Douluo Dalu: Volume 21: Tang San’s Third Spirit Bone

by Tang Jia San Shao

  Tang San frowned, very naturally withdrawing a step, getting out of reach of her hand.

  Yue-Hua’s elegant eyebrows wrinkled slightly,

  “What are you hiding from, I’m your aunt.”

  “Ah?”

  Tang San opened his eyes wide, looking at the beautiful woman in front, then again looking at his aged father, he couldn’t see anything to suggest these two were siblings.

  Tang Hao nodded to Tang San,

  “She’s your aunt.”

  Yue-Hua extended her hand once again, and this time Tang San didn’t dodge. Aunt. This word was entirely unfamiliar to him. However, a feeling of blood being thicker than water made him instantly lose any guard against the woman in front of him.

  Softly caressing Tang San’s face, the rims of Tang Yue-Hua’s[3] eyes reddened once again,

  “You look like your dad when he was young, and also like your mom.”

  Hearing this, the defenses in Tang San’s heart thoroughly crumbled, losing all of the imposing manner from before.

  The Moon Pavilion people were already gaping. They had never imagined that this seemingly filthy and washed out old man was actually the Madam’s elder brother.

  Turning, looking rebukingly at Tang Hao, Tang Yue-Hua said angrily:

  “After so many years, only now do you know to come find me? Go, follow me upstairs.”

  Finished speaking, Tang Yue-Hua grabbed Tang San’s hand and turned to head upstairs.

  Tang Hao looked somewhat helplessly at this younger sister, but his current expression was more relaxed than it had been in years.

  Reaching the head of the stairs, Tang Yue-Hua turned her head and said to manager Aude:

  “Everything you saw just now, never happened. I’ll leave this matter to you, understand?”

  Aude hastily said:

  “Yes, Madam.”

  Tang Yue-Hua’s hand was very warm, and also very soft. Held by her, Tang San seemed to have become a child again. She brought Tang Hao and Tang San directly to the top floor of the Moon Pavilion.

  As she walked, Tang Yue-Hua wiped her tears and said to Tang San:

  “Child, what’s your name?”

  “I’m called Tang San.”

  Tang Yue-Hua went slightly rigid. Turning her head to look at Tang Hao, she couldn’t help giving a soft sigh.

  The top floor of the moon Pavilion was an immense hall, decorated even more gracefully than the first floor. Being familiar with plants, Tang San was shocked to discover that the furnishings were unexpectedly all made from agarwood, making the entire building emit a faint fragrance.

  What was agarwood? A top quality wood worth even more than its weight in gold. Just the furniture in this hall alone was worth an astronomical sum.

  Around the hall were altogether four sliding doors, leading to unknown areas. The impression this place gave was comfortable, peaceful, quiet, elegant. It wasn’t gorgeous, but the wood fragrance here made people’s hearts relax.

  Tang Yue-Hua smiled:

  “The top floor is my private area. Without my permission, nobody will come up. Sit.”

  She pushed Tang San into a chair, then turned to look at Tang Hao.

  “Ge, how did you become like this?”

  Having just suppressed her emotions, as she looked at Tang Hao’s aged face, she couldn’t help becoming agitated again.

  Tang Hao smiled slightly,

  “Silly girl, when did you become so fond of crying? It’s not like you.”

  Tang Yue-Hua said furiously:

  “This isn’t because of you. How many years? You actually didn’t even send a message.”

  Tang Hao became silent, walking over to sit next to Tang San. He lowered his head, speaking faintly:

  “Eldest brother, is he still well?”

  Tang Yue-Hua went blank a moment. After a long time, she slowly shook her head,

  “I don’t know. You also know eldest brother. He hides everything at the bottom of his heart. Last time I was home, I accidentally saw him holding a picture of us three as children. Even I don’t know what passed.”

  Tang San felt his father next to him stiffen a moment,

  “I’m the one who let down the sect.”

  Tang Yue-Hua said indifferently:

  “What’s the point of saying this now? This time you’ve returned with great difficulty. No matter what you say, I won’t let you leave again. You definitely have to return with me. Eldest brother. Eldest brother has always missed you.”

