Family Matters

"Disguise?"

"Yes, a disguise." Gu You looked straight into Tang San's eyes. "Your father is named Tang Hao. He only came to our village six years ago, and he has never shown you his Martial Soul. I'm ninety percent certain Uncle Tang is the Clear Sky Douluo, and your Martial Soul is the Clear Sky Hammer."

"Under these circumstances, it's impossible for a Martial Soul capable of forming Twin Martial Souls with the Clear Sky Hammer to be ordinary Blue Silver Grass. It's still too soon to determine exactly what it is, but I can guarantee this: once your Martial Soul reaches seven rings and you become a Soul Saint, awakening your Martial Soul Avatar, you'll know what Martial Soul it truly is."

After listening to Gu You, Tang San said blankly, "If my father really is a Title Douluo, then why are we living in this little village? And he drinks every day."

"Xiao San." Gu You firmly placed both hands on Tang San's shoulders. "I don't know why Uncle Tang brought you to live in our village or why he treats you so poorly, but I promise that Grandpa Jack and I genuinely want to help you. No matter what happens, I, Gu You, your best brother, will definitely help you."

"I've told you what I think. Go home now and tell Uncle Tang about your Twin Martial Souls. If you run into any problems, come find me. I'll do everything I can to help you. Remember, when you're lost, never make decisions rashly. Think carefully before you act."

Although there was still some confusion in his eyes, Tang San nodded forcefully before emerging from the bushes and running toward home.

After Tang San left, Gu You lowered his head and thought, I've prepared Tang San for what's to come. The impact of what Tang Hao tells him afterward won't be as strong. Although this is a world where things can always get worse, if Tang San follows the old path, defeats the Spirit Hall, and establishes a sect, what will happen to the common people over the next ten thousand years? Since things can't get any worse, I might as well choose a new path.

Although I've prepared him, Tang San probably still has some attachment to his mother, and he doesn't have a favorable impression of the Spirit Hall either. Given my identity, I can't tell Tang San that his mother died because she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, but I can subtly reduce his hostility toward the Spirit Hall in another way. After all, the true enemy, Qian Xunji, is already dead.

So I still have to study in Nuoding City? I can only try to see whether I can join the Spirit Hall after graduation.

Next, I need to focus on dealing with Yu Xiaogang. I'll have to see how I can become Tang San's "mentor" on the path of Martial Souls during these three months before school starts.

I also need to watch out for that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, Xiao Wu. In the original story, Tang San and the Spirit Hall became mortal enemies only after Xiao Wu was forced to sacrifice herself to Tang San. As long as I make sure Tang San and Xiao Wu don't form too deep a bond, it should be fine.

However, with Tang Hao around, I can't determine whether, when he first sees a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast like himself appear beside Tang San, he'll regard her as another version of himself and the Blue Silver Emperor, or merely as a sacrifice tool. In the end, Tang Hao's view of the Blue Silver Emperor itself is difficult to determine. I can only wait and see.

Meanwhile, Tang San hurried home.

When he pushed open the door, he saw that Tang Hao had just climbed out of bed and was preparing to go to the kitchen to drink the porridge Tang San had cooked that morning.

Seeing Tang San return, Tang Hao glanced at him. "Xiao San, have you finished awakening your Martial Soul? What is it?"

"Father, it's Blue Silver Grass." Tang San raised his right hand. With a flash of blue light, a crystal-clear sprig of grass floated above his palm.

"Blue Silver Grass?" Tang Hao paused before saying in a low voice, "Blue Silver Grass? Blue Silver Grass is good." He turned his head and asked, "What about your Soul Power? What level?"

Tang San lowered his head and answered, "Lord Soul Master said it was Innate Full Soul Power."

"Innate Full Soul Power?" Tang Hao fell silent. After a while, he said, "So what if it's Innate Full Soul Power? It's still a useless Martial Soul. You don't need to become a Soul Master. Just stay here and learn blacksmithing."

