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As the Strength Clan's group disappeared into the dusty horizon of the official road, Tang Yuehua gently turned, the setting sun casting a golden glow on her elegant dress.
She gazed at Tang San's pale face and softly said, "Little San, before we return to the Sect..."
She paused, her slender fingers gently brushing the dust from Tang San's shoulder, "Auntie has some words to tell you."
The distant barking of dogs from the village reached them. Tang Yuehua suddenly grasped Tang San's cold hand, her voice soft yet firm: "No matter who you meet later, or what you hear..." Her golden eyes looked directly into Tang San's bloodshot ones, "Auntie only asks you to do one thing—"
A flash of clarity suddenly appeared in Tang San's originally dim eyes. He slowly raised his head, the moonlight casting tiny specks of light in his bloodshot eyes.
His Adam's apple bobbed a few times before he managed a hoarse voice: "Auntie... please speak."
His voice was so soft that it made Tang Yuehua's heart tremble. The boy's slender figure shivered slightly in the breeze, like a Blue Silver Grass that could break at any moment.
But those eyes—those eyes so similar to Tang Hao's—now burned with a startling obsession.
She slowly raised her other hand, her fingertip gently touching Tang San's chest.
In the setting sun, Tang San could clearly see the glint of tears in his aunt's eyes, and the silent mouth shape: "Endure."
Tang San nodded silently, the setting sun casting a shadow beneath his lowered eyelashes.
He didn't ask further, only mechanically clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the effort.
Tang Yuehua watched the overly quiet boy with concern, sighing softly.
She tidied her hair, which had been ruffled by the country breeze, and gently said, "Let's go."
The two walked into the village, one after the other.
A few barks came from afar.
Tang San's steps were a little unsteady, but he stubbornly refused assistance.
When Tang Yuehua looked back, she saw the boy's figure looking particularly thin in the moonlight, as if he could dissipate into the setting sun at any moment.
As soon as the two stepped onto the bluestone path at the village entrance, several figures flashed out from the shadows, blocking their way.
"Madam Yuehua, this is..." The burly middle-aged man leading them cupped his fists in greeting, but his rugged brows were tightly furrowed.
His wary gaze swept back and forth over Tang San.
Tang Yuehua's gaze suddenly turned cold, and though she had no spirit power, it became astonishingly sharp: "What? Do I need your permission to bring someone home?"
The middle-aged man seemed a little nervous, kneeling on one knee: "This subordinate wouldn't dare!" He looked at Tang Yuehua and continued, "It's just that the village has been under strict Martial Law, and it's my duty..."
Although Tang Yuehua only possessed nine levels of spirit power, how could her status be compared to ordinary people?
As the Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect's direct younger sister, she was virtually second only to the Sect Master within the Sect; even the Elders had to show her respect.
This seemingly ordinary mountain village was, in fact, a carefully arranged outpost of the Clear Sky Sect.
Those residing in the village were all subsidiary families that the Clear Sky Sect had raised for generations.
They were either collateral branches of the Sect or hereditary loyal retainers, and every person's bloodline was inextricably linked to the Clear Sky Sect.
In the setting sun, the stone houses in the village were neatly arranged.
As Tang Yuehua walked past each one, the villagers she encountered all bowed silently.
Tang San followed behind his aunt, clearly feeling the probing gazes from all directions—those gazes, upon touching Tang Yuehua's back, immediately became respectful and fearful.
Tang Yuehua snorted coldly, her sleeve drawing a sharp arc in the air.
She walked towards the back of the mountain without looking back, her golden hairpin glinting with a cold light in the moonlight.
"Keep up," she said to Tang San without turning her head, her voice imbued with undeniable authority.
Tang San silently followed.
The path up the back mountain grew steeper and steeper, and the ancient trees on either side cast mottled shadows, like countless prying eyes.
Before long, the two had passed through the path behind the village.
The view suddenly opened up, and a strangely steep mountain peak abruptly stood in the night.
