A violent series of cracking and popping sounds echoed through the stone cave. Strangely, Tang San hadn't felt a shred of pain throughout the entire process. That cool blue current was acting directly on the meridians throughout his entire body.
Tang San stared in astonishment as every single one of his meridians had turned a faint shade of blue. The channels through which his internal energy flowed had expanded geometrically.
What had once been a small stream was gradually becoming a mighty river, yet the meridians showed no signs of thinning. Instead, they had grown far more resilient.
If the two years of tempering beneath the waterfall had refined Tang San's tendons and bones, allowing him to fully absorb the effects of the Two Great Spirit Herbs—the Eight-Pointed Ice Chrysanthemum and the Infernal Precarious Delicate Apricot—then this one-hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Right Leg Bone had now expanded his meridians to their absolute limit. The perfectly neutral energy had bonded the effects of the two spirit herbs together in flawless harmony.
A faint cracking sound came from within his meridians. Still no pain, but Tang San could clearly see that the Governor Vessel—the channel that had always blocked his further progress—had been completely unblocked.
The Eight Extraordinary Meridians were all open now, forming a bridge between heaven and earth. In that instant, the internal energy of the Mysterious Heaven Skill surged forward like a tidal wave.
It circulated through his body with near-mad intensity. His internal energy was growing stronger with every passing moment. Each pulse sent a violent tremor through his entire frame.
Gradually, Tang San became lost in the exquisite sensation of total comfort, his spiritual energy drawn inward.
He had lost all awareness of his surroundings. The blue current that had been flowing along the outside of his right leg had now completely merged into his body. That cool, gentle aura was the great love of a mother, endlessly comforting her child.
Tang San fell asleep. It was the most peaceful, comfortable sleep he had ever known, because he was sleeping in his mother's embrace. A mother's embrace was the warmest thing in this world—nothing could ever replace it.
He slept deeply, so very deeply. The sorrow had vanished entirely from his face, replaced by a sweet, contented smile.
This single sleep lasted a full three days.
Three days later, stirred by the cool sensation in his right leg, Tang San slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was his father, sitting nearby and gently stroking the Blue Silver Emperor.
His mother, transformed into the Blue Silver Emperor, had been transplanted from the ground by his father and planted in a stone basin.
"You're awake?" Tang Hao smiled at his son. Every worry that had once weighed on him had been resolved, and there was no longer any need to maintain that stern demeanor from before.
"Dad." The moment Tang San spoke those two words, he suddenly felt uncomfortable. Looking down, he discovered a thin layer of grayish, paste-like substance coating the surface of his skin.
"Go wash up. This time, you've truly undergone a complete transformation. I carefully examined your bones and meridians. From a purely physical standpoint, you could easily rank among the top three in all of Soul Land. If even this isn't enough to bear the future pressure of Twin Martial Souls, then I really don't understand how Bibi Dong managed it. Cultivate freely. Once your Blue Silver Emperor reaches the ninth Soul Ring, go ahead and add more Soul Rings to the Clear Sky Hammer without hesitation. As long as your body doesn't feel any abnormality, I believe you should be able to keep cultivating without limit."
The father and son left the waterfall, and Tang San washed himself clean beneath its cascade. When he departed with his father, he immediately noticed the change in his body.
He seemed to have lost all weight. The moment he pushed off with his right leg, he felt as though he could float into the air and take flight. The skill granted by his Blue Silver Right Leg Bone was precisely that—flight. Flight that consumed almost no Soul Power. Only a one-hundred-thousand-year Soul Bone could produce such a supreme Soul Skill.
Ten days later, they arrived at the Sunset Forest where Dugu Bo had once resided, and reached the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Sensing the terrifying fluctuations of energy emanating from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, gazing at the lush, verdant plants surrounding the small lake, and feeling the wave of excitement transmitted by the Blue Silver Emperor in his arms, Tang Hao knew they had come to the right place.
Tang San spoke solemnly: "Dad, this place isn't suitable for any living creature other than plants. That's why no Soul Beast dares to trespass here. I've consumed two spirit herbs, so I won't be affected. But if you stay here for an extended period, I'm afraid it could harm your health."
Tang Hao waved his hand dismissively. "As long as your mother is well, I don't care about myself."
Tang San thought for a moment and said, "That won't do. Our family is finally together, and there's real hope for Mom's recovery now. How can we afford to lose you?" Fighting back the grief he felt over his father's broken body, Tang San's mind raced, and a plan had already taken shape.