On the side, after seeing Tang San successfully absorb the thousand-year Pumo Willow Soul Ring and display such a powerful Second Soul Skill, the admiration in Ye Zhilan's eyes deepened.
These two brothers really were both geniuses!
For a moment, her resolve to recruit them grew even stronger.
"Congratulations, little brother Tang San, on obtaining your Second Soul Ring. And the effect of this Soul Skill is truly extraordinary."
After Tang San had named his Second Soul Skill,
Ye Zhilan offered her sincere congratulations with a smile.
"Parasitic Drain combines control and recovery. It's extremely valuable in actual combat."
"Little Yin certainly has a discerning eye!"
Tang Yin smiled and modestly cupped his hands.
"Aunt Ye, you flatter me. It was also thanks to Xiao San's strong will that he succeeded!"
After helping Tang San finish absorbing his Second Soul Ring,
Tang Yin and Tang San had both accomplished their goals in hunting Soul Rings.
Ye Zhilan nodded, then changed the subject and asked with concern,
"By the way, Xiao San has now successfully obtained his Second Soul Ring."
"Once we leave the Star Dou Great Forest, what are your plans?"
"Are you going home, or heading somewhere else?"
At that, Tang Yin and Tang San exchanged a glance.
Tang Yin had already made up his mind, but he still let a trace of hesitation show on his face.
"To be honest, Aunt Ye, the two of us come from a remote border town called Nuoding City."
"We were studying at a place there called Notting Junior Soul Master Academy."
"But now that we've both reached level twenty, we applied for early graduation some time ago."
"Our original plan was to head for Heaven Dou Imperial City after obtaining our Soul Rings."
"Nuoding City is only a small place, with limited resources. Heaven Dou Imperial City is the empire's capital, with many Soul Master Academies and more opportunities. We want to go there and look for better prospects."
"Heaven Dou Imperial City?"
Ye Zhilan's eyes lit up. It was as if she'd found a pillow just when she was feeling sleepy!
The Nine-Heart Begonia Family was based in Heaven Dou Imperial City. If the boys were heading to Heaven Dou City, recruiting them would be even easier.
At that, Ye Zhilan smiled and smoothly suggested,
"What a coincidence. We're also returning to Heaven Dou Imperial City once this trip is over."
"Since we're headed the same way, why don't we travel together? We can look out for one another on the road."
"Besides, when you arrive in Heaven Dou City, you won't know your way around. Our Nine-Heart Begonia Family may not be a top-tier power, but we do have some influence. Perhaps we can help you get settled."
Just as expected!
Tang Yin smiled to himself at Ye Zhilan's response. He'd known it.
Aunt Ye really did want to recruit them. For now, she was simply doing them a favor!
But unfortunately, under his younger brother Tang San's influence,
he wanted to establish the Tang Sect and make it great again!
Joining the Nine-Heart Begonia Family was out of the question.
If anything, it would make more sense for the Nine-Heart Begonia Family to join the Tang Sect that the two brothers would establish in the future!
But for now, they still hadn't grown strong enough to stand on their own. There was no harm in making use of the Nine-Heart Begonia Family's help!
In any case, he would repay their kindness someday!
After all, he wasn't his younger brother Tang San from the original story!
Besides, in Tang Yin's view, the Thunder Body Tempering method he had revealed earlier was already more than enough to repay Ye Zhilan for helping them hunt Soul Rings, as well as the Nine-Heart Begonia Family for all the help they would provide later.
So, after pretending to hesitate for a moment, Tang Yin said,
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you, Aunt Ye?"
"We're commoners, and we haven't done anything to deserve such generosity. How could we possibly accept..."
Commoners...
At that, Ye Zhilan's smile grew even warmer.
"Ah, you're looking at it the wrong way."
"I feel a connection with you, and I admire your talent and character. Since you call me Aunt Ye, you can think of me as an elder."
"This is just a small favor. How could it be any trouble?"
"Besides, you're both so young and have already achieved so much. Your futures are limitless. It would be a blessing for the Nine-Heart Begonia Family to form a bond with you."
At this point, refusing again would just seem affected.
Tang Yin immediately cupped his hands and said solemnly, "In that case, thank you for your kindness, Aunt Ye! We brothers will remember this, and repay you one day."
"Don't mention it. It's a small favor!"
Ye Zhilan smiled broadly, a weight lifting from her heart.
"For now, keep traveling with us. Once we've helped Lingling obtain her Second Soul Ring, we'll leave the Star Dou Great Forest and return to Heaven Dou Imperial City!"
Afterward, Tang Yin and Tang San continued following the three women as they ventured farther into the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
At last, in a valley full of blooming flowers,
Ye Zhilan found a Green Spirit Resurrection Flower with a cultivation of nearly seven hundred years. After helping Ye Lingling hunt it,
Ye Lingling absorbed the Green Spirit Resurrection Flower's Soul Ring and successfully obtained her Second Soul Skill.
However, all the Soul Skills of the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul were healing abilities.
It was simply that when one absorbed a Soul Ring from a plant Soul Beast that was more compatible with the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul, the resulting Soul Skill's healing effect would be stronger.
"Let's go! We can head back now!"
After helping Ye Lingling obtain her Second Soul Ring, Ye Zhilan smiled and announced that they could leave.
The group then turned back.
Along the way, Ye Zhilan struck up conversations with Tang Yin now and then, trying to learn more about him and Tang San.
At the same time, she shared some information about Heaven Dou Imperial City and the Nine-Heart Begonia Family.
Tang Yin naturally sighed as if troubled and answered selectively.
In short, he told Ye Zhilan, Granny Yan, and Ye Lingling about the miserable life he and Tang San had apparently led in Holy Soul Village.
As for Tang Hao's true circumstances and the existence of their mother, Ah Yin, he didn't say a word.
When they heard that Tang Hao had failed as a father, drinking all day and forcing Tang Yin and Tang San to take on the household chores—cooking, chopping wood, and fetching water—when they were barely two years old,
Ye Zhilan, Ye Lingling, and Granny Yan were all stunned.
How could a father and family like that have raised two such good children?
Was this what the saying meant by "the children of poor families mature early"?!
Even Ye Lingling, who was usually aloof and hardly spoke, was indignant, her face filled with anger.
"How can there be a father like that in this world!"
"That's just too much!"
For a moment, she felt nothing but sympathy for Tang Yin and Tang San.
The two boys were just too pitiful!
Of course, the one Ye Lingling felt most sorry for was Tang Yin.
After all, Tang Yin was better-looking and more charming with his words.
At last, the group left the Star Dou Great Forest.
At a small town nearest to the Star Dou Great Forest,
the three of them climbed into the carriage that Ye Zhilan and the others had brought from Heaven Dou Imperial City, and set off back toward the capital.
On the road to Heaven Dou Imperial City,
after learning about Tang Yin and Tang San's miserable childhood,
Ye Zhilan's maternal instincts kicked in, and her heart ached for them.
While using concern for Tang Yin and Tang San as an excuse, she sighed and said she had no son, and that she wished she had sons as well-behaved and sensible as them.
She also had only Lingling as a daughter and was quite worried about whom her daughter would end up with in the future!
Tang San was a little stunned.
He even wondered whether Aunt Ye wanted to take the two brothers as her godsons.
But Tang Yin had caught her meaning.
This wasn't about taking them as godsons—she wanted to make him her son-in-law!
Before you continue