Passed

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

Strength could be developed through training, but for such steadfast qualities to appear in two six-year-old children was truly rare.

"You've raised two wonderful children, sister-in-law!"

"I'll take them on. From now on, they'll come here at this time every day."

"This is for rubbing on their arms when you get home."

When Lang Yue came to pick up her sons, she found that Mang Tian's gaze had become much gentler. He also handed her two bottles of ointment.

For 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 so sore they could barely 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 machines to press metal into the desired shape according to a mold. It requires a Forging Master to shape it personally, strike by strike."

"Of course, machines can also be used for Forging. But metal has life as well, and machine Forging can never grasp the grain of the metal."

"Therefore, the finest Mecha components are all completed personally by Forging Masters."

"That is why a good Forging Master holds 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, their cries of pain made her notice the wounds on their hands.

"Oh heavens! What... what did he do to you?" Lang Yue's tears immediately fell. She had never imagined that after 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 fine. Uncle Mang Tian gave us a test, and Brother and I both passed."

"Yeah, 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.

"Happy? Of course Mom is happy!" Lang Yue wiped away her tears and stroked the two children's heads, her eyes full of heartache.

"Let's go home." As she spoke, tears welled up in Lang Yue's eyes again.

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 headed straight into the kitchen to make dinner for the three hungry children.

"Na'er, do you know? Brother and I passed Uncle Mang Tian's test today. From now on, we can study Forging with him."

"Once I earn money, I can save up 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 very seriously, 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 telling her about the test, he noticed the confusion in her 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 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. From now on, this will be your home. Brother's and my parents will be Na'er's parents too. Na'er will be Brother's and my little sister."

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

Tang Wuyang was stunned for a moment when he saw Na'er 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 to cultivate and become a Soul Master. Then I can protect you."

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

By the time Tang Ziran returned, dinner was already ready.

He had just put down his bag and walked over to the dining table. As he was about to sit down, he saw Lang Yue glance at him with seemingly calm eyes.

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

With that, she headed toward their room first.

Tang Ziran froze for a moment, then looked at his two sons and gave them an inquisitive look.

Tang Wuyang shrugged, while Tang Wulin gave a slight shake of his head. Both sons indicated that they did not know what was wrong with their mother.

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

When Lang Yue saw her husband enter, she casually shut the door.

Tang Wuyang looked at the closed bedroom door, then turned his gaze to the food on the table. "Brother, Na'er, let's eat first. Na'er, you must be hungry."

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

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

After eating for a while, however, she noticed that Tang Wuyang beside her had not started eating like he had yesterday. Tang Wulin's movements were also extremely awkward, as though he were a toddler who had only 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 his sides.

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

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

Tang Wuyang had already been particularly prone to hunger lately, not to mention that he had gone through high-intensity exercise today.

It was easy to imagine how badly he craved the food now, yet he could not eat it. That made Tang Wuyang miserable.

Na'er blinked and thought for a moment. "Gege, how about I feed you?"

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

Na'er's movements were somewhat unpracticed, even clumsy. She alternated between spoonfuls of rice and spoonfuls of vegetables as she fed Tang Wuyang.

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, while their attitude toward each other remained quite 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 you say, I won't let Linlin and Yangyang go to Mang Tian's place again!"

Inside the room, Lang Yue spoke to her husband through choked sobs.

"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 her hand and struggled to restrain her emotions.

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

He was silent for a while, then looked into Lang Yue's eyes. "A Yue, it hurts me too to see the children suffer."

"But no one succeeds 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 was actually very reluctant."

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

"Wife, do you know just how outstanding our two sons are?"

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

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

"Even more precious was that Linlin's and Yangyang's perseverance moved him."

"Linlin has a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul after all, and Yangyang's Innate Soul Power is only rank three. None of us knows how far the two children can go down the path of a Soul Master."

"But if they can both become excellent Forging Masters, then at least they will have food and clothing for the rest of their lives."

