Aunt and Niece Meet

After two days of nearly sleepless travel, the group led by Tang San finally arrived outside Heaven Dou City.

They were all disheveled and in a sorry state; they had been pushing themselves to the limit for the past two days, not daring to stop.

Behind them, stopping meant death, and everyone was exhausted to the point of collapse.

Flender said in a low, heavy voice.

"I will take Tang San to see Lady Yue under the cover of night. You all wait outside and find a secluded place to hide; make sure you aren't discovered."

He knew full well that given their current status, Tang Yuehua would never see them.

Moonlight Pavilion was an academy for the nobility, and Tang Yuehua was a famous noblewoman in Heaven Dou City; how could she possibly meet with a group of fugitives?

Therefore, he didn't plan on taking the conventional route. He intended to sneak in directly; as long as he could see Tang Yuehua and explain the situation, she was Tang San's aunt and wouldn't just stand by.

The group nodded and found a place to hide, while Flender and Tang San quietly slipped into Heaven Dou City under the cover of darkness.

With Flender's strength as a level 78 Spirit Sage, sneaking into a city was easy, especially at night.

They didn't use the main gate but climbed over the wall instead. They had to keep a low profile; they couldn't let anyone know they had arrived, or if word reached Martial Soul Hall, even Tang Yuehua wouldn't be able to protect them.

Tang Yuehua was sitting in her small courtyard playing the zither. Although she was no longer young, the elegant aura she exuded remained mesmerizing.

Though she only possessed level 9 spirit power and would never break through to level 10 in this lifetime, she didn't rely on spirit power to make a living; she relied on her temperament and talent.

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

"I wonder which senior is visiting? Doing so is hardly in accordance with the rules."

Her voice was calm but carried a hint of majesty.

Flender and Tang San jumped down from the wall and walked into the courtyard.

Flender cupped his hands in a salute.

"One of the Golden Iron Triangle, Flight Corner Flender, pays an uninvited visit. I ask Lady Yue to forgive the intrusion."

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

"I do not know you. Why have you come to see me?"

Tang Yuehua did not deny her identity, but she didn't admit to anything either.

Flender lowered his voice.

"It was His Excellency Haotian who sent us. He said you are Tang San's aunt."

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

She scrutinized him carefully and saw the shadow of her second brother's youth in Tang San's face, especially those eyes, which were at least eighty percent similar to his when he was young.

"Are you my second brother's child?"

Tang Yuehua's voice trembled with excitement.

Tang San hurriedly stepped forward to salute.

"Nephew Tang San greets Aunt. Father said that if I ever ran out of options, I should come to you. He said you are the only person in this world I can trust."

Naturally, this was something he had said himself; who wouldn't know how to say the right things, especially someone like him who had lived two lives?

Tang Yuehua's eyes turned red upon hearing this, and she took Tang San's hand to look at him closely.

"Your face... what happened? Who did this? To strike so ruthlessly—they intended to ruin you."

Tang San's eyes instantly turned blood-red, and he breathed like an ox.

"I was beaten by someone. Although it has healed, the scars remain. That person is named Xuan Qing; he struck with such malice, intending to cripple me."

Tang Yuehua's expression darkened.

"Xuan Qing? I seem to have heard that name before. Tell me everything exactly as it happened; do not hide anything. I want to know it all."

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

From Tang San joining Shrek, to Yu Xiaogang's training, to Xuan Qing defeating the seven of them, to Tang Hao's appearance, and the pursuit by Ju Gui.

Of course, they omitted certain details.

For instance, Yu Xiaogang tricking Xuan Qing into taking him as a master, or the fact that Tang San had struck first.

They shifted all the blame onto Xuan Qing, claiming he was jealous of Tang San's talent and had acted ruthlessly to destroy him.

As Tang Yuehua listened, her expression grew increasingly grim.

Although she knew they were lying and that some parts were logically inconsistent, she still stood on their side.

Because they were her second brother's kin, her only remaining family.

Her second brother had been missing for many years, and now that she finally had news of him, she could not ignore it.

"How is my second brother? Where is he now? Is he safe?"

Flender shook his head.

"When we escaped, he was engaged in battle with Ju Gui. The specific situation is unclear, but given His Excellency Haotian's strength, there should be no problem."

Tang Yuehua breathed a sigh of relief. She knew her second brother's strength; although Ju Gui were powerful, they could not hold him back.

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

"Moonlight Pavilion cannot keep you; staying here is far too conspicuous. I have an estate outside the city. You should hide there first and wait for the heat to die down before making further plans."

Tang Yuehua spoke as she produced a key and a map, handing them to Flender.

Flender took them, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Will this implicate you? If Martial Soul Hall tracks you down, you will be in great danger."

Tang Yuehua shook her head. "That is why you must not show yourselves from here on out. As far as anyone knows, you never came here today, and I never saw you."

"Otherwise, I cannot protect you, nor can I protect myself. Heaven Dou Royal Academy may grant me a modicum of respect, but it is only a modicum."

Flender nodded. "Understood. We will head to the estate first, then find a way to contact His Excellency Haotian once we are settled."

"Take care, Aunt. Once Father returns, we will come to visit you again."

After the two left, Tang Yuehua sat in the courtyard, silent for a long time. The name Xuan Qing kept flashing through her mind; she felt as though she had heard it somewhere before.

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

According to rumors, that boy was not even ten years old yet possessed a ten-thousand-year third spirit ring. Such talent was simply heaven-defying; at the time, she had even remarked that the boy was destined for greatness.

Now it seemed this boy was not only heaven-defying in talent but also ruthless in his methods.

Tang Yuehua truly had a headache now.

If such a person could be recruited, he would undoubtedly be a major force against Martial Soul Hall. Even setting that aside, that Demon Dragon Douluo would surely become another grandfather figure in the future.

But now? Recruitment had failed, and instead, a feud had been forged.

She was caught in the middle, and it was a difficult position to be in.

To help Tang San meant offending Xuan Qing; not helping Tang San meant failing her second brother. She did not know what to do and could only take things one step at a time.

For now, she could only pray that Xuan Qing did not know her true identity.

She would attempt to resolve the conflict under the guise of Lady Yue; if she could resolve it, that would be for the best, and if not, she would deal with it then.

"Second Brother, where on earth are you? Please come back quickly; I cannot hold this mess together on my own."

Tang Yuehua muttered to herself, her heart filled with bitterness.

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

The world was about to descend into chaos, and what could she do? She was merely a woman with level nine spirit power; she could do nothing at all.