Filial Piety Between Father and Son—That Was Me?!

That night, after completing a set of Longevity Exercise movements, Zhu Wu returned to his bedroom.

He pulled out a homemade medicine mortar and pestle from beneath the bed, then took out a bag of homemade charcoal. "Crunch, crunch." He began crushing the charcoal.

One part niter, two parts... it was a gunpowder formula he had often heard about in his previous life. Of course, by modern times, the formula had been refined into something more reasonable.

As for how he knew it, he had learned it online.

What hot-blooded youth had never dreamed of transmigrating? Of course, the price might be dying young.

Without question, it was a sad story!

Douluo Continent was a world centered around cultivating Martial Souls. At this time, gunpowder formulas had yet to be properly developed. Its practical uses were limited to fireworks and firecrackers, with very little power, so the authorities did not take it seriously. In the original novel, the only relatively mature application was when Tang San used it to make mechanism-type hidden weapons such as the Wrath of the Buddha Tang Lotus. That knowledge had been brought over from Tang San's previous life; it had not originated in Douluo Continent.

Otherwise, the plot of the original novel might have been entirely different. For example, the Speed Clan would definitely have prospered.

Wouldn't flying Soul Masters dropping explosives from the air be amazing?

Still, while this world had no gunpowder, the materials needed to make it were not difficult to buy. Pharmacies carried them, and since their uses were mostly civilian, controls were not particularly strict. Niter, for example, was not only a main ingredient in laxatives, but was also widely used in making glass and pigments. Sulfur, meanwhile, was ground into powder to kill and repel insects. It was said that Soul Masters from Notting Academy would buy it before entering the Soul Hunting Forest to hunt Soul Beasts.

That was why he had bought some in batches during several trips to Notting City, then secretly made gunpowder at home ever since.

It had originally been intended only for self-defense. After all, he had transmigrated into a fantasy world of supernatural powers. The fairness of the law extended only to insignificant people. Whenever conflicts of interest arose between commoners and nobles or Soul Masters, the former's rights would inevitably be sacrificed. That much was entirely foreseeable. He could avoid trouble, but that did not mean others would not come looking for it. His mother's tragedy was the best example.

As though recalling something, his heart grew heavier.

Therefore, if he wanted to protect himself, he had to possess strength of his own. And gunpowder was the self-protection measure he could manage right now.

As for Tang San, after stealing from him several times and now even killing Da Huang—his beloved friend and family member whom he had raised like a dog-son for years—he had truly infuriated Zhu Wu.

If others did not offend him, he would not offend them. He could even give way three times. But if someone offended him again and again, and he did not strike back, could he still call himself a man? Damn it, I'll blow you to pieces!

Tang San, Great Buddha Tang's famous saying about courting death, was still fresh in his memory. Since he had decided to take revenge, he had to do it thoroughly. Best of all, he could uproot the weeds and eliminate the roots, sending both father and son spiraling to heaven together, so no future trouble would remain.

"Make a few more batches. If my Martial Soul really awakens with Soul Power, they might come in handy later when I enter the Soul Beast Forest to hunt Soul Beasts for Soul Rings. As for using them against Tang San, I'll still need to find the right chance. With Tang Hao, a Titled Douluo, around, I'm finished if I'm discovered."

"I really don't understand Tang San. He has a gunpowder formula, yet instead of making proper explosives, he insists on clinging to hidden weapons."

"Mm, since the Spirit Hall deacon is coming in the next few days, I won't go out to look for herbs so I don't miss him. I'll stay home and make gunpowder in peace. Tao Ge, the legendary Blind Douluo, you'd better come through!"

"I'm not asking for Twin Martial Souls, nor Innate Full Soul Power. Innate Soul Power at level seven or eight will do!" Though he dearly wanted to kill his biological father, he still wanted a good Martial Soul.

So Filial Piety Between Father and Son was actually me. Cursing inwardly, he mocked himself while grinding charcoal.

Two days later, in the wooden house at the village center.

