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Upon hearing Tang Hao's words—

Faced with his idol, a man bold enough to even hammer the Pope to death, Yu Xiaogang immediately swallowed his pride and offered his respect, saying reverently:

> "Your Grace, please speak. I, Yu Xiaogang, will answer everything I know!"

Tang Hao gave a slight nod. His murky eyes, dull like stagnant water, slowly opened as he spoke:

> "Why has that brat Ye Qiu's cultivation suddenly improved so drastically?"

"..."

Yu Xiaogang froze for a moment, then quickly reacted and recounted Ye Qiu's entire explanation word for word.

> "Is that so?"

Tang Hao's eyes flashed with surprise. He turned his body slightly, looking down at Yu Xiaogang.

> "As a master, what's your take on it?"

> "Most likely—it's the truth."

Yu Xiaogang didn't dare delay and shared his and Tang San's assessment honestly.

Tang Hao frowned slightly and nodded. When he spoke again, his tone grew even colder.

> "One more question."

Yu Xiaogang's body trembled.

He instantly felt immense pressure as Tang Hao's voice came down like a judge:

> "Why, under your guidance, has Tang San's cultivation been overtaken by that brat? The boy has already broken through to Soul Elder, while Tang San is lagging far behind."

Yu Xiaogang's expression turned flustered. He understood that Tang Hao was doubting his qualifications as a teacher. He quickly explained:

> "Your Grace, Tang San mentioned before, it's all because Ye Qiu's Martial Soul is quite special—"

"..."

---

A few days passed.

During this time, Ye Qiu had been thoroughly enjoying his life: teasing his little bunny every day, being warmed by his lovely wife at night, using a beautiful girl as a pillow...

He trained diligently each day, occasionally sparring with Tang San—or rather, crushing him would be more accurate. With Ye Qiu's current combat strength, even if Tang San pulled out his Godly Zhuge Crossbow, it wouldn't help him at all. Ever since Ye Qiu learned Tang San had feelings for Xiao Wu, during every sparring session, he'd "accidentally" target Tang San's waist over and over again.

---

At Nuoding Academy.

It was currently class time.

Ye Qiu, however, was wandering alone through the academy's garden.

Having Xiao Wu cling to him every day, Ye Qiu had no choice but to skip some boring theory lessons and come out to walk and relax. Actually, this time he had been messing around with Xiao Wu during class, and the single, frustrated teacher couldn't take it anymore and kicked Ye Qiu out.

> "Yooo-hooo!"

Ye Qiu ran, jumped, and shouted to vent his boredom, kicking at some stones on the ground.

> "You really can't mess with menopausal single teachers!"

Suddenly—

Ye Qiu's hairs stood on end. He immediately became alert.

> "Ye Qiu!"

Out of nowhere, a raspy voice entered Ye Qiu's ears, so clear it felt as though it had crossed space and landed right beside him.

> "W-Who's calling me?! And with such an awful tone?!"

Ye Qiu shook his head and looked around, but saw no one. Yet Tang Hao's overwhelming soul power appeared before his eyes, shining abnormally bright!

> "Ye Qiu…"

The voice rang out again, this time carrying a stronger sense of authority.

> "Damn it! Who's out there, huh? If you're human, stop pretending to be a dog! And if you're a dog, bark twice!"

Ye Qiu stayed calm but cursed loudly in frustration. His eyes seemed lazy on the surface, but deep inside, a flicker of light shone through.

The voice called again, pointing him in a direction. This time, it clearly sounded more irritable.

> "I'm behind you!"

Behind?!

Ye Qiu quickly turned his head as if just realizing. Under a lush green tree stood a man—his pupils shrank sharply.

A black, tattered robe, messy and filthy hair and beard. Sunlight shone on Tang Hao's face, revealing only exhaustion, with barely any spirit in his eyes.

Who else could it be, if not Tang Hao?

> "Uncle Rat?!"

Ye Qiu froze, his whole body stiffening, looking at Tang Hao with a weird expression. He had no time to think, and quickly reacted—his surprised face turning into one of curiosity as he jogged over.

Only up close did he feel sure, and his face lit up with joy.

> "Uncle Rat, it really is you! What are you doing here? Did you come to see San? Ever since you left, he's missed you terribly. He even swore in a godfather—I mean, teacher! He took a teacher to replace you."

Ye Qiu chattered non-stop after getting close, but felt more and more uncomfortable. He couldn't breathe.

> "Damn, why is Uncle Rat so smelly?!"

