Su Cheng's words reached Ah Yin's ears.
She instinctively turned her gaze toward him, her eyes dazed, while her heart pounded powerfully in her chest.
In that moment, countless indescribable emotions seemed to arise within her, transforming into a warm flow that spread through her body, eventually settling deep within an unknown place.
Su Cheng also turned his head to meet her gaze.
He knew that Ah Yin still harbored unresolved feelings, but he was unsure of the exact cause of her inner turmoil.
He could only speculate. Perhaps the reason she hesitated, even though their relationship had grown so close, was due to something related to Tang Hao.
It wasn't necessarily lingering feelings for him. If that were the case, she wouldn't have stayed in Spirit Hall after not following Tang Hao back then. After all, no one had ever restricted her freedom.
Moreover, she had already made things clear to him a year ago.
So, was it guilt over "betrayal"? Or perhaps a lack of confidence in herself? That might be why she insisted on identifying herself as an "older sister," unwilling to take a further step forward.
This was Su Cheng's best guess.
However, even Ah Yin herself might not fully understand these feelings.
Unless faced with a critical moment, she rarely had strong opinions. Whether it was following Tang Hao around twenty years ago or quietly confining herself in Spirit City in recent years, it had always been the same.
Only during moments of life and death, or when pushed to the edge by Su Cheng's provocations, would she take action.
With these thoughts in mind, Su Cheng's eyes flashed as he looked at the man opposite him, who now appeared increasingly cornered.
"Tang Hao, we've said enough today. Continuing this conversation is pointless. Ah Yin is right here, and I've never restricted her freedom. Now or in the future, I never will."
He let go of Ah Yin's hand.
"The decision is in Ah Yin's hands. I won't bind her with any grand principles, nor is there any debt between us. If she wants to leave with you today, I won't stop her."
After speaking, he crossed his arms and stood there, quietly watching Tang Hao.
Upon hearing this, Ah Yin felt an inexplicable emptiness in her heart as she noticed her now-unbound hand.
This so-called freedom of choice didn't bring her any joy.
"Ah Yin!"
Tang Hao's eyes lit up as he called out anxiously, his voice rough.
Facing the current Su Cheng, Tang Hao knew that, given his injuries, he had no chance of winning.
If Su Cheng wanted to keep Ah Yin, even if Tang Hao risked everything and used all his methods, the odds of victory were slim.
He also had to consider whether provoking Su Cheng might lead to consequences that he couldn't bear afterward.
After all, he wasn't alone—he had ties to both his clan and his family.
Moreover, Su Cheng had the immeasurable backing of Spirit Hall.
But now that Su Cheng had said it would be up to Ah Yin, Tang Hao thought that if he could persuade her a bit more, he might still have a chance.
However, he also had to prepare for the possibility that Su Cheng might go back on his word and how to handle it.
Tang Hao didn't believe Su Cheng's words.
Those righteous-sounding statements were just a tactic to manipulate Ah Yin. Tang Hao was certain that Ah Yin's current state was closely related to Su Cheng's schemes.
Tang Hao admitted he couldn't say such things himself.
He prided himself on being straightforward and honest, without resorting to such tricks.
Ah Yin was too naive, and it was understandable that she had been deceived; he didn't blame her.
"…"
However, when he was about to speak, Tang Hao suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
He had no cards left to play.
After much thought, it seemed his only option was to bring up Tang San again.
In the human world, aside from their experiences of being hunted and Ah Yin's sacrifice, their shared bloodline was the only significant connection they had left.
"Ah Yin, Xiao San is almost nineteen now. Do you know why I named him Tang San—"
"Enough!"
Before Tang Hao could finish his sentence, Ah Yin interrupted him.
Her voice carried a trace of inexplicable irritation.
She suddenly didn't want to stay here any longer, nor did she want to hear any more about the past.
"Tang Hao, stop talking. I've already told you—he's not my son. Don't mention him to me again. I'm not leaving with you. You should go and forget about me. From now on, we owe each other nothing."
After speaking, Ah Yin glanced at Su Cheng beside her, her lips parting as if to say something.
But in the end, she said nothing, only lowering her head and walking a short distance away.
