Tang San smiled and said, "Aunt, as a noble lady, prying into other people's privacy is terribly rude. You taught me that yourself."
Tang Yuehua snorted. "Am I 'other people'? I'm your aunt. Your father isn't here, which makes me your elder. Confess everything and you'll be forgiven."
Tang San shook his head helplessly, but at that moment, a sudden surge of longing welled up in his heart.
Five years. Xiao Wu, are you all right?
Seeing the hint of melancholy deep in Tang San's eyes, Tang Yuehua didn't press further. She reached up and ruffled his hair, gazing up at this nephew who stood a full head taller than her, a gentle, doting warmth shimmering in her beautiful eyes. "Silly boy, what are you thinking about? I didn't know you were so sentimental. Just like your father."
Tang San met her gaze. "Aunt, may I graduate from your tutelage now?"
Tang Yuehua paused, a touch of wistfulness creeping into her voice. "Are you really in such a hurry to leave me?" Though they had only spent a year together, Tang Yuehua had genuinely grown fond of this extraordinarily gifted nephew. Among their generation, the most outstanding and accomplished had been their eldest brother the Sect Master, Tang Hao, and herself. Though she was no powerful Soul Master, the influence she wielded was enough to make anyone tremble.
Yet among the direct line of the Tang Sect, even those less remarkable children had gone on to have descendants — some even had grandchildren already. But as the former pride of the Tang Sect, the Sect Master had never married, she had never married, and Tang Hao had ended up the way he had.
Tang San was, in effect, the only child born to the three of them. To her, this nephew was as dear as a son.
Tang San held Tang Yuehua in equal reverence. From this elegant and beautiful aunt, he had truly received the kind of motherly warmth he had always needed. Though Tang Yuehua could be a bit long-winded, Tang San had come to realize that he genuinely cherished her fussing — it was filled with genuine concern. What she gave him was the kind of familial affection that neither Tang Hao nor the Great Master could provide.
Because of this, Tang San held his aunt in a special regard, and felt especially close to her. He had not told her about Xiao Wu because he didn't want his aunt to worry on his behalf.
"Aunt, you know that isn't why. But I must go."
Tang Yuehua let out a soft sigh. "I understand. After you see your father, he'll have you return to the sect to reclaim your ancestral name. Child, you are even more remarkable than your father was at your age. Though I don't know what you've been through before, I believe you will surpass your father. Remember — no matter what happens, never let emotion cloud your judgment. And never gamble with your life. Your father was far too sentimental. The true reason he left you in my care was to temper your character, so you wouldn't repeat his mistakes. In theory, I should feel at ease about you — you've done wonderfully. But after all, the same blood runs through your veins as through your father's. Promise me that you will put your own safety above all else. All right?"
Tang San nodded silently. Looking into the kind gaze in his aunt's eyes, a faint tinge of red crept into the corners of his own.
Tang Yuehua smiled. "Now then, go back and pack your things. I know you're eager to see him. Leave tomorrow. In a couple of days, I plan to head back to the sect myself. It's been far too long. If I don't go back soon, I imagine Big Brother will scold me. We'll meet there."
Tang San felt a swell of emotion. He understood perfectly — Tang Yuehua had decided to return to the Clear Sky Sect entirely for his sake. He knew little about the sect's current situation, and Tang Yuehua had never spoken of it in detail.
But the fact that the Clear Sky Sect had remained hidden for so many years told him all he needed to know — life had not been easy for the so-called greatest sect in the world.
Tang San had nothing much to pack. Even his daily necessities could be stored away in the Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlit Night. That evening, Tang Yuehua personally prepared several delicate dishes, and the two of them shared a meal together. Before Tang San went to sleep, Tang Yuehua told him there was no need to come say goodbye in the morning when he left. In that moment, Tang San clearly saw a glistening sheen in his aunt's eyes.
What Tang San could not have known was that Tang Yuehua had once fallen in love with someone — someone she should never have loved. After she finally saw things clearly, her heart could no longer make room for any romantic feelings, and so she had remained unmarried for life. She had once dreamed of having a child of her own, and when Tang Hao brought Tang San to her, it was as though that wish had been fulfilled. That was why Tang Yuehua loved him as her own.
One year was not a long time, but Tang Yuehua felt as though she had been given new life. In Tang San, she saw the future hope of the Clear Sky Sect. How could she not give this nephew her absolute, unwavering support?
At dawn, after completing his customary Purple Extreme Demon Eye cultivation, Tang San quietly slipped out of Moon Pavilion without disturbing a soul. The sky had only just begun to brighten.
On the top floor, the window was open. Tang Yuehua stood there in silence, watching the white-clad figure grow smaller in the distance. A faint smile graced the corner of her lips. "Little San, I'll be waiting for you at the sect."
Once outside Heaven Dou City, Tang San released the restraints on his speed, stretching into a full sprint. He had long since memorized every detail on the sheepskin map Tang Hao had given him. There was no need to consult it — he could find the right direction without the slightest hesitation.
In the blink of an eye, five years had passed. Five years ago, Tang San had been desperate for answers. And today, he finally had the right to learn the truth. Just as his father had said — he had been washed clean of vanity.