The inner courtyard of Lanya Pavilion
In an elegantly furnished room, a dignified noblewoman sat in a chair, gently combing her pale blue hair as she looked into a mirror.
Behind her stood several stewards, heads bowed as they reported on the pavilion's affairs.
She occasionally nodded and offered a few comments. Her tone was calm, yet her authority was unmistakable.
Just then, the door curtain rustled, and Lan Hua entered, her mind heavy with worries.
The stewards immediately bowed and took their leave.
In an instant, the room fell silent, with only the soft rustle of the comb moving through hair.
"Xiao Hua, what's wrong?"
Lan Ya set down her wooden comb and turned to look at Lan Hua, raising an eyebrow.
Lan Hua took a deep breath and walked up to her. "Mom, there's something I want to ask you."
"Oh?"
Lan Ya was a little surprised. She stood and took her daughter's hand, drawing her into her arms as she gently stroked Lan Hua's long hair. Her voice softened. "What could you possibly be afraid to ask your mother? Go on."
Lan Ya couldn't even remember how long it had been since she'd been this close to her child.
Hearing the gentle voice beside her ear, Lan Hua steadied herself and got straight to the point. "Mom, when did you... meet that man surnamed Tang?"
"What?" Lan Ya froze, nearly thinking she'd misheard. She looked down at her daughter's serious expression, caught between exasperation and amusement. "You silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb!" Lan Hua thought her mother was feigning ignorance and lifted her chin. "His child has already come knocking!"
"You brat, now you're teasing your own mother!" Lan Ya was both annoyed and amused. She pulled her daughter into her arms and gave her a vigorous tousling. "You must be itching for a beating!"
"No, no, Mom, I'm sorry!"
Lan Hua wailed and begged for mercy.
A moment later, Lan Hua lay on the ground, panting heavily as she glared resentfully up at Lan Ya.
Lan Ya paid her no mind. Her eyes were fixed on the jade card Lan Hua had handed her. As she felt its familiar texture, the smile on her face faltered.
When she took a closer look at the familiar blue silver patterns in her hand, her pupils contracted.
To confirm her suspicion, she poured a wisp of Soul Power into it. The next moment, golden light washed over the patterns on the jade card.
Within the Blue Silver Sacred Heart Sect, the number of people who held a jade card of this rank could be counted on one hand, and every one of them lived within the sect. There was only one person outside who could possess such a thing—
Ah Yin!
The moment the name surfaced in her mind, Lan Ya's breathing hitched.
She abruptly hauled Lan Hua up from the floor. Gone was her earlier composure; her voice was urgent. "Where are they? Take me to them, quickly!"
Lan Hua was startled by her reaction. Seeing the solemn look on her mother's face,
she finally realized that things were probably nothing like she'd imagined.
Daring not to ask questions, she hurried to lead the way.
Soon, the two arrived at the room where Lan Yu and Tang Ya were staying and gently pushed the door open.
Lan Ya stepped inside. At first, she saw only two children in the room, and disappointment flickered through her heart.
But the next instant, when her gaze fell on Tang Shan, who had turned toward the sound, her body trembled.
She looked so much like her.
She was practically a carbon copy of Ah Yin from back then.
"Child, come here." Lan Ya beckoned Tang Shan gently, her voice softer than it had ever been.
Tang Shan didn't turn back to ask Lan Yu. As if guided by the blood in her veins, she felt not the slightest wariness toward the noblewoman before her.
She hesitated for a moment, then obediently walked over.
"Good girl."
Lan Ya lifted a hand and carefully touched her cheek, her eyes growing slightly moist. "I'm your mother's cousin. In terms of seniority, you should call me Auntie."
"A... Auntie." Tang Shan blinked and called to her softly.
After they had spent a little time together, Lan Ya finally calmed her emotions and looked up at Lan Yu, who had already risen to his feet.
At just one glance, her brows drew together almost imperceptibly.
Could this child not be Ah Yin's?