  Tang Hao smiled wryly:

  “Return? I haven’t been a Clear Sky School member for a long time. How could I return? Yue-Hua, even if I let down the sect, I still don’t regret anything I did. Eldest brother, he, still hasn’t married?”

  Tang Yue-Hua’s expression fell, her graceful and charming face gaining a layer of cold frost,

  “Eldest brother isn’t an impetuous person like you, he’s more responsible and dutiful than you. Everything in the sect still has to depend on him. He could only cherish those feelings by not taking a wife. Second brother, are you truly not willing to go back to see him? The sect has changed into its current appearance, the magnificent world’s number one sect actually going into hiding. Do you know the suffering of the sect’s disciples? Return with me, with us three siblings working as one, I don’t even fear fighting that Spirit Hall.”

  Tang Hao stood, slowly walking into the center of the hall, his back turned to Tang Yue-Hua:

  “Yue-Hua, my heart is already dead, there’s no more of the drive from before. The moment Ah Yin died, my heart had already followed her. I can’t help the sect with anything. As for apologies, I don’t want to say them to eldest brother. I believe that he understands.”

  “Understand farts. You, the magnificent youngest Title Douluo in the world, you still say you can’t help the sect? Eldest brother can understand you?”

  Tang Yue-Hua’s delicate body was already trembling somewhat from fury.

  Tang Hao stood there silently, the silhouette of his back appearing so lonely.

  Tang San also stood, looking at the agitated Yue-Hua,

  “Aunt. Don’t force dad further. Dad isn’t unwilling to help the sect. Rather, he already can’t. His body……”

  “Enough.”

  Tang Hao interrupted Tang San,

  “Yue-Hua, I’ll leave my little San to you. He just came out of Slaughter City. Only you can help him best.”

  Speaking, he swung his arm and threw a sheepskin map into Tang San’s hands,

  “In one year, find me in the mountain valley according to this map.”

  Finished speaking, he walked directly outside.

  “Stand still.”

  Tang Yue-Hua followed with big strides. Perhaps because she moved too fast, the courtly dress she wore unexpectedly issued ripping sounds.

  Reaching Tang Hao’s back in a few steps, Tang Yue-Hua’s hand swiftly fell on his shoulder. The Domain fluctuations Tang San felt before now appeared once again.

  Tang Hao halted,

  “Yue-Hua, tell eldest brother, little San is my repayment to the sect. In one year, after he’s gone to see me, you bring him back to the sect to acknowledge his ancestors and roots. What I can’t accomplish, he will do in my stead. Furthermore, tell eldest brother that he is my and Ah Yin’s son, and also my only son.”

  “Ge——”

  Tang Yue-Hua shouted. The next moment, Tang Hao’s silhouette already faded in front of her, quietly disappearing.

  If Tang Hao wanted to leave, how many people in this world could stop him?

  Tang Yue-Hua stood there, tears silently flowing. Seeing her brother again after twenty years, meeting so briefly, she suddenly felt her heart aching deeply. Not only because Tang Hao left, but also because of the pain this second brother bore.

  Tang San didn’t move. His father had him stay, so he only stayed. Quietly standing behind Tang Yue-Hua, waiting.

  After a long time.

  Wiping the tears from her face, Tang Yue-
Hua’s eyes weren’t swollen or red from the tears, slowly turning, she looked at Tang San with a somewhat complicated expression,

  “Has your father told you about him and your mother?”

  Tang San silently shook his head,

  “Can you tell me?”

  Tang Yue-Hua sighed softly,

  “Since he doesn’t want to tell you, I can’t speak out of turn either. Perhaps, in one year, he will tell you everything. By what I’ve seen, he’s very confident in you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t say he would leave you as repayment to the sect. You should be nineteen this year.”

  Tang San said:

  “In two months.”

  Tang Yue-Hua smiled slightly,

  “Your father walked Slaughter City’s Hell Road when he was twenty eight. You’re almost ten years earlier than him. It seems you really are the hope of the sect. Do you know what it is he left you here for a year to study with me?”

