Ning Rongrong's group arrived once more at the Blue Silver Forest.
This time, it wasn't Sword Douluo accompanying Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong, but Bone Douluo.
He had developed quite an interest in this forest.
After all, large forests dominated by Blue Silver Grass were relatively rare.
The trio had only one objective this time: to strengthen the Blue Silver Emperor's power, help it survive its first heavenly tribulation to take human form, and join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Or if the Blue Silver Emperor went back on its word to swiftly kill it and claim its spirit ring and bone.
As for why Sword Douluo didn't come along? He was currently practicing Spirit Ring Fusion. Bone Douluo had confidently vowed that with him present, nothing could go wrong.
Soon, Ning Fengzhi, Ning Rongrong, and Bone Douluro arrived at the same location they had visited three months prior.
The 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor appeared even more lush than before, its aura noticeably more formidable.
"So this is the 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor?"
Gazing at the vines coiled around the massive tree and the eerily lifelike human face formed by the tendrils, Bone Douluo's voice carried a trace of awe.
"It's been a while, Your Majesty Blue Silver Emperor," Ning Rongrong greeted.
"So it's you. Clan Leader Ning, Young Clan Leader Ning, and this is...?" The Blue Silver Emperor's tone was far more amicable than during their first meeting, its vine-formed face shifting slightly.
"This is another elder of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan Elder Gu Rong, also a Title Douluo," Ning Rongrong introduced.
"As a support-type sect, we lack combat capabilities, so we're usually accompanied by an elder when traveling."
"Elder Sword recently achieved a breakthrough and is currently in seclusion."
"I see. My congratulations then."
"Might I ask... what brings you three here this time?" The Blue Silver Emperor's gaze lingered on them hesitantly.
"Indeed. We've brought some spirit herbs that can help Your Majesty reach the 100,000-year bottleneck and swiftly overcome the heavenly tribulation."
This time, it was Ning Fengzhi who spoke. Though Ning Rongrong had insisted on handling everything, as clan leader, remaining completely silent would seem inappropriate as if he were being sidelined by his own daughter.
With a slight wave of his wrist, the storage-type soul tool on his arm glimmered faintly.
A batch of fire dragon fruits, clovers, white spirit ginseng, and seven or eight 500-600 year purple ganoderma mushrooms materialized at the base of the massive tree, near the Blue Silver Emperor's vines.
Sensing the potent energy radiating from the pile of spirit herbs, the inhuman face of the 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor first showed astonishment before finally composing itself.
"As expected of the foremost support sect renowned for appraising treasures. These herbs might truly allow me to reach the bottleneck immediately."
Over these three months, the Blue Silver Emperor hadn't been idle in investigating the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
As a 100,000-year plant spirit beast, though unable to move freely, it could still employ its power to command birds and beasts to gather information about the human world.
It had learned much about the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Without ceremony, the Blue Silver Emperor extended vine-like tendrils to absorb the pile of spirit herbs.
One minute... ten minutes... a hundred minutes passed.
The mountain of spirit herbs was completely devoured.
Having absorbed the medicinal energies and after a period of stabilization, the Blue Silver Emperor's vines now shimmered with an azure glow, its aura appearing more harmonious with nature.
Its previously unstable 100,000-year spirit power, driven by the massive influx of medicinal energy, had reached the threshold the bottleneck equivalent to the 95th rank.
For ordinary plant spirit beasts, such rapid advancement would be impossible.
But the current Blue Silver Emperor had absorbed a 100,000-year spirit ring three months ago, with Tang San's mother Ah Yin as its foundation. All it lacked was accumulated energy.
The spirit herbs provided by Ning Fengzhi's group perfectly compensated for this deficiency.
"Clan Leader Ning, my breakthrough is imminent. Once successful, I shall personally visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to express my gratitude."
"Very well." Ning Fengzhi nodded. "In that case, we won't disturb Your Majesty's cultivation further. We await your good news."
Under Bone Douluo's lead, the trio departed through the skies, putting distance between themselves and the Blue Silver Forest.
After they left...
The Blue Silver Emperor's cordial tone turned icy. "Hmph! Humans!"
"Erasing Her Majesty's consciousness, then expecting my cooperation? Go to hell! However... Her Majesty's residual memories mention a child named Tang San. After surviving the tribulation, I shall find him!"
"I must protect that child's growth!"
"Spirit Hall... I, the Blue Silver Emperor, shall inherit Her Majesty's will until you are utterly destroyed!"
The ferocity faded from the Blue Silver Emperor's face as it closed its eyes to cultivate, preparing to endure the first heavenly tribulation.
Outside the Blue Silver Forest...
"Fengzhi, that Blue Silver Emperor may not act as we hoped."
The spirit beast's attempts to conceal its emotions remained amateurish after all, it wasn't human.
Even a 100,000-year spirit beast, without sufficient worldly experience, would inevitably reveal traces of its true feelings.
"Mm, Rongrong and I already anticipated this." Ning Fengzhi nodded. "Rongrong mentioned that after surviving the tribulation, spirit beasts enter a period of weakness far below their peak strength."
"We'll strike then."
"Feels like we're playing the villains here." Ning Rongrong chuckled after Ning Fengzhi finished. "The other party hasn't even revealed its dagger, yet we're preparing to strike first."
"Rongrong, now is not the time for excessive mercy," Bone Douluo said sternly. "Having confirmed its lack of allegiance, we must act decisively to resolve everything cleanly."
Ruthlessness was Bone Douluo's consistent approach.
With Ning Rongrong confirmed as the future clan leader and Ning Fengzhi's other two children having voluntarily withdrawn from succession, it fell to him to teach her certain lessons like abandoning misplaced compassion and hesitation.
Otherwise, critical decisions might lead to catastrophic mistakes for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
This differed greatly from the original timeline.
There, Ning Rongrong had been spoiled rotten, remaining utterly naive to the ways of the world.
"Don't worry." Ning Rongrong nodded. "Barring unforeseen circumstances, we'll stand firm as the final players moving the pieces."
After staying two or three days in a village near the forest...
Suddenly, the trio sensed a oppressive aura emanating from the Blue Silver Forest.
Thick storm clouds gathered above the woodland.
Noticing this, Bone Douluo enveloped Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong in soul power as they approached the forest.
They halted while still far from the cloud layer.
"This distance should suffice. Any closer and we might be in danger too." Bone Douluo observed the apocalyptic thunderheads with solemnity.
Flickers of lightning danced ominously within the clouds, radiating boundless pressure.
"How terrifying..."
"Spirit beasts advancing beyond the 95th-rank must endure such dreadful tribulations?" Even Bone Douluo felt inexplicable trepidation from the storm.
While spirit beasts possessed greater physical resilience than soul masters, this heavenly punishment seemed determined to strike with lethal force!
"The prohibition against spirit beasts attaining godhood is a decree from the Divine Realm," Ning Rongrong sighed.
Honestly, she couldn't fathom why the Dragon God had allowed the Asura God to split it in two. Only someone utterly senseless would agree to such terms.
First banning spirit beasts from divinity, then permitting them to glimpse and seize a sliver of hope for the future...
Were you bewitched or something?
For spirit beasts to have such a deity overseeing them what wretched luck across eight lifetimes.