Passed

In his view, strength was not the most important thing. What he found truly precious was the perseverance of the two children.

Strength could be developed through training, but such tenacity appearing in two six-year-old children was truly rare.

"You two have raised two fine children, sister-in-law!"

"I'll take them in. Have them come at this time every day from now on."

"Take this back and apply it to their arms."

When Lang Yue came to pick up her sons, she found Mang Tian's gaze much gentler than before, along with the two bottles of ointment he handed her.

During the following hour, Mang Tian did not assign any more tasks. Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin rested the entire time and had recovered some energy, though their arms were still so sore they could not lift them.

At that moment, Mang Tian's explanation of forging still echoed in their minds.

"What is forging? Forging is different from casting. Forging does not require molds, nor does it use machinery to press metal into the desired shape according to a mold. It requires a Forging Master to strike it by hand, blow by blow."

"Of course, machines can be used for forging as well. But metal has life too, and machine forging can never grasp the texture of metal."

"That is why the finest Mecha components are all made by Forging Masters by hand."

"Therefore, a good Forging Master held a status no less than that of a Soul Master."

Mang Tian's explanation had undoubtedly opened the door to a New World for Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin.

"Ow!"

"It hurts!"

When Lang Yue tucked the ointment into her pocket and reached for her sons' hands, she heard their cries of pain and finally noticed the wounds on their hands.

"Oh, Heaven! He... what did he do to you?" Lang Yue's tears fell instantly. She had never imagined that in only two hours, her two precious sons would be hurt so badly.

Seeing his mother's tears, Tang Wuyang stopped crying out in pain and instead comforted her. "Mom, we're okay. Uncle Mang Tian gave us a test, and Ge and I both passed."

"That's right, Mom. Wuyang and I are amazing, aren't we? Don't cry! It doesn't hurt." Tang Wulin also smiled as he comforted Lang Yue.

"I'm happy. Of course Mom is happy!" Lang Yue wiped away her tears and rubbed the two children's heads, her eyes filled with heartache.

"Let's go home." As Lang Yue spoke, Water Mist filled her eyes once more.

When they returned home, they saw Na'er sitting by the table as soon as they entered.

Tang Wuyang's eyes lit up, and he immediately skipped over to Na'er's side.

Tang Wulin exchanged a glance with Na'er, then calmly walked into the living room.

He had always maintained a lukewarm attitude toward Na'er, nowhere near as enthusiastic as Tang Wuyang.

Lang Yue went straight into the kitchen to make dinner for the three ravenous Children.

"Na'er, did you know? Ge and I passed Uncle Mang Tian's test today. From now on, we can learn Forging from him."

"Once I earn money, I can Save money to buy a Soul Spirit. Then I can buy you lots of delicious food too..."

Tang Wuyang excitedly told Na'er about everything that had happened that day, completely ignoring the pain in his arms.

Na'er listened attentively, though a trace of confusion occasionally flashed through her eyes.

"Na'er, do you really not remember where your home is at all?" After Tang Wuyang finished sharing about the test, he noticed the confusion in Na'er's eyes and asked instinctively.

Na'er shook her head. "I really don't remember. I only remember that my name is Na'er. Everything else is all hazy."

"Wuyang Gege, is Na'er very stupid?"

Tang Wuyang hurriedly denied it. "No, Na'er isn't stupid at all! It's okay if you don't remember. This will be your home from now on. Ge's and my Dad and Mom will be Na'er's Dad and Mom too. Na'er will be Ge's and my Younger sister."

Na'er looked into Tang Wuyang's bright eyes, and a smile gradually appeared on her face. It was the first smile she had shown since coming to this home.

Tang Wuyang froze briefly at Na'er's smile, then suddenly hugged her. "Wow! Na'er, you look so pretty when you smile."

As he spoke, he rubbed his cheek against Na'er's. "Na'er, I'll work hard at cultivation and become a Soul Master. Then I can protect you."

"Um." Na'er raised her arms and hugged Tang Wuyang.

By the time Tang Ziran returned, dinner was ready.

He had just set down his bag and walked to the dining table, about to sit down, when he saw Lang Yue seemingly calmly glance at him.

"Ziran, come with me for a moment. Children, eat first."

With that, she took the lead toward their room.

Tang Ziran paused and looked at his two sons, giving them a questioning look.

Tang Wuyang shrugged, while Tang Wulin slightly shook his head. Both sons indicated that they did not know what was wrong with Mom.

Seeing this, Tang Ziran hurriedly followed Lang Yue into the room.

Once her husband entered, Lang Yue casually closed the Room Door.

Tang Wuyang looked at the closed Room Door, then shifted his gaze to the food on the table. "Ge, Na'er, let's eat first. Na'er, you're hungry, right?"

Given the appetites of the two Little Foodies, Tang Wuyang and Na'er, along with Tang Wulin, whose appetite had doubled, Lang Yue had deliberately made a great deal of extra food that day.

