The mystery of his origins

One year later!

In a lush bamboo grove behind the academy, birds occasionally flew past, their chirping filling the air. A gentle breeze swept through, and bamboo leaves drifted down with a soft rustle!

A small figure in an emerald-green robe sat quietly in the grove, seeming to blend into the bamboo around him! Beside him, a white lotus swayed gently, looking entirely out of place amid all that green!

His eyes snapped open, flickers of light flashing through them! He abruptly drew his sword! "Whirling Slash!" Four phantoms suddenly swept out of his body, slashing in four directions!

"Whew! These Thunderclap Sword Shadow Steps really are hard to master. The first three shadows were relatively easy to cultivate, but every additional shadow after that makes the difficulty rise exponentially! No wonder the talent requirements are so high! Although I only added one shadow over the past year, my speed is twice what it was last year! I even comprehended the Whirling Slash sword technique! Even my Azure Yang Art is showing signs of evolving into Earth Flame, and I've reached level 26. This Heaven Soul White Spirit really is an incredible cultivation aid. It's time to head to the Star Dou Great Forest..."

Just then, Tang San walked into the grove with Xiao Wu. "Brother Que, the school year is over, and our break starts tomorrow. I'm planning to take Xiao Wu home tomorrow. Want to come along?"

"Brother Que, I'm going to visit Xiao San's home with him tomorrow. Come with us!" Xiao Wu added.

Home? That sounds good. I'll go back and visit Grandpa before heading to the Star Dou Great Forest! Yang Que thought.

"Sure. Let's meet at the academy gates tomorrow!" Yang Que said!

The next day slowly arrived!

At the academy gates, a crowd surrounded Yang Que and his two companions, bidding the three of them farewell.

"Junior Yang Que, I'll be waiting for you to come back!"

"That's right! We'll all be waiting for you!"

A group of female students kept casting flirtatious glances at Yang Que!

Yang Que's face darkened!

Beside him, Tang San looked utterly envious. "Brother Que, you really are popular!"

Xiao Wu snorted beside him. "What? Xiao San, isn't having your Sister Xiao Wu around good enough for you?"

Tang San fell sheepishly silent!

Yang Que shook his head. "I certainly don't want this sort of treatment."

And so, laughing and bickering, the three set off down the road to Holy Soul Village!

Holy Soul Village!

As always, the villagers were heading out to work in the fields. When the three passed by, the villagers spotted them. "Huh! Isn't that little Yang Que and Xiao San?"

"Looks like them! Hey, little Yang Que!" a middle-aged man called out to them!

"Oh! Uncle Wang! Still working the fields?" Yang Que replied.

"Of course! This is how we make our living. We're not like you talented kids who can become Soul Masters and never worry about food or clothing! Are you on break? Oh! Xiao San, is that the girlfriend you brought home? Your dad will be delighted!" Uncle Wang said!

"Yes! We're on break, so I came back to visit the village and Grandpa," Yang Que said.

"She's my classmate. She came along to have a look!" Tang San scratched his head and answered bashfully.

"All right, off you go, then. Old Jack should be at home!"

Yang Que and the others said goodbye to Uncle Wang. Along the way, the villagers all greeted them warmly...

Back in the village, they went to visit Old Jack first.

They knocked on the door. "Grandpa, we're back!" Yang Que and Tang San called in unison!

Old Jack hurried to open the door. "Oh! Our village's two geniuses are back! What wonderful news! Huh! Xiao San, is this the girlfriend you brought along?"

Tang San broke into a cold sweat! He hastily shook his head in denial!

"Come in!" Old Jack opened the door wider and ushered them inside!

"Tang San, come here!" Old Jack took a letter from inside his clothes and handed it to Tang San!

Tang San accepted it with a puzzled expression!

"Your father left this for you!" Old Jack shook his head!

"Father?" Tang San opened the letter in confusion. As he read its contents, his expression suddenly changed drastically. He immediately rushed out of the house and raced home!

"Ah, that Tang Hao is a real piece of work! Leaving Xiao San all alone like this—how irresponsible!" Old Jack's face was full of indignation!

Xiao Wu sat to one side, at a loss!

Yang Que nudged her! "Go on! What are you sitting here for?"

Xiao Wu understood at once and ran after Tang San!

Looks like Tang Hao has left, just as he did in the original story! Tonight should also be when Xiao Wu and Tang San establish their relationship! Yang Que pondered to one side!

"Little Que, come here!" Old Jack drew aside a curtain and walked into a study, calling to Yang Que!

"Coming!" Yang Que hurried after him, unsure what his grandfather wanted!

Old Jack approached a stone slab, lifted it, and took out an exquisite little box! He carried it to a nearby desk. "Come, sit!" Old Jack patted the chair beside him, motioning for Yang Que to sit down!

Though brimming with curiosity, Yang Que patiently took his seat!

Then Old Jack suddenly grew very solemn. "Little Que, you've grown up now. You've entered the academy and learned real skills. You probably won't come back to the village very often in the future, and by then, I don't know whether I'll still be alive. It's time you learned a few things!"

"????" Old Jack had left Yang Que utterly bewildered!

"This concerns your origins!"

"My origins? Didn't you raise me, Grandpa?" Yang Que suddenly started!

"Yes! But the story about your father dying while hunting and your mother dying in childbirth was a lie!" Old Jack sighed.

"A lie? Does that mean my parents aren't dead?" Yang Que's face suddenly filled with excitement. Although the soul inside his body was in its twenties, he had never experienced a father's or mother's love in either his previous life or this one! Hearing that his parents might still be alive left him deeply excited!

