Aunt and Nephew Reunited

That evening, after nearly two days of traveling without sleep or rest, Tang San and the others finally arrived outside Heaven Dou City.

They were all filthy and utterly ragged. They had pushed themselves to the limit over the past two days, not daring to stop for even a moment.

If they stopped, they would die. Everyone was exhausted.

Flender said gravely,

"I'll take Xiao San to find Lady Yue under cover of night. You all wait outside. Find somewhere secluded to hide, and make sure no one sees you."

He knew very well that, given their current identities, Tang Yuehua couldn't possibly meet with them.

Moonlight Pavilion was a place for educating the nobility, and Tang Yuehua was a well-known lady of Heaven Dou City. How could she possibly meet with a group of fugitives?

So he had no intention of doing things the usual way. He planned to sneak straight inside. They only needed to see Tang Yuehua and explain what had happened. She was Tang San's aunt; she wouldn't turn them away.

The others nodded and found somewhere to hide. Flender and Tang San quietly slipped into Heaven Dou City under cover of night.

With Flender's strength as a seventy-eighth-level Soul Saint, sneaking into a city was easy enough, especially at night.

They didn't use the main gate, but climbed over the wall instead. They had to keep a low profile and make sure no one knew they had come. Otherwise, if word reached Spirit Hall, even Tang Yuehua wouldn't be able to protect them.

Tang Yuehua was sitting in her courtyard, playing the zither. Though she was no longer young, the elegant air about her remained captivating.

She had only ninth-level Soul Power and would never break through to level ten in her lifetime, but she didn't make her living with Soul Power. She relied on her poise and talent.

Suddenly, she stopped playing and looked toward the courtyard wall.

"I wonder which senior has come to visit. This way of entering is somewhat against the rules."

Her voice was calm, but carried a hint of authority.

Flender and Tang San jumped down from the wall and entered the courtyard.

Flender clasped his hands in greeting.

"I am Flender, Flight Corner of the Golden Iron Triangle. I apologize for this unannounced visit, Lady Yue."

Tang Yuehua looked at Flender, then at Tang San behind him. When she saw Tang San's face, her pupils contracted.

"I don't know either of you. Why should I meet with you?"

Tang Yuehua neither denied her identity nor acknowledged anything.

Flender lowered his voice.

"His Excellency Haotian sent us. He said you're Tang San's aunt."

Tang Yuehua's body shook as she looked at Tang San.

She studied him closely and saw the shadow of her second elder brother in his face when he was young. His eyes in particular were at least eight-tenths like her brother's had been.

"Are you Second Brother's son?"

Tang Yuehua's voice trembled with excitement.

Tang San hurried forward and bowed.

"Your nephew Tang San pays his respects to Aunt. Father said that if I ever had nowhere else to turn, I should come to you. He said you were the only person in this world I could trust."

Of course, he had made those words up himself. Anyone could say something nice, especially someone like him, who had lived two lifetimes.

Tang Yuehua's eyes reddened at his words. She took Tang San's hand and studied him closely.

"Your face... what happened? Who did this? They were so cruel. They were trying to ruin you."

Tang San's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and he began to pant like an enraged bull.

"Someone beat me. I've healed, but the scars won't go away. His name is Xuan Qing. He struck so viciously because he wanted to cripple me."

Tang Yuehua's expression darkened.

"Xuan Qing? I think I've heard that name before. Tell me exactly what happened. Don't hide anything. I want to know everything."

Flender and Tang San exchanged a glance, then began to explain. They told her everything they could.

From Tang San joining Shrek, to Yu Xiaogang training them, to Xuan Qing taking on seven opponents alone, to Tang Hao appearing, and then to Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo pursuing them.

Of course, they concealed a few things.

For example, that Yu Xiaogang had tricked Xuan Qing into becoming his disciple, and that Tang San had struck first.

They blamed everything on Xuan Qing, claiming he was jealous of Tang San's talent and had struck viciously to ruin him.

As Tang Yuehua listened, her expression grew grimmer and grimmer.

Though she knew they were lying and some parts didn't add up, she still took their side.

They were her second elder brother's family, her only family.

Her second elder brother had been missing for many years. Now that she had finally received word of him, she couldn't turn her back on them.

"How is Second Brother? Where is he now? Is he safe?"

Flender shook his head.

"When we escaped, he was fighting Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo. We don't know the details, but with His Excellency Haotian's strength, he should be fine."

Tang Yuehua breathed a sigh of relief. She knew how strong her second elder brother was. Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo were powerful, but they couldn't hold him.

If he wanted to run, those two would never be able to stop him. For now, she had to protect Tang San and wait for her second elder brother to return.

"I can't keep you at Moonlight Pavilion. You'd draw too much attention here. I have a manor outside the city. Go hide there for now, and make plans once things have died down."

As she spoke, Tang Yuehua took out a key and a map and handed them to Flender.

Flender took them, hesitated for a moment, then asked,

"Could this implicate you? If Spirit Hall comes after you, you'll be in danger."

Tang Yuehua shook her head.

"That's why you mustn't show yourselves from now on. You never came here today, and I never saw you."

"Otherwise, I won't be able to protect you or myself. Heaven Dou's imperial family may show me some respect, but only some."

Flender nodded.

"Understood. We'll go to the manor first, then figure out how to contact His Excellency Haotian once we're settled."

"Take care, Aunt. When Father returns, we'll come visit you again."

After the two of them left, Tang Yuehua sat in the courtyard in silence for a long time. The name Xuan Qing kept flashing through her mind. She felt she had heard it somewhere.

Suddenly, she remembered. A few days ago at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, a female Titled Douluo had appeared, and the young man with her seemed to be named Xuan Qing.

According to the rumors, the boy was not yet ten years old and already had a ten-thousand-year third ring. His talent was simply astonishing. At the time, she had even remarked that he was sure to amount to great things.

Now it seemed that this boy wasn't just astonishingly talented. He was also ruthless.

Tang Yuehua was truly at a loss.

If they could win someone like him over, he would be a great asset in the fight against Spirit Hall. And even setting that aside, that Demon Dragon Douluo would one day become another grandfather.

But now? They hadn't won him over. They had made an enemy of him instead.

She was caught in the middle and didn't know what to do.

If she helped Tang San, she would offend Xuan Qing. If she didn't help Tang San, she would be letting down her second elder brother. She didn't know what to do, so she could only take things one step at a time.

For now, all she could do was pray that Xuan Qing didn't know who she was.

She would try to resolve the conflict as Lady Yue. If she could smooth things over, that would be best. If not, she would deal with it then.

"Second Brother, where on earth are you? Hurry back. I can't hold this mess together."

Tang Yuehua murmured to herself, her heart heavy.

She already had a premonition that her peaceful days might be coming to an end.

The world was about to fall into chaos. What could she do? She was just a woman with ninth-level Soul Power. There was nothing she could do.