"But, Father." Tang San raised his head. "I think I have another Martial Soul." He lowered his right hand, and the floating Blue Silver Grass instantly vanished. Then he raised his left hand. With a flash of black light, a small, pitch-black hammer slowly emerged.

"What?!" Tang Hao rushed to Tang San in a single stride and seized the hand gripping the hammer. "This, this is... Twin Martial Souls!"

"My son, my son!" Tang Hao pulled Tang San into his arms. "Father?" Tang San had never been treated like this by Tang Hao, and his heart was suddenly filled with mixed emotions.

"Xiao San, promise me this. In the future, you must use the hammer in your left hand to protect the grass in your right hand, forever."

Tang San didn't understand, but seeing the expression on Tang Hao's face—one he had never shown before—he nodded.

Seeing that Tang San had agreed, Tang Hao released him and turned to walk inside. Then Tang San's voice came from behind him. "Xiao You awakened Soul Power too. The Soul Master from the Spirit Hall asked whether we wanted to join the Spirit Hall."

"The Spirit Hall." Tang Hao's body suddenly froze. A chill spread through the room, and even the blazing furnace could not dispel it. "What do you think?"

Tang San's body trembled uncontrollably. "Xiao You and I thought we should consider it, so we refused."

Tang Hao nodded, and the chill in the room slowly receded. "You want to become a Soul Master? The village seems to have a Work-Study Student spot. Go study at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy."

"All right, Father." Tang San nodded in agreement. Tang San then told Tang Hao that he wanted to learn blacksmithing, so Tang Hao told him to study at home every morning and evening, while he could go out with Gu You in the afternoon.

Back on Gu You's side, after returning home and opening the door, Gu You discovered that Old Jack had already sent the other villagers' children home. He was sitting in a chair with a wooden box resting on his legs.

"Xiao You, move a stool over and sit in front of me." Old Jack pointed to the spot before him.

Seeing Old Jack's expression, Gu You said nothing. He nodded and moved a stool to sit before Old Jack.

Once Gu You was seated, Old Jack began, "Xiao You, you've been a smart and brave child from birth. When you were three, you pestered me to take you to the Spirit Hall in the city to find books to read. You even dared to secretly stay inside the Spirit Hall after it closed just to read a little longer. I think you've already guessed it. You're the child I adopted."

As he spoke, Old Jack opened the box before him. Inside, a Pendant lay quietly in the center, with the character "Gu" engraved on it.

Old Jack gently took out the Pendant and stroked it. "I found this Pendant when I found you. The character 'Gu' should be your surname. Since you were discovered by the river in the village, I gave you the single name You. That's where your name came from."

"I took this Pendant to Nuoding City and had someone examine it. The material is excellent, so your background is far from ordinary. I originally planned to take this secret to my grave if you failed to awaken Soul Power and become a Soul Master. All I wanted was for you to live an ordinary life. But now you've awakened Soul Power, and you even have Innate Full Soul Power. This Pendant should return to its rightful owner." After saying this, Old Jack hung the Pendant around Gu You's neck and rubbed his head.

Gu You lowered his head and looked at the Pendant Old Jack had put on him. Then he raised his head and saw Old Jack's moist eyes and wrinkled forehead. He threw himself into Old Jack's arms. "I don't care who gave birth to me. The person who raised and cared for me was you, Grandpa. No matter where I go or what kind of Soul Master I become, I'll always remember that I'm Gu You, the grandson of Jack, the village chief of Holy Soul Village."

Tears slid from Old Jack's moist eyes. Although Gu You was the child he had adopted, after six years together, Old Jack had long since come to regard him as his own child. That was why, if Gu You failed to become a Soul Master, Old Jack had planned to let him spend an ordinary and happy life in the village—even if Gu You discovered the truth and blamed him—instead of taking the Pendant to some great family and becoming embroiled in their intrigues, only to die tragically because he was not a Soul Master.

Old Jack hugged Gu You tightly and said in a low voice, "Good child, good child."

In the original story, Old Jack had children. You can consider this a change to the world caused by the Transmigrator. Also, please vote and bookmark.