Douluo Continent III Haotian Wulin

"I'm still worried."

As soon as the door closed, Lang Yue finally couldn't help but speak in a low voice. She was trying her best to restrain herself, but her eyes were still red, and her voice was choked with sobs that she couldn't suppress.

"Wu Lin is only six years old. Six years old. He was only there for two hours, and his hands were already rubbed like that, and his arms were swollen. When I think about how he just smiled and said 'it doesn't hurt,' it feels like something is twisting my heart."

Tang Ziran stood by the window and remained silent for a moment.

He was heartbroken too.

When he got home and saw his son's red, swollen, and chapped little hands, his heart sank. But his tears fell even faster than his wife's. He was used to suppressing his emotions first and thinking about whether this path was worth taking and whether he should suffer this hardship.

"Ah Yue," he said softly, "I understand what you mean. If it were just to make him earn money sooner, or to force him to suffer, I would never have sent him to Mangtian."

Langyue raised her head and looked at her husband.

Tang Ziran slowly exhaled, her voice soft yet steady.

"But before I left work today, Mang Tian specifically called me via soul communication."

"What did he say?" Lang Yue couldn't help but ask.

"He said that our son is not just willing to endure hardship." Tang Ziran paused, a complex emotion slowly rising in his eyes that he himself could not completely suppress. "He said that Wu Lin's foundation in forging is completely different from that of ordinary children. It's not just about being strong in the general sense, but... he's born to wield a hammer."

Lang Yue was slightly taken aback.

Tang Ziran continued:

"You know Mang Tian. He's arrogant, has high standards, and doesn't praise people easily. He especially wouldn't flatter a six-year-old. The fact that he's said this much today means that there's something about Wu Lin that he really values."

He paused slightly, then added:

"He also said that Wu Lin dared to use his martial soul as a forging hammer on the very first day, and the force with which he swung the hammer and the stability with which he dropped it were unlike those of a child who had never touched forging before. If we only consider the most basic pure strength and endurance, he is already not much worse than an ordinary adult male."

Lang Yue was startled by what she heard.

He's not much worse than an average adult male.

If this statement had been made elsewhere, she would probably have thought it was an exaggeration. But since the person who said it was Mang Tian, ​​she knew that at least 80% of it was true.

But the more she felt this way, the more mixed her emotions became.

Of course, there was joy and surprise. But beneath that surprise lay an even deeper heartache. Because she knew better than anyone that this child, praised as "exceptionally gifted," still needed a five-and-a-half-year-old girl to feed him spoonful by spoonful every night.

"But..." she said softly, "even if he has talent, he's still too young."

"Yes, he's too young." Tang Ziran looked at her, her voice lowering. "That's why I want him to understand sooner rather than later that if he really wants to go far, he can't rely on talent alone. Nor can he expect us to pave the way for him."

He stepped forward and gently took his wife's hand.

"You and I both know our family's situation. If it were just about raising a child peacefully, we could grit our teeth and get through it. But Wu Lin wants to walk the path of a Soul Master. That path becomes increasingly expensive as you go further, and you have to rely more on yourself. If he doesn't learn to stand firm now, it will only get harder later."

Lang Yue's eyes reddened again.

She understood every word her husband said and knew he was right. But knowing that was true was one thing, seeing her son suffer so early still made her heart tremble with pain.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Tang Ziran softened her voice even more.

"I don't want to push him too hard," he said. "I just want to give him another path he can hold onto. If he can really establish himself in forging, no matter how smooth his path as a Soul Master goes in the future, he will at least be able to live with more confidence on his own. Moreover, Mang Tian's attitude this time is more than just 'willing to try'."

"I think he really had the idea of ​​taking on a disciple."

These words finally made Lang Yue pause slightly.

If you're just an apprentice, then you're doing the work.

If someone like Mang Tian truly takes a liking to you, then it's not just about enduring hardship anymore.

She remained silent for a long time before nodding gently.

"Then... let's try again." Her voice was very soft, "but if Wu Lin's body really can't take it, I will not let him go again no matter what."

"Okay." Tang Ziran nodded. "If it really harms your health, I'll be the first to disagree."

The hushed conversation inside the room finally subsided.

When the two pushed the door open again, the warm yellow light in the living room was still on. Most of the food on the table was gone, and Tang Wulin was sitting upright, trying to raise his arm, but it was still a bit difficult. Na'er was sitting next to him, holding a spoon, carefully feeding him spoonfuls of rice and vegetables to his mouth.

Both children were beautiful; one had bright black eyes, and the other had clear purple pupils. When they sat under the lamp, they truly resembled a quiet and serene painting.

