After the treatment, Xue Hui bid farewell to the members of the Snow Wind Family before returning to the Divine Family Mansion with Chen Zhenlong.
Xue Hui's first encounter with Ye Mo had made him realize just how vulnerable he was with his current strength, especially since Lord Ye Mo had effortlessly seen through him.
With that in mind, Xue Hui immediately entered seclusion upon returning to the mansion to increase his strength.
With the help of all the cultivation resources he had obtained during their journey through the outside world, Xue Hui managed to break through from Three-Star Bronze Rank to One-Star Silver Rank in just a month of seclusion.
His rapid progress was the result of his extensive knowledge and the massive amount of cultivation resources he had accumulated during their year-long journey.
He had prepared these resources in advance, knowing that his cultivation technique, the [Creation Origin Ancestral Canon], required an enormous amount of resources to cultivate.
The [Creation Origin Ancestral Canon] was undoubtedly the slowest cultivation technique Xue Hui had ever practiced. Had he been cultivating a conventional supreme-grade cultivation technique, he would probably have reached Gold Rank or even Black Gold Rank by now.
The reason his current cultivation technique was so difficult to cultivate lay in its ever-changing nature. Unlike conventional cultivation techniques, the [Creation Origin Ancestral Canon] had no fixed path to follow. As Xue Hui grew stronger, the technique continued to evolve, changing its course to help him carve out his own destiny.
Even Xue Hui himself had no idea where his cultivation technique would ultimately lead him.
After breaking through to Silver Rank and experiencing a tremendous increase in soul force, Xue Hui shifted his attention to his physical strength.
After all, his physique had always been his greatest weakness.
Despite entering the space within the [Creation Origin Ancestral Manual] and obtaining its vast knowledge, the experience itself had brought no significant changes to his physique.
Although Xue Hui knew numerous methods of strengthening one's body and transforming one's physique, those techniques required heaven-defying treasures as catalysts, all of which remained beyond his reach with his current strength.
That left him with only one viable option for improving his physical strength.
A proven and time-tested method of getting stronger: physical training.
With a clear goal in mind, Xue Hui decided to venture outside the city walls and informed everyone of his plans.
The moment he mentioned leaving, he was immediately bombarded with protests, everyone urging him to stay.
The thought of Xue Hui venturing into the outside world worried them all. Their first concern was that he might embark on another year-long journey, just as he had done before. The only difference this time was that he would be traveling alone, which worried them even more.
Judging from Chen Wenrou's reaction, however, Xue Hui had a lingering suspicion that her reason for trying to stop him was simply that she wanted him to teach her more about refining pills with alchemy fire.
Apparently, she was one of those rare geniuses when it came to alchemy. The fact that she had managed to ignite her alchemy fire on her own in such a short time had greatly surprised even him.
In any case, after Xue Hui explained that he would only be traveling around the St. Ancestral Mountain Range, the women of Chen Zhenlong's household finally agreed to let him leave, albeit reluctantly.
That didn't stop Chen Linlin from puffing out her cheeks in annoyance and shooting him a pointed glare.
Having received the Moon Glaze Eternal Lotus Physique not long ago, Chen Linlin still needed time for her body to fully acclimate to her new soul realm.
In other words, she would have to wait at least a couple of years before she could begin cultivating without risking severe backlash to her physique.
As for physical training, Chen Linlin was simply too out of shape to begin training in the wilderness.
All those extra servings of pie nuts cake, snow-fine chocolate, and ten-layer fruit crust had finally caught up with her.
Bringing her along would be both dangerous and counterproductive for the two of them.
Then there was also the matter of the upcoming Martial Arts Tournament.
After giving it considerable thought, Chen Zhenlong had decided to publicly announce Chen Linlin's recovery.
By doing so, he could put an end to the unnecessary rumors surrounding her condition before they had a chance to spread.
As things stood, aside from their immediate circle, no one in the Divine Family Mansion even knew that Chen Linlin had recovered.
This had forced her to hide even within her own clan to avoid being seen by others.
Once the news of her recovery became known to the members of the Divine Family, it would only be a matter of time before the information leaked out, regardless of Chen Zhenlong's strict orders.
