Tang San: Don't Bully a Young Man's Poverty!

Tang San's heart tightened abruptly.

He felt as though he could sense that young man's humiliation, that feeling of being abandoned by the entire world.

The images shifted.

The youth was rejected in marriage.

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; do not bully the young because they are poor!"

That roar made the blood in Tang San's entire body run hot.

The images shifted again.

The youth met Yao Lao.

The youth practiced bitterly.

The youth climbed step by step from a good-for-nothing to the pinnacle, every time he fell, every time he climbed back up, every time he gritted his teeth and said, "Do not bully the young because they are poor!"

Tang San's tears nearly fell.

He felt as if he were seeing himself.

In his past life, as an outer sect disciple of the Tang Sect, he had relied on an unyielding spirit to master the ultimate arts of hidden weapons.

In this life, with his Blue Silver Grass trash martial soul, a decadent father, and everyone having already sentenced him to death.

Yet, why should he accept it?

Why should a trash martial soul be unable to become strong?

Why?

The images shifted one last time.

Xiao Yan stood at the peak of the Cloud Mist Sect, looking down upon all living beings.

In that moment, he was no longer a good-for-nothing.

He was the protagonist.

The light faded away.

Tang San slowly opened his eyes, tears sliding down his cheeks.

Su Mo was startled: "You're reading a power fantasy, and you're crying?"

Tang San didn't speak, only gripped the book tightly, his whole body trembling.

After a long while, he finally raised his head, his gaze burning as he stared at Su Mo.

"Sir." His voice was hoarse yet firm, "I understand now."

Su Mo: "...Understand what?"

Tang San stood up, took a deep breath, and then pointed toward the sky.

"I want to be the protagonist!"

He roared toward the heavens, his voice echoing in the night sky.

Su Mo: "..."

"From today on, I will be like Xiao Yan, walking from a good-for-nothing to the pinnacle!" Tang San clenched his fists. "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; do not bully the young because they are poor! One day, I will let everyone know that Blue Silver Grass is not a trash martial soul!"

If not for the smell of urine, the scene might have been worth watching.

However, there were no "ifs."

Su Mo covered his face.

Are those even your lines? You're just going to say them?

He was wrong.

He shouldn't have let Tang San read Battle Through the Heavens.

It was over now.

This child had completely lost his mind.

Just then, the back of Su Mo's right hand burned.

He looked down to see the character for "Dao" emerge, and a line of information flooded his mind--

[Resonance Reading]

[Reader: Tang San]

[Book Read: Battle Through the Heavens]

[Resonance Level: Deep Resonance]

[Insight Gained: Protagonist Will (Do not bully the young because they are poor; the firm belief in walking from a good-for-nothing to the pinnacle)]

[Feedback to Host: Destiny Fate (You will be more easily drawn into various troublesome events, while your talent and luck will be significantly increased)]

Su Mo stared at the last line of text, his expression gradually stiffening.

Easier to get dragged into all sorts of troublesome events?

Talent and luck significantly increased?

He looked up, watching the six-year-old child before him howling at the sky, watching his soaked clothes, and watching the three shiny bumps on his forehead.

He suddenly had an ominous premonition.

"Tang San."

"Disciple is here!"

"You just said you wanted to be like Xiao Yan?"

"Yes!"

"Xiao Yan is the type who finds trouble wherever he goes."

Tang San froze for a second, then grinned.

"That's not called trouble."

"That's called opportunity!"

Su Mo fell silent.

He looked down at the character for "Dao" on the back of his hand.

Then he looked at the little madman in front of him, whose eyes were shining with excitement.

He silently withdrew his gaze.

Forget it.

Anyway, he wouldn't be the only one carrying the burden of trouble.

Misery loves company, after all.

The night breeze blew by.

Tang San sneezed.

Only then did Su Mo remember he was still soaking wet.

"...Come inside and change your clothes."

"Thank you, Teacher!"

"Don't call me Teacher."

"Understood, Master."

"..."

Su Mo turned and walked toward the house.

Behind him, Tang San's voice rang out again:

"Master, what do you think I should add for my first spirit ring?"

"Shut up."

"Master, do you have the second part of Battle Through the Heavens?"

"No."

"Master, do you think I might also meet a Yao Lao?"

"..."

Su Mo took a deep breath.

Right now, he just wanted to go back to sleep.

As for tomorrow?

Tomorrow's problems could wait until tomorrow.

