Tang Wulin thought for a moment and made a decision.
Just then, Old Tang looked at him and brought up a matter.
"When are you planning to ask your parents about the deities and about me?"
"I don't see the need to ask, do I? Mom and Dad are just ordinary people. They probably don't know about our situation."
Tang Wulin scratched his head.
Last time, when he learned from Huo Yuhao that his parents were just ordinary people and not deities, he had been wondering about the situation with his parents and himself. But he had not asked them.
After all, in Tang Wulin's view, since his parents were not deities, they probably did not know about his special circumstances. Asking would be meaningless and would only worry them.
The only one with a problem might be himself. He might be a reincarnated deity who had lost his memory, or even the Sea God himself.
He had even imagined a grand scenario where he and the Golden Dragon King had perished together, with one reincarnating and the other being sealed.
After hearing his analysis and guesses, the corner of Old Tang's mouth twitched slightly.
Although he had lost his memory, he always felt Tang Wulin's guesses were very far-fetched and far from the truth.
"Have you considered that perhaps your parents do know something?"
Wulin was so special, yet his parents were so ordinary. Old Tang always found that somewhat strange.
After all, even if Wulin was a reincarnated deity, what about this wisp of divine consciousness?
Tang Wulin was started, then thoughtful.
Indeed, when Yuhao had spoken to him about this before, he had said that "it is not appropriate for me to explain" and told him to ask his parents himself. Perhaps Mom and Dad did know something.
Thinking this, Tang Wulin hesitated. "But how should I ask?"
Was he supposed to tell his parents that the Golden Dragon King was sealed inside him, using that as an opening?
He did not want to worry them.
Old Tang looked at his conflicted expression and rarely showed a hint of a smile.
"Are you not usually quite clever? Why are you being so foolish now?"
Tang Wulin scratched his head. "It is just that I do not know where to begin."
"Use the Golden Dragon Spear as a reason to ask." Old Tang thought for a moment and said slowly, "After all, you will definitely use it in the future. In front of outsiders, you can say your teacher gave it to you. But in front of your family, you can tell the truth."
Tang Wulin's eyes lit up.
Yes. The Golden Dragon Spear would definitely be hard to hide. It was perfect as a reason to ask.
In the blink of an eye, it was dinner time.
Tang Wulin had his words prepared. Before the meal, he took out the Golden Dragon Spear. Under his parents' puzzled gazes, he asked, "Mom and Dad, this spear has always been with me. Do you know why?"
Tang Ziran and Lang Yue said, "..."
Wulin, we are not even soul masters. Asking us such a question is putting us on the spot.
But since their son had asked, Tang Ziran felt that as a father, he could not just say he did not know. So he thought for a moment and said, "Do you not have another martial soul? This spear is also gold in color. Could it be related to that?"
Because Tang Wulin had not told them about the Golden Dragon King's seals, in their eyes, his Golden Dragon King bloodline was obviously another martial soul.
And Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon King "martial soul" seemed very strange to Tang Ziran. After all, it had not appeared when Tang Wulin awakened his martial soul.
Now that Tang Wulin had another strange spear on him, he naturally would associate it with the Golden Dragon King "martial soul."
After all, it could not be a three-life martial soul, could it? Did anyone in this world have three martial souls?
Lang Yue was much more direct. She glared at her husband and said, "Wulin, we are not soul masters. We do not know much about this spear. Is your teacher not Tower Master Bear Lord? He has broad knowledge. He should know the origin of this spear, right? Why do you not go ask him?"
Tang Wulin scratched his head. "Mom and Dad, you misunderstand. I know the name and origin of this spear. I asked Yuhao about it before. He said it is a divine weapon, the Golden Dragon Spear. What I want to ask is, do you know why it is inside me?"
"A di... divine weapon?"
Tang Ziran and Lang Yue were both stunned.
A divine weapon?
This word was too far away for them. So far that it only existed in legends and stories.
Tang Ziran's voice trembled slightly.
"Wulin, you are saying this is a divine weapon, the kind used by deities?"
Tang Wulin nodded seriously. "That is what Yuhao said. He also said this spear is of very high quality, top tier among divine weapons."
