Chapter 23: Joining the Tang Sect... Sorta (1)
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"Is he going to wake up soon?" Tang Ya glanced up to Bei Bei as she gently slapped the demigod's pretty face.
Though she already had her heart set on her disciple, Tang Ya had to admit that Yuhao was going to be popular with the girls. His shirt was torn, so she had a first-row view of his incredibly cut abs. Just how hard did he have to work to reach this point? She couldn't imagine.
Turning to Tang Ya, Bei Bei's eyes examined Yuhao's condition with careful attention. "I don't see any issues. His Soul Power is very stable, and his body's vital energy is also normal and, dare I say, abundant. If I'm not mistaken, he likely broke through as a Soul Scholar into the Soul Master level, and his body just needs time to integrate the power, but if it takes too long, we should get him out of here to receive professional help. Considering where we are, I'm sure he won't mind."
"It's too bad we can't bring his sword back." He gave a helpless sigh. He searched all over the area, but the strange, curved sword was nowhere to be found. He wasn't familiar with the material, but he knew it must've been expensive. It was a shame he couldn't find it for Yuhao.
Tang Ya snorted. "Who cares. Compared to his life, a sword isn't worth it. If he needs a weapon, I'll gladly give him some of mine." She doubted her hidden weapons would compare to the silver curved sword, but it was the least she could do for him.
As the head of her Sect, she had a numerous number of hidden weapons on her person. She had no problem giving a huge amount to him.
Bei Bei smiled warmly at her words. "I guess it's true what they say. To win a woman's heart, you must first win her stomach. Not to mention someone like you whose heart and stomach are connected. I feel like I'm about to cry." He wiped his mock tear.
Tang Ya sent him a dry look as she said, "Pish. It's you whose heart and stomach are connected. Don't forget your manners. I'm still your teacher." Bei Bei's gentle smile made him appear even cuter.
Just then Huo Yuhao began moving slightly. "Mm..." A light hum came from his mouth as he slowly opened his bleary eyes.
As he stirred back to consciousness, the first thing he felt was warmth beneath his head. A soft cushiness cushioned his head like a pillow. His eyes opened wide as they landed on Tang Ya's relieved face, and it only took a moment for him to realize that his head was resting atop her soft thighs.
Before she could say anything, mostly about his reckless behavior, his reflex took over. With fluid precision that startled both Tang Ya and Bei Bei, he slipped from her lap, backing away several feet before landing lightly on the ground. Fingers digging themselves through the ground. His other hand gripped the White Tiger Dagger, posture low and ready as though he expected a fight to happen.
The abruptness of it all left both of them stupefied as they stared slack-jawed. Yuhao's narrowed silver eyes landed on them. Recalling who they were, he blinked once as the memories of his time in the Sea of Spirit returned to him. "You two...?" He stood up, placing the Soul Guide to his waist.
"What are you two doing here?" Yuhao asked, voice firm. His gaze darted between them.
"That's what we should be asking you." Bei Bei met his gaze evenly. "We were worried, so we followed you to make sure you were safe. When we arrived, you were unconscious, and we kept guard over you until you woke." He explained.
Sensing no falsehood in their words, the Silver Demigod's face softened as he gave a nod. "I see..." He glanced down.
Tang Ya closed the distance, frustration and relief visible on her face. "Yuhao, do you know how worried—" She reached for a hug, but he stepped back with the same swift reflex he displayed earlier.
"Don't—" His stern gaze fixed on them with his open palm up, he said. "Do that." He finished. The last thing he wanted was a hug.
The two mouths were agape like a fish by the sight of the almost three, no, four, ringed level Soul Masters' speed.
Tang Ya's lips pressed into a worried pout, concern clear in her eyes. She didn't know what he'd been through to be like this, but a part of her couldn't help but relate, as she too had a tragic past. She had to help him.
"Yuhao, what were you thinking? Going into the Xingdou Forest alone was way too reckless. A variant Soul Beast is extremely dangerous. We thought something bad might've happened." Tang Ya told him, getting an agreeing nod from her partner.
Yuhao's face darkened, his eyes glaring in frustration.
She didn't need to tell him. He knew his performance fell short, and he almost wound up dead because of it. 'Just a small miscalculation. I won't let it happen next time.' He internally swore.
Seeing the look on his face, Tang Ya's heart softened. "Well, we're glad you survived the variant, Wind Baboon. So how do you feel? Are you feeling alright?"
