Translator: Silavin & Raikov
Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun
Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys
The young girl had only brought Yang Kai to the central courtyard when they were surrounded by a dozen members of the Zhang Family.
âWho goes there!â Someone shouted, looking wary.
âItâs Senior Yang, Senior Yang!â The young girl was extremely excited and wouldnât let go of Yang Kaiâs arm, constantly repeating his name aloud.
âItâs highly improper for a young woman to be shouting like that!â A familiar voice emerged, followed by the appearance of the voluptuous figure of a beautiful woman. The woman resembled Ruo Xi greatly.
âMother, Senior Yang came to visit!â The young girl quickly shouted.
âWhat Senior Yang?â The beautiful woman frowned, but coming closer and taking a good look at him, she covered her lips and exclaimed in surprise, âSenior Yang!â
âMadam Zhang, I trust youâve been well since we last met!â Yang Kai smiled. This beautiful woman was none other than Ruo Xiâs mother, Ning Su Wan.
Ning Su Wan was out of it for a long while before she smiled happily, âSenior Yang still looks as youthful as ever!â After a pause, she suddenly remembered to tell the young girl holding Yang Kaiâs arm, âRuo Yu, go and ask your Grandmother to come out.â
âYes!â The young girl called Ruo Yu quickly rushed inside.
Ning Su Wan looked behind Yang Kai, but didnât see the figure she was hoping to see, her pretty face changing as she asked with a tremor in her voice, âSenior Yang⊠is Ruo XiâŠâ
Yang Kai smiled, âDonât worry, everything is fine with Ruo Xi, there were just some things she had to attend to so she couldnât come this time.â
Only after hearing Yang Kaiâs answer did Ning Su Wan pat her chest in relief. She was truly afraid she would hear some bad news from Yang Kai. When the Zhang Family was being bullied last time, it was Yang Kai who stepped in to save them. After that, Zhang Ruo Xi left with Yang Kai, and it had been a decade since sheâd last seen her daughter or heard any news about her. Naturally, Ning Su Wan missed her very much. Things had not been as peaceful outside as things within the Zhang Family. In the past, Yang Kai may have performed quite well, but as they broadened their horizons over the years, the Zhang Family also got to know that the Yang Kai of back then wasnât actually that powerful.
If he really did provoke a powerful opponent outside, then he may have ended up dragging Ruo Xi into trouble.
Fortunately, Yang Kai came and assured her that Ruo Xi was safe and sound.
âSenior Yang, please come inside!â With her mind at ease, Ning Su Wan gestured politely with her hand. Even though she had a bellyful of questions, years of polishing had taught her to remain calm, and she naturally knew that this was not the best time for questions.
At this time, many of the Zhang Family members who came over realized who Yang Kai was. Many of them had also met Yang Kai back then, and even if theyâd never met him personally, theyâd heard about him and knew that he was the one who took Ruo Xi away.
All the hostility and vigilance disappeared instantly and was replaced by kindness and smiles.
Ning Su Wan led Yang Kai into the Zhang Family parlour where he was seated, and someone immediately came over to serve tea.
Before they could say more than a few words, an old voice suddenly came from the outside, âSenior Yang has come?â
Yang Kai quickly got up to see an old woman walk out step by step with Zhang Ruo Yuâs support, her clouded eyes immediately lighting up with a bright light. The old woman looked over and said in pleasant surprise, âIt really is Senior Yang! This old woman greets Senior Yang!â
Yang Kai was shocked and immediately reached out to lift her up and exclaimed in panic, âOld Madam, please, you mustnât. This Junior is undeserving of such honours.â
Old Lady Zhang, however, insisted, âNo, I should. If not for you, then the Zhang Family would have ceased to be at that time.â
âI was merely entrusted by someone else to help, thereâs no need to mention what happened back then,â Yang Kai shook his head slowly and helped Old Lady Zhang up to the main seat and settled her down before returning to his own seat.
Ning Su Wan watched this scene quietly, the corners of her mouth curving up into a smile of relief.
Even though the Zhang Family agreed to Yang Kai taking Ruo Xi away, everyone knew something would definitely happen if a young and talented man like Yang Kai were to bring along a beautiful young woman with him. It was just a matter of time before Ruo Xi was taken in as Yang Kaiâs wife.
In other words, Ning Su Wan had long considered Yang Kai as the Zhang Familyâs son-in-law.
Only, this son-in-law was stronger than the Zhang Family, so even though she was certain of this reality, she couldnât just go around talking about it lest she make things difficult for Ruo Xi.
But seeing that Yang Kai didnât have the least bit of arrogance in him, and was showing proper respect to the elderly and kindness to the young, Ning Su Wan knew he had a good heart.
âSenior YangâŠâ Old Lady Zhang sat down and had just opened her mouth when Yang Kai waved his hand and said, âOld Madam can just call me by my name, no need to address me as Senior.â
Old Lady Zhang said, âBut how could thisâŠâ
Ning Su Wan smiled, âMother, since Yang Kai insists, then why make him sound like a stranger?â
Upon hearing this, Old Lady Zhang seemed to understand something and smiled, âThen this old woman will be taking advantage of her age!â
âOf course,â Yang Kai nodded.
âHow⊠has Ruo Xi been?â
Ning Su Wan answered, âYang Kai told us earlier that Ruo Xi is fine, so thereâs no need to worry about her, Mother.â
âTruly?â Old Lady Zhang looked earnestly at Yang Kai.
âItâs true,â Yang Kai smiled, âItâs just that Ruo Xi entered retreat some time ago, so she couldnât come with me this time.â
âAll is well if she is well!â Old Lady Zhang looked relieved, âBy the way, what realm has Ruo Xi reached?â
The Zhang Family suffered in the past due to their lack of Masters, so they had also been paying special attention to nurturing the next generation. Several disciples with good aptitude had also appeared, but since their family was lacking in resources, their improvement had been slow and their cultivations were quite low. Ning Su Wan, however, was strongly affected by what happened back then and managed to improve her cultivation greatly. However, she was still just a First-Order Dao Source Realm.
Other than her, there were no other Dao Source Realm cultivators in the entire Zhang Family. Old Lady Zhang had an Origin King Realm cultivation, but she was too old and her vitality was in decline, so she simply could not fight at full strength anymore.
In other words, Ning Su Wan had been the one holding up the Zhang Family all these years.
âRuo Xi is⊠already a Third-Order Dao Source Realm!â After some thought, Yang Kai didnât dare to reveal the full truth.
Ruo Xiâs current cultivation really wasnât easy to judge. Before that event, she was indeed a Third-Order Dao Source Realm, but an average First-Order Emperor Realm Master likely wouldnât be her opponent. Now that she was inheriting the power of the mysterious Heavens Order inside the Blood Gate, there was no telling what sort of growth she would achieve once she came out.
The entire Zhang Family parlour instantly went quiet after Yang Kai said this. All of them were staring at him dumbfoundedly. There should have been joy and excitement, but instead, they seemed to be in disbelief.
It wasnât that they didnât trust Yang Kai, but his statement was just⊠a little too shocking.
It had to be known that Zhang Ruo Xi was only an Origin Returning Realm Junior when Yang Kai took her away back then. After that realm was the Origin King Realm, then the Dao Source RealmâŠ
There was a great gap between the Origin King Realm and Dao Source Realm that not just anyone could cross. If not for this, Dao Source Realm cultivators in the Zhang Family wouldnât be so scarce. Even if Ruo Xiâs aptitude was good and she really managed to break through to the Dao Source Realm, it should have been impossible for her to advance to the Third-Order in a mere ten years.
It had been only a decade since she left, so how could she possibly have grown from the Origin Returning Realm to the Third-Order Dao Source Realm in that amount of time?
Subconsciously, both Ning Su Wan and Old Lady Zhang felt that Yang Kai was just saying things to reassure them.
âRuo Xi really is a Third-Order Dao Source Realm now,â Yang Kai asserted when he saw that they didnât believe him.
Ning Su Wan and Old Lady Zhang looked at each other blankly for a moment before they hesitantly asked, âThen, Yang Kai, what is your current realm?â
Yang Kai did not answer directly and instead just released a little of his Emperor Pressure.
âEmperor Realm!â Ning Su Wan exclaimed in shock while the eyes of the rest of the Zhang Family Juniors went wide.
An Emperor, a real, living, breathing Emperor! Even though there were plenty of Emperor Realm Masters in Maplewood City and Spirit Lake City now, these Senior Experts were not people a small Zhang Family could ever come into contact with, but now, a genuine Emperor Realm Master was sitting in their parlour.
âNow you all believe me, right?â Yang Kai was a little speechless. Fortunately, he didnât tell them the truth, otherwise, the Zhang Family would probably start to question whether there was something wrong with his head.
âRuo Xi⊠Sheâs really reached the Third-Order Dao Source Realm already?â Ning Su Wan trembled in response to the evidence laid out in front of her.
If Yang Kaiâs cultivation had reached the Emperor Realm, then it would not be impossible for Zhang Ruo Xi to be in the Third-Order Dao Source Realm.
âItâs absolutely true!â Yang Kai nodded.
âGood, good, good. The Heavens have blessed my Zhang Family. My Zhang Family has finally produced a Third-Order Dao Source Realm cultivator!â Ning Su Wanâs excitement overwhelmed her, and even the silver-haired Old Lady Zhang had a look of joy on her face. As for the rest of the Zhang Familyâs Juniors, they were unable to contain their glee.
A Third-Order Dao Source Realm cultivator, in their eyes, was an unattainable existence, but the Zhang Family had actually produced one, and it was even in the same generation as them.
The young girl called Zhang Ruo Yu had a particularly strong reaction as a burning light flashed past her eyes that seemed able to melt solid ice.
âI came to visit the Zhang Family this time mainly because there is something I wish to discuss with you,â Yang Kai waited for them to calm down a little before continuing.
âPlease speak. As long as it is something possible for us, the Zhang Family will surely agree to it,â Ning Su Wan quickly answered. It wasnât like they could refuse either. How could the requests of an Emperor Realm Master be refused at will?
Yang Kai said, âI wish to bring you all to a place.â
âA place? Where?â Ning Su Wan was taken aback.
âMy Sect!â Yang Kai went on, âItâs safe there and the conditions are not at all worse than Spirit Lake Palace. If you were to go there, then there would be no need for you to worry about having a quality cultivation environment. There are people there who can teach the Zhang Familyâs disciples to cultivate, and there is also no need to worry about resources.â
Every word Yang Kai spoke made the eyes of the Zhang Familyâs Juniors brighten just a little more, filling each of them with anticipation. Yang Kaiâs words were like a picture scroll unfolding in front of their eyes, showing them their bright future ahead.
âSuch a place existsâŠ?â Ning Su Wan was slightly lost in thought.
âIs Ruo Xi⊠also there?â Old Lady Zhang asked.
âCurrently no, but she will be there in the future,â Yang Kai answered.
âGood, this old woman agrees. Yang Kai, how could the Zhang Family not appreciate your kindness?â
Ning Su Wan also nodded lightly after a moment of silence. If things were truly as good as how Yang Kai described it, then going would naturally bring many benefits. The Zhang Family may have peace now, but there are too many Masters passing through Maplewood City and Spirit Lake City, and any one of them had the ability to destroy the Zhang Family. If they continued staying here without the protection of a Master, then there was no telling when they would be wiped out for some random reason.