The mountain was not towering, but it was astonishingly sheer.
The entire mountain wall stood vertically, as if carved by a knife and axe, glowing with a cold, bluish-gray in the moonlight.
The smooth rock face was barren of vegetation; not even the most tenacious vines could cling to it, as if it had been deliberately polished by some invisible force.
Tang San looked up, seeing the mountain body glowing with a metallic golden light in the setting sun, its peak hidden in the thin mist.
Even more astonishingly, the entire mountain was formed from a single, naturally occurring colossal stone, without the slightest seam.
Tang Yuehua tidied her hair, which had been ruffled by the mountain wind, and softly said, "Little San, this return, Auntie did not inform the Sect in advance."
She looked up at the steep mountain wall, "I need you to take Auntie up."
Tang San nodded knowingly, a purple light suddenly erupting in his eyes.
Under the operation of Purple Demon Eye, the originally smooth, mirror-like mountain wall immediately revealed its secrets—every ten meters, there was a cleverly concealed indentation.
These grooves were arranged in a staggered pattern, casting a faint shadow in the setting sun.
"So that's how it is..." Tang San murmured softly.
He noticed that these indentations were not naturally formed; the edges of each groove bore subtle chisel marks, clearly a climbing path unique to the Clear Sky Sect.
The most astonishing thing was that these grooves were undetectable from a distance, only visible from a specific angle.
"Auntie, pardon me." Before Tang San's words finished, dozens of crystalline Blue Silver Grass had already wrapped around Tang Yuehua's waist like nimble snakes.
He lightly tapped his toes, fully deploying Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, his entire body transforming into a blurred afterimage.
With a slight flick of his wrist, the subtle force of Controlling Crane Catching Dragon instantly erupted.
Tang Yuehua felt a sudden tightening around her waist, and her entire body was lightly lifted off the ground.
Tang San took advantage of the momentum, his toes precisely landing on the first indentation, and the Blue Silver Grass tightened, steadily lifting Tang Yuehua upward.
In the setting sun, two figures rapidly ascended the cliff.
Every time Tang San used leverage, it was perfectly timed; the Blue Silver Grass loosened and tightened under his exquisite control.
Tang Yuehua was surprised to find that despite the extreme speed, she felt no turbulence, as if she were being lifted by a gentle breeze, soaring straight up.
As the mountain wind howled, Tang San's clothes flapped loudly.
His gaze was like lightning, his Purple Demon Eye clearly seeing every foothold.
In a flash, the two had climbed halfway, the village below long since obscured by thin mist.
In an instant, Tang San lightly landed Tang Yuehua on the mountaintop platform.
The mountain wind brushed past, stirring their clothes.
Tang Yuehua was about to speak when suddenly—
A figure as majestic as a mountain abruptly appeared at the edge of their vision.
That person simply stood there, as if pressing the entire sky down by a few degrees.
Tang Yuehua's pupils suddenly contracted, and even her breathing hitched; Tang San's entire body instantly tensed, and Blue Silver Grass unconsciously spread in his palm.
The setting sun outlined a blurred yet majestic silhouette.
But the overwhelming sense of oppression made both uncle and nephew freeze in place simultaneously.
The mountain wind suddenly stilled, even the chirping of insects ceased abruptly, and the entire mountain seemed to solidify at this moment.
His simple gray clothes could not hide his mountain-like, towering figure.
The man was over two meters tall, his broad shoulders seemingly capable of supporting the entire sky.
His resolute face, carved like by a knife and axe, bore a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to Tang Hao, yet appeared younger.
His piercing gaze swept over them like a tangible force, instantly locking onto Tang San.
"Big Brother!"
Tang Yuehua's voice choked, and her beautiful eyes instantly welled up with tears.
She instinctively took half a step forward, but then stopped, her slender hand tightly clutching the corner of her clothes.
In the setting sun, her slightly trembling lips were clearly visible.
Tang San stood stiffly in place.
