Six Years in the Blink of an Eye

Tang San climbed up from the ground and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.

With a bang, just as Tang San raised his head after getting up, Lin Hao sent him flying again with another punch.

This time, Lin Hao's fist struck Tang San squarely in the cheek.

"Pah!"

Tang San spat out two teeth.

Seeing that Lin Hao was still not satisfied and continued advancing toward Tang San, Xiao Wu hurried forward and stretched out her hand to stop Lin Hao.

"Xiao Wu, are you stopping me?"

"Lin Hao, calm down. Tang San was at fault first, and you've already hit him. You and Tang San are from the same village. Why don't you shake hands and make peace?"

From the same village?

Lin Hao froze for a moment. His gaze dropped, then he looked up and stared at Tang San. "Tang San, this is the first and last time. If you dare sneak attack me from behind again, I definitely won't let you off lightly!"

With that, Lin Hao turned and left.

Xiao Wu watched Lin Hao's retreating back.

For some reason, Xiao Wu felt somewhat disappointed and uneasy.

Xiao Wu worried that Lin Hao might overthink things and believe she was favoring Tang San.

Thinking of this, Xiao Wu regretted stopping Lin Hao a little.

Tang San stood behind Xiao Wu and thanked her, "Xiao Wu, thank you."

Xiao Wu turned to face Tang San. "Tang San, how could you shoot a hidden arrow at Lin Hao?"

"I knew what I was doing. Even if Lin Hao hadn't reacted, I would only have snapped his belt. He wouldn't have been hurt." Tang San had considerable confidence in firing his hidden weapons.

"What if? What if there had been an accident?"

"What if..." Tang San had not considered the possibility of an accident.

"Tang San..." Xiao Wu put her hands on her hips and asked indignantly, "Are you a sore loser?"

"Me... a sore loser?" Tang San was dumbfounded.

"Tang San, you were the one who asked to spar with Lin Hao, and Lin Hao defeated you head-on. He knocked you down, yet you still fired a hidden arrow. Tell me, aren't you a sore loser?"

"I... I... I..." Tang San clicked his tongue inwardly, unable to defend himself.

The truth was that Lin Hao had indeed knocked Tang San down. Tang San had lost.

But although Tang San had lost, he felt unconvinced because he had not yet used his Sleeve Arrow.

No matter how he tried to argue, judging by his actions, he really was a sore loser.

Tang San lowered his head and asked, "Xiao Wu, do you also think what he said was right?"

"What he said?" Xiao Wu asked thoughtfully. "Do you mean Lin Hao's comments about your father?"

"Mm." Tang San nodded slightly.

"Do you want the truth?"

"Of course, tell me the truth."

"All right, then I'll tell you the truth." Xiao Wu's expression changed. As she paced in front of Tang San, she said, "In the world of Soul Beasts, offspring need to be raised after they are born. But after your father had you, he didn't raise you. So Lin Hao wasn't wrong."

Tang San lowered his head.

In truth, Tang San also knew in his heart that his father had done something very wrong.

He had given birth to him, yet refused to raise him.

And from the time he was four, his father had stopped caring for him altogether.

Not only that, Tang San had to take care of his father's food and drink, as well as wash his clothes.

Tang Hao's actions now were even more excessive. He had left behind a letter and simply disappeared.

Whenever Tang San saw Old Jack dote on Lin Hao, he wanted to ask his father whether he was a wild child.

"Hm?" Tang San suddenly raised his head.

What had Xiao Wu meant just now?

Xiao Wu had said that even the Soul Beast world raised its young. Yet Tang San's father had practically abandoned him. Wasn't that saying his father was worse than an animal?

Tang San said, "Are you saying my father is worse than an animal?"

Xiao Wu shrugged. "I never said that. If that's how you understand it, that's your own problem. Still, your father truly is irresponsible. All right, Tang San, I'm going to find Lin Hao. He did nothing wrong. If I don't catch up to him now, he might get angry later!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Wu ignored Tang San, turned around, and left the blacksmith shop.

That night, two children in Holy Soul Village found it difficult to sleep.

Lin Hao was awake because he had beaten Tang San during the day. Given Tang Hao's personality, if he learned of it, he would definitely seek justice for his son Tang San. Even if it meant bullying the weak with his strength.

Whether Tang Hao had temporarily left or there was some other reason, he did not appear to trouble Lin Hao even by midnight.

Lin Hao was not afraid of Tang Hao either.

If Tang Hao truly came to trouble him and wanted to beat him up, Lin Hao would enter Boundary Space.

The other child unable to sleep was Tang San.

Suddenly, a sound came from Tang Hao's room.

"Father?"

Tang San immediately got out of bed and opened Tang Hao's door. A cat ran out of the room.

Tang Hao was nowhere to be seen in the empty room.

"Father, have you truly abandoned me?" A cold glint flickered in Tang San's eyes.

No matter why Tang Hao had left Tang San behind, he had surely overlooked the fact that his son Tang San was only six years old.

A six-year-old child whose father was still alive. But to Tang San, a father like this might as well be dead!

Five years.

In the blink of an eye, five years passed.

In a clearing within Star Dou Great Forest, the blazing sun shone overhead, yet its light could not penetrate the dense woods.

Countless vines as thick as fingers spread across an area a hundred meters wide.

The tree trunks, the ground, the bushes... were all covered in vines. It looked like an enormous bird's nest.

But this was no bird's nest.

Four people stood on the ground, two adults and two children.

One of them had four Spirit Rings beneath his feet and held a Blazing Blade in his hand. He said to the taller child, "Tang San, quickly kill the Ghost Vine and obtain its Spirit Ring!"

Tang San approached a vine on the ground. Yu Xiaogang the Grandmaster followed beside him.

Yu Xiaogang said excitedly, "Little San, go quickly and obtain its Spirit Ring. Its toughness is extremely suitable for you!"

"Is adding toughness really a good idea?" The other boy walked over to the Grandmaster's side.

"Lin Hao, what do you mean by that?"

"I mean that Blue Silver Grass is grass. Plant-type Martial Souls naturally possess toughness. Adding toughness to Blue Silver Grass seems redundant to me."

"If not toughness, then what attribute should be added?" A rare confident smile appeared at the corners of Yu Xiaogang's lips. He felt that Lin Hao, an eleven-year-old elementary student, could not possibly have profound insights into Martial Soul Evolution.

Lin Hao glanced at Tang San and answered, "Life, of course!"

Somewhat differently from the original storyline, Lin Hao had suddenly noticed a change in Tang San's personality. There were signs that he was moving in a better direction.

If Tang San had been the one from the original storyline, Lin Hao would never have bothered to interfere at this moment.

But if Tang San was an upright person, even so upright that righteousness became a flaw, then Lin Hao was willing to offer some guidance to Tang San, who had been misled in his cultivation.

Was this Lin Hao's only purpose?

The answer was no. Of course not.