Douluo: Blade Template, Death Omen Approaching

Chapter 32 You thought you had a different look... (Part 2)

Half a month later, as dawn broke, the morning glow illuminated the peaceful little village.

Ren and Tang San first met on an ancient stone-paved road, led by the old village chief Jack, whose white hair and face were etched with the marks of time. Today, they will embark on a journey together to Notting City, beginning a new chapter in their lives.

At this moment, Jack led Blade, walking slowly along the uneven path, surrounded by the busy figures of early-rising villagers and the occasional crowing of roosters and barking of dogs.

Blade followed silently beside Jack, his gaze firm and deep, as if deep in thought. The carriage they were about to ride in was waiting quietly at the village entrance, the driver leisurely smoking his pipe, watching the unhurried pair of travelers.

"Haha, oh dear, that drunkard Tang Hao always thought I was easy to fool. He made up an excuse to send me away, saying you weren't coming back. Well, as soon as you returned, I came knocking on your door." Jack said as he walked, his tone filled with a mixture of relief and tolerance.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!" Jack said, stroking his beard with his calloused hands, his eyes shining with relief. Blade remained with his arms crossed, expressionless, but a hint of respect for the old man flickered in his eyes.

Yesterday, with a touch of regret, old Jack habitually walked to the hut where Blade used to live. To his surprise, he saw Blade's familiar figure as soon as he reached the door. This sight moved old Jack so much he was almost speechless; he hadn't expected this exceptionally talented child to actually return.

Three months ago, Old Jack had planned to send his two children to Notting City today to begin their cultivation journey. But who knew that Blade would suddenly disappear without a trace before their departure?

When Jack asked, Blade simply replied that he had some personal matters to attend to, without going into details. But old Jack didn't care about these details; as long as he could see Blade safe and sound and witness his unparalleled talent being put to use, he was content.

Jack was filled with fantasies. He imagined the day when he would master Blade and become famous, but he would never forget his roots and remember that he came from the small place of Holy Soul Village.

At that time, he could boast to the older generation in the village that he had witnessed the growth of a hero. Perhaps, Ren's future achievements could surpass those of the Soul Saints who had once appeared in the village. At that time, it wouldn't just be his personal glory; the entire Holy Soul Village might be renamed because of him, becoming a legendary place.

Soon, Old Jack took Blade inside. At this point, he was unaware that Tang Hao had already left Holy Soul Village. He simply wanted to take Blade inside and give that drunkard a good slap in the face!

Ren, of course, was unaware that Tang Hao had already left. He was now eagerly anticipating the moment Tang Hao would see him suddenly return, and the incredible, horrified expression on his face! It would surely be a mixture of terror and disbelief; just imagining such a scene was exhilarating and intoxicating!

Moreover, this will surely bring a lot of progress to the role-playing stage!

Blade gently drew his shattered sword, which had been with him for many years. The blade faintly gleamed with a cold light. He held it tightly to his chest, as if it were the source of his strength. A slight smile played on his lips, and his eyes gleamed with anticipation as he followed closely behind Old Jack.

The two walked through the courtyard, sunlight filtering through the treetops and casting dappled shadows on them. The flowers and plants in the yard seemed to sway gently, as if cheering on what was about to unfold. Pushing open that familiar door, the silence inside contrasted sharply with the hustle and bustle outside.

"Little San, Grandpa's here to pick you up." As soon as he stepped into the house, Jack's voice was full of joy, his voice echoing in the empty room, carrying a hint of undeniable pride.

At the same time, he turned and shouted into the depths of the house, "Tang Hao, I'm taking my mistress to Notting City. I'm just letting you know. Aren't you going to come out and see her off?" Jack's words were tinged with provocation. He knew Tang Hao's temperament, and this seemingly ordinary question was actually meant to provoke the former alcoholic.

As Jack spoke, he entered the house, his gaze quickly settling on Tang San, who was practicing his hammer techniques. Tang San's initial reaction upon seeing Jack was a happy smile, but his gaze soon passed over Jack and landed on a figure he couldn't ignore. When he saw Ren holding that familiar sword, Tang San's smile instantly froze, as if his face had been frozen in ice.

His eyes widened in shock, and the hammer in his hand almost slipped from his grasp! Tang San's heart was filled with turmoil. He had been looking forward to seeing Ren again, but why did he feel an indescribable fear rising in his heart at this moment of facing him?

Tang San took a deep breath and quickly calmed himself down. He told himself that he was the protagonist and the blade was just a whetstone on his path to growth. There was nothing to be afraid of! He tried to restore his calm expression and show the composure and charisma that a protagonist should have.

