Tang San's "Truth"

In Holy Soul Village, Tang San stepped over the damp soil as he walked down the hillside, pushing open the familiar, dilapidated wooden door.

The interior was dim, the air thick with the pungent stench of alcohol. Tang Hao was slumped over the table, an empty wine jar pressed beneath his arm. His hair was matted and messy against a face covered in stubble, and his breathing was heavy; he was clearly dead drunk once again.

"You're back? Get to cooking already." Tang Hao didn't even lift his head. His voice was hoarse, and he couldn't be bothered to raise his eyelids.

Tang San stood at the threshold, watching his father in this state, a complex mix of emotions churning within him.

He remained silent for a moment, but eventually, he spoke: "Father, I know about you and Mother, Ah Yin."

"Clang—"

Tang Hao jerked his head up. His previously clouded eyes turned sharp as blades in an instant, the drunken haze vanishing without a trace.

He stared fixedly at Tang San, asking word by word, "Who told you?"

"Father, I am a reborn soul." Tang San met his gaze, refusing to flinch.

"You are the once-in-a-century genius of the Clear Sky Sect, the former Clear Sky Douluo. Mother Ah Yin was a hundred-thousand-year-old Blue Silver Emperor who had taken human form."

"Back then, in order to seize Mother's spirit ring and spirit bone, the Martial Soul Hall led by Pope Qian Xunji himself hunted you down."

"In the end, Mother sacrificed herself for you. You, as the youngest Title Douluo, fought three Title Douluos of the Martial Soul Hall alone, killing two and leaving Qian Xunji severely wounded..."

"Who exactly are you?" Killing intent surged in Tang Hao's eyes, and a terrifying aura erupted from his body. The empty wine jar on the table shattered with a "crack," the table and chairs shook violently, and dust rained down from the walls.

Tang San felt a massive force pressing against him, his body pushed back several steps against his will. His chest felt tight, and he could barely breathe.

For the past three years, it wasn't as if Tang Hao hadn't been suspicious.

Ever since the child was three, he had acted strangely, secretly practicing some technique every day. His physical fitness far exceeded that of his peers, and the cultivation method he used was something Tang Hao couldn't comprehend—it was certainly not ordinary.

He had even suspected at one point that some evil spirit had possessed his son's body.

But this body flowed with his and Ah Yin's blood; he couldn't bring himself to investigate further, so he could only use alcohol and coldness to mask the struggle within.

As time passed, watching the child serve tea, pour water, wash clothes, and cook, that filial piety had gradually lowered his guard. He had resigned himself to living out his days in this muddled state.

But now... how could he not be shocked?

"Father, I am your son, Tang San!" Tang San steadied himself, a flash of urgency in his eyes. He flipped his hands, and the ink-black Clear Sky Hammer and the vibrant, upright Blue Silver King appeared simultaneously, hovering above his palms. "Look, these are my martial souls!"

"This is... this is..." Tang Hao's aura instantly retracted. He stared fixedly at the miniature Clear Sky Hammer, then at the Blue Silver Grass that carried the aura of a king, his body trembling uncontrollably.

He fell to his knees with a "thud," his eyes instantly turning red. He grabbed Tang San's wrists, his voice choked with sobs: "Son... my own son..."

Hot tears rolled down his weathered cheeks, dripping onto the back of Tang San's hand.

Tang San withdrew his martial souls into his body, allowing his father to hold him tightly.

A long-lost warmth spread from his chest, and the killing intent from a moment ago was already cast to the back of his mind.

He understood his father's rage—anyone would lose their composure if they learned their child might have been "replaced."

But he was different; from the moment of his birth, he had been fused with this body, inseparable.

Showing his martial souls now was meant to completely dispel his father's concerns. Only by gaining his father's trust and support could he proceed.

Only then could he walk this path of rebirth more steadily, and only then would he have the strength to face the future and block that world-destroying sword.

"Remember," Tang Hao released him, pressing his hands onto his shoulders with a solemn expression.

"In your future, you must use the hammer in your left hand to protect the grass in your right. Always."

No matter what this child had experienced, as long as he possessed the Clear Sky Hammer and the Blue Silver Grass, he was Ah Yin's son, and he was Tang Hao's son!

Ah Yin, do you see? Our son is a peerless genius with Twin Martial Souls!

