Ye Qiu etched every one of Tang Hao's actions into his little mental notebook.
One day, he'd settle every single score.
After catching his breath and noting the moment, Ye Qiu turned his attention to the dark, damp cave, pretending to be confused.
"Hey, Uncle Haozi, where are we exactly? Weren't we going to look for a soul beast?"
"There."
Tang Hao pointed a short distance ahead at a Blue Silver Emperor, its golden radiance shimmering like starlight.
"That… weed?" Ye Qiu feigned surprise, glancing skeptically at Tang Hao. "Doesn't look like it even has ten years of cultivation."
"If you'd prefer a Wild Boar Beast, I can find one for you. I'll make sure it fully satisfies you," Tang Hao replied with a side glance, then turned and walked toward the Blue Silver Emperor.
"Ahem, Uncle Haozi, on second thought… this weed's actually not bad. Fair-skinned, pretty features, refined and graceful, quite the beauty—mouthwatering, really."
"That's enough."
Tang Hao's cold bark shut Ye Qiu up on the spot. He hurried to follow, afraid Tang Hao might actually find him a pig beast.
That would be a disaster!
Two lifetimes of dignity would go up in smoke.
Ye Qiu trailed behind Tang Hao, watching his every move intently.
He saw Tang Hao sit cross-legged in front of the plant, extending his rough, calloused hand to gently touch a leaf. His eyes dazed, tears shimmered in them.
"…"
When Tang Hao suddenly turned back, Ye Qiu immediately averted his gaze, pretending to see nothing.
Who knew how Tang Hao would react to someone witnessing him, a grown man, getting emotional over a blade of grass? Better to play it safe and avert his eyes.
Seeing Ye Qiu behave sensibly, Tang Hao blinked, wiped his rugged face, and said in a low voice,
"There's no need for you to know anything extra. Just do exactly what I say. Understood?"
Ye Qiu hadn't canceled his Martial Soul Possession the whole time—he didn't trust himself to keep a straight face.
This bastard.
Coming for help and still acting all high and mighty?
Hello?? I'm just a hundred and thirty-something-month-old kid here!
But he had no choice.
Circumstances trumped pride. And his wife-to-be was… well, worth it.
If Tang Hao was willing to offer Ah Yin for this, then fine. He'd accept.
Even if he felt a little salty about it…
But as long as the job got done, whatever bitterness he had—he'd vent it right back on that plant.
"Uncle Haozi, I understand!"
Ye Qiu nodded earnestly, locking eyes with Tang Hao and staying completely still.
"So, how exactly… do I do this?"
"Hm?"
Tang Hao's brow furrowed. The softness in his tiger-like eyes disappeared, replaced by cold steel.
"You do it the same way you did with that girl. Don't tell me I need to teach you how to use your own Martial Soul?"
Ye Qiu's eyes darted, and he rolled them hard.
He replied testily, "Fine, fine. I'll do it just the way I'm supposed to."
"I'll do it properly—right in front of you!"
As soon as he said that, Ye Qiu sat cross-legged across from Tang Hao. Seeing the green veins bulge on Tang Hao's forehead, Ye Qiu even kindly reminded him to focus.
"Uncle Haozi, I'm about to… put it in now. Watch closely."
"Mm."
Tang Hao stared at him intently, making a nasal grunt of acknowledgment.
Seeing that, Ye Qiu didn't hesitate. He reached out and pinched a leaf of the Blue Silver Emperor. His fingers, coated in black energy, seemed to exert great force as the leaf was squeezed, releasing a trace of green sap.
"Gentle! Be gentle with her!"
Tang Hao couldn't hold back a low growl.
Watching Ah Yin being squeezed until she oozed… Tang Hao gritted his teeth, his eyes full of pain.
He glared at Ye Qiu and said coldly,
"If you hurt her even the slightest bit—make her leak again—I'll smash you!"
"…"
Ye Qiu was stunned.
What the hell?!
Aren't you the one who told me to do it this way? I just used a bit of force, and now you're mad about it leaking? It's literally just some sap! Stop being so dramatic!
Taking a deep breath and swallowing his frustration—for the sake of not getting smashed, and to actually get this over with—Ye Qiu pinched his nose and relented.
"Don't worry, Uncle Haozi. I'll be gentle with her, I swear."
He honestly hadn't expected it—buried in this pitch-black cave, half-wilted as it looked, this Blue Silver Emperor was still juicy and fresh. The leaves were shockingly tender.
To avoid complications…
Ye Qiu simply extended one finger, gently pressing on Ah Yin.
He then adjusted his breathing. Whether it would work or if Ah Yin would even cooperate, he wasn't sure.
Gulp—
Suddenly, the black aura around Ye Qiu began to churn. White patterns writhed.
Poof!
A muffled burst—Ye Qiu's body exploded into countless tiny streams, all of them surging toward the Blue Silver Emperor, covering it completely and wrapping tightly around it.
Tang Hao looked dumbfounded.
When Ye Qiu had fused with Xiao Wu, it hadn't required this weird transformation into a bunch of squiggly black tadpoles, had it?
What was this, trying to find his mom?
As the black tendrils writhed atop the Blue Silver Emperor, Tang Hao's initial vigilance slowly gave way to unease.
But soon, his expression grew solemn once more.
The black tendrils burrowed into the soil and began to accumulate from the roots, gradually coating the surface of the Blue Silver Emperor.
Ye Qiu's mind remained clear. Even in this form, he could perceive everything around him.
Soon—
He felt it. The soul power of the Blue Silver Emperor had been completely absorbed and fused!
This young, barely ten-year-old sprout of a Blue Silver Emperor had soul power so faint it felt like taking a sip of water.
But for Ye Qiu, that was all he needed. He could fully fill her with his own.
With the soul power fusion complete, the mental connection began.
Ye Qiu sensed faint resistance—Ah Yin's consciousness stirring.
But her spiritual strength was far too weak. Any serious resistance would only hurt her.
Things were going smoother than Ye Qiu had expected.
As Ah Yin's memories flowed into him…
Outside, the plant's leaves began to darken with the threads of black fiber.
And Ye Qiu's memories surged into Ah Yin as well.
As this exchange progressed, the moment Ah Yin glimpsed a familiar figure in Ye Qiu's memories, all resistance melted away.
She just wanted to see how her child had been doing all these years.
As the connection deepened—
Ah Yin felt her soul and memories being exposed, entangled, and taken over. Even her physical body was tightly bound, covered in someone else's presence.
But she neither dared nor wanted to resist.
Because she saw Tang Hao.
And she saw someone who looked like their son.
For them…
She endured Ye Qiu's invasion and domination in silence.