manynovel Chapter 437 Seeking a tiger's skin?
Chapter 437 Seeking a tiger's skin?
Black Rock Mine, Western Border of the Sun and Moon Empire.
The night was deep, and the sea breeze blew in from the distant Black Rock Coast, carrying the smell of salt and mineral dust.
This place is perpetually cold and damp, the sky always seeming to be covered with a layer of indelible ash. In the distance, the waves crash against the reefs, producing a dull roar; in the nearby mine, the soul-guiding furnace is still running quietly, pale blue steam slowly rising along the metal pipes, dispersing into wisps of hazy white mist in the night.
Deep within the Blackrock Workshop lies a secret chamber sealed off by a triple soul-guiding barrier.
The walls of the secret chamber were all cast from black-patterned refined iron, and the surface was engraved with intricate soul-guiding array patterns, with pale blue soul power crystals embedded between the patterns. Every ten breaths, an arc of light would light up on the wall, sweeping across the metal treatment table in the center of the room.
Tang San lay quietly on the treatment table.
His black robe had been cut open, revealing his body covered in wounds.
On his chest, the three black-gold claw marks left by the Emperor Tianlong's divine claws were still shocking. Fine lightning crackled around the edges of the wounds, as if some extremely ancient destructive force was still embedded in his flesh.
On his back, the golden burn marks left by Qian Renxue's True Sun Fire had not yet completely extinguished. Whenever the Rakshasa Death Qi tried to repair the wound, the golden fire lines would suddenly blaze up, burning away the evil energy once again.
Within his meridians, there remained the blue-gold suppressing power left by the Trident of Poseidon.
That force was as heavy as the sea, making his soul power feel like it was being crushed by a vast ocean every time it circulated, causing him to almost faint from the pain.
The Soul Masters of the Sun Moon Empire gathered around the treatment table, their faces growing increasingly grim.
They had seen many seriously injured people before. The Black Rock Mine tested military soul tools year-round, and it was not uncommon to see soul masters with severed limbs, reversed soul power, and mental injuries.
They had never seen injuries like Tang San's before.
It is astonishing that three completely different, yet all incomprehensibly powerful, residual forces exist within a single person.
Unfortunately, Tang San also possessed an extremely cold and sinister purplish-black soul power that was forcibly sustaining his life.
The old soul master stood in front of the treatment table, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
He had already used the highest-level healing soul tool from Blackrock Workshop, but the effect was still limited.
The soul-guided healing beams could only repair the outermost layer of skin and flesh when they landed on Tang San. Any deeper they went would be shattered by the three residual forces.
A doctor nearby whispered:
"Your Highness, this person's body should no longer be alive. More than 70% of his meridians are broken, his internal organs are damaged, and his spiritual sea has been almost torn apart."
"If it were an ordinary Soul Master, he would probably have died ten times over by now."
Xu Jingyuan stood outside the treatment room, looking at Tang San through a light blue soul-guided barrier.
His expression didn't change much, but his eyes grew increasingly deep.
"They shouldn't be alive, yet they are still alive."
"This shows that he is more valuable than an ordinary Soul Master."
The old soul mentor said in a deep voice:
"Your Highness, the purplish-black soul power within him is extremely dangerous. We just tried to suppress it with a purification soul guidance array, but the soul guidance device shattered on the spot."
"This old minister suspects that this power may not be ordinary soul power."
Xu Jingyuan asked:
"If it's not soul power, then what is it?"
The old soul mentor remained silent for a moment before speaking:
"It's like... an evil divine power."
Inside the secret chamber, the expressions of several Soul Masters changed simultaneously.
Divine power.
These two words are also familiar to the Sun and Moon Empire.
However, for most Soul Masters, gods are merely vague records in ancient texts. The Sun Moon Empire has more faith in Soul Tools, metals, magic arrays, cores, and reproducible power systems.
However, the aura emanating from the heavily injured man before them forced them to admit that some of his power was indeed beyond the scope of what a soul tool could explain.
Xu Jingyuan slowly narrowed his eyes.
"Divine power..."
He looked at the Rakshasa Demon Scythe beside Tang San, which was sealed by more than a dozen soul-guided chains. The scythe was floating quietly at this moment. Although its light was dim, no soul-guided device could truly suppress it.
Those chains were less a blockade and more a test.
The Rakshasa Scythe can sever these soul-guiding chains at any time, if it so desires.
But now, it seems to have been injured as well, which is why it has been temporarily silent.
Xu Jingyuan looked at Tang San, his conviction growing stronger.
This person represents an opportunity.
An opportunity that could change his destiny.
"Continue treatment."
Xu Jingyuan spoke up.
The old soul mentor hesitated:
"Your Highness, if we continue to invest in high-level healing soul tools, the consumption will be enormous. The Western Armament Testing Grounds are already short of resources. If the capital finds out that we are using so many resources on someone of unknown origin..."
