Looking at the deeply serious gaze in Oscar's eyes, Tang San knew that this genius senior would never joke with him about something like this. But he truly had no idea what "other identity" he could possibly have.
Wasn't he just the son of a blacksmith, born in a remote village? And ever since he had entered Nuoding Academy, more than six years had passed without him seeing that blacksmith father again.
Wait!! Could it be… that his blacksmith father… actually had another identity?
After all, for an ordinary man, seeing his son awaken not only a twin martial soul but also innate full spirit power, he should have been overjoyed beyond words. There's no way he would disappear for six years without seeing his child, right?
And moreover… back then when father saw his twin martial souls, the very first thing he said was: "Use the hammer in your left hand to protect the grass in your right hand…"
Originally, Tang San hadn't thought too deeply about these matters, because whether it was his father Tang Hao or his teacher Yu Xiaogang, they had both basically refused to speak about his second martial soul. All they ever told him was: never expose it, and never attach a spirit ring to it.
Even though Tang San might not have succeeded in always hiding his martial soul, he had never once considered adding a spirit ring to it.
But putting all that aside, how could Senior Oscar whom he was meeting for the very first time today know anything about his identity?
After a long moment, Tang San suddenly raised his head:
"Could it be?! The instant I used my second martial soul just now, he already caught sight of it?"
Oscar, noticing the change in Tang San's expression, smiled and said:
"That's right. Though you only used that hammer for a brief instant, it did not escape my eyes. That wasn't an ordinary weapon it was your martial soul."
Pausing for a beat, Oscar then added with absolute certainty:
"That hammer must be your second martial soul. Am I right, Tang San?"
At those words, Tang San's vigilance shot to its peak. He thought to himself:
"So it's true… Even in just a split second, he captured the existence of my second martial soul. This Senior Oscar is no ordinary person!"
"In front of someone at this level, every little action is laid bare with no chance to hide!"
After some hesitation, Tang San finally nodded:
"You're right, senior. I do indeed have twin martial souls… But how could you possibly know my family background just from seeing my second martial soul?"
Tang San was not stupid. In fact, he was clever enough to instantly realize that Oscar must have guessed his identity based on his second martial soul. Yet Tang San truly had no knowledge of any special identity of his own.
He didn't even know what his hammer martial soul was called. And yet, Oscar could deduce from that hammer that his identity was extraordinary?
So, even though Tang San had no idea what kind of power lay within his hammer, he felt he had to pretend as if he did, as though he simply hadn't wanted to reveal it until now.
In an academy filled with geniuses, each with extraordinary backgrounds, if he could also appear to have some hidden backing, then his future path would be far less troublesome.
Oscar chuckled:
"Looks like… you don't actually know what your second martial soul represents."
Hearing this, Tang San instantly felt awkward. He had just been planning to bluff with his second martial soul to bolster his prestige, and now it seemed this martial soul of his carried far more weight than he realized.
Knowing he could no longer keep up the act, Tang San simply scratched his head and asked:
"Senior, do you perhaps know what my second martial soul is?"
Oscar's smile did not fade:
"The peerless Clear Sky Hammer, the mighty Clear Sky Sect. As the heir of the Clear Sky Sect and such a talented heir at that you actually don't know what your martial soul is? It seems something very unusual must have happened to you."
At those words, even a fool would have understood. Tang San realized that his second martial soul was in fact the legendary martial soul of the sect ranked first among the Upper Three Sects the inherited Clear Sky Hammer!
Since martial souls were passed down from parents, and given that his father was a blacksmith, could it be… that he had inherited this martial soul from his father?
But with a father who lived such a sloppy, almost incapable of caring for himself lifestyle… no, no, he shouldn't think of his father that way.
Still, could his father really be from the Clear Sky Sect? Or perhaps his father had been expelled from the sect for lacking talent, while Tang San himself was simply born with greater gifts?
In a flash, countless speculations surged through Tang San's mind. But never once did he consider that his slovenly father was in fact a Titled Douluo, and not only that, but the youngest Titled Douluo in the history of the continent the Clear Sky Douluo.
After remaining in stunned silence for a long while, Tang San finally decided to "seek knowledge without shame," for clearly his senior in front of him knew far more than he did.
While Tang San was still processing, Oscar continued:
"Tang San, why do you think your parents never told you this? Do you know? As the fourth person in history to possess twin martial souls you realize the scale of your potential?"
Tang San was startled, then replied:
"Senior, I really don't know why… perhaps"
Before he could finish, Oscar interrupted:
"In my view, there's only one explanation: they didn't know how to teach a twin martial soul user like you to cultivate. That's why your Blue Silver Grass is still in its most basic form!"
Those words shocked Tang San even more than learning that he was not the son of an ordinary village blacksmith, but rather the heir of the Clear Sky Sect.
Because from Oscar's words, he caught onto one critical point: his Blue Silver Grass should not be in this form at all…
Wait! His teacher's theories were flawless. Every one of his spirit rings had been chosen and guided by his teacher. If what Oscar said was true, did that mean his teacher was wrong?
What? Senior Oscar dared to deny his teacher? In an instant, Tang San's eyes narrowed sharply, a trace of killing intent flashing through his gaze.
No one was allowed to speak ill of Tang San's Xiao Wu, his father, or his teacher…
Yet that flash of coldness quickly faded. For Oscar's words, after all, were logical and well founded. He couldn't make a rash judgment. He should first listen to what his senior had to say.
So Tang San asked:
"Senior, from what you're saying, does that mean you know something about my Blue Silver Grass?"
