Douluo Dalu: Volume 21: Tang San’s Third Spirit Bone

by Tang Jia San Shao

  Tang San originally didn’t have anything to put in order, and even if there were some articles of daily use, he could store them directly in Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges. That evening Tang Yue-Hua personally cooked, sitting down to eat several small dishes with Tang San. Before Tang San went to bed, Tang Yue-Hua told him that there was no need to say goodbye when he left tomorrow. That moment, Tang San clearly saw something sparkling and translucent shine in his aunt’s eyes.

  How could Tang San know that Tang Yue-Hua had once fallen in love with someone, someone she should never have loved. After seeing things clearly, she was never again able to hold any feelings of romance in her heart, and therefore never married. She had once dreamt of having a child, so when Tang Hao brought Tang San, it was like having her dream fulfilled, and consequently Tang Yue-Hua thought of Tang San as her own.

  One year wasn’t a very long time, but Tang Yue-Hua felt as if she had been reborn. In Tang San she saw the future hope of the Clear Sky School. How could she spare any effort in helping this nephew?

  Early morning, after Tang San habitually finished cultivating Purple Demon Eye, he quietly left the Moon Pavilion, without alerting anyone. Right now was just as the sky held the first glimmers of dawn.

  A window on the top floor opened, and Tang Yue-Hua quietly stood there, watching that gradually disappearing white silhouette. A faint smile appeared at the corners of her mouth,

  “Little San, I’ll wait for you at the sect.”

  After leaving Heaven Dou City, Tang San no longer held back his speed. Extending his legs, he rushed with all his strength. He had long since committed everything on the sheepskin map Tang Hao gave him to memory. He could easily find the right direction basically without looking at it again.

  In the blink of an eye, five years time had already passed. Five years ago Tang San had been impatient to know the answer. And today, he finally had the right to learn it. Just as his father said, he had already cleansed himself.

  Speeding into the mountains, all bumpy roads were like stepping on flat ground for Tang San. Eight Spider Lances brought him along like a bolt of lightning, finally returning to the mountain range where he once cultivated, how could he still maintain that calm? He only wanted to see his father as soon as possible, to hear him talk about everything in the past.

  Still encircled by the mountains, ten thousand peaks and blue-green folds, in front the rippling sapphire, and still that vast waterfall connecting heaven and earth. Even though he once lived here for two years, when Tang San returned here once again, that feeling of an untroubled heart and pleased spirit hadn’t changed at all.

  In the valley, apart from the rumbling of the waterfall, everything was quiet, peaceful.

  Looking at that waterfall that had accompanied him as he grew, Tang San’s gaze roamed, searching for the silhouette of his father.

  “You’ve returned.”

  The deep voice seemed to echo in his hears. Tang San suddenly turned around. That instant, it was as if he froze in place, and his originally excited gaze now turned completely lifeless.

  At the edge of the pool was a familiar figure. But when Tang San saw him once again, there was an unsuppressable tremble in his heart. The changes in temper over the past year seemed to shatter in this instant. The pain in his heart making it hard to breathe.

  Tang Hao stood quietly by the side of the pool, but there was only one leg supporting his body. His entire left leg was cut off at the base. Equally missing was also his right arm. Standing there right now, was unexpectedly a one armed old man.

  His messy hair had even more been rendered snow white.

  “Dad——”

  Tang San practically shuddered as he called out. In a flash, his trembling lower jaw fell in front of Tang Hao.

  Having lost an arm and a leg, Tang Hao seemed very calm. The expression on his face wasn’t as grave and rigid as before, and unexpectedly held a faint smile as he looked at the son who thought him a hero.

  Raising his hand, rubbing Tang San’s head,

  “It’s good that you’ve come, I’ve been waiting.”

  This kind of familiar action was something he had never done before. But right now Tang San’s heart felt like a pincushion.

  Incomparably intense anger agitatedly burst out,

  “Who was it, dad, who injured you like this……”

  Because of his extreme fury, Tang San’s Deathgod Domain forcefully burst out, the surrounding atmosphere turning ice cold in an instant.

