The pressure in the misty, crimson expanse of Zhang Tian's Spiritual Sea was immense. It was the weight of a hundred thousand years of life, the fury of a betrayed monarch, and the raw power of a being that once stood at the pinnacle of the world. Before him, Ah Yin, a being of stunning, bifurcated beauty, glared with one blue eye of cold majesty and one red eye of burning rage.
Yet, Zhang Tian remained utterly serene. He floated before this tempest of emotion and power, and with a grace that seemed almost sacrilegious in its calm, he brought his hands together and performed a deep, respectful bow.
"Empress," his voice was clear and steady, echoing softly in the vast mental space. "It is an honor. I am glad to see that you have recovered your consciousness."
The sheer audacity of his calm respect caught Ah Yin off guard. The storm of her fury abated by a fraction, replaced by a sliver of confusion. Her two-toned brows furrowed slightly.
"You know who I am," she stated, her voice a harmonious and yet dissonant chord of two different tones. "You greet me with respect, yet you defile my body with this... corrupting energy." She accepted his greeting with a stiff nod. "Where is he? Where is Tang Hao?"
"I do not know the whereabouts of the Clear Sky Douluo," Zhang Tian answered honestly. "When I found you, Empress, you were alone in a cold, dark cave, planted in the bare earth."
"You found me? How?" she pressed, her suspicion returning.
"Through a connection," he explained patiently. "My Martial Spirit, this Blood Silver Grass, was once Blue Silver Grass, like your own subjects. Even after its mutation, it retained a fundamental connection to its origin. It was a faint call, a whisper of a great presence, that led me to you."
Ah Yin nodded gently, the explanation logical enough. "I can sense the kinship," she admitted, her gaze softening almost imperceptibly as she looked at him. "But it is... different. Your Blood Silver Grass... it lacks the pure vitality that defines my clan. I sense a hunger from it, a devouring power. An evil power."
"It is the nature of my mutation," Zhang Tian said, not denying her assessment. "My Innate Spirit Power was pathetically low. When my Blue Silver Grass absorbed its first Spirit Ring, it was too weak to maintain its original form. It was twisted, transformed into what you see now. It gained the ability to devour."
Ah Yin's expression hardened again. "The power of an Evil Spirit Master." The words were a condemnation.
"It is natural for you to think so, Empress," Zhang Tian conceded with a calm that bordered on unnerving. "But should a man be judged solely by the nature of his tools, or by the manner in which he wields them? The Clear Sky Hammer can be used to protect the innocent or to slaughter them. Is the hammer itself evil?"
He met her dual-colored gaze without flinching. "I will not deny that my abilities could be used for great evil. But I ask you to judge my actions, not my potential. I can show you my memories of the last eight months, since I acquired my second spirit ring. You may be the judge of whether I have conducted myself as an Evil Spirit Master. I have my own secrets that I must keep, so I cannot show you everything, but I will not hide how I have used this power. I hope you can understand."
Ah Yin was taken aback by his transparency. Hiding his own secrets was natural; everyone had them. But to offer his memories for her judgment was an act of supreme confidence or supreme foolishness. Intrigued, she gave a slight, regal nod. "Show me."
Zhang Tian closed his eyes. The misty landscape of his Spiritual Sea swirled, and images began to form, playing out like a phantom theatre for her to witness.
She saw him in Suotuo City, walking through the bustling streets. She felt the release of his invisible spores, settling like dust on hundreds of people. She felt the tiny, parasitic drain begin. But then she saw the restraint. The drain on each person was so minuscule it was medically insignificant. It was less than the energy one would lose from a brisk walk. It would slow their cultivation by an imperceptible margin, but it would not harm them, not truly.
She saw him drain the life from plants in the city, but never to the point of killing them. He would take a portion, then move on, allowing them to recover. She saw him in the forest, devouring the energy from trees and beasts, but always leaving them alive, always taking just enough for his needs.
Then she saw his fields of Blood Silver Grass. Her initial reaction was one of horror at seeing her subjects so twisted. But then she watched him. She saw how he cultivated them, how he used 'Devour' on them to fuel his own growth, but always, always, he would stop before causing permanent damage. He would even sometimes infuse a bit of his own energy back into the field, ensuring its continued prosperity. He was not a tyrant slaughtering his people for power; he was a farmer, carefully, sustainably, harvesting his crop.
The memories shifted to his shop. She saw the handsome young man dealing with his customers with patience and grace. She saw his diligence, his hard work, and the clear line he drew in all his dealings. He was ambitious, ruthless in his pursuit of power, but he was not wantonly cruel. He was a predator, yes, but one with a code.
The more she saw, the more the cold fury in her blue eye softened, and the burning rage in her red eye cooled. This was not the rampaging destruction of an Evil Spirit Master. This was the calculated, controlled growth of a pragmatic genius. Her greatest joy came from seeing his treatment of the grass. He was using them, but he was also nurturing them. They were his power source, and he was protecting his investment. To the Blue Silver Empress, these were her children, and he was not harming them.
