Chapter One: Leaving the Village of Countless Divine Souls

"Douluo Continent, southwest of the Heaven Dou Empire, in the Fasinuo Province, there's the city of Nuoding and the Holy Spirit village.

In the dead of night, when you couldn't see your own hand in front of your face, while everyone was still asleep, a child of five or six years old had already gotten dressed and stepped out of his shabby home that could only provide shelter from the wind and rain.

Taking advantage of the darkness, he gathered firewood, made a fire, added water, rice, and with the expertise of a seasoned cook, prepared breakfast for two, standing on a stool around the stove.

When everything was ready, he stepped out of his house and rushed towards the mountaintop, beginning his daily morning exercises.

Only when it was bright outside did he return from the mountaintop, pouring the clear porridge from the pot into a bowl.

His father was the only blacksmith in the village, and while the income was good, they could only afford this kind of breakfast because of his alcoholism.

After breakfast, his father, reeking of alcohol, went back to sleep, while he continued to practice the Mysterious Heaven Skill he had brought from his past life.

In the morning, Tang San took on two jobs repairing farm tools.

As noon approached, he stepped on a wooden stool and prepared a meal for himself and his father.

In the afternoon, Tang's father lit the furnace and began working, while Tang San went back into the house to continue practicing his internal power.

In the evening, after a busy day, Tang's father took his earnings and went out to drink, while Tang San had to make do with a small amount of food to fill his stomach.

After dinner, Tang San finished his evening exercises, tidied up, and crawled into bed to sleep deeply.

Days like this seemed to have no end.

However, Tang's father's nightlife had only just begun.

In the small tavern of Holy Spirit village.

Tang's father ordered a cheap beer and downed it in one gulp, just like the other layabouts.

And the tavern owner, the bartender in front of him, was full of talk and chatting with several regulars.

"The Awakening Ceremony is coming soon, and my son will definitely become a soul master."

"Haha, boss, your martial soul is a wine barrel, what kind of martial soul can your son awaken? Won't it be a wine barrel too?"

"What kind of training potential can a wine barrel have? Throw a wine barrel at someone? Or can it explode?"

"Maybe drinking the wine in the barrel can increase your strength."

"In that case, your son can still be a decent food system soul master."

The regulars joked with the familiar tavern owner.

The tavern owner was not angry, still smiling: "I'm not asking for too much, as long as my son can train and get a soul ring, we can get a gold soul coin supplement every month."

"Haha, want to eat the White Food of the Martial Soul Hall until you die?"

"Laugh all you want, being able to eat at the White Food Pavilion of the Soul Palace is also a skill. In our village for so many years, not many people have been able to get even one gold soul coin from the Soul Palace." The tavern owner chuckled and said, "When the time comes to inherit this small tavern, we won't have to worry about food and drinks anymore."

"..."

Tang's father hung his head low, his expression shrouded in mystery to the onlookers, who seemed indifferent to deciphering it. For many years, he had always been this way, sitting in the far corner of the tavern, sipping the cheapest beer, with a low and brooding countenance, remaining silent.

"Hey, Tang Hao, your child is six years old now, and it's about time he participates in this year's awakening ceremony," the tavern owner handed him a second mug of beer. "Speaking of which, after his martial soul awakens, you should start considering the child's future prospects."

"Although the blacksmith's status is relatively low, they never have to worry about food and drink. Why don't you pass on your blacksmith skills to your son?"

"That's right, Tang Hao. Unlike you, your son doesn't drink excessively. Once he becomes a blacksmith, not only will he never worry about food and drink, but he'll also be able to save enough money to get married," a regular customer added in agreement.

"However, your son is too thin, with skinny arms and legs. He probably can't even lift the forging hammer."

"Hey, were you any stronger when you were six years old?" The customer retorted. "Besides, Tang Hao spends all the money he earns from forging on alcohol. How can Tang San possibly gain weight?"

