Chapter 53: Soup, Spars, and the Dragon’s Whisper

The first morning light peeked into Holy Soul Village like an overenthusiastic tourist, turning the Tang household's courtyard into a Pinterest dream that smelled suspiciously like spirit herbs. Inside the kitchen, Gu Yuena was gracefully stirring a pot of spirit herb soup—looking like a serene goddess from a celestial cooking show. Meanwhile, Di Tian sat cross-legged, meditating so hard you'd think he was trying to telepathically iron out all his wrinkles. Bi Ji flitted around like a caffeinated hummingbird, practicing her guilt-tripping techniques on Tang Yan to finally earn herself the title of "Aunt Bi Ji."

**System:** "Daily Scenario Loaded: Live with Three Boss Monsters. Host survival chance: 73% if quiet. 12% if sarcastic. -50% if soup is spilled."

Tang Hao busted into the kitchen like a drill sergeant. "Rise and shine, kids! Time for morning training! It's not breakfast; it's 'Let's See If You Can Steal from the Soup Goddess'!" He shot a finger at Gu Yuena, who was clearly the soup's guardian angel.

Tang Yan blinked, hair still disheveled. "Wait, so we're training by stealing soup? This isn't how I imagined my hero's journey would start!"

**System:** "Welcome to Hell's Kitchen: Divine Edition. Objective — don't get scalded by goddess broth."

**1. Catch the Ladle, Win Your Pride**

Tang San was up first, moving like a graceful ninja. He got close enough to the ladle before a random spatial twist sent him spinning out of control, leaving him grappling with air while the ladle barely chuckled at him.

"Try again," Gu Yuena smirked, definitely enjoying this too much.

Next up was Tang Yan, who strutted in with all the charisma of a second-rate magician. "Behold! Lady Yuena, prepare to be disarmed… with finesse!" He lunged dramatically—only to trip into the space-warp and flop right into the soup bucket.

**Splash!**

**System:** "Critical failure: Host has activated Soup-Based Spiritual Regression. Please send help… and towels."

**2. The Spar — Di Tian's Challenge**

Later that day, a very soggy Tang Yan towel-dried himself like a very angry cat while Di Tian, the stoic giant, watched in silence. "You're strong. Show me."

"What, like, right now? Seriously?" Tang Yan squeaked, his confidence already evaporating quicker than his hairdryer had heat.

Di Tian nodded, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Spar. No killing intent. Just a light spar."

Gu Yuena raised an eyebrow. "Go easy, please. They're still training."

Tang Yan grinned like a kid at an amusement park. "Easy? Who do you think I am? A pancake?"

**3. The Unleashing — Twin Martial Souls Awakened**

Tang Yan stepped forward, and a sudden energy shift filled the air. He summoned his Blue-Gold Warlord Trident, which illuminated the courtyard like a toddler's glitter bomb. Then he threw in his Destructive Clear Sky Hammer for good measure.

The moment it appeared, the sky turned ominous, as if Mother Nature herself was having an existential crisis. Ground cracks began to form like nature was auditioning for a role in a disaster movie.

**System:** "Host has entered: God-Tier Dumbass Mode. Caution: Divine Eyes Now Watching. Send help."

Di Tian's mouth slightly dropped. "Both souls at once? Kid, did you just unlock secret mode?"

Tang Hao dropped his teacup; it was a "no soup for you" moment. Bi Ji was frozen mid-air, her mind barely processing the chaos below.

Gu Yuena stepped forward, eyes wide. "That hammer… Oh no. Not the combination. This could be a disaster!"

**4. The Clash**

Di Tian charged in faster than Tang Yan's last failed attempt at breakfast. The moment their energies collided, it caused a shockwave that would make the Avengers jealous—trees bent like they were in a yoga class gone wrong.

Tang Yan landed with theatrical flair and slammed the hammer down, sending out a shockwave that obliterated a couple of training pillars. The ground buckled as if it were auditioning for a role as an action movie set.

Bi Ji's scream echoed through the courtyard. "My precious training stones! Why?"

Di Tian laughed, barely keeping it together. "Your control is good—too good! At your age? You must be an overachieving monster!"

Panting like he'd just run a marathon, Tang Yan flashed a grin. "What can I say? I skipped breakfast for this!"

**System:** "Host Status: Bruised. Ego: Fully Intact. Plot Armor: Thickening."

**5. Tang San's Silent Advancement**

While the chaos unfolded, Tang San was quietly meditating nearby, completely oblivious to the soup warzone. His soul power was still dormant, but deep in his Blue Silver Grass, a rebellious spirit was trying to evolve into a leafy superhero.

"I still have a long way to go... but I'll catch up!" he whispered, slowly plotting his own journey for world domination—or at least one spicy ramen recipe.

**6. A Whisper from the Forest**

As night fell, Tang Yan sat beside Gu Yuena by the fire, his eyes glazed over. "Do you feel it? That tug from the forest's heart?"

Gu Yuena halted in deep thought. "It's calling me."

There was a long pause. "But you're not ready," she said. "And neither am I. Maybe call for pizza instead?"

Tang Yan stared into the woods, eyes glowing softly. "But what if it's a cosmic pizza?"

**System:** "Warning: Quest Thread Activated — 'Origin Pulse Detected.' Access Locked until Soul Ring Acquired. Also, consider ordering extra toppings."

High above, Di Tian perched atop a tree like a brooding statue, arms crossed, shaking his head at this motley crew. "Why is my life like this?"

Closing: Tang Hao's Quiet Watch

Tang Hao watched his sons through the window. The wrecked courtyard. The burned tiles. The lingering aura of gods.

He turned to Gu Yuena. "They'll either rewrite fate… or set the sky on fire."

Gu Yuena smiled softly. "Maybe both."

System: "Correction: Host will definitely do both. In increasingly stupid but effective ways."