Hometown

Time always slipped by before anyone noticed. Before long, Zhao Xuan and Tang San had spent a year at Nuoding Academy, and with the arrival of summer in the new year, they welcomed their first holiday.

Early that morning, Nuoding Academy was already empty. No one stood beneath the lush parasol trees. A bleak breeze rustled through the air, accompanied by the lonely cry of summer cicadas. Compared to the usual sight of students hurrying to class in the mornings, Nuoding Academy now seemed far more desolate.

Several Work-Study Students traveling together greeted Tang San and Xiao Wu, who stood at the entrance, before hurrying away on their journeys home. Everyone else had set off even earlier.

Xiao Wu stood with her arms crossed over her chest, one foot tapping impatiently against the ground. Pouting, she asked Tang San unhappily, "Xiao San, what is Xiao Xuan doing? Why hasn't he come out yet?"

Tang San was also somewhat confused. "He only said he had something to do. I don't know what it was."

After finally reaching the holiday, Tang San was eager to return home after not seeing Tang Hao for an entire year. And after learning that Xiao Wu had nowhere to go, he warmly invited her to return to Sacred Soul Village with him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm here." Zhao Xuan came jogging out from the depths of the academy. The instant Tang San saw the smug grin on his face, he vaguely understood what Zhao Xuan had gone off to do.

"Ah! Damn you, Zhao Xuan! My newly bought book!" A sharp, furious voice rang out from deep within the academy, echoing through the empty grounds for a long time.

"Let's go," Zhao Xuan hurriedly said to Tang San and Xiao Wu.

Sacred Soul Village was a quiet, peaceful village, and the hometown Zhao Xuan and Tang San had longed for.

By the time they returned to Sacred Soul Village, it was already noon the next day. After crossing a grassland carpeted with Blue Silver Grass and then climbing over a mountain, they would be able to see Sacred Soul Village.

Blue Silver Grass was a common little plant found everywhere on Douluo Continent. A single stalk might be inconspicuous, but once gathered into a vast expanse, it could display astonishing beauty.

Lush green carried a faint sky-blue tint. Crystal-clear dew sparkled with rainbow light, while the little flowers borne by the Blue Silver Grass dotted the sea of grass in twos and threes—bright blue, pure white, crimson, deep violet...

Perhaps one could never truly understand the beauty hidden within the ordinary.

Zhao Xuan and Tang San parted ways on a small bridge at the entrance to Sacred Soul Village, one heading north and the other west. Xiao Wu followed Tang San.

Seeing Tang San's anxious expression, Zhao Xuan could not help shaking his head. Nuoding Academy did not allow students to return home during the school term, but it did not prohibit family members from visiting the academy.

Over the past year, Zhao Shi and Mu Qin had often come to visit Zhao Xuan, but Tang Hao...

"Tch, what a terrible father." Zhao Xuan felt indignant on Tang San's behalf.

After walking down a forest path and passing the edge of a small grove, Zhao Xuan saw that long-missed place.

A fence wall built from crushed stone enclosed the yard, with several common vegetable vines climbing over it. Within the fenced yard stood a delicate little house. Beside it was a jujube tree, and in the courtyard, a figure was vigorously chopping firewood.

Zhao Xuan could not help smiling when he saw that figure. He slowed down and quietly crept closer.

When he reached the figure's back, Zhao Xuan suddenly shouted, "Boo!"

The sudden sound startled Zhao Shi, and the axe he brought down nearly struck his own foot.

Huh? That voice sounded familiar.

When he turned around and saw that familiar figure, Zhao Shi froze for a moment before blurting out, "Why are you back?"

Zhao Xuan's face darkened. What, did he not want me back?

Hearing the commotion in the yard, Mu Qin came out of the house. When she saw the figure she had missed day and night, delight immediately filled her face. "Xiao Xuan, you're on holiday."

"Mm." Zhao Xuan smiled and nodded at Mu Qin, but when he turned back to Zhao Shi, his expression changed. Mom knew I was going on holiday, so why didn't you?!

Zhao Shi came back to his senses and was puzzled by Zhao Xuan's look. What was wrong? Why did it feel like he had such a huge problem with him the moment he came home?

"Wait, Dad, what did you say? Uncle Tang Hao left?" Zhao Xuan asked just after lunch.

"Yeah! That's right! It was only a few days ago. He suddenly came to see us and said we should take good care of Xiao San from now on. He said he had some matters to handle, then he left," Zhao Shi answered while eating.

Zhao Xuan's expression abruptly changed. He muttered, "This is bad."

Tang San had looked forward to this trip home for so long. He only wanted to come back and see Tang Hao, yet that guy had slipped off to who knew where a few days ago!

