Timely Help!

Red Mountain Academy.

"Fang Yang!"

A crisp voice came from behind him. At some point, Tang Wulin had already come up behind him, her bright eyes full of anticipation. "Would you come with me to buy a Soul Spirit? Help me pick one?"

Fang Yang froze for a moment, but an idea had already formed in his mind...

Before Fang Yang could speak, Tang Wulin grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the school gates. "Come on, come on! My dad is already waiting for me!"

Beneath a tree outside the school gates stood a figure.

Though Tang Ziran was plainly dressed, he stood tall, with a gentle yet sharp look in his eyes.

When he saw Tang Wulin approaching with a friend, a warm, approachable smile appeared on his face.

"Hello, Uncle Tang. I'm Wulin's friend, Fang Yang." Fang Yang hurriedly greeted him with a respectful bow.

Tang Ziran's gaze lingered on Fang Yang for a moment, and surprise flashed through his eyes. "So it's Fang Yang. The last time I saw you, your mother had brought you to awaken your Martial Soul."

He sighed softly. "In the blink of an eye, both you and Wulin are about to graduate. Time passes so quickly."

Tang Wulin urged, "Dad, let's hurry up and buy a Soul Spirit!"

The three of them arrived before the Spirit Pagoda. Tang Wulin looked up at the towering building, her eyes filled with longing.

As they entered the tower, they found a spacious, brightly lit circular hall surrounded by several archways leading who knew where.

Behind the semicircular counter in the center, a Spirit Transmitter in a gray robe was looking down at something.

Hearing their footsteps, he lazily raised his head. His gaze swept over Tang Ziran's plain clothes, and a trace of impatience appeared on his face.

"What do you want?"

Tang Ziran bowed respectfully. "Hello, sir Spirit Transmitter. I brought my son here to purchase a Soul Spirit. His Martial Soul has already reached level ten."

At those words, the Spirit Transmitter's enthusiasm faded even further.

He asked flatly, "Did you bring enough money?"

"We did!" Tang Wulin answered impatiently.

"What level of Soul Spirit are you looking to buy?" the Spirit Transmitter asked casually.

Tang Ziran looked slightly embarrassed. "Sir Spirit Transmitter, we don't know much about this. Could you explain it to us?"

The Spirit Transmitter frowned and said impatiently, "You came without finding out first?"

"In a small place like Aolai City, our Spirit Pagoda only offers three purchase methods: Ten-Year White Soul Spirits, Hundred-Year Yellow Soul Spirits, and Random Soul Spirits."

"There are seventy-three Ten-Year White Soul Spirits to choose from, and eleven Hundred-Year Yellow Soul Spirits. White Soul Spirits cost seventy thousand Federal Currency, while yellow ones cost one million. Which will you choose?"

The price left Tang Wulin instantly stunned. She blurted out, "Sir Spirit Transmitter, weren't Soul Spirits Thirty Thousand? How could they..."

Just then, Fang Yang slowly stepped forward. Once the Spirit Transmitter saw who it was, he immediately bowed respectfully. "Lord Fang Yang, you've come."

"I'm here with a friend. No need for formalities." Fang Yang waved a hand.

This scene left both Tang Ziran and his daughter dumbfounded.

Tang Wulin's eyes widened. "Fang Yang, you...?"

"I joined the Spirit Pagoda," Fang Yang said lightly.

Tang Ziran was shocked. As a former level-eight Mecha Master, he knew that the Spirit Pagoda was not something just any Soul Master could join. Only those with Exceptional Talent would receive an invitation.

It seemed Fang Yang was far from ordinary.

After Fang Yang appeared, the Spirit Transmitter's attitude improved noticeably. "Thirty Thousand is the price for a Random Soul Spirit. You might draw a ten-year one, or you might draw a Hundred-Year one. But the type is uncertain, and it may very well be incompatible with the Martial Soul. I do not recommend this option. It would be more beneficial for a Soul Master's path to directly purchase a suitable Ten-Year White Soul Spirit."

