To be fair, Xiao Wu's choice wasn't without reason.
By staying on the same path as in her previous life and following the original timeline alongside Tang San, she would have the strength to take revenge on the Spirit Hall. Besides, she truly loved Tang San.
Da Ming and Er Ming may have sacrificed themselves for Tang San, but as a god, he had the power to bring them back. In fact, before they left for the God Realm in their previous life, Tang San had promised Xiao Wu that he would revive Da Ming and Er Ming.
If she didn't walk the path of the past, then she, Da Ming, and Er Ming were still just 100,000-year-old soul beasts—destined either to die under the heavenly tribulation or to become someone else's soul rings.
But what Xiao Wu never expected was that by choosing to follow the path of her past life, she was walking straight into a trap—into an abyss from which there would be no return.
A dark figure quietly approached from behind. By the time Xiao Wu noticed, it was already too late.
A chopping hand strike landed precisely on the back of her neck. She passed out instantly. Not stopping there, the figure sealed off her soul power completely, then picked up the unconscious six-year-old girl-like Xiao Wu.
Upon closer inspection, the man turned out to be Snake Spear Douluo, She Long.
Lifting Xiao Wu, She Long was shocked. "She really is a transformed 100,000-year soul beast…"
Carrying the unconscious Xiao Wu, She Long returned to Qian Renxue and tossed her onto the ground.
"As expected of the young mistress. To think a transformed 100,000-year soul beast would stupidly wander into the human world!"
"Stupid?" Qian Renxue, knowing that Xiao Wu had also reincarnated, sneered as she stared at her. "No. This rabbit is far from stupid. She came here precisely to lead us into seeking revenge."
"Revenge?"
"Did you forget?" Qian Renxue said coldly. "Years ago, my mother led Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo to the Star Dou Forest to hunt a 100,000-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit soul ring. The beast they killed… was this rabbit's mother."
She Long was stunned. "This…"
Qian Renxue lifted the unconscious Xiao Wu and studied her closely.
Right now, Xiao Wu looked even younger and more delicate than she remembered, but it did nothing to dull the hatred in Qian Renxue's eyes.
Xiao Wu… you damned rabbit. You had it easy, didn't you? Found yourself a perfect man, became the empress of not only the Douluo Continent but also the Douluo God Realm. Your son, your daughter-in-law, your daughter, even your grandchildren—they all became gods. Your status was unrivaled. But now… all of that ends here.
Qian Renxue sealed Xiao Wu inside a soul tool capable of storing living beings.
"Young Mistress, since we've got our prey, should we head back?" She Long asked.
"Let's wait for Elder Cixue to return. I'll take you both somewhere special."
Not long after, Elder Cixue returned with intel. The three of them, led by Qian Renxue, headed straight for Holy Soul Village.
Holy Soul Village was where Tang Hao once hid, and where Tang San had lived for six years. It was the place where the nightmare of Spirit Hall had begun. After confirming Tang San had already left and that Tang Hao had been gone for several days, Qian Renxue brought She Long and Cixue to a cave hidden among the surrounding mountains behind the village—a cave concealed by a waterfall.
Why was Qian Renxue so familiar with this place?
Because in her previous life, the two empires and the major clans had glorified Tang San and the Shrek Seven Devils to an extreme degree. Think about it: Dai Mubai, the emperor of Star Luo Empire, was Tang San's brother. Xue Beng, the emperor of Heaven Dou, was his disciple. Every force aligned with Tang San was among the most elite on the continent.
Their worship of Tang San—and the Shrek Seven Devils—bordered on religious fanaticism. After Spirit Hall was destroyed, Tang San's influence peaked. At that time, people used to say:
"The path Tang San walked became the pilgrimage route of Sea God's most devout believers."
As Tang Hao's wife and Tang San's mother, Ah Yin's hiding place was naturally recorded in The Chronicles of Sea God Tang San. That's how Qian Renxue knew of it.
Right now, it was just an ordinary waterfall cave. But in a few decades, this place would become a sacred land of the Sea God.
Inside the cave, amidst its dark and damp interior, a single Blue Silver Grass stood out—clearly cultivated by someone. Scattered footprints littered the ground, some old, some new.
Qian Renxue approached the plant, took out a flower pot from her soul tool, and transplanted the Blue Silver Grass with a prepared shovel.
"Young Mistress, is this why you brought us here? Just for a single Blue Silver Grass?" Cixue asked, baffled.
"Blue Silver Grass is everywhere. But this one… this isn't ordinary grass. This is the Blue Silver Emperor!"
"The Blue Silver Emperor?!"
Cixue and She Long were instantly stunned. The Blue Silver Emperor had once played a key role in the death of the former Pope of Spirit Hall.
Back then, Spirit Hall discovered that Tang Hao was harboring a transformed 100,000-year soul beast. Qian Xunji led a team to kill it, but failed. The beast sacrificed itself to Tang Hao, and he, having just become a Titled Douluo, used the Clear Sky Hammer to crush three Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall—including the Pope himself.
Tang Hao's rise to fame had come by stepping on Spirit Hall's dignity. Spirit Hall hated him with a passion, but the rest of the continent revered him.
"I thought the Blue Silver Emperor had already sacrificed itself?" Cixue asked.
"'Wildfires can't destroy it; spring winds revive it.'" Qian Renxue quoted. "This is the seed of life left behind by the Blue Silver Emperor. Given time, it will return to the ranks of 100,000-year soul beasts."
"Wait… if this is the Blue Silver Emperor, then—" Cixue looked at the surrounding footprints and asked, "—was this Tang Hao's hiding place?"
"Yes," Qian Renxue confirmed.
"Should we report back to the Grand Worship and ambush Tang Hao?" She Long asked.
"No need. We've already tracked Tang Hao's movements. The current Pope has laid layer upon layer of traps for him. When the time comes, Tang Hao won't have a grave to die in," Qian Renxue said coldly.
She looked down at the plant.
Ah Yin. Last time, you willingly sacrificed yourself to avoid falling into our hands. Your son rose to defy fate, avenged you, and even brought you back to life. In the future, you became the Tree of Life for the Douluo Continent…
But none of that will happen now. You've fallen into my hands. This time, there's no escape.
Tang San—your mother and your wife… are mine now.
(End of Chapter)
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