The stink of alcohol and sweat was unbearable. Ye Qiu's cheerful face stiffened under the foul stench.

What a pungent man!

Even Ye Qiu, full of smiles, couldn't help but grimace once he got near.

Tang Hao looked down at Ye Qiu, his murky gaze scrutinizing him. He noticed that Ye Qiu's smile was starting to falter.

> "Uncle Rat?"

Ye Qiu tilted his head like a lamb waiting for slaughter, looking at him curiously.

Tang Hao nodded slightly, then shook his head. His thick lips parted, and his raspy voice pierced the air:

> "I did come to see him. But… I'm not ready to meet San yet."

> "Huh? Why not?"

Ye Qiu looked at him, confused. Then he became anxious, like a child trying to fix a broken relationship:

> "You're not mad because San called someone else 'godfather,' are you? He really misses you! You have no idea—he was so lonely in Saint Spirit Village. Luckily, I was there for him."

> "Yeah… lucky him."

Tang Hao nodded, and with that, he grabbed the back of Ye Qiu's neck and lifted him into the air.

> "Huh? Wait, Uncle Rat, what are you doing? Don't mess with me—I'm a noble soul master now! Be careful or I'll beat you up!"

Ye Qiu's legs kicked in the air, but he didn't activate any soul power. He yelled:

> "Don't be fooled—I'm going easy on you!"

Seeing Ye Qiu's ridiculous and clueless behavior, Tang Hao's expression finally relaxed a bit. He sneered:

> "It's nothing. Just wanted to ask you how San has been these years."

Ye Qiu stared at him with grievance:

> "Seriously, Uncle Rat, even if that's the case, you didn't have to lift me up like this! Can't we talk normally?"

> "This place isn't convenient."

Tang Hao chuckled lightly, then—with Ye Qiu in hand—shot out of Nuoding Academy in a flash.

> "Whoa! Uncle Rat, you can fly?!"

Looking at the buildings below, Ye Qiu's face was filled with shock.

> "Wait—you're a soul master too?!"

> "Shut it!"

Tang Hao barked, and with that, he sped up sharply. Like a beam of light, they streaked across the skies above Nuoding City.

> "Holy crap! Flying Rat, slow down!"

> "Too fast! My little body can't take this! Ahh—!"

Ye Qiu kept talking nonstop, the wind slamming into his face, forcing cries from his mouth.

He couldn't help but whimper.

But deep down, Ye Qiu had already understood Tang Hao's true purpose—

> "Want to check on Tang San's well-being?"

Nah—he obviously came for the immortal herbs.

To the east of Nuoding City, a few kilometers away, deep in a small patch of dense forest.

Ye Qiu had already been tossed to the ground by Tang Hao. He was hunched over, mouth wide open, panting heavily. Cold wind rushed into his lungs, chilling him to the core. Fortunately, he was in good physical condition—he looked worse than he felt. He was just acting the part convincingly.

"Kid, did you train for nothing to become a Soul Elder?" Tang Hao sat cross-legged on the grass, unable to resist mocking Ye Qiu.

"It's because you were way too fast, Uncle Haozi…"

Ye Qiu cleared his slightly dry throat and plopped down on the ground. After catching his breath for a while, he looked at Tang Hao with wide black eyes full of confusion and shock.

Tang Hao pulled out his wine gourd and took a long swig.

Alcohol not only dulled his sorrow but also eased the pain in his body. Ever since that fateful battle, Tang Hao had been running on fumes. His internal injuries were far worse than they appeared.

Sensing Ye Qiu's gaze, Tang Hao raised his eyebrows.

"What are you staring at me for? Got something to say, just spit it out."

Ye Qiu swallowed, moistening his throat, and cautiously asked, "Uncle Haozi… are you a Title Douluo?"

"Hm?"

Tang Hao gave him a calm glance and replied indifferently, "What if I am? What if I'm not? Do I owe you an explanation?"

"Uh…" Ye Qiu scratched his head awkwardly, chuckled, and said, "I was just curious. Since you're such a powerful Soul Master, why'd you let Little San live such a hard life?"

"Hard life?" Tang Hao's eyes widened as he rebuked angrily, "How was it hard? Hasn't it always been like that? And hasn't he grown up just fine?!"

A flash of hatred and guilt flickered in Tang Hao's eyes. Over the years, the one who suffered the most had clearly been him!

"..."

Ye Qiu stared blankly at Tang Hao, as if stunned by his roar.

