Tang Yi pondered inwardly: if he could obtain this [Everlasting Life Vine], it would undoubtedly bring immense benefits to his Blue Silver Grass martial soul.
"Big Brother Xue, may I take a look at that map?"
Tang Yi inquired.
Qian Renxue made no attempt to conceal it and readily handed the map over:
"Little brother, I suspect this map would only be of use to your master! The [Everlasting Life Vine] is guarded by two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts—far beyond what I can contend with!"
Tang Yi was slightly surprised:
"Big Brother Xue, are you planning to leave?"
Qian Renxue nodded. She had already reasoned it through: allowing Emperor Xue Ye to extend his lifespan too greatly would actually hinder her "usurpation plan"!
Now that she had led several hundred Imperial Knights on a thousand-li expedition deep into the Star Dou Great Forest, encountered two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, and sustained severe injuries, the mere fact of her filial intent would suffice.
Even though she failed to bring back the [Everlasting Life Vine], Emperor Xue Ye's shrewd nature would surely uncover the truth.
As long as her "sincerity" was demonstrated, that would be enough.
As for the birthday gift?
Qian Renxue had already decided on a suitable substitute—something that would certainly not be a life-extending item.
Since the map had now become useless, Qian Renxue felt no reluctance and simply gave it to Tang Yi.
Tang Yi accepted without ceremony:
"You are right. Perhaps my master will find it useful!"
Thereafter, Tang Yi and Qian Renxue spent several pleasant days living together in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Until one day, several knights clad in golden armor arrived in search of them.
The knights knelt on one knee, preparing to pay their respects.
Qian Renxue waved her hand to stop them.
She then turned to look at Tang Yi:
"Little Brother Tang, I have some properties in Heaven Dou City. Would you be willing to accompany me back?"
Tang Yi laughed inwardly—Qian Renxue was still maintaining her act.
But it mattered little.
There was no possibility of him following Qian Renxue back to Heaven Dou City at this time.
"My apologies, Big Brother Xue. I have no desire to visit a major city just yet!"
Tang Yi waved his hand dismissively.
Qian Renxue did not insist:
"Very well. Then take care of yourself!"
"Here—take this."
Qian Renxue handed Tang Yi a token.
"If ever you come to Heaven Dou City one day, Little Brother Tang, and encounter any difficulties, simply present this token. I still hold some influence in the city and can help you resolve certain troubles."
Qian Renxue smiled.
Having thoroughly read the original story, Tang Yi naturally recognized the token she had given him: it was none other than the Heaven Dou Empire's "Crown Prince Token"!
Without standing on ceremony, Tang Yi accepted it directly. He knew he would eventually have to visit Heaven Dou City.
"Then I shall accept it without further courtesy!"
Qian Renxue was delighted. In her view, Tang Yi's acceptance of the token signified that their bond had grown even closer.
"Our relationship is becoming increasingly intimate!"
"That so-called master of his—Li Chungang—I must investigate him thoroughly!"
A glint of determination flashed through Qian Renxue's eyes.
Soon afterward, the two parted ways completely.
Several hours later, inside the carriage, Qian Renxue once again met with Snake Spear Douluo and Thorn Porcupine Douluo.
"Young Lord!"
"The Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python were far too powerful! With only the two of us, we were no match for them!"
"If Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo were to arrive and employ their martial soul fusion skill—the Polar Static Domain—we might have stood a chance!"
Snake Spear Douluo suggested.
Qian Renxue waved her hand lightly:
"Both of you elders managed to shake off two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts and successfully rendezvous with me—that alone is already remarkable!"
"Your safe return is worth more than anything else!"
Her words warmed the hearts of Snake Spear Douluo and Thorn Porcupine Douluo.
"Young Lord… however, with our limited strength, we failed to obtain the [Everlasting Life Vine]. Will Emperor Xue Ye be displeased?"
Thorn Porcupine Douluo cupped his hands respectfully.
"If Young Lord were to write a letter and have it delivered to His Holiness the Pope at the Spirit Hall, perhaps His Holiness could dispatch Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo to assist?"
Snake Spear Douluo added.
Qian Renxue shook her head, her expression calm:
"There is no need. I no longer desire the [Everlasting Life Vine]."
The two Douluo exchanged glances, both stunned.
"Young Lord, you traveled thousands of li for the sake of this life-extending immortal herb. To return empty-handed… Emperor Xue Ye may…"
Qian Renxue raised her hand to silence the two Title Douluo:
"My sincerity has been demonstrated. Leading three hundred Imperial Knights deep into the Star Dou Great Forest, encountering two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, and sustaining severe injuries—this alone is proof of filial piety. Emperor Xue Ye will understand. As for the birthday gift, another item will suffice."
The two Douluo fell silent for a moment, recognizing the wisdom in their Young Lord's words.
"By the way."
