Tang San

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Previous Life and Holy Soul Village

Tang San retains memories and techniques from a previous life as a Tang Sect disciple and blacksmith. Across his previous and current lives, he has spent more than thirty years without a romantic partner. He has practiced Mysterious Heaven Skill and sound-based location techniques since childhood 4 6 9 12 23.

In his current life, he grows up with Tang Hao in Holy Soul Village. Their blacksmithing brings in Copper Soul Coins, while Tang Hao spends much of his time drinking. Tang San cooks their meals, but his father eats the solid portions first, leaving him watery porridge and pickles 3 17.

Nuoding Academy and Apprenticeship

At Nuoding Academy, Tang San becomes Yu Xiaogang’s disciple. Small acts of care—including bedding and a meal of chicken and steamed buns—strengthen his attachment to his teacher. He accepts Yu Xiaogang’s claim that Li Jin and Xiao Wu must also possess twin Martial Souls because they have apparently weak Martial Souls but innate full Soul Power 2 3.

Tang San urges both students to become his junior disciples and threatens Wang Sheng for criticizing Yu Xiaogang. Their refusal deepens his hostility, particularly toward Li Jin, whose wealth and closeness to Xiao Wu make him intensely jealous 4 5 6.

First Soul Ring

Yu Xiaogang directs Tang San toward the control path, proposing that Blue Silver Grass be strengthened through toughness and poison. Tang San agrees because poison already forms part of his Tang Sect training 9.

Their hunt goes badly. A Mandala Snake overwhelms Yu Xiaogang, forcing Tang San to intervene with his Silent Sleeve Arrow and Clear Sky Hammer. Tang San subsequently cannot absorb its ring. He scouts ahead, discovers a Mangy Snake, and kills it after Yu Xiaogang slows it with Luo Sanpao’s hypnotic gas 10 11.

The Mangy Snake ring grants the desired toughness and venom, but also passes its poisonous-lump defect into Tang San’s half–Blue Silver body. He initially mistakes the smooth absorption for proof that Yu Xiaogang chose correctly 11 12.

Registration and His Father’s Return

At Spirit Hall, Tang San registers as a rank-11 Soul Master and receives his first Gold Soul Coin stipend. He briefly feels superior to Li Jin because his own ring is yellow while Li Jin’s appears white. That satisfaction collapses when Li Jin tests at rank 13. Yu Xiaogang is then struck by a falling chandelier, and Tang San unknowingly loses his stipend through a gap in the floorboards 17 18.

While seeking help with Yu Xiaogang’s medical expenses, Tang San discovers that a paralyzed beggar he previously failed to recognize is Tang Hao. Regretting his earlier conduct, he brings both his father and teacher back to the academy. Xiao Wu refuses to let him bring Tang Hao into Dorm Seven, so he takes them to Yu Xiaogang’s attic, cleans his father, and tends to his teacher. The attic subsequently collapses around all three 19 20.

Poverty and Loss of Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges

Tang San continues cultivating despite exhaustion, but makes little progress. A cloud repeatedly blocks the dawn light needed to cultivate Purple Demon Eye, eventually preventing further training of the technique 21.

After surviving on wilted radishes, he suffers severe flatulence in class and flees the academy in humiliation. Seeking comfort in blacksmithing, he attempts the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer technique while weakened by hunger. He loses control of the hammer, destroys the furnace, and starts a fire that consumes the smithy 23 24.

Unable to pay damages, he surrenders Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges as compensation. Li Jin later purchases the belt. Tang San’s dependence on Yu Xiaogang increases until his teacher borrows money from the dean and gives him funds to buy food for himself, Tang Hao, and Yu Xiaogang 24 26.

Defeat and Hospitalization

Finding his former belt around Li Jin’s waist, Tang San demands its return in exchange for a future favor. When Li Jin refuses, Tang San tries to challenge him, but Xiao Wu intervenes. Li Jin supports her with Spiritual Detection Sharing, which overwhelms Tang San’s Purple Demon Eye and exposes his movements 27 28.

Tang San holds out through his Tang Sect techniques, but exhausts his rank-11 Soul Power and loses to Xiao Wu’s Waist Bow. He apologizes outwardly while privately resolving to reclaim the belt later. During the fight, Li Jin also records and deciphers five of his secret techniques 28.

Afterward, Tang San shows Yu Xiaogang the swollen poisonous sore on his back. Yu Xiaogang recognizes it as the Mangy Snake’s defect, revealing that the ring has affected Tang San’s body 29. By the latest account, Tang San, Tang Hao, and Yu Xiaogang are hospitalized with severe burns; all three remain unconscious despite daily healing Soul Skills 30.

Personality

Tang San is diligent, proud, and highly sensitive to humiliation. He cultivates through the night even while exhausted and believes that greater Soul Power will allow his Tang Sect techniques to overcome Xiao Wu. His confidence in those techniques persists despite defeat 21 28.

His loyalty to Yu Xiaogang is unusually strong. He threatens critics, repeatedly praises his teacher’s theories, and interprets even Yu Xiaogang’s troubled silence as evidence of profound composure. Nevertheless, he begins questioning his teacher’s practical competence during the disastrous ring hunt. Later, while desperate for food, he deliberately promises to restore Yu Xiaogang’s reputation to persuade him to provide money 4 11 12 26.

Jealousy shapes his treatment of Li Jin. He resents Li Jin’s wealth, appearance, relationship with Xiao Wu, and higher Soul Power, repeatedly treating these advantages as personal offenses 15 17 20. His vindictiveness reaches the point of contemplating killing every blacksmith who witnessed the smithy’s destruction; hunger and the limitations of his weapon prevent him from acting 24.

