It wasn't long until Tang San finished absorbing the spirit ring. But something was a miss; Tang San was covered with a blue light, and when it died down, there was something different. The edge of his hair suddenly turned blue.
This shocked both Xiao Wu and Mei. They're worried that something bad might have happened during the absorption process.
The violent energy that had surrounded him subsided, the last of the yellow light solidifying into a perfect band around his ankle. A profound silence fell over the clearing.
But something was amiss.
A soft, ethereal blue light—different from the yellow of the ring or the silver-blue of his Blue Silver Grass—began to emanate from his body. It wasn't harsh or explosive; it was a gentle, deep azure glow that clung to him like mist, pulsing once, twice, with a quiet intensity before receding back into his skin.
As the light faded, the change was immediate and unmistakable.
The ends of Tang San's black hair, just at the tips, had turned a vivid, crystalline blue. It was as if he had dipped them in ink made from a summer sky or a shard of sapphire. The contrast against his dark hair was startling.
Somehow, his facial features changed a bit to be softer and gentler.
'Dang, he just went from generic protagonist model to limited edition collector's version, no plastic surgery required. The universe really handed out the freebie glow-ups today, huh? A little jealous, not gonna lie.' Ai said with a hint of jealousy.
Mei had to admit, the new appearance was far more… eye-catching. But her primary concern was safety, not aesthetics. "Tang San!" she said, her voice laced with worry she couldn't hide. "Are you alright? Does it hurt? What was that light?"
Xiao Wu was already circling him, her nose almost touching his blue-tipped hair. "Whoa! Brother San, you're so shiny now! " She reached out a tentative finger to poke it.
Tang San, who had been internally assessing the massive surge in his spirit power, was pulled from his reverie. He blinked, a slight smile touching his newly softened features.
"I'm fine. Better than fine. The absorption was a complete success."
He raised his hand, and a strand of Blue Silver Grass, now noticeably thicker and adorned with those faint, golden vine-like patterns, sprouted from his palm. "My spirit power has broken through the bottleneck. And I've gained a spirit skill."
Xiao Wu bounced back, her eyes wide with excitement. "What is it? What is it? Is it super strong?"
"It's called Entanglement," Tang San explained, his voice calm but carrying a thread of awe. "It significantly enhances the speed and binding strength of my Blue Silver Grass. Once it seizes a target, it will be nearly impossible to break free through brute force alone."
He paused, his gaze turning inward as he accessed the deeper knowledge imprinted by the ring. "But that's not all. The Green Jade Branch Snake's photosynthetic nature unexpectedly merged with my spirit. If I use Entanglement on myself or an ally..."
He willed the grass to wrap gently around his own forearm. The faint golden patterns glowed softly. "...it doesn't just bind. It uses the solar energy my body now passively absorbs each day to catalyze a minor healing effect, mending small wounds and relieving fatigue."
Mei's worry instantly transformed into fascinated analysis. "A supportive application? That's incredible! So your body is now a conduit for solar energy, and your Blue Silver Grass can channel it for healing. The snake's vitality wasn't just copied; it was integrated and evolved."
Her idol-like mind briefly wondered if that energy could be harnessed for vocal stamina, but she quickly filed that thought away.
"Wow! So you can tie people up and make friends feel better? That's so useful!" Xiao Wu declared, summing it up in her uniquely straightforward way.
Tang San chuckled softly, dispelling the grass. "I suppose so." His curiosity then turned to his companions. The shared experience had forged a deeper bond between them. "What about the two of you? You've both broken through as well. What spirit skills did you gain?"
Xiao Wu didn't need to be asked twice. With a flash of pink light, her rabbit ears twitched excitedly. "Mine is super simple! It's called Waist Bow!" She immediately demonstrated, her body becoming impossibly flexible as she bent backward, her hands touching the ground behind her feet before she sprang back up.
"It makes me super bendy and agile! Great for dodging and kicking people from really weird angles!" She grinned, clearly thrilled with her purely combat-oriented skill.
All eyes then turned to Mei. She seemed to hesitate for a fraction of a second, a slight blush dusting her cheeks. Summoning a soul skill for an idol was... different from a fighter.
