The man who arrived was dressed in a gray robe that had been washed so many times it had turned pale.
His resolute face bore several vicious scars stretching from his brow bone down to his jaw, and within the depths of his eyes lay an unshakable trace of loneliness.
He was none other than the Second Master of the Breaking Clan, one of the four single-attribute clans of the past—Yang Wushuang.
“What’s wrong?
You were so absorbed in thought that you didn’t even hear your grandfather calling you.” Yang Wushuang gently patted Yang Chang’an’s little head, forcing out a smile on his face.
That forced smile seemed to slightly dilute the loneliness hidden in his eyes.
In this world, this sensible grandson before him was the only hope and support left in his remaining life.
Yang Chang’an snapped back to his senses and looked up at his grandfather.
A light smile appeared on his face as he tugged lightly at his arm.
“I wasn’t distracted.
I was just thinking about when I’ll finally be able to formally learn the Soul Breaking Spear technique.” The Soul Breaking Spear technique was the culmination of hundreds of years of inheritance within the Breaking Clan.
Even across the entire Douluo Continent’s weapon-type Martial Soul techniques, it stood as one of the absolute top-tier arts.
Though it was not as fiercely aggressive as the Seven Killing Sword technique of the Chen family, nor as overbearing as the Clear Sky Sect’s Great Sumeru Hammer, it possessed the unique sharpness of the Soul Breaking Spear itself—an unwavering faith in the hearts of every member of the Breaking Clan.
At the mention of the Soul Breaking Spear technique, a trace of loneliness flashed through Yang Wushuang’s eyes.
He looked down at Yang Chang’an and said in a low voice, “Once you awaken the Soul Breaking Spear, I will teach you.” But as he said those words, countless thoughts surged within his heart.
Back then, he had led a unit as bait in a life-and-death battle against Spirit Hall.
In order to protect the remaining clansmen, he ultimately chose to surrender.
From that day onward, he had become a half-crippled man.
His Martial Soul had lost most of its power, and his Spirit Power cultivation had stagnated with no further progress.
Since then, the only thing he had ever thought about was one matter—to ensure the bloodline of the Soul Breaking Spear continued, so that the spear soul of the Breaking Clan would not fade in his hands.
In recent years, he had learned that his elder brother, Yang Wudi, had brought the remaining clansmen to settle within the Star Luo Empire, still preserving the pride and backbone of the Breaking Clan.
This gave him some measure of relief.
But the branch he remained with was also part of the Breaking Clan’s roots.
He had to spare no effort to protect this lineage, and to safeguard the inheritance of the Soul Breaking Spear in his hands.
Thinking of this, the hand resting on Yang Chang’an’s shoulder paused unconsciously.
The aura around him suddenly grew heavy, and the anticipation in his eyes was once again replaced by deep loneliness.
Yang Chang’an keenly sensed the change in his grandfather’s emotions.
The smile on his face gradually faded, and he quietly stood to the side without speaking.
In his previous life, when he read the original story, Yang Wushuang had merely been a name mentioned in passing, a character he knew very little about.
But after transmigrating into this world and becoming his grandson, through years of daily life together, Yang Chang’an had truly come to understand this grandfather.
Back when the Breaking Clan suffered disaster, the clan decided to break out in two directions.
Yang Wushuang voluntarily stepped forward, leading a group consisting mostly of the elderly, women, and children to act as bait, drawing the fire of Spirit Hall and buying time for Yang Wudi’s main force to escape.
He could have chosen to go together with Yang Wudi, but instead, for the sake of the clan, he resolutely stepped onto the path of becoming bait.
In the end, when escape became impossible, he set aside the pride of the Breaking Clan and chose to surrender to Spirit Hall.
It was precisely his surrender that had saved hundreds of elderly, women, and children.
Over the years, he had taken care of this remaining branch of the clan, allowing them to recuperate and gradually recover the strength they once had when they were at their peak.
More importantly, they had not been defeated and captured—they had surrendered voluntarily.
Although Spirit Hall had some objections regarding the Yang family’s origins, they still granted them considerable preferential treatment.
Although it could not compare to the treatment of those great families within Spirit Hall City, and although there were many restrictions, it still allowed this branch of the clan to live in relative peace and stability.
Everyone in the clan understood his painstaking efforts and had never once blamed him, yet Yang Wushuang himself could never overcome the barrier in his heart.
He always felt that his surrender had shattered the unyielding pride of the Breaking Clan, that he had let down his elder brother Yang Wudi, and even more so, that he had betrayed the Soul Breaking Spear in his hands.
This obsession became a knot in his heart that could not be undone, tormenting him day and night.
Looking at his grandfather’s gloomy profile, Yang Chang’an let out a soft sigh in his heart.
He knew that his grandfather’s inner demon could not be resolved overnight; perhaps only when the Soul Breaking Spear rose to glory once more would he truly be able to let go.
After a moment of silence, Yang Wushuang was the first to recover.
Not wanting his grandson to see his vulnerability, he reached out and ruffled Yang Chang’an’s hair, his tone becoming light again.
“Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore.
Grandfather has recently refined some bone-strengthening and meridian-enhancing secret medicine—just right for you.
It’s good stuff, don’t miss out on it.” As he spoke, he took Yang Chang’an’s hand and walked briskly toward the nearby pharmacy.
“Anything refined by Grandfather must be top-tier!” Yang Chang’an followed his words, his tone lively and bright.
After surrendering to Spirit Hall, Yang Wushuang rarely touched his spear anymore, instead devoting more of his energy to refining medicine.
Spirit Hall possessed countless texts, including numerous alchemy and medicinal treatises.
Yang Wushuang already had the foundational knowledge of the Breaking Clan’s medicine refinement techniques, and combined with his day-and-night study of Spirit Hall’s archives, his alchemy skills had long since reached an extraordinary level, surpassing what they had been in the past.
Over the years, he had developed many unique prescriptions, and the fact that the Yang family had recovered so much vitality in just a few short years was inseparable from the new medicines he had created.
And Yang Chang’an was one of the most frequent “users” of these new medicines.
Since childhood, Yang Chang’an had trained using methods from his previous life combined with the cultivation system of the Douluo Continent.
His energy consumption far exceeded that of ordinary children.
If not for Yang Wushuang constantly refining tonics to nourish his body, his physique would have long since broken down under such high-intensity training.
It was no exaggeration to say that Yang Wushuang’s current alchemy skills placed him firmly among the top-tier experts in the entire field.
Even Ju Douluo of Spirit Hall, who was also renowned for his medicinal expertise, had personally visited the Yang family several times to seek guidance from Yang Wushuang.
Though their differing positions meant they could not be considered friends, they were at least able to converse on equal footing.
“Of course,” Yang Wushuang said with a hint of pride when speaking of his alchemy.
“This secret medicine greatly enhances blood vitality.
Not only does it strengthen the body, but it will also make it easier for you when absorbing spirit rings in the future.” Yang Chang’an obediently nodded and allowed himself to be led into the house, warmth filling his heart.
He knew just how much effort his grandfather had poured into him.
The Yang family estate was not extravagant, but it was kept clean and orderly.
Several medicinal herbs were planted in the courtyard—common ingredients used in alchemy—and the air was filled with a faint herbal fragrance.
After entering the house, Yang Wushuang turned and went into the inner alchemy room.
After a short while, he returned carrying a white jade bowl filled with a dark brown medicinal broth.
The aroma was rich but not overpowering.
“Drink it quickly.
It works best while it’s hot,” Yang Wushuang said as he handed the bowl to Yang Chang’an.
Without the slightest hesitation, Yang Chang’an took the bowl and drank it in one go.
The liquid was slightly bitter at first, but carried a subtle sweetness afterward.
As it slid down his throat into his abdomen, it instantly transformed into a warm current that spread throughout his entire body, nourishing every meridian and vein, making him feel warm and incredibly comfortable all over.
Seeing him obediently drink the medicine, Yang Wushuang’s eyes were filled with gratification as he reached out to wipe away the residue at the corner of his mouth.
“That’s right.
Once you awaken your Martial Soul, if your talent is decent enough, Grandfather will pass down the Soul Breaking Spear technique to you.” “Mm!” Yang Chang’an nodded heavily, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.
Looking at his grandfather, he silently vowed that on the day of his Martial Soul awakening three days from now, he would not disappoint him.
He would awaken a powerful Martial Soul, carry forward the inheritance of the Breaking Clan, make up for the regrets in his grandfather’s heart, and once again make the name of the Soul Breaking Spear resound across the Douluo Continent.