Their Separate Paths

"Is this the letter your father asked Grandmaster to give you?"

In the courtyard, Xiao Wu rarely looked so serious as she studied the letter in her hand.

"Yes. I'd felt uneasy all day, so I came back early from the blacksmith's shop. I found Grandmaster already at our house, and he gave me this letter."

Tang Sanmei's eyes darkened as she spoke. She hadn't expected her father, missing for more than two years, to return without wanting to see her—and to take her brother away, too.

According to Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, her father had something very important to do and was in a great hurry. He hadn't even had time to stop and say hello before taking Tang Yin and leaving for their grandmother's family home.

"Hmph. Your real father comes back and doesn't even want to reunite with his children. Instead, he sneaks off with your brother behind your back. There's definitely something fishy going on." Xiao Wu stroked her chin, a gleam of wisdom in her eyes.

"The truth is only one: your brother and you aren't blood-related. Now your father is taking him to reclaim his roots."

"W-what?" The sadness in Tang Sanmei's eyes faltered, and her pupils suddenly contracted.

"Third Sister, think about it. You always tell me your father's rough-looking and sloppy. You're plain-looking, too, but your brother's only just a tiny bit less handsome than me."

As if she'd discovered a whole new world, Xiao Wu held her thumb and forefinger close together in front of Third Sister's face when she said "a tiny bit." Then she spread her hands. "See? Isn't it obvious?"

"So you mean my brother found his birth parents, and that's why he left for now?" Tang Sanmei sounded doubtful, but she'd completely overlooked Xiao Wu's comment that she was plain-looking.

"It's possible. Of course, this is all just my deduction." Xiao Wu waved her hand, then suddenly brightened and raised an index finger. "Hey! Why don't we ask Grandmaster? He'll definitely know."

With that, Xiao Wu grabbed Tang Sanmei and hurried toward the academy.

The courtyard they'd rented was only a street away from the academy, so it didn't take them long to get there. As soon as they reached the door of Yu Xiaogang's house, Xiao Wu kicked it open and shouted:

"Grandmaster! Grandmaster!"

Yu Xiaogang was sitting at his desk. The commotion made his heart skip, and the fountain pen in his hand left a crooked streak across his notes.

"Xiao Wu! How many times have I told you to knock before coming in? Knock!" Veins bulged on Yu Xiaogang's forehead as he suppressed his anger and scolded her.

Xiao Wu had long since grown used to this. She folded her arms and glared at Yu Xiaogang with an air of world-weary maturity.

"Hmph! I'm asking you about my brother, Tang Yin. Is there something you're hiding from me and Third Sister?"

Yu Xiaogang's heart jumped at her words. He couldn't help glancing at Third Sister. Seeing the concern and curiosity in her expression, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"What would I know?" Yu Xiaogang stood up with righteous indignation, clasped his hands behind his back, and put on a grave expression.

"I only came back this afternoon and saw the letter on the table. I learned your father had been here when I read it."

As he spoke, the solemn look on Yu Xiaogang's face turned to one of regret. "Sigh... I had high hopes for Tang Yin. Though we sometimes disagreed, I still thought highly of him. I'm not happy to see him go, either."

"You really don't know anything?" Xiao Wu narrowed her eyes slightly. But Yu Xiaogang truly didn't look like he was lying, so she turned to the silent Third Sister behind her.

"It's all right, Third Sister. Even if your brother's gone, you've still got me. Sister Xiao Wu will keep looking out for you." Xiao Wu patted her slightly rounded chest.

"Besides, your brother's only leaving for a while. It's not like he doesn't want us anymore. If worst comes to worst, we can go find him later."

"Thank you, Sister Xiao Wu." Tang Sanmei felt a rare surge of gratitude toward Xiao Wu. But Xiao Wu's earlier guess in the courtyard—that she and her brother weren't actually siblings—had planted a seed in her heart.

In the past, she'd dismissed her classmates' occasional comments as teasing and paid them no mind. But with something so unusual happening now, she couldn't help wondering.

"Third Sister, you have to pull yourself together. I know how much you care about others, but sometimes caring too much is a weakness." Seeing that Third Sister was still silent, Yu Xiaogang began to offer her some words of encouragement.

"You can't always hide behind your brother. Everyone has to grow up. Besides..." Yu Xiaogang changed tack and brought up Tang Yin again.

"Tang Yin left so he could find a better environment to cultivate his Sharp-Tailed Swift Martial Soul. You shouldn't let your own selfish feelings stop your brother from becoming the best version of himself."

Tang Sanmei listened to Yu Xiaogang's heartfelt advice, her brows drawing together as she fell into thought.

That's right! According to the letter Dad left behind, whether he really took Brother to our grandmother's family home or, as Sister Xiao Wu guessed, to reclaim his roots, it couldn't be a bad thing for him. How could she let her selfishness hold him back?

Yu Xiaogang saw that his words were starting to sway Tang Sanmei, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Third Sister, have you heard of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament?"

"Of course. But what does it have to do with my brother?" Tang Sanmei asked, puzzled. Every student at the academy knew about this grand event in the Soul Master World, held once every five years.

"Right. This year's tournament has just ended, so the next one will be in five years." As Yu Xiaogang spoke, he clenched his hands behind his back. His eyes glimmered with something called ambition.

"By then, you'll both be fourteen. With your talent and my guidance, you'll definitely break through to level thirty, the Soul Elder rank. You might even reach level thirty-five."

Yu Xiaogang calmed his turbulent thoughts, then looked at Tang Sanmei and gently drew her in.

"Third Sister, this is the stage where young Soul Masters from across the continent prove themselves. A genius like your brother would never miss it. He might even compete. When that happens..."

"You mean if I compete, there's a chance I'll run into my brother!"

Tang Sanmei's eyes lit up. Her father had taken her brother away in secret and left no address. And considering he'd been missing for two years without coming to see her, who knew how long it would take him to finish dealing with the important matter he'd mentioned?

If competing in the Soul Master tournament gave her a chance of running into her brother, she had to try.

"Even if you don't run into him, you can make a name for yourself in the tournament—or even place in the top three. Then the whole empire will be talking about you. Do you think your brother won't hear about you then?"

Yu Xiaogang chuckled to himself. The plan was working perfectly.

"The Elite Soul Master Academy Tournament? Sounds interesting. I want to compete, too." Xiao Wu's eyes gleamed with curiosity as she listened to the description of the tournament.

Meanwhile, after leaving Holy Soul Village, Tang Hao and Tang Yin set out across the Balak Kingdom. After a long, dusty journey, they finally arrived at Sword City, near the border between the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire.

Sword City had originally been a small border town, but its proximity to the Star Dou Great Forest meant countless Soul Masters passed through and stopped there.

Soul Masters stood at the top of Douluo Continent's pyramid. Even the weakest among them had far greater spending power than ordinary people.

That was what had made this little border town of Sword City so prosperous.

"You're out of money? Don't think I don't know—the Gold Soul Coins I gave Third Sister are all in your hands." In a secluded alley, Tang Hao glared darkly at Tang Yin, who wore a completely unconcerned expression.

"I spent it all."

"Spent it all? There were more than ten thousand Gold Soul Coins in that card. It's only been three years, and you're telling me you spent it all?"

Tang Hao's veins bulged, his face flushed red, and his breathing grew as heavy as an ox's.

"Spent is spent. Money's just a tortoise bastard—you won't earn any if you don't spend it." Tang Yin spread his hands, looking as if he dared Tang Hao to do something about it.