Lang Yue covered her mouth, her eyes full of shock and worry. She exchanged a glance with Tang Ziran.
Although they were not soul masters, they still had some idea of what a divine weapon meant and what it meant for it to appear on Tang Wulin.
Having a divine weapon on him. Was Wulin connected to deities? Was he the child of a deity?
Thinking this, Lang Yue's feelings were very complex. She did not know how to answer Tang Wulin's question for a moment.
Should she tell him the truth, that he was adopted?
She had lost her ability to bear children due to an experimental infection. Tang Wulin was a child she and her husband had found in the wild during a picnic.
For them, Tang Wulin was like a gift from heaven. He was well-behaved, sensible, kind, and filial. Apart from his big appetite, he had never given them any worry since he was little.
After so many years, she had long considered Tang Wulin her own child. She would rather keep this secret forever, selfish as it was, than tell him.
She could not bear to lose Wulin. She did not want to lose this well-behaved, sensible son.
Seeing the shock on his parents' faces, Tang Wulin also confirmed that they knew nothing about the Golden Dragon Spear. He could not help feeling confused.
Indeed, Mom and Dad were just ordinary people. They clearly did not know about divine weapons and deities. Then what was it that Yuhao had said they should tell him?
Tang Ziran snapped back to reality and smiled helplessly. "Wulin, we are just ordinary people. How would we know anything about divine weapons? Let alone why it is on you. Why did you think to ask us?"
He wanted to know if Wulin had guessed something.
Lang Yue also looked over upon hearing this.
Tang Wulin, seeing his parents staring intently at him, felt a little embarrassed. He could not help but bring up the reason he had given when talking with Huo Yuhao before.
"I have a divine weapon on me. So I was thinking, Mom and Dad, could you be deities pretending to be ordinary people to train me? There are a lot of web novels and stories like that these days."
Halfway through, seeing his parents' expressions become increasingly complex, Tang Wulin quickly added, "..."
"Silly child. Why would we make you live a hard life just to train you?"
Lang Yue was both amused and exasperated. "We would rather spoil you rotten, let you wear fine clothes and eat good food every day. We would never let you suffer. Training you? Have you ever seen parents train their child by throwing them into an ordinary family to live a hard life?"
Tang Ziran could not help laughing either. "Exactly. If we were deities, the first thing we would do is make sure you ate well every day, so you would not eat like a starving wolf every meal."
As he said this, he also breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed Wulin had not suspected his background.
"..."
Tang Wulin smiled sheepishly. Then he continued, "But if you are not deities, the only possibility for me to have a divine weapon is."
Tang Ziran, who had just relaxed, felt his heart tighten again. He and Lang Yue thought of the same possibility. Wulin might be the child of a deity. Was he now sensing something?
Then they heard the second half of Tang Wulin's words. "I myself am a reincarnated deity."
Tang Ziran said, "???"
Lang Yue said, "???"
Silence was tonight's Douluo.
After a long while, Tang Ziran asked with a baffled expression, "How did you come to that conclusion?"
"Because I am the same age as Yuhao and the others." Tang Wulin said this guess with some confidence.
It was known that Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena were both reincarnated deities. They were fifteen. He was also fifteen. They had divine weapons. He also had a divine weapon. Therefore, it followed that.
He, Tang Wulin, equaled Huo Yuhao and the others, equaled a reincarnated deity.
Hearing Tang Wulin's reasoning, Tang Ziran and his wife exchanged glances.
That seemed... not unreasonable?
Was Wulin really a reincarnated deity? Had they adopted a deity?
It felt a bit surreal.
"Perhaps that is indeed the case."
Tang Ziran did not want to dwell on this topic. Moreover, he thought it would not be bad if it were true. So he went along with Tang Wulin's words. "Alright. Since you have a guess, let us stop talking about this. Prepare to eat. Your mother made a lot of your favorite dishes today."
"What are they? I think I smell."
Tang Wulin's eyes lit up. His attention seemed distracted, but there was a hint of thoughtfulness in his eyes.
Mom and Dad were hiding something from him.
He had already confirmed this.
The gap between a soul master and an ordinary person was too great. He could see their nervousness when faced with certain topics. Clearly, they were hiding something.