"Good point," the tavern owner agreed. "Hey, Tang Hao, your son is a good kid. Don't hold him back. Don't let him grow up and not even be able to lift a forging hammer."

Although the children in the village looked down on Tang San because of his name and family background, he was highly respected by the adults in the village.

After all, in their eyes, Tang San was a good boy. Since the age of four, he had been cooking for his unreliable stepmother every day, and he spoke and acted very properly in his dealings with people.

How could such a good kid have a father like Tang Hao?

"... " Tang Hao remained silent, his head bowed again as he finished his drink in one gulp.

The tavern owner took the empty glass and brought him another drink, and Tang Hao gestured for him to bring another.

Tang Hao was quite strong, and he pushed the tavern owner back a step.

"You're so strong, no wonder you'll be a blacksmith for life," the tavern owner grumbled as he left.

The tavern owner knew that Tang Hao had a story, but so what? He was now worse off than they were. If he wanted to drink to his heart's content, he could only drink the cheapest, inferior beer. His obedient son could barely fill his stomach.

...

The next day during breakfast time,

"Father," Tang San suddenly called out, "may I use this iron piece?"

Tang Hao's gaze shifted to the wrought iron. "Oh, is there iron essence in it?" He walked over, lowered his head to examine it, then turned to Tang San. "Do you want to become a blacksmith in the future?"

Tang San nodded. "Father, as you are getting older, in a few years, when I am a little older, can you teach me how to craft kitchen utensils and let me take over your work?"

Tang Hao was slightly lost in thought and remembered the innkeeper's words from yesterday, murmuring to himself, "Being a blacksmith doesn't seem too bad."

Thus, Tang San began learning how to forge iron.

...

At lunchtime, the tavern owner, who had slept late, finally got up and sat at the dining table, contentedly watching his son, who was filial, hand him the chopsticks.

People say Tang San is sensible, but in the eyes of the tavern owner, his own son's level of sensibility is no less than that of Tang San. It's just that Tang San is more outstanding in filial piety because he has a drunken father.

At the table, the tavern owner told his son about what happened with Tang Hao yesterday, and his son showed a strange smile.

"Dad, we make our own paths, why do you worry about Tang Hao's family? Little San is sensible, he won't starve to death in the future. You should worry more about me."

The tavern owner's wife said next to him.

"Mom and Dad, I'm full, I'm going back to my room." Masaru, who had finished his meal, collected the bones from the table and took them to the kitchen.

"Oh, by the way, son, I left the book on your desk in your room. Have you seen it?" The tavern owner suddenly remembered something and asked hurriedly.

"I've seen it. I've been reading it all morning," his son's voice came from the kitchen.

"Okay."

The son went back to his room to read again, and the couple smiled with satisfaction.

"With our son's studious attitude and his intelligent mind, even if the heavens are blind, he will definitely awaken his soul power," the tavern owner laughed.

"Hurry up and eat your food. You're eating so slowly, will the tavern not open for lunch?" The tavern owner's wife scolded. "The tuition and living expenses for six years at the elementary Soul Master Academy cost so much money. Have you saved enough?"

"What's wrong with that? Don't we have a work-study student quota in our village every year? It waives the tuition and accommodation fees," the tavern owner was proud of this work-study student quota, which could save his family a lot of money.

"What about the intermediate Soul Master Academy? Our son is so smart, he only needs to go to the elementary academy? There are no work-study student quotas for the intermediate Soul Master Academy, and the tuition for a year is over a hundred gold soul coins. Can this rundown tavern afford it?"

Yes, Masaru's mother also had no doubt that her obedient son could awaken his soul power.

In his room, Masaru held the book and listened to the sounds outside with a speechless expression.

Did these parents not consider the possibility that he might not awaken his soul power?

Moreover, even if he could awaken his soul power, the work-study student quota would definitely be given to Tang San, who has a twin martial soul and innate full soul power.

However, Tang San's revealed martial soul was only Blue Silver Grass. As long as his innate soul power is slightly higher and with an attacking soul, he could surpass him.