Xu Jingyuan gave him a cold look.
"The capital?"
"When has the imperial capital ever cared whether I have enough resources here? They dumped me in this godforsaken place, just to let me rot and die in the Western Frontier, don't they?"
The old soul master immediately bowed his head.
"This old minister has misspoke."
Xu Jingyuan's voice turned colder.
"rule."
"I want him to live."
"Even if he's just on his last breath, we'll pull him back from the brink of death."
The soul masters exchanged glances and ultimately had no choice but to continue activating the healing soul guidance array.
The pale blue beam of light fell again.
The soul power conduits on both sides of the metal treatment table began to operate, and the soul power of each treatment crystal was quickly drained, turning into a soft mist that covered Tang San's entire body.
This time, Tang San finally reacted.
His fingers twitched slightly.
The next moment, those bloodshot eyes slowly opened.
The temperature inside the sealed room dropped several degrees instantly.
Several Soul Masters instinctively retreated.
Even though Tang San was seriously injured and on the verge of death, when he opened his eyes, the coldness and resentment that emanated from the depths of his eyes still made them feel a chill.
Tang San did not get up immediately.
He simply rolled his eyes, scanning his surroundings.
Metal walls.
Soul guidance array.
Blockade.
The muzzle of the soul guide cannon.
And there's Xu Jingyuan standing outside the barrier.
Tang San gradually regained consciousness.
He is still alive.
Moreover, this is no longer the Douluo Continent.
Tang San felt the terrible injuries within his body, and a deep hatred flashed in his eyes. If it weren't for Rakshasa God's intervention, he would have been dead.
But it is precisely because he did not die that this hatred ferments even more wildly.
Tang San spoke slowly, his voice hoarse as if sand was grinding against each other.
"Did you save me?"
Xu Jingyuan raised his hand, signaling the Soul Masters to be quiet.
Then, he took a few steps closer and looked at Tang San through the soul guide barrier.
"I guess so."
Tang San said coldly:
"Aren't you afraid of me?"
Xu Jingyuan said calmly:
"Afraid."
"But I'm more afraid of being trapped in this place for the rest of my life."
Tang San looked at him.
This answer stirred something within him.
He is best at judging people.
Especially when looking at those who harbor resentment, hatred, and unwillingness, the prince of the Sun Moon Empire before him appeared calm on the surface, but his eyes concealed a deep anger and ambition.
This kind of person is the easiest to take advantage of, because he has something to ask for.
Tang San didn't rush to reveal his trump card; he simply asked:
"What's your name?"
"Xu Jingyuan".
"identity?"
"The Third Prince of the Sun and Moon Empire"
A strange light flashed in Tang San's eyes.
The prince.
well.
It was more valuable than he had anticipated.
A fallen prince still owns workshops, an army, and an arms testing ground.
For Tang San right now, this is practically a stepping stone delivered right to his doorstep.
Tang San's gaze swept over the soul tools around him.
These things are completely different from the soul tools in Douluo Continent.
More precise, more mature, and more systematic.
If he could control this power...
A thought suddenly arose in Tang San's mind.
He not only needs to recover from his injuries.
He also wants to use the soul tools of the Sun Moon Empire to fight his way back to Douluo Continent.
When the time comes, Tang Chuan, Qian Renxue, and Di Tian will all have to pay the price for what happened today.
Tang San slowly opened his mouth and said:
"You saved me, not just out of kindness."
Xu Jingyuan did not deny it.
"Of course I have an ulterior motive."
A cold smile appeared on Tang San's lips.
Tell me about it.
Xu Jingyuan looked at him but did not answer immediately.
The soul-guiding lamp in the secret room flickered slightly, its pale blue light reflecting on his face, making his expression appear particularly gloomy.
After a moment, he said:
"Since you are not from the Sun Moon Empire, you probably don't know my situation."
"I am the Third Prince."
"But in my father's eyes, I was never a qualified heir. My martial spirit talent is inferior to that of my eldest brother, my soul master talent is inferior to that of my second brother, and my maternal clan's power is also inferior to theirs."
"When I was a child, I was able to establish myself in the capital with my intelligence, but later the struggle for the throne became more and more intense, and my maternal clan was suppressed by them step by step. People around me either died or scattered."
"Finally, a so-called arms malfunction case drove me out of the capital for good."
As Xu Jingyuan finished speaking, his eyes turned sarcastic.
"My father didn't kill me."
"He merely demoted me to the Western Territory. Officially, he assigned me to oversee the construction of the Blackrock Mine and the Armory Testing Grounds, and to train Western Territory Soul Masters for the Empire."
"But what is the reality? This place is far from the capital, constantly plagued by storms, lacking resources, and the officials are all spies planted by others."
"Those brothers in the capital send people to audit the accounts every now and then, find mistakes, and cut supplies. They're not trying to let me make a contribution; they want me to be worn down here little by little."
By the end, his voice had become very low.
