Tang San's Confession

Over the past two years, Tang San's gaze had scarcely ever left Xiao Wu.

He watched Xiao Wu follow Yan Zu around every day, calling him "Little Brother A-Zu" over and over. He watched Yan Zu patiently comb her wind-tousled hair, watched the two of them sit side by side on the stone steps outside Dorm Seven, sharing snacks, and watched them cultivate in perfect harmony.

Though he knew full well it was the closeness of childhood, every detail pierced Tang San's heart like a poisoned needle. What had begun as envy gradually grew into an obsessive fixation.

Over those two years, Tang San's Soul Power had soared from level ten when he first enrolled to level twenty-two. His control over Blue Silver Grass had grown ever more refined, and he had even secretly crafted prototypes of Hidden Weapons such as the Sand Shooting Shadow.

He thought that as long as he grew strong enough, as long as he could give Xiao Wu enough protection, he could take Yan Zu's place in her heart.

He had also clumsily tried to be kind to Xiao Wu, but she had always instinctively recoiled and rejected him politely but firmly.

He knew better than anyone that his feelings for Xiao Wu had long since surpassed mere "curiosity" or "admiration." They were a complicated mix of possessiveness, a desire to conquer, and a twisted desire for "salvation."

In Tang San's eyes, Xiao Wu was like a peerless immortal herb growing in Yan Zu's shadow, and only he could give her true "sunlight."

At dusk that day, Tang San could finally hold back no longer. He ended his cultivation an hour early and waited on the path across the back hill, the only way to the cafeteria. The path was secluded and quiet, with ancient trees towering on either side, and students rarely passed through.

When that lovely figure in pink appeared, Tang San's heart skipped a beat.

Xiao Wu was alone, carrying dinner for Yan Zu-two steaming meat buns she had specially queued at the cafeteria to buy. Her steps were light, her pink scorpion braid swayed behind her, and she hummed a Blue Star tune Yan Zu had taught her.

"Xiao Wu." Tang San stepped out from behind a tree, blocking her path. He had taken particular care with his appearance that day: his uniform was neat, and his hair was tied up without a strand out of place.

Xiao Wu jumped in surprise. When she saw it was Tang San, she frowned almost imperceptibly. "Tang San? Why are you blocking the way? A-Zu is still waiting for me."

Not far away, on a thick branch of an old scholar tree whose trunk would have taken several people to encircle, a figure in a ragged straw rain cape leaned against the trunk. A broad hat brim concealed most of his face, leaving only the thick beard on his chin visible, along with the wine gourd he never let out of his hand.

It was Tang Hao, who had been protecting Tang San in secret all along. He had just taken a drink when he happened to see Tang San clench his fists and walk toward Xiao Wu with a stubborn expression. The obsession in his eyes, so unlike that of a child, made Tang Hao instinctively pause in the act of drinking.

Tang San looked at Xiao Wu and took a deep breath. As if summoning every ounce of courage he had, he finally spoke the words he had held back for two years. "Xiao Wu, I've been watching you these past two years."

Xiao Wu blinked, still somewhat puzzled. "Watching me? Why?"

"Because I like you." Tang San's voice rose sharply, carrying the resolve of someone who had smashed his cooking pots and sunk his boats. "I noticed you from the day you and Yan Zu first enrolled. Your liveliness and your purity both drew me to you. I know you and Yan Zu are close, but I don't think I'm any worse than him!"

He spoke urgently, the words tumbling out almost without a pause, as though he meant to pour out two years of obsession all at once. "I've cultivated desperately these past two years, and I'm already level twenty-two. My Blue Silver Grass can control enemies, and my Hidden Weapons can protect you. I can give you everything you want! Anything Yan Zu can do, I can do too, and I can do it even better!"

Behind the bushes, Tang Hao's hand froze in midair, wine gourd in hand. The corner of his mouth twitched, and a look of indescribable speechlessness appeared on his face.

In all his years, he had seen people who hated to lose and people who were obstinately fixated, but he had never seen a child so young, instead of properly cultivating and studying Soul Skills, devote all his thoughts to "liking" someone and "confessing." And he was speaking so seriously, with the air of someone forcing a ruler to abdicate.

Worse still, the girl was carrying meat buns for another boy. The time, the place, the atmosphere-no matter how he looked at it, none of it seemed right for a confession.

Xiao Wu froze completely. She had never imagined Tang San would suddenly confess to her. When she recovered, the confusion on her face instantly gave way to unmistakable distance, and her voice was firm and direct. "Tang San, you've misunderstood. I don't feel that way about you. The person I like is A-Zu. I've liked him since I was very little."

"Why?" Tang San's voice instantly filled with pain and unwillingness. He stepped forward and tried to grab Xiao Wu's arm, but she nimbly dodged him.

"How am I inferior to Yan Zu? He just has a special Qilin Martial Soul. I have Innate Full Soul Power, and the Grandmaster is my teacher. My future is limitless. Yan Zu is just a mere work-study student, and I'm stronger than him!"

