Douluo: Yu Hao is reborn, this Tang San is different

Chapter 132 The Devouring Ability of Blue Silver Grass
A few hours later.

As dusk gilded the spire of Shrek Academy, Tang San and Xiao Wu returned, their footsteps treading on fallen ginkgo leaves. The Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moon Soul Guidance Device glowed slightly warm at Tang San's waist, the heavy gold notes inside seemingly still carrying the lingering warmth of the auction.

Xiao Wu skipped and plucked a withered leaf from her hair, her rabbit ears trembling gently in the evening breeze: "Third Brother, those people's eyes widened when they saw Zhuge Divine Crossbow. Didn't you see the expressions on those old men's faces!"

Just as Tang San was about to reply, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine as a familiar fluctuation of soul power came from behind him.

Turning around, I saw Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang leaning against a mottled willow tree, his pale face flickering in the twilight. His gray robe still carried the musty smell of the Spirit City dungeon, and his right hand was habitually curled up—a lingering effect of being broken by the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Clan.

"Teacher!" Tang San rushed forward, but froze when he met the Grandmaster's bloodshot eyes. The mentor he remembered, who was always calm and wise, now had an almost fanatical light surging in his eyes, like a trapped beast finally finding its prey.

"Little San, summon the Blue Silver Grass." The Grandmaster's voice was hoarse, yet carried an undeniable authority. Tang San hesitated for a moment, and the Blue Silver Grass burst forth from the ground, its emerald green vines gleaming strangely in the moonlight.

The master suddenly knelt on one knee, his calloused hand stroking the grass, his Adam's apple bobbing violently: "Twenty years. I've finally waited for this day."

Xiao Wu nervously clutched Tang San's clothes; she had never seen the master so distraught.

Tang San noticed a half-rolled manuscript peeking out from his teacher's sleeve. The yellowed pages were covered in dense annotations, and the three vermilion characters for "Blue Silver Grass" at the title stung his eyes. Memories flooded back—when he first entered the academy, Grandmaster had said Blue Silver Grass was a useless martial spirit.
"Teacher, you knew all along," Tang San's voice trembled.

The master suddenly looked up, his gaze behind his glasses sharp as an eagle: "I have been researching the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul for thirty years! From the moment you awakened, I have been waiting for an opportunity to verify my conjecture."

He suddenly coughed violently, and the blood that seeped from between his fingers dripped onto the Blue Silver Grass, where it was instantly absorbed, and the grass leaves immediately glowed with golden light.

Xiao Wu was so frightened that she took a half step back, but Tang San reached out to stop her.

He could clearly feel the excitement of the Blue Silver Grass; its vines actively wrapped around the master's wrist, continuously injecting life force into his body.

"see it?"

The master's eyes gleamed with an almost manic light. "Blue Silver Grass can not only devour energy, but also nourish its host! This is not a mutation at all, but the awakening of an ancient bloodline!"

As night deepened, the three moved to the wooden cabin behind the academy.

The master spread out more than twenty notebooks, with dried blue silver grass specimens sandwiched between the yellowed pages, and different soul power fluctuation curves marked next to each drawing.

“Ordinary Blue Silver Grass has seventy-two evolutionary paths, but your Blue Silver Grass,” he circled the central manuscript heavily in red pen, “only has one path to godhood.”

Xiao Wu curiously leaned closer, but was overwhelmed by the dense formulas.

Tang San held his breath—the soul ring ratio drawn on the manuscript coincided with his subconscious cultivation direction.

"Little San, you can secretly absorb the soul power and life force of the people around you to cultivate in the future. This will make your soul power increase faster."

Grandmaster gazed at the Blue Silver Grass mark between Tang San's brows, his pupils behind his glasses glowing with an unusual red light: "What is the essence of a life-type martial soul? It's plunder. Like a giant tree in a forest, how can it reach the sky without absorbing nutrients from other plants?"

Tang San's fingertips unconsciously traced the moonlit night over the Twenty-Four Bridges, the cultivation plan he had drafted the night before burning repeatedly in his mind. The thought of devouring his classmates' life force made his stomach churn. "Teacher, Dai Mubai and the others are partners, not nourishment."

His voice trembled slightly, but the blue silver grass stirred restlessly under his sleeve, seemingly instinctively yearning for something.

The master suddenly grabbed Tang San's wrist, his well-defined fingers digging into his flesh: "Partners? Do you remember when I was in the Spirit City dungeon, when prisoners burned my back with cigarette butts, where were your so-called partners?"

He ripped open his collar, revealing crisscrossing whip marks. "Weak and unable to even protect myself, what makes you think of friendship? Do you think the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Clan will show mercy just because I'm of the Yu family bloodline? No, they'll crush me like an ant!"