Qian Renxue suddenly recalled something and turned to them:
"While in the forest, I was nearly killed by an eight-thousand-year Earth Armored Rock Dragon. At the critical moment, a six-year-old child came to my rescue."
"What?!"
Snake Spear Douluo nearly leapt to his feet in shock:
"A six-year-old child saved the Young Lord? Could that child have been a Title Douluo in disguise?"
Qian Renxue shook her head:
"No disguise—he truly is only six years old. Yet his strength… far surpasses that of ordinary soul masters. He wielded a strange weapon capable of delivering attacks equivalent to a full-force strike from a Soul Saint. Moreover, he has a master whose title is exceedingly domineering: [Dragon God Douluo] Li Chungang."
"Dragon God Douluo?"
Thorn Porcupine Douluo frowned in thought but found no recollection:
"This subordinate has never heard of such a title."
Snake Spear Douluo also shook his head:
"The Spirit Hall's roster of Title Douluo contains no such name. Young Lord, the words of that child may not be credible."
Yet Qian Renxue appeared lost in thought:
"Nevertheless, he truly saved me, and his strength is extraordinary. Though the tales he told of his master sound fantastical, they did not feel entirely fabricated."
"Have either of you ever heard of the hidden powerhouse of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—Mu En? Or the Gluttonous Douluo Xuan Lao, the million-year soul beast Di Tian, the two-hundred-thousand-year Evil Spirit Orca King, or the nine-hundred-and-ninety-thousand-year Deep Sea Demonic Whale King?"
The two Douluo exchanged bewildered glances.
"Young Lord, these names… this subordinate has never heard them before."
Qian Renxue pondered for a moment before speaking slowly:
"Perhaps our vision has been too narrow. In any case—both of you, immediately draft a letter and have it delivered to the Spirit Hall, addressed directly to my grandfather, Great Enshrinement Qian Daoliu. With his vast experience and knowledge, he may recognize some of these names."
"Yes, Young Lord."
The two Title Douluo nodded in acknowledgment.
......
At the same time, in a secluded cave near the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Tang Yi sat cross-legged. Before him lay the soul beast specimens he had collected over the past few days: the ear bone of a Purple Lightning Mink, the carapace of a Variegated Lantern Beetle, the fangs of a Diamond Rhinoceros, the antlers of an Octagonal Antelope, tissue slices from a Pink Empress, and more.
Also present were the scales, claws, heart-blood, and—most precious of all—the dark-golden right leg soul bone from the Earth Armored Rock Dragon.
Finally, Tang Yi approached his mother, the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Empress—A Yin. He gently stroked one of her leaves and spoke softly:
"Mother, I need to take one of your leaves to send to my motherland, Great Xia."
"With your leaf, the biological research team in Great Xia will have a concrete sample. They will surely be able to accelerate your growth and revival!"
"However, plucking a leaf may cause you some pain!"
As he spoke, the Blue Silver Empress seemed to understand. Her leaves swayed gently several times in acknowledgment.
Tang Yi carefully plucked a single leaf.
Then:
Tang Yi took out the [Plane Jade Pendant] and silently recited the incantation:
"Space-time shuttle, plane exchange!"
A burst of emerald light flashed. All the specimens, together with the letter he had already written to Great Xia, vanished into the radiance.
...
Blue Star, Highest Institute of Science and Technology of Great Xia, Research Institute No. 19.
In the laboratory, Su Xiaoyin was immersed in organizing data when a strange light suddenly flickered. A large collection of items appeared out of thin air on the experimental bench.
She froze for a moment before realizing—it was Tang Yi's transmission!
Hurrying forward, she began to inventory the contents one by one.
The first thing she noticed was a letter.
Su Xiaoyin unfolded and read it carefully. In the letter, Tang Yi reported his recent progress: he had successfully obtained his first soul ring, his soul power cultivation was proceeding smoothly, and he was currently undergoing the third cycle of soul power tempering according to Great Xia's [Yan Huang Soul Canon];
In the Star Dou Great Forest, Tang Yi had hunted a large number of soul beasts exceeding thousand-year cultivation, collecting various precious specimens;
Even more astonishingly, he had obtained an eight-thousand-year Earth Armored Rock Dragon soul bone!
At the end of the letter, Tang Yi made a new request: he hoped to receive some plant growth-promoting agents or devices developed by Great Xia to aid in the recovery of his otherworldly mother, the Blue Silver Empress.
After finishing the letter, Su Xiaoyin's heart raced.
Third cycle of soul power tempering? An eight-thousand-year soul bone? And a hundred-thousand-year soul beast mother?
Without delay, Su Xiaoyin immediately called Director Zhou Chuan.
Ten minutes later, Zhou Chuan arrived with more than a dozen top-tier scientists in tow.
"What are these…?"