After a while, seeing Tang Hao calm down, Ye Qiu asked, "Uncle Haozi… you have a story, don't you?"

"Hmph! Enough. I didn't drag you out here to ask questions." Tang Hao snorted and stopped talking. He gulped down the remaining wine, tossed the gourd aside, then lay down on the grass. He covered his eyes with one arm, and a hoarse voice came out. "Tell me, how have you and Little San been all these years?"

Ye Qiu pouted.

This guy really beats around the bush. If you want to ask about the immortal herbs, just say it! Why all this roundabout nonsense? Ye Qiu didn't comment further, but silently jotted this down in his mental notebook.

You're playing these games with me today? Fine. One day, I'll have Ah Yin return the favor—with interest.

"Ahem…"

Ye Qiu cleared his throat and began recounting.

Starting from enrollment, he glossed over most of the academy life. Anyone who's been to school or worked knows—it's just the same old routine. Seeing the same people, being managed by the same staff, repeating a few classes.

Nothing much to talk about. So he focused on Tang San's deep longing for his father and their close dormitory friendship—how they often sparred and practiced combat skills together.

Ye Qiu told the story succinctly and clearly, painting himself as a close confidant, the good big brother in whom Tang San confided his longing for his father.

"Whew—"

Ye Qiu exhaled a long breath, took a water bottle from his soul tool, and sipped a few mouthfuls. "Uncle Haozi, I've said everything. Want a drink?"

He offered his water bottle to Tang Hao.

Tang Hao peeked at it and lost interest. He somehow pulled out another jar of liquor, sat up, and said disdainfully, "A real man drinks wine when he's thirsty!"

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.

You drink horse piss and call yourself a real man? Look at you—sneaking around in the shadows, barely surviving.

Fine, don't take it. I didn't want to share anyway. And now you dare mock me? Tch.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Ye Qiu forced a shy smile and agreed, "Uncle Tang is right! Once we're back, I'll train Little San to hold his liquor properly—teach him how to be a real man!"

"Pfft—cough cough—!"

Tang Hao, in the middle of chugging wine, nearly choked to death. The jolt stirred his internal injuries, and his face turned a bit pale. Using his immense soul power, he suppressed the surging blood and snorted coldly.

"You're just kids! Still wet behind the ears. What do you know about being real men?!"

Ye Qiu froze, clearly offended. "Uncle Haozi, that's where you're wrong! I already have a girlfr—"

"Enough! I don't want to hear it. Drinking only causes trouble." Tang Hao interrupted firmly, but a small smile appeared on his face. "Still, you've done pretty well for yourself—already got your lifelong matters settled."

"Heh heh, of course." Ye Qiu grinned proudly. "I'm not like your Little San—so uptight, pretending to be pure and noble. Spending every day with that single old guy Yu Xiaogang—always hiding under the covers fiddling with who knows what."

Tang Hao's face darkened, feeling a bit stifled.

"Hmph! Don't know how the two of you spend so much time together, yet turn out so differently. Not just in romance—even your cultivation levels are far apart!"

When cultivation was mentioned, Ye Qiu cursed inwardly.

Knew it! This old fox went through all this just to ask about the immortal herbs. So much roundabout nonsense—what a waste of breath!

Tang Hao, done speaking, looked at Ye Qiu with clear curiosity, waiting for an explanation.

"Heh heh…" Under Tang Hao's puzzled gaze, Ye Qiu chuckled proudly, clearly unable to hide his smug expression. He teased, "Uncle Tang, you don't know the full story yet."

"Oh? So you weren't done earlier?" Tang Hao asked with interest.

"Exactly. The semester just started, so I didn't go into it." Ye Qiu grinned and, as he spoke, pulled out a handful of grass-scented candy from his soul tool, offering them to Tang Hao. "Here, Uncle Haozi—have a candy. Consider it a wedding sweet."

"Wedding sweet?!"

Tang Hao raised an eyebrow. Could everything this kid said be true?

"That's right—wedding candy! Just last month, I got myself a fiancée." Ye Qiu's face lit up as he handed over more candy.

"Haha! You little brat—looks like you really left Little San in the dust. Well, congrats!" Tang Hao laughed as he took the candy and unwrapped one to pop into his mouth.

"Thank you." Ye Qiu nodded slightly.

"But… what's your fiancée got to do with your cultivation surpassing Little San?" Tang Hao asked, chewing thoughtfully, eyeing Ye Qiu curiously.

