The man wore gray clothes washed almost white. Several savage scars marked his resolute face, stretching from his brow to his jaw, while deep in his eyes lay a loneliness he could barely conceal.
He was Yang Wushuang, once the second-in-command of the Breaking Clan, one of the Four Single-Attribute Clans.
"What is it? You were so lost in thought you didn't even hear your grandfather calling." Yang Wushuang raised a hand and gently patted Yang Chang'an's little head, forcing a smile onto his face. Even the loneliness in his eyes seemed to fade a little beneath it.
In this world, this thoughtful grandson before him was the only hope and comfort left for the rest of his life.
Yang Chang'an came back to his senses and looked up at his grandfather, his lips curving into a bright smile as he shook his arm.
"I wasn't daydreaming. I was just wondering when I could officially start learning the Soul Breaking Spear Technique."
The Soul Breaking Spear Technique was the culmination of centuries of the Breaking Clan's heritage. Even among the supreme weapon martial soul techniques of the entire Douluo Continent, it ranked among the very best. Though it lacked the lethal sharpness of the Chen Clan's Seven Kill Sword Art, wielded with the Seven Kill Sword, or the overwhelming might of the Clear Sky Sect's Great Sumeru Hammer, it possessed the Soul Breaking Spear's own distinctive edge. It was the creed held in the heart of every Breaking Clan disciple.
At the mention of the Soul Breaking Spear Technique, a flicker of loneliness flashed through Yang Wushuang's eyes. He looked down at Yang Chang'an and said gravely, "Once you awaken the Soul Breaking Spear, I'll teach you."
As Yang Wushuang spoke, countless thoughts surged through his heart.
Back then, he had led a force as bait in a desperate battle against Spirit Hall. To protect the surviving clansmen, he had ultimately chosen to surrender.
From that day onward, he had been left half-crippled. His martial soul had lost most of its power, and his soul power cultivation had stagnated.
Since then, he had thought of only one thing-to carry on the Soul Breaking Spear's bloodline, so that the spear's spirit within the Breaking Clan would not dim in his hands.
Over the years, he had also learned that his elder brother, Yang Wudi, had settled in the Star Luo Empire with the remaining clansmen, still upholding the Breaking Clan's proud spirit. That brought him some measure of peace.
But the branch in his care was also a root of the Breaking Clan. He had to give everything he had to protect these clansmen and the Soul Breaking Spear heritage entrusted to him.
At that thought, Yang Wushuang's hand unconsciously stilled on Yang Chang'an's shoulder. The air around him abruptly grew heavy, and the anticipation in his eyes gave way once more to profound loneliness.
Yang Chang'an keenly sensed the change in his grandfather's mood. The smile slowly faded from his face, and he stood silently beside him without another word.
When he had read the original story in his previous life, Yang Wushuang had been little more than a name mentioned in passing. He had known almost nothing about the man.
Only after transmigrating into this world, becoming his grandson, and spending years by his side had Yang Chang'an truly come to understand this grandfather of his.
When disaster had struck the Breaking Clan, its members had agreed to split into two groups to break through the encirclement. Yang Wushuang had volunteered to lead the group composed mostly of the elderly, the weak, women, and children, drawing Spirit Hall's attacks to buy time for Yang Wudi's main force to escape.
He could have chosen to go with Yang Wudi, but for his clansmen's sake, he had stepped onto the path of a decoy without looking back. In the end, with no hope of breaking through, he had laid down the Breaking Clan's pride and chosen to surrender to Spirit Hall.
It was precisely that surrender that had given hundreds of elderly, weak, women, and children a chance to live.
Over the years, he had watched over this branch of the clan, allowing them to rest and rebuild until a lineage once on the brink of collapse gradually regained the prosperity of its heyday.
More importantly, they had not been defeated and captured, but had surrendered of their own accord. Though Spirit Hall had its reservations about the Yang Family's origins, it had still granted them considerable preferential treatment.
Their treatment could not compare with that of the families in Spirit City, and they faced many restrictions, but this branch had nevertheless been able to live in peace.
