I'll Take You Back to the Clan

The woman staggered back several steps in despair.

"Are you here to take Er Long away?"

Yu Tianjun nodded lightly. Beside him, Ye Rou'er had clearly imagined something and looked sympathetic.

"Tian Jun, isn't this too cruel? No mother wants to be separated from her child, and she's still so young..."

"Hm?"

Yu Tianjun spoke in confusion.

"Who said they were going to be separated?"

As soon as he said that, both women were stunned.

"What do you mean? Isn't this supposed to be the part where a great clan forcibly takes someone else's child away?"

Ye Rou'er asked blankly.

Yu Tianjun gave a bitter smile. "Can we go inside and talk, Madam Liu?"

Madam Liu hurriedly nodded.

"Please come in."

Yu Tianjun and Ye Rou'er entered the courtyard.

The courtyard was small. Every inch of land in Heaven Dou City was worth a fortune, and Yu Luomian did not have much money to buy a house.

After Yu Tianjun and Ye Rou'er sat down, Madam Liu placed the baby girl in her arms inside the room and hurriedly poured tea.

Yu Tianjun raised a hand to stop her.

"There's no need, Madam Liu. You gave birth not long ago. Sit down quickly."

Madam Liu sat down uneasily, and Yu Tianjun explained why he had come.

"It's like this. Yu Luomian is my second uncle. My father learned that he had a child outside the clan and asked me to bring both mother and daughter back to the clan."

Yu Tianjun smiled faintly.

Madam Liu was somewhat flattered.

"But... I'm only a woman of the pleasure quarters."

Madam Liu did not know what to say.

She and Yu Luomian certainly had feelings for each other. Otherwise, she would not have borne him a child, nor would she have named the child after Yu Luomian's childhood nickname.

But Madam Liu knew the vast difference in their status. She had only hoped to raise her child safely.

"Madam Liu, you needn't worry. My second uncle delayed his cultivation because of you and your daughter, so I gave him some advice. Aside from the two of you and my father, no one else knows about this."

The implication was clear: as long as they said nothing and she kept it hidden, everything would be fine.

Madam Liu was deeply moved, and Ye Rou'er hurriedly comforted her.

Yu Tianjun lifted his head and looked into the room.

Liu Erlong was inside.

Despite being born out of wedlock, she would one day take charge of Blue Tyrant Academy, become a Soul Saint, and gain the support of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. That showed just how capable she was.

Naturally, Yu Tianjun wanted to bring such talent under his wing as early as possible, lest Yu Xiaogang hold her back.

"Rou'er, it wouldn't be appropriate for a boy like me to help. Why don't you help Madam Liu—no, I should say Second Aunt—pack her things?"

Yu Tianjun smiled faintly.

Since they needed to conceal her identity, their form of address should naturally be more intimate.

Though it was somewhat abrupt, Yu Tianjun's second uncle was, after all, a young Soul Saint. No one in the clan would dare gossip.

Madam Liu temporarily handed Liu Erlong over to Yu Tianjun, then excitedly went with Ye Rou'er to pack their belongings.

Yu Tianjun looked at the baby girl in his arms. Her delicate features were adorably cute.

"Once your Martial Soul awakens, cultivate properly. Don't embarrass your father."

Yu Tianjun extended his index finger, intending to tease Liu Erlong. To his surprise, the little girl immediately bit down on it.

Yu Tianjun's physical strength was comparable to that of a high-level Soul Elder or even a Soul Ancestor. Naturally, an infant with a mouthful of baby teeth could not hurt him.

"Hahaha."

Yu Tianjun was amused. Liu Erlong seemed to sense no hostility from him and slowly released his finger, instead wrapping both little hands around his arm.

"Once you get to the clan, be careful of someone named Yu Xiaogang. Don't let him use your mutated Martial Soul for experiments."

As if recalling something, Yu Tianjun warned her.

Little Liu Erlong clearly did not understand the deeper meaning behind his words, and Yu Tianjun did not care. He was simply amusing himself by teasing a child.

