Chapter 10: The Inevitable Transformation

Tang Xi followed behind Tang Hao. Both remained silent due to the recent events. It was not until they reached the deep woods outside Holy Soul Village that Tang Hao suddenly made a move, instantly sealing off the space within a ten-meter radius.

The surroundings were deathly silent. Tang Hao turned around, held out his hand to Tang Xi, and commanded, "No one can disturb us now. Attack me. Let me see what you have learned this past year."

"Yes."

Tang Xi understood how precious the guidance of a Titled Douluo was. Several small silver blades materialized out of thin air around her. As she extended her fingers, they darted rapidly toward Tang Hao’s face.

Tang Hao easily evaded most of the blades. With two fingers, he swiftly caught one, examined its meaningless patterns, and said coldly, "Instead of wasting effort adjusting the shape of your martial soul, you should use the simplest structure to increase the number and speed of your attacks!"

"Yes!"

Tang Xi’s eyes grew serious. Lowering her center of gravity, she channeled power into her legs and charged at Tang Hao, bursting forward in an instant.

"Your wind-up is too obvious."

Tang Hao’s voice remained cold. In the blink of an eye, as Tang Xi reached him, he did not even use his soul power. He simply grabbed her fist with one hand and twisted it, bringing her to the ground.

"Yes!"

Tang Xi scrambled up, leaped into the air, and used the momentum of her fall to slash a leg down toward the top of Tang Hao’s head!

"If you aren't skilled at close-quarters brute force, don't rush in and expose your weaknesses!"

Tang Hao raised his hand, caught her ankle, and threw her to the ground without mercy.

"Yes..."

Having been thrown twice while being held, Tang Xi felt as though her bones were about to shatter. She couldn't help but cough twice, and her movements slowed slightly. Tang Hao’s stern voice immediately cut through the air: "Stand up! I didn't tell you to rest!"

Tang Xi stood up immediately and charged at Tang Hao again.

Even though the girl gave her all, to Tang Hao, it was no more than light rain falling upon him. As he threw the attacking Tang Xi to the ground again and again, he asked, "Do you know why I have kept stopping you from returning for revenge?"

"Simple-minded, rigid in your techniques, chaotic in your breathing—you are not ready!"

"In your hurry to return for revenge this past year, you must have stuffed your head with all sorts of messy, useless techniques, haven't you?"

Tang Xi was covered in dust. No matter what technique she used or from what angle she attacked, Tang Hao could easily and ruthlessly grab her and slam her to the ground. After repeating this a dozen times, Tang Xi felt increasingly frustrated and miserable, and her movements and breathing became even more erratic.

"Your pure silver martial soul is not a hard metal to begin with, yet you are arrogant enough to think you can break through a Titled Douluo’s defenses head-on? If your future enemies are Power Attack or Defense system soul masters, they would laugh their heads off!"

As Tang Hao’s words fell, he once again grasped the hand with which Tang Xi wielded her silver blade; this time, he threw her even further.

Tang Xi slid across the ground. She wanted to stand up again, but her legs were weak. She struggled several times, only to collapse back onto the dirt.

Tang Hao frowned and asked with disappointment, "Is this all you have? What about your spirit bone skill?"

Tang Xi dared not look up; her cheeks were flushed and burning from the humiliation.

Tang Hao’s expression grew even more solemn. He stepped forward and reprimanded her sternly: "Look at your emotional management! A year ago, I gave you only one requirement: do not let people easily see your thoughts. If you cannot break the habit of wearing your heart on your sleeve, how do you expect to return to the Heaven Dou Empire?"

"That Xue Qinghe in the imperial palace is someone who has hidden his identity and lurked for many years. He must have a meticulous mind and keen observation skills. In the future, when you return for revenge, you will inevitably face such a person. Will you just charge at him with this foolish look on your face?"

Xue Qinghe!

Tang Xi slowly clenched her fists, scooping up a handful of dirt from the ground, as hatred welled up in her eyes once more.

Xue Qinghe’s smiling face seemed to merge with Tang Hao’s features. As the nightmare struck again, Tang Xi suddenly threw the sand in her hand toward Tang Hao’s face to obstruct his vision, and a silver awl appeared in her hand, the tip stabbing directly toward his eyes.

Tang Hao frowned. Only by manifesting his soul power was he able to block the tip three centimeters from his eyes.

The nightmare of Xue Qinghe vanished. Realizing what she had done, Tang Xi immediately retracted her martial soul and stepped back apologetically: "I'm sorry!"

Tang Hao shook his head and signaled for Tang Xi to sit cross-legged, warning her: "Regulate your breathing. You harbor hatred in your heart, and such emotions will affect your cultivation. If you cannot let go, at best your cultivation will stagnate, and at worst, you will fall into a demonic path."

Tang Xi closed her eyes and quickly adjusted the soul power within her.

Watching the girl, Tang Hao’s gaze grew wistful. He reached out, gently wiped the dust from her face, and said in a low voice: "I know you are only eight years old, and it is perhaps too much to hold you to my standards. But you said yourself that you wanted to return for revenge. If you cannot meet my requirements, you will only spend your life hiding from the Spirit Hall."

Tang Xi lifted her eyes, just in time to catch the loneliness in Tang Hao’s gaze.

She heard him continue: "Little San’s martial soul has awakened, and his talent is undoubtedly top-tier. However, that Clear Sky Hammer will ultimately bring him unexpected trouble in the future."

Tang Xi looked up expectantly and asked, "You have agreed to let Little San go out and train?"

"Hmm... I was unwilling to let Little San go out to be a soul master before, partly because I feared that, like you, he would lose his composure once he knew he had talent. Fortunately, Little San’s state of mind has always been steady."

At this, Tang Hao deliberately glanced at Tang Xi, whose earlobes were turning red, before clasping his hands behind his back and slowly continuing: "Secondly, I truly believe that being a soul master changes nothing. I broke through to become a Titled Douluo that day, but so what? In the end, I still couldn't protect her, and I could only watch as the sect was forced into hiding. Faced with the power of the Spirit Hall, the entire Clear Sky Sect chose to avoid the edge of their blade. Even if you or I became a Limit Douluo, what of it? A soul master is of no real use."

"But... I have no right to demand that a talented child spend his whole life trapped here in Holy Soul Village, do I?"

Tang Xi felt her internal energy stabilize and stood up from the ground.

Watching the stubborn look on the child’s face, Tang Hao said: "From today until you return to the academy, come to me every night, and we will spar for one hour."

"Yes!"

Just as Tang Xi revealed an excited expression, she remembered Tang Hao’s words and tried hard to compose herself. However, Tang Hao’s next words made her eyes brighten even more:

"Go say goodbye to Little San. Tomorrow night, I will take you to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for your first soul ring."