Grandpa, Let's Make a Pinky Promise

Mu Tian'en did not notice the smile on the deacon's face.

He was absorbed in gazing into the eyes of his Martial Soul.

According to the old village chief, his family had been one of the village's few Soul Master families.

His mother's Martial Soul had been a whale that never grew up.

Although she had Innate Soul Power, her potential had been extremely low, her Innate Soul Power only at level one.

His mother had never broken through level ten Soul Power in her lifetime.

However, her Martial Soul had given her tremendous strength, which could bring a fleet great profits when they went fishing.

So even though she was a woman, many fleets had been willing to take her aboard to fish.

His father's Martial Soul had also been a fish: a Six-Eyed Flying Fish, an extremely rare fish capable of gliding briefly. His Innate Soul Power had been level two, and he had been extremely fast, making him well suited to be a lookout and scout.

That was precisely why his father had once joined the army. Only after suffering an injury that damaged his foundation had he returned to the village and married Tian'en's mother, and then they had him.

Now it seemed that even though they were gone, they were still watching over Mu Tian'en.

The two of their Martial Souls had come together in Mu Tian'en and then mutated.

Moreover, the mutation had not turned malignant because Mu Tian'en had gone short of food and clothing these past few years.

It had grown stronger.

But as far as Mu Tian'en was concerned, if he could, he would rather have traded a downgrade of his Martial Soul for the chance that his parents could have survived.

"Sea Soul Beasts..."

As Mu Tian'en clenched his fists, an overwhelming desire to destroy emanated from him.

But in the next instant, Mu Tian'en's expression changed.

His desire was swallowed up by the Black Hole Whale that had swum to his side.

Calm once more, Mu Tian'en stood silently to one side until all the village's children of the right age had been tested.

"We were lucky this time." When recommending talent to Spirit Hall's headquarters, Deacon Yan Bohan still needed to consider their character.

Although it was a little early to speak of a six-year-old child's character, certain qualities could still be seen from a young age.

Suffering had given the boy named Mu Tian'en a maturity beyond his years.

But as the old saying went, before this merciless, boundless sea, Deacon Yan Bohan had seen far too many families broken and lives lost.

Still, compared with those who had no Soul Power, Mu Tian'en's situation was more deserving of his attention.

After looking away from Mu Tian'en, Deacon Yan Bohan turned his gaze to the little girl standing before him.

"Martial Soul, sea snake."

"Innate Soul Power, level two. Not bad."

Only after the girl and her parents had happily left together did the deacon turn his attention to the village chief, Old Beita, who had long been waiting to one side.

"Bohan..."

Before Old Beita could ask, a smile appeared on Yan Bohan's somewhat serious face. "Old Beita, we were quite lucky this time. Four children awakened Soul Power. You could say our village is going to make a name for itself in Vast Sea City this time."

A gentle smile appeared on Old Beita's face. "If you hadn't told us that making sure the children had enough food and nourishment when they were little would give them a better chance of developing Soul Power, we wouldn't have sold our pots and pans just to keep them fed."

"But Tian'en has had it hard." Seeing Mu Tian'en's thin figure, a trace of heartache flashed in Old Beita's eyes.

"I told you long ago to tell me if you were having trouble. It's not as though I wouldn't help."

"The village has troubled you for so many years already, and I... sigh..."

"You stubborn old fool."

As they spoke, both men turned their eyes to Mu Tian'en, who stood quietly to one side, getting acquainted with his Martial Soul.

"He is a little thin, but that's all right. Once he comes back to the main hall with me, I'll take good care of him. He should be able to put on some weight before the adults from Spirit Hall's headquarters arrive."

It was then that Mu Tian'en raised his head.

A puzzled look appeared on his face.

Just now, he had only felt that something was a little off.

Now that Deacon Yan Bohan and Old Beita were standing together, he finally noticed it.

They looked a little alike.

Their eyes especially, both so bright.

"Grandpa Beita, you and the deacon?" Mu Tian'en tilted his head, looking from one to the other until he felt a little dizzy.

"Haha, Old Beita, didn't you tell the little fellow you had a distant cousin who was a Spirit Hall deacon?" Yan Bohan laughed too.

Old Beita stroked his grizzled beard. "Little Tian'en, Old Beita's full name is Yan Beita. Deacon Yan is my cousin. You can call him Second Grandpa Yan."

Mu Tian'en's eyes lit up when he heard this. "Second Grandpa Yan, if I agree to join Spirit Hall, does that mean Grandpa can come live in the city too?"

Yan Bohan's gaze grew even gentler as he looked at Mu Tian'en. "The boy has a very good character."

"Of course. Just look who raised him." A proud look appeared on Old Beita's face.

