Tang San and Cinderella

"Thank you for the reminder, sir. I will."

Moraki looked at Lin Wan's calm blue eyes and felt something strange, but he did not dwell on it.

After pondering for a moment, he took a silver token engraved with the sword-and-hammer emblem of Martial Soul Hall from a drawer and pushed it toward Lin Wan.

"Take this. It is a Friend Token from Martial Soul Hall. Its rank is not high, but if you encounter personnel from local Martial Soul Halls, showing this token should make things somewhat more convenient. Consider it a small token of goodwill from me and your friend Lin Zao," Moraki said.

This was both a gesture of goodwill and a test. He wanted to see whether Lin Wan would truly be tactful enough to mention him in his letter to Lin Zao.

Lin Wan's gaze swept over the token, and he understood at once.

He reached out, lightly brushing his fingertips over its smooth surface before putting it away. A grateful smile appeared on his face.

"Thank you for your generous gift, sir. I will remember your consideration."

Lin Wan did not mention Lin Zao, but the words "I will remember" were enough to satisfy Moraki.

"Mm." Moraki nodded and said no more. "Go. Safe travels."

"Thank you, sir. Farewell."

Lin Wan bowed once more, then turned and left the office.

The moment the door closed, a flash of understanding passed through the depths of his deep-sea-blue eyes.

A Friend Token?

Rather than making things convenient for Lin Wan, it was more likely meant to track his whereabouts.

Over the past few years, Moraki had invited Lin Wan to join Frost City's Martial Soul Hall in order to maintain his relationship with Lin Zao, but Lin Wan had refused.

Lin Wan's reason was that he wanted to see the world outside.

Moraki had expressed understanding. Young people all wanted to travel and see more of the world.

Lin Wan walked out through the gates of Martial Soul Hall. Sunlight fell over him, carrying a faint warmth.

Frost City remained bustling, its streets crowded with carriages and people. Lin Wan stood on the steps, his silver hair fluttering softly in the breeze and drawing countless admiring and inquisitive gazes.

Heaven Dou Empire, Fasno Province, Holy Soul Village south of Notting City.

The morning light was faint as a figure lightly made her way up the mountain.

She was a girl with waist-length golden hair. Though her features still carried a touch of youthful immaturity, her stunning beauty was already beginning to show.

This was Cinderella, whom Tang Hao had adopted and who now lived with Tang San in Holy Soul Village.

"Cindy, up so early? Going to call Little San down for breakfast?"

At the village entrance, Old Jack, the village chief, was stretching when he spotted her. A kindly smile appeared on his wrinkled face. He had always taken special care of the two well-behaved children from Tang Hao's home, children so sensible it broke one's heart.

"Yes, Grandpa Jack. Little San ran up the mountain again, so I have to drag him back for breakfast." Cinderella stopped and returned his smile sweetly.

"Ah..." Old Jack could not help shaking his head with a sigh, making his grizzled beard tremble.

"That Tang Hao... honestly... ah!"

He did not say the rest, but everyone understood.

A father who spent all day with a bottle in hand, muddleheaded and drunk, yet he had children as obedient and sensible as Cindy and Little San.

It was always a cause for sighing whenever it came up.

Tang San was currently cultivating atop a broad, flat boulder on the mountain peak.

He sat cross-legged, his five centers facing the sky. A faint trace of purple quietly emerged on the eastern horizon, which he carefully guided into his eyes and merged into the Mysterious Heaven Skill circulating within his body.

This was the Tang Sect's supreme art, Purple Demon Eyes.

Cinderella knew all about it. Years ago, relying on the prophetic advantage Lin Wan had given her and her unmatched affinity as an older sister, she had thoroughly turned this little old cucumber of a brother, who hid secrets in his heart, into her number-one sister fanatic.

The process... well, had gone remarkably smoothly.

One day, Tang San mysteriously produced the manuals for the Mysterious Heaven Skill and Purple Demon Eyes, claiming he had picked them up beneath some cliff.

Cinderella watched Tang San's shifty, utterly unconvincing act. She merely blinked her large, pure, innocent azure eyes and showed just the right amount of surprise and admiration.

"Wow! Little San, you're amazing! You found something so incredible!" She showed no intention of probing further.

This greatly relieved the already guilty Tang San, while a sense of satisfaction at having successfully shown off before his sister rose within him.

Without hesitation, he taught her everything he knew.

Naturally, Cinderella cultivated the Mysterious Heaven Skill and Purple Demon Eyes as well.

Thanks to the talent of a fairy-tale protagonist, her progress was not much slower than Tang San's, despite his relentless day-and-night cultivation.

However, she was clear-headed enough to know that before her martial soul awakened, reaching the first level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill was the limit. No matter how hard she worked, it would be difficult to advance any further.

Therefore, unlike Tang San, who cultivated diligently without fail every day, she treated it more like reviewing her lessons, simply maintaining her condition.

Six years ago, Tang Hao had brought Cinderella and the others to Notting Village and settled down there.

During the first few months, Tang Hao still retained a trace of clarity. He struggled to care for the two hungry infants, clumsy and flustered though he was, but at least he kept them from starving or freezing to death.

However, once Cinderella and Tang San had gained the ability to take care of themselves, the tightly drawn string in Tang Hao's heart seemed to snap in an instant.

He began drowning himself in alcohol, muddleheaded every day, either drinking or sleeping.

Tang San and Cinderella not only had to care for themselves, but also for Tang Hao.

Over the past few years, Cinderella had perfectly played the role of both sister and mother. Every day, she said ambiguous things to Tang San, such as:

"Little San, look, Dad got drunk again today... Does he not like us anymore? But it's okay. Big Sister will always love you. Big Sister will always stay with Little San."

"Little San, in this world, only the two of us are truly closest to each other. Other than Big Sister, who else would care for you this much?"

"Little San is amazing! Without Little San taking care of Big Sister, Big Sister wouldn't know what to do..."

Day after day, year after year.

Under Cinderella's guidance, Tang San's heart—closed off by his experiences in his previous life, yet desperately yearning for family and recognition—was firmly grasped in Cinderella's palm.

To Tang San, Cinderella was the only light in this world, the most important person in his life, someone he was willing to give everything to protect.

And Tang Hao?

He was merely an incompetent, alcoholic father who had given him life but never genuine care, one who could only wallow in his own pain.

In Tang San's heart, Tang Hao's place was far beneath Cinderella's.

Naturally, Tang San became a complete and utter sister fanatic.

Every day, he rose early, prepared a simple breakfast, and carefully carried it to Cinderella. Only after watching her eat would he pick up his own chopsticks.

He also took on all the household chores himself, never allowing Cinderella to lift a finger.

Cinderella only needed to look beautiful and occasionally give Tang San some loving encouragement.