Tang San thought for a moment before answering, "The best blacksmith should be one who can forge divine artifacts."
This world was different from the one he had lived in before. He had heard people in the village say that divine artifacts existed in this world. He didn't know what they were, but anything with "divine" in its name had to be incredible.
Tang Hao froze. Though he was called a God General, he couldn't forge divine artifacts, damn it. To avoid tarnishing his reputation as a Divine Blacksmith, Tang Hao put on a bold, arrogant air and said, "Xiao San, remember this: forging divine artifacts out of superior materials doesn't make you a Divine Blacksmith. At most, it makes you a mere assembler.
Only someone who can forge divine artifacts out of ordinary iron truly deserves to be called a Divine Blacksmith."
"Forge divine artifacts out of ordinary iron." Tang San mulled over the words, feeling that listening to him was like listening to him.
Then he looked at Tang Hao with burning eyes. "Dad, can you forge divine artifacts?"
Tang Hao: "..."
The atmosphere froze. Tang Hao's old face darkened. Oh, great. He'd gone too far with the act.
Embarrassed, Tang Hao could only change the subject. Pointing at a large lump of iron, he said, "If you want to learn forging from me and become a qualified blacksmith, first show me your resolve. Starting now, hammer that ten thousand times."
With that, Tang Hao tossed Tang San a hammer and went back inside to sleep. Tang San began his life as a blacksmith.
This dull, uneventful life continued for eleven days before anything changed.
Old Jack, the village chief of Holy Soul Village, came to Tang San's house.
"Xiao San, come here, to Grandpa." Old Jack beckoned to Tang San.
Old Jack was a good man, and everyone in the village respected him.
Back when Tang San's family had been so poor they couldn't afford food, Old Jack had helped them many times.
"Hello, Grandpa Jack."
Tang San treated Old Jack with great respect. Old Jack had been kind to him, and Tang San kept that kindness in his heart, secretly resolving to repay him one day.
"Old Jack, what is it?"
Tang Hao's manner was rather cold. He didn't mention Old Jack's past help at all.
Old Jack didn't mind and got straight to the point. "In three days, the Deacon Lord from the Notting City Spirit Hall Branch will come to our village in person to awaken the children's Martial Souls. Xiao San is six now, so he should take part in this year's awakening ceremony."
"Then let him take part." Tang Hao showed no particular reaction.
"Good. I'll come get Xiao San in three days."
Old Jack was used to Tang Hao's attitude. He hadn't expected Tang Hao to take Tang San to the awakening ceremony anyway. He worried that if the drunkard drank too much, he'd cause trouble—and it would be even worse if he offended a Soul Master from Spirit Hall.
Tang San looked up at him with his dark little face and asked, "Grandpa Jack, what's an awakening ceremony?"
Old Jack grew serious. "Everyone has a Martial Soul of their own. When you turn six, you go through an awakening ceremony..."
And so on and so forth...
Old Jack patiently explained everything.
Three days later, Old Jack took Tang San to awaken his Martial Soul first thing in the morning. Tang Hao didn't care in the slightest and slept soundly until nearly noon.
When Tang San and Old Jack returned after the awakening ceremony, the Blacksmith Shop was still quiet.
"Tang Hao, come out." Knowing what Tang Hao was like, Old Jack called to him as he went inside.
He was old, and his legs weren't what they used to be. Old Jack had wanted to find a chair to sit on, but after looking around the shabby room, he decided against it.
"What's all the shouting for? You're disturbing my sleep." Tang Hao came out of the inner room, irritation in his voice.
Old Jack snapped, "The village held its awakening ceremony today. The other children had their parents with them. Just look at you."
At that, Tang Hao looked at Tang San. "Xiao San, what's your Martial Soul?"
"Dad, it's Blue Silver Grass," Tang San answered.
"Blue Silver Grass?" Tang Hao's expression immediately grew complicated. There was sorrow in it, as well as disappointment.
Old Jack didn't notice the change in Tang Hao's expression. He simply said, "The village has a Work-Study Student spot, and I've given it to Xiao San. We'll send him to Notting City Elementary Soul Master Academy, and the village will cover his travel expenses."
This was obviously good news, and Tang San was overjoyed.
But he hadn't expected Tang Hao, his own father, to vote against it.
"No."
"What did you say?" Old Jack couldn't believe his ears and even dug at them, thinking he might have misheard.
After repeatedly confirming that he'd heard correctly, he turned red in the face and argued with Tang Hao at length.
In short, he explained how good it was to become a Soul Master, how Tang San could help the village, and how he could reach the pinnacle of life and become someone above the rest.
Tang Hao wouldn't budge. He insisted that Blue Silver Grass was a Trash Martial Soul and Tang San couldn't leave, or there'd be no one to cook for him.
Old Jack was furious.
In the end, Tang Hao ordered him to leave.
"This is family business. Xiao San is my son, and I decide what happens to him. You're an outsider—you have no right to meddle. You can leave now."
Old Jack was so angry he nearly fainted. Seeing this, Tang San hurriedly tried to smooth things over, saying he wouldn't go to the Soul Master Academy and would stay in the village to be a blacksmith.
Old Jack stormed off, but before he left, he told Tang Hao he had three months to think it over.
Seeing how dejected Tang San looked, Tang Hao asked, "Do you want to become a Soul Master?"
Tang San froze for a moment. "It doesn't matter to me, Dad. Being a blacksmith is good too. I can still provide for the family. And didn't you say you'd teach me forging?"
"A Soul Master? What about them? Whether it's a Trash Martial Soul or the most powerful Martial Soul, whether someone is the greatest Soul Master or not, what difference does it make? In the end, they're all useless." Without realizing it, Tang Hao had clenched both fists. His rough, old face was cold with hatred.
Tang San could even see Tang Hao's body trembling. This was the first time in all these years that he'd seen his father so worked up.
Seeing this, Tang San hurried over to calm him down. Tang Hao's anger came quickly, but it passed just as fast.
"Xiao San, let me see your Martial Soul."
"Okay." Tang San nodded and raised his right hand. A faint blue glow shimmered in his palm, and then a small, bright-blue plant sprouted.
He stared blankly at the Blue Silver Grass in Tang San's hand. For a moment, it was as if his soul had left his body, and he stood there in a daze. His gaze was fixed on the seemingly ordinary Blue Silver Grass, which nevertheless gave off a mysterious aura. He was utterly entranced.
His lips trembled slightly, and he murmured to himself in a low voice, "Blue Silver Grass, just like hers."
Suddenly, Tang Hao sprang to his feet and pushed past Tang San as he headed into the inner room. His rough movement nearly made Tang San fall, and the Blue Silver Grass in his hand vanished too.
"Dad."
"Shut up. Don't bother me." His tone was impatient as he lifted the curtain and went into the inner room.
"But I have another Martial Soul too." Thinking his father was disappointed, Tang San revealed his little secret.
Before you continue