Listening to him, Xiao Wu was not moved in the slightest. Instead, a chill crept up her spine.

She looked into Tang San's violet-glowing eyes. The usual gloom was gone, replaced by an almost feverish intensity.

She had seen that look in the Star Dou Great Forest-it was the look greedy Soul Masters gave Soul Beasts.

"Tang San, have you lost your mind?" Xiao Wu hugged the food box closer, her voice turning cold. "What do you mean, 'a mere work-study student'? A-Zu isn't a work-study student. He's my family, the person most important to me! What makes you think you're stronger than him? Your Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul?"

"I..." Tang San was at a loss for words, but then hurried to explain. "That's not what I meant! Xiao Wu, don't you understand? This world is cruel. Only strength is eternal! Yan Zu may treat you well now, but can he protect you for a lifetime?"

"Enough!" Xiao Wu cut him off sharply. Pink Soul Power spilled out of her control, and her First Soul Ring flickered faintly beneath her feet. "Tang San, I'll say this one last time: my affairs are none of your concern! Wouldn't I know whether A-Zu can protect me? As for you, you stare at us so gloomily every day, and you even follow me around in secret. Did you think I didn't know?"

Tang San's expression changed drastically. "You... you knew?"

"Of course I knew!" Xiao Wu sneered. "A-Zu noticed long ago. He said your intentions weren't good and told me to stay away from you. I thought he was just being suspicious, since we're all classmates. But after today, A-Zu was right. You're just... just..."

She searched for a long time before using a word Yan Zu had taught her. "A pervert!"

"Impossible..." Tang San shook his head, disbelief on his face. The pain in his eyes surged like a tide, only to be swiftly replaced by icy anger. He stared fixedly at Xiao Wu, as though he meant to carve her image into his bones. "Did Yan Zu force you to say that?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Xiao Wu stamped her foot in anger, her little canine teeth showing without her noticing. "A-Zu has never forced me to do anything. Liking him was my own choice! Tang San, I hope you won't say things like this to me again, and that you'll stop interfering in A-Zu's and my life!"

With that, Xiao Wu turned and left, hurrying out of the grove.

"...That little brat."

Tang Hao muttered under his breath, his voice as rough as sandpaper rubbing together. He tipped his head back and gulped down some strong liquor. The fiery liquid went down his throat, but it could not suppress the throbbing vein at his temple.

He had long known his son was paying attention to the girl named Xiao Wu. After all, whenever Tang San took a break from cultivating, he would always "inadvertently" glance her way. Tang Hao knew that look all too well. He had simply never imagined that his son would be so... blunt and heavy-handed.

"Idiot."

Watching Tang San become so worked up that he even reached out to grab the girl's wrist, Tang Hao could not help closing his eyes for a moment. He remembered how he had pursued Ah Yin in his youth-how careful he had been, how patiently he had let things flow like a gentle stream. Yet this boy, when the girl's heart clearly belonged to someone else, had charged straight up to her with "I can give you a better future"?

But in the end, he did not move.

For one thing, this was merely a dispute over feelings between children, nothing approaching a matter of life and death. There was no need for him, a Titled Douluo, to intervene.

For another, he had always believed in letting Tang San experience things and grow on his own. Even taking the long way around or running headlong into a wall was part of the process he had to go through.

As for his jealous hatred of Yan Zu, Tang Hao did not take it too seriously. Young people were competitive, and jealousy born of love was only natural. As long as Tang San did not cross the bottom line, he could let him work through it himself.

Besides, if this spurred Tang San to cultivate harder, that would be a good thing too.

Tang Hao's figure flashed, and he vanished into the shadows once more, leaving only the faint smell of wine in the air.

Tang San stood rooted to the spot. The autumn wind swept up fallen leaves and slapped them against him, but it did nothing to dispel the turmoil in his heart.

Every word Xiao Wu had spoken was like a heavy hammer, smashing into the obsession he had accumulated over two years and shattering all his hopes and fantasies to pieces.

He refused to believe Xiao Wu had truly rejected him. He stubbornly believed Yan Zu was the root of it all-without Yan Zu, Xiao Wu would surely see his good qualities; without Yan Zu, he could walk beside her; without Yan Zu, he would not be in such a wretched state.

"Yan Zu..." Tang San ground out the name one word at a time through clenched teeth, his voice bone-chillingly cold and thick with jealous hatred and madness. His fists clenched tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms. Blood dripped between his fingers onto the withered yellow leaves, spreading into small dark-red stains.

Two years of attention, obsession, and unwillingness twisted completely at that moment, turning into a towering hatred for Yan Zu. He felt that Yan Zu had stolen what he desired most in life-Xiao Wu's affection, the recognition of others, and even the halo of a "genius" that should have belonged to him.

"Just you wait!" A sinister light flashed in Tang San's eyes. The calm of former days was gone from it, leaving only the obsession of someone staking everything on one throw. "I'll surpass you. I'll make Xiao Wu regret it, and I'll make everyone regret it! Everything you have, I'll take away with my own hands!"