  Tang San silently shook his head.

  Tang Yue-Hua watched Tang San with a burning gaze,

  “In the next one year, I will instruct you in all manner of noble etiquette and music.”

  “You’re not joking?”

  Tang San looked dumbstruck at this aunt he had only known for less than two hours.

  Tang Yue-Hua said sternly:

  “Do I look like I’m joking? In one year, if you can’t meet my requirements, I won’t let you leave to see your dad.”

  Tang San looked stupidly at the aunt in front of him. He had never expected that his father hadn’t actually brought him here to cultivate further, but rather to learn these completely useless things.

  Tang Yue-Hua looked almost laughing at Tang San’s stupid expression,

  “Very soon you will understand the benefits of these things. One person, no matter how formidable, doesn’t have enough strength. Like your father, he’s already formidable enough, but what has he turned into now? He doesn’t want you to follow the track of the overturned cart. From now on, I am your aunt, and also your teacher.”

  Tang San smiled somewhat wryly:

  “Aunt, do I really have to learn those etiquette things?”

  [1] The original here is an idiom (铅华洗尽) which translates to “washing away lead flowers”, referring to ancient lead-based make-up. As an idiom it’s part of a Daoist idea of washing away all worldly concerns to reveal one’s true self without pretense. Let me know if you have a way to make that fit that doesn’t sound stupid.

  [2] Yue-Hua - (月华) “Moonlight”

  [3] Tang Yue-Hua - (唐月华) “Tang Moonlight”

  Chapter 143: Cleansing, Harmonizing Intent

  Part 1 (TL by Bagelson)

  Tang Yue-Hua nodded with certainty,

  “Evenings are your time, you plan them on your own. However, in the daytime you will learn these with me. Until I’m satisfied. Do you know what the Moon Pavilion does?”

  Tang San shook his head.

  Tang Yue-Hua smiled calmly,

  “My place here is the Heaven Dou Imperial school of courtly etiquette, specialized in teaching all kinds of noble etiquette. You should have felt my Domain. My innate domain is called Noble Circle. And my spirit power, at present, is ninth rank.”

  “What?”

  Tang San looked stupidly at Tang Yue-Hua. He could never have imagined that she, as a directly related Clear Sky School disciple, would actually only have nine ranks of spirit power,

  “You, variant spirit?”

  Tang Yue-Hua smiled and nodded,

  “Perhaps you would think of me as the most useless disciple of the Clear Sky School, but I can tell you that if your father could possess everything I am skilled in, the result of the events twenty years ago would be completely different. At times, strength doesn’t mean everything. You must learn to protect yourself even without relying on power. You must further learn how to exploit the art of language, and still how to walk between powers of all sides as well as how to control authority. I can see that you’re outstanding, however, you still have many, many things you must learn.”

  Tang San finally nodded with some difficulty. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, he still had no choice but to compromise with this graceful woman. After all, she was his aunt.

  Tang Yue-Hua smiled faintly,

  “Don’t look so embarrassed. I think that before long, you will understand the importance of everything I teach. Walking out of Slaughter City, what you need most right now isn’t strenuous cultivation, but rather to let all that you possess grow more stable. I already know about your father’s condition. Don’t worry, I won’t push him again later. The sect won’t either. Even if he’s no longer at the sect, the sect has never forgotten him.”

  Sighing, Tang Yue-Hua looked deeply at Tang San,

  “If you don’t want your father to be troubled again, you must become even stronger. The responsibility of everything he should accomplish, will fall on your shoulders.”

  ……

  One year later. Heaven Dou City, Moon pavilion.

  Heaven Dou City’s night scene was very beautiful. This was deeply related to the highly developed commerce here. As the capital of Heaven Dou Empire, in the entire Douluo Continent, perhaps only Star Luo City could manage to compare.

  The beauty of Star Luo City lay mainly in the exquisiteness of the south, while Heaven Dou City was brimming with the northern generous atmosphere, both victors in their own ways.

  Graceful and quiet light spread from the several lower floors of the Moon Pavilion, a continuous stream of people constantly presenting their invitations and entering.

