Effects

"Then, Tangtang, stay home with Dad first. I'll take Na'er to the governor to see if there's any news about her parents."

Lang Yue changed into a clean light-blue cotton jacket, held a parasol printed with little daisies, and crouched down by the door.

She gently straightened the slightly oversized white shirt Na'er was wearing—it had belonged to Tang Wulin when he was little, and the sleeves had to be rolled up twice before they barely fit.

Na'er had shoulder-length silver hair, soft as clouds. The wind had tousled it somewhat, with a few loose strands clinging to her pale forehead. The tips of her hair gleamed faintly silver.

Lang Yue gently tucked the loose strands behind her ear. Her fingertips accidentally brushed Na'er's slightly cool ear, and Na'er instinctively shrank her neck. Her large purple eyes blinked like those of a startled fawn as she stared fixedly at Lang Yue.

"Be good, Na'er. Come with Auntie, and we'll be back soon. If you get tired from walking, tell Auntie. I'll carry you."

Lang Yue pinched her soft little cheek, then held out her warm hand.

Na'er hesitated for a moment before extending her icy little hand and carefully placing it in Lang Yue's palm.

Lang Yue immediately clasped her hand tightly, completely enclosing it in her warm palm. She called into the house, then led Na'er out and gently shut the door behind them.

Sunlight fell over the two figures walking one behind the other. Na'er's short silver hair shone softly beneath the sun as she followed closely in Lang Yue's footsteps, occasionally sneaking a glance up at the gentle woman beside her. The corners of her lips unconsciously curled into the faintest smile, one even she herself did not notice.

Tang Ziran leaned against the doorframe and watched the two disappear around the corner at the end of the alley before turning around.

An instant later, his face twisted into a nosy, teasing grin. Rubbing his rough hands together, he crept over to Tang Wulin, who was sitting on the sofa with his head lowered, picking at his fingers.

"You little rascal."

He lowered his voice and lightly nudged Tang Wulin's shoulder with his elbow, his tone full of teasing.

"At such a young age, you already pulled off a hero-saving-the-damsel act, then turned around and brought the little girl straight home. Not bad, kid. You've got more game than your old man did. You've got potential."

As Tang Ziran spoke, he extended a callused finger and lightly poked Tang Wulin's puffed-out cheek.

Normally, Tang Wulin would have laughed and swatted his hand away by now, wrestling around with him.

But today, Tang Wulin merely shook his head slightly. He kept staring at his toes without saying a word.

It felt as though a heavy stone were pressing down on his heart, leaving him so stifled he could barely breathe.

Several times, he opened his mouth, his throat moving as he tried to tell his father every detail of what had happened in the alley—how awful those three thugs had been, that he had Twin Martial Souls, that he had personally killed three "people."

But when the words reached his lips, he forced them back down.

Jin Qiu's words still echoed clearly in his ears.

"You absolutely cannot tell anyone about this, including your parents.

"They're just ordinary people. The more they know, the more danger they'll be in.

"Just say that you saw them bullying Na'er while passing by, then took advantage of their inattention to grab Na'er and run away."

He knew Jin Qiu was right.

He could not let his parents be put in danger because of him, nor could he let this warm home be destroyed.

But lying to the people closest to him felt truly awful.

His nose stung slightly, and his eyes reddened. His fingers clutched tightly at the hem of his clothes, wrinkling the faded fabric deeply.

Tang Ziran had been about to tease him some more, but when he saw Tang Wulin's gloomy, hesitant expression, the nosy smile vanished from his face.

He put away his joking tone, crouched down to meet Tang Wulin's eyes, and gently placed his rough palm on Tang Wulin's head. His voice was so tender it could have melted water.

"Tangtang, what's wrong? Why do you seem so strange today? Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Or did someone bully you just now? Tell Dad. Dad will stand up for you."

Tang Wulin looked up and met his father's worried eyes, and the guilt in his heart grew even heavier.

He did not dare look his father in the eye. He hurriedly lowered his head and shook it hard, his voice as quiet as a mosquito's hum.

"No, Dad. I'm fine."

He paused, then suddenly stood up.

"Dad, I'm going back to my room first."

After saying that, without waiting for Tang Ziran to say anything else, he quickly walked to his room, pushed open the door, went inside, and shut it with a soft bang.

Tang Ziran looked at the tightly closed door and sighed helplessly.

He walked over to the sofa and sat down, pulling a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He took one out and lit it.

White smoke slowly rose, obscuring the expression on his face.

"Is he worried about the Soul Spirit?"

