As Tuoba Xi spoke, he blinked, then fixed his gaze on his precious grandson.
Tuoba Yan froze for a moment and asked, "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"I don't know why, but ever since you awakened your martial spirit, it feels like you've become a different person."
"A different person?"
Tuoba Yan's heart tightened.
Tuoba Xi shook his head.
As he stared at Tuoba Yan's face, Tuoba Xi kept feeling that beneath that childish visage hid the heart of an adult.
What he had just said was completely unbecoming of a six-year-old child.
Feeling guilty, Tuoba Yan turned his back to Tuoba Xi and hastily explained, "My martial spirit is a mutated martial spirit. When some people awaken their martial spirits, their bodies change. When the body changes, one's mindset and awareness naturally undergo subtle changes as well."
One who accepted a ruler's salary should serve the ruler faithfully.
A true friend was hard to find in life; a man would die for one who understood him.
The boy understood Tuoba Xi's principles.
If he encountered a wise ruler, then he should swear undying loyalty.
But what if that ruler could not distinguish right from wrong and was mentally ill? Was he still supposed to pledge his life in loyalty?
Others did not understand Bibi Dong, but the boy understood her very well.
Others might have been deceived by Bibi Dong's outward appearance, but Tuoba Yan knew her past like the back of his hand.
The former Spirit Hall Saintess had long since become twisted and warped inside after suffering Qian Xin Ji's persecution.
On the surface, she was ambitious and wished to lead Spirit Hall to greater heights, establish the Spirit Hall Empire, and unify the continent.
In truth, she harbored sinister intentions, planning to use outside forces to uproot Spirit Hall and the Qian Clan and utterly destroy the foundation they had built over a thousand years.
Bibi Dong wanted to destroy the fortune of Spirit Hall and the Qian Clan with her own hands.
Such actions were no different from those of a madwoman.
At present, countless people were deceived by her façade, while poor Tuoba Xi would, in the future, serve such a madwoman loyally until his death.
Tuoba Yan could not help but think that if Tuoba Xi learned the truth, he likely would not rest in peace even in the underworld!
However, none of those things had happened yet. They were all things that would happen in the future.
Tuoba Yan could not tell Tuoba Xi about them.
He knew well that if he tried to explain Bibi Dong's true intentions to Tuoba Xi, Tuoba Xi would only think he was slandering her.
It was worth mentioning that he had not forgotten that he was only six years old.
Who would believe a six-year-old child speaking of things that had yet to happen in the future?
Tuoba Xi did not dwell on Tuoba Yan's maturity.
For a young master of a family, becoming refined, mature, and capable early on was a wonderful thing for the family.
After a moment, Tuoba Xi looked at his grandson reclining on the sofa. His gaze gradually softened as he tried to make his tone calm. "Yan'er, your way of thinking is far too dangerous."
"The Qian Clan and Spirit Hall are far more powerful than you can imagine. In this world where the strong prey on the weak, the weak can only survive by relying on the strong."
"Moreover, we are bound to the Qian Clan by blood. The Grand Elder is generous and benevolent, worthy of our family's wholehearted loyalty."
"Let me tell you a secret. Her Holiness the Pontiff is ambitious and extraordinarily capable. Under her leadership, Spirit Hall will surely rise to greater glory. If our Tuoba Clan serves her loyally, we will certainly climb even higher in the future."
"One day, if Spirit Hall establishes an empire, the descendants of our family will enjoy wealth and prosperity for generations!"
"Grandfather hopes that you can continue serving Spirit Hall as I have. I firmly believe that we will surely meet a good end!"
Tuoba Xi envisioned the family's incomparably bright future, a gleam shining in his eyes.
Seeing the blazing light in his grandfather's eyes as he longed for the family's future, Tuoba Yan could not help asking, "Is this foolish loyalty of yours for the family?"
Tuoba Xi revealed a gratified smile and said gently, "Grandfather is already old. If these old bones of mine can pave a broad road for you and the family, then even if I die, I can rest in peace!"
Hearing this, Tuoba Yan's pupils trembled slightly, and a warm current surged through his heart.
He instantly understood why his grandfather was willing to brave fire and water for Spirit Hall—he wanted to use his own life to illuminate the path ahead for the family.
The sad part was that, in the future battle of the twin gods, Bibi Dong would fall, Spirit Hall would collapse, and Tuoba Xi's sacrifice would ultimately be in vain, costing him his life for nothing.
Thinking of this, Tuoba Yan asked solemnly, "If one day the Qian Clan demands the sacrifice not only of you, but of our entire family, would you still obey their orders?"
Tuoba Xi walked behind the sofa and placed a large hand on his grandson's shoulder, his eyes firm. "You are the only reason Grandfather keeps living. Whoever dares touch you will have to get past me first!"
