In Douluo, Educating Tang San for Six Years

Douluo Continent, Heavenly Dou Empire, Fasnuo Province, Holy Soul Village.

Early in the morning, Xia Tianling slowly finished his night of cultivation and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

He had originally been a college graduate only a few years out of school. Six years ago, he had died after contracting a virus that swept across the globe. By a twist of fate, he had bound himself to something called the Fate Modification System, then transmigrated to Douluo Continent and was adopted by Old Jack.

The cultivation technique he had just practiced was part of the beginner's gift pack bestowed by the system.

"This Great Dao Longevity Scripture really is miraculous. It can be cultivated endlessly without any bottlenecks, completely surpassing a martial arts technique like the Mysterious Heaven Skill. According to its description, I should be a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Peak now. I just wonder how many levels of Soul Power that would equal on Douluo Continent?"

Having finished cultivating, Xia Tianling pondered silently as he made his way unhurriedly toward the summit of the back mountain, touching the jade token hanging around his neck.

The white jade token was smooth and warm, giving off a faint white glow. A mysterious raised character was carved upon it.

Anyone who touched the jade token could understand the meaning of that character—Xia.

Thus, Old Jack had given him Xia as his surname, while the name Tianling happened to coincide with his name from his previous life.

Perhaps because the Dao Scripture had tempered his body, Xia Tianling was exceptionally strong. He could easily twist one of the village's old yellow oxen and throw it to the ground.

He walked nonstop from the foot of the mountain to its summit without turning red or breathing hard, as though he were walking on level ground.

At this time every day, he went to the back mountain to find Tang San, who had just finished cultivating his Purple Demon Eyes, and give him his daily education.

When Xia Tianling had read the book in his previous life, he had deeply despised Tang San's various actions. Now that he had personally come to Douluo Continent, how could he call himself a transmigrator if he did not straighten out Tang San's values, which had gone crooked eight hundred miles off course?

Tang San had grown up in the Tang Sect, exposed all day to murder, arson, poisons, and Hidden Weapons. After coming to Douluo Continent, Tang Hao had never bothered to guide him. It would have been strange if he had not gone astray while following something like the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, a "guide to killing."

Character education was imperative!

When he arrived at the summit of the back mountain, a six-year-old boy sat cross-legged atop a large rock. It was Tang San.

Perhaps sensing Xia Tianling's arrival, he slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a stream of white air.

"Morning, Brother Ling."

"Come on, let's go to my place for breakfast."

"Alright."

On the way back, Xia Tianling seized the time to give Tang San his daily character education.

For example, he taught him to think more about everything, to be brave enough to question things, that practice was the sole criterion for testing truth, not to blindly trust others, to put himself in other people's shoes, and so on.

It had been like this every day for six years. Under such subtle influence, Tang San had changed from initially dismissing it to calmly accepting it now.

After all, these were famous sayings and aphorisms tempered and refined over many years in Xia Tianling's previous life. Calling them truths would not have been an exaggeration.

Tang San from the Original Work had merely been a science-minded man who had grown wild and crooked. It was not as though he had no brain. With a tiny bit of help from "certain things," he naturally could sense the truths contained in these words.

"By the way, Little San, something important will happen in three days."

While they ate, Xia Tianling spoke mysteriously to Tang San.

"What important thing?"

Tang San was already used to this. Over the past six years, one of Xia Tianling's favorite pastimes had been telling the villagers about things that would happen in the future, and he called himself a Prophet. But aside from weather forecasts, he had basically never gotten anything right.

As for why he was never right, that was naturally because Xia Tianling had made it all up. Though the Dao Scripture taught divination, how could one master it without years of painstaking study?

The reason he called himself a Prophet was actually to lay the groundwork for the next stage of his plan.

"In three days, it will be the day of Spirit Awakening." Old Jack happened to push open the door and enter at that moment.

Tang San was somewhat confused and asked,

"What is Spirit Awakening?"

Although he had a rudimentary understanding of Spirits, he was still utterly confused about awakening. That drunkard Tang Hao certainly would not tell him about such things.

