Male Consort Upgrade System

by Usui Takumii

not mine, ckanda writes, beware bl. Total: 247 Chapters.

26. 241 to 247

The creature's massive body was surprisingly agile. It pounced ferociously at Huangfu Yuchen, opening its large mouth to reveal gleaming sharp teeth. When its attack missed, the creature's body rolled forward and arched like an upright hoop or a giant stone roller. It flipped over in an instant, its tail swung down towards Huangfu Yuchen's head.

Huangfu Yuchen wielded his sword to strike back, managing to hit the creature's body for the first time, precisely at its tail. Despite the creature's tough-looking skin, his spiritual sword was able to slice through it with ease. The creature's blood gushed out, tinting the nearby seawater red.

Yan Ge promptly cast a barrier to prevent the scent of blood from attracting sharks and other predators.

The creature suddenly turned its head, fixing its gaze on the sword in Huangfu Yuchen's hand. In its grey-white eyes had a hint of anger and… contemplation.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen exchanged a surprised glance. If they were not mistaken, it seemed that this creature could think?

The creature launched another attack, deliberately evading Huangfu Yuchen's sword. This confirmed Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge's speculation. Perhaps the creature had developed intelligence from staying in places rich in spiritual energy.

For animals to gain intelligence was exceedingly rare. But with its ferocious aura, Huangfu Yuchen had no intention of showing mercy as he confronted it head-on.

The creature's body twisted like a corkscrew, evading Huangfu Yuchen's strike. However, Huangfu Yuchen's movements were astonishingly swift, his figure disappeared in the blink of an eye and reappeared behind the creature. With a precise thrust, his spiritual sword descended straight down.

The creature roared in anger, its eyes growing as large as footballs. Its body writhed violently, causing waves and turmoil in the water. It attempted to shake off Huangfu Yuchen, yet Huangfu Yuchen's feet seemed to stick to the creature's body like glue. With both hands gripping his spiritual sword, he thrust it deeper.

The creature's tail rose again, its tip resembling a steel cone, aimed at Huangfu Yuchen's back.

Huangfu Yuchen sensed danger from behind, and knew that the creature's tail was striking. He gracefully shifted to the right, but he heard Yan Ge's urgent shout, "Watch out!"

The voice carried both alarm and astonishment. Huangfu Yuchen realized something was amiss but didn't turn his head. Instead, he pulled his spiritual sword diagonally upward, inflicting more damage to the creature, and simultaneously leaped into the air.

Only then did he glance back and his eyebrows slightly raised in surprise. The creature's tail had unfurled like a bud, revealing another identical head!

There were now two wounds on the creature's body and it was enraged beyond measure. Its eyes were bloodshot, and it charged at Huangfu Yuchen in a fit of fury, emanating a strong stench of blood. With two heads, it acted as though there were two separate creatures, working in harmony without interfering with each other, making its attacks even more fierce.

Huangfu Yuchen felt greater pressure than before, evading and attacking simultaneously. His brows furrowed, this approach wasn't sustainable. He looked at the two massive heads and an idea formed in his mind. He leaped toward the middle of the creature's body and said, "Baby, your spiritual sword."

Yan Ge b but quickly grasped his intention and tossed his spiritual sword. Although the sword was bonded to him, Huangfu Yuchen could wield it as well. Perhaps due to their prolonged interactions, their auras had mingled together. Of course, they couldn't communicate with each other's swords, but they could still use them as ordinary weapons.

A trace of wariness flickered in the creature's eyes. Nevertheless, it continued to battle fiercely, its two heads not ceasing their relentless assault on Huangfu Yuchen.

With a sword in each hand, Huangfu Yuchen attacked the creature's two heads. He remained positioned in the middle of the creature's body, forcing it to twist into a "U" shape every time it attacked him.

As the battle continued, Huangfu Yuchen's attacks grew weaker, and the creature's satisfaction was evident. Seizing the opportunity, the creature attacked fiercely. Both heads charged toward Huangfu Yuchen in unison, aiming to trap him.

A cunning smile tugged at Huangfu Yuchen's lips. Just as the two heads were about to strike him, he swiftly vanished. The creature's heads collided violently, causing huge ripples in the sea. With a composed demeanor, Huangfu Yuchen raised his sword and effortlessly cleaved the creature into two halves.

The creature's resilience was formidable. It writhed madly for a several minutes before finally stopping, dead.

Yan Ge drifted over and patted the creature's head sympathetically, "It's not scary to die at the hands of an enemy, but it's frightening to die by your own actions." He glanced at Huangfu Yuchen with a playful smile. "Humans are quite cunning."

Huangfu Yuchen chuckled and returned the spiritual sword to him. "That's why we're a perfectly matched pair."

Yan Ge looked puzzled. How did that have any connection to what he had just said?

Huangfu Yuchen patted his head and held his hand. "I'm a human, and you're a human, so I'm cunning, and you're cunning too. Let's go."

After taking a few steps, Yan Ge stopped abruptly. "Wait."

"What's wrong?" Huangfu Yuchen looked at him curiously as he walked back to the creature's corpse.

Yan Ge stowed the creature's body into the system's store for sale. "This thing is quite rare. Maybe it's worth something."

Huangfu Yuchen grinned, also patting the creature's severed head. "Poor thing."

Yan Ge stared at him. "Aren't I doing this to support our family?"

Huangfu Yuchen nodded quickly. "You're doing the right thing, my love. If we encounter such a creature again, I'll go kill it."

The two of them bantered and continued on, but didn't meet any more strange creatures.

Yan Ge felt bored and opened the system store to check if the creature had sold. He didn't have high hopes, but when he saw the shelf was empty and a notification indicated the creature's body had sold for 10,000 high-grade spirit stones, he couldn't help but raise his chin in satisfaction.

"It was actually bought?" Huangfu Yuchen knew him well, and from his expression, he guessed what had happened and was somewhat surprised.

Yan Ge nodded, "10,000 high-grade spirit stones."

Both of them were quite pleased. They hadn't expected to make a small fortune on this trip.

However, thinking that He Xin and Xu Kai were still in William's hands, they didn't dare to linger and continued forward.

"The seawater is surging." Yan Ge watched as his clothes floated in a clockwise direction and patted Huangfu Yuchen's waist.

Huangfu Yuchen nodded, gazing ahead. "Judging from this situation, it seems like we're getting close to a vortex."

At the same time, both of them sensed that the spiritual energy had become denser. It was as if they were gradually approaching the source of the spiritual energy.

After moving forward for about a hundred meters, they saw a vortex ahead of them. The water vortex spun incredibly fast, and the seawater in that area was much darker than elsewhere. Fish, shrimp, and other creatures passing by couldn't withstand the force of the vortex. They were swept in and disappeared in an instant. Due to the rapid speed, it looked as though they were dissolved by the rapidly spinning dark seawater. The lucky fish that managed to escape struggled to swim away from the dangerous zone.

Yan Ge looked down the vortex and saw a massive black hole with a diameter of about two hundred meters at the seabed. It looked like the gaping maw of a giant beast, seemingly bottomless. This was where the seawater entered.

He exchanged a glance with Huangfu Yuchen. The source of the spiritual energy was right below them; there was no reason not to take a look.

"Yuchen, this vortex is enormous. If we continue like this, we might be separated by the seawater."

Huangfu Yuchen furrowed his brows. While it was feasible for them to cling to each other, the force of the seawater was incredibly strong. The direction of the vortex's rotation had minor variations. If the seawater forcefully pulled them in different directions, they were likely to get injured even if they held onto each other.

"Use a double-layer barrier," Huangfu Yuchen suggested.

"Let's give it a try." Yan Ge first generated a barrier with his true qi that could accommodate both of them. He then added another layer outside of it before pushing it into the vortex. The barrier resembled a transparent, sturdy sphere sinking deeper along with the vortex's pull. Yan Ge sensed that the barrier remained intact and nodded to Huangfu Yuchen.

They held hands and formed a double-layer barrier around themselves before jumping into the vortex. They immediately felt a powerful force tossing them around.

Inside the vortex, it was pitch-black, and not a trace of light could be seen. Yan Ge took out his night pearl.

Huangfu Yuchen looked at his wristwatch. After more than twenty minutes, the vortex's speed gradually decreased, and the darkness started to dissipate.

Suddenly, a forceful thrust struck the barrier and the two of them were thrown out of the vortex, landing on solid ground.

Before they could assess their surroundings, the whole space lit up and at the same time, a fierce killing intent surged toward them.

Looking up, they saw a burly man in gray armor holding a sharp sword. His eyes were as cold as ice, but strangely, his body seemed to twist and sway with the flow of the seawater, as if his flesh was soft.

Yan Ge carefully observed and realized that the man wasn't a real person; he was merely a projection. Despite that, the killing intent emanating from him made them cautious and not dare to act recklessly.

Huangfu Yuchen looked at the man with concern, "My love, it seems we've inadvertently triggered a formation here."

Before Yan Ge could speak, the man swung his sword toward them. With just one step, he appeared right in front of them.

"Yuchen, I've got this!" Yan Ge unsheathed his sword to block the attack. Feeling the impact from the man's strike, Yan Ge's face showed astonishment, "Sure enough, although he's just a projection, his attacks are real!"

"Be careful," Huangfu Yuchen stepped aside warily, keeping an eye on Yan Ge and the man while surveying their surroundings.

The space was quite peculiar. Despite being in the deep sea, it was as bright as day. This allowed them to clearly see that they seemed to be inside a cave. Fish bones were scattered on the ground, along with human skeletons. Not far away, there were even four or five sunken ships half-buried in the soil, their hulls damaged and worn. Due to the passage of time, they were heavily corroded, making it impossible to discern any inscriptions on them.

