Hunting, First Soul Ring

"From the time you awakened your martial soul until now, when you arrived at the academy, too much time has already been delayed. Soul Masters must hunt soul beasts and obtain Soul Rings in order to continue cultivating."

Grandmaster said unhurriedly.

Tang San nodded deeply. During Ye Hao and Xiao Wu's earlier match, the soul skill Xiao Wu had used through her first Soul Ring had undoubtedly opened Tang San's eyes, making him yearn even more for Douluo Continent.

"Xiao San, when you go back, tell Ye Hao that we'll set out together tomorrow morning."

Grandmaster specifically reminded him. Ye Hao also possessed Innate Full Soul Power, so having one more person made little difference. Grandmaster harbored some suspicions about Ye Hao's identity. Whether it was his bearing, his martial soul, or even his manner of speech and conduct, he resembled her far too much.

But unfortunately, Ye Hao only had the Death Spider Emperor as his martial soul. If he truly possessed her other martial soul, the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor, then it would mean something entirely different.

Ye Hao's identity had always been a mystery. Grandmaster had previously gone to the Notting Branch Spirit Hall to inquire about him, and the answer he received was that Ye Hao was an orphan.

But Grandmaster did not believe that. He had always felt that she still hated him, which was why she had sent Ye Hao here.

Thus, when Grandmaster took Tang San to hunt soul beasts this time, he had also brought Ye Hao along. On one hand, he wanted to observe Ye Hao. On the other, Grandmaster wanted to confirm something.

There could not possibly be two people in the world who looked exactly alike and were so strikingly similar. Other than a mother-son relationship, Grandmaster could not think of a second explanation.

(System: I'm not taking the blame for this!)

(Ye Hao: Damn system!)

Tang San nodded readily, then left...

"Is he really her... son?"

Grandmaster was restless. His once-calm heart had become unusually unsettled. Such thoughts had not appeared for a long time.

He had thought that after all these years, he could let go of what had happened back then. Yet who could have expected Ye Hao's appearance to completely shatter the past Grandmaster had been most unwilling to mention?

Not long after Tang San left, an uninvited guest suddenly appeared in Grandmaster's office.

It was a Gray-Robed Man who looked to be in his fifties. His cloudy eyes were practically identical to Grandmaster's. They were the same kind of people. His messy hair resembled a bird's nest, as though it had not been tended to in a long while.

"You... you are?"

Grandmaster frowned. This man had entered the academy without a sound and had even come to see him.

For some reason, this person felt so familiar to him.

"Grandmaster, it's been a long time."

The man's voice was hoarse as he spoke to Grandmaster expressionlessly.

"You... you're Tang..."

The man abruptly cut him off. "I came to say goodbye. I'll leave Xiao San in your care. He has taken you as his teacher, so as his father, I no longer have anything to worry about. I can finally do what I've wanted to do all these years but never dared to."

"Wait!"

Grandmaster hurriedly called out, "He's your son. As his father, are you really not going to take care of him?"

The man stopped, his face filled with melancholy.

"Don't forget, he is also your disciple."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man vanished without a trace. The curtains dancing in the wind were the strongest proof that he had been there.

Now, Grandmaster could finally confirm Tang San's true identity, as well as what his Second Martial Soul was.

In short, the day Tang San's martial soul was exposed would be the day he died.

And there was another sentence: the day the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor was exposed would be the day Ye Hao was captured.

"How did my idol become like this?"

Grandmaster shook his head ruefully, then sat at his desk and began planning the next day's journey to obtain Soul Rings, making a few simple notes regarding the Soul Rings Tang San needed.

As for Ye Hao's...

He could come along...

"What? We're going to obtain Soul Rings tomorrow?"

Ye Hao put on an astonished expression as he looked at Tang San, who had come to inform him.

Tang San nodded. "Teacher said that Soul Masters must obtain the corresponding Soul Rings to continue cultivating. You and I both have Innate Full Soul Power, so we don't need to rely on later cultivation. The Spirit Hall branch specially sent someone to notify Teacher today and asked him to take good care of you. We're heading to the Soul Hunting Forest tomorrow, so don't forget!"

With that, Tang San left without looking back. From Grandmaster's words, he had gathered that hunting soul beasts was undoubtedly a difficult process and could even be life-threatening. He needed to prepare a few things, such as hidden weapons.

After Tang San left, Ye Hao returned to the Seventh Dormitory. Because of his previous battle with Xiao Wu, everyone in the Seventh Dormitory still harbored a psychological shadow toward Ye Hao. None of them dared approach him, much less have too much contact with him.

That was fine too. Though Ye Hao's body was small, his true age was already eighteen. His temperament was far steadier than those children's.

Ye Hao had no interest in lowering himself to the tricks and schemes of children. Otherwise, those noble children who had eaten on the second floor at noon might already be lying in bed by now.

Before dawn, while the sky had yet to brighten.

Inside the Seventh Dormitory, Ye Hao quietly got out of bed. He sat blankly on his bed for a while, glanced at the Work-Study Students around him who were still deeply asleep, then got dressed. The time he had agreed upon with Grandmaster was approaching.

Tang San had already left. Only Xiao Wu remained, sprawled out on her bed, crystal-clear drool dripping from the corner of her mouth. Rabbits were rather cute after all.

Before the academy gates, a carriage broke the silence of the night. Grandmaster had already been waiting for a long time.

Before long, Tang San was the first to arrive beside the carriage. After bowing to Grandmaster...

"Teacher, sorry to have kept you waiting."

Grandmaster smiled. "It's fine, I only arrived not long ago myself. Xiao San, when we head to the Soul Hunting Forest to hunt soul beasts this time, you must stay by my side the entire time. Soul beasts are exceptionally ferocious. Although the Soul Hunting Forest is a man-made Soul Beast Forest, there are still quite a few powerful soul beasts within it."

After learning Tang San's identity, Grandmaster had practically turned into a nanny. On one hand, he had to guard against Spirit Hall's covetous eyes; on the other, he also had to...

"Xiao San, promise your teacher one thing."

"? Teacher, please say it."

Grandmaster said gravely, "Remember this well: under no circumstances must you reveal your Second Martial Soul in front of others. Otherwise... the consequences would be unimaginable."

Tang San was initially stunned. His father had said the exact same thing after he awakened his martial soul.

From what he had learned about martial souls over the past few days, Tang San understood that Twin Martial Souls were exceedingly rare across the entire continent. One might not even appear in several hundred years.

To date, the only person on the continent known to possess Twin Martial Souls was His Holiness the Pope of Spirit Hall.

Tang San understood the principle that an innocent man could be ruined by possessing a treasure. If the secret of his Twin Martial Souls were exposed, it would undoubtedly bring him needless trouble—and might even place his teacher in danger.

Human hearts were unfathomable—

"Teacher, I understand."

Tang San nodded deeply, fully aware of the seriousness of the matter.