Tang Hao’s actions were rough, the strength of his arms even making Tang San’s bones creak, but being pulled into his father’s steel-like embrace, Tang San still felt unprecedentedly relaxed. Family love, was this the feeling of family love?
“I know you have a lot of questions for me.”
Tang Hao pushed away Tang San, letting him sit in front of him anew. Tang San discovered that his father’s eyes were somewhat red.
Tang San nodded.
Tang Hao said:
“When you used the Tool Spirit Avatar that day, the voice you heard was mine. There are a lot of matters that you still don’t need to know about. Because you still lack the strength to know about them. Starting from now, you will cultivate according to my arrangements. Until one day, after you’ve met my requirements, when I will tell you about everything. Cough cough.”
At this point, Tang Hao coughed twice, spitting out dark red blood to the side.
“Dad, are you injured?”
Tang San wanted to stand, but was pushed down by Tang Hao.
“It’s nothing, I just pulled open some old injuries today.”
Tang Hao’s expression recovered its calm, as if he wasn’t the one injured.
“Of the questions you want to ask, I can first answer two. First, the others from Shrek Academy are fine. Each of them will make their own choices. It was time for you all to part. The master can lead you through the door, but cultivation is individual. Grandmaster is undoubtedly an exceptionally outstanding teacher, but always following at his side will substantially hinder your improvement.”
“Second, regarding Xiao Wu. Don’t you find it very strange that, as a hundred thousand year spirit beast, Xiao Wu isn’t particularly strong?”
Tang San immediately nodded. This was something he had always wondered about. Even Grandmaster’s descriptions of hundred thousand year spirit beasts were very simple. After all, that community was far, far too small, and Grandmaster’s research had never reached deeply, because he didn’t have subjects to study.
Tang Hao said:
“I’ll give you a simple explanation, and you’ll understand.”
Part 3 (TL by Bagelson)
“Spirit beasts start to cultivate from the time they’re born, separated into ten year, hundred year, thousand year, ten thousand year, and hundred thousand year levels. Crossing between each level, to spirit beasts, is a qualitative change. After a spirit beast’s cultivation breaks through ten thousand years, their intelligence will improve quickly, and after a certain point, they won’t be inferior to humans.”
“In some sense, spirit beasts are linked to us Spirit Masters’ spirits, even though the cultivation age limit decides their strength, their own innate talent is equally important. Just like Spirit Masters with full innate spirit power like you, who are stronger than common tenth ranked Spirit Masters even at that time. The spirit beast’s species is like a spirit’s quality. But, this isn’t absolute.
“As the spirit beast’s cultivation finally reaches the hundred thousand year level, any spirit beast will reach a remarkable stage. In practice there’s very little difference in strength between spirit beasts of this stage. Like your Xiao Wu, originally she was only a Soft Boned Rabbit, but after her cultivation reached the hundred thousand year level, she wouldn’t be inferior even to a Titan Giant Ape on the same level. However, having reached the hundred thousand year level, spirit beasts must also face a choice.”
Tang San focused his attention on listening carefully. Tang Hao’s description of hundred thousand year spirit beasts was something not even Grandmaster had spoken about.
To him, this was like an all new area.
“The position of hundred thousand year spirit beasts among other spirit beasts is like that of Title Douluo among Spirit Masters. Having reached the summit, at this time, their strength is extremely formidable. In one against one, it would be very difficult even for Title Douluo to defeat them. They might even be killed. But, with intelligence not inferior to humans, they face a choice of two paths at this time.”
“One path is to maintain their strength, and go on like that. Having reached the hundred thousand year level, they’re already an existence opposing Heaven, and even the most powerful hundred thousand year spirit beasts can at most only live for another thousand years. After a thousand years, they will inevitably die. And the other path, is nevertheless the risky path. That is to change shape.”
“Change shape?”
Tang San looked at Tang Hao with astonishment.
Tang Hao nodded, saying:
“That’s right. Changing shape. Taking the shape of a human. Because, among all organisms, humans have the greatest potential.”
“After taking human form, the spirit beast has to cultivate anew. If they can cultivate to the Title Douluo Level, and again smoothly break through the hundredth rank pass, their lifespan will no longer be restricted, reaching eternal life. Becoming an existence like a god.”
Tang San said:
“Then wouldn’t all spirit beasts make this choice? Living forever, I think this is a goal all creatures pursue.”
Tang Hao calmly said:
“Among the small number of hundred thousand year spirit beasts, do you know how many take the second option?”
Tang San shook his head.
Tang Hao said:
“According to the accounts of our Clear Sky School, among known hundred thousand year spirit beasts, less than one in ten pick the second choice.”
Tang San astonished said:
“Why? Didn’t you say that by choosing the first option, they can only live for a thousand years? With the second path they can live forever. Why wouldn’t they take it?”
