Chapter 4: A Father's Sacrifice for His Son_2

But after the battle with Martial Saint Mountain, Tang Luo fell from the Mortal Realm to the Human Realm. Although Tang Sen did not say anything verbally, his heart sank.

Tang Sen began to doubt Tang Luo's miraculous encounter. The speed at which he trained and then declined was inexplicable unless there was something like a Dao Seed, a Spiritual Instrument, or some other artefact aiding his cultivation. With the Tang Clan's vast repository of information, Tang Sen had learned much about numerous little-known secrets, most of which emerged from the ruins of once great sects.

Many individuals have discovered treasures in underground palaces, martial arts techniques in caves, and relics in ancient ruins. Most of these were deviously engineered by sects for one simple reason: to create a "Bridal Clothes Technique".

This so-called Bridal Clothes Technique was created to enhance superior techniques, and aimed to rectify some of their shortcomings. Anyone who cultivates the Bridal Clothes Technique is doomed, when encountering someone cultivating a superior technique. As long as their cultivation levels are similar, neither can escape unscathed in a duel.

Moreover, these "bridal" techniques inherently have a built-in backdoor. The practitioner of the superior technique can absorb the martial arts of the inferior practitioner, for their own benefit. While complete absorption is impossible, even a small percentage can provide substantial benefits to a practitioner at the same cultivation level.

Therefore, to avoid having one disciple essentially become stepping stones for another, a sect would set up opportunities for wandering martial artists to fight over these secondary techniques. Most of these techniques would be renamed and disguised.

The wandering martial artists, unaware of these intricacies, would blissfully train in these techniques. After arduously training for ten years and reaching the peak of Mortal Realm, they would be completely devoured by someone else, their fate reduced to being just a Bridal Clothes Practitioner.

The traps hidden within various Spiritual Instruments are even more numerous and despicable, typically designed to drain the martial artist's essence and lifespan. Usually set by masters of demonic techniques, these traps, however, can be easily detected because they reside within physical objects.

If the miraculous encounter Tang Luo had was of this kind, then it would not be strange for him to lose his cultivation.

As Tang Luo cultivated the family's ancestral Heavenly Pathway Technique, Tang Sen ruled out the possibility of it being a problematic technique. Consequentially, he concluded that Tang Luo's problem must have originated from a malicious Spiritual Instrument.

He started observing Tang Luo's cultivation from the very beginning, but found nothing. Until a few days ago, when Tang Luo fell unconscious, lost all his cultivation, and a sphere appeared in his arms. Finally, the Spiritual Instrument had appeared. The question was, who had set such a wicked trap?

Tang Sen thought he had found the culprit. After two days of research, he found that the iron sphere held no traps or mechanisms. While he could not understand its mysterious properties, he concluded that it inflicted no physical or cultivation damage.

Only the worst possibility remained: the loss of Tang Luo's cultivation had nothing to do with his technique or encounter, but as Bu Xiao suggested, Tang Luo was possibly an Innate Hollow Body.

Looking at his son's disbelieving face, Tang Sen felt regret. A child's secret being discovered usually incited fear, but he wouldn't blame him.

A child should feel no fear when their parents discover their secret, because the love of parents is always given without seeking anything in return, at least in this household.

Leaving the iron ball by the bed, Tang Sen stood up to leave without uttering a word.

Even if Tang Luo has lost all his cultivation and may never be able to cultivate again, his chance encounter belonged to him and could be kept as a keepsake.

It has to be said that Tang Sen's thoughts are very thorough, but due to the unequal access to information, there was a misunderstanding.

The blank look and confusion Tang Luo had at this moment wasn't because his secret had been exposed, but because he was immersed in chaotic thoughts again.

How did this Star Core come out of my body?

What has become of my Dantian now?

Such a big entity—could it be that there was such a large stone in my stomach since I was a kid? No, an iron formation?

Can I still cultivate now that the Star Core has come out?

Will the Spiritual Power I cultivate in the future still disappear?

Can this tangible Star Core still be used as an accelerator?

What changes will be brought about by this tangible Star Core?

The convergence of so many conjectures made Tang Luo's thoughts go blank, causing the shock on his face was yet to fade. But Tang Sen's movement caught Tang Luo's attention.

Seeing his father about to exit the room, Tang Luo hurriedly called out to stop Tang Sen.

"Father."

Tang Sen turned around, his gaze calm.

"Uh, first of all, thank you."

Whether it was because he was the first to arrive after his mishap or because he thoughtfully left the Star Core without saying a word, this thank you was something Tang Luo should've said. The last time he woke up, he only saw his father briefly and didn't even speak before his father had left. This time, it can't be like that.

Tang Sen nodded. For him, no matter what he had given up, as long as his family thanked him, it was enough. He responded, "Mm, your body has recovered quite a bit too. You don't need to stay cooped up in your room, you should get out more."

Can he finally go out now?!

Tang Luo was overjoyed. Honestly, he'd been pretty stifled these past two days. Especially after being able to see numbers, not being able to go out meant that there was so much conjecture he couldn't confirm. If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't overpower Xu Shuhui's strength, he would have sneaked out long ago.

There was also another matter.

"Can I resume cultivation?" Tang Luo actually didn't know what was wrong with his body, because he hadn't even seen a doctor.

But after he woke up, his mother had forbidden him from practicing martial arts again. Judging from this, it should be because of a problem with his body. Now that his body had recovered enough for him to move around, it was time to put cultivation back on the schedule. There were still many, many conjectures waiting for him to verify, not to mention in this land where the strong are respected, without cultivation, how could he reach the peak of humanity.

But Tang Luo's words had a different meaning in Tang Sen's ears.

Xu Shuhui had forbidden Tang Luo from cultivating, and it wasn't temporary. The doctor had said the child was only powerless and weak, with no other issues. She said this because she again remembered Bu Xiao's words - Tang Luo was a special Innate Hollow Body.

The special reason was perhaps because Tang Luo could only cultivate to Mortal Realm in his lifetime, and then he would lose his cultivation. Like a barrel with a hole in it, once filled to a certain level, it would start leaking.

Of course, he could continue cultivating, but instead of losing it over and over again and experiencing such immense pain, it would be better to give him an excuse to give up the martial path.

"Look, it's my mother who doesn't let me practice, not my own will." Xu Shuhui didn't want her child to suffer so much, so she was willing to be this pretext.

Given Tang Luo's intelligence, he should go along with it.

This idea was discussed with Tang Sen. Although as a martial artist, Tang Sen didn't want his Tang Luo to become a weakling who finds excuses when encountering difficulties, but he also didn't want to see him go through the pain of having his efforts go to waste time and time again, so he reluctantly agreed to her proposal.

But deep down, he still hoped Tang Luo would choose another, more masculine path. So hearing him ask so spiritedly now, he felt relieved.

Maybe Tang Luo really was an Innate Hollow Body, maybe he really could only cultivate to the Mortal Realm in this life.

But as long as Tang Luo doesn't give up the martial path, miracles are still possible in the future.

The real weaklings are those who give up on themselves because of temporary difficulties.

It seemed like the thirteen-year old Tang Luo already possessed the mindset of a truly strong person.

But this path is not smooth. How long can the child persist?

"Are you ready?" Tang Sen asked seriously.

Tang Luo was stunned, showing a confused face.

Starting martial training at four and now training for nearly ten years, what else was there to prepare for?

But seeing that Tang Sen asked so seriously, he answered in a baffled way, "Uh... Yes, I'm ready."

Tang Sen nodded, satisfied, and left. His departing figure looked full of vigor.