"Second Elder, the Haotian Sect has four generations of disciples. Why not let the third generation, Xiao San's peers, test his mettle first?
If he holds up, they should acknowledge him.
As for the first-generation elders and the second generation, that's simple. Let Yuehua, as his aunt, take the trial in his stead."
Chu Chengzhou smiled at Tang Bo as he spoke.
For acknowledging ancestry and returning to the sect, the only ones who could truly help Tang San were his father Tang Hao, his eldest uncle Tang Xiao, and his aunt and uncle-in-law, Tang Yuehua and Chu Chengzhou.
Tang Hao was the sect's sinner and could not make a move, or a great hammer might flatten the Haotian Sect.
Tang Xiao was the sect master and had to appear fair.
Chu Chengzhou had planned to act himself, but on second thought he wasn't the right choice. Better to let Tang Yuehua. To the Haotian Sect she was family; he was an outsider. Besides, on a first visit, beating up the bride's family looked bad.
This continent reveres strength. If Tang San could suppress his own generation, and Tang Yuehua could suppress the second generation and even the elders, no one would have grounds to object.
Earlier, Tang Yuehua had described the sect's situation: the third generation were all under rank 60. Tang San, a five-ring Soul King, shouldn't lose to any of them. In fact, even against a six-ring Soul Emperor, Chu Chengzhou had full confidence in him.
As for the first generation and second generation—given Tang Yuehua's current rank-84 Soul Douluo cultivation, eight hundred-thousand-year rings, six hundred-thousand-year bones, and a dozen hundred-thousand-year bone skills—defeating opponents up to rank-94 Titled Douluo posed no pressure.
"Yuehua?"
The five elders all turned to her in surprise. By their memory, this niece's martial soul had mutated for the worse; she'd always been a level-9 small fry.
No, Chu Chengzhou clearly wasn't a fool. He wouldn't just send a level-9 Soul Scholar to challenge Titled Douluo. There had to be backing here.
"Niece Yuehua, did you break your martial soul's shackles?" Tang Bo asked, uncertain.
"Yes."
Pride touched Tang Yuehua's face.
To come home rich and not show it is like wearing brocade at night. After years as "trash," a splendid turn into a gifted powerhouse would stir anyone. Past forty and rank 84—who dared call her trash?
Her famed second brother Tang Hao had advanced to nine rings at forty-four, later lauded as the youngest Titled Douluo. At her current age most Titled Douluo had lower cultivation than she did, to say nothing of the crushing gap in rings and bones.
"Yuehua, has your Ruyi Ring shifted into an assault-type martial soul? What rank are you now?" Tang Xiao asked, face alight.
He didn't know much, but he knew this: a martial soul that awakens with an innate domain is very strong. How did it compare to Spirit Hall's Six-Winged Angel, which also awakens with an innate domain?
"Big Brother, you'll see."
She smiled and left it there. This grand-aunt didn't fight by martial soul and soul skills; her real hands were soul bone skills. Under a barrage of multiple hundred-thousand-year assault-type bone skills, an average nine-ring Titled Douluo wouldn't stand.
"Elders, your thoughts on my proposal?" Chu asked.
The five exchanged looks. Tang Bo nodded. "We'll go with nephew-in-law's plan."
As Chu had said, the continent reveres strength. If Tang San—who looked not yet twenty—could defeat the third-generation chief disciple more than ten years his senior, such a genius could likely lead the sect back to glory. Compared to restoring the sect, their prejudice against Tang Hao and his son could be set down.
After all, Tang Hao killing Qian Xunji had been a forced move. They had pinned the bill on Tang Hao because Spirit Hall was too strong and the Haotian Sect too weak; they needed a scapegoat to vent on.
Likewise, though being toppled by a junior who had once been "super trash" would bruise the ego, the five would be happy for Tang Yuehua to defeat them, because it would mean the sect had gained a true powerhouse. They had already swallowed the humiliation of being forced into seclusion; a little face was nothing.
"Xiao San, go for it." Satisfied, Chu patted Tang San's shoulder.
"Yes, Uncle-in-law!" Tang San answered loudly.
Okay, Uncle-in-law. Yes, Uncle-in-law. No problem, Uncle-in-law!
Chu Chengzhou blinked. His eldest nephew was calling him uncle-in-law now? Rare.
"Good. Your uncle-in-law believes in you." Warmth rose in his chest. He patted Tang San's shoulder again, finding the boy ever more pleasing to the eye.
It tracked. In his past life, Tang San had stolen Tang Sect manuals—dishonorable, but without knowing he would transmigrate, he had leapt off a cliff to prove resolve. Not that bad. In this life he'd grown up in a mountain village, was tutored well by his aunt Tang Yuehua, and hadn't followed the shameless Yu Xiaogang or fallen in with Dai Mubai and the rest. His character was far better than in the original story; he hadn't become the notorious "Tang Buddha."
Hmm. Guiding "Tang Buddha" into "Tang Bodhisattva" sounded like an even better achievement.
A pity he was a nephew, not a niece, otherwise…
He didn't know what Tang San had looked like before the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline awakened, but after awakening… the kid wasn't bad-looking at all.
T/N: For 40 chapters ahead on my translations, become a p@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle