Vacation Arrives

No sooner said than done.

Bai Tang San closed his eyes, controlled the Soul Power within his body, and began attempting to reshape it.

The Soul Power that had originally flowed smoothly began to rotate under his will.

Faster and faster.

More and more violently.

In the end, it turned into a sharp drill!

"Break... for me!"

At that moment, the Sky Curtain thoughtfully displayed a holographic scan of the human body.

Everyone could see it clearly.

That spiral-shaped Soul Power, carrying an unstoppable momentum, slammed viciously into the "Yongquan Acupoint" beneath Bai Tang San's foot.

Boom!

Bai Tang San's body trembled violently in reality. His face instantly went pale, and bead-sized drops of sweat rolled down.

Pain!

It felt like red-hot blades were cutting through his Meridians!

Yet he clenched his teeth tightly and did not make a sound.

"Again!"

Boom!

The second impact.

A crack appeared in the sturdy barrier surrounding the Yongquan Acupoint.

The Soul Power drill spun even more frantically.

"Break!!!"

With a crisp sound that only he could hear.

The Yongquan Acupoint opened!

In that instant.

The previously congested Soul Power seemed to find an outlet and surged in wildly.

The Soul Power that had undergone Spiral Pressurization was purified and compressed once more the moment it passed through the Acupoint.

The originally gaseous Soul Power even faintly showed signs of liquefying!

Its circulation speed increased by ten percent!

"It worked."

Bai Tang San wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and revealed a cruel, excited smile.

"This is exactly what I wanted... the Spiral Soul Power Purification Method."

"Next."

"Qihai."

[Real World]

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Council Hall.

With a sharp "scrape,"

Sword Douluo Chen Xin abruptly rose to his feet, moving so violently that he knocked over the chair behind him.

His eyes, usually as still as an ancient well, were now wider than bronze bells.

"This... this is..."

"Opening the Ren Du Meridians?!"

"No! This is even more advanced than that!"

Chen Xin pointed at the rotating Soul Power model on the Sky Curtain, his fingers trembling.

"Spiral Pressurization... Acupoint purification..."

"This is nothing short of a miracle!"

"Soul Power can be cultivated like this?"

Ning Fengzhi beside him was equally horrified.

As Support-type Soul Masters, what did they lack the most?

Cultivation speed!

Soul Power purity!

Though the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda possessed unrivaled support abilities, cultivation was extremely slow, and its wielders had frail bodies.

If...

If they could master this method known as "Spiral Purification."

"Uncle Jian..."

Ning Fengzhi's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"If all the disciples of our sect could learn this move..."

"Their cultivation speed would increase by more than double!"

Chen Xin continued decisively.

"And their Soul Power would be more condensed, their foundations more solid!"

"Fengzhi, quickly! Have someone copy down those Acupoint Diagrams!"

"Even if it is only a superficial understanding, it is still an invaluable treasure!"

The entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect descended into chaos.

Countless direct disciples grabbed paper and brushes, frantically copying the Meridian diagram on the Sky Curtain.

As if they were transcribing the code to the God Realm.

And at Shrek Academy.

Hei Tang San was sitting by the Sports Field, resting.

In his hands was the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, which he regarded as a priceless treasure.

Before.

He had believed it was the most supreme cultivation method in the world.

The crystallization of Tang Sect wisdom.

But now.

As he watched Bai Tang San on the Sky Curtain improve his own cultivation method and even create entirely new theories.

Then looked at the rigid old manual in his hands.

Hei Tang San suddenly felt...

It no longer seemed so appealing.

"Have I..."

"Been too blindly devoted to the things left behind by my predecessors?"

"The Tang Sect's secret arts are certainly powerful."

"But... are they really suited to this world?"

"Do they really... not need to change?"

Hei Tang San raised his head and looked toward Yu Xiaogang, who was still telling him to "run more."

A confusion unlike any he had ever felt flashed through his eyes.

Running...

Could running really produce "Spiral Soul Power"?

Could it really open the "Yongquan Qihai"?

The answer.

Was obvious.

The image on the Sky Curtain gradually settled.

After a night of painful impacts, Bai Tang San had successfully opened three Acupoints.

Though his Soul Power had not advanced in rank—because he had deliberately suppressed it.

Its purity had already doubled.

As for Hei Tang San.

He was still on the Sports Field, pouring out his cheap sweat.

The first semester ended amid this enormous disparity.

The holiday arrived, and their hearts flew homeward.

The Tang Sans of the two worlds both set out on their journeys home.

Only.

One was returning for the so-called love between father and son.

The other was returning to lay his cards on the table.

Two utterly different Family Letters.

Were about to strip away Tang Hao's final layer of pretense!

The entrance to Nuoding Academy was bustling with people.

With the first semester over, the children were like birds released from their cages, chattering away about their plans to return home.

The Sky Curtain split into two images.

For the two Tang Sans, the road home held completely different meanings.

[Black World]

Hei Tang San stood at the academy gates with a heavily patched bundle on his back.

He also carried a long object wrapped layer upon layer in cloth strips.

It was a brand-new Forging Hammer he had bought from the Blacksmith Shop with money he had painstakingly saved by cutting back on food and expenses.

"Father's hammer has been used for so many years. Even the hammerhead is cracked."

"When I go back this time, I'll replace it with a new one. He'll definitely be happy."

Hei Tang San touched the heavy hammer, his face filled with an innocent smile.

To buy this hammer, he had hardly eaten a single meal containing meat over the past two months.

But he thought it was worth it.

"Father, Xiao San is coming home."

He gazed in the direction of Sacred Soul Village, his eyes full of filial affection.

In his imagination.

When he pushed open the door, his father might be drinking, or he might be asleep.

But Hei Tang San would walk over, hand him the new hammer, then cook a steaming bowl of porridge.

It would be a warm scene of fatherly love and filial devotion.

What he did not know was.

That dilapidated Blacksmith Shop might already be completely abandoned.

His filial devotion was destined to face nothing but the cold solitude of an empty room.

The Sky Curtain narration sighed:

[He returned carrying a heart full of love.]

[Yet he did not know that what awaited him might be abandonment without a word.]

[Well-behaved children are often the most heartbreaking.]

[White World]

Inside the dormitory.

Bai Tang San was in no hurry to leave.

He was methodically packing his belongings.

Several silk robes custom-made by the finest tailor shop in Nuoding City were folded neatly and placed into his Storage Bracer.

Next came ten jars of aged liquor, still sealed with clay.

He had purchased them at great expense from Drunken Immortal Residence. Just the fragrance of wine at the mouth of the jars was enough to make one pleasantly tipsy.

Finally.

There was a heavy money pouch.

Inside were a full five hundred Gold Soul Coins.

They were the savings he had accumulated during the semester through his "technical shares" in the Blacksmith Shop and by selling Spirit Gathering Carrots.

After packing everything.

Bai Tang San sat at the table and picked up a pen.

He wrote two letters.

The first was casually placed on Xiao Wu's pillow.

There were no tearful parting words.

Only a densely written chart.

Vacation Diet and Carrot Planting Guide.

"Water on time and fertilize on time."

"Eat at least three Spirit Gathering Carrots every day to maintain Soul Power nourishment."

"When I return, I will inspect all your physical data."

"If you lose weight, or your physique declines, the amount of experimental medicine next semester will be doubled."

The tone was icy.

Yet it carried an unquestionable... concern?

Or rather, the maintenance of an asset.