Chapter 423: Silver Queen
Amid the towering mountains, Dai Yao's gaze continued to sweep the landscape.
Suddenly, a familiar mist caught his attention, and with a surge of excitement, he sped towards the waterfall.
In moments, Dai Yao was hovering above the valley, where a waterfall cascaded into a pool below with a thunderous roar, dazzling under the sunlight. Gazing down at this valley—the one where Tang San had once trained in the original story—Dai Yao was overwhelmed with complex emotions. Tang San had perfected his Eighty-One Strikes here, yet in this life, he had not met Hu Liena in the City of Hell, having been ensnared in Dai Yao's schemes instead.
Deactivating the Sea God's Heart's concealment effect, Dai Yao revealed his true self, letting the sinister aura of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger fill the valley unchecked.
Yet no one appeared.
"It seems Tang Hao has left the valley. Otherwise, he would have come out by now. But did he take Ah Yin with him?" Dai Yao wondered to himself.
He flew to the front of the waterfall and activated his right leg's Blue Silver Emperor spirit bone, tuning into the aura of the Blue Silver Emperor.
Tang Hao had hidden Ah Yin's Blue Silver Emperor form in a secret chamber behind the waterfall, accessible only through a mechanism he had concealed among the rocks near the waterfall. However, with countless rocks there, identifying the exact one was nearly impossible.
Yet with his Blue Silver Emperor spirit bone, Dai Yao could establish a unique resonance with the Blue Silver Emperor itself, enabling him to locate her precise position.
Sure enough, after about fifteen minutes of meticulous searching, Dai Yao stopped in front of a section of the waterfall where the water was thinner, revealing a brown rock face. Here, he felt a subtle calling from his Blue Silver Emperor spirit bone.
A victorious smile crossed Dai Yao's face.
"Tang Hao, you truly didn't take the Blue Silver Emperor with you. Without the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, you couldn't have transplanted it elsewhere. You sought to kill me years ago—though I can't repay you directly, I'll take this Blue Silver Emperor as recompense."
Dai Yao channeled his spirit power, sending waves of grey energy to seep into the rock's crevices.
As expected, a hidden chamber lay behind the rock face.
With a cold smile, Dai Yao extended his Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear spirit bone on his left hand and began clawing into the brown rock wall. Within a few seconds, he had carved a large hole, revealing a spacious stone chamber.
Above, a skylight let sunlight pour into the chamber, illuminating the Blue Silver Emperor, whose golden-veined leaves sprawled and thrived at the center.
"I found you, Ah Yin…"
A glint of cold light flashed in Dai Yao's eyes.
He stepped into the chamber, where the Blue Silver Emperor's leaves stretched and glistened with golden veins, almost as if it were alive. Dai Yao could clearly sense the plant's resistance and fear.
Ah Yin was terrified; she couldn't understand how this stranger had discovered her hidden sanctuary, which only Tang Hao knew about. And where was Tang Hao now?
Even more confusing to her was that this stranger bore her spirit bone! Hadn't she gifted it to Tang San? How did it end up with him…?
Dai Yao gave the Blue Silver Emperor a cold, indifferent look and spoke icily.
"I know you can understand me, and I know your situation. Let me be clear—I have a deep vendetta against Tang Hao. If luck hadn't been on my side, I would've died under his hammer. I came here for vengeance. Since he's not around, you'll pay his debt in his place."
The Blue Silver Emperor's golden patterns rippled in response, and Dai Yao understood her meaning.
"So you're asking if it's honorable to torment a defenseless woman? Let me remind you—back then, I was merely a Soul King, and Tang Hao, a titled Douluo, attacked me. What kind of honor did he have?"
A sinister smile spread across Dai Yao's face as he continued, "And I've never claimed to be honorable. I'll do whatever I please if it brings Tang Hao pain."
Then, as if something had just occurred to him, he added, "Oh, by the way. I forgot to mention—your precious son, Tang San, is also my mortal enemy. His wife died by my hand, and I hold a deep grudge against the Haotian Sect."
"If I recall correctly, Tang Xiao had feelings for you, didn't he? If I take you with me, won't that plunge him into despair as well…?"