When the memories faded, the Spiritual Sea returned to its quiet state. Ah Yin's expression was considerably softer.
"I see," she said, her voice now a more unified, thoughtful tone. "You have drawn a clear line. Your actions are not those of a mindless Evil Spirit Master. But that does not answer my question. Why? Why are you corrupting me?"
Zhang Tian's expression grew serious. "Empress, allow me to ask you a question. Are you satisfied with the current state of your clan?"
Ah Yin blinked. "What do you mean?"
"The Blue Silver Grass," he said, his voice ringing with a sudden passion. "The most common and weakest spirit on the continent. Considered trash. Not even a pig would choose it for a meal. A spirit that dooms its master to a life of mediocrity. Unable to cultivate effectively, unable to gather energy, unable to defend itself. Is this how your subjects should live, Empress?"
He took a step closer, his own spiritual form radiating intensity. "I convert them to Blood Silver Grass to give them a chance. To allow them to grow strong, to devour, to fight for their own existence! As someone who awakened a Blue Silver Grass, I know the scorn, the pity, the hopelessness. I do not wish that fate upon them any longer!"
He paused, letting his words sink in. "But I am just one person. My power is limited. I can corrupt common blue silver grass, but I cannot influence the stronger ones, the thousand year old and the ten thousand year old ones of your clan. I sought to convert you, Empress, to become the Blood Silver Empress. To strengthen you, yes, but also to seek your aid. With your authority, we could uplift the entire race!"
His voice lowered, becoming almost a conspiratorial whisper. "My motive is selfish, I admit. The more Blood Silver Grass there is, the faster I can cultivate. But in empowering myself, I empower them. I give them a future beyond being trampled underfoot. Tell me, Empress... am I wrong to try?"
Ah Yin was silent. The logic was cold, brutal, but undeniable. She, more than anyone, knew the plight of her people.
"Even if your methods could strengthen them," she countered, raising a valid point. "This devouring ability... the world will see it as a plague. Spirit Masters will hunt the Blood Silver Grass, fearing it, branding it a vicious beast that harms the ecosystem. You would trade their weakness for persecution."
"Which is why I have been so cautious," Zhang Tian replied smoothly. "I will not convert them all at once. It will be a slow, secret expansion. We will build our strength in the shadows, in limited regions, until we are powerful enough that the world has no choice but to accept us. For now, it will simply be a means for my own growth."
Ah Yin fell silent again, her mind in turmoil. But then, a deep, primal longing surfaced. "Send me back," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "Send me back to the cave where you found me. I must see my husband. I must see my son. He has been born... he must be living well..."
Zhang Tian's expression turned cold. "So you will abandon the Blue Silver Grass again?"
The accusation struck her like a physical blow. "What do you mean?" she asked, a flash of anger in her eyes. "When did I abandon them?"
"When you left the sanctuary of your clan to fall in love with a human," Zhang Tian stated bluntly. "When you chose Tang Hao. When you chose to have his child. When you chose to sacrifice yourself for them. Your sacrifice was noble, a mother's love is a powerful thing, I do not deny that. But you were not just a mother. You were an Empress. Did you not think of the billions of your subjects who relied on you?"
He pressed his advantage, his voice like sharp icicles. "You were pregnant. You must have made arrangements for your child's Second Awakening, in case he inherited your spirit. You gave him your legacy, your essence, a connection to the entire clan to fuel his growth. What legacy did you leave for the rest of your people? The subjects you now wish to abandon for a second time?"
Ah Yin's eyes widened. She couldn't refute his words. She had left two drops of her essence blood with the Blue Silver King. She had arranged for her clan to pour their life force into her son. She had chosen one child over billions. The realization struck her with the force of a physical blow, and she lowered her head, the weight of her crown suddenly heavier than ever before.
"And another question, Empress," Zhang Tian continued, his voice relentless. "You long to see your husband, the man who supposedly loves you so dearly. Why, then, did he not take you to the Blue Silver Forest to recover? He is a Titled Douluo. Finding the heart of your clan would not be difficult for him. Why leave you in a barren cave, stunting your recovery?"
Ah Yin looked startled, but the answer came to her with dawning, sickening horror. "Because..." she whispered, "because in one generation... there can only be one Blue Silver Emperor. If I recovered... my son... he would not be able to evolve..."
"Exactly," Zhang Tian said, his voice dripping with scorn. "Your own husband values the power of the Blue Silver Emperor far more than he values you, or your people. He sees the common grass as trash, a stepping stone for his son to reach the peak. The man who is half-ruler of your clan by marriage holds your subjects in utter contempt. And you wish to run back to him?"
Ah Yin was speechless, her heart aching with a complex mix of guilt and pain.
