Yin Zhang smiled faintly and followed behind Hu Liena as they ventured deeper into the cave.
When Hu Liena saw the enormous Blue Silver Grass growing in the depths—so different from ordinary Blue Silver Grass—she looked at Yin Zhang in confusion.
"Brother Zhang, is this the surprise you were talking about? This Blue Silver Grass does look quite beautiful, but it seems purely ornamental. Can it even be eaten?"
Yin Zhang laughed softly.
"Nana, you don't understand. This Blue Silver Grass isn't ordinary roadside weed. This is the ruler of all Blue Silver Grass—the Blue Silver Emperor."
"The Blue Silver Emperor?" Hu Liena was stunned.
Kings among spirit beasts were usually ten-thousand-year or even hundred-thousand-year existences. But the ruler of Blue Silver Grass? Could it really be that powerful?
Yet no matter how she looked at it, aside from appearing more vibrant and refined, it still resembled the weeds growing along the roadside.
Seeing her confusion, Yin Zhang patiently explained, "The Blue Silver Emperor is the supreme ruler of its kind, and it is indeed a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast."
"The reason it looks like this now is because it once sacrificed itself to a human. After the sacrifice, it reverted to this state. It will need countless years of growth before it can possibly return to its original form."
The Blue Silver Emperor, Ah Yin, had once sacrificed herself to Tang Hao. Hu Liena, however, knew nothing about the events surrounding that incident. On the Douluo Continent, only a small number of high-ranking figures were aware of the truth. It was a scandal involving a great sect, and the upper echelons of the Spirit Master world had long since chosen to suppress or ignore it.
From Hu Liena's perspective, all she knew was that the previous Supreme Pontiff had once hunted down a Titled Douluo of the Clear Sky Sect, who was later expelled from the sect. Beyond that, she knew nothing.
"Brother Zhang… spirit beasts can actually sacrifice themselves to humans?" Hu Liena asked in shock. "I always thought that was impossible!"
Yin Zhang chuckled. "You should know a bit about this one. Before its sacrifice, this Blue Silver Emperor had already transformed into a human and reached the rank of Spirit Saint. It even eloped with a disciple from a major sect. Because its aura was exposed, it was hunted down—and that incident caused our Spirit Hall to suffer heavy losses. Do you know who it was?"
Hu Liena's heart skipped a beat. "It had something to do with Spirit Hall… and even caused heavy losses? What kind of conflict could that be?"
Halfway through speaking, realization struck her. Her eyes widened as she stared at Yin Zhang.
"No way… you're talking about that hundred-thousand-year spirit beast that fled with a Clear Sky Sect Titled Douluo over a decade ago? It actually sacrificed itself to him?! That's unbelievable!"
Yin Zhang smiled calmly. He knew it would be hard for her to accept at first.
"Unbelievable or not, it's the truth. What's more, that spirit beast even had a child with that Titled Douluo. The man was surnamed Tang, once lived in Saint Spirit Village, and had a son. Nana, do you know who that is?"
Hu Liena's thoughts raced. At last, a name surfaced.
"Brother Zhang… are you talking about Tang San? He's from Saint Spirit Village just like you, and his surname is Tang. Are you saying he's the child of the Blue Silver Emperor and that Clear Sky Sect Titled Douluo?"
Seeing her arrive at the answer, Yin Zhang nodded in satisfaction.
"That's right. Seven years ago, those two showed up in Saint Spirit Village. While I was studying in Nuoding City, they even occupied my house. Tang San is the offspring of Tang Hao and that hundred-thousand-year spirit beast. Now do you understand why I brought you here?"
Hu Liena finally understood. She didn't object to Yin Zhang's harsh wording; after all, occupying someone else's home and being born of such circumstances left little room for sympathy.
She hesitated slightly, then said, "So… Brother Zhang, you brought me here because you intend to make a move on this Blue Silver Emperor, which has reverted to its original form and no longer has cultivation?"
Yin Zhang rolled his eyes. "What, are you unwilling? Let me tell you—this isn't the only good thing here."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted upward to a narrow crevice in the rock wall. An iron box was hidden there.
Under Hu Liena's astonished gaze, Yin Zhang retrieved the box.
"Nana, open it and take a look. This is the real surprise I prepared for you. I promise this trip won't be a waste."
Hu Liena nodded. Taking the iron box from Yin Zhang, she slowly opened it.
In an instant, brilliant seven-colored light flooded the cave.
She gasped. "This—this is a hundred-thousand-year spirit bone!"
"Brother Zhang, is this the surprise you meant?" Hu Liena hugged the right leg bone tightly, her eyes shining with joy. "I love it!"
Yin Zhang laughed. "Since you like it, absorb it as soon as possible. It will help you improve your strength quickly. That said, this spirit bone doesn't contain offensive abilities. After all, it comes from the Blue Silver Emperor, a life-type spirit beast, so its attack power was never strong."
Hu Liena didn't mind in the slightest. She nodded firmly.
"Brother Zhang, I understand. Even if it had no spirit abilities at all, I'd still gladly accept it. Many Titled Douluo don't even possess a single ten-thousand-year spirit bone. Giving me a hundred-thousand-year one already_toggle makes me incredibly happy!"
Yin Zhang nodded gently. "Since you understand, then absorb it. As for this right leg bone, I don't need it for now."
For Yin Zhang, the two greatest abilities of the Blue Silver Emperor's hundred-thousand-year right leg bone overlapped with what he already possessed. Letting Hu Liena absorb it was the better choice.