Soul Land: I Am the True Grandmaster

Chapter 216: Your Era Belongs to the Future

"Normal… is it?" Tang San muttered to himself, his head bowed in contemplation.

In both this life and the last, he had always believed himself to be an exceptional talent, yet reality repeatedly crushed that belief, leaving him feeling ground into the dirt. For the first time, doubt began to creep in. Am I really not the world class genius I thought I was? he wondered, fists clenched tightly.

Returning to his dorm, Tang San sat down, replaying the many moments since his rebirth, each one an unyielding challenge to his sense of worth and identity. He felt helpless and frustrated, his resolve faltering.

"Have you fallen so low?" a voice sounded suddenly in the room.

The familiar voice shocked Tang San. He looked up to see a cloaked figure standing before him.

"Father?" Tang San asked, his voice trembling.

Tang Hao's gaze was stern. "Answer me, Tang San. Are you really going to let a few defeats drive you to doubt and self pity?" he demanded, his voice intense.

Tang San stood up hastily. "No, Father! I would never! I know that I'm weak right now, but I'll keep getting stronger. I'll rise to the top of this continent, proving that I, Tang San, am a true genius!"

Hearing the doubt fade from his son's voice, Tang Hao finally allowed himself to relax. This boy is my only hope; he can't afford to fall apart, he thought.

"That's more like it. You are my son, after all," Tang Hao said approvingly.

This was the first praise Tang San had received from his father since learning the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer technique, and his heart surged with pride.

Tang Hao placed a heavy hand on Tang San's shoulder and said, "Tang San, remember this: Your time to shine is still ahead. Someday, you'll be the most revered spirit master on this continent."

Tang San nodded fervently, his heart swelling with newfound determination. So this is what true encouragement feels like, he thought, savoring the rare warmth in his father's words.

After a brief pause, Tang Hao seemed to come to a decision. "Tang San, continue to train diligently. Once you reach level 40, I'll tell you the truth about your mother… and reveal the true legacy of the hammer you carry on your left hand."

Tang San was overwhelmed with excitement, determination surging through him. Now only three levels away from that goal, he was confident he'd reach it in a few short months.

As anticipated, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy took the championship in this year's tournament. However, the three spirit bones originally featured as prizes in the novel were nowhere to be found. Their low age and minimal value made them undesirable to Heaven Dou's elite team, and no one wanted to risk enriching potential rivals.

In the meantime, Prince Xue Beng of the Heaven Dou Empire met an untimely end. His antics and abuse had long made him an object of resentment, and his passing was celebrated by many commoners. With Prince Xue Qinghe as the sole heir, common folk found some solace in having a competent and benevolent future ruler.

Xue Ye, the emperor, lamented his kingdom's hardships. But as he looked at Xue Qinghe, who bore such a striking resemblance to himself in his younger days, he resolved to hand over the empire's future to his remaining son.

"The future of Heaven Dou is yours now, Qinghe," Emperor Xue Ye said, his voice heavy.

"You will not be disappointed, Father." Xue Qinghe's smile gleamed with the satisfaction of a victor.

With the tournament over, Ye Tianxin and her team did not return immediately to Tianxing Academy. All three of Ye Wen's children had recently reached the threshold of level 50, and it was time for them to hunt for their fifth spirit rings. Their destination was the Star Dou Forest, the continent's most diverse hunting ground for spirit beasts.

Led by Ah Rou, who knew the forest intimately, and guarded by the formidable Liu Erlong, they moved through the Star Dou Forest with the ease of locals. Their team consisted of Ye Tianxin, Ye Tianchen, Ye Tianshui, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Xu Jingwen, and Dugu Yan a group of powerful young spirit masters.

Over the past year, Ye Tianchen's calm strength had caught the attention of Ye Lingling, a gentle support type spirit master from the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Though younger than her by two years, Ye Tianchen's protective and steady presence had won her heart. However, due to family obligations, she was unable to join him at Tianxing Academy, much to his disappointment.

Nonetheless, Ye Tianchen had adhered to his father's teachings, firmly believing that any obstacles in his way were merely reflections of his own inadequacies. Resolving to overcome his limitations, he made a solemn promise to Ye Lingling: one day, he would earn her family's approval and make her his own.

Ning Rongrong, watching from the shadows, felt her jealousy flare anew. At one point, she even considered using her family's power to eliminate Ye Lingling, but her father, Ning Fengzhi, intervened.

"Rongrong," he cautioned, "Ye Wen's children are not to be trifled with. If you act out of spite, you risk losing Ye Tianchen forever."

Ning Rongrong, under her father's careful and calculating persuasion, eventually understood that her obsession with Ye Tianchen was clouding her judgment. Determined to win him over, she returned to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan to embark on an intense course in the art of tea making a skill she believed would be her key to his heart.

Meanwhile, in the Star Dou Forest, Ye Tianchen was struck by a sudden chill.

"Achoo!" he sneezed, looking around in surprise. Even with his extreme ice type martial spirit, he felt a strange sense of unease. Shaking off the feeling, he returned to the task at hand.

Back in the forest, Ah Rou guided them to the target spirit beast for Ye Tianxin. "Little Tianxin," Ah Rou said, "did Director Ye give you any specific requirements for your fifth ring?"

Ye Tianxin nodded. "Father instructed that my fifth ring should ideally come from a beast with armor piercing abilities. This way, I'll be better equipped to face heavily armored opponents."

Ah Rou nodded approvingly. "That's a practical choice, as expected from Director Ye. Come with me I recall a Six Mountain Rhino in this area, around 60,000 years old. It should suit your needs perfectly."

Ye Tianxin's eyes gleamed with excitement. The Six Mountain Rhino, rumored to carry traces of the ancient Behemoth bloodline, would be an ideal match. She signaled to the team, and they continued toward the forest's mixed zone, where powerful beasts roamed.

And it was here, feeling the familiar presence of Ah Rou and her kin, that a certain creature with a penchant for mischief sensed the intrusion and made his way toward them.

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