With a soft, shimmering light, her Starlight Stage materialized at her feet, though it remained small and personal. A single, perfect yellow spirit ring rose from her feet, identical to Tang San's.
"My spirit skill is called Melodic Rhythm," she said, her voice taking on a slightly more melodic quality. "When I perform on my Starlight Stage, allies within my stage domain will get a boost on their attack and speed by 30%". It was the perfect skill for a support-type idol—turning her performances into a strategic asset that enhanced her entire team.
'Ta-dah!' Ai posed dramatically behind her. 'From solo act to full-on battle concert! Who needs a drummer when you can literally drum up everyone's stats? Be jealous, mere mortals!'
Xiao Wu's eyes went wide with understanding. "Whoa! So if we're fighting and you sing, we all get faster and hit harder? That's amazing! We'll be unstoppable!"
Tang San's analytical mind immediately grasped the immense tactical advantage. His eyes shone with appreciation. "An area-of-effect enhancement skill. That's incredibly rare and valuable for any team, Mei. It perfectly turns your performances into a direct force multiplier." He could already envision strategies, ways to position her stage for maximum effect in combat.
It was then that Tang San's brow furrowed slightly, his hand unconsciously rising to touch the ends of his hair. He'd been so focused on the spiritual changes, their comments about his appearance finally fully registered.
"You keep talking about my... new look," he said, his tone a mixture of curiosity and mild confusion. "What exactly is so different?"
Xiao Wu giggled, and even Mei offered a small, amused smile. "Here," Mei said softly, reaching into a small pouch at her waist. She always carried a few essentials for maintaining her idol appearance, and a small, polished bronze mirror was among them. She handed it to him. "See for yourself."
Tang San took the mirror, his reflection initially just a blur in the polished metal. He adjusted it, and his own face came into focus.
He froze.
The boy looking back at him was both familiar and a stranger. His facial features, once sharp and somewhat ordinary, had softened into a more delicate, refined handsomeness. The change was subtle but profound enough, making his gaze seem deeper and his entire presence more... memorable.
It was a face that would now stand out in a crowd. And then there was his hair. The vivid, crystalline blue tips were even more striking than he'd imagined, a bold slash of color against the black.
A faint, bewildered "Ah..." escaped his lips. He lowered the mirror, his expression one of pure, unvarnished shock. He looked from his reflection to Mei and Xiao Wu, his confusion palpable.
"How...? This wasn't... the texts never mentioned anything like this." He ran his fingers through the blue ends again, feeling the faint, cool energy there. "Do you know what caused this? The spirit beast... could it have done this?"
Xiao Wu shook her head vigorously. "Nuh-uh! I've never seen a snake do that before! Maybe you're just special, Brother San!"
Tang San's searching gaze then landed on Mei, and it held a new, specific weight. It wasn't just a general question anymore. It was a silent, hopeful plea, his eyes flickering with the unspoken words: You have a goddess. Can she tell us?
Mei understood the look immediately. She closed her eyes for a moment, focusing inward. 'Ai? You saw that, right? Any divine insight? Is this normal? Is he okay?'
The holographic goddess materialized briefly, tapping her chin with a thoughtful expression that quickly shifted into an exaggerated shrug. 'Ah, he's quite smart. Let this beautiful, elegant, and intelligent goddess answer your question.........
I don't know. Te Hee~'
(-_-|||)
Mei opened her eyes, meeting Tang San's hopeful gaze. She gave a small, apologetic shake of her head, her expression softening with shared disappointment. "I'm sorry, Tang San. I... don't know. It's unprecedented. A complete mystery."
The hope in Tang San's eyes dimmed, replaced by a pensive, deep thought. He looked down at his own hands, then back into the small mirror, studying his changed features.
He sighed and accepted his predicament. Since the effect wasn't anything harmful, he wasn't too eager or worried about it. After all, it would be a lie if he said he liked his previous appearance more.
So he noted this as a happy little accident and tucked the mirror away, handing it back to Mei with a "Thank you."
"Okay, since we're done here, let's go back before it gets dark." Tang San said as Mei and Xiao Wu agreed to this.