Tap, tap, tap. Hearing footsteps, Zhu Wu, who stood in line, turned toward the entrance. It was Old Jack, with Tang San following behind him. The latter's gaze swept over him, his expression calm, as if he had not been the one who had gone to Zhu Wu's home to steal medicinal herbs two days ago. His acting was flawless.

Or rather, his skin was really thick!

The gunpowder is ready. You'll get what's coming to you later. Pretending not to see him, Zhu Wu shifted his gaze to Old Jack.

According to the original novel, once Tang Hao learned that Tang San had awakened Twin Martial Souls, his attitude would immediately take a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. After that, he would begin earnestly teaching him the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.

During that period, Tang San would forge by the furnace every day. That would be the best opportunity to act.

A furnace meant a source of fire!

"Honored Battle Spirit Master, we must trouble you again this time." Old Jack led Tang San toward the young man and respectfully bowed.

"My time is limited. Let's begin." Su Yuntao's tone was neither warm nor cold. He gave a slight bow in return.

Zhu Wu watched quietly until Old Jack left with a somewhat dejected expression, just as in the original novel. Su Yuntao then instructed the children present to stand in a row. Tang San, having arrived last, stood at the end. If nothing unexpected happened, he would awaken Innate Full Soul Power and become the brightest star in the room.

Then what about me, another transmigrator? He felt an inexplicable flicker of anticipation.

"Don't be afraid. Close your eyes and feel carefully." In his field of vision, Su Yuntao quickly arranged six black stones into a hexagonal formation on the ground and called the child at the front of the right side of the line into its center. Then he straightened his chest and let out a low shout.

"Lone Wolf, Possession!"

A faint azure light lit up from between his brows, and his body rapidly began changing. His black hair turned gray and quickly lengthened. The hair covering his body did the same. Muscles bulged all over him, making him several sizes larger than before. His eyes turned an eerie green, while sharp claws extended from his ten fingers.

Was this the Martial Soul Possession unique to Beast Martial Souls?

At the strange transformation of his body, two Soul Rings—one white and one yellow—rose from beneath the young man's feet, leaving Zhu Wu utterly amazed.

"H-He turned into a wolf..." He stammered, appropriately displaying the reaction expected of a child his age.

Children were children, after all. Hearing the sound, Tang San, who had been studying Su Yuntao with rapt attention, gave a faint shake of his head. He turned and glanced at Zhu Wu, his thoughts inexplicably stirred.

Zhu Wu was undoubtedly an intelligent child, mature beyond his years. Even Tang San had to admit that.

It was said that when he had still been an infant, his grandfather Zhu Gang had carried him to Holy Soul Village to settle down. Seeing the two depend on each other and finding them truly pitiful, Village Chief Old Jack had agreed. He had even taken the initiative to organize the village's able-bodied men to help them build a Bamboo House near the bamboo grove at the foot of the northern mountain. The location had been chosen because Zhu Gang said he knew a little bamboo weaving. With bamboo readily available, he could weave containers to sell and earn a little money for the household.

Much like when his dad, Tang Hao, had brought him to settle by the river west of the village, where it was convenient to build a Blacksmith Shop.

Over the following years, both families had received considerable care from Village Chief Old Jack and the nearby villagers.

After all, they had both been very young then, with only one elder at home, and both elders were men. Many things were inconvenient, such as feeding them while they were still infants.

Tang San clearly remembered that he and Zhu Wu had nursed at the wife of the neighboring Old Wang Family for a time.

Thinking about it now was still somewhat difficult to speak of. After all, his body housed the soul of an adult.

Still, for the sake of his body's growth, he had not been able to care about such things back then.

Later, his dad Tang Hao still drank himself senseless every day, while Zhu Gang grew older and his legs became increasingly unsteady. In the end, he could only walk with a cane. Zhu Wu had also begun taking charge of the household early, helping with chores just as Tang San did. The difference was that Zhu Wu still had Zhu Gang to share lighter tasks, such as tending the fire, cooking, and cleaning.

And I have to do everything myself. Thinking of his own father, helplessness rose in his heart.

