Chapter 2: Enlightenment, Accepting the New Identity!
"Sigh~"
"I can't break through this bottleneck. Is it because the world is different?"
Tang San felt slightly uncomfortable. For someone so engrossed in cultivation, being stuck in this state was truly unpleasant.
However, there was no way to change it now. Holy Soul Village was small and remote, and the information available was scarce.
Yet, he was reluctant to leave. In his previous life, he was all alone, but in this life, he had a father and brothers. He didn't want to sever this precious family bond, especially since his father was so頹廢 (頹廢 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a state of being listless, dispirited, and lackluster),and his brother was so lazy. He felt that if he left, the two of them would starve to death at home.
Rocks flew past, and once he entered the forest, he became carefree.
The Ghost Shadow Step appeared, and he moved swiftly like a ghost.
When he approached the village entrance, Tang San deliberately slowed down.
Finding no one at the village entrance, he found a large rock and lay down. His older brother, Mo Mo, probably wouldn't be back for a long time.
"Ouch~"
"Little San, you're stepping on my hair!"
Tang Chen's voice suddenly appeared, startling Tang San, who jumped up.
Only then did he see that behind the rock, his elder brother was already dozing off.
"How...how could this be?"
Tang San's jaw nearly dropped in shock, desperately suppressing his surging emotions.
"Brother, how did you do that?"
"Hehe~ Guess."
Tang Chen certainly wouldn't tell him. Could it be that he took a shortcut by jumping off the cliff?
Let him guess.
Holding Tang San's shoulders, Tang Chen walked towards the village.
"Little Sanzi, it's a promise that the housework is yours!"
"Okay."
Tang San's mind was too busy imagining all sorts of possibilities; he had no time to worry about housework.
Anyway, he usually did it.
Tang Chen strode with his signature pigeon-toed gait, his domineering aura already beginning to emerge.
The old village chief, not far away, saw all of this.
"Little San, come to my house for dinner!"
Jack was a kind old man who often helped the down-on-their-luck Tang family.
But everyone has their preferences. He liked the polite Tang San,
but disliked the decadent Tang Hao, and by extension, he disliked Tang Chen, who resembled his father.
He knew Tang San worked very hard, having to go up the mountain to exercise before sunrise and then take care of his drunken father afterward.
So they stopped the two, wanting to get some good food for Tang San to nourish him.
"Grandpa Jack, no need, I have to go back and cook!"
Tang San politely declined. It didn't matter how bad his father was, as long as he had someone to call "Dad."
"Sigh~ Alright, alright!"
"Tang Chen, as the older brother, you have to take good care of your younger brother!"
"Look at your fat body, and look at little San, skin and bones, don't be like your father!"
"And don't waste this good-looking body!"
Old Jack sighed, looking at Tang San's thin body, feeling indescribable pain in his heart.
"Damn it."
Tang Chen really wanted to curse, as if he was abusing Tang San.
This fat body was all fed by the village girls with snacks.
What did it have to do with him, Tang Hao!
With the meager vegetables and porridge at home, it was already a miracle he didn't starve to death.
Did they really think he didn't remember anything?
"Don't worry, village chief, in less than a month, I'll fatten him up!"
"Let's go hunting!"
Tang Chen ignored the two shocked people and turned to rush out of the village.
Tang San wanted to give chase, but was stopped by Village Chief Jack.
"Little San, don't go. How about Grandpa tells you about spirit awakening?"
"Alright!"
Tang San hesitated for a moment, but couldn't resist the temptation. He desperately needed to learn about the world.
Besides, Tang Chen was acting strangely today, giving him a sense of unfathomable depth.
After rushing out of the village, Tang Chen slowed down and began to stroll.
Going out hunting wasn't just for show; the thought of the bland food at home made him nauseous.
"Meat! I want meat!"
Tang Chen roared to the sky. To suffer now that he had power was the height of idiocy.
