Switching Cultivation

Switching Cultivation

Elsewhere, at Shrek Academy.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting mottled shadows over Tang San's seated figure. Two days had passed since the Preliminary Tournament ended, yet he had maintained the same posture all along, like a frozen statue.

His eyes had lost their former brilliance, replaced by a blank, ashen haze. Scenes from the recent matches kept replaying in his mind—Feng Xiaotian of Divine Wind Academy had torn apart his carefully arranged Web Restraint with a hurricane, while Shui Bing'er of Heavenly Water Academy had frozen all his control techniques into fragile ice sculptures with extreme cold.

"Where exactly did I go wrong?"

Tang San's cracked lips trembled faintly, his voice so hoarse that it barely sounded like his own. For two days, this question had haunted him like a nightmare. The control abilities he had always been proud of had proven so utterly vulnerable before powerful attributes. Worse still, he had begun to wonder whether the path he had persisted on all these years had been wrong from the very beginning.

The food on the table had long since gone cold, and the bed was so neat that not a single wrinkle marked it. For two days and two nights, he had neither slept nor rested, simply sitting there as his thoughts circled through a maze of despair.

Once, he had believed that with the Tang Sect's secret arts and his teacher's guidance, he could make Blue Silver Grass, this "useless Martial Soul," shine brilliantly. And indeed, before encountering the Four Element Academies, he had always stood among the best of his peers. But now, cruel reality lay before him—when faced with truly powerful Martial Souls, Blue Silver Grass's inherent flaws were laid completely bare.

"Feng Yao was right." Tang San gave a bitter smile as he looked at his right hand, where Blue Silver Grass swayed weakly in his palm. Even with Spirit Bone enhancements and his third and fourth Spirit Rings exceeding their proper limits, it could not change its fragile nature as a plant. Perhaps those victories he had once been so proud of had only come because he had never met a truly formidable opponent.

Black light surged from his left hand, and the Haotian Hammer quietly appeared. Its heavy weight made his heart tremble—this was a true top-tier Martial Soul, something that could make all opponents tremble in fear. A mad thought began to grow within him: abandon Blue Silver Grass and focus solely on cultivating the Haotian Hammer.

"No!"

Tang San suddenly sprang up and punched the wall. But the sharp pain in his knuckles was nothing compared to the torment in his heart. He could not believe he had entertained such a thought. It meant denying all his efforts over the years, denying his teacher, and denying the hopeful self who had become an apprentice at Nuoding Academy.

A scorching drop slid down his cheek, and only then did Tang San realize that he was crying. That discovery made him break down even further—since being reborn into this world, this was the first time he had lost control so completely.

"Why? Why did it turn out like this? Were all my efforts over these years going to be wasted?"

Tang San's thoughts grew increasingly chaotic. If Shrek encountered the Four Element Academies again in the coming matches, or even the unfathomable Feng Yao, how was he supposed to respond? Should he continue down the control path of Blue Silver Grass, or turn to developing the Haotian Hammer's overwhelming offensive power? This impossible dilemma made his temples throb.

"Xiao San." Just as he sank into the whirlpool of his thoughts, Xiao Wu's gentle call came from outside the door. That familiar voice was like a clear spring, finally bringing a glimmer of light to Tang San's hollow eyes.

He mechanically raised a hand to wipe away the dried tear tracks on his face, then rubbed the blood from his hands. When he stood, the dizziness from sitting too long made his vision go dark. The instant he pushed open the door, midsummer sunlight poured down like a flood, so dazzling that he could not open his eyes.

"Mm." Tang San instinctively lifted a hand to shield himself, only to feel his legs give way. Two days of emotional exhaustion, without food or water, had finally pushed his body beyond its limits. The world spun around him as he fell forward.

"Xiao San!"

A pink figure flashed past like a phantom. At the critical moment, Xiao Wu caught him firmly. The girl's warm embrace carried a familiar fragrance. Through Tang San's blurred vision, he saw Xiao Wu's lovely face filled with worry. Her long scorpion braid draped over his chest, its ends trembling softly with her hurried breaths.

"How did you..." Xiao Wu's voice choked with sobs, though her slender arms remained surprisingly strong. "How did you let yourself become like this?"

Sunlight filtered through her black hair, scattering tiny patches of light across Tang San's pale face. At that moment, all his confusion and pain seemed to matter a little less. He struggled to raise a hand, wanting to smooth Xiao Wu's tightly furrowed brow, but it fell limply before reaching her.

In the last moment before his consciousness faded, he felt Xiao Wu hold him tightly, and warm drops fall onto his cheek.