Huangfu Yuchen's spiritual sense extended to only a hundred meters before being cut off by a barrier.

The man in battle armor displayed exquisite swordsmanship. The seawater posed no hindrance to him as he thrust his sword. The sword light shot like lightning toward Yan Ge.

Yan Ge quickly dodged, and the sword energy landed on a decaying log behind him, slicing the log in two as if cutting through tofu.

Yan Ge smiled, a fierce battle intent gleaming in his eyes. His aura suddenly converged, but the killing intent on his sword grew heavier. The spiritual sword seemed to trace a complex character in the seawater and the sword energy surged and roiled like a torrent, rushing toward the man in battle armor with the force of a flooding river.

The man's body froze for an instant. With both hands lifting the sword, he forcefully split the rushing torrent into two, diverting it to both sides.

Yan Ge had anticipated this move. He leaped into the air and glided through the passage opened by the man, and his spiritual sword descended like lightning from above the man's head.

However, the man also knew how to teleport. He suddenly vanished without a trace, and his aura appeared behind Yan Ge.

Yan Ge swiftly turned around, using his spiritual sword to block the opponent's weapon.

The powerful forces clashed, causing both individuals to tremble slightly.

The mysterious man shook the object in his hand and quickly executed an incantation with his left hand.

The seawater behind Yan Ge suddenly stirred, propelling him swiftly toward the man. At the same time, the sword in the man's hand came down with force.

Yan Ge was greatly alarmed. In less than two breaths, he was already in front of the man. He tried to lift his spiritual sword, but his wrist felt heavy, as if bound by a massive stone.

Huangfu Yuchen noticed something amiss and was extremely shocked. He quickly moved over and was about to intervene but four creatures suddenly emerged from the distant vortex, the same as the snake-like creature they had encountered before. They ignored Yan Ge, Huangfu Yuchen, and the man, and headed straight for the barrier that had blocked Huangfu Yuchen's spiritual sense.

The man Immediately released his hold on Yan Ge and intercepted the four creatures, engaging in combat with them.

Huangfu Yuchen held back Yan Ge and carefully examined him. "Are you okay?"

Yan Ge shook his head and curiously looked over there. "It seems those four creatures want to pass through the barrier, and that projection is protecting the barrier. Could it be that the strange occurrences around the Bermuda Island are caused by their battles?"

Huangfu Yuchen nodded in agreement. "Most likely."

He looked at the man in the distance, who was on par with or possibly even stronger than Yan Ge, but was struggling against the four creatures. Another creature swam from behind and swiftly headed towards the barrier, but the man intercepted it as well.

"Yuchen, do you think we can communicate with that person and ask him to let us in to find the cross?" Yan Ge asked, though without much hope.

Huangfu Yuchen shook his head. "He's probably just the residual consciousness left behind by a powerful being. Besides the instinct to protect the barrier, he lacks self-awareness. Otherwise, he wouldn't have attacked as soon as he saw us."

Yan Ge responded, "Regardless, we have to go in and take a look. Finding the cross is our top priority."

"Now is the best time." The two said in unison, looking at the man surrounded by creatures.

With that, they instantly teleported over and, without hesitation, attacked the barrier together.

"Boom—"

The man swiftly lunged toward them.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen exchanged a glance. It truly was about protecting the barrier!

Yan Ge evaded and spoke cautiously, "Senior, we only want to enter to find a cross. We mean no harm. Once we find the cross, we'll leave immediately."

The man remained silent, using his sword to fend off an ambush from a creature behind him, then attacked Yan Ge again.

Huangfu Yuchen took the opportunity to strike the barrier once more.

The barrier trembled slightly but showed signs of cracking.

Yan Ge also noticed and quickly said, "Yuchen, keep it up. I'll hold him off!"

"Be careful!" Huangfu Yuchen noticed that the creatures were also attacking the man. Feeling slightly relieved, he channeled his true qi and launched a full-scale attack.

With a loud "bang", Huangfu Yuchen blasted a large hole in the barrier, but it quickly started shrinking!

Huangfu Yuchen was amazed. Normally, when a barrier was breached, it would lose its effect. But this barrier was exceptionally peculiar, making him even more curious about what existed within.

He quickly called out to Yan Ge, "Baby!"

Yan Ge lured the creatures that were about to rush towards the entrance to the man, and they seized the chance to teleport away, entering the hole together with Huangfu Yuchen. Just in time, they turned around and saw the hole completely closing up, concealing the outside view.

The spiritual energy within the barrier was indeed abundant, even more than the most concentrated spots in a spiritual array. Turning around to face the front, both of them hesitated for a moment. There was an underlying sense of unease, and an inexplicable feeling of regret for entering.

They exchanged puzzled glances and realized they both felt the same way.

'Could it be that we had unwittingly opened Pandora's box?' Yan Ge pondered silently.

They surveyed their surroundings and saw gleaming white bones on the ground, along with various spiritually imbued weapons. Frowning, they noticed that the bones were all in a seated position against the walls, with only a few collapsing due to age and lying on the ground. Almost every skeleton was accompanied by two or three spiritual weapons, many of which were storage tools. There were no signs of combat so based on this scene, it seemed as if these people had been sitting quietly, waiting for death. The situation was truly bizarre.

"Xiao Ge, look over there." Huangfu Yuchen pointed ahead.

Yan Ge followed his direction and saw a black, half-human-sized cross held in the hands of a seated skeleton.

His heart leaped with joy as he walked over quickly. He was walking over when he felt a strong heat wave coming from his left side and he looked over curiously.

Huangfu Yuchen raised his hand, causing the cross to levitate. After enveloping it in his true qi, he stored it in his storage ring. "Let's go and see what's causing the heat."

The two walked over swiftly and saw a gaping rift in the ground. The crevice was extremely large, almost a thousand miles wide at its widest point. Inside the rift, crimson magma surged and flowed at ground level. If it weren't for a sealing formation blocking the rift, containing the magma and partially isolating the temperature, they wouldn't have been able to approach so closely!

At this point, they realized why the projection was protecting the barrier here. And also why all those who entered didn't break out again.

Imagine, if the barrier broke and the magma flooded the sea, it would undoubtedly cause a massive tsunami. If the magma erupted outward, the situation would be even worse, potentially submerging all cities on land.

The two exchanged stunned glances.

Thinking quickly, Yan Ge said, "Let's use spirit stones to reinforce this formation and then leave immediately."

Huangfu Yuchen nodded. While he didn't have much attachment to Earth, he couldn't stand by knowing that so many lives would be lost.

The two promptly took out a large quantity of spirit stones. Although they didn't understand the nature of the previous sealing formation, they could duplicate it by finding the locations of the unfamiliar formation's spirit stones. Fortunately, their powerful spiritual sense made the process smooth.

Even so, it took them three days.

Once the formation was completed, the oppressive atmosphere within the cave noticeably lessened.

Both sighed in relief, collected the various spiritual weapons from the ground, and finally removed the outer layer of the barrier to exit.

The creatures had already been killed by the man. He stood there silently, unmoving, without any intention of attacking Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.

The two were puzzled but didn't actively provoke him. After reinforcing the outer barrier, they entered the vortex and left.

Descending was easier, as they moved with the current. Going up was a struggle against the current. They needed to use seventy percent of their strength to establish a barrier that could withstand the water pressure, and ascended slowly.

As their heads emerged above the sea, they once again saw the sunlight. Both felt a sense of time having passed as if in a dream.

Huangfu Yuchen hugged his beloved's neck and planted a firm kiss on his wet lips.

Yan Ge held onto his waist, deepening the kiss. After the kiss, they felt reassured.

The two then teleported back to their country. Within seconds, they appeared in the living room of their home.

Huangfu Yuchen asked, "Baby, should we first try to make a fake cross?"

"Not yet." Yan Ge took out a small dart-shaped object he had got from the underwater cave and handed it to Huangfu Yuchen, asking mysteriously, "Do you know what this is?"

Huangfu Yuchen examined it closely. "This is a tracking talisman." Since the system store had been fully transferred to Yan Ge's ownership, the two had purchased various materials related to cultivation, so he recognized the object immediately.

"Not bad," Yan Ge grinned mischievously.

Huangfu Yuchen also smiles, "We secretly placed a tracking talisman on the cross. So it won't matter if we give the cross to William. Even if he tries to escape using secret techniques, we'll still be able to locate him."

"Exactly." Yan Ge thought about how satisfying it would be to have William in their grasp, "Let's call him now."

Huangfu Yuchen took out Yan Ge's phone and dialed the number from last time.

Yan Ge picked up the cross and attached the tracking talisman. As soon as the talisman made contact with the cross, it disappeared like a snowflake in water. This was the remarkable feature of the tracking talisman—regardless of the object, once the talisman was attached, it infiltrated like a virus. Few things could resist it.

"William, let's meet." Huangfu Yuchen said directly.

William's skeptical voice came through, "You… found the cross?"

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Huangfu Yuchen said deliberately.

"That's right." William gave the time and location for the meeting and hung up.

Half an hour later, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen appeared on a desolate mountain.

After confirming that there was nothing unusual around, the two landed.

In no time, a familiar energy gradually approached.

William arrived with two people. Those two people were indeed He Xin and Xu Kai. Both of them were motionless, and William held one in each hand like he was carrying chicks.

Yan Ge quickly scanned Xu Kai and He Xin's bodies with his spiritual sense, and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that they were only unconscious.

William looked at Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen with complex eyes.

