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This was getting interesting.
In this era of the Douluo Continent, there was no concept of soul possession. So, what exactly did Tang Hao think his son was?
A hybrid freak born from a human and a soul beast? Or something else entirely? It was hard to say.
However, if Tang San were to awaken with innate full soul power and twin martial souls, Tang Hao's intentions would become glaringly obvious. His drastic change in attitude could only mean one thing: he wanted to use Tang San to achieve his own goals.
Revenge—
What an utterly selfish man.
To Ye Wen, Tang Hao was the epitome of an absolute egoist. In Tang Hao's eyes, no one else mattered; he lived solely within his own world of the Hao Tian Sect.
Though Ye Wen couldn't directly scan Tang Hao's body with divine awareness, Tang Hao didn't stay indoors all the time. A few days later, he went out to purchase iron materials—he was a blacksmith after all, so it wasn't like he could refine iron ore himself.
The interior of the blacksmith shop could barely be described as spartan. There were two wooden beds, simple furniture, and nothing more than a forging furnace. Moreover, Ye Wen didn't find any storage-type soul devices on Tang Hao. For someone of Title Douluo status, not even owning basic items seemed odd. Had he really sold everything for money to buy alcohol?
With no other choice, Ye Wen activated his divine awareness scan.
"Hmm!"
A sly smile crept onto Ye Wen's lips.
The most dangerous place was often the safest. Though he hadn't found the Thunderclap Hell Vine, its spirit bone had been buried beneath the forging platform by Tang Hao, sealed tightly in a lead box to suppress its aura. Without divine awareness, no ordinary person would have noticed it.
"A left arm bone with lightning attributes, strong offensive type. Not bad—it even has strength-enhancing properties. None of my people seem to need it…
Ah, right! Dao Ba plays with knives so skillfully I almost forgot he also has lightning attributes. He's missing a left arm bone too. Perfect."
"So, don't blame me, Tang Hao. Treasures of heaven and earth belong to those with virtue. Since you're not using it, let it benefit my disciple instead. Hehehe."
Using spatial manipulation, Ye Wen retrieved the lead box without leaving a trace on the forging platform.
Acquiring a 200,000-year-old ferocious beast spirit bone felt satisfying, even though it wasn't much to Ye Wen. Freebies always felt good.
Afterward, Ye Wen stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Taking someone's things outright felt somewhat immoral. He should leave something behind.
So, Ye Wen took out a piece of paper and slowly wrote:
"Tang Hao, I've returned. Wait for me. You couldn't even protect our son. The Hao Tian Sect will pay the price!"
(A/N.: Don't worry about Tang Hao slaughtering villagers. If he dared do that, the Spirit Hall would hunt him down immediately. Father and son on the run? Does anyone seriously believe the Spirit Hall wouldn't find them after all these years, especially with innate full soul power?)
Though Ye Wen had never seen Ah Yu's handwriting, a girl's writing was probably delicate and refined.
When Tang Hao saw this note, he'd surely be tormented and panic-stricken. Hehehe.
After returning the lead box to its original spot, Ye Wen left in high spirits.
When Ye Wen returned, the sky suddenly darkened. A massive storm was approaching. But for a god-level powerhouse like Ye Wen, dispersing such rain with a wave of his hand was child's play.
However, he didn't bother. Rain was essential for crops. Besides, it had been a long time since he'd enjoyed the sound of rain. He checked into an inn and began appreciating the rainy scenery.
Drip, drip, splash…
It was a torrential downpour.
Crack—crack—
Thunder roared. Ye Wen wasn't afraid of thunder, but the noise was certainly grating. Still, watching the flashes of lightning was rather beautiful.
But this reminded Ye Wen of the Thunderclap Hell Vine's characteristics. Curious, he extended his vast divine awareness over hundreds of miles of sky.
"What's this?!"
Dozens of miles away, atop a cliff deep in an ancient forest, a bamboo shoot-like soul beast was drawing down lightning.
A faint smile formed on Ye Wen's lips. Another trump card against the Tang God King had just appeared.
"There you are, Thunderclap Hell Vine."
But Ye Wen didn't rush to revive it.
The Thunderclap Hell Vine was an exceptionally unique soul beast, possessing intelligence from the moment of its birth.
Being struck by a hundred bolts of lightning would increase its cultivation by one year, making its initial growth phase the most difficult. However, once it reached a century of age, it gained the ability to draw lightning during storms. As it grew stronger, this ability became increasingly exaggerated, eventually triggering a phenomenon known as the "Thunder Pool."
Countless bolts of lightning would rain down endlessly, seemingly intent on obliterating an entire region.
Thus, the Thunderclap Hell Vine typically only existed in remote mountain forests.
Moreover, due to the violent nature of lightning, the older it grew, the more likely it was to self-destruct. Most Thunderclap Hell Vines died between 20,000 and 50,000 years of age. For one like Ah Yu to reach 200,000 years was practically a miracle.
Ye Wen suspected the Asura God's hand in this. After all, the Douluo Continent wasn't that big. How coincidental was it that Ah Yu managed to grow undisturbed for 200,000 years?
After the rain cleared, the air was filled with a refreshing scent.
Arriving at the cliff where Ah Yu resided, Ye Wen was speechless.
Tang Hao really knew how to pick places. This location was nearly inaccessible to ordinary people, and since it wasn't part of a soul beast forest, powerful soul masters wouldn't visit either. Additionally, because of the Thunderclap Hell Vine's terrifying nature, regular animals avoided it, giving A-Yu an ideal environment to grow.
"Hello, Lady Ah Yu. Do you remember me?"
Ye Wen approached with a light laugh and greeted her.
The bamboo shoot-like Ah Yu swayed its branches, clearly excited to see Ye Wen, a divine being.
Finally, she wouldn't have to endure wind, sun, and rain every day. She could return to her family.
But Ye Wen, indulging in mischief, didn't immediately revive her. Instead, he said:
"Lady, I have two pieces of news for you—one good and one bad. Which would you like to hear first?"
Ah Yu's body stiffened. Are you a devil? Do I look like I can talk right now?
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry. I forgot you can't speak yet.
Since that's the case, let me tell you directly.
The bad news is that your son is dead, but your husband is still abusing his body."
"?" Ah Yu was confused.
What did it mean for her son to be dead yet abused?
"The good news is that your son is alive again—but the soul inside isn't his. Can you accept that?"
Ah Yu froze in place once more, resembling an ordinary bamboo shoot.
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