Chapter 24: Packing Up and Taking Off
Having essentially achieved the purpose of this trip, Lin Yang was in high Martial Souls. Using his Soul Bone flying skill, he returned to the stone cave where he had discovered the Soul Bone.
Lin Yang gently stroked the leaves of the Blue Silver Emperor, a flash of contemplation in his eyes.
He had originally intended to leave the Blue Silver Emperor behind, thinking it might delay Tang Hao's discovery of the missing Soul Bone.
But he hadn't expected the objectives of this operation to be accomplished more smoothly than he had anticipated.
Moreover, the emergence of the Demon God Body gave him the confidence to face Tang Hao.
Even if he couldn't win for the time being, he could just hide in the deep mountains and old forests to cultivate for eighty or a hundred years. When he came out, he'd be able to scatter your ashes to the wind.
This was the confidence of being a long-lived species.
Of course, that was the worst-case scenario.
With foreknowledge and knowing the locations of opportunities on the Douluo Continent, if he still couldn't become a god, Lin Yang might as well find a block of tofu to crash into and die.
And now, Lin Yang changed his mind, preparing to dig up the Blue Silver Emperor.
He decided to find a more suitable place for her, as payment for using her Soul Bone.
Because this place didn't look like a place where plants should live at all.
No sunlight, no water, and the soil was just a small mound... Even with the Blue Silver Emperor's bloodline, strong vitality, and solid foundation, staying in this wretched place would gradually wear her down.
If Tang San hadn't relocated her to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and if Tang Hao had continued his misguided ways, the Blue Silver Emperor probably wouldn't have lived many more years.
This made Lin Yang suspect whether Tang Hao had become stupid from swinging his big hammer, planting the Blue Silver Emperor in such a dark and sunless place.
Or was it deliberate, specifically paving the way for his son?
After thinking for a moment, Lin Yang decisively gave up speculating.
Given that super-masculine old father Tang Hao and his train of thought, it wouldn't be surprising if he did something bizarre.
Lin Yang had no desire to lower his own IQ to Tang Hao's level.
Looking at the sickly, listless Blue Silver Emperor, Lin Yang was worried he might accidentally kill it during the transplant.
Forget it, I owe you a favor. This time, let me help you.
As he spoke, Lin Yang clenched his fist and held it above the Blue Silver Emperor.
Applying slight pressure, drops of blood, crimson as gemstones, flowed from the gaps between his fingers, steadily dripping onto the leaves of the Blue Silver Emperor.
The moment the blood came into contact with the Blue Silver Emperor, it was absorbed along the leaf veins.
The effect was naturally obvious.
The previously wilted Blue Silver Emperor instantly became vibrant, as if it had taken a powerful tonic.
Even the golden patterns on the leaves became much brighter, taking on more of the Blue Silver Emperor's majestic bearing.
The blood of the Demon God Body naturally goes without saying.
It contained the essence of the Martial Soul, was filled with immense vitality, and was an excellent tonic for the current Blue Silver Emperor.
Of course, if Lin Yang were willing, he could now use his blood as a medium to create a group of fearless, utterly obedient "Demon servants."
But doing so was utterly... meaningless.
What could a bunch of ghosts whose strength was far inferior to his own be used for?
They would just be flashy burdens, easily exposing the special nature of his own physique.
He didn't want to be captured and dissected.
As for powerful Soul Masters... not to mention Titled Douluo, even a Soul Emperor—with his current strength, he couldn't completely transform them into ghosts.
The stronger one's power, the greater their inherent resistance to external forces.
Not to mention ensuring the transformed person wouldn't betray him.
So the idea of creating ghosts had never even crossed Lin Yang's mind.
It was only the Blue Silver Emperor before him, weak in strength but with extraordinary potential.
Lin Yang giving it a bit of his blood was partly to ensure it wouldn't die later, and partly to prevent it from biting back after its consciousness awoke.
Betrayal was absolutely not allowed.
As the blood continued to pour, the Blue Silver Emperor began to grow at a visible rate.
The grass stem changed from slender to thick and sturdy, the leaves unfurled one by one, becoming plump.
If one looked closely, the original golden patterns on the Blue Silver Emperor's leaves had now turned dark gold, with additional tiny blood-red streaks.
The aura around it also rapidly grew stronger, transforming from a ten-year Soul Beast to a hundred-year Soul Beast.
