"Xiao Lin said that it's impossible for someone with Innate Full Soul Power to awaken a trash Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass—unless it's not actually Blue Silver Grass. He also said that if I have Twin Martial Souls, it makes it even more impossible for it to be a waste soul."
After recounting all of Xiao Lin's deductions, Tang San secretly observed the changes in Tang Hao's expression.
"Blue Silver Emperor... that was her Martial Soul."
A complex look flashed through Tang Hao's eyes.
On one hand, he didn't want his or Tang San's identity to be exposed; on the other hand, he recognized Xiao Lin's insight.
The boy seemed to be a theoretical genius with unique perspectives on Martial Souls.
"Little San, in the future, never mention the Blue Silver Emperor to anyone. At most, just say your Martial Soul is the Blue Silver King."
Tang Hao only now realized that Blue Silver Grass possessing Innate Full Soul Power was indeed abnormal. If they didn't use the "Blue Silver King" as an excuse, it would likely arouse suspicion from others.
You can fool an idiot, but trying to fool a high-level expert would be moronic.
"Yes, Xiao Lin told me the same thing," Tang San said, nodding seriously.
"What!? That brat Xiao Lin again?"
Tang Hao was genuinely shocked.
The fact that Xiao Lin was already helping Tang San hide this secret proved that the boy was trustworthy.
"What Martial Soul did that Xiao Lin kid awaken?"
Tang Hao was now genuinely interested in Xiao Lin.
He realized that Xiao Lin could potentially replace a 'Grandmaster' figure and become Tang San's guide. He just wondered how much Xiao Lin actually knew about Martial Souls.
"Xiao Lin awakened the Horned Dragon Staff. He also has Innate Full Soul Power. It's a top-tier Tool Martial Soul."
Tang San hid nothing from Tang Hao.
He also mentioned that Xiao Lin had gone home to research his own Martial Soul and decide which Soul Rings to absorb.
"Did he say what kind of Soul Rings your Blue Silver Grass needs?"
Tang Hao was now very focused on Tang San's growth.
Tang San was his hope for revenge, so naturally, he wanted him to be as strong as possible.
"Not yet."
Regarding Soul Rings, Tang San was also quite lost. On one hand, he needed them to keep growing, but on the other, he didn't want them to be "trash" rings.
He figured he would ask Xiao Lin tomorrow.
"Come, let's go see this Xiao Lin."
"Huh?"
Tang San stared at Tang Hao, who had straightened his back and suddenly looked like a completely different person.
This was his drunkard father? It was as if he had been replaced by someone else.
"By the way, Father, can I still learn blacksmithing?"
Tang San asked hurriedly, fearing that becoming a Soul Master would interfere. He wanted to make the Tang Sect's secret techniques shine in this world, so he couldn't afford to be ignorant of forging.
He was quite greedy for Tang Hao's blacksmithing skills.
"You can," Tang Hao replied calmly.
Forging was a specialty of the Clear Sky Sect anyway; even if Tang San hadn't asked, he would have taught him.
On the other side, inside Old Jack's house.
Xiao Lin was continuously swinging the Horned Dragon Staff, drawing applause and cheers from Old Jack.
"Good, good! Xiao Lin is truly wonderful!"
"Grandpa, what's so wonderful? I'm just swinging it around."
A trace of excitement flashed across Xiao Lin's face.
Staffs were truly fun to play with. Even if it weren't a top-tier Martial Soul, he'd happily play with a plain, straight wooden stick for a lifetime.
"Hehe, Xiao Lin, do you want to go to Nuoding City to study as a working student?" Old Jack sat in his chair, beaming with pride as he watched the boy.
"Working student? Doesn't school start in three months?" Xiao Lin was surprised.
Why bring it up so early?
"I could go, but what about Little San?"
"Little San should go too, of course. But the village only has one quota. If Little San wants to go, he'll have to pay. I can help him with half the tuition." Old Jack was impartial; both were excellent children of the village.
So how could they be denied an education?
"Alright, I'll talk to Little San about it later. And don't worry about the money, Grandpa. Once we become Soul Masters, we can collect subsidies from Spirit Hall."
As a modern soul, the last thing Xiao Lin worried about was money.
Even if he weren't a Soul Master, he'd find a way.
"Becoming a Soul Master is good. Xiao Lin has truly made something of himself," Old Jack laughed, stroking his white beard.
Knock, knock!
While Xiao Lin and Old Jack were chatting, a knock sounded at the door.
"The door is unlocked, come in!" Old Jack called out. It was almost time for lunch; he wondered which villager was stopping by.
Creak—
As the door opened, a tall, sturdy figure appeared in the room.
"Tang Hao, why are you here?" Old Jack blurted out, seeing Tang Hao's unusual appearance.
However, he quickly put on a stern face.
"Tang Hao, I heard about Little San. Spend these next three months forging well. Earn some money to pay for his tuition. Little San is going to be a Soul Master; you can't waste his talent."
Old Jack spoke earnestly, but Tang Hao didn't even look at him.
Instead, his gaze was locked onto Xiao Lin, who was holding the Horned Dragon Staff and looking back with curiosity.
What a powerful Tool Martial Soul. It looks unremarkable, but its weight isn't inferior to Little San's Clear Sky Hammer.
"Xiao Lin, right? Little San says you know a lot about Martial Souls?" Tang Hao skipped the pleasantries and asked directly.
"Of course. In the Fasinuo Province, no one understands Martial Souls better than I do." Xiao Lin knew this was a test. He held up a hand, his fingers mimicking a "tiny universe," and responded with absolute confidence.
Tang Hao was slightly stunned.
Very few children could answer so naturally in his presence—not even Tang San.
"Let me ask you: how should one cultivate Blue Silver Grass?"
As soon as the question was posed, everyone's eyes fixed on Xiao Lin. Not just Old Jack, but even Tang San, who was peeking in from outside the door, watched with curiosity.
"Blue Silver Grass? That's far too simple." Xiao Lin smiled, pushing up his non-existent glasses.
"As everyone knows, Blue Silver Grass is considered the 'trash of trash' Martial Souls. But in my eyes, it is exceptionally excellent."
At this, all three listeners looked intrigued.
The most "useless" Martial Soul was "exceptionally excellent"?
"Please listen. As the saying goes, 'survival of the fittest.' While Blue Silver Grass lacks raw strength, its reproductive ability, vitality, and adaptability are top-tier. You can find it almost anywhere. As a Martial Soul, it has four major advantages."
"Four advantages? Let's hear them," Tang Hao said, a flicker of shock in his eyes.
Was Blue Silver Grass truly not as pathetic as it seemed?
"First: High reproductive capability. Since it exists everywhere, it has the cheapest 'Mimicry Environment' for cultivation. Second: Extreme adaptability. It can absorb almost any type of Soul Ring. Third: It is very 'weak. Summoning it consumes almost no Soul Power."
"So one can win through sheer quantity; furthermore, if it's destroyed, it causes very little backlash to the Soul Master. Fourth: Powerful vitality. If Little San focuses on cultivating vitality and reaches the rank of Titled Douluo, he could be considered practically immortal."
Xiao Lin's lips curled up.
He wanted to show off in front of Tang Hao—maybe the man would even help him get his first Soul Ring.
"Immortal? Practically immortal?"
Upon hearing this, Tang Hao's eyes turned bloodshot.
A look of pain and regret flashed across his face as he fell into a daze.
He seemed to have realized something.
Could it be that back then, Ah Yin didn't actually need to sacrifice herself? Was it all because of me and Little San?