The tears in Lang Yue's eyes hadn't completely faded, but seeing this scene, her heart suddenly softened.

Tang Ziran stood beside her, looked at her for a moment, and then said softly:

"How about... we really keep this child?"

Lang Yue turned her head and glanced at him, but did not speak immediately.

"It's good for Wu Lin if the two children grow up together," Tang Ziran said softly. "He's too straightforward and tends to take everything on himself. With another person in the family, he'll have more to worry about and become more gentle."

At this point, his gaze fell on Na'er, and his voice lowered further.

"Besides, this child is really pitiful."

This time, Lang Yue did not hesitate and simply hummed in agreement.

The dinner was slowly finished amidst the lamplight and the aroma of food.

What worries the couple even more is another equally real issue—

The family now has not just one more child, but two more children who eat exceptionally well.

Tang Wulin's appetite had become even more astonishing due to his awakening and forging, and although Na'er looked thin and small, she ate just as much. By the time the two of them were full, the food on the table was almost completely gone.

Looking at the empty rice cooker and bowl, Lang Yue and Tang Ziran exchanged a glance, both seeing the same helplessness in each other's eyes.

"I'll start looking for work tomorrow," Lang Yue said softly. "Relying solely on your salary, things might get really tight in the future."

Tang Ziran paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright."

……

After dinner, the two children went back to their room.

Na'er remained quietly seated by the small bed, watching Tang Wulin slowly climb into her bed. Tang Wulin had been very active during the day, and his eyelids were already drooping, but he still forced himself to stay awake and smiled at Na'er.

"Na'er, look, this is my martial spirit."

As he spoke, he raised his right hand, and with a flash of dark light, the small black hammer quietly appeared in his palm.

Even under the lights, it still doesn't stand out much.

It was jet black, short and blunt, like an old, worn-out piece of iron, showing no trace of elegance or sharpness. But for some reason, when Na'er saw it, her purple eyes flickered slightly, as if she had an inexplicable interest in this hammer.

She reached out and gently touched the hammerhead.

"Brother, is this your martial soul?"

"That's right." Tang Wulin nodded with some pride. "Don't underestimate it now. Uncle Mangtian said that it's not just a martial soul, but also my forging hammer."

Na'er stared blankly for a moment before asking softly:

"So...will I also have a martial spirit in the future?"

"Of course," Tang Wulin said matter-of-factly. "Everyone will have their own martial soul. When you turn six, you can awaken it on Awakening Day next year. Maybe your martial soul will be even more powerful than mine then."

As he spoke, his voice grew softer and softer, and his eyes became increasingly unable to open.

I'm so tired today.

He spent his days in class, his afternoon forging, and then he was excited for so long afterward. Now, he felt completely drained. The little black hammer had only been in his palm for a moment before he was too sleepy to stay awake any longer.

"I can't go on..." Tang Wulin yawned widely, loosened his grip, and his martial soul transformed into dark light and disappeared into his body. "I'm going to sleep. You should go to sleep early too."

As soon as he finished speaking, he collapsed into the blankets.

In just a moment, his breathing became even.

Na'er sat on the edge of her little bed, quietly watching him.

The room was quiet, with only the occasional rustling of the night wind through the eaves. As she looked around, her gaze gradually became unfocused, as if she were remembering something, or perhaps unable to grasp anything at all.

She tried hard to remember.

I want to remember who I am, where I was before I came here, and that past that has been forgotten and is now just a hazy mist.

But the more she thought about it, the more blurred her mind became.

After a long while, she gently lay down and slowly fell asleep in this indescribable emptiness.

……

Late at night.

The room was quiet; even breathing was very soft.

The door was pushed open very gently, and Tang Ziran quietly walked in.

He had a small lamp clipped to his shoulder and the ointment Mang Tian had given him in his hand. He had planned to apply it carefully to his son's hands and arms while he was asleep, so that the child wouldn't be in even more pain the next morning.

He walked to the bedside first and gently pulled back a corner of Tang Wulin's blanket.

The light from the small lamp fell on those arms.

Then, Tang Ziran was slightly stunned.

“Eh…”

He subconsciously uttered a low sound.

The current situation is completely different from what Lang Yue saw when she returned home.

Tang Wulin's arm did not continue to swell and turn red as expected; in fact, it had subsided considerably. The obvious swelling from earlier in the day was now almost invisible, with only a faint trace of red remaining on the skin.

Tang Ziran frowned slightly and quickly looked at her son's hand again.

Upon seeing this, the look of surprise in his eyes deepened.

The skin on my palm, which had been chafed raw, had already healed. Although you could still see a faint trace of freshness, there was no sign of bleeding or peeling skin anymore.

He seemed unconvinced and turned his other hand over to look at it.

