"Blue Silver Grass… a waste martial spirit? Even if it's innate full soul power, how could anything brilliant be born from it..."
Tang San's lips pressed tight. His small hand clenched into a fist, veins standing. He looked down, relief flickering faintly in his eyes as he glanced at the second martial spirit hidden within his heart—his father's hammer.
No. My martial soul isn't simple. Father said so. This little hammer… it holds unimaginable power.
But still, hearing Su Bei's words gnawed madly at his chest.
Su Bei studied him quietly, then spoke lightly, voice flowing like calm water.
"There are only two reasons a so-called waste martial spirit could awaken with innate full soul power." His star-bright eyes locked Tang San.
"One: Your Blue Silver Grass is not ordinary at all. It may be the top of its kind—a bloodline martial soul superior even to dragons."
Tang San's pulse thundered.
"Two: You might be a twin-spirit holder." Su Bei's gaze sharpened further, his tone steady. "If one martial soul looks weak while the other is powerful, their ranks cannot be too far apart. Which means even your Blue Silver Grass… must be a true martial soul of outstanding grade."
His words, stolen fragments of Yu Xiaogang's theories but spun with smooth wit, rolled like prophecy.
Tang San's head snapped up, eyes blazing. He felt as if his very life had been read in front of him.
"You… you guessed…"
Su Bei chuckled softly, lips curving. "Just reading, thinking, knowing more than the so-called masters. That's all."
Tang San's suspicion faded, replaced by heated admiration. A boy of his age, yet with mature calm, beauty burning brighter than fire, knowledge like a sage. For Tang San, who had lived with narrow eyes on martial arts alone, this was dazzling. Too dazzling.
"A prodigy," Tang San whispered.
"In your eyes," Tang San asked softly, "the teacher saw my martial spirit with lust… not kindness?"
Su Bei nodded calmly. "Yes. His character is opportunistic. If you keep calling him 'Teacher,' he will seize you. And one day, he'll cling to your talent as his mask."
Tang San's chest twisted. His gaze darkened, clashing against the loyalty planted in his heart, but Su Bei's words won weight.
"…Thank you."
He bowed with sincerity, a warrior saluting. "For opening these eyes."
Su Bei reached casually, brushing Tang San's hand. His voice whispered like temptation. "Notting College is no great treasure. If you seek true cultivation one day, come find me at Lanba Academy. There, even your weeds will bloom like fire."
Tang San froze slightly as those delicate, warm fingers brushed his. Smooth, tender skin tugged his heart with inexplicable heat. He coughed, fluster sharpening color to his face. Why… why am I reacting to a boy? But he's… beautiful. So beautiful!
Nodding stiffly, he forced out, "If fate allows… I'll find you."
Su Bei pressed one more weight. He unclasped a small vial—the [Baicaosheng] reward from his system—and slid it toward Tang San, lips curved sly.
"This is medicine. Care for plants… Care for your Blue Silver Grass with it. Then you'll know if my words are true."
Tang San was struck silent. His chest swelled with gratitude. A stranger, yet so generous. So insightful. So immaculate.
This boy… He feels like Heaven's son.
Tang San wanted to say more, but footsteps soft as jade bells approached. Xiao Wu trotted back with a cup of warm tea, eyes curving like crescents.
"Brother, here! Throat must be dry."
Su Bei grinned, taking the cup warmly. "Thank you, Xiao Wu."
Xiao Wu pouted slightly. "Why be polite with Xiao Wu? Brother only needs to say it, Xiao Wu will do anything."
She leaned close, breath hot against his ear. "If you want… we'll slip away later, while that fiery aunt's busy quarreling. I only want my brother."
Su Bei flicked her forehead lightly. "Patience. Watch—the fun is about to explode."
"???" Xiao Wu tilted her head, suspicious. "Brother Bei… don't tell me you like… watching fights?"
Su Bei smirked, tugging her braid. "Entertainment with interest. Call it… education."
Beside them, Tang San watched their closeness with envious ache, muttering in his heart. They're so natural. Sweet. How can I ever… His eyes betrayed a strange longing when they flicked back to Su Bei's gentle, starry glow. His heart fluttered, then he bit it down fiercely.
Tang San, control yourself. Don't be ridiculous!
Then—the hall erupted.
Bang!
Erlong's palm cracked the stone table into two, flames licking her fingertips.
Her body turned, lines powerful yet trembling with fury. Her robes snapped like banners. "Yu Xiaogang! You… you still want to quibble?!"
Yu Xiaogang shivered, pale. "Erlong… don't force me… if I return, how can I face our clan? Face the world? You know we—"
"Shut up!" Erlong's roar shook the tiles. "Force? From our wedding day, you chose cowardice. You ran. You left me to drown in shame, the whispers, the insults, the curse of being branded shameless! The groom fled, so the bride must have seduced him! Wasn't that what they said? For twenty years, I carried that disgrace!"
Slap—her handprint scorched into the wood.
"My love for you died with that shame." Her chest trembled, breath uneven. Tears lining her eyes burned before they fell. "Since that day, my heart was never yours. Today, it ends. Yu Xiaogang, the Golden Iron Triangle is dead. The Erlong you knew… is gone."
Yu Xiaogang trembled, lips quivering red. "Erlong… Don't… don't say it…"
Her eyes ignited. "From today, I have family who will never betray me. I have my Xiao Bei. I have Xiao Wu. Blood or not, they are mine. You? You and I… are nothing!"
Her words slammed the ground like execution bells.
Outside, Su Bei sipped his tea lightly, eyes curving with wicked amusement. Reward achieved. Inner drama at maximum.
Tang San's eyes darkened, his chest twisting. His worship of "Master" was bleeding away like sand slipping through open hands.
"Maybe… that boy was right."
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