Douluo Continent: The Martial Soul is Black Kite, the Herrscher of Knowledge

In the end, Ah Ji finally got to eat the candied hawthorn it had been longing for.

When Tang Wulin handed the candied hawthorn to it, Fu Li stood to the side, but he could tell that the little guy who longed to become a Soul Master didn't seem to be in a good mood.

Although we don't know exactly what happened, it's probably one of those few reasons.

Since he has just broken through to level 10, it is highly likely that he did not obtain the desired soul spirit.

Judging from their appearance, they are more likely to not have enough money.

Fu Li was always observant, and in the short time it took for Tang Wulin to hand him a string of candied hawthorns, he noticed the calluses on the other man's hands.

It's said that children from poor families mature early, but to develop such thick calluses, it probably wasn't an easy job.

"Wu Lin, thank you for your help. Ah Ji just said it casually, but I didn't expect you to actually remember it." Fu Li stroked Ah Ji's feathers and thanked him in a low voice.

"It's alright, Brother Fu Li. I just had some money left over after buying the Soul Spirit. I was planning to buy some snacks for Na'er anyway. Since Aji wants some, I'll give it a skewer."

Tang Wulin smiled and waved his hand, while also holding up the bag he was carrying.

There were two more strings inside; clearly, these were for his sister.

"Thank you so much." Fu Li gently nudged Aji. "What are you standing there for? You've been so busy eating, you haven't even said thank you yet."

"Tch, he clearly offered this to me willingly, how come..." Ah Ji pouted, but in the end he still reluctantly said "thank you".

"I reckon you're already impatient to fuse with your soul spirit, Wu Lin, so I won't linger any longer. Let's talk again sometime later."

He didn't say anything more; it's not the behavior of a gentleman to reopen old wounds.

Although he wasn't exactly a gentleman either.

Tang Wulin nodded: "Alright then, Brother Fu Li, I'll be going now."

After saying that, he pulled Tang Ziran away.

Throughout the entire process, Tang Ziran did not utter a single word.

Looking at the expression on his face, Fu Li sensed a feeling of self-reproach, like the weariness of someone battered by life...

It's true what they say, even a hero can be brought down by a penny...

Is this what Dad meant by the life of an ordinary family?

Looking at Tang Ziran's appearance, Fu Li finally understood this feeling for the first time.

To be honest, he did go somewhere in Mingdu; on the contrary, he met ordinary people. But now that he thinks about it, even ordinary people in the federal capital have a much higher standard of living than ordinary people in small places like this.

"Ah-Chi, you've been looking for so long, haven't you figured out anything else yet?"

Ah Ji rolled her eyes, slowly biting off a hawthorn, and mumbled a reply as she ate, "It's not that easy. But that kid does have a certain smoky, metallic smell about him."

"You mean, he's learning forging?"

"Otherwise, I think this kid has some strength, so he'd be suitable for this line of work."

"Alright then, you can play by yourself, but don't run around." Fu Li walked into the house. "Oh, right, you're beholden to those who feed you, so don't try to fool a child with the promised destiny."

"Got it!" Ah-Ji replied nonchalantly.

"Honestly, you're only a few months older than him, why do you like to act so mature?"

Fu Li chuckled upon hearing Aji's mutterings.

"With so much backstabbing and intrigue, it's hard not to mature..."

Ah Ji watched Fu Li walk into the house, his eyes darting around twice: "Mature? That won't do. What's the point of a little kid acting like an old relic? No, I have to help him correct this bad habit..."

……

Inside the house, in a quiet room, Fu Li sat cross-legged, contemplating his own mind, gradually entering a state of meditation.

In the darkness, he felt his body growing lighter and his consciousness rising higher and higher, and everything around him was receding into the distance.

It was a feeling of emptiness, a pure white space with no sky and no earth. His body was light, and he didn't know whether he was floating or sinking.

Finally, he landed on a clear lake. The water was crystal clear, but upon closer inspection, ripples were constantly spreading across its surface.

As the water rippled, Fu Li's breathing rose and fell, yet she could not calm down.

Just then, he thought of the behavior of Tang Ziran and his son earlier.

In this state, his senses seemed to be magnified infinitely, and his memory was incredibly clear. He could recall their every breath and even the slightest tremor of their downy hairs.

And the emotional shifts they conveyed.

Tang Wulin appeared happy, but his expression was mixed with confusion and exhaustion.

Although Tang Ziran remained silent, she constantly exuded a sense of despondency and self-blame.

He knew why the two of them were expressing such emotions, but he couldn't empathize with their feelings.

A few sorrowful thoughts drifted down to the lake like withered leaves, creating ripples on the surface.

With a sigh, Fu Li stopped meditating, her mind gradually drifted away, and her consciousness returned to her body.

He knew that his mind was in turmoil again, and that further cultivation would be of no use.

"Squeak—"

The door was gently pushed open, and Ah Ji squeezed in through the crack.

"You're awake? Come on, come on, you've been cultivating all afternoon, if you don't hurry up the other day people will be packing up." Ah Ji nudged Fu Li, urging him on.

But as he pushed, Ah Ji realized something was wrong.

In the past, it would probably have been the subject of much teasing from Fu Li by now.

But now, he doesn't react at all.

"Fu Li, Fu Li, what's wrong?"

As it called out, Ah Ji flapped its wings and waved them in front of the other person.

However, Fu Li's eyes seemed unfocused, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Ah Ji got anxious.

"Oh no, what do we do now?"

"Ah Ji, why is it so hard to master the Void Sword Qi?" Fu Li snapped out of her reverie and hugged Ah Ji with a hint of disappointment. "Do I need to find a mountain to live in seclusion before I can reach the Still Water Realm you mentioned?"

Ah Ji blinked.

Is this a sign of confusion?

It scratched its head, seemingly understanding why Fu Li had become like this.

I reckon it's because he experienced some kind of emotion from Tang Wulin and the other two today, and then went to cultivate his sword heart, which led to this.

Xinhu has always been sensitive, especially to emotions, and his behavior clearly shows that he is being influenced by his emotions.

"That's true. You're not exactly an old fogey, and you're quite perceptive, so it's perfectly normal for this to happen." Ah Ji's feathers swayed. "Looks like I'll have to use my divine artifact to help you in the end."

"Divine artifacts?" Fu Li was puzzled. If it was divine artifacts, including the Hidden Box and the three divine weapons, how come he didn't know they had such a function?

"Hmph, you don't need to know that."

Ah Ji suddenly revealed a sly smile, and then groped around his waist.

"What is it? Let me see."

Fu Li curiously leaned closer, wanting to see what kind of artifact Ah Ji was talking about.

Then there is no more then.

Fu Li felt a sharp pain in her head, her vision went black, and she lost consciousness.

Looking at the unconscious Fu Li, Aji tossed the treasure in his hand and exclaimed, "Oh dear, the great Herrscher of Knowledge has once again saved you from dire straits. Be grateful!"