Father and Son Scheme Against Each Other (5th Watch)

With a loud clang, the wine jar in Tang Hao's hand dropped to the floor, shattering into pieces as wine splashed everywhere.

He lunged up from his chair, his movement so abrupt that his wooden prosthetic arm nearly fell from his shoulder, yet he remained completely oblivious, staring fixedly at the phantom image of the hammer in Tang San's palm. In his murky eyes, a flash of incredulous ecstasy and overwhelming agitation erupted, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Twin Martial Souls... it really is Twin Martial Souls! Innate Full Soul Power! Good! This is good!"

"My son, my son."

He stumbled forward a few steps to reach Tang San, tears and snot streaming down his face, and pulled Tang San into his arms with a surge of emotional fatherly love. His grip was so tight that Tang San could barely breathe.

The scent of fatherly love emanating from his armpit was almost enough to make one faint from nausea.

This was the first time in the six years Tang San had been alive that he had felt this so-called "fatherly love" from the man who was his father in name only.

Yet, Tang San knew clearly in his heart that this sudden tenderness was likely never for him, but for this hammer.

Perhaps it was because he finally had a hope for revenge.

"Sanmei, do you see this? Our son has Twin Martial Souls! Innate Full Soul Power! Our son has a bright future!"

Tang Hao muttered repeatedly, his voice trembling, his eyes even rimmed with red, his left hand clenching tight.

Tang San remained stiff in his embrace.

At this moment, all his speculations had become cold, hard facts.

He truly was the son of Tang Hao, the child born of that Human Traitor wanted by the entire continent and the hundred-thousand-year-old Blue Silver Emperor soul beast.

He was exactly what those people called a "human-beast hybrid," a "bastard."

A wave of immense panic and confusion swept over him, but the mental fortitude of having lived two lifetimes allowed him to forcefully suppress every emotion.

He could not panic, and he certainly could not show any resistance or abnormality.

Once Tang Hao realized he had figured out his identity, or worse, that he felt repulsion toward this lineage, who knew what this paranoid, insane man might do?

He was far too weak right now; he had no ability to resist.

It doesn't matter, he thought coldly to himself. I will pretend I know nothing, pretend I understand nothing. So what if everyone wants me dead? So what if the whole continent is hunting me? As long as I can cultivate, grow stronger step by step, reach the highest realm of this world, and build my own power base, I will have the leverage to speak. No one will be able to toy with my life again, and no one will be able to point at my nose and call me a bastard. For now, the most important thing is to survive and keep myself hidden.

Tang Hao finally released him, gripping his shoulders and staring deep into his eyes with unprecedented solemnity. "Little San, you must remember: from this day forward, you must never bring out the hammer in your left hand in front of anyone. You must never let anyone know you possess a second martial soul!"

Tang San feigned ignorance, blinking his eyes. "Why, Dad? Isn't this hammer martial soul very powerful? I feel like it has much more strength than the Blue Silver Grass."

"Powerful? It is powerful, but it can also cost you your life!" Tang Hao's voice turned abruptly stern. "Remember, the Blue Silver Grass in your right hand is the path you must walk. You must focus on cultivating it and making it strong. The hammer in your left hand is meant to protect the grass in your right."

Tang San lowered his head, hiding the mockery in his eyes.

The hammer in the left protecting the grass in the right?

When you held this hammer, how did you protect my mother? Didn't it end up leaving you in this half-human, half-ghost state, forcing me to hide in this tiny village with you?

Yet, he replied obediently, "I understand, Dad."

Tang Hao looked at his compliant demeanor and nodded with satisfaction, continuing in a deep voice, "I am telling you to hide this hammer not just because of what happened six years ago. Think about it: what is the most famous hammer martial soul on the continent? It is the Clear Sky Hammer of the Clear Sky Sect, the head of the Upper Three Sects! You have Innate Full Soul Power and awakened a top-tier hammer martial soul; once revealed to outsiders, who wouldn't associate it with the Clear Sky Hammer? Who wouldn't suspect you have a connection to the Clear Sky Sect, or to that Tang Hao who was hunted by the entire continent six years ago?"

His tone grew heavier, laden with a deep warning. "At that point, regardless of whether you are truly connected to them, those who covet the Clear Sky Sect and those in Martial Soul Hall who hate Tang Hao to the bone will treat you as a thorn in their side. They will hunt you to the ends of the earth, and you will never know a day of peace!"

Tang San felt a chill, shrinking his neck as if in fear, then looked up with a puzzled expression. "Then Dad, why can't I hide the Blue Silver Grass and cultivate this hammer instead? It looks much stronger than the Blue Silver Grass."

"No! Absolutely not!"

Tang Hao refused with ironclad finality, his tone brooking no argument. "Did you not listen to a word I just said? Furthermore, any sect treasures its inherited martial soul more than its own life. On this entire continent, only those of the direct bloodline can rightfully use their sect's inherited martial soul. An inherited martial soul is the foundation of a sect; they will never allow it to leak out and fall beyond their control."

He paused, a shadow crossing his eyes. "Those sect disciples who cannot keep their pants on and leave behind bloodlines outside—once those children awaken a hammer martial soul similar to the Clear Sky Hammer, they are either brought back to the sect to have their lives controlled forever, or they are quietly disposed of by the sect to ensure the inheritance never leaks out. You haven't even stepped foot in the Clear Sky Sect; once people know you possess such a hammer, you won't even need to wait for other factions to act—the people of the Clear Sky Sect will be the first to come for your life!"

Tang San finally understood.

In this world, the importance placed on bloodline inheritance far exceeded his imagination.

A sect was less a sect and more a massive, sprawling family.

Even if he swore until he was blue in the face that this wasn't the Clear Sky Hammer, as long as the hammer was revealed, it would invite endless calamity.

He nodded heavily, retracted the phantom image of the hammer, and said with a serious expression, "Dad, I've got it! I will never take this hammer out in front of anyone again. I will only cultivate the Blue Silver Grass. I won't tell a soul about this secret!"

Watching his sensible behavior, a rare smile finally appeared on Tang Hao's face. He reached out to ruffle Tang San's hair, then fished a crumpled money pouch from his robes and pressed it into his hand.

This was the first time in six years he had given Tang San anything.

"Good lad, you have a future. Take this money, buy whatever you want. When you go to Nuoding Academy, I will see you off."

Tang San took the pouch, his fingertips touching the cold coins inside, yet his heart remained completely unmoved.

He knew very well that all the kindness and tenderness Tang Hao showed him now was merely because he was Tang Hao's only hope for revenge.

And he, in turn, would use this "fatherly love" and Tang Hao's demands to naturally hide himself and accumulate strength step by step.

The smell of wine in the blacksmith shop remained thick, and the setting sun shone through the broken door, stretching the shadows of the father and son long across the floor.

One was filled with the obsession of revenge, the other hid the intellect and calculations of two lifetimes.