"Haha, Ren's here too." Tang San tried to remain calm and said with a smile, but his voice still betrayed a slight tremor.

Blade completely ignored him, staring at him coldly without a trace of emotion in his eyes.

At that moment, as Ren's gaze met Tang San's, the system's voice immediately rang in his mind.

[Ding! The protagonist is terrified of the host! Role-playing progress increased by 0.01%!]

[Current role-playing progress: 17.79%!]

Upon hearing this, a hint of madness flashed in Ren's eyes. He stared intently at Tang San, his blood-red eyes seemingly able to pierce through the soul, causing Tang San to involuntarily feel a chill, and goosebumps instantly rose all over his body.

Tang San couldn't stand Ren's oppressive gaze. His previous experience of being beaten up by Ren was like a torrent, rushing back into his memory.

At this moment, Tang San, who never admitted to being arrogant and conceited, had all his memories restored, and the fear of being dominated by the Trisolarans once again enveloped his heart.

I remember now, I remember everything!

Tang San's heart raced, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He could no longer meet Ren's suffocating gaze and quickly looked away, trying to escape that invisible pressure.

Jack, oblivious to the tense atmosphere between the two, continued smiling with the loving kindness of an elder, saying, "Oh dear, you're both good children. The third one is doing great, still working on iron smelting. By the way, where's your father?"

Tang San picked up where Jack left off, his voice trembling slightly as he tried to sound natural: "Haha, Grandpa Jack, my dad had to leave early because of some business. He's not here. I'll get ready right away and we'll set off together!"

"Huh? Tang Hao left? Leaving you alone again, Xiao San? Him! Really, I don't even know what to say about him! He hasn't fulfilled his responsibilities as a father at all!!" Upon hearing this, Jack's brows furrowed involuntarily, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen at this moment, revealing his dissatisfaction and worry about Tang Hao's behavior.

"Sigh, Xiao San is the most sensible. Let's go, Grandpa will take you to Notting City!" Jack's words carried a hint of a sigh, but he quickly adjusted his emotions, not wanting Tang San to feel uneasy because of his father's matter.

After speaking, Jack stepped forward and gently patted Tang San's head. His calloused hands conveyed warmth and comfort. A smile returned to his face, a smile as bright as sunshine, illuminating the gloom in Tang San's heart. Jack's eyes were filled with encouragement and expectation, as if telling Tang San that no matter what happened, he had the ability to face the challenges to come.

Tang San behaved very obediently. He lowered his head and let Grandpa Jack's palm gently rub his head, but his eyes secretly glanced at the blade standing by the door.

Blade merely wore a playful smile, seemingly mocking him silently and implying that he could only accept the fate of being patted on the head.

Feeling the provocative look in Ren's eyes, Tang San felt a surge of anger. He didn't know what Ren's attitude meant, but as long as he saw Ren's contemptuous look, he felt as if his sore spot had been touched again. He clenched his teeth, his fists clenched involuntarily, and his knuckles turned white.

At this moment, as a transmigrator, Blade naturally took in everything. He sneered, but felt a pang of regret. This kid just didn't understand the rules of the Naruto game world. If he knew what patting someone's head meant, he'd probably be furious by now.

It's turned super reddish!

Ren thought that if he understood these things, then when he beat him up in the future, Ren could deliberately touch his head after beating him down to provoke him and gain more progress in the role-playing.

After all, the angrier the kid gets, the more intense his reaction, and the higher the progress bonus the system gives him. Ren felt he could play this game with ease.

"Let's go, kids, we're heading to Notting City!" Jack's voice was full of energy. He gently patted Tang San's head, his eyes showing affection for the child. After speaking, Jack turned around, gesturing for the two of them to follow him outside.

Seeing this, Tang San nodded and slowly followed, his steps slightly heavy.

However, Ren stood still, his gaze like two sharp knives, fixed on Tang San. That gaze seemed to exert a tangible pressure, making Tang San feel as if he were dragging a thousand-pound weight with every step he took forward, and this weight seemed to increase exponentially as the distance shortened.

When Tang San walked up to Ren, he gritted his teeth, his father's words echoing in his mind, and decided to avoid his sharp edge for now. He cautiously said, "Ren, how have you been? From now on, as classmates, let's work hard together."

"And, as I said before, I, Tang San, will always consider you a friend!" The dramatic Tang San spoke with a hint of sincerity and naivety, trying his best to make his voice sound calm.

Upon hearing this, a mocking smile curled at the corner of Ren's mouth. Ren felt like he was about to have a tart attack! Be friends with a nobody? Every time he said that, Ren felt like he was going to die laughing!