Once word got out, continuing to hide her would be completely pointless.
Moreover, the longer Chen Zhenlong remained silent, the more outrageous the rumors would become, making the situation increasingly complicated for Chen Linlin.
As for the dangers that might arise from revealing her recovery, Xue Hui wasn't the least bit concerned. With both him and Chen Zhenlong around, how could anyone poison Chen Linlin again so easily?
Last time, Chen Zhenlong had been careless and let his guard down, resulting in Chen Linlin being poisoned in an assassination attempt.
Having learned from that mistake, Chen Zhenlong would never allow such a thing to happen again. Forget poison, even smoke wouldn't get close to Chen Linlin without him noticing.
Furthermore, revealing Chen Linlin's recovery would also serve as bait to lure out the culprits behind her poisoning.
With Chen Zhenlong's current strength and the considerable number of battle talismans they had unearthed during their journey, even if a Four-Star Legend Rank Demon Spiritualist attacked him, he wouldn't necessarily be at a disadvantage.
So, yes, Chen Linlin could glare at Xue Hui as fiercely as she wanted, but she still had to stay behind.
With everything settled, Chen Zhenlong, accompanied by his wives and daughter, saw Xue Hui off the following morning.
"Be careful out there, Hui-hui. Don't get yourself into too much trouble, okay?" Chen Yinying said as she straightened his clothes.
"Don't forget to bring back some Sunburn Grass. Oh! And if you happen to come across any hundred-year-old cold nara bark, bring some back as well!"
Xue Hui nodded. Chen Wenrou was currently refining her first pill using alchemy fire, and she needed those herbs after burning through most of her stock during practice.
"I'll look for you after the tournament, Xiao Hui, so make sure you keep Silver by your side," Chen Zhenlong said.
Thanks to his connection with Silver, Chen Zhenlong could easily pinpoint the location of Xue Hui's demon beast companion.
"Don't get too engrossed in looting ruins or anything like that. You need to come back to us as soon as possible, okay?" Although Chen Linlin was still disappointed that she couldn't accompany him, she had come to see him off, mostly to remind him not to stay away for too long.
After bidding everyone farewell, Xue Hui climbed onto Silver's back, and the two galloped toward the North Gate.
As the sun rose, the streets of Glory City were already bustling with activity. Countless citizens were setting up their shops or rushing to work, filling the streets with life.
Despite the busy atmosphere, however, many people couldn't help but stop and stare in confusion at the unusual sight passing through the streets.
Clip-clop.
Clip-clop.
One thing Xue Hui had discovered about his steed was that Silver absolutely loved attention. He enjoyed it so much that even a simple stroll could turn into a spectacle for everyone around them.
Silver's hooves tapped rhythmically against the ground as he trotted along without a care in the world, catching the attention of everyone they passed.
Fortunately, aside from a few unusual features, Silver didn't look like a particularly powerful demon beast. This allowed them to stroll through the streets without causing a commotion.
Even so, the unusual pair attracted quite a number of onlookers.
Thankfully, Xue Hui didn't mind the attention and simply smiled amiably at everyone they passed.
As the two continued their impromptu parade, Xue Hui noticed something in his peripheral vision that made him turn his head.
His lilac eyes met a little girl's orange ones.
Standing beside her father, the girl stared at him with widened eyes and her jaw hanging open.
Her round, owlish eyes followed Xue Hui and Silver as they approached, her head bobbing along with Silver's cheerful trot.
As they passed one another, Xue Hui turned his gaze away and paid her no further attention, unaware that the threads of fate would eventually intertwine their lives.
"C'mon, Ning'er. Your uncles are waiting for us. We still need to pay a visit to the Sacred Family," the man beside her said.
"Hmm."
Xiao Ning'er absentmindedly nodded, allowing her father to lead her in the opposite direction from the one Xue Hui and Silver had taken.
Even so, her eyes lingered on Xue Hui's retreating figure.
North Gate
When Xue Hui and Silver arrived at the North Gate, they encountered only one minor disturbance: Old Man Kuon challenging Xue Hui to a fight to prove that he was capable of protecting himself.
Aside from that, everything went relatively smoothly when Xue Hui requested permission to leave the city, thanks to Chen Zhenlong, who had already informed the patrolling guards of his arrival.