Oscar nodded slightly. Seeing this, Tang San was shaken even more. Not even his teacher knew that his Blue Silver Grass might have a higher form, yet Oscar did? Did this mean Oscar's knowledge surpassed his teacher's?
At once, Tang San recalled what Ma Hongjun had said at dinner earlier:
"Our boss's knowledge surpasses almost every other spirit master. You could say there's almost nothing he doesn't know. If even the boss doesn't know it, then it probably doesn't exist at all."
Back then, Tang San had thought Hongjun was just bragging about Oscar. But now… it really seemed that Oscar possessed true ability.
But though Oscar had nodded, he didn't answer directly. Instead, he said:
"Perhaps your parents didn't tell you the secrets of your martial soul because they didn't know themselves. Or maybe… they didn't want you to know. If I tell you now, it might disrupt plans they've laid out…"
Before Oscar could finish, Tang San interjected. He understood what Oscar was concerned about, but as someone with the soul of an adult, Tang San believed he could take responsibility for his own choices. So he said seriously:
"Senior, I can take responsibility for my own actions. Please enlighten me."
This time, Tang San even respectful showing just how strongly he desired to uncover the truth.
Looking at Tang San's solemn expression, Oscar finally nodded after a long pause and said slowly:
"You have twin martial souls. Have you ever wondered how twin martial souls come about?"
Hearing this, Tang San's confidence immediately returned because his teacher had explained this long ago.
His teacher had once said:
"A person's martial soul is directly connected to that of their parents. Normally, they inherit either the father's or the mother's martial soul. This is family style inheritance.
"Some exceptions exist, however, known as mutated martial souls. These also come from the parents, but because of certain incompatibilities between the two martial souls, the child inherits a mutated form a brand new martial soul.
"Mutated martial souls can sometimes grow stronger, even appearing with innate full spirit power. But most mutations weaken the martial soul instead. Mutated martial souls are like the offspring of close relatives marrying high chance of mediocrity, small chance of brilliance."
At this point, Tang San noticed Oscar frowning. Oscar then asked:
"So what does that have to do with your twin martial souls?"
Tang San continued:
"My teacher once conducted research and even proposed the 'Ten Core Competences of Martial Souls' theory.
"He told me that my martial soul, Blue Silver Grass, is only an ordinary one. In the past hundred years across the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires, there have been nineteen cases of innate full spirit power, though only two of them possessed twin martial souls. He studied each of those cases without exception, all their martial souls were extremely strong.
"Among those nineteen geniuses with innate full spirit power, fourteen inherited strong martial souls from their family line, while five were exceptions.
"Those five were not from noble families, but they too had innate full spirit power. These were cases of mutated martial souls. Yet after years of studying martial soul mutations, my teacher found no record of any martial soul that could mutate together with Blue Silver Grass.
"And since my Blue Silver Grass is ordinary, my teacher concluded from this fact alone that I must have a second martial soul."
Pausing for breath, Tang San went on:
"So, I think my twin martial souls must have come from mutation!"
Oscar was dumbfounded. What was this logic? Tang San's explanation was right… but also completely wrong.
Because while twin martial souls might display variations, they could never come from a mutation. They only appeared when both parents' martial souls were of comparable strength, with a rare chance of inheritance.
Noticing Oscar's expression, Tang San asked:
"Senior, is there something wrong with what I said?"
Oscar let out a long sigh:
"Well… your theory isn't entirely wrong. But you and even your teacher know far too little about twin martial souls. On that point, you are mistaken."
Tang San was incredulous:
"Mistaken? How could that be? This was my teacher's conclusion based on his Ten Core Competences theory. How could it be wrong?"
Oscar's face grew more serious:
"The Ten Core Competences of Martial Souls… your teacher, is he Yu Xiaogang?"
When Oscar guessed his teacher's identity so quickly, Tang San felt rather proud. For even someone as talented and knowledgeable as Senior Oscar knew his teacher's name. Clearly, his teacher must be very famous.
So Tang San nodded:
"That's right. My teacher is the one known as Master, Yu Xiaogang."
Seeing Tang San's somewhat proud expression, Oscar rolled his eyes:
"No wonder! No wonder! If it's him… no wonder your Blue Silver Grass is still just Blue Silver Grass, only slightly altered in attribute. What a waste! What an absolute waste!"
Oscar was even worked up as he said this.
But Tang San's eyes instantly turned cold. This time, Oscar noticed it too.
For his words were essentially outright belittling Yu Xiaogang, saying that Tang San's martial soul had been wasted under his teacher's guidance.
If before, Oscar's criticism could be excused as ignorance of Yu Xiaogang's identity, then this time this time he was truly disparaging his teacher.
"In the Tang Sect's rules: Whoever insults one's teacher or elders shall have their tongue cut out, or be killed."
Of course, though Tang San was extreme in this regard, he would not actually act rashly against Oscar. Moreover, Oscar's every word and deduction so far had been well reasoned.
And Oscar hadn't insulted him personally only lamented his wasted potential.
From start to finish, Oscar's tone was like that of a scholarly elder, indignant only because such a promising martial soul had been so badly squandered.
It was only because of this that Tang San held back. Otherwise, with Oscar insulting his teacher twice even if the first time was unknowing Tang San would never have tolerated it, no matter how talented Oscar was.
Besides… he was no longer just the son of a remote village blacksmith. He was now the heir of the Clear Sky Sect! A twin martial soul user with innate full spirit power!
Even if he could no longer stay at Shrek Academy, if he went to acknowledge his Clear Sky Sect lineage, with his talent they would surely welcome him with open arms.
The only problem was… the Clear Sky Sect had gone into seclusion. Where would he even find their hidden domain?
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