Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

Tang San slowly lifted his fingers from the strings, and the last note faded gently into the twilight.

He raised his head, met Tang Yuehua's gaze, and nodded slightly: "Aunt."

Tang Yuehua stood up, walked to him, looked down at the golden harp, then at Tang San's clear eyes, her tone filled with undisguised admiration.

“In just a few months, your piano skills have become quite excellent. I originally thought it would take at least one or two years to reach this level.”

Tang San gently placed the harp on his lap, and his lips twitched slightly: "It's because Aunt taught me well."

Tang Yuehua shook her head: "Teaching well is one thing, learning quickly is another. Your talent far surpasses that of ordinary people, and there is no need to be modest about it."

She paused, her gaze lingering on Tang San's face for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in her clear eyes:

"Moreover, I can sense that you are completely different now than when you first came to Haotian City."

Tang San did not deny it.

He knew he had changed.

When he first left the Killing City, he was like a drawn sword, wanting to slash anyone he saw.

At that time, he couldn't even control his murderous aura, and even stray dogs on the street would avoid him when he walked down the street.

But things are different now. He can sit in the courtyard and quietly play an entire piece without letting the strings become tainted with murderous intent; he can stand in a crowd without causing those around him to instinctively take a step back.

He had suppressed that murderous aura; it hadn't disappeared, but rather he had learned to control it at will.

Like a sword, it is sharp and gleaming when drawn, but silent and stealthy when sheathed.

"Aunt," Tang San said, his voice soft but carrying an undeniable certainty, "I want to leave."

Tang Yuehua's fingers paused slightly.

She looked at Tang San, her clear eyes showing no surprise or astonishment, only a knowing "He's finally here."

She didn't answer immediately, but simply sat back down on the stone bench, picked up the now-cold tea, and took a small sip.

"You want to go find Cindy."

"Yes." Tang San's answer was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Tang Yuehua put down her teacup and gently rubbed the rim with her fingertips.

Of course she knew that Tang San would leave sooner or later; he couldn't stay in Haotian City forever to practice his musical skills, calligraphy, painting, and chess.

His stay in Haotian City was merely the result of Tang Hao's constraints and her guidance.

Now he has learned to suppress his murderous aura and how to hide his sharpness in a crowd. Staying any longer would be a waste of time.

She thought for a moment and then asked, "Have you mentioned it to your father?"

"Not yet," Tang San said. "I plan to talk to him tonight."

Tang Yuehua nodded and didn't say anything more. She knew Tang Hao wouldn't stop him anymore.

Sure enough, Tang San went outside the city that very night.

Tang Hao still lives in the bamboo forest outside the city. The wooden house is still the same, and the flower garden in the yard is still neatly maintained.

Tang Hao was sitting on the veranda drinking something when he saw Tang San walk in. His cloudy eyes lingered on Tang San for a moment before he spoke, "You've arrived?"

"Ah."

Tang San stopped in the courtyard and, without beating around the bush, stated his purpose directly: "I plan to leave tomorrow to go find my sister."

Tang Hao's hand holding the wine bowl remained still, his gaze fixed on Tang San's face as if scrutinizing something. After a long while, he slowly put down the wine bowl, his voice hoarse: "Have you suppressed your murderous aura?"

"All right."

"Won't it be easily noticed?"

"will not."

Tang Hao was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

Tang San raised an eyebrow slightly. He had originally thought that Tang Hao would ask a few more questions, at least one such question: "Where do you plan to look?" or "What do you plan to do after you find it?"

They might even refuse or disagree.

But to his surprise, Tang Hao didn't ask anything, only said "okay," and then picked up his wine bowl again, as if it was an ending he had known all along.

Tang San turned and walked towards the courtyard gate. He paused at the gate, but didn't turn back: "Thank you."

Tang Hao paused slightly in the hand holding the wine bowl, but quickly resumed his normal posture.

Tang San didn't linger and stepped out of the courtyard.

The moonlight shone on the dirt path leading to the bamboo forest, casting a long shadow of him.

The next morning, Tang San met Tang Yuehua at the city gate.

She stood in the morning light, carrying a small bundle in her hand. Seeing Tang San approaching, she handed the bundle to him: "Inside are some dry rations and a few changes of clothes. There are also a few bottles of ointment, which I brought back from Ge Duo. They are very useful for treating wounds."

Tang San took the bundle; it wasn't heavy, but it felt very sturdy. He glanced down at the fine stitching on the bundle, then looked up at Tang Yuehua: "Thank you, Aunt."

Tang Yuehua looked at him, and the morning sunlight poured in from behind her, enveloping her in a warm golden halo.

She paused for a moment, then said, "After you find your sister... remember to write back here. Let her know you're safe."

"Okay." Tang San nodded.

He didn't say anything more, slung the bundle over his shoulder, and turned to walk towards the city gate.