Na'er had no resistance at all to the food before her. Hearing Tang Wuyang's words, she nodded and began eating heartily.

After eating for a while, she noticed that Tang Wuyang beside her had not started eating as he had yesterday. Tang Wulin's movements were also extremely awkward, like a toddler who had just learned to use chopsticks, struggling to bring food to his mouth.

Na'er looked up at Tang Wuyang and found him twisting his body with a pained expression, his arms hanging naturally at both sides of the chair.

"Older brother, what happened to you and Wulin Gege?" Na'er asked in her crisp voice.

"Ge and I finished the test, and our arms hurt so much that we can't lift them now."

Tang Wuyang had already been especially prone to hunger lately, and he had also undergone intense exercise that day.

His craving for the food at that moment was obvious, yet he could not eat it. It made Tang Wuyang miserable.

Na'er blinked, thought for a moment, and said, "Older brother, how about I feed you?"

Tang Wuyang instantly perked up and said happily, "Okay! Okay!"

Na'er's movements were somewhat unfamiliar, even clumsy. She alternated between spoonfuls of rice and spoonfuls of dishes, feeding them into Tang Wuyang's mouth.

In between feeding him, she also pushed several dishes on the table closer to Tang Wulin.

A trace of surprise flashed through Tang Wulin's eyes. "Thank you."

Na'er did not reply and continued feeding Tang Wuyang attentively.

She was clearly not as close to Tang Wulin as she was to Tang Wuyang. Like Tang Wulin, she merely maintained a peaceful coexistence with him.

Tang Wulin and Na'er were both closer to Tang Wuyang, but toward each other, they remained rather indifferent.

"Mm."

Tang Wuyang swallowed his food and, before Na'er could offer him the next bite, said, "Na'er, you're so nice."

"No. No matter what, I won't let Linlin and Yangyang go to Mang Tian's place again!"

Inside the room, Lang Yue choked back sobs as she spoke to her husband.

"You didn't see it when I picked them up. The injuries on the boys' hands..."

To keep the three Children outside from hearing, she covered her mouth with one hand and did her best to restrain her emotions.

After hearing Lang Yue's account, how could Tang Ziran not feel heartbroken as well?

He fell silent for a moment, then looked into Lang Yue's eyes. "A Yue, I feel terrible seeing the two children Endure Hardship too."

"But no one succeeded without effort. If they do not work hard now, they may suffer even more when they grow up."

"When I went to see Mang Tian That Day, I could tell that he had actually been very reluctant."

"As a Grandmaster-level Forging Master, he was proud by nature. Yet Linlin and Yangyang earned his recognition."

"My wife, do you know how outstanding our two sons are?"

"These two children have given me a huge surprise."

"On my way home from work, Mang Tian called me through Soul Guidance Communication. He told me that our two sons were extraordinarily talented and possessed Innate Superhuman Strength. Their strength was not even inferior to that of an ordinary adult man."

"Even more precious was the perseverance Linlin and Yangyang showed. It moved him."

"Linlin had a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul after all, and Yangyang's Innate Soul Power was only level three. None of us knew how far the two children could go on the path of Soul Masters."

"But if they could both become excellent Forging Masters, they would at least never have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of their lives."

"Besides, the Children have not shown any cowardice yet. How could we, as Parents, give up before our sons do? We should support them."

"And Mang Tian is a Six Star Grandmaster-level Forging Master. I believe he must have the right methods for teaching disciples. He would not truly harm the Children."

"So, can we let Linlin and Yangyang try again?"

"If their bodies truly might be harmed, then no matter what, I will never let them continue learning."

After listening to Tang Ziran, Lang Yue finally relented.

She knew that her husband loved their two sons as much as she did, and Tang Ziran's reasoning had convinced her.

When the two returned to the living room, they saw that Tang Wulin had already Finished Eating with great difficulty and was moving over to the sofa, preparing to watch Soul Guidance Television.

Tang Wuyang sat at the dining table, chewing with effort while smiling at Na'er. Na'er was awkwardly feeding her one bite at a time.

The sight left Tang Ziran and Lang Yue somewhat dumbfounded. Under the warm Yellow Light, the three lovely little Children formed a warm and harmonious scene.

Tang Ziran said softly to Lang Yue, "Let's adopt this child. Having the three Children grow up together will also be very helpful for Linlin and Yangyang."

"Um!" A faint smile appeared on Lang Yue's face as she nodded in agreement.

A dinner filled with family warmth came to an end in that atmosphere.

Tang Wuyang's and Na'er's appetites shocked Tang Ziran and Lang Yue once again. By comparison, even Tang Wulin's appetite seemed small.

What they had not expected was that the first problem they would face in raising three Children would be feeding them.

After dinner, Lang Yue and Tang Ziran discussed it and decided that she would find a job too. Otherwise, relying on Tang Ziran's salary alone would make things too difficult for the family.

After the meal, the three Children returned to their shared room.

