Meanwhile, on the other side...
Tang Hao found Tang San outside among the scattered stones.
His chest was sunken in, his right arm twisted and broken, his clothes torn in many places, stained with blood all over.
A quick glance revealed wounds all over his lower body and limbs from shattered stones and broken coal; even his lower region was bloodied. Seeing this, Tang Hao was filled with anxiety, frustration, and anger.
But there was no time to think it through, nor to tend to his own injuries. He hurriedly scooped up Tang San, glanced back at their house engulfed in flames, and swiftly ran toward the riverbank across.
"I need a room and a basin of hot water," Tang Hao said grimly to neighbors rushing over to help with the fire.
"Saving the child is the priority. Come inside my house first!" The neighbor closest to Tang Hao's home responded urgently and quickly led the way. Tap, tap, tap — Tang Hao followed and rushed inside.
"What are you standing there for? Help put out the fire!" Other villagers hurried inside to fight the blaze and moved whatever they could salvage.
"Was it the furnace that exploded?" The Jack family, who had just arrived, joined the rescue effort.
The children, still young, were ordered to watch from a distance and not come close; Zhu Wu was included in this group.
"Didn't expect the blast to be so strong. After all, it's an earthen brick house, so the structure isn't very sturdy," someone remarked, looking toward the blacksmith shop on the left side of the main house, which had half of its wall collapsed.
"I wonder how Tang San is doing now?"
As a latecomer, he had only just learned that Tang Hao had rushed into the neighbor's house carrying the bloodied Tang San.
After a moment's thought, he turned and ran toward the neighbor's home.
Inside, outside the wooden bedroom door stood several women. Peeking through the crack, Tang San lay unconscious on the bed, his entire body stained with blood.
Tang Hao, equally covered in blood, sat gloomily by the bedside, holding a white cloth with a basin of hot water at his feet. Clearly, he was cleaning Tang San's wounds.
Damn, he's still alive. Zhu Wu muttered silently.
"Could Tang San really be a child of fate?"
"Ah, it's partly because of the materials. The furnace was mainly built with mud bricks, which aren't very strong — so it shattered with the explosion. My gunpowder was wrapped in clay shells too. If the furnace had been made of red bricks, and the gunpowder casing changed, maybe the outcome would have been different."
He sighed softly and looked downward.
His brow furrowed, "Looks like he was hit in the nuts — no wonder Tang Hao's face is so dark. His right wrist is swollen like this; that's definitely a fracture. Not sure if it'll affect his use of hand techniques or hidden weapons in the future."
Soon, Tang Hao, facing away from the bed, trembled as he picked up a small clump and tossed it into the nearby basin.
"." As a practical veterinarian who had castrated countless beasts, Zhu Wu felt no discomfort, but quietly turned and walked out the door.
"Tang San, the title of 'One-Testicle Brave' is all yours now," he thought to himself as he left.
"After this, Tang Hao will probably keep a close eye on Tang San, making it hard for anyone else to get at him. But given what's been accomplished, it's a kind of revenge served."
"Besides, life's long; there will be plenty more chances ahead."
Meanwhile, in Tang San's bedroom, Jack's son Jerry was silent.
He had found the herbs Zhu Wu lost under Tang San's bed. Though he didn't understand much, it looked exactly like what Zhu Wu had described. Even though only half a stalk remained and it was dried up, it was clear it was the very same herb Zhu Wu had lost.
So, Tang San had stolen it.
But now that Tang San had awakened with innate full soul power and was destined to become a soul master, Jerry had a lot on his mind. Though he disliked Tang Hao, and was displeased that Tang San, so young, had been a thief, he couldn't deny that their family was no match for a soul master.
Even if his soul power was weak, a soul master was still a soul master.
After some inner conflict, he quietly returned the box under the bed. This matter could be discussed privately, but must never be exposed publicly.
"Besides, Tang San's getting his just deserts this time." With this thought, he strode out the door.
"This room wasn't affected, and the fire outside is under control. Let's not touch anything inside," he told the villagers and went off to help move things elsewhere.
"That's enough, everyone disperse," Jack waved the onlookers away.
Seeing this, Zhu Wu glanced once more at Tang Hao's house before following the crowd away.
Given the scene, it was clear Tang Hao had prioritized saving lives over searching for evidence. Now that the explosion site had been ravaged by fire and villagers' rescue efforts, the place was unrecognizable. The smoke from the gunpowder blast had long since cleared. For someone like Tang Hao, who didn't understand explosives, finding any proof of foul play would be difficult — which was actually good news.