Tang San's pupils contracted sharply. He had seen those wounds when he changed the bandages for his master, but he had never imagined that they concealed such deep-seated hatred.

The master's breathing suddenly quickened. He grabbed a blue silver grass from the side and rubbed it vigorously, the green juice staining his palm: "You think I let you go into the life element on a whim? Look at this!" He flung out a yellowed animal skin book, the four bloody words "Soul-Stealing Spider King" on the cover were shocking.

"Why can Bibi Dong's spirit hunt enemies beyond her level?" Grandmaster's voice suddenly deepened. "Because her second spirit is essentially a parasite! Devouring spirit beasts, devouring opponents, even devouring the resources of the entire Spirit Hall—this is the survival rule of standing at the top of the food chain!"

His fingertips traced the illustrations in the book, depicting the horrifying scene of the Soul-Stealing Spider King draining soul beasts. "Little San, you have an advantage over her. The Blue Silver Emperor can naturally disguise itself as a harmless plant. Who would be wary of a blade of grass?"

The wind on the back mountain suddenly became biting, and Tang San shivered. He thought of the catwoman at the auction house, and the way his master was beaten up; a corner of his defenses was quietly crumbling.

Blue Silver Grass peeked out from his sleeve, its leaves gently wrapping around the master's wrist, which surprisingly improved the latter's pale complexion.

“Look, it’s already yearning for it.” The master’s eyes were filled with fervor. “The law of the jungle is the iron law of this world. It’s just that before you were devouring soul beasts, now it’s humans.”

He suddenly leaned close to Tang San's ear, his voice as low as a viper's hiss, "Dai Mubai has the bloodline of the Evil Eye Saint King, Oscar is a rare food-type genius, and even Xiao Wu... haven't you ever coveted the life force contained in her Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul?"

These words were like a heavy hammer blow, shattering the taboo in Tang San's heart.

He recalled the exhilarating surge of life force that coursed through his body each time he and Xiao Wu used their spirit fusion technique, and how his Blue Silver Grass would always tremble uncontrollably when Dai Mubai released his spirit. Had those instinctive reactions already revealed the true nature of the Blue Silver Emperor?

"Teacher, but it's the academy's rule!" Tang San struggled. Grandmaster suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, his laughter tinged with madness: "Rules? Where were the rules when I was being tortured in the Spirit Hall dungeon? Tang San, do you think Shrek Academy is a sanctuary? No, this is just a temporary refuge. Once you set foot on the continent, you'll find that everyone is willing to do anything to become stronger—including your teacher."

He abruptly opened the soul-guiding device, revealing twelve neatly arranged crystal-clear test tubes, each containing a different colored liquid. "This is the essence blood of the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex that I stole from Liu Erlong,"

The master tapped the test tube with his fingertips. "And Flander's owl feathers, Zhao Wuji's Vajra Bear fur—they all thought I was researching martial soul complementarity, but actually, I was concocting a devouring potion."

Tang San took a half step back, staring in horror at his teacher before him. The master who had once taught him that "the way of martial souls lies in benevolence" now only had a fanatical madness in his eyes. The Blue Silver Grass trembled violently within his body, seemingly echoing the master's words.

"Imagine your Blue Silver Grass absorbing the power of the Evil-Eyed White Tiger, the restorative power of the Sausage Shop, and the amplifying power of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda," the master's voice was full of temptation, "you will become the first person on the continent to possess a martial soul with all attributes! At that time, not to mention the Spirit Hall, even Seagod Island and the Spirit Pagoda will tremble at your feet!"

The morning mist gradually dissipated, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the master's face. Tang San looked at the bloodshot in his teacher's eyes and suddenly remembered the letter Yu Xiaogang had written in the dungeon of Wuhun City—"Tell Xiao San to put aside the matter of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well for now and protect the two dragons." Back then, his teacher still cared about others.

"Teacher, are you blinded by hatred?" Tang San said softly. "Wasn't our original intention in cultivating to protect the people we care about?"

The master's pupils contracted sharply, as if a sore spot had been struck. He turned and walked towards the cliff, his voice low and menacing: "Protect? I protected Bibi Dong, I protected the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Clan, but what did they give me in return? Betrayal, humiliation, and relentless pursuit!"

Tang San's heart clenched painfully. He had never imagined that his teacher and the Pope harbored such a deep grudge. Suddenly, the Blue Silver Grass grew wildly, enveloping the two in a green barrier, the air filled with a rich life force.

"Little San, do you think I wanted you to go down this path?" The master's voice suddenly choked up. "I just didn't want you to repeat my mistakes! In this world, only those at the top have the right to define right and wrong. You think Dai Mubai and the others treat you like a brother, but once interests are involved, they will crush you without hesitation—just like my brother crushed my martial spirit!"

