Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.
A glimmer flashed through Tang Tian's eyes.
"Since Dad, Tang Hao, has left."
"That hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone Mom left behind..."
"Rather than letting it gather mold in a cave that never sees daylight, I might as well use it to strengthen Little Blue and myself."
"After all, rich water shouldn't flow into someone else's field."
Tang Tian rubbed his chin.
"Perhaps the first step toward becoming a god starts with going home to live off my parents."
However, Tang Tian did not act rashly.
His strength was not stable enough yet, and suddenly leaving the academy would attract too much attention.
He patiently waited until the weather gradually cooled.
When cold winds began to ravage Nuoding City.
Tang Tian found an excuse.
He requested leave from Director Su.
His reason was plain, simple, and impossible to refuse-going home to fetch winter clothes.
After all, the entire academy knew that work-study students came from poor families.
And Tang Tian was quite talented, not to mention that he had thoroughly slapped Yu Xiaogang in the face earlier.
This greatly pleased Director Su.
With all the paperwork in order, a legitimate reason, and a proper attitude.
Director Su waved his hand, not only approving the leave but even kindly reminding him to be careful on the road.
Tang San, however, was a little puzzled.
Watching his older brother pack his bundle, he scratched his head.
"Brother, we might not have much money, but we can still afford a few padded jackets, can't we?"
"Do you really need to make a special trip back to the village?"
"It'll take so much time away from cultivation."
Tang Tian patted his younger brother's shoulder and spoke earnestly.
"Little San, you don't understand."
"We have to split every coin in two before spending it now!"
"Are those ordinary clothes? Those are clothes filled with home and memories!"
Tang San was thoroughly hoodwinked by this speech.
Although he still did not quite understand why a few shabby clothes could be elevated to such heights.
Out of his absolute, blind obedience to his older brother.
Tang San immediately shut his mouth.
My brother must have his reasons.
Since he's going back, it must be for cultivation or something even more important.
Tang San recalled Tang Tian's efficient method of cultivating in the grove earlier.
He's going back to secretly outwork me!
No, I can't fall behind either!
While he's away, I'll study theory properly at the academy. It'll be the perfect chance to prepare for absorbing my first soul ring.
I'll study it carefully so I can help plan his first soul ring too and give him a surprise!
In Tang San's eyes, Tang Tian might be going back to secretly outwork him!
After all, Tang Tian had been cultivating desperately in the grove before!
He had seen it himself.
Tang San made up his mind to work harder at the academy too!
Just as Tang Tian finished dealing with Tang San.
Another problem arrived.
"You're going home?"
"Take me! Take me!"
Upon learning that Tang Tian was leaving.
Xiao Wu, that human-shaped accessory, immediately latched onto him.
She blinked her big eyes.
Her two ears swayed back and forth.
She tugged pitifully at Tang Tian's sleeve.
"I want to go play too! The academy is so boring. I want to see if I can dig up some big radishes!"
Looking at this silly rabbit, Tang Tian inwardly rolled his eyes.
Take you?
Are you kidding me?
This concerns my grand plan for leveling up later!
It even involves my origins!
If I bring you, this hundred-thousand-year rogue rabbit, what if you get a craving?
That's an emperor among plant-type soul beasts.
For an herbivorous soul beast like you, the temptation would definitely be no less than a top-quality carrot!
Besides...
Tang Tian glanced at the System Panel.
[Xiao Wu's Affection Level: 40/100 (fondness)]
Her Affection Level is only forty. It doesn't even count as attachment. At most, she's just an eating buddy.
You want to unlock an advanced storyline like coming home with me to meet my parents?
We'll talk once I've raised her Affection Level!
Thus, Tang Tian mercilessly rejected Xiao Wu's request.
And threatened her with, "Unless you want me to come back without any carrots."
Successfully keeping this gluttonous rabbit firmly at the academy.
After confirming that no little tail was following him.
Tang Tian went full throttle on the road back to Holy Soul Village.
With no need to worry about other people's gazes.
He directly activated Blue Silver Grass's vitality enhancement.
