Soul Emperor Awakening

Tuo Yunhai’s reply made Lin Xuan sigh. ’The larger a family, the more specialized its branches become. For a small offshoot to get ahead, their only hope is for a child to possess extraordinary talent and rise above the rest.’

If resources were shared equally, how could they possibly be divided among so many people? From a distance, he could see the massive island, far larger than Gathering Spirit Island. He could see many houses at a glance, and at the same time, distinguish which families were better off. It was obvious from the construction materials, and even from their location.

The buildings were arranged in tiers of decreasing wealth from the center outwards. This meant the outermost buildings were the poorest, but they weren’t destitute by any means—they all looked well-constructed. It was just that compared to the buildings deeper inside, the difference was like heaven and earth. The outermost buildings even looked as though they served as a defensive wall, keeping invaders out.

’So this is Martial God Island, the Tu Family’s ancestral home...’ Lin Xuan mused as he observed the clan’s domain. It was impossible that everyone here was a member of the Tu Family. After all, outsiders had married in, and others had chosen to live here; that was all permitted.

The Tu Family didn’t exclude outsiders, but anyone who wanted to live here had to be approved. If just anyone could settle here, the island would have descended into chaos long ago.

Lin Xuan chose a spot to land, then switched to a boat to row the rest of the way. Before long, they arrived at Martial God Island—or rather, Divine Martial Island. The moment they approached the harbor, someone immediately moved to stop them.

"Who are you, and where do you come from!" the two Guards demanded, scrutinizing them from head to toe.

The powerful aura of an Essence Pill Stage Cultivation pressed down on them, an attempt to put them under pressure. This was a necessary precaution. Letting in people of unknown origin could cause a great deal of trouble.

When Tuo Yunhai looked up and saw one of the Guards, he froze. His eyes reddened as he said, "Uncle Fu, you don’t remember me? It’s me, Yunhai!"

The man addressed as Uncle Fu froze, then looked Tuo Yunhai up and down. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. After getting a clear look, he said in astonishment, "Yunhai, it’s really you! I remember a few years ago, our ship was hijacked by Pirates, and many people were taken away. The Patriarch flew into a rage and wiped out all the nearby Pirates, but he couldn’t find anyone. They were most likely sold off as slaves, nearly impossible to find... You’re alright?"

Uncle Fu pulled Tuo Yunhai onto the dock. Seeing that they were acquaintances, the other Guard immediately retracted his aura. He gave them a once-over but said nothing. Lin Xuan stepped off the boat and then put it away in his Storage Ring. It was an essential item for docking, not something he could just leave behind.

"Uncle Fu, I was sold into slavery. I ended up digging in the Lan Family’s Slave Mine. There was a riot recently, and I managed to escape. After I got out, I ran into Brother Lin, and he brought me back here." Tears streamed down Tuo Yunhai’s face, but he was making up an excuse.

The tears were real, a product of being overwhelmed by the familiar scene, but his words were only half-true. Lin Xuan thought Tuo Yunhai was impressively clever. If he had said that Lin Xuan had rescued him from the Slave Mine, suspicion would have immediately fallen upon Lin Xuan himself. After all, Lin Xuan was the one who had caused the disturbance at the Slave Mine, and the wanted posters were flying everywhere; this place was no exception.

Lin Xuan saw his own wanted poster on a nearby board. It had been revised, and the reward had been increased!

Thirty million Primordial Stones, one Low Grade Divine Artifact, and one Spirit God Pill! And crucially, the offer wasn’t limited to a single claimant. The rewards had been comprehensively upgraded, and the monetary amount was immense. But the text that followed would make anyone hesitate: he was said to be protected by a Core Formation Stage expert. With a condition like that, who other than a Core Formation Stage expert could possibly make a move?

Still, a reward like that was certainly enough to attract Core Formation Stage experts. The value of a Divine Artifact was astonishing, something that even cultivators at the Core Formation Stage would covet.

’I’m really worth quite a lot,’ Lin Xuan mused with a shake of his head. ’The Lan Family Patriarch must be furious out of humiliation...’ With such a massive fortune on his head, if he were discovered, he really would be hunted by the entire city.

That was why Tuo Yunhai had concocted the excuse, claiming they had met outside instead of saying he was rescued from within the mine. If he’d claimed they were both slaves, it would have been too far-fetched. Lin Xuan’s cultivation was at the Essence Pill Stage, something anyone reasonably powerful could see at a glance. If someone with an Essence Pill Stage Cultivation was a slave, the lie would be instantly exposed.

Given his current abilities, Lin Xuan could have concealed his Cultivation, but for now, there was no need. Besides, someone with a much higher Cultivation level would still see through it, so he couldn’t be bothered to hide it.

"The Lan Family made you a slave!" Uncle Fu’s face flashed with anger, but he immediately shook his head and sighed. "Ah, well. It’s good that you’re back. Just being able to come home is a blessing. And thinking about what happened recently, the destruction of the Lan Family’s mine is truly satisfying news!"

The Tu Family and the Lan Family were not on good terms, but regarding Tuo Yunhai’s case, Uncle Fu could only accept their fate. It was good enough that he had returned alive. As for seeking revenge, they would have to forget it. To put it cruelly, Tuo Yunhai wasn’t important enough.

"You must be Lin Xiaoyou, then," Uncle Fu said. "Thank you for bringing Yunhai home. His parents have been searching for him for years, but they never found a trace. Who would have known he was locked up in a mine as a slave? We never would have imagined... If they knew you were back, they’d be overjoyed." Uncle Fu ruffled Tuo Yunhai’s hair and led them forward. "Hurry on inside, don’t just stand here."

What Uncle Fu found so unimaginable was the fact that the Lan Family had been willing to take a member of the Tu Family as a slave. Every slave’s background was investigated, and the Lan Family didn’t dare to accept just anyone. Taking in a member of the Tu Family as a slave indirectly proved just how bad their relationship was.

Lin Xuan didn’t need to have his identity checked at all and was able to enter easily, all thanks to Tuo Yunhai being there.

Under Uncle Fu’s guidance, they walked toward the houses situated a bit deeper inside, which was a clear sign that Tuo Yunhai’s family was in a decent position and not among the worst-off.

As it happened, Tuo Yunhai’s parents had not gone out that day. They had just opened their door, about to head out to inquire about news, when they turned and saw Tuo Yunhai’s face.

They froze on the spot, each rubbing their eyes, unable to believe the sight before them.

"Father, Mother..." Tears streamed down Tuo Yunhai’s face once more as he threw himself into their arms.

The two of them hugged their son tightly, unable to speak a single word as their own tears began to fall. At this moment, all the things they wanted to say could only be expressed through their tears.

Watching from the side, Lin Xuan was filled with emotion. He wondered when he, too, would be able to see his own parents.