The four of them set out and returned to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

In the shadows, a trusted dark guard of Yu Yuanzhen followed them all the way.

Yu Tianjun was only nine years old. Naturally, Yu Yuanzhen could not rest easy letting him leave to handle such a matter, so he had sent a Soul Emperor-level dark guard to accompany him.

That was how a great clan ought to treat its core disciples.

After returning to the clan, Yu Tianjun settled Madam Liu and Liu Erlong, then plunged straight back into cultivation.

Ye Rou'er was helpless and could only bid Yu Yuanzhen farewell.

Yu Yuanzhen was so angered that he cursed Yu Tianjun in the main hall for half the day, calling him hopeless.

Time flew by. Several more years passed, and the slow cultivation speed of Yu Tianjun's ultimate Martial Soul had become painfully obvious.

In three years, he had advanced from level thirteen to level thirty-two, averaging just over six levels a year.

But another six years had passed, and Yu Tianjun had only reached level forty-five. He had gained thirteen levels, averaging only a little over two levels per year.

It was more than merely slow. It was downright tortoise-paced!

Yu Tianjun could no longer endure it. He had never expected his cultivation speed to become so slow in the middle stage of the Golden Dragon Martial Soul.

Yu Tianjun had already begun making plans for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well ahead of time.

Dugu Bo was probably not even a Soul Saint yet and had not occupied the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, so there would be no problem planning for the immortal herbs.

"Brother Tian Jun!"

Just as Yu Tianjun was lost in thought, a childish voice rang out. Then a little girl dressed in fiery red clothes, as delicate as a porcelain doll, appeared.

It was Liu Erlong.

"Er Long, if I remember correctly, today is the day your Martial Soul awakens. Why haven't you gone to awaken it yet?"

Yu Tianjun asked with a smile.

Liu Erlong puffed out her little cheeks.

"Brother Tian Jun, you still remember? Today is the day my Martial Soul awakens, but you didn't even come. I came specially to get you."

Yu Tianjun laughed. "All right, all right. I'll go with you right now."

Taking Liu Erlong's little hand, Yu Tianjun led her straight toward the awakening site.

Because of Liu Erlong's status, no guests had been invited to witness her awakening. Only Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian's family waited in the secret chamber.

The moment Yu Yuanzhen saw the two of them, his face immediately broke into a broad smile.

"Ah, Er Long, let your eldest uncle hold you."

Yu Yuanzhen had two sons, but he was especially fond of this little niece.

"Eldest Uncle!"

Liu Erlong pumped her short legs and darted into Yu Yuanzhen's arms.

Yu Luomian and Madam Liu exchanged a smile.

Ever since Yu Luomian had started a family, he had clearly settled down and cultivated diligently. Yu Yuanzhen could not help sighing over how right that decision had been.

Fortunately, Yu Tianjun had persuaded him. Otherwise, Yu Yuanzhen would never have thought of it.

"Second Brother, today is Er Long's Martial Soul awakening. If she doesn't awaken the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, or even a dragon-type Martial Soul, you know the consequences, don't you?"

Holding Liu Erlong, Yu Yuanzhen spoke solemnly.

Yu Luomian nodded gravely.

He understood the consequences. It would mean Liu Erlong would have almost no chance of obtaining a legitimate status within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and her life would become much harder.

"Begin."

Yu Yuanzhen spoke.

Yu Luomian stepped forward and personally awakened Liu Erlong's Martial Soul.

The Awakening Stone lit up. Intense flames surged forth, and the firelight illuminated the entire secret chamber. Yu Yuanzhen's eyes lit up.

With such an imposing display, even if it was not a dragon-type Martial Soul, it would surely be a powerful one!

Yu Luomian's eyes were filled with anticipation. Only when he saw fine crimson dragon scales emerge across Liu Erlong's body did he burst into ecstatic laughter.

"Fire Dragon Martial Soul! Fire Dragon Martial Soul!"