Gradually, the onlookers dispersed. The excitement of watching the spectacle was over, and with the Myriad Medicines Valley still open, they remembered their real purpose for coming: to gather precious herbs from within. They couldn't afford to be distracted any longer.
As the Nine Dragon Throne faded away, Lin Qian also retracted his emperor's robe, returning to his usual appearance in white. He walked over to his grandfather, Yun Fan, with a warm smile.
"Grandfather, how are you feeling?" Lin Qian asked as he approached.
Truth be told, this was a bit of a redundant question. Yun Fan's condition had been closely monitored by the Heavenly Crafts Division ever since the Spirit Transformation Fruit and the Bloodline Curse were removed. In fact, the Heavenly Crafts Division probably knew his grandfather's state even better than Yun Fan himself.
"I'm feeling great. Not only have I fully recovered, but my strength has significantly improved beyond what it was before," Yun Fan responded, his face filled with satisfaction. "Thank you, my child."
These were the words Lin Qian had been waiting to hear. Hearing them from his grandfather directly allowed Lin Qian to finally relax.
"Grandfather, there's no need to thank me," Lin Qian replied with a grin, waving off the gratitude. Seeing his once frail and withered grandfather now brimming with health brought a genuine smile to his face.
"Qian'er, was everything you said earlier true?" Yun Yunyan, Lin Qian's mother, asked, her eyes filled with wonder. The notion of an empire with a history stretching back five trillion years was incomprehensible. What kind of glorious past must such an ancient power have experienced?
She couldn't even imagine it. How could such a mighty empire fall, and how could her son be its inheritor?
"It's a mix of truth and fiction, but as long as they believe it, that's what matters," Lin Qian replied with a shrug. His gaze drifted toward the people in the distance, many of whom were still whispering amongst themselves. It was clear that they were eagerly discussing the Hua Xia Empire, Dragon Ao Tian, and the stories Lin Qian had told.
"Qian'er, that story of Dragon Ao Tian you told earlier was absolutely fascinating," Yun Fan chimed in, his tone filled with admiration. "It was invigorating! If only I could become a hero like him."
Yun Fan's eyes sparkled with hope as he spoke, clearly inspired by the tale.
"But," Yun Fan continued, his expression turning resolute, "even with such a powerful legacy, no matter how talented you are, Qian'er, don't let it make you arrogant. You'll have to work even harder to live up to it."
Lin Qian nodded seriously, touched by the long-awaited advice from his family. "Don't worry, Grandfather. I understand."
"This isn't exactly the best place for conversation. Let's head back," Yun Fan suggested, a hint of caution in his voice. "Once we return to Yongquan Prefecture, we won't have to worry about Yun Hu anymore."
Both Lin Di and Yun Yunyan nodded in agreement, with Lin Di adding, "But what about your subordinates? What's the plan for them?"
"They'll be coming with us. I'm just not sure if Grandfather can handle so many people while flying at full speed," Lin Qian said, turning to Yun Fan. The latter looked puzzled and glanced at his daughter and son-in-law for clarity.
"Subordinates? Qian'er's subordinates?" Yun Fan asked, still unsure of what was going on.
"Yes, Father. And they're no ordinary subordinates; they're all peak Awakened Ninth Stage experts," Yun Yunyan explained with a chuckle.
Yun Fan's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected his grandson to command such powerful underlings. "Bringing a group of Awakened Ninth Stage soul martial artists along won't be an issue," he reassured them. "How many do you have, Qian'er? A dozen or so?"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Before Lin Qian could respond, the sound of air being sliced filled the sky. Figures clad in heavy armor appeared from the distance, flying toward them. Behind them followed several more figures, including scholars from the Heavenly Crafts Division and blacksmiths from the Flame Crafts Division.
These men carried storage artifacts loaded with the dismantled pieces of the Soul Cannons they had deployed earlier. Leaving such powerful weapons behind was not an option.
A quick glance over the approaching group revealed at least tens of thousands of individuals. Among them were around seven thousand Awakened Ninth Stage experts. Lin Qian had also summoned the Imperial Army and Beast Generals to assist with any additional threats.
As the warriors, scholars, and smiths gathered, their collective aura was so powerful that it couldn't help but draw attention. Many of the onlookers who had started to leave turned back, their curiosity piqued.
Upon seeing the massive force gathered in the sky, a single thought entered their minds:
"The five-trillion-year-old empire really does exist. This must be the might of that ancient empire!"
This sight only reinforced their belief in Lin Qian's story. To them, the Central Region's Yun family had now become traitors to humanity and the ancient empire, Dragon Ao Tian's treacherous enemies who had once allied with foreign invaders.
Unknowingly, Lin Qian's fabricated tale had already cemented a mark of shame upon the Yun family. And once the story spread, the Central Region's Yun family would be forced to contend with an unprecedented wave of public opinion.
The power of rumors and stories would bear down upon them like never before.
"Qian'er, you really are… amazing," Yun Fan said with a hearty laugh, clearly proud of his grandson's strength and intelligence. "But with this many people, we won't be flying quite as fast."
As his words fell, Yun Fan's fiery soul power surged outward, enveloping the entire group in a sea of flames. The intense fire didn't harm a single person, and under Yun Fan's control, they all soared swiftly toward Yongquan Prefecture.
The scenery blurred and vanished as they flew, disappearing in the blink of an eye from the vicinity of the Myriad Medicines Valley.
Even though carrying such a large group slowed Yun Fan down, he remained the Yun Sovereign, a renowned powerhouse of the Central Region.
Before long, they reached the borders of Yongquan Prefecture and descended from the sky, landing smoothly in the courtyard of the City Lord's Mansion, where Yun Fan had once been bedridden.
Waiting there was Yun Rong, who had anticipated their arrival.
Upon seeing Lin Di and Yun Yunyan, Yun Rong hurried forward with a warm smile. "My children, you must have been through so much."
"We're back, Rong'er," Yun Fan said softly, his voice filled with contentment.
Finally, the family had reunited.