"Where's lunch?" Tang Hao demanded.
"I ate at Grandpa Jack's house," Tang San replied honestly, pausing his Mysterious Heaven Skill practice. "I traded a bundle of firewood for four eggs - gave you one of them."
"What about your father's meal?" Tang Hao grumbled.
"If you want me to earn money through forging, shouldn't you lead by example and cook for yourself first?" Tang San countered, fixing Tang Hao with the same challenging stare his father often used.
"What an excellent son I've raised!" Tang Hao stormed out of the blacksmith shop, returning an hour later with a bag of rice. "Cook this for me."
"Gladly."
Tang San happily took the rice, measured out a bowlful, and began washing it. He saved the starchy water to cook with wild vegetables - adding just some salt made for a decent side dish. Soon, fragrant steam rose from the pot.
After serving himself a generous portion, Tang San went to rouse his napping father. "It's delicious," he announced.
Tang Hao frowned at the bowl in Tang San's hands. "Is that for me?"
"No, it's mine." With deliberate provocation, Tang San licked a circle around the rice's edge, leaving a visible trail of saliva.
The crude display made Tang Hao's eye twitch. "Forget it, I can't be bothered with you."
Yet when serving the vegetables, Tang Hao reclaimed his pride by taking nearly all the greens, leaving Tang San with mere scraps and broth.
"If you keep this up, don't expect me to support you in your old age," Tang San threatened darkly.
"Hmph! Since when do I need your support?" Tang Hao wolfed down his meal in three bites, tossed the bowl aside, and retreated to his room.
"You said it yourself - no support needed." Though seething, Tang San still gathered the dishes and began washing them at the outdoor pool...
...
A year passed in the blink of an eye.
When Su Yuntao arrived for the annual awakenings, he spotted Tang San waiting eagerly with Old Jack. "Little San! Finally your turn to awaken - excited?"
"So excited I can barely stand still!" Tang San performed two exaggerated jumps.
"Then let's awaken that Martial Soul of yours!"
At the village center, six children and their parents had gathered. Su Yuntao ushered them into the Spirit Hall, arranging six black stones in a circle before summoning his own Martial Soul. Unlike animated depictions, the soul attachment transformed him into a wolf-like beastman - wild and vaguely demonic.
"Xiao San, you go first - old friends get privileges." Su Yuntao waved Tang San forward, one of his few perks as a Great Soul Master.
Standing within the stone circle, Tang San felt golden energy envelop him as Su Yuntao activated the array. Warmth flooded his body, and something surged toward his hands. He clenched his left fist tightly - the Haotian Hammer mustn't manifest.
"Relax, it's fine," Su Yuntao said, bemused by Tang San's strained expression. "Just extend your right hand."
Blue Silver Grass sprouted from Tang San's palm.
"Blue Silver Grass... a waste Martial Soul." Disappointment flashed across Su Yuntao's face before he composed himself. "But let's test your soul power. Even with this Martial Soul, you could become a theory master."
As Tang San touched the crystal ball, it illuminated just past the halfway mark.
"Innate sixth-rank soul power!" Su Yuntao's shock turned to delight. "Little San! With this level, you can cultivate despite your Martial Soul!"
Though uninterested in soul theory, Su Yuntao had studied enough to recognize sixth-rank innate soul power's significance - it guaranteed at least Soul Emperor rank with proper training. Even Blue Silver Grass could become formidable at that level, perhaps as a control-type.
Tang San examined his Martial Soul thoughtfully. "So innate soul power correlates with physical condition..." He deduced his natural potential was only second-rank; the extra four ranks came from his year of Mysterious Heaven Skill cultivation. Had he not practiced or eaten well like the original Tang San, his innate power might have been pitifully low - perhaps mere first-rank.