"Just as expected."
"That student Jiang Yan's strength was something even you, Old Tang, could hardly have anticipated. He was clearly unbeatable."
Seeing how slow Old Tang's response was, Tang Wulin sighed. His clear eyes now seemed clouded by a layer of haze.
If he had never seen such a genius, perhaps he could still foolishly and recklessly dream of becoming strong. But now...
He himself had only Innate Soul Power of level three.
Not to mention facing Jiang Yan himself, how many of even those weaker Class One students could he compare to?
Could he really reach the other shore in this life?
"The geniuses in Class One will definitely become Soul Douluo, perhaps even Titled Douluo, while I..."
"It seems I can't do anything at all."
Tang Wulin wore a lost expression as he muttered.
"..."
Within the sea of consciousness, Tang San fell silent for a moment.
Don't rush him. He was thinking.
Because it seemed his son really hadn't said anything wrong.
His Martial Soul bloodline was weak, and the Golden Dragon King's seal was a double-edged sword. Given the current situation, rather than worrying about whether he could become strong, perhaps they should be more concerned with whether he could survive...
Only by surviving could he have a future to think about.
"Wulin."
"Next, I'll tell you in the most sincere, straightforward, and reliable way possible: with your potential, along with the power of the bloodline within you, becoming the strongest Titled Douluo in the future will not be a problem."
In the end, after thinking for two and a half seconds, Tang San responded.
There was not a single lie in his words. With the Golden Dragon King's Bloodline, becoming supremely powerful truly only required time.
"I understand, Old Tang, but..."
"What if we don't count my potential?"
"What if it's only the power of the bloodline in my body?"
Tang Wulin nodded thoughtfully, then seemed to think of something and could not help asking.
Old Tang had told him that the Golden Dragon King's Bloodline sealed within his body was the strongest beast bloodline in the world, and that it was the key to his future strength.
If he did not have the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and possessed only this pure bloodline, then what would happen?
"Mm..."
Tang San said nothing.
A second round of brainstorming began in his mind.
He had realized that his son was rather stubborn about details!
"Although Blue Silver Grass is recognized across the continent as a useless Martial Soul, as the saying goes—there are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters! Once you cultivate to the peak, you will naturally become a very formidable expert."
"All you need to do is wait!"
Slowly, Tang San spoke seriously.
"Really?"
"Alright, alright!"
Tang Wulin was someone who took advice well. With those words from his senior, he immediately nodded in agreement, his heart filled with anticipation.
Old Tang was no ordinary person. Tang Wulin did not even know whether he was human. Since even he said so, what did Tang Wulin have to worry about?
Old Tang, I believe in you!
"..."
Watching Tang Wulin become lively again, Tang San sighed in relief, thinking that he had finally managed to fool him.
There were no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters. This was a long-circulated piece of motivational fluff, but if anyone truly believed it, it was probably only Yu Xiaogang...
Yes, his former teacher, the one man who had taken it seriously—the Yu Xiaogang known to later generations as the "Divine Master," the Three Cannons Douluo.
A useless Martial Soul was finished from the moment it awakened, Blue Silver Grass especially so. It was a Martial Soul with no advantages, or rather, no benefits worth mentioning at all.
When his Martial Soul had awakened, even his father Tang Hao had glanced at it with a dead heart and ignored it. Only upon seeing the Clear Sky Hammer had he given Tang San the opportunity to study at a Soul Master Academy.
Even back then, the reason he had become strong was actually because he had been born with [Innate Full Soul Power] upon awakening.
In that era, there were fewer than five people with Innate Full Soul Power. Thanks to that potential, combined with the Tang Sect's secret arts, he had become famous across the continent in his youth!
And Wulin, whose Innate Soul Power was only level three...
Tang San smiled.
"Only after enduring the greatest hardships can one rise above others!"
"My dear son, until your grandfather and grandmother find you, just keep suffering."
Once his parents found Wulin, he would naturally have every resource he could want. But before then...
My Tang Family's gifted child.
Please wait a little longer.
Resources, heavenly treasures, Soul Rings, and Soul Bones—everything would be available!
What the Tang Family lacked least was foundation!
"..."
"What is this child babbling about?"
"He's acting so mysterious. Just as my lord said, there was something hidden within him. He was not simple!"
