It Felt So Good to Be Trusted

"Tang San, Grandmaster! I want to come with you!"

Ma Hongjun came puffing and panting up to Tang's Blacksmith Shop.

He called out loudly to Tang San and Grandmaster.

Grandmaster, who was sorting through their things, looked up and nodded, satisfaction in his expression.

Tang San set aside the forging work for which he had been about to fire up the furnace and greeted Ma Hongjun.

"Hongjun, thank you for trusting me and Teacher."

"What are you talking about? You're a hundred times better than those useless teachers at the academy who just parrot their textbooks."

Ma Hongjun was straightforward. Since he had made his decision, he had accepted Tang San and Grandmaster as well.

"So, what do we do next?"

What concerned Ma Hongjun most was still the problem with his Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul.

His very life was at stake.

"There's no rush. As the saying goes, those who chase quick results and immediate gains rarely succeed."

"Improving your martial soul and mastering the evil fire aren't things you can accomplish in a day."

"Grandmaster is still drawing up your training plan. But let me warn you now: it's going to be tough to endure."

Tang San spoke earnestly. He had suffered quite a bit himself before achieving his current physical condition.

Tang San explained in detail. As Ma Hongjun listened, his butt clenched, and several times he nearly beat the drum of retreat in his heart.

But thinking of his life, and of how he had just come here himself, he could only grit his teeth and stay.

Over the following days, Grandmaster put together a basic training plan for Ma Hongjun.

Neither eradicating nor controlling the evil fire could be accomplished in a single day.

They would have to start with the fundamentals.

Controlling his martial soul and cultivating soul power, with theoretical study and moral cultivation added on top.

And, unexpectedly, Grandmaster made the Dharma Sutra available for Ma Hongjun to study.

Perhaps he felt that Ma Hongjun was still young enough to be molded.

Or perhaps he believed Tang San had the ability to keep Ma Hongjun from straying down the wrong path.

In any case, Ma Hongjun was given a glimpse into the mysteries of this astonishing book.

Unfortunately, although he had some aptitude for understanding it, he fell far short of Tang San.

Thus, during these days, Tang San did his best to answer Ma Hongjun's questions while keeping his own interpretations from influencing the other's thinking.

Only truths one comprehended for oneself were truly suited to oneself.

Aside from that, Ma Hongjun followed Tang San around and helped him with his forging.

Tools forged with evil fire were of finer quality than those forged with ordinary fire.

The forging techniques required were also more demanding.

But this, too, was training. Not only did it let Ma Hongjun practice controlling his flames, it also let Tang San hone his forging skills.

It was killing two birds with one stone.

A week later, the order for Grass Nest Village was complete, and it was time to leave.

"Bye, everyone! I'll miss you! Especially Erya, Xiaocui, Xiaohua, Auntie Ge..."

"Get lost!"

Ma Hongjun bid farewell to the villagers who had come to see them off.

He was met with a chorus of curses, though there was little malice in them, mostly sighs of relief.

This little fat menace was finally leaving. Hopefully, he would make something respectable of himself someday and come back to help build up the village.

But the chances of that were practically nonexistent.

No commoner soul master ever came back after leaving their village.

Even the Soul Saint from Holy Soul Village had never returned once before his death.

This was another side of soul masters on the Douluo Continent.

"What is it? Still reluctant to leave?"

By now, Tang's Blacksmith Shop had been away from Grass Nest Village for three days, but Ma Hongjun still glanced back from time to time.

"Of course! Third Brother, by the time I go back someday, my girlfriends might all be someone else's wives."

"How could I not worry?"

Tang San's character, along with the care and guidance he had given him over these days, had made Ma Hongjun willingly address him as Third Brother.

He was now a fair bit stronger than before.

That strength was not an increase in cultivation, but greater control over his own abilities.

"You fatty, you're still thinking about that? Want to spar with me so I can help you let off some fire?"

"Or do you want a few more rounds of Grandmaster's training?"

"No, no. Being chased by a carriage without being allowed to use my martial soul or soul power-that's not training fit for a human being."

Ma Hongjun shook his head vehemently. His backside still hurt terribly.

"All right. Once you're normal, you'll be able to have a normal romantic relationship. True love isn't just the pleasure of fish and water; it's also a gentle stream flowing on and on, keeping each other alive with what little moisture you have."

As Tang San said this, he felt nothing in particular, and no girl came to mind.

Not even Xiao Wu.

"You sound pretty experienced, Third Brother. Could you have a girlfriend waiting for you to come back?"

Ma Hongjun nudged Tang San with his elbow and grinned mischievously.

"Nothing like that, though there is a girl I'm somewhat concerned about."

Tang San discussed the matter freely. Ma Hongjun could tell this had nothing to do with romance; Tang San was simply starting to fuss over someone again.

"Who's the girl?"

Ma Hongjun asked. Even so, he was still a little curious.

What was Tang San fussing about?

"Well..."

Tang San told Ma Hongjun the whole story of what had happened with the gold of life and Xiao Wu. It was hardly a forbidden topic.

Besides, he needed an outsider's perspective on the matter.

Of course, Tang San still concealed his own origins. Those were far more shocking than Xiao Wu's.

Moreover, it was not something he could casually tell people. One wrong move could bring a fatal disaster down on him.

Just because Bibi Dong did not care did not mean those beneath her in Spirit Hall would not be on their guard.

"Whoa! A hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast can actually take human form? That's incredible."

"I think you shouldn't have revealed that gold of life thing back then, Third Brother. You should've kept it all for yourself!"

"Then you wouldn't have lost yourself a little wife."

"Speaking of which, Third Brother, what was the treasure you got back then?"

"Hongjun, don't go saying things like that."

Tang San rested his right hand on Ma Hongjun's back. These days of training had firmed up his flab considerably.

A cool sensation instantly spread throughout Ma Hongjun's body, sweeping away all the strain left by his recent training.

Feeling this marvel for himself, Ma Hongjun's eyes widened in surprise.

"Could it be... a bone?"

Tang San said nothing and merely nodded.

Ma Hongjun's expression immediately grew solemn. He knew Tang San had truly accepted him as one of his own.

In the soul master world, people revealed their soul skills and soul bones only to their closest teammates.

After all, soul bones were simply too precious. Tales of people being murdered for their bones had always circulated in the soul master world. Even some commoners knew how remarkable soul bones were.

"Hehe! Don't worry, Third Brother. I, Ma Hongjun, have plenty of faults, but when it comes to loyalty, I never mess around. I'll keep my little mouth shut as tight as a flower bud that's never opened."

"You... what kind of comparison is that?"

Tang San laughed, at a loss for words.

It felt so good to be trusted.

"All right, we've rested long enough. Let's go finish making your training equipment."