"Of course it's related! Uncle Haozi, listen up—let me tell you the whole story…"

Ye Qiu slapped his thigh, stood up, and began an animated retelling. As usual, the tale included: being hunted down, discovering medicinal herbs, an old grandpa mentor, and the engagement to his fiancée.

After the vivid storytelling, he wiped the imaginary sweat from his forehead and sat back down. "That's the gist of it. My cultivation level only recently increased."

"Didn't expect you to have such a wild first experience out in the world." Tang Hao nodded with a smile. "Wonder which unlucky girl got entangled with you…"

"What do you mean unlucky? We even signed a marriage contract!" Ye Qiu's face darkened slightly in dissatisfaction. He pulled a large marriage certificate from his soul tool and waved it in front of Tang Hao.

When Tang Hao saw the engraved name on the marriage document, his eyes suddenly lit up with sharp intensity!

The old poison freak from the Dugu Clan?!

At that moment, Tang Hao finally believed Ye Qiu's tale.

If it was Dugu Bo, capturing this brat for alchemy really did sound like something he'd do. That weirdo's personality… turning his medicine catalyst into his grandson-in-law wasn't far-fetched at all.

Looking at the silent and contemplative Tang Hao, Ye Qiu knew he had clearly seen the writing on the letter and probably already believed most of what Ye Qiu had told him.

After chatting for so long, Ye Qiu was also certain that Tang Hao didn't hold much hostility toward him—at least for now. So, he threw out another question, pretending not to know the answer.

"Uncle Haozi, what's the matter with you? Do you know Sister Yanyan and Senior Dugu? Oh right... Senior Dugu is also a Titled Douluo. Maybe..."

"Hmph!"

Tang Hao's cold snort cut Ye Qiu off.

"Who told you I'm a Titled Douluo?"

Tang Hao still held a bit of disdain for Dugu Bo. In his eyes, Dugu Bo was nothing more than a bottom-feeder among Titled Douluos.

"I never said you were," Ye Qiu said, curling his lips and lying with his eyes wide open. Then, with a serious expression, he carefully put away the marriage contract in his hand.

"I didn't expect you to be so lucky. You actually managed to score the granddaughter of a Titled Douluo..."

Tang Hao looked at Ye Qiu, feeling more and more that this kid could become a decent support for his son. At least, before the soul beast matter was resolved, he had his uses.

"Well, I can't help it—I'm just that charming."

"Charming? I'd say you've just got a thick skin," Tang Hao said bluntly, smirking. He narrowed his eyes and continued, "You already have a fiancée, yet you still go after other girls. And you even gave her such precious medicinal herbs without hesitation."

Ye Qiu cursed silently in his heart. The conversation had come all the way here, yet Tang Hao still wouldn't let go of the topic of the immortal herbs. Scratching his head awkwardly, he said with a sheepish grin, "You know what they say, no pain, no gain."

Tang Hao sneered inwardly.

Still just a kid. So what if he's strong? In the world of soul masters, it's survival of the fittest—he knew that well. Seeing Ye Qiu look slightly guilty, Tang Hao mocked him:

"You sure made your lust sound noble. I don't see you helping out that little guy from your village—Xiao San."

"Hahaha, come on, everyone has their interests. Especially men, right?"

Ye Qiu laughed heartily, brushing off the mention of helping Tang San.

Indeed, he was quite the womanizer—he didn't deny it. In fact, he already had a mental list of the girls he planned to win over after graduation.

"Hmph!"

Tang Hao snorted again, not bothering to say more.

Desire wasn't necessarily a bad thing. At the very least, it could be useful in certain situations.

But seeing how Ye Qiu still didn't seem to get the point, Tang Hao lost his patience. He took a swig of wine and asked seriously:

"By the way, are you sure you don't have any more of those herbs? If you do, I can trade you something for them."

Ye Qiu's smile dropped immediately.

He sighed. "Uncle Haozi, if I had more, I would've already shoved them down Xiao San's throat. But I had to save them for wooing girls. And don't even mention trading me anything—you still owe me money."

Talking about girls made Ye Qiu look a bit shy, but the topic of money made him look bitter.

Tang Hao didn't give up. Ignoring Ye Qiu's mention of the debt, he pressed on: "Really nothing left? Don't worry, I'll make sure it's worth your while."

Ye Qiu straightened up, turning his pockets inside out. "Uncle Haozi, look for yourself—I really don't have a single bit left. You can search all you want."

As he spoke, he even handed over his soul tool for Tang Hao to inspect.

