Two flowers bloom, each on a different branch.
After handing the matters of the Alliance over to Yu Xiaogang, Tang San returned home to live a pastoral life with his gentle and beautiful Xiao Wu.
As time passed, Xiao Wu's belly grew larger, and in the end she gave birth to four children for Tang San: Tang Wujun, Tang Wubeng, Tang Wutian, and Tang Wuka.
Once the children were born, Tang San once again indulged in the act of "making more children" with Xiao Wu. Every night, Tang San would hold Xiao Wu (giant lizard) with a mischievous grin.
One morning, after a night of indulgence, Xiao Wu's face was flushed red as she looked at Tang San and asked,
"Ah San giegie, our three children are already at the age to awaken their martial spirits. How are your preparations for the ceremony?"
Tang San thumped his chest proudly and replied:
"Don't worry, Xiao Wu. I've already prepared a grand ceremony for our children. Every major force in the Douluo Continent, except the Spirit Hall, will attend this grand martial spirit awakening ceremony. I will make sure my children become the brightest stars!"
"Ah San giegie, you're so good to Xiao Wu." Xiao Wu said happily, and then asked again:
"Ah San giegie, Xiao Wu wants to invite a few of her close friends to attend this ceremony. Would that be okay?"
"Oh? You still have close friends?" Tang San said in shock. After all, over the years Xiao Wu had been tightly watched by Tang Hao. Where would she have found time to make friends?
"They're friends I made earlier. Ah San giegie, you have your brothers, so why can't Xiao Wu have friends?" Xiao Wu rolled her eyes at him.
"Oh, oh, oh. Since they're your friends, then by all means, invite them as well." Tang San said with a smile.
After all, just friendss—hardly a threat. Tang San didn't care too much about it.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang was soaking in a medicinal barrel, absorbing rare herbs, when suddenly a voice came from nearby:
"Yu Xiaogang, come out."
Yu Xiaogang trembled with fright and accidentally peed in the barrel. He hurriedly stood up, changed clothes, told the pharmacist, "Dump it out," and went outside.
There, in a forest, he saw Tang Hao's rugged figure.
Tang Hao turned around, saw Yu Xiaogang, and blurted instinctively:
"Yu Eunuch—"
But then, remembering Tang San's instructions to treat Yu Xiaogang with temporary courtesy, Tang Hao changed his tone and said,
"Master, how are the arrangements for the martial spirit awakening ceremony?"
Yu Xiaogang said solemnly:
"Tang Hao, don't worry. I've already prepared a grand ceremony for Xiao San's children. After all, once a teacher, forever a father. Xiao San is like my own child, and his children are my grandchildren. How could I possibly neglect them?"
Tang Hao's fists clenched hard. His voice rumbled low:
"In that case, I'll trouble Master to handle it."
A few days later, the day for martial spirit awakening ceremony of the children of the God's Children arrived. Every faction attached great importance to this celebration. The Three Upper Sects, the two great empires, feudal nobles, and soul master clans all came to participate.
Tang Hao carried two children, Tang San carried two, while Xiao Wu walked behind with three six-year-olds. The ten-member family walked slowly toward the Alliance headquarters.
They stopped in their tracks when they saw a towering statue dozens of meters high in the city center.
"This—" Tang San opened his mouth, at a loss for words.
It was a statue of a man with a flat crewcut, standing in the city square with hands behind his back. In one hand he held a book titled My Past with My Beloved Disciple Tang San: Once a Teacher, Forever a Father.
In the other hand he held a book titled How I Nurtured a God. The sculpted crewcut figure gazed into the sunrise, eyes full of wisdom.
"Damn it, I'm going to kill that bastard Gangzi!" Tang Hao's eyes were bloodshot, his breath ragged like an enraged bull.
Tang San pressed his father's hand and said coldly,
"Father, calm down. Killing Gangzi now will only give him cheap satisfaction and saddle us with the name of 'teacher-killer.' Let him bask for now—when the time comes, we'll settle accounts."
Tang Hao took a deep breath and nodded,
"Fine. I understand. Xiao San, hurry and become a god. I can't endure this bastard any longer."
When the family entered the city, they saw armed troops patrolling everywhere. The soldiers wore armor with three words carved on them: Xiaogang Army.