  The smile on Tang Hao’s face didn’t fade,

  “Silly child, what are you doing? Could it be that your aunt taught you in vain in this year?”

  “Dad.”

  Tang San looked at his father’s missing limbs, teardrops flowing uncontrollably. The once youngest Title Douluo had actually turned into this wind blown candle like old man, he was his father!

  The intense killing intent seemed as if it would rip through his chest. At this moment, Tang San’s eyes were already gradually turning blood red.

  Tang Hao’s expression mended, staring intently at Tang San,

  “Wake up, there’s nobody that could turn me into this. The one who did it, was me. One year ago, after I returned here, I cut off my own right arm and left leg.”

  “What?”

  Tang San was dumbfounded once again. He was unable to believe that everything in front of him was actually his father’s own work.

  Tang Hao gave a calm smile,

  “Very astonished? Didn’t you always want to know about my past? Follow me. I’ll bring you someplace.”

  While speaking, Tang Hao swung his remaining left arm. Spirit power erupted, and he shot up. Even though he only had one leg, his speed was still astonishing, and he directly soared towards the waterfall. Left hand pressing down on empty air, with just a burst of spirit power, he had already reached the reef across from the waterfall.

  Tang San’s heart held far too many questions, and he hastily leapt up, following his father to the rocks.

  Tang Hao didn’t use spirit power to resist the battering of the waterfall, allowing himself to be drenched.

  Seeing Tang San catching up, he moved once again. With a wave of his left arm, a three meter long, hammer head like a water barrel, immense Clear Sky Hammer abruptly released and soared up. The torrent of water falling from the sky was rolled up by the tremendous spirit power, and Tang Hao also soared up along with his Clear Sky Hammer.

  Chapter 144: Tang San’s Mother, Hundred Thousand Year Blue Silver Emperor

  Part 1 (TL by Bagelson)

  Tang San leapt up. He didn’t have his father’s profound spirit power, but he had his own ways. The Flying God Claw shot out, catching up to his father’s silhouette in midair.

  Half the waterfall was directly rolled up by the Clear Sky Hammer, and Tang Hao pressed with his left hand on the rock wall behind it. Seemingly solid rock unexpectedly caved in, revealing a portal.

  In a flash, he had already made his way inside.

  Tang San had never imagined that there would actually be a place like that behind the waterfall, but right now his heart was already filled with the pain of his father’s lost limbs, and he followed directly inside without thinking about it.

  Perhaps it was because of the waterfall just outside, but the inside of the cave was very damp. The cave was about three meters high, two meters wide, extending directly inside. Within was very dark. Tang Hao pulled out a faintly golden gem from his spirit tool, illuminating the interior.

  Watching his father jump inside on his one leg, Tang San couldn’t hold back his tears. At this moment, his father’s back seemed so lonely, desolate.

  Recalling past events, he suddenly deeply felt the enormous pain his father must have endured over all these years.

  Walking furthest inside, the surroundings brightened. Raising his head, he saw a hole in the rock ceiling. And here was an only ten square meter stone room.

  There were no decorations in the stone room, absolutely empt
y, but just below the hole in the ceiling, there was a small stone pot. In the pot, a slender blue silver grass swayed in the wind. That blue silver grass seemed a bit longer than ordinary grass, but most extraordinary was the thin golden line in the center.

  “Little San. Come, kneel.”

  Tang Hao pointed next to him, folding his one leg to sit.

  Tang San’s heart throbbed violently. Taking a few steps forward, he knelt in front of that blue silver grass as his father instructed.

  Raising a hand, the expression in Tang Hao’s eyes suddenly became extraordinarily soft. He extremely gently caressed that golden lined blade of blue silver grass,

  “Ah Yin, I’ve brought our son to see you. Our son has already grown up now. He’s got your beauty, and he’s even more outstanding than me. Do you see? Our son is here.”

  Tang San’s heart shook, stupidly watching that slightly swaying, distributing a gentle aura, blue silver grass. His heart trembled fiercely, and his Blue Silver Grass spirit released uncontrollably, scattering from him, instantly covering the entire rock room.