Tang Hao laughed coldly,
“How would it be that easy? Spirit beast cultivation is an unknown number of times more difficult than for humans. After choosing to take human form, it’s irreversible. In other words, after taking human form, unless the hundred thousand year spirit beast is killed, it’s impossible to again take beast form. Their true form would change into the human form’s spirit, and all their previous abilities would disappear completely. Their spirit power must be regained bit by bit. Even though their cultivation speed is a lot faster than that of normal humans, and have no need to go killing spirit beasts to gain spirit rings, they must be in contact with humans during this cultivation process, must feel the aura of humans, or they will be unable to progress.”
“Moreover, choosing this road, their lifespan will be the same as humans. If they can’t break through the hundredth rank within a human’s lifespan, then they will only be able to live for a hundred years. A thousand years and a hundred years, you should understand what the majority of spirit beasts choose.”
“Even more, even though normal Spirit Masters won’t notice human form hundred thousand year spirit beasts, as long as a Spirit Douluo or higher level observes carefully, they will still be discovered. Especially in front of Title Douluo, they won’t have any way of hiding. The reason why Xiao Wu was never discovered, was because of carrying that flower. That bizarre flower concealed her aura, making her always safe together with you. It was because that flower left her side today that her identity was exposed in front of the Supreme Pontiff and those others.”
“Consider, confronted with a hundred thousand year spirit beast, and moreover a weak little human form hundred thousand year spirit beast, would those people from Spirit Hall let her go?”
“After taking human form, a hundred thousand year spirit beast’s cultivation will be split into three stages. Before their spirit power has reached the sixtieth rank is the immature phase, in this phase, Spirit Masters of the Spirit Douluo level and higher can discover them. After the sixtieth rank, they will become a lot safer, and will also require even closer contact with humans. This is called the mature stage. Even Title Douluo will be unable to tell what they are after they’ve gained sixty ranks of spirit power. Therefore, hundred thousand year spirit beasts can al
so be said to truly have become human at the sixtieth rank. By then there’s already no difference between them and humans in any way.”
“And after reaching the ninetieth rank, a hundred thousand year spirit beast’s cultivation will enter the final divinization phase. Just like us human Title Douluo, they attack that undying eternity.”
“Undying eternity.”
Tang San repeated Tang Hao’s words. To him, this phrase wasn’t particularly meaningful. Undying? Could people truly not die?
He didn’t want to think too much on this. Right now, his mood was already gradually recovering from the excitement of seeing his father and Xiao Wu leaving.
At least, the original certain death situation turned into him and Xiao Wu being alright due to his father’s appearance, this was already a very good outcome. Or one might say, another beginning.
“Then that means, Xiao Wu chose to change shape, and moreover, she’s still a hundred thousand year spirit beast in the immature phase?”
Tang Hao nodded,
“Just so. Even though she’s a hundred thousand year spirit beast, observation suggests that before she took human shape, she probably never left the place she cultivated. Her heart is as blank as paper. Consequently, she’s actually no different from any ordinary girl, just that if she dies, a spirit ring and spirit bone will appear.”
Tang San nodded silently. Originally, after he saw that Xiao Wu was a spirit beast, his heart had also struggled. But just as Tang Hao said, in his heart, Xiao Wu was neither human nor beast, but his little sister, and there was also that hazy love.
Tang Hao said in a low voice:
“I’ve already told you what you want to know. From here on out, before you gain my approval, I will carry out a series of special training for you. Choosing the path of a Spirit Master, relying on high-sounding words to appear in front of Spirit Hall, you’re already without a way out other than growing more powerful. Otherwise, you will never be able to do more than live in the darkness like a rat. Rest. Recover as fast as possible, afterwards I’ll bring you somewhere.”
Finished speaking, Tang Hao slowly closed his eyes.
“Dad.”
Tang San suddenly called out.
“En?”
Tang Hao didn’t open his eyes.
Tang San clenched his teeth, but still asked the question he most wanted to know the answer to,
“Was mom killed by Spirit Hall?”
Tang Hao’s whole body jolted, his eyes abruptly opening, his strict gaze like two flashes of lightning in the night.
The light of his father’s gaze on him, Tang San even felt stabs of pain.
A fiercely fluctuating mood flashed across Tang Hao’s face,
“I said, there are still many matters you don’t need to know about. If you want to learn everything, become strong as fast as possible, reach the level I require.”
This was the last thing Tang Hao said to Tang San this night. Tang San also didn’t ask anything else, and father and son sat next to the fire like that and started to cultivate.
Early the next day, having eaten some simple rations, Tang Hao brought Tang San away. After a night of rest, Tang San’s durable body had already recovered by more than half, only the itchy feeling on his back growing even stronger. He knew that the Eight Spider Lances were regenerating within.
Tang Hao returned to his previous taciturn appearance, not speaking, only stepping forward with large strides. Following behind him, Tang San had to condense his spirit power to be able to keep up.
Tang Hao walked in the direction of Heaven Dou Empire. On the way, he didn’t walk on roads, but turned to find complicated terrain to pass through. For the first several days, Tang Hao’s speed wasn’t too fast.
But along with Tang San’s body recovering, Tang Hao’s speed forward began to accelerate. By the time Tang San had completely recovered, he had to condense all of his spirit power to be able to keep up with his father.
