mother, will you come with me? I can help you recover, speed up your growth. You'll never get back to your true form down here in the dark.
"Tang Hao stuck you in this hole on purpose. He doesn't want you to resurrect."
His tone chilled the air.
Tang Hao knew all about the Blue Silver Grass clan's secrets. If he really wanted her to live, he'd have sent her to Blue Silver Forest, maybe let the Blue Silver King help. Anything but trap her in this cave where no plant would ever thrive.
If she didn't have such powerful vitality, she'd probably be long dead.
Yin Xuan's voice echoed through the darkness. The Blue Silver Emperor wrapped him in its leaves, hugging him like a mother after all those years apart.
He smiled, and for the first time his cold expression softened. He'd bring her out—and before he left, he would take her Spirit Bone, too. No way he'd let Tang Hao and Tang San have it.
He glanced around, saw something odd on the wall, and sent out a vine. One sharp tug later, he held a heavy lead box.
Inside was the hundred thousand year Blue Silver Emperor right leg Spirit Bone.
He cracked the box open, and a flash of azure light burst out, flooding the cave with energy and life. Spirit power grew thick in the air.
The Blue Silver Emperor swayed even more, thrilled by the Spirit Bone's force. Yin Xuan felt his body and mind light up, too.
"Mother, I'm sorry. The Spirit Bone has your source power—if you absorbed it, you'd recover so much faster. But I need its strength, and I just can't let it go. Please forgive me."
He stroked her gently, guilt showing on that usually icy face.
"Child, absorb it." The Blue Silver Emperor's voice rang in his mind.
Leaves brushed his cheek, soft and comforting.
He blinked in surprise—he hadn't expected her to speak to him like that.
He took a deep breath. "Thank you, Mother. I'll help you resurrect. When that day comes, Tang Hao will admit his lies right to us. And I'll finish him for good—piece by piece."