Tang Hao's Little Padded Jacket Tang San Was Gu Qing's Little Bootlicker!

Tang Hao froze. "Why not?"

Tang San tilted her head and said as if it were only natural, "You're just a blacksmith. You're not even a Soul Master. Brother Gu Qing is a Lord Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power. How could you teach him?"

Gu Qing nearly laughed out loud.

Damn, brilliant! This reason was absolutely perfect!

Third Sister, you truly lived up to the name Tang San. You were such a good little sister. You understood me so well!

Tang Hao stiffened on the spot, the expression on his face instantly freezing. He opened his mouth, but swallowed the words that reached his lips.

He couldn't say it—at least, not yet.

Tang Hao looked at Tang San's serious little face, then at Gu Qing beside her, whose face plainly said, "Third Sister is right." He held his breath in his chest, unable to let it out or draw more in, nearly suffocating himself.

Tang San watched Tang Hao get shut down without the slightest ripple in her heart.

So what if Tang Hao was her father? He only knew how to swing a hammer and forge iron. How was he worthy of being the teacher of the Tang Sect's future master?

Only I am worthy of teaching Brother Gu Qing! No! I'm not worthy either. I'm merely passing down my ancestors' legacy.

Tang Hao held it in for a long while before finally letting out a long sigh, like a deflated balloon.

"Fine."

He waved a hand and said weakly, "If you don't want it, then forget it."

Gu Qing was overjoyed inside, but put on an expression of regret.

"Uncle Hao, I'm sorry. But it's fine. Third Sister and I can cultivate together in the future and look after each other. We definitely won't fall behind."

Tang Hao glared at him irritably.

Look after each other?

More like Little San would take meticulous care of you!!!

This brat really had stepped in dog shit.

It seemed he could only wait until the time was right before passing the Clear Sky Sect's ultimate techniques on to them.

Gu Qing's eyes shifted as he suddenly seemed to remember something.

Wait, no. How had I forgotten this?

I'm about to head to Nuoding Academy, but I still don't have my first soul ring.

They can't seriously expect that idiot Yu Xiaogang to take me to the Soul Hunting Forest, can they? With his useless level twenty-nine strength, wouldn't that be courting death?

I have to make Tang Hao do the work. Then I can directly get a top-tier hundred-year, or even thousand-year, soul ring.

No, no. I need to steer the conversation back.

Gu Qing cleared his throat, tugged Tang San's sleeve, and said solemnly:

"Third Sister, you may not know this, but I once read in some old books at Grandpa Jack's house that if children can awaken Soul Power, then their parents must be Soul Masters too. And the higher the Soul Power, the stronger the parents."

Gu Qing turned to Tang Hao, curiosity shining in his eyes in just the right measure.

"Uncle Hao, then you must be a Soul Master too, right? Why are you living in seclusion in Holy Soul Village as a blacksmith?"

Tang Hao looked at Gu Qing in surprise. He had not expected this six-year-old brat to know that.

As expected, Gu Qing was the smart one. He was far more perceptive than Little San.

Tang Hao was silent for a long time, a trace of pain and nostalgia flashing through his eyes.

He knew that it was time to tell them at least a little.

If he kept hiding it, they would only grow suspicious.

"That's right. I am indeed a Soul Master."

Tang Hao slowly spoke in a low voice. "I used to be an outer disciple of the Clear Sky Sect. Back then, your aunt—Little San's mother—and I were training outside when we accidentally provoked people from Spirit Hall.

"They outnumbered us. I couldn't defeat them... In the end, your aunt died at the hands of Spirit Hall while protecting me."

"I had no choice but to take the newborn Little San and flee to Holy Soul Village, changing our names and hiding for six years."

Gu Qing rolled his eyes inwardly. An outer disciple? Who was he trying to fool?

If an outer disciple of the Clear Sky Sect could possess the strength of a Titled Douluo, what would be left for everyone else?

Still, whatever. He could say whatever he wanted, as long as he was willing to help me hunt soul rings.

Tang San stood at the side, expressionless.

So that was it. She had actually suspected for a long time that Tang Hao was a Soul Master.

How could an ordinary blacksmith swing such a heavy hammer every day without even panting? And why did he always carry an aura that made people afraid?

She just had not expected her father to be so useless. He couldn't even protect his own wife and had needed her mother to save him at the cost of her life. All he could do was hide with his daughter in this poor backwater and cling to life.

He was simply a coward! Trash! Useless!