Seeing her expression, Zhang Tian's voice softened. "Emotions are a powerful force. The actions you took as a mother cannot be wholly condemned. But you are here, now. You have a chance to rectify the past, to fulfill your duty. A chance to make your clan great. And yet, your first thought was of your human family, not your clan in the Blue Silver Forest. Is that not another betrayal?"
This time, Ah Yin did not fight it. Tears welled in her eyes, one blue, one red. "You are right," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I have been... a terrible Empress."
"This isn't about guilt," Zhang Tian said, his voice now gentle. "It's about opportunity. I am giving you a chance to be the Empress your people deserve. I will help you. But to do that, you must fully embrace this new path. You must become the Blood Silver Empress."
He looked her straight in the eyes. "Only when you are fully transformed, fully connected to my spirit, can we gain the true acceptance of the clan and begin their great evolution."
Ah Yin looked at him, at the determined young man who had laid her failures bare but also offered a path to redemption. After a long, silent moment, she gave a single, decisive nod. She stopped resisting.
In the real world, the last vestiges of blue on the plant in Zhang Tian's garden vanished. The entire blade of grass was now a deep, vibrant blood-red, but the golden veins that marked its imperial status remained, now glowing with a crimson light.
"I will help you see your family," Zhang Tian offered in the Spiritual Sea. "But you cannot speak to them. Not yet."
Ah Yin's head snapped up, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "Truly?"
"Yes. Your son's name is Tang San, is it not?" Zhang Tian nodded and reopened his memories, this time focusing on his time in the Holy Spirit Village.
Ah Yin watched, her heart clenching as she saw her husband, Tang Hao, no longer the heroic figure she remembered, but a listless, drunken blacksmith, neglectful of their son. She felt a pang of sadness but forgave him, assuming it was grief that had broken him.
Then, she saw it. She saw her son, her little San, skulking in the woods. She watched him find a basket of herbs gathered by a younger Zhang Tian. And she heard his sanctimonious, hypocritical whispers as he stole them for himself.
A hot flash of shame and anger went through her. She wanted to reach out, to scold her son for such a dishonorable act.
The memory shifted, and she saw Tang San awaken his spirits. The Blue Silver Grass, like her own, and full innate spirit power. A wave of maternal pride washed over her, momentarily eclipsing her disappointment.
"This is all I have seen of him," Zhang Tian said as the memories faded. "He was in the Nuoding Academy with me for a time. I have heard he will soon be coming to Suotuo City to join the Shrek Academy. You will be able to observe him through me. But his father, Tang Hao, will be following him. He cannot discover you. Not yet. I am a stranger, Empress. If you still wish to betray me and your clan for them, I will accept your decision. You are, after all, the Empress."
The choice, laid bare, was no longer a choice. Her path was clear.
"For my people," Ah Yin said, her voice filled with a new, steely resolve. "For my billions of subjects... I will endure. I will wait."
Zhang Tian smiled. "Thank you, Empress."
He began to withdraw from the Spiritual Sea. As he did, Ah Yin's voice called out one last time. "Wait."
Before he could react, he felt her consciousness surge. In the real world, the blood-red plant with the golden veins glowed with an intense light, then dissolved into motes of energy. Those motes shot towards Zhang Tian, merging directly with the Blood Silver Grass Martial Spirit within him.
He cried out as a torrent of power and information flooded his being. It was a Second Awakening, a false one, but a Second Awakening nonetheless. His spirit underwent a qualitative transformation. The simple red grass became thicker, more vibrant, and the golden veins of the Emperor were now woven into its very essence.
HIs Martial Spirit began to evolve straight into the Blood Silver Emperor.
"I will merge my body with your spirit," Ah Yin's voice echoed in his mind, now a permanent resident. "This will grant you my authority and power. But know this, Zhang Tian. The day you disappoint me, the day you betray the interests of our clan... I will leave."
Zhang Tian felt the change. A new, instinctual connection to every blade of Blue Silver Grass and Blood Silver Grass for miles around bloomed in his senses. It was a domain. The Blood Silver Domain.
With a thought, he could sense his surroundings through every blade of grass. He could make them grow and bind an enemy. He could camouflage his own spirit rings or even turn invisible within a field of grass. The powers of Devour and Parasitic Spores were now massively amplified, capable of being channeled through any blade of grass in his domain.
Ah Yin also sensed that he had absorbed her Right Leg Spirit Bone, but she said nothing. It was a practical choice she could now understand. "I will be watching, Zhang Tian," she said, her voice now calm and centered. "Show me that my faith is not misplaced."
"I will not let you down, Empress," he said aloud, a confident smile playing on his lips.
He stood up, feeling the immense new power coursing through him. The first step was complete. Ah Yin was his ally.
'Now for the second step,' he thought, the smile turning colder, more predatory. 'To utterly destroy her affection for her family. She thinks her son is just a little thief. She has no idea. The soul in his body isn't her son at all. All I need to do is create a situation where she can read his memories, just as she read mine. And when she sees the soul of a middle-aged man from another world in her child's body... her love will turn to horror. And then, I can make my move on her.'