  Tang San’s Blue Silver Domain also quietly opened in this situation, gentle spirit power fluctuations pervading this quiet space.

  That blue silver grass swayed even a bit more sharply. Receiving the influence of the Blue Silver Domain, it seemed to grow quietly, the golden line on the blade moved slightly as if alive, golden light rippling.

  Tang Hao was also somewhat lifeless. Seeing that blue silver grass grow with a speed distinguishable by the naked eye, he muttered to himself,

  “I, I never imagine. Ah Yin, Ah Yin, don’t tell me, you really can come back to life? Ah Yin.”

  Tang Hao wept. The Title Douluo of an era right now unexpectedly had a face covered with tears, his one hand trembling as it caressed that blade of grass, letting his tears moisten the soil.

  Tang San’s gaze was still lifeless. At this moment he finally understood why his Blue Silver Grass would be so unique. Just like he loved Xiao Wu, the one his father had fallen in love with was actually a hundred thousand year spirit beast. Now wonder, no wonder his father would know so much about everything related to hundred thousand year spirit beats, even more than Grandmaster knew.

  It turned out that, in his veins, flowed the blood of a half hundred thousand year spirit beast…...

  Tang San also shuddering extended a hand, without restraint pouring all his spirit power into that constantly flowing Blue Silver Domain, turning this entire stone room a clear blue color.

  That blue silver grass was originally one chi long, and now it had already gradually grown to two chi. But only to two chi, it didn’t continue growing.

  Tang San’s hand also gently caressed a blade of that blue silver grass. At this moment, a strange scene appeared. Among that blue silver grass, the two longest blades unexpectedly slowly moved, one twisting around Tang Hao’s hand, and one twining around Tang San’s fingers.

  Extremely gentle spiritual fluctuations quietly appeared, much stronger than ordinary blue silver grass, it seemed to transmit a most familiar feeling.

  “Mom……”

  Tang San was no longer able to hold back, falling prostrate on the ground, he cried voicelessly. Even though he wasn’t originally of this world, when he truly felt the aura of his mother, how could he inhibit the waves in his heart?

  Tang Hao’s lips trembled, but the excitement and joy in his eyes was something that hadn’t appeared for twenty years. He had never expected that the blue silver grass in front of him would actually grow so quickly in his son’s presence.

  This growth was already more than the sum of the last twenty years!

  Feeling that blade of blue silver grass rolled around his hand, Tang Hao suddenly felt very blessed. That deathly silent heart also gradually became a bit more alive.

  In such an atmosphere, Tang Hao and Tang San, father and son, didn’t know how much time passed. Only when Tang San’s spirit power was no longer able to maintain the Blue Silver Domain, and the Blue Silver Grass stretching from him also slowly withdrew, did they gradually wake up.

  That fantastic blue silver grass swayed softly. Tang Hao’s gaze had already become somewhat lifeless by now, sitting there, his face unexpectedly had a somewhat silly smile.

  “Dad——”

  Tang San’s voice had become a bit hoarse from crying, as he called out for his father.

  Tang Hao came back to his senses, looking over the blue silver grass in front of him, then again looking over Tang San,

  “You understand.”

  Tang San nodded silently.

  Eyes somewhat perplexed, Tang Hao seemed to look into the past, and began to tell his story.

  “When young, I was as outstanding as you. Among the directly related Clear Sky School disciples, me and my elder brother were the most outstanding two. And we were also the sons of the previous generation’s school master. Relying on outstanding talent and strenuous cultivation, very soon, we became the leading figures of the Clear Sky School’s new generation. The outside world called us the Clear Sky Twin Stars.”

  “My elder brother is fifteen years older than me, and looked after and cared for me in every possible way. From childhood, I felt more deeply for my brother than for my father. Practically all my skills were cultivated under my brother’s instruction.”

