The little rabbit tilted her head. Since she couldn't figure it out, she simply stopped thinking about it.
This was a fine tradition among Soul Beasts.
So she wrapped herself in the blanket, claimed the more spacious bed beside Tang Tian's, and soon drifted off to sleep, even snoring softly.
Early the next morning.
No familiar, slightly cool touch woke Tang Tian.
Every morning before this.
Little Blue would always tickle him gently with her tenderest leaf tip to wake him up.
But that heartwarming wake-up service was absent today.
Tang Tian couldn't help feeling very unaccustomed to it.
Still, he quickly adjusted his mindset.
If the mountain wouldn't come to him, he would go to the mountain.
Tang Tian stretched.
Instead, he took the initiative to call Little Blue in his Sea of Consciousness, saying gently:
"Good morning, Your Majesty, my queen. Let's go bask in the sun together!"
[Little Blue (haughty/happy)] [Hmph, at least you know your place! Baby finally knows to come pay his respects first!] [Since you've invited me so sincerely, I shall reluctantly allow you to attend to me as I rise!]
On the other side of the Sea of Consciousness.
[Little Iron Hammer (speechless)] [This useless weed is beyond saving! I really want to knock her awake with one blow.]
Nuoding Academy, the second floor of the dining hall.
Unlike the noisy, cheap first floor, this place was quiet, with exquisite dishes and, of course, prices touching enough to bring tears to one's eyes.
Usually, only noble students whose families practically owned mines could bear to spend money here.
But today, a large round table by the window was laden with a dazzling array of food.
Crystal Steamed Dumplings, nourishing soup, and all sorts of delicate pastries.
"Mmm... delicious! Sho delicious!"
Xiao Wu held a crisp carrot in her left hand.
In her right was a delicate piece of Osmanthus Cake.
Her cheeks bulged like a hamster hoarding food as she mumbled:
"Brother Tang Tian, you're such a good person! I'm sticking with you from now on!"
Sitting across from him, Tang San said with a wry smile:
"Brother, this is too extravagant. Xiao Chenyu may have paid us compensation, but we can't just burn through it like this."
Tang Tian lounged against the back of his chair.
Holding a glass of juice, he said leisurely:
"San, you need to remember."
"Money is something you neither bring into this world nor take with you when you die."
"Only money you've spent is truly yours."
He recalled those days when he'd taught Tang San to "split every coin in two before spending it." They had truly been poor.
Now that he'd come into an unexpected windfall, naturally, he had to improve their lives.
He glanced at Xiao Wu, who was sweeping through the food like a gale scattering clouds:
"You need to nourish your body properly. Especially you-you're still growing. How can you do without enough nutrition?"
"As for money, when we run out, we'll just find that fat sheep... ahem, borrow a little from our kind classmate Xiao."
Although Tang San felt something was off.
Looking at his elder brother's utterly matter-of-fact expression, he actually found himself unable to argue.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill.
Tang Tian wiped his mouth and stood:
"All right, we've had our fill. Time to get down to business."
"San, take Xiao Wu to cultivate, and work off some of that food while you're at it."
"I still need to visit the Back Mountain. I've got some private matters to handle."
"Private matters?" Xiao Wu's ears perked up. "Are you sneaking off to eat something delicious?"
"Shoo, shoo. This is grown-up business. Kids shouldn't pry."
Tang Tian flicked her smooth forehead.
Then, before Xiao Wu could start flailing at him, he turned and strode away.
Nuoding Academy, deep in the Back Mountain.
This was an even more secluded grove that almost no one usually visited.
Tang Tian made certain no one was around.
Only then did he find a clean, large bluestone and sit down.
"Phew... finally, some peace and quiet."
Tang Tian took a deep breath, his gaze turning serious.
"Come out."
With a thought from Tang Tian.
A stalk of Blue Silver Grass shimmering with blue-gold light.
Instantly appeared in Tang Tian's right palm.
Little Blue still held her leaves proudly upright.
She raised her topmost leaf high, as though looking down upon all living beings.
[Hmph! I am the sovereign of all plants!] [Must I spell everything out for a mere baby before he understands what I mean?] [The instant you summon me, you should take the initiative to stroke me, attend to me, and praise me!]
Meanwhile, Little Iron Hammer, shut inside the Sea of Consciousness, reeled:
[Hey! Idiot master! Why didn't you call me out for some fresh air too?] [And this Little Blue-this useless weed is infuriating! Who is she trying to impress?] [Let me out! I'll teach her how to behave as grass with my hammer!]
Tang Tian couldn't help laughing as he read Little Blue's haughty inner voice on the System Panel.
He didn't soothe Little Blue as she'd expected.
Instead, he turned his palm over.
Dozens of gleaming Gold Soul Coins instantly appeared as though by magic.
He shook them in his hand with a clatter.