Because they advanced so quickly, Tang San was already unable to tell where they were heading. By the seventh day, he no longer knew where they were, and could only approximately feel that they were somewhere within the borders of Heaven Dou Empire.
The time Tang Hao stayed to rest was only four hours each day, and the remaining time was all travelling. Practically each day would bring Tang San close to the limits of his body.
However, having once experienced Grandmaster’s hell training, along with his body recovering completely, he still managed to endure.
After half a month, Tang Hao finally stopped.
* * *
[1] Endure (忍) and Knife (刀)
Chapter 131: Wisdom Skull Bone’s Ability, Purple God Light
Part 1 (TL by Bagelson)
Tang San following behind his father stopped his steps, following Tang Hao’s gaze forward.
Appearing in front of them, was a rolling mountain range stretching into the distance. They were unable to see all of the mountain range from where they stood, but even the outmost mountains were high enough to pierce the clouds.
“Have your Eight Spider Lances recovered?”
Tang Hao asked indifferently.
Tang San nodded,
“Already recovered.”
Tang Hao gave Tang San a glance,
“Use it. Keep up with me.”
Leaving only six words, Tang Hao already soared up, climbing straight up the mountain wall in front.
The mountain wall in front was extremely precipitous, close to ninety degrees, but Tang Hao still walked as if stepping on level ground. Each time the tips of his toes touched the mountain wall, his body would ascend more than ten meters, swiftly rising towards the top.
Tang San drew a deep breath, condensing his spirit power. The Eight Spider Lances burst through the clothing on his back, abruptly extending.
Passing half a month of recovery, the Eight Spider Lances had already regrown. Different from the icy mist of before, it seemed that they had become even more durable.
Leaning forward, Eight Spider Lances bending, it made Tang San look like a giant spider leaning over, his chest close to the ground. The spider legs abruptly exerted themselves, sending Tang San shooting up like a bolt of lightning, directly ascending close to twenty meters.
Cengcengcengcengcengcengcengceng—— The Eight Spider Lances pierced the mountain wall as if skewering tofu, Tang San hanging directly from them.
As an external spirit bone, Eight Spider Lances had an extremely wide range of uses. Apart from not being able to fly, they could practically ignore the vast majority of terrain restrictions.
After using Eight Spider Lances to stick to the wall, under Tang San’s control, the Eight Spider Lances moved rhythmically, bringing him to climb directly up the mountain wall just like a giant spider.
Even though Tang Hao was very fast, when using the Eight Spider Lances, Tang San absolutely wasn’t slow. Relying on the four meter long enormous spider legs, he moved even faster than on level ground.
With the rhythmic movement of the Eight Spider Lances, Tang San felt the blood within his body gradually warm up, his whole body indescribably comfortable. He understood that this was the process of the Eight Spider Lances’ complete fusion with his body after regrowing.
Tang Hao was like an untiring machine, bringing Tang San across one mountain peak after another, using close to half a day to penetrate deep within the mountain range.
Using Eight Spider Lances also consumed spirit power, and half a day of travel made Tang San dizzy with blurred vision.
Just at this moment, a faint rumbling sound reached his ears, and the air also gradually grew moist.
What was that?
Tang San raised his head to look at Tang Hao in front. He discovered that his father seemed to be advancing in this direction.
As they constantly came closer, that rumbling became more and more deafening. The air also became even more moist, the temperature was even a bit lower here than in the outside world.
At last, Tang Hao halted once again. This was a mountain valley, to be precise, it was a pool.
The deep water was so clear the bottom could be seen, tranquil and serene, like a giant blue gem.
On one side of the valley was a twenty meter wide waterfall, covering the two hundred meter high mountain wall like a jade ribbon. That rumble was the sound of it striking the pool.
The waterfall poured down in torrents, smashing into the pool, striking up countless splashes. In the sunlight, a seven colored rainbow spanned the pool, unspeakably dazzling.
Tang San had just arrived when clear and cool water vapor hit his face, the moist atmosphere penetrating deep into his heart, exceptionally comfortable.
Surrounded by mountains, ten thousand folds of blue and green, a rippling blue gem in front, and still that vast waterfall connecting heaven and earth. All this beauty made Tang San somewhat dumb.
Tang Hao sat there quietly, his gaze all along falling on the waterfall pouring down like a silver river. For some reason, his always cold expression had changed, and that aged face revealed an unconcealable tenderness.
Father and son stood there like that for a long time. It was still Tang San who first sobered from the beautiful scenery, subconsciously turning his head to look at his father.
Perhaps it was because Tang Hao sensed his gaze, but his expression mended and he slowly turned to look at Tang San.
“For the next two years, this is where you’ll live and cultivate. When thirsty, you have water in front of you. When hungry, you have all sorts of fruits in the mountains. You were together with Dugu Bo for so long, I expect you are able to separate which are poisonous.”
Hearing his father speak, Tang San’s chest warmed. His gaze at his father also became even more burning with familial affection. His father knowing that he had once been with Dugu Bo, told him that his father had never been far from him.
Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48 Page 232