When Tang San slowly opened his heavy eyelids, the first thing he saw was the Shrek group gathered around the bed. In the dim room, every face was covered by a shadow of gloom.

"Xiao San, you're awake!" Xiao Wu's tearful cry shattered the silence. Her red, swollen eyes showed that she had kept watch without rest, and her slender fingers clutched tightly at the corner of Tang San's blanket.

At her cry, everyone looked up, their gazes mingling concern and worry. The once high-spirited team of "Monster Academy" was now shrouded in the shadow of defeat. Even Flander, always so optimistic, stood silently in the corner, the eyes behind his lenses having lost their usual spark.

"Teacher..." Tang San's hoarse voice made everyone's hearts tighten. He struggled to prop himself up and looked toward Yu Xiaogang, who stood by the window.

Yu Xiaogang let out a heavy sigh and walked to the bedside. "Xiao San, you're still young, several years younger than them. Next time..." His words caught halfway through. Even this Grandmaster, unmatched in theory, had fallen into an unprecedented predicament—the innate flaw of plant-type Martial Souls being restrained by elements was something even he could not remedy with theory.

The air in the room seemed to freeze. Everyone understood that without Tang San's control, Shrek would be nothing but a disorganized mess; yet even if Tang San fought, Blue Silver Grass would find it difficult to accomplish anything under such powerful elemental suppression. Dai Mubai's clenched fists loosened and tightened again. Ma Hongjun was unusually silent, while Ning Rongrong bit her lip, wanting to speak but holding back.

"Teacher." Tang San suddenly spoke. His voice was soft, but exceptionally resolute. "I want to switch to cultivating the Haotian Hammer."

The words exploded in the room like thunder.

Yu Xiaogang's body visibly swayed. He was about to refuse when he saw the determination in his most prized disciple's eyes—the resolve to break himself down and rebuild anew.

Seeing Yu Xiaogang being persuaded by Tang San, Flander suddenly slammed his palm onto the table and rose to his feet. His eyes widened behind his glasses. "No! Absolutely not!" He grabbed Yu Xiaogang by the arm so hard that the Grandmaster frowned slightly. "Come outside with me!"

After the door slammed shut, Flander shoved Yu Xiaogang against the hallway wall. His lowered voice carried a rare severity. "Have you lost your mind? Tang Hao entrusted his son to us, not so you could act recklessly like this!" His trembling finger pointed toward the room. "If anything goes wrong, all of us will be buried with him! Even if everything goes smoothly, are you confident about the Haotian Hammer's Spirit Ring configuration? If you ruin his Twin Martial Souls, do you think Tang Hao will spare us?"

Yu Xiaogang calmly watched his old friend's agitated face and said softly, "Flander, I saw my former self in Xiao San."

"So what?!" Flander practically squeezed the words through his teeth.

"If he keeps losing..." Yu Xiaogang's gaze passed beyond Flander, toward the distance. "What do you think will happen?"

"This isn't something you should worry about!" Flander shouted at Yu Xiaogang.

"Some things are the meaning that supports a person's will to live. Xiao San right now is like a candle battered by wind and rain, and the confidence victory brings him is the best wax," Yu Xiaogang said softly.

Flander grabbed Yu Xiaogang by the collar. "The Promotion Tournament is made up of individual battles. That's exactly our strength! Shrek will definitely win it back!"

Yu Xiaogang gently pushed Flander's hand away, his voice so quiet that it seemed he was speaking to himself. "This is running away... just like I did back then." He raised his eyes and looked directly at Flander. "Even if we win the Promotion Tournament, what about the Finals? When we face those monsters from Spirit Hall, the result will still be the same."

Flander's expression suddenly froze. He slowly took a step back, his voice colder than ever before. "I told you, this has nothing to do with you." Every word was as sharp as a knife. "Don't destroy that child with your obsession."

The air between them seemed to solidify.

Flander knew Yu Xiaogang too well. More than anyone, he understood the obsession his dear friend had buried in his heart for many years. Tang San's success was not merely about the future of a genius Spirit Master—it was also the strongest proof of Yu Xiaogang's lifelong theories.

Inside the room, Tang San heard every word of the argument outside. He lowered his head and stared at his open hands. The Haotian Hammer in his left hand flickered in and out of view, dim light flowing over its pitch-black hammerhead. Xiao Wu grasped his arm anxiously, but he gently pushed her away. Her palm still carried the dampness of tears, yet Tang San's gaze had become exceptionally firm.

