The ten-thousand-year Blue Silver Grass remained unmoved by Tang San's command.
This only infuriated Tang San more. Ever since he became the Blue Silver Emperor, for tens of thousands of years, every Blue Silver Grass on the Douluo Continent had revered him and offered him their faith without question. When did a mere blade of Blue Silver Grass dare ignore his order?
"I don't want to repeat myself. I am the son of the Blue Silver Emperor. Noble blood flows in my veins. Offer yourselves in sacrifice to me—immediately," Tang San ordered again.
"The Blue Silver Forest is not a place for you to act out," the ancient Blue Silver Grass responded coldly.
The next moment, from deep within the forest came a rustling sound. Vines of Blue Silver Grass extended outward. Before Tang San could react, his legs, arms, waist, and neck were bound tightly and he was hoisted into the air.
Panicked, Tang San noticed the vines binding him had golden patterns—meaning the Blue Silver Emperor was nearby.
The Blue Silver Emperor.
The very one who stole his throne?
What is he trying to do?
Tang San soon understood what the hidden Blue Silver Emperor intended.
He felt something vital being drawn from him through the golden vines.
It's… my bloodline…
My noble Blue Silver Emperor bloodline is being stripped away!
Tang San's expression changed drastically, and he shouted into the depths of the forest, "No! I am the son of the Blue Silver Emperor! This is my bloodline! You cannot take it from me—"
As if to silence him, another vine wrapped around and gagged his mouth, muffling any further sound.
Currently, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul contained the Blue Silver Emperor's bloodline.
Whether the Blue Silver Emperor still existed or not, this bloodline made him eligible to inherit the throne and become a Blue Silver Emperor himself—or at least a Blue Silver King. This was a top-tier martial soul formed from noble blood.
But once that bloodline was stripped, his martial soul would regress to being an ordinary Blue Silver Grass.
While an ordinary Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul might have served as a stepping stone for him—allowing him to switch to cultivating the Clear Sky Hammer later—the issue lay in Yu Xiaogang's foolish plans. Along with Tang San's own negligence, they had already saddled him with three soul rings containing deadly poison.
These rings conflicted with the nature of the Blue Silver Grass. Previously, the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline helped suppress these side effects, alongside the help of Xuan Tian Gong, maintaining the cultivation speed expected of a soul master with innate full soul power.
Without that bloodline, Tang San dared not imagine how slow his cultivation would become.
"Mmmpf! Mmmgh!"
Dangling in the air, Tang San struggled violently, trying to grasp the bloodline being ripped away—but it was useless. Eventually, he felt utterly drained.
With the loss of his Blue Silver Emperor bloodline, the side effects immediately began to surface.
Though Tang San had never been a true handsome man, the Emperor's bloodline gave him a dignified aura. Now, with that gone, only Tang Hao's coarse bloodline remained.
Years of blacksmithing under the blazing sun had left their mark. His skin became rough and dark. His appearance grew more unkempt and crude. His looks were effectively cut in half. His previously proportioned legs shortened a little. If he ate a bit more and bulked up, he could have been a knockoff Zhao Wuji.
In his past life, Tang San had used his Blue Silver Emperor bloodline to become increasingly handsome. Now, there was no beautification. In plain words, Tang San had become a short black nugget.
The vines released, and Tang San was thrown harshly to the ground.
"Now," came a deep, ethereal voice from the depths of the Blue Silver Forest, "you have returned what does not belong to you—get out of the Blue Silver Forest. Never return."
Tang San staggered to his feet, eyes full of venomous hatred as he looked toward the heart of the forest.
The Blue Silver King.
You stole the throne my mother left me. Now you've stolen my bloodline.
Fine. Thirty years in the east, thirty in the west—never underestimate a poor youth.
Just wait. Once I complete my God Trials and return as a deity… we'll settle this account.
Stumbling, Tang San walked out of the Blue Silver Forest. Along the way, he could feel the disgust emanating from the Blue Silver Grass around him.
Occasionally, he tripped—when he looked closer, he'd find that a millennium-old Blue Silver Grass had deliberately stuck out to trip him.
Thinking back to his last life, when he was in the Blue Silver Forest and treated like royalty—then comparing it to his current state—Tang San felt grief swell in his chest.
