Thank you to our new Patrons: Josh, Nilist, Neopolitansoso, Foolie, Resid Kuliyev, Bodybags87, Jaden Henderson, spiritwolf86, Kyle Bates, Macabre Threener, Jakob Harris, Koner !!, Elan Jones, NaasH NS and Shon Ducusin! Your support means the world to me <3 We are up to Chapter 530: The New King Ascends, the Old Emperor Falls - Part 14 on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
I've also recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! It's called Douluo: Brains Over Bloodline. As always, Patrons will have unrestricted access to all of my stories including futures ones!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Time passed bit by bit, and in the blink of an eye, another three years had gone by.
Ye Wen's three children had all awakened their twin martial souls, and each possessed an innate soul power level of 20. With ten levels from natural talent and ten more from the Sea God's blessing, they were no less impressive than Qian Renxue from the original story — in fact, they were even stronger, given that they had two martial souls.
After years of hard work, Ye Wen decided it was time to take a break. He gathered his family and set off for the original Tian Xing Academy, now known as the Tian Xing Villa.
The former Holy Soul Village had since been renamed Tian Xing Village. Though Ye Wen hadn't visited the Tian Xing Villa in years, Old Jack had kept it well-maintained. Moreover, the villagers of Tian Xing Village had never forgotten the gifts Ye Wen left behind, and every year they helped with repairs.
These days, Tian Xing Village no longer relied on farming grain but instead cultivated various medicinal herbs. Compared to the labor-intensive work of growing crops, cultivating herbs required less physical effort while yielding greater profits. These herbs, used as potent medicines, sold exceptionally well across the Douluo Continent. As life improved, almost every year some children in Tianxing Village would awaken their soul power and become noble soul masters.
"Such nostalgia, my love. I can't believe how much Holy Soul Village has changed," Ah Yin remarked wistfully.
Compared to its current name, Ah Yin preferred calling it Holy Soul Village, as it held precious memories of her and Ye Wen's early days together.
Meanwhile, Ye Tianxin and Ye Tianchen curiously gazed at the vast fields around them, their eyes brimming with curiosity. Having never traveled far or seen a rural setting before, this was an entirely new experience for them. Bo Saixi, cradling their sleeping youngest daughter, also took in the legendary birthplace of their family's legacy.
Years had passed, and Old Jack, once full of vigor, now sported white hair and leaned on a cane. At that moment, he sat at the entrance of the Tianxing Villa, recounting stories of Ye Wen to the village children.
"Children, you must remember this:
Our village is named Tianxing because a great man emerged from here. That man is Master Ye Wen, founder of the Tianxing Advanced Soul Master Academy, the continent's foremost theoretical soul master, and the creator of the Truth Pavilion. Even the Title Douluo bow respectfully when they meet Master Ye Wen."
Hearing these words from afar, Ye Wen couldn't help but chuckle. After all these years, he had managed to keep his true cultivation hidden. However, people across the continent speculated that he was no longer the four-ring Soul Elder from years past; many believed he had reached the level of a Soul Sage. There was even anticipation for him to write 'The Path of the Soul Sage', which would make future cultivation exponentially easier.
Under the influence of Ye Wen's earlier works, such as 'The Path of the Soul Elder' and other theoretical texts, an increasing number of civilian soul masters began to rise. Those previously stuck at the Soul Elder rank advanced to Soul Masters, and some even broke through to Soul Kings. Furthermore, thanks to Ye Wen's theories, fewer soul masters suffered fatal accidents during spirit ring absorption.
Though there were no official statistics, the number of soul masters on the continent had increased by at least 10,000 compared to the original timeline. Still, despite this, even the mighty Title Douluo didn't need to bow to him.
"That's quite an exaggeration, Jack. People like the Title Douluo don't need to show me such respect."
Interrupted mid-speech, Old Jack felt slightly annoyed, but the familiar, clear voice brought back memories of someone long cherished. Turning his head, he saw Ye Wen standing before him, dressed in simple yet comfortable attire.
"Master Ye Wen!" Old Jack exclaimed excitedly.
"I know you're thrilled, but please try not to get too worked up. Your body can't handle such excitement anymore."
As he spoke, Ye Wen released his soul power to stabilize Old Jack's breathing. For someone like Old Jack, who wasn't a soul master, living to 50 in this harsh world was already a remarkable feat. Unfortunately, in this merciless world where the strong preyed on the weak, no one paid attention to such achievements.
"It's been a long time, Jack. Looks like life has treated you well," Ye Wen said with a smile.
Though touched by Ye Wen's warm demeanor, Old Jack remained deeply humble and bowed respectfully. "All of this is thanks to your blessings, Master Ye Wen."
Unlike in the original story, though still aged, Old Jack now wore clean, well-maintained clothes without patches, indicating a comfortable life.
"Hehe, as long as everyone in Tianxing Village is doing well, I can rest easy. After all, I also came from here. My wives and I will be staying here for a while, so I'll trouble you, Jack."
The Tian Xing Villa had been unoccupied for over a decade, and Old Jack had assumed he'd never see Ye Wen again. To learn that Ye Wen intended to stay for a while filled him with excitement, and he quickly began making arrangements.
Most of the elderly villagers who remembered Ye Wen had passed away, leaving only a few who still recalled him. Now, upon seeing him again, their hearts swelled with emotion. Though soul masters were no longer rare in Tianxing Village, Ye Wen was a towering figure on the continent. If he showed interest in their children—even just admitting them into the Tianxing Academy—it would mean boundless opportunities for their families. After all, anyone who knew about soul masters was aware of the prestigious Tianxing Academy, whose graduates were considered promising geniuses.
However, Old Jack intercepted these ulterior motives and forbade anyone from disturbing Ye Wen and his family.
"I know what you're thinking, but if you act on it, Master Ye Wen's ties with Tianxing Village will be severed forever. If your children are talented enough to enter the Tianxing Academy, I won't object. But if you try to use connections to force Master Ye Wen's hand, you'll have to step over my dead body first. I won't let you tarnish Tianxing Village's reputation."
Faced with Old Jack's righteous stance, even the remaining elders could only smile awkwardly and return home. They clearly remembered who had brought them their current prosperity.
From within the villa, Ye Wen observed this scene indifferently. Human nature was predictable, and he harbored no ill feelings toward them. In fact, he appreciated Old Jack's actions. People with principles often lasted longer than those without.
Noticing that Old Jack's grandson hadn't yet awakened his martial soul, Ye Wen decided to help awaken a prodigy in the family, ensuring the boy would bring honor to his ancestors.
But there was another reason Ye Wen had come—to find out whether Tang Hao had ever visited this former Holy Soul Village.
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow