**CHAPTER 12: BACK HOME**
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Two days had passed since the events in Vast Seal City.
The carriage, plain in appearance, devoid of crests or adornments, advanced steadily through the main gates of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Despite the absence of symbols, there was no doubt: those returning were no ordinary visitors.
When the carriage stopped in front of the central hall, it was Patriarch Yu Yuanzhen himself who pushed the door open and stepped out first, as if returning from a casual stroll.
Tianlong followed close behind, his feet touching the familiar ground with ease. Behind him, Bai Xiuxiu and Lan Mengqin descended with slow steps, their attentive eyes scanning the surroundings, marveling at the beauty of the place.
"So... this is your territory?" asked Mengqin in a low voice, her eyes fixed on the imposing buildings and the impeccably clean stone paths.
"Yes," replied Tianlong with a proud smile. "Welcome to our home."
Yuanzhen turned, arms crossed, his gaze calm but filled with authority, and said:
"We're back," he announced calmly. "And you two, from today onward, are considered members of our clan."
Bai Xiuxiu hesitated, surprised. "But... I..."
Her gaze drifted for a moment. As a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, she knew full well what this meant—and the risk it entailed. If her identity were discovered, it wouldn't just be her in danger... but now the clan as well. This could become a threat to everyone around her.
Yuanzhen interrupted her with a gesture and a calm but resolute tone.
"I've heard enough. You're a friend of my grandson, you trusted him, and you came here of your own will. That's enough. The clan will always take care of its own—human or otherwise."
There was a moment of silence. Xiuxiu seemed to swallow hard, surprised by the ease with which it was said.
Beside her, Lan Mengqin maintained a stiffer posture but gave a brief bow with a respectful nod.
"It's an honor, Patriarch."
Yuanzhen responded with a slight nod.
"I'll have someone register you both as future students of the clan's primary academy. As for housing…"
He paused briefly, looking at Tianlong with a subtle smile.
"I've already ordered the construction of a residence for you two, near the academy. But until it's ready... you'll stay at Zenhai's house."
"Zenhai?" murmured Xiuxiu, confused.
"That's my brother," explained Leihao, stepping closer. "And Tianlong's father."
Mengqin raised an eyebrow, slowly turning to Tianlong. "So... we're going to live with you?"
Tianlong scratched the back of his neck. "Just for a while. The house is pretty big... No need to worry."
Bai Xiuxiu blushed slightly, looking away. "Alright. I trust you."
Mengqin huffed, crossing her arms. "Hmph. If you try to spy on this queen, I'll freeze you to death."
"Got it," said Tianlong, laughing as he shook his head.
The initial tension vanished completely, replaced by a lighter atmosphere.
"Leihao... Call all the elders for a meeting. We need to discuss plans regarding the Whale Rubber... and also the matter of the new clan members," said the Patriarch.
"Yes, Patriarch," replied the elder.
Tianlong, Bai Xiuxiu, and Lan Mengqin bid farewell to the two with quick bows and began walking down the main path.
As they strolled through the gardens and tall trees, Tianlong listened to the soft steps of the girls behind him and noticed how their curious eyes explored every detail of the clan.
Meanwhile.
Yu Leihao watched the three gradually disappear down the path and then turned to the Patriarch.
"Patriarch, may I ask something?"
"Hm?"
"Why send them to Zenhai's house? We have plenty of vacant, comfortable houses in the eastern and southern sectors. Wouldn't that have been better?" asked Leihao.
Yuanzhen didn't answer immediately. His gaze still followed Tianlong's steps ahead.
Then, with an enigmatic smile, he said in a calm tone:
"Some seeds need to be planted in the same soil to bloom together."
Leihao blinked, surprised by the response. He fell silent for a few seconds... then laughed, shaking his head.
"You're already thinking about the future, huh...?"
The Patriarch didn't reply. He simply turned and, with slow steps and hands clasped behind his back, headed toward the central hall.
Leihao stood still for a few more moments, his gaze fixed on the path.
Then, with a half-smile, he murmured:
"Sly old man..."
**
The main path leading to Yu Zenhai's house wound through flowering trees, small ornamental lakes, and elegant buildings of blue stone and dark wood. Bai Xiuxiu and Lan Mengqin walked side by side with Tianlong, their attentive gazes absorbing every detail with restrained awe.
"This place is really beautiful..." commented Xiuxiu, her blue eyes sparkling.
"And huge," added Mengqin. "Seriously, how many people live here? It feels like an entire village just for one family."