According to the information passed down by the Holy See, Bermuda was a mysterious region with many treasures that were beneficial for cultivation. However, it was also a dangerous area. In the past, there were cultivators who had gone in, but none of them returned alive. Sending Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen there to find the Heaven-slaying Cross was a brilliant scheme. If they found the cross, and with Xu Kai and He Xin in his hands, he would surely obtain the cross. If they couldn't find the cross, entering such a perilous area would mean certain death, quenching the resentment in his heart.

He thought this way, but never expected that Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen would actually find the Heaven-slaying Cross.

Yan Ge held the cross behind his back and raised it, "This is what you want. Release Xu Kai and He Xin immediately."

William smiled faintly and said leisurely, "How do I know if the cross is real? You give me the cross first. Once I confirm that the cross is real, I'll release them immediately."

As he spoke, he deliberately used his index finger to trace back and forth on Xu Kai's neck.

Yan Ge frowned but didn't say anything. He inserted the cross into the ground, and William was curious.

Huangfu Yuchen condensed his true qi into a football-sized energy sphere in his right hand and struck the cross.

The energy sphere collided with the cross, causing a brilliant white light to surge from the cross. With a "boom," the energy sphere shattered.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen's hair was blown back as they took a few steps back.

A fanatical and excited light flashed in William's eyes. "Toss it over immediately."

Yan Ge sneered, "Release Xu Kai and He Xin first. Otherwise, how can I know if you'll keep your promise once you have the cross?"

"If I release them, how do I know you'll give me the cross?" William also sneered.

Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge pondered for a moment.

"How about this? You release one person first. After I give you the cross, you release the other person," Yan Ge suggested.

William furrowed his brow. He felt that there was some scheme involved, but the cross was of great significance to those who cultivated holy power. He was reluctant to give it up. At this moment, the grudges and humiliations he had suffered from the two seemed insignificant. The cross held a much greater meaning to him.

Then a thought crossed his mind: What if Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen cared for only one of the two captives? Otherwise, why would Yan Ge suggest releasing one. However, the information he had gathered couldn't possibly be false. He knew that He Yan Ge cared little for his family and cared most about a few good friends. He Xin and Xu Kai were two of them.

Thinking that he could use his escape technique once more, William nodded. "Fine." He then lifted Xu Kai and tossed him over.

Huangfu Yuchen raised his hand and used his true qi to support Xu Kai, placing him on the ground.

Xu Kai remained unconscious, completely unaware of the ordeal he had experienced over the past few days.

Yan Ge threw the cross over.

William's eyes lit up with joy as he flew into the air and caught the cross. He glanced at Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen before tossing He Xin over. At the same time, he seemed to disappear, becoming invisible. Although he had considered crushing He Xin to vent his hatred, he feared that doing so would make Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen pursue him in anger. Considering their formidable strength, he decided to release He Xin.

Yan Ge caught He Xin.

Huangfu Yuchen leaped into the air, took a few steps, and with a forceful strike of his right palm, a figure appeared in the air. The figure plummeted from the sky and crashed straight down to the ground.

William was bleeding from his seven orifices. He twitched a couple of times, kicked his legs twice, and ceased to breathe.

Huangfu Yuchen retrieved the cross and stowed it in his storage ring. This object could not fall into the hands of the Holy See. Afterward, he summoned the Threefold Fiery Flames to incinerate William completely.

The two lifted He Xin and Xu Kai, returned to the outskirts of the capital city, then retrieved a cross-country vehicle from Yan Ge's space.

Yan Ge placed his palms on He Xin's and Xu Kai's lower abdomen and infused a small amount of true qi into them to help their weakened bodies recover. He Xin and Xu Kai were both ordinary people, so he didn't dare infuse too much energy.

The two quickly regained consciousness and looked up at the blue sky with confusion. Then they saw Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen and quickly sat up.

"What's going on? Why am I here?" He Xin looked confused. He had been unconscious for too long, and his brain couldn't turn around for a while. He stared at Yan Yan blankly, unable to remember what happened before.

Xu Kai looked around in bewilderment, then touched his stomach. "Yan Ge, what's going on? I'm so hungry…"

"Me too," He Xin chimed in and their stomachs growled in response. At this point, they were starting to wake up, gazing at Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen with a mix of bewilderment and curiosity.

Yan Ge chuckled, feeling both amused and guilty. This time, He Xin and Xu Kai had suffered unnecessarily due to him and Huangfu Yuchen. William had likely kept them alive to make sure they didn't die, but he probably hadn't provided them with food or water.

He patted both of them on the shoulder. "It's a long story. All in all, you two got caught up in our mess. Let's go, I'll take you to eat. We'll talk after we've had our meal."

Due to their trust in Yan Ge, neither He Xin nor Xu Kai raised any objections.

The group got into the car, and Huangfu Yuchen took the wheel. Yan Ge retrieved two loaves of bread from the compartment and handed them to He Xin and Xu Kai. "Fill your stomachs with these for now."

The two were indeed famished. They didn't have time to ask about the situation yet; they needed to eat first.

Yan Ge also handed them each a bottle of water.

After finishing the bread and drinking most of the water, Xu Kai and He Xin finally began to recover.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen had deliberately landed not far from the farm, so they arrived at the farm shortly after.

The group entered a private room, and Yan Ge instructed Xu Kai and He Xin to order food. Then, he made calls to the Xu and He families to let them know they were back.

Xu Kai and He Xin were both intelligent individuals. Hearing how he had come up with the excuse of the "Mysterious Travel Group," they knew that whatever had happened to them was definitely not trivial. Filled with curiosity and an inexplicable excitement, they felt that something incredible might be about to occur.

Yan Ge ended the call, smiled at the somewhat uneasy duo, and took a seat next to Huangfu Yuchen. "Both of you haven't eaten for several days. Normally, you shouldn't indulge too much during your first meal, but I have some pills with me, so you can eat without worries. Just tell me whatever you want to eat."

"Yan Ge, what's really going on?" Xu Kai asked curiously.

Huangfu Yuchen patted Yan Ge's shoulder. "Since they're not hungry, let's discuss the matter at hand."

"We're hungry, but even more curious," He Xin said as he picked up two large peaches from the fruit platter and tossed one to Xu Kai.

Xu Kai nodded and took a big bite without any concern for manners. "Let's start with some fruit. The main dishes will take a while to arrive."

Yan Ge shrugged and explained the reason for the situation, and revealed their identities as cultivators.

Both Xu Kai and He Xin were trustworthy individuals.

"So, the two of you got caught up in this mess entirely because of me and Yuchen. I'm sorry, brothers. Luckily, both of them are fine. Otherwise, I might have had to make amends through drastic measures."

"Cultivators really exist!" He Xin's eyes widened in shock, his expression stunned. The peach he had been eating slipped from his hand onto his leg and then rolled onto the ground.

Xu Kai fared even worse, choking on a piece of peach. He coughed violently, realizing that Yan Ge had scheduled the conversation after the meal to prevent them from choking to death.

Huangfu Yuchen slapped Xu Kai's back, helping the piece of peach move down his throat.

Xu Kai and He Xin stared at him and Yan Ge with wide eyes, forgetting about their peaches. "So, you two must have achieved a high level of cultivation now. Can you fly?"

Yan Ge nodded.

"Really? Yan Ge, take your brother for a flight!" Xu Kai exclaimed excitedly as he stood up.

Huangfu Yuchen was speechless, and shook his head. Seeing that Xu Kai and He Xin held no intention of blaming Yan Ge, he felt relieved. He picked up the teapot and poured them both a cup of tea in a rare gesture.

Yan Ge glanced at Xu Kai helplessly. "Let's talk about that later. Both of you were implicated this time and Yuchen and I feel guilty. So, let me ask you, are you interested in cultivation? We have a set of techniques we can pass on to both of you. However, the spiritual energy on Earth is becoming scarcer. Even if you have talent, your future cultivation won't be particularly high. Of course, once you succeed in cultivation, living two or three hundred years won't be a problem. If you're not interested in cultivation, we'll give each of you a pendant. These pendants are engraved with protective formations so wearing them will shield you from fatal accidents three times." The "three times" was already a lot and Yan Ge didn't dare to give Xu Kai and He Xin something too valuable as holding a precious treasure could be a burden. If Xu Kai and He Xin couldn't protect the pendants adequately and someone discovered their unique effects, it might bring disaster.

Xu Kai and He Xin's emotions had calmed down slightly but on hearing Yan Ge's words, they became excited again. Their minds were in a jumble, seeming to think of many things and nothing at the same time.

"You can think about it slowly," Huangfu Yuchen said, "but these techniques can only be passed on to both of you." Earth's cultivation forces weren't as singular as those in Great Han. Passing on the techniques to too many people could easily lead to trouble.

Yan Ge's hand found its way beneath the table to grasp Huangfu Yuchen's. Huangfu Yuchen's consideration really warmed his heart.

At this moment, the waiter brought in the dishes.

Yan Ge patted Xu Kai's shoulder. "Let's focus on eating first."

Though Xu Kai and He Xin weren't in the mood to eat, their empty stomachs spoke otherwise. They picked at their food unconsciously while lost in thought. While this recent ordeal was because of Yan Ge, the three of them had been brothers for many years, and since no one was harmed, Xu Kai and He Xin didn't blame him. However, they understood that Yan Ge must be feeling incredibly guilty, and even if they declined his compensation, he would surely find another way to make up for it. Furthermore, it was undeniable that both of these choices were intriguing.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen didn't interrupt their contemplation. They ate their meal attentively, engaging in light conversation.

By the time they finished their food, Xu Kai and He Xin had only managed to eat half of their rice bowls and remained deeply absorbed in thought.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen refrained from rushing them. Fresh fruit was brought in, and the two of them moved to the nearby sofa, turned on the TV, and lowered the volume.