"Besides, the children have not backed down yet. How can we, as their parents, give up before our sons do? We should support them."

"Moreover, Mang Tian is a Six Star Grandmaster-level Forging Master. I believe that he must have the proper methods for teaching disciples and will not truly harm the children."

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

"If there is really a chance that their bodies could be harmed, then no matter what, I will never let them continue learning."

After hearing Tang Ziran's words, Lang Yue finally compromised.

She knew that her husband loved their two sons just 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 his meal with great difficulty. He was moving over to the sofa, preparing to watch Soul Guidance Television.

Tang Wuyang sat by the dining table, chewing forcefully as he smiled at Na'er. Na'er was clumsily feeding him bite by bite.

The sight left Tang Ziran and Lang Yue somewhat dumbfounded. Under the warm yellow lamplight, the three lovely little children formed a warm and harmonious picture.

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

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

A dinner filled with familial warmth ended in this atmosphere.

Tang Wuyang's and Na'er's appetites shocked Tang Ziran and Lang Yue once again. Compared to them, 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 food.

After dinner, Lang Yue discussed it with Tang Ziran and decided that she would go out and find work as well. Relying on Tang Ziran's salary alone was becoming rather difficult for the family.

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

Rather than climbing onto the top bunk with Tang Wulin, Tang Wuyang sat on the little 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 rainbow halo.

Na'er looked curiously at the suddenly appearing creature and reached out to touch it. "Gege, will I have a Martial Soul in the future too?"

Tang Wuyang answered 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."

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

After saying that, Tang Wuyang climbed the nearby ladder to the top 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 and steady like the person beside him after only a moment.

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

But her mind was hazy, and she could not remember anything. With no other choice, Na'er lay down on her bed as well. Looking at the underside of the top bunk above her, she gradually fell asleep without realizing it.

No one knew how much time had passed when the door to the children's room quietly opened, and Tang Ziran climbed silently to the top bunk.

He gently took out the medicine bottle Mang Tian had given Lang Yue from his pocket, then first pulled up Tang Wulin's sleeve, intending to apply the medicine to him.

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

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

Then, instead of applying the ointment as he had intended, he pulled up the sleeve of his younger son beside him.

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

Tang Ziran was astonished 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 boys' palms. Then he saw Tang Wuyang's smooth, jade-like palm, without the slightest trace of injury.

Tang Wulin's palm still had a few faint abrasions, but they did not require any medicine at all.

Tang Ziran knew his wife well and naturally knew that Lang Yue would not lie to him.

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

Not knowing what had happened, Tang Ziran secretly guessed, Could the children's Martial Souls have had an effect?

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

But he had never heard of Blue Silver Grass, a spear, or a Qilin Martial Soul possessing such an ability!

What Tang Ziran did not notice was that beneath the black hair covering Tang Wuyang's forehead, faint golden patterns quietly faded away. At the same time, Tang Wulin beside him seemed to be stirred by something, and a silver-gray pattern flashed across his forehead as well.

Tang Ziran sat at the foot of the bed, his gaze moving repeatedly between his two sons' arms, a thoughtful look 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 sons' reactions the next morning would be the best way to verify the situation.

Morning.

Perhaps because they had gone to bed 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 plates and bowls.

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

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

"Huh, I don't seem to feel it anymore."

Since Lang Yue had not mentioned it, Tang Wuyang had completely failed to notice that the soreness had disappeared. He waved his arms and felt that not only was he fine, but his arms seemed even stronger than before.

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

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

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

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

Apply medicine? He had not done that!

Could it be that after their Martial Soul Awakening, the children had not only gained greater appetites and strength, but their natural recovery abilities had also become stronger?

But this was clearly not an effect that Blue Silver Grass or a spear should possess!

Yangyang's Qilin Martial Soul might possibly have such an effect, but judging by his Innate Soul Power, it was obvious that it should not have such an effect!

Besides, it was not only Yangyang who had recovered now. 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.

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