Debate on the Strong

Old Jack said excitedly, "Tang Hao, do you know? Xiao San and Madara both have Innate Full Soul Power. They were born to be Soul Masters. I've decided—I must send both of them to Soul Master Academy."

Tang Hao stood there in a daze, as though lost in memories.

Then, as if realizing something, Tang Hao suddenly looked up and asked uncertainly, "You have Innate Full Soul Power too?"

Madara nodded indifferently without saying a word, as though Innate Full Soul Power was nothing precious.

Tang Hao gave Madara a complicated look, then said firmly to Village Chief Jack, "The village should only have one slot, right? Let Madara go. Forget about Xiao San."

"You don't need to worry about that! That Lord Soul Master said he would grant our village an extra slot and let Xiao San go too!" Jack earnestly tried to persuade him.

Tang Hao rose from his stool and said decisively, "No. Madara can go, Xiao San stays. He still has to cook for me."

"What did you say? Did I hear that right?" Jack dug at his ear and stared at Tang Hao in disbelief. "You should know how precious this opportunity is. Even though Sacred Soul Village once produced a Soul Saint, we only get one slot a year. That Lord Soul Master thinks highly of these two children, yet you won't let Xiao San go? He was born to be a Soul Master!"

Tang Hao shot Jack a cold glance. "What use is becoming a Soul Master? All I know is that if he leaves, no one will cook for me. Blue Silver Grass—what do you think a Blue Silver Grass spirit can cultivate into? It's just a Waste Spirit."

Old Jack shouted angrily, "But he has Innate Full Soul Power! As long as he obtains a soul ring, even one of the lowest quality, he can immediately become a Soul Master."

Tang Hao spread his hands and sneered. "So that was your real purpose. I said no, and I mean no. You can leave now."

"Tang—Hao—!" Old Jack's chest heaved violently as he bellowed.

Tang Hao still looked lazy and unconcerned. "No need to shout. I'm not deaf. I said you can leave."

"You! You! You!" Jack pointed at Tang Hao, so furious that he could not get a word out.

"Grandpa Jack, please don't be angry. I won't go study to become a Soul Master either. Father is right—Blue Silver Grass is just a Waste Spirit. Thank you for your kindness." Tang San hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over.

Madara remained silent at the side, staring at Tang Hao the entire time.

No father in the world did not love his son. Why was Tang Hao doing this?

"When did I say I wanted to go? Let Xiao San go. I'll stay behind." Madara suddenly spoke.

"What? Tang Hao, what kind of bewitching potion did you feed these two children?" Jack was already beside himself with rage, driving his cane fiercely into the ground.

"Brother, don't be rash!" Tang San tugged on Madara's sleeve and urged him.

Madara patted Tang San's arm to reassure him, then raised his head and slowly said to the two stunned men, "I'm not acting on impulse."

In Madara's view, a Soul Master Academy was probably no different from a Ninja School. There was nothing there that interested him.

After all, when Madara was six years old, he had already begun going to war and killing people. Naturally, he had no regard for those greenhouse flowers in Ninja School.

"Hmph, I'm done with this. You can decide for yourselves!" Jack snorted and strode out of the courtyard without looking back.

Polite as ever, Tang San ran outside to see Jack off. "Grandpa Jack, I'll walk you out."

Seeing the obedient and sensible Tang San come to see him off, Jack rubbed the boy's little head. "Child, having a father like that... sigh!"

"Grandpa Jack, please don't say that. With Father and Brother, I'm already very content." An optimistic smile appeared on Tang San's childish face.

"What a good child! You should try to persuade your father and brother too. Such a wonderful opportunity... sigh!" Jack shook his head and sighed.

Meanwhile, inside the Blacksmith Shop, Tang Hao and Madara faced each other.

"Why won't you go?" Tang Hao stood before Fang Xiao, looking down at him with an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Madara fearlessly raised his head to meet Tang Hao's eyes and said stubbornly, "I have my own path to walk. Don't force me."