Feeling lighter, he returned home to continue his daily life.
Long after, in a neighbor's house west of the village, Tang Hao wrapped Tang San up like a large rice dumpling in white cloth.
"Hey, Tang Hao, take good care of Xiao San. I'll arrange for someone to help rebuild the house," Jack comforted him.
"Mm." Tang Hao nodded slightly, staring down at Tang San's pale face, lost in thought.
Should he retrieve A Yin's soul bone for Xiao San to absorb? That might speed up his recovery.
With his son's current injuries and no soul master healer available, relying only on medicine, it would take at least two months to heal.
But having his son absorb the Blue Silver Emperor soul bone now would affect many things later. To register as a soul master, one must test soul power; applying to mid and advanced academies requires tests, as do the big Soul Fighting Arena and soul master competitions. He doubted his young son could conceal such power.
The innate full soul power of the Blue Silver Grass martial soul might not attract too much attention — after all, the steward hadn't invited his son to join the Soul Hall at first.
But if he exceeded level 10, absorbing the soul bone would boost his soul power; the surplus power would show after absorbing soul rings. If his soul power jumped after absorbing the first ring, it would definitely draw attention. Being stronger than peers would as well.
Especially from the Soul Hall.
That would make worldly training difficult, and he wouldn't be able to participate in later soul master tournaments. Without going out to gain experience, his temperament would be unstable. How could he pass the Hell Path later? Tang Hao could protect him covertly, but some things needed to be experienced firsthand.
To grow into a great master, this process was essential. Too much interference or overprotection would backfire.
Moreover, soul rings transform the body. His son, born with full soul power and still young with strong recovery, would regain peak condition after absorbing the first soul ring without hidden issues.
Except for the part already cut off...
Ah well, for now, Xiao San must endure.
More than delaying healing, Tang Hao worried about how it might affect his plans for his son's future.
Seeing Tang Hao's cold attitude, Jack wasn't angry; he shook his head slightly, leaning on his cane and turning away.
That afternoon, after Tang San was no longer in critical condition, Tang Hao returned to his blacksmith shop to investigate carefully.
People had been home during the day, and the door was locked at night. If anyone had moved in or out, with his sensing ability, he would have noticed. This meant no one had entered recently. Other traces were damaged when villagers came to fight the fire, and the slag outlet at the blast center had turned to rubble, mixed with burnt debris, pitch-black.
He searched many times but found no clues.
All evidence suggested it wasn't a deliberate explosion. He didn't believe villagers in this small village could pull off such a thing. If the Soul Hall had really tracked him down, it wouldn't just be an explosion — they'd send a full team to kill him.
"Could it really have been an accident? Overheated carbon fire triggering the furnace explosion?"
Such incidents weren't unheard of in blacksmith shops, but this was his first personal experience.
The key issue: his only son was seriously injured, almost extinguishing the family line.
Losing one testicle wouldn't mean losing fertility, but it would have some effect — definitely not good.
Thinking of the near-death experience and subsequent treatment, Tang Hao's face darkened with fear. After a long while, he steadied himself and accepted the likelihood it was an accident. He resolved to carefully select materials when rebuilding the furnace and using coal or charcoal in the future to prevent a repeat.
He truly did not want to go through that again.
Taking a deep breath to calm down and steady his injuries, he turned and walked toward the neighbor's house.
"Dad, I found the herb that Xiao Wu lost under Tang San's bed," Jerry whispered as he reported at Jack's house.
"." Jack was startled, then his expression darkened and he fell silent.
After a while, he sighed, "This child has gotten what he deserved. Let's leave it at that."
Jerry nodded slightly, "With the house blown up like this, he probably has been punished by heaven!"
"Really didn't expect it — Tang San was always so quiet and well-behaved on the surface, but secretly stealing."
"Ah, it's because Tang Hao drinks every day and squanders the family fortune, neglecting his son — that's why the boy went astray."
"Tang Hao really is a failure as a father!"
"."
A few days later, the New Year finally arrived, and the village of Shenghun was decorated with lanterns and streamers.
"Damn!" Tang San, wrapped in cloth from head to toe, lay in his bedroom looking miserable.
Tap, tap, tap — footsteps approached. Tang Hao entered holding a wooden bowl, and the sharp scent of herbal medicine filled the room.
"Grandpa, here you go," inside the northern house of the village, Zhu Wu happily served food to Grandpa Zhu Gang, enjoying the New Year.
Only in the world where Tang San was injured did this peaceful scene unfold.
(End of chapter)
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