Douluo Dalu II: The Peerless Tang Sect

Chapter 30 Small Village!

When Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan entered the old man's home, they discovered that the family's situation was not very good.

The house has a simple layout, with one bedroom, one main room, and one kitchen/dining area. The main room is very simply furnished and very clean, with only a table, chairs, cabinets, and an old pendulum clock.

"Grandma, what's your surname? Do you live alone?" Zhu Ziyang looked around the house, while Jiang Nannan asked the old woman.

"His surname is Yang, and he has a little granddaughter who is asleep," the old woman replied, walking to the cabinet and rummaging through something.

"Where are your son and daughter-in-law? Aren't they home?" Jiang Nannan asked subconsciously.

"My son is dead, and my daughter-in-law went with him," the old man said calmly, as if he were talking about something insignificant.

"Ah!" Jiang Nannan said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Grandma."

"It's alright, I'm used to it," the old woman said, her aged face devoid of any emotion, like a block of wood.

"Grandma, what's the name of our village? There don't seem to be many people here," Zhu Ziyang asked, changing the subject.

"Guest, you may not know this, but our village is called Zhangyangzhuang, and it's under the jurisdiction of Viscount Notting of Hetian Town," the old man replied calmly. "The villagers have all moved elsewhere."

"You moved to somewhere else?" Jiang Nannan asked, tilting her head in confusion. "Why did you move?"

"If we don't move, the children won't be able to awaken their martial spirits." The old woman's tone finally carried some emotion, a helplessness intertwined with pain, struggle, and despair.

"Why?" Jiang Nannan asked, puzzled. "Doesn't Fran City have a Soul Master Association?"

"Awakening a martial soul requires a payment of fifty gold soul coins to the Soul Master Association." The old man didn't speak, but Zhu Ziyang answered Jiang Nannan's question, his face thoughtful as he spoke.

He didn't finish his sentence, but Jiang Nannan wasn't stupid; she understood immediately. Fifty gold soul coins might be a lifetime's savings for a family in such a small village.

The Soul Master Association was established by various empires after the destruction of the Spirit Hall to take over all matters related to the Spirit Hall and Soul Masters, including Spirit Awakening. After ten thousand years, the Soul Master Associations in various regions have become controlled by local nobles, which is undoubtedly bad news for ordinary people. There are probably countless small villages like Zhang Yang Village within the three great empires.

"What the guest says is true." The old man paused for a moment, then echoed, "When the old Viscount was still alive, he would bestow his grace every year, sending Soul Masters to every village to help children awaken their Martial Souls for free. But now, I haven't seen a Soul Master from the Viscount's mansion for more than ten years."

"Nowadays, all the families who wanted to awaken their martial spirit but didn't want to sell themselves to the viscount's mansion have moved away. All that's left in the village are old folks who can't walk anymore, and some children who haven't been able to awaken their martial spirit. What are we going to do..." The old woman rambled on, as if she had opened a floodgate, and then she stopped abruptly, "This old woman has been rambling on. Please forgive me, guest."

"..." Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan both fell silent.

He understood that this was the true reflection of an ordinary person's life in this era.

In this era, the matter of martial soul awakening was controlled by the imperial nobles. Commoners who wanted to awaken their martial soul either had to pay fifty gold soul coins to the Soul Master Association, where a Soul Master would perform the awakening. Every city in the empire had a Soul Master Association. Alternatively, they could sell themselves to a noble's mansion and become a servant of the noble. Each noble would awaken the martial soul for their servant.

Besides these two methods, some high-level Soul Masters also do good deeds when traveling across the continent, helping children in passing villages awaken their Martial Souls.

Nobles like Hong Zhen, the lord of Anyang City, are extremely rare.

This is an era of rigid social classes, where the only way out for children of ordinary people is completely blocked. There are only one or two remaining gaps, but even those are still out of reach for some.

Zhu Ziyang suddenly felt like crying, a wave of sadness washing over him, but he didn't know where the sadness came from.

The old man took a key from the cabinet, then walked towards the locked bedroom, saying in a low voice, "Guest, please rest in this room tonight."

"Okay! Thank you for your help," Zhu Ziyang said, his face expressionless, but his eyes were unusually deep, as if he were thinking about something.