After about ten minutes, Xu Kai was the first to break the silence, asking a question, "Can this jade pendant only be worn by one person?"

He Xin looked at Yan Ge too.

Yan Ge was momentarily taken aback, then responded, "It can be worn by different individuals."

A sense of relief and delight spread across Xu Kai's face. "I want the jade pendant. I'll have my son wear it for a year, then my wife for a year, and they'll take turns…" With that, he nudged the stool's leg closer to the table with his foot, scooped some vegetables into his bowl, and began to eat heartily.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen exchanged a glance, unsurprised by his choice. Xu Kai had many connections to the non cultivator world, and even if he embarked on the path of cultivation, he couldn't fully devote himself or make significant progress. He was a clever man.

The confusion in He Xin's eyes faded away, replaced by relief. He smiled slightly at Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen, and made up his mind, "I want the jade pendant too."

With He Xin and Xu Kai readjusting their mindsets, the odd atmosphere in the private room returned to normal.

The four of them engaged in relaxed conversation about other topics, and concluded the meal—whether it could be considered lunch or dinner—on a cheerful note.

Huangfu Yuchen took two identical jade pendants from his storage ring and handed them to Xu Kai and He Xin.

"They're so beautiful, obviously high-quality items," Xu Kai praised as he stroked the jade pendant. He also expressed gratitude.

"Are they exac the same?" He Xin compared the two pendants. "What if someone misunderstands and thinks that my little princess is betrothed to Xu Kai's notorious demon king? What then?"

Yan Ge burst into laughter, collapsing onto Huangfu Yuchen's shoulder. "Hahaha… You really do think a lot!"

Xu Kai shot He Xin a fierce glare. "How can my son not be good enough for your daughter?"

He Xin ignored him and turned to Huangfu Yuchen. "Can you change the appearance of the jade pendant?"

"Sure." Huangfu Yuchen fought back a smile as he took the jade pendant. He infused a trace of spiritual energy into it, and the patterns on the pendant changed in shape and color.

He Xin finally revealed a satisfied expression and carefully placed it in his pocket. "Thank you."

Xu Kai was fuming. From the corner of his eye, he saw some soup left in a dish. He discreetly pressed his palm into it and then casually patted He Xin's back. A greasy light-red handprint appeared on He Xin's gray-white vest. "I'll bring my son to your house tomorrow."

He Xin remained composed. "I'll have my wife take our little princess to her grandmother's house tomorrow."

Xu Kai chuckled without saying much, discreetly wiping his hands under the table.

He Xin was puzzled, but didn't think much of it.

As the two bid their farewells, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen looked at the handprint on He Xin's clothes and barely contained their amusement.

Xu Kai smirked, turned his head, and wagged his finger at the two before striding ahead confidently.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen escorted them out of the restaurant, then paused, not wanting to be subjected to the same teasing as He Xin.

He Xin was quite perceptive. Seeing Xu Kai chuckling continuously and people passing by giving him odd looks, he suddenly understood. He chased after Xu Kai to beat him up and Xu Kai took off running.

Outside the capital of Great Han, an inconspicuous rift appeared in the silent blue sky. From this rift emerged two figures, one in white and one in black, floating gently.

Yan Ge landed gracefully flicked his long hair casually. He traced an arc in the air and commented, "Hmm, the air here is indeed more comfortable."

Naturally, the handsome man beside him was Huangfu Yuchen. With his left hand on Yan Ge's waist and his right hand holding a folding fan, he opened it with a snap. "Baby, let's bring Bai Guan and Yunyi out first. We're too close to the road, and there are people coming and going. We should leave quickly."

*Bai Guan and Yunyi are their horses.

"Alright." Yan Ge took the fan from him and fanned himself lightly. With a wave of his hand, the two majestic horses that had been kept in his space appeared out of thin air.

Huangfu Yuchen tapped his forehead and mounted his horse. "Let's go."

Yan Ge leaped onto his horse and gently clamped its sides. Bai Guan ran as steadily as a flying bird, racing along the cement road and heading into the city.

Yunyi quickly caught up and rode alongside it, matching its pace.

With the sound of hooves, the two spirited horses reached the city gate swiftly. Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen pulled on the reins, slowing the horses down and entered the gate at a leisurely pace.

The guards at the city gate marveled at the familiarity of these two horses. When they saw the figures on top, they were stunned and quickly knelt down. "Your Majesty The Retired Emperor, Your Highness the Grand Empress Dowager!"

*Retired Emperor is a title for the father of the reigning emperor. Empress Dowager is the title given the wife/ widow of the retired emperor/previous emperor.

Huangfu Yuchen's lips twitched. Wasn't "Retired Emperor" the term used to address the old man?

Yan Ge almost choked on saliva but immediately shielded his face with the fan. "Grand Empress Dowager"… what a harsh title!

Huangfu Yuchen suddenly felt a sense of balance and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He swiftly moved his hand and snatched the fan back from Yan Ge.

The passing commoners heard the guards' words and turned their heads. So it was indeed true. They quickly moved to the sides of the road, allowing Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen to pass. They bowed respectfully and shouted in unison, "We humbly welcome the return of His Majesty the Retired Emperor and His Highness The Empress Dowager to the capital…"

"Rise." Huangfu Yuchen had no choice but to speak.

Yan Ge lightly flicked the reins, prompting Bai Guan to move ahead. With the road clear and bystanders on both sides, there was no risk of injuring anyone.

Huangfu Yuchen chuckled and followed suit.

As the commoners rose to their feet, they once again looked at the figures of the Emperor and Empress who led them toward prosperity and strength, and were filled with excitement. They soon gathered in groups, whispering softly. Most of their conversations revolved around the glorious achievements of the Emperor and Empress from a few years ago, joy and contentment painted their faces.

Inside the palace, Huangfu Yunxi was overjoyed when he received the news and was personally welcomed them.

Yan Ge was eager to see his family, but their return caused quite a stir. It might attract unfavorable gossip if they didn't visit the palace first. So, he joined Huangfu Yuchen and returned to the palace. He cursed himself for being too excited and forgetting to disguise himself.

The flow of time was different between the two worlds. While they had spent half a year on Earth, nearly four years had passed in Great Han.

Huangfu Yunxi, dressed in imperial robes, was visibly moved upon seeing Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen. He knelt respectfully, his head knocking the ground as he greeted, "Yunxi pays respects to Father Emperor and Second Master."

The almost twenty year old Huangfu Yunxi bore an increasing resemblance to Huangfu Yuchen, not only in appearance but also in demeanor and style. Those who saw him praised his resemblance to his father.

"Rise." Huangfu Yuchen helped him up, looking him up and down before nodding in satisfaction. "Not bad. I'm relieved to have entrust Great Han to you."

"Thank you, Father Emperor, for your affirmation. Yunxi won't disappoint your expectations." Huangfu Yunxi felt a weight lifted on receiving his father's approval.

The three of them took their seats in the hall.

Huangfu Yunxi asked with concern, "I wonder if everything has been well during the years Father Emperor and Second Master were away?"

Yan Ge smiled, "We're doing well. We just missed you all, so we came back to visit."

Huangfu Yunxi exclaimed happily, "Second Master, since you and Father Emperor have rarely returned, please stay for a while."

Seeing him occasionally glance at Huangfu Yuchen, it was evident that he wanted to spend more time with his father. Perhaps he also had some state affairs to seek advice on. Yan Ge nodded in agreement, "We'll stay for about five or six days this time." Huangfu Yunxi had ascended to the throne, and it wouldn't be good for Huangfu Yuchen to stay in the capital for too long.

Huangfu Yunxi understood this reasoning and was moved by the consideration shown by his father and Second Master. However, he knew they valued their freedom so he didn't want to push it.

While Huangfu Yunxi and Huangfu Yuchen discussed matters, Yan Ge strolled around. The two of them spent half a day in the palace.

After having lunch at the palace, they headed to the Yan Mansion together.

Huangfu Yunxi had made thorough preparations and sent word to the Yan family in advance.

From the oldest to the youngest, the entire Yan family eagerly waited at the entrance. When they saw the two elegant figures on horseback approaching, they rushed forward in excitement.

"Father, Mother, Elder Brother!" Yan Ge waved from a distance, a beaming smile on his face.

Yan Ge's elder brother, Yan Su, sighed inwardly. He realized that his younger brother was no ordinary person. His cheerful smile alone could lift anyone's mood. He glanced at his father, who looked like he was holding back but didn't that his beard had already started to curl up.

"Your Majesty The Retired Emperor, Your Highness The Empress Dowager—"

As always, Huangfu Yuchen waved them off from the formalities. Yan Ge automatically blocked out the titles he didn't want to hear. He walked up to the group and embraced each of them.

"Father, Mother, Elder Brother."

"Don't be unruly," Yan Xiaojing reprimanded lightly, his eyes showing that he was clearly pleased.

Madam Yan couldn't hide her amusement as she glanced at him openly, clearly mocking him. She let out a hearty laugh as she wiped her tears with her handkerchief.

"Second Uncle." The handsome boy by Yan Su's side greeted Yan Ge with a cheerful smile.

"You still remember me?" Yan Ge was pleasantly surprised. He picked Yan Xiangtian up and put him on Bai Guan's back.

"I remember. Father said that you used to carry me when I was little." Yan Xiangtian was young, but he had an air of maturity about him.

Yan Ge chuckled, "When you were little? Aren't you still little now?"

Yan Xiangtian also laughed, his bright and clear eyes brimming with liveliness.