"On our Douluo Continent, everyone has their own Spirit. You know that much. When we reach around the age of six, we can undergo awakening, which means another Soul Master helps guide it out from within our bodies."

"Spirits are also divided into Tool Spirits and Beast Spirits. Tool Spirits are things commonly seen in the village, like hoes and sickles. Beast Spirits are like Uncle Erniu's Yellow Ox Spirit at the eastern end of the village. After possessing him, it gives him tremendous strength for plowing. There are also Plant Spirits, like the Vine Spirit Uncle Tiezhu awakened at the western end of the village. It can increase crop yields, and their family's grapes grow especially well."

"Tianling is right. Looks like he has read General History of the Continent quite a bit." Old Jack picked up the conversation.

As the village chief, Old Jack received some wages from the Heavenly Dou Empire. His living conditions were fairly decent, and he had a couple of ordinary books on general knowledge at home.

"In two days, the people from Spirit Hall will come to awaken the Spirits in our village. Little San, when you go back, tell that drunkard Tang Hao. I'll come pick you up in the morning."

Old Jack, who knew Tang Hao's nature well, sighed.

"Oh, and take these flatbreads home to eat."

"Got it. Thank you, Grandpa Jack."

After helping clear the dishes, Tang San thanked him, pushed open the door, and prepared to head home.

Xia Tianling quickly caught up in a few strides and walked alongside Tang San.

"Brother Ling, what is it?"

Tang San asked in confusion.

Xia Tianling once again put on a mysterious expression and smiled as he said to Tang San,

"Little San, I saw the future again."

"What future?"

"The one coming to awaken our Spirits in three days will be Su Yuntao, a Battle Spirit Master from Spirit Hall's Nuoding City Branch Hall. He has a level 26 Lone Wolf Spirit, and his Soul Rings are one white and one yellow."

Tang San: "???"

What was all that supposed to mean?

Unable to contain his confusion, Tang San asked,

"Brother Ling, what are Soul Rings? What does one white and one yellow mean? And what is a Battle Spirit Master?"

Xia Tianling waved his hand. "Don't ask. You'll know when the time comes."

With that, he turned and went home.

His curiosity thoroughly piqued, Tang San returned home, gave the flatbreads he had brought back to Tang Hao, and tried asking about it.

"Soul Rings? Lone Wolf? Who told you about those?"

Tang Hao took a swig from his wine bottle and narrowed his eyes.

"Brother Tianling told me. He said I'd know in three days." Tang San answered truthfully.

"Xia Tianling..."

Tang Hao put down the wine bottle and stroked his bearded chin, silently thinking to himself.

There's something strange about that kid.

"Little San, do you want to become a Soul Master?" Tang Hao suddenly asked.

"Dad, of course I do!"

Tang San hurriedly replied. Based on those simple clues and what he had learned about Spirits over the years, he believed the reason his Mysterious Heaven Skill could not break through to the second level probably lay with his Spirit. It might even be related to Soul Rings. If he wanted to advance, he definitely had to become a Soul Master.

"Then you may go when the time comes."

Tang Hao waved his hand. A sharp glint seemed to flash through his eyes, but it quickly faded again. No one knew what he was thinking as he picked up his wine bottle, turned around, and went into the inner room to sleep.

"Alright, Dad."

At that very moment, Xia Tianling, who was sitting cross-legged and meditating in his room, received a system notification.

"Ding. You have slightly altered the course of a character's fate and obtained a thread of Fate Power."

Xia Tianling, awakened by the system, felt somewhat annoyed.

"This damn system isn't intelligent at all. It only gives stiff, mechanical notifications. It won't even tell me exactly how much Fate Power I've gained. It just says that once I save enough, I can make a wish. How long am I supposed to save up for? And what kind of wishes can I even make?"

This was far from the first time he had complained about his system. He had done so countless times over the past six years. However, to his surprise, the system actually replied this time.

"Host, please do not slander this system. Once Fate Power reaches the minimum requirement for making a wish, this system will provide a notification."

Xia Tianling was overjoyed and hurriedly pressed on,

"System—no, Brother System! You're my real big brother! Could you make these things clearer so I at least have something to look forward to?"

But no matter how he called out afterward, the system remained silent and gave no further response.