Dai Yao broke into a peal of cruel laughter, as if he could already see the devastated expressions of Tang Hao, Tang San, and Tang Xiao.
"Despicable…"
The Blue Silver Emperor projected this feeling unmistakably.
Dai Yao felt no shame; he chuckled and said, "Thank you."
Without another word, he moved beside the Blue Silver Emperor and uprooted her entirely, placing her into his Hundred Treasures Pouch.
"I have the Blue Silver Emperor now. An untransformed Blue Silver Emperor doesn't interest me much, but the vitality of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, combined with the green glow of the Chaos Green Lotus, should significantly accelerate the Blue Silver Emperor's transformation. This will also be a perfect opportunity to test the effect of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's innate ability."
"If even the Blue Silver Emperor, who despises me, can have her personality twisted by this ability, my plans can progress sooner…"
With that thought, Dai Yao's dark wings spread wide. Enveloped by the Sea God's Heart, he sped toward the Sunset Forest.
...
Several days later, Sunset Forest.
Viewed from the sky, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well lay nestled between two mountain peaks, resembling a yin-yang hot pot.
"Finally here."
Relieved, Dai Yao changed course, descending toward the ground.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was surrounded by lush vegetation, with countless rare medicinal herbs growing wild. Since the establishment of the Azure Lotus Sect, Dugu Yan had been acting as sect leader, with Dugu Bo by her side. With both gone, the area was now untended.
However, the natural poison barrier of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well still kept soul beasts at bay.
Dai Yao glanced around; the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid and the Fiery Apricot had already been picked, leaving only their stems. Yet, new life was sprouting. The soil he had disturbed while harvesting the immortal herbs still bore signs of it.
"Everything here changes over time," Dai Yao murmured wistfully.
"Now that Dugu Bo has left the Heaven Dou Empire, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well has no one to guard it. With Tang San now influential in the empire, if he learns of this place, he'll likely take control and use its resources."
He chuckled darkly. "If that day comes, I'll uproot everything here and leave Tang San with nothing."
Dai Yao retrieved the Blue Silver Emperor from his Hundred Treasures Pouch and planted it near the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. However, it was clear that the plant wasn't adapting well to its new environment; its leaves trembled and twitched.
"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is indeed a treasure trove, but its cold and fiery toxins are unbearable for most. In the original story, Tang San used his own blood to help Ah Yin acclimate to this environment. Hm..."
After a brief pause, Dai Yao made up his mind. He sliced open his wrist, allowing blood to flow freely and land precisely on the Blue Silver Emperor. Within seconds, his wound closed, and soon after, it had scabbed over and healed completely…
Sure enough, as the Blue Silver Emperor absorbed Dai Yao's blood, it visibly calmed down. Though still wary of him, it could sense a marked increase in its growth rate.
"All right, everything's in place. Now, let's see what you can do, Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's innate ability!"
Dai Yao gave a wicked grin.
Innate Ability: Beast Servant!
Gray energy surged wildly from his body and began to engulf the Blue Silver Emperor as it writhed in terror. Dai Yao could feel a unique connection form between himself and the Blue Silver Emperor. He now had complete control over it—one thought, and he could make the Blue Silver Emperor wish for death.
"What… have you done to me?" The Blue Silver Emperor trembled, feeling entirely at his mercy, terror-stricken.
"Silence."
At his command, all the chaotic emotions from the Blue Silver Emperor instantly vanished from his mind.
"Tsk, so obedient. This Beast Servant ability is quite effective. With this, I can leave Ah Yin here to guard the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for me. If Tang San ever finds this place, he'll have to face Ah Yin—now that would be a sight!"
"However, Ah Yin's power is still too weak; she'll need some enhancement. Plus, her emotional ties to Tang San and Tang Hao are potential risks. I'll need to set up contingencies."
With this in mind, Dai Yao approached the Blue Silver Emperor. Although she feared and loathed him intensely, Ah Yin found herself inexplicably drawn to him.
With a thought, a soft green light emerged from Dai Yao's mental world, flowing from his hand into the branches and leaves of the Blue Silver Emperor.
