Soul Land: I Am the True Grandmaster

Chapter 164: Soul Bones and Two Messages

Now things were getting interesting. In this era, the concept of "soul possession" was unheard of on the Douluo Continent. So what did Tang Hao think his son actually was? A strange hybrid between human and spirit beast? Or perhaps something even stranger? Ye Wen couldn't be sure. However, if Tang San awakened with innate full soul power and twin spirits, Tang Hao's motives would become obvious such a dramatic shift in attitude meant he likely wanted to use Tang San for his own goals.

Revenge.

In Ye Wen's view, Tang Hao was the very definition of an extreme egoist. To him, nothing mattered beyond his own goals and the HaoTian Sect; he lived entirely in his own world. Ye Wen couldn't shake off his contempt for this kind of man, the type who cared nothing for others' lives.

Without using divine sense directly on Tang Hao, Ye Wen would have to wait. Fortunately, Tang Hao didn't stay indoors all the time. A few days later, Tang Hao went out to buy materials for his blacksmith work. After all, a blacksmith needed iron, and Tang Hao certainly wasn't mining it himself.

The interior of the blacksmith's hut was as barren as could be. Two makeshift wooden beds, a sparse table and chair set, and the forging furnace the only notable feature were all that filled the space. Surprisingly, Ye Wen couldn't detect any storage type soul tools on Tang Hao. As a Titled Douluo, it was bizarre that he didn't even own one; he couldn't possibly have sold them all for wine money.

Without further options, Ye Wen decided to scan the surroundings with his divine sense.

"Well, well," Ye Wen murmured with a mischievous grin.

Sometimes the most obvious hiding place was the least likely to be discovered. Although the Thunderous Hell Prison Vine was absent, its soul bone was buried right beneath the forging platform. Encased in a thick lead box, the soul bone's energy was completely sealed. Without Ye Wen's divine perception, it would have been impossible to detect.

"A lightning attributed, power amplifying left arm bone... Quite the find," Ye Wen mused. "Not that any of my close allies need it... but wait Dao Ba could use this! He's already proficient with blades and has a lightning attribute. This will be perfect."

With a wicked smile, Ye Wen thought, "Please don't blame me, Tang Hao. 'Heaven's treasures belong to the virtuous,' after all. If you won't use it, I'll make sure it benefits my disciples. Kekeke!"

Ye Wen manipulated the space around him to quietly remove the lead box without leaving a trace. Obtaining a 200,000 year spirit bone might not be a big deal for him, but it was a satisfying bonus nonetheless.

However, taking it without leaving anything in return felt a bit underhanded, even by his standards. So he quickly scribbled a note and placed it where the lead box had been hidden.

"Tang Hao, I've come back from the dead. Just wait I'll make the HaoTian Sect pay for failing to protect our son!"

(PS: Don't worry, Tang Hao won't massacre villagers; that would prompt an instant pursuit by Spirit Hall, leading him and his son into hiding. Would Spirit Hall really have left them alone all these years if it were that easy to catch them?)

Ye Wen chuckled to himself. That note should be enough to give Tang Hao a few sleepless nights.

With a spring in his step, Ye Wen left, leaving everything as it was. However, as he returned, the sky began to darken, heavy rainclouds rolling in a sure sign of a looming storm. For someone of Ye Wen's strength, such weather was trivial to disperse. Yet, he let the rain fall; the fields needed it, after all. It had been a long time since he'd last listened to the sound of rain.

Pitter patter, whoosh, whoosh…

The downpour intensified. Lightning flashed, thunder cracked it was a spectacle of nature. As Ye Wen gazed at the storm, he was reminded of the Thunderous Hell Prison Vine's abilities. His curiosity piqued, he extended his divine sense across several miles.

"What's this?"

About thirty miles away, atop a rugged cliff, he spotted a small, bamboo shoot like plant absorbing the lightning. His lips curled into a grin. This would be another trump card against Tang San in the future.

"There you are, Thunderous Hell Prison Vine."

Yet Ye Wen wasn't in a rush to awaken it just yet. The Thunderous Hell Prison Vine was unique. From the moment it sprouted, it had intelligence, gaining an additional year of cultivation with each lightning strike it absorbed. However, reaching the hundred year mark was a perilous journey, and only once it passed it could it attract lightning on its own. In time, it would even be able to summon a phenomenon known as a "Thunder Pool," a maelstrom of lightning capable of devastating entire regions.

After the storm cleared, Ye Wen arrived at the cliff where the vine grew. He had to give Tang Hao credit; the place was almost inaccessible, a remote sanctuary where the vine could grow undisturbed. Even the local wildlife avoided it, thanks to its volatile energy.

"Well, hello there, my lady. Remember me?" Ye Wen said with a chuckle, approaching the little vine sprouting on the cliff's edge.

The small, bamboo like vine swayed at his presence, as if excited by his arrival. It would soon be free from its lonely exposure to the elements, finally able to reunite with its family.

Ye Wen, however, didn't revive it right away. Smiling mischievously, he spoke, "Now, my dear, I have two pieces of news for you one good and one bad. Which one would you like to hear first?"

The vine trembled slightly. Are you a demon? Look at me! Do I look like I can answer you?

"Haha, sorry, sorry. I forgot you couldn't talk yet," Ye Wen said with a chuckle. "I'll start with the bad news, then. Your son... well, he's dead, but your husband's still using his body."

"...?"

The vine went still, its small leaves twitching as if confused. Dead... but still in use?

"And the good news," Ye Wen continued, "is that your son is alive, though his soul is no longer the same. Can you accept that?"

The vine froze, looking even more like an ordinary plant than before.

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