From the father and daughter's reactions, the Spirit Transmitter could tell that they could not afford a Hundred Year Soul Spirit.

But with Fang Yang present, he had no choice but to maintain a respectful and responsible attitude.

A person's two eyes were parallel, yet they could look at people unequally. A person's two ears were separate, yet they always loved hearing only one side. A person had only one mouth, yet loved speaking from both sides. The reason was the heart at work; attitude was the mask worn by the heart.

Those with ulterior motives wore different masks in different environments to conceal their true thoughts. Those without such motives did not hide what they truly thought and simply revealed their genuine feelings, making them unable to put on the mask of attitude.

Once a mask had been worn for too long, even one's true heart would change.

After hearing this, Tang Wulin turned to look at Tang Ziran. All her earlier excitement had vanished.

For a moment, Tang Ziran was overwhelmed with mixed emotions and did not know what to say.

"Son, let's choose a Random Soul Spirit. Your Blue Silver Grass is highly adaptable. It should be able to fuse with most Soul Spirits." Tang Ziran tried to make his voice sound relaxed.

The moment he finished speaking, pain suddenly spread from his chest.

Tang Ziran instinctively pressed a hand to his chest, and a thought flashed through his mind. If Wulin were my biological child, would I still let her suffer such humiliation?

"A random draw may yield a Hundred Year Soul Spirit, but it may also draw a defective product," the Spirit Transmitter reminded them.

Tang Ziran's eyes were full of confusion. "What is a defective product?"

"The creation of Artificial Soul Spirits does not succeed every time. Defective ones can still be fused, but their effects are far inferior to normal Soul Spirits. They are all placed into random draws to prevent anyone from exploiting loopholes."

The Spirit Transmitter glanced at their clothes. "Thirty Thousand Federal Currency is not a small sum for you. Please consider this carefully."

By now, Tang Wulin's eyes had gone dim. Three whole years of hard work, only to end up in such a predicament...

"Son, how about we go home first? Dad will think of another way for you..."

Tang Ziran's resolve wavered.

Yet Tang Wulin shook her head firmly. "Dad, you and Mom have already worked so hard. My Martial Soul is only Blue Silver Grass anyway. Let's gamble on it once."

Fang Yang stood to one side, his gaze quietly resting on Tang Wulin. It was not time yet...

After all, giving Timely help was better than adding flowers to brocade.

"Very well. Since you have chosen the random draw, you must first undergo a Spiritual Power test."

As he spoke, the Spirit Transmitter respectfully looked toward Fang Yang. "Lord Fang Yang, please come with us as well."

Inside the Testing Room, Tang Wulin's Spiritual Power value was displayed as thirty-eight.

"Next, we'll see how lucky you are." The Spirit Transmitter led them into an adjacent room.

In the end, as expected, Tang Wulin drew a Grass Snake Soul Spirit.

The Spirit Transmitter's expression changed slightly. "This is a defective Grass Snake Soul Spirit..."

Fantasy was beautiful, but reality was cruel.

Tang Ziran opened his mouth, but no sound came out...

Wulin said nothing. She merely picked up the Soul Spirit Crystal Ball and rushed out of the room without looking back.

"Wulin, wait!"

Tang Ziran hurriedly called after her. In that instant, he truly regretted it.

At that moment, Fang Yang sighed softly and spoke. "What other snake-type Soul Spirits are available now?"

"Lord Fang Yang, there are, there are! There are nine types of snake-type Soul Spirits in total," the Spirit Transmitter hurriedly replied.

"Go get me a Hundred Year Mandala Snake Soul Spirit."

"Yes!"

The Spirit Transmitter hurried away and soon returned carrying a Soul Spirit sphere glowing with a yellow aura.

Fang Yang placed the Soul Spirit into his Storage Ring and said gently to Tang Ziran, "Uncle Tang, I'll go check on Wulin."

The Spirit Transmitter respectfully saw him to the door. "Take care, Lord Fang Yang."