Feeling it was about enough, Lin Yang retracted his fist, the wound on his palm instantly healing completely.
Through the connection with his blood, Lin Yang could clearly sense a feeling of closeness, even a bit of dependence, emanating from the Blue Silver Emperor.
Lin Yang reached out and stroked a leaf.
The Blue Silver Emperor actively extended a leaf, winding around Lin Yang's fingertip and gently rubbing.
Lin Yang's expression turned somewhat strange. Now the Blue Silver Emperor reminded him of the kitten he used to raise.
It really did fulfill the harsh words he'd spoken back then—he had really 'taken care of' Tang San's mother and completely molded her into his own shape.
He really didn't know what expression Tang San would have if he found out.
Afterwards, Lin Yang directly pulled the Blue Silver Emperor out of the soil.
"Once we're out, I'll find you a suitable environment."
At that moment, the Blue Silver Emperor's stems and leaves, like vines, wound around Lin Yang's arm, and a thought transmitted into his mind.
Lin Yang's face froze for a moment, then he said, "You want to come with me?"
The Blue Silver Emperor swayed slightly, as if nodding.
Immediately, a flash of bloody light gleamed on the Blue Silver Emperor's leaves.
To Lin Yang's astonishment, its body slowly contracted and merged into his flesh and blood.
If one removed Lin Yang's clothes, they would find an additional Blue Silver Emperor on his back.
The long grass stem extended from his back all the way to his chest, with lush leaves covering his entire back.
It was like an elaborate tattoo, branded onto his body.
Lin Yang moved around a bit and found it didn't hinder his movement. Instead, he could smell the natural fragrance of the Blue Silver Grass.
"Not bad."
Lin Yang muttered, cleaned up any traces he had left behind, and left the stone cave.
Flying skill, activate!
Lin Yang soared into the air, his whole body flying through the sky.
The warm sunlight bathed Lin Yang, as if coating him in a layer of golden clothing.
At that moment, two grass leaves unfurled from his neck, greedily and eagerly basking in the sunlight.
Seeing this, a light smile appeared on Lin Yang's face, and he slowed his speed a little.
Once he left the mountain range, Lin Yang stopped flying; being too conspicuous wasn't his intention.
After spending half a day on the road, the familiar Red Maple Village came into view.
When Su Xi saw Lin Yang suddenly return, her first reaction wasn't joy but panic.
She thought Lin Yang had gotten into trouble at school and had been expelled.
Seeing this, Lin Yang felt both touched and amused. He quickly took out the graduation certificate Principal Su Hong had given him.
"This... you've graduated already?"
Grandma Su Xi turned the graduation certificate over and over in her hands. Her anxious heart immediately settled, and the deep wrinkles on her face smoothed into a gratified smile.
"Xiao Yang is truly amazing. Now our old Lin family finally has a Soul Master."
"Mhm," Lin Yang crouched beside Grandma Su Xi and said softly,
"Grandma, this time I'm back, I want to stay with you for a while longer. After that... I need to go find a Soul Ring and then find a suitable intermediate Soul Master academy."
"At that time, I'm afraid it'll be a long while before I can come back to see you."
"Go ahead, don't worry."
Grandma Su Xi reached out and gently patted the back of Lin Yang's hand. There was reluctance in her eyes, but even more, there was pride and joy at seeing her grandson grow up.
"Grandma will be at home, the neighbors will look out for me, no need to worry."
Half a month passed in a flash.
Before leaving, Lin Yang filled the woodshed with firewood for the winter, prepared commonly used medicinal herbs, and also left behind some gold coins and silver coins.
It was enough for Grandma to live comfortably, but not so much as to invite trouble.
However, a matter he had once planned encountered a slight hitch.
He had originally wanted to use his own blood to turn Grandma Su Xi into a "Demon," thereby restoring her health.
But the reality was, even though he wasn't afraid of sunlight, his essence was still that of a "Demon."
If his blood were used on an ordinary person without Soul Power, it would completely corrode the human body, turning them into a flesh-craving, irrational evil Demon.
Even more ferocious than the demons in the Demon Slayer World!
So Lin Yang could only reluctantly abandon this plan.
Instead, he considered whether he could use Demon Blood as a medicinal catalyst to create a potion that ordinary people could adapt to, one that would prolong life and promote health.
But from the current perspective, this goal was a long and arduous journey!