As if seeing her confusion, Tang Shan tipped her head back and explained quietly, "Auntie, he's my older brother."
Lan Yu stepped forward and gave Lan Ya a slight nod. "Auntie. I was adopted by Mother. You can ask me anything you'd like to know."
"So that's how it is."
Lan Ya understood. Her gaze lingered on Lan Yu's handsome features, and she silently admired Ah Yin's good eye—even the child she'd adopted was so striking.
She wasted no time and asked the most important question directly. "Child, your mother... where is she now?"
Lan Yu shook his head, his tone calm. "I don't know either. Mother's always on the move, and I haven't seen her in a long time."
"I see..."
Disappointment showed on Lan Ya's face. She fell silent for a moment before coming back to herself and looking at Lan Yu. "Never mind. Lan Hua told me you came here especially to find me, right?"
"Yes." Lan Yu nodded, then turned to Tang Shan. "Xiao Shan, show her your Martial Soul and Soul Rings."
At his words, Tang Shan stepped out of Lan Ya's embrace and turned around. The Haotian Flood Dragon Martial Soul appeared behind her, and two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple, rose into the air.
Lan Hua's eyes widened. She gasped in shock. "A thousand-year Soul Ring for your second ring? How is that possible?!"
Lan Ya's reaction was the opposite. Her brows knitted together as she stared at the Martial Soul behind Tang Shan. "Why didn't Ah Yin's child awaken a Blue Silver King Martial Soul?"
Tang Shan looked up at her, a faint smile curving her lips. "I did."
As the two watched in astonishment, golden light flowed across Tang Shan's right palm, and a Blue Silver Grass plant with deep silver stripes slowly appeared.
"Twin Martial Souls?!" ×2
"Auntie, that's why we came to find you." As he spoke, three purple Soul Rings slowly rose beneath Lan Yu's feet.
Looking at the two women, who were once again stunned, he continued, "Xiao Shan and I have already enrolled at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and we've become members of the Heaven Dou Team."
"First, because of special circumstances, we both absorbed Soul Rings beyond the usual limits. We'd like to ask for your help when it's time to hunt for Soul Rings in the future."
"Second, you're a true Blue Silver Soul Douluo of the Blue Silver Sacred Heart Sect, so you must know how Blue Silver Soul Masters cultivate. Xiao Shan will need your guidance on how to develop her Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul."
That was the art of speaking. Hearing his words, Lan Ya's smile grew even wider.
She could already picture the Blue Silver Sacred Heart Sect's future glory, with Tang Shan taking over as its sect master one day.
Lan Ya reached out and stroked Tang Shan's head. Her voice was gentle, but held a note of solemnity. "Before you become a Titled Douluo, don't add any Soul Rings to your Blue Silver King Martial Soul, and don't reveal it in front of outsiders. Understand?"
"Mm." Tang Shan nodded. Ah Yin had told her the same thing.
She tilted her head up toward Lan Ya, puzzlement in her eyes. "But Auntie, don't you also have a Blue Silver King Martial Soul? Why don't you have to hide yours?"
At that, Lan Ya chuckled and patiently explained, "There are differences in rank even among Blue Silver Kings.
"More precisely, your Martial Soul isn't an ordinary Blue Silver King. It's the Blue Silver Prince."
"The Blue Silver Prince?" Tang Shan repeated the words under her breath, lowering her head.
"That's right."
Lan Ya nodded. "For an ordinary Blue Silver Grass Soul Master, reaching the Blue Silver King rank is the limit of a lifetime's cultivation.
"Unless they're blessed with an extraordinary opportunity, most people have to wait until they reach the Soul Saint realm before their Martial Soul can undergo its first evolution and transform into a Blue Silver King."
"But the offspring of the Blue Silver Emperor are different. They're born kings, with the right to vie for the throne!"
"And that's exactly why a Blue Silver King Soul Master who hasn't reached the Soul Saint realm will absolutely attract the attention of anyone with ulterior motives!"