"I will, Father." Tang San nodded firmly, his eyes resolute.

This was a promise he had kept in his past life, and he would uphold it in this one as well.

Tang Hao then remembered something, his brows furrowing: "How did you awaken your martial souls? The people from the Martial Soul Hall aren't coming to Holy Soul Village until tomorrow to awaken them, so how did you..."

"Father, I am a reborn soul." Tang San emphasized again.

"A reborn soul?" Tang Hao's heart rose again, his expression turning complex. "You... are you not my son?"

If this "reborn soul" didn't recognize him as a father, then he...

"Father, you will always be my father, in my past life and this one." Tang San quickly explained, "A reborn soul simply means I have lived another life."

"I returned to the time of my birth. Once I could move on my own, I practiced using my own unique technique until today, when I finally triggered the awakening of my martial souls."

"Wait... my thoughts are a bit scrambled." Tang Hao pressed his throbbing temples, his eyes dazed.

Rebirth? Past life? These words exploded in his mind like thunder, making them difficult to digest.

"Father, it is like this." Tang San slowed his speech, recounting the trajectory of his past life.

"In my past life, you lived in seclusion in Holy Soul Village. At six, I awakened my Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power. Afterward, I went to Notting Academy, met the Grandmaster, made friends, and later joined Shrek, participating in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament..."

"We experienced countless life-and-death situations together, resurrected Mother, overthrew the rule of the Martial Soul Hall, and eventually, I inherited a godhood and ascended to the God Realm... In the end, the Great God Circle was destroyed, and I was reborn."

Tang Hao listened, dumbfounded, feeling as if his head were about to explode.

His son became a god? His daughter-in-law was a spirit beast? His grandson and great-grandson also became gods?

They even established some "Great God Circle," and the God Realm became the Tang family's domain?

This sounded like a tall tale, yet the secrets of the Clear Sky Sect that Tang San spoke of—the Ring Detonation, the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer, the Nine Absolutes of Clear Sky...

Every single detail was incredibly precise; these were things no outsider could possibly know. He opened his mouth, only to find he could not utter a single word.

"Son... my good son..." After a long while, Tang Hao finally regained his senses and pulled Tang San into a tight embrace once more. This time, it was filled with genuine love and pride.

This was no monster; this was his son, his true son!

Half an incense stick later, Tang Hao finally calmed his emotions.

He stood up to close the door and pulled Tang San to sit by the table, his eyes filled with guilt. "Little San, why did you only tell me now? If you had said something sooner, I wouldn't have... wouldn't have spent my days drinking, letting you suffer so many grievances."

"Father, this was my own choice." Tang San shook his head. "Originally, I didn't intend to speak of it, but when I awakened my martial soul today, some unexpected changes occurred."

"What changes? Is it serious?" Tang Hao grew tense immediately, leaning forward, his eyes filled with worry.

Tang San took a deep breath and said slowly, "My current Innate Soul Power is level twenty."

"Boom—"

Tang Hao felt his brain go "buzz," as if countless bees were swarming inside, leaving his mind instantly blank.

He stared blankly at Tang San, his lips trembling. "Lit, Little San, you aren't mistaken? Innate level twenty?"

He had lived this long and had only ever heard of Innate Full Soul Power, which was level ten. What kind of concept was level twenty? It was simply unheard of!

"Father, I am not lying to you." Tang San nodded affirmatively. "The power of the Seed of Godhood allowed my soul power to break directly through the level ten shackle."

"Hahaha! Heaven blesses my Clear Sky Sect! Heaven blesses me, Tang Hao!" Tang Hao slammed his hand onto the table and burst into laughter, his eyes gleaming with intensity.

"Little San, we shall return to the Clear Sky Sect today to acknowledge our ancestors and return to the clan! Let those old fogies see what kind of genius my, Tang Hao's, son is!" As he spoke, he moved to pull Tang San toward the door.

"Wait, Father." Tang San called out to stop him.

Tang Hao halted his steps and turned back, puzzled. "What is it?"

"Father, the path to godhood is fraught with difficulties; one wrong move could affect the whole situation." Tang San looked at him, his tone grave.

"I wish to walk the path of my previous life again, step by step, following the established order. To rashly alter the trajectory would likely trigger unpredictable variables."