Chapter 42: with translation of chapter title

Dad, why is your flag also puffing black smoke?

After Bai Tianming's martial soul was repaired, Bai Ran noticed that his father's so-called military flag also gave off a strange black aura.

"Hmm~ Ranran, you're mistaken; this is just the aura emanating from the ten-thousand-year soul ring on Father's body."

Bai Tianming said: "This isn't a Human Emperor Banner; at most it's a Human King Banner, or if necessary, a Plain Yellow Banner." (Huh, how did I grow a braid on the back of my head? And when I meet foreigners, my knee actually goes weak and I want to kneel.) "Old geezer, that's not funny at all."

Bai Tianming said: "This isn't the Human Emperor Banner; at most it's a Human King Banner. If that really won't do, you could call it the Plain Yellow Banner." (Huh, why did a braid grow on the back of my head? And when I meet foreigners, my knees go weak and I can't help wanting to kneel down.) "Old geezer, this isn't funny at all."

Bai Ran said: "With this inherited martial soul and facial features that are about sixty to seventy percent similar, am I something you picked up? Next time you make up such a story, you'd better not hold back your laughter."

Although he had regained his strength, Bai Tianming still refused to return to the empire's military system and instead took command of the Southern Army Corps.

After all, Bai Tianming, a commoner-born soul master who harbored no fondness for the empire's ruling nobility, had long been dead. (You guys chose that, noble lords.) Now the one still alive is merely an ordinary father named Bai Liang, a mere 89th-rank Soul Douluo.

Feng Tianyu also didn't try to persuade him further, because he also realized that Bai Tianming's return to the public eye was indeed not a good idea.

After all, the situation now differs from ten years ago; with the new Pope Bibi Dong taking office, the Spirit Hall has gradually revealed its ambitions.

The relationship between the Tian Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire is no longer as tense.

Many units in the Southern Army Corps were disbanded, and Feng Tianyu thus left the Southern Army Corps during that downsizing seven years ago, subsequently becoming a teacher at the Tian Dou Royal Academy.

Besides, in the eyes of the empire's high-ranking officials, Bai Ran, whose father is a martyr, possesses such extraordinary talent that he will become a pillar of the empire in the future.

But if Bai Tianming were still alive and on the verge of breaking through to the Title Douluo level, then in the eyes of the empire's high-ranking officials (the Snow Star Prince), Bai Ran would quickly become a thorn in their side, a splinter in their flesh.

Snow Star Prince: "Your father, who chose to side with the commoners, is still alive? You little brat, I see you're already courting death."

By then, Bai Ran, targeted by the empire, would likely be forced to join the Spirit Hall.

Bai Ran: "I'll join the Spirit Hall just to get medicine, to serve the old fairy Bibi Dong as a beast of burden."

(Of course, this won't happen; when Bai Tianming reappears in the public eye, Bai Ran will already have held a blade to the nobles' heads.)

In the blink of an eye, over a month has passed.

Today is Valentine's Day on the Douluo Continent.

Given the sibling-like relationship between Tang San and Xiao Wu, Tang San doesn't need to give Xiao Wu a gift.

But Xiao Wu wasn't happy about it.

She said, "Other girls have them; why don't I? Xiao San, do you dislike Xiao Wu? Seeing Xiao Wu's low spirits, plus the cute girl's coquettishness, it's impossible to resist."

On Valentine's Day, Tang San still gave Xiao Wu a gift.

Xiao Wu happily opened the gift box, only to find inside a silver bracelet handcrafted by Tang San.

"Xiao San, what is this? It's not nice at all."

"Xiao Wu, this is a bracelet I made for you."

Tang San felt his throat slightly bitter, for this was something he had spent half a day crafting with great care.

As a disciple of the Tang Sect, the hidden weapons he crafts, especially trigger-expanded hidden weapons, use parts that are all exquisitely precise.

Therefore, crafting a piece of jewelry is no difficulty for Tang San.

But Xiao Wu complained that it wasn't attractive.

Tang San still felt a bit hurt.

"You made this yourself?"

Xiao Wu began to examine the bracelet carefully.

Seeing Xiao Wu's expression, Tang San thought she had noticed his painstaking effort, just as he was preparing to accept Xiao Wu's praise.

Xiao Wu said: "It's still ugly, nothing like what the girls buy at the brand store. San Ge, why don't you go to the brand store and buy me one? Bring this back to the academy, I'm afraid the girls will laugh at me."

"San Ge, I don't want this bracelet; go to the brand store and buy me that gold rose bracelet." Hearing Xiao Wu say that, Tang San seemed to turn to stone.

After a long while, he finally spoke: "Xiao Wu, the stuff at the brand store is too expensive, it's almost as much as the soul coins I've earned these few months at the blacksmith shop. Why don't you just make do with it? After all, it's the thought that counts from San Ge."

"Make do? Why should I? Besides, this is your one-sided effort; I don't feel anything from this bracelet at all."

"Xiao Wu, if you don't like it, you can just keep it as a collection."

"A collection? All the girls have one; if I don't, they'll laugh at me. No, Xiao San, you must buy me one."

"Xiao Wu, how about we each pay half the soul coins?"

Unlike the original plot, how could a little fairy like Xiao Wu possibly hand over her soul coins to Tang San for safekeeping?

After all, she's an independent woman who wants to control her own soul coins.

Of course, once spent, if she can't remain independent, the only thing left is to drain Tang San's "blood."

"Ha, you want to use my soul coins to buy the gift you intend to give me?"

Xiao Wu felt as if she had heard a huge joke.

Tang San fell silent.

Although Tang San was instantly captivated by Xiao Wu's beauty at first sight.

But why does he now feel as if he had eaten a stinking fly?

However, compared to the other girls in the academy, Xiao Wu stands out even more.

Upon entering the academy, when he was mocked by other female students as a country bumpkin or lowly folk.

Xiao Wu not only didn't despise him, but she was even willing to share a bed with him at night.

Tang San was unaware that Xiao Wu merely found the scent of his Blue Silver Grass very pleasant.

As for being unsophisticated? For a hundred-thousand-year transformed soul beast that walked out of the Star Dou Great Forest, Xiao Wu, who had yet to interact with human society, didn't even know what fashion was.

Xiao Wu

: "……" No.

In the blink of an eye, the winter break will soon be over.

Bai Ran followed Feng Tianyu to Tian Dou City to report to the Tian Dou Royal Academy.

As for Bai Liang (an alias of Bai Tianming), he simply stayed at home in comfort.

What's he going out for? At home he has no worries about food or drink.

Moreover, he didn't want to expose his identity, thereby causing trouble for the little one.

As for going to raise a People's Army? Come on, the Mid-Autumn Festival hasn't even arrived yet, and even lovesickness isn't such a way to die.

Of course, visiting an old friend I once trusted deeply is still no problem.

While chatting and playing chess with them, I unintentionally reveal a hint of the Soul Fighting Net's aura.

These old friends share a life-and-death bond with Bai Tianming, and furthermore, they look down on the practices of the upper nobility.

Bai Tianming is not at all worried that news of his strength recovering will be leaked to the imperial high-ups by these people.

Moreover, in the army, would you dare betray your comrades-in-arms? Just the spit from each of the other brothers would be enough to drown you.

……

(End of chapter)