He also demonstrates genuine attachment to his father. Once he recognizes Tang Hao, he overcomes his disgust to wash him, change his clothes, and find him accommodation 19 20.

Abilities & Skills

Blue Silver Grass

Tang San’s principal combat Martial Soul develops crooked, snakelike vines after acquiring the Mangy Snake ring 17.

• First Soul Skill — Blue Silver Entanglement: Extends and controls vines within a ten-meter range to bind targets 12.
• Inherited properties: Gains the Mangy Snake’s toughness and potent venom 12.
• Utility: Wraps around Tang Hao and Yu Xiaogang so Tang San can transport them 20.
• Limits: Xiao Wu evades its attacks with Li Jin’s shared detection. Using the Soul Skill also intensifies Tang San’s itching 28.

Clear Sky Hammer

Tang San’s second Martial Soul serves as a heavy striking weapon during his first ring hunt 10 11.

• Hurls it through Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon 10.
• Uses it alongside the Silent Sleeve Arrow to attack the Mandala Snake and kill the Mangy Snake 10 11.
• Tang Hao intends for it eventually to carry only ten-thousand-year rings; this remains an unrealized plan 8.

Mysterious Heaven Skill

His internal cultivation method supports Soul Power circulation, recovery, and physical conditioning 12 28.

• Childhood practice gives him a constitution capable of absorbing a four-hundred-year first ring, although he actually absorbs a much younger one 12.
• Its first-level bottleneck breaks after his first Soul Ring absorption 12.
• Sustains prolonged use of multiple techniques, but cannot prevent eventual exhaustion at rank 11 28.
• Recovery becomes less effective when severe itching prevents him from concentrating 29.

Purple Demon Eye

An eye technique already at the Minute Detail realm when Tang San scouts for his first ring 11.

• Enables meticulous observation and improves dynamic vision enough to follow Xiao Wu’s attacks 11 27.
• Requires the first wisp of dawn Purple Qi for further cultivation; the recurring cloud blocks this opportunity 21.
• Is overwhelmed by Li Jin’s million-year-ring-powered Spiritual Detection, leaving Tang San temporarily unable to see or use the technique 27 28 29.

Tang Sect Movement and Force Techniques

His inherited techniques allow him to resist opponents with greater Soul Power 28.

• Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track: Uses elusive, phantomlike footwork to approach enemies and evade attacks 11 27.
• Mysterious Jade Hand: Used together with Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon to defend against Xiao Wu 28.
• Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon: Applies invisible pulling and redirecting force, diverting Xiao Wu’s attacks and throwing his hammer 10 28.
• Sound localization: Pinpoints whispers, concealed movement, and incoming attacks; remains useful while his eyes are disabled 4 10 28.
• Limit: Li Jin’s Spiritual Detection reads his movements and deciphers these methods while he performs them 28.

Blacksmithing and Hidden Weapons

Tang San has blacksmithing experience from both lives and uses Tang Sect hidden weapons in combat 9 23.

• Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer: Accumulates considerable striking force but places heavy demands on his body. Performing it while starving causes him to lose control 23.
• Silent Sleeve Arrow: Precisely targets the eyes of both snakes encountered during the ring hunt 10 11.
• Poison knowledge: Considers poison a legitimate means for weaker fighters to overcome stronger opponents 9.

Weaknesses & Conditions

• Mangy Snake bloodline defect: His half–Blue Silver constitution causes him to inherit flaws acquired by Blue Silver Grass. The first ring produces persistent itching and eventually a red, swollen poisonous sore 11 12 20 29.
• Limited Soul Power: Simultaneous use of his Martial Soul and secret techniques exhausts his rank-11 reserves during the fight with Xiao Wu 28.
• Malice-linked bad luck: Li Jin identifies the Nine-Colored Koi’s consumption of Tang San’s luck as the source of his worsening misfortune. Tang San remains unaware of the mechanism 20 24.
• Hunger and exhaustion: Food shortages impair his strength, coordination, and ability to work safely at a forge 23 24.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges — former possession: Storage belt given by Yu Xiaogang upon accepting him as a disciple. Tang San uses it for supplies and values it as storage for hidden weapons. He relinquishes it to compensate the smithy owner; Li Jin subsequently buys it for 3,000 Gold Soul Coins 7 19 24 27.
• Silent Sleeve Arrow: Concealed projectile weapon used during his first ring hunt. Tang San retrieves an arrow from the Mandala Snake’s eye and reloads it 10 11.
• First Soul Ring: Yellow, hundred-year Mangy Snake ring attached to Blue Silver Grass 11 12.

Relationships

• Tang Hao — Father. Tang San initially knows him as a poor village blacksmith and fails to recognize him as a beggar. After discovering his identity, he becomes his caregiver 17 19 20.
• Yu Xiaogang — Teacher and principal source of guidance. Tang San fiercely defends his theories, while Yu Xiaogang relies on his twin Martial Souls to vindicate his own reputation 4 12 26.
• Li Jin — Rival and target of jealousy. Tang San resents his advantages, seeks to recover Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges from him, and unknowingly exposes his secret techniques to Li Jin’s detection 15 27 28.
• Xiao Wu — Unreciprocated romantic interest and combat opponent. She rejects his attempts to assume seniority over her, protects Li Jin, and defeats Tang San with Li Jin’s assistance 6 20 27 28.
• Wang Sheng — Dormmate turned adversary. Tang San threatens him for criticizing Yu Xiaogang; Wang Sheng later condemns Tang San’s demand for the belt and excludes him from the students’ circle 4 20 27.
• Nuoding Academy’s dean — Provides emergency support through loans, replacement accommodation, and later medical treatment for Tang San, Tang Hao, and Yu Xiaogang 19 21 26 30.