There was no warmth or kindness in this "father-son reunion." The only response Tang San received from Tang Hao was a heavy silence.
Tang Hao scrutinized Tang San, his expression unreadable, leaving Tang San confused and uneasy.
After a long pause, Tang Hao finally spoke.
"Tang San, what's going on with your spirit power?"
Tang San froze, caught off guard by his father's first question.
At his age—just over 14 and not yet 15—he had already reached level 49. Surely his father would be proud of such rapid progress?
"Father, I…"
Tang San hesitated. He knew he had broken the promise his father once made him swear: not to add spirit rings to his second spirit without permission.
Seeing Tang San's unease, Tang Hao's expression darkened further.
At first, he had thought Tang San might have encountered a formidable enemy and suffered injuries severe enough to alert A'Yin (the Blue Silver Emperor).
Now, it seemed the truth was far from that.
Without another word, Tang Hao placed a hand on Tang San's shoulder. As a Titled Douluo, a quick probe with his spirit power was all it took to assess Tang San's condition.
Tang San scratched his head awkwardly. He could sense the immense spirit power emanating from his father. For years, he had thought Tang Hao was merely a blacksmith with some spirit power. But now, it was clear that Tang Hao's strength far exceeded his imagination.
The more Tang Hao probed, the grimmer his expression became.
"Spirit bones? Two of them? And both low in age… Your spirit power is chaotic, intertwined with multiple conflicting sources…"
"SLAP!"
Tang Hao's right hand struck Tang San's face with enough force to send him spinning through the air twice before crashing heavily to the ground.
Before Tang San could even process what had happened, Tang Hao roared in fury.
"Who gave you permission to add spirit rings to your second spirit?!"
Indeed, Tang San's current predicament was clearly the result of hastily absorbing multiple spirit rings. Not only that, but he had also absorbed two spirit bones of unimpressive quality and power.
Tang Hao completely ignored Tang San's hidden injuries. After all, what spirit master didn't have a few minor injuries? Tang San had just returned from a hunt—it was normal for him to be battered.
But this… this reckless decision…
Tang Hao glared at Tang San with the intensity of a hammer striking steel, his disappointment palpable.
Tang San was stunned. Did he really just hit me for this?
After eight long years apart, the first "gift" his father gave him was a stinging slap across the face.
"I had no choice but to add the spirit rings!" Tang San said, clutching his cheek.
How else could he secure the championship?
Dai Mubai? Dugu Yan?
True strength was never built on reliance.
Hearing this, Tang Hao's anger surged, and he delivered another slap, this one with his left hand.
"SLAP!"
This time, Tang San spat out several teeth before collapsing unconscious.
Tang Hao looked at his son's crumpled form, his rage undiminished. He felt an overwhelming urge to finish Tang San off.
What reason could possibly justify jeopardizing the potential to acquire nine spirit rings of over 50,000 years each in the future?
What reason could outweigh avenging A'Yin and himself, and restoring the Clear Sky Clan to its former glory?
Tang San wasn't just his son; he was the hope of the Clear Sky Clan to reclaim its title as the continent's number-one sect.
And now, that hope had been dashed.
What Tang Hao didn't yet realize was that Tang San's reckless absorption of fire-attributed spirit rings and spirit bones had severely damaged his Blue Silver Emperor bloodline, making it impossible for the Blue Silver Grass spirit to awaken into the Blue Silver Emperor.
If Tang Hao knew, he might have been tempted to dismantle and rebuild Tang San entirely.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Tang San slowly regained consciousness. He couldn't understand why his father had hit him so hard.
Was it really worth almost killing me over a few spirit rings?
Yet Tang San felt no resentment. He simply couldn't fathom why Tang Hao had reacted so violently.
Seeing Tang San's perplexed expression, Tang Hao finally sighed deeply.
"Sigh…"
This is my fault.
If only he had returned earlier. If he had stayed in the shadows to protect Tang San, there wouldn't have been an opportunity for this disaster to happen.
"How many spirit rings have you added to your second spirit?" Tang Hao asked coldly.
"Four, Father," Tang San replied, his words slightly slurred due to his missing teeth.
"Four…"
Tang Hao inhaled sharply, struggling to suppress his anger. He feared he might accidentally kill Tang San if he lost control.
"What are their ages, and what spirit beasts did you hunt?"
Tang San hesitated briefly before recounting his journey to acquire the rings and the beasts he had hunted.
The more Tang Hao listened, the darker his expression grew.
"Three thousand years? Four thousand years? You couldn't have aimed for at least six or seven thousand?"
The difference between lower-tier and higher-tier thousand-year spirit beasts was immense. Five thousand years marked the threshold where thousand-year spirit beasts became significantly more powerful.
At this point, beating Tang San wouldn't solve anything.
"Dai Mubai accompanied you on this hunt?" Tang Hao asked.
"Yes, Father. Boss Dai was a great help. He even gave me the chance to take the Earth Dragon torso bone for myself instead of keeping it for himself."
Tang Hao fell silent, unsure how to respond.
By Tang San's account, Dai Mubai seemed to be investing in him as part of a strategy to secure the Star Luo throne.
Otherwise, why would Dai Mubai have refrained from keeping the torso bone for himself?
Even if it was a thousand-year spirit bone, it was still a torso bone—a treasure in any clan or faction. And the head spirit bone… That, too, was a treasure Dai Mubai could have fought for but chose not to.
Suddenly, Tang Hao asked, "What was Dai Mubai's reaction when he saw your second spirit?"
As a former heir of the Clear Sky Clan, Tang Hao was well aware of Dai Mubai's background. Even if Dai Mubai's spirit had mutated, there was still Zhu Zhuqing. The combination of their surnames and spirits made Dai Mubai's identity glaringly obvious.
Tang San hesitated before replying.
"He didn't react much, Father. He was just surprised that I had twin spirits."
Hearing this, Tang Hao thought for a moment before nodding.
"That makes sense. The Clear Sky Clan sealed itself off when he was just three years old. By the time he was twelve and living in Soto City, there's no way he could recognize the Clear Sky Hammer."
"Father, does Boss Dai have any problems?" Tang San asked.
Tang Hao shook his head.
"No, he doesn't."
Then, after a brief pause, Tang Hao added, "But you'd best stay out of Dai Mubai's Star Luo Empire affairs."
"Why, Father?"
"There's no need to ask why. You'll understand in time."
(End of Chapter)