Changed Again

"Is this what a Martial Soul is—and how strong Xiao Yun is now?

She's just too powerful."

Tang San gaped in shock, unable to close his mouth for a long while.

At that moment, he thought of his own Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass. Forget a tree as thick as his waist—even a sapling probably wouldn't snap.

"Heh..."

After a long while, Tang San's face grew bitter, and he gave a self-mocking laugh.

"No wonder Blue Silver Grass is called a Trash Martial Soul."

What he'd just witnessed had dealt him a real blow.

But soon, Tang San seemed to remember something, and his expression returned to normal.

"I still have another Martial Soul!"

Thinking of that hammer, Tang San regained his confidence.

"I have two Martial Souls. Even if I'm not as strong as Yun, I definitely won't be much weaker."

Gathering his thoughts, Tang San didn't go over to greet her right away. He was afraid of disturbing Su Yun while she was testing her abilities.

He found a rock to sit on and watched from a distance.

Su Yun wielded the two-meter-tall scythe in both hands. Each swing felled a tree, turning her into the Death God of Ten Mile Slope.

Tang San couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching.

A pretty, adorable girl wielding a massive scythe taller than she was made for a truly startling sight.

Su Yun didn't spend long testing her Martial Soul. After swinging it around for a while, she stopped.

It was like cutting rapeseed flowers as a child: fun at first, but it got dull after a while. If there'd been any scythe techniques, Su Yun might have practiced them. Unfortunately, there weren't, so she might as well train in the two Self-Created Soul Skills she'd just gotten.

After putting away her Martial Soul, Su Yun sat on a fallen tree trunk, opened her system inventory, and examined the training method for [Konoha Style Body Technique], ready to start with the easier one.

The [Self-Created Soul Skill Training Method] drawn from the system could only be opened in the inventory. The system brought up a panel displaying all of its contents.

It had not only written instructions, but also pictures and even video explanations. The service did seem very thorough, but Su Yun still had complaints.

"Other systems let you learn things the moment you draw them. You just hand your host a manual and make her study it herself."

Though she grumbled indignantly, Su Yun obediently started the video and watched it closely.

To anyone else, though, she just looked like she was spacing out.

Seeing Su Yun stop practicing and sit on the tree trunk in a daze, Tang San straightened his clothes and slowly walked over.

"Xiao Yun."

Hearing someone speak, Su Yun looked up from the video without thinking. Tang San was smiling as he greeted her.

"Lit—"

Great! Little San Sheep is here!

That was what Su Yun thought, and she nearly blurted it out. Fortunately, she caught herself at the last moment.

"Little San Gege!"

Her delighted, happy expression was impossible to hide.

None of it was an act. It came straight from Su Yun's heart. Just as she'd thought, Tang San had become her Tool Sheep, and she wished she could have him contribute Friendship Points nonstop, twenty-four hours a day.

Tang San naturally had no idea what Su Yun was thinking. Seeing her genuine smile and warm enthusiasm, he felt a warmth spread through his heart.

"Xiao Yun, Father agreed to let me go with you to study at the Soul Master Academy."

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Yun's system panel popped up again.

[Friendship Points +10 from Tang San.]

At the notification, Su Yun's smile grew even brighter.

"Really? That's wonderful!"

Though that was what she said aloud, inside she was howling.

As expected of Little San Sheep!

He'd given her ten points the moment they met. Two more like that, and she could draw again.

Unfortunately, it seemed she'd sheared Little San Sheep a bit too much today, since her luck with the draws had plummeted afterward. Still, she'd managed to save enough Friendship Points for one beginner draw.

As the sky darkened and the setting sun cast its afterglow across the land, the two finally parted, both reluctant to leave.

Tang San hated to part with Su Yun, his first friend from another world.

Su Yun was just as reluctant to part with her Friendship Points.

After agreeing to meet again tomorrow, the two returned to Holy Soul Village and went their separate ways.

As soon as he stepped inside, Tang San saw that the food from lunch had already been eaten. He cleared away the bowls and chopsticks out of habit, then started making dinner.

As wisps of smoke curled from the chimney,

half an hour later, Tang San, who had cooked another half-pot of porridge, called Tang Hao up for dinner.

At the table, Tang Hao looked at the happiness Tang San radiated from head to toe and couldn't help asking,

"Which little girl did you go see this afternoon?"

"Huh?"

Tang San froze. He clearly hadn't expected his father to be interested in something like that, but he quickly nodded.

"Yeah. We chatted for a while this afternoon."

Tang Hao glanced at his son.

"And then?"

"Then we agreed to meet tomorrow."

Tang San tilted his head and thought for a moment.

"But when I went to find Yun, I saw her testing her Martial Soul!

Yun's Martial Soul is a huge scythe. It's amazing."

"How amazing?"

Tang Hao seemed rather nonchalant. After all, he possessed the Clear Sky Hammer, known as the continent's finest Tool-type Martial Soul. How powerful could any other Tool-type Martial Soul be?

"Really amazing."

Tang San was serious.

"After Yun's Martial Soul Possession, she gave a light swing and cut through a tree as thick as my waist. She cut down several of them."

"Oh?"

Tang Hao gave a surprised murmur. He was genuinely astonished. When he'd first awakened his Martial Soul, he couldn't have smashed a tree down with a single blow.

Though the Clear Sky Hammer was a blunt weapon, he could still tell that Su Yun's Martial Soul was extraordinary.

After chatting a little longer and clearing away the dishes, Tang San returned to his room to continue his daily work. The rhythmic clang of the forging hammer striking iron rang out.

Tang San worked harder than usual today. Aside from meeting Tang Hao's expectations, he also wanted to finish turning the iron into Hidden Weapons as soon as possible.

Su Yun's performance today had made Tang San feel a sense of urgency.

He'd sworn to himself that he would protect that smile.

If he couldn't even match Su Yun's strength, how could he protect her? He'd just be a laughingstock.

After Tang San hammered away more than a hundred times, the sky had gone completely dark.

After wiping himself down, Tang San lay in bed, looking forward to tomorrow for the first time.

Then he'd get to see the girl who sweetly called him "Little San Gege" again.

Tang San slowly closed his eyes, ready to sleep. But vaguely, he felt as though he'd forgotten something. He thought hard, but couldn't remember what it was. His mind was full of every moment he'd shared with Su Yun that day, so he simply stopped trying.

According to the original timeline, Tang San was supposed to tell Tang Hao today that he had Twin Martial Souls.

Because of Su Yun's arrival, Tang San forgot.

And since Tang Hao didn't know Tang San had the Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul, he naturally had no intention of teaching him Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.

At that moment, the butterfly's effects grew greater and greater.

Elsewhere.

After washing up, Su Yun lay in bed.

She looked at her balance of 126 Friendship Points but didn't draw. Instead, she chose to save them.