Chapter 78: Birth is a sin, raising and loving are grace!
Seeing the newcomer, Tang Chuan and Xiao Ruier frowned slightly, stopping in their tracks.
Although the other party did not release any spirit power fluctuations, they found that the surrounding aura seemed to have solidified, causing a sense of dread.
"Be careful! This person is very strong!" Tang Chuan instinctively pulled Xiao Ruier behind him, his expression becoming solemn.
He could clearly feel that the aura emanating from the grey-robed man was far beyond that of an ordinary Spirit Master, even surpassing any enemies they had encountered before.
However, just as the atmosphere grew tense, the grey-robed man suddenly turned his head slightly, lifted a cracked wine jar, and took a large gulp of clear liquor.
The wine trickled from the corner of his mouth, dripping onto his grey robe, but he paid it no mind, instead wiping his lips and letting out a muffled grunt.
"It's him?"
Tang Chuan's gaze sharpened at the familiar drinking gesture, and then a faint smile slowly spread across his lips.
"You know him?" Xiao Ruier frowned slightly, her voice tinged with confusion as she whispered.
Tang Chuan nodded slightly, his expression calm as he said, "It's fine, he's here for me. You go back to where we're staying first, I have something to say to him."
Hearing this, Xiao Ruier hesitated, her gaze shifting between Tang Chuan and the grey-robed man, before finally nodding gently, "Alright, be careful then."
With that, she walked out of the alley with slightly hesitant steps.
As Xiao Ruier brushed past the grey-robed man, she couldn't help but glance up at him.
A gentle breeze lifted a corner of the grey-robed man's hood, revealing a stubbled, unkempt chin.
Coupled with the faintly heavy aura emanating from him, it sent a slight tremor through her heart.
Only when Xiao Ruier's figure completely disappeared from view did the grey-robed man slowly speak, his voice low, "You know who I am?"
"Of course I do. You recognized me even with my bamboo hat on, didn't you?" Tang Chuan replied indifferently, his expression showing no significant change.
As his words fell, he raised his hand and took off the bamboo hat, revealing a slightly thin but well-defined face.
At the same time, the grey-robed man silently reached up and removed his hood, revealing a stern face, as if carved by a knife and axe.
It was Tang Hao.
Suddenly, the alley fell into a brief silence, the atmosphere oppressive and solid.
"Why are you here for me?" Tang Chuan's tone was calm, almost cold, as he looked at the father he hadn't seen in many years.
Hearing this, Tang Hao's gaze lowered, a hint of displeasure in his voice as he said, "After all these years, you've never once called me father. Compared to your younger brother… you could be called unfilial."
At these words, Tang Chuan's expression immediately darkened, coldness swirling in his eyes as he retorted, "Father? Do I have a father?"
"Since I can remember, when have you ever fulfilled a father's responsibility for even a single day? Do you know how old Tang San and I were when we started lighting fires and cooking for ourselves? Four years old, only four years old! Other children were still cuddling in their parents' arms, while we were in the kitchen, holding heavy spatulas, learning how to make porridge and start fires. All just to eat a full meal!"
"All the money you earned from blacksmithing over the years, you spent it all on alcohol. If it weren't for Elder Jack, the village chief's assistance, Tang San and I would probably have starved to death long ago, wouldn't we?"
"And now you stand before me, accusing me of being unfilial?"
"I'm not unfilial, I just never considered a man who never fulfilled his responsibilities in my life as a father."
"No matter what, I gave birth to you." Tang Hao's brows furrowed after hearing Tang Chuan's cold and harsh words, and he said in a deep voice, "Even if I made many mistakes, I am still your father. I brought you into this world."
Hearing this, Tang Chuan sneered and retorted, "Birth is a crime; nurturing and love are grace. Between people, it's always mutual. If you treat me well, I will naturally respect you. But what about you? Since I can remember, when have you ever truly fulfilled a father's responsibility? Not even for a day!"
"A person like you doesn't deserve to be a father!"
After hearing Tang Chuan's words, Tang Hao's face immediately turned ashen, a flicker of anger in his eyes, and his fists clenched for a moment beneath his sleeves.
But in the end, he forcibly suppressed this emotion, remaining silent for a long time before speaking in a low voice, "Over the years, I've been too decadent and neglected you and Tang San."
"I indeed failed to fulfill a father's responsibilities!"
"You don't call me father, I don't blame you, and I won't force you to call me father."
But then, Tang Hao's tone shifted, and his expression gradually became serious.
"I'm not here to talk about old grievances today."
Hearing this, Tang Chuan's expression immediately changed, and he instantly tensed up.
He subtly shifted his feet back half a step, and the spirit power within him instantly condensed at this moment.
His tone was low, with a hint of probing and wariness, as he said, "Then you're here to know why my strength has improved so quickly?"
"Hahaha—"
Tang Hao suddenly burst into laughter, his voice rough and unrestrained, as if he didn't care about the matter at all.
After laughing for a while, he stopped and slowly said, "Is that very important?"
"Perhaps you don't know, but after you and Tang San went to No Ding Academy, I actually secretly followed you both."
"That includes when I followed Tang San to Soul Hunting Forest and back, your spirit power rank suddenly soared from Rank 1 to Rank 10. I know all of this."
