The Saint Soul Village That Produced Countless Gods [Please Collect]

In the dead of night, when one could not see their hand before their face and everyone else was still deep in dreams, a child of only five or six had already dressed himself and stepped out of the tiny home that could barely keep out the wind and rain.

Under cover of darkness, he carried firewood, lit the fire, added water and rice, then stood on a stool beside the stove as he expertly prepared breakfast for two.

Once everything was ready, he left the house and sprinted up the mountain to begin his morning training.

Only after the sky had fully brightened did he return from the mountaintop and ladle the watery porridge from the pot into bowls.

His father was the village's only blacksmith. Though his income was decent, his alcoholism meant breakfast could only be this meager.

After breakfast, his father, reeking of alcohol, returned to his room for more sleep, while he continued cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Skill he had brought from his previous life.

That morning, Tang San took on two jobs, both repairing farming tools.

Near noon, he climbed onto a wooden stool again and prepared lunch for the two of them.

In the afternoon, Tang's Father lit the forge and began working, while Tang San retreated into the house to continue cultivating his internal energy.

That evening, after working half the day, Tang's Father took the money he had earned and went out drinking. Tang San could only estimate a small portion of rice for himself to fill his stomach.

After dinner, Tang San completed his evening training, cleaned himself up, and crawled beneath the blankets to fall into a deep sleep.

Days like this seemed as though they would never end.

Yet Tang's Father's nightlife had only just begun.

The small tavern in Saint Soul Village.

Tang's Father ordered a cup of cheap ale and drained it in one gulp, no different from those lazy men who merely muddled through life.

The tavern owner, who was also the bartender before them, was enthusiastically chatting with several regulars.

"The Awakening Ceremony is almost here. My son will definitely become a Soul Master."

"Haha, Boss, your Martial Soul is a wine barrel. What Martial Soul could your son awaken? Wouldn't it just be a wine barrel too?"

"What cultivation potential can a wine barrel have? Throw it at someone to smash them? Or can a wine barrel explode?"

"Maybe drinking the wine from the barrel could increase one's strength."

"In that case, his son would be a pretty good Food System Soul Master."

The regulars teased the tavern owner they knew so well with a few casual remarks.

The Tavern Owner was not offended and continued smiling. "I'm not asking for much. As long as my son can cultivate and obtain a Soul Ring, he'll receive a Gold Soul Coin subsidy every month."

"Haha, are you planning to freeload off Spirit Hall until you die?"

"The hell are you laughing at? Being able to freeload off Spirit Hall is a skill too. Our village hasn't had many people over the years who could receive even a single Gold Soul Coin from Spirit Hall." The tavern owner smiled. "Then he can inherit this little tavern, and he'll never have to worry about food or drink."

"..."

Tang's Father lowered his head. No one could see his expression, nor did anyone care to.

For all these years, he had always been like this—sitting in the tavern's farthest corner, drinking the cheapest ale, looking gloomy, and never saying a word.

"Hey, Tang Hao, your Xiao San is six years old too. He should be attending this year's Awakening Ceremony, right?" The Tavern Owner handed him a second cup of ale. "Speaking of which, after his Martial Soul Awakening, you should start thinking about the kid's future."

"Although blacksmithing is a lowly profession, at least it puts food on the table. Why not pass your blacksmithing skills on to Xiao San?"

"That's right, Tang Hao. Xiao San isn't a drunkard like you. If he becomes a blacksmith, not only will he have enough to eat and drink, he can save up some money and marry a wife." The regular beside them chimed in.

"But Xiao San is too skinny. With those thin arms and legs, he probably can't even lift a forging hammer."

"You're fat, but could you lift a forging hammer when you were six? Besides, all the money Tang Hao earns from blacksmithing goes toward his drinking. How could Tang San possibly put on any weight?"

"That's true. Hey, Tang Hao, Xiao San is a good kid. Don't ruin his future. Don't let him grow up unable to even swing a forging hammer."

Although the village children looked down on Tang San because of his name and family, the adults in the village spoke highly of him.

After all, everyone saw Tang San as a good child. From the age of four, he had cooked every day for his unreliable drunkard father, and he was always proper in speech, conduct, and the way he treated others.

How could such a good child have such a father?

"..." Tang Hao remained silent, then drained his cup again.

He shoved the cup back into the Tavern Owner's hand and waved for another.

Tang Hao was incredibly strong, pushing the Tavern Owner back a step.

"With strength like that, you're destined to spend your whole life hammering iron." The Tavern Owner muttered as he walked away.

The Tavern Owner knew Tang Hao was a man with a story, but what did that matter? He was now worse off than they were. If he wanted to drink his fill, he could only drink the cheapest, poorest-quality ale, while his well-behaved son could barely fill his stomach at home.