"Get that thing away from me. If you don't have it, then fine," Tang Hao said, glancing at Ye Qiu for a moment before waving him off with distaste. As the mighty Clear Sky Douluo, he had no interest in rummaging through a junior's pockets.

Besides, if Ye Qiu dared to let him inspect so freely, then there was probably nothing to find.

Just as Ye Qiu was about to take back his soul tool and was feeling relieved, Tang Hao suddenly asked another question.

"By the way, we've talked so much about Xiao San, but I forgot to ask you something interesting."

Ye Qiu's heart skipped a beat. Is this ever going to end?!

But his face remained all smiles.

"Uncle Haozi, go ahead. What interesting thing? If I know the answer, I'll definitely tell you."

Tang Hao rubbed his chin, looking at Ye Qiu curiously. "These past few days, I've seen you training with that little girl. I'm really curious—what's so special about your martial soul?"

"Huh?" Ye Qiu was stunned. He didn't expect that after all these years, Tang Hao was only now asking this. But this wasn't something he needed to hide, so he smiled and said, "Uncle Haozi, you asked the right person."

"..."

"Oh? So your martial soul actually helps speed up cultivation?"

Tang Hao pretended to be surprised, even though he already knew.

Ye Qiu saw right through it. If Tang Hao knew about the immortal herbs, he definitely went to Yu Xiaogang first, and probably already knew all about Ye Qiu's martial soul too.

"Then why aren't you training with Xiao San?"

Tang Hao frowned. Forget the herbs—but even for something like this, Ye Qiu hadn't included Xiao San?

"How could I!" Ye Qiu said, looking wronged. "I did try asking him, but... hehe, you know how it is. Two men pressed up together like that—it's just too awkward!"

Just thinking about it made Ye Qiu shudder. Especially with Tang Hao, that stinky old man, nearby—the smell alone was enough to knock him out.

"You actually asked him?" Tang Hao paused, then decided not to dwell on it. Real or fake, he could confirm with Yu Xiaogang later. Acting as though he was asking casually, a glint of anticipation flashed in his murky eyes.

"Say, do you know if your martial soul has any effect on soul beasts?"

"Soul beasts?"

Ye Qiu froze for a moment.

You old hammer freak—what are you planning? Do you want to see me... do something with a soul beast? Could it be that you actually have... a special fetish?

Now Ye Qiu was seriously suspicious. Had Tang Hao figured out A Yin's true identity all those years ago? And was it because of some weird taste that he ended up with her?

Wait... A Yin?!

As that thought crossed his mind, Ye Qiu froze. His black eyes blinked, and he stared at Tang Hao with a weird expression.

Could this guy be asking all this... because of A Yin?!

Thinking of that, Ye Qiu's heartbeat picked up.

"Kid, what kind of look is that?" Tang Hao frowned, feeling like Ye Qiu was imagining all sorts of weird things about him. "Hurry up and answer me!"

"Ahem..."

Ye Qiu coughed a couple times, scratched his head awkwardly, shrugged, and said, "Uncle Haozi, I really can't answer that question. I've never tried doing... that kind of thing with a soul beast."

Looking at Ye Qiu's horrified, embarrassed, and creeped-out expression, Tang Hao instantly understood why the kid had stared at him like that.

If Ye Qiu wouldn't even partner with another man, how could he possibly go near those monstrous, brutal soul beasts?

Tang Hao asked that question for a reason.

Ye Qiu might not understand, but how could a dignified Title Douluo like Tang Hao not see it clearly? That little girl—strictly speaking—was still a 100,000-year soul beast. Since she could do it, there's no reason why other soul beasts couldn't!

After running all this through his muscle-packed brain, Tang Hao suddenly raised his hand and knocked Ye Qiu on the head.

"Ow—damn it!"

The surprise knock caught Ye Qiu off guard. He held his head and frowned at Tang Hao.

"Hmph! So young, yet your thoughts are already that filthy!" Tang Hao snorted coldly and casually tossed aside his wine gourd. Ignoring Ye Qiu's indignant glare, he continued, "Compared to you, my son San is truly pure and noble."

"Tch! What's the point of being pure and noble if you can't get a wife?" Ye Qiu scoffed and curled his lips mockingly.

"…"

Tang Hao's face darkened. He stood up abruptly, bent over, and grabbed the back of Ye Qiu's neck. "Since you don't know, and you've never tried it with a soul beast, then let's go try it now!"

"Damn! Uncle Hao!"

