Don't Tell Tang San

Tang San jogged all the way home, having long since thrown gathering firewood Beyond The Clouds, and rushed straight inside.

"Dad!"

He pushed open the creaking room door and, sure enough, saw Tang Hao still lying in bed, holding a wine bowl and leisurely drinking his after-meal wine. He had seen this scene countless times since childhood and was already used to it.

After Tang San awakened his Twin Martial Souls, Tang Hao's attitude had improved slightly, but only to the extent that he no longer ignored him completely. His tone was still far from gentle.

"What is it? Didn't you go up the mountain to gather firewood? Why are you back so soon?"

But to Tang San, who had lacked affection since childhood, this was already rare "warmth." He did not feel that Tang Hao was being perfunctory at all. Instead, he quickly walked to the bedside, caught his breath, and said:

"Dad, I have something to ask you. Once I'm done asking, I'll go gather firewood."

"Ask. Don't keep me from sleeping." Tang Hao took a gulp of wine without even lifting his eyelids.

"Dad, do we have Tungsten Steel Hammers at home? Or rather, have we ever lost a pair of Hundred Refinements Tungsten Steel Hammers?"

Tang San's eyes gleamed with anticipation, and he could not hide his excitement. As long as Tang Hao nodded, he would have a reason to find Lin Xuan and snatch back that precious pair of Tungsten Steel Hammers.

At the words "tungsten steel" and "hundred refinements," Tang Hao's hand holding the wine bowl paused slightly. He then continued drinking as if nothing had happened, but beneath the bowl, his eyes instantly turned icy cold.

He had long suspected that something was wrong with Tang San's identity. There were always too many strange places about this child that exceeded his age.

Tungsten steel was a rare material, and hundred refinements was advanced craftsmanship. He had never taught him such knowledge, nor was there anyone in Sacred Soul Village who could have taught him. Yet Tang San could blurt it out without even bothering to hide it. This was practically an insult to his intelligence!

"No."

Tang Hao set down his wine bowl and answered irritably.

"Our family is just an ordinary blacksmith shop. How could we afford something as valuable as tungsten steel? Forget hundred refinements—even ordinary forged ironware is enough for us to use for a long time.

Don't waste your thoughts on such useless things. If you want to practice blacksmithing, hurry up and go up the mountain to gather firewood."

"Yes..." The excitement on Tang San's face instantly faded. He lowered his head in disappointment and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Tang Hao suddenly spoke. "Where did you see the Hundred Refinements Tungsten Steel Hammer you mentioned?"

The repetitive, uneventful days in Sacred Soul Village were already boring enough. Coupled with the blacksmith's instincts in his bones, he felt a little more curious about such a rare forged item.

Tang San immediately stopped and hurriedly told him everything.

"It was Lin Xuan, the one who awakened the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul just like me! I saw him holding a pair of Hundred Refinements Tungsten Steel Hammers, and I thought he had stolen them from our home."

"Lin Xuan?" Tang Hao still had some impression of that name.

Other than Tang San, he was the only child in the village who persisted in exercising every day.

However, after observing him for a while, Tang Hao had concluded that the child was merely training blindly, with nothing unusual about him. He was nothing like Tang San, who was hiding secrets.

For an ordinary child to persist in training for three years just to awaken Soul Power showed enough perseverance to earn Tang Hao a little good impression.

Unfortunately, Innate Level 3 Soul Power was too low. He was destined to achieve little, and at best, his future would end at the rank of Soul Ancestor.

"Enough. I know about his family." Tang Hao waved his hand, his tone flat.

"His maternal grandfather used to be the village blacksmith. It's perfectly normal for him to have left behind two small hammers. Stop overthinking it."

He had long noticed that Tang San had been secretly making something. Clearly, he had his eye on Lin Xuan's Tungsten Steel Hammers.

This child was deep-minded. To be so greedy at such a young age only made Tang Hao more determined to use Tang San for revenge.

Such a "scum" had taken over his son's body. Even if he committed sins, Tang Hao did not need to feel sorry for him. He could simply consider it as accumulating virtue for his real son.

"Yes, Dad."

Tang San lowered his head, his heart filled with unwillingness. But since even Tang Hao said so, he could only give up and turn back toward the mountain to gather firewood.

Watching Tang San's receding back view, Tang Hao muttered to himself, "Hmph. If you weren't still somewhat useful, why would I let scum like you occupy my son's body?"

On the other side, after returning home, Lin Xuan thoroughly began living a secluded life.

