Old Jack's Hopes, Ji Yuan's Indifference

Tang San bent down to pick up the letter. The instant his fingertip brushed the dark red grass stain, his expression changed.

Xiao Wu leaned closer. "What is this? Did you stain it last night?"

Tang San shook his head. "I didn't."

Old Jack called again from outside. "Little San?"

Tang San folded the letter and tucked it into his clothes, suppressing the strange feeling before opening the door.

The moment Old Jack saw him, the wrinkles on his face relaxed into a smile. "Everyone in the village knows about what happened at the back mountain. You've only been at the academy for such a short time, and you can already handle something so strange. Grandpa knew he was right about you."

Tang San felt a little awkward. "Grandpa Jack, that was just ordinary grass juice. I wasn't the one who subdued it."

Old Jack waved a hand. "Don't be modest. How many years has it been since Holy Soul Village produced a Soul Master? As long as you're willing to step forward, everyone feels reassured."

Xiao Wu leaned against the doorframe. "Grandpa, you're making Tang San embarrassed."

Old Jack looked at Tang San, his eyes reddening. "Little San, your father is gone. Grandpa knows you're hurting inside. But a person can't spend his whole life guarding a broken blacksmith shop. You have to climb higher."

Tang San remained silent and did not answer at once.

Ji Yuan hid beneath the sole of his shoe, listening coldly.

Here it came again.

Hope, concern, glory—one rope after another that these humans wrapped around Tang San.

Foolish.

But useful.

Old Jack took out an old cloth bundle from his clothes and stuffed it into Tang San's hand.

Tang San opened it and found several silver soul coins inside, along with a cloth towel washed so many times it had turned pale.

He hurriedly tried to return it. "Grandpa Jack, I have the academy stipend. I can't take your money."

Old Jack's face darkened. "Take it."

Tang San still wanted to refuse, but Old Jack blocked his hand with his cane.

"If you really want to be filial, then stop pushing this little bit of money back and forth with Grandpa. When you become a Soul Grandmaster, when you become an even stronger Soul Master, Holy Soul Village will have hope."

Tang San clutched the cloth bundle, his throat tightening. "I'll work hard."

As Tang San's emotions surged, Ji Yuan gently released a stream of pure inner force.

That inner force was not given freely.

It was scraps he had extracted from Tang San and refined.

But to Tang San, the strength came at just the right moment, striking when his emotions were at their peak.

Tang San only felt a warm current surge through his meridians, washing away a little of the oppressive feeling from last night's dream.

He looked up at Old Jack. "Grandpa Jack, I'll definitely grow stronger."

Old Jack nodded repeatedly. "Good, good. Grandpa will wait to see you return wearing a Soul Master's robe."

Xiao Wu glanced at Tang San and pursed her lips. "He'll definitely manage it. He just needs to stop training until he coughs up blood."

Tang San said awkwardly, "Xiao Wu."

Old Jack panicked at once. "Coughing blood? What happened?"

Just as Xiao Wu was about to speak, Tang San hurriedly interrupted. "It's only impurities being expelled during cultivation. Teacher said it wasn't a bad thing."

Old Jack was half-convinced. "It really isn't harmful?"

Xiao Wu folded her arms. "That's what Master said. Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on him."

Only then did Old Jack let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. It's good that someone is watching him."

Tang San looked toward the back mountain. "Grandpa Jack, I still want to go to the back mountain this afternoon and check it over once more."

Old Jack nodded. "Go ahead. The villagers won't stop you. Just don't come back too late."

Ji Yuan was already activating the dormant spores beneath Tang San's foot.

The illusion formation on the back mountain still needed its final seal.

Tang San going there suited him perfectly.

That afternoon, Tang San and Xiao Wu returned to the back mountain.

The dark red marks on the grassy slope had faded considerably. The grass juice that had seeped out the night before had dried beneath the sun, leaving behind only a thin reddish-brown stain.

Xiao Wu crouched beside the grass and poked it with a finger. "It doesn't prick people today."

Tang San summoned his Blue Silver Grass and brought it into contact with the surrounding blades of grass.

Using the cover provided by Tang San's martial soul, Ji Yuan drew all the exposed roots deep underground.

The illusion formation on the back mountain entered dormancy.

The surface returned to an ordinary patch of grass, but dense sensory lines remained hidden within.

Tang San only felt that this patch of grass had become even closer to him, adding another layer to his doubts.

Xiao Wu saw him spacing out and nudged his shoe with her foot. "What are you thinking about now?"

Tang San came back to himself. "I was thinking that ordinary cultivation might not be enough."

Xiao Wu blinked. "Didn't you just break through not long ago?"

Tang San lowered his voice. "But I always feel empty inside. The more I cultivate, the more I feel like something is missing."

