Am I a mutant in soul land?

As Tang Yin began to showcase his refined etiquette, Ning Fengzhi approached with a pleasant smile, walking beside a handsome blond youth of medium build dressed in ornate red and gold robes.

The moment Tang Yin and Qian Renxue faced each other, a faint yet undeniable pull stirred within them—an inexplicable attraction that defied words.

"Martial soul fusion?!" Tang Yin was ecstatic. Doesn't this mean she'll be mine sooner or later? Hehehe...

Opposite him, Qian Renxue felt a faint resonance between her martial soul and the young man before her—but she masked it with practiced indifference.

Ning Fengzhi began with elegant courtesy. "Haha, Tang Yin! Let me introduce you. This is the crown prince of the Tian Dou Empire—Prince Xue Qinghe."

Xue Qinghe exuded a calm and noble aura, his presence fresh and charismatic.

Tang Yin, maintaining perfect posture, poured tea for them with such grace that not a single ripple appeared in the cups. Ning Fengzhi looked on, visibly impressed. Xue Qinghe was pleasantly surprised as well, sipping the tea with genuine delight.

Having spent years in disguise as Xue Qinghe, Qian Renxue had developed a deep appreciation for refined etiquette. So when she saw Tang Yin's elegance paired with his charming features and monstrous talent—second only to her—she couldn't help but admire him.

"You must be the genius my teacher keeps praising—Tang Yin, isn't it?" Xue Qinghe joked lightly. "I must say, I'm a little jealous of you stealing all his compliments."

Tang Yin replied with a polite smile, "I'm honored, and I must thank Uncle Fengzhi for his kind words."

"If you don't mind," Xue Qinghe offered generously, "you may call me Brother Qinghe. There's no need for formal titles—we're of the same generation, after all."

He even praised Tang Yin for his grace despite his commoner background. Tang Yin smiled inwardly, catching the glimmer of interest in Xue Qinghe's eyes. 'The deeper you fall into this abyss, the deeper your curiosity and obsession, little angel. I will make you mine.' Outwardly, he remained the picture of gentlemanly poise.

Seeing their harmonious exchange, Ning Fengzhi let out a quiet sigh of relief. Not only is he talented, he's politically astute as well. He cleared his throat gently to redirect the conversation, earning a faint grunt of protest from Xue Qinghe—but the prince quickly masked it.

"We can continue the small talk later," Ning Fengzhi said. "For now, let's get to the real reason I brought Tang Yin here. Actually, he's the son of the Haotian Douluo."

Tang Yin immediately leaned forward, his voice tight with urgency. "Brother Qinghe, do you know who my mother is—or where she might be?"

Xue Qinghe's expression turned serious.

"Haotian Douluo has always been someone I admired. It's tragic how things turned out for him. He was the youngest Title Douluo in the entire continent... and now he's like a ghost story.

I've been investigating his disappearance for years. Every clue points back to the Martial Soul Hall. Around that time, the higher-ups of Spirit Hall were searching for a treasure—something precious, hidden somewhere across the continent."

Xue Qinghe brow furrowed as he spoke aloud,

"They say the treasure was in your father's hands... and your mother was with him. Not long after, Tang Hao left the Haotian Sect. Then came that infamous battle—he fought off multiple Spirit Hall powerhouses and vanished, badly wounded. The treasure was never seen again... and perhaps, neither was your mother."

Tang Yin clenched his fists. The aura around him shifted—no longer composed or elegant, but cold and sorrowful, the weight of loss pressed against his heart.

Qian Renxue frowned, initially thinking he was too emotional. 'Hmph, if you're going to be my Wuhundian's enemy, don't expect mercy.'

But then came his next words, shocking her.

"Damn you, reckless Tang Hao... you killed my mother."

Xue Qinghe blinked in stunned silence.

Ning Fengzhi shook his head and softly began explaining the estranged relationship between Tang Hao and his son.

Meanwhile, Qian Renxue found herself unexpectedly moved. Their experiences mirrored each other in uncanny ways.

She was abandoned by her mother, who chose Hu Liena instead. Tang Yin was cast aside by his father, who chose Tang San.

She lost the father she loved most. He lost the mother he cherished.

They both bore the scars of abandonment—and both blamed their parents for it.

For the first time, Qian Renxue's cold heart wavered. Her gaze softened as it fell on the heartbroken boy in front of her.

Tang Yin sniffed quietly, composing himself. "I'm sorry, Brother Qinghe," he said with a weak smile. "I must've shown you a pretty pathetic side of me." He let out a quiet, self-deprecating laugh—bitter, yet honest.

Without a word, Xue Qinghe stepped forward and gently pulled Tang Yin into a light embrace—an empathetic gesture meant to offer silent comfort.

