Soul Land: I Am the True Grandmaster

Chapter 166: Darkened Power Tripled (Part 2)

They say the deeper the love, the harsher the hate. Once willing to sacrifice her life for her family, Ah Yin now harbored a fierce, unforgiving resentment toward the unknown god responsible for her suffering.

Ye Wen placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Calm yourself."

"How can you ask me to be calm? My child is dead! Gone!" she yelled, unrestrained, her anger overriding any consideration of Ye Wen's divine status.

Her words brought to Ye Wen's mind an old saying: a woman's heart may be gentle, but for her children, she can become as fierce as steel. A mother's love forms her last line of defense, and when it's breached, it becomes her greatest source of pain.

"I understand your anger, but what's done is done. I'm not asking you to let go of your hatred, but you must realize your enemy is a god a god who controls life and death. And your current strength…"

Ah Yin knelt, overwhelmed, as Ye Wen's unspoken words echoed in her mind: her power was far too insignificant for revenge.

"God of Asura, you have much to answer for," she muttered, tears flowing freely.

Seeing Ah Yin trapped in despair, Ye Wen knew words alone could not bring her peace. "Come," he said gently, "let's return. You should see your husband as he is now."

Without waiting for her response, Ye Wen guided her gaze back to her old home, where Tang Hao was just waking. He shuffled out of bed, scruffy and unshaven, gulping down the breakfast porridge that young Tang San had cooked. The sight of him, lazy and indifferent, shattered Ah Yin's memories of the once mighty and fearless Tang Hao.

"Keep watching," Ye Wen urged. "You'll understand why I'm not lying."

Moments later, Tang San returned home after his morning practice. For a child so young, up before dawn and wandering outside alone, his behavior was more than unusual. Children his age should be carefree, curious, sleeping in or playing anything but burdened with household chores.

Yet this wasn't the village of their memories. Tang Hao treated Tang San with an alarming lack of tenderness, scolding and berating him at every turn. The abusive atmosphere left Ah Yin watching in a dark, icy silence. Her child was gone, but the body that Tang San inhabited was one she had carried and brought into this world.

Seeing Tang Hao act this way broke what little remained of Ah Yin's faith in him.

As fate would have it, today happened to be the day of martial soul awakening. Guided by the village elder, Tang San joined the other children, beginning his journey as a spirit master.

The visiting deacon from the city of Notting went through the awakening process with patience, his respectful and gentle manner toward the impoverished villagers revealing his professionalism and discipline. Ye Wen nodded approvingly, reassured that Bibi Dong's reforms within Spirit Hall were taking root. The deacon's conduct exemplified how the Spirit Hall's standards had risen, fostering a closer relationship between spirit masters and the common people.

This village resembled Ye Wen's hometown, Tianxing Village, in many ways. Most of the villagers were humble farmers, struggling to get by. As expected, the children who awakened their martial souls showed a majority of simple, peasant type spirits: hoes, scythes, and a few blue silver grass spirits. Unfortunately, the little girl who awakened blue silver grass had no innate spirit power.

Due to his solitary nature, Tang San was the last to awaken. The deacon's demeanor did not waver as he called to him with a warm tone, "Come forward, child."

With practiced precision, the deacon activated the summoning circle, and Tang San felt a surge of energy enter his body, his right hand growing warm. This time, the energy that glowed from the circle was noticeably stronger, hinting that this child might possess a powerful martial soul and spirit power. A spark of excitement flashed in the deacon's eyes; a promising candidate like this could mean a bonus reward.

A green vine emerged from the circle. "A vine type martial soul, but this soul mark... something's different." Instead of rushing to test Tang San's spirit power, the deacon pulled out a guidebook on soul marks, looking up this particular variation.

After confirming the information, he addressed Tang San, "Your vine may look ordinary, but its soul mark shows it to be a rare, mutated martial soul. Later, you can research it at the academy and learn more. Now, let's see your innate spirit power. Place your hand on the crystal, and good luck, child."

Unaware of the meaning behind his martial soul, Tang San obediently placed his hand on the spirit crystal. The crystal glowed brilliantly, illuminating the small room in radiant golden light.

Stunned, the deacon murmured, "Innate full spirit power?"

Yet another unfamiliar term. Intrigued, Tang San asked the deacon for an explanation, and the deacon, now aware that he'd discovered a rare talent, patiently obliged. Tang San, however, had always thought of himself as talented, so he took the news with a quiet sense of entitlement.

Seizing the moment, the deacon invited Tang San to join Spirit Hall. But Tang San, in his characteristic "devotion," replied, "I'll discuss it with my father first. If he approves, I'll join."

Although disappointed Tang San didn't commit on the spot, the deacon would certainly report this discovery. Unlike the original story, Tang San had awakened a top tier vine martial soul, not the humble blue silver grass. He was aware that both Tang San and his father were newcomers to the village, yet having such a gifted spirit master could be a blessing for their community.

The village chief, who was thrilled at the prospect of a spirit master among them, decided to grant Tang San a place at Notting Academy. Tang San responded, "I'll ask my father first."

Watching all this, Ye Wen felt a pang of exasperation. Previously, while reading the story, he hadn't noticed it as much. But now it was plain to see: Tang San seemed like a "daddy's boy," wholly lacking independence.

When he returned home, Tang Hao immediately refused his request to become a spirit master.

(Chapter End)

Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.

Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10