Rather than climbing to the upper bunk with Tang Wulin, Tang Wuyang sat on the small bed of the lower bunk after receiving Na'er's permission.

"Na'er, look. This is my Martial Soul."

Tang Wuyang raised his hands with some difficulty. Behind him appeared a Qilin Phantom surrounded by a Seven-Colored Halo.

Na'er looked at the creature that had suddenly appeared and curiously reached out to touch it. "Older brother, will I have a Martial Soul someday too?"

Tang Wuyang replied as if it were only natural, "Of course! Everyone has their own Martial Soul. Once you turn six, you can take part in next year's Awakening Day."

"Ha~, I'm so sleepy. Na'er, I'm going to sleep first. You should sleep early too."

After saying that, Tang Wuyang climbed the ladder at the side to the upper bunk and dropped headfirst beside Tang Wulin, who was already asleep.

Perhaps because he was exhausted from the test, Tang Wuyang's breathing became even like the person beside him after only a short while.

Na'er stood beside the bed, staring blankly at Tang Wuyang sleeping on the outer side of the upper bunk, trying hard to remember something.

But her mind was hazy, and she could not recall anything. With no other choice, Na'er lay down on the bed as well. Looking at the Bed Board of the upper bunk before her, she gradually fell asleep.

After an unknown amount of time, the Room Door of the three Children was quietly opened, and Tang Ziran climbed silently to the upper bunk.

He gently took out the Medicine Bottle Mang Tian had given Lang Yue, then lifted Tang Wulin's sleeve first, preparing to apply the medicine to him.

He pressed his hand against his shoulder, and a small light fastened there lit up. The light was not bright, but it was just enough to illuminate Tang Wulin's arm.

"Eh?" Tang Ziran let out a soft cry of surprise, his eyes full of confusion.

Then, he stopped the motion of applying the ointment and instead lifted the sleeve of his younger son beside him.

When he found the same situation, he could not help but stare blankly.

Tang Ziran was shocked to discover that his two sons' arms were not swollen as his wife had described. They looked no different from usual.

Still puzzled, Tang Ziran carefully opened the two children's palms. He then saw Tang Wuyang's smooth, jade-like palm, without the slightest trace of injury.

Tang Wulin's palm still bore a few faint abrasions, but they did not need medicine at all.

Tang Ziran knew his wife well. Naturally, he knew Lang Yue would not lie to him.

But where had the swelling and wounds that should have appeared on the two children's arms and palms gone? How had they all vanished?

Not knowing what had happened, Tang Ziran secretly guessed that perhaps the Children's Martial Souls had taken effect.

As far as he knew, some special Martial Souls did possess healing abilities.

But he had never heard of Blue Silver Grass, a Long Spear, or a Qilin Martial Soul having such an ability!

What Tang Ziran did not notice was that beneath the cover of Tang Wuyang's Black hair, faint Golden Pattern quietly faded away. At the same time, Tang Wulin beside him seemed to be stirred by it, and a Silver-gray pattern flashed across his forehead as well.

Tang Ziran sat at the foot of the bed, his gaze moving constantly between his two sons' arms, a thoughtful expression appearing in his eyes.

A moment later, Tang Ziran put away the Medicine Bottle, carefully climbed down from the bed, and quietly left the Children's room just as silently as he had entered.

Although he did not understand what had happened, his two sons' Reaction the next morning would be the best way to verify the situation.

Morning.

Perhaps because they had gone to sleep early, Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin both woke up very early.

After washing up, they ran to the kitchen together to help Lang Yue carry dishes and bowls.

"Linlin, Yangyang, do your arms still hurt?"

Seeing how sensible her two sons were, Lang Yue's heart ached again.

"Eh, it seems like I can't feel it anymore."

Had Lang Yue not mentioned it, Tang Wuyang would not have noticed that the soreness had disappeared. He swung his arms and felt not only completely fine, but as if his arms had become stronger.

Tang Wulin also moved his arms and felt no discomfort at all. "Mom, didn't we say we'd be okay?"

Watching her two sons wave their arms, Lang Yue sighed in relief and smiled. "It seems Uncle Mang Tian's medicine was very effective yesterday. Now Mom can rest easy."

"After you were all asleep last night, Dad went to apply the medicine for you."

Tang Ziran had just walked out of the room and happened to hear the conversation between his wife and sons.

Apply medicine? He had not done that!

Could it be that after the Children underwent Martial Soul Awakening, not only had their appetites and strength increased, but their ability to recover had become stronger too?

But that clearly was not an effect Blue Silver Grass or a Long Spear should possess!

Yangyang's Qilin Martial Soul might possibly have such an effect, but judging from his Innate Soul Power, it was obviously impossible for it to possess such an ability!

Moreover, it was not only Yangyang who had recovered. Linlin had as well.

Tang Ziran could not make sense of it no matter how hard he thought, so he could only temporarily suppress the doubts in his heart.

Though he did not understand the reason, it was clearly a good thing for the two Children.