Tang Yin blinked in surprise, then slowly returned the hug, his expression still sorrowful on the surface. But deep within, he smiled knowingly.

'Mission successful.'

As they embraced, their martial soul Fusion resonance deepened, and the once-subtle pull between them became unmistakably stronger—yet neither of them spoke a word about it.

"You've been very helpful, Brother Qinghe. This information means more to me than I can express," Tang Yin said softly as they pulled apart. "I'll be sure to repay this favor—one way or another."

He stood with quiet grace, offering a polite nod to Ning Fengzhi. "Uncle." Then, he turned and clasped hands with the prince. "Brother."

"I must take my leave now. We still have a tournament to win—prestige for Lanba Academy, and glory for the Tian Dou Empire."

Just as he was about to leave, Xue Qinghe stepped forward and extended a finely crafted token bearing his personal insignia.

"Take this," he said gently. "Carry it with you. If you ever need anything—come find me. Don't even think about refusing."

Tang Yin caught the token, his eyes flickering with a mix of gratitude and affection. "Thank you... Brother Qinghe."

Qian Renxue watched in quiet reluctance as Tang Yin's silhouette faded into the distance. A strange, unfamiliar feeling stirred within her chest—something she couldn't quite name, yet couldn't ignore.

As Tang yin walked outside with measured step, his whole body language changed instantly "Haah—its really hard pretending to be eloquent. Almost messed up" he wiped the imaginary sweat glistening his forehead.

"But I really didn't expect to have a martial soul resonance with Qian Renxue. It must be Fate," Tang Yin thought, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips as he returned to the Lanba team's rented residence in high spirits.

As Tang Yin returned to the courtyard, his eyes instantly narrowed at a familiar figure lurking near Ning Rongrong.

The so-called Grandmaster was tailing her like a plaster, pestering her with his usual self-righteous tone. Tang Yin's ears caught fragments of his manipulative plea:

"Ning Rongrong… you should hand over the Heart Separation Control method. It's for Tang San—he's my disciple, and…he has blood ties with your favorite Tang yin. How happy would he be if you gave his brother a means to grow stronger? He might even confess to you!"

A wave of disgust and revulsion rose in Tang Yin's throat. He had never felt such raw loathing for anyone like Yu Xiaogang until this moment. To use blood ties and emotional blackmail to steal a secret technique?

He almost cursed out loud—but held it in. Beneath his serene calm expression, cold fury simmered as Tang Yin strode forward and placed himself between Yu Xiaogang and Ning Rongrong.

Yu Xiaogang barely noticed him at first. His eyes gleamed with fanaticism as he rambled,

"It's a technique that allows simultaneous control of multiple soul skills… In battle, every fighter needs different buffs. With limited soul power, it helps a support-type soul master assist the whole team with surgical precision.."

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"The Seven Treasures Sect's most sacred technique—nearly divine, passed down through generations—and you want it for free? Yu Xiaogang, your appetite truly knows no bounds. Who gave you the nerve to ask the heir of the Seven Treasures Sect for their deepest secrets?"

Tang Yin's smile was ice-cold as he calmly stepped in front of the so-called Grandmaster.

Yu Xiaogang stiffened. Before he could even respond, a furious voice exploded from the other side of the square.

"YU XIAOGANG!!!"

Flender had just been musing over how much money they could've earned if Tang Yin had agreed to paint their uniforms with a sponsor logo—but all thoughts of profit vanished at the sight of the Grandmaster.

"What did I tell you?! Next time I see you—I'll kill you! YOU ARE SEEKING DEATH!!!"

Flender's fist shot forward like a cannon. It connected with Yu Xiaogang's jaw with a bone-crunching crack, sending him flying in slow motion as his teeth scattered like rain.

But before he could hit the ground, a figure cloaked in black caught him mid-air. The moment the hood slipped, several gasped:

"Haotian Douluo!!"

Tang Hao remained silent, his expression dark

Whoosh—

And just like that, they vanished.

Flender spat toward the ground and launched into a barrage of curses, not only at shameless Yu Xiaogang but at all eighteen generations of Tang Hao's ancestors.

Tang Yin shook his head in displeasure. He had wanted to make Yu Xiaogang suffer—but now that chance was stolen away by Tang Hao's intervention.

"Spineless bastard," he muttered.

[In the past nine months:

Tang Yin had already reached Perfect Heart Separation Control, thanks to his spiritual power being at the level of a Soul Saint.

Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, and Ning Rongrong had achieved Intermediate-level mastery, guided by Tang Yin himself.

Meng Yiran had reached the entry-level stage of Heart Separation Control.]