After dealing with the swindling merchant who had cheated his adorable, foolish little brother, Tang Heng spoke up:
"Little brother, would you be interested in learning how to use a spear?"
"I mean the kind of thing they teach in ancient martial arts. If you want to learn, you can come ask me."
These spear techniques had originally been something Tang San had prepared for Tang Wulin, but through a twist of fate, Tang Heng had intercepted them.
If Tang Wulin wanted to learn, he would teach him everything he knew.
Hearing this, Tang Wulin nodded, then shook his head. "I do, but not right now."
"Why? With ancient martial arts, it's best to lay the foundation while you're young."
"Because it's tiring!"
Tang Wulin pouted and folded his arms across his chest. "Not everyone's as freakishly talented as you, okay, big brother? I have to cultivate my Martial Soul, and I also have to learn blacksmithing from Teacher Mang Tian. Where am I supposed to find the time to learn ancient martial arts?"
"Ah, well... Wulin does have a point." Tang Heng awkwardly scratched his head. "Anyway, whenever you want to learn, just come find me."
"Come with me now. I'll take you to improve your spiritual power."
"Oh, okay... Huh? What? You're taking me to improve my spiritual power?" Tang Wulin came to his senses and stared at him in disbelief.
Tang Heng couldn't be bothered to explain. After all, practice was the only test of truth. Before Tang Wulin could react, he grabbed him and took him straight to the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.
This time, they had spawned in a great location, deep in the forest, with dense canopies all around them.
There was no need to use spiritual power to scout. Just listening was enough to reveal the many Soul Beasts concealed in the thick woods.
Tang Heng immediately activated Martial Soul Possession, transforming into a graceful dragon girl. She gripped a silver spear and thrust it into the clump of grass in front of her.
A hundred-year Datura Snake was pierced through by the spear. As it struggled desperately on the shaft, he controlled the fire element to flow from the spear tip into its body, where it erupted.
Boom!
With a deafening blast, the hundred-year Datura Snake's health bar emptied in an instant. Its body dissolved into flecks of light, which then flowed into Tang Heng.
Hmm, Golden Lion's age had increased by another ten years, and his spear technique had gained a tiny bit of experience.
"This place is called the Spirit Ascension Platform. It's pretty much the same as the Spirit Pagoda outside." Tang Heng took an Enchanted Diamond Sword from his inventory and tossed it to Tang Wulin. "Killing Soul Beasts here can increase your Soul Spirit's age and improve your spiritual power."
Tang Wulin didn't question him. Just moments ago, when his big brother had killed that Datura Snake, he really had felt a warm sensation.
"You have the Golden Dragon King Bloodline, so you don't need to worry about your physical constitution. You can make up for your spiritual power here."
"O-okay." Tang Wulin eyed the Soul Beasts around them, which looked rather vacant and silly, and asked timidly, "Weren't Soul Beasts on the verge of extinction? Isn't it a bit much for us to keep killing them like this?"
My foolish little brother really was so innocent and kind.
Tang Heng ruffled his hair, his face beaming with a spring-warm smile. "It's fine. The Soul Beasts here can't go extinct. Just think of them as chives. Cut one crop, and another will grow."
A few Xiao Bais and Zombies hiding in the shade of distant trees heard this exchange, and all of them seethed with indignation.
"Our people were slaughtered by Steve's kind just like this."
"Sure enough, anyone who can build something like a Mob Grinder must be a demon!"
As time went on, Tang Wulin hunted Soul Beasts alongside Tang Heng and began to realize just how ruthless his big brother was.
Riding on Golden Lion, clad in imposing Diamond Armor, and gripping a spear, he fought his way from the dense forest to the plains.
And his methods were cruel to the extreme.
Tang Wulin had watched a five-hundred-year Nether Tiger get hacked to death by Tang Heng, who had swung an axe at it again and again.
When Tang Wulin had asked him about it, his big brother had explained:
"In the real world, any creature that gets attacked feels pain and fear. That makes it show an opening."
"Look at these Soul Beasts. Even with their health bars nearly empty, have any of them shown the slightest fear of me?"
"So the conclusion is that these Soul Beasts feel no pain!"
(PS: I have no idea either. Ace told me.)
Tang Wulin was still half-convinced, but as he watched the Soul Beasts charge at them one after another, fearlessly snapping and biting at him, he couldn't help but believe it.
After fighting in the Spirit Ascension Platform for a day and a night, the brothers' spiritual power had both improved considerably. Tang Heng had killed most of the Soul Beasts, so his spiritual power and Soul Spirit's age had increased by quite a bit.
The only pity was that Tang Wulin had no Soul Spirit, so he couldn't increase its age.
After a great battle came the need to restock.
Tang Heng took Tang Wulin to the kitchen and used ingredients he had collected earlier to make several hamburgers.
Food from Lays not only filled your stomach; depending on the type, it could also provide different effects.
Take this plain-looking hamburger, for instance.
Tang Wulin took just one bite before feeling a surge of power suddenly well up inside him.
He felt as though he'd become a little stronger.
That was right: it was the Strength I effect granted by the hamburger, and Strength I was the old-version potion effect.
It increased melee damage by a full 130 percent.
That boost was enough to crush the vast majority of support-type Martial Souls on Douluo Continent.
"Big brother, you're a great cook!"
Tang Wulin brushed the crumbs from the corner of his mouth and spoke with a smile.
"If you like them, eat as many as you want. If you run out, go get more ingredients and I'll make them."
Tang Heng was more than happy to make food that filled you up and granted beneficial effects. He even felt like his cooking had improved quite a bit lately.
Tang Wulin ate seven or eight before he was full, then smiled with satisfaction.
Since they still had dinner to eat later—and Lang Yue had prepared it especially for them—Tang Heng didn't want to waste their mother's kind efforts. He took Tang Wulin down into the mineshaft to mine.
It wasn't until the morning of the third day that he brought Tang Wulin back to the Douluo Plane.
"What happened today is a secret between you and me. You're not to tell anyone except Na'er."
"What about Mom and Dad? I can't tell them either?"
Tang Heng shook his head. "When the time is right, I'll tell our parents myself."
"Our family isn't as simple as you think. For now, all you need to do is work hard to improve your strength. That way, you'll be able to protect Mom, Dad, and your little sister in the future."
Tang Wulin lifted his little face, his expression resolute. "Mm-hmm! I'll definitely get stronger. I won't just protect Mom, Dad, and Na'er—I'll become a help to you too, not a burden."
Tang Heng was quite pleased to see this.
All these years of treating Wulin well had finally paid off. It looked like raising him to be a big-brother-obsessed little brother was just around the corner.
Before you continue