However, since they did not want to say anything, it was better not to ask.
Tang Wulin muttered to himself, "But what secret is it? Why do both Yuhao and Mom and Dad not want to tell me?"
Although the three had their own thoughts, they still finished dinner happily.
As the night grew deeper, after returning to their room, Tang Ziran exchanged a glance with his wife. They were silent.
After a long while, Tang Ziran sighed.
"We cannot hide it from him forever. And the fact that Wulin has a divine weapon on him means his background is definitely not simple."
Although Wulin's theory of being a reincarnated deity was not impossible, the possibility of Wulin being the child of a deity could not be ruled out either.
If they kept hiding it from Wulin, who knew if it would harm him?
"I know. But I still want to wait until he is a little older." Lang Yue's tone was low.
Feeling his wife's emotions, Tang Ziran gently patted her hand and comforted her, "Let us wait a little longer. Do not worry. You know Wulin's temperament. Even if he learns we are not his biological parents, he will not distance himself from us."
Hearing this, Lang Yue thought of Tang Wulin's personality and relaxed a little. She then mentioned tomorrow's Federation selection.
"Wulin has also signed up for the Federation selection. The matches will start tomorrow. Let us go cheer him on."
Although the selection was being held in a virtual space, there were still spectators.
Because of the Federation was promoting the Star Dou Combat Network system, virtual pods were also being sold. Although the price was very expensive, those who bought them could naturally log into the virtual space to watch the selection. Those who could not afford to buy could rent virtual pods from the Federation or the Spirit Transmission Tower.
It could be said that those who got virtual pods were essentially getting on-site tickets. Others could only watch the broadcast.
As Spirit Transmission Tower employees, they could naturally borrow virtual pods too.
"Alright. Tomorrow, we will go cheer him on."
The next day, Tang Wulin woke up early, went to the Spirit Transmission Tower to meditate and adjust his state, and then excitedly entered the virtual pod.
"Body scan complete. Star Dou Combat Network access successful. Tang Wulin, nickname Golden Dragon King, special physique. You have registered for the Federation Selection Tournament. Entering Western Division."
Hearing the AI's voice, Tang Wulin was not surprised.
The use of AI was very common in the Spirit Transmission Tower. He had been exposed to it quite a bit. Moreover, he had already familiarized himself with the Star Dou Combat Network system in advance, so naturally he felt nothing special.
However, the first time he had entered the Star Dou Combat Network, he had almost made a fool of himself.
During the nickname selection process, because he had added an extra syllable, his nickname had almost been set as "Golden Dragon King Turtle."
And he was considered lucky. When Xie Xie had logged in, the AI had almost recognized his name as "Xie Xie."
AI?
More like Human Idiot.
"This system needs optimization."
As he complained inwardly, Tang Wulin's consciousness arrived in another space.
He stood on a street. People came and went around him. There were soul masters in battle attire and ordinary spectators in casual clothes.
The architectural style blended modern and classical. Directly ahead was a huge stadium. That was the venue for this selection.
Tang Wulin took a deep breath, feeling the reality of the virtual world.
As expected of the Star Dou Combat Network built by Mingde Hall and the Spirit Transmission Tower together. Although the immersive feeling was still a bit inferior to the Spirit Elevation Platform, it was more than enough as a competition venue.
Tang Wulin inwardly marveled. After all, the Spirit Elevation Platform was for upgrading spirit souls. The Star Dou Combat Network could be accessible to the masses, and in the future, it might even develop into a second world.
"Yo, Golden Dragon King Turtle."
A familiar voice came from behind, the tail end deliberately drawn out long.
The corner of Tang Wulin's mouth twitched. He turned around and saw Xie Xie running toward him with a grin.
"Can you address me properly?" Tang Wulin said irritably.
Xie Xie clicked his tongue. "No way. You guys used to make fun of my name all the time. Now that I have caught you, I am not letting it go easily."
Tang Wulin said, "..."
He really regretted telling Xie Xie that Dark History.
"Hey? Is that Boss Yuhao? And Senior Ouyang?"
Tang Wulin followed Xie Xie's gaze and indeed saw two familiar figures who had just logged in.
