After leaving, Yang Chang'an soon reached a pavilion on a small hill in Spirit City. Just as he approached, a clear, resonant voice rang out.
"Little fellow, over here!"
Yang Chang'an looked up and saw someone already waiting beside the stone table in the pavilion.
The man was not particularly tall or broad. His white hair was immaculately groomed, and with his rosy lips, white teeth, and handsome features, he looked like a youth. Yet a trace of worldly weariness occasionally flickered through his lively eyes.
"Fifth Uncle, you're far too quick. I've only been out of the house for half an incense stick's worth of time, and you're already here waiting."
Yang Chang'an hurried over and sat beside the stone table, a wry smile appearing on his face, though his tone carried an easy familiarity.
He had met Fifth Uncle by chance on the street three years earlier. That day, he had finally managed to get out of the house and happened to run into Fifth Uncle, who was out looking for amusement.
Later, he discovered that the man was a mischievous child at heart, fond above all of anything new and interesting. Drawing on memories of his previous life, Yang Chang'an had cobbled together little amusements such as playing cards, Chinese checkers, and the Nine Linked Rings. Every time, they piqued Fifth Uncle's interest, and as their encounters grew more frequent, the two became friends despite their difference in age.
At first, Fifth Uncle had told him to call him Fifth Brother, saying it made him sound younger. Later, for some reason, he changed his mind and asked to be called Fifth Uncle instead. Yang Chang'an was happy enough to humor him.
He had never asked about Fifth Uncle's background, and Fifth Uncle had never mentioned it. Still, Yang Chang'an knew perfectly well that the man came from an extraordinary background. That unconsciously revealed air of worldly weariness alone was not something a youth could possess. He had to be quite old.
More importantly, Fifth Uncle's bearing was far too distinctive. Every movement carried the composure of someone long accustomed to wielding authority, something no ordinary household could produce.
Even here in Spirit City.
"Naturally. Your Fifth Uncle may not have any other talents, but these legs of mine are still nimble."
Fifth Uncle waved a hand with a smile, propped his elbows on the stone table, and leaned forward slightly, his bright eyes brimming with anticipation.
"Well, lad, what new amusement have you brought this time? I solved those Nine Linked Rings in an hour, and that Huarong Pass wasn't much of a challenge either. Don't try fobbing me off with that child's play again."
A smile curved Yang Chang'an's lips. Without keeping him in suspense, he untied the little blue cloth pouch hanging at his waist and flicked it open with his fingertips, taking out a perfectly square object. It was a Rubik's Cube he had made using memories of his previous life.
"This is called a Rubik's Cube. Originally, it only had three layers, but knowing how clever you are, Fifth Uncle, I thought an ordinary one wouldn't catch your eye. So I specially changed it to nine layers."
Yang Chang'an handed the Rubik's Cube to Fifth Uncle. Seeing his eager expression, he added:
"It's very simple to play. You turn the scrambled colored blocks back into place until each face is a single color. But a nine-layer one is several times harder than a three-layer one."
Fifth Uncle took the Rubik's Cube, which felt slightly cool in his hand. As his fingertips turned it, the little blocks gave off soft clicking sounds. He first made a few casual turns, scrambling the neatly arranged colors, then began moving his fingers deftly, his expression wholly absorbed.
Fifth Uncle was exceptionally gifted, with an understanding of these puzzles far beyond that of ordinary people. Even so, Yang Chang'an had not expected that, after only a quarter of an hour, Fifth Uncle's fingers would be moving faster and faster. The scrambled colors gradually returned to their places in his hands, and the utterly disordered Rubik's Cube grew neat little by little.
A short while later, Fifth Uncle suddenly stopped and set the Rubik's Cube on the stone table, looking rather pleased with himself.
"Done."
Yang Chang'an looked down. Every face of the nine-layer Rubik's Cube was now a single color, the six faces as clearly separated as the waters of the Jing and Wei Rivers, without a single block out of place. Even in his previous life, that speed would have been quite impressive.
Clearly not yet satisfied, Fifth Uncle scrambled the Rubik's Cube again. This time, however, he played differently. Rather than simply restoring it, he turned the colored blocks into all sorts of unusual patterns. His nimble fingers left Yang Chang'an dazzled.
Even though he had seen all sorts of ways to play with a Rubik's Cube in his previous life, he could not help marveling at Fifth Uncle's astonishing talent for it. Had this man been born in the world of his previous life, he might well have become one of its top players.
