"You... what did you say? This is a Storage Soul Tool! And you're actually refusing it?"
Yu Xiaogang simply could not understand how the boy before him thought.
"Nothing gets through to you! You're utterly unreasonable!"
Yu Xiaogang completely lost his composure.
He felt as though he had punched a wad of cotton.
All his schemes and pride seemed so ridiculous before Tang Tian.
"Fine! Fine! Since you're so arrogant, I'll keep my eyes wide open."
"I'll watch you bash your heads bloody in the Soul Hunting Forest! Don't come begging me for help then!"
With that, Yu Xiaogang angrily swept his sleeve.
He put away the belt.
Then he turned and left in a furious huff.
Watching Grandmaster's retreating back.
The longing in Tang San's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a faint trace of regret.
"Big Brother..."
Tang San hesitated, but still said quietly:
"That Soul Tool really was quite good..."
"And I believe in your abilities, Big Brother. Since you said you could exceed the limit, you could definitely beat him."
To him, it was a sure win.
And they could get a treasure for free.
Why had his big brother refused so firmly?
Tang Tian turned around and looked at Tang San, who was half a head shorter than him.
He reached out and gently rubbed Tang San's head.
Tousling his previously tidy hair.
At that moment, in Tang Tian's eyes.
There was less of his usual teasing.
And more of a rare solemnity and warmth:
"Little San, remember this."
"Even if I were ninety-nine percent certain of winning, I would never gamble with you against that one percent chance of an accident."
"That belt might be precious, and it might be rare in this world."
"But in your big brother's eyes, it isn't worth a single hair on your head."
"If you're a priceless treasure, how could I put you on the gambling table as a stake?"
Those words were like a warm current, instantly breaking through Tang San's defenses.
That trace of regret originally in his heart.
Vanished like smoke and clouds at that moment.
In its place came an unprecedented swell of emotion and aching tenderness.
So this was his big brother...
Even faced with a precious treasure within easy reach.
He would never let him take the slightest risk.
He would not even let his dignity suffer the slightest contempt.
"Big Brother... I understand."
Tang San lowered his head, his voice a little choked.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu, who had witnessed everything from the side.
Had her pink eyes wide open.
As she stared blankly at the two brothers.
Her long ears drooped slightly, and ripples stirred in her heart.
"Was this human familial love?"
"More precious than a Soul Tool, more important than any treasure..."
Xiao Wu remembered the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.
She remembered her mother, who had sacrificed herself to protect her.
That feeling of being treasured and sheltered in someone's palms.
She had not felt it in a very, very long time.
Looking at Tang Tian's straight, tall back.
Xiao Wu pressed her lips together.
The seed in her heart that had long been sealed away.
Seemed to quietly crack open a little.
She simply felt that this fellow, who usually looked somewhat lazy, seemed particularly pleasing to the eye at this moment.
"So this was what it felt like to be someone's unwavering choice..."
Xiao Wu thought silently.
[Ding! Detected that Xiao Wu was moved by the host's brotherly affection. Affection +10!] [Current Xiao Wu affection: 56/100 (favorable).] [Congratulations to the host for obtaining a special passive bond: when the host and the Soft Bone Demon Rabbit are within ten meters of each other, both parties' cultivation speed increases by 30%!]
Listening to the system notifications in his mind.
The corner of Tang Tian's eye twitched slightly.
Well, damn. Was this the system-certified version of men and women working together without tiring?
A thirty-percent cultivation speed bonus-this was seriously sweet!
As long as he stayed within ten meters of Xiao Wu.
He would get a thirty-percent cultivation speed bonus. She was practically a walking humanoid cultivation accelerator!
Tang Tian, now in a wonderful mood.
Looked at the still-moved Tang San and the thoughtful Xiao Wu.
An almost imperceptible smile curved his lips.
Now it was time to deal with Little Iron Hammer.
That afternoon.
While Tang San went to the work-study students' dormitory to arrange his bedding.
Tang Tian strolled alone to a blacksmith's shop in Nuoding City.
He rummaged through a pile of odds and ends.
And finally spent a few Copper Soul Coins.
On a pitch-black lump of pig iron he dug out of a dusty corner.
It was merely a scrap left over from practice at the blacksmith's shop.
Its only merit was probably that-it had a decent heft.
After returning to the dormitory.
Tang Tian fetched a rag with a great show of seriousness.
He polished the lump of pig iron until it gleamed, making it reflect a sheen in the setting sun.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I really struck it rich today!"
As Tang Tian wiped it.
He deliberately exclaimed loudly.
Little Iron Hammer, who had been drawing circles in a corner of his Sea of Consciousness and cursing Tang Tian.
Immediately pricked up her ears at his words.
She peered outside curiously through Tang Tian's vision.
She saw Tang Tian holding that ordinary lump of pig iron in his palm with a mysterious expression.
As though he were holding a peerless treasure, his tone exaggerated to the extreme:
"This is an associated ore of Hundred-Year Cold Iron Essence that I finally managed to get from a reclusive blacksmith!"
"Although it hasn't fully evolved into a mother essence yet, it's absolutely one in ten thousand!"
"This luster, this grain-simply perfect!"
[Little Iron Hammer (dubious)] [Really? Why does it smell a little like the academy's big iron gate?]
Hearing Little Iron Hammer's thoughts.
Tang Tian's expression did not change, nor did his heart skip a beat.
He continued his act, talking to himself:
"A divine treasure conceals its own brilliance. A layer of camouflage has formed on its surface! Only a true divine treasure would be so understated."
"Ah, what a shame my soul power is too low to refine it now. I'll have to leave it on the table and think of something tomorrow."
With that, Tang Tian solemnly placed the lump of pig iron on the bedside cabinet.
Then he flopped down and went straight to sleep.
Before long, the sound of steady breathing rang out.
Deep in the still of night.
A faint black light that only Tang Tian could sense.
Quietly slipped out from between his brows.
And hovered above the lump of pig iron.
It was none other than Little Iron Hammer.
She circled the pitch-black lump of iron several times.
Her little nose sniffed hard.
"Is it really that amazing?"
"That rotten master is usually unreliable, but today he really seemed to value this thing..."
"Hundred-Year Cold Iron Essence. It sounds so tasty."
In the end, the innocent Little Iron Hammer could not resist the temptation of a "snack."
Together with Tang Tian's award-winning performance during the day.
It had planted a powerful suggestion in her mind.
"I'll just have one bite. Just one..."
Crunch.
Little Iron Hammer pressed herself straight against the pig iron.
"Mmm... it tastes a little bland, and a little astringent."
Little Iron Hammer frowned, but immediately began convincing herself:
"It must be the taste of that outer camouflage layer! The essence must be inside!"
Crunch, crunch, crunch!
She devoured the entire lump of pig iron.
Although it was only ordinary mortal iron, it still provided some nourishment for a Tool Martial Soul in its growth phase.
Before you continue