"The Soul Masters from Spirit Hall came by just now. They awakened Xiao Tang's Martial Soul!"
"Xiao Tang's Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, but he has Innate Full Soul Power!"
"I'm planning to send him to Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy. That way, he can become a Soul Master when he grows up!"
Tang Hao's eyes flew open. He rolled out of bed and strode to the doorway. Seeing Tang Yin, whose appearance had changed so drastically, his pupils contracted sharply. An uncontrollable wave of sorrow welled up inside him, and tears streamed from the corners of his eyes.
Seeing this, Old Jack assumed Tang Hao was crying from excitement. He couldn't help but snort. "Go ahead and cry! You sure are lucky, you bastard—to have such a promising son as Xiao Tang!"
Tang Hao crossed the room in a few strides and swept Tang Yin into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably as he murmured, "Ah Yin, Ah Yin."
Tang Yin rolled his eyes, speechless.
Fortunately,
Tang Hao couldn't see his expression just then.
Otherwise...
"Xiao Tang, I'll be heading back now." Old Jack rubbed Tang Yin's little head, then turned to leave.
"Goodbye, Grandpa Jack!" Tang Yin called.
Once Old Jack was gone, Tang Hao led Tang Yin into the Blacksmith Shop and asked quietly, "Son, show me your Martial Soul."
Tang Yin immediately held out both hands.
Tang Hao froze at the sight.
But the next second,
a sprig of Blue Silver Grass marked with golden patterns appeared in Tang Yin's right hand.
In his left, a small black hammer flickered with bloody-red lightning.
"Tw... Twin Martial Souls?"
Tang Hao's pupils shook violently. He shot to his feet, his breath catching.
Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul!
Mutated Clear Sky Hammer!
Tang Hao's heart pounded. This Mutated Clear Sky Hammer has such terrifying power of destruction. It's even more frightening than the Clear Sky Hammer I awakened with back then!
When Tang Hao came to his senses, he asked gravely, "When you awakened your Martial Souls just now, did everyone see both of them?"
Tang Yin shook his head. "I only showed everyone the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul in my right hand. I didn't show them this hammer."
"That's good." Tang Hao breathed a sigh of relief, then continued, "From now on, you're not to summon that hammer Martial Soul in front of anyone else. Understood?"
Tang Yin nodded. "Understood."
After a moment's thought, Tang Yin said, "Dad, I want to study at a Soul Master Academy. I want to become a Soul Master."
"No!" Tang Hao refused sharply.
Tang Yin frowned. "But I don't want to spend my whole life as an ordinary person in Holy Soul Village. Besides, I have Innate Full Soul Power. I'll become a Soul Master as soon as I get a Soul Ring, and then I can live a better life."
Tang Hao glanced around at the disorder and squalor. Poverty stank from every corner. He couldn't help sighing; he understood why Tang Yin felt that way.
He wasn't content to stay as he was. He wanted to change his fate.
It was understandable.
"Do you know that once you become a Soul Master, living this kind of life again will be harder than climbing to the heavens?" Tang Hao said solemnly.
Tang Yin fell silent.
Tang Hao sighed. "Forget it. You wouldn't understand even if I explained. You'll get it when you're older. Starting today, you'll learn blacksmithing from me."
Tang Yin couldn't help thinking of Tang Hao's hammer techniques.
But he didn't have the Mysterious Heaven Skill. For now, he was just an ordinary person with Innate Full Soul Power.
Unlike Tang San, he wasn't exceptionally gifted, nor did he have the skills Tang San had brought from his previous life in the Tang Sect.
In the blink of an eye, three months passed.
Tang Yin sat cross-legged beneath a banyan tree, basking in the sun. Blue Silver Grass grew lushly all around him.
Over those three months, Tang Yin had not only mastered the "Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer" taught to him by Tang Hao, but also learned to use the "Blue Silver Domain" awakened through his Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline. He had even, for once, eaten his fill.
"Xiao Tang! Grandpa's here to pick you up!" Old Jack quickened his pace when he spotted Tang Yin beneath the banyan tree.
Hearing him call, Tang Yin stood up.
He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
"Grandpa Jack!" Tang Yin walked over and greeted him.
"Mm. Where's your dad?" Old Jack asked.
Tang Yin pointed to the house. "He should be asleep."
Old Jack entered the Blacksmith Shop and pushed open the bedroom door. Seeing Tang Hao asleep with his hair in a mess, he roared angrily, "Sleep all day! Sleep all day! Are you a pig?"
Tang Hao scratched his ear and said impatiently, "Are you done bothering me?"
"Grandpa Jack, I've packed my things." Tang Yin came over, carrying a bundle.
Old Jack looked at Tang Yin, ready to go, and smiled as he nodded. Then he said to Tang Hao, "Your son's got more promise than you!"
Tang Hao didn't even bother to respond.
"Dad, I've already cooked rice porridge in the pot. You can eat if you get hungry. Grandpa Jack and I are leaving." Tang Yin finished speaking. When Tang Hao didn't answer, he didn't linger and left with Old Jack.
Listening to their footsteps fade into the distance, Tang Hao sat up and murmured, "Ah Yin, I'm sorry. I lost Xiao San. I doubt Spirit Hall will let him go."
"But Xiao Yin has exceptional talent. One day, he'll be able to avenge us—and Xiao San."
Spirit City.
Pope Palace.
Bright light filled the hall, casting a gentle warmth across the cold white-jade floor tiles.
Bibi Dong sat upon the Pope's throne atop nine tiers of jade steps.
The dark robes, embroidered with gold patterns, accentuated her graceful, captivating figure. Her beauty was peerless, flawless, and sternly unsmiling, as if veiled by frost.
Her long, narrow violet eyes were lowered. Her fingertips idly stroked the armrest of the throne, and the invisible aura of Soul Power around her seemed to still the air in the hall.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan bowed beneath the jade steps. Wearing a bright-red brocade robe, he lowered his head and reported in a respectful, clear voice:
"Your Holiness the Pope, the child we took from Tang Hao back then has now awakened his Martial Soul. He has Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power!"
"His Martial Souls are Blue Silver Grass and the Clear Sky Hammer!"
"For now, I've only helped him add a Soul Ring to his Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo stole a glance at Bibi Dong's expression. Seeing her gaze remain dark and unreadable, he lowered his head and waited silently for her reply.
After a long pause, Bibi Dong finally asked, "Are you sure it's Blue Silver Grass? Not Blue Silver Emperor?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo replied solemnly, "I'm absolutely certain! It's ordinary Blue Silver Grass, not Blue Silver Emperor!"
He had once seen the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul with his own eyes, and was well-versed in the countless Martial Souls belonging to plants and flowers throughout the world. He was certain of it.
Bibi Dong's willow brows knit slightly. "An ordinary Blue Silver Grass paired with the Clear Sky Hammer somehow gave him Innate Full Soul Power? However you look at it, that shouldn't be possible!"
The hall fell silent for a moment.
A trace of amusement entered Bibi Dong's gaze as she looked at Chrysanthemum Douluo. "Yue Guan, you took that child as your adoptive son. Aren't you afraid he'll learn the truth one day and turn against you?"
"Your Holiness the Pope, please rest assured. If that happens, I'll clean house myself!" A wicked smile spread across the alluring face of Chrysanthemum Douluo, a man of enchanting beauty.
"Clean house? Heh! Yue Guan, don't start thinking of him as your own son!" Bibi Dong sneered and waved a hand. "You may leave!"
"I take my leave!" Chrysanthemum Douluo turned and walked away.