A faint blue glow enveloped his entire body.
His stamina seemed endless.
His whole figure was like a streak of blue lightning.
Much faster than the horse-drawn carriages traveling along the road.
Before long, the familiar Holy Soul Village came into view in the distance.
However, Tang Tian did not enter the village.
Instead, he chose to circle straight around to the distant mountains behind it.
Within the encircling mountains.
There was a secluded valley.
Few people ever came here, and only the sounds of birds and beasts could be heard.
At the end of the valley, a huge waterfall cascaded down from above.
Crashing into the pool.
It let out a deafening roar.
Mist filled the air, like an immortal paradise.
"This is it."
Standing beside the pool, Tang Tian took a deep breath.
Without any hesitation, he leaped up and slipped into the waterfall like a swimming fish.
Splash-!
The tremendous water pressure battered his body.
For him, whose current physical condition was only barely adequate, it was still quite strenuous!
But he gritted his teeth and circulated his soul power.
Forcing his way against the pounding current, he passed through the waterfall's curtain!
The rock wall behind the waterfall was slippery and hard.
Tang Tian pressed himself against it, carefully feeling over its surface with both hands.
It looked perfectly seamless, covered in moss, as though it had naturally formed that way.
Within his Sea of Consciousness.
The two little fellows popped out too.
[Little Blue the Blue Silver Grass (tilting her head)] [Huh? Why has Master come to such a wet place?] [There's nothing here except a big rock.] [Is Master going to plant grass on the rock?]
On the other side.
[Little Iron Hammer (raring to go)] [Dummy! This is obviously a mechanism!] [Stupid Tang Tian, why are you taking forever feeling around?] [Let me out! This young lady will smash it open with one blow!] [For a lousy rock like this, this young lady only needs thirty percent of her strength to blast it into rubble!]
"Stop it. Will you pay for it if you break it?"
Speechless, Tang Tian soothed the irritable Little Iron Hammer.
After repeated attempts.
Finally, at a certain spot on the rock wall.
His fingers stopped at an inconspicuous indentation.
Taking a deep breath, he circulated his soul power and pressed hard.
"Click, click, click..."
A series of sounds rang out.
The previously seamless rock wall slowly opened to either side.
Revealing a deep cave behind it.
Since the waterfall's pool was right beside it.
The cave was very damp.
A cool chill permeated the air.
The cave was about three meters high and two meters wide, extending into the depths.
Tang Tian took out the torch he had prepared beforehand.
After lighting it.
The flickering firelight drove back the darkness.
Holding the torch, he followed the passage deeper, step by step.
Before long, the space before him suddenly opened up.
It was a stone chamber of only about ten square meters.
Although crude, it was not as oppressive as he had imagined.
A small, naturally formed hole sat at the top of the chamber.
A faint shaft of light shone down through it.
Falling on a small mound of earth in the center of the chamber.
There, a slender stalk of Blue Silver Grass grew all alone.
But this grass was completely different from the ordinary Blue Silver Grass outside.
Its leaves were longer and more slender.
Its entire body was a crystalline, translucent azure.
Fine golden lines even flowed through its leaf veins.
It exuded a noble yet gentle aura.
However, although its level of life was very high, it was not growing well.
It clearly looked a little "wilted."
As though it had long lacked nourishment.
And this was...
Tang Tian's birth mother, the former hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor-Ah Yin.
Even before he approached.
Tang Tian could feel that stirring and sense of closeness from deep within his bloodline.
And Little Blue, the martial soul within Tang Tian's body, was in his Sea of Consciousness.
Little Blue seemed unusually reserved, even somewhat awed.
[Blue Silver Grass Little Blue (at a loss)]
[Who is this?]
[What a powerful aura. Is she the queen of grasses?]
[Why can't I help wanting to bow to her when I see her?]
[But why is Master looking at her like that?]
[Wait, she's grass, and I'm grass too...]
[Ooh! Why do I suddenly feel a little jealous, yet a little afraid to step out of line?]
Before you continue