Before he could brush them off, he felt a sudden spike of Soul Power.
He felt the Soul Power in his body, which had reached a bottleneck and undergone a qualitative change. He could feel his reserves expanding as his physical strength increased by more than three times. The sensation was phenomenal. If he had to put it into words, he felt like his previous Soul Power, which was just a room-temperature glass of water, was drained before being refilled by a cold pitcher of water. It was amazing.
Renewed Soul Power surged out, and his Spirit Eyes saw everything much more clearly than before. At the same time, he also felt a mental imprint directly appear in his mind of the four soul skills he gained and how they worked. 'Finally!' He nodded in acknowledgment as he pumped his fist in silent triumph.
Black sparks of electricity fizzled across his body as from his body manifested a Soul Ring. It was pure white, unnaturally clear and solid as faint black streaks flickered across its surface before disappearing.
On the outside it looked like your average ten-year-old Soul Ring, but nobody would think that it was in actuality a millennium-level Soul Ring corrupted by the Titan of Time.
Silver wisps shimmered across the corners of his eyes as more of his lost powers returned. This Soul Ring did not just grant him four Soul Skills. Just by gaining a Soul Ring, it restored some of his lost powers.
His eyes flared, silver waves rippling like liquid mirrors. He could feel so much of it returning to him all at once.
treasury, the gift hidden within his soul by Gilgamesh, now became fully accessible. The cool flow of silver magic coursed soothingly through his veins.
Within his soul he sensed his access to his Gate of Babylon—the gift he received from Gilgamesh—become fully accessible to him with all its weapons, valuables, and everything that was synonymous with the term "treasure."
The flow of his silver water echoed to him. Its cool weight is soothing his veins.
His magic came back to him but in a small amount, only enough for mundane spells, but it was better than nothing.
Senjutsu flowed faintly in his Dantian like the blue flame he knew it to be.
Chi circulated smoothly through his meridians, granting him its raw vitality. Water headed his call with obedience. His Earthshaker ability stirred again, heavy and resolute.
His body thrummed with vitality, endurance, speed, and strength layered upon strength. While previously he was upset, right now he knew for certain that if he fought that baboon again, he'd win without so much as a sweat.
Strength, endurance, and speed—each surged, layered upon layer. If the baboon returned, victory would be one-sided. And deeper still, a dormant ember of divine transformation glowed within, alive, waiting, though attempting it now would shred his body. Proof, however, that he was far from diminished.
And that was just the beginning. Deeper still, like an ember waiting to reignite, his divine transformation too was now accessible to him along with his domain and authority. He could sense it clearly now, waiting, lurking beneath the depths of his Sea of Spirit until the moment it could rise, but he knew attempting to unleash it in his current state would surely tear his body apart and kill him.
Still, it was there—proof he was not as diminished as he had feared.
Huo Yuhao exhaled a cold, misty breath as the glowing white Soul Ring spun beneath him, slowly rising above his head before stopping like a tilted halo. Tang Ya's breath caught at the sight, awe lighting her eyes. Bei Bei was also blown away by it.
While it wasn't a surprise that variant Soul Beasts were stronger, the color of their Soul Rings still corresponded to their age. The variant Wind Baboon was ten years old, so there was no surprise there. What was surprising was that this Soul Ring was clearer and more solid than any they'd seen before. Normally, white Soul Rings were hazy because they were the weakest.
The immense spiritual power emanating from the millennium-level Soul Ring, combined with his divine heritage and other powers, left Tang Ya and Bei Bei incapable of thought. Because of the sheer difference in strength, they were caught unaware by Kronos's influence and were hypnotized into forgetting the otherworldly powers they've sensed and instead made to believe it was all Soul Power.
"A spiritual Martial Soul? And one that merged with a variant Wind Baboon as the first Soul Ring? How... in the world is that even possible?" The usually calm Bei Bei wondered, his expression a mix of unbelief and bewilderment.
According to the Soul Master theory he was taught, this was puzzling—impossible even—yet the reality was right before his eyes. He chalked it up to the variant Wind Baboon's unnatural and unpredictable mutation. Even in the academy they attended, where research into Soul Beasts was done deeply, variant Soul Beasts still remained a mystery that perplexed even the most esteemed researchers.
The ring slowly descended, returning to Yuhao's body as his eyes returned to normal. "I'm a Soul Master now… excellent." He murmured, eyes alight. But this was only the beginning. He wasn't going to be satisfied with just this.
