The Gods' Gift, Traditionalists vs. Innovators

Late night, the hour of the Rat.

South of Soto City, an abandoned blacksmith shop.

The dilapidated wooden door creaked in the night wind, and moonlight spilled through the broken roof, casting mottled shadows.

The air was thick with the scent of rust and dust; the surroundings were so silent that only the chirping of insects and the sound of his own heartbeat could be heard.

Tang San stood in the center of the shop, his gaze scanning the surroundings with vigilance. He had arrived on time, but the mysterious person had yet to appear.

He was not a man who trusted others easily. The first rule the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record had taught him was never to easily trust any information delivered to his doorstep.

But this time, he had no choice but to come. The information mentioned by the mysterious person had struck precisely at his weak point.

Yi Chen's appearance and Xiao Wu's changes—everything made him feel uneasy.

Rustle.

A faint sound of footsteps came from behind.

Tang San spun around abruptly, his Mysterious Heaven Skill circulating instantly, ready to strike at any moment.

The mysterious person in a gray cloak emerged from the shadows, walking with a calm, steady pace as if he were strolling through his own courtyard.

He stopped three zhang away from Tang San, a pale chin visible beneath his hood.

"You are very punctual," the mysterious person said, his voice raspy and low.

"You asked me here—what exactly do you want to say?" Tang San went straight to the point, having no intention of exchanging pleasantries.

The mysterious person was silent for a moment before speaking slowly: "Tang San, how much do you know about that man called Yi Chen?"

Tang San frowned slightly: "I have already said, I do not know much."

"Then let me tell you." The mysterious person's voice deepened. "Yi Chen does not belong to this world."

Tang San's pupils constricted sharply.

"He is not a person of the Douluo Continent; he does not even belong to this plane," the mysterious person continued.

"He comes from a place you cannot imagine, having descended here with a specific purpose. Everything he has done—promoting that game called Golden Spatula, taking on disciples, and winning over various factions—is merely to complete his mission."

Tang San's heartbeat quickened. He instinctively wanted to question this claim, but a voice deep within him told him it was true.

Only this could explain why Yi Chen was so young yet possessed such terrifying strength, and why he held so much knowledge and ability that had never been heard of before.

"What is his goal?" Tang San asked in a low voice.

"To change the order of this world." A hint of coldness laced the mysterious person's voice.

"His game will completely overturn the existing power system of the Douluo Continent in the near future. When that happens, traditional cultivation methods will be obsolete. Spirit masters will no longer need to hunt spirit beasts to obtain spirit rings; instead, they will gain power by playing the game. The entire landscape of the continent will be rewritten because of it."

Tang San's hands clenched involuntarily.

He had known since he was a child that this world was unfair.

Some were born with innate full spirit power, while others struggled even to awaken a martial soul.

But even so, the rules of the Douluo Continent were at least clear: cultivate hard, hunt spirit beasts, obtain spirit rings, and grow stronger step by step.

This was the law that had remained unchanged for thousands of years.

And now, someone was telling him that this set of laws was about to be overturned?

"You should feel angry." The mysterious person's voice carried a hint of seduction.

"Your friends, your companions—they have all been blinded by that outsider. They think Yi Chen is genuinely good to them, little knowing they are merely pawns on his chessboard. And you are the only one who sees the truth."

Tang San's breathing became somewhat rapid.

He knew he couldn't believe everything this mysterious person said, but those words burrowed into his heart like a viper, leaving him unable to find peace.

"Why are you telling me this?" Tang San asked again, his voice raspy.

The mysterious person was silent for a moment, then slowly raised his hand and pulled back his hood.

The moonlight illuminated an aged and majestic face. It was a face Tang San had never seen before, but those eyes—the pressure and divinity contained within them—made Tang San's soul tremble.

"Because I am a god."

As soon as the words fell, a vast, boundless aura, far beyond human comprehension, erupted from the mysterious person!

Tang San felt his legs go weak, and he collapsed to his knees, unable to control his own body!

The Mysterious Heaven Skill within him was like a firefly before the bright moon in the face of this aura; it was pitifully insignificant!

His Blue Silver Grass martial soul retracted directly into his body, unable to even muster a thought of resistance!

This was the pressure of a god!

A true god!

The mysterious person—or rather, the avatar of the Asura God—looked down at the kneeling Tang San, his gaze filled with a hint of scrutiny and expectation.

"Tang San, I have seen your talent and your character."

The Asura God spoke slowly, his voice echoing like a great bell through the empty blacksmith shop. "You have the potential to become a god, but your current strength is far from enough. That outsider called Yi Chen—his power is far beyond your imagination. If you wish to protect your friends and safeguard the order of this world, you need greater power."

Tang San looked up, his eyes filled with shock and awe: "God... My Lord, are you willing to help me?"

"I can grant you power," the Asura God said, extending a finger as a point of scarlet light coalesced at its tip. "But whether you can master this power depends entirely on your own fortune."

That point of scarlet light detached from his fingertip, drifting slowly toward Tang San until it finally sank into the center of his brow.

BOOM!!!

A violent and scorching energy erupted within Tang San's body!

Tang San felt as if his body were being torn apart; every inch of his meridians was enduring an unimaginable impact.

He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to endure the excruciating pain as he desperately circulated his Mysterious Heaven Skill to guide that energy through his body.

His Blue Silver Grass martial soul released uncontrollably, and scarlet patterns emerged upon the blue vines, radiating an eerie and overbearing aura.

What shocked him even more was that a phantom of a pitch-black heavy hammer slowly manifested in the palm of his left hand.

The Clear Sky Hammer!

Yet, the Clear Sky Hammer at this moment was completely different from before. The pitch-black hammer body was wreathed in scarlet lightning patterns, exuding a destructive aura of slaughter. It felt as if a single strike could cleave the very heavens and earth!

"The Asura Clear Sky Hammer," the Asura God's voice echoed in his ears.

"This is a brand-new martial soul that evolved after I planted the seed of Asura divine power into your Clear Sky Hammer. It will inherit the dominance of the Clear Sky Hammer and the slaughtering will of the Asura divine power, becoming the sharp weapon with which you will conquer the world in the future."

Tang San felt the surging power within him; his soul power was climbing rapidly—level thirty, level thirty-one... it did not stop until it reached level thirty-nine.

In the span of just a few breaths, his soul power had increased by a full nine levels!

Moreover, he could feel that this was only the beginning. The seed of Asura divine power remained hidden within him, and as he grew, it would gradually release even more power.

"Thank you for your gift, My Lord!" Tang San knelt on the ground, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement and gratitude.

The Asura God pulled his hood back up, returning to his mysterious appearance. "No need to thank me. Your path is still long, and that Yi Chen will not fall simply because of this bit of power. If you wish to truly contend with him, you will need more tempering and opportunities."

He turned and walked into the darkness.

"Remember, do not expose my existence. When you are ready to face him, I shall appear of my own accord."

Before his words had even faded, his figure had completely vanished into the night, as if he had never appeared at all.

Tang San remained kneeling, looking down at his own hands.

The phantom of the Clear Sky Hammer on his left hand slowly faded, but that overbearing and scorching sense of power still surged within him.

He raised his head, looking toward the direction of Shrek Academy, his gaze flashing with a determination and confidence he had never felt before.

Yi Chen, just you wait.

I, Tang San, will not be trampled under your feet forever.