"Hehe, let's chat inside." Yan Ge led his horse with one hand and held Huangfu Yuchen's hand with the other, winking at him.

A hint of a smile passed through Huangfu Yuchen's eyes.

Yan Su nodded silently. The relationship between the two was still as strong as ever, which was good to see.

After settling in the main hall and enjoying tea and fruit brought by the maids, the servants were dismissed, and the family chatted merrily together.

Yan Ge shared a few interesting stories, making them burst into laughter. The worries and concerns of being separated for so long were gradually eased.

Finally, Yan Ge brought up the main topic, "Father, Yuchen and I returned this time because we want to take you all to another time and space for a visit."

Madam Yan and Yan Su's wife exchanged surprised glances. A journey to another time and space? They hadn't even dared to think about such a thing.

Yan Su and Yan Xiangtian were both intrigued. Yan Su was still young and adventurous by nature, while Yan Xiangtian was curious about everything new due to his age.

"Second Uncle, I want to go!" Yan Xiangtian immediately exclaimed.

Yan Xiaojing was also intrigued. He wasn't very old and opportunities to meet his second son would become increasingly scarce. Naturally, he wished to spend more time with him. Since his second son wanted to go and the other timeline was presumably not dangerous, why not give it a try?

Huangfu Yuchen said, "The other time and space is worth a visit. As for matters in the court, you can discuss them with Yunxi."

Yan Ge was somewhat surprised, "You don't intend to take Yunxi with us?"

Huangfu Yuchen held his hand and shook his head, conveying a message through their voice transmission. "Many of the accomplishments there are too incredible and might easily sway people's hearts. Yunxi is an emperor, and experiencing too many extraordinary things isn't necessarily a good thing for him."

Yan Ge carefully pondered, realizing that it was indeed a valid point. An emperor's perspective on issues differed from that of ordinary people. The cultural gap between Earth and Great Han was vast, and it would undoubtedly have a profound impact on an emperor. With even a slight misstep, it might lead to confusion or even obsession.

He nodded in agreement with Huangfu Yuchen.

So, the matter was settled.

Next, Yan Su and Yan Xiaojing went to hand over their responsibilities. Huangfu Yuchen stayed with Huangfu Yunxi for a few days, while Yan Ge stayed with his family.

With Huangfu Yunxi's support as the emperor, the transition of responsibilities proceeded smoothly.

Five days later, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen had Yan Su, Yan Xiaojing, Lady Wen, Madam Yan, and Yan Xiangtian change into Earth-style clothing, then they activated the temporal passage and returned to Earth.

On Earth, only a little over a day had passed.

The group appeared near Fengshan Farm.

Both Yan Su and Yan Xiangtian were cultivators so they immediately sensed the abundant spiritual energy of the farm.

Huangfu Yuchen introduced, "That's our property, Fengshan Farm. Since you're still unfamiliar with this world and to avoid being recognized as outsiders, you'll need to keep a low profile for the first couple of days."

He knew his beloved didn't like lying to his parents, so he spoke up on his behalf. The true reason was to prevent Yan Xiaojing and his wife from discovering that Yan Ge had another set of parents here.

Yan Ge patted his waist without looking at him and chuckled as he communicated through voice transmission, "I'll thank you properly tonight."

Huangfu Yuchen smiled, a meaningful glint in his eyes. "I'm looking forward to it."

Yan Xiaojing nodded in agreement. "Certainly." To make sure Madam Yan, Lady Wen, and Yan Xiangtian understood as well, he carefully explained the situation to them.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen then led them into the farm. They booked a private room and ordered a table full of delicious dishes, along with various fruits and drinks, all introduced by Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.

Throughout the meal, the expressions of astonishment and amazement on the faces of the group never faded.

After finishing the meal, Yan Ge said, "Mom, Dad, you can rest well today. Watch some TV and movies, experience the accommodations here. Tomorrow, we'll take Tiantian to the amusement park for fun. The day after tomorrow, we'll teach you how to use computers. And the day after that… Well, we've got each day planned out for you to enjoy fully."

The excitement was evident on the faces of the Yan family as they listened.

Suppressing their excitement, they followed Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen back to their home. The rooms there were more than enough for them.

In the living room, Yan Xiaojing and the others watched TV. Yan Xiangtian couldn't sit still and tugged at Yan Ge, wanting to explore the farm.

Yan Ge subtly gestured at Huangfu Yuchen.

Yan Xiangtian paused for a moment, then ran over and tugged at Huangfu Yuchen with a smile, "Uncle-in-law, let's go together."

Huangfu Yuchen chuckled and gave Yan Ge a sidelong look before nodding. "Okay."

Yan Ge's lips twitched, and he pretended to clean his ear. "Tiantian, what did you call out just now? I didn't quite hear it."

Tiantian's voice rang out clearly, "Uncle-in-law!" The young boy's voice was crisp and loud.

Yan Xiaojing and the others couldn't help but laugh.

"You little brat," Yan Ge chuckled, pretending to chase Tiantian.

Tiantian sprinted to the door, but unfortunately, he didn't know how to open it. Yan Ge caught up to him and raised his hand as if to spank him.

Huangfu Yuchen intervened, "Tiantian didn't get it wrong." With that, he grabbed Tiantian's hand and headed outside.

Tiantian was overjoyed and shouted again, "That's right!"

Yan Ge followed them outside, feeling somewhat exasperated.

The next day dawned with clear skies, and Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen drove the whole family to the amusement park.

It was the first time Lady Wen rode in a car, and she felt a bit nervous. Yan Su discreetly held her hand and Lady Wen blushed. But when she saw couples holding hands on the sidewalk, her nervousness eased a bit. Gathering her courage, she held Yan Su's hand back.

Yan Su looked ahead with a smile in his eyes.

Yan Xiaojing seemed lost in thought, gazing at the asphalt road.

Yan Ge's heart skipped a beat. His father must have noticed the connection between the asphalt and concrete roads here.

Sure enough, Yan Xiaojing spoke up, "Xiao Ge, the roads here seem similar to the ones in Great Han…"

Huangfu Yuchen, who was driving with one hand, patted Yan Ge's thigh reassuringly and took the lead in the conversation. "Not just the roads, but many things here resemble what Xiao Ge's master taught him. In fact, both Xiao Ge and I speculate that his master might be from this world."

Yan Xiaojing didn't doubt his words. If Yan Ge could travel through time and space, then his master certainly could as well.

"I see."

Yan Ge scratched his chin, realizing how convenient it was to have a "master." He hoped Yan Xiaojing wouldn't have any more questions, as he really didn't want to lie to him.

It seemed that Yan Xiaojing heard his unspoken plea, as he didn't ask any more questions and instead looked out the window with the same curious expression as Yan Xiangtian.

Yan Ge introduced each sight to them one by one. Even if Yan Xiaojing had questions, he didn't give him a chance to ask.

Yan Xiaojing didn't plan to ask any more questions. Yan Ge had told him that a day here is almost four days in Great Han. He and Yan Su had only taken a two-month leave in Great Han, which meant they could only stay on Earth for half a month. With so much novelty and amusement on Earth, it was better to ask less and observe more.

"Master, look, what's that?" Madam Yan eagerly pulled Yan Xiaojing's sleeve and pointed at the sky.

Yan Ge smiled. "Mother, that's an airplane, a type of airborne transportation. If you're interested, both Yuchen and I can arrange for you to take a flight."

Yan Xiaojing waved his hand. "I'm afraid it won't fly as smoothly as you and… Yuchen's flying techniques. Let's skip it. Just looking at other fascinating things already keeps us quite occupied."

Both Yan Su and Lady Wen nodded in agreement.

Seeing their good spirits, a smile curled on Yan Ge's lips.

"Second Uncle, I want to ride an airplane." Yan Xiangtian whispered to Yan Ge.

Yan Ge readily agreed, "We can do that after we reach the amusement park."

Soon, the car parked at the entrance of the amusement park.

Having booked tickets in advance, they didn't have to queue up like other visitors and they went in directly.

Yan Ge handed Yan Xiangtian a brochure and introduced the amusement park's attractions and architectural features: skydiving, high-altitude flights, musical fountains, water screen movies, pirate ships, interstellar cars, bumper cars, and more.

Yan Xiangtian was so excited that he immediately dragged him forward.

Huangfu Yuchen and the others followed a little more slowly. Huangfu Yuchen introduced the various attractions and architecture to the rest along the way.

The Yan family felt like their eyes weren't enough to take it all in.

After Yan Xiangtian had played for awhile, the group walked toward the amusement park's fast-food restaurant.

Both Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Su carried several large bags, all filled with toys, souvenirs, drinks, and snacks purchased along the way.

Although Yan Ge was empty-handed, this morning wasn't any less busy for him than it was for Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Su. He took plenty of photos of the family with his camera.

Lady Wen was initially shy but gradually became more at ease, and enjoyed herself.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen didn't notice that not far away, Yan Jiaqiang was leading his illegitimate son, Yan Lu, forward.

"Ge'er, can I try it?" Madam Yan was quite interested in the camera and reached out to ask Yan Ge for it.

Yan Ge readily showed her how to use it. "Press here to take a photo."

"Got it." Madam Yan smiled and held the camera. She wanted to take a landscape photo to see how it turned out. She adjusted her distance, moving back a few steps while aiming the camera at the restaurant entrance. However, she suddenly felt something underfoot.

Shortly after, she was harshly shoved and almost fell but was caught by Lady Wen just in time. At the same time, she heard a sharp female voice exclaim, "Are you blind?"

Madam Yan frowned. She had been worried about stepping on or bumping into someone, so she had purposely looked behind to ensure no one was there before stepping back.