Tang Ya and Bei Bei exchanged a glance, both equally shocked. "You saw it, right?" He asked.
"I did. His eyes were radiant. They were kind of pretty in a dangerous kind of way." She pointed out, earning a snort from him.
Unable to resist, Tang Ya stepped closer and asked, "Little Yuhao, does your Martial Soul carry the spiritual attribute? I felt a strong fluctuation when you activated your Soul Ring."
She was prepared for him to refute her question. Soul Rings were a Soul Master's greatest asset, and not many would be willing to divulge their hand.
But Yuhao had no reason to hide it. It was only his first Soul Ring, and they already knew that. "Yes, my Martial Soul is Spirit Eyes. A kind of mutant Martial Soul with a spiritual attribute that, as you can tell by the name, is connected to my eyes." He tapped them for emphasis.
Tang Ya's eyes lit up, no pun intended. "Wow! Spirit Eyes—a self-Martial Soul! That's amazing.
"Who knew that the variant Wind Baboon can have such compatibility with a spiritual Martial Soul, but it is a variant for a reason. Those types of Soul Beasts have higher mutation in their bodies and are much more unpredictable because of it. Thankfully it wasn't a hundred years." Bei Bei said.
It didn't take Huo Yuhao long to guess that the couple must have thought the first Soul Ring he had absorbed came from the big monkey, or what Bei Bei said it was, a variant Wind Baboon.
"Yuhao, originally we only guessed that you were planning to enter the Xingdou Forest by yourself. I still can't believe you'd do something like this. You're too daring. This environment is known as the human forbidden area for a reason. Even Soul Masters with high cultivation don't dare to go too deep inside, especially alone. Little guys like you need to be accompanied by a teacher to move around safely. We came after you to protect you, and I'm thankful we did. Both Bei Bei and I are glad you weren't hurt." Tang Ya said with a relieved look.
'Aww, they were worried about you. That's so sweet.' Kronos cooed before ruining it with, 'It makes me want to puke.'
'Kronos?' Yuhao questioned. 'I thought you were asleep?'
'It's called daydreaming, numb nuts. Keep up with the program.' Kronos retorted with a tired yawn.
'You're the worst.' The Silver Demigod countered, wanting nothing more than to punt the Titan in his smug face.
The Titan snorted. 'You just now realized that? Wow, you really are slow.' He shot back, receiving a frown from his grandson.
Assuming that he was just shy, Tang Ya and Bei Bei chuckled. "You silly goose." Tang Ya stifled a laugh, then asked, "So, little Yuhao, now that you have a Soul Ring, what do you plan to do next?"
Yuhao shrugged. "Don't know. Maybe join the military if they'll have me." A day-to-day approach was far from ideal, but he had no other choice.
Right now, he just needed knowledge and funding. With his treasury now back in action, he can firmly check that off the list. All that was left was to gain information and a place to stay. Unfortunately, Sha Naqba Imuru wasn't one of the abilities he regained, so he had to do things the hard way and use his magic. All he had to do was find a person and use some hypnosis magic to make them tell him what he wanted to know or just use memory magic, but the former was his go-to. He could also just straight up pay someone to tell him.
Seeing the look of contemplation in his eyes, Tang Ya secretly rejoiced and signaled to Bei Bei, who nodded. "Little Brother Huo, do you have any family?"
At the mention of family, the silver demigod's gaze hardened, but he shook his head. "I have a family, but we're estranged. The only other family I know of is my grandfather, but after training me, he left, so it's just me on my own now."
'Hey!' Kronos retorted.
'Like it's not the truth.' Huo Yuhao countered, getting a begrudging head shake.
Tang Ya was overjoyed and blurted out, "That's great!" She said excitedly. An awkward silence ensued as Bei Bei and Yuhao were left speechless, the former slapping his head. Kronos himself was unable to hold in his snickering.
"...What?" He squinted his eyes, more confused than angered. Judging from her behavior and personality, he could tell that she didn't mean it the way it sounded, so he waited for her explanation.
Tang Ya realized her blunder and quickly said, "Wait, no—no, I didn't mean it like that." She stammered, flailing her arms. "Little Yuhao, I meant since you don't have any particular plans and are by yourself, why not join a Sect?
"A Sect?" He tilted his head.