He no longer went to the back mountain to hammer rocks. Instead, he trained at home by swinging the Tungsten Steel Hammers through the air, afraid that Tang San might ambush him with hidden weapons—given Tang San's personality, he might resort to anything to obtain what he could not have.

Two months quietly passed amid Lin Xuan's regular training and daily life.

During this time, his Soul Power Control underwent a qualitative leap. The range of shared vision through Blue Silver Grass expanded to two meters. At the same time, he had fully absorbed the forging knowledge synchronized from the Tang Wulin Template and mastered quite a few practical forging skills. He had even begun considering getting a part-time job as a blacksmith after arriving in Nuoding City.

The only thing that left him helpless was that his Soul Power Level was still improving slowly. He estimated that he would have to wait another two months before breaking through to Level 4 Soul Power.

"Tang Wulin's talent in the early stage really is awful."

Lin Xuan could not help complaining, but he could only patiently wait for the template synchronization.

To prepare enough living expenses, Lin Xuan reluctantly sold the more than ten mu of land left behind by his parents, then slaughtered all the pigs and chickens at home and dried them into dried meat.

After a period of busyness, he gained currency worth Thirteen Gold Soul Coins, along with a large bag of heavy dried meat food.

On the day of departure, Lin Xuan packed a giant bundle stuffed with clothes, bedding, dried meat, and daily necessities. The bundle nearly concealed his entire body, making him exactly like an ant moving house.

However, he did not care at all—the bundle looked huge, but it actually weighed only over a hundred jin. With his current physical fitness, carrying it was effortless.

Besides the sudden increase in strength, his endurance had improved as well. As long as he had enough food, carrying these things while walking for a day would not be a problem.

"Xiao Xuan, why did you prepare so many things?"

When Old Jack saw the giant bundle on Lin Xuan's back, he was instantly dumbfounded.

"It's so heavy. Can you carry it? How about I get you an ox cart?"

No one was sending Tang San to school because his popularity was too poor, but Lin Xuan was different. He was sensible and polite, so the villagers would certainly be willing to help send him there in support of his studies. After all, he was Sacred Soul Village's first child in many years to truly be going to a Soul Master Academy for further study.

"No need, Village Chief Grandpa." Lin Xuan hurriedly stopped Old Jack.

"I can carry it. Most of it is bedding, so it's not heavy."

The village's ox carts usually had to haul goods and plow fields. They were never free, and he did not want to owe anyone favors or delay their work.

To prove that he was not lying, Lin Xuan even lightly hopped a few times with the giant bundle on his back. His movements were relaxed and natural, without the slightest sign of strain.

"Alright." Seeing this, Old Jack nodded, feeling more and more approval. Lin Xuan was not only sensible, but also so capable. He truly was a child from Sacred Soul Village—frugal and able to endure hardship.

He suddenly looked left and right. After confirming that no one was around, he took a small money bag from his arms and quietly stuffed it into Lin Xuan's hand.

"Oh, right. This is for you. It's a token of the villagers' goodwill. Every child who awakens Soul Power receives this subsidy, but it has been a long time since our village produced a child with Soul Power, so everyone specially gathered this for you. You're the only one who has it, so don't tell Tang San."

Lin Xuan curiously opened the money bag and was stunned at once—it was packed full of Silver Soul Coins, gleaming dazzlingly.

"Each household contributed one Silver Soul Coin. This is our Sacred Soul Village tradition."

Old Jack lowered his voice as he explained.

"They weren't willing to contribute for Tang San. You must hide it well and not let him find out."

Lin Xuan's heart trembled. Sacred Soul Village had more than sixty households in total. One Silver Soul Coin from each household meant that the Silver Soul Coins in this money bag were worth a full Six Gold Soul Coins!

Added to the Thirteen Gold Soul Coins he had obtained from selling his land and livestock, he now had a total of Nineteen Gold Soul Coins—enough for him to live steadily at Nuoding Academy for a long time.

"Thank you, Village Chief Grandpa! Thank you, villagers!"

Lin Xuan gripped the money bag tightly, his eyes becoming slightly warm. In this unfamiliar world, the villagers of Sacred Soul Village had given him long-lost warmth. He cherished this bond deeply.

"Silly child, what are you thanking us for?" Old Jack patted his shoulder, his eyes full of expectation.

"When you get to the academy, study hard and cultivate well. Become a powerful Soul Master in the future and bring honor to our Sacred Soul Village!"

"I will!" Lin Xuan nodded heavily, committing this charge to heart.