"Bind it to Tang Hao, all of it to Tang Hao!"
[Ding! Detected that excessive physical training by the host may affect height and physique. Do you wish to bind a target to bear this?]
"This one goes to Tang San." Ning Tian decided. For side effects that wouldn't impact his own cultivation, he naturally tossed them onto Tang San.
Time flew by. For three straight months, Ning Tian kept a relentless pace, out at dawn, back at dusk. During the day, he strapped stones to his back and ran to the outskirts of Holy Soul Village, pushing his body to the limit. At night, he meditated nonstop, racking up side effects and dumping them all on Tang Hao. His progress was astonishing.
Not only had his physique strengthened considerably, but his soul power had also risen from half a level to Level 5.
And now, the day to enroll at Nuoding Academy had finally arrived.
Since Emperor Soul Village was farther from Nuoding City, Old Tom set out with Ning Tian at the crack of dawn, when the sky was still dim.
Meanwhile, Tang San's family was in shambles.
That morning, after practicing his Purple Demon Eyes, Tang San returned home.
Compared to three months ago, he was unrecognizable—his skin now so dark he could pass for a lump of charcoal. His body showed signs of imbalance too, despite little gain in strength, he'd sprouted useless slabs of dead muscle, and his arms and legs were subtly deformed.
At first, he thought he'd messed up his cultivation, but aside from looking worse, he felt no discomfort.
As usual, he cooked porridge and called toward the forge's inner room, "Dad, breakfast's ready!"
Oddly, Tang Hao, who always emerged at the mention of food, didn't appear.
A pang of worry hit Tang San. 'Is Dad sick?' He rushed into Tang Hao's room.
There, Tang Hao lay on a filthy, near-rotting bed, his once sallow face now deathly pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead, his expression twisted in pain.
"What are you doing in here?" Tang Hao's eyes snapped open as Tang San entered. "Didn't I tell you not to come in without my permission?"
"Dad, are you sick?" Tang San asked, his voice thick with concern. His blackened skin made his less than white teeth stand out starkly in the dim light.
Tang Hao sat up slowly, shaking his head. "I'm fine. Go eat."
'Fine my foot,' Tang Hao thought.
He had no idea what was happening.
Ever since Tang San awakened his martial soul, his whole body had been wracked with pain, like an ordinary man doing ten times the labor. His muscles and bones ached constantly, and even his meridians throbbed, especially late at night when the swelling and pain grew unbearable.
On top of that, his mental energy, soul power, and stamina were draining fast. Though it wasn't much for a Titled Douluo like him, being relentlessly tormented day and night for three months was too much, even with his incredible recovery. It left him miserable around the clock.
Add in the old injuries from his battle with Qian Xunji, and it was nearly the death of him.
Of course, Tang Hao didn't know the real reason. He just assumed it was his old wounds flaring up. What else could it be?
Tang San wanted to say more, but Tang Hao cut him off sharply, "Enough! I said I'm fine. Kids shouldn't meddle in adult affairs. Eat your breakfast and pack up, Old Jack's taking you to Nuoding Academy soon."
"Got it, Dad," Tang San replied. He knew he wouldn't get answers, though he couldn't shake the feeling his father was hiding something.
After breakfast, Tang San left with Old Jack.
Though Ning Tian and Old Tom started earlier, Emperor Soul Village's greater distance meant they arrived at Nuoding Academy a bit later.
By then, Tang San had already clashed with the gatekeeper.
When Ning Tian and Old Tom caught up, they saw Tang San standing with Old Jack and a middle-aged man holding a martial soul certificate.
The man looked about forty or fifty—average height, slightly thin, with plain features, thick lips, a buzz cut, and a scruffy beard that gave him a disheveled look.
Yet a faint smile curved his lips, hinting he was in a good mood.
'Yu Xiaogang?' Ning Tian's eyes narrowed as he guessed the man's identity.
Old Tom stepped forward. "Old Jack, who's this?"
Though the two old men bickered constantly, they got along well enough. Seeing Old Tom and Ning Tian arrive, Old Jack hurried to smooth things over, fearing the gatekeeper might hassle them too. "Old Tom, let me introduce you. This is a Master from Nuoding Academy. Master, this is Old Tom from Emperor Soul Village, here to enroll his kid. Could you take a look—"
Ning Tian stayed calm, but Old Tom, a mere commoner facing a soul master like Yu Xiaogang, couldn't help feeling nervous. "Master…"
Yu Xiaogang glanced at Tang San, barely containing his excitement, then casually sized up Ning Tian. The boy's sharp eyes piqued his interest. 'Maybe he's a genius too,' he thought and he smiled faintly. "Show me your martial soul certificate as well."
If this kid had decent talent, say, Level 9 innate soul power or higher, he might consider taking him as a disciple.
But that hope was short-lived.
Taking the certificate from Old Tom, Yu Xiaogang's faint smile froze as he read: "Martial Soul: Bamboo Sword. Innate Soul Power: Half-Level." His expression soured instantly.
The words "Half-Level" hit him like a punch, stirring some deep-seated nerve. A chill radiated from him.
"Alright, both certificates are valid," he said curtly. "Old sir, I apologize on behalf of the academy for earlier. This child" he nodded at Tang San "will come with me. As for the other one, have him take his certificate and register inside."
He kept Tang San's certificate and returned Ning Tian's with a dismissive flick, not sparing them another glance.
The shift was so abrupt, his face-changing speed so dramatic that even Ning Tian, who'd braced for it, was stunned.
'Well, damn,' he thought. 'The more insecure he is, the more arrogant he gets. Who's he looking down on?'