After confirming the white jade belt's storage capacity, Tang San used the remaining six hundred gold soul coins to buy seven or eight life-type soul tools.
Compared to storage tools, life-type soul tools were much cheaper—most priced between fifty and two hundred gold soul coins. Only ancient or rare pieces, considered antiques, exceeded a thousand.
Still, even these "affordable" tools were far out of reach for commoners. Gold soul coins were a dream to most civilians, let alone luxuries like soul tools.
—
Leaving Soto City, Tang San and Xiao Wu boarded their waiting carriage and resumed their journey. Seven days later, they returned home.
After sending Xiao Wu off for training, Tang San headed straight to his courtyard.
It was time to test the changes in his martial soul after acquiring his second soul ring.
Martial Soul: Blue Silver GrassStatus Evaluation:
Strength: 2 → Slight improvement after absorbing the Wood Spirit Mushroom, but not substantial.
Speed: 4 → Significantly better control and responsiveness.
Defense: 4 → Noticeable enhancement.
Energy: 0 → Still no energy-based offense.
Endurance: 5 → Extremely high recovery ability. May soon break the set scale.
Special: 5 → Life force stronger than ever.
Total Score: 20
—
Compared to after the first soul ring, this was a solid evolution. Especially endurance and special—both were brushing the limits of his evaluation scale.
"Not bad," Tang San murmured. "My Blue Silver Grass may soon surpass the upper threshold I defined. I'll call that state… 'Breaking the Limit.'"
He retracted his martial soul, then turned to his left hand.
Time to check the Haotian Hammer.
Inside the study, Tang San closed the curtains, locked the door, and summoned his second martial soul.
The Haotian Hammer emerged.
It looked the same as before—except now, an elegant twin-headed chimera emblem was etched into the hammerhead. One head had red eyes, the other gold. He could faintly feel elemental fluctuations of fire and light.
"So it's true… Austin Griffin isn't just a martial soul. He has his own will."
Tang San narrowed his eyes.
"After sensing I was a better host, he abandoned Mu Tian and embedded a fragment of his origin into my Haotian Hammer. But… why two heads?"
A theory formed: Austin Griffin must evolve based on my soul power. Two heads now. More later.
Tang San let out a breath, his expression turning firm.
"Fine. If you've chosen me, then you are part of me now. You won't grow without my soul power—and I'll make sure I'm the one who truly masters you. Not the other way around."
He dismissed the Haotian Hammer and reopened the curtains.
Outside, Xiao Wu had just finished her tree-climbing drills and was quietly cultivating her soul power.
Tang San nodded to himself.
"She's come a long way. In the original timeline, she mostly just ate and slept. It seems… I've already changed more than I thought."
He thought of Su Yuntao. Once just a forgettable side character who failed in love and faded into obscurity—now happily engaged to Si Si, with a life he was actively building.
"Wonder when they'll actually get married."
Then there was Wang Sheng. A footnote in the original story, now on his own cultivation path, a Spirit Hall patrol officer with a suitable soul ring and steady growth.
No, it wasn't perfect—but Tang San felt a quiet pride.
I've altered their fates—and mine.
Even Austin Griffin, the apocalyptic god of destruction?
He, too, can be changed.
Tang San clenched his fist. He couldn't afford to hesitate. He needed that conviction—otherwise, when Austin Griffin truly awakened, it would be too late.
The next day, Tang San sat down to work on his new theory paper—one analyzing optimal soul ring evolution paths and how to assess the maximum soul ring age a soul master could withstand.
Halfway through, he was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Xiao San! Long time no see."
Su Yuntao entered with a grin. "I heard you just came back from hunting soul beasts. Second soul ring, huh? I'm so jealous! When I was your age, I was barely past level four!"
Tang San chuckled, putting down his pen.
"Just lucky, I guess. But Brother Tao, you didn't come here just to envy me, did you? Looking for a spar?"
"No way!" Su Yuntao waved both hands.
After witnessing Tang San's Endless Grass Field, he had no desire to get bound like a sausage again. And now Tang San had a second soul ring? No thank you.
Sometimes, he even questioned if Tang San really was an auxiliary-type spirit master. His control and power put many battle types to shame.
Just that Endless Grass Field alone—if made tougher and more precise—was already comparable to a fourth soul skill.
And Tang San was only just getting started.
"I came to give you an invitation." Su Yuntao's grin widened."Si Si and I are engaged. We're getting married on the third of next month. You better come!"
Tang San's eyes lit up.
"Really? That's amazing! Of course I'll come. I'll bring a gift too—but don't expect anything fancy. You know I'm not exactly loaded."
Su Yuntao laughed and waved it off."Forget the gift. Just show up—and bring your little girlfriend while you're at it."
Tang San coughed."She's not my girlfriend. She's my… sister."
"Right, right. Good brother, good sister." Su Yuntao gave a lewd grin. "For now. But we both know how that story ends."
Tang San rolled his eyes. "Anything else?"
"Relax, I'm just joking," Su Yuntao chuckled. "Actually, yeah—when you returned, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo was out. He's back now, and said he can finally give you your Great Spirit Master test."
"Understood." Tang San nodded. "Also, about the wedding—if you don't treat me well, don't blame me for being stingy when you hit level 30. I'll make sure you get stuck with the ugliest soul beast I can find."
"Hah! I've saved up for this day. I'll treat you well, don't worry." Su Yuntao patted his chest with pride, then left to help Si Si with preparations.
A month's notice was more than reasonable for such an important day.
Tang San, however, sat quietly, thoughtful.
What kind of gift should I give?
Su Yuntao had helped him a lot early on. A simple appearance wouldn't be enough.
In the novel Divine Throne of Primordial Blood, Hao Yue's second head was originally dark, but after the blood contract with Long Haochen, it transformed into light.
In this timeline, Austin Griffin's rebirth had skipped that evolution—his second head was already light-attribute. Perhaps this version had inherited more of his past elemental legacy.
Tang San wondered:
Other than the head representing destruction, could the remaining heads be of any attribute?
After all, he was the one shaping this future now.