Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Chapter 82 Tracking
The next day, at noon, the blazing sunlight poured down like molten gold onto the white jade steps of the Moon Pavilion, illuminating every crevices in the stone. Tang Yuehua stood beside the vermilion pillars of the corridor, her gilded gold hairpin reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glare.

The chirping of cicadas rose and fell, stirring the sweltering air. Tang Yuehua took out a silk handkerchief from her waist, gently wiping the fine sweat from her forehead, and sighed softly. When she took the sandalwood box from her soul tool, the exquisite cloud patterns on its surface shimmered with a golden luster in the sunlight.

“Xiao San.” Tang Yuehua’s voice was a little hoarse than usual as she slowly pushed the wooden box toward Tang San. “This is the best skull your uncle took out from the sect’s treasury. Since the disciples of the Clear Sky Sect mostly hunt power-type soul beasts, skulls are rare. This skull of a Purple Crystal Demon Spider with 50,000 years of cultivation is one of the few treasures in the sect’s collection.”

Tang San's pupils contracted slightly. Inside the box lay a crystal-clear soul bone, its surface shimmering with a dreamlike purple aura, occasionally coalescing into spiderweb-like patterns of light. With his experience from two lifetimes, he could sense the immense spiritual power contained within it.

Tang Yuehua gently stroked the surface of the soul bone with her fingertips, her knuckles involuntarily tensing up. She suddenly coughed violently, her frail body swaying as she steadied herself by holding onto the railing.

"Aunt!" Tang San rushed forward to help her up, but touched her icy wrist. In the sunlight, he then noticed that Tang Yuehua's temples had grown a few strands of silver overnight.

Tang Yuehua waved her hand, forcing herself to sit up straight: "It's nothing, I just caught a bit of a chill last night. Your aunt has a favor to ask you. Your father is so stubborn." She shook her head with a wry smile, "Now, you're the only one who can persuade him."

"Auntie, Dad will be alright," Tang San said softly to comfort her.

Upon hearing this, she suddenly grabbed Tang San's arm with astonishing force: "But this time is different! Little San, his meridians have already..." Her words trailed off as Tang Yuehua took a deep breath and took out a handkerchief embroidered with begonias from her sleeve, pressing it to the corner of her eye.

“I understand, Aunt.” Tang San clenched the soul bone tightly in his palm, a sharp light flashing in his Purple Demon Eyes. “I will definitely heal Dad’s injuries. Once I fully absorb this soul bone, I will combine it with the Mysterious Heaven Technique…”

"No, you don't understand." Tang Yuehua suddenly interrupted him, her voice sterner than ever before. "I want you to swear that no matter what happens, you must never let him use his Martial Soul True Body again! He'll die!"

Tang San took a deep breath and solemnly placed the sandalwood box into the Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlit Night. When the box touched the storage soul tool, it made a clear "ding" sound, as if it were some ancient resonance. He looked up at Tang Yuehua and found that his aunt's eyes were filled with tears, but they stubbornly refused to fall in the midday sun.

"Don't worry, Auntie." Tang San knelt on one knee, his right fist clenched against his chest, his voice low and firm, "I swear on my life, I will never let Dad use his martial soul again."

Tang Yuehua's slender fingers trembled slightly, yet she still gently brushed away the stray hairs on Tang San's forehead. Her movements were very light, as if she were handling fragile porcelain. Her fingertips lingered for a moment at Tang San's collar, smoothing out a non-existent crease.

“Go, Xiao San.” Tang Yuehua’s voice was soft as a murmur, but the worry in her eyes was deep and unyielding. “Remember, be careful in everything.” She paused, a forced smile playing on her lips. “Tell your father and elder brother that they are still waiting for him at the sect to come home.”

Tang San bowed deeply, his blue robes fluttering in the hot wind as he rose. With a swift movement, he unleashed the Ghost Shadow Step, his entire being appearing like ink spreading across the surface in the blazing sunlight, disappearing in an instant at the end of the corridor.

Outside the Moon Pavilion, the hustle and bustle of Heaven Dou City rushed towards him. Tang San stood on the white jade steps, gazing at the endless stream of people on the street, and for a moment he felt somewhat dazed. The midday sun made the bluestone pavement scorching hot, and the shouts of vendors in the distance, the creaking of wheels on the pavement, and the laughter of children mingled together, yet he felt an unprecedented loneliness.

"Let's go."

A familiar voice suddenly rang in his ears. Tang San turned around abruptly and saw Tang Hao leaning against a sycamore tree not far away. The dappled shadows of the tree cast shadows on him, staining his tattered black cloak in varying shades.

"Dad!" Tang San strode forward and retrieved the sandalwood box from the Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlit Night. "Auntie has already given me the soul bone."

Tang Hao's gaze lingered on the wooden box for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He said nothing, simply turning and walking away. The sunlight cast a long shadow of him, a shadow that meandered on the ground, as if carrying too many unspoken stories.

Tang San gripped the wooden box tightly and quickly followed. The father and son, one after the other, gradually blended into the bustling crowd of Heaven Dou City. No one noticed that behind them, by the window on the top floor of Moon Pavilion, a figure in moon white stood for a long time.

The path outside Heaven Dou City was bathed in a golden light. As Tang San followed Tang Hao through the last grove of trees, he suddenly sensed a strange fluctuation of soul power ahead. The aura seemed familiar, yet also somewhat unfamiliar.

"Wait." Tang Hao suddenly raised his hand and stopped in his tracks. A hint of alertness flashed in his weathered eyes, and his right hand had already subconsciously raised to summon the Haotian Hammer.

Tang San, following Tang Hao, suddenly saw a familiar figure standing under an ancient tree ahead. The person's moon-white robe fluttered gently in the evening breeze, the flowing fabric resembling moonlight. When Tang San saw the person's face clearly, his pupils suddenly contracted—it was Feng Yao, whom he hadn't seen for two years.

Feng Yao looked at the newcomer, a hint of realization flashing in his eyes. No wonder Elders She Long and Ci Xue seemed to have sensed something earlier, and had put him down far away to let him return to the city on his own. The ancient zither "Fuxi" he was holding gleamed warmly in the sunlight.

"Long time no see, Tang San." Feng Yao's lips curled slightly, his long black hair was lifted by the breeze, and it was edged with gold in the sunlight. His voice was still clear and melodious, but it had become more restrained and steady than before.

Tang San was secretly alarmed. At this moment, Feng Yao's aura was restrained, showing no fluctuation of soul power like an ordinary person. But he knew very well that this could only mean that Feng Yao's cultivation had reached a level far beyond his own, just like the teachers of Shrek Academy, who had left him far behind.

"Your Majesty Haotian." Feng Yao bowed respectfully to Tang Hao, his demeanor displaying the bearing of a nobleman.

Tang Hao's gaze was sharp as he slowly nodded: "Not bad, you've already broken through to the Soul Emperor level at such a young age."

Tang San was shocked to hear this. His father's words were like a thunderclap in his ears, and he looked at Feng Yao in disbelief.

"You flatter me, senior." Feng Yao smiled modestly. "With Tang San's talent in possessing twin martial souls, he will surely catch up soon."

“Feng Yao?” Tang San stepped forward, a hint of wariness flashing in his Purple Demon Eyes. “Why are you here?” They had not seen each other since the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament two years ago.

"I broke through to the Soul Emperor realm by sheer luck and just returned from hunting for a Soul Ring," Feng Yao explained calmly, his fingertips lightly tracing the strings of his zither. "I never expected to meet you two here."

Tang Hao gave Feng Yao an appreciative look, then said to Tang San, "Let's go."

Just as Tang San nodded, Feng Yao suddenly spoke up: "Senior, please do not use your martial soul again on your journey." His gaze was feignedly earnest, "Your body... can no longer withstand it."

Both father and son paled simultaneously. Tang San asked in a deep voice, "How did you know?"

Feng Yao lightly tapped his earlobe and smiled, "I can discern the subtleties of the zither's sound, so naturally I can also hear other sounds, whether it's the vibration of the strings or the subtle sounds of muscles exerting force." He looked at Tang Hao with respect in his eyes, "Senior is currently using all the strength of his muscles to forcibly maintain the circulation of his soul power; this perseverance is truly admirable." In Feng Yao's perception, Tang Hao's meridians were like pipes riddled with holes, and he was forcibly squeezing them with his flesh and blood to barely maintain the flow of his soul power.

Tang Hao nodded silently. Tang San, however, became even more wary, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Thank you for the reminder. Farewell."

Feng Yao bowed in return, then turned and walked towards Tian Dou City, carrying "Fu Xi" in his arms. The white-clad figure gradually disappeared into the sunset, the tassel of his zither swaying gently in the wind.

Watching that departing figure, Tang Hao was filled with mixed emotions. At his age, he was far less talented than Feng Yao.

"Let's go." Tang Hao gently patted his son's shoulder, his voice tinged with a hint of weariness.

Feng Yao stood still, watching the father and son walk away, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. His slender fingers unconsciously stroked the strings of the "Fuxi" zither, producing a barely audible tremor.

"Strange," he muttered to himself. "Judging from Tang San's appearance, his Blue Silver Emperor bloodline hasn't awakened yet. Why did Tang Hao bring him to Heaven Dou City?"

Suddenly, his fingertips paused. Memories flooded back—the plot of the original story clearly surfaced in his mind: the Soul Master Competition, the absorption of the head soul bone, the cultivation of the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, the awakening of the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline, the fusion of the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone, and finally stepping into the City of Slaughter.
A glint flashed in Feng Yao's eyes, and a knowing smile curved his lips: "I see." He looked up in the direction of Yuexuan.

"The City of Slaughter," he thought to himself. "Without sufficient spiritual power, even a genius with twin martial souls would become a walking corpse. The head soul bone—that's Tang Hao's true purpose for this trip."

"Tang Yuehua, I wish you good luck, Tang Hao and Tang San."

Then Feng Yao headed towards Tian Dou City.

Deep within the dense forest beside the official road, two dark figures darted among the trees like ghosts. She Long Douluo's crimson snake eyes narrowed slightly, his soul power fluctuations barely perceptible as he transmitted his message: "This kid's clever enough; he deliberately pointed out Tang Hao's injuries to send us a message."

A sinister smile crept across the Bloodthirsty Douluo's face, crimson mist swirling around his fingertips: "Now, shall we make our move?"

She Long slowly shook his head, the snake scales beneath his black robe rustling softly. "No rush. Heavily wounded beasts are the most dangerous." He squinted at Tang Hao and his son, who were staggering forward in the distance. "If a level 95 Haotian Douluo were truly determined to fight to the death..."

Upon hearing this, Bloodthirsty Douluo's pupils contracted. He nodded grimly, his voice filled with apprehension: "Indeed. If this madman were to burn his last bit of life force, he could at least take one of us."

The two silently disappeared into the deeper shadows. As elders of the Spirit Hall, they knew all too well the terror of a Title Douluo's dying counterattack. Especially someone like Tang Hao, who had cultivated the Clear Sky Hammer to its peak, even with only a breath left, was enough to change the very fabric of the world.

A gentle breeze rustled through the treetops. She Long Douluo, sensing the lingering fluctuations of soul energy in the air, said, "Follow them, maintain a distance of three hundred zhang."

Blood Mist enveloped the Bloodthirsty Douluo, his figure gradually merging with the shadows cast by the sunlight. They were like two lurking venomous snakes, waiting for their prey to be at its weakest.

The night was as dark as ink, with a bright moon hanging in the sky. The Blue Silver Forest, bathed in moonlight, shimmered with a faint blue glow, resembling a sleeping galaxy. She Long and Ci Xue concealed their presence, moving like two shadowy figures through the forest. Suddenly, She Long stopped, his scarlet snake eyes narrowing sharply to slits, and scale-like soul power patterns flickered faintly on his cheeks.

