Arrival at Holy Soul Village

"When are we going to find my son?" Little Heavenly Dao lay sprawled on the Spirit Gathering Disc Tang Ling had provided, asking lazily.

Tang Ling looked at Little Heavenly Dao flattened into a pancake and, unable to resist, gave it a rub. "I already instructed my people last night. We'll set out tomorrow. Once we find Tang San and see what his family is like, we'll decide what to do next."

"Decide what?" Little Heavenly Dao shifted slightly but remained sprawled out. Having lost most of its origin power, Heavenly Dao found the Spirit Gathering Disc genuinely comfortable.

"We'll see how his parents treat him." Tang Ling explained helplessly, "Tang San was an orphan in his previous life, and he wasn't good at expressing himself. If he can't pretend to be a child, his parents might think he's a monster."

"Then his parents must treat him badly." Little Heavenly Dao suddenly understood. It leaped up and looked at Tang Ling. "That foreign Heavenly Dao is a bad guy. It'll definitely make my son suffer!"

Little Heavenly Dao's favorability toward the invading foreign Heavenly Dao was below zero. It did not believe that thing would raise a child properly.

"That's why we're leaving tomorrow. Delays could lead to trouble." Tang Ling rubbed the little ball and soothed it. "Don't worry. Tang San can protect himself, and if his parents treat him badly, we'll bring him home with us."

"Okay!" Little Heavenly Dao was delighted by the phrase "our home" and excitedly rolled around on the Spirit Gathering Disc.

Tang Ling laughed at its antics, and the worry in her heart eased slightly.

Like Little Heavenly Dao, Tang Ling did not believe that a Heavenly Dao willing to invade another world and disrupt its order to satisfy its own selfish desires would raise a child properly.

So, after encountering Little Heavenly Dao that morning, she had ordered her servants to prepare carriages, horses, money, and supplies after lunch.

Fortunately, she had the Loyalty Talisman. Tang Ling sighed. Otherwise, a child barely over three years old saying she wanted to go out and find someone would surely have been stopped.

Thus, amid the anticipation of one person and one Heavenly Dao, the next day soon arrived.

At dawn, just as the gates of Barak City opened, an unassuming carriage slowly departed with the crowd.

Controlled by the Loyalty Talisman, the guard and coachman were utterly obedient to their young mistress. Though thoroughly confused, they followed her directions and headed toward Notting City.

By the roadside not far from Holy Soul Village outside Notting City.

Despite hurrying as much as they could, the three people and one Heavenly Dao had still traveled for half a month. Upon reaching a spot near their destination, they leisurely stopped.

"Young mistress, if we're not continuing on, shall I start a fire and prepare a meal?" The masked guard turned sideways, lifted the carriage curtain, and asked inside.

"Sure. Go make the food first. We're waiting for someone." Tang Ling stretched lazily as she replied, then rose and extended her hand.

The guard helped her down from the carriage, set out a table, chairs, and pastries, then respectfully settled her beneath the shade of a tree.

Tang Ling sat down as he arranged things and handed him some pastries. "Share these with Old William."

The guard accepted the pastries, bowed in thanks, and then walked toward the coachman.

"Why aren't we going into the village?" Little Heavenly Dao controlled its round body and rolled twice over Tang Ling's head, asking in confusion.

Feeling her hair becoming disheveled, Tang Ling snatched it down. "Your son's father seems pretty formidable. I sensed the aura of a Titled Douluo."

"Then how are we supposed to snatch the child?!" Little Heavenly Dao instantly froze, then slumped into a dejected pancake.

Then, as though it had thought of something, it suddenly bounced up. "Does that mean my son is doing pretty well? I didn't expect that bad thing to do something good!" It chuckled as it spoke.

Tang Ling looked at it and manually turned it around. "Does this rundown house look like the home of someone rich?"

"Uh..." Little Heavenly Dao froze, then argued unwillingly, "What if only their family is rich?"

"Do you believe that yourself?" Tang Ling reached out and kneaded it. "The farther we went, the more remote it became, and this place is completely rundown. So your son's quality of life must be poor. You said it yourself—that foreign Heavenly Dao is a bad guy."