But after that moment of pride, he patted Mu Tian'en on the head and shook his own. "It's just that Grandpa can't go to the city with you, Tian'en. After all, if I did, there'd be no one to look after Little Yin and the others."

At that moment, the faces of several children even younger than Mu Tian'en flashed before Old Beita's eyes, and a trace of sadness crossed his face.

Like Mu Tian'en, those children were the children of villagers who had died in the Vast Sea disaster.

As village chief, he had enjoyed their support in ordinary times, so naturally, at a time like this, he had to fulfill the responsibilities of a village chief.

"That's why you should have told me long ago if you didn't have enough money, Brother."

"Cultivation isn't easy for you. It's already more than enough that we can get one Gold Soul Coin from you every month. You've got a whole family to feed yourself."

Yan Bohan looked at his older cousin, whose hair had already turned completely gray even though he was only five years older, and said nothing.

Although he had long known that his brother would refuse his offer to increase the allowance, he still felt a pang of sorrow.

Afterward, however, Yan Bohan glanced at the sun and realized he was running short on time.

He reached out and patted Mu Tian'en on the head. "So, little fellow, you'll have to work twice as hard from now on. Only by growing stronger will you have a chance to help support your village chief grandpa and give him a better life."

"Now say goodbye to your village chief grandpa. We'll head into the city first."

As he spoke, the deacon took his money pouch from his waist and handed it to his older brother. "Brother, I didn't bring much money this time. Take these Gold Soul Coins and get the children at home and in the village some nourishing food."

"Getting enough to eat isn't enough. Sometimes they need to eat well too." Yan Bohan walked out of the village square set aside for the children's Martial Soul awakenings and looked at the somewhat dilapidated village, his eyes thoughtful.

He did not know how many people would help the village they had come from.

But...

He reached out and rubbed Mu Tian'en's head. Meeting the boy's gaze, he smiled calmly.

This little fellow probably would not be so ungrateful.

Seeing the look in his brother's eyes, Old Beita smiled too.

But his attention was mostly on the money pouch Yan Bohan had handed him.

There were several dozen Gold Soul Coins.

That was quite a lot for their entire fishing village.

With these Gold Soul Coins, perhaps he could get the children in the village some nourishing food.

These past few years, even if they could eat seafood every day, they could not hold out without some fat in their diets.

"Then, on behalf of Tianyin and the other children and the villagers, I thank you, Lord Soul Master."

"Brother, must you be like that?" Seeing his brother's teasing expression, Yan Bohan burst out laughing.

"Hahaha!"

"Ahaha!"

After exchanging pleasantries, however, the two men finally turned their attention to Mu Tian'en.

Although Mu Tian'en had already decided to join Spirit Hall, as his grandfather, he still had to ask.

"Little En, are you sure you want to join Spirit Hall?"

In Old Beita's eyes, Spirit Hall, which regularly gave money to Soul Masters and was willing to travel through mountains and countryside every year to awaken the Martial Souls of children in villages like theirs, was the best choice for Mu Tian'en. Even so, he wanted to make sure this was Tian'en's own choice, rather than one made for his grandpa's sake.

"Grandpa, it's my choice."

Mu Tian'en then instinctively turned his gaze to the sea at the edge of the village, visible even from the square.

"I don't like this sea."

As he spoke, Mu Tian'en could not hide the anger in his heart.

But in the next instant, Mu Tian'en's anger became food for the twelve-eyed whale swimming at his side.

With his anger gone, Mu Tian'en calmed down as well.

"Besides, I want to make sure everyone at home has enough to eat first."

Mu Tian'en looked at the village chief.

Old Beita's eyes silently reddened.

He understood what Mu Tian'en had left unsaid.

As long as Mu Tian'en was there, his younger brothers and sisters at home would never get enough to eat.

He was too big, and his appetite was too great.

Seeing the grandfather and grandson fall silent, Yan Bohan stepped in and tried to lighten the mood. "All right, all right. There's no need to worry about whether there's enough to eat now."

He looked at Mu Tian'en solemnly.

"Little Tian'en, whatever else our Vast Sea City main hall may lack, we can still feed you little fellows."

"With Second Grandpa around, there'll be plenty of rice and meat at every meal."

At that moment, Yan Bohan looked at the overly mature little fellow with a solemn gaze.

"And as I just told you, as long as you become a Soul Master, you can receive Gold Soul Coins from Spirit Hall. Then you'll be able to support your family."

"Besides, Spirit Hall has some tasks within your abilities that you can do in exchange for Gold Soul Coins."

"Second Grandpa isn't very capable and still hasn't broken through level thirty Soul Power, but Grandpa can promise that you can choose the tasks you like."

Only then did Mu Tian'en hold out his hand to Deacon Yan Bohan.

"Then, Second Grandpa, let's make a pinky promise."