Old Jack was glowing with health, as if he had become ten years younger.
He was so excited that tears streamed down his face.
Whenever he met someone, he would proudly say:
"Look! These are the Soul Masters from our village! Lin Chuan! Tang San!"
"They are both hidden dragons of our Holy Soul Village!"
He even hosted a grand feast for the entire village.
Meanwhile, in a shabby blacksmith shop at the corner of the village.
Tang Hao sat in the shadows, holding a jug of cheap ale in his hand.
His deep gaze passed through the window.
There, Tang San was crouching on the ground, carefully grilling a fat river fish for Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan, on the other hand, lay on a reclining chair, competing with Xiao Wu for sunflower seeds.
All these years.
Although he had not shown himself.
He had never truly left.
He had personally witnessed Lin Chuan's unbelievable growth speed.
Lazy.
Extremely lazy.
Yet this kid's strength was like a bottomless abyss.
"This kid's martial soul is definitely not just a simple mutation."
Tang Hao took a gulp of wine, his eyes complicated.
He saw Tang San being completely suppressed by Lin Chuan.
In terms of soul power, Lin Chuan was higher than Tang San.
In terms of physical strength, Lin Chuan's body was harder than stone.
In terms of status… well, his own son had practically become Lin Chuan's personal chef and nanny.
But although Lin Chuan was lazy and often ordered Tang San around.
He genuinely treated Tang San well.
Good food, good items—he never kept anything to himself.
Even in cultivation, a casual remark from Lin Chuan could often enlighten Tang San.
"Hmph, at least the kid has some conscience."
Thinking of this, Tang Hao snorted coldly.
But more importantly…
Tang Hao looked at the phantom of the Clear Sky Hammer behind Tang San and curled his lips into a confident sneer.
"So what if he's fast? So what if he's strong?"
"His current strength is nothing but fleeting."
"Xiao San, don't rush. Blue Silver Grass will always be Blue Silver Grass."
"When you reach level sixty, when you add a soul ring to the Clear Sky Hammer, that will be a qualitative transformation!"
"The Clear Sky Hammer is the number one tool-type martial soul in the world! It represents pure power!"
"By then, with the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique and the Great Sumeru Hammer…"
"Lin Chuan? Hmph, at that time he will only be your support!"
Then, Tang Hao's gaze fell on the lively Xiao Wu.
As a Titled Douluo, how could he fail to see that she was a 100,000-year Soft Bone Rabbit in human form?
But he had no intention to kill.
Watching Tang San hand the freshly grilled fish to Xiao Wu first.
Tang Hao's iron-like heart trembled slightly.
In a daze, he seemed to see his younger self and the gentle Ah Yin.
"Ah Yin…"
Tang Hao's eyes grew moist.
"Is this fate?"
"It was like this for me, and now it's the same for Xiao San?"
"As long as she means no harm to Xiao San, as long as she stays by his side… let them be."
Tang Hao figured everything out, completing this self-justifying loop of logic.
Satisfied, he drank the last sip of wine in the jug.
With the mysterious confidence that "my son will be the strongest in the future."
He turned over and fell asleep on the worn-out straw mat.
…
With sufficient resources, Tang San quickly advanced to level 20.
Lin Chuan had already reached level 20 earlier and had been accumulating soul power for some time.
Their most important task now was to obtain their second soul rings.
For this hunt, Notting Academy could be said to have mobilized all its strength.
The dean (a level 42 Tool Soul Sect), Su Yuntao, Matthew Nuo, and even the Grandmaster all went along.
Tang San's target was very clear.
It was a plant-type soul beast carefully selected by the Grandmaster—the Ghost Vine.
In a dark and damp swamp, the battle was extremely fierce.
The Ghost Vine's thorn-covered vines were like countless poisonous snakes, frantically attacking everyone.
Tang San displayed astonishing combat skill.
Using his Purple Demon Eye and Tang Sect hidden weapons, and with the dean and others restraining the enemy, he finally found the Ghost Vine's core.
"Pfft!"
The sleeve arrow pierced the vital point precisely.
The 700-year Ghost Vine finally stopped struggling, and a deep yellow soul ring slowly rose.
"Huff… huff…"
Tang San collapsed into the mud, gasping heavily, his face pale.
The absorption process was painful, but he endured it with sheer willpower.
His soul power surged instantly!
And as expected, his second soul ring granted the Parasitic ability!
"Congratulations, Xiao San! A 700-year soul ring! This is already close to the theoretical limit of a second soul ring!"
The Grandmaster was so excited that tears filled his eyes:
"With the parasitic ability of the Ghost Vine, your Blue Silver Grass control will undergo a qualitative leap! My theory is correct!"
Everyone gathered around to congratulate him.
Tang San was also extremely excited, feeling the surging power within his body.
He prepared to share the good news with the elder brother who had always taken care of him.
"Big brother, look at me… huh? Where's big brother?"
Tang San turned around and saw that Lin Chuan, who had been lazily snacking at the back of the group, had disappeared.
Only then did everyone realize that the guy with fluctuating presence was gone.
When they turned back to look for Lin Chuan, he was nowhere to be found.
"Where is Lin Chuan? He was just here!"
Matthew Nuo stomped anxiously:
"This forest is full of soul beasts—what if he got lost?"
Su Yuntao also panicked. Having just broken through level 30, he activated his martial soul and prepared to rush into the forest:
"Quick! Split up and search!"
Just as everyone was as anxious as ants on a hot pan.
"Rustle…"
The bushes nearby shook.
Lin Chuan walked out with an innocent expression.
In his hand, he held something resembling a piece of bamboo.
"Uh, don't worry everyone."
"I just went over there to relieve myself, and I almost tripped over this bamboo."
The bamboo in Lin Chuan's hand emitted a faint silver glow, even slightly distorting the surrounding space:
"I saw it was about to die, and it could teleport—seemed interesting—so I just absorbed it."
Everyone looked closely.
"Hiss—!"
Gasps filled the air.
"Th-this… is Void Bamboo?!"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes nearly popped out:
"A legendary spatial-type plant soul beast!"
"It lives near spatial rifts and is extremely hard to capture!"
"And judging by the color of the nodes, nearly 2,000 years?!"
"And it can teleport? That's an ultimate survival skill!"
He was completely shattered.
Tang San had fought desperately for a 700-year Ghost Vine, with everyone's help.
Lin Chuan went to the bathroom and casually absorbed a top-tier spatial soul beast?
"Is this even scientific?"
The Sun Golden Crow Vine was obtained the same way!
It was exactly like last time—Lin Chuan's luck was beyond absurd.
Tang San had already gotten used to it.
His big brother was simply heaven-defying!
Nothing about him was surprising anymore.
Only Xiao Wu hid behind Tang San.
Her big eyes darted around as she stared fixedly at Lin Chuan.
"Even with good luck, it can't be this good."
"And absorbing a nearly 2,000-year soul ring without any pressure!"
"Could Lin Chuan also be a re-cultivated soul beast? Maybe an even more powerful beast than me?"
Xiao Wu muttered to herself.
Otherwise, how could he always obtain perfectly suitable soul rings every time?
.....
Please give power stone to motivate me ! ...