New Martial Souls, New Threads of Fate

"Don't worry, Senior Sister will make the arrangements." Tang Ling pushed the pastries closer to Tang San, comforting him after his delighted silence.

Tang San picked up a pastry and ate it, then looked at Tang Ling with a face full of shame. "I know Senior Sister will arrange everything. I'm just a little worried about Old Jack."

Then, somewhat embarrassed, he tugged at Tang Ling's sleeve. "Senior Sister, can you help me one more time? I don't want Old Jack to watch 'me' die. That would be too cruel for him."

Tang Ling looked at his bashful manner and burst out laughing. Then she firmly tapped his forehead. "How could your Senior Sister make such a huge oversight? After realizing Old Jack treated you well, I changed the plan.

That puppet is under our control. Once your Martial Soul awakens in three years, Tang Hao will definitely leave after discovering that it has no Martial Soul.

When the time comes, I'll arrange for someone to hire the puppet away and send Old Jack money every season. That way, in Old Jack's heart, Tang San will be a filial child who simply doesn't come home."

"Thank you for thinking so much for me, Senior Sister! You're the best!" After hearing her arrangements, Tang San could no longer hold himself back and threw his arms around her.

Senior Sister was so good to him. How could he bear to leave her?

"Getting clingy again." Tang Ling smiled and patted his head. "Since you know I'm good to you, be obedient from now on. Do more work and cause less trouble."

"I'll definitely do it!" Tang San released her and raised his fingers in oath. "If I fail, may the Heavenly Dao strike me with lightning!"

"Hahaha, it can't dote on you enough already. Right now, it's even thinking about giving you a powerful new Martial Soul!" Tang Ling's eyes curved with laughter as she looked at him fondly, while kneading the little round ball and teasing him.

There's no need to swear to the Heavenly Dao. I can handle it myself. She silently scoffed. Tang Ling had never been a good person. If someone wanted to betray her, they had better be prepared.

Moreover, Tang Ling examined the oath mark on Tang San's pure white soul and happily sighed, As expected of me! What excellent judgment!

No matter how Tang San treated others, with her, he had always been sincere and obedient.

"Senior Sister, what kind of Martial Soul do you think I'll get?" Tang San held the round ball in his hands. Seeing that his Senior Sister had finished thinking, he leaned closer to ask.

"I'm not sure either." Tang Ling poked Little Heavenly Dao, who had remained silent and focused on making its choice, then explained with a smile, "Your Twin Martial Souls will both disappear once the Blue Silver Emperor Mark and the foreign Heavenly Dao Mark are removed.

After Little Heavenly Dao learned about it, it immediately went into seclusion. I didn't have time to ask."

"Then we'll wait." Tang San placed the round ball onto the disc on the table and stared at it with a face full of anticipation.

"Is there anything you want? I can communicate with Little Heavenly Dao." Tang Ling checked on Little Heavenly Dao's condition and asked Tang San.

Tang San looked up in a daze. Once he realized his Senior Sister was not joking, he swallowed and said in a drifting voice, "Senior Sister, are we really cheating this hard?"

"Of course. Who do you think your Senior Sister is?" Tang Ling solemnly nodded at his utterly incredulous expression, then praised him with a cheerful smile. "That was a good choice of words. All those years listening to me weren't wasted."

From her first life into her second, there were always some turns of phrase she could not quite change. Once she realized that no one around her questioned them, she stopped deliberately correcting herself.

Thus, Tang San and Tang Ling's subordinates had learned quite a few expressions that did not suit this era.

"Whenever Senior Sister reads storybooks, you always mutter to yourself. My memory is so good, of course I wouldn't forget." Tang San selectively ignored her question about choosing a Martial Soul and responded to her other remark.

Tang Ling glanced at him, then said seriously, "I'm not joking. You really can choose. After all, you'll use your Martial Soul for the rest of your life. Since we have the means, naturally we should pick the most suitable one.

And Little Heavenly Dao said that if that bad guy could give you two, it could too."

Hearing this, Tang San stared fixedly at the little ball on the disc. Only now did he truly understand the value of being the Son of the Heavenly Dao.

"Then what does Senior Sister have?" Tang San immediately looked up at Tang Ling and said eagerly, "I don't have any experience either, so I'll use Senior Sister as a reference."

"My Martial Soul is a sword—my Life-Bound Sword." Tang Ling raised her hand and conjured an icy blue Bladeless Sword. Frost shimmered across its blade, carrying an extreme chill and sharpness. Its hilt was simple yet elegant, set with only a single blue diamond.