The same.

Tang Ziran sat on the edge of the bed, not moving for a long time.

Lang Yue would never lie to him, and he himself would never be mistaken. That could only mean that the swelling and wounds that should have lasted for a day or two during the day had mostly healed on their own in just one night.

This can no longer be explained by "fast recovery".

This is clearly a recovery ability that far exceeds common sense.

Could it be... related to his martial spirit?

The moment the thought popped into her head, Tang Ziran subconsciously rejected it.

Ordinary hammer-type weapon spirits could never have such a healing effect. But if it's not a weapon spirit, then what could it be?

He sat silently for a long while, his gaze shifting between his son's peaceful sleeping face and his small hands, whose scars were almost undetectable. It was at this moment that a very faint golden line quietly disappeared beneath the black hair on Tang Wulin's forehead.

Tang Ziran did not see it.

He just stared thoughtfully at the ointment in his hand, but in the end, he didn't open it. Instead, he gently put the bottle back into his pocket.

Right now, the best way to verify this is not to keep guessing.

Instead, they waited for Tang Wulin to wake up on his own the next morning.

……

Morning comes quickly.

Before the adults could even wake him, Tang Wulin woke up on his own.

He slept very soundly and deeply, and when he woke up, he felt incredibly light all over, as if the aches and fatigue of the previous day had been quietly washed away during the night. Even his arms and hands felt much more comfortable than before he fell asleep.

He got out of bed, washed himself first, and then, as usual, tiptoed to the kitchen to help his mother set out the dishes.

When Lang Yue saw her son come in, she felt a warmth in her heart at first, but then she immediately thought of his little hands covered in bruises from yesterday, and her heart ached again.

"Linlin," she hurried over, "Does your arm still hurt? Where's your hand? Let Mom take a look."

Tang Wulin was taken aback and subconsciously raised his arm.

Huh?

It seems... it really doesn't hurt anymore.

He swung his arms in place, then clenched his fist, and the doubt on his face quickly turned into surprise.

"I feel nothing anymore!" he said incredulously. "Mom, it really doesn't hurt anymore. I felt like I couldn't lift my head before I went to bed last night."

As he spoke, he unconsciously waved his hand.

Not only did it not hurt, but he also vaguely felt that his arm was a little stronger than yesterday, as if the pounding that had left him so exhausted that he could barely stand had not depleted his strength, but rather had awakened something deeper within him.

Lang Yue breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile finally returned to her face.

"It seems the medicine Uncle Mangtian gave us is really effective," she said gently. "Last night after you fell asleep, Dad came into the room and applied it to you."

At the kitchen doorway, Tang Ziran, who had just walked in, paused almost imperceptibly.

He did not apply any medicine.

But looking at her son's hands, which had recovered completely, and his obviously relaxed expression, her suspicions became clearer.

This child's body is indeed different from that of ordinary children after awakening his martial soul.

It's not just about being strong.

Instead, even its recovery ability was enhanced.

This discovery didn't immediately make Tang Ziran happy; instead, it first stirred a vague unease within him. This "difference" had come too obviously and too quickly. But the unease only flashed through his mind for a moment before he suppressed it.

At least for now, this change seems to be good for Wu Lin.

As for deeper things... we can only look at them slowly later.

Breakfast was quickly served.

There was hot porridge, steamed buns, some pickled vegetables, and a fried egg. For the Tang family, this was already a decent breakfast. And the two little ones' appetites once again proved why the family felt they were going through rice and noodles particularly quickly lately.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was unusually relaxed.

Na'er remained quiet, but she would quietly hand Tang Wulin a spoon; Tang Wulin, while eating, talked about things at school, about things at the Mangtian Studio, and about how he wanted to continue listening to the teacher talk about Soul Master knowledge today.

"Dad, hurry up and take me to school!" Tang Wulin finished the last mouthful of porridge, his eyes sparkling as he looked up. "Today we're going to learn about Soul Master knowledge again. Oh, right—"

As he said this, he suddenly slapped his forehead.

"Oh dear, I was so tired last night that I almost forgot to finish my meditation properly. You'd better remind me when you get back today!"

Looking at her son's energetic appearance, Tang Ziran felt a little relieved of the heavy thoughts in her heart.

"Okay," he replied with a smile.

Tang Wulin immediately clenched his little fists, his bright black eyes filled with seriousness and eagerness.

"I, Tang Wulin, will definitely become a powerful Soul Master!"

This sentence was spoken loudly and firmly.

In this not-so-spacious little house, such a childlike declaration seemed all the more powerful. Because at this moment, everyone could tell that this was not just the empty boast of a six-year-old.

He truly endured hardship while moving forward.