"This Martial Soul Seal... this Martial Soul Seal is..."
Yang Zhaobing's face turned ashen, his lips trembling so much that he couldn't speak.
Yang Qingxuan's heart sank. So it really is the Martial Soul Seal. He quickly asked, "What's wrong with the Martial Soul Seal?"
Yang Zhaobing seemed not to hear his question. His eyes were fixed on the mark on his shoulder, his frail body hunching even further. He mumbled to himself, "How could this happen... how could this happen..."
"Grandpa, are you alright?"
Yang Qingxuan hurriedly supported Yang Zhaobing, guiding him to sit on a stone bench. He wanted to get some water to calm him down, but after the earlier confrontation with Su Ying, all the pots and cups had shattered from the shockwaves, so there was no water to fetch.
Sitting on the stone bench, Yang Zhaobing trembled uncontrollably, muttering, "It's wrong... everything was wrong..."
Yang Qingxuan quickly asked, "What's wrong?" Seeing Yang Zhaobing's silence, he didn't want to provoke further distress, so he quickly covered the Martial Soul Seal on his left shoulder. "Grandpa, rest for a while and don't overthink."
Yang Zhaobing shook his head slightly. "Let me see the Martial Soul Seal again."
Though reluctant, Yang Qingxuan couldn't refuse. He reluctantly revealed the mark once more, which now seemed like a cloud of fire tinged with faint purple.
Yang Zhaobing extended his hand and traced a few circles around the seal, but he dared not touch it. After a long sigh, he muttered, "It's true... there's no mistake."
Yang Qingxuan was confused by the conflicting words, as his grandfather spoke of things being "wrong" and then "no mistake." He didn't dare interrupt.
Yang Zhaobing's face was now pale, his earlier excitement replaced by a deep, visible shock. His mood had swung wildly, leaving him looking even older than before, his eyes staring vacantly ahead.
Yang Qingxuan sat quietly beside him, unsure of what to say, but he didn't dare disturb his grandfather, lest his emotions flare up again.
Not long after, someone arrived from Su Ze with the Soul-Nourishing Pill, seemingly anxious that Yang Zhaobing might change his mind. The delivery was unusually fast.
The man who delivered the pill wore an expression of confusion. He couldn't understand how Duke Su could be associated with a lowly janitor. However, as a trusted servant of Su Ze, he knew better than to question things that weren't meant to be known.
In addition to the Soul-Nourishing Pill, the messenger also handed over a crystal card worth 10,000 gold coins to cover expenses for the two of them.
Yang Qingxuan opened the jade box, revealing a round, pearl-like pill with a faint fragrance. The soft scent was invigorating, clearing his mind with just a single breath.
"Su Ze is indeed a man of his word. This Soul-Nourishing Pill is of high quality," Yang Qingxuan remarked.
Suddenly, Yang Zhaobing's voice sounded.
Yang Qingxuan was startled and quickly turned, joyfully saying, "Grandpa, are you alright?"
Yang Zhaobing nodded, though his face looked considerably older. His gaze was filled with complexity, and he reached up to gently stroke Yang Qingxuan's face.
Seeing the weariness in his grandfather's features, Yang Qingxuan felt a pang of sorrow and said, "Grandpa, you should rest for a while."
Yang Zhaobing shook his head slightly. "I'm fine. You cannot take this Soul-Nourishing Pill."
Yang Qingxuan was surprised. "Why not?"
Yang Zhaobing sighed deeply, his lips trembling as he explained, "The Martial Soul Seal on your shoulder wasn't inherited—it was forcibly implanted into you by an unparalleled powerhouse. This Martial Soul is called 'Heaven Has Enemies,' one of the ten most powerful martial souls in the world. It is extremely yang, supremely strong, and overwhelmingly domineering. If it's triggered carelessly, with your current cultivation, you'll be reduced to ash in an instant."
Yang Qingxuan was struck with shock. No wonder my physical body was constantly being consumed by the Martial Soul Seal on Earth. So this is the reason. He exclaimed in horror, "A Martial Soul can be forcibly implanted? Who did this, and why?"
Yang Zhaobing replied, "I can only guess at the reason, but I can't confirm it fully. I'll find a way to temporarily seal this Martial Soul Seal. Then, you should focus on cultivating body techniques. Once you reach the level of a Yellow Turban Strongman, you'll be ready to practice Qi and Condense your Martial Soul. By then, the danger will be much smaller."
"Body cultivation?"
Yang Qingxuan exclaimed, "Isn't body cultivation a dead end?"
Yang Zhaobing snorted. "A dead end? Hmph, body cultivation may be less popular now, but in ancient times, those who perfected their bodies could move mountains, chase the sun, and even rival the power of martial artists. Though body cultivation has waned, it's still a valuable path. I'm not telling you to follow it entirely, but reach the level of the Yellow Turban Strongman, and then you can condense your own Martial Soul."
Yang Qingxuan nodded. "I understand."
Yang Zhaobing waved his hand. "Go rest. I want to be alone for a while."
Yang Qingxuan still had many questions. For example, why had Yang Zhaobing been hiding as a janitor at the academy? Based on his grandfather's previous experience, there must be some great secret behind it. And the person who forcibly implanted the Martial Soul—who were they? And why had they done this?
But seeing Yang Zhaobing's exhausted expression, he couldn't bear to ask further. "Grandpa, you should rest."
After saying that, Yang Qingxuan returned to his room, but he didn't sleep. He sat cross-legged to meditate, not daring to sleep in case something happened to his grandfather.
He quickly entered a deep meditative state.
Several hours later, Yang Qingxuan suddenly snapped his eyes open, leaping up in shock. He had fallen asleep!
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he rushed out of his room, only to find that Yang Zhaobing was gone.
Confused, he spotted a note, a book, and a smooth white jade disc left on the table.
The book was made of animal skin, well-worn and creased, showing signs of frequent use. It had three bright red characters on the cover: Six Yang Palm.
The jade disc was flawless, but also unremarkable. It simply depicted a dragon, without any particularly special features.
Yang Qingxuan picked up the note and read:
"I've left for some matters, don't worry. The Martial Soul 'Heaven Has Enemies' has been sealed with secret techniques. But this Martial Soul is too terrifying and can't be sealed for long. You must rely on your own strength to control it."
"I may be gone for a long time. If I don't return within three months, take care of yourself. This white jade disc is extremely important. Before you gain the power of the Heavenly Position, do not reveal it!"
"I've seen your palm technique, and though it's well-practiced, its power is lacking. Therefore, I've left you this Mystical-grade martial technique, Six Yang Palm. This technique is extremely yang and strong, and is suited to the Yang family's bloodline. Unfortunately, I cannot teach you personally, but the principles are all written in detail within. You can study it carefully."
"I hope one day I can see you standing at the peak of the world, ruling the heavens, just like the strongmen of the Yang family before you!"
"Don't come looking for me, remember, remember!"
Yang Qingxuan rushed out of the room, but there was no sign of Yang Zhaobing anywhere.
He stood there for a long time, his heart heavy. Grandpa left without a word... It must have been the shock from the Martial Soul Seal.
He pulled down his shirt and discovered that the Martial Soul Seal was indeed gone. As he focused, he felt a faint connection, but it was unclear.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his left shoulder. Around the spot where the mark had once been, a ripple of energy appeared, vanishing as quickly as it had come.
The faint connection seemed to be suppressed, fading from his awareness.