After a moment of overwhelming bitterness, Tang Xiao finally snapped. Pointing a trembling finger at Ah Yin's illusory figure, he snarled, "We brothers were truly blind to have fallen for a woman like you! You've cast your lot with someone else and are even willing to defy your own husband just for the sake of resurrection! You truly are a beast!"
Hearing Tang Xiao's vitriol, Ah Yin's eyes narrowed into cold slits. Without a word, she lashed out with a vine whip, sending Tang Xiao tumbling through the air once more.
It was true that Tang Xiao had tried to protect her in the past. But she also knew that without his tacit help, Tang Hao would never have dared to return to the Sunset Forest, nor would he have had the chance to endanger her life again.
She had barely survived in that cold cave, and now that a chance for resurrection finally stood before her, Tang Hao's only thought had been to end her. If Lin Mu hadn't intervened multiple times, she would be gone.
The choice was simple.
Furthermore, the bond between Little San and Lin Mu was deep; Lin Mu was practically a father figure to her son now. Whether for her own sake or for Little San's future, she was bound to repay Lin Mu's kindness.
Meanwhile, Lin Mu successfully condensed his second Soul Core. Although he was only Level 95, his Soul Power reserves were already vastly superior to a standard Level 96 Super Douluo.
The condensation of the first two Soul Cores had been exceptionally smooth, fueling his confidence. He aimed to condense five Soul Cores before reaching Level 99. By then, he might not even need to inherit a God Position, he could potentially forge his own.
Suddenly, a streak of golden light surged into Lin Mu's brow, echoing the previous marks left by the Fire God and the Wind God. A deep, majestic voice thundered in his mind:
"Having achieved the Titled Douluo level with thunder-attribute, to command lightning to its absolute extreme, and being under thirty years old, you are qualified to inherit the divine status of the Thunder God. Once your Soul Power reaches Level 99, the inheritance shall unlock."
"Another one?" Lin Mu frowned, feeling no joy. Instead, a prickle of annoyance rose within him. It felt as though he were a specimen being watched through a glass by a gallery of gods.
If it were just one inheritance, he might have felt a sense of security. But being scouted by three gods in quick succession, with likely more watching from the shadows, felt like being spied on. This unpleasant feeling made him even less inclined to accept their "gifts."
One thing puzzled him, though: if the Gods of Fire, Wind, and Thunder had all reached out, why were the Water God and Earth God silent? Was it because the attributes of the Tsunami Armor and the Thundercliff Armor didn't meet their standards? Or perhaps because he used those armors so infrequently that he hadn't caught their attention?
Regardless, he breathed a sigh of relief. Being watched by five gods at once would have been a massive headache. Besides, these three inheritances offered no immediate benefits, no divine artifacts, no soul power boosts, unlike the Sea God.
'If a god were willing to hand over a Super Divine Tool and ten levels of Soul Power right now, I might actually consider it,' Lin Mu thought wryly.
Lin Mu suppressed his wandering thoughts and turned his gaze toward Tang Xiao, who lay crumpled on the ground. "You looked like you wanted to attack me just now," Lin Mu said calmly. "Haven't you given up yet?"
"Lin Mu! No matter how you torture me, I will never yield!" Tang Xiao roared, his eyes bloodshot and his breath coming in ragged gasps. "You'd better kill me now, or I will stop at nothing to avenge Brother Hao!"
Lin Mu remained unmoved. "If you want to die, no one is stopping you. As for your 'yielding,' I don't care. I have no use for a cripple."
Tang Xiao coughed up a spray of blood, choked by pure rage. He had expected Lin Mu to be a cruel tyrant who enjoyed the sport of breaking men's spirits. To realize that Lin Mu didn't care about him at all, that he was irrelevant, was a far more painful blow.
Lies don't hurt; the truth is the sharpest blade.
Now a man without cultivation, Tang Xiao was powerless to avenge Tang Hao. He could only watch as Lin Mu "claimed" his brother's wife and son, while the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes were picked apart.
Suddenly, a desperate spark of inspiration hit him.
His own cultivation was gone, but his nephew was still there. If he could convince Tang San of the "hardships" Tang Hao had endured, he could turn the boy against his master. As a trusted disciple, Tang San would have the perfect opening to kill Lin Mu.
With this new "ingenious" plan in mind, Tang Xiao abandoned his suicidal thoughts. He needed to find the right moment to approach Tang San.
Opportunity finally struck at nightfall. Lin Mu had left the area, his destination unknown.
To ensure the plan remained secret, Tang Xiao didn't even tell the five elders. He had already been betrayed by them once today and wasn't taking any more chances.
As Tang Xiao tiptoed toward the resting Tang San, the Second Elder, who was merely feigning sleep, opened one eye. 'Sect Master, you might mean well, but your brother was a total disaster,' the elder thought to himself.
After spending half a day observing Tang San and hearing the boy's side of the story, the Second Elder had reached a conclusion: Tang Hao was a mess. Compared to a master like Lin Mu, who treated Tang San with genuine care, Tang Hao's arrogant and reckless past made it easy to see why the boy felt no loyalty.
As Tang Xiao crept up behind him, Tang San didn't even turn around. "What are you doing sneaking around?" he asked coldly.
"Little San... though we've never officially met, I am your uncle," Tang Xiao said, his voice thick with emotion. He wasn't entirely sure this would work, after all, Tang Hao had technically died at Tang San's hands, but he had to try.
"What are you getting at?" Tang San's eyes turned icy. "You aren't suggesting I go after my Master, are you?"
Tang Xiao's face paled as his intentions were instantly exposed. He suppressed his panic and said earnestly, "Little San, you must learn to distinguish between family and outsiders. No matter what mistakes your father made, he was still your father."
"Is that all you have to say?" Tang San remained completely unmoved. This rhetoric was a carbon copy of the nonsense Tang Hao had spewed; a refusal to acknowledge any personal wrongdoing.
A chill ran down Tang Xiao's spine. It seemed Tang San had been "corrupted" by Lin Mu beyond saving. After a long silence, Tang Xiao let out a sigh of feigned anguish. "Your father's fate is my responsibility as his elder brother. Little San, if you still harbor such resentment for your father... then you might as well kill me too."
Tang San finally turned to look at him, a dark glint in his eyes. "Are you sure about that?"