"My own path..." Tang San's voice was soft, but it made everyone in the room fall silent. "I'll walk it myself."

He slowly opened the door. Under the dim hallway lights, Flander and Yu Xiaogang looked especially lonely. Tang San walked before them and looked calmly at Flander. "Headmaster, switching to the Haotian Hammer is my decision. It has nothing to do with Teacher." He paused, his voice soft but every word clear. "No matter the result, I will explain it to my father personally."

Flander looked deeply at Yu Xiaogang, then turned to Tang San. At last, he let out a long sigh. "You master and disciple... sigh." He took off his glasses and wiped them, his voice suddenly sounding much older. "Have you truly thought this through?"

Tang San raised his left hand, and the Haotian Hammer fully appeared. "Father once said that I should use the hammer in my left hand to protect the grass in my right." His fingertips gently brushed the hammer's surface. "I think now is the time."

In the darkness, Tang Hao's tall figure suddenly trembled. The former Haotian Douluo clenched his fists, his nails digging bloody marks into his rough palms. If Blue Silver Grass is merely a tool to lay the foundation for the Haotian Hammer... how can it be called protection?

Yu Xiaogang watched Tang San's straight back and suddenly remembered the equally stubborn young man he had been thirty years ago. Only this time, someone had chosen a different path from his own.

The Shrek group also emerged from the room one after another, each face filled with complicated emotions. The atmosphere in the hallway became so heavy that it nearly froze.

Just then, heavy footsteps sounded from the shadows. Tang Hao's tall figure slowly emerged from the darkness, sunlight outlining his weathered yet still upright silhouette.

"I agree to your switching cultivation." Tang Hao's deep voice echoed through the hallway.

Tang San's entire body shook, and light instantly burst into his eyes. "Dad!"

At the sight, Flander's tense shoulders finally relaxed. With this Haotian Douluo present, all risks and concerns were no longer a problem.

"His Majesty Haotian." Flander and Yu Xiaogang took the lead in bowing, while the rest of Shrek also offered respectful greetings.

Tang Hao waved a hand. His iron-cast voice was unusually gentle. "No need for such courtesy. At this moment, I am only a father." His deep gaze fell upon Tang San. "I agree to you switching cultivation, but I do not agree to you adding Spirit Rings to the Haotian Hammer right away. Xiao San, do you know what is most important for a Tool Spirit?"

Tang San paused slightly. An image of Feng Yao playing the zither suddenly flashed through his mind. That boy's unique way of understanding Martial Souls had left a deep impression on him. "Understanding," he answered softly. "Understanding the essence of the Martial Soul."

A hint of approval appeared on Tang Hao's calm face. "Correct. It seems that child has inspired you greatly." He lifted his head toward the bright moon outside the window, and his voice suddenly seemed distant. "His way of understanding Martial Souls reminds me of someone."

"Who?" Tang San asked curiously.

"My grandfather." Tang Hao's voice carried rare respect. "Your current Soul Power, physique, and battle wisdom are already among the best of your peers. From now on, I will personally teach you how to truly wield the Haotian Hammer."

Tang Hao's gaze slowly swept over the Shrek group. He silently glanced at Xiao Wu before finally stopping on Yu Xiaogang. "Grandmaster, thank you for teaching Xiao San all these years."

Yu Xiaogang bowed slightly. "It was my duty. Xiao San's talent deserved the best cultivation from the start."

Tang Hao nodded and turned to Tang San. "At dawn tomorrow, wait for me at the academy's rear mountain." With that, his figure disappeared soundlessly into the hallway shadows, just as quietly as he had arrived.

Only after Tang Hao left did the atmosphere in the hallway truly lighten. Xiao Wu looked at Tang San with complicated emotions and secretly let out a breath of relief.

Ma Hongjun was the first to rush to Tang San's side. His chubby face wrinkled up, and his eyes were filled with delight. "Xiao San's dad is so cool. With him personally guiding you..."

Ning Rongrong blinked her large eyes and asked curiously, "But Third Brother, have you really decided not to add Spirit Rings to the Haotian Hammer for now?"

Tang San looked in the direction his father had gone, his gaze resolute. "Father is right. What I need most now is to understand the Haotian Hammer's essence." He turned to everyone, and a long-lost smile rose on his lips. "Besides, who says a Haotian Hammer without Spirit Rings can't fight?"

Flander pushed up his glasses, and a smile finally returned to his face. "Good! That's the spirit a monster of my Shrek should have!" He looked around at everyone. "Get your spirits up. For the Promotion Tournament and all the matches after it, we must make everyone see us in a new light!"