Tang Hao said darkly, "Go or don't go, it's your freedom. But Tang San must stay. He has to learn blacksmithing from me."

"I can stay. But Xiao San must go. He still has to become strong!" Madara argued, as though no one could change his mind.

"Hahaha! Strong? So what if you become strong? Can that bring the dead back to life?" Tang Hao threw back his head and laughed, but his voice carried a profound desolation.

His aura was like that of a primordial beast. Even just a trace of it was enough to make the young Madara tremble all over.

Damn it, he's strong!

Madara suddenly felt that he might have underestimated this adoptive father of his.

Madara strained with all his might to straighten his back. Beads of sweat dripped from his chin, yet his eyes remained wild and unyielding.

I am Uchiha Madara. No one can make me kneel in submission!

"That's only because the weak aren't strong enough. Without power, where can wishes come from?!" Pinned down by Tang Hao's pressure, Madara exhausted every ounce of strength he had and shouted his ninja way until his voice turned hoarse.

This is my path!

At that very moment, strength miraculously surged from his seemingly exhausted body, allowing him to withstand Tang Hao's aura and slowly, painfully straighten his back.

"This is the spirit of the strong!" Like a young tiger, Madara let out his first roar upon Douluo Continent.

The spirit of the strong?

Looking at Madara, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, Tang Hao was inexplicably moved. The conviction in his heart that had been reduced to ashes seemed, under Madara's provocation, capable of sparking a few embers of hope once more.

This child had such exceptional talent, and an iron-like—no, an even stronger-than-iron will. In the future, he would surely become a Titled Douluo!

The thought flashed through Tang Hao's mind, yet he found it utterly absurd.

"Brother, what happened to you?" Tang San had just stepped through the door when he saw his brother in that state. He ran over anxiously, grabbed Madara to support him, and asked worriedly.

"I'm fine! My injuries just healed, so I'm a little tired." Looking like he had just recovered from a serious illness, Madara's face was pale as he forced himself to speak.

The moment Tang San entered, Tang Hao had withdrawn his aura and returned to being a filthy drunkard, as though the heroic figure whose presence had just overwhelmed all directions had been nothing more than a dream.

"Xiao San, let your brother go rest." Tang Hao waved a hand impatiently.

"I can walk on my own." Madara was still unaccustomed to being cared for. In his previous life, he had always been alone; no matter how great the hardships or obstacles, he had faced them himself.

Yet the concern of family still made his cold heart feel warm.

Tang Hao said flatly, "Right! Xiao San, release your martial spirit and let me see it."

Hearing this, Madara halted as well, turning his head slightly to glance back from the corner of his eye.

"Alright." Tang San nodded and raised his right hand. The Mysterious Heaven Skill within him stirred silently, and a faint blue glow appeared in his palm. In an instant, a small, shimmering Blue Silver Grass appeared.

Tang Hao stared blankly at the Blue Silver Grass in Tang San's hand, lost in thought. Only after a long while did he gradually recover, the light in his eyes flickering uncertainly as he murmured, "Blue Silver Grass... it really is Blue Silver Grass. Just like hers."

Suddenly, Tang Hao shot to his feet and turned toward the inner room. The abrupt movement nearly knocked Tang San over, and the Blue Silver Grass martial spirit in his hand vanished on its own.

Madara's expression turned cold as well.

"Dad!"

Tang Hao waved impatiently. "Don't disturb me." With that, he lifted the door curtain and entered the inner room.

"But... I have another martial spirit." Tang San still voiced the difference he had discovered after today's Spirit Awakening.

Then, Tang San extended his other hand. An ancient, simple little hammer condensed in his palm.

Then, as if he lacked the strength to hold it, his arm slowly drooped.

The corners of Madara's mouth lifted slightly. He raised the curtain and entered the room as though he did not care at all.

Behind him, Tang San stood there, small and helpless, while Tang Hao, overcome with excitement to the point of losing control, even embraced him.

How could my, Uchiha Madara's, little brother possibly be worthless?