"No way, no way! I really can't handle soul beasts…"

Ye Qiu tried to escape, his face turning pale as he struggled desperately. He fought like a wild animal, but he couldn't break free from Tang Hao's grasp.

"Shut up!"

Tang Hao barked coldly, no longer wanting to hear Ye Qiu's nonsense. He shot straight into the sky, wind howling around them. Ye Qiu couldn't speak anymore, but his mind remained clear—and a hint of joy flickered in his eyes.

That direction…

It was toward Saint Soul Village!

Which meant… Tang Hao was seriously going to hand over his wife to him?

Ye Qiu couldn't help but feel a little excited. If it really happened, he could bully Ah Yin all he wanted!

As the saying goes: The son repays the father's debt.

Since Old Hammer Tang had bullied him like this, let Ah Yin pay it back in full!

---

As time passed, the closer they got, the more grief and guilt appeared on Tang Hao's face.

Ye Qiu, however, secretly looked down on him.

This old guy seemed deep and pitiful. With that giant hammer swinging wide and bold, he had a vibe of righteousness and loyalty. But deep down? He was just a selfish bastard. All he cared about was bringing Tang San to the Blue Silver Forest to awaken the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline and recognize his roots. Yet he didn't think to bring Ah Yin there too. With millions of Blue Silver Grass souls supporting her, wouldn't that be a thousand times better than wasting away in a dark cave? She might've already recovered a lot of her strength by now.

The Blue Silver Grass clan's longing for their Queen would have made them give everything to help Ah Yin.

Time passed silently as Ye Qiu mused.

Thanks to the speed of a Title Douluo's flight, it only took a little over half an hour for them to reach their destination.

A towering waterfall thundered down onto the water's surface, spraying mist everywhere. The area looked hazy and blurred.

Splat! "Ow—hey!"

Tang Hao rudely threw Ye Qiu to the ground.

Damn! Ye Qiu felt like he scraped his knees. He staggered to his feet, patting his chilly chest and secretly gritting his teeth.

Today's humiliation will be repaid another day!

Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—don't underestimate a poor young man!

After hyping himself up mentally for a moment, Ye Qiu raised his head and stood straight. His eyes turned a bit blank. He looked around—aside from grass and trees, there wasn't a single living thing in sight.

"Uncle Hao, what did you bring me here for?"

Ye Qiu asked suspiciously. Seeing Tang Hao stay silent, standing stiff as a board and staring at the waterfall, Ye Qiu found it strange. There seemed to be a flicker of struggle in Tang Hao's murky eyes.

"Uncle Tang, where's the soul beast you mentioned?" Ye Qiu asked again.

Still no response. Ye Qiu rolled his eyes hard internally—he had no interest in playing along anymore.

I've memorized the path anyway. Just wait for the right time to dig up the wife—

Ptooey! I meant dig up the grass.

Ye Qiu forced a smile and said, "Uncle Hao, maybe let's forget this."

"If the soul beast you picked is too ugly or freaky, I really can't do it…"

"Shut up!"

Anger flashed across Tang Hao's face. His murky eyes suddenly shot out a glimmer of light as he glared fiercely at Ye Qiu.

"Ahaha…" Ye Qiu gave an awkward laugh, trying to backpedal. "Fine, fine, I'll give it a shot. But Uncle Hao, at least try to find a pretty one, okay?"

Before Ye Qiu could finish—

Tang Hao sneered coldly, seemingly making a decision. He grabbed Ye Qiu by the collar and hurled him straight into the waterfall.

"Ah damn it! I want to go home!"

Ye Qiu cried out.

With that much force and no protection, he was bound to get internal injuries.

Boom! The crashing waterfall exploded into a huge splash, nearly breaking its flow.

As Ye Qiu's figure disappeared into the cascade, Tang Hao bent his knees slightly—the ground cracked beneath him—and then he too dashed into the waterfall with another thunderous boom.

---

Inside the cave behind the waterfall…

Ye Qiu had already activated his martial soul and was half-kneeling on the ground. Though breathing heavily, his mind was crystal clear. With powerful sensory abilities, the layout of the cave came into view.

In the center, a stalk of Blue Silver Grass with golden patterns grew. Gold veins over blue base—distinctly noble. Yet its leaves were drooping weakly, looking sickly and withered.

Nearby, embedded in the stone wall, a soul bone was hidden. Ye Qiu saw it all.

Crash! Before Ye Qiu could process it further, just a few breaths later, the waterfall behind him roared again—and the light in his eyes dimmed slightly.