Su Cheng was momentarily stunned by her reaction.
But soon, he began to understand, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Tang Hao, whose face had gone rigid, his eyes filled with shock.
"Alright, you can leave now. Isn't Ah Yin's attitude clear enough?"
"…"
Hearing this, Tang Hao finally snapped out of it, though he was still struggling to believe it.
Perhaps Ah Yin's feelings had truly changed. She no longer relied on him or admired him as she once did.
It wasn't incomprehensible. After all, he had failed to protect her, leaving her disappointed.
But Ah Yin was such a kind person. Just a moment ago, her eyes clearly held guilt. How could she suddenly become so cold?
That tone of voice wasn't something the Ah Yin he knew would ever use.
And what did she mean by "he's not my son"? Was she disowning her own flesh and blood?
This wasn't the first time he had heard such words. Ah Yin had said something similar when they parted in Spirit City.
But why?!
Any mother with a shred of conscience wouldn't do something like this.
Especially not someone as kind-hearted as Ah Yin.
Tang Hao's temples throbbed as he gasped for breath, clearly enraged.
For the first time, he completely ignored Su Cheng's threat and stared intently at the woman standing a short distance away.
"Do you even know what you're saying?!" he shouted in fury. "As a mother, how can you say such things?! Have your desires extinguished your humanity?!"
"Shut up!"
"Ugh—"
In the next moment, with a muffled groan, Tang Hao's right arm was severed at the root.
The cut was clean and smooth, with blood spurting out.
"If you say another word, it won't just be an arm. No matter what Ah Yin does or says, she owes you nothing. As for Tang San, you should think carefully about that yourself."
Su Cheng frowned as he retracted his finger, showing no trace of energy. It was as if the sword strike had nothing to do with him.
"Leave that spirit bone behind and get lost."
He didn't have time to deal with Tang Hao; there was a beautiful woman waiting for him.
But he hadn't planned to kill Tang Hao—just teaching him a lesson was enough.
The other reasons were secondary. Mainly, he had plenty of opportunities to kill Tang Hao if he wanted to. There was no need to do it here, in front of Ah Yin.
"…"
Tang Hao silently stopped the bleeding, his face pale from the pain, but he quickly suppressed the burning rage that had almost consumed his reason.
After giving Ah Yin one last look, he turned and walked out of the Blue Silver Grass Forest.
That one strike had made him deeply aware of the gap between himself and Su Cheng.
It was a vast and immeasurable power.
Stronger than Bibi Dong on that day, much stronger!
Was this the strength of a Peerless Douluo? A Peerless Douluo at nineteen? Tang Hao couldn't figure it out.
However, his confidence in Tang San wavered once again...
After Tang Hao left, Ah Yin lowered her head and remained silent for a long time.
Su Cheng ignored the soul bone that had fallen to the ground and stepped closer to her, casually asking, "What's the matter? Do you think I went too far?"
Ah Yin gently shook her head and softly replied, "You're so carefree and easygoing. But what if I had chosen to go with him? What would you say then? Am I just dispensable to you?"
Su Cheng suddenly understood. He realized that Ah Yin's real concern wasn't about respect or freedom; it was about security.
"Haha, I was nervous to death just now. How could I possibly let you go with him? I only said that to move you," Su Cheng chuckled.
"The last time, I let him off, but this time, if you had hesitated even a little, I wouldn't have had any other choice but to end things for you. I've never been one for principles in matters like this."
"Your words and your heart are always at odds," Ah Yin bit her lip, but her gaze softened.
"What can I do? You're just too easy to fool," Su Cheng rested his hand on her shoulder. "After lingering in the past for so long, it's time to move on."
With that, Su Cheng lowered his head with a soft smile, his lips nearing the edge of Ah Yin's ear.
Under the fragmented sunlight, that spot glowed with a translucent, faint red hue—delicate and charming.
"But for now, we should continue with the body check."
At the mention of "body check," Ah Yin's body stiffened, her face flushed slightly, but she said nothing.
"Huh? Why are you blushing?"
At that moment, Su Cheng suddenly leaned in closer, scrutinizing her with surprise. "Did you misunderstand? It's a proper check-up, as we agreed."