Tuoba Yan pressed on, asking, "Then if Bibi Dong and Qian Dao Liu gave such an order, would you carry it out?"
"Absolutely not!"
Tuoba Xi stood proudly. A breeze brushed past, stirring his temples and displaying all the bearing of a powerful expert.
Tuoba Yan was startled. His expression turned grave, and his hands clenched slightly.
At the same time, he silently resolved that he had to find a solution that could satisfy both sides and break through this hellish opening where everyone around him was a "werewolf."
Especially the tragic fate of his grandfather, who valued him more than his own life.
"Alright, Yan'er. I did not come here to discuss this. The Grand Elder learned that you awakened a mutated martial spirit and possess Innate Full Soul Power, so he made an exception and bestowed a soul bone upon you."
With a wave of his hand, a right arm bone floated above Tuoba Xi's palm.
The energy contained within the soul bone created three rings of energy ripples in the surrounding space.
That meant it was a thirty-thousand-year soul bone!
"This is an Exploding Blazing Flame Right Arm Bone. It is extremely compatible with your martial spirit and comes with the soul skill Flame Explosive Strike. The Grand Elder overruled all objections to grant it to you, partly because of your Innate Full Soul Power, but more importantly because half the blood flowing through you comes from the Angel Clan!"
Tuoba Xi waved his hand and handed the soul bone to his grandson.
To Tuoba Xi's surprise, his grandson did not take it.
Tuoba Yan said, "I don't want this soul bone!"
Soul bones ranked third on the list of things soul masters dreamed of obtaining.
Countless soul masters dreamed of possessing one but could not.
Yet Tuoba Yan refused a soul bone delivered right to his door.
Tuoba Xi was stunned, then angrily scolded him in frustration, "Are you stupid?!"
Tuoba Yan explained, "Put it away first. This soul bone's age is too low. In my plan, my soul bones need to start at sixty thousand years."
"Absurd! It's a thirty-thousand-year soul bone, and you still think its age is too low! Do you know how precious this soul bone is?"
"Is thirty thousand years that high?"
"Is thirty thousand years not high?"
"A thirty-thousand-year soul bone—is that really that impressive for our Tuoba Clan?" "For our Tuoba Clan, isn't it... impressive...?"
"Is it?"
Tuoba Yan stared at Tuoba Xi and continued questioning his grandfather.
After answering several times in a row, Tuoba Xi stopped responding.
A thirty-thousand-year soul bone was priceless to most soul masters.
But for the Tuoba Clan, it was merely the icing on the cake.
Tuoba Yan glanced sidelong at the soul bone in Tuoba Xi's hand.
Thirty thousand years!
Hmph!
No one could control Tuoba Yan's thoughts.
Did they think a tiny favor like this would make him deeply grateful?
Impossible!
To most people, this was not a tiny favor, but to Tuoba Yan, a transmigrator, it was exactly that.
As Tuoba Yan knew, there were more than five hundred-thousand-year soul bones in the Star Dou Forest.
In the sparsely populated Extreme North, there were also more than three hundred-thousand-year soul bones.
And in the vast ocean, there was a soul bone whose age approached a terrifying million years.
Most importantly, accepting someone's favor meant serving them in return.
Neither Qian Dao Liu nor Bibi Dong was worth serving. The former was weak-willed, while the latter had mental problems.
Tuoba Xi advised, "Listen to Grandfather and absorb it."
Tuoba Yan took a step back and said, "I want to decide how to walk my own path. Grandfather, this soul bone's age is too low. In my plan, each of my six main soul bones must start at sixty thousand years."
"Sixty thousand years?"
Tuoba Xi was stunned for a moment. After considering it for a while, he stored the soul bone in his Storage Soul Guide Device and said, "Very well. You may choose your own path. Remember: do not be afraid, and do not regret. Whatever decision you make, do not regret it in the future."
Tuoba Yan nodded heavily.
"Yan'er, your Soul Power has reached level ten. Tomorrow, I will take you to the Soul Hunting Forest to obtain your first soul ring. Rest early tonight."
Tuoba Xi turned and left, but when he reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped and looked back deeply at Tuoba Yan.
Seeing this, Tuoba Yan asked, "Grandfather, is there anything else?"
Tuoba Xi did not answer. He merely stepped over the threshold.
There was a strange feeling in Tuoba Xi's heart.
He felt that after awakening his martial spirit, his grandson had become like a different person, with words and actions vastly unlike before.
After Tuoba Xi left, Tuoba Yan walked over to a mirror, and his pupils changed from black to gold.
He had a secret.
He had not told Tuoba Xi that besides awakening the Saint Martial Spirit, he had also awakened a golden eye-type martial spirit.
He did not possess a single martial spirit. Like Bibi Dong, he was also the possessor of Twin Martial Souls.
Before you continue