Sure enough, being right next to him meant being very close to the other side!

"Heh, I only wish to be friends with death. Can you?" Blade's voice carried a hint of coldness, his eyes flashing with bloodlust, his excitement overflowing, as if mentioning death gave him a strange pleasure.

Upon hearing this, Tang San gritted his teeth in anger, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh. His heart was in turmoil, and he cursed Ren countless times in his mind! The mix of anger and helplessness made his face look extremely ugly.

But what could he do? His father's words still echoed in his ears. He was powerless to resist, and dared not even show the slightest courage to do so. He could only constantly remind himself not to be swayed by the blade's influence, and to adapt to this situation as quickly as possible! After all, revenge is a dish best served cold. Once he controlled the power of this world, that would be the time for him to call the shots!

After an internal struggle, Tang San adjusted his emotions. He feigned a wronged and innocent look, his tone filled with sincerity and reverence: "I'm sorry, Brother Ren. If I have offended you in any way, please tell me! I understand that I am still young and just a child. I have indeed done some things poorly, and I will definitely correct them!"

Tang San adopted a very humble posture, his eyes revealing just the right amount of awe and obedience, as if he were truly just a child humbly seeking guidance. But beneath this humility, he was secretly vowing to one day stand tall and avenge himself a hundredfold for the humiliation he had suffered.

[Ding! The protagonist is actually extremely angry; role-playing progress increased by 0.01%!]

[Current role-playing progress: 17.80%!]

[Ding! Hint: The protagonist is taking his father's advice and acting subservient. He's gradually adapting to being humiliated, which will affect the rate at which the role-playing progress increases!]

Upon hearing the system's cold notification tone, Ren's brows furrowed slightly, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth, finding the whole thing utterly ridiculous.

"Tang Hao made his son act like a grandson? Does that mean I've become his grandfather? And Tang Hao has become my son?" Ren mocked inwardly, finding the family's relationship utterly ridiculous.

However, after recalling the system's second prompt, Ren's expression gradually turned serious. He realized that if Tang San was merely putting on an act in front of him, then the progress he was earning from the role-playing would be greatly reduced.

What he needs is Tang San's most genuine and direct reaction to being humiliated. This kind of fake acting? Good heavens! If he plays along with this act, how can he earn more progress in his role-playing?

A ruthless glint flashed in Ren's eyes. He suddenly remembered Tang San's words, "I'm still young," implying he was still just a little kid?

A time-traveling idiot is so shameless! He's lived a wasted thirty-six years!

This ignited a nameless anger within him. A cold glint flashed in Ren's eyes, like a blade in the north wind, cold and sharp.

With a flick of his wrist, accompanied by a clear metallic clang, the Fragmented Sword appeared in his hand. The blade reflected a dazzling light in the sunlight, like a silver river descending from the sky, its tip pointing directly at Tang San's throat. The sword's energy flickered erratically, seemingly ready to sever that fragile skin at any moment.

Tang San's pupils contracted sharply, his expression frozen in shock and disbelief. His mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. The sudden sword light made him feel an unprecedented threat of death.

"Brother Blade, what are you doing?" Tang San's voice trembled, like a candle flame flickering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment.

Blade's lips curled up slightly, revealing a playful smile. His eyes were filled with madness and irony, and his blood-red pupils were like an abyss, sending endless chills down anyone's spine upon looking at them.

A playful smile appeared on Ren's lips, his blood-red eyes fixed on Tang San, his gaze both crazed and sarcastic, as if trying to see through Tang San's soul.

This made Tang San even more terrified, as if something extremely bad was about to happen!

Just as Tang San had predicted,

The blade, which had been sneering with amusement, suddenly spoke, each word distinct and heavy as iron:

"Tang San".

"Do you think that by changing your appearance and adopting a different identity, you can erase all your past sins?"

"Heh heh." Blade's laughter echoed in the air, carrying a chilling undertone.

After he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence!

Tang San was completely stunned!

This is his deepest secret!!!

Blade's words were like sharp blades, precisely cutting through Tang San's defenses, causing Tang San's face to drain of color and his pupils to shrink sharply!

Tang San's body involuntarily took a step back, and the fear and unease that ran deep in his bones were exposed at this moment.

Blade's words were like a sharp sword, piercing Tang San's heart and turning his face pale instantly, as if he had seen his deepest fear!

When the secret was revealed, it felt like a heavy mountain pressing down on Tang San, making it almost impossible for him to breathe!

. .

(End of this chapter)