Although Lady Wen was gentle, she wasn't timid. She immediately retorted, "Are you turning black into white? It's clear that you bumped into my mother."

Yan Ge had turned to converse with Yan Xiangtian when he heard the commotion and turned back.

Du Rulan!

Huangfu Yuchen had quick eyes and quick hands, and immediately took out a mask bought by Yan Xiangtian from the bag and put it on his face.

Yan Ge had the same reaction as him and quickly pulled out a mask and placed it on his face.

Both of them let out a sigh of relief at the same time, grateful that Yan Xiangtian had bought masks for everyone.

Yan Su was originally annoyed when he saw his mother being scolded, but when he accidentally saw the two doing the exact same thing at the same time, he couldn't help but want to laugh.

He quickly walked back to Madam Yan's side. "Mother, are you okay?"

Madam Yan shook her head.

Du Rulan took off her sunglasses and stared coldly at her.

When Du Rulan found out about Yan Jiaqiang's affair, he immediately proposed divorce, but Du Rulan strongly objected. They had numerous arguments, and Yan Jiaqiang refused to sever his relationship with the other woman. Du Rulan was furious and spent her days plotting to break up Yan Jiaqiang and his mistress.

Today, when she saw Yan Jiaqiang bringing his illegitimate son to the amusement park and doting on the child, she couldn't help but think of how Yan Jiaqiang used to dote on Yan Yan when he was little. She also thought about how Yan Jiaqiang was now cold towards both Yan Yan and herself and it ignited a fire of resentment within her. And then someone stepped on that spark.

The woman who turned around appeared quite young. Her skin was fair and smooth, as delicate as a peeled boiled egg. The sense of injustice in Du Rulan's heart intensified. She lifted her chin, walked up to the woman with an air of authority and scolded, "Do you know how to walk? Can't you watch where you're going?"

Yan Ge and Yan Su both frowned.

Madam Yan waved at both of them dismissively and smiled, "It's true I don't have eyes behind my back. I can't see what's happening behind me. But you, your eyes seem rather big but it turns out they're just for show."

Yan Xiaojing chuckled dryly. His wife was not someone to be trifled with.

Huangfu Yuchen's gaze held a hint of curiosity. He never knew Madam Yan had this side to her.

There were quite a few onlookers nearby. As soon as they heard Madam Yan's words, they understood the situation and burst into laughter.

Du Rulan had never been so humiliated before and couldn't control her anger.

Yan Ge held Madam Yan's arm, comforting her, "Mother, don't be angry."

Yan Su's eyes flashed as a cunning thought came to mind. He held Madam Yan's other arm and spoke gently, "Mother, getting angry ages you faster."

Yan Xiangtian was quite clever and guessed his father's intentions. He immediately pounced into Madam Yan's embrace, "Grandma, don't be angry. You're so young at fifty. If you don't get angry, you'll still be young at a hundred!"

The onlookers watched Madam Yan in astonishment, filled with envy. She indeed took good care of herself, she looked no older than thirty!

Upon hearing that the other woman was around her age but looked so youthful, Du Rulan felt even more jealous. She glanced at Madam Yan's clothes, which were clearly not from any luxury brand, and a scornful expression crossed her face. "You idiot, you dirtied my shoes and even hurt my foot. And you dare to say you're in the right? Do you know how much these shoes cost? You couldn't afford to compensate me even if I sold you!"

Yan Ge's face darkened.

Madam Yan continued to hold onto him, preventing him from speaking. Her smile grew more pronounced, her tone still casual. "Oh, really? I don't think you're more of even a million. Ge'er, didn't you receive a message on your phone yesterday?"

"Yes, right here." Yan Ge took out the message from his phone and handed it to her.

Madam Yan raised the phone to Du Rulan's face and, for the benefit of the two onlookers, showed them as well. "See this? It's a balance reminder message from 95588 that my son received yesterday. There's over twenty million in my son's bank account. But even if I threw away this twenty million, it wouldn't cover the cost of your shoes. Because, you see, with your quality, no amount of dressing up can hide the ugliness in your heart."

*95588 is the customer service hotline number for the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

Laughter erupted from the crowd and Yan Su strained to hold back a smile.

Du Rulan was trembling with rage. "You, you… bitch!"

She lunged forward, aiming to slap Madam Yan's face.

Madam Yan remained calm and caught her wrist, pushing her away. She had never trained but had seen her son and grandson practice. Coupled with the fact that Yan Ge gave her everything to maintain her body well, she had strength greater than an average person and reflexes faster than most.

Du Rulan stumbled back. Her feet were unsteady and she ended up sitting on the ground, bumping into a child behind her.

The ice cream in the child's hand slipped from his grasp and landed squarely on Du Rulan's face.

"Hahaha…" The onlookers laughed even louder.

Du Rulan seethed with anger and frustration, her face turning beet red. "Damn it, all of you should die!"

"Ge'er, Xu'er, let's go," Madam Yan shook her head, linking her arms with her two sons, and left with her head held high.

Yan Ge glanced back at Du Rulan, his heart calm and unaffected. There's nothing to pity about someone like her. If Du Rulan had tried to reflect on herself in the past, how could she have ended up like this?

Huangfu Yuchen had no sympathy for Du Rulan either. Xiao Ge had not changed his voice when he was speaking, If she had paid him some attention in the past, she would have immediately recognized her son's voice. He leaned on his lover's shoulder, signaling him to look ahead, "Tiantian must be hungry."

Yan Xiangtian waved at Yan Ge from the restaurant's entrance, "Second Uncle, hurry up!"

"Coming." Yan Ge smiled slightly and quickened his pace.

Du Rulan returned to an ordinary apartment building, her thoughts filled with recent events. She cried, cursed, and smashed things while making her way through and the living room was strewn with shards of porcelain and glassware.

"Mom! Are you done throwing a tantrum?" Yan Yan heard the commotion from his room, walked out briskly, and saw the chaotic state of the living room with annoyance.

He envied Yan Weifeng, who had become financially independent and moved out already.

Du Rulan suddenly turned around, looking at Yan Yan in shock. Her voice was furious, "What? Are you going to criticize me too? I'm your mother!"

Yan Yan couldn't bear it any longer and shouted, "What's the point of throwing a fit at home? If you're so capable, confront Yin Huiru, confront the Yan Jiaqiang!"

Du Rulan's anger surged and her body suddenly felt weak. She steadied herself by leaning against the sofa with one hand, slowly sat down and looked at Yan Yan with disbelief. "What… did you just say?"

"Isn't it the truth?" Yan Yan walked over, kicked aside a cushion, and towered above her. "If you had any capability, things wouldn't have escalated like this. Do you know how many people at school mock me? I don't want to waste my breath on you. Just look at yourself." Yan Yan furrowed his brows, turned, and started heading back to his room.

Du Rulan was trembling with anger.

"Stop right there!" She scolded loudly, but her voice was weak, which undermined her authority.

Yan Yan halted his steps, turned around, and looked at her with indifference. "What is it now?"

Du Rulan struggled to control her anger. "Yan Yan, I'm your mother. How can you talk to me like this?"

"I'd rather not have a useless mother like you." Yan Yan said and left without even looking back.

Du Rulan felt like she was struck by lightning.

—"I'd rather not have a useless mother like you…."

—"I'd rather not have a useless mother like you…"

—"I'd rather not have a useless mother like you…"

This phrase echoed incessantly in her mind. She sat on the couch, dazed. Was this the son she had cherished since childhood? Was this the sole result of all her efforts? No, she wouldn't accept it! She had to stand up again!

Suddenly remembering the recent series of financial transactions in her bank account, she quickly retrieved her phone. Her hands trembled, and it took her a moment to steady them. She dialed a number swiftly.

"Yan Ge."

The voice on the other end sounded surprised. "What's wrong?"

"You give me 10,000 yuan every month. I want you to give me all the money I'm to receive until I'm a hundred years old at once."

Du Rulan had already calculated the figures in her mind. She was now fifty-two years old and had forty-eight years left until a hundred. With 120,000 yuan from Yan Ge each year, that would total over five million yuan. It would be enough for her to turn her life around. By then, she would see if Yan Jiaqiang and Yan Yan would dare to treat her with that attitude!

"Impossible." Yan Ge rejected her bluntly. "I've already entrusted this matter to a lawyer. There's no room for negotiation. They will transfer ten thousand yuan to your account every month. That's it."

The call was swiftly disconnected. Du Rulan gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. She thought about throwing her phone, but realizing she'd have to spend more money to replace it if it broke, she reluctantly placed it on the couch.

…..

After dropping Yan Jiaqiang off at the door, Yin Huiru gently kissed his cheek. "Drive safely."

"Don't worry." Yan Jiaqiang pecked her lips with satisfaction. Ever since he announced his bankruptcy, he had moved in here to live with Yin Huiru. Though the home was much smaller than before, it was cozy, and the three of them lived happily. This was the life he wanted.

Yin Huiru stood by the window, watching the black car gradually move away. She smiled slightly, picked up her phone, and dialed a number with familiarity.

On the other end, a young and calm voice answered, "Ruru, how did things go?"

"He gave me his last one million yesterday. He said I would manage the household from now on," Yin Huiru's eyes sparkled even brighter when she smiled, radiating charm.

"That's great! So, now we've managed to get over nine million from him," the man on the other end laughed contentedly. "He probably doesn't have much left to squeeze. Take our son and I'll come pick you up."

"Okay, see you later. Drive safely." Yin Huiru lifted her child who was sleeping peacefully, grabbed a small handbag, and left quietly, not even bothering to close the door.