Once outside the forest, Tang San summoned his martial soul—Blue Silver Grass—and inspected it carefully.
Before, his martial soul's leaves bore a golden vein, a symbol of his noble heritage as the son of the Blue Silver Emperor. Now, that golden line was gone. What remained was nothing but ordinary grass—a trash martial soul.
In his past life, after becoming the Blue Silver Emperor, Tang San had used the "trash martial soul turned divine" narrative to inspire countless underdogs at Shrek Academy.
(As the first in history to reach Titled Douluo rank and ascend to godhood with Blue Silver Grass, he had validated the saying: "There are no trash martial souls, only trash soul masters"—a quote passed down for ten thousand years across the continent.)
Now, Tang San had no choice but to carry a true trash martial soul buff to cultivate.
How… wonderful.
Tang San had come to the Blue Silver Forest to awaken the Blue Silver Emperor, but instead his bloodline had been stolen by a shameless usurper. At last, he couldn't hold back. In a secluded spot, he broke down in tears.
He thought of his gentle mother. He longed to return to her arms and pour out his pain—
To tell her that the throne of the Blue Silver Emperor had been stolen.
To receive her tender comfort.
Finally, Tang San wiped away his tears and declared resolutely:
"Mom… don't worry. I won't let anyone take what belongs to the Tang family. I will reclaim the throne from that usurper—no matter what."
In the depths of the Blue Silver Forest—
Ah Yin retrieved her bloodline. Feeling its return, she relaxed slightly. With a cold smirk, she muttered:
"Tang Hao, you beast. You schemed endlessly for my soul ring, my soul bone, and my bloodline—everything about the Blue Silver Emperor.
Well now, I'll take them all back—one by one—and destroy everything you hold dear. You and that shameless parasite who stole my child's body… you'll both learn what despair truly means."
"Your Majesty," asked the spirit of the Blue Silver King, "that bastard child is the shameful proof of your seduction by a human. Now that he's stepped into the Blue Silver Forest, why didn't you just kill him and wash away your humiliation?"
"Now isn't the right time to kill him." Ah Yin looked at that stalk of Blue Silver Grass. What she didn't say aloud was: Tang San has a God King behind him, after all.
"Besides, for this shameless man who stole my son's body, killing him outright would be letting him off too easily." Just thinking of Tang San filled Ah Yin with disgust.
Now that the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline had been reclaimed by her, Tang San had completely lost his right to inherit it—(of course, unless some god forcibly intervened). Next, it was only a matter of time before his other spirit was rendered useless as well.
On his way back, Tang San mulled over his future carefully.
He tried cultivating his Blue Silver Grass, but the conflicting attributes between his spirit and soul ring made his cultivation progress unbearably slow—almost to the point of stagnation.
Without the Xuantian Skill, as a Level 41 Soul Sect, it might take him 70–80 years just to reach the Soul King rank. Even with the help of Xuantian Skill, he estimated it would still take at least ten years to reach Soul King.
Ten years...
By then he'd be 24. In his previous life, he had already become a god by that age. Now, he'd barely be a Soul King?
This overwhelming gap left Tang San unable to cope.
Consumed with grief and rage, he needed a target to vent his emotions. That target soon became clear: the culprit behind adding the poisonous soul ring to his Blue Silver Grass—Yu Xiaogang.
"Gongzi, your sins are unforgivable... This is all your fault. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have fallen this low. Just you wait. After the Soul Master Tournament ends and you lose your usefulness, I'll show you what Tang San does to traitors."
He gritted his teeth with hatred.
Now Tang San's dilemma was obvious—continuing to cultivate Blue Silver Grass would only waste his talent.
The only path left was to switch to the Clear Sky Hammer, but doing so meant his new soul rings could only start from the thousand-year level (his body still wasn't strong enough for ten-thousand-year rings).
Such a Clear Sky Hammer wouldn't be any better than having just one martial spirit to begin with.
He still hadn't added any rings to the Clear Sky Hammer. Two main reasons held him back:
First, he was alone—no team, no support—he couldn't hunt the soul rings he wanted.
Second, he still held hope.
