A Father's Deep Love

Slap—

Inside the somewhat stuffy Blacksmith Shop, the middle-aged man's face twisted into a savage grimace as he slapped Tang San across his tender cheek.

"Speak! I never told you to awaken your martial soul, so you stole money to do it, didn't you!?"

The slap sent Tang San stumbling back several steps on instinct. A burning pain immediately flared across his face, and a bright red handprint emerged on his cheek at a visible speed.

He gritted his teeth tightly, letting a trace of blood spill from the corner of his mouth. His voice seemed to squeeze out through clenched teeth.

"This is money I earned myself."

"Earned money?"

Tang Ba seemed to have been enraged. His chest heaved violently. "At your age, what money could you possibly earn!? Stealing money would be one thing, but you've even learned to lie!?"

Then, as if he had thought of something, he forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart and asked coldly, "What martial soul did you awaken?"

Tang San immediately raised his hand. A crystal-clear azure blade of grass emerged from his palm. The sight of it swaying in the breeze made the veins on Tang Ba's forehead throb.

"Useless trash! You wasted money awakening Blue Silver Grass? What use is that!?"

As he spoke, Tang Ba raised his arm as if to strike him again. Just then, as though he had seen something unbelievable, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The Blue Silver Grass in Tang San's hand vanished. Then he raised his other hand, and a small black hammer appeared out of thin air in his grasp.

"T-Twin Martial Souls!?"

Tang Ba's voice trembled from the shock in his heart. In an instant, all his anger vanished without a trace. His throat bobbed as he grabbed Tang San by the shoulders and urgently asked, "Innate Soul Power—what's your Innate Soul Power!?"

"Level eight and a half."

"Good, good, good!"

Hearing that, Tang Ba said "good" three times in a row. Excited light burst from his eyes. "Twin Martial Souls! My son has Twin Martial Souls! My good son!"

He suddenly spread his strong arms and pulled Tang San tightly into his embrace. Only after a long while did he seem to realize something belatedly and say, "Little San, you must be hungry, right? Come on, Dad will take you out for something good to eat!"

With that, he took Tang San's hand and headed outside with a loud laugh.

"My son has Twin Martial Souls! My son is a genius!"

Feeling his father's broad palm, Tang San's nose stung slightly. In his previous life, even after Tang Hao learned that he possessed Twin Martial Souls and full Innate Soul Power, he had only hugged him once. Yet in this life, Tang Ba not only proudly announced it everywhere, but even took him out to eat in celebration. Wasn't this the fatherly love he had always longed for?

After three lifetimes, he had finally felt the deep love of a father!

One year later.

Two youthful figures walked along the official road. In the distance, the outline of Shrek City could vaguely be seen.

"Once you're at Shrek, don't reveal your martial soul's ability to devour Life Force unless absolutely necessary. Remember that, okay?"

"Mm-hmm." The girl nodded obediently. "You've already said it several times on the way here. But are you really sure you'll be fine going into the Star Dou Great Forest alone?"

The two were naturally Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya, who had traveled all the way from Heaven Dou City. With Gluttony Original Sin's help, Huo Yuhao's Soul Power Level had already reached level ten several months ago. However, so as not to worry Huo Yun'er, he had used escorting Tang Ya to Shrek for enrollment as an excuse to take a long trip.

Shrek City happened to be near the Star Dou Great Forest. After seeing Tang Ya off, he planned to enter and find Skydream Iceworm. He was only eight years old now, three years earlier than in his previous life. He would probably have to venture deeper this time in order to find him.

"Don't worry. I'll just find a Soul Ring in the outer region and come back. It's not like you haven't seen my strength."

Hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Tang Ya could not help rolling her eyes. She muttered in a sullen voice, "You clearly don't even have a Soul Ring. I really don't know how you're so powerful..."

In order to gain proficient control over Dark Blue Silver Grass's Devouring Ability, she had sparred with Huo Yuhao quite often over the past year. Clearly, she was the one with higher cultivation, yet she ended up getting beaten every single time.

Of course, although the process had been somewhat grueling, the training results were remarkable. She could now control her martial soul and make it devour only her opponent's soul power.

As for its ability to devour Life Force, Huo Yuhao had said that once her control improved further, he would teach her how to use it.

"Alright, let's go."

Huo Yuhao tugged at the corner of his mouth and did not explain anything. Leaving combat techniques aside, in terms of soul power alone, the level-ten soul power altered by Arrogance Original Sin was no worse than Tang Ya's nearly level-twenty soul power, whether in quantity or quality.

As they drew closer and closer to Shrek City, they could already see the registration area outside Shrek Academy. Although enrolling in Shrek Academy required a city lord's letter of recommendation, every city lord wrote more than one each year, so there were still many people who came to register. From afar, the crowds looked endless, creating a suffocating sense of pressure.

Realizing that it was almost time to part, Tang Ya looked at Huo Yuhao's back. As though she had made some kind of decision, she softly called his name.

"Yuhao."

"What is it?"

When he turned around, Tang Ya stepped in front of him, stretched out her arms, and swayed them as she muttered, "After I start school, we won't be able to see each other for a long time... I want a hug."

Huo Yuhao's face immediately darkened. He said irritably, "Haven't you hugged me enough already? Hug me at home if you want. There are so many people out here..."

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced around. Passersby, seemingly drawn by Tang Ya's exquisite appearance, were all casting curious looks in their direction. Under those gazes, Huo Yuhao inexplicably felt the shame of someone who had done something guilty.

Yet Tang Ya seemed utterly unconcerned. She swayed her arms again.

"This is different."

With her quirky, playful personality, Tang Ya was deeply loved by Huo Yun'er. Backed by her mother, she claimed to be injured after every training session and said she needed a hug to get better.

Having compromised once, Huo Yuhao had come to deeply understand the difference between zero times and countless times. Once his bottom line had been breached, even his mindset gradually began to grow numb.

But that had been hugging at home. Now, though...

After an intense internal struggle, Huo Yuhao still opened his arms and gently wrapped them around Tang Ya. A faint fragrance drifted into his nose. He had originally intended to leave it at that, but Tang Ya's hands tightened around him.

Before he could speak, Tang Ya's murmur sounded by his ear.

"Thank you."

Only then did Huo Yuhao's tense body relax slightly. He patted Tang Ya on the back and spoke with a soft laugh.

"Why are you still saying that? Hurry and go in."

"Mm."

With Tang Ya's soft acknowledgment, Huo Yuhao distinctly felt the head resting on his shoulder shift slightly. Her hair rustled, and a soft touch brushed across his cheek. Right after came the warm, supple sensation of the girl's lips, like a bold explorer making its way across his face until it reached its destination, then parted at once.

"I'm leaving."

Before Huo Yuhao could react, Tang Ya, her face flushed, lowered her head and merged into the crowd.

Because the Tang Sect had one admission exemption every year, Tang Ya completed her registration without taking the entrance test after revealing her identity.

"Little sister, are you a new student this year? I'm a third-year student. Could we get to know each other?"

The abrupt voice beside her made Tang Ya's expression turn cold at once. She stopped, turned her head toward the male student who had approached her, disgust flashing through her eyes. Opening her mouth, she said with utmost brevity, "Scram."

The fairly handsome male student's expression instantly stiffened. Before he could say anything, Tang Ya had already walked away.

Deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, in the mysterious Great Ominous Land, a three-eyed Soul Beast that looked somewhat like a lion raised its head, obvious confusion in its eyes.

"What's going on?"