He already knew about Sects. They were structured organizations made up of people brought together by similar Martial Soul paths or other reasons. It consisted of a hierarchy of masters and disciples, like any organization with the objective to support, train, and look after the Sect and its interests, among many other things. Sect techniques, exclusive cultivation methods and areas, access to resources, training grounds and libraries, and last but not least, protection and prestige of the Sect's name.
None of it was for free, of course. After all, there was no such thing as a free lunch. Like any organization, Sects are wholly dependent on their members' lifelong servitude. It was give and take. If you want the perks, you must be loyal.
In a way his Team Silba was a Sect only it was filled to the brim with immortal, arrogant loudmouth idiots that looked down on mortals and always expected to be treated better than they deserved and constantly tested his patience. If they weren't useful, the demigod would've kept them locked up in Tartarus. As for the humans and friendly monsters like the Cyclopes and Tehlkines, if they wanted to leave, he never stopped them from doing so. Oddly enough, they stuck by him till the end. It made him wonder why.
Tang Ya nodded seriously. "Yes, a sect. Our sect was once the number one on the land. You won't regret joining us. Furthermore, our Sect's ultimate techniques are very suitable for your cultivation. Since you said you are alone and have no plans, joining our Sect will benefit you greatly. We can all look after each other, which is way better than you adventuring out alone. After all, luck won't always be with you, and what if something happens during one of your endeavors?"
'This is a ridiculous recruitment pitch.' Kronos scoffed, unconvinced that something as measly as Sect could be worthy of instructing his grandson.
He didn't believe in others qualifications in teaching Huo Yuhao and doubted they could do a better job than him. The very though was insulting.
'Quiet.' Huo Yuhao shot back, then turned to Tang Ya. "Miss Tang Ya, what is the name of your Sect?" He had no intention of joining, but it didn't hurt to hear her out at least.
Tang Ya answered with an earnest look. "It's called the Tang Sect. It was once the foremost sect on the continent." She answered with an earnest look, and that actually got a look of surprise from the son of Poseidon.
"The Tang Sect…" He repeated.
Having grown up in this world for years, he was well-acquainted with the general history of the Douluo Continent, especially revolving around the Tang Sect. His mother told him nightly stories about them and from the servants in the mansion before things turned to shit.
The Tang Sect was an unrivaled Sect filled with powerful Soul Masters. It was founded ten thousand years ago, before the collision of the Sun Moon Continent, and was one of the oldest Sects ever established. Its founder, Tang San, was an incomparably powerful Soul Master whose strength, wisdom, and leadership reshaped the continent and laid the foundation for future Soul Masters everywhere.
From the stories, it was said that Tang San had broken through the highest realms of a Soul Master, becoming a Titled Duoluo and surpassing the infamous level 99 gap, which was thought of as next to impossible. The man rose above the pinnacle and was said to have transcended into a deity, becoming immortal forever after.
However, in this day and age the stories always ended with no one knowing what ultimately became of him.
Huo Yuhao had always been engrossed by the legend. Having faced powerful figures of the past, the idea of confronting someone of Tang San's caliber in a no-holds-barred fight was not one he'd shy away from. Strength called out strength, and fighting someone so revered sounded like a hell of a time. If that man wasn't a motivation to become stronger and reach his level, then he didn't know what was.
'Tang San, huh… hmm.' Kronos murmured, stroking his beard, golden eyes narrowing behind his mask, though he kept his suspicions to himself.
Thousands of years had passed, and their legends are still told to this day. Sadly, nowadays the Sect itself has faded from the historical stage, and their force and influence have declined astronomically. Even some of their stories were no longer as detailed, besides major events. Still, some believe that if it were not for Tang San's groundwork laid for Soul Masters of the Douluo continent ten thousand years ago, the continent might never have triumphed over the technological powerhouse of the Sun Moon Land at the time.
"Little brother Huo, so you've heard of the Tang Sect?" Bei Bei asked, inwardly pleased that the silver-haired youth recognized its name and reacted respectfully.
"Who hasn't?" Huo Yuhao replied. "The Tang Sect was the most powerful of all Sects, and its founder was unbelievably strong." His words brought smiles of joy to Tang Ya and Bei Bei. "Though… I heard its location no longer exists."
Tang Ya's eyes reddened. "Yes, our mansion is gone."