Everyone in the clan understood the painful thought behind his decision, and none had ever spoken a word of reproach. Yet Yang Wushuang himself could never cross that hurdle in his heart.
That fixation had become a knot he could not untie, tormenting him day and night.
Yang Chang'an looked at his grandfather's gloomy profile and sighed inwardly. He knew that his grandfather's wounded heart could not heal overnight. Perhaps only the Soul Breaking Spear's return to glory would truly allow him to let go.
After a brief silence, Yang Wushuang was the first to collect himself. Not wanting his grandson to see his vulnerability, he raised a hand to ruffle Yang Chang'an's hair, his tone turning cheerful again.
"All right, enough of that. I've brewed some secret medicine to strengthen your sinews and bones. It's just right for you. This is good stuff, so don't miss out."
With that, he took Yang Chang'an's hand and strode toward the medicine room nearby.
"Any secret medicine Grandpa makes has to be the very best!" Yang Chang'an followed his lead, his voice brimming with excitement.
Since surrendering to Spirit Hall, Yang Wushuang had rarely touched a spear, devoting more of his energy to medicine refinement instead.
Spirit Hall housed countless books, including many texts on medicine refinement. Yang Wushuang already had a foundation in the Breaking Clan's medicinal arts, and after studying Spirit Hall's collection day and night, his skill had long since reached consummate mastery, surpassing even his former level.
Over the years, he had developed many unique formulas. The Yang Family's recovery in just a few short years owed much to these new medicines.
Yang Chang'an, in particular, was a "regular customer" of these new medicines.
Since childhood, Yang Chang'an had trained by combining methods from his previous life with the cultivation practices of the Douluo Continent, expending far more energy than ordinary children. Had Yang Wushuang not regularly brewed various tonics to condition his body, the intense demands of his training would have broken it down long ago.
It was no exaggeration to say that Yang Wushuang now stood deservedly among the very best in the entire field of medicine refinement.
Even Spirit Hall's Chrysanthemum Douluo, likewise renowned for medicine refinement, had personally visited the Yang Family several times to seek Yang Wushuang's guidance in the art. Their differing allegiances kept them from being friends, but they could at least manage a conversation.
"Of course." At the mention of medicine refinement, a trace of pride appeared on Yang Wushuang's face.
"This secret medicine is excellent at bolstering your blood and vital energy. Not only will it strengthen your physique, it'll also make absorbing soul rings a little easier in the future."
Yang Chang'an nodded obediently and let Yang Wushuang lead him inside, warmth filling his heart. He knew just how much care and effort his grandfather had poured into him.
The Yang Family's residence was not luxurious, but it was clean and orderly. Several medicinal herbs grew in the courtyard, all commonly used in medicine refinement, and a faint herbal fragrance lingered in the air.
Once inside, Yang Wushuang went into the medicine-refining room in the inner hall. Before long, he emerged carrying a white jade bowl filled with a dark brown medicinal broth. Its fragrance was rich without being pungent.
"Drink it quickly. It works best while it's hot." Yang Wushuang held the bowl out to Yang Chang'an.
Yang Chang'an took the bowl without the slightest hesitation, tipped his head back, and drained it in one go. The medicine tasted slightly bitter at first, but left a hint of sweetness. As it slipped down his throat into his stomach, it instantly became a warm current that spread through every limb and bone, nourishing every inch of his meridians. His entire body felt warm and wonderfully comfortable.
Watching him obediently finish the medicine, Yang Wushuang's eyes filled with satisfaction. He raised a hand and wiped the traces of medicine from the corner of his mouth.
"That's right. Once you awaken your martial soul, if your talent is decent, I'll pass the Soul Breaking Spear Technique on to you."
"Yes!" Yang Chang'an nodded firmly, his eyes filled with resolve.
Looking at his grandfather, he silently vowed that at the martial soul awakening three days from now, he would not disappoint him.
He would awaken a powerful martial soul, shoulder the heritage of this branch of the Breaking Clan, make up for the regret in his grandfather's heart, and let the Soul Breaking Spear's mighty name resound across the Douluo Continent once more.