"Guests, please come in," the old man said, opening the bedroom door, carrying an oil lamp inside.

The two followed the old man into the bedroom, where they found it decorated in a festive style. A bright red bed was covered with a bright red curtain, and the character "囍" (double happiness) was pasted on the dressing table at the head of the bed.

Such a scene caused Jiang Nannan's pretty face to blush slightly.

"This is my son's wedding room. He only stayed one night and hasn't come back since," the old man said, lighting a red candle. "Please make do with these two guests."

"Okay, thank you." Zhu Ziyang did not refuse. Although he had a compassionate heart, he would not engage in hypocritical behavior because of it.

"I won't disturb your rest any longer, old woman," the old woman said, her attitude remaining distant and respectful, clearly aware of Zhu Ziyang and his companion's identities.

"Goodnight, Grandma," Jiang Nannan said instinctively.

The old man left the room, making sure to close the door behind him.

"Let's rest. We need to get up early and travel tomorrow," Zhu Ziyang said.

"Okay!" Jiang Nannan nodded, folded the bedding on the bed and put it aside, then took out her own bedding from her luggage and spread it out.

The two slept fully clothed.

Silent all night.

-

The next day, early in the morning.

Zhu Ziyang and his companion stepped out of the room and found that the old man had already gotten up.

Beside her was a timid little girl, who looked about four or five years old, secretly observing Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan.

"Grandma, you're up so early!" Jiang Nannan greeted her with a smile, then looked at the little girl, waving with a smile, "This must be your granddaughter, she's so cute!"

"I'm old, and I don't sleep well," the old woman replied. Hearing Jiang Nannan mention her granddaughter, a look of affection appeared on her face. Looking at the little girl beside her, she said, "Yes, Nannan, greet the guests."

"Hello," the little girl called out timidly.

Jiang Nannan was a little surprised. She bent down and patted the little girl's head with a smile, saying, "Your name is Nannan, the same as mine. My name is also Nannan."

"Really!" the little girl exclaimed in surprise, her gaze towards Jiang Nannan becoming more affectionate.

"Two guests..." the old man began, but then stopped himself.

"Grandma, is there anything we can help you with?" Zhu Ziyang noticed the old woman's hesitant expression and asked.

"This..." The old man hesitated for a moment, a hint of expectation on his aged face, and said, "Are you two Soul Masters?"

"That's right." Zhu Ziyang nodded in reply, already having a vague idea of ​​what the old man was about to say.

"That's wonderful, that's wonderful!" the old woman said repeatedly, her aged face pleading as she looked at Zhu Ziyang. "May I ask you a favor? If you happen to pass by here in the future, could you please help my poor little granddaughter awaken her martial spirit?"

The old man's words were the same as what Zhu Ziyang had thought, and he fell silent for a moment.

Seeing this, the old man became anxious but dared not raise his voice for fear of angering Zhu Ziyang. He could only plead even more humbly, "This child lost her parents when she was just one year old, and I'm an old woman nearing my grave. Who knows when I'll be gone? This child is still young. If I'm gone in the future, she'll have a chance to live because she has a martial spirit..."

"Alright, old lady, you don't need to say anything more." Zhu Ziyang interrupted the old woman, his expression calm.

The old woman was terrified, her face turning as white as a sheet. She thought her words had angered Zhu Ziyang, and her mouth trembled, unable to utter a word.

However, Zhu Ziyang's next words made the old man's face turn red immediately.

"I promise you, old woman," Zhu Ziyang said, his expression still calm, but a strange light flickered in his eyes. As a fellow commoner, he felt he had to do something.

"This, this..." The old man was overjoyed and was about to kneel down to Zhu Ziyang, but Jiang Nannan stopped him in time.

"Grandma, I can assure you that I will come again this time next year. At that time, you can bring other children of the same age from the village, and I will help them awaken their martial spirits together," Zhu Ziyang said.

"Yes! Yes! Thank you! Thank you!" The old man was extremely excited. Although Zhu Ziyang had only said a few words lightly, it was their only hope!

Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan left Zhangyangzhuang with somewhat heavy hearts.

(End of this chapter)