  As the Heaven Dou imperial school of courtly etiquette, in order to be able to enroll in the Moon Pavilion, one had to at least have a title of nobility, and one’s age couldn’t surpass thirty. This was undoubtedly the place where the new generation of Heaven Dou Empire’s nobility was cultivated.

  Therefore, even though the Moon Pavilion itself didn’t count as much, there was still no power that dared meddle with it. Not even the imperial family.

  Reportedly, Emperor Xue Ye and the Moon Pavilion’s master Madam Yue-Hua had a somewhat intimate relationship. Of course, this was just a rumor.

  This evening was the annual graduation ceremony.

  With each batch of students graduating, all these students’ parents and elders were invited. These were undoubtedly the most influential characters of Heaven Dou Empire’s capital.

  In fact, the Moon Pavilion only admitted one hundred students per year. In order for these one hundred places, the nobility of the entire Heaven Dou Empire practically racked their brains. Everyone knew that to be able to smoothly graduate from the Moon Pavilion, was equivalent to being plated with gold. The graduates from here were considered true nobility.

  Before anything else, in marriages between noble families, the stronger side would frequently ask the weaker side whether their child had passed the education of Moon Pavilion. This alone showed the influence of the Moon Pavilion in the entire upper layer of the Heaven Dou Empire.

  Of course, nobody knew that the master of the Moon Pavilion without the strength to truss a chicken, Madam Yue, was actually from the world’s first Spirit Master sect.

  The graduation ceremony was held on the third floor of the Moon Pavilion, where numerous high ranking officials and nobles had already arranged their seating. They all wanted to see how their children had improved through the cultivation of the Moon Pavilion.

  As the master of the Moon Pavilion, Tang Yue-Hua still wore silver adorned courtly dress, standing to the side of the reception hall with a smile on her face. Subordinates told her everyone was present. She nodded an indication. The graduation ceremony formally began.

  A line of silver dressed young men and women began to enter through doors on two sides. The one hundred people didn’t make the hall noisy. Each person’s face revealed equally graceful smiles, the pace between each harmonious, with casual ease. The faint grandeur didn’t give people an impression of arrogance, but could
still surprise.

  Just at this moment, a door opened to the side of the hall, and a white dressed youth slowly walked out, holding an exquisite and elegant golden harp to his chest.

  Blue eyes so clear the bottom could be seen, a head of deep blue hair draped across the shoulders and back without giving people the slightest impression of lacking manners, all over a spirited quality, handsome, noble, graceful.

  Against expectations there was also a particular quiet contentment. When he walked out from the door, he became the focus of everyone present in practically an instant.

  Even the graduating students stepping into the hall with graceful smiles before, for the most part couldn’t help throwing their gazes in his direction.

  Especially the female students had no lack of intoxicated expressions.

  The white clothed youth carefully arranged the prize harp on a table, sitting straight backed on a special stool, first facing the audience with a smile and a nod, then slowly raising both slender hands to lightly start playing.

  Elegant, pure like the sparkling translucence of precious stones, ephemeral limpid tones flowed from that exquisite golden harp. The hall immediately calmed, the beautiful sound of the harp making the listeners’ hearts untroubled. A marvellous aesthetic just like a fountain rushing under moonlight, filling the air with a poetic atmosphere.

  Let alone others, only looking at outward appearances, this white clothed youth undoubtedly made all the graduating students present turn pale. The aloof quiet contentment he carried was no doubt what gave people the most favorable impression.

  Tang Yue-Hua stood there quietly, listening to the beautiful sound of the harp. To her ears, this harp music naturally sounded different to what other people heard. She heard whether the sound of this harp truly was as quiet and contented as the surface of the white clothed youth.

  One year, a whole year had passed. He had indeed changed a lot. Perhaps, this was his natural instinct.

  The youth bent over the harp was Tang San. Compared to one year ago, the current Tang San had undergone a heaven and earth revolving change. That was a change in temperament. There was no longer any murderous aura spreading from him. That didn’t mean that the killing intent he had obtained from Slaughter City had disappeared, but rather that it was truly contained.