As the green light entered, the Blue Silver Emperor began to grow at an astonishing rate, drawing in the surrounding energy from heaven and earth. The golden veins on its leaves grew more vibrant. Across the Sunset Forest, countless Blue Silver Grass plants began to sway in an eerie rhythm, as if paying homage to their sovereign.
One by one, blue specks of light gathered around the Blue Silver Emperor. Within an hour, its cultivation had soared by an unknown number of years.
Additionally, a new consciousness emerged from within the Blue Silver Emperor.
"Master."
A youthful voice echoed in Dai Yao's mind.
"And who might you be?" Dai Yao was surprised. He hadn't forced Ah Yin to address him as 'Master'—what was going on?
The young voice responded, "I am the Blue Silver Emperor before you, Master!"
Dai Yao was even more perplexed. He hadn't ordered Ah Yin to call him 'Master,' so why would she?
"Why do you call me 'Master'?"
The young voice sounded slightly puzzled. "I don't know. Ever since I was born, I've felt that you are my Master."
As the voice spoke, the Blue Silver Emperor manifested a faint image.
It was Ah Yin's form—her long, icy-blue hair flowing down, her face soft and beautiful, dressed in a delicate blue gown. Her light blue eyes were no longer warm, but pure and innocent, like a newborn.
However, a stark black line marred her otherwise pale neck, resembling a collar.
Dai Yao quickly realized what had happened. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Beast Servant ability gradually granted its user complete control over their target.
But Ah Yin's case was unique; her intense hatred of Dai Yao had led to fierce resistance against the ability's influence. Furthermore, the green light from the Chaos Green Lotus accelerated the growth of the Blue Silver Emperor, allowing the new consciousness formed by the Beast Servant ability to completely overwhelm and seal away Ah Yin's original mind.
This was why the Blue Silver Emperor now recognized Dai Yao as its master.
Dai Yao extended his hand, and the Blue Silver Emperor responded, stretching out its leaves to touch his fingers. Not only that, it continued to climb up his arm, feeling soft and delicate against his skin. Dai Yao looked at the Blue Silver Emperor's spectral form and sensed the resilient energy within its veins. With its cultivation now nearing seventy thousand years, it would only take a few more years at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for it to return to the strength of a hundred-thousand-year-old plant.
"In that case, let me give you a name. I'll call you Yin'er."
"Thank you, Master, for the name!" Yin'er responded joyfully, attempting to embrace Dai Yao, though her spectral form could only pass through him.
Seeing this, Dai Yao smirked. "How about creating a chair for me?"
At his command, the Blue Silver Emperor's leaves extended, forming a chair-like structure. Dai Yao sat down, the Blue Silver Grass soft yet sturdy beneath him, providing all the comfort of a plush armchair.
As Dai Yao lifted his foot slightly, Yin'er extended her leaves to support it. Beside his right hand, Yin'er's spectral form knelt gracefully by the armrest, looking up at him with adoration.
"Ah, this Dark Demon Evil God Tiger ability is truly something," Dai Yao mused. "Yin'er sees me as her master, and her entire purpose is to serve me. It's just a pity she can't yet take on human form. Otherwise… Imagine Tang San's reaction if he saw his own mother by my side in this state!"
He chuckled darkly, relishing the thought of Tang San's shock and disbelief if Yin'er ever fought against him.
"Still, Ah Yin's original consciousness remains a hidden threat. Removing it won't be easy. Given the situation…"
Dai Yao activated the Chaos Green Lotus once again, sending two green beams from his fingers into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. The beams landed on the roots of the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid and the Fiery Apricot, whose flowers had previously been harvested. Fiery energy and icy energy surged from the well, absorbed by the roots.
In a short time, two flowers began to form, and two unfamiliar presences surfaced in Dai Yao's mind.
It was the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid and the Fiery Apricot.
"From now on, you will be called Little Ice and Little Fire. Assist Yin'er and guard this place together. Do not allow anyone to enter here. If anyone tries to force their way in, you may use self-detonation to drive them off. I'll restore your vitality afterward."
The two spirit plants acknowledged his commands respectfully, grateful to Dai Yao for bestowing them with consciousness.
Satisfied, Dai Yao nodded. After giving Yin'er some final instructions to live harmoniously with her new companions, he unfurled his wings, took to the skies, and vanished into the horizon as a streak of light…
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