After all, his Destiny Fate told him—

The days ahead were going to be lively.

In the distance, atop the old locust tree at the village entrance.

A tall, dark figure crouched among the branches, his gaze piercing through the night, fixed intently on the small courtyard of Su Mo's house.

Tang Hao.

He had been happy tonight.

During the day, he learned that his son had awakened, and with twin martial spirits! Innate full spirit power! Although that Blue Silver Grass was a bit useless, the Clear Sky Hammer was the real deal! His son, Tang Hao's son, was truly destined for greatness!

He had been so happy he nearly drank the wine he'd been hiding for three days on the spot.

Then, he saw the three bumps on his son's forehead.

Tang Hao: "?"

Then, he saw his son sneaking out of the house in the dead of night.

Tang Hao: "??"

Then again, he saw his son standing in someone else's courtyard, getting peed on by a little brat, and then kneeling down to take him as a master.

Tang Hao: "???"

He nearly jumped down from the tree right then and there.

But he held back.

The composure of a Titled Douluo forced him to squat there until now.

He watched his son follow that kid named Su Mo into the house, watched the lights flicker on inside, watched his son holding a book under the lamplight with tears streaming down his face, and watched his son howl at the sky, "I want to be the protagonist!"—

Tang Hao fell silent.

For a very, very long time.

The night wind blew, ruffling his messy hair.

He raised his head and looked at the bright moon in the sky.

The moonlight was very bright, looking exactly like a certain night many years ago.

Back then, there was still someone by his side.

"A-Yin..." his voice was hoarse, tinged with a hint of bitterness, "If not for me being blinded by obsession back then, for that spirit ring..."

He didn't continue.

He simply lowered his head again, looking toward that small, brightly lit cabin.

His son was gesturing wildly while saying something, and that kid named Su Mo looked utterly hopeless.

The corners of Tang Hao's mouth twitched.

Then, he let out a soft sigh.

"Our son seems to have been swindled into stupidity."

"A-Yin, I have failed you—"

In the night wind, this sigh drifted far away.

At the same time.

Su Yuntao lay on his bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

It wasn't that he didn't want to sleep.

He just couldn't.

Every time he closed his eyes, his mind was filled with that book—Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

The very first line, "The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide," seemed carved into his brain, echoing repeatedly.

He rolled over.

Then rolled over again.

And rolled over once more.

"Hiss—" He drew a sharp breath, sat up, and scratched his hair. "No, I must see that book today."

Otherwise, it felt like ants were crawling all over him.

Every pore on his body was screaming: Read! Read! Read!

Su Yuntao had lived for twenty-six years and had never craved a book like this before.

He threw on his coat and pushed the door open.

The moonlight was perfect.

Holy Soul Village wasn't far; at his pace, he could reach it in half an hour.

He would just borrow the book overnight, read it overnight, and return it overnight.

Perfect.

Su Yuntao moved like the wind, sprinting all the way toward Holy Soul Village.

Moonlight spilled onto the country path, wild grass swayed in the breeze, and the chirping of insects rose and fell.

As he ran, he passed the Awakening Shrine from earlier that day.

His footsteps suddenly halted.

In his peripheral vision, there seemed to be something on the ground.

Su Yuntao stopped and looked down.

Under the moonlight, a thin book lay quietly in the grass, cover facing up, with four large characters shimmering faintly in the moonlight—

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Su Yuntao froze.

He looked up and scanned his surroundings.

No one.

He lowered his head to look at the book again.

It was real.

He bent down to pick it up, brushed the dirt off, and flipped to the first page.

[It is a general rule of the world that everything long divided will surely unite, and everything long united will surely divide...]

The handwriting was the same as what he had seen during the day.

But this time, as his gaze fell upon the paper—

The world changed.

Su Yuntao found himself standing upon a vast, desolate land.

Before him lay endless rows of military camps, banners fluttering in the wind, spears and blades standing like a forest. In front of the central command tent, a figure holding a feather fan stood with his back to him, gazing up at the sky.

The man turned around.

His face was like polished jade, his brows were distinct and vibrant, and his eyes were as bright as the stars. He held a feather fan, waving it gently.

"Liang has been waiting for a long time."

Su Yuntao's lips trembled. "Zhu, Zhuge-xiansheng?"

Zhuge Liang smiled faintly, his feather fan swaying lightly. "Since you have come, then follow Liang for a journey."