A Chance Encounter with Tang San

Jiang Zheng walked into Spirit Hall in Notting City.

"Morning, Elder Jiang Zheng," a young man greeted him.

"Morning, Yun Tao," Jiang Zheng replied politely. He remembered the young man: decent talent, a crush on Sisi from the hall, and a tendency to make a fuss. Three years ago, he had awakened a Blue Silver Grass with full innate Soul Power.

Thinking of talent inevitably reminded Jiang Zheng of the boy from his village.

Now there was a true prodigy!

Jiang Zheng sighed in admiration.

Just then, a woman called out, "Uncle Zheng! Someone's here to see you!" It was Sisi.

Jiang Zheng looked over. When he saw who had come, he stared in shock. "Uncle Su? Baiyu? What brings you here?"

The visitors were none other than Jiang Baiyu and his companions.

Jiang Baiyu bowed slightly, his manner respectful. "Uncle Jiang Zheng, we came to thank you."

"There's no need for that. Come on in." Jiang Zheng hurried the three of them to his private room.

"Have you broken through yet, Zheng?" Su Wu asked. He had visited Jiang Zheng often over the past three years, and the two knew each other fairly well.

"Not yet. I'm so close, but the Soul King threshold might keep me stuck for a while longer." Jiang Zheng gave a bitter smile. He had sought out Su Wu many times over the past three years, and neither Su Wu nor Jiang Baiyu had held back. They had given him plenty of medicinal herbs, helping him reach level forty-nine. Yet level fifty, the threshold of a Soul King, remained just out of reach.

"It's all right, Uncle Zheng. I've found a way to solve that. Helping you is why we came," Jiang Baiyu said.

"What?" Jiang Zheng was stunned. He knew how extraordinary Jiang Baiyu's talent was, but how could he help someone else break through?

"Just watch." Jiang Baiyu was brimming with confidence.

A pure emerald glow of life slowly rose from his palm and drifted toward Jiang Zheng. Gentle Medicine Dao Soul Power swept through his limbs, bones, meridians, and dantian.

The stubborn bottleneck that had refused to yield for years began to loosen, soften, and dissolve under the nourishment of the Eternal Life Source.

"What kind of power is this?!"

Jiang Zheng trembled from head to toe, horror written across his face.

The meridians blocked for five years suddenly opened. His depleted reservoir of Soul Power filled, swelled, and seethed!

The cultivation he had built up over the years was finally unleashed by the surge of pure life energy!

Hum—

The barrier at level forty-nine shattered!

The breakthrough came as naturally as water flowing downhill.

Level fifty! He had crossed the threshold into Soul King in an instant!

His Soul Power climbed, then settled into a stable, harmonious whole. There was no trace of instability; his foundation was several times more solid than that of an ordinary Soul King who had broken through naturally.

Just as I thought! Jiang Baiyu said to himself.

Jiang Zheng's problem was the low ceiling imposed by his innate bloodline. His Soul Power had grown, but the limitations of his meridians and talent had kept him from breaking through.

After obtaining the Azure Origin Ancient Wood's Soul Ring, Jiang Baiyu's Medicine Dao had become a complete system, and his understanding of martial souls and Soul Power had deepened. From Hundred Herbs to the Nine-Colored Spirit Deer, and now to Eternal Evergreen, he had gained an astonishing power of creation.

"This..." Jiang Zheng felt the torrent of Soul Power within him. Stunned, he looked at Jiang Baiyu and moved to kneel.

Jiang Baiyu caught him at once. "Uncle Zheng, don't! You used to bring me Soul Beast meat when I was little. This was nothing for me."

Jiang Zheng's expression turned solemn. "Baiyu, it may be nothing to you, but to me, it's an opportunity beyond anything I could have imagined." He tried to kneel again.

On Douluo Continent, levels thirty, fifty, seventy, and ninety were all formidable thresholds. Many soul masters spent their lives trapped at one of them.

What Jiang Baiyu had done was nothing less than giving him a new lease on life.

"Please don't!"

"That's enough, Zheng. This is the boy's way of showing he cares," Su Wu said. "We'll soon be going to Heaven Dou City to study, and we don't know when we'll return. Baiyu couldn't stop worrying about you all, so he came to see if he could help."