After applying some medicine to the unconscious Old Man Kuon, Xue Hui and Silver passed through the gate, ignoring the dumbfounded expressions of the patrolling guards.
"What an energetic old man," Xue Hui murmured with a chuckle as he and Silver disappeared into the forest.
St. Ancestral Mountain Range
At one of the mountain range's summits lay a vast, grassy plain, its usual blanket of snow having melted away beneath the summer heat.
Xue Hui stood at the edge of a cliff, gazing out at the entirety of Glory City spread out below him.
"I think this spot is perfect. It's not too far from the city, but it's not so close that someone can just wander in and disturb us," Xue Hui remarked.
"What do you think, Silver? Is this place good enough for you?"
Silver nodded before flopping onto his side and rubbing his fur against the freshly grown grass, looking thoroughly satisfied.
Seeing this, Xue Hui took out the Sacred Jade Room and wasted no time beginning his training.
He started by carrying a heavy object on his back while performing squats. Afterward, he ran several laps around the mountain's edge while practicing his breathing techniques, taking breaks to stretch his muscles.
His workout routine was designed to break down and rebuild his muscles, gradually strengthening his physique.
Once the pain subsided enough for him to get back on his feet, Xue Hui would venture deep into the forest to hunt demon beasts and fight them, allowing him to familiarize himself with his combat capabilities at his current level of strength.
Thanks to his specialized training, Xue Hui's physique gradually improved, allowing him to achieve progress comparable to an entire year of ordinary training in a remarkably short period.
Over the following weeks, Chen Zhenlong kept his promise and visited Xue Hui from time to time to check on him.
He also brought along all the meals his wives had prepared for Xue Hui.
During one of these visits, Chen Zhenlong decided it was the perfect opportunity to bring Xue Hui up to speed on everything that had happened during his absence.
He recounted the events of the Martial Arts Tournament and the banquet, as well as the results of his discussions with Ye Mo and Ye Zong.
Xue Hui listened attentively while stuffing himself with the food Chen Zhenlong had brought.
However, another event that had occurred shortly after the revelation of Chen Linlin's recovery caught Xue Hui completely off guard and made him burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Those self-centered bastards really think too highly of themselves, huh?!"
Chen Zhenlong had just informed him that the Sacred Family had proposed a marriage between Chen Linlin and Shen Yue, Shen Hong's youngest son.
Huffing in annoyance, Chen Zhenlong recalled the meeting he had held with the Divine Family elders after receiving the proposal.
Several days after the Martial Arts Tournament...
A representative of the Sacred Family had visited the Divine Family to convey their patriarch's desire to meet with Chen Zhenlong and discuss ways to strengthen the ties between the two major families.
One of the topics was a possible marriage between Chen Zhenlong's daughter and Shen Hong's youngest son.
Naturally, Chen Zhenlong hadn't even entertained the idea. He had promptly sent the Sacred Family's representative back to his family with his answer.
Given his current opinion of the Sacred Family, there was no way he would willingly hand over his only daughter to those people.
It was already suspicious enough that two members of major families had been targeted in poison-related assassination attempts while the Sacred Family itself had suffered no such attacks.
Chen Zhenlong knew he might be jumping to conclusions without sufficient evidence.
But he was certain of one thing: he couldn't trust his only daughter to the likes of the Sacred Family.
"I'm surprised you settled that issue so quickly," Xue Hui remarked with a smirk.
Chen Zhenlong glanced at him, shook his head, and rolled his eyes. How could he not know what Xue Hui was really implying?
Despite his unfavorable opinion of the Sacred Family, not everyone shared his sentiments, even within the Divine Family.
Some of the Grand Elders and Elders believed the marriage would be a good opportunity to expand the Divine Family's influence.
Several of them didn't even bother hiding their intentions during the discussion.
In their eyes, why shouldn't they pursue marriage? It would benefit the Divine Family, after all.
They had no intention of relenting and continued pushing for the arrangement.
The Day of the Meeting
Sweating profusely, Chen Fe cursed under his breath as he struggled to push himself up from the ground.
