The journey to the Hunting Spirit Forest was supposed to be a standard hunt for a Datura Snake. However, the presence of Shen Lian—an existence that defied the laws of the Douluo Continent—had already begun to warp the threads of fate.
The Hunting Spirit Forest
Grandmaster led the way, while Tang San and Shen Lian followed. Xiao Wu had tagged along, refusing to be left behind. As they entered the deep thickets, the air grew heavy.
"Tang San, remember," Grandmaster whispered, "knowledge is as important as power."
Suddenly, the ground trembled. A 1,000-year-old Mirage Dream-Butterfly—a beast far too powerful for the outer rim—fluttered above them. Its wings shed a shimmering, iridescent pollen that blanketed the area in a thick, sweet-smelling fog.
"Hold your breath!" Grandmaster yelled, but it was too late.
The Accident: The Rebirth of Yin and Yang
The Mirage Butterfly wasn't attacking; it was reacting to Shen Lian. It saw him as a divine flower and sought to "pollinate" the area with pure Yin Energy to match his presence.
A massive surge of pink and white spiritual energy erupted. Tang San, standing closest to Shen Lian, acted instinctively to push him out of the blast zone. In doing so, Tang San took the full brunt of the Mirage Yin Essence.
"San-ge!" Xiao Wu screamed.
The light engulfed Tang San. His skeletal structure began to shift and shrink, his muscles softening and elongating. His short hair surged downward in a waterfall of midnight blue, reaching his waist. His features, once plain and sturdy, melted into a delicate, heart-stopping beauty that mirrored the elegance of his mother, the Blue Silver Empress, but accelerated by the butterfly's mutation.
When the light faded, Tang San collapsed. The rugged boy was gone. In his place lay a girl of peerless grace, dressed in oversized clothes that now draped off her slender frame.
The Aftermath
Shen Lian was the first to reach her. He knelt, lifting "Tang San's" head. Even in his immortal detachment, Shen Lian's eyes showed a flicker of surprise.
Tang San opened her eyes. They were wider, framed by long, thick lashes. "Grandmaster... Shen Lian... why does my voice sound so high?"
"San... San-pao?" Grandmaster stammered, dropping his book. "The Mirage Butterfly... it didn't just cause an illusion. It triggered a Complete Yin Reversal. Because of the resonance with Shen Lian's Immortal Aura, your body has been... reconstructed."
The New Tang San
Original Tang San Post-Accident Tang San
Appearance Plain, "average" face Peerless beauty, delicate features
Build Sturdy, athletic Slender, graceful, "Jade-like"
Voice Calm, boyish Melodic, soft, silvery
Spirit Blue Silver Grass Blue Silver Grass (Deepened Yin Affinity)
A New Dynamic
Xiao Wu circled the new Tang San, poking her cheek. "Wow... San-ge? You're actually... prettier than me now? That's not fair!" She looked at Shen Lian, then at the feminine Tang San. "Now I have two beautiful people to look at! This is much better!"
Tang San stood up, wobbling slightly as her center of gravity had shifted. She looked at her hands—smaller, paler, and incredibly nimble. She felt her internal Mysterious Heaven Skill; it wasn't weaker. In fact, it was flowing with a new, icy fluidity that made her spirit power feel twice as sharp.
Shen Lian reached out and brushed a stray lock of blue hair from Tang San's face. His touch felt like a cooling spring.
"The form has changed," Shen Lian said, his voice like a gentle breeze. "But the soul remains. If anything, the world can finally see the beauty you held inside, Tang San."
Tang San blushed—a deep, crimson glow that made her look even more enchanting. "We... we still need to find our spirit rings, don't we?"
"Indeed," Grandmaster said, regaining his composure. "But we must be careful. If Tang San's presence is this alluring now, and Shen Lian is already a magnet for divine beasts... we are essentially walking bait for every powerful creature in this forest."
As they move deeper into the forest, a 400-year-old Datura Snake appears—but it seems confused. It doesn't know whether to attack Tang San or bow to Shen Lian.