After taking several turns, the carriage finally came to a stop.
Before them stood a vast mansion, its towering gates and expansive walls radiating wealth and authority. Even at a glance, one could tell that its owner was no ordinary person—this was the residence of someone rich, powerful, and deeply influential.
Yet that was not the most shocking sight.
In front of the grand gates stood several armed warriors, their expressions cold and alert, weapons held firmly in hand. They were positioned like a living barrier, clearly guarding the entrance with strict vigilance.
The carriage halted before them.
Before any tension could rise further, Tyson burst into loud laughter. He jumped down from the driver's seat and strode forward confidently.
"Hahaha! So, all my brothers-in-law came out to welcome me today?" he said cheerfully.
However, the moment Tyson's laughter rang out, the expressions of the armed warriors instantly hardened. Their jaws clenched, hands tightening around their weapons, as if they were forcefully restraining the urge to beat someone on the spot.
Just then, a cold, aged voice echoed from within the mansion.
"Step aside," it commanded. "Let me take a good look at the bastard who abducted my daughter."
At the sound of that voice, the warriors immediately moved, parting to form a clear path.
At the end of that path stood an elderly man, leaning heavily on a pair of crutches. His hair was gray, and his back slightly bent—but the moment his eyes landed on Tyson, the air around him seemed to tense.
The old man's veins bulged visibly. Forgetting his frail appearance, he strode forward with surprising speed, fury blazing in his eyes as he advanced straight toward Tyson.
"Uh… ha-ha," Tyson laughed awkwardly. The confidence he had shown moments ago vanished the instant he saw the old man. "Father-in-law… how have you been?"
The effect was immediate.
"Bastard!" the old man roared, his face twisting with fury. "Don't you dare call me father-in-law!"
The shout echoed through the courtyard. If not for his age—and the crutches supporting him—he might have already rushed forward to beat Tyson senseless.
Tyson fell silent at once. He lowered his head, standing stiffly in place like a scolded child, quietly waiting for the storm to descend.
But the expected punishment never came.
Instead, the old man glared at him even harder.
"You wretched brat!" he shouted again. "Why are you standing there like a wooden post? Where is my daughter? Why haven't you let me see her?!"
At those words, Tyson's body stiffened. A trace of panic flashed across his face.
"Uh…" he hesitated, then answered in a low voice, "She… didn't come with us."
For a brief moment, the air froze—
as if the calm before an even greater outburst.
Just as the old man was about to explode once more, the carriage curtain was pushed aside.
Xiao Ling and Lu Tianming stepped down one after the other.
The moment the old man's gaze fell upon them, his expression subtly changed. As if recalling something, his sharp eyes narrowed slightly.
He remembered the letter.
In it, Tyson had mentioned two promising "good seedlings" who wished to enroll in the Soul Master Academy. At the time, the old man had dismissed it entirely, believing Tyson was merely fabricating excuses—using the children as a pretext, hoping to soften his heart so that his daughter could finally return after all these years.
After all, it had been several years since the two had eloped and married in secret.
But now, seeing the children standing before him, he finally understood.
Tyson hadn't lied.
He had truly come for the sake of these two youngsters.
"Hmph!" the old man snorted coldly, turning his head away. "Next time, bring her with you."
He paused mid-step and shot Tyson a sharp glance over his shoulder.
"Otherwise," he added flatly, "don't even think about returning safely."
With that final warning, the old man tapped his crutches against the ground and walked back into the mansion, the armed warriors quickly closing ranks behind him.
The tension at the gate slowly dissipated—but the weight of his words lingered in the air.
Xiao Ling and Lu Tianming stood where they were, momentarily stunned as they watched the old man disappear back into the mansion.
From inside the carriage, they had heard everything that had happened outside. When the topic of Aunt Qing Wei was brought up, they both realized the situation was about to spiral out of control. If they hadn't stepped out just then, Uncle Tyson might truly have been beaten.
That was why they hadn't hesitated.
"Uncle Tyson, are you alright?" Xiao Ling asked anxiously, rushing up to him.
Lu Tianming also looked at him with quiet concern. After all, Tyson was someone he deeply respected.
Seeing the worry in their eyes, Tyson waved his hand and let out a small laugh.
"Haha, I'm fine."
"Then… what do we do now?" Lu Tianming asked, glancing toward the mansion gate. The place that had been crowded and tense just moments ago was now completely silent.
Tyson followed his gaze, his expression turning thoughtful.
For a brief moment, the path ahead seemed uncertain.
After staring at the mansion gate for a few moments, Tyson let out a quiet sigh.
"Hah… we can't go in right now," he said calmly. "Let's head to the academy instead."
Hearing his decision, both Xiao Ling and Lu Tianming nodded in understanding. Given the circumstances, it truly wasn't the right time to meet relatives.
Once again, they climbed into the carriage. Tyson took the reins, and the horses moved forward, carrying them away from the mansion and toward the Soul Master Academy, which was only a block ahead.
As the carriage rolled away, an old figure stood by a window inside the mansion.
The old man watched silently as the carriage grew smaller and smaller, until its shadow finally vanished into the distance.
Only then did he turn around and walk back inside.
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