But precisely because of its low status, it only makes the resentment and malice more apparent.
"Tell me, what else could this place be but a godforsaken wasteland?"
Inside the secret room, several trusted soul masters lowered their heads and dared not speak.
Xu Jingyuan would never say these words lightly under normal circumstances.
But he said it today.
Because he knew that the man in front of him was no better.
When collaborating with villains, sometimes it's not necessary to be too clean-cut.
Tang San listened quietly, without a trace of sympathy on his face.
pity?
He no longer has that kind of thing.
He only confirmed one thing: Xu Jingyuan did indeed need his help, and what he needed was substantial.
Tang San slowly said:
"You want to go back to the capital."
Xu Jingyuan said:
"more than."
A glint of light flashed in Tang San's eyes.
"You want to be the emperor."
The atmosphere inside the sealed room instantly froze.
The old spiritual mentor and the middle-aged officer both changed their expressions.
Such words, even spoken in private, are enough to warrant execution.
However, Xu Jingyuan did not deny it.
He looked at Tang San and slowly said:
"Yes."
"I want to ascend the throne."
"I want all those who look down on me to kneel before me. I want my father to see with his own eyes that the son he values least is the one who truly deserves to sit in that position."
Upon hearing this, Tang San suddenly smiled.
His laughter was soft, yet it sent a chill through the entire secret room.
"very good."
"If you have ambition, there's still hope."
Xu Jingyuan narrowed his eyes.
"Can you help me?"
Tang San did not answer immediately, but instead raised his hand with difficulty.
The Rakshasa Demon Scythe beside the treatment table trembled slightly, and all the soul guide chains tightened instantly. Several soul guide masters' expressions changed drastically, and they immediately prepared to activate the sealing array.
However, Tang San only allowed the Rakshasa Demon Scythe to release a very faint purplish-black aura.
The aura landed on the corpse of a soul beast used for experiments nearby.
The next moment, the already dead soul beast corpse suddenly moved.
It stiffly raised its head, and grayish-white soul flames ignited in its empty eye sockets.
Several Soul Masters were so frightened that they retreated.
"It's alive?!"
"The body moved!"
"What kind of evil magic is this?"
Xu Jingyuan's pupils suddenly contracted.
He stared intently at the corpse of the soul beast that had risen again, his breathing becoming heavier.
The soul tools of the Sun Moon Empire can create puppets, remotely control combat mechanisms, and even bring truly dead corpses back to life, but he had never seen such methods before.
Tang San sneered:
"This is just the most rudimentary method."
"Give me enough souls, corpses, and resources, and I can help you create an undead army that is fearless of death, pain, and tireless."
"If your brother has a legion of Soul Masters, then you have a legion of Undead Soul Masters."
Xu Jingyuan's eyes flickered violently.
Undead Legion.
Fearless of death, fearless of pain, tireless.
If this power could truly be combined with the soul tools of the Sun Moon Empire...
What kind of army would that be?
An army of undead clad in soul-guided armor, armed with soul-guided cannons, and unafraid of death.
Just thinking about it made Xu Jingyuan's heart race.
But he wasn't blinded by emotion; instead, he looked at Tang San and asked:
Why did you help me?
Tang San said coldly:
"I need you too."
Xu Jingyuan was not surprised.
"What do you need?"
Tang San's voice was hoarse, yet incredibly clear.
"soul."
The temperature inside the sealed room dropped instantly.
Xu Jingyuan's eyes also darkened.
"soul?"
Tang San said calmly:
"Death row inmates, prisoners of war, rebels, your enemies."
"Anyone you don't need to live can be given to me."
"I will turn them into your strength."
The old soul mentor's face turned pale.
The middle-aged officer also subconsciously tightened his grip on the guided missile at his waist.
This is no longer an ordinary collaboration; this is a deal with the devil.
Xu Jingyuan stared at Tang San without saying a word for a long time.
Tang San wasn't in a hurry.
He knew Xu Jingyuan would agree.
Because he saw desire in the other person's eyes.
How could a prince who was looked down upon by his father, ostracized by his brothers, and exiled to the border possibly refuse a path to the throne?
Even if this road is paved with corpses.
After a moment, Xu Jingyuan slowly spoke:
"If I give you these things, can you guarantee I'll ascend the throne?"
Tang San looked at him, the eerie green flames in his eyes flickering slightly.
"I can kill everyone who gets in your way."
"As for the throne, you can sit on it yourself."
Xu Jingyuan smiled.
"This is more substantial than empty promises."
Tang San continued:
"However, I have one last condition."
Xu Jingyuan asked:
"What?"
Tang San said, word by word:
"Once I regain my strength, you must help me build an expeditionary force."
"Target: Douluo Continent, on the other side of the ocean."
Xu Jingyuan's pupils suddenly contracted, his face showing disbelief:
"What did you say? There's a continent on the other side of the ocean?" (End of Chapter)