The catalyst was the blood of someone who had consumed the two most extreme spirit herbs.
The medicinal potency of those two legendary herbs had long since fully merged within Tang San's body, making his blood the finest catalyst possible. He gently sliced open the vein at his wrist, knowing that even the slightest unusual sound would awaken his father.
To prevent the scent of blood from spreading, he quietly activated his Blue Silver Domain to mask it entirely.
Blood dripped into the medicinal cauldron like a winding little snake. Tang San feared the potency wouldn't be sufficient and kept letting it flow until his vision began to blur with dizziness before finally stopping. He pressed a hand swiftly over the wound.
Just as Tang Hao had said, if one judged solely by the body, Tang San could absolutely rank among the top three on the entire continent. In barely a moment, the wound had already fully closed and scabbed over. Tang San knew that by morning, not even a scar would remain.
With the finest possible catalyst secured, the rest of the refinement proceeded smoothly.
When Tang Hao emerged from his cultivation the following morning, Tang San was already presenting him a dark red pill.
"Father, take this. From now on, you won't need to worry about this environment affecting you. You can stay here with Mother forever."
Tang Hao gave a slight nod. Looking at his son's somewhat pale face, he said nothing — he simply swallowed the pill in one gulp.
Tang San remained for three more days, wanting to confirm that his mother could adapt to this environment.
The results were encouraging. The Blue Silver Emperor was growing rapidly, just as Tang San had predicted. Even more exciting to him was that after taking the pill he had refined, Tang Hao's physical condition had dramatically improved. The deficiency of both qi and blood that had resulted from his severed limbs had completely vanished. The environment of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well could no longer affect him in the slightest.
"Xiao San, come here." That morning, Tang Hao called Tang San over just after he had finished cultivating his Purple Extreme Demon Eye.
"You should set out now. Your mother has me here with her — there's no need for you to worry." Looking at his son before him — refined and elegant in bearing, tall and handsome — Tang Hao's eyes were filled with gratification.
Tang San knew he truly could not stay here any longer. There were far too many things he needed to do. Though his parents were now settled, the burden of responsibility that had once rested on his father's shoulders had now transferred to him.
"Father, when can I go find Xiao Wu?" Tang San asked tentatively.
Tang Hao smiled faintly and said, "When you reach the sixth rank and need to obtain a Soul Ring, that's when you should go. By then, she should be about ready to enter her mature stage as well. Once she reaches maturity, a simple disguise will be enough to keep her from being recognized at random. Of course, until the two of you are strong enough, try not to show your faces in Spirit Hall. Also, before you go searching for her, return to the sect first and take care of the matters I've entrusted to you. I've already told you everything that needs telling, and I'm confident you'll handle it well. But there is one thing you must remember. Though I have high expectations of you, you are the only son I have."
Tang San understood the meaning behind his father's words perfectly and nodded firmly. "Father, rest assured. I know my limits."
"Go on then. There's no rush to come back and see us. With your mother beside me, this is the finest home I could ever wish for."
Tang San departed. There were far, far too many things waiting for him to accomplish. As he left, he looked back after almost every step — at his father, and at his mother.
His father's disabled, lonely silhouette. His mother, transformed once more into a plant. All of this — every last bit — was the doing of Spirit Hall.
The moment Tang San was out of his father's sight, his eyes turned completely cold. From Tang Hao, he had inherited not only responsibility, but hatred as well.
The murder of one's mother is a debt that heaven and earth cannot forgive. His parents' tragedy must be repaid in blood.
In that moment, Tang San set for himself the one and only life goal: to bring about Spirit Hall's total annihilation at his own hands.
Obtaining the Blue Silver Emperor's Right Leg Bone had not increased Tang San's Soul Power — it had only further purified it. However, the opening of his Du Meridian had brought him tremendous benefits. With his extraordinary meridians now fully opened, his Soul Power had surged directly to the fifty-ninth rank. Given time to fully saturate it, he could then begin attacking the bottleneck of the sixtieth rank. And when that time came, he would be able to seek out Xiao Wu, whom he hadn't seen in five years.
Five years ago, before he was even fifteen, he had already been a prodigy shaking the younger generation of Soul Masters. Now, at twenty, he possessed three great Soul Bones, a Twin Martial Soul, and two great Domains — what kind of shock would he bring to the world of Soul Masters next?
The moment Tang San stepped out of the Sunset Mountain Range, the entire world of Soul Masters began to change.
……