That gaze was too sharp, as if it could pierce through his soul.
He noticed the man's hands hanging at his sides—knuckles distinct, covered in calluses, marks left by years of wielding a hammer.
The mountain wind suddenly turned biting, swirling fallen leaves across the ground.
Tang Xiao's gaze lingered on Tang San for a moment, finally settling on his sister's tear-filled face.
His resolute face softened slightly, his Adam's apple bobbed a few times: "...It's good you're back."
Tang Yuehua could no longer suppress herself, and like a fledgling swallow returning to its nest, she threw herself into Tang Xiao's broad embrace.
"Big Brother... Second Brother, he..." Her choked voice was muffled against her brother's chest, and tears instantly soaked his simple gray clothes.
Tang Xiao's steel-like body trembled slightly, and his massive hands, capable of wielding the Clear Sky Hammer, were now incredibly gentle.
He slowly stroked his sister's trembling back, his eyes filled with a mix of pain and fury: "Yuehua, don't worry, Big Brother will definitely avenge Brother Hao."
His voice was deep like muffled thunder, "Those people will pay with blood for Brother Hao's blood debt."
Having said that, he gently helped his sister stand upright, his rough thumb wiping away the tears from her face.
When he turned to look at Tang San, his gaze had returned to its steady calm: "The most urgent matter is to settle Little San first."
The mountain wind rustled his graying temples, his resolute profile sharply defined like a sculpture in the setting sun.
Upon hearing this, Tang Yuehua's reddened eyes welled up with tears again.
She bit her lip and nodded gently, her slender fingers still tightly clutching her brother's sleeve.
Tang Xiao's broad hand gave his sister's shoulder a final gentle pat, then he walked towards Tang San with steady steps.
As the distance closed, Tang San could clearly see every line on his uncle's face that resembled his father's—the tightly knit brows, the resolute jaw, and the deep-seated sorrow in his eyes.
The air seemed to solidify.
Tang San opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
It wasn't until Tang Yuehua's nasal reminder broke the silence: "Little San, this is your Big Uncle."
"Big Uncle."
These two words were as light as a sigh.
Tang San saw Tang Xiao's pupils tremble slightly, and those hands that could wield the Clear Sky Hammer now hung in mid-air, somewhat at a loss.
Tang Xiao's broad hand fell heavily on Tang San's shoulder; at that instant, he sharply turned his face away.
In the setting sun, one could clearly see this tough man's Adam's apple bobbing violently a few times.
When he turned back, his resolute face had regained its calm, only the slightly reddened corners of his eyes betrayed the emotional fluctuations he had just experienced.
"Little San, right?" Tang Xiao's voice was deep like muffled thunder.
Feeling the warmth on his shoulder, Tang San silently nodded.
The next moment, Tang Xiao's hand suddenly tightened, his voice filled with suppressed anger: "Tell me, what happened that night of the attack—" Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, "Don't miss a single detail!"
Tang San took a deep breath, his Purple Demon Eye gleaming faintly in the night.
He began to describe the bloody night in detail, and when he spoke of the opponent's strange Spirit, Tang Xiao's pupils suddenly contracted.
"Snake Lance... Pufferfish..." Tang Xiao's deep voice echoed on the mountaintop, each word like it was carved into the rock with a chisel.
His eyes slightly closed, his thick brows tightly furrowed, as if he wanted to deeply engrave these two Spirits into his mind.
Tang Yuehua clutched her sleeve, her golden hairpin jingling in the night wind: "Big Brother, this is clearly the Spirit Hall's doing!"
Her voice trembled, "Besides them, who else could send out such rarely known Titled Douluo?"
Tang Xiao slowly opened his eyes, the moonlight casting deep shadows in his resolute eyes: "I understand that, of course."
His rough fingers rubbed together, "But this reason is not enough for the Clear Sky Sect to avenge Brother Hao."
Tang Xiao's gaze slowly fell on Tang San, his voice unconsciously softening a few degrees: "Did Brother Hao say anything else before he left?"