"Yes! They might still be alive!" Old Jack nodded.

"Might?" Yang Que looked confused! Dead was dead, and alive was alive. What did he mean, they might still be alive?

"Yes! I don't know either."

"Back then, your parents were gravely injured and very frightened. They kept looking over their shoulders, as though powerful enemies were hunting them. Afraid you would get hurt, they found me and entrusted you to my care. They told me your name was Yang Que! They also gave me a box and a great many gold coins, asking me to raise you, then give you the box and let you make your own choice!"

"Then they left in a great hurry, as though something terrifying was right behind them!" Old Jack slowly recounted.

"Ah! Now that you have some ability, I'm telling you this secret because I want you to understand where you came from, rather than stumble through your whole life in ignorance!"

"This is the box your parents left back then. Now it can finally return to its rightful owner. After keeping this secret for six years, I can finally lay the burden down!" Old Jack pushed the box toward Yang Que!

Yang Que said nothing! But his trembling hands betrayed the turmoil within him!

"I raised you with my own hands. I lost my son long ago and had no family left. You're a piece of my own heart... I've long treated you as my own grandson. I've watched your intelligence and talent blossom, and I know your future has no limits. This little Holy Soul Village can't hold you back. But I also know you'll go looking for your parents. I won't stop you. For the sake of these six years I've spent raising you, I have only one request: stay alive!" As Old Jack spoke, he suddenly choked up, tears streaming down his aged face...

Yang Que's eyes reddened too, and tears spilled uncontrollably. He abruptly dropped to his knees before Old Jack. "Grandpa, you raised me with your own hands. You're my only family. I don't care what happens to them. Since they abandoned me, I have no parents like them!"

Old Jack suddenly slapped Yang Que in anger. "You little wretch! Even though your parents entrusted you to me, they did it to protect you! How could you say something so heartless, with a wolf's heart and a dog's lungs? These six years of raising you have been wasted!"

"I'm sorry, Grandpa!" Yang Que lowered his head and admitted his mistake.

After all, Old Jack had raised him single-handedly. Although he too longed for his parents' love, parents he had never met felt like people he could live with or without!

"Ah, forget it. I don't blame you. But remember, you must find them, whether they're alive or dead. A child without parents is like rootless duckweed!" Old Jack shook his head!

"Yes, I understand, Grandpa." Yang Que nodded firmly.

Something suddenly occurred to Yang Que, and he fired off several questions. "Then, Grandpa, do you know how powerful my parents were? How strong were the people hunting them? And who were they?"

"I don't know how powerful your parents were. All I know is that they easily tore open a spatial rift with their bare hands! And the black-clad people hunting them weren't weak either. I don't know who they were!" Old Jack knew little about it himself.

"Oh, right! You could ask Xiao San's father, Tang Hao!" Old Jack suddenly remembered something!

"Uncle Hao?" Yang Que looked puzzled. What did Tang Hao have to do with this?

"Yes, that's right! Your Uncle Hao. He was there too, so he might have seen things more clearly than this old man! Come to think of it, your Uncle Hao is a man with a story of his own! He's incredibly powerful, yet he lives here in our tiny Holy Soul Village! If it hadn't been for him, those black-clad people's oppressive aura would have crushed me to death!" Recalling that scene, Old Jack spoke with lingering fear!

Familiar with the original plot, Yang Que naturally knew that Tang Hao was a man with a story. He was the man who dared to challenge the entire Spirit Hall alone!

"Yes, I understand. Once I'm strong enough, I'll find Uncle Hao! Then I'll search for my parents!" Yang Que told Old Jack with a determined expression.

"Good! Go on, go check on Xiao San! His father left him with nothing but a letter! Your fates are much alike now, but you're both sensible children. I hope you'll support each other and move forward together!" Old Jack said gently.

"Yes! We will! Grandpa, I'll come see you again tomorrow!" With that, Yang Que left to find Tang San!

At this time, Tang San should be in that sea of flowers on the Back Mountain...

Yang Que strolled toward the Back Mountain!

Entering the sea of flowers, he happened to see Tang San and Xiao Wu embracing!

Looks like Tang San and Xiao Wu have established their relationship, just like in the original! Ah, Xiao San will have plenty to endure in the future! Hehe!

Seeing Yang Que arrive, Tang San called, "Brother Que, you're just in time! I've taken Xiao Wu as my little sister. From now on, besides you and Teacher, Xiao Wu is my closest family!"

"Little sister?!" Yang Que said.

Heh! She'll even climb into your bed someday, and you're calling her your little sister? Honestly!

"Yes! Xiao Wu isn't just my little sister. She's yours too, Brother Que!"

"Huh?!" Yang Que blinked!

"Brother Que, think about it! You're my big brother, and Xiao Wu is my little sister now. Doesn't that make her your little sister too?" Tang San explained!

"Uh! All right, that makes sense! I suppose I have another little sister now!" Yang Que looked speechless!

Fine, I've picked up a little sister out of nowhere, and she's a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form! What have I done to deserve this!

Afterward, the three of them lay amid the flowers, admiring the beautiful night...

Five days later!

"Grandpa! Goodbye! I'll come back to visit you often!" Tears welled at the corners of Yang Que's eyes as he waved to Old Jack!

"Go on. Don't worry about this old man!" Old Jack waved back and spoke to Yang Que and the others!

Time to head to the Star Dou Great Forest! Yang Que thought...

At that moment, Yang Que set out on his journey once more...