The reason Tang San knew all this was because Zhu Wu had once gone into the mountains to search for herbs and had not returned for a long time. Thinking he might have found the poisonous plants he needed, Tang San had wanted to go up the mountain and observe from afar.

It had to be said, Zhu Wu was truly bold, and his luck was not bad either. Not only did he dare explore the mountains alone at such a young age, but he often returned with medicinal herbs and sometimes even poisonous plants. It was said that the pharmacy owner had given him an illustrated guide to make finding herbs easier.

As for Tang San, he usually had to take care of his dad and truly had no time to travel deep into the mountains to search for herbs. All the spare money at home had also been spent by his dad on alcohol, leaving him unable to buy any. Taking poisonous plants from Zhu Wu's house had been an act of necessity. Of course, he had only taken poisonous plants.

As a Tang Sect disciple who had received the sect's teachings, he naturally had principles of his own. Besides, it was not good for a child like Zhu Wu to handle poisonous plants. One careless mistake could hurt himself, while selling them might harm innocent people.

But Tang San would not have that problem!

"Ah!" In the midst of his thoughts, a startled cry suddenly burst from the child standing at the center of the formation.

Tang San immediately snapped back to attention. Frightened, the child turned and ran, only for Su Yuntao to grab him by the shoulder.

"Don't move. I told you there's nothing to fear. This is my Martial Soul, Lone Wolf." Su Yuntao explained. Only after the child calmed down did he release him. Then his hands shot out rapidly, and six faint green lights burst from his palms, all entering the black stones on the ground.

"Sickle. No Soul Power. You cannot become a Soul Master." The first child's awakening ceremony quickly ended.

Then came the second, then the third.

"Hoe, no Soul Power. Pitchfork, no Soul Power." Not one of them possessed Soul Power.

The children returned to the line one by one in disappointment. Soon, it was Zhu Wu's turn.

Taking a quiet breath, Zhu Wu quickly walked into the center of the stone formation. Then he saw Su Yuntao, whose face had already turned somewhat pale, strike out with both hands. Faint green light swiftly entered the six black stones on the ground. In the next instant, strands of golden radiance emerged from the stones, forming a pale golden barrier that enveloped his body.

Then specks of golden light drifted from the surrounding barrier and entered his body one after another, bringing with them a warm, comfortable sensation.

"So comfortable..." Zhu Wu felt as if something inside him had been drawn forth, warm beyond compare.

Soul Power? Recalling the descriptions from the original novel, he immediately formed a guess and focused on sensing it.

Very soon, guided by that warmth, he felt as though something within his body had suddenly shattered. At the same instant, all the warm energy surged toward his right palm. Acting entirely on instinct, Zhu Wu raised his right hand.

A streak of white came into view.

Milky white.

"???" He could not help freezing for a moment.

In his field of vision was a silkworm, snow-white all over, as thick as the tip of a chopstick and roughly four centimeters long. It floated in a curved shape.

This was not scientific! Zhu Wu was completely dumbfounded.

His father possessed the fairly high-quality Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, while his mother had the ordinary Mulberry Silkworm Martial Soul. How could their child awaken the weaker parent's Martial Soul? By all rights, should he not awaken the relatively stronger one?

And was his inexplicable ability to sense medicinal herbs not derived from his Martial Soul? He had always believed that his Martial Soul should be anything but ordinary.

But this... could it be a Malignant Mutation, a regression? He could not help thinking of Yu Xiaogang.

"Another useless Martial Soul." Su Yuntao's slightly helpless voice came over. "Come, let's test your Soul Power first."

Zhu Wu immediately came back to himself, raised his head, and gave a slight nod. "Return!" It was his first attempt, and knowing nothing, he conveyed the intent of returning to his Martial Soul.

The next second, a sense of intimacy entered his mind. The White Silkworm in his palm wriggled, then swiftly disappeared.

"???" Zhu Wu froze again.

If he had sensed it correctly, that intimate feeling just now seemed to have come from his Martial Soul.

"What are you standing there for?"

Su Yuntao frowned slightly before him.

This chapter was mostly setup, so there was a bit too much filler.