Watching the leaves of his mother's body sway wildly, Tang San forcibly turned his head away, refusing to look.
For his mother, the answer might have been quite cruel. But since that traitor of a father had done such a thing back then, he should have known that one day the truth would come out.
Heaven saw all that people did. There was no wall without cracks!
Tang San hoped that, as time passed, his mother would forget that damned Tang Hao.
From today onward, I have only two family members: you, Mother, and my master!
And I'm no disciple of the Clear Sky Sect. I'm the sect master of the Tang Sect on the Douluo Continent!
Jiang Li walked over to Tang San and ruffled his hair. "Come on, Xiao San. I can sense an extremely powerful wave of Soul Power rapidly approaching."
"Your father must be hurrying here."
Tang San immediately wore a look of disgust. "Master, he schemed against my mother. He's no longer my father!"
???
Well, that was quite the filial thing to say. Jiang Li hadn't expected to hear it from Tang San.
Tang San took a small shovel and flowerpot from his Storage Soul Tool, then carefully transplanted Ah Yin from the little mound of earth into the pot.
"Master, let's go..."
Holding the flowerpot containing Ah Yin's true body, Tang San lowered his head and didn't say another word.
"All right..."
Meanwhile, Tang Hao stood in a patch of shadow outside the cave, staring fixedly at its entrance.
At first, he'd planned to charge straight in and smash the little thief who coveted his wife's Soul Bone with a hammer.
But when he arrived, he used his spiritual power to observe the scene and discovered that his precious son had absorbed the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone.
His son's Soul Power had also broken through to level thirty, and he had awakened the Blue Silver Emperor!
Meanwhile, Ah Yin's true body, which Tang San had taken along, was now brimming with life beside him.
This discovery filled Tang Hao with joy!
"Just as expected of my good son!"
A Soul Elder before the age of seven—given time, the Clear Sky Sect would surely gain another Peerless Douluo!
Tang Hao felt tears welling in his eyes. "Father, big brother, I haven't brought shame upon you. My son will surely lead the sect back to its former glory!"
"No! Perhaps he can take it even further!"
As for Jiang Li, the third Blue Silver Emperor, Tang Hao hadn't paid him much attention.
From the respectful way his son treated him, Tang Hao had guessed that Jiang Li was the teacher his precious son had taken.
He even figured that Jiang Li's Martial Soul had evolved a second time because he'd spent so long by Tang San's side, where the boy's Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline had stimulated it.
The Tang Family could never repay such a debt!
Jiang Li was young, yet already had the cultivation of a Soul Douluo. That showed just how good his talent was.
Moreover, he hadn't shown the slightest covetousness toward the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone. Tang Hao was extremely satisfied with his character as well.
With such talent and his connection to Tang Hao's precious son as his master, Tang Hao thought that once Tang San returned to his ancestral roots, Jiang Li could become a family retainer, just like the Four Single-Attribute Clans had once been to the Clear Sky Sect. Perfect!
"They seem to be heading back to Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy for now. I'll teach that boy a lesson later and knock him down a peg. Best if he doesn't get any ideas about that little rabbit. Otherwise..."
Tang Hao quietly concealed himself and left.
In his view, since Jiang Li was now a Soul Douluo, he could protect his precious son's growth for a long time to come. Tang Hao no longer needed to worry that, if Tang San became Yu Xiaogang's disciple, the man wouldn't be able to hunt down suitable Soul Rings for him.
He also had another thought. If Ah Yin stayed by Jiang Li and Tang San's side, perhaps he'd have a chance to see her again in this lifetime!
"Spirit Hall, you still haven't paid what you owe me. The interest I've collected so far is nowhere near enough!"
The whole way back, Jiang Li used his Blue Silver Domain to sense a powerful presence following behind them.
There was no need to say who the owner of that presence was.
But since he was already here, he might as well make the best of it. Jiang Li figured that if Tang Hao didn't know what was good for him, there was room for another destined soul in his Human Emperor Banner.
"Xiao San, go back and rest for now. Tomorrow, we'll transplant your mother into the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well."
"Okay."
The master and disciple parted at the entrance to Nuoding Academy. After returning to his room, Jiang Li calmly brewed himself a cup of tea and sipped it as he waited for Tang Hao to show up.
Why hadn't he brewed two cups?
Jiang Li figured that Tang Hao, a boor who only knew how to swing a big hammer, wouldn't understand such an elegant pastime.
Knock, knock, knock—
Soon after Jiang Li sat down, a deep, muffled knock sounded at the door.
"Come in!"
The door creaked open, and a tall figure appeared in the doorway.
The visitor wore a plain gray robe. In the crisscrossing shadows of the dim corridor, his face was completely hidden, leaving only an indistinct, imposing silhouette.
Jiang Li raised an eyebrow. After spending so long on the Douluo Continent, he had finally met Tang Hao, the wronged party.
At the thought of how Tang Hao's wife would become his wife in the future, and how Tang Hao's precious son would call him "Dad" over and over, Jiang Li could barely keep a straight face.
"May I ask what brings you to my room in the middle of the night?"
Jiang Li's voice was steady and strong, betraying no hint of nervousness.
That question only made Tang Hao think more highly of him.
As a Titled Douluo, Tang Hao had just released a trace of his pressure without Jiang Li noticing. Yet Jiang Li acted as if nothing had happened.
Tang Hao strode forward on his own and entered the room.
The lamplight fell upon his face, revealing the marks of a life weathered by hardship. His messy black hair hung carelessly around his shoulders. He looked utterly disheveled.
"I'm Tang Hao, Xiao San's father."
Jiang Li nodded as if in thought. "I guessed as much. With those two Martial Souls, you're the only one who could be his father."
Then Jiang Li continued, "Clear Sky Douluo, rest assured. Since I've taken Xiao San as my disciple, I'll fulfill all the responsibilities a master should."
Tang Hao was thoroughly satisfied. In that case, he could leave for a while.
As for how Jiang Li knew what had happened back then, Tang Hao guessed he'd heard it from the Blue Silver King in the Blue Silver Forest. But that didn't matter anymore.
Before you continue