No one knew where the tattoo on Tang Long’s body came from, not even he himself.
For as long as he could remember, he had always had it. Since when did some put a tattoo on his body?
That superior and extreme, but already missing woman whom he called mother did not tell him a thing.
His merciful godfather who had never shown his face before seemed to know a thing or two about the tattoo but would also never tell him.
His godfather was not the president of the Stardust Council. In order to strengthen Tang Long’s position in the council, the president of the council was only his godfather by name. His real godfather was a mysterious man in the council.
The tattoo was lively. The fox had beautiful silver fur and looked like it could jump out at any moment. As its master, Tang Long knew a little about it, just a little bit. The tattoo could grow!
It really grew! When Tang Long was still a child, the fox was just a cub. Like a little puppy, the fur on it back then was messy and was not the beautiful silver that it was now.
When Tang Long grew older, it became a little fox and bore the traits of a one. Its messy fur was gone, but it was still charmingly naive.
Now that Tang Long had grown into a young teen, the naivety on the fox was gone and what replaced it was a mysterious aura and a body of silver fur, making it look luminous.
However, it was not a real fox. It was a tattoo.
Due to its less drastic changes, it grew up like a person. It grew by the second and by the minute. Therefore, Tang Long was not overly afraid of the process.
On the contrary, as time went by. He got used to the mystifying silver fox on his body.
The only thing that remained the same throughout the years was its blood-red eyes. The pair of eyes were like a pair of rubies embedded on the fox. With a slight stroke over them, one would feel tiny bulges as if they were real.
Curious, Tang Long even had the thoughts of cutting his own skin and finding out what the eyes were. Would it hold the secret to his growing tattoo?
However, he did not do it because when he was 10, his godfather had told him the answer.
“These are a pair of rare twin war seeds. Do you know that? This pair of eyes are war seeds! They are very rare and are almost the best there is! Others can’t even get one, but you have two! Your tattoo is a special environment for its survival. This must be how it’s like.”
The answer took Tang Long back to point zero. Who had given him this tattoo?
Tang Long did not want to figure out its origin anymore. Back when he was 10, since he discovered that the fox’s eyes were a pair of war seeds, he knew how he should use it. Slowly, he learned how to summon it.
This was Tang Long’s secret that he had never shown to anyone before, but now as anger and sorrow scorched his heart with doubts, he did not hesitate to reveal this secret.
He also possessed Precise Instinct, and when he called out to Higan, his tears stated it all.
He hated Tang Ling! Because of Tang Ling, Higan…Higan…
Tang Long clenched his fists tightly.
Tang Ling also did the same. The sorrow in his heart was like a sad song reaching its climax as he also wanted to reveal the secret that he had never shown to anyone before.
…
In the Wood Punishment Room.
Higan was bathed in blood. Her holy white dress was dyed red by her own blood, making the dress look dreadful but strangely beautiful at the same time.
Other than her face, not a part of her skin was spared. This was the last mercy the council provided. Everyone who entered the punishment room would have their faces preserved.
However, her skin was as fair as snow and as smooth as porcelain, yet it was covered in bloody cuts. On the countless bloody scars, the little white flowers were still blooming and withering.
It was not exaggerated to say that the pain could kill a fully grown man.
Less than a third of the people were able to walk out of the punishment room alive after 20 minutes. Every single one of those who were sent into either one of the punishment rooms, be it metal, wood, water, fire, or earth, were powerhouses, and only powerhouses would have their face preserved until the very end of the punishment.
The president of the council decided to send Higan into the punishment room because he believed that she was strong enough to survive 20 minutes. After all, she had such a powerful talent. Her talent was almost almighty, was it not?
However, little did the president know that the powerful talent required a cost to be activated.
As for the cost, only a few people, probably less than five in the world, knew. Even Higan did not know what the cost of her powers was.
At the moment, Higan was quiet, so quiet that she became a sorrowful statue covered in dreadful crimson that would raise compassion in one’s heart.
Countless terrifying flowers bloomed using her flesh and blood. Her face turned pale exponentially. Even her succulent lips that usually never needed lipstick that other girls cherished lost its color. Her eyes were the only proof that she was still alive. Her gaze was strong and determined as it continued to pierce through the darkness and seized the light to support herself through this punishment.
How long had it been? It did not matter. The important thing was the moment she stepped out of the room, she could run to Tang Ling right away.
It was not necessary to ask her why her feelings for him went so deep. It was also not necessary to ask her why she was so determined that she was willing to build hope with endless torment.
