Fang Le hadn't raised his voice deliberately for a single word he'd said.
Yet it was still loud enough for the few people around him to hear.
It wasn't a declaration or a promise, but a piece of advice.
Advice Fang Le was giving himself.
He only wanted to keep living as himself for a little longer in this world that kept changing people.
To live as the Fang Le he held in his heart.
To keep reminding himself of the weight of life.
For some reason, Jiang Nannan and the Auspicious Beast both felt that Fang Le had become a little different after saying those words.
But they couldn't quite put their finger on what had changed.
All in all, he seemed pretty impressive.
Di Tian, however, saw things differently. As a powerhouse who had survived since the days of the Divine Dragon Realm,
he saw the matter more clearly.
Fang Le had made a breakthrough in his state of mind.
This kind of breakthrough might not be apparent in the early stages of cultivation, but once someone reached the Titled Douluo level or even the god level, it became especially important.
Take two typical examples, for instance: Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe, both of whom were now at Shrek Academy.
Problems with their states of mind had kept both of them from making any further progress in their cultivation.
Take Yan Shaozhe first. He possessed the top-tier Martial Soul, the Bright Phoenix, yet he was petty and kept score over every little thing, even showing a somewhat dark side to his personality.
This was completely at odds with the Bright Phoenix's upright and honorable nature.
As a result, he had been stuck at level 95 and had never managed to break through.
Xuan Zi was precisely the opposite. He was far too well suited to his Martial Soul, to the point that the Taotie Divine Bull Martial Soul had even begun to influence him in return.
By now, he had been assimilated by his Martial Soul and had lost his original nature.
The very Martial Soul that had once propelled him forward by leaps and bounds had instead become his shackle.
It had left him stuck at the bottleneck between level 98 and level 99, unable to advance a single step.
If the two of them couldn't break through their states of mind in this lifetime,
then unless they came across some heaven-defying opportunity, their cultivation levels would remain just as immovable as their minds.
And even if they broke through with powerful external aids like the Universe Creation Pill, as they had in the original story,
they would only attain the form, not the essence. They would have the cultivation level but be unable to bring their strength to bear.
They would be among the weakest at their level.
Fang Le, however, had none of these worries.
According to certain Daoist teachings from his previous life, he had already begun to see his true nature.
He had used rules and personal principles to rein in his restless, scattered heart.
His state of mind was clear and transparent, which would greatly benefit his cultivation.
It could be said that as long as he maintained his current mindset, he would almost never run into a bottleneck.
It sounded outrageous, but that was simply how things were.
The principles established by this little bean sprout, who wasn't even six years old yet,
were still immature, and sticking to them would be difficult.
But he had a goal and a measure to guide him.
At least in Di Tian's eyes, Fang Le already had what it took to become a powerhouse.
At the same time, Di Tian couldn't help recalling the boy's simple, unpretentious dream from that day in the Soul Hunting Forest.
A home that could fly through the sky, a home that could move with him, so he would have a place to belong wherever he went.
It showed just how deeply he was attached to the idea of home.
Someone like him would absolutely treat you like family if you managed to enter his heart.
And now, he had found his true nature and discovered the path ahead.
Such a peerless prodigy had talent and character in abundance.
He also had a bond: Fang Le had already formed one with the Auspicious Beast.
And Di Tian could see that Fang Le himself had no prejudice against Soul Beasts, so he could absolutely be brought over to their side.
What a stroke of luck that such a good thing had fallen into his lap.
At that moment, only two words filled Di Tian's heart.
"Go all in!!"
If he didn't go all in, he'd be letting down the Auspicious Beast's guidance of fate.
As soon as he returned, he would report to his lord and do everything he could to help Fang Le become a god.
As for reviving the Dragon God and restoring the glory of the Soul Beasts—
Once Fang Le succeeded, there'd be no need to resurrect the Dragon God. He would surpass the Dragon God. What would there be to worry about when it came to restoring the Soul Beasts' former glory?
Of course, that was just a joke, but Di Tian had a feeling.
As long as Fang Le grew up, none of his wildest dreams would remain out of reach.
Besides, the Soul Beasts' situation was already this bad. Surely there was no room for it to get any worse, right?
The original Douluo III (IV) Di Tian: There is.
The more Di Tian let his imagination run wild, the higher the corners of his mouth rose, until he was on the verge of laughing out loud.
"Uncle Long, hurry up and keep up! What are you grinning about? You've completely lost that powerful aura of yours."
"Uncle Di Tian, Nannan said she'd take us to her home. Hurry up!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming!"
"Mom, I'm home!"
At the little courtyard in the south of the city, Jiang Nannan pushed open the front door and hurried inside with light, quick steps, like a fledgling returning to its nest.
Fang Le and the other two followed close behind and entered the courtyard.
Small and tidy, with a peaceful air—that was the trio's first impression of the courtyard.
The ground was paved with bluestone slabs, and slender blades of fresh grass swayed in the breeze.
The main house stood in front of them, its doors wide open. Bowls, chopsticks, and two simple dishes had been set out on a wooden table.
Two side rooms adjoined it, though the one on the west side had apparently been turned into a kitchen.
Wisps of smoke rose from it, and the aroma of food drifted through the courtyard on the breeze.
Neatly chopped firewood was stacked against the kitchen wall.
An axe was embedded in a tree stump, while beneath a broom tucked into the corner of the wall lay a small pile of swept-up wood shavings.
There was also a wing room on the west side, with another side room attached. It was probably for guests or storing odds and ends.
In the southeast corner stood a well, with a clean wooden bucket set to one side. A large water vat stood nearby, and through its half-covered lid, they could see a gourd ladle floating inside.
An old tree of unknown species spread its leafy branches overhead, casting a cool patch of shade.
Beneath it, a rocking chair swayed in the breeze with a creak. A small table beside it held a cup and saucer, while a little stool stood nearby with a large palm-leaf fan carelessly tossed on top.
One end of a hemp rope was tied to a tree branch, while the other was fastened to an iron hook hammered into the wall, forming a simple clothesline.
A quilt was basking in the sunlight.
In the sunniest spot below it stood a bamboo drying rack. Freshly picked mushrooms and some pickled dried radishes lay spread across it.
Everything in the courtyard was brimming with the warmth of everyday life.
But the peaceful atmosphere was marred by the faint smell of medicinal herbs and the scent of blood.
It seemed the owner of the home wasn't in very good health.
"Nannan's back? How did the Soul Hunting go this time? You weren't hurt, were you?"
A beautiful woman with a slender build and a pale complexion came out of the kitchen.
She wiped her hands on her apron, then pulled Jiang Nannan, who had thrown herself at her, into her arms and asked softly.
"Mom, I missed you so much! The Soul Hunting went really well! I've already gotten a Soul Ring, too! It's a hundred-year one, and it gave me an incredibly powerful Soul Skill!
"Oh, and there are Brother Fang and Uncle Di Tian, too. If they hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have gotten such a compatible Soul Ring."
The little girl had, after all, been frightened during the Soul Hunting trip. Though she didn't say she'd felt wronged when she saw her mother, she clung to Mother Jiang and refused to let go.
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