Understanding the Future

Cao Xin glanced at Tang Wulin.

This kid apparently still did not know that a century Soul Spirit from the Spirit Pagoda cost a million Federation Credits.

Even a ten-year Soul Spirit cost a hundred thousand.

With the thirty thousand he had saved through forging over the past three years, he could not even afford a ten-year Soul Spirit.

According to the original plot, Tang Wulin should have chosen a random Soul Spirit and ultimately received a damaged one, the sort that was not even as good as a ten-year Soul Spirit.

But Cao Xin did not point it out.

At that moment, Tang Wulin looked eagerly at Cao Xin, his eyes bright and clear.

They held the purity and earnestness unique to a young boy.

"Big brother, I know you're actually a very powerful Soul Master. I'll work hard to catch up to you."

That fleeting glimpse from that night had remained engraved in Tang Wulin's heart, impossible for him to forget.

The figure who had come riding the wind beneath the moonlight, robes fluttering with an immortal grace...

All of it had been deeply imprinted in his memories.

He simply wanted to be a little closer to Cao Xin.

Even if it was only walking side by side for a while, even if they only exchanged a sentence or two now and then, it made him feel as though his world had grown broader and brighter.

Cao Xin's steps paused slightly.

The wind from the street corner swept over, carrying several fallen leaves past them.

Then, he answered in an even tone.

"Mm."

Tang Wulin smiled. His smile was clean and bright, as though it had been soaked through by the summer sunlight.

He did not say anything else. He merely walked quietly beside Cao Xin for a stretch before stopping at a fork in the road and turning in another direction.

Cao Xin did not look back, but he could feel that gaze resting on his back. Only after he turned past the street corner was that attention finally cut off by the buildings.

The next day, Shrek City, Tang Sect Headquarters.

Cao Xin stood inside a simply furnished study.

Outside the window lay the carefully tended gardens of the Tang Sect Headquarters' Inner Court—rockeries, flowing water, and verdant bamboo. They were no different from when he had left a year and a half ago.

He had only returned to Shrek City from Aolai City last night, yet Zang Xin had summoned him to the study this morning.

"What are your plans from here on?"

When it came to this son of his...

Zang Xin sometimes felt rather bewildered.

One moment, Cao Xin said he wanted to gain experience. The next, he was hunting Evil Soul Masters. Then he suddenly went off to attend a junior academy in a little town called Aolai City.

Other people's children, at seven years old, were still worrying about breaking through their first or second Soul Power rings.

His child, meanwhile, had reached Five Rings at seven.

Then he had spent two whole years attending classes with a group of children who had only just awakened their Martial Souls at a junior academy in a small city.

One had to know...

Cao Xin had already broken through to Five Rings when he was seven.

Yet now he was nine and still at Five Rings.

Although he was still a genius compared to Soul Masters his age.

Zang Xin still could not understand Cao Xin's thinking.

He clearly possessed a cultivation speed that advanced by leaps and bounds, yet he had deliberately kept himself in a small city, living at an unhurried pace. No matter how he looked at it, that did not seem like Cao Xin's personality.

However, after Cao Xin had recently displayed strength comparable to a Limit Douluo, he had nothing more to say.

Although Cao Xin still appeared to have only Five Rings.

His overall strength had increased dozens of times over.

Even ordinary Limit Douluos were no match for Cao Xin. Only Limit Douluos with a Yin-Yang Complementary Soul Core could fight him.

But achieving Yin-Yang Complementarity was not so simple.

Put it this way.

If a Super Douluo became a Limit Douluo through In-Phase Resonance...

Then Quasi-God would be the endpoint of his life.

Only Limit Douluos who attained Yin-Yang Complementarity could step into the realm of Peak Quasi-Gods.

Do not be fooled by the mere addition of two words.

The gap between them was absurdly vast.

Because to become a Peak Quasi-God, one's spiritual power, Soul Power, or body had to enter the God Realm.

Simply put...

Quasi-Gods were still within the category of mortal experts.

But Peak Quasi-Gods already had one foot in the realm of gods.

If not for the restrictions on the Douluo Plane.

A Peak Quasi-God could slowly elevate the other two into the God Realm as well.

Even without a god position...

He would still be a Divine Official.

Thus, after learning of Cao Xin's true strength, even Zang Xin could no longer remain calm.

As long as Cao Xin broke through to six rings...

Even Demigod experts might not be his match.

One had to know, before Cao Xin had been born...

He himself had only been a Demigod.

That left Zang Xin feeling somewhat awkward.

If Cao Xin caught up to him, he would feel rather embarrassed as a father.

Fortunately, he had become a Limit Douluo through Yin-Yang Complementarity.

As long as he worked a little harder, he could become a Peak Quasi-God as well.

Thinking of this, Zang Xin planned to enter seclusion and strive to emerge as a Peak Quasi-God.

"No plans."

Cao Xin shook his head.

He cultivated too quickly.

So quickly that even he himself felt somewhat lost.

It gave him the feeling that he did not belong in this world.

One could say...

Once his comprehension of the various laws deepened.

Even Lan Xuanyu, the new Dragon God and son of Tang Wulin and Gu Yuena from ten thousand years after the original story...

Might not be able to fight him on equal footing at the same realm.

Seeing Cao Xin's bewildered expression, a thoughtful look flashed through Zang Xin's eyes.

He pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Little Xin."

"Although your second father does not really understand what you are thinking."

"I can see that you seem rather indifferent toward everything around you."

"You have always focused solely on pursuing greater strength."

"While that is a clear enough path for ordinary Soul Masters, your cultivation has improved too quickly—so quickly that you skipped this stage."

"My thought is, why not try experiencing the life of an ordinary person?"

"Perhaps you will gain a different kind of insight."

Cao Xin froze.

The life of an ordinary person?

Had he not been attending Red Mountain Academy all along?

He instinctively wanted to argue.

But the words suddenly stopped at his lips.

A flash of realization suddenly appeared in his eyes.

That was right.

He had nearly forgotten that although he had been attending Red Mountain Academy, his purpose had been to comprehend Destiny Law, so he had never become particularly close with the others.

And the reason he had been like this...

Was because two paths lay before him.

One was the Ruthless Path, and the other was the Passionate Path.

But he had never clearly decided which path to take, causing his cultivation to become stuck.

"...I understand."

Cao Xin spoke slowly. The confusion in his eyes was suddenly replaced by the grounded steadiness of finding his footing again.

At that moment, Cao Xin's aura changed.

His Soul Power bottleneck dissipated.

In an instant...

He rose from level fifty-nine to level sixty.

He looked up at Zang Xin, his gaze excited.

"Second Father, I understand."

At that moment, Zang Xin was dumbfounded.

Why did he not understand?

Had he not merely said something ordinary?

Had he not merely suggested that the child experience the life of an ordinary person?

How had a single sentence led to an epiphany?

Still, Zang Xin did not want to lose face as a father.

He gave a light cough, then spoke with composure.

"It's good that you understand."

His tone was calm and unhurried, as though he had long expected Cao Xin to attain enlightenment because of it.