He turned abruptly, his cloudy eyes, which had been numbed by alcohol for years, erupted with a terrifying glint at this moment, fixing intently on "his" left hand!
Like a waking lion, he lunged forward, his large, rough hands—covered in calluses and burn scars—clamping onto "his" thin shoulders like iron pincers. The immense force was felt even by the possessing Tang San, as if his bones were about to be crushed.
"twin spirits... it's actually twin spirits!"
His father's voice was raspy and trembling, filled with a complex mix of emotions Tang San had never heard before: shock, reminiscence, bone-deep pain, and an almost frenzied excitement.
"Remember!"
Tang Hao's gaze was like a burning fire, as if he wanted to brand these few words into the depths of "his" soul:
"Use the hammer in your left hand to protect the grass in your right hand!"
These words carried a heavy, unquestionable sense of destiny that seemed to stem from his very bloodline, striking into the heart of the possessing Tang San like the tolling of a great bell.
'Father... he cares so much! What do this hammer and this grass represent? To think they would cause such a violent reaction from Father?' A massive shock and a shroud of mystery enveloped him.
The scene shifted.
Under the lead of the village chief, Old Jack, "he" arrived at Nuoding City and entered a place called "Nuoding Academy."
Here, he met a gloomy-looking middle-aged man with black-rimmed glasses named Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang saw through his twin spirits at a glance and won him over with his profound knowledge; "he" took him as his master.
In the simulation, the development path Yu Xiaogang planned for his Blue Silver Grass was centered on "control," with "poison" as the preferred additional attribute.
He didn't find any problem with this; after all, for Tang Sect disciples, poison was the very foundation of their existence!
'These theories... though unfamiliar, they seem to explain some phenomena.'
The possessing Tang San also listened carefully, feeling curious about this new knowledge and establishing a sliver of initial trust in this "teacher."
However, that trust was soon tested. Yu Xiaogang led "him" into an ancient forest (the Hunting Soul Forest) to hunt for a so-called "first spirit ring."
The target was a Spirit Beast known as a "century-old Datura Snake." The snake was extremely fast and its toxicity was fierce.
In actual combat, Yu Xiaogang's powerlessness was fully exposed.
His Spirit, named "Luo San Pao," had a weak attack; the farts it released were almost useless, aside from being a bit smelly.
Facing the rapid attacks of the Datura Snake, Yu Xiaogang's tactical command appeared slow and clumsy. Several wrong judgments and delayed reactions not only failed to effectively pin down the Spirit Beast but instead put "him" in even greater danger.
In the end, it was only by relying on the Mysterious Jade Hand, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, and the secretly prepared Sleeve Arrows that "he" managed to kill it in a perilous struggle.
'This teacher...'
Seeing Yu Xiaogang's disheveled and powerless state in actual combat, the possessing Tang San's doubts deepened.
'He seems to only understand things from books; when it comes to real combat, he's far too lacking.'
The process of absorbing the yellow halo (spirit ring) formed by the Datura Snake's energy went quite smoothly.
Upon completion, he felt the Blue Silver Grass had clearly become much tougher and had gained a toxin capable of paralyzing nerves.
'Poison?'
Coming from the Tang Sect, he felt no aversion to this; instead, he found it to be a rather practical ability.
In the following days, "he" cultivated the energy known as "spirit power" in the academy (which he felt was very similar to the Mysterious Heaven Skill's internal energy) and became friends with a lively girl named Xiao Wu.
She always called him "Little San, Little San," showing her kindness to "him" without any reservation as they studied together, ate together, and played together in the academy.
That kind of pure, warm companionship was something the possessing Tang San had rarely experienced in either of his two lives, causing even him, as a bystander, to feel a ripple of emotion in his heart.
Time flew by, and under Yu Xiaogang's recommendation, "he" and Xiao Wu arrived at a place called Suotuo City and entered a strange academy named "Shrek."
Here, they met new companions.
To help a companion named Oscar obtain his third spirit ring, the group went deep into a more primitive and dangerous forest—the Star Dou Great Forest.
An unexpected change occurred!
A giant ape as massive as a mountain, emitting a suffocating aura (the Titan Giant Ape), appeared without warning!
It ignored everyone else, its massive palm reaching straight for the panicked Xiao Wu!
"Xiao Wu—!"
The "him" in the simulation let out a heart-wrenching cry. His mind went blank, leaving only instinct as he chased after her recklessly, throwing the shouts of his companions and the warnings of his teacher to the back of his mind.
He pursued desperately but was blocked by another powerful spider Spirit Beast.
After a brutal battle, "he" exhausted all his spirit power (internal energy) and only managed to kill it with great difficulty through hidden weapons and stubborn perseverance. He was also significantly injured, his whole body in intense pain, leaving him with almost no strength left to stand.
However, the crisis was not over. An elderly couple calling themselves "Dragon Duke" and "Snake Granny" appeared with a young girl, claiming that the Spirit Beast "he" had killed was their target.
Explanation was useless. Killing intent flickered in the eyes of the old man known as the "Dragon Duke." He raised the strange Dragon Head Cane in his hand, and with terrifying pressure, swung it down toward the exhausted and defenseless "him"!
The aura of death descended with such reality!
The "him" in the simulation was filled with despair and resentment, and the possessing Tang San felt it too, his heartstrings tightened to the limit!
At this critical moment—
"Boom!"
The earth shook and the mountains swayed!
The ground beside him suddenly split open, and countless thick vines—deep blue, almost black in color, and emitting an indescribable, majestic aura of life and dignity—burst forth from the soil!
These vines intertwined, spiraled, and condensed at an incredible speed, and in an instant, they actually transformed into a lifelike, massive wooden dragon with fierce scales and towering horns!