Chapter 2: The Smithy and the Secret
The walk back from the spirit hall was silent, at least on Tang San's end. He was busy processing the fact that his "useless" Blue Silver Grass was apparently Tier 10, while his best friend had just turned a high-grade testing crystal into expensive glitter.
Ye Chen, however, was not silent. He never was.
"Did you see his face, San? The Wolf-Man? He looked like he'd just seen a ghost, or a bill he couldn't pay. And that crystal... I barely touched it! I gave it a polite tap, a 'how-do-you-do,' and boom. Shards everywhere. I think the Spirit Hall owes me an apology for trauma. My insurance doesn't cover exploding stationary."
Tang San glanced at Ye Chen's hand. There wasn't a scratch on it. In fact, Ye Chen looked more energized than he had that morning. "The Spirit Hall doesn't have insurance, Ye Chen. And I don't think 'Superman' is a normal soul. Even for a humanoid type, the pressure it released... it felt ancient."
"Ancient? Please. He's the Man of Tomorrow, San! He's the future! He's the 'I-can-fly-and-you-can't' starter pack," Ye Chen said, though his eyes turned serious for a split second. He knew exactly what Superman was, but explaining DC Comics to a Tang Sect assassin was a conversation that would take at least three lifetimes.
"Anyway," Ye Chen continued, waving a hand dismissively. "What are you gonna do? Your dad isn't exactly the 'congratulations' type. He's more of the 'where's-my-ale-and-why-is-the-porridge-cold' type. You think he's gonna let you go to Nuoding Academy?"
Tang San's expression darkened. "I don't know. But I have to try."
"Tell you what," Ye Chen said, clapping him on the back—a move that nearly sent Tang San stumbling into a ditch. "If he says no, I'll just talk him into it. I have a very persuasive personality. People find me charming. Eventually, they just agree with me so I'll stop talking."
The Smithy
They reached the dilapidated smithy at the edge of the village. The smell of cheap iron and even cheaper liquor drifted through the air. Inside, a tall, disheveled man with a beard that looked like it housed a family of squirrels was slumped over a table. Tang Hao.
"Father," Tang San said softly. "The awakening is over."
Tang Hao didn't look up. "And? Did you waste my time?"
"I awakened Blue Silver Grass," Tang San said, hesitating. "But... I have Innate Full Soul Power."
The room went still. Tang Hao finally looked up, his eyes bloodshot but sharp. His gaze drifted from his son to Ye Chen, who was leaning against the doorframe, picking a piece of lint off his sleeve.
"And you, boy?" Tang Hao grunted. "What did the wolf-brat say about you?"
Ye Chen straightened up, flashing a grin that was about 40% arrogance and 60% genuine warmth. "Oh, you know. The usual. I broke the ball, shattered the expectations, and probably gave the Grandmaster a permanent stutter. I've got a humanoid soul, Uncle Hao. We're calling him Superman. And yeah, the crystal ball couldn't handle the heat. It literally died on impact."
Tang Hao's eyes narrowed. He looked at Ye Chen for a long time, as if trying to see through the boy's skin. He felt something—not just Soul Power, but a raw, physical density that shouldn't exist in a human child.
"Humanoid soul..." Tang Hao muttered. "Never heard of it."
"That's because it's a limited edition, Uncle Hao," Ye Chen quipped. "Only one in stock. But look, San wants to go to the academy. He's got the talent. Don't be that guy. Don't be the guy who keeps the genius at home to stir porridge. I'm going, and I'm gonna need a sparring partner who doesn't break when I sneeze on them."
Tang Hao ignored Ye Chen and looked back at his son. "Show me your soul."
Tang San raised his right hand. The delicate Blue Silver Grass appeared, glowing with a faint blue light. Tang Hao's face softened for a microsecond before returning to stone. "Blue Silver Grass... fine. Go. Leave me."
"Wait," Tang San said. He looked at his father, then at Ye Chen, then slowly raised his left hand.
A dark, heavy light began to coalesce. A small, black hammer appeared—dense, ornate, and radiating a cold, crushing power.
Ye Chen whistled. The Clear Sky Hammer. He knew it was coming, but seeing it in person was different. The air in the smithy felt like it was being sucked into the hammer's head.
Tang Hao surged to his feet, his chair flying backward. He grabbed Tang San's shoulders, his voice trembling. "Another one... you have another one!"
"Whoa, easy with the grip, Uncle Hao!" Ye Chen cut in, sensing the tension. "You're gonna leave a mark. And yeah, look at that! A hammer! That's great! We can go into construction! You, me, and the Man of Steel—we'll renovate the whole continent!"
Tang Hao turned his gaze to Ye Chen, his intensity enough to make a normal kid pee themselves. "You knew?"
Ye Chen shrugged, his casual demeanor acting as a shield. "I mean, I had a feeling. San's always been 'extra.' But hey, Twin Souls? That's cool. I don't have a second soul, but I've got enough power in this one to make up for it. So, we're going to Nuoding, right? No more arguments?"
Tang Hao looked at the two boys—one carrying the legacy of the Clear Sky Clan, the other carrying a golden power he couldn't even name. He sat back down, his energy draining away.
"Go," Tang Hao whispered. "But San... promise me. Never show that hammer to anyone. And you, Ye Chen..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Ye Chen waved him off. "Secrets, mysteries, 'don't-get-assassinated' vibes. I get it. I'm basically a vault, Uncle Hao. A very loud, very handsome vault."
The First Training
Later that evening, after Tang Hao had retreated into his room with a bottle, Ye Chen and Tang San stood in the clearing behind the house. The moon was high, but Ye Chen felt... different.
"I feel like I'm running on a low battery," Ye Chen complained, rubbing his arms. "The moon is fine and all, very romantic, but it's not the sun. I feel like I've dropped from 100% to about 60%."
"Is that why you were staring at the sun this morning?" Tang San asked, practicing his strikes. "Your power... it's tied to the light?"
"Bingo. Top of the class for Little San," Ye Chen said. He walked over to a large boulder, about the size of a small carriage. "But even at 60%... I think I can do things I shouldn't be able to do."
He didn't summon his soul. He didn't use any spirit power. He just stood in front of the rock, took a deep breath, and gave it a solid, open-palmed slap.
THUD.
The boulder didn't move. But a second later, a network of cracks spider-webbed from where his hand had landed. A chunk of solid granite the size of a dinner plate fell off and turned to dust before it hit the ground.
Ye Chen looked at his palm, then at Tang San. "Okay. That felt... weirdly easy. Like hitting a cake. A very dry, very hard cake."
Tang San stopped his training, his eyes wide. "You didn't use any Soul Power. That was pure physical strength."
"Level 10, baby," Ye Chen said, though his mind was racing. If this is Level 10 Super Strength... what happens when I get my first ring? What happens when I hit Level 100? I'm gonna accidentally punch a hole in the moon if I'm not careful.
"San," Ye Chen said, his tone suddenly dropping the jokes. "We're gonna be the biggest problems this continent has ever seen. You with your needles and hammers, and me with... well, me. You ready to go to school?"
Tang San looked at the shattered rock, then at his friend. For the first time, he let out a small, genuine smile. "I'm ready."
"Good," Ye Chen said, his 40% persona returning in full force. "Now, help me find some eggs. I want to see if I can fry them on my bicep before the sun goes down. It's for science!"