The whole city was busy with the festival. At the entrance of every street hung banners: Warmly Celebrate the Martial Spirit Awakening of the God's Children!
Following Tang Hao's sensing, they went straight to Yu Xiaogang's quarters without invitation.
"Who dares enter my chamber without permission? Do you not know the meaning of respect?" Yu Xiaogang shouted angrily.
"Teacher, it's us!" Tang San replied.
At once, Yu Xiaogang changed his tone, his face lighting up with excitement.
"Oh, Xiao San, it's you!"
He looked toward the babies in Tang Hao's and Tang San's arms, and the three children following Xiao Wu. Each had different hair colors and features.
"Xiao San, are these all your children?" Yu Xiaogang asked.
"Yes, Master, they are all mine." Tang San said.
"You children, this is your father's teacher. His name is Yu Xiaogang." Xiao Wu introduced.
The three little ones nodded. Tang Wule was the first to step forward and say,
"Hello, Master, my name is Tang Wule."
Yu Xiaogang, smiling kindly, corrected him:
"Child, there's no need for formality. My name is Yu Xiaogang, Tang San's teacher. Once a teacher, forever a father. Just call me Grandpa."
"Grandpa?" Tang Wuheng thought for a moment, then asked:
"Should we call you Grandpa Xiaogang then?"
"That's right! Just call me Grandpa Xiaogang." Yu Xiaogang said joyfully.
"But…" Tang Wubai said, "Don't we already have a Grandpa Hao?"
"'Hao—'" Yu Xiaogang instinctively turned to glance at Tang Hao.
Tang Hao's face darkened as he said coldly,
"Master, I am their real grandfather."
Xiao Wu, sensing Tang Hao's dislike for Yu Xiaogang, was more than happy to stir the pot. She said with a sweet smile,
"I don't think there's anything wrong with this. After all, there can be more than one grandpa. Once a teacher, forever a father—Master guided Ah San giegie and even pointed out the path to godhood. Why shouldn't he be called Grandpa?"
"Xiao Wu—" Tang Hao and Tang San both sighed helplessly.
"Come now, children, greet Grandpa Xiaogang."
So, the three children went to Yu Xiaogang and called out together:
"Grandpa Xiaogang!"
Hearing "Grandpa" called out again and again, Yu Xiaogang felt his heart blossom with joy.
Tang San had just walked out when his eyes once again fell upon that towering, enormous statue. The statue faced the sun, with its back turned to him, just like a supreme sage leading the way. Its hands were clasped behind its back, holding two books.
The moment Tang San saw the titles of those two books, his fists clenched tightly. His eyes turned red, his breath grew heavy like an enraged bull, and his teeth ground against each other. His dark face twisted. Hatred dripped from his voice as he spat:
"Gangzi, just you wait! One day I'll let you taste my methods. I'll show you what true cruelty means!"
Just then, Xiao Wu silently approached his side and asked:
"Ah San giegie, what are you doing here?"
Tang San's distorted face immediately returned to normal.
"N–Nothing, I was just enjoying the scenery," he said quickly, then shifted the topic: "By the way, Xiao Wu, have your best friends arrived yet?"
Xiao Wu nodded.
"Perfect timing, Ah San giegie, I was just about to go pick them up."
Curious, Tang San said:
"Then let Ah San giegie come with you. I'd like to meet them too."
"Sure." Xiao Wu tilted her head with a smile.
Tang San thought back—neither in this life nor his past one had Xiao Wu ever mentioned best friends. Why did she have them now? It wasn't a major issue, but the thought nagged him, so he decided to see for himself.
When he finally saw Xiao Wu's so-called "best friends," Tang San's face turned green—green and black!
"Hey, Ah San, long time no see." Dai Mubai walked up and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
Ma Hongjun also slapped his shoulder:
"Ever since the Soul Master Tournament, it's been years! Why are you darker… and shorter now, Ah San?"
Oscar placed a hand on his other shoulder:
"Ah San, did you miss us?"
Yu Tianheng stepped up, pressing down on Tang San's shoulder:
"Ah San, it's been years. I'm already a Soul Sage, the others have at least reached Soul Emperor. And you? Still just a Soul King? So weak, so useless. How will you ever protect Xiao Wu?"