"I am indeed very curious how you managed to raise your spirit power rank from Rank 1 to Rank 10 in such a short time. I am also very curious what those strange things Tang San cultivated every morning on that small hill behind the mountain in Holy Soul Village were."
"I secretly observed that his eyes can emit purple light, his palms turn white during combat, and he also possesses an extremely bizarre movement technique comparable to a Spirit Bone skill, as well as those golden needles capable of breaking through a Soul Sage's defense. I really don't know how he did it…"
"Many things I've always seen, but I've never asked, because you are both my sons. If you don't want to say, I don't want to ask."
"In my opinion, you both might have had some fortuitous encounters!"
"Or perhaps your Spirit was never just ordinary Blue Silver Grass, and your innate spirit power couldn't have been Rank 1. I know you're very confused by my words now, but one day in the future, you will understand that your and Tang San's Blue Silver Grass are by no means ordinary Blue Silver Grass."
After saying this, Tang Hao's lips curved slightly, revealing a proud smile.
Looking at Tang Hao's current expression, the taut string in Tang Chuan's heart quietly loosened.
He let out a long breath of stale air, relaxing completely, and thought to himself, "Indeed… with Tang Hao's strength, if he has been secretly observing us, although my spirit power surge is incredible, aren't Tang San's performances even more bizarre and outrageous?"
"This old man probably thinks our increased strength is a good thing, as it will be more beneficial for him to deal with Spirit Hall in the future, which is why he hasn't pressed for more information."
Thinking of this, Tang Chuan subtly raised his eyes, looking at Tang Hao with a complex expression and asking, "Then why did you suddenly come to see me today? What is it about?"
"Why did you strike Tang San so heavily today? He is your biological younger brother, after all." Tang Hao looked at Tang Chuan, his gaze deepening, and questioned in a deep voice.
Tang Chuan scoffed, a cold glint in his eyes, and replied without hesitation, "As the saying goes, an older brother is like a father. It's only right for me to discipline him. If he doesn't know his place, is arrogant and thinks too highly of himself, and I don't discipline him, should I let outsiders do it?"
Hearing this, Tang Hao was momentarily speechless, his eye twitching slightly, but he ultimately didn't retort.
His tone softened slightly, yet it carried an undeniable seriousness, "Alright… I won't pursue this matter. But I came to see you today for something more important."
"Tang San has Yu Xiaogang to guide him, so I'm not worried that he'll be swayed by Spirit Hall in the future. But you always act independently and dislike being constrained. For you… I only have one demand."
"No matter what, you are never to join Spirit Hall!"
Hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Tang Chuan's eyes.
He naturally understood that the reason Tang Hao forbade him from joining Spirit Hall was because their family had an irreconcilable blood feud with Spirit Hall.
Moreover, he had never intended to join Spirit Hall!
However, Tang Hao, this old man, had never fulfilled a father's responsibility for even a day, yet now he was trying to command him as a father, which made Tang Chuan very displeased.
"As the saying goes, to beget a child and not raise him is to be an unworthy person. You have never fulfilled the responsibility of a father, and now you shouldn't expect to command me in the role of a father. How I choose to live my life is my own business." Tang Chuan sneered, his gaze indifferent, and retorted without backing down.
With that, he said no more and walked straight out of the alley.
Hearing this, Tang Hao's expression suddenly changed, and his eyes grew cold.
Tang Chuan's words seemed to have touched a sensitive spot in his heart.
In an instant, an extremely terrifying killing intent surged out from him.
Immediately after, the killing intent swept through the entire alley like a raging tide, pressing down on Tang Chuan without reservation; it was the Killing God Domain!
Tang Chuan felt the surrounding air instantly solidify, his heart felt as if it was clutched by an invisible large hand, and breathing became difficult.
His body was unable to move under the invisible pressure.
But even so, Tang Chuan still didn't turn back.
He gritted his teeth, forcibly mobilized the spirit power within him, and desperately resisted this terrifying killing intent.
His steps paused slightly, but he ultimately did not stop, stubbornly continuing to move forward, step by step, his back straight and steady as a mountain.
Looking at the figure, oppressed by killing intent yet still stubbornly moving forward, Tang Hao's eyes trembled slightly.
The surging killing intent receded rapidly like a tide, and the sternness on his face quietly softened a bit.
"Some things, I cannot tell you now."
"But as my son, please remember what I said today: you must never join Spirit Hall. Otherwise, I will personally cleanse the Tang family."
As his words fell, Tang Hao's figure flickered, instantly disappearing from his original spot.
The reason Tang Hao didn't attack Tang Chuan today was, first, because he didn't know that the latter had secretly absorbed the 100,000-year Spirit Bone left by Ah Yin.
Secondly, he discovered that his eldest son's current cultivation and strength were also very strong, and he also had exploitable value.
It was just like when he first learned that Tang San's Spirit was Blue Silver Grass; he sternly reprimanded him, saying that a useless Spirit was pointless, and why go to a Spirit Master academy?
However, after learning that Tang San had Twin Spirits, he immediately embraced Tang San tightly, declaring, "This is my son, you are Daddy's pride."
A typical double standard, changing his attitude faster than flipping a book!
As Tang Hao's son, as long as Tang Chuan had exploitable value and didn't join Spirit Hall, Tang Hao could still treat him well, even embracing him and calling him his precious son.
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