Tang San Was Hooked

"Yu Xiaogang was quite decent."

Tang Hao, who had been watching from the shadows all along, had seen everything that happened after Yu Xiaogang brought Tang San into the Soul Hunting Forest.

Especially when the Mandala Snake pursued Tang San and bit Yu Xiaogang, he had nearly summoned his Clear Sky Hammer.

After all, this was his own son's first soul hunt. How could Tang Hao possibly feel at ease letting Tang San go alone?

That was right—in his eyes, Tang San had been hunting alone.

Yu Xiaogang did not count as a person at all.

It was only because Yu Xiaogang's concern for Tang San was genuine, and because he had been ruthless enough to smash his own thigh with a rock to force himself to stay conscious, that Tang Hao finally acknowledged him.

Otherwise, how could he possibly have felt safe letting his precious son, a Twin Martial Souls genius, follow Yu Xiaogang?

Still, recalling the methods Tang San had used to kill the Mandala Snake, Tang Hao could not help falling silent.

As a Title Douluo, Tang San's techniques looked no different from slow motion to him. This allowed him to see every detail, but it was precisely because of that that Tang Hao's feelings became so complicated.

He had barely cared for Tang San since the boy was born, yet Tang San behaved like a mature adult. Not only did he know how to cook for himself, but he had also cultivated techniques Tang Hao could not understand at all.

If Tang San's respect for him as a father had not been so sincere, Tang Hao would have suspected that the boy had been tainted by something unclean.

"Forget it. No matter what, as long as he respects me as his father and still sees me as his father, that is enough." Tang Hao's lips moved slightly before he finally abandoned that dangerous thought.

He was already crippled. He no longer had the spirit to reclaim the dominance he once possessed as the Clear Sky Douluo.

If he wanted revenge, Tang San—a Twin Martial Souls genius who had inherited both his and Ah Yin's Martial Souls—was his greatest hope.

Until then, all he could do was shield Tang San from the wind and rain.

"That little rabbit at Nuoding Academy is rather interesting... She makes me uncontrollably miss the past."

Tang San, who had already absorbed his Spirit Ring, naturally had no idea that Tang Hao had been secretly watching him all along.

To Tang San at this point, his father Tang Hao was merely a down-and-out blacksmith from Holy Soul Village, though Tang San felt that Tang Hao's face was filled with stories.

Compared to Tang Hao, Yu Xiaogang's condition was far more deserving of his concern.

After Tang San calmed the Soul Power fluctuations caused by absorbing the Spirit Ring and opened his eyes, he discovered that Yu Xiaogang had already been knocked unconscious by the Mandala Snake's venom.

His face was pale, his lips purple, cold sweat covered his forehead, and his entire body trembled.

These were classic symptoms of poisoning.

Having memorized the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record backward and forward, Tang San was extremely familiar with poison. He had also known that the method he used to treat Yu Xiaogang's snake venom yesterday only addressed the symptoms. It could expel only part of the toxin; the venom that had already seeped into the body could not be forced out through bloodletting.

Tang San immediately spotted the large bloodstain on Yu Xiaogang's thigh, as well as the sharp stone beside his hand, marked with traces of blood.

Without needing to think, Tang San understood that Yu Xiaogang had done it to himself, all so he could remain conscious and stand guard over him.

Tang San, who had rarely experienced much care or affection, felt his eyes moisten in an instant.

"Teacher..." He wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes and immediately rose to treat Yu Xiaogang's injuries.

There was no avoiding it—Yu Xiaogang had completely won Tang San over. Tang San had already respected teachers and valued their teachings, and from then on, he would surely treat Yu Xiaogang's words as imperial decrees, obeying every command.

"Hah... So this is what cultivation feels like?"

As the sky began to brighten, Chen Yumo opened his eyes after cultivating all night and bared his teeth as he stretched his somewhat numb body.

His legs in particular had nearly lost all feeling after remaining cross-legged for the entire night.

For those who had never cultivated before, meditation cultivation was not exactly enjoyable. One had to stay focused and stimulate one's Martial Soul to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, then guide that energy into Soul Power to raise one's cultivation.

The process was not tiring, but it was incredibly boring.

Repeating the same dull and tedious motion mechanically for an entire night, without getting distracted or falling asleep—how many children still in their early years could truly persist?

The only comfort was the most direct kind of improvement cultivation brought.

The sensation of Soul Power constantly merging into one's body and making one stronger was the reason a select few could keep going.

"No wonder Rogue Rabbit doesn't like cultivating. Aside from having the foundation of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, cultivation really is less comfortable than sleeping." Chen Yumo slowly walked around the room, loosening up his stiff body.

As long as I know cultivation is hard, most people definitely won't be able to keep at it every day. Then I can quietly outwork them all and grind every last one of them into the dirt!

With a snicker in his heart, he hummed an unknown tune as he went to wash up.

He still had quite a few things to arrange today.

The most pressing matter was naturally his cultivation. Now that he had confirmed his evolution route, purchasing resources could not be delayed any longer. Buying Cold Mulberry Leaves had to be put on the agenda immediately.

Only by obtaining Cold Mulberry Leaves as soon as possible could Chen Yumo verify whether his Martial Soul could store energy for Metamorphosis through eating.

That afternoon, he also had to follow Xiao Lao Da to the academy's back mountain to watch his crash landing live. Chen Yumo did not have much time today.

He could only confirm that herbal shops in Nuoding City sold Cold Mulberry Leaves, but he had only been in Nuoding City for two days. Figuring out where the herbal shops were located and which one offered the best value for its herbs would be no small task.

Of course, it was not as if there were no shortcuts.

"Boss Xiao, do you know which herbal shop in Nuoding City is better?" Chen Yumo sought out his backer.

"Herbal shops? What do you need an herbal shop for?" Xiao Chenyu paused in surprise.

"Isn't it because I was picky and didn't like eating when I was little, so now I'm skinny and short?" Chen Yumo scratched his head somewhat sheepishly. "If I want to become a Soul Master, I need to nourish my body first."

"So I was thinking of buying some mild medicinal herbs from an herbal shop to strengthen myself. I want to build a stronger body, so I won't have to hide behind Boss Xiao in the future and can contribute my share."

"Good! You've got ambition!" Xiao Chenyu heavily patted Chen Yumo on the shoulder, his face full of approval. "You're right. The body is the foundation of everything. To become a powerful Soul Master, you must have a strong body!"

"I do know of a pretty good herbal shop in the city. Even my father often buys medicine there."

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Chenyu gave Chen Yumo an address.