When the Vast Sea Surges, Heroes Show Their True Colors!

Cao Mengyun, Spirit Hall!

One man, one thing—they weighed down on Yang Ming and the other two like two immense mountains, so heavily that they could barely breathe!

Old Jack's expression changed several times. Although Yang Ming was not his biological grandson but an adopted child, he had always treated Yang Ming as his own. Especially when Yang Ming awakened his Martial Soul and possessed Innate Full Soul Power, Old Jack had regarded Yang Ming as the hope of the entire village!

Ever since the village had produced a Soul Saint many, many years ago, Holy Soul Village had remained silent for far too long. As village chief, Old Jack had always hoped to nurture another Soul Saint for the village.

Thus, from the time Yang Ming was little, Old Jack had set an unusually harsh training regimen for him. Though it was mostly basic training, it was highly effective and laid a solid foundation for Yang Ming, all so that he could one day become a Soul Saint.

But now, he could only watch as that hope was about to shatter!

Nothing was more heartbreaking than falling from hope into despair!

Years of persistence and effort were about to go down the drain.

For a moment, Old Jack's emotions were a tangled mess, as though a whole cabinet of flavors had been knocked over inside him.

Tears streamed from the corners of his eyes. Old Jack staggered forward and tightly grasped Cao Mengyun's arm like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline. Tears ran down his aged face as he choked out in a hoarse voice, pleading softly:

"Master Cao Mengyun, please be magnanimous. For Yang Ming's sake—he's still young—please forgive him for offending you, all right?"

Yang Ming had never seen his grandfather humble himself like this.

Even when bandits had previously forced him to kneel, his grandfather's back had remained straight, because he was a man with backbone!

But now, for Yang Ming, for Yang Ming's future, this proud and principled man was actually lowering himself before an enemy, only to beg that enemy for mercy!

There was a saying in sports: being weak was the original sin!

Because Cao Mengyun was strong, because Spirit Hall was a colossal force that dominated Douluo Continent, even though Cao Mengyun had been unreasonable first, no matter how aggressively he pressed them, he was still considered right!

Conversely, because Old Jack was merely the chief of a remote village, and Yang Ming was only a Soul Scholar who had just awakened his Martial Soul—a mere six-year-old child—even if they had done nothing wrong, even if they had reason and evidence on their side, they were still in the wrong!

Justice did not lie in people's hearts; right and wrong depended only on the times!

Was it fair?

Of course not!

But fairness had always stood only on the side of the strong!

To the weak, fairness was like a luxurious ornament—visible, yet forever out of reach!

Seeing Cao Mengyun's cold expression, Old Jack refused to give up even the slightest possibility. With tears and anguish in his voice, he said:

"Master Cao Mengyun, I beg you, please show mercy! Yang Ming is just a child. He should not bear such guilt. I'll apologize to you in his place, I'll make amends for him. Please, for my sake, spare him!"

Cao Mengyun grew tired of listening, feeling as though a fly were endlessly buzzing beside his ear.

With a sudden flick of his arm, Cao Mengyun flung Old Jack to the ground. A clear crack of breaking bone could be heard. Evidently, Old Jack had injured his waist.

"Grandpa!"

Yang Ming's pupils contracted as he hurried over.

Yang Ming checked Old Jack over and discovered that his grandfather had only twisted the bones in his lower back, without injuring any internal organs. He only needed some medicinal wine and time to recover, which finally let Yang Ming breathe a sigh of relief.

"Hmph!"

As Yang Ming and Tang San helped Old Jack up from either side, Cao Mengyun looked on with impatient arrogance and disdain.

"Who do you think I am? You think someone like you can stop me? What a joke!"

Old Jack dared to be angry but dared not speak.

Even though Cao Mengyun had injured his waist.

Tang San and Yang Ming exchanged a glance, both unable to contain their fury as they shouted:

"Spirit Hall is this unjust? Then I'd rather not have this Spirit Hall certificate in my hand!"

"Third Brother!" Yang Ming pressed down Tang San's hand and said urgently, "Don't do anything foolish!"

"Foolish? This isn't foolish!"

Tang San stared seriously at Yang Ming, his small face wearing a solemn expression.

"Yang Ming, you said that though we aren't brothers by blood, we are as close as brothers! How can I stand aside when my brother is in trouble? If you can't attend school today, then I won't attend either! I refuse to believe that without the Junior Soul Master Academy, we can't accomplish something great!"

Only when the tide receded did one see who had been swimming naked.

Yang Ming was deeply moved—moved to have a grandfather who cherished him so dearly, and moved to have a brother willing to stand with him through thick and thin.

Yang Ming extended his right hand and clasped Tang San's tightly. In unison, they said:

"Through wind, we press on; through fire, we endure!"

Seeing the brotherly bond between Yang Ming and Tang San, united as one and strong enough to cut through gold, Old Jack wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and felt sincerely comforted.

Even the other members of Spirit Hall were touched by their bond and felt that Cao Mengyun had gone too far.

Not only was he bullying children with his power, he was even bullying an old man. It was utterly disgraceful!

However, the people of Spirit Hall had already accepted Cao Mengyun's benefits and could not openly oppose him. Still, their expressions held a little more rejection toward Cao Mengyun.

Master stood behind the three of them without saying a word, merely blending into the background.

Master was not running a charity. Bringing Yang Ming to Spirit Hall for testing was already an act of great kindness.

He had no reason to antagonize Spirit Hall and Cao Mengyun for a stranger like Yang Ming.

Unless Yang Ming displayed incomparable value—value great enough for Master to risk Spirit Hall's hostility!

"Third Brother, take care of Grandpa."

Yang Ming entrusted Old Jack to Tang San and rose to his feet.

"Yang Ming, you..."

Tang San opened his mouth, wanting to say something. But seeing the confidence radiating from Yang Ming's face, he chose to close it again.

He believed Yang Ming was someone with his own ideas. If Yang Ming was doing this, he must have his own reasons.

Yang Ming stood with his back ramrod straight, like a sturdy spear planted upright in the ground. A chilling glint shone from his starry eyes, making even Cao Mengyun's heart tremble. It was as though the person before him was not human, but a vicious beast clad in human skin.

Yang Ming grinned, revealing a row of pearly white teeth.

"Cao Mengyun, do you know something? I never intended to offend anyone or stir up trouble. I only wanted to live peacefully. I'm grateful for your appearance, because you made me understand one truth: this world has always been a world where people devour one another. If you don't devour others, others will devour you!"

When the vast sea surged, heroes showed their true colors.

Yang Ming stepped forward, clasped his hands behind his back, raised his head, and recited:

"Cao Mengyun, do you think victory is already in your grasp? But I suppose you've never heard this saying..."

That saying was...

(Thanks to L for the 200 book-coin reward, Si for the 1,000 book-coin reward, Wu for the 100 book-coin reward, and Kong for the 100 book-coin reward.)