He muttered to himself. Ash lightly fell from the cigarette onto his pants, but he did not notice.

He knew Tang Wulin was a genius with Innate Full Soul Power and that he would be reporting to Red Mountain Academy's junior Soul Master class tomorrow.

But without a Soul Spirit, a Soul Master was like a warrior without a weapon. After reaching level ten, he would be unable to continue cultivating normally.

And the price of Soul Spirits at the Spirit Pagoda was simply an astronomical sum beyond the reach of their ordinary working-class family.

Tang Ziran stubbed out the cigarette and pulled out the salary card from his shirt pocket, its corners worn white from use. He rubbed it over and over in his hand.

He worked himself to the bone at the forging shop every month, yet he still did not earn many Federal Coins.

But he had secretly asked about the Spirit Pagoda's prices long ago. Every number was like a sharp knife stabbing into his heart.

A randomly selected Soul Spirit cost thirty thousand Federal Coins. With bad luck, they might get a defective one—or a useless Soul Spirit that was completely unsuitable for a Blue Silver Grass martial soul.

Even the most basic designated ten-year white Soul Spirit cost seventy thousand Federal Coins. The Spirit Pagoda in Aolai City had only seventy-three varieties to choose from, and the Spirit Pagoda staff had said this was the best choice for children from ordinary families.

As for a designated hundred-year yellow Soul Spirit, it cost a full one million Federal Coins. For them, that was an extravagant dream they did not even dare contemplate.

Tang Ziran's heart ached.

He felt utterly useless, unable even to afford his son's first Soul Spirit.

He did not want Tang Wulin's incredible talent to be delayed because of money.

After all, someone with Innate Full Soul Power appeared only once every thirty years in all of Aolai City.

He leaned back against the sofa, closed his eyes, and rapidly considered every possible solution.

Get a second job?

He already spent ten hours working at the forging shop during the day. At night, he simply had no energy left.

After thinking it over and over, there was only one way.

"Find a chance to discuss it with my wife and send Tangtang to work for Mang Tian."

He silently made his decision.

Mang Tian was a famous blacksmith in Aolai City. Although he had a bad temper, his skills were exceptional.

Besides, Tang Ziran had a fairly good relationship with Mang Tian, so there was a strong chance he could send him there.

If Tang Wulin could learn forging from him, he could not only earn some spending money each month but also strengthen his body, which would benefit his future cultivation as a Soul Master.

It would be a little tough, but this was the only way they could scrape together enough money for a Soul Spirit.

Meanwhile, in Tang Wulin's room.

Tang Wulin sat on his little bed with his back against the headboard.

Orange-red sunlight streamed in through the window, casting mottled shadows of parasol tree leaves across the floor.

On the bedside table lay the little hammer Tang Ziran had forged for him out of scrap iron on his fifth birthday, still resting quietly there and polished bright by him.

He looked around, making sure there was no movement outside, then lowered his voice and called cautiously.

"Big Brother Jin, Big Brother Jin, are you there?"

Ever since Jin Qiu had left behind the words, "Call me if something happens. Don't bother me if nothing does," in the alley last time, he had completely vanished from Tang Wulin's senses. No matter how Tang Wulin called to him in his mind, there had been no response.

Now that he was finally alone in the room, he hurriedly seized the chance. He had been thinking constantly about the body-tempering technique Jin Qiu had mentioned, one specially suited to the Golden Dragon King physique, and he dreamed of starting cultivation as soon as possible.

The instant his words fell, the wooden floor beneath his feet suddenly lit up with blinding golden light.

With a muffled boom, a thick golden pillar of light shot up from the floor, nearly punching a hole through the ceiling.

Countless tiny golden motes spun and danced within the pillar like a swarm of glowing fireflies.

Jin Qiu slowly rose from that golden pillar of light. His gold-and-yellow hoodie shone like a blazing little sun, the dragon-scale patterns around its hood sparkling brilliantly. Even his hair and pupils had turned pure gold, so dazzling that it was impossible to keep one's eyes open.

"Oh, my dear Tang Wulin!"

Jin Qiu spread his arms wide in an outrageously dramatic entrance pose, his booming voice like thunder.

"You finally remembered your great and omnipotent Big Brother Jin! Tell me, what do you need me for? Did you miss me too much, or have you finally decided to kneel and kowtow three times to take me as your master?"

"Big Brother Jin! Turn off the special effects already!"

Tang Wulin hurriedly covered his eyes tightly with both hands, twisted his head away, and shouted. The glare had even brought tears to his eyes.

"It's too bright! My eyes are really going to go blind!"