Tang San sneered inwardly, raised her head to look at Tang Hao, and said coldly:

"Since you're a Soul Master, teach Brother Gu Qing first and let me see. I need to observe whether you're capable of teaching him."

"If you teach badly, we'll find someone more qualified."

Tang Hao: "..."

He nearly spat out blood. I'm a Titled Douluo. Do I need you to observe me teaching a six-year-old child who just awakened her martial soul?

If word of this got out, where would I put my face?

Gu Qing was secretly delighted when he heard this. Right, exactly right!

That was how she should be! Third Sister, you were so bold!

She actually dared to speak to a Titled Douluo like that! But I liked it!

This way, Tang Hao could teach me the real stuff without me having to acknowledge him as my master, and he could also help me hunt soul rings.

It was simply the best of all worlds!

After thinking about it, Gu Qing still tried to smooth things over. "Uncle Hao, Third Sister didn't mean it that way. She's just worried that I won't learn well. If you're willing to teach me, I'll definitely study hard."

Tang Hao glared at Tang San irritably, then looked at the well-behaved Gu Qing. Only then did some of the anger in his heart fade.

Forget it. Why get angry with my own daughter?

As long as I can teach Gu Qing, that's enough. He'll be my son-in-law sooner or later anyway.

What's mine is my son-in-law's. It's only a matter of time.

"Fine." Tang Hao nodded.

"Then I'll teach you first. But let me make this clear: my way of teaching is very strict. If you're afraid of hardship, say so now."

Gu Qing had just opened his mouth to say, "I'm not afraid of hardship,"

when Tang San stepped in front of him first. Frowning at Tang Hao, she said in an uncompromisingly forceful tone, "That won't do. You can't make Brother Gu Qing suffer."

"Dad, you need to find a way for Brother Gu Qing to cultivate comfortably." Tang San raised her little face, looking utterly serious.

"Brother Gu Qing already has it harder than others cultivating Twin Martial Souls. What if he gets worn out?"

Gu Qing stood behind her, already ecstatic inside.

Damn!

Mystic Jade Body was awesome! Buddha Wrath Tang Lotus was awesome!

It could actually make Tang San lick boots to this extent!

She wouldn't even let me suffer. She thought of everything for me!

Tang Hao was choked speechless.

When he had cultivated back then, Tang Chen had trained him more ruthlessly than anyone!

And now, before he had even started teaching, his own daughter had jumped out to say he couldn't let his student suffer.

What the hell was this?

"How can cultivation not involve hardship?" Tang Hao said irritably. "Without being tempered, how can one become strong?"

"It's still not allowed." Tang San stubbornly held her ground. "If you dare tire out Brother Gu Qing, I won't let you teach him."

Gu Qing hurriedly stepped forward and tugged Tang San's sleeve, pretending to be sensible.

"Third Sister, it's fine. Suffering a little is only natural. If it's for becoming stronger, what does this bit of hardship matter?"

Tang San turned to Gu Qing. Her eyes sparkled, filled with admiration. "Brother Gu Qing, you're so strong. As expected of..."

She paused, swallowing the words "the Tang Sect's future master," then changed her wording.

"You're so determined and so willing to endure hardship. One day, you'll definitely become the greatest Soul Master on the entire continent. Compared to you, I'm not even one ten-thousandth as good."

Tang Hao: "..."

Looking at his daughter's lovestruck expression, he only felt his chest tighten.

Was this really his cold, aloof daughter who could barely be bothered to speak to anyone?

Why did she seem like a completely different person whenever Gu Qing was involved?

It was over. He had raised this daughter for nothing.

Tang Hao sighed and waved his hand. "Fine, fine, I understand. I'll find a way to keep Gu Qing from getting too tired."

He silently calculated that the Mystic Jade Body was physically powerful and naturally more durable than others. Loosening things up a little would not matter.

As long as he could keep this brat by his side, anything would do.

"Oh, right." Tang Hao suddenly remembered something, and his eyes lit up.

"You two shouldn't go to Nuoding Academy either. What can that dump possibly teach you? You might as well learn from me. I'll teach you personally, and I guarantee it'll be a hundred times better than what those academy teachers can teach."

Gu Qing inwardly sensed trouble.

You teach us? What could an illiterate like you teach?

Not go to Nuoding Academy? How could that work!

I'm still waiting to go to Dorm Seven and pick up Xiao Wu!

That was a hundred-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit!

There might even be two hundred-thousand-year soul rings and soul bones later on, enough to save me ten years of effort!

If I don't go to Nuoding Academy, where am I supposed to get such a huge bargain?