Although Xiao Wu was a little dissatisfied inwardly, she didn't show it. Instead, she smiled gently at Liu Erlong and said:
"I didn't expect us to have that kind of relationship either. But since Wutong says so, from now on I'll call you 'Mother Erlong.'"
The moment she finished speaking, Liu Erlong's expression froze. What the hell? Xiao Wu didn't look any younger than she did!
She was clearly only fifteen or sixteen now, yet Xiao Wu kept calling her "Mother Erlong." If others heard that, how awkward would it be?
"No way! Have you looked at yourself after taking human form? You don't look younger than me at all! And you still want to call me Mother Erlong? Don't I need face?"
Liu Erlong wore a deadpan expression and shook her head like a rattle drum. Whether or not Xiao Wu truly accepted her as a godmother was irrelevant—there was no way she was taking that title now.
Xiao Wu lifted a finger and pointed at Liu Erlong, then softly told Tang Wutong, "Daughter, call Mother Erlong 'Grandma Erlong' a few more times. Help her accept reality."
Naturally, Tang Wutong always listened to her mother. So she obediently called Liu Erlong "Grandma Erlong" several times in a row, to the point Liu Erlong was left with black lines across her face, retreating straight into Zhao Ling's arms.
"Wuwuwu… Husband, look! Xiao Wu and her daughter are bullying me together. Long'er is so pitiful…"
Cough cough… Zhao Ling was instantly struck speechless by her act.
What happened to this ferocious dragon lady persona? This didn't feel like the Liu Erlong he remembered.
Tang Wutong stared at "Grandma Erlong" who had nestled herself into Zhao Ling's embrace. She was completely bewildered.
What's going on? She clearly remembered her mother once saying that Grandma Erlong liked someone named Yu… something Gang. But now, seeing the tender affection between Grandma Erlong and Zhao Ling, how could she not be confused?
Even her diary mentioned a grandmother who called Zhao Ling "husband." Could it be that the man standing in front of her… is her grandfather?
No way. Impossible. If she were this man's granddaughter, her surname shouldn't be Tang—it should be Zhao.
Confused or not, she was simply overjoyed to reunite with her mother, grandmother, and Grandma Erlong. It all felt like a dream. Tang Wutong decided she would happily settle down with them.
That evening, Zhao Ling made a trip to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to inquire about purchasing their ancestral estate.
The current clan leader had already been trying to find a way to win Zhao Ling over. Upon learning he wanted to buy their old family residence, the clan leader practically gave it away—selling it to Zhao Ling for just over a hundred thousand gold soul coins.
In reality, given its prime location and the fact that the estate was practically a royal palace in size, it should have cost several hundred thousand.
After securing the property, Zhao Ling used the clan's connections to hire a group of masons to begin renovating the entire estate.
Naturally, the renovations would take some time. Zhao Ling informed Emperor Xue Ye that he would vacate the royal mansion within three days. In the meantime, he temporarily rented a modest manor as a new residence.
While not huge, it easily accommodated everyone.
However, when Zhao Ling and his group departed the royal estate, more than a hundred servants wept. None of them wanted to see him go.
After all, when Zhao Ling moved in, he immediately gave them a bounty of low-level spirit beast meat to eat.
And then, without blinking an eye, he handed each of them a thousand gold soul coins as pocket money. How could they not adore such a generous master?
Some, including Butler Qian, even wanted to resign and follow Zhao Ling.
But Zhao Ling refused.
Since he had decided to sever ties with the Heaven Dou royal family, there could be no half-measures. If even a few servants followed, the imperial court might gossip and accuse him of harboring intentions.
Rejected, Butler Qian and the others had no choice but to watch them leave, hearts full of regret.
After moving into the new manor, life felt more peaceful without the royal household's hundred-some servants. Of course, that had its downsides—like having to cook, do laundry, and clean themselves.
Zhao Ling felt sorry for his future wives, so he posted a recruitment notice outside the estate, hiring female servants to help with cooking, cleaning, laundry, and other household tasks.
Money was no issue for Zhao Ling. He offered five gold soul coins per month—a very generous salary, even in Heaven Dou City. He was hiring up to twenty women.
The requirements: diligent, no slacking, and absolutely no deception. Any laziness discovered would lead to immediate dismissal.
The ad quickly drew a flood of middle-aged women seeking employment. Five gold soul coins a month was a rare opportunity.
Zhao Ling, Ah Yin, and Liu Erlong spent an entire day carefully screening applicants, ultimately selecting twenty women between the ages of eighteen and thirty. Their looks ranged between six to eight out of ten.
Zhao Ling hadn't originally cared about appearances—only gender. After all, with five peerless beauties already in the house, he wasn't about to invite male servants in and risk trouble.
But Ah Yin and Liu Erlong insisted that the maids couldn't be too ugly or too old.
If they were too old or unattractive, wouldn't it sour their husband's mood just seeing them?
The two women rigorously followed their own standards while choosing the maids. Hence, it took them a full day to finalize the group.
To Zhao Ling, it all felt ridiculous. We're hiring maids, not concubines. Why so picky?
Still, with twenty maids now in place, the group of six no longer had to lift a finger for daily chores. Life was pure bliss.
After the hiring, Zhao Ling took Xiao Wu to Sunset Forest to help her condense her spirit rings.
Thanks to the Transformation Pill, she was gifted with innate level-30 spirit power, enough to support the condensation of three spirit rings and advance directly to the Spirit Elder level. Xiao Wu was thrilled.
They didn't condense the rings at the manor because they were worried a passing Titled Douluo might sense something was off.
Once in Sunset Forest, the two found a secluded spot to begin the process.
It took a little over two hours, but Xiao Wu successfully formed all three spirit rings. Each skill matched her original ones from before.
Afterward, her spirit power skyrocketed from level 30 to level 37. Just three more levels and she could condense her fourth ring.
What shocked Zhao Ling, though, was that when she condensed her second ring, it manifested as a thousand-year purple ring—thanks to a 10% boost in cultivation aptitude granted by the diary replica.
Zhao Ling didn't know about that benefit. He simply assumed it was due to the Transformation Pill.