Continuation

Old Jack crouched down and looked Tang Yin and Tang San in the face, feeling sorry for them. "Little Yin, Little San, I never expected you to have the talent to become Spirit Masters. What a pity that you have a father like that, with no good martial soul inheritance to pass on to you. Otherwise, perhaps one of you really could have become our village's second Spirit Saint. Tell Grandpa, would you be willing to attend a specialized school to learn how Spirit Masters cultivate? Only there can you find the most accurate knowledge about martial souls."

Tang San had already developed a deep interest in martial souls, especially since this martial soul was connected to his own Mysterious Heaven Skill. Still, he did not give a direct answer. "Grandpa Jack, we need to ask my father first." Tang Yin, however, understood that there was only one Work-Study Student spot in the village. Tang San could only develop if he went there. As for himself, he had the system, so it made no difference where he was. Tang Yin said bluntly, "Grandpa Jack, I don't want to go. I'll stay home and take care of Dad."

Jack suddenly realized it. Right, no matter how sensible Tang San was, he was still just a child. They had to ask Tang Hao's opinion. As for Tang Yin, he understood that the boy wanted to give the Work-Study Student spot to his younger brother. What a good child. A determined light appeared in his eyes. Though he truly did not want to see that wretched fellow, for the sake of producing another Spirit Master from the village, he could not worry about such things.

"Come on, Little Yin, Little San. Grandpa will take you home." Old Jack first sent back the other children and had their parents take them away, then brought the two of them back to the blacksmith shop. Morning was Tang Hao's usual sleeping time, and the shop was completely quiet.

"Tang Hao... Tang Hao." Old Jack did not care whether Tang Hao was sleeping. He truly loathed that slovenly blacksmith. If not for the cheap farm tools Tang Hao forged, and for Tang Yin and Tang San, he would have kicked Tang Hao out of the village long ago. Tang Yin found Old Jack a chair to sit on. Everything in the house had been made by him, but it was all sturdy.

"Who's making such a racket?" Tang Hao's faintly angry voice sounded. The curtain to the inner room was pulled aside, and he slowly walked out. He saw his sons first before shifting his gaze to Jack. "Old Jack, what is it?"

Jack said irritably, "Today is the day your sons awakened their martial souls. Don't you know how important that is? Other families have both parents accompany them, but you're still the same as ever."

Tang Hao acted as if he had not heard Jack's sarcasm and looked at his sons again. "Your martial souls awakened? What are they?"

Tang Yin and Tang San answered at the same time, "Dad, Blue Silver Grass."

"Blue Silver Grass?" For some reason, Tang Hao, who had always shown little interest in anything around him, suddenly trembled when he heard those words. A peculiar light also appeared in his eyes. Only Tang San noticed the change in Tang Hao's expression. Naturally, Old Jack did not care what expression a washed-up blacksmith wore and said directly, "Although it's Blue Silver Grass, Little San has Innate Full Soul Power. Tang Hao, I've decided that this year's Work-Study Student spot will go to Little San. He'll study at Nuoding City Junior Spirit Master Academy. The village will cover his travel expenses."

"Blue Silver Grass, Blue Silver Grass." Tang Hao muttered the words twice, then suddenly raised his head. A resolute light Tang San had never seen before shone in his eyes as he said heavily, "No."

"What did you say? Did I hear that right?" Jack dug at his ear and stared at Tang Hao in shock. "You should know how precious this opportunity is. Even though Sacred Soul Village once produced a Spirit Saint, we only get one spot a year. Other villages have to share a single spot between two or three villages, do you understand? This is a great opportunity. Maybe Little San can become someone important in the future."

Tang Hao gave Jack a cold look. "What use is becoming someone important? 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 martial soul can cultivate into? It's nothing but a useless martial soul." Old Jack roared, "But he has Innate Full Soul Power! As long as he obtains one Soul Ring, even the lowest-quality Soul Ring, he can immediately become a Spirit Master. A Spirit Master, do you understand? Our village hasn't produced a single Spirit Master in many years." Tang Hao said calmly, "So that's your real purpose. I said no, and that means no. You can leave."

"Tang Hao!" The anger in Old Jack's chest had reached its limit. Tang Hao still looked lazy and listless. "No need to shout so loudly. I'm not deaf. I said you can leave."

"Grandpa Jack, don't be angry. I'll persuade him properly. He'll definitely agree." Although Jack deeply despised Tang Hao, he liked the sensible Tang Yin very much. The fury filling his chest gradually subsided. With a long sigh, he said, "Good child, Grandpa isn't angry. All right, Grandpa is leaving." With that, he turned and headed outside, and Tang Yin saw him out.

"I agree that Little San should go to Nuoding City Junior Spirit Master Academy. I have the final say in this matter, so don't interfere." Tang Yin spoke bluntly to Tang Hao.

"No!" Tang Hao still objected. "You saw Little San's talent too. He can't stay cooped up in the mountains for his whole life. He should go out and see the world." Tang Hao's gaze wavered.

"Brother, then what about you?" Tang San hurriedly asked. "My talent isn't good. I'll stay home and take care of Dad. You can go to school."

"But..." Before Tang San could finish, Tang Yin cut him off. "No buts. I'm your brother. If I tell you to go, then you go." Tang San was deeply moved. He had been an orphan in his previous life, so he cherished the family affection of this life all the more. Tang San said nothing further. Tang Yin held a place in his heart like that of a mother, so he could only silently remember everything.

Tang Hao slowly opened his eyes. Tang San saw agitation in them. Unknowingly, Tang Hao's right fist had clenched tight, and an extremely cold aura appeared on his already aged face. "Spirit Masters? What use are Spirit Masters? Let alone a useless martial soul, even the strongest martial soul and the most powerful Spirit Master—what use are they? They're nothing but trash."

Tang Hao was extremely agitated. His body was trembling, and Tang San vaguely saw something glistening in his father's eyes.

Tang Yin hurriedly took Tang Hao's hand. "All right, all right. At your age, don't get so worked up. Be careful not to hurt yourself from getting too excited."

Tang San also held Tang Hao's fist. "Dad, don't be angry. I won't become a Spirit Master, then. I'll stay with you and cook for you forever."

Taking a deep breath, Tang Hao's agitation came quickly and faded just as quickly. He said lightly, "Show me your martial souls."

"Okay." The two of them extended their right hands at the same time, and a small blue-green blade of grass appeared. However, compared with Tang San's, the Blue Silver Grass in Tang Yin's hand

Staring blankly at the Blue Silver Grass in their hands, Tang Hao fell into a daze. Only after a long while did he gradually recover. The light in his eyes flickered uncertainly as he muttered, "Blue Silver Grass. It really is Blue Silver Grass. Just like hers."

Suddenly, Tang Hao sprang to his feet and turned toward the inner room. The abrupt movement nearly knocked Tang San, standing before him, to the ground, and the Blue Silver Grass martial soul in his hand vanished on its own.

"Dad!" Tang San hurriedly called. Tang Hao waved his hand impatiently. "Don't bother me." With that, he lifted the curtain and entered the inner room.

"But I have another martial soul." Tang San finally voiced the difference he had discovered after today's Spirit Awakening. He had not asked Su Yuntao or Jack about it, after all. They were only outsiders.

He remembered what his brother had taught him: there was no need to hide anything before family. We would always support him.

Tang Yin did not like the Tang San from the original story, so he had instilled in him the ideals of the twenty-first century from a young age. Tang San had long forgotten the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record completely. Now, he regarded Tang Yin's words as the standard for his own conduct.