  “In talent, I was stronger than big brother. When I was twenty, I was already acclaimed as number one of the young generation. It was also that year that my father awarded me my first spirit bone. A sect heritage spirit bone. And my big brother was thirty the year he received that honor.”

  “Our Clear Sky School always put strength first, and my father’s health wasn’t good. He was injured in his early years, and was already growing worse day by day. In order to support the Clear Sky School in the future, me and big brother never married, spending each day in assiduous cultivation. Until I was thirty, when I broke through the seventieth spirit power rank, and my cultivation had gradually caught up to my big brother. At that time, he was seventy eighth ranked. Even if there was still some distance to the sect elders, at that time we were already quite formidable.”

  “Perhaps it was because your grandfather knew his body was growing worse, and he ordered me and big brother to go outside to gain experience for ten years. It was also at that time that I received the second sect spirit bone, and big brother didn’t. There are altogether three of our Clear Sky School inheritance spirit bones, and father giving the second bone to me was the same as declaring me the successor for next school master. His evaluation of big brother was that he was abundantly calm, lacking in drive. But not having left the sect for decades, if we didn’t experience the outside world, how could he be at ease in leaving the sect to us? Subsequently, me and big brother left the Clear Sky School, entering the teeming world of the Douluo Continent. Regarding father’s favor, big brother didn’t have the slightest complaint.”

  “Relying on outstanding strength and the military fame of the Clear Sky School, very soon, we had charged out into the Spirit Master world and made it our own. Even though we still hadn’t broken through eightieth rank, at that time Clear Sky School was already regarded as one sect with twin Douluo. With our ages at that time, nobody knew which of me and big brother would be first to step into the Title Douluo level.”

  “On our fifth year in the outside world, we met your mom. She was called Ah Yin, the Yin of blue silver grass[1].”

  At this point, Tang Hao’s face softened again, as if seeing again the scene where he first met Ah Yin.

  “Me and my brother had both focused fully on cultivation for decades. Even I was already thirty five at that time. Meeting your mom, we were practically attracted to her at the same time. You know? Your mom wasn’t only beautiful, but even more important was that fresh and clean aura she exuded. She was a fairy without the slightest impurity. Even the first time I met her, she had already captured my heart.”

  “Big brother also liked Ah Yin at the same time. By cha
nce, the three of us became companions. Ah Yin was very gentle, very good to both of us. After a crisis, we decided to become sworn siblings. At that time she announced that she was the youngest, therefore she was ranked third. We already called her Ah Yin, and also little three. Your name comes from there[2].”

  The smiling expression on his face becoming even richer, Tang Hao’s gaze foolishly watched that blue silver grass in front of him,

  “The next five years were the happiest days of my life. For three years, the three of us travelled to practically every corner of the Continent, and our friendship also grew even deeper. Being like a father, even though big brother and I equally fell deeply in love with the fairy like Ah Yin, he still decided to step down. One night, he quietly left us, returning alone to Clear Sky School. That night, me and Ah Yin talked for a long time. She also always hesitated, hesitated on what to do. It was just that night she told me her identity. She wasn’t human, but rather a hundred thousand year Blue Silver Emperor on the verge of entering the mature stage.”

  Part 2 (TL by Bagelson)

  “That day, I was stupefied. Of course I knew what a hundred thousand year spirit beast meant. But, the love I had for Ah Yin diluted everything. What about hundred thousand year spirit beasts? As long as she entered the mature phase, she would be truly human, not different in any way. Thus, I confessed my love to Ah Yin.”

  “Your mom really was very kindhearted. The one she liked had always been me, but because of her own identity, as well as being afraid to hurt big brother, she’d never said anything. Where the water flows, a canal is born. I decided to bring her back home and formally introduce her to father. Even though I knew it would be very dangerous, your grandfather was a Title Douluo, and could completely see through Ah Yin, I still didn’t want to wrong Ah Yin in any way. I believed that your grandfather would understand. As long as we stayed hidden after marrying and let Ah Yin quickly cultivate to the mature phase, nobody would be able to tell that she was a hundred thousand year spirit beast again. Then, she would be truly human.