Tang Hao was a god-level idiot; if his wife had been forced to her death, he would have made revenge his life's goal.
Perhaps Tang Hao was enduring this for the sake of his child, but who could really say?
Everyone has their own ambitions, and everyone's will is free; choices must be made and consequences must be borne.
Tang Chen was also an orphan in his previous life, but his parents left him a substantial fortune, preventing him from living a life of loneliness.
His father's last three sentences to him remained vivid in his memory:
"If you believe it's right, why hesitate?"
"If you believe it's wrong, why do it?"
"If you can't see through the essence, then follow your heart's choice."
Tang Chen was lost in memories, somewhat bewildered about what to do in this world.
With the system's help, he could become a peak powerhouse even in hiding.
But what was the point of simply idling?
However, if he didn't avoid worldly affairs, given his current identity, he would inevitably be drawn into events.
He summoned his Divine Tree Martial Soul, and could still vaguely see the shadow of the Blue Silver Grass.
Tang Chen felt a slight tremor in his heart; in this world, he had a father and mother.
But the system had skipped seven years, leaving him without that feeling. "
What should I do?
"Big brother~ where are you?"
"I don't want to eat meat, I made you the best flatbread this morning."
"Come out quickly, where are you?"
Tang Chen, lost in thought, was awakened by a voice from afar and instinctively hid in the bushes.
Observing his surroundings, he realized he had already walked quite a distance through the forest.
But to his utter surprise, Tang San had chosen to come looking for him.
"Big brother, big brother!"
Tang San ran quickly to search, but unfortunately found no trace of him.
At this moment, he was filled with guilt; he hadn't chased after him directly because of the news.
If something happened to Tang Chen, how could he face his father?
He could say he was hunting to nourish him?
Tang San was somewhat frantic, but the intense exertion of his body brought him back to his senses.
His internal energy was too weak, and he didn't have any suitable hidden weapons.
Going deeper into the forest might be dangerous; it was safest to go back and find someone to help.
"I have to find the village chief!"
Tang San quickly turned around and rushed back, showing that he had already exerted all his strength.
"Uh, this feeling..."
Watching Tang San leave anxiously, Tang Chen's heart pounded again.
This feeling was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before, like a guiding lighthouse for a lost captain.
Life is full of grudges and affections!
His past life was over; Tang Hao and his wife had raised him.
Although he harbored many grievances against Tang Hao, he sacrificed his hatred for his child, enduring in this remote village.
This was the bond between father and son. Tang San's willingness to venture into the jungle to find him was brotherly love.
Ultimately, they all shared a deep-seated hatred—the blood feud of their mother being forced to her death.
Tang Chen understood: all the grudges and affections were there; this was a new life.
He needed to accept reality and make good use of his special abilities.
Then, standing atop the highest peak, he could see a landscape different from his past life.
"So, the first step is to improve my life!"
Tang Chen felt refreshed, the oppressive feeling of transmigration completely gone.
Anyway, he had no ties in his past life; what difference did a different place make?
Suddenly remembering he hadn't checked in today, he quickly tapped the screen in front of him.
The log also updated accordingly.
[You won the race, temporarily escaping housework]
[You encountered Jack and learned of his bias towards Tang San]
[You entered the jungle to hunt, contemplating your future plans]
[You let go of all your inner conflicts and officially integrated into the new world]
[You completed today's check-in; the system judged it as overtime, and the reward increased]
[Gained ten times the cultivation speed for the day]
[Gained system storage space]
Tang Chen looked at the log's contents and reached his hand into the light screen.
Inside was a void space, a standard feature for transmigrators.
The most annoying thing was the ten times cultivation speed; he didn't even know how to meditate, so what was the point of doubling it?
"Roar~"
A roar came from the jungle, probably from a lion or tiger-like beast.
Tang Chen's thoughts were interrupted; he had just thought about improving his meals when this opportunity came.
Perfect for testing just how powerful the Divine Tree Martial Soul really was.
(End of Chapter)