Er Ming leaned in and added:
"Ah San, Tianheng-ge is right. All these years, and you're still a Soul King? So incompetent, so worthless—how can you protect Xiao Wu?"
Bu Le also rested his hand on Tang San's shoulder and said:
"Ah San, you probably don't know me. Let me introduce myself. I'm Bu Le, Xiao Wu's best friend~"
Xue Beng came next:
"Ah San, we're not that close, but let me still introduce myself. I'm Xue Beng, fourth prince of the Heaven Dou Empire—Xiao Wu's best friend~"
Dai Weisi smirked, pressing on Tang San's shoulder:
"Ah San, I'm Dai Weisi, crown prince of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Mubai's elder brother—Xiao Wu's best friend~"
Feng Xiaotian followed up:
"Ah San, long time no see. How's that snot hammer of yours coming along? I'm Feng Xiaotian, Xiao Wu's best friend~"
In this way, Tang San was surrounded by nine men. Five hands weighed down on his left shoulder, four on his right.
It took him quite a while to process it all. Finally, he angrily shook off their hands, eyes bloodshot, breath heavy as he turned to Xiao Wu:
"Xiao Wu! What's going on? Why are they here?"
Xiao Wu blinked innocently:
"Ah San giegie, didn't I tell you? I was taking you to meet my best friends. It's them."
"Them… best friends?" Tang San looked as if struck by lightning. As a conservative man from a feudal era, he could not accept this. He pointed at the nine men in disbelief:
"You're saying… these nine men are your best friends?"
"Of course. Why not, Ah San giegie? Can't men be best friends too? They're my male best friends." Xiao Wu replied earnestly.
"M–Male… best friends?" Tang San's voice cracked as he repeated the phrase. His brain trembled, his traditional worldview collapsing.
Yu Tianheng suddenly wrapped an arm around Xiao Wu's slim waist:
"Exactly, Ah San. We even share Martial Soul Fusion Skills with Xiao Wu. Our bond goes far beyond friendship—why can't we be called male best friends?"
Feng Xiaotian put his arm around Xiao Wu's other side:
"Ah San, if your father hadn't kidnapped Xiao Wu back then, who's to say who she would've ended up with? Besides, she's already married to you, already borne you seven children. Why can't you be satisfied?"
Seeing his beloved, his forbidden treasure, being held by two men, Tang San's sanity almost shattered. His eyes burned red, his chest heaved like a bull, and he roared:
"Let go of Xiao Wu—or I'll kill you!"
"Hah! A mere Soul King threatening to kill two Soul Sages? What a joke." Yu Tianheng sneered, squeezing the soft flesh of Xiao Wu's waist.
The sight drove Tang San's mind to the brink of collapse. Just as he was about to lash out, Xiao Wu rebuked him:
"Ah San giegie! Xiao Wu may be your wife and the mother of your children, but I am also an independent, free person—not your possession, not your treasure. I have the right to my own social circle, my own freedom to make friends. Why shouldn't I have male best friends?"
"Xiao Wu, that's not what I meant!" Tang San panicked.
"Hmph! That's exactly what you meant! You see Xiao Wu only as your possession, not as a person. I've already married you, given you seven children—yet you're still not satisfied?
Why can't you accept Xiao Wu's male best friends? You can have your brothers, but Xiao Wu can't have her male best friends? If you keep this attitude, Xiao Wu won't acknowledge you anymore—and neither will the children!"
"Xiao Wu… I'm sorry. It's my fault." Tang San realized he couldn't explain himself. Deep down, he really had treated Xiao Wu as his possession. Guilt surged through him. Out of remorse, Tang San bent his proud back and sincerely apologized.
"Hmph. Since you're so sincere, Xiao Wu will reluctantly forgive you this once." Xiao Wu then tightened her embrace around Yu Tianheng and Feng Xiaotian's waists, and asked loudly:
"Ah San giegie! Xiao Wu is an independent woman. Can't she have male best friends?"
Yu Tianheng and Feng Xiaotian chimed in:
"Exactly. Why shouldn't Xiao Wu, as an independent woman, have us as her male best friends?"