"Baiyu's going to Heaven Dou City?" Jiang Zheng was taken aback.

"Yes. But now that you've broken through, I'll help you hunt a Soul Ring. We'll stay in Notting City for a few more days."

"Sounds good." Jiang Zheng was sorry to hear they were leaving, but going to Heaven Dou City was a good thing for Jiang Baiyu. He was happy for him!

Then Jiang Zheng noticed the quiet girl standing to one side. He paused. "And this is?"

"My disciple, Zhu Zhuqing."

"So you're the Medicine King's prized disciple. I'll call you Zhuqing, then, just as I call him Baiyu." Jiang Zheng greeted her warmly.

"Hello, Uncle Zheng," Zhu Zhuqing said. Reserved by nature, she spoke quickly and softly.

"Since you're here, stay in Notting City for a while. Mi Ya and I can look after you." Jiang Zheng immediately took leave and brought the three of them home.

Jiang Baiyu trailed behind while Mi Ya led Zhu Zhuqing ahead, taking her in and out of shop after shop.

"Aunt Mi, you really don't have to. Zhuqing and I already have clothes."

"It's fine. You and Zhuqing are both so good-looking. A few more outfits won't hurt," Mi Ya said with a smile.

Mi Ya was Jiang Zheng's wife. Once he brought the three visitors home, the sight of the already beautiful Jiang Baiyu and Zhu Zhuqing had brought out all her motherly affection. While Su Wu and Jiang Zheng went to hunt a Soul Ring, she had taken the two children shopping and dressed them up.

Phew—

Jiang Baiyu finally managed to shift Mi Ya's attention to Zhu Zhuqing and let out a long breath.

Then a call caught his attention.

"Brother San! This one's pretty. I want it!"

The speakers were a boy and a girl, neither very old.

The boy was plainly dressed and looked eight or nine. He wore a neat, pale-blue outfit suited for movement. Around his waist was a belt set with twenty-four jade stones. His black hair barely reached his shoulders, and though he was not particularly handsome, a faint smile played on his lips.

Beside him, the girl was undoubtedly more eye-catching.

Her silky black hair was woven into a neat scorpion braid that fell past her calves. She stood a little taller than the boy. A pink top fit snugly around her developing figure, and her slender waist was enough to make countless women envious.

Her brows curved naturally above large, bright eyes. Paired with her slightly round, rosy face, they made her not only pretty but charmingly lively. She seemed the very picture of cuteness. Standing beside her, the boy was all but eclipsed.

Oh? Xiao Wu and Tang San? Jiang Baiyu raised an eyebrow. Tang Hao's identity had been exposed, yet Tang San had still come to Notting City as a work-study student and met Xiao Wu. The story had a remarkable way of correcting its course.

He was about to watch them for a while when Mi Ya called, "Baiyu, come here!"

"Coming," Jiang Baiyu answered. He bore the two of them no particular ill will. If they crossed paths later, he would decide what to do then.

Jiang Baiyu was confident in his strength, and he was no bloodthirsty man.

Just after Jiang Baiyu left, Tang San snapped his gaze toward the spot where he had been standing.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Wu asked, puzzled.

"Nothing." Purple flashed in Tang San's eyes, and he looked away.

"Oh. I want this one," Xiao Wu said, tugging at Tang San again.

"All right."

Back at Jiang Zheng's house, Jiang Baiyu was still thinking about Tang San.

As the protagonist of the original story, Tang San stood on the opposite side from him. Their conflict probably would not end peacefully.

Should I eliminate him now?

Jiang Baiyu considered it.

Just then, the Blue Silver Emperor in the Shennong Cauldron extended a vine and curled it around his finger.

Forget it.

Jiang Baiyu let the thought go.

Three days later, Mi Ya hugged the two children, reluctant to let them leave. "Take your time, and be careful on the road."

"Don't worry, Aunt Mi. We will," Jiang Baiyu said.

Zhu Zhuqing was reluctant to go, too. She had felt little familial affection in the Zhu family, but with Mi Ya, she had felt a mother's warmth.

With their farewells behind them, the three boarded a carriage and set out for Heaven Dou City.