Chapter 1: In Soul Land, Persistently Educating Tang San for Six Years
Soul Land, Heaven Dou Empire, Fasinuo Province, Holy Soul Village.
Early morning, Xia Tianling, having finished a night of cultivation, slowly withdrew his power and exhaled a breath of turbid air.
He was originally a university student who had graduated just a few years prior. Six years ago, he died after contracting a globally pandemic virus. In a twist of fate, he bound himself to something called the [Fate Modification System] and consequently transmigrated to the Soul Land continent, where he was adopted by Old Jack.
The cultivation technique he had just practiced was from the novice gift package granted by the system.
"This Great Dao Longevity Sutra is truly miraculous. It can actually be cultivated continuously without bottlenecks, completely overshadowing martial arts techniques like the Mysterious Heaven Skill. According to its description, I should now be a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment. I just don't know what level of Soul Land's spirit power that equates to?"
Finishing his cultivation, Xia Tianling thought silently, walking unhurriedly towards the summit of the back hill while touching a jade pendant hanging around his neck. This white jade pendant was warm and smooth, emitting a faint white glow, with a mysterious character carved in relief on it. Anyone who touched this jade pendant could perceive the meaning of the character – Xia. Therefore, Old Jack used Xia as his surname, and the name Tianling coincidentally matched his previous life's name.
Perhaps due to the Dao Sutra tempering his body, Xia Tianling's physique was extremely strong; he could easily twist and flip the village's old yellow ox. Walking nonstop from the foot of the mountain to the summit, his face wasn't red, his heart wasn't pounding, as if he were walking on flat ground.
Every day at this time, he would go to the back hill to find Tang San, who had just finished cultivating the Purple Demon Eye, to conduct his daily routine education.
In his previous life, when reading the book, Xia Tianling felt deeply ashamed of Tang San's various actions. Now that he had personally arrived in Soul Land, wouldn't he be letting down his identity as a transmigrator if he didn't properly correct Tang San's 'three views' [moral outlook/values], which were twisted beyond recognition?
Tang San grew up in the Tang Sect, constantly exposed to killing, arson, poisoning, and hidden weapons. After coming to Soul Land, Tang Hao never supervised him. Following the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, essentially a "guide to killing," it would be strange if he didn't grow up crooked.
Conducting moral education was imperative!
Arriving at the summit of the back hill, a six-year-old boy sat cross-legged on a large rock – it was Tang San. Likely sensing Xia Tianling's arrival, he slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a stream of white qi.
"Morning, Brother Ling."
"Let's go, come to my place for breakfast."
"Okay."
On the way back, Xia Tianling seized the time to conduct the daily moral education for Tang San. Things like thinking more about everything, daring to question, practice being the sole criterion for testing truth, not blindly trusting others, putting oneself in others' shoes, and so on.
It had been like this every day for six years. Under this subtle influence, Tang San had changed from initial indifference to current calm acceptance. After all, these were famous sayings and warnings honed over many years in his previous life; calling them truths wasn't an exaggeration.
The Tang San in the original work was merely a science-minded boy who grew up wild and crooked, not someone without a brain. Coupled with a tiny bit of help from "certain things," he could naturally perceive the reasoning contained within these words.
"By the way, Little San, something big is going to happen in three days." While eating, Xia Tianling said mysteriously to Tang San.
"What big event?"
Tang San was already used to this. For the past six years, one of Xia Tianling's major hobbies was telling the villagers what would happen in the future, calling himself a prophet. However, apart from weather forecasts, basically nothing else had ever been accurate.
As for why they weren't accurate... of course, it was because Xia Tianling made it all up. Although the Dao Sutra taught divination, how could one master it without years of diligent study? The reason he called himself a prophet was actually to lay the groundwork for the next step of his plan.
"In three days, it's the day for Spirit Awakening." Just then, Old Jack happened to push the door open and enter.
Tang San was a bit confused and asked, "What is Spirit Awakening?"
Although he had a rudimentary understanding of spirits, he was still clueless about the awakening. That drunkard Tang Hao wouldn't tell him these things.