"Currently, we have about fifteen hundred members in the clan," replied Tianlong in a calm tone. "But in this central area, only the families of the elders and the most important members live."
Soon after, they arrived in front of a tall dark wooden gate, adorned with intricate carvings of intertwining dragons. Tianlong stopped and nodded toward it.
"Well... We're here."
As he pushed the gate, the wood yielded with a soft creak. The sound of the hinges seemed to announce their arrival before they even stepped inside.
From within the house, footsteps approached. Then, the figure of Yu Zenhai appeared in the hallway.
Upon seeing Tianlong, his eyes narrowed. He quickly scanned him from head to toe, like an experienced father checking if his son had returned whole.
"Alive. Intact. No missing limbs," he said in a deep voice, with a subtle hint of relief. "I suppose that means your first journey outside the clan was... interesting."
Tianlong smiled. "Nothing I couldn't handle."
Zenhai raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "I received a letter from the Patriarch yesterday. It said you took out a band of bandits in Vast Seal City. About twenty, including a rank 40 Soul Ancestor. True?"
Tianlong shrugged, trying to seem casual. "Yeah... But they started it."
Zenhai took a deep breath and, with a faint smile at the corner of his lips, approached and gave his son a light pat on the shoulder.
"Good job..."
That was all he said. But for Tianlong, coming from Zenhai, it meant more than any loud praise.
"You know... I was thinking about taking you to a major spirit arena in the future, to fight in a life-and-death match. So you could get used to that feeling, since as a spirit master, it's something you'd have to face sooner or later.
"But it seems the Patriarch beat me to it, huh..."
His eyes then shifted to the two girls behind Tianlong, assessing them with a firm but respectful gaze.
"And these are...?"
Tianlong blinked, surprised. "The Patriarch didn't mention them in the letter?"
"No," Zenhai shook his head, curious.
Tianlong then gestured toward the girls:
"This is Bai Xiuxiu, and this is Lan Mengqin. I met them in Vast Seal City and invited them to the clan. The Patriarch has already accepted them as members and said they can stay here until their house is built."
"I see," Zenhai nodded, crossing his arms and quickly accepting the two into his home.
He took a step forward and slightly bowed his head to them.
"I'm Yu Zenhai. Welcome to my home. While you're here, consider yourselves under my protection."
"Thank you, sir," said Bai Xiuxiu, giving a slight bow.
"It's an honor," added Mengqin, standing upright and formal.
"Let's go inside. I imagine the journey was tiring," said Zenhai, turning and leading them into the residence.
The interior of the mansion was vast, with polished dark wood columns and tapestries depicting dragons soaring among thundering clouds. The faint aroma of jasmine tea lingered in the air, mingling with the soft crackle of a fireplace.
As they crossed the main entrance, Tianlong sensed two familiar presences. A smile spread across his lips. "Oh... they're here."
In the room ahead, seated on cushions around a small tea table, were Gu Yuena and Zi Ji.
Gu Yuena wore a white robe with silver details, her long silver hair flowing like silk down to her waist. Her lilac eyes rose slowly, taking in every detail—including the two girls accompanying Tianlong.
Zi Ji, on the other hand, was more relaxed, resting her chin on one hand, but her violet eyes sparkled with curiosity upon noticing the newcomers.
"The brat's back," said Gu Yuena in a neutral tone, but a faint smile curled at the corners of her lips.
"I'm back," replied Tianlong, entering with a carefree smile. "And I brought company."
Bai Xiuxiu and Lan Mengqin stopped, immediately feeling the shift in the air's pressure. It was as if something ancient stood before them.
Tianlong introduced them, pointing. "This is Bai Xiuxiu. And this is Lan Mengqin."
Gu Yuena tilted her head slightly, her gaze lingering on Xiuxiu for a second longer than usual.
"My name is Gu Yuena."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," replied Bai Xiuxiu, a bit tense. Instinctively, she felt something... familiar in Gu Yuena. Something ancient.
"Hmm, you are?" murmured Gu Yuena in a low, almost inaudible voice. Then she looked at Tianlong, who merely nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, she's like us, a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast," said Tianlong.
Zi Ji, with her powerful mental strength, had already sensed her presence from the moment they entered the clan, but she hadn't said anything, fearing Lan Mengqin might not know about Bai Xiuxiu's true identity.
But the moment her son confirmed it, it meant Mengqin already knew as well.
"Interesting, I didn't expect to see another hundred-thousand-year spirit beast transformed into a human," said Zi Ji.
In truth, this was the first transformed spirit beast Zi Ji had seen, as her son Tianlong, though also a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast in human form, had been born human.
