Over the next year, Li Ye spent every day either cultivating or practicing with his spear and sword. He also had to make time to attend the academy's basic Soul Master knowledge classes and study subjects the academy did not teach under Yu Xiaogang.
But repeating essentially the same routine every day was driving Li Ye stir-crazy.
Fortunately, the academy went on break today, and Li Ye could go along with Tang San to Holy Soul Village for some fun.
Come to think of it, Tang San already knew the broad outlines of his origins this time. Would Tang Hao still leave nothing but a letter and walk away?
"Xiao San, do you think your dad will be home? What will you do if he hides and refuses to see you?" Seeing how weighed down Tang San looked, Li Ye could not help asking.
"I don't know either. Dad should..." As he spoke, Tang San could not help lowering his head.
In his previous life, he had never experienced familial affection, friendship, or romantic love. Now that he finally had a family in this life, he naturally wanted to cherish it.
Yet reality was always so painful. He had finally gained a family, only for something unknown to destroy it before he could even experience his parents' love. How could Tang San not be sad?
But when he thought of Li Ye's background, Tang San immediately raised his head and forced a bleak smile, telling Li Ye, who was trying to comfort him, that he was fine.
"Xiao San, I think you should try to look on the bright side. Look, Xiao Wu and I have no parents or other relatives, but aren't we still happy every day? Doesn't the old saying go, let bygones be bygones? What matters most is cherishing the people and things right in front of you." Putting on a worldly air, Li Ye spoke to Tang San with a smile.
"Exactly! Tang San, you should learn more from me and Xiao Ye, make some new friends, and face the future with optimism."
Tang San merely nodded at Xiao Wu's words, which counted as a response.
The three of them had just reached the entrance to Holy Soul Village when they ran into Old Jack, who was taking a stroll there.
"Oh, Xiao San, why did you come back on your own? Didn't your dad go to pick you up?"
"Grandpa Jack, the academy is on break, so I came back first. Isn't my dad at home?" Hearing Old Jack's words, Tang San instantly felt utterly dejected.
"Hmph, that Tang Hao! He even told me this morning that he was going to pick you up. To think he dared lie to me! Just wait until he gets back. I'll break his legs!" After hearing Tang San's reply, Old Jack immediately began cursing.
Even Li Ye, who normally refused to bow to anyone, had to admire Old Jack's bravery.
After all, the man he was cursing was Tang Hao.
Who was Tang Hao? He was a genius the Clear Sky Sect might not see once in a century, a legendary Titled Douluo. If he wanted to, he would not flinch even at smashing up Spirit Hall.
Would a figure like that be afraid of you, Old Jack?
Fortunately, Li Ye hurriedly urged Tang San to take him and Xiao Wu home, or there was no telling what other nasty curses they might have heard from Old Jack.
"Senior brother, my house might be a little dirty and messy. I hope you won't mind." Once they reached his door, Tang San gave Li Ye and Xiao Wu a warning before pushing it open and walking inside.
"Haha, Xiao San, how could I possibly..."
Li Ye had initially been full of confidence, thinking he could accept Tang San's home no matter how filthy, messy, or shabby it was.
But the dust filling the house, the tools strewn everywhere, the cobwebs all over the place, the pile of unwashed pots and dishes, and the liquor bottles in every corner instantly shattered Li Ye's composure.
Are you sure this is a place for humans to live? Even a dog kennel shouldn't be this bad.
"Tang San, your house is way too filthy! How long has it been since your dad cleaned it?" Blunt as ever, Xiao Wu immediately began complaining.
"Sorry, Xiao Wu, senior brother. I didn't expect the house to turn into this after I'd only been gone a year. Sorry for giving you a fright."
To be honest, if Tang San had not been so mentally resilient, even he would have found this place unbearable.
"All right, there's nothing wrong with it being a little dirty, messy, and shabby. Can't we just clean it together? We have nothing to do right now anyway." After soothing Xiao Wu a little, Li Ye made a suggestion to the two of them.
Hearing this, Tang San was moved beyond words.
Tang San: He really is a wonderful senior brother!
Li Ye: If we don't clean, where are we supposed to sleep? Surely we aren't going to sleep on the ground outside?
And so, the three cleaned from noon until evening before finally getting Tang San's house into a state Li Ye considered fit for human habitation.
"Say, senior brother, are you a clean freak? It was already fine before, but you insisted on sweeping the roof and beams clean too." Tang San slumped to the floor in exhaustion and complained weakly.
If Li Ye had swept the roof and beams himself, Tang San would not have said a word. But in reality, Li Ye had directed things from below while Tang San did all the sweeping up above.
"Oh, come on, Xiao San. We're going to live here for two months. Shouldn't we clean it a little more thoroughly?" Li Ye patted Tang San's shoulder without blushing or missing a beat.
"Exactly! Besides, Tang San, this is your house. What's wrong with you doing a little more work?" Xiao Wu chimed in.
"Sigh!" Hearing this, Tang San could only let out a helpless sigh.
What could he do when both of them were telling the truth?
Fortunately, his exhaustion only lasted a little while.
"By the way, Xiao San, can you cook?" Feeling the emptiness in his stomach, Li Ye could not help looking at Tang San.
"I can only make some simple dishes, but it looks like there's no food left in the house," Tang San said awkwardly.
"Oh, right, Xiao San. I found this while I was cleaning earlier. Take a look." As he spoke, Li Ye took out the letter Tang Hao had left, which he had found earlier, and handed it to Tang San.
Tang San immediately took the letter, opened it, and began reading.
Li Ye had also read the letter. In essence, it told Tang San that he must cultivate diligently under Yu Xiaogang, not reveal his second martial soul, and not dwell too much on his mother's affairs. It then said that Tang Hao had some things to do and would not be back for the time being.
To be honest, it was an utterly ordinary family letter, yet Tang San's eyes brimmed with tears as he read it.
Fortunately, Old Jack arrived with food for the three of them at that crucial moment, prompting Tang San to hurriedly wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Thank you, Grandpa Jack. Goodbye, Grandpa Jack!"
"Hey, Xiao San. How about we catch some wild rabbits in the forest nearby?" After dinner, Li Ye, unable to sit still, could not help suggesting.
"Hey, why do you want to catch wild rabbits? Bunnies are so cute! What are you planning to do to them?" Before Tang San could answer, Xiao Wu stood up angrily.
"All right, all right, no catching wild rabbits. Can we go exploring instead?"
"Exploring?" Tang San and Xiao Wu looked at Li Ye in confusion, unable to understand what he meant.
"I mean walking around the forest to see if we can find any treasures," Li Ye explained helplessly.
"Sure! That sounds really fun!" Xiao Wu said happily. Anything was fine as long as they were not catching rabbits.
"All right, then!" Tang San helplessly agreed to this activity that only children would engage in.
And so, brimming with enthusiasm, the three headed into the nearby forest under the cover of the deep night.
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