In his past life, after becoming the God of Asura, he'd learned many secrets:
His father had entered the Slaughter City under the Asura God's arrangement.
His mother had taken human form and fallen in love with his father under Asura's influence.
Their union, which produced him, triggered the Spirit Hall's wrath.
His mother had to sacrifice herself to protect his father—all of it orchestrated by the Asura God.
The Asura God had arranged everything so Tang San would inherit his mother's throne as the Blue Silver Emperor.
Now, Tang San felt:
That throne which rightfully belonged to me has been usurped.
My bloodline was forcibly stripped away.
Surely the God of Asura won't stay silent?
To nurture him, the god would surely offer compensation or a trial to restore his bloodline.
I'm the chosen child of destiny in this era, the Asura God's chosen one. Things can't end like this. There must be a turnaround.
With this hope in mind, Tang San suppressed the urge to add rings to the Clear Sky Hammer and returned to Heaven Dou City.
Back at the Heaven Dou City Royal Spirit Arena, Tang San's timing was oddly perfect—he arrived just in time to see a match between Shrek Academy and Milai Academy.
Stocky, short, and with a coarse, dark complexion, Tang San squeezed into the audience to watch.
Once again, he witnessed Yu Tianheng and Xiao Wu's bodies fuse mid-air. The next instant, the familiar Blue Rabbit Dragon appeared before his eyes.
This brought back memories of that illusion Shi Nian had created—Yu Tianheng had won Xiao Wu's heart through repeated Spirit Fusion Techniques.
The illusion was now reality.
Tang San's dark-skinned arms gripped the railing tight, veins bulging. His eyes turned red, his breath grew ragged like an angry bull, and he glared at the Blue Rabbit Dragon on stage with bulging, fish-like eyes.
The rabbit dragon moved like lightning within the enemy formation, eliminating opponent after opponent at blinding speed—until finally, victory was theirs.
When the Spirit Fusion dispersed, and Yu Tianheng's handsome, tall frame appeared beside Xiao Wu's petite, graceful figure, the arena erupted in thunderous cheers—
"Shrek! Long live the Jade Rabbit Duo!"
"Shrek! Long live the Jade Rabbit Duo!"
On the stage, Yu Tianheng hugged the delicate Xiao Wu, basking in the crowd's adoration.
Tang San's eyeballs looked ready to burst. His flared nostrils were wide enough to fit billiard balls, and steaming white air puffed out of them constantly.
His short, ape-like arms stretched outward, revealing the sun-baked, blackened muscles he'd developed from years of blacksmithing. He beat his chest hard, emitting a shrill baboon-like roar.
But his cry was drowned out by the audience's cheers and applause.
After the match, as Shrek's trio was preparing to leave, they were blocked by a short, black-skinned figure.
"Where did this charcoal come from, blocking my way?" Dai Mubai stepped forward, ready to punch the guy—until the black figure opened his mouth.
His voice made Dai Mubai hesitate:
"Mubai, don't you recognize me?"
Dai Mubai held back his fist, staring at the short, dark figure with suspicion.
Careful Oscar observed the stranger closely, then whispered:
"Boss Dai... don't you think he looks a lot like Ah San?"
"Ah San?"
The realization hit Dai Mubai.
He bent down and squinted at the rough face of the black figure.
Through the grime and tan, he found a trace of familiarity:
"You're... Ah San?"
"I'm Tang San," the blackened Tang San replied grimly, his expression making his face look even darker.
"Ah San, you..." Dai Mubai pointed at him, struggling to find the right words. "How did you end up like this?"
In the Shrek team, Yu Tianheng, Dai Mubai, and Oscar were the poster boys for good looks—Yu Tianheng and Dai Mubai exuded masculine charm, while Oscar was more delicate.
Tang San wasn't considered super handsome, but at least he was better looking than Er Ming and Ma Hongjun.
But now?
After this one trip, Tang San's looks had utterly plummeted—he was now the bottom of the barrel.
"Also..." Dai Mubai placed a hand atop Tang San's head, then moved it to his own neck.
"Why are you... so short now?"
Tang San hadn't been particularly tall before, but he used to reach at least Dai Mubai's forehead.
Now, he was quite literally a short black coal briquette.