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Chapter 86: Let’s Go See Together
🕑 Added 2025-05-05 07:31:38 +0000 UTCAfter Xi Yunqing had achieved his goal and stepped back, Chief Steward Han hurried to the swirling vortex teleportation gate. The gate reopened, and in no time, Han Yuanchun and his wife, who had received Xi Yunqing’s message, crossed through the gate and returned. Chief Steward Han quickly stepped forward to greet them, then proceeded to recount the current situation.
Han Yuanchun had been both alarmed and angry upon receiving the message. When he was on his way back in haste, he was told that the Gengsheng Minor Heavenly Realm was temporarily closed, and they were unable to enter. His anger flared even more, feeling as though his insides were being torn apart.
The Han family was still considered a young family. The first to become the city lord was the father of the Han brothers. After his father failed in his secluded meditation and passed away not long after, Han Yuanchun took over the title of city lord. Both brothers were quite talented, each advancing to the Out-of-Body realm. However, when it came to choosing a successor, Han Yuanchun preferred to pass on the lordship to his own descendants. Though the collateral branches claimed to be Han family members, Han Yuanchun felt resentful at the thought of handing over the city of Hanshan City to the collateral branches, which his father had painstakingly built.
Over the years, he had been focusing on cultivation and city management, also looking into ways of having children. He had noticed the stirrings within Hanshan City but had not given it much thought, believing the instability was due to the lack of a successor. He thought that if he had to, he could adopt a collateral branch member to quiet the internal unrest.
What he did not expect was the sudden and significant expansion of the Zhong family's ambitions, which led to an attempted usurpation of the city lord’s power. The Zhong family’s move to sever the vortex gate was correct, by trapping Han Yuanchun and his wife on the other side, they had hoped to seize control of Hanshan City. Once they held the city in their grasp, they would cleanse all the Han family members from within, and by the time Han Yuanchun returned, it would be too late. A family could only be called a family if it had numerous descendants. With only Han Yuanchun and Han Yuanzhi, they could hardly be considered a true family. Even if they retook the city lord’s position, they wouldn’t be able to hold it for long.
Upon hearing Chief Steward Han's report, Han Yuanchun found that the situation was not as dire as he had feared. The forces attacking the city lord’s mansion had been repelled, and the teleportation gate had been regained. Although Zhishi Hall had been occupied, and Zhong family had taken control of the equipment and magical artifacts there, and the commercial district had suffered heavy losses with numerous stores destroyed, the crucial matter was that Han Yuanchun and his brother had returned, and only a day had passed since the event began.
Han Yuanchun breathed a sigh of relief and said to Chief Steward Han, “Thankfully, your handling of the situation prevented things from worsening.”
Chief Steward Han did not take credit for himself, replying, “It was all thanks to Xi Yunqing of the Chongxuan Sect. His timely report on the disturbances and his swift action to inform you were crucial.” Chief Steward Han’s expression grew somewhat strange as he continued, “Even regaining the teleportation gate was only possible because of him. It only took half an hour to capture it. His methods are truly mysterious.”
Han Yuanchun became greatly interested and asked his brother, Han Yuanzhi, “Could it be that Xi Yunqing is exceptionally skilled?”
Han Yuanchun knew that the Chongxuan Sect had been selecting disciples for their decade-long recruitment, and their Heavenly Realm had come this time. He was aware of it but had been too busy with other matters to pay much attention. As the head of Gengsheng Small Heavenly Realm at Zhishi Hall, Han Yuanzhi had been the one to receive Xi Yunqing and handle the formalities. Thus, Han Yuanchun asked his brother.
Han Yuanzhi replied, “I heard that his cultivation is only at the Golden Core stage, but he is highly regarded in Chongxuan Sect. Don’t be fooled by his age and low cultivation; his status is not to be underestimated.”
Chief Steward Han was unaware of Xi Yunqing’s background, so he turned his gaze to Han Yuanzhi. Han Yuanzhi said, “It is said that his seniority in Chongxuan Sect is very high. He is the last of the second-generation disciples, and the current Sect Master is his martial uncle.”
Chief Steward Han let out a sharp gasp. “Such an esteemed identity!” he exclaimed. In a sect as grand as Chongxuan, not just any second-generation disciple could call the Sect Master their martial uncle. The status of being from the same lineage mattered in sects as much as it did in cultivation families. The distinctions between close and distant bloodlines were just as important.
Seeing Chief Steward Han’s reaction, Han Yuanzhi smiled and said, “There’s one thing you’ve done exceptionally well, and that is strengthening our ties with Chongxuan Sect. I’m sure you don’t know, but due to his high seniority, the head of Chongxuan’s affairs hall even made him an honorary supervisor. To establish a connection with him is of great importance to our Han family!”
This revelation took Chief Steward Han by surprise. The affairs hall was a significant place. In major sects, managing affairs might be handled under different titles, but in Hanshan City, it was equivalent to the city lord’s mansion. Although Xi Yunqing had only been given an honorary title for now due to his cultivation being insufficient, once his cultivation advances, he would be the one wielding the center of power within Chongxuan Sect. At that time, their connections would not be something they could easily forge, they would already have access.
Chief Steward Han, who had thought Xi Yunqing was merely an ordinary disciple, perhaps a promising inner disciple at best, was now greatly agitated. Even Han Yuanchun’s face showed some surprise as he patted Chief Steward Han’s shoulder, laughing heartily, “It seems our Han family has truly turned misfortune into fortune this time!”
Han Yuanchun had already planned to use this opportunity to forge a connection with Chongxuan Sect. The position of a vassal was too low for him, and being a subordinate was his bottom line. With Xi Yunqing’s revealed status, Han Yuanchun quickly changed his thinking. It was better to firmly hold onto this future strong connection rather than reach for something unattainable.
Though he had made up his mind, Han Yuanchun did not rush to act. The current chaos had not yet settled, and discussing things now would only put them at a disadvantage. It was better to resolve the Zhong family’s rebellion first, then discuss the future plans afterward.
After Xi Yunqing's successful withdrawal from active duties, Chief Steward Han hurriedly arrived at the Whirlpool Portal. The portal reopened, and before long, Han Yuanchun, who had received a message from Xi Yunqing, returned through the portal with his wife, Han Yuanzhi. Chief Steward Han rushed forward to greet them and quickly explained the current situation.
Han Yuanchun was already filled with mixed emotions upon receiving the message, but his anger escalated when he was informed during his hurried return that the Gengsheng Small Heavenly Realm had been temporarily sealed off, making it inaccessible. This news set him ablaze with fury.
The Han family was still considered a young family in the region. The first person to become the city lord was the father of the Han brothers. After their father failed in his seclusion and passed away, Han Yuanchun took over the position of city lord. Both brothers were highly talented and had reached the Out-of-Body stage in their cultivation. However, when it came to succession, Han Yuanchun preferred to pass the title of city lord to his own descendants. Although the collateral branches of the family argued that they were still Han descendants, Han Yuanchun felt reluctant to entrust the Hanshan City, which his father had established, to the collateral members.
For years, he focused on cultivation and managing city affairs, while quietly seeking ways to have children. While he was aware of the unrest within Hanshan City, he dismissed it as a result of the lack of an heir, thinking that if necessary, he could adopt a child from the collateral family, which would calm the unrest within the city.
However, he never anticipated that the ambitions of the Zhong family had grown rapidly over the years, and they suddenly launched a coup to seize control of the City Lord's residence. The Zhong family’s strategy of cutting off the Whirlpool Portal was a correct move, as it trapped Han Yuanchun and his brother on the other side, making it impossible for them to return. Once they took control of Hanshan City, they would clean out the Han family members within the city, and by the time Han Yuanchun returned, it would be too late to salvage the situation.
A prestigious family is only considered one when it has many descendants. With just Han Yuanchun and Han Yuanzhi, their family could not be called a full-fledged family. Even if they took back the City Lord’s residence, the position would not be secure.
After hearing Chief Steward Han's report, Han Yuanchun realized that the situation was not as dire as it could have been. The attackers on the City Lord’s residence had been repelled, and the portal had been retaken. Although the Knowledge Hall had been seized and its equipment and magical artifacts were now in the hands of the Zhong family, and the commercial district had suffered heavy casualties with countless shops and goods destroyed, the important thing was that Han Yuanchun and his brother had returned, and only a day had passed since the chaos started.
Han Yuanchun let out a breath of relief and said to Chief Steward Han, "Thankfully, you handled the situation well and prevented things from getting worse."
Chief Steward Han did not take credit, replying, "The contribution of Immortal Master Xi Yunqing from the Chongxuan Sect cannot be overlooked. If it weren’t for his timely warning and his swift journey to report to the city lord, we wouldn’t have been able to regain the portal so quickly." Chief Steward Han's expression shifted slightly as he continued, "He was able to reclaim the portal in less than half an hour, and his methods are quite impressive."
Han Yuanchun immediately became interested and turned to Han Yuanzhi, asking, "Could it be that Immortal Master Xi Yunqing has great cultivation?"
Han Yuanchun had heard that the Chongxuan Sect recruited disciples once every ten years, and Xi Yunqing had been chosen as a Heavenly Realm disciple. He was aware of this but had not paid much attention at the time due to other pressing matters. As the head of the Knowledge Hall’s Gengsheng Small Heavenly Realm, Han Yuanzhi had handled the various affairs related to Xi Yunqing. That’s why Han Yuanchun turned to him for an answer.
Han Yuanzhi replied, "I’ve heard that his cultivation is only at the Golden Core stage. However, he is highly regarded within the Chongxuan Sect. Despite his young age and relatively low cultivation, his position is not to be underestimated."
Chief Steward Han didn’t know much about Xi Yunqing's background and thus turned his gaze to Han Yuanzhi. Han Yuanzhi explained, "It is said that his status within the Chongxuan Sect is very high, ranked last among the second-generation disciples. The current Sect Master of Chongxuan is his master's uncle."
Chief Steward Han let out a sharp "hiss" of surprise. This status was truly prestigious! In a large sect like Chongxuan, not just any second-generation disciple could call the Sect Master their master’s uncle. That kind of relationship showed a deep connection and was highly valued, as the lineage and bloodline were just as important in the immortal sects as they were in cultivation families.
Han Yuanzhi, noticing Chief Steward Han’s reaction, smiled and said, "One thing you did particularly well, Manager, was to use this opportunity to strengthen our ties with the Chongxuan Sect. I’m afraid you don’t know this, but because of his high status, the management hall of Chongxuan Sect even made him an honorary administrator. Establishing a relationship with him is of immense significance to our Han family."
This piece of news shocked Chief Steward Han even more. What was the management hall? In major sects, the titles for managing affairs may differ, but in Hanshan City, it was equivalent to the City Lord’s residence! Though Xi Yunqing was only an honorary administrator for now, once his cultivation increased, he would have control over the Chongxuan Sect’s central authority. By then, establishing connections with him would not be something easily done.
Chief Steward Han, who had always considered Xi Yunqing just an ordinary disciple, now became exceedingly excited. Even Han Yuanchun showed his delight. He patted Chief Steward Han on the shoulder and laughed, "Looks like the Han family has truly gained something unexpected from this crisis!"
Originally, Han Yuanchun had intended to use this opportunity to strengthen ties with the Chongxuan Sect. However, with Xi Yunqing's revealed identity, Han Yuanchun quickly changed his mind. Instead of overreaching, it would be better to solidify their connection with this future powerhouse.
Although Han Yuanchun had made his decision internally, he did not rush to act. The current chaos had yet to subside, and trying to negotiate in such an unstable environment would place them at a disadvantage. It would be better to first deal with the Zhong family's reckless antics and then plan for the future.
…
The turmoil within Hanshan City had completely shifted from a passive defense by the City Lord’s residence to an active counterattack. Han Yuanchun’s return not only boosted their morale but also suppressed the Zhong family’s arrogance, making them less bold in their actions. However, the Zhong family still believed that their ample stockpiles of pills, equipment, and magical artifacts from the Knowledge Hall gave them an advantage. The two sides began to clash relentlessly, ambushes or chance encounters, every encounter was a fight to the death.
The Zhong family was under the illusion that they still had a fighting chance due to the resources from Knowledge Hall. Other families, however, knew that the City Lord’s residence was deeply rooted and had been built over hundreds of years, its foundations not much weaker than Knowledge Hall. With Han Yuanchun’s profound cultivation and the Han family’s tacit connection with the powerful Chongxuan Sect, the neutral families quickly shifted allegiance, speeding up the collapse of the Zhong family.
With the situation becoming increasingly chaotic, the city guards had become a fire brigade, quickly responding to any battles and evacuating innocent civilians from the scene. But no matter how fast they arrived, innocent bystanders were still inadvertently injured. Given this, Chen Xiao decided to stay inside the City Lord’s residence until the situation calmed down.
Tong Nuonu was one of the greatest victims caught up in the Zhong family’s conspiracy. Chief Steward Han personally visited her and not only promised to expose the evil deeds of Li Xianshi and his group after the internal strife was over, but also offered generous compensation. Not only would the only survivor, Tong Nuonu, receive compensation, but the sects of those already on the death list would also be officially notified. This was rare for Knowledge Hall, as so many people died every year during training. If Knowledge Hall had to personally send death notices to all their sects, they would run out of staff to manage it.
Chen Xiao and Du Rong, being companions of Xi Yunqing, also received compensation for being inadvertently attacked. Chief Steward Han, unaware that Chen Xiao was still considered an ordinary person at this moment, provided him with equipment similar to Du Rong’s, based on their lower-level cultivation. The equipment included a chest guard, wrist guards, and a belt, each designed to enhance speed, defense, and strength, comprehensive and practical.
Du Rong was thrilled with the equipment and wore it immediately, not caring whether he was going out or not. He spent his days practicing his movement techniques at the training grounds and meditating in the quiet room. Every morning, Chen Xiao drew a spirit-conjuring talisman, which he gave to Du Rong. While Du Rong’s cultivation progress was still slow, it was steadily increasing. For the first time, Du Rong felt confident about breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.
The effectiveness of the spirit-conjuring talisman was so good that Chen Xiao even considered selling them to lower-level cultivators or immortals for a profit. However, while the talismans were cheap to make, their production rate was far too slow to generate significant income. So, he abandoned the idea, deciding to wait until his spiritual power grew stronger in the future.
After enduring a few scorching days, the temperatures began to cool in the mornings and evenings. Chen Xiao, who had always been an early riser, took advantage of the cool mornings to find a quiet spot in the City Lord’s residence to read.
Chief Steward Han had arranged for them to stay in a relatively safe area at the center of the City Lord’s residence, a place less likely to be attacked. Between the buildings was a flowered corridor covered with creeping vines, filled with soft pink blooms. Chen Xiao often brought his books here to read, with the morning breeze causing small petals to fall from the vines and gently drift down onto his pages.
The flower corridor was not far from where Xi Yunqing resided. As the stars began to rise, Xi Yunqing would finish his morning training and step outside. Chen Xiao would always greet him, but most of the time, Xi Yunqing had other matters to attend to and would respond briefly before leaving. However, there were moments like now, when he walked over, sat near Chen Xiao, and chatted with him.
Most of their conversations were initiated by Chen Xiao, with Xi Yunqing responding to the topics raised. Earlier, Chen Xiao had asked about the situation outside, but recently, their discussions had shifted to the books Chen Xiao was reading.
Chen Xiao discovered that Xi Yunqing was not only well-read but also had a deep understanding of many things, some of which were not widely known. Since Chen Xiao was unfamiliar with the knowledge of the immortal world, Xi Yunqing often shared stories of the mortal world with him. Having spent the most time out on personal expeditions, Xi Yunqing often disguised himself and walked among ordinary people in bustling cities. His firsthand experiences were more vivid than anything Chen Xiao could find in books.
Chen Xiao couldn’t help but exclaim, “It sounds truly fascinating. I can’t help but want to see it for myself, to try the local food with my own mouth.”
Xi Yunqing replied, “If you’re willing to wait until the chaos in Hanshan City settles down, I can go with you and show you around. Revisiting the places we’ve been is also a kind of pleasure.”