Just like him, every member of the elder faction present at the meeting had been forced to their knees by Chen Zhenlong's spiritual pressure.
"FOR TWO WHOLE GODDAMNED YEARS! YOU BUNCH OF OLD SCOUNDRELS IGNORED MY LIN'ER'S EXISTENCE, AS IF SHE HAD NEVER EVEN BEEN PART OF THIS FAMILY!"
THUD!
Another wave of Chen Zhenlong's soul force crashed down on everyone.
Chen Fe's body was pressed even farther toward the ground, his arms and legs trembling as they threatened to give out.
Glancing to the side, he saw those shrewd bastards who had refused to shut up about the marriage now pressed flat against the floor, looking like frogs.
"NOW THAT SHE'S BACK ON HER FEET, YOU USELESS BUNCH CAN'T EVEN WAIT BEFORE TRYING TO USE HER FOR YOUR OWN GAIN!"
THUD!
Wave after wave of condensed soul force crashed against their soul realms, threatening to overwhelm them.
"W-we were in the wrong, L-Lord Patriarch... P-please forgive our offense... Argh!"
The Grand Elder who had been pushing hardest for the marriage found himself flattened against the ground. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he begged for forgiveness, genuinely afraid that Chen Zhenlong might cripple him in his rage.
How could he not be afraid?
Chen Zhenlong had subdued every elder with nothing more than his soul force. How could a Five-Star Black Gold Demon Spiritualist unleash such terrifying spiritual pressure?
The last time these elders had experienced anything comparable was when they had witnessed Lord Ye Mo in action.
If their soul perception hadn't clearly identified Chen Zhenlong's aura as that of a Black Gold Rank Demon Spiritualist, they would have been convinced that he had already broken through to Legend Rank.
After surveying the room and seeing everyone's futile attempts to resist his pressure, Chen Zhenlong finally withdrew his soul force, releasing them from the crushing suppression.
"AND WHAT ABOUT THE MARRIAGE?!" Chen Zhenlong demanded, his cold, furious voice reverberating through everyone's soul.
"We will never speak of it again!"
This time, the response came not only from the offending elders but from everyone present.
Satisfied with their answer, Chen Zhenlong nodded, having had more than enough of their stupidity.
"Good. This meeting is over."
He waved his arm dismissively.
"You can all return to your duties."
With those words, the oppressive aura that had pinned everyone in place vanished, allowing the elders to scramble out of the room.
Freed from Chen Zhenlong's wrath, they all let out relieved sighs, grateful to have survived the ordeal.
Not a single person dared to voice any grievances.
Even if some of them were angry, none directed their resentment toward Chen Zhenlong. Instead, they blamed the shrewd elders who had insisted on the marriage.
With Chen Zhenlong's current strength, what could they possibly do even if they were angry with him?
Furthermore, given his current level of strength, the possibility of him breaking through to Legend Rank was extremely high. How could they afford to make an enemy of someone like that?
And as for the matter that had started it all, the marriage?
What marriage?
They had never heard anything about marriage.
Every elder firmly etched that thought into their hearts.
Back in the Present
Xue Hui and Silver were both rolling on the ground, cackling with laughter after hearing Chen Zhenlong's story.
Watching them laugh, Chen Zhenlong could only shake his head, a small grin tugging at his lips.
When he realized it was time to leave, he stood up and bid the two farewell.
"Xiao Hui, I'm heading back. Are you coming with me?" he asked, watching as the boy shook his head.
"I'm still in the middle of my training, Uncle. I'll head back once I'm done," Xue Hui replied.
Nodding, Chen Zhenlong stored all the herbs Xue Hui had collected in his interspatial ring before turning away.
"Be careful, you two," Chen Zhenlong said.
He then rose into the air and shot toward Glory City. With Silver by Xue Hui's side, Chen Zhenlong could easily pinpoint their whereabouts.
Watching him disappear into the distance, Xue Hui steadied his breathing and composed himself before turning his gaze toward the enormous waterfall not far from their camp.
A smirk spread across his face.
After storing his belongings in his interspatial ring, he turned to Silver.
"Shall we head over there now, Silver?"
The demon beast donkey glanced toward the waterfall and nodded.
"Ra-ul!"
End of Chapter 34