"Here in our Soul Land, everyone has their own spirit, you know that. Around the age of six, we can undergo awakening, which means another Spirit Master helps guide it out of our bodies."
"Spirits are divided into Tool Spirits and Beast Spirits. Tool Spirits are common things in the village like hoes, sickles, and such. Beast Spirits, for example, Uncle Erniu at the east end of the village awakened a Yellow Ox spirit; after possession, he's really strong when plowing. There are also Plant Spirits, like Uncle Tiezhu at the west end who awakened vines; it can increase plant yield, their family's grapes grow especially well."
"Tianling explained it well, seems he's read that General History of the Continent quite a bit," Old Jack continued.
As the village chief, Old Jack received some salary from the Heaven Dou Empire, so his living conditions were decent, and he had a couple of common knowledge books at home.
"In two days, the 'Lords' from the Spirit Hall will come to our village to awaken spirits. Little San, after you go back, tell that drunkard Tang Hao about it. I'll come pick you up in the morning."
Knowing Tang Hao's disposition well, Old Jack sighed.
"Right, take these pancakes home to eat."
"Understood, thank you, Grandpa Jack."
After helping clear the table and thanking him, Tang San pushed open the door, ready to go home. Xia Tianling quickly caught up in a few strides, walking alongside Tang San.
"Brother Ling, what are you doing?" Tang San asked, somewhat puzzled.
Xia Tianling put on a mysterious act again, smiling as he said to Tang San, "Little San, Brother has seen the future again."
"What future?"
"The one coming in three days to awaken our spirits is Battle Spirit Master Su Yuntao from Spirit Hall's Nuoding City branch. He's level 26 with a Lone Wolf spirit, and his spirit rings are one white, one yellow."
Tang San: "???"
What on earth is all this?
Confused, Tang San couldn't help but ask, "Brother Ling, what's a spirit ring? What does one white, one yellow mean? And this Battle Spirit Master..."
Xia Tianling waved his hand, "Don't ask. You'll know when the time comes."
(Note: Original text contains a link to the source website here.)
With that said, he turned and went home.
"This..."
His curiosity piqued, Tang San returned home, gave the pancakes he brought back to Tang Hao, and tentatively asked about it.
"Spirit rings? Lone Wolf? Who told you these things?" Tang Hao took a swig from his wine bottle, narrowing his eyes.
"Brother Tianling told me. He said I'll know in three days," Tang San answered truthfully.
"Xia Tianling..." Tang Hao put down the wine bottle, rubbing his heavily bearded chin, thinking silently. This kid is a bit strange.
"Little San, do you want to become a Spirit Master?" Tang Hao suddenly asked.
"Dad, of course I do!" Tang San quickly replied. Based on these simple clues and his understanding of spirits over the years, he believed the reason his Mysterious Heaven Skill couldn't break through the second layer was likely related to this spirit, perhaps also connected to spirit rings. To improve, he definitely had to become a Spirit Master.
"Well then, go ahead when the time comes." Tang Hao waved his hand, a glint seeming to flash in his eyes before quickly fading. Unsure what he was thinking, he picked up his wine bottle, turned, and went into the inner room to sleep.
"Okay, Dad."
At this moment, Xia Tianling, who was sitting cross-legged meditating in his room, received a system prompt.
["Ding! You have slightly altered a character's fate trajectory. Received a trace of Fate Power."]
Awakened by the system, Xia Tianling felt a bit frustrated.
"This darn system isn't smart at all, only giving rigid prompts. There's no exact count of how much Fate Power I've gained, just saying I can make a wish when I accumulate enough... damn it, how long will that take! And what kind of wishes can I even make!"
This wasn't the first time he had complained about his system; it had happened countless times over the past six years. However, to his surprise, the system actually replied this time.
["Host, please do not slander this system. This system will notify you when the minimum standard of Fate Power for making a wish is reached."]
Xia Tianling was overjoyed and quickly pressed further, "System! No, Brother System! My dear brother, can you clarify these things so I have something to look forward to!"
But this time, no matter how he called out, the system remained silent, offering no further response.
(End of Chapter)