The two also noticed them and walked over.
But when Ouyang Zixin noticed Huo Yuhao, she became somewhat reserved.
She had indeed met Huo Yuhao a few times back in Eastsea, but at that time, Huo Yuhao had been an ordinary member of the Spirit Transmission Tower. Now, however, he was a reincarnated deity, a high-ranking member of the Spirit Transmission Tower, and a Limit level existence. Any one of these identities was enough to make her, an ordinary person, feel awe.
Seeing this, Xie Xie shook his head helplessly. "Sigh. Identity has erected a sad Barrier between them. On Boss Yuhao's side, there is only us."
Tang Wulin glared at him. "You talk too much."
With that, he takes the initiative greeted the two. "Yuhao, Sister Zixin, why are you here?"
Seeing Tang Wulin, Ouyang Zixin relaxed considerably. She smiled lightly. "I came to cheer you on. I could not make it to Xingluo last time, but I am definitely coming this time."
Huo Yuhao also said, "It is your first match. I came to watch. Also, to get a feel for the Star Dou Combat Network's structure and verify some conjectures."
"What about you, Boss? I thought you would be participating too."
Xie Xie walked over. "If you participated, first place would definitely be yours."
The group chatted for a while and then walked toward the stadium together.
Along the way, Tang Wulin and Ouyang Zixin gradually became encrossed in conversation, their behavior somewhat intimate.
Seeing this, Xie Xie came over to Huo Yuhao's side and watched the scene, whispering, "I really did not expect Wulin to have quietly gotten together with Senior Ouyang."
Huo Yuhao's expression was strange. "I am not that surprised."
To be honest, he was indeed not very surprised by this scene.
After all, Wulin's current teacher, Bear Lord, was a terrifying existence who had once said things like "If you like someone, snatch them and mate with them."
Although Bear Lord had now become a Civilized Bear, seeing his disciple like someone but not knowing how to pursue them, could he tolerate that?
Of course, he would teach a few tricks.
And this did not violate the Spirit Transmission Tower's "teachings." If he could support it, he would.
Moreover, the Eastsea Academy had a cooperative relationship with the Spirit Transmission Tower. With Bear Lord pulling the strings, well, those who understood would understand.
If Ouyang Zixin had no feelings for Tang Wulin, that would be one thing. Bear Lord would not force a match. Although he was fierce, he would not resort to forcing a melon.
But the key was that Ouyang Zixin did have feelings for Tang Wulin. In the original work, it was only because of the age gap that she had rejected him, thinking he was too young.
But now, looking at Tang Wulin, who, after breaking through the Golden Dragon King's seal, looked little different from an eighteen or nineteen year old, combined with his calm temperament, cultivated through various experiences and interactions with important figures in the Spirit Transmission Tower, there was no trace of a green youth left.
A fifteen year old who had cultivated to Soul King, became a battle armor master, apprenticed to Bear Lord, met with Federation high-ranking members, and participated in foreign exchanges, who would think he was young and immature?
Standing together, it was hard to say who looked older or more mature.
Those concerns of Ouyang Zixin had long been worn away by Tang Wulin's strength and time. Not to mention Bear Lord's assists.
After listening to Huo Yuhao's analysis, Xie Xie was completely stunned.
"Whoa. Tower Master Bear Lord does things like this?"
Spirit beasts can matchmake people. Their Spirit Transmission Tower Tower Master can matchmake people. This was the first time he had heard of it.
Huo Yuhao sighed, his expression complex.
"The Spirit Transmission Tower has a teaching that forbids love affairs. However, this mainly targets cases where Spirit Transmission Tower personnel fall for people from other forces and love them to death. Conversely, if a Spirit Transmission Tower member likes someone inside the organization, or someone who can be recruited into the Spirit Transmission Tower, the organization is very welcoming. Some internal members will even take the initiative to help matchmake."
After all, this could strengthen the sense of belonging. It was a simple matter.
Xie Xie fell silent.
What could he say?
All he could do was give a thumbs up and say "666." He also shot a look of envy, jealousy, and hatred at Tang Wulin.
Why did his teacher not have this ability?
Oh, right. He had never shown any interest in pursuing anyone.
***
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