Chapter 31: Honoring Parent, Tang Ya's Departure

"Are we here?"

Xu Cheng opened his eyes, straightened up, and yawned.

"Mmm..."

Turning around, he saw Nana quietly gazing out the car window. Her eyes were fixed on a small red wooden house, surrounded by overgrown weeds. Lush green ivy climbed over its old, crumbling walls, leaving only half of a window exposed.

Through the remaining half of the window, the inside was faintly visible.

A simple cottage, once filled with the ordinary warmth of a farmer's home, had instead become the site of a tragedy when the wife awakened her soul power—dragging the entire family into the abyss…

"Mmm..."

Nana came back to her senses when she felt a gentle hand patting her back.

It was a silent gesture of comfort.

"Brother, I'm fine..."

Following the touch of the arm, Nana buried herself in Xu Cheng's embrace, murmuring softly.

Her voice was gentle, but tears streamed silently down her delicate face, soaking Xu Cheng's sleeve.

Clearly, this scene had stirred deep memories in her heart. Losing her parents at such a young age had left her starved for love, much like in the original story.

It was only in this life—after meeting Xu Cheng—that she had someone she could rely on completely.

After a long moment, Xu Cheng's voice, warm and soothing, broke the silence.

"Let's get out of the car."

Nana gently wiped away her tears and nodded obediently.

Behind the small wooden house were two burial mounds, with tombstones standing over them.

"Zhang Nan and Bai Yan's Grave."

After her parents' deaths, she didn't keep her father's surname. Instead, she turned her childhood nickname into her real name, as if trying to leave the past behind.

In the world of Douluo, surnames didn't seem to hold much weight.

Take Juzi, for example. From beginning to end, that was never her real surname—just a simple alias she had chosen for herself. Xu Cheng had often teased her about it. Yet even after she became the Empress, the name remained and was formally recognized.

Everyone had long since accepted it as normal, never questioning it.

"Father, Mother, Nana has come to see you..."

Nana took two steps forward and knelt before the two graves.

She leaned down slightly, pressing her palm to the damp earth.

She remained silent for a long time.

Xu Cheng retrieved two bouquets from his Soul Tool and placed them gently on either side of the graves. Then, he stood beside Nana.

It wasn't appropriate for him to kneel.

Among all the people he had met in this world, Nana was the closest to him.

Now and in the future, she would be his strongest ally—his right-hand woman.

So, he showed her the respect she deserved.

…

Nana knelt before the graves for a long time before finally bowing twice.

Only then did she slowly rise to her feet.

As her gaze fell on the two bouquets of flowers, the young girl couldn't hold back any longer.

She suddenly threw herself into Xu Cheng's arms and burst into tears.

Gone was the usual mischievous, lively girl.

"It's okay… I'm here."

Xu Cheng gently stroked her silky hair.

A faint, pleasant fragrance lingered—he wasn't sure if it was from freshly laundered clothes or just the perfume she wore

As he felt her trembling in his embrace, letting out all her emotions, Xu Cheng was momentarily lost in thought.

It was as if the world around him had shifted.

Suddenly, he found himself back inside the small wooden house.

A six-year-old little girl had thrown herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

And just like now, he had comforted her the same way…

"It's okay… I'm here."

…

Back in the Soul Car.

Nana still clung tightly to Xu Cheng's arm.

She no longer looked outside the window. Instead, she fixed her big, bright eyes on Xu Cheng's side profile, blinking playfully.

Xu Cheng's lips twitched.

He had the urge to say, "What are you staring at?"

But remembering how she had just cried, her eyes still slightly red, he could only sigh and let it be.

Still, that persistent gaze made him a little uncomfortable.

"Hahahaha~"

Nana suddenly burst into a bell-like laughter, her voice full of mischief.

She swayed his arm playfully, causing Xu Cheng's body to shake slightly. Her delicate face was full of triumph.

"Brother, I just love seeing you annoyed but unable to do anything about it! Hehe~"

"You…"

Xu Cheng shook his head helplessly.

But in his eyes, there was a glimmer of amusement.

The Nana in the original story had been timid, insecure, and starved for affection.

Now, because of him, she had become playful and full of life.

As long as she didn't turn out wrong, that was good enough.

After a while, Nana finally seemed to have tired herself out.

She leaned against Xu Cheng's shoulder and suddenly remembered something.

"Oh right, Brother… about Tang Ya, she…"

"Let her be."

Xu Cheng smiled.

Before they left, Tang Ya had already disappeared without a word.

Of course, he knew exactly where she was headed.

After struggling internally for an entire semester, this last descendant of the Tang Sect had finally made up her mind.

She had chosen to follow her father's dying wish—heading to Shrek Academy to restore the Tang Sect.

Before leaving, she had written a letter to Meng Hongchen, simply saying goodbye and promising they would meet again in the future.

Xu Cheng hadn't stopped her.

Because he didn't want a mindless, blackened tool called Tang Ya.

He wanted a real person—one who could dedicate herself to the Holy Spirit Cult out of her own free will.

And to achieve that, she needed to experience disillusionment firsthand.

She needed to run headfirst into a dead end before she would turn back.

Of course, that didn't mean he had done nothing.

Before she left, he had already sent Wuyun to secretly protect her.

…

"This place should be… the outskirts of Star Dou Forest."

Tang Ya wiped the sweat from her fair forehead, her bright eyes scanning the distance.

Faintly, a city appeared on the horizon.

She lowered her gaze to check her map.

A flash of joy crossed her delicate face—but it was soon replaced by melancholy.

She was happy because she was almost home.

But at the same time… home was no longer what it used to be.

Putting the map back into her Soul Storage Ring, she gently touched the ring on her finger—a gift from her best friend, Meng Hongchen.

For the past six months, she had lived in enemy territory—the Sun-Moon Empire.

Yet there, she had received nothing but kindness.

Her classmates, her dormmates… all of them had treated her well.

It was something she would never forget.

"No!"

"Tang Ya, you are from the Tang Sect! To revive the Tang Sect, you belong at Shrek Academy! That is your father's will!"

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to push away those warm memories.

Because now she understood.

The Sun-Moon Empire and Shrek Academy were mortal enemies.

There was no compromise, no middle ground.

She had no choice.

…

After half an hour, a familiar high city wall appeared in the distance.

Wrapped in a black cloak, Tang Ya slipped into the crowd and entered the city without trouble.

As she walked the blue-tiled streets, she felt a strange sense of disorientation.

Had everything really changed?

Could it all just be a dream?

Would she wake up to find her mother's warm smile, her father's strict training, and her fellow disciples playing together?

Then, she stopped.

She looked up.

At the red wooden gate of the Tang Sect.

Two sealing notices were plastered on the door.

Her last hope was shattered.

(End of Chapter)