Zhang San Becomes a Disciple
The moment Zhang San entered the Spirit Hall, his gaze swept over the towering dome and massive stone pillars before finally settling on the papal throne and the woman without equal beneath the heavens seated upon it.
Zhang San was neither afraid nor nervous. He simply followed quietly behind Chrysanthemum Douluo, his steps steady and his back straight.
Chrysanthemum Douluo stopped three paces from the jade steps and turned slightly, allowing Zhang San to step half a pace forward.
"Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope."
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Zhang San bowed slightly at the same time. Though Zhang San's movements were not as smooth as flowing clouds and running water like Chrysanthemum Douluo's, he carried them out properly, neither servile nor overbearing.
"No need for formalities."
Bibi Dong's gaze passed over Chrysanthemum Douluo and fell on Zhang San.
"You are Zhang San?"
"Zhang San greets Your Holiness."
Zhang San remained composed, showing not a trace of fear, and a flicker of satisfaction passed through Bibi Dong's purple eyes.
Bibi Dong nodded slightly and spoke slowly. "Very good! Do you know what Twin Martial Souls mean?"
Zhang San raised his head and answered, "This disciple does not."
"Since the birth of Martial Souls began to be recorded, you are the third person to awaken Twin Martial Souls."
"The first person with Twin Martial Souls did not know how to properly attach Soul Rings to their Second Martial Soul. In the end, their Soul Power ran out of control, and they died in a self-detonation."
"And I am the second Soul Master with Twin Martial Souls, as well as the first to successfully cultivate them."
There was a hint of pride in Bibi Dong's voice.
Zhang San's brow twitched slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.
The hall fell silent for a few seconds.
Suddenly, Zhang San dropped to both knees, his movements crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. Just as he had knelt before Yu Xiaogang in the original story, he was utterly devout.
The difference was that, in this life, the person he knelt before was a true genius Soul Master.
Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes slightly, greatly appreciating Zhang San's act of submission. She spoke. "Are you willing to take me as your teacher?"
Bibi Dong's voice was still calm, but it seemed to hold a trace more warmth than before.
Chrysanthemum Douluo abruptly raised his head, his effeminate face filled with astonishment.
If His Holiness the Pope personally took someone as a disciple, that person might become the Spirit Hall Holy Son. And at present, the Pope had only one disciple, Hu Liena. With Zhang San's talent, the position of the next Pope would probably belong to none other than him.
Hearing this, Zhang San did not hesitate. His forehead struck the marble floor heavily as he called out devoutly, "Your disciple pays his respects, Teacher!"
Bibi Dong nodded slightly, a trace of genuine satisfaction appearing in her beautiful eyes.
"Good. From now on, I'll call you Xiao San."
A complex emotion welled up in Zhang San's heart. That form of address felt like some kind of strange destiny.
Bibi Dong's tone suddenly became solemn and serious as she promised, "If you cultivate to Soul King before you turn twenty... I will make you the Spirit Hall Holy Son, and thus the next Pope."
Zhang San's breath caught slightly. He took a deep breath and touched his forehead to the floor again. "Yes. Thank you, Teacher! Your disciple will never disappoint you."
Zhang San recalled his days in the Tang Sect in his previous life. Back then, as an outer sect disciple, no matter how talented he was, he could never enter the inner sect. And now, he had gone from an orphan to the Pope's disciple and future Holy Son in a single leap. Zhang San could not help being moved, and he silently committed this kindness to heart.
Bibi Dong looked at Zhang San kneeling on the floor and nodded with satisfaction, then turned to Chrysanthemum Douluo. "Elder Ju."
"At your service." Chrysanthemum Douluo hurriedly bowed.
"Personally take Xiao San to hunt for his First Soul Ring at once. First, attach a Soul Ring to his first Martial Soul, the Man-Faced Spider Emperor."
"Then take Xiao San to enroll at Spirit Hall Academy and study alongside Nana."
"Yes, Your Holiness the Pope. I shall take my leave." Chrysanthemum Douluo bowed again.
Zhang San kowtowed to Bibi Dong one last time, then stood and said, "Your disciple takes his leave."
Bibi Dong inclined her head slightly.
Chrysanthemum Douluo led Zhang San out of the hall.
Zhang San looked up at the sky and silently swore, As long as I become Pope, I can spread Tang Sect Hidden Weapons in this world. I will make Tang Sect Hidden Weapons the greatest existence on this continent.
Holy Soul Village.
Three months slipped quietly by amid day after day of cultivation and labor.
In the clearing behind the Blacksmith's Shop, the wind howled as the hammer fell again and again, its force building layer upon layer. By the eighty-first blow, the hammer wind had brought with it a sharp, whooshing whistle that shook the leaves from the nearby trees.
Tang San lowered his hammer and stood still, taking a deep breath as his chest rose and fell slightly.
After years of relentless practice, Tang San had essentially mastered the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.
Inside the Blacksmith's Shop, Tang Hao watched the scene, unable to keep from feeling shocked by Tang San's aptitude for cultivation.
The Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer combined strength and technique. Relying on physical strength alone, the ultimate explosive force produced by stacking the power of eighty-one blows had already given Tang San a trump card with which to challenge opponents above his level.
Thanks to his hammer practice, every inch of muscle on Tang San's body was as firm as iron, and his sinews and bones were strong. He was far beyond comparison with others his age.
Besides that, Tang San had also forged himself a small adamantine war hammer.
Tang San had forged it himself, hammer blow by hammer blow, using the best materials in the Blacksmith's Shop. Its head was cast from refined steel, and its handle was wrapped in a layer of coarse cloth for grip. It was about the same size as his Martial Soul, the Clear Sky Hammer, though its shape was closer to that of a forging hammer.
It weighed about fifty jin. For a six-year-old child, that was already an astonishing weight. But Tang San hefted it and found it just right, neither too light nor too heavy. It was easy to swing and delivered explosive power.
At fifty jin, it was considerably lighter than the Clear Sky Hammer's true weight.
Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer had a true weight of an astonishing five hundred jin. But a Martial Soul was connected to its host's mind, so when Tang San used his Clear Sky Hammer, he actually had to bear only a tenth of its true weight. In other words, the five-hundred-jin Clear Sky Hammer also felt like about fifty jin to Tang San.
Tang San knew he could not use the Clear Sky Hammer in front of others now, but he needed a weapon that suited his hand while hunting Soul Beasts to obtain a Soul Ring.
Using an external object in place of his Martial Soul was the best choice.
Tang San gripped the small adamantine war hammer and spun it once in his hand, its head tracing a bright silver arc through the air.
He thought to himself, I wouldn't dare entrust my life to that good-for-nothing Grandmaster.
A few days earlier, Tang San had finished making all the necessary arrangements.
Tang San had neatly stacked the fish traps and hunting tools he had once used in a corner of the Blacksmith's Shop and covered them with an oilcloth. Of the six chickens, he had stewed three and given the remaining three to Old Jack.
Over those three months, Tang San had also made several trips to Nuoding City and exchanged his savings for Gold Soul Coins, forty in total.
Forty Gold Soul Coins were a considerable fortune. But for Tang San, who was about to enter a Soul Master Academy and needed to buy all manner of cultivation supplies, they were only just enough.