Tang Xiao waved his hand dismissively. "Go make the arrangements. I know what I'm doing. Rather than notifying them privately, it's better to put everything on the table. Take Xiao San to rest first. Xiao San, remember — tomorrow's ancestral recognition ceremony will not be easy. The Haotian Clan is different from the outside world, and you won't be able to secure your place with the etiquette you learned from your aunt alone. I'll give you two words: be hard. Here, strength is the only voice that matters. If you want to take your father's place and contribute more to the clan, you first need to prove yourself through your own strength. Otherwise, you won't be able to do anything at all."
Leaving the clan master's quarters with Tang San, Tang Yuehua still hadn't recovered from her grief. Just think — back then, her second brother had been so awe-inspiring. The youngest Soul Douluo on the entire Soul Land, his feat of slaying the Pope while besieged had brought Spirit Hall an unprecedented humiliation. But now, he had crippled himself, no longer possessing any of his former glory, left only to wait in the wilderness for the day his life would end. What a desolate conclusion.
Inside the Haotian Clan's castle lived the clan's second generation and its first-generation elders. The third and fourth-generation disciples resided in stone houses built behind the castle.
Tang Yuehua arranged quarters for Tang San, and only then did she carefully ask about the entire experience of going back to see
The room assigned to Tang San was simple — a small reception area of only seven or eight square meters, a ten-square-meter bedroom, and a small bathroom, with all the basic necessities provided. This was the standard accommodation for third-generation members of the Haotian Clan.
"Xiao San, I really do want to go see your father," Tang Yuehua said with a sigh.
Tang San let out a soft breath. "When I first saw my father's severed limbs, I was devastated too. But later I came to terms with it. Perhaps this way — being able to be with mother every day without any worries — is the best thing for him. Wait until you have some free time in a while to visit. It's quite a long distance after all."
Tang Yuehua nodded. "All right, let's not talk about your father for now. Tell me about you. Now that you've returned to the clan, what are your plans?"
Tang San said, "Father hopes I can pay respects to Grandfather and then help the clan in whatever way I can."
Tang Yuehua said, "The clan's situation is very complicated right now. If you look at it from your father's perspective, the clan is divided into two factions. The faction led by your eldest uncle believes that the fault back then didn't lie with your father — it was Spirit Hall's tyranny and arrogance that caused the conflict. Though Spirit Hall's Pope died, your mother also passed away. Spirit Hall used its overwhelming power to pressure the Haotian Clan and threaten us, which forced us to sever ties with your father. But in truth, your father did nothing wrong. The other faction is led by the few remaining first-generation elders. They believe your father acted without careful consideration and joined with a Soul Beast, which caused the subsequent conflict, nearly leading to a direct confrontation with Spirit Hall and irreversible consequences. Moreover, he angered your grandfather to death — an unforgivable crime. The
A thoughtful gleam appeared in Tang San's eyes. "Aunt, are you telling me that my ancestral recognition will face obstruction from the clan elders?"
Tang Yuehua nodded. "Exactly. I'm afraid tomorrow won't go smoothly. Even if your father returned two Soul Bones, it would still be difficult to earn their forgiveness. And with second brother having left the clan and severed his ties, they won't easily allow you to be recognized."
Tang San's brows furrowed slightly. "If the elders refuse, what would happen?"
Tang Yuehua's expression turned grim. "The worst outcome would be expelling you from the clan and destroying your Martial Soul. They might even use you as a lead to find your father and hold him accountable for his past sins. Of course, that's an almost impossible scenario. Big Brother is the clan master after all, and the elders have to give him some face. If I'm not mistaken, the elders will ultimately compromise — they'll drive you out of the clan and forbid you from claiming to be a member of the Haotian Clan."
Tang San looked at Tang Yuehua. "Then what should I do? Since you were willing to let me come back, you must already have a plan."
Tang Yuehua nodded. "The elders may be rigid, but they've always put the clan first. To win their recognition, you first need to do exactly what your eldest uncle said — prove your strength before them. Conquer them with power. Then make some contributions to the clan. That way, they won't be able to oppose your recognition. The reason your eldest uncle told you to be hard is to let you know that in our Haotian Clan, we've always responded to force, not to submission. Back then, your eldest uncle and your father's status in the clan was earned entirely through fighting. Whoever didn't submit was beaten into submission — that's how they built their authority. When Big Brother returned to the clan to inherit the position of clan master, the elders questioned him too, since he'd been with your father all along. Big Brother defeated every single elder through his own strength, and only then did they unanimously accept him as the new clan master of the Haotian Clan. So tomorrow's recognition ceremony will absolutely not be easy. You might as well be forceful and prove through strength that you have the ability to help the clan reclaim its glory."
Tang San slowly nodded. "Aunt, I understand."
Tang Yuehua stood up and patted Tang San's head. "Then get some good rest. Build up your strength. I still have some things to prepare. A clan assembly will be convened tomorrow morning, and that's when your aunt will see what you're made of."
After saying this, Tang Yuehua told Tang San that meals would be delivered by专人, and he should rest well.
Tang Yuehua left. Tang San sat cross-legged on his bed and replayed the day's events upon returning to the clan. His eldest uncle and aunt were clearly on his father's side. He could tell that his eldest uncle had been suppressing his emotions every time he mentioned his father, and when he said that Tang San looked like his mother, the tenderness that surfaced in his eyes was impossible to hide. It seemed that though his father lived in pain, he had at least known love with his mother. And though his eldest uncle bore the weight of being clan master, the suffering he endured was no less than his father's.
Whether he could successfully fulfill his father's wishes would likely depend on tomorrow.