"Did I say something wrong?" Huo Yuhao asked,
"No, no, it's fine." Tang Ya said quickly, brushing it off. "The truth is, the Tang Sect doesn't have a mansion anymore. Our land and everything else was taken from us. Right now, it's just me and Bei Bei left, with me as its current Sect Master and Bei Bei as my founding disciple."
She wanted to tell the truth, as he certainly didn't seem like the type to ignore subjects like these or like being lied to. If she wanted to rope him into her Sect, she wanted to first let him know of their situation and that if he joined, it would be up to them to shoulder this burden themselves.
"Really?" Huo Yuhao said, surprised. By their scent and appearance, Tang Ya didn't appear much older than Bei Bei, yet she was responsible for a nearly extinct Sect.
He understood it was bad, but not this bad. To think the Tang Sect had fallen so drastically. They might as well be hanging by a thread at this point if all they have are two members.
"But you're so young... I can't imagine the responsibilities you put on yourself. It's admirable." He complimented them, getting humble smiles from both of them.
'Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.' The Titan teased, and this time his grandson didn't even bother telling him to shut up.
Bei Bei cleared his throat. "Thank you for the compliment, little Yuhao—"
"I meant the Sect Master Tang Ya, not you'." Huo Yuhao corrected, drawing stifled laughter from Tang Ya, while the violet Bei Bei gaped.
'Hah!' Kronos laughed heartily.
Tang Ya nudged Bei Bei. "See? Even he recognizes my greatness as Sect Master." She teased, bumping his side.
"Oh yes, of course. All credit goes to you." Bei Bei said, scratching the back of his head. "Anyway, Little Yuhao, you see our situation, right? The Tang Sect has only the two of us left, but we're striving to restore its former glory. If you are willing, you are welcome to join us. Tang Ya wasn't lying when she said our techniques would suit you. For example, we even have an eye technique that would pair well with your Spirit Eyes and another for cultivation. It will greatly benefit your future development."
"And what exactly would I have to do after joining?" Huo Yuhao asked, getting to the meat of the discussion.
Tang Ya answered, "You'd need to continuously train and increase your cultivation and become stronger. When the Sect needs your power, you need to contribute. I won't lie to you, Yuhao, our Tang Sect is not the same as it used to be. We cannot offer you normal protection like stable Sects can or even help much with funding, but we can offer you something else. Because of our long history as the former number one Sect in the continent, we still have certain privileges that other Sects don't."
"What kind of privilege?" His interest piqued now, and even Kronos was the tiniest bit absorbed. From how she talked about it, it sounded good if it trumped what other Sects offered. His guess was that it had something to do with the Sects reputation or favors.
Bei Bei spoke. "You know about Shrek Academy, right?" He asked, receiving a nod. "That's where Tang Ya and I study." He then gestured for Tang Ya to take over, and she did with gusto.
"Yes, Shrek Academy is known as the best institute for Soul Masters in the world. And as the best school, it has a very strict policy for students. However, they are willing to grant the Tang Sect one exemption slot each year. Bei Bei and I have already enrolled. This year there happens to be one slot available, and if you're willing to join our Tang Sect, it will be yours. As for whether or not you can stay and study at Shrek Academy, it will depend on your own hard work. That's all I can offer you, but little Yuhao, you need to understand that if you are to be with the Tang Sect, it's for life. If one day you decide to leave, you will have to return all of the Tang Sect's ultimate techniques." Tang Ya's tone was dead serious.
She wanted to let him know exactly what he'd get into if he decided to join. Joining a Sect was not light business.
If he betrayed them, then she had no choice but to act. Neither she nor Bei Bei would hold back against him no matter how reluctant they were about the idea.
Unfazed by the veiled threat against betrayal, the Silver Demigod replied, "I see. Well, I appreciate the honesty."
"I know it isn't exactly ideal, but Bei Bei and I will support you however we can. So… what do you say, Yuhao? Will you join the Tang Sect?" She asked.
Yuhao became silent as he thought it over. If he were to learn the secret techniques, it would help accelerate his future cultivation, and he might even learn new things too and innovate his already vast skill set, which was always welcomed. He was a crow for knowledge. Sue him.
However, becoming part of a Sect no matter how nice the boons were, would restrict him, and that was something he couldn't have. Kronos would no doubt be against the idea just as much as him. "Absolutely not."
'HAHAHA!' Kronos laughed, slapping his thigh.
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(Had a bit of trouble making chapters 23-25. On the bright side, I typed a lot of words during the time I've been away. Later.)