Ji Yuan's vine tip tightened at those words.

Very good.

The illusion of hunger had already begun to take shape.

Tang San continued, "That dream last night was strange too. I dreamed of a black giant ape and a great tree. The pressure they gave me was far stronger than the Datura Snake's."

Xiao Wu's expression changed rapidly. She lowered her head and plucked at the grass, avoiding Tang San's gaze.

"It was only a dream. Don't take it seriously."

Tang San noticed her unusual reaction. "Xiao Wu, do you know what kind of soul beasts those were?"

Xiao Wu tossed aside the grass. "How would I know? It's not like I'm a master."

Tang San did not press her further.

But Ji Yuan remembered Xiao Wu's reaction.

The words "black giant ape" were enough to make her avoid the question.

That had value.

When they returned to the blacksmith shop that evening, Old Jack had already prepared dinner.

The meal was simple, but Xiao Wu ate happily, while Old Jack kept putting food into Tang San's bowl.

"Little San, eat more. Soul master cultivation takes a toll on the body."

Tang San nodded. "Grandpa, you should eat too."

Old Jack smiled, then suddenly lowered his voice. "Your father's gone, and the house feels empty. If you're willing, you can stay at my place during the holidays."

Tang San shook his head. "No need. I want to wait at home for Father to return."

Old Jack sighed. "You're just as stubborn as your father."

Xiao Wu bit into a steamed bun and mumbled, "Uncle Tang Hao really isn't reliable."

Tang San did not argue. He merely set down his bowl. "Father must have his reasons."

Taking advantage of Tang San's low spirits, Ji Yuan once again created a feeling of Soul Power depletion.

Tang San had barely risen to his feet when his body swayed.

Xiao Wu immediately put down her steamed bun. "Are you feeling unwell again?"

Tang San rubbed his brow. "I'm just tired."

Old Jack grew anxious as well. "Go back to the academy tomorrow and have the master take a look."

Tang San had originally wanted to stay a few more days, but the hollow feeling inside him was growing stronger. Even circulating the Mysterious Heaven Skill had begun to feel strained.

He could only nod. "We'll go back tomorrow morning."

Satisfied, Ji Yuan completely put the maze formation in the back mountain into dormancy.

The objective had been achieved.

He had left contingencies behind in Holy Soul Village. Tang Hao had departed, and Old Jack had pushed Tang San's emotions further down the path of pursuing strength.

The next step was to make Yu Xiaogang personally propose an even more dangerous choice.

That night, Tang San went to the back mountain one last time to cultivate the Purple Demon Eye.

Xiao Wu sat in a tree, swinging her legs. "You're obviously exhausted, yet you still insisted on coming."

Tang San looked at the violet glow emerging at the horizon. "I want to become stronger."

Xiao Wu did not laugh at him again. "Then don't push yourself to death."

Tang San said softly, "I still have Father to find, and the Tang Sect to rebuild."

Ji Yuan, nestled in the sole of his shoe, was not moved in the slightest. He merely regarded those words as a new set of reins.

The more obsessed humans were, the easier they were to control.

After the sun rose, Tang San finished his cultivation and said farewell to Old Jack with Xiao Wu.

Old Jack escorted them to the village entrance and repeatedly reminded him, "Little San, listen to the master when you return to the academy. Don't overexert yourself. Once you become a Soul Grandmaster, come back and let Grandpa see."

Tang San nodded solemnly. "I will."

Xiao Wu waved. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll keep an eye on him."

As Old Jack watched the two of them walk away, his eyes reddened again.

Ji Yuan only found it noisy.

On the road out of Holy Soul Village, Tang San grew increasingly silent.

The Soul Power in his body was slowly drained away by Ji Yuan, leaving behind the illusion of parched meridians.

Xiao Wu sensed that something was wrong and reached out to support him. "Don't walk so fast."

Tang San stopped, sweat beading on his forehead. "Xiao Wu, I feel like my Soul Power isn't replenishing."

Xiao Wu's expression changed as well. "Then let's hurry back to the academy."

Ji Yuan reeled in all the external threads hidden deep within his soles.

Notting Academy, Yu Xiaogang, mutated Twin Martial Souls—every excuse had already been laid out.

By the time Tang San stepped through the academy gates, his face was frighteningly pale.

At the entrance to the Seventh Dormitory, Wang Sheng was just about to call him Boss when the word caught in his throat.

Yu Xiaogang hurried over from the direction of the office, the notebook in his hand dropping to the ground with a slap.

He stared at Tang San's left hand, his expression losing control for the first time. "How did your Soul Power become this empty?"

Tang San was about to answer when a heavy black glow suddenly seeped from his left palm. Even he couldn't suppress it.