Little Heavenly Dao let out a long sigh and flattened itself into a pancake again. "I was just holding onto a bit of hope, thinking my son might be living a little better."

"He's not living well at all!" As Tang Ling spoke, she swept her senses past the little house Tang San lived in and surveyed the entire village. "A Titled Douluo and a Soul Beast that took human form are living in a place like this with the fruit of their love. They're either fleeing disaster or living in seclusion."

"They're definitely fleeing." Little Heavenly Dao sighed again and added another jab on its own. It had already given up its hopes. Under that bad thing's control, its son definitely could not be living a good life.

Tang Ling withdrew her divine sense and nodded. A little uneasiness stirred in her heart.

Since arriving in this world, she had yet to fight either Soul Masters or Soul Beasts. Moreover, her cultivation was only half of what it had been at her peak. She did not know how much chance a Late-Stage Refinement of Emptiness cultivator had against a Titled Douluo.

"Young mistress, lunch is ready. Would you like to eat now?" The guard's words interrupted Tang Ling's thoughts. She came back to herself and nodded.

Seeing her response, the guard hurriedly brought over lunch—barbecue bought from Notting City and reheated.

The beef had been roasted over blazing flames, its overpowering aroma spreading through the air and drifting with the wind toward the nearby village, announcing the arrival of visitors.

Tang Ling ate unhurriedly. Since she was waiting for someone, she had to be patient.

Holy Soul Village was located in a remote area, and few people ever came by. Thus, when the village chief, Old Jack, caught the scent, he hurried toward the village entrance.

From afar, Old Jack saw the understated yet luxurious carriage. Beneath the shade of a tree beside it, a noble young lady was dining, with two Soul Masters of imposing presence at her side.

Old Jack's heart skipped a beat, and he hurried forward. "Honored guests, forgive us for failing to welcome you from afar. I am the village chief of Holy Soul Village. Why don't the three of you come into the village with me and rest?"

Old Jack's attitude was respectful, but cold sweat ran down his back. Holy Soul Village was not close to Notting City. If they decided to cause trouble, neither he nor the villagers would escape death.

"Village Chief, there's no need to be so polite. We're merely passing through, so we won't disturb you." Tang Ling smiled as she set down her chopsticks and looked at Old Jack.

Yet inwardly, she muttered, There's a Titled Douluo in his village. Does he really need to be this terrified of the two Soul Emperors beside me?

"How could it be a disturbance? Honored guests visiting our village is our good fortune." Hearing the noble young lady's words, Old Jack replied with a genial smile. But inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief. She sounded like a mild-tempered noble, so she probably would not make trouble for commoners.

Tang Ling kneaded the little ball at hand, her thoughts turning rapidly. She then nodded in agreement. The guard Tang Ersui and the coachman Old William immediately rose and began packing their things.

A short while later, led by Old Jack, Tang Ling headed toward Holy Soul Village.

"So my son really is fleeing, right? His Titled Douluo father is even pretending to be a blacksmith!" Taking advantage of no one being able to see it, Little Heavenly Dao angrily bounced all over the room.

Tang Ling ignored its antics and silently pondered the information she had just obtained.

From the moment she entered the village, Tang Ling had questioned Old Jack about its situation with a curious expression and an arrogant tone, fishing for information.

Completely unaware, Old Jack, eager to satisfy the noble young lady, told her everything about the village.

Thus, after their exchange, Tang Ling confirmed her suspicion—Tang San's father had hidden his strength.

But why pretend to be a commoner with no Soul Power?

The moment Tang Ling heard Old Jack say that Tang San's father was a widowed blacksmith given to drink, she instantly wanted to tear the foreign Heavenly Dao into eight pieces.

"And my son is even called Tang San! What a perfunctory name! That bad thing really does nothing right! And it even arranged such a terrible family for him!" Little Heavenly Dao failed to notice that Tang Ling was ignoring it and continued chattering as it bounced around.

"Stop!" Tang Ling cut off her thoughts and pressed down on the little ball. "This is good too. We should be able to take him away very smoothly."