Tang San and Tang Sui entered the state of 'Wu Wo Jing' (Selfless Realm) for meditation and cultivation, oblivious to the changes happening around them.
With nearly a hundred thousand years of cultivation, coupled with Tang San's Sea God's Light and Blue Silver Domain, by the time Ah Yin finished refining the absorbed energy, her cultivation had skyrocketed to the hundred thousand year mark.
A luminous cocoon, symbolizing the transformation of a hundred thousand year soul beast, replaced the vast Blue Silver Emperor Tree.
On the Blue Silver Emperor Tree, the giant leaves no longer scattered but gathered together. Each leaf contained not only the pure energy of the Blue Silver Emperor but also the aura of the Sea God's Light.
After five days and nights of immersion, the leaves of the Blue Silver Emperor had completely turned golden, resembling crystal crafts, clustering around the cocoon that had formed from the Blue Silver Emperor Tree's main body.
Tang San and Tang Sui, engrossed in their cultivation, could not answer Tang Hao's anxious inquiries. It was Xiao Wu who explained that this was a sign of a hundred thousand year soul beast transforming into human form. Only then did Tang Hao's impatience ease slightly. He gazed at the still, luminous cocoon and murmured,
"I wonder what level Ah Yin's soul power will be after her transformation."
After transforming from a hundred thousand year soul beast into a human and embarking on the path of a soul master, the first six soul rings would not require hunting soul beasts; they could be formed independently. However, after reaching level seventy, they became true humans. To further advance their cultivation, they needed to hunt soul beasts to obtain soul rings.
This was why the Spirit Hall had relentlessly pursued them back then.
Because Ah Yin's soul power level had been close to seventy. Once her cultivation reached level seventy, even if she were killed, a hundred thousand year soul ring and soul bone could not be dropped.
On the eighth day, Tang San opened his eyes, returning to peak condition. Tang Sui continued to cultivate.
On the tenth day, Ah Yin successfully transformed. Tang Sui was still cultivating, her eyes closed.
Tang Hao and the others transitioned from joy to worry. Ah Yin, now inseparable from Tang Sui, stayed by her side, her brow furrowed with concern.
After her transformation, her soul power level stabilized at the seventy mark, one level higher than the sixty-nine she had before her sacrifice. Although she had not yet obtained her seventh soul ring, she was considered safe.
For once one reached level seventy, they were truly human.
On the twelfth day, Tang Sui finally opened her eyes.
Ah Yin, who had been closely watching her younger daughter, instantly appeared beside Tang Sui. She reached out to touch her but hesitated, her hand suspended in mid-air. She gently called out, "Sui Sui, how do you feel?"
Tang Sui smiled at Ah Yin. "I feel quite good. I seem to have entered a state of enlightenment. This misfortune has, thankfully, allowed me to deepen my understanding of 'Dao'."
"That's wonderful..." Ah Yin suppressed the stinging in her eyes and pulled Tang Sui into a hug. "If anything had happened to you, I could never forgive myself..."
"Mom, I'm alright." Tang Sui gently returned the embrace, fearing her own cold touch might chill Ah Yin. Noticing Tang Sui's cautiousness, Ah Yin held her tighter.
Tang Hao watched the scene with a gentle gaze. The tension that had gripped him these past few days finally eased. He said softly, "Our family is finally complete, gathered together."
Speaking of family, Tang San, with a smile, paused. He then looked up, his gaze meeting Xiao Wu's.
A tender smile bloomed on his face. He approached Xiao Wu as her eyes fluttered, took her hand, and, under the scorching gazes of the Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape that seemed capable of piercing him, walked side-by-side to his mother and sister. He raised their clasped hands.
"Mom, this is the one I love, Xiao Wu. Now, I can finally properly introduce her to you."
Tang San gently introduced his lover to his mother.
Tang Hao moved to his wife's side in a moment of understanding. Tang Sui raised an eyebrow and stepped back, observing her parents standing shoulder-to-shoulder. She then noticed that her father had even shaved his stubble and tidied his usually messy hair.
Oh, dear.
Tang Sui, seeing but not revealing, glanced at her beautiful mother. A playful smile also appeared on her mother's delicate face. She watched her brother, like a young boy smitten for the first time, shyly introduce Xiao Wu to her mother.
Oh, he should call her sister-in-law now.
Ah Yin gazed tenderly at the young couple. As Xiao Wu stood there in a daze, Ah Yin gently stroked her head.
"I am so happy we can be a family, Xiao Wu. While we cannot hold a wedding for you and Little San right now, from this moment on, we are also your mother and father, and Sui Sui is your sister. You have more family now."
Xiao Wu's pupils contracted. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that at some point, perhaps as Ah Yin was comforting her, tears were already streaming down her pretty face.
"Mom..."
She uttered the word in a hoarse voice. Ah Yin returned a gentle smile.
"Good child, I am here."
The Titan Giant Ape, observing from the side, couldn't help but lower its head and bring its massive head close to Tang Sui. Its honest voice rumbled from its slightly parted mouth, "Does that mean you are my sister now too?"
Tang Sui: "..."
Although she was reluctant to acknowledge a new hulking brother, by kinship, the Titan Giant Ape, being Xiao Wu's god-brother, was indeed her elder in age.
The Titan Giant Ape's dark ape face broke into a somewhat foolish grin. "Great, I have a sister now too."
The Azure Bull Python also did not object to gaining Tang Sui as a sister, even shaking its tail with satisfaction. "If it's you, I approve."
Tang Sui silently averted her gaze and looked towards her mother, who was basking in the family's warmth. She cleared her throat and said, "Mom, your soul power level should be around seventy now, right? Why don't you take this opportunity to complete your seventh soul ring first?"
"Mhm, of course. And Little... Sister-in-law, there's no better time than the present. Shall we do it together?"
Tang Sui's words drew the attention of Ah Yin and the others.
Both Xiao Wu and Ah Yin hesitated.
"But Sui Sui, you just expended so much energy for Mom. If the two of us do it together, it would be at least a hundred and fifty thousand years worth of soul rings. Perhaps we should wait a bit longer?"
Ah Yin held the same opinion. "Xiao Wu is right. We are not in a hurry. Let's postpone the matter of soul rings for now, shall we?"
Tang Hao also sided with Ah Yin and Xiao Wu, advising, "Regarding the soul rings, it's not too late to wait a few days after your mother consolidates her cultivation."
Tang San did not voice an opinion, but his eyes conveyed his thoughts.
Outvoted four to one, Tang Sui had no choice but to suppress her idea. "Alright. Then next, brother, shall we return to Heaven Dou to see Teacher first? After we've handled things with Teacher, we'll come back to pick up Mom and Dad and... the two older brothers. Then we can go to your Tang Sect, or my Slaughter City, and split up to stay in a safer place, to guard against the Spirit Empire's searches. What do you think?"
— Author's Notes —
One of the important matters to attend to, naturally, is meeting the parents.
Marriage? Why have a wedding at a time like this (doge)