After paying one Gold Soul Coin, Xiao Yan got up and left the Blacksmith Shop, accompanied by the Blacksmith Shop Owner.
According to Tang San, finishing the Black Ruler would take at least a week or so.
Time flew, and a week soon passed.
When Xiao Yan returned to the Blacksmith Shop, the Black Ruler he wanted was already finished. Tang San's forging skills were indeed quite good.
It was a black iron Black Ruler, an exact replica of Xiao Yan's second martial soul. The same strange, distinctive patterns covered its surface, and it was exceptionally hard and immensely heavy.
"The weight is just right." Xiao Yan strapped the black iron Black Ruler to his back, then hopped forward a few steps, unable to hold back his praise.
"This young fellow is so strong! He can walk normally with such a heavy black sword on his back. Truly an outstanding soul master." As the owner of one of Nuoding City's finest blacksmith shops, he had never seen a child so strong apart from Tang San.
Xiao Yan smiled, took a Gold Soul Coin from inside his clothes, and handed it to the Blacksmith Shop Owner. "Uncle, it's the start of the month, and I just collected another Gold Soul Coin as my allowance from Spirit Hall. Here's this month's payment. That leaves eight Gold Soul Coins over eight months."
"All right." The Blacksmith Shop Owner lightly hefted the Gold Soul Coin in his hand. For someone who had spent years working with metal, a simple heft was enough to tell whether the coin was genuine.
"If everything's in order, I'll head back to the academy." Xiao Yan smiled at the Blacksmith Shop Owner, then turned to leave.
Just then, Tang San stepped forward and came up to Xiao Yan, speaking quietly into his ear. "We've been studying at Nuoding Academy for over a month now. Can we spar on the Back Mountain this afternoon?"
Ever since Xiao Yan awakened his martial soul, the various abilities he displayed had intrigued Tang San. For instance, Xiao Yan had ventured deep into the Soul Hunting Forest and returned unharmed, killing a hundred-year soul beast, a Mandala Snake, without anyone's help.
And then there was his innate, extraordinary strength. All of this tugged at Tang San's nerves. He was beginning to suspect that Xiao Yan, like himself, might have transmigrated from another plane.
So Tang San wanted to test his suspicions.
"Spar?" Xiao Yan stopped, somewhat surprised by Tang San's words. "Little San, are you sure you want to challenge me?"
Xiao Yan stared blankly at Tang San. It wasn't that he looked down on him, but Tang San's martial soul was Blue Silver Grass, while his own was fire-its natural bane. Wasn't this practically asking for a beating?
"What?" Tang San asked. "Are you scared?"
"Scared?" Xiao Yan's pupils contracted slightly as he said calmly, "Then meet me in the grove on the academy's Back Mountain this afternoon."
"Fine." Tang San nodded.
A few hours later, on Holy Soul Village's Back Mountain.
The setting sun hung high, shedding gentle warmth, while the mountain breeze whispered past. It was refreshingly pleasant.
"Coo, coo... coo, coo..." Several wild rabbits crept cautiously through the mountain grass. Their tiny, blood-red eyes constantly swept the woods in vigilance as their sharp teeth nibbled at the turf.
Thump!
A short distance from the rabbits, a soft, muffled thud rang out. The surrounding leaves abruptly shot into the sky, and a rain of dead leaves fell over the little clearing.
The sudden noise startled the grazing rabbits. Just as they moved to retreat and flee, a figure shot out of the dead leaves, swinging a pitch-black ruler viciously down at a rabbit's head.
The fierce force made the rabbit's fur stand on end.
A scream first escaped its grass-filled mouth, followed by a spray of crimson blood.
"Hahaha, an extra dish tonight!" Xiao Yan quickly picked up the rabbit's carcass and laughed. His foot suddenly twisted at an odd angle, then stamped hard against the ground as he shouted under his breath, "Explosive Step!"
As his shout fell, a blue-green glow rose around Xiao Yan's foot, and he stamped heavily against the ground.
A muffled, explosion-like boom immediately erupted from the earth.
At the same time, Xiao Yan shot into the distance almost in the blink of an eye, as swift as an arrow loosed from a bow, moving too fast for the eye to follow.
Just then, a girl's sharp shout came from behind him. "Xiao Yan, stop right there! Stop!"
Hearing her, Xiao Yan glanced back and saw Xiao Wu stamping her little feet, her eyes rimmed red and her cheeks puffed with anger. "What's wrong? Do you need something?"
"Bunnies are so cute! Why did you kill them?" With reddened eyes and pursed lips, Xiao Wu shifted her gaze to the wild rabbit in Xiao Yan's hand and demanded tearfully.
"Why kill them? To eat them, of course. Spicy Rabbit Head, Sizzling Rabbit Diced, Braised Rabbit Head, Whole Roasted Rabbit, Rabbit Meat Soup... There are so many ways to cook them." Xiao Yan raised the rabbit and waved it toward Xiao Wu with a goofy grin.
"You... you can't eat them!" Xiao Wu stamped her foot.
"Don't worry, I won't eat them into extinction. Apparently, female rabbits have two uteruses and can reproduce when they're three or four months old. They can have six to ten babies per litter and get pregnant four to six times a year. One female rabbit can have dozens of babies in a year... I won't eat them into extinction." Thinking Xiao Wu was worried he would wipe out the rabbits by eating them, Xiao Yan explained with a smile.
At his words, Xiao Wu's face instantly flushed scarlet. She couldn't shake the feeling that Xiao Yan was pointing at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust, using those words to humiliate her. Her little fists clenched, red light flickered in her eyes, and her body trembled slightly as soul power surged out of her.
"What? Are you trying to steal my rabbit?" Realizing something was wrong, Xiao Yan quickly tucked the rabbit behind his back and took a defensive stance.
"I... I'll beat you to death!" Xiao Wu snorted angrily. Just as she was about to attack, Tang San suddenly appeared behind her and grabbed her.
Tang San had come to the Back Mountain to spar with Xiao Yan as promised. The moment he arrived, he found the two facing each other with swords drawn and bows bent.
"Xiao Wu, what's going on with you two?" Tang San asked in confusion.
Xiao Wu snapped, "Tang San, this guy actually eats rabbits! I'm going to beat him up. Bunnies are so cute! I'm going to avenge them..."
She clearly wanted revenge for her children and grandchildren!
"Huh? Aren't bunnies edible? When Xiao Yan and I were in Holy Soul Village, our families were so poor that we never had enough to eat, so we'd go up the mountain to hunt wild rabbits whenever we had time. My Spicy Rabbit Head is delicious. Xiao Wu, would you like to try it?" Tang San patted Xiao Wu's head.
"Tang San... you... I hate you..." Hearing this, Xiao Wu shook all over with anger, stammering without managing to get another sentence out. Tears welled in her eyes. She stamped her foot, turned, and ran off sobbing.
"Huh? Did I say something wrong?"
Tang San stared blankly at Xiao Wu's retreating figure, unable to understand.
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