Zhou Chuan stared wide-eyed at the dazzling array of specimens on the bench.
Su Xiaoyin excitedly introduced them one by one:
"This is the ear bone of a three-thousand-year Purple Lightning Mink, still retaining extremely potent lightning-attribute activity! This is the carapace of a two-thousand-year Variegated Lantern Beetle—the seven-colored halo is still slowly flowing! These are tissue slices from a five-thousand-year Pink Empress—a rare mental-attribute soul beast!"
Finally, Su Xiaoyin lifted the last irregular object radiating a dark-golden sheen, her voice trembling slightly:
"And this… an eight-thousand-year Earth Armored Rock Dragon soul bone! According to Tang Yi, it dropped unexpectedly after slaying that soul beast. The life essence and earth-attribute origin it contains are beyond valuation!"
Zhou Chuan drew in a deep breath, struggling to contain his excitement:
"Immediately assemble teams to conduct comprehensive testing on these samples! Especially that soul bone—mobilize every relevant expert and clarify its energy structure and mechanism of action without delay!"
Turning to Su Xiaoyin, Director Zhou continued:
"As for the plant growth accelerator Tang Yi requested, I will immediately coordinate with the leading agricultural universities and bioengineering institutes to gather the most advanced equipment and formulations. Additionally, inform the aerospace department—see if they can spare a batch of space-breeding spectral lamps. They may prove helpful to that Blue Silver Empress."
Su Xiaoyin smiled:
"Understood, Director! I believe these technological products from Great Xia will be of great assistance to Tang Yi."
Over the following days, the entire Research Institute No. 19 was lit around the clock. Hundreds of top scientists worked in rotating shifts, conducting unprecedented research on these samples from another world.
The first major breakthrough came from the soul beast specimens themselves:
Under specific conditions, the Purple Lightning Mink's ear bone spontaneously generated weak electric currents;
The Variegated Lantern Beetle's carapace could absorb and convert light energy;
The Diamond Rhinoceros's fangs exhibited hardness three times that of titanium alloy, yet weighed only one-tenth as much;
Dissection of the Pink Empress's tissue revealed an extraordinarily developed brain structure, with neuron density in the mental fluctuation regions a hundred times greater than that of humans!
"These organisms have followed an evolutionary path completely unlike any species on Blue Star."
One biologist exclaimed in awe:
"They did not evolve through adaptation to natural environments. Instead, they directly absorbed and utilized a special form of energy—soul power—to reshape themselves. This opens entirely new research directions!"
As for the eight-thousand-year soul beast's scales and blood samples, they likewise left the scientists in awe:
Electron microscopy of the Earth Armored Rock Dragon's scale sections revealed an extraordinarily regular multi-layered structure, with microscopic gaps between each layer seemingly designed to absorb and disperse impact forces.
Its blood cells were hexagonal and contained a unique organelle capable of autonomously absorbing free energy from the air.
"Each of these samples… represents a monumental leap forward for our biological sciences!"
Standing before the experimental bench and gazing at the dazzling array of soul beast specimens, Zhou Chuan's voice trembled with emotion.
Su Xiaoyin added:
"Director, the key point is that these are only thousand-year soul beasts! On the Douluo Continent, countless ten-thousand-year soul beasts remain active, along with pinnacle hundred-thousand-year existences!"
Director Zhou clenched his fist excitedly:
"As long as Tang Yi continues to hunt and provide sufficient soul beast specimens, Great Xia's technology will advance by leaps and bounds!"
The second major discovery came from the soul bone itself:
Through X-ray diffraction, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and a series of other tests, scientists determined that the internal structure of the soul bone was extraordinarily unique. It was not mere bone tissue but a never-before-seen organic-inorganic composite embedded with countless microscopic energy circuits invisible to the naked eye.
Even more astonishing: when stimulated with specific electromagnetic frequencies, the soul bone produced faint energy feedback. The waveform closely resembled soul power, yet it was more primitive and profound.
"This is essentially a biological energy battery!"
An elderly second-tier professor exclaimed, his hands trembling with excitement:
"If we can decipher its energy storage and release mechanisms, we may be able to develop entirely new energy technologies!"
Another second-tier professor spoke with equal fervor:
"Soul bones can be absorbed by soul masters and integrated directly into the human body without any rejection reaction!"
"This soul bone aligns perfectly with the conceptual framework of the [Southern Heavenly Gate] Project's external skeletal armor! Especially since Tang Yi mentioned that certain soul bones are external attachments!"
A third-tier professor specializing in mecha technology, standing in the center, looked on with blazing eyes:
"Soul bones! Their value to Great Xia's scientific community is incalculable! With them, the difficulties in developing exoskeletal armor and powered mecha now have a path to resolution!"
"Great Xia's technology can advance by fifty years in one leap!"
Several heavyweight experts in the scientific community spoke decisively.