"Not bad, lad. This thing is interesting-more fun than the amusements in Spirit City." Fifth Uncle played to his heart's content, praising it all the while.
"Teach me how to make it later. I'll make a few when I get back and give them to those old fellows to pass the time."
"No problem."
After a while, Fifth Uncle suddenly stopped what he was doing and looked up at him, the smile on his face fading considerably.
"If I remember correctly, you're about to awaken your martial soul, aren't you?"
Yang Chang'an paused at the question, then nodded.
"Yes. My sixth birthday is in a few days. Grandpa will awaken my martial soul then."
On the Douluo Continent, martial souls reigned supreme. Every child underwent martial soul awakening at the age of six and set foot on the path of cultivation.
The Yang Family belonged to the Breaking Clan's direct line. Barring any surprises, the martial soul Yang Chang'an awakened would be the Breaking Clan's hereditary martial soul, the Soul Breaking Spear.
The Soul Breaking Spear had enjoyed a formidable reputation in his previous life as well. Many had even believed it was no weaker than the Clear Sky Hammer, known as "the world's greatest tool martial soul."
After hearing his answer, Fifth Uncle tapped his fingers lightly against the stone table and nodded thoughtfully. He remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
"If your talent turns out to be good, lad, your Fifth Uncle will recommend you to somewhere worthwhile."
"Somewhere worthwhile?" Yang Chang'an blinked, his eyes full of confusion, and hurriedly asked:
"Fifth Uncle, where is this place?"
Curiosity filled him. Fifth Uncle had an extraordinary background, so anywhere he called "somewhere worthwhile" certainly would not be an ordinary place.
But Fifth Uncle clearly had no intention of saying more. He waved a hand, his irreverent expression returning.
"Don't get ahead of yourself. Your talent has to make the grade first. If your innate soul power is too low, even wanting to help won't do me any good."
With that, he looked up at the sky outside.
"All right, it's getting late. If you don't head home soon, those old boys in your family will start worrying."
Seeing Fifth Uncle's expression, Yang Chang'an did not press him further. Though his heart was full of questions, he nodded.
"I'll head back, then. Enjoy yourself, Fifth Uncle."
"Go on, go on." Fifth Uncle waved him off, his gaze returning to the Rubik's Cube in his hands. Clearly, he was absorbed in it once more.
Watching Yang Chang'an's retreating figure, Fifth Uncle toyed with the Rubik's Cube. The irreverence on his face gradually faded, and a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.
"Not a bad lad. Attentive, quick-witted, and able to dream up novel little things like these. If his innate soul power isn't low, there's no reason I couldn't give him a hand."
As he spoke, his gaze dimmed slightly, as though he had remembered something, and he sighed softly.
"Yang Wushuang. What a pity."
On the way home, Yang Chang'an walked with his head lowered, kicking little stones by the roadside as thoughts churned through his mind.
He knew Fifth Uncle was no ordinary man. Over the past few years, he had deliberately catered to his interests, using games from his previous life to build a good relationship with him. It was not merely because they got along; more than anything, he had his eye on Fifth Uncle's influence.
And the results bore that out. Since he had grown close to Fifth Uncle, life had improved considerably for the Yang Family. The people from Spirit Hall who had occasionally come to cause trouble no longer appeared at their door, and the city's residents treated the Yang Family much more courteously.
Yang Chang'an knew perfectly well that all of it was thanks to Fifth Uncle.
Judging by Fifth Uncle's clothing, manner of speech, and the way the people of Spirit Hall treated him, his standing within Spirit Hall had to be extraordinary. After all, this was Spirit City. Pick anyone at random, and outside the city they would be a figure whose name rang out far and wide.
To accomplish all that, especially given the Yang Family's unusual background, Fifth Uncle had to be at least an elder of Spirit Hall.
An elder of Spirit Hall. According to Yang Chang'an's memories, aside from Ning Fengzhi and Yu Xiaogang, every elder of Spirit Hall was a powerhouse at the Titled Douluo level.
Just as he became absorbed in his thoughts, a deep voice suddenly came from ahead, carrying a familiar, indulgent warmth.
"What are you thinking about, lad? You've lost yourself in it."
At that voice, Yang Chang'an's thoughts instantly scattered like smoke and vanished like clouds. A brilliant smile bloomed on his face. He looked up and saw a tall, burly man standing at the junction ahead.
Yang Chang'an hurried over to the man, tilted his head back, and called out:
"Grandpa."