At Eastsea Academy, Di Tian, disguised as a teacher and wearing a blue baseball cap, happened to pass by. His black eyes swept toward Tang Wulin, taking in the changes in his expression from earlier.
He really was an innocent human cub.
His expression management still needed work!
"What a foolish Tang Family child."
"At nine years old, he was only level fourteen. My lord was already level thirty-four at that age, hmph..."
Di Tian's eyes held undisguised contempt, along with equally undiminished, clear killing intent.
The present was the present, and the future was the future. So what if Tang Wulin was weak now? He was still the son of a God King.
Given time, once his family genes awakened and his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul transformed into the Blue Silver Emperor, even if he did not become a scourge like Tang San, he might become another Dai Yuhao!
"And the Golden Dragon King's Bloodline in his body."
"Did it belong to his Tang Family? It belonged to my lord! You innately evil Tang Family people have already earned your death!"
A scarlet gleam flashed through Di Tian's eyes before he calmed down. It was not yet time to act rashly.
The backup plans left behind by a god were not something he could easily contend against.
Moreover, his lord had told him to choose the most suitable opportunity and probe the two goddesses. He could afford to wait.
"Just wait and see, you innately evil Tang Family brat. I will make sure you never return!"
Di Tian's figure flashed. He took a step back, and his body abruptly vanished from where he stood. Yet his powerful control over space left a deep mark across the entire dormitory building.
He would miss no movement.
He would miss no opportunity.
"..."
"With Di Tian watching Eastsea Academy."
"All that remains is an opportunity."
Back at the Jiang family residence.
In his bedroom, Jiang Yan, who had been meditating, received Di Tian's message. Learning that he had infiltrated Eastsea Academy, Jiang Yan opened his eyes, his face showing little emotion.
Tang Wulin, as the third-generation protagonist, was a character with an enormous contrast between his early and later self.
From a youth dreaming of the stars and the sea to a legendary figure who betrayed his country and stole missiles, the sense of disconnect was startling.
For someone like that, his approach was naturally very simple...
He would not hold much malice toward Tang Wulin over matters of the future, but being a member of the Tang Family was already enough reason to target him.
Compared to supporting someone only to risk being stabbed in the back, Jiang Yan naturally would not do anything unnecessary.
Since Tang Wulin's Martial Soul was originally Blue Silver Grass, then he could hold onto that grass until old age. As for anything else, whether the Golden Dragon King's Bloodline or the divine consciousness Tang San had left behind...
Jiang Yan would not let him keep them in his hands.
Jiang Yan's gaze swept over Gu Yuena beside him. At this moment, she was quietly cultivating near him, peaceful and adorable.
She did not need to split apart as she had in the original work. While retaining her sense of self, she carried hopes and plans for the revival of the Dragon Clan.
As her older brother and family.
She was naturally the one he should care about most.
Jiang Yan stopped thinking and prepared to continue meditating, but just then, a holy voice quietly rang out:
"Young master, regarding Battle Armor, if Sister Dong'er and I wore it, do you think it would provide any enhancement?"
It was none other than Qian Renxue.
"Hmm?"
"Why had Sister Xue suddenly thought of Battle Armor?"
Hearing what she was talking about, Jiang Yan was somewhat surprised. He chuckled and could not help asking.
Battle Armor was ultimately a product of Soul Guidance Technology. Could it really interest old gods from a bygone era?
"Mm!"
"We finished reading the books you gave us earlier. In this era, Battle Armor Masters seem to be standard among the strong, and even the Quasi-Gods you mentioned also require Battle Armor."
"Battle Armor is divided into one-word through four-word grades, four different quality levels. There should be Divine-Level Battle Armor as well, shouldn't there?"
Qian Renxue nodded and said with a smile.
Curiosity filled her breathtakingly beautiful face. The things of this new era truly interested her.
A six-ringed Soul Emperor wearing Battle Armor could rival a peak Soul Douluo. A seven-ringed Soul Saint, with the enhancement of Battle Armor and their Martial Soul Avatar activated, could even rival a Titled Douluo.
"If Divine-Level Battle Armor truly exists..."
"Perhaps..."
"If we wore it, it really would have an effect?"
"..."
Before you continue