The Trajectory of Changing Fate

Of the plans he had laid out, Lin Rong had already done everything that could be done for now.

As for the remaining plans—when to carry them out and whether any changes would arise—would depend on the actual circumstances.

In the days ahead, the most important thing was to cultivate to Rank 20 as soon as possible. Lin Rong intended to leave all other trivial matters to the Old Butler.

Half a month later.

Heaven Dou Empire, Fasnau Province.

Nuoding City, Holy Spirit Village.

Inside a mud-brick house.

"Y-Yuehua, how... how did you know I was here?"

A disheveled middle-aged man rubbed his eyes in disbelief, staring at the palace-dressed woman before him in shock.

At his words, a bitter smile touched the palace-dressed woman's lips. Tears flowed into her mouth, carrying a salty taste.

After a long while, she asked in return, "After not seeing your sister for so many years, is that the only thing you want to ask?"

These two were none other than the siblings Tang Hao and Tang Yuehua.

Tang Yuehua tremblingly raised a hand to caress Tang Hao's cheek. Tang Hao did not avoid her; instead, an unprecedented gentleness appeared on his face, one Tang San had never seen before.

"Dad, who is she?"

Behind Tang Hao, Tang San could no longer suppress his curiosity.

The woman before him was so beautiful, and there was also that sense of closeness coming from his bloodline. Could she be his mother?

No, it still felt slightly different.

Tang Hao did not answer Tang San's question. Instead, Tang Yuehua stopped caressing Tang Hao and turned to look at Tang San.

"Is this your child with her?"

With that one sentence, Tang San knew that the woman before him was not his mother.

"Child, you resemble your father."

Tang Yuehua reached out, wanting to stroke Tang San's hair, but Tang San dodged away.

"What are you avoiding for? I'm your aunt!" Tang Yuehua chided lightly, reaching for Tang San's forehead again.

At that moment, Tang Hao explained, "Xiao San, she's your biological aunt."

Aunt? No wonder there was an inexplicable sense of closeness in his bloodline.

This time, Tang San did not dodge and allowed Tang Yuehua to stroke his hair.

"Xiao San, my nephew, have you and your father lived here all these years?"

Only then did Tang Yuehua notice the state of the room. Her heart aching, she said, "The food hasn't been good these years, has it? Look how thin you are."

"But, Xiao San, don't blame your father either. He never knew how to cook growing up."

"The fact that he learned to make porridge all these years is already a great improvement."

"Um, Aunt." Tang San pointed at the thin porridge on the wooden table and explained awkwardly, "I made this porridge..."

"..."

Tang Yuehua blanked for a moment, then teased, "So that's why! This porridge is soft and well-cooked, with the heat controlled just right. It really doesn't seem like your father's handiwork."

"Enough, Yuehua. What did you come to see me for?"

At the side, Tang Hao interrupted the conversation between aunt and nephew, getting straight to the point.

"What did I come for?" Tang Yuehua's tone sharpened as she demanded, "Now that I've found you, do you still have no intention of going back?"

"Do you know how much Father and Eldest Brother miss you?"

"Father is critically ill now. Even in his coma, he keeps calling your childhood name. Don't you intend to go back and see him?"

"Maybe if Father sees you and Xiao San, his grandson, the burden in his heart will ease and his illness will get better."

Upon hearing this, Tang Hao's pupils abruptly widened. Trembling, he leaned against the wall and remained silent.

After a long while, a hoarse voice emerged from Tang Hao's mouth.

"Yuehua, take Xiao San back with you."

"I owe the clan far too much. I have no face to meet Father or Eldest Brother."

"Xiao San has Twin Martial Souls—Blue Silver Grass and the Clear Sky Hammer. Consider it an explanation I can give the clan."

"I can't leave this place. Help me raise Xiao San well, all right?"

Tang Yuehua wanted to say more, but Tang Hao spoke with firm resolve:

"No matter what you say, I've made up my mind. I won't go back with you."

"Xiao San, come here!"

"Dad." Tang San walked over to Tang Hao.

"I want you to remember something."

"Tell me, Dad."

"Between us and Spirit Hall lies a hatred that cannot exist under the same sky!"

A mortal enmity?

What kind of hatred could make two sides unable to share the same sky?

Tang San's mind raced, and he quickly reached a conclusion.

Wife murdered! Mother murdered!

Having figured it out, Tang San clenched his fists and thought:

No wonder Father had cried so miserably on the rainy night I was born. And I had never once seen Mother.

Spirit Hall, you killed my mother. You have invited your own destruction!

Three days later.

"Aunt, where is this? Aren't we going straight to the Clear Sky Sect?"

Standing before the gates of the Soul Hunting Forest maintained by the Empire, Tang San asked curiously.

Standing at Tang San's side, Tang Yuehua answered with elegant composure, "This is the Soul Hunting Forest. Naturally, we came here to obtain your First Soul Ring."

"My coachman is a Soul King. In this Soul Hunting Forest, where thousand-year soul beasts are few and far between, he is more than capable of ensuring our safety."

At the gates of the Soul Hunting Forest, the guard respectfully returned a token to Tang Yuehua, then opened the gate and allowed the three of them inside.

As the three headed deeper into the forest, Tang Yuehua asked again:

"Xiao San, do you have any soul beast in mind for your First Soul Ring?"

Tang San shook his head repeatedly. Everything he knew about the soul master system had come from villagers and Su Yuntao; he knew next to nothing.

Seeing this, Tang Yuehua said understandingly:

"It's all right. Let Aunt help you consider it."

"The greatest strength of Blue Silver Grass is its unending vitality."

"Therefore, we can look for plant-type soul beasts with powerful vitality for your First Soul Ring."

That was right—wildfires could not burn it all away, and with the spring breeze, it would grow again.

Wasn't that precisely the trait of Blue Silver Grass?

Tang San's eyes lit up as he replied:

"Then I'll follow Aunt's advice."

"I think soul beasts like bamboo would be quite suitable. They are not only tenacious, but their stalks are tough and their leaves sharp. They're practically the ideal soul beasts."

Though Tang San said that aloud, what he truly wanted most was the sharpness of bamboo leaves.

If Blue Silver Grass could inherit the sharpness of bamboo leaves, wouldn't it become a superb natural hidden weapon?

"Not a bad idea. As expected of my nephew—so clever." Tang Yuehua praised him before continuing, "Among bamboo-type soul beasts, Lone Bamboo, Sword Bamboo, Ink Bamboo... most types of bamboo soul beasts meet your requirements, Xiao San."

"Then all we need to do is find a bamboo-type soul beast of the right age."

"For ordinary people, the limit of a First Soul Ring is just over four hundred years. Naturally, Xiao San's First Soul Ring cannot be too inferior—it must be at least three hundred and fifty years old."

"Madam," the Soul King coachman said.

"Bamboo likes water and often grows in warm, damp environments. If we follow the stream, our chances of encountering bamboo-type soul beasts will be much higher."