There were miracles happening in the realm of men. Despite being a young girl, Higan believed the miracles deeply.
She had always followed her own heart.
…
Let’s fight! Only by fighting to our death can I vent this pain in me!
Tang Ling activated his body array.
Tang Long twisted the ring he wore on his thumb around and as the sharp jewel embedded on the ring touched his skin, he pressed it and pushed the ring into his skin. At the same time, a small drop of golden blood oozed out from the ring and went into his thumb.
What was that?
Legend had it that it was the blood of a certain living being that had surpassed a level 9 vicious beast.
Just a drop of the blood was diluted before it was stored in Tang Long’s ring. Even though he had only injected less than a tenth of the volume, it was already countless times better than Tang Ling’s crude-looking body array.
After the blood entered Tang Long’s body, his face grew unusually red and on top of his dark eyes was a faint golden luster.
Tang Ling was not afraid. He had come all the way here and there was no turning around anymore. All he could do was fight! He squinted his eyes and then yelled loudly. The little seed seemed to have sensed his emotions, and despite only getting a little power-up, it burst.
Boom!
The explosion sounded like an earth-shattering war cry. Tang Ling’s body started to expand and grow taller, but compared to his previous transformation, he was not as bulky and tall. He had probably shrunk around a third of his original size.
However, his skin started to turn copper in color. Even though the color was not obvious, insightful people noticed it at first glance and sensed its tenacity.
Tang Long did not hold back either. After he infused himself with the mysterious blood, his fingers struck the silver fox body and stopped at its eyes. A soft press later, a realistic scarlet glare burst out from the silver fox’s eyes. It was as red as blood, and as it enveloped Tang Long whole, it was absorbed.
A strong wind blew from nowhere, scattering Tang Long’s long, black hair and turning them into silver glistening hair rapidly. His ears were hidden under the waving silver hair at first before a pair of sharp fox ears poked out.
Behind him, three waving silver fox tails moved along with the wind, making his body a mystery.
Tang Ling drew the dagger from his waist. The moment the dagger was drawn from its sheath, sparks appeared. After the sparks subsided, the greenish-gold dagger had several illusory spikes circling it.
Tang Long slowly unbuckled his belt and pulled a flexible sword out of his leather belt. Claps sounded from his belt buckle, and as he tinkled with it, it became the hilt of a sword.
He shook his flexible sword and the blade instantly became stiff with tiny cyclones swirling around it.
The audience gasped in shock. The duo had declared that they wanted to end this quickly, so they pulled out everything they had without hesitation, showing off their strongest form in front of each other and the audience.
They had not even started to fight in their strongest form, yet their presence and aura could completely overpower a rank 1 Purple Moon Warrior!
These astonishing strongest forms might be something that even a high-tier Purple Moon Warrior might not be able to achieve throughout his or her entire lifetime, but the two of them were still reserved Purple Moon Warriors!!
The other common reserved Purple Moon Warriors felt chills when watching the scene. What if they had to go up against either one of them. How should they even start the fight? There was no chance at all. The two of them would be able to overpower anyone!
While the young geniuses were watching with a heavy heart, they realized that they had trump cards and resources but…the war seeds the two of them possessed seemed ridiculously strong!
War seeds were not considered precious. It was almost a staple to fight in the battlefield, but a top-tier war seed, on the other hand…
Just look at the illusory form of Tang Long!
Just look at the explosive physique and the copper skin of Tang Ling!
Both of them must have possessed top-tier war seeds!
A scientist went mad in the audience seed and started to yell madly, “Biotechnology! The ultimate of the universe will eventually return to life itself! The technology of life itself is the most mystifying and profound thing ever! Like how the formation of life used many different powers of the universe and needed coincidence to mold it into form…
“War seeds are the epitome of biotechnology! Damn it! Who the hell can tell me why are there so many war seeds on our planet?! What is that place hiding?”
Witnessing the explosive powers of two different top-tier war seeds going up against each other, the level of excitement among the audience was unprecedented!
No one would criticize the scientist for his interruption because the badge unique to scientists on his chest stated his identity. Scientists were precious individuals!
“Has he gone mad?” Boss Huang’s heart started to race anxiously again. With the strongest form on display, life or death would be determined, and there was a high chance that Tang Ling would die!
“Are you being serious right now?!” Whilst Han Xing was also watching among the group of young geniuses, he realized he could no longer step away from the matter because he had somehow fixed his gaze on Tang Ling’s label!