Unlike Bai Xiuxiu, who was originally a spirit beast and, upon reaching a hundred thousand years, chose to transform into a human.
"I'm glad you've come to our clan; the world out there is extremely dangerous for spirit beasts like us."
"By the way, my name is Zi Ji. I'm also a spirit beast, with 380 thousand years of cultivation, and I'm an Abyss Demon Dragon," said Zi Ji, showing a warm smile.
"380 thousand years?!" exclaimed Mengqin, her eyes wide. She looked at Xiuxiu, as if confirming she'd heard correctly.
Gu Yuena smiled, revealing her own identity as well. "I'm a Silver Dragon, also a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast." Her eyes returned to Xiuxiu. "And you? What's your species?"
Xiuxiu hesitated but summoned her martial soul. The Demon Soul Great White Shark floated around her, its scales shimmering like pearls.
"I'm a Demon Great White Shark."
Zi Ji tilted her head, fascinated. "A marine spirit beast... It's been centuries since I've seen one. Fascinating."
Zenhai, curious, interjected. "And what are your ages and soul power levels? You seem as young as Xiao Long."
Xiuxiu answered first, shyly. "We're six years old. I'm at level 12."
Mengqin straightened her shoulders, proud, summoning the Heavenly Snow Woman. "I'm a bit stronger, level 13."
"Hmm? That's... Heavenly Snow Woman, huh? That reminds me of my old friend, the Snow Empress," said Zi Ji, recalling another spirit beast far stronger than her and the secret ruler of the Far North.
"Snow Empress? Who's that? Is she a spirit beast too?" asked Lan Mengqin, puzzled.
"Hm? You don't know? With that martial soul of yours, it suggests you probably come from the Far North, don't you?" said Zi Ji.
"Hmm... My mother does live in the Far North, but she never told me about this empress," said Lan Mengqin.
"I see... The Snow Empress is also a Heavenly Snow Woman, and she's one of the strongest spirit beasts in the world, far stronger than me, with about 700,000 years of cultivation."
"700,000 years," repeated Lan Mengqin, astonished.
"In the future, maybe I can take you to meet her; perhaps she could teach you a thing or two," said Zi Ji with a smile, imagining if the Snow Empress might train Lan Mengqin someday.
"Could that really be possible?" asked Lan Mengqin, genuinely eager to become stronger, especially after witnessing Tianlong's strength.
"It shouldn't be a problem. If you train hard and show immense talent in the future, she might even teach you her Three Ultimate Techniques, which are incredibly powerful," said Zi Ji.
Mengqin clenched her fists, excited. "Seriously? Then I'll train hard until I'm ready to impress her!"
Tianlong then joined the conversation and said:
"See? I told you the clan would help you get stronger," said Tianlong, laughing at Lan Mengqin.
Then his eyes focused on Bai Xiuxiu.
"Bai Xiuxiu, you can get stronger too, training alongside my mother. Maybe with her help, you could evolve to become a true dragon in the future," said Tianlong.
He obviously knew that in *Soul Land IV*, Bai Xiuxiu underwent four awakenings, thanks to Zi Ji becoming one of her Spirit Souls.
This caused her Demon Soul Great White Shark spirit to evolve into an Abyss Demon Dragon Shark, and then evolve two more times, ultimately transforming her from a shark into a true dragon.
Xiuxiu's eyes widened, her heart racing. She knew from legends that some marine beasts could evolve into true dragons with the right stimulus. "A dragon...?" she murmured.
Zi Ji nodded, feeling a connection with Xiuxiu. "It's true. I sense a faint spiritual harmonization between us. Your aura resonates with mine."
Xiuxiu blushed, surprised. "I... I feel something too."
"If you want, I can train you in the future to help your body adapt to my aura, which might allow you to evolve your species someday," said Zi Ji.
Xiuxiu gave a deep bow, her eyes shining with gratitude. "I'd love that, senior. Thank you so much!"
The conversation flowed, lively. Zenhai shared exaggerated tales of his adventures, drawing laughs from Mengqin. Gu Yuena observed, her precise and enigmatic comments captivating Xiuxiu. Zi Ji recounted stories from the Far North, while Tianlong teased the girls, chuckling at Mengqin's grimaces.
Tianlong watched closely as Bai Xiuxiu and Lan Mengqin adapted with surprising ease to his family's presence. A quiet sense of satisfaction bloomed in his chest. But then, his gaze lingered for a moment on Bai Xiuxiu... then on Gu Yuena.
And something came to mind.
"Mother," he said, suddenly serious.