Hearing this, the blush on Ah Yin's face deepened from a faint pink to a bright crimson.
She lowered her head and mumbled, "Do you know how annoying you can be sometimes?"
"Really? Well, if you want a different check-up, that's up to you."
"Who said I wanted a different check-up?!"
"I think it's clear," Su Cheng laughed heartily, pulling Ah Yin towards the spot where they had been resting earlier.
Today, Tang Hao's timing was perfect.
Without this confrontation, it might have taken much longer for Ah Yin to sort out her feelings completely.
But now that they've met and spoken, it won't be long before she fully transitions her mindset.
Half a month later, in Heaven Dou City, at the Shrek Academy.
The one-armed Tang Hao entered the faculty quarters with a pale and defeated expression.
He had his own room there, specifically for him.
In fact, with his cultivation level, the journey from the Blue Silver Grass Forest to the academy shouldn't have taken nearly this long.
But the injury caused by losing his right arm and soul bone was far more severe than it appeared on the surface.
Even though Su Cheng hadn't left any hidden tricks on him, the speed of Su Cheng's strikes left Tang Hao with no time to react.
As a result, his injuries worsened instead of healing, as he couldn't adjust his chaotic meridians or treat his old wounds.
For a Soul Master, limb integrity is crucial, as meridians are the channels for soul power. An injury of this magnitude is significant.
During his promotion to Titled Douluo twenty years ago, Tang Hao suffered grave injuries.
He had survived solely on his robust cultivation and physique.
Now, without his right arm and soul bone, his cultivation level had drastically declined, barely maintaining Soul Douluo status. His old wounds could only be suppressed, and it was uncertain how long it would take to stabilize again.
But the most devastating blow wasn't his physical injuries, nor the overwhelming pressure from Su Cheng's terrifying strength.
It was the loss of his purpose and motivation.
For nearly twenty years, his muddled mind had been fixated on three things:
Destroying the Spirit Hall to avenge Ah Yin, atoning for the losses he caused his sect, and raising Tang San to adulthood.
Among these, the first was the most important.
Although, most of the time, he merely thought about these things without taking much action, and often just drifted through life.
But at least he had a goal.
Especially with Tang San's awakening of twin spirits, it reignited his long-lost motivation.
At that time, he was firmly convinced.
As long as this child could grow up and train diligently, he would undoubtedly become a peerless expert and fulfill his lifelong desire.
But now?
Ah Yin had been resurrected, Ah Yin had fallen for someone else, and she even seemed ready to stand on the same side as the Spirit Hall, refusing to acknowledge her son for Su Cheng.
So what had he been holding onto all this time?
Had everything turned into a complete joke?
"...Knock, knock, knock."
"Your Majesty, Clear Sky, are you injured? Did something happen?"
A series of dull knocks sounded, accompanied by the voice of Shrek Academy's Dean, Flender.
When Tang Hao returned to the academy, he lacked the energy to conceal his condition, so Flender naturally noticed.
"Leave me alone."
Tang Hao's voice was heavy with exhaustion.
Outside the door, Flender turned to exchange glances with Yu Xiaogang before shaking his head helplessly.
Yu Xiaogang furrowed his brow but didn't press further, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
From Tang Hao's tone, it seemed the matter wasn't urgent and likely had little to do with the Spirit Hall's wanted order.
Although there were some tensions between him and Tang Hao, their alliance couldn't afford to falter in the face of the Spirit Hall's strong threat.
Fortunately, other people had been mediating between them, so things still seemed harmonious on the surface.
Time passed quickly, and a week went by.
One day, Tang Hao's door suddenly opened, and he stepped outside.
If someone familiar with him had been observing, they would have noticed that his eyes had regained their steadiness and determination—stronger than ever.
For a man, especially someone like Tang Hao, who held himself in high regard, the humiliation of betrayal could be more devastating than a mortal enemy.
He had made up his mind. If Ah Yin had thoughts of leaving him, he would use force to win her back!
Though his current strength might not suffice, he still had a highly talented son.
With Tang San's wit and intelligence, who knows what the future holds?