Yang Chang'an leaned alone against the old pagoda tree in the back courtyard. His neck ached from tilting his head back, yet his eyes remained fixed on the stars without blinking.
Across the pitch-black curtain of night, stars clustered side by side, flickering with a cool, faint light. They looked so peaceful and beautiful, but inside Yang Chang'an, it was as though a great stone had been hurled into his heart, churning seas and overturning rivers. He could not find even a moment of calm.
Over the years, he had deliberately stayed close to Fifth Uncle, flattering him at every turn-not because they shared a particularly close bond, but because he knew perfectly well that Fifth Uncle had genuine power within Spirit Hall behind him.
That was the backing he needed most right now, and the capital he relied on to secure his footing in the Yang Family and climb higher.
Through the Yang Family's rises and falls these past few years, he had never doubted his choice. He had even believed his plans were watertight, the smartest approach he could take.
Especially after the promise Fifth Uncle had made not long ago, his ambitions had soared to their peak.
But what had happened today was like a basin of bone-chilling water poured over him from head to toe, extinguishing every last one of his fantasies.
This was the Douluo Continent, a world where the supremacy of strength was carved into its very bones! Without strength, even if you calculated everything and laid countless plans, even if others made you the sweetest promises, it was all empty talk.
No matter how great your potential, it was only potential-not strength you could wield right now!
What did he, Yang Chang'an, amount to?
Unlike the protagonist of this era, he had not been born with innate full soul power at rank twenty, nor did he have twin martial souls. He was merely a Soul Master with the Soul Breaking Spear, and his family had never produced even a single Titled Douluo.
How could someone like him compete with those geniuses? How could he gain a firm foothold in Spirit Hall?
If he truly were a peerless genius of extraordinary talent, how would Demon Bear Douluo have dared act so brazenly today, treating them as though they were beneath his notice?
Unfortunately, he was not.
In this cruel world, all the scheming and planning ultimately had to be backed by genuine strength! Without strength, everything was for nothing!
"Heh, even the bottom of the sewer is still beyond what ordinary people can compare to..." A bitter smile tugged at Yang Chang'an's lips.
The moment his words fell, a large, warm, calloused hand rested gently on his shoulder.
Then a kindly voice sounded slowly beside his ear. "What's wrong, lad? Still thinking about what happened today?"
Yang Chang'an abruptly came back to himself. Looking at Yang Quji, he first nodded gently, then shook his head, his voice low.
"It's nothing. I just suddenly figured out a few things I could never understand before."
Hearing this, Yang Quji slowly stroked the beard on his chin, a gratified smile appearing on his face.
"If you've managed to understand a few things, then the humiliation you suffered today wasn't for nothing."
As he spoke, Yang Quji's smile faded. His gaze grew grave as he stared intently at Yang Chang'an, his tone becoming much more serious.
"Chang'an, I've watched you grow up, and now you're the only hope for our Yang Family's future. There are some things that will affect your entire life, and I must have a proper talk with you about them today."
At those words, Yang Chang'an's expression immediately turned solemn. He rose from the ground at once, straightened his back, and bowed respectfully to Yang Quji.
"Please instruct me, Great-Grandfather!"
Yang Quji smiled and waved a hand, pressing him back down to sit where he had been. Then he spoke with heartfelt earnestness:
"You've been precocious since childhood, and you grew up in Spirit City. By rights, you should have developed a ruthless disposition. Yet I've found that although you like to think things through, and your actions often seem ruthless, you never quite follow through."
Yang Chang'an fell silent immediately after hearing this, his head dipping slightly.
He had always thought himself a deep schemer. Only now did he realize that in the eyes of an old fox like Yang Quji, his petty calculations were nothing but cheap cleverness unfit for the table-laughable and childish.
"I don't know where you learned this disposition of yours, seemingly ruthless but actually forever looking ahead and behind, afraid to move a hand or foot." Yang Quji leaned closer, staring hard into Yang Chang'an's eyes, his voice more serious than ever.
"But there's one thing you must carve into your memory-at the Worship Hall, never think of hiding your abilities! That is your best chance to change your fate, bar none!"
"Remember, once you're at the Worship Hall, your task isn't to conceal what you can do or dwell on useless things. It's to give everything you have, display every bit of your worth, and let everyone see what use you can be!"
Yang Chang'an's eyes narrowed sharply, his pupils contracting slightly. It felt as though something had struck deep inside him, and suddenly everything became clear.
He met Yang Quji's gaze directly and said in a firm voice, "Great-Grandfather, I understand! On this journey to the Worship Hall, I, Yang Chang'an, swear not to disgrace the Soul Breaking name!"
Seeing him like this, Yang Quji finally smiled again. He reached out and gently patted his head, his tone softening.
"As long as you understand. Hurry back to your room and sleep. Get plenty of rest. Tomorrow, you little fellows will have your hands full."
"Mm!"
Yang Chang'an answered, suppressed all the emotions in his heart, and turned toward his room.
Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Yang Chang'an had already gotten himself ready. After a quick wash, he pushed open the Yang Family's front gate.
But the moment he stepped outside, he saw a chubby boy about his size standing at the mouth of an alley not far away, waving his plump little hand and shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Chang'an! Over here, over here! Hurry!"
He quickly walked over, a hint of surprise on his face. "Well, look at you! You actually got up this early today!"
Niu Wenchuan chuckled without saying much. He casually pulled a still-steaming meat pie from inside his clothes and tossed it straight to Yang Chang'an.
"Here, eat this while it's hot! Enough chatter. Get in the carriage-we can't afford any delays!"
As they spoke, the two hurried toward the carriage parked by the roadside, lifted the curtain, and climbed inside. The carriage door closed behind them.
"What choice do we have? The Worship Hall specifically named us this time. Who would dare be late? If we don't arrive early and end up displeasing the lords of the Worship Hall, we'll both have more trouble than we can swallow!" Niu Wenchuan said, pursing his lips.
Seated in the carriage, Yang Chang'an took a bite of the meat pie, and its savory fragrance immediately spread through his mouth. Seeing the faint dark circles beneath Niu Wenchuan's eyes, clear signs of a poor night's sleep, he understood at once.
After such a major incident last night, Niu Yue and Niu Ying must have spent the night giving him a mountain of extra instruction and countless warnings.
Once he realized this, Yang Chang'an asked no further questions, and the carriage immediately fell quiet.
Niu Wenchuan, whose mouth never stopped moving, also kept it firmly shut today for once, instead of chattering endlessly as he usually did.
Inside the spacious carriage, only the creak, creak of the wheels rolling over the road remained, sounding especially distinct in the silence.
Each had his own concerns, and neither spoke first. They remained silent as the carriage carried them toward Spirit Hall.
After an unknown length of time, the carriage finally slowed to a stop.
Yang Chang'an and Niu Wenchuan lifted the curtain and stepped down. Looking up, they found themselves before the magnificent gates of Spirit Hall.
Only after confirming Yang Chang'an and Niu Wenchuan's eligibility to receive training at the Worship Hall did the guards at the entrance nod. Then, under a guard's guidance, the two made their way deeper into Spirit Hall, step by step.
Their destination, the Worship Hall, stood at the highest point in all of Spirit City-Angel God Mountain!
It was the very heart of Spirit Hall, its most exalted place, and a sacred land all Soul Masters yearned to reach.
Those selected for this round of training first had to gather at the foot of Angel God Mountain and await coordinated arrangements.