Tang San could clearly feel it.
His elder brother's Soul Power fluctuations had grown stronger.
My brother has gotten stronger.
Even though he seems really strange.
Talking to his Martial Soul all day, kissing it...
But there's really no faulting his cultivation speed.
Could my brother have pioneered an entirely new school of cultivation?
Does this have something to do with building rapport with his Martial Soul?
Should I try it too?
Tang San shook his head.
He felt that his traditional views on cultivation had suffered a tremendous shock.
But there wasn't much he could say.
He could only watch his elder brother's back as he slept soundly and sigh silently.
As long as my brother is happy.
Anyway, if we encounter danger in the future, I'll protect him.
Early the next morning.
The sunshine was as bright as ever.
With yesterday's successful experience behind her.
Blue Silver Grass had become much more practiced at waking Tang Tian.
She no longer made those cautious, tentative attempts.
Instead, she tickled Tang Tian's cheeks directly with her leaves.
Until he woke up laughing.
This affectionate interaction put Tang Tian in a good mood to start his day.
After breakfast, Tang Tian washed and tidied himself up again, then headed out eagerly.
His destination was still the little grove at the village entrance.
He arrived at the same spot as yesterday.
Tang Tian sat cross-legged with practiced ease and summoned Little Blue.
"Little Blue."
"Shall we try connecting with the other Blue Silver Grass again today?"
Tang Tian pointed at the wild Blue Silver Grass swaying in the breeze around them.
He encouraged her with a smile:
"It's actually very simple, right?"
"Look, they all like you, and they all want to follow your commands."
"You just need to release your aura, like yesterday."
"There's nothing to be afraid of."
[Blue Silver Grass (taking deep breaths)] [Hmm... Master is right.] [It really isn't that scary...] [After all, I'm Master's one and only Blue Silver Grass!] [And I succeeded yesterday too!] [I can do it!]
After yesterday's intimate contact when she had turned herself into a scarf.
Little Blue's trust in Tang Tian had already increased considerably!
To avoid disappointing her master.
To defend her position as his rightful partner.
This socially anxious girl decided to go all out!
She shakily extended a leaf.
And tentatively greeted a stalk of wild Blue Silver Grass that was several decades old.
That feeling.
To Tang Tian.
Was like watching someone with social anxiety muster the courage to send a reaction image in a WeChat group for the first time.
However.
What answered her was an extremely enthusiastic wave of emotion.
That stalk of wild Blue Silver Grass lowered its head almost instantly.
As though bowing.
At the same time, a very faint thread of energy flowed over.
As though thanking Little Blue and Tang Tian for leading them in cultivation yesterday!
After all, establishing a Mimicry Training Ground like this benefited them too.
[It worked!] [It didn't laugh at me!] [This feels wonderful!]
With that first success.
Little Blue instantly grew bolder.
She was like a child who had just learned to walk.
Unsteady, yet brimming with curiosity.
She began trying to contact a second stalk, then a third...
As time passed.
A wondrous scene unfolded.
With Tang Tian at the center.
All the Blue Silver Grass within a radius of a dozen or so meters.
Seemed to have received instructions.
They adjusted their positions in perfect unison.
Turning their leaves toward Tang Tian.
Faint blue specks of light drifted out of them.
Converging into tiny streams.
Until they all surged into Little Blue in Tang Tian's hand.
Then flowed back to nourish Tang Tian.
At that moment.
Tang Tian felt as though he were immersed in a warm stream.
Every pore cheered with joy, and every strand of Soul Power rapidly grew stronger.
This feels amazing! So amazing!
Tang Tian couldn't help roaring inwardly.
This cultivation speed is more than twice as fast as yesterday!
At this rate, I feel like I can push through to rank eight in a few days!
He lowered his head to look at Little Blue in his hand!
His eyes were filled with undisguised delight and admiration.
"Little Blue, you're an absolute genius!"
"See? I knew you could do it!"
Hearing her master's praise.
Little Blue shyly poked the tips of her two leaves together.
Like a child who had done a good deed and was waiting for praise.
[Hehe... As long as Master is happy.] [Actually... it isn't that hard.] [As long as I want them to, they all have to listen to me.] [This feeling is actually pretty nice?] [Ding! Blue Silver Grass's confidence has increased!] [Affection Level +3] [Current Affection Level: 45/100 (fondness)]
The human and the grass immersed themselves in the pleasure of cultivation.
However.
Just when Tang Tian thought today would be another perfect day.
He instinctively glanced at a corner of his Sea of Consciousness.
It was eerily quiet there.
That little iron hammer, usually so loud and so quick to declare, "Don't you dare look down on a girl just because she's poor."
Was now floating silently in the deepest part of his Sea of Consciousness.
Utterly motionless.
On the panel, that glaring Affection Level score of [-6] was still hanging there.
But today, it actually hadn't become [-9]?
He wasn't quite used to that.
And today, there weren't even any of her usual snarky remarks.
Not even a single inner thought from the little iron hammer appeared.
"Hmm?"
Tang Tian's brow furrowed slightly.
"What's going on? Why is she so quiet today?"
"This isn't like her."
"Or could it be-"
"Is this tsundere hammer cooking up something big?"
He thought:
Have I really left her hanging for too long?
Have I taken this too far?
Tang Tian still felt he needed to test the waters.
At dusk.
Holy Soul Village was dyed orange-red.
Tang Tian didn't head straight home as usual.
Instead, he made a detour to a small mound in the hills behind the village.
This was his childhood secret base.
His treasure lay buried inside.
With practiced ease, he scraped away the soil and dug out a tightly wrapped oilcloth bundle.
He opened it to look.
A broken blade lay quietly inside.
Its blade was already covered in rust.
Its edge was even rolled in places.
It gave off a strong impression of being a blade of tetanus.
He and Tang San had found it by the river.
At the time, Tang Tian had thought its design was distinctive.
Perhaps it was some ancient divine artifact.
So he had buried it with great secrecy.
Looking at it now, it was nothing more than a discarded woodcutting blade.
But today, this useless blade had a new mission.
Tang Tian hefted it in his hand.
A smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Even if it's scrap iron, it was still a treasure I once cherished."
"It's barely good enough to make something out of."
He returned home.
Before he even reached the door, he could hear the familiar clanging of iron being forged.
Tang Hao still looked half-dead as he sat by the door drinking.
Meanwhile, Tang San, only six years old, was swinging a hammer with sweat pouring off him.
Seeing Tang Tian return.
Tang San stopped what he was doing.
Somewhat surprised, they glanced at the tattered cloth bundle in his hand.
"Bro? Why did you dig that out?"
Tang Tian said, "Nothing. I just suddenly remembered it."
He walked straight over to the small, unused furnace.
He began lighting a fire.
"I'll use the furnace to forge something."
Before you continue