"I'm going to check on Xiao San." Unable to stop worrying about Tang San, Zhao Xuan left those words behind and hurried out.

When he arrived at Tang San's house, he found Xiao Wu standing helplessly outside the door. The moment she saw Zhao Xuan, her little face lit up.

"Zhao Xuan!"

"Where's Xiao San? Is he inside?" Zhao Xuan asked.

"Mm. His dad went somewhere unknown and left him a letter. After reading it, Xiao San has just been standing there without moving."

"I'll go take a look."

The moment Zhao Xuan entered, the overwhelming stench of alcohol nearly knocked him out. The room was a complete mess. It seemed that while Xiao San had been away, Tang Hao had indeed been living in a pigsty.

Tang San stood in the middle of the room, staring blankly at the letter in his hand. His thin, small figure looked particularly helpless.

Zhao Xuan could not help rubbing his forehead. What a sin! Uncle Tang Hao, you really were hurting him badly.

Zhao Xuan crossed the room in a few quick strides, snatched the letter from Tang San's hand, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it away.

Tang San came back to his senses and subconsciously said, "Xiao Xuan..."

"I already know about your situation, Xiao San," Zhao Xuan said in a deliberately solemn tone.

"I'm sure Uncle Tang Hao told you as well. He only had something to do. He hasn't left forever."

Tang San's expression shifted, and his eyes began to flicker. At the same time, Zhao Xuan's thoughts raced as he racked his brains to make things up.

"Maybe he had a reason he absolutely had to do this. Have you ever seen him act strangely all these years?"

"No! Not that I can remember. Uncle Tang Hao must have had something he absolutely had to do if he left without saying goodbye this time, and it must have been especially important to him."

"I've never seen the dispirited Uncle Tang Hao act like this. Maybe this is a change for him."

"Uncle Tang Hao has been dispirited for so many years, but none of us knows why. This time, perhaps..."

At this point, even Zhao Xuan was startled. Damn! The more I think about it, the more reasonable I sound! Uncle Tang Hao must have had a reason for being dispirited all these years! His sudden departure might really be connected to it!

Tang San, who had been drawn in by Zhao Xuan's rambling, had eyes that shone brightly.

Could Father really have gone to resolve something? Could that be the reason he had been dispirited for so many years? he could not help wondering.

Suddenly, Tang San's expression changed again, and worry filled his face. Whatever had left Tang Hao dispirited for so many years could not have been simple. It might even have been dangerous.

Zhao Xuan watched him carefully from the side. Seeing this, he patted Tang San on the shoulder. "Xiao San, don't worry so much! Good people are blessed by heaven. Besides, even if Uncle Tang Hao is in danger, it's probably not something we can help with."

As he spoke, Zhao Xuan startled himself again. Why did I seem to have the potential to become Sherlock Holmes?

He suddenly thought of Tang San's two martial souls and Grandmaster's theory. Tang San's Innate Full Soul Power had to be because one of his martial souls was of extremely high quality. It obviously was not Blue Silver Grass, so the remaining hammer had to be extraordinary. Could a hammer with Innate Full Soul Power be ordinary? And Uncle Tang Hao was a blacksmith. Wasn't that a perfect match? The hammer had to have been inherited from Uncle Tang Hao.

Damn! I seem to have discovered some incredible secret!

Zhao Xuan suddenly became worried as well. Uncle Tang Hao was very likely a reclusive master. Following the tropes of martial arts novels from his previous life, the reason he had secluded himself in Sacred Soul Village was either to avoid enemies, to withdraw from the martial world, or because he had been wounded by love. None of those possibilities were simple.

Judging by Tang San's family situation, the last possibility was clearly more likely. If something had driven Uncle Tang Hao into such despair, then either Xiao San's mother had died because of some accident, or he had been unable to save her for some reason.

And following the usual tropes, if Tang San's mother was dead, Uncle Tang Hao had surely gone out this time for revenge. If she was not dead, then he might have gone to save her.

No matter what, it was dangerous!

But when Zhao Xuan saw Tang San's worried expression, his heart immediately softened. In his previous life, as a shut-in, he could be said to have had no true friends. In this life, Xiao San was his only one.

As his only friend, how could he watch him become so dispirited?

Zhao Xuan wanted to comfort Tang San, but after countless words reached his lips, they only became one sentence. "You still have me!"

Xiao Wu, who had been quietly hiding nearby, also poked her head out and said softly, "And me."

Tang San, trapped in his worries, was stunned. A warm current suddenly flowed through his heart...

"Dad, I still have them. Once I become strong, I'll definitely go and see the things you're facing!"