Returning to His Ancestral Clan, Uncle and Nephew Meet!

Tang San was shocked to hear this.

He had always had a special fondness for forging. Hearing now that his elder brother had supported an entire sect through forging, he felt a surge of admiration.

His elder brother truly lived up to the name. He had even thought of assembly-line forging.

As they chatted, the three arrived before a magnificent building.

"My lords, ahead is the Clear Sky Sect's assembly hall. It's also where disciples collect their identity tokens."

The guard stopped and pointed ahead, then added, "There will be an elder inside specifically to receive you two. This is as far as I'll take you."

With that, he bowed and turned to leave.

Tang San looked up at the magnificent building, his feelings rather complicated.

The Clear Sky Sect was his father's birthplace, which, by lineage, also made it his ancestral home.

And today, he was about to return to his ancestral clan. It was an occasion of extraordinary significance.

Seeing Tang San standing in a daze, Xiao Wu waved a hand before his eyes. "What are you spacing out for? Aren't we going in?"

Tang San came back to his senses and scratched his head with a smile. "I just thought of something. Let's go in now."

With that, Tang San suppressed his excitement and headed toward the doors.

Seeing this, Xiao Wu hesitated, then gritted her teeth and followed.

Tang San pushed open the heavy wooden doors, and a faint sandalwood fragrance wafted toward him.

The hall was spacious and bright, with a simple layout and a long rosewood desk standing at its center.

At that moment, a middle-aged man with an upright bearing sat behind the desk, watching them quietly.

The man's gaze was as calm as still water, yet it sent a chill down Xiao Wu's spine and left her feeling she had nowhere to hide.

Her instincts told her this man was strong!

The moment Tang San saw the middle-aged man, his gaze sharpened slightly.

For some reason, he felt a certain closeness to him.

"Are you the disciples Tianlin brought back?"

The middle-aged man's deep, resonant voice rang out, echoing through the hall.

Tang San and Xiao Wu felt their hearts jolt and hurriedly cupped their hands in greeting:

"This junior, Tang San, greets you, Senior."

"This junior, Xiao Wu, greets you, Senior."

"There's no need for such ceremony."

Tang Xiao raised a hand to signal them to straighten, but his eyes remained fixed on Tang San.

The resemblance! Such a striking resemblance!

His features inherited Ah Yin's softness, while his brows and eyes inherited Tang Hao's resolve.

He really was their child.

A flicker of reminiscence crossed Tang Xiao's eyes as he spoke. "Your name is Tang San, correct?"

"Yes." Tang San nodded.

"You have twin martial souls?"

"Yes."

"Innate full soul power?"

"...Yes."

As his reply fell, the atmosphere in the hall abruptly turned still.

"Hngh?!"

The next instant, Tang San felt an invisible pressure envelop his entire body, making even breathing laborious.

Just then, Tang Xiao slowly rose from behind the desk and walked toward Tang San, one step at a time.

With every step, Tang San felt the air around him grow heavier.

By the time Tang Xiao stopped before him, Tang San felt as though a mountain were pressing down on his shoulders.

His legs trembled, threatening to buckle and send him to his knees.

Was this the might of a true powerhouse?

Tang San secretly gritted his teeth, circulating the Mysterious Heaven Skill at full strength within his body, and stubbornly refused to let that force bend his back.

Watching his stubborn defiance, a trace of approval flashed through Tang Xiao's eyes.

Good lad. You've got backbone. As expected of someone with the Tang Clan's blood flowing through his veins!

He reached out and patted Tang San's shoulder.

The pat carried considerable force, landing with a smack that made Tang San sway.

"Not bad! You have a very solid physical foundation!"

Tang Xiao nodded slightly, his tone carrying a measure of gratification. "Your father wasn't as sturdy as you at your age."

Feeling the pressure dissipate, Tang San froze briefly. "Senior, you know my father?"

"More than that."

Tang Xiao withdrew his hand and clasped it behind his back, his gaze growing somewhat distant. "I'm your father's elder brother. By seniority, you should call me Eldest Uncle."

Tang San's pupils contracted.

Eldest Uncle?

This middle-aged man was his elder brother's father?!

Tang Xiao sighed, his tone carrying a hint of exasperation at someone's failure to do better:

"Back then, that bastard of a father of yours caused trouble and ran off without a word. He didn't leave even a scrap of news."

"I thought he'd died out there. I never expected..."

He lowered his gaze to Tang San, his expression complicated. "I never expected him to give me such a fine nephew."

His words left Tang San rather dazed. Only after staring blankly for a good while did he recover and hurriedly bow:

"Tang San greets you, Eldest Uncle!"

"Good, good, good!"

Tang Xiao repeated the word three times and pulled Tang San upright, his eyes faintly reddening. "Good child, you've suffered all these years."

Tang San shook his head. "I haven't suffered. It's just... Father, he..."

"Don't mention that bastard!"

Tang Xiao cut him off. "If he wants to stay out there being a blacksmith, let him! You're back now, anyway. From now on, the Clear Sky Sect is your home!"

Warmth filled Tang San's heart. He was about to say something when Xiao Wu beat him to it.

"Hello, Eldest Uncle!"

Xiao Wu suddenly stepped forward and copied Tang San, bowing respectfully. "I'm Xiao Wu, Tang San's good friend!"

Only then did Tang Xiao notice the pretty young girl standing to the side, and his gaze paused briefly.

He could sense an indescribable aura about her, but a careful examination revealed nothing unusual.

Thinking of Tianlin's methods, Tang Xiao understood. He did not expose it, merely smiling gently:

"Good. Since you're Tang San's friend, you're a guest of the Clear Sky Sect."

Hearing the word "guest," Xiao Wu could not help feeling a little disappointed.

Hadn't she joined the sect? Why was she still a guest?

Noticing Xiao Wu's expression, Tang San coughed lightly and took the initiative to speak:

"Eldest Uncle, Xiao Wu has already officially joined the Clear Sky Sect. Elder Brother personally approved it."

"Oh?"

Tang Xiao raised an eyebrow, looking at Xiao Wu with a little more curiosity.

That boy Tianlin had eyes set higher than the heavens. For him to take the initiative to invite someone with another surname into the sect meant this girl must hold a considerable secret.

At that thought, Tang Xiao laughed heartily. "Your name is Xiao Wu, right? Good. Later, I'll personally arrange a private courtyard for you, right next to Tang San's."

"Thank you, Eldest Uncle!"

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly thanked him.

Tang Xiao waved his hand, then turned his gaze back to Tang San and spoke earnestly:

"Little San, coming into the sect means coming home. If you have any difficulties from now on, just tell your eldest uncle. Our Clear Sky Sect may not have much else, but our fists are big!"

Warmth filled Tang San's heart once more.

This feeling of being acknowledged, of being accepted by his clan, was something he had never experienced in his previous life.

Since coming to this world, this was the first time he had felt such a tangible sense of belonging.

"Thank you, Eldest Uncle." Tang San bowed solemnly.

"All right, all right. Stop thanking me over and over."

Tang Xiao waved impatiently. "Right, since you're my own nephew, I can't have you return to your ancestral clan empty-handed."

As he spoke, he turned his palm over, and two items appeared in it.

An ancient-looking token and a small stalk of grass, emerald green from top to bottom.

"This token is the identity token of a Clear Sky Sect core disciple. With it, you can move freely throughout the sect and requisition certain resources."