Then Awaken the Martial Soul

"I'm your father." That was the explanation he gave him.

Tang Hao replied indifferently.

Tang Liu understood Tang Hao's unspoken meaning as well, and felt even more irritated, along with a hint of grievance.

He stubbornly stared at Tang Hao. Sweat had already appeared on his forehead, and his small, thin body had begun to tremble slightly.

Yet he refused to sit down under the pressure. He refused to submit before him.

If you've got the ability, then crush me to death with your pressure!

Even if you're a Title Douluo, even if you're my father!

I still won't lower my head!

That was what Tang Liu's eyes conveyed. Though Tang Hao could not understand it precisely, he could grasp the general meaning.

A trace of almost imperceptible gratification and surprise flashed across his face, unseen by anyone.

"Xiao Liu, what's wrong?" Seeing Tang Liu's face flushed red, Tang San immediately understood what had happened. He jogged over to Tang Liu and reached out to support him.

At that moment, Tang Hao withdrew his pressure as well. Tang Liu's body went limp, and he only remained standing because Tang San held him up.

"Xiao Liu, are you all right?" Tang San asked anxiously before turning to Tang Hao. "Dad, what did you do to Xiao Liu?"

Tang Hao did not answer him, instead asking, "What did you want to say?"

Tang San froze for a moment. He frowned, about to say something, but Tang Liu stopped him.

"Brother, tell him what you wanted to say just now."

Even though he tried his best to conceal it, Tang Liu's voice still trembled slightly with weakness.

Tang San looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then said to Tang Hao, "Can you teach me blacksmithing?"

Only then did Tang Hao give him a serious look, though his tone remained cold. "Why do you suddenly want to learn?"

"If I learn, I can help you take on work," Tang San said, revealing part of why he wanted to learn blacksmithing.

"A blacksmith... that doesn't seem too bad," Tang Hao muttered.

"Can you at least give us an answer?" Seeing that Tang Hao had not reacted for so long, Tang Liu flared up again.

Tang Hao turned to look at Tang Liu. He had originally wanted to glare at him, but when he saw the boy's little face, pale beyond belief after enduring his pressure, and recalled the soft, trembling voice Tang Liu had tried so hard to control, his heart softened. So he ignored him.

His expression suddenly became serious as he said to Tang San, "Xiao San, tell me, what kind of blacksmith is a good blacksmith?"

Tang San paused, seemingly thinking, before giving his answer. "It should be..."

Before he could finish, Tang Liu, whom he was supporting, finally could not hold on any longer. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

"Xiao Liu!" Tang San cried out.

Tang Hao flashed over to Tang San's side and took the unconscious Tang Liu from his hands.

Worried about his younger brother, Tang San did not notice Tang Hao's astonishing speed. Looking at him, he asked, "Dad, what happened to Xiao Liu?"

Tang Hao frowned and placed his broad, rough right palm over Tang Liu's lower abdomen. A moment later, he finished checking Tang Liu's condition with Soul Power, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed.

"It's nothing. He's just tired and fell asleep," Tang Hao said indifferently. Then he carried Tang Liu toward the room shared by the two brothers. "Stay here. I still have something to say to you."

Those words stopped Tang San, who had been about to follow.

Inside the room, Tang Hao gently laid Tang Liu on the fairly soft bed and tucked the blanket around him.

Looking at Tang Liu's face, which resembled Ah Yin's so closely yet inherited some of his own hard lines, Tang Hao's face rarely revealed a trace of gentleness.

"Showing off at such a young age. I wonder who he takes after."

He shook his head and walked outside.

Several days later, it was time for Martial Soul Awakening.

Jack, the village chief of Holy Soul Village, led Tang San and Tang Liu toward the large wooden building in the center of the village—the Spirit Hall.

There were eight children in total who needed to undergo Martial Soul Awakening that year. Tang San and Tang Liu were the last two to arrive.

"Seriously, for something this important, that old man couldn't even come with us..." As soon as they entered the Spirit Hall, Tang Liu could not help complaining to Tang San.

Tang San patted his shoulder. "Dad has things to do today. Don't blame him."

Tang Liu curled his lip and muttered, "Drinking? Sleeping? What could he possibly have to do..." His voice was so low that Tang San did not hear him.

Soon, they stood in a row with the other six children.

Village Chief Jack stepped forward and began speaking respectfully with a handsome young man in his twenties.

Tang Liu curiously looked toward the young man, Su Yuntao.

So this is that "unchanging Su Yuntao"? Then does that make me the "ever-changing protagonist"? Tang Liu mocked himself inwardly.

After all, it would have been a lie to say he was not curious about something as novel as Martial Soul Awakening. Besides, he had been a high school student in his previous life. Even after being deeply battered by society, he still had a bit of chuunibyou in him.

I wonder what kind of Martial Soul I'll awaken. Will it be the same as Third Brother's? Watching Su Yuntao begin awakening the first child's Martial Soul, he thought to himself.

Su Yuntao was already in his Martial Soul Possession state, with one white and one yellow ring pulsing around him.

Those two must be Soul Rings... Tang Liu observed secretly.

Su Yuntao, while in Martial Soul Possession, continuously gave off a faint pressure. Yet Tang Liu did not feel the slightest discomfort. Perhaps it was because he had already been tempered by Tang Hao's pressure that day.

Soon, it was Tang San's turn.

Just like in the original story, Tang San awakened Blue Silver Grass. However, Tang Liu, standing behind Tang San, noticed that within Tang San's left hand behind his back, an extremely heavy, profound black glimmer flashed and vanished.

That should be the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Liu concluded with certainty.

"Blue Silver Grass. A useless Martial Soul." Su Yuntao shook his head and took out the crystal ball used to test Soul Power. "Never mind. Come test your Soul Power."

Tang San did as instructed and placed his palm on the crystal ball. The next moment, the crystal ball released a dazzling blue light.

"My heavens, it's actually Innate Full Soul Power!" Su Yuntao cried out.

"Uncle, what is Innate Full Soul Power?" Tang San looked at Su Yuntao in confusion and asked.

Su Yuntao then began explaining to Tang San what Soul Power was and what Innate Full Soul Power meant.

Only after quite a while was it Tang Liu's turn to awaken his Martial Soul.

Tang Liu walked into the center of the formation formed by the six black stones. His face was calm, but he was actually very nervous inside.

Hah, I wonder what I'll awaken. Come to think of it, that little girl from the original story whose Martial Soul was also Blue Silver Grass doesn't seem to have appeared. Could it be because I appeared? Has the butterfly effect started to show itself?