The Hunt Ends, Return to Holy Soul Village

A week after leaving Holy Soul Village, Zhu Rong returned laden with gains.

The moment he entered the village, he ditched his "teammate," Tang Hao, and ran toward home.

It had been a week. Grandpa must have been worried, right?

Watching Zhu Rong run off, Tang Hao smiled. He was very satisfied with this soul hunt.

Although the four Soul Bones in his Storage Soul Tool were relatively low in age, two of them suited Tang San.

If Tang San fused with them now, they should be able to narrow the gap between him and Zhu Rong a little!

He had also been away from Tang San for a week. It was time to go back and see him.

He wondered how Tang San had managed this past week. He had left in a hurry without leaving any message...

"Little San has always been sensible. There shouldn't be any problems, right?"

With that thought in mind, Tang Hao headed toward his own thatched cottage.

"I'm so hungry!"

Tang San clutched his stomach, dizzy and weak as he muttered feebly.

Suddenly, his eyes flashed fiercely, and he said through gritted teeth:

"That damned Old Jack! After Dad left, he stopped bringing us rice and food!"

Tang San had completely forgotten the oath he made eight days ago.

Eight days ago, in the morning.

After Martial Soul Awakening:

"I, Tang San, am honorable and upright, standing tall beneath the heavens."

"I will never eat food given in charity!"

"You old bastard, even if I starve to death, I'll never eat another grain of your rice!"

Tang San selectively forgot about it, but those with a god's-eye view had not.

"Old Jack, Zhu Rong! Today's humiliation..."

Before Tang San could finish his declaration, Tang Hao kicked the thatched cottage door open.

The loud bang nearly made Tang San cry out in surprise.

"Dad?"

The instant he saw that familiar figure, tears streamed down Tang San's face.

Supporting his weak body, he staggered tremblingly over to Tang Hao. Like he had seized a lifeline, he grabbed Tang Hao's hand.

After Tang Hao left without saying a word, he had run out of food on the third day. He had survived these past few days entirely on water.

If he had not cultivated the Mysterious Heaven Skill to the later stages, Tang San might not have held on.

"Little San, what happened to you?"

Tang Hao looked at his son in confusion.

Tang San's face was swollen, his eyes unfocused. He looked even thinner than before and utterly listless.

"Dad..."

Tang San wanted to say something, but his aggrieved emotions seemed to lodge in his throat, leaving him unable to speak.

Seeing this, Tang Hao did not know what to say either. He could only stare fixedly at Tang San.

If it came to swinging a hammer, he was excellent at it.

But comforting people? Forget it. What did he know about that?

In Tang Hao's impression, Tang San had always been sensible since childhood. He could do this and that.

He had never made Tang Hao worry, much less cried.

But what was going on with Tang San now? Why was he crying like a child?

Thinking about it carefully, he really was still a child!

Seeing Tang Hao merely look at him without any intention of comforting him, Tang San felt even more miserable...

After a while, Tang San finally calmed down and said through sobs:

"Dad, where... where did you go? After you left, that Old Jack bullied me because I'm young and cut off our food supply..."

"I haven't eaten anything for four... four days..."

Bang...

The sudden noise made Tang San freeze in the middle of pouring out his grievances. He turned to look.

Only then did he realize that Tang Hao had smashed the door panel with his other hand!

Tang San looked up and saw Tang Hao's dark expression, his face full of fury.

"Old bastard!"

Tang Hao clenched his fists and squeezed out those three words through gritted teeth, but said nothing more.

Zhu Rong was Old Jack's adopted grandson. Old Jack had raised the most outstanding genius of his Clear Sky Sect.

Out of respect for Zhu Rong, he could not use violence against Old Jack.

Besides, Zhu Rong cared deeply about his grandfather now. If something happened to the old man, and it was Tang Hao who had acted...

"???"

Dad, keep going! Say it! Beat Old Jack to death...

Tang San waited for a long time, but Tang Hao never continued. He felt even worse!

He had previously mistaken Tang Hao for nothing more than a blacksmith. Only after what happened with Zhu Rong had he understood Tang Hao...

Wait, Zhu Rong?

That was right. Ever since Dad had left without a word, he had not seen Zhu Rong either!

Could it be...

Tang San came up with a bold guess!

One that was almost frighteningly close to the truth!

"Could Dad have taken Zhu Rong to see his parents? Or did Dad take Zhu Rong to obtain one of those soul rings?"

It was no wonder Tang San thought so. Tang Hao had said before that Zhu Rong was their blood relative, which meant they were very closely related!

Zhu Rong also possessed Innate Full Soul Power. He needed to obtain a soul ring before he could advance into a Soul Master.

Tang San had never seen a soul beast, but he was certain that in the entire village, aside from his father Tang Hao, no one could help Zhu Rong obtain a soul ring!

"Hiss..."

"Impossible, absolutely impossible! How could Dad abandon me just for Zhu Rong!"

While Tang San's thoughts ran wild, Tang Hao "pulled" his arm free from Tang San's grasp, then turned and walked outside.

"Little San, wait at home. Dad will find you something to eat."

Tang Hao did not turn back. After saying that, he walked away.

Tang San: ...

Meanwhile, Zhu Rong had returned home as well.

"Grandpa, I'm back!"

Before he even entered, Zhu Rong called out loudly.

The outside world might have been comfortable, but no one cared whether he was hungry or if he had eaten breakfast.

As soon as Zhu Rong's voice rang out, hurried footsteps immediately sounded from inside, as though someone was in great haste.

A few seconds later, Old Jack, leaning on his cane and glowing with vitality, came to the door and said:

"Oh, my good grandson is back! Come on, are you hungry? Grandpa cooked some porridge!"

Old Jack did not ask how the trip had gone or whether he had become a Soul Master.

What he cared about most right now was that Zhu Rong had returned safely.

He had heard that hunting soul beasts was extremely dangerous. If something had happened to Zhu Rong...

"Grandpa, if you hadn't mentioned it, I would've forgotten—I haven't even eaten breakfast yet! Hehe, I'll get the bowls and chopsticks..."

When Zhu Rong and Tang Hao arrived at Holy Soul Village, the sun had only just risen. Smoke was still curling from the villagers' chimneys.

"Grandpa, let's eat first. Later, I'll tell you about obtaining my soul ring!"

A real "story"!

Zhu Rong did not dare tell Old Jack about what had really happened on this trip. He feared Old Jack might get so worked up that he would drop dead on the spot.

He could only make up a smooth and uneventful story to fool Old Jack and make him happy.

"Good, good! My grandson has made something of himself! He's become a Soul Master! Hahaha... Holy Soul Village has another Soul Master!"

Zhu Rong ate while telling his story, and the grandfather and grandson were filled with joy.

Tang Hao, meanwhile, returned to the thatched cottage carrying several rabbits.

He had spent all his Gold Soul Coins on wine along the way to Soul Hunting Forest. Apart from the Soul Bones, he did not have a single coin left...