"That's so cool!" Tang San reached out as though to trace its form, his sparkling eyes fixed excitedly on Tang Ling. "Senior Sister, do you think I'm suited to using a sword?"

"No." Tang Ling dismissed the illusion and rejected the idea without hesitation. Seeing his gaze dim, she explained, "The Tang Sect Techniques are fast and covert when used, and you've learned them well. You should be suited for weapons like hidden blades or Fingertip Blades.

As for frontal attacks, you can choose a long-range control type to make up for your lack of direct combat power.

This is the Martial Soul encyclopedia. Look through it and pick one. There's plenty of time. Once we get home, we'll remove the marks and receive the Heavenly Dao's blessing."

As she spoke, Tang Ling handed him a thick book. Tang San nodded and accepted it, flipping through its pages with a solemn expression.

Half a month later, after a lively welcoming ceremony, Princess Manor in Barak City welcomed back its mistress.

"Have you chosen your Martial Soul?" After washing away her fatigue, Tang Ling lounged lazily against a soft couch while waiting for dinner. Looking at the person sitting rigidly upright, she asked with a smile.

"Ah! I... I think the Ghost King Vine is pretty good." Tang San straightened up and stared at the window lattice in the distance as he answered seriously.

"You don't need to sit so stiffly. Senior Sister's home isn't that particular." Seeing his discomfort, Tang Ling waved for the servants to withdraw outside the room. Then she looked at the visibly relieved Tang San with a smile. "It's not as if you were never waited on in the Tang Sect. Why are you so nervous now?"

"It's different. Back then, Senior Sister was the Sect Master's daughter, but now you're a Princess—a member of the royal family." Tang San relaxed against the back of his chair, babbling out his defense. "I heard the royal family has many rules, and there are informants everywhere in the manor. I can't disgrace you!"

"Hahahahaha!" Tang Ling let out a hearty laugh as she watched him grow quieter and quieter.

Then she blinked, signaling for him to look outside. "Then don't you think the question about your Martial Soul was even more private? When I asked you just now, you answered."

"I..." Tang San's face instantly went pale. He looked nervously at Tang Ling, only to find her gazing at him with a smile, and immediately understood.

"Senior Sister, how could you do that!" Tang San glared at the woman laughing so hard she shook. Senior Sister's wicked sense of humor was still terrible. She was always finding ways to tease him.

Then he put on a stern little face and said seriously, "It was because this Junior Brother trusted Senior Sister and failed to properly observe the surroundings. I definitely won't make the same mistake next time!"

"Oh my, look how angry you've made our A-Xuan. It was Senior Sister's fault. I didn't explain the situation to you. Senior Sister promises not to scare you again, all right?" Hearing his awkwardly phrased, feigned admission of fault, Tang Ling hurriedly reined in her unrestrained laughter. She put on a gentle smile and coaxed him.

Tang San instantly broke character after hearing that, his smile returning as he paced over. "Senior Sister must keep your word." As he spoke, he crouched down and looked up at Tang Ling with an obedient, sweet smile.

"Of course, of course!" Seeing him like that, Tang Ling was immediately struck by guilt and repeatedly promised him. Inwardly, she could not stop lamenting.

This brat never knew to use this trick when I teased him before. What part of his brain suddenly opened up? He actually knows I can't stand it when he smiles so obediently.

Having received her answer, Tang San naturally withdrew his smile, pulled over a chair, and sat down. With a serious expression, he asked, "Senior Sister, do you know about the Ghost King Vine? I think it's pretty good."

"Ghost King Vine? A long-range plant-type Martial Soul. It suits you, but it's too weak. Do you have any other choices?" Seeing him change the subject, Tang Ling cooperatively continued the conversation.

"I don't think any of the others suit my tastes." Tang San recalled all the Martial Souls he had examined. Perhaps there had simply been too many to sort through, but he truly had not found a second one.

"Then take a look at what I chose!" Little Heavenly Dao, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke. Holding up a placard with an expression that begged for praise, it floated before the two of them.

"You're awake. How did half a month of seclusion feel?" Tang Ling reached out and pinched it. Tang San also waited for its answer with concern.

"Much better than before!" Little Heavenly Dao set down the placard and rubbed against each of them. Then it excitedly showed them its choice. "Look! I spent a long time picking this Martial Soul. I guarantee it suits you!"

Tang Ling hurriedly examined the image on the placard. It was a Martial Soul resembling a disc, with only a name written beside it and no further explanation.

"Five Elements Faceless Disc?"