It'll Cost You More!

What was Holy Soul Village like? Even if Tang Hao did not care, he had lived here for six years and knew well enough.

Let alone twenty Gold Soul Coins, Old Jack, the village chief, would be doing well to come up with five.

So where had Zhu Rong gotten those twenty Gold Soul Coins?

"Kid, where did you get these Gold Soul Coins?"

Tang Hao asked as if he did not care.

How he had gotten them was not important. What mattered was that Tang Hao feared Zhu Rong might change his mind and join Spirit Hall after accepting those coins!

For a genius like Zhu Rong, even if Tang Hao had to tie him up, he would never let him join Spirit Hall!

After hearing Tang Hao's words, Zhu Rong looked left and right, as though he were afraid someone might see him.

After a while, Zhu Rong finally said to Tang Hao with some pride,

"I found them! After I beat Tang San up yesterday, I found them on my way back. Even my grandpa doesn't know!"

Tang Hao: ...

You beat up my son, and I've already been generous enough not to cause you trouble! Yet you're bragging about it right in front of me!

You've gone too far!

"He's still just a child!"

Tang Hao found himself an excuse and calmed down.

"Blacksmith, that's ten Gold Soul Coins! How much iron would you have to forge to earn that much? So, will you consider it?"

Zhu Rong hurriedly said, seemingly afraid Tang Hao would refuse.

Was this a joke? Did he not understand what Tang Hao was thinking now?

Tang Hao would definitely help him, but he simply did not want to agree so easily.

Having calmed himself a little, Tang Hao said leisurely,

"Kid, soul beasts aren't easy to deal with."

Tang Hao folded his arms, looking as if he remained unmoved.

Found them? Was this kid really that lucky?

He did not doubt Zhu Rong's words. From what he had learned about Zhu Rong over the past few days, the boy was smart and did not lie.

If he could lie, he would not have said he beat up Tang Hao's son...

Seeing that Tang Hao was "unwilling" to help, Zhu Rong blinked, looking shocked.

After a long pause, Zhu Rong lowered his head and said somewhat dejectedly,

"Then I'll go into the city and ask Tao Ge for help. Tao Ge is a Soul Grandmaster with two soul rings. He should be able to help..."

At that, Zhu Rong turned to leave, muttering to himself as he walked,

"I heard hiring someone to hunt soul beasts is expensive. I wonder if this will be enough..."

Hearing that Zhu Rong intended to seek help from someone at Spirit Hall, Tang Hao's anger surged instantly, though he quickly suppressed it.

This kid had never seen much of the world in this backwater village.

The only soul master he knew was the Soul Grandmaster from Spirit Hall who had helped him undergo Martial Soul Awakening. If he did not ask that man for help, who else could he ask?

As for Tang Hao himself, given how clever the kid was, he had probably guessed Tang Hao was a soul master. He simply did not know Tang Hao's soul master title.

"Kid, that little money of yours isn't enough to hire a Soul Grandmaster, much less one who's a deacon of Spirit Hall."

Tang Hao said with a dark expression to Zhu Rong, who had turned and was preparing to "leave."

Zhu Rong turned back with a "blank look" on his face and stared seriously at Tang Hao.

Tang Hao: ...

He truly felt helpless.

Had he known, he would not have wasted so many words with Zhu Rong. If Zhu Rong had offered ten Gold Soul Coins, he should have just taken the ten and gone.

Once the kid grew up a little, he would naturally understand how great Tang Hao's help was now. Why make things so troublesome?

Not understanding things now did not mean the child would remain ignorant after growing up...

"But I only have twenty Gold Soul Coins. School starts in three months. When I go to the academy, I need to leave some Gold Soul Coins for Grandpa so he can live a better life..."

Zhu Rong "honestly" took another ten Gold Soul Coins from his pocket, his words full of genuine feeling.

When he left for the academy, he would naturally leave Old Jack a huge sum of money. Still, Zhu Rong understood the principle of not flaunting one's wealth.

He had already thought of the excuse: they were from his mysterious master...

Seeing how filial Zhu Rong was, Tang Hao nodded in satisfaction.

Knowing how to repay kindness was good! Very good!

The more Zhu Rong was like this, the happier Tang Hao became!

Only this way would Zhu Rong, after "returning to his ancestral clan," spare no effort in helping the Clear Sky Sect return to its former peak!

"Kid, soul beasts aren't easy to deal with. You'll have to pay more!"

Zhu Rong grumbled inwardly. Tang Hao was truly shameless!

With so few Gold Soul Coins, he could casually do almost anything and earn more than this.

Not only did Tang Hao want to help, he wanted Zhu Rong to think it had not come easily. Screw that.

I'm not repaying your favor, you bastard!

Zhu Rong's lips twitched slightly as he said somewhat "embarrassedly,"

"Blacksmith, how about eleven Gold Soul Coins? I don't have any more. At worst, I'll go by myself!"

By the end, Zhu Rong looked ready to march to his death.

Would I dare let you go by yourself? If the ancestors found out, they'd probably crawl out of their graves and kill me...

Tang Hao nodded and took the eleven Gold Soul Coins from Zhu Rong's hand, acknowledging the "deal."

If I'd known I would have to put on such an act to trick Tang Hao, I should have gone to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! Wouldn't it have been nice to be cherished there? Damn Tang Hao, damn Tang San...

If Zhu Rong had not seen the Clear Sky Hammer when Tang San underwent Martial Soul Awakening, things would not have developed into this mess.

I shouldn't have gone through the motions in the first place. Wouldn't it have been better to take Grandpa and seek refuge with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?

Tricking Tang Hao or tricking someone else, what was the difference? Zhu Rong was currently being forced onto this path...

With the Armor of Resurrection, a divine life-saving item, he was not afraid of dying now. But that life-saving item could only be used by him!

Old Jack was his only family in this world, his weakness.

It would be fine if his enemies did not know. But if they found out...

"Kid, what? Can't bear to part with those Gold Soul Coins?"

Seeing Zhu Rong look utterly lost after taking his payment, Tang Hao thought Zhu Rong could not bear to part with the money and spoke up.

Hearing Tang Hao's voice, Zhu Rong finally came back to his senses and said full of resentment,

"What do you mean, 'those Gold Soul Coins'? Blacksmith, have you ever seen this many Gold Soul Coins?"

Tang Hao: ...

This many?

Though the Clear Sky Sect was not as wealthy as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, before it sealed itself away, it had never lacked money.

Eleven Gold Soul Coins were nothing...

Zhu Rong did not truly care about this little money. He was merely venting some of his resentment through this matter.

Even beating Tang San up once had earned him more than this.

"Since I've taken your Gold Soul Coins, tell me, when are you going to obtain your soul ring?"

"We leave now! Otherwise, why would I have come looking for you?"

"Now?"

Tang Hao frowned. He had not expected Zhu Rong to be such a man of action, ready to leave the moment he said so. Still, Tang Hao had nothing else to do, so it did not matter when they left.

And so, Tang Hao and Zhu Rong set off...

They left in such a hurry that Tang Hao did not leave Tang San a note or anything of the sort.

"Hmm, where did Dad go?"

Tang San, who had gone out to train before dawn, had just returned home and found Tang Hao gone. He asked in confusion.