To better deceive Tang San, Tang Hao secretly observed him to see what was really going on, if there were any other anomalies, and what he was plotting.
More importantly, he needed a good reason to explain why he was pretending and not caring for his son when his true identity and strength were revealed.
Tang Hao only did two things every day: drink and sleep.
Even when he was awake, he mostly appeared dazed and lost.
Because a Title Douluo's physique was different from ordinary people, his unusual nature could be seen at a glance from his aura, skin, and hair.
He hadn't washed his face, hair, or body, nor had he changed his clothes in six whole years.
For Tang Hao, the layer on his face wasn't dirt; it was a necessary disguise.
Day after day, he acted more like a real farmer than anyone else in Holy Spirit Village.
That way, he could say in the future that he had become this way because he was too heartbroken over his wife's death.
Although Ah Yin was killed by his own scheming, that didn't stop him from pretending to be deeply in love.
Twelve years had passed, and his son still hadn't noticed anything amiss.
Tang Hao was secretly proud of himself, thinking his acting skills were top-notch, even fooling such an old fox and playing him like a puppet.
However, at this moment, he suddenly felt a bit belatedly aware.
He seemed to have been outsmarting thin air all along?
With his son's intelligence, not to mention a scheming old fox, he didn't seem to be as smart as even ordinary people?
The other party hadn't hidden anything either; shortly after learning to walk, all his cards were laid bare.
Thinking of this possibility, Tang Hao's mood instantly became somewhat complicated.
Feeling the thick layer of grime on his face, the hair matted with clumps from years of not washing,
then smelling the pungent and nauseating odor all over his body, and seeing his tattered clothes.
Suddenly, Tang Hao felt an urge to hang his son up and give him a good thrashing.
Twelve years. A whole twelve years of walking on eggshells in a life that was anything but human. How many twelves years did a person have in their lifetime?
Tang Hao took several deep breaths, forcefully suppressing his turbulent emotions, and asked his son, Tang San: "A soul ring that's over three thousand years old… Are you sure you can absorb it?"
Yu Xiao Gang's theories held some value for most people, especially ordinary soul masters.
"Don't use Nangong Lingyun and Xiao Wu as benchmarks. I suspect their soul rings have a different origin and can't be compared to normal circumstances."
As a former heir of the Clear Sky Sect who had also traveled the continent for ten years, Tang Hao had seen many soul masters explode and die because they absorbed unsuitable or over-limit soul rings.
Like a balloon being blown up, every inch of flesh and blood would instantly turn to powder, not even leaving a single piece of intact tissue. It was a horrifying sight.
"What origin?"
Tang San's face suddenly filled with intense curiosity.
He knew a soul ring could be absorbed within an hour after a soul beast's death, so he wasn't in a hurry.
Far away, Flender, Dai Mubai, and the others quietly perked up their ears.
That conflict in Soto City had almost shattered the entire Shrek Academy's morale.
A group of people who considered themselves monsters had been utterly defeated by a twelve-year-old, who hadn't even used their full strength.
Whether it was hatred, resentment, admiration, or shock, the name Nangong Lingyun had given everyone PTSD. Just hearing it would trigger an immediate stress response.
Yu Xiao Gang didn't hide his intentions either. He sat down on the ground, his gaze hardening.
"Do you know...
about the existence of Gods?"
This statement immediately made everyone's hearts skip a beat. The immense impact of the words caused their minds to buzz.
The next instant, they became incredibly eager, eyes wide with intense focus, afraid to miss a single word.
Ma Hongjun exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that just a legend?"
Tang San's expression appeared calm, but he was actually the most shocked. He thought of the three pure deities statue he saw in Feixian City, and the voice that had rebuked him as useless.
If Gods existed, many questions could finally be answered.
Tang Hao's face became serious. "No, it's not a legend, I can confirm that.
This world not only has Gods, but also descendants of Gods, believers who specifically worship Gods, and secret places left behind by Gods.
Nangong Lingyun and the woman named Yan beside him should belong to this category. I can't think of any other explanation."
"Yu Xiao Gang's theory is certainly flawed, but a little off is understandable. To be so far off, there must be a special reason."
Haozi said, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes.
"Ancestor Tang Chen pursued godhood, but that was only thirty years ago, a fact known to many of the Clear Sky Sect's direct descendants."
"I also trained in the City of Slaughter and became the eighth Deathgod Domain possessor in a thousand years."
"In addition, Spirit Hall sent troops to Devil Island (Sea God Island). Their two thousand elite soul master legion was decimated, with only a hundred or so survivors. That incident caused quite a stir in the entire soul master world."
"Back then, I racked my brains to scheme for a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, and I spared no effort to equip a full set of soul bones. It was precisely because I had a strong desire for the word 'Gods'."
"Then, how can we find the Gods?"
Tang San asked anxiously.
耗子却轻笑一声,摇着头道:
"Let's get back to the soul rings, shall we? You're a decisive kid, so I won't make the decision for you.
One last time, are you sure you can absorb this three-thousand-four-hundred-year-old Mandala Snake Soul Ring?"
I'm not sure? Tang San's heart began to pound.
He was sure before. There was no reason Nangong Lingyun, a native, could do it, but he, a transmigrator with a cheat, couldn't. But after learning that the other person might have obtained an over-the-limit soul ring because of a God, he became uncertain.
"Dad, what exactly is the soul ring's age related to?"
"Nangong Lingyun didn't lie to you earlier in Soto City.
Physical fitness, mental strength, the past development progress of your Martial Soul, the compatibility between your Martial Soul and the target soul ring's quality difference, ability attributes, and other characteristics,
These four points are the most important.
In addition, unique abilities of certain special soul beasts or Martial Souls, as well as whether one possesses a Soul Bone, and what secret techniques they've cultivated, can also affect the final absorption limit.
As for the specific standard,
Without any other special circumstances, absorbing Soul Rings of the same quality as one's Martial Soul, with a high degree of compatibility, and having not gone down the wrong path previously, the limit would roughly align with Yu Xiao Gang's theoretical numbers."
Tang San's heart sank suddenly.
No wonder Nangong Lingyun was so insistent on such arduous body refinement; it was actually related to physical qualities.
Furthermore, according to this calculation method, with his cultivation of the Mysterious Heaven Skill and Purple Demon Eyes, coupled with his top-tier Martial Soul, his Soul Ring age limit should far exceed that of ordinary Soul Masters.
His first two Soul Rings were indeed utter trash.
After suffering another blow, Tang San clenched his fists tightly and asked:
"Then, why did Yu Xiao Gang..."
"I don't know exactly what he's thinking, but at least the Upper Three and Lower Four Sects, the Two Great Empires, and the Spirit Hall, all of these top-tier powers, tacitly approved of his actions. Few people spoke out against them."
Far away, Flender's eyes flashed upon hearing this. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he obediently shut his mouth and played ostrich.
As soon as the words fell, Tang San's temper flared up again.
Thinking about those two trashy soul rings, his whole body was trembling with rage.
Blue Silver Thrust, Blue Silver Flying Leaf, what kind of garbage skills were those?
Gritting his teeth, he spoke one word at a time:
"Isn't there anyone who will stand up for justice?"
"Of course, there was. It's just… they ended up dying horribly in the end."
Tang Hao suddenly seemed to think of something. A rare smile appeared on his face, as if something had amused him.
(End of Chapter)