“Something’s not right,” he transmitted, his hoarse voice carrying an unusual gravity, like the chilling emanation of a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

Just as Bloodthirsty Douluo was about to speak, he saw the Blue Silver Grass beneath his feet move without wind, and the dewdrops condensed on the grass leaves strangely floated in mid-air, refracting countless tiny fragments of moonlight. The entire forest seemed like a giant beast that had suddenly awakened, and every Blue Silver Grass stretched out its leaves, emitting ripples of soul power.

"We've been discovered." Ci Xue's expression changed drastically, and the blood mist around him surged like boiling water, with his nine soul rings appearing and disappearing in the mist.

Just then, an ancient and weathered spiritual wave emanated from the depths of the forest, like thousands of blades of grass whispering in the wind: "Intruder, leave." The voice carried the unique tranquility and majesty of plants, yet it also concealed an indescribable sorrow.

"Hmph, a mere soul beast!" A cold glint flashed in She Long's eyes, and nine soul rings—yellow, purple, black, black, black, black, black—lit up one after another. His spiritual power transformed into a sharp snake's hiss as he responded, "I advise you not to meddle in other people's business. Otherwise..." A phantom image of a snake spear flashed from his sleeve, and the blue silver grass within a ten-zhang radius withered instantly. "I'll flatten this forest."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest.

Tang San followed his father through the knee-high blue-silver grass, the soft blades of grass rustling softly underfoot, like countless elves whispering secrets. Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on Tang Hao's hunched back.

"Dad, your injuries..." Tang San looked at his father's back, which was noticeably thinner under his black robe, and his throat suddenly tightened. He saw his father stagger slightly with each step and heard the trembling sound of his heavy breathing mixed with the hidden injuries.

Before the words were even finished, the entire forest of Blue Silver Grass suddenly swayed violently, the blades rubbing against each other with a rapid, rustling sound, like the beat of a warning drum. Tang San's pupils contracted slightly—the blue-glowing blades of grass were converging on them at a visible speed, weaving mysterious patterns on the ground.

"Someone's coming." Tang Hao's voice suddenly turned cold and sharp, his previous weakness completely gone. As he turned, his black robe billowed, and the sharp light flashing in his weathered eyes reminded Tang San of an awakened lion. "Two Title Douluos, less than three miles from us."

Tang San's heart trembled violently, and his Purple Demon Eye activated instantly, shrouding the world in his vision in a purple hue: "People from the Spirit Hall?"

Tang Hao did not answer. His kneeling aggravated his old injury, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. When his palm touched the exceptionally thick Blue Silver Grass, the leaves immediately and gently wrapped around his wrist, and blue light flowed through his veins like water. When he stood up a moment later, his bronze face was as dark and gloomy as the sea before a storm.

A sharp cracking sound of breaking branches came from afar, startling several birds that were roosting for the night. Tang Hao's large, bony hand suddenly gripped Tang San's shoulder: "Go!"

The father and son shot off into the depths of the forest like arrows released from a bow. Although Tang Hao was seriously injured, the speed he unleashed still made the air whistle. Tang San followed closely behind and discovered that his father was not running blindly—every step he took landed precisely on specific clusters of blue silver grass, and the trampled grass not only did not fall over, but stood even straighter.

"These blue silver grasses are helping us cover our tracks," Tang Hao's voice was hoarse from running so fast, yet carried a strange gentleness. "But it won't last long." Before he finished speaking, a rumble of trees falling came from behind. "Those two old dogs have a very keen nose."

The Purple Demon Eye pierced the night, and Tang San saw that wherever two dark figures passed, the Blue Silver Grass withered and turned black, as if life had been corroded by a deadly poison. Moonlight shone on the blood-red spirit rings of the newcomers, reflecting a chilling aura.

(End of this chapter)