The dormitories prepared for Heaven Dou Rank instructors at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy were more like miniature palaces than living quarters, radiating opulence and luxury.
But then again, there were very few Heaven Dou Rank teachers at the academy, so such extravagance was understandable.
Inside one particularly spacious bedroom, Qi Lin lay comfortably on a soft bed, legs crossed leisurely. One hand held a book on the continent's curiosities while his soul power floated fruits from a table nearby straight into his mouth.
He was engrossed in reading when suddenly, two figures silently appeared in his room.
One of them had silver hair and purple eyes, her beauty flawless and ethereal—it was none other than Gu Yuena, who had been absent for over ten days.
The other was a tall woman in a fitted blue gown, equally graceful. Her elegant features carried a hint of heroic spirit, and her body radiated a strong aura of life.
But upon closer inspection, Qi Lin noticed a faint blue mist around her—and within it, a humanoid vine form.
Clearly, that was her true body.
The woman in blue was just an illusion she had projected.
Her identity was obvious—she was the Blue Silver Emperor from the Sun Moon Continent, one who had cultivated for over a hundred thousand years.
What puzzled Qi Lin, however, was that this Blue Silver Emperor was holding a flower pot. Inside it grew a peculiar stalk of Blue Silver Grass that seemed quite different from ordinary ones.
This Blue Silver Grass was marked with golden patterns, its vitality far exceeding the average. The aura it emitted was strikingly similar to that of the Blue Silver Emperor beside her.
Clearly, this extraordinary plant was also a Blue Silver Emperor.
Qi Lin was stunned for a moment, a thought flashing through his mind.
Could this Blue Silver Emperor... actually be Tang San's mother, Ah Yin?
And why had Na-jie brought her here too?
If so, then… is Tang San's mom gone for good?
Wouldn't Tang Hao explode with rage when he found out?
Snapping out of his thoughts, Qi Lin turned his gaze back to Gu Yuena.
With a smile, he said, "Na-jie, you're back!"
Gu Yuena returned a gentle smile. "I've brought you the Blue Silver Emperor you asked for. She'll offer herself to you in sacrifice, so you don't have to worry about being unable to absorb her spirit ring."
Qi Lin turned to the Blue Silver Emperor from the Sun Moon Continent. "Thank you in advance."
He didn't bother to say any hypocritical words like "you don't have to sacrifice yourself if you don't want to." After all, Na-jie had already spoon-fed him everything. There was no point in pretending to be noble now.
The Blue Silver Emperor smiled. "It's no problem. It's my honor to lighten the Silver Dragon King's burden."
"Besides, our Blue Silver clan is highly sensitive. From you, I can sense a future I can't even begin to describe. I'm willing to sacrifice myself for you."
"I've endured three heavenly thunder tribulations, and the power of thunder spirits now resides in me. That's how I broke through and reached where I am today."
"But even so, my bloodline is still impure. I don't have what it takes to survive the 200,000-year tribulation. Rather than perish, I choose to offer myself to you."
After hearing her words, Qi Lin nodded thoughtfully.
Then his eyes turned toward the flower pot in her hands, curiously asking, "How did you manage to find her?"
The Sun Moon Blue Silver Emperor explained, "When I arrived in Heaven Dou with the Silver Dragon King, I used the unique resonance between Blue Silver Emperors to sense her location."
"She was planted in a dark, damp cave. I have no idea what kind of person would put her in such an unsuitable place for plants to grow."
"So, once we found her, we brought her out. We also recovered her spirit bone."
"I see," Qi Lin said.
In the original story, there were many theories about why Tang Hao planted Ah Yin in a dark cave. Some were even full-blown conspiracy theories.
Qi Lin couldn't be bothered with any of that. He only wanted to know what Ah Yin looked like.
He and Tang San were… friends, more or less.
Which meant—
Ah Yin was technically his friend's mom?
Uh… that thought felt a little wrong.
Gu Yuena noticed the strange look on Qi Lin's face. She didn't know what he was thinking, but whatever it was, it probably wasn't anything good.
"Qi Lin, let's head to Sunset Forest. That place is more suitable for a spirit sacrifice."
As she spoke, she grabbed Qi Lin with one hand and the Blue Silver Emperor with the other.
In the blink of an eye, the three of them vanished from the room.
Sunset Forest lay about a hundred miles east of Heaven Dou City. It was one of the few wild soul beast habitats within the empire. Though not as vast as Star Dou Great Forest, it still housed many ten-thousand-year—and even several tens-of-thousands-year—soul beasts.
At night, Sunset Forest was tranquil and quiet. Towering ancient trees tangled their branches into a thick canopy, and patches of moonlight shimmered on the ground like silver lace.
Deep in the forest, Gu Yuena, Qi Lin, and the Blue Silver Emperor suddenly appeared in a wide clearing.
Gu Yuena looked around and said calmly, "Here will do."
"Yes, my Lady," the Blue Silver Emperor replied, then turned to Qi Lin.
"Lord Qi Lin, please prepare yourself."
Qi Lin patted his chest with a smile. "No problem. Go ahead!"
The Blue Silver Emperor nodded. "Then I'll begin."
Suddenly, her body burst into dazzling blue light. Countless thick Blue Silver vines spread from beneath her feet and unfurled outward.
In an instant, a blue-gold halo rippled from her like a tidal wave. All the Blue Silver Grass in the forest shuddered as if they sensed something, rustling softly—bidding farewell to their empress.
At the same time, far away in the Blue Silver Forest of Star Dou Great Forest, an enormous vine suddenly spoke:
"What's going on? Another emperor has appeared!"
"But why… why did she also choose to sacrifice herself to a human?"
Elsewhere, deep in Sunset Forest—
A green-haired elder sensed something and burst from a poisonous mist into the sky, staring off into the distance.
There, blue-gold light surged and shimmered. Within it, he sensed an overwhelming aura of life force.
"This phenomenon…"
"Could it be a support-type Title Douluo casting a massive healing technique?"
"No… when did support-types become Title Douluo?"
"Whatever. I'll just go and check it out."
Back where Qi Lin stood, the Blue Silver Emperor's form gradually grew faint.
Then, an ethereal, far-reaching voice rang out—
"With my soul… I forge your ring."