Boom! A tall, muscular figure landed beside him.

Unlike Ye Qiu, Tang Hao—with his strong soul power—was bone dry. His robes and scruffy hair didn't have a single drop of water on them.

"Cough cough…"

Ye Qiu coughed twice and slowly stood up.

Water droplets from his venomous armor dripped onto the ground, forming a small puddle. As he moved around, a few droplets splashed onto Tang Hao.

"Uncle Hao, if you keep playing like this, I really will die…"

Feeling the water hit his face, Tang Hao's expression turned stern. He frowned and glanced sideways at Ye Qiu. His eyes showed a mix of amazement and surprise.

That tight black suit, filled with venomous fangs—he looked like a man-killer, matching a man's taste perfectly. Even Tang Hao, who had seen it before, felt a ripple in his heart.

But what truly shocked him was this: as the number one strength-type Soul Master in the world, a Title Douluo like him had perfect control over his power.

And yet, the force he'd used just now—enough to injure any Soul Sect—didn't even leave a scratch on Ye Qiu.

This kid's martial soul defense… was top-tier.

Watching Ye Qiu twist and crack his joints, Tang Hao said coldly, "Cut the act! You think I can't tell whether you're really dying or not?"

"Hehe…"

Ye Qiu chuckled and straightened up. His body was completely dry again.

Right now, Venom's armor repelled water, dust, fire, and ice.

Whap! Tang Hao smacked Ye Qiu again.

"Your martial soul quality is excellent. No wonder you weren't hurt at all."

"Cough cough… Uncle Hao, if you keep hitting me, I really might get internal injuries!"

Ye Qiu bared his venomous fangs—like a shark's, sharp and glinting with cold light. The marks from Tang Hao's slaps on his venomous armor were slowly healing.

"Not bad, not bad! I bet even an average Soul Sect couldn't hurt you quickly!"

Tang Hao gave him two more pats before finally stopping.

"Haha, of course!"

Ye Qiu gladly accepted the praise. But as he felt his soul power drain inside, his expression turned sour—not from injury, but sheer annoyance.

He knew very well: if he hadn't said something, Tang Hao's slaps would've soon reached Soul King level force!

Ye Qiu meticulously noted all of Tang Hao's actions in his little notebook. One day, he'd demand repayment for everything.

After catching his breath and taking a moment to record, Ye Qiu surveyed the dark, damp cave, pretending to be perplexed. "Speaking of... Uncle Hao, where are we? Didn't you say we were going to find a spirit beast?"

"There... didn't you see it?"

Tang Hao pointed directly at the Blue Silver Emperor not far ahead, which glowed with a shimmering golden light.

"That weed?" Ye Qiu feigned surprise, looking at Tang Hao in confusion. "It probably doesn't even have ten years of cultivation."

"If you want a Dire Pig, I can find one for you to satisfy you properly..." Tang Hao glanced at Ye Qiu, then stepped forward, walking towards the Blue Silver Emperor.

"Ahem... Uncle Hao, I suddenly think this grass is quite good too. Fair-skinned and beautiful, delicate features, palatable, and it makes one drool..."

"Enough!"

Tang Hao's cold shout made Ye Qiu swallow his compliments, and he quickly followed, speechless. He was genuinely afraid Tang Hao would pair him with a Dire Pig. That would be too awful! His reputation from two lifetimes would be ruined.

Ye Qiu followed behind Tang Hao, quietly observing his every move. He watched as Tang Hao sat down before the plant, extended his dirty fingers to gently touch it, his eyes vacant, slowly welling up with tears.

"..."

When Tang Hao suddenly turned his head, Ye Qiu quickly turned away as well, pretending he hadn't seen anything. Who knew if Tang Hao would mind him seeing a grown man getting aroused by a plant and crying? It was better to act as if he saw nothing.

Seeing Ye Qiu's discretion, Tang Hao blinked, rubbed his rough face twice, and said gravely, "You don't need to know anything superfluous! You just need to do as I say! Understand...?"

Ye Qiu hadn't released his spirit fusion precisely to prevent losing control of his expressions. This bastard! He was asking for a favor yet acting so arrogant, and he was just a child of just over a hundred and thirty months!

But Ye Qiu had no choice... Circumstances were stronger than him, and his wife was more appealing. If Tang Hao was willing to use Ah Yin as a price for him to act, there was nothing bad about it. At most, it was a bit unpleasant. But as long as he could get things done, any unpleasantness would be thoroughly dispelled by this plant!

