Leaving Holy Soul Village

"Xiao San... you..."

Tang Hao stared at Tang San in disbelief, then suddenly crouched down and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Twin innate martial souls, Innate Full Soul Power!"

Tang Hao's voice grew increasingly excited. It was also the first time Tang San felt the security brought by a father's love.

Watching the touching scene between father and son, Su Xiao felt comforted as well.

Although he had grown up in Tang Hao's home over the past six years, Uncle Hao had rarely looked after him. Usually, all the cooking and chores fell to him and Tang San.

Su Xiao had never blamed Tang Hao in his heart. He understood the man's difficulties.

"A Xiao, come here too." Tang Hao's warm, large hand grasped Su Xiao's right hand.

Su Xiao and Tang San stood before Tang Hao, their expressions complicated. The usual coldness in Tang Hao's face had diminished, and his gaze held a little more warmth.

"Xiao San, you must remember this: no matter when, use the 'hammer' in your left hand to protect the 'grass' in your right hand. Always!" Tang Hao took out a strip of cloth and wrapped Tang San's left hand. "Remember, hide the 'hammer' in your left hand. Do not easily let others see your second martial soul."

Tang San immediately nodded in agreement.

Tang Hao then looked deeply at Su Xiao. "A Xiao, I haven't fulfilled my responsibilities as a father these past six years, but I've always regarded you as my own son."

"I understand, Uncle Hao. My Holy Light Dragon will protect Xiao San's 'grass' too." Memories from the past six years kept surfacing in Su Xiao's mind. It was Tang Hao and Tang San, father and son, who had allowed him to feel the warmth of family in this foreign world.

"One day, you'll encounter something you'd rather give up everything to protect." A hint of expectation suddenly appeared in Tang Hao's eyes as he looked at Su Xiao, before he slowly added, "Xiao San's 'grass' must be protected by himself."

After lunch, Su Xiao and Tang San were about to clear the dishes when Tang Hao stopped them.

"No need to clean up yet. Let me ask you two—do you want to become Soul Masters?"

Su Xiao and Tang San exchanged a glance, then nodded.

Tang Hao sighed softly, looking even more weathered. "In the end, you still have to walk this path. Three months from now, you two should go to Soul Master Academy."

During this time, Tang San continued learning forging from Tang Hao, along with the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.

Su Xiao did not idle away his days either. Every day, he carried stones, ran around the village, and trained his speed and strength. Ever since awakening his martial soul, he always felt as though he had endless energy.

And every night before bed, Tang San would teach him a few techniques. Su Xiao understood immediately—Tang San was teaching him the Tang Sect's Secret Arts!

Three months later

The day to leave for Notting City arrived. Early in the morning, Old Jack came to Tang Hao's house for Su Xiao and Tang San. "A Xiao, Xiao San, the carriage is here. Hurry up!"

Su Xiao and Tang San shouldered their luggage and looked reluctantly at the blacksmith shop.

When they woke up that morning, they found their once messy home unusually neat. Tang Hao was nowhere to be seen, with only a letter left on the table.

"A Xiao, Xiao San, by the time you see this letter, I will already be gone. Don't look for me. I am a useless man, but I also have something I wish to protect. Now, I am going to reclaim what should have been mine. No matter what lies ahead, keep walking forward bravely!"

Seeing that Su Xiao and Tang San still had not boarded the carriage, Old Jack urged them, "Get on. Tang Hao is probably still asleep. With his temperament, he wouldn't come to see you off."

"Tang Hao, we're leaving!" Old Jack shouted at the top of his lungs, then drove the carriage toward Notting City with the two children.

As he left Holy Soul Village, Su Xiao felt reluctant to part with Tang Hao, while also imagining what it would be like when he met Yu Xiaogang.

If not for the system, the two of them would possess the same Luo Sanpao martial soul. Could there be some special connection between them, ordained by fate?