The temperature inside the barrier suddenly rose, and Tang San felt the Blue Silver Grass greedily absorbing the surrounding life force, even drawing away the aura from Grandmaster. He was horrified to discover that he was becoming somewhat addicted to this feeling.

“One last chance,” the master said, his madness turning into pleading as he turned away, “Try absorbing my life force. Consider it a test of the theory.” He opened his arms, and Blue Silver Grass instantly wrapped around his neck.

Tang San's fingertips trembled. The thorns of the Blue Silver Grass pierced the master's skin, and pale golden blood seeped out, quickly absorbed by the grass leaves. The master's face paled visibly, but a satisfied smile appeared on his face: "Look, there is no pain, only the pleasure of becoming stronger. This is the true essence of the Blue Silver Emperor."

Just then, Xiao Wu's voice called out from afar.

Tang San jolted awake and withdrew his Blue Silver Grass. Grandmaster staggered and fell to the ground, the claw marks on his chest becoming even more gruesome. "You'll regret this," he gasped. "The day you're betrayed by your so-called allies, you'll understand I was right."

Tang San helped Grandmaster towards the academy, his mind in turmoil. The Blue Silver Grass stirred restlessly within him, seemingly protesting the interrupted feast. Gazing at the Shrek Academy's spire, faintly visible through the morning mist, he suddenly couldn't tell whether what lay ahead was the path to light or deeper darkness.

Behind them, on the land where the Blue Silver Grass had absorbed its life force, a black sprout was quietly breaking through the soil, and the patterns on its leaves were exactly the same as the claw mark on the master's heart.

a few days later.

On Shrek Academy's morning training field, Dai Mubai's evil eyes flashed with golden light, and the White Tiger's fierce light wave shook the ground, causing stones to fly everywhere.

Tang San crouched at the edge of the training ground, Blue Silver Grass creeping silently through his fingers, the tips of the blades gleaming with an eerie purple light in the morning dew. He gazed at Dai Mubai's undulating back, recalling Grandmaster's words from yesterday: "The part of the neck where life energy is most abundant is when a martial soul is released."

"Hey Tang San, what are you daydreaming about!" Oscar's voice startled Tang San. He hurriedly retracted the spreading Blue Silver Grass, only to find his fingertips stained dark green with its juice. Dai Mubai, wiping his sweat, walked over and patted Tang San's shoulder: "Same as always tonight, want to go to town for a drink?"

Sunlight streamed through his silver hair behind his ears, casting a shadow on the back of his neck.

The Blue Silver Grass suddenly surged within Tang San's sleeve, its thorns piercing his skin. He forced a smile, enduring the pain, and said, "No, I want to practice a little longer." His gaze, however, was fixed on the throbbing veins on Dai Mubai's nape. The illustration of a spider devouring its prey in the *Soul-Stealing Beast Codex*, which he had secretly glimpsed the previous night, now overlapped with the scene before him in his mind.

As Dai Mubai turned around, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass had already transformed into invisible threads, using the shadows on the ground to wrap around his ankles.

"careful!"

Tang San feigned a reminder, and taking advantage of Dai Mubai's momentary distraction, the silk thread suddenly pierced his skin. A warm energy surged in along the thread, mixed with the domineering aura of the White Tiger Martial Soul, making Tang San's temples throb.

"Strange, why am I so tired today?"

Dai Mubai rubbed his temples, completely unaware of the small red dot on his ankle. Tang San hurriedly severed the connection, his heart pounding wildly. He tasted the metallic flavor at the corner of his mouth and realized he had bitten his tongue—the energy he had just experienced had given him an addictive pleasure.

In the afternoon bamboo forest, Ma Hongjun's phoenix flames distorted the air. Tang San pretended to be meditating, but the Blue Silver Grass crawled up the bamboo roots toward the fat man.

When the flames scorched the grass blades, he deliberately gave himself away: "Oh dear, my Blue Silver Grass!"

Ma Hongjun hurriedly stopped his attack, but Tang San seized the opportunity to press down on his wrist: "It's nothing, just a slight burn."

The moment their skin touched, the Blue Silver Grass burrowed into Ma Hongjun's sleeve as if it were alive. The scorching energy of the Phoenix bloodline surged forth, making Tang San's fingertips numb.

He recalled the master's teachings: "Plant-type martial souls devour beast martial souls and need to be encased in soul power to form a furnace." So he forcibly activated the Mysterious Heaven Technique, compressing the flame energy into an inner core.

"Your hands are so cold, mistress."

Ma Hongjun withdrew his hand, looking at Tang San's pale face with suspicion. The latter had already hidden his inner core in his soul tool and smiled, "It's probably because he cultivated a water-attribute soul skill." As he turned around, he saw that his shadow on the bamboo forest ground had several silver-blue patterns slowly wriggling.

(End of this chapter)