The room fell silent. Everyone turned toward him.
Zi Ji raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What is it, Xiao Long?"
"I'd like you to take me to Holy Spirit Village," said Tianlong, serious.
Zenhai frowned, surprised. "Holy Spirit Village? As far as I recall, it's a small village south of Nuoding City. What the hell do you want to do there?"
Gu Yuena laughed softly, teasing. "Barely back and already wanting to leave again, huh?"
Zi Ji tilted her head, already sensing this wasn't a purposeless request. "Why do you want to go there, Xiao Long?"
"Visiting Holy Spirit Village has been an old plan of mine," began Tianlong. "Originally, I wanted to go there to learn forging—to study how to create artifacts capable of hiding my spirit beast aura... and also the color of my spirit rings."
He paused briefly, his gaze growing more serious.
"With Xiao Bao by my side, I managed to temporarily suppress those effects... so I put that plan aside. But now that Bai Xiuxiu is with us in the clan, I need to pick it up again. When we go to an intermediate academy outside clan territory, I can't risk a Titled Douluo discovering our identities."
"That's why I want to go there. Because one of the three great divine craftsmen of the continent is hiding there. And I intend to convince him to teach me."
Bai Xiuxiu lowered her gaze, a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, Tianlong... for causing you worry."
Tianlong shook his head firmly. "It's not just for you. Gu Yuena needs protection too."
"You shouldn't worry about me, Xiao Long," said Gu Yuena, giving a faint, happy smile that he was concerned for her.
She truly wasn't worried about it, as she was merely a clone, and if she died, her original body would only need a few days to create another clone with 30% of her power.
"That's a good reason... But as far as I knew, aren't there only two divine craftsmen? Lou Gao, the president of the blacksmith association in Gengxin City, and old Tai Tan from the Strength Clan.
"So who's this third one?" asked Zenhai, curious.
"He's actually quite famous... He's the Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao," said Tianlong, revealing a major secret.
Zenhai nearly choked. "Tang Hao...? He's really hiding in Holy Spirit Village?"
"Who's Tang Hao?" asked Lan Mengqin, visibly confused.
Bai Xiuxiu, Gu Yuena, and Zi Ji also looked curious, as they didn't know who this man was either.
"He was basically a legend in the world of spirit masters, as he was one of the youngest people to become a Titled Douluo at around 44 years old," said Tianlong, making the girls pay closer attention, as becoming a Titled Douluo so young meant he had extraordinary talent.
Yu Zenhai himself and his brother Yu Leihao were both nearly 60 years old, considered monstrous talents in the clan, yet Leihao only reached Titled Douluo at 53. And Zenhai, at 58, still hadn't reached that level, though his combat prowess was already considered equivalent to a Titled Douluo's.
"They say Tang Hao fought a deadly battle against the Spirit Hall," continued Tianlong. "They pursued him because of something he was protecting. Something... or someone."
"And he's one of the only Titled Douluos with a 100,000-year-old 9th ring," Zenhai added in a grave tone.
"A hundred-thousand-year ring, huh," murmured Gu Yuena, frowning.
"I already don't like this person," said Zi Ji with a grumble.
"Don't judge so quickly," said Tianlong, a mysterious glint in his eyes. "Having a ring like that doesn't necessarily mean he killed a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast."
"Hmm, the only other way for someone to have a hundred-thousand-year ring is through the self-sacrifice of a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast," said Bai Xiuxiu.
"Exactly," confirmed Tianlong. "A hundred-thousand-year spirit beast voluntarily sacrificed itself for him. She was the one the Spirit Hall was after. Tang Hao tried to protect her, but in the end... she sacrificed herself, giving him her ring."
The silence that followed was respectful.
"So that's what really happened..." murmured Zenhai, thoughtful, scratching his beard.
"After that, Tang Hao vanished from the map. Since then, he's lived in seclusion, steeped in depression, hiding in Holy Spirit Village," concluded Tianlong.
"I see... That changes things a bit. But when do you plan to go?" said Zi Ji calmly.
"How about right now?" said Tianlong with a smile.
Zenhai choked on his tea. "Now? But you just got back!"
Tianlong laughed, carefree. "Is that a problem?"
Zi Ji exchanged a brief glance with him and shook her head, a maternal smile forming on her lips. "It's not."
She turned to Zenhai. "The elders' meeting is about to start. Go there and inform the Patriarch that we're leaving."
Zenhai sighed but nodded. "Alright... then be careful on the trip."
He stood and headed toward the meeting hall, while the conversation dissolved into quiet preparations.
....