A gust of wind blew, leaving the door wide open…

Half a month later, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen sent the Yan family back to Great Han and then returned to Earth.

Upon their return, they heard the landline ringing in the living room.

"Who's this?" Yan Ge reclined lazily on the sofa, answering the call with his foot. Both he and Huangfu Yuchen could sense that their realm was about to break through again and they would soon be entering seclusion. He listened to the call absentmindedly.

Huangfu Yuchen cast him an amused glance and sent his spiritual sense into his storage ring, trying to figure out what things needed to be arranged as soon as possible before he and Xiao Ge went into seclusion.

"Mr. Yan, this is Wang Zhiyuan. Sorry to disturb you. I've been trying to call you and Mr. Huangfu for a while."

As soon as Yan Ge heard Wang Zhiyuan's voice, he handed the phone to Huangfu Yuchen.

Their phones were stored in their storage rings when not in use, so they couldn't receive signals.

"Do you need something?" Huangfu Yuchen asked in his usual calm tone.

Wang Zhiyuan replied, "Mr. Huangfu, as we discussed last time, the Holy See needs an intimidating event—"

Huangfu Yuchen interrupted him, "We'll take action when the time comes. If you're impatient, you can find someone else." He then ended the call without paying attention to the other person's reaction.

In the offices of the Shadow Operatives, Wang Zhiyuan's face darkened. Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen hadn't hidden their movements as they traveled with several unfamiliar people. Due to the Shadow Operatives' special status, there was hardly anyone in the nation whose background they couldn't uncover. But the backgrounds of those five individuals remained entirely elusive. This made him suspicious: had those five people appeared out of thin air?

Thinking of this possibility, his palms grew sweaty. What if Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen did possess the ability to tear through space and time? It would mean their cultivation had reached an unbelievable height.

This terrifying speculation left him restless. He had threatened such powerful people with the state machine—and now he found himself biting off more than he could chew. He sighed bitterly. Unfortunately, there's no regret medicine in this world.

Across from him, Zhang Youze and Liu Xianglong sighed quietly.

*They are the two old men Huangfu Yuchen met and discussed Fengshan Farm. Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge banned them and Wang Zhiyuan from benefiting from the farm after Wang Zhiyuan threatened them.

"Should we go and meet them ourselves?" Zhang Youze asked in a low voice.

Liu Xianglong shook his head, "We've completely offended Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen. Even if we went to beg them, we'd just be humiliating ourselves. Sigh…"

….

Yan Ge lay on the couch with his eyes closed, as if he had fallen asleep.

Huangfu Yuchen patted his butt, the wonderful touch making him linger for a while. He gave it a light squeeze and said, "Baby, you rest. I'm going to talk to He Xin, Guo Jian and Guo Yi about the upcoming matters."

"I'm going too." Yan Ge sat up. Now wasn't the time to relax.

Once they got out of seclusion, they could proceed with their plan to travel abroad.

They split up—Yan Ge went to find He Xin, while Huangfu Yuchen sought out Guo Jian and Guo Yi.

After arriving at He Xin's office door, Yan Ge knocked.

"Come in."

"Are you busy?" Yan Ge looked at the person who was writing at his desk.

On seeing him, He Xin stood up suddenly, almost knocking the office chair over. He was both pleasantly surprised and excited. "Yan Ge, you're back! I've been trying to call you and Huangfu Yuchen, but couldn't get through."

"Did you need something?" Yan Ge took out his phone from his storage ring. He saw 24 missed calls—1 from Xu Kai and 5 from He Xin. The remaining 18 were from Wang Zhiyuan. He couldn't help but scoff internally. Did Wang Zhiyuan fear they'd run away?

He Xin walked over a few steps, guiding Yan Ge to sit on the sofa and pouring him a cup of tea. "Brother, I really don't know what to say."

Yan Ge saw the reddening rims of He Xin's eyes. He felt puzzled and patted his shoulder with concern, "What's wrong?"

He Xin quickly calmed down and took a seat beside him. "Because Yueyue is still young, she's always with Miaomiao, so the jade pendant you gave me is currently worn by Miaomiao. The day before yesterday, Yueyue insisted on eating chicken wings, so Miaomiao took her out to buy some. However, they were hit by a drunk driver who ran a red light… Thanks to the jade pendant you gave them, they both came out of it without a scratch."

Yan Ge listened and sighed, "It's fortunate that they're both fine. Don't overthink it. Surviving a disaster brings future blessings."

"Yeah," He Xin's mood improved significantly. "Brother, thank you."

"You call me 'brother,' so why be polite? Yan Ge then got to the point. "I'm here to let you know that Yuchen and I are about to enter seclusion. The affairs of the farm will be in your hands."

He Xin nodded with a smile. "You can rest assured."

"Why are you smiling?" Yan Ge didn't understand.

He Xin chuckled, "I'm smiling about Xu Kai. Last time I met him, he was still clamoring for you and Huangfu Yuchen to take him flying. Once you're in seclusion, he won't have a chance to find you."

Yan Ge grinned wickedly. "Taking him on a flight isn't impossible. However, let's make him wait a little longer."

After briefing He Xin about the affairs of the farm, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen entered seclusion within the space.

When they emerged from seclusion, a year had passed.

After spending two months traveling around the world, they entered seclusion once more. When they emerged again, their cultivation had reached the late stage of Tribulation Crossing.

Some time later, the heavens and earth bestowed a special resonance upon them, and their Heavenly Tribulation was set to arrive in one month.

By this time, they had been on Earth for exactly four years.

As agreed, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen handed Fengshan Farm to the Shadow Operatives.

When Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen scavenged the spiritual weapons from the seabed, they had selected those they would need during their Tribulation Crossing. They gifted the rest to cultivators who had good aptitude and character.

Guo Jian and Guo Yi reaped the most rewards. Having followed Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen for a long time, they were already convinced of their capabilities. Now, knowing that the two would soon face their Tribulation, they were both happy and reluctant to part, mixed with a healthy dose of envy. However, both believed they would have their own opportunities in the future.

With the exception of Wang Zhiyuan, the entire Shadow Operatives team benefited. Moreover, they also received spiritual stones from Huangfu Yuchen.

Not long after, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen received a message from Ji Chang—Wang Zhiyuan had been expelled from the Shadow Operatives.

Before crossing the tribulation, they returned to the Great Han to visit their families. After spending almost a month with their loved ones, they arrived in Country Y and prepared for their tribulation.

They had no intention of harming innocent people, so they chose a desolate mountain area for this. Once everything was prepared, they sat cross-legged.

The clear sky gradually turned dim, as the dense clouds overhead descended closer to the ground, growing darker. Layers of dark clouds piled upon one another, resembling turbulent black waves surging over. They rolled and roiled like an avalanche from a tall mountain or like thousands of troops charging. Eventually, they hovered about five kilometers above the ground.

The members of the Holy See in Country Y noticed the disturbances and were greatly alarmed. Who was undergoing Tribulation? Without much thought, they hurriedly flew towards the source of the pressure.

Within the borders of China, those with higher-cultivations also sensed this pressure. Their hearts stirred, and they soared through the air like meteors, heading in the direction of Country Y.

Beneath the dark clouds, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen's long hair and robes were fluttering wildly, yet they remained motionless as pine trees. The array they had set up long ago isolated the pressure for them.

Amidst the black clouds, thunderous rumblings suddenly echoed one after another. Lightning flashed within the clouds, with flashes of light appearing and disappearing, resembling a serpent of electricity slithering through the sky, poised to strike.

"Boom—" There was another thunderclap. The wind grew stronger and fiercer, causing the distant trees to dance wildly in the wind. Amidst the darkness, they resembled waves rising and falling.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Lightning danced in the sky, and flashes of light shot down from the gaps in the layers of black clouds, as though countless silver blades were slicing through the black canvas of the sky.

Looking up, it seemed as if the heavens were about to collapse.

"Baby," Huangfu Yuchen held Yan Ge's hand, advising him with concern, "Although the Tribulation will double since we have to survive the catastrophe together, our preparations are thorough, we just have to remain steady."

"Don't worry. We will ascend smoothly." Yan Ge smiled at him, calm and confident.

Huangfu Yuchen gazed into his eyes, his voice gentle and affectionate, "Yes, no one and nothing can separate us."

The catastrophe continued to brew, and the thunder claps were louder than the last. The force of Heaven's Dao focused on Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen, the torrential waves stood in stark contrast to other places, almost as if it had sealed off the vast space where Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen stood.

"Yuchen, it seems like the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation." Yan Ge looked up at the thunderclouds overhead, his tone unworried. Thanks to the existence of the system store, he had acquired notes on crossing the Tribulation from senior cultivators. He knew that the Heavenly Tribulation encountered by each cultivator was unique. The so-called Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation consisted of nine thunderstorms. Cultivation itself was going against the natural order, which led to the existence of the Heavenly Tribulation. The deeper one's comprehension of the Dao, the more complete their state of mind and strength, the more they defied the natural order. The heavens responded more forcefully to such cultivators, and therefore, the punishment was more severe, leading to a more powerful Heavenly Tribulation.

"What does it matter?" Huangfu Yuchen was confident in both himself and Yan Ge's strength. Faced with such pressure, his will to fight was ignited.

"Exactly! What does it matter!" Yan Ge's spirit surged; he had waited for this day during all his years of cultivation. What was there to fear now? It was time to take the plunge!

Several foreigners suddenly appeared about four to five miles away. Seeing the two figures below the Tribulation Clouds, they were both amazed and envious.

"Aren't those people from China? From what I know, there hasn't been anyone from China who has undergone the Tribulation for hundreds of years. Who are those two?"