The next day, at breakfast.

"Father." Tang San suddenly called out. "Can I use this piece of iron?"

Tang Hao's gaze shifted to the pig iron. "Hm? There's Iron Essence in this?" He walked over, lowered his head to inspect it, then turned to Tang San. "Do you want to become a blacksmith in the future?"

Tang San nodded. "Father, you're getting older. In a few years, when I'm bigger, teach me how to forge kitchenware so I can take over your work."

Tang Hao was slightly dazed. Remembering the Tavern Owner's words from yesterday, he murmured, "Being a blacksmith... doesn't seem too bad."

And so, Tang San began learning how to forge iron.

At lunchtime, the Tavern Owner, who had gone to bed very late, had only just climbed out of bed. Sitting at the dining table, he watched with satisfaction as his son dutifully handed him his chopsticks.

People all said Tang San was sensible, but in the Tavern Owner's eyes, his own son was no less sensible than Tang San. Tang San only seemed more filial because he had a drunkard for a father.

At the table, the Tavern Owner told his son about Tang Hao's situation from yesterday, while his son revealed a strange smile.

"Dear, everyone walks their own path. Why are you worrying about Tang Hao's family? Xiao San is sensible. He definitely won't starve in the future. You should worry about our Zhang Yang instead."

The Tavern Owner's Wife said this from the side.

"Dad, Mom, I'm full. I'll head back to my room first." The child called Zhang Yang finished eating, gathered the bones from the table into his bowl, and carried it into the kitchen.

"Oh, right, son. I put the book on the table in your room. Did you see it?" Remembering something, the Tavern Owner hurriedly asked.

"I saw it. I've already been reading it all morning." His son's voice came from the kitchen.

"Mm."

His son returned to his room to read, and the couple once again wore satisfied smiles.

"With our son's eagerness to learn and that clever head of his, even if Heaven were blind, he'd definitely awaken Soul Power." The Tavern Owner laughed.

"Hurry up and eat. You're so slow—aren't you opening the tavern at noon?" The Tavern Owner's Wife scolded him. "Elementary Soul Master Academy costs so much for six years of tuition and living expenses. Have you saved enough?"

"What's there to worry about? Doesn't our village have one Work-Study Student slot every year? Tuition and lodging are free." The Tavern Owner looked pleased with himself. That Work-Study Student slot could save the family quite a bit of money.

"What about Intermediate Soul Master Academy? Our son is so smart. Do you think Elementary Soul Master Academy alone will be enough? Intermediate Soul Master Academy doesn't have Work-Study Student slots. When the time comes, the tuition will be over a hundred Gold Soul Coins a year. Will this lousy tavern be enough?"

Yes, Zhang's Mother did not doubt for a moment that her well-behaved son would awaken Soul Power.

Inside the room, Zhang Yang held a book and listened to the sounds outside, his face full of speechlessness.

Had his parents never considered the possibility that he might not awaken Soul Power?

Besides, even if I can awaken Soul Power, that Work-Study Student slot will definitely belong to Tang San. He has Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power.

However, the Martial Soul Tang San revealed was only Blue Silver Grass. As long as my Innate Soul Power is a little higher and I awaken an offensive Martial Soul, it's not certain who will get that Work-Study Student slot.

If I really squeeze Tang San out and become the Work-Study Student, then I'll be the one living in Dormitory 7 with Xiao Wu. As for Tang San, he'll either give up the path of becoming a Soul Master, or...

No, judging by the Tang father and son's personalities, Tang San will definitely take the path of a Soul Master. As for tuition... what a joke. He's Tang Hao. Even in such dire straits, getting tuition for his son would be effortless for him, wouldn't it?

Besides, considering how much old Jack likes Tang San, and how much better Zhang Yang's family circumstances are than the Tang family's, I might not actually be able to snatch that Work-Study Student slot from him.

Thinking this, Zhang Yang could not help scratching his head. Why was he even thinking about stealing the protagonist's opportunity? Who had given him the nerve?

Not every transmigrator was destined to be the child of the world.

Tang San was the child of the world because he was the author's favorite. Even the female lead had been designed based on the author's wife.

Wouldn't it be a little wrong for me to covet someone else's wife?

Come to think of it, transmigration qualifications really did not discriminate. He had merely been quietly working at a studio translating One Piece into Chinese. How had he suddenly transmigrated?

And even if he had transmigrated, shouldn't he have gone to the world of One Piece?

What was this Douluo Continent world about?

It had absolutely nothing to do with him.

Thinking of the Awakening Ceremony being held in a few days, Zhang Yang found himself unable to focus on anything.

Should I... go to the Blacksmith Shop again and make myself familiar to the Clear Sky Douluo and the future Sea God?