"Ah, I'd been thinking how our Little Blue used to love shiny things most."
"I specifically saved this big sum to buy her some pretty gifts."
Tang Tian sighed with feigned regret.
Toying with the coins:
"But now that I think about it, she's the noble Blue Silver King. She surely wouldn't care for such vulgar things."
"Forget it, then. Little Iron Hammer keeps shouting that she's hungry anyway. I'll use this gold to buy her some rare metals to eat."
"After all... I actually had to wake a certain queen this morning. What a complete overturning of the natural order."
Upon hearing that.
Little Iron Hammer instantly erupted with joy inside the Sea of Consciousness.
The tables had turned completely!
That idiot Tang Tian had finally found his conscience!
Meanwhile, Little Blue abruptly stiffened in his palm.
Her proud leaves instantly drooped a little.
[H-how could this be?! Didn't Baby only have eyes for me before?] [When did he get so close to that brute Little Iron Hammer?] [And he's giving her my presents?! Waaaaah...]
Although she was already crying a river inside, Little Blue still struggled to maintain her domineering persona on the surface.
[Hmph! A mere baby's coins... o-of course they're all my private property!] [If they're yours, then they're mine!]
Whoosh-!
Several vines instantly shot out with the speed of a thunderbolt that left no time to cover one's ears.
They swept away every coin in Tang Tian's hand at once.
She curled her leaves into a ball and clutched them tightly against herself, as though afraid someone might snatch them away.
Tang Tian looked at the wary little blade of grass guarding her food.
He couldn't help laughing.
He extended a finger.
Gently poking the leaf ball wrapped tightly around the coins, he said softly:
"Don't worry. They're all for you."
Little Blue loosened her leaves a little, opening a tiny gap to peek at Tang Tian.
Tang Tian settled into his seat.
His gaze grew deep as he slowly began recalling the past.
"Do you remember that day after my martial soul awakened?"
"It was in a little grove just like this!"
Tang Tian spoke softly, a trace of reminiscence in his eyes:
"That day, I tried communicating with my martial soul for the first time on the Back Mountain of Holy Soul Village, but heaven wouldn't cooperate, and it started pouring."
"I sheltered beneath a tree, soaked through and shivering."
"And a stalk of Blue Silver Grass was trying desperately to stretch out her leaves to shield me from a drop of water falling overhead."
Tang Tian looked at Little Blue in his hand:
"That was you in the beginning."
"Though you were weak, though you were helpless, on that cold, rainy day, you were protecting me with everything you had."
At this.
Little Blue's deliberately affected, lofty arrogance gradually froze.
She slowly released the coins she'd been clutching.
Her leaves trembled slightly, replaced by bewildered panic.
Tang Tian extended his other hand.
He gently supported her tiny leaves.
As though cradling a priceless treasure.
"Back then, Su Yuntao called you a trash martial soul. He said Blue Silver Grass was the very definition of useless."
"Everyone around us was sighing. Even Village Chief Old Jack thought it was a pity."
Little Blue lowered her leaves completely.
[That's right... I'm useless, just a stalk of grass.] [Compared with that Clear Sky Hammer, I'm so fragile I could snap with a single bend...] [If I don't get stronger, if I don't become a little fiercer, you'll definitely despise me, won't you?]
"Tap."
Tang Tian extended a finger.
He touched Little Blue's tenderest leaf tip and gently rubbed it.
Little Blue trembled all over, her leaves unfurling, only to see Tang Tian looking down at her with a smile.
There was no mockery, no impatience.
Only the same gentleness and affection that had never changed.
"Silly."
Tang Tian said softly:
"Do you think I only like you because you've grown stronger and become this so-called Blue Silver King?"
"That day, I swore to myself."
"This little blade of grass might be weak, but she's the only being in this world willing to stand in the rain with me."
"From that moment on, she was my very life."
"San's Clear Sky Hammer is indeed powerful. It's a symbol of strength, a formidable weapon of attack."
"But Little Blue, you're my roots. You're my life."
Tang Tian raised his hands to eye level and looked earnestly at the Blue Silver Grass in his palm:
"I don't need a queen who stands high above me."
"What I need is the one who, whether I'm poor or wealthy, strong or weak."
"Little Blue, who is willing to bask in the sun with me, gripe with me, and sleep beside me."
"You don't need to compare yourself to anyone."
"Because in my heart, no one can take your place."
"Not even a hundred Clear Sky Hammers could replace you."
In the Sea of Consciousness.
Little Iron Hammer paused:
[Hey! Isn't a hundred a little too much? I think fifty would still be negotiable...]
But she soon fell silent.
Because Little Blue, disguised as a queen, was crying.
It wasn't the sort of delicate sobbing that made her look like pear blossoms bathed in rain.
It was the kind of full-throated wailing that came after being held back for so long and finally finding an outlet.
Before you continue