"Uncle Hao, I understand!"

Ye Qiu nodded seriously, meeting Tang Hao's gaze, unmoving.

"Then how should I 'do it' with it?"

"Hmm?"

Tang Hao frowned, his previously gentle tiger eyes turning hard and cold. "How you did it with that little girl, that's how you do it with her now! Do you need me to teach you how to use your own spirit?"

Ye Qiu's eyes flickered, and he rolled his eyes. He responded irritably, "Alright, I'll do it exactly as it's done!"

"I'll do it properly with it right in front of you!"

With his words, Ye Qiu no longer hesitated. He sat directly opposite Tang Hao, and seeing Tang Hao's head already turning green, Ye Qiu kindly reminded the cuckold to concentrate.

"Uncle Hao, I'll put it in now, you watch closely..."

"Mm."

Tang Hao stared intently at Ye Qiu, grunting.

Seeing this, Ye Qiu no longer hesitated. He reached out and pinched a strand of the Blue Silver Emperor's leaf. His black-covered fingers seemed to carry immense force, crushing the Blue Silver Emperor's leaf and squeezing out a bit of green sap.

"Gently, be gentle with her..."

Tang Hao couldn't help but let out a low cry. Watching his Ah Yin being squeezed until she was "wet" by Ye Qiu, Tang Hao gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with distress. He coldly said to Ye Qiu, "If you dare to harm her one more bit, make her seep liquid, I'll hammer you to death!"

"..."

Ye Qiu was utterly bewildered. What the hell, was this even reasonable? You were the one who wanted me to do this with it, and now you're unhappy if I use a little force? It's just a bit of liquid, making such a fuss.

Ye Qiu took a deep breath. To avoid being hammered and to truly get things done, he could only grudgingly accept it for now. He softly promised Tang Hao, "Don't worry, Uncle Hao, I'll be gentle with it..."

Ye Qiu hadn't expected that even planted in this pitch-black cave, the Blue Silver Emperor, this plant, was wilting, yet its leaves were still so moist and juicy, very tender.

To avoid any further complications, Ye Qiu only extended his index finger, gently nudging Ah Yin. Then he adjusted his breathing. Ye Qiu wasn't sure if it would succeed or if Ah Yin would cooperate.

Grumble~!

The blackness on Ye Qiu's body suddenly began to boil, and white streaks twisted continuously.

Puff!

With a muffled sound, Ye Qiu's entire being dispersed, shooting out in strands towards the Blue Silver Emperor, all of them adhering tightly and wrapping around the small plant on the ground.

Tang Hao was somewhat bewildered at this moment. When Ye Qiu had previously fused with Xiao Wu, he didn't seem to need to split himself into so many tiny, thread-like tadpoles, did he? What was he doing? Looking for his mom?

Watching the black fluid that Ye Qiu had transformed into蠕动 across the Blue Silver Emperor, Tang Hao, who was originally tense and dared not relax for a moment, suddenly found it a bit strange. But soon, he became serious again.

He saw the black fluid seemingly penetrate the soil, beginning to accumulate from the roots, slowly building up on the Blue Silver Emperor's surface.

Ye Qiu's mind was clear; even in this state, he could see his surroundings.

Soon, Ye Qiu felt that he had absorbed all of the Blue Silver Emperor's spirit energy, and their spirit energies had completely merged! In this sunless cave, the re-planted Blue Silver Emperor seed, not even ten years old in cultivation, had such pitiful spirit energy. It merely felt like Ye Qiu had drunk a mouthful of water. But Ye Qiu's was different; it could fill it up.

After the spirit energy fusion, the mental connection began... Ye Qiu could sense a slight resistance. He knew this was Ah Yin's consciousness at play. But her faint soul force was truly fragile; excessive resistance would only harm herself.

The process was going even more smoothly than Ye Qiu had imagined.

As Ah Yin's memories surged forth... Outside, the branches and leaves gradually became occupied by black fibers. Ye Qiu's memories also poured into Ah Yin.

As this process continued, when Ah Yin saw a familiar figure appear in Ye Qiu's memory, she no longer cared about resisting. She just wanted to see how her child had been doing all these years.

With the memory connection, Ah Yin felt as if her soul and memories were being wantonly ravaged. Even her main body was tightly entwined, covered in someone else's essence.

But she dared not resist, nor did she want to resist. Because she saw Tang Hao, and a human who was likely her son. For their sakes, she could only silently endure Ye Qiu's ravaging and manipulation.