The morning light turned his dark blue hair a pale gold, and his moon-white robe fluttered gently in the breeze.

Tang Yuehua stood at the city gate, watching his figure gradually disappear into the distance until it vanished completely into the morning mist at the end of the official road. Only then did she withdraw her gaze, sigh softly, and turn to walk into the city.

Tang San traveled south along the official road.

The morning light spreads across the eastern mountain ridge, turning the gravel and wild grass on the road into a warm gold.

People were already working in the fields on both sides. Occasionally, a farmer driving an oxcart would pass by, and I would look at him curiously for a couple of seconds, but I would quickly look away and continue on my way.

He kept a stack of letters in his soul tool. He had read those letters countless times, and the edges were already curled up. He could recite the delicate handwriting on them by heart.

Cinderella did not mention the specific location in her letter, but from the details pieced together from those few words, he had already made a general judgment.

She traveled through the humid rainforests of the south, the barren deserts of the west, and the fishing villages along the eastern coast.

Based on these clues, her current location should be in the northwest direction.

That's what Tang San was thinking. He simply followed these scattered clues, heading in the most likely direction.

If you're going in the wrong direction, try another. If the clues are broken, piece them back together one by one.

The wind blew in from the south, carrying the scent of damp earth and the unique fragrance of grass and trees.

Tang San narrowed his eyes and quickened his pace.

The official road leading northwest became increasingly remote.

Tang San had been away from Haotian City for seven or eight days. The cities he passed through along the way had become smaller and smaller, and more or less deserted.

At first, caravans and travelers could be seen, but from the fifth day onwards, the number of people on the official road gradually decreased.

Occasionally, you can see a few abandoned tea stalls by the roadside, with their doors crooked, roofs half collapsed, and weathered beyond recognition.

On the tenth day, Tang San stopped in a hilly area.

The official road ahead splits into two branches. One continues westward, leading to a more remote wilderness; the other turns northwest and disappears into the distant, rolling mountains.

Tang San stood at the crossroads, took out the stack of letters from his pocket, and read them again.

At the end of her last letter, Cinderella wrote in a plain tone: "The trees in the Northwest Mountains are growing very well, and their leaves are greener than elsewhere."

Tang San folded the letter and put it back into his soul tool. Then he started walking in the northwest direction.

After walking for about two more days, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

The trees on both sides of the official road gradually thinned out, replaced by a vast plain that stretched to the horizon, meeting the outline of the low mountains in the distance.

A few villages are scattered across the plain, looking from a distance like tiny grains of sand dotting the earth.

Tang San stopped beside a teahouse outside a village.

The teahouse was small, made of a few thick logs and thatch, with a few small wooden tables set up at the entrance, on which were placed rough pottery pots and bowls.

An old man with gray hair was dozing on a low stool in the shed. Hearing footsteps, he lazily opened his eyes. Seeing Tang San's extraordinary attire, he quickly put on a smile: "Would you like to have a bite to eat, sir? Tea or something else?"

Tang San sat down at a table near the outside and casually placed a few copper soul coins on it: "Have some tea."

The old man quickly brought over a pot of coarse tea and a dish of peanuts. The tea was rough and had a bitter taste, but Tang San didn't complain. He picked it up, took a sip, and then said, "Old man, I have something to ask you."

The old man, who was about to turn around and go back into the shed to continue his nap, stopped when he heard this: "Please speak, sir."

Have you seen a girl with long blonde hair pass by recently?

Tang San described Cinderella's general appearance.

After listening to Tang San's description, the old man scratched his gray hair, frowned and thought for a long time before finally shaking his head.

"A girl with long golden hair... I've never seen one before. Not many people usually walk this road. If such a striking girl had ever passed by, I would definitely remember her."

Tang San nodded without saying anything more. He picked up the bowl of coarse tea and took another sip, his gaze falling on the distant plain shrouded in twilight, as if he were deep in thought.

Seeing that he didn't intend to ask any more questions, the old man glanced at him again and tentatively asked, "Sir, are you looking for someone? What is that girl to you?"

"Sister." Tang San put down his teacup, his tone calm.

The old man simply said "Oh," and didn't ask any more questions. He had lived for so many years and seen too many people on their way, knowing that some people talked a lot and some people talked little.

The young man in front of me was clearly the latter; he answered only one question at a time and never said a word more than necessary.

After finishing his tea, Tang San pushed the few copper soul coins to the side of the table, stood up, and nodded to the old man: "Thank you."

"Take care, sir, on your journey." The old man put the copper soul coin into his pocket and sat back down on the low stool.

Tang San did not stop and continued walking in the northwest direction.

Dusk descended from all directions, stretching his shadow longer and longer until it finally merged into the darkening horizon in the distance.

Chapter 549 An Encounter with Hu Liena

Tang San is not in a hurry now.

He knew that being anxious wouldn't help.