Another person whispered, "I reckon they must be the ones who killed William and Wei Wen."

The third person grinned mischievously, "William was practically the Pope's right-hand man. Killing him is equivalent to slapping the Pope's face. Surprisingly, the Pope didn't retaliate. Can we assume that the Pope also considered himself no match for them?"

"Jack!" the person next to him scolded him sharply, "How can you say such things? Have you lost the will to live?"

Jack shrugged, "I'm just stating the facts, nothing more."

At this moment, several shooting stars streaked from the east.

The people from China had arrived.

Jack and the others gave them a brief glance before losing interest and retracting their gaze. They were more interested in the Heavenly Tribulation. Perhaps one day, they might reach the same height in their cultivation, so today was an opportunity to learn from experience.

Yuan Luoheng, Guo Jian, Guo Yi, Liu Yuandao, Zhang Youze, and a dozen others landed quietly, looking at the two figures beneath the Tribulation Clouds.

"It's really Senior Yan and Senior Huangfu!" Ji Chang exclaimed in shock and horror. These two seniors had already reached the Tribulation Crossing stage. So, when Old Wang had threatened them with the state machine, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen didn't kill him only because they didn't care to.

Yuan Luoheng, Zhang Youze, Liu Yuandao, and others were inexplicably filled with emotions. For so many years, no one in China had reached the Tribulation Crossing stage, and today, two appeared at once. Perhaps Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen didn't have much sense of belonging to China, but to them, these two would forever be people of China, their pride.

"I hope both of them can cross the Tribulation smoothly," Liu Yuandao said sincerely.

"They definitely can!" Guo Jian was very confident in Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.

Ji Chang and the others echoed his sentiment.

"Boom—" There was a furious roar from the heavens, and a lightning bolt tore through the darkness, as though splitting the sky in two. The scene resembled the impending arrival of doomsday. It was both shocking and horrifying, and the onlookers involuntarily retreated two or three miles.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen stood up, their gentle gazes suddenly becoming razor-sharp, their breaths held as they stared upward.

"It's here!"

"Boom—"

The Heavenly Thunder was like a dragon, rushing down toward Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen's heads.

However, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen remained unmoving.

Ji Chang couldn't help but sweat for them, anxiously saying, "Why aren't they moving yet? If they don't prepare in time, it'll be too late!"

The Heavenly Thunder crashed madly, seeking to obliterate Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen. About fifty meters away from them, a transparent, glass-like dome appeared above their heads, shielding them. The dome wasn't large, only able to accommodate about four or five people standing.

"It's an array!" Yuan Luoheng chuckled, berating himself for being overly nervous. Of course Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen had made thorough preparations before daring to undergo the Tribulation.

The Heavenly Thunder struck the protective barrier formed by the array. The barrier only trembled slightly, like a gust of wind passing by.

"What an impressive array!" Liu Xianglong exclaimed, once again regretting not stopping Wang Zhiyuan earlier. They could have used some clever means to bring Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen onto their side. Perhaps they would have taught them the method to set up this array.

He and Zhang Youze exchanged a glance, both with a deep sense of regret.

Neither of them noticed that Wang Zhiyuan was present, and he was feeling just as regretful. In retrospect, it was all his short-sightedness. The reason he had threatened Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen back then was mainly due to the vast difference in strength between cultivators from Country Y and those from China. The threat posed by Country Y cultivators was too great. He wanted to settle it once and for all, at least reducing the pressure on China for a hundred years. Additionally, he knew that Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen possessed profound cultivation. However, he never expected that their cultivation had reached the Tribulation Crossing stage. If he had known earlier, he definitely wouldn't have taken that step. Unfortunately, there were no regrets pills in the world.

The second Heavenly Thunder descended, but the barrier remained intact.

The third Heavenly Thunder descended, and the barrier shattered with a loud "crack".

The overwhelming pressure from the sky immediately pressed down onto Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen, it felt like Mount Tai descending on them. The area where the two stood caused the grass and tree branches to be flattened against the ground, immobilized.

"Boom—"

The fourth Heavenly Thunder was coming!

Yan Ge leaped into the air, fearlessly facing the Heavenly Thunder. His sharp eyes were illuminated by the lightning, and his majestic fighting spirit surged toward the sky.

Yuan Luoheng frowned, "Both seniors gifted so many spiritual weapons to others. It's evident that they have plenty of usable artifacts on hand. Why not use these artifacts to resist a few Heavenly Thunder bolts before taking them on directly?"

Liu Yuandao and Gong Zhicheng were also puzzled, and they looked at Liu Xianglong for answers.

Liu Xianglong also had a puzzled expression.

In the blink of an eye, the fourth Heavenly Thunder plummeted toward Yan Ge. With no time for further discussion, the observers' gazes refocused on the white-clad figures beneath the Tribulation Clouds.

However, they remained unaware that each successive Heavenly Thunder was stronger than the last. Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen had already discussed their approach: first, they would use the array's protective barrier to test the Heavenly Thunder's power, then they would personally confront the Heavenly Thunder, and finally, they would use spiritual artifacts to resist the Heavenly Thunder. This was the most effective method.

With a loud shout, Yan Ge infused sixty percent of his true qi into the spiritual sword. Like the force of creation, it slashed at the lightning bolt as thick as an arm.

There was a massive and deafening "boom".

Around a dining table in an apartment in the capital, Du Rulan, Yan Jiaqiang, and Yan Yan were eating in silence. Suddenly, the jade pendants hanging from Yan Yan and Yan Jiaqiang's necks emitted a soft white light. Within the light, a dynamic light curtain appeared.

"Mom, what's that!" Yan Yan exclaimed in surprise.

Du Rulan was equally startled and quickly took off her jade pendant. Inadvertently, she caught sight of the figure confronting lightning. It looked exactly like Yan Ge!

Du Rulan was greatly shocked. What was going on? Yan Ge had given her this pendant, saying it's for protection. She and Yan Jiaqiang each had one. The orange color of the pendant seemed ordinary, so she hadn't paid much attention to it. But with a hint of suspicion, she had visited a jade shop to inquire about it. The jade expert had informed her that the pendant was worth at least two million or more. Only then did she decide to wear it around her neck.

Yan Jiaqiang wore a surprised expression as he stared at the image that had appeared on his jade pendant. He then suddenly remembered something he hadn't paid much attention to before.

"Rulan…"

Du Rulan glanced at him coldly, and ignored him.

Yan Jiaqiang awkwardly cleared his throat, realizing that he was currently a guest under someone else's roof and had to bear with it. "Do you remember when Father fell seriously ill before? Later, he invited an expert who cured him. At the time, Father accidentally mentioned the word 'cultivator'?"

Du Rulan stood up abruptly, exclaiming in disbelief, "Are you saying Yan Ge is a cultivator?"

Yan Jiaqiang nodded, feeling that many strange things he had noticed before now made sense.

"The jade pendant seems to suggest that Yan Ge is undergoing a tribulation—"

"Impossible!" Yan Yan slammed the table, his voice high-pitched, but his gaze involuntarily flickered toward the pendants on Du Rulan and Yan Ge. That damned Yan Ge, why hadn't he given him a pendant? He was his younger brother! Intense jealousy surged, and he couldn't tell if he was jealous of Yan Ge or of Du Rulan and Yan Jiaqiang.

"Hahaha! My son is a cultivator!" Du Rulan joyfully rushed towards the door, "I'm going to find him now!"

Yan Jiaqiang paused and quickly followed.

Yan Yan gritted his teeth and followed closely behind.

…

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen were unaware of what was happening at Du Rulan's home in the capital.

Yan Ge had promised to save Du Rulan and Yan Jiaqiang once when their lives were in danger. However, he and Huangfu Yuchen had to undergo the tribulation sooner than expected. So, he had given each of them a pendant and also given one to his other friends Lu Hanya and Yang Zhou.

The pendants of Du Rulan and Yan Ge, like those of He Xin and the rest, provided protection, but unlike those ones, the ones Yan Jiaqiang and Du Rulan had could only be used once.

Perhaps because Yan Ge had personally given the pendants, or perhaps the heavens wanted Du Rulan and Yan Ge to live with regret, the pendants unexpectedly displayed the scene of Yan Ge facing the tribulation. However, regardless of what Du Rulan and Yan Jiaqiang were plotting, they were bound to be disappointed.

Yan Ge successfully dispersed the fourth tribulation thunder.

The fifth tribulation thunder roared like an enraged beast, descending from the horizon.

Huangfu Yuchen burst into laughter. He soared into the sky and his spiritual sword emitting a silver light that resembled an enormous axe, slashing at the tribulation thunder.

After Huangfu Yuchen landed, he exchanged a relieved glance with Yan Ge, concentrating on awaiting the next tribulation thunder.

"Boom—"

Both of them raised their spiritual swords high, soaring into the sky with an earth-shattering shout. They released their swords simultaneously. The tribulation thunder seemed to be frightened by their ferocious momentum as it dissipated instantly.

The seventh one was similarly resolved by the two.

The eighth!

A black umbrella appeared in Yan Ge's hand and flew to cover his and Huangfu Yuchen's heads with a swift motion. The umbrella shattered, dispersing the thunder.

The ninth!

A shield-shaped lightning shield flew out of Huangfu Yuchen's hand like a lightning bolt, once again resolving the tribulation thunder.

"It's done!" Ji Chang couldn't help but exclaim excitedly.

The dark clouds in the sky gradually dispersed, and countless streams of golden light descended from the sky, gently enveloping Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.

The two exchanged a glance, burst into hearty laughter. They tightly embraced each other, slowly rising amidst the gentle golden light.

Regardless of the future, they would be together forever.

—[End of the Story]—