Tang San was silent for a moment, then took out an ancient wooden box from his Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges.
The moment he opened the lid, several crystalline Spirit Bones glowed with a heart-stopping brilliance in the setting sun.
"Father said..." Tang San's voice was a little hoarse, "to return all of these to Big Uncle."
Tang Xiao's towering body swayed violently, and his hands, capable of wielding the Clear Sky Hammer, seemed unable to hold a light wooden box at this moment.
His lips trembled violently, and the muscles in his face twitched uncontrollably.
Just as Tang San was about to continue relaying the message—
"Enough!!!"
A sudden roar shook the mountaintop, causing loose stones to roll down.
Tang Xiao punched the nearby rock wall, and the entire mountain peak trembled.
He turned his back, his broad shoulders heaving violently in the setting sun, and his heavy breathing was exceptionally clear in the silent mountain peak.
Tang San saw a few drops of liquid splashing onto the Spirit Bones, creating tiny ripples.
A deathly silence fell around them, with only the biting mountain wind whimpering in their ears, swirling fallen leaves across the ground.
"Big Brother, let's discuss this after we return to the Sect," Tang Yuehua said softly, her voice like a spring breeze, gently stroking her brother's trembling arm.
Tang Xiao slowly raised his eyes, his weathered eyes filled with unspeakable guilt.
He shook his head, his voice hoarse beyond recognition: "Little San... you can't go back yet."
"Big Brother!" Tang Yuehua suddenly raised her voice, her golden hairpin shaking violently in the moonlight, "It's come to this, and you still care about those old fogeys' pedantic views?!"
Her slender finger pointed directly towards the Sect, her usually elegant face flushed with anger.
Tang Xiao ignored his sister's angry reprimand, only gazing deeply at Tang San, his voice deep like muffled thunder: "Take it back."
Tang San hesitated for a moment, but ultimately put the heavy wooden box back into his Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges.
In the moonlight, he could clearly see the churning pain in his Big Uncle's eyes.
"Your father must have made arrangements for you?" Tang Xiao's voice suddenly softened, yet carried an undeniable authority.
Tang San nodded, his Purple Demon Eye faintly glowing in the night: "Father instructed me to ask Big Uncle to take me to that Blue Silver Grass forest and the cultivation waterfall..." He paused, "And finally... send me to Slaughter City."
Tang Xiao's burly body trembled violently, a hint of unconcealed heartache flashing in his eyes.
He looked up at the sky, and after a long time, he nodded heavily: "Is that so..."
"Big Brother! Are you crazy?!" Tang Yuehua suddenly grabbed Tang San's wrist excitedly, her golden hairpin shaking violently in the moonlight, "Little San is Second Brother's only bloodline, I will never allow him to go to a place like that!"
She pulled Tang San, about to turn away, "Come, let's go back to Heaven Dou City with Auntie.
With your talent, you will surely surpass your father!"
"Nonsense!" Tang Xiao roared, shaking the mountaintop and causing loose stones to roll down.
His broad body blocked their path, his eyes burning with terrifying fury: "Brother Hao was attacked after leaving Heaven Dou, do you think that's a coincidence?
Do you think you can protect Little San under the Spirit Hall's nose?
Are you going to let him be trapped in Heaven Dou City his whole life, acting like a coward?"
"Then why don't you let Little San return to the Sect and acknowledge his ancestors!" Tang Yuehua's voice was shrill and broken, her usually elegant face now covered in tears.
Tang Xiao clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles making a frightening cracking sound: "Yuehua, you are no longer a child!"
His voice suddenly deepened, carrying a heartbreaking pain, "Don't you understand what Little San will face after returning to the Sect?
To have him cower in these deep mountains and old forests every day?
How then can we avenge Brother Hao's blood feud?!"
The mountain wind whimpered as it swept between the three of them.
Tang Yuehua's hand slowly loosened, and she stumbled back half a step.