Chapter 1681: Facing the Truth (Part One)

“I understand. I won’t be leaving just yet. I still have matters to discuss with Master, and the sect has recently undergone a major crisis; it naturally requires some stabilization,” Li Yan said, his senses sweeping across the entire sect.

Gu Jiuqi had not yet returned. For the past ten days, the sect’s grand array had been operating at full capacity, consuming vast amounts of resources every hour.

Meanwhile, many disciples had returned to the sect. Before Li Yan had begun treating Bai Rou, he had sought out Yan Longzi. He preferred dealing with the old Sect Master regarding internal affairs, requesting him to recall all disciples from the outside and providing a valid pretext.

Yan Longzi had agreed immediately. Looking at Li Yan, he felt a profound sense of daze. This was the man the sect had nearly abandoned, and now he had reached a height Yan Longzi could never hope to achieve. Yet, seeing that Li Yan remained courteous—even asking for his guidance on sect matters as peak disciples once did at Old Gentleman Peak—Yan Longzi felt a surge of nostalgia.

Naturally, Yan Longzi did not dare to put on airs. Li Yan was a Late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator—at least according to the public narrative—and they privately suspected he was even stronger. Thus, the Sect Master remained exceptionally polite.

In the courtyard, Li Yan turned his gaze back to his daughter.

“Zhaoyan, these are pills to assist your cultivation. They range from the sixth to the seventh rank. There are also several Nascent Soul-grade magical treasures inside; they are quite suitable for your current stage. I won’t give you new cultivation methods; the Wood-Flow Gate’s arts are unique, and with your teacher’s future guidance, that will be your best path. Therefore, do not use these treasures as your natal artifacts; treat them only as means to augment your combat strength.”

As he spoke, Li Yan flipped his palm, revealing a storage ring. With a smile in his eyes, he handed it to Li Zhaoyan. When it came to his own children, he was incomparably generous. Gifting sixth-rank pills was something even the Nascent Soul cultivators of the lower realm might not be able to do. Li Yan possessed even better treasures, but he knew what was most appropriate for her.

Li Zhaoyan’s mood, already lightening, brightened even further. Her father was giving her so many treasures—not only were the artifacts of the Nascent Soul grade, but the pills were of such high rank. It was beyond her wildest dreams.

“Thank you, Father!”

She took the ring, making no effort to hide her joy. The ring itself was of a higher grade than anything she owned, save for the Nine Yang Profound Bird egg. It wasn’t that Zhao Min couldn’t provide such things, but as lower-realm cultivators, they still felt such treasures were beyond a girl of Zhaoyan’s current status. Li Yan, however, did not care for such trifles.

Zhao Min and Gong Chenying watched the scene with smiles, but Li Yan caught a fleeting shadow of melancholy in Gong Chenying’s eyes.

‘For us cultivators, conceiving offspring is difficult to begin with. Our lifespans are long; you will surely have a whole brood of children in the future,’ Li Yan’s voice echoed directly in Gong Chenying’s heart.

A blush instantly blossomed on her face, and she spat inwardly. ‘What on earth are you thinking… a whole brood? I’m not a sow!’

Fortunately, Zhao Min and Li Zhaoyan were preoccupied with the treasures and the rare moment of familial warmth to notice her change in expression.

“Pills and treasures are external aids. A cultivator’s foundation always remains their own cultivation,” Li Yan added, seeing that although Zhaoyan’s cultivation was good for her age, she still needed the reminder.

“I will cultivate diligently!” Li Zhaoyan nodded.

Then, her gaze drifted toward the room where her unconscious teacher lay. If she had been at the Nascent Soul stage, her teacher wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.

“During your battle with Xue Longzi, how did you end up ascending? The news we received later said his life-tablet had shattered, which made us even more worried about your fate,” Gong Chenying said, shifting the topic. They had searched for him for so long and finally had the time to clarify the truth.

Li Yan realized then that Xue Longzi had truly perished. It seemed only he had made it out of that desperate place. He began to recount the battle and the circumstances of his ascension. He omitted the Earth-True Domain and Mu Guyue, and skimmed over the details of how he had returned to the mortal realm.

Zhao Min and the others had no concept of how difficult it was to travel from the upper realm to the lower, and some things were easier to leave unexplained to avoid misunderstandings. Thinking of Su Hong, he recalled the strange tension between her and Zhao Min back on the Verdant Continent. With his wit, he knew that sometimes, less was more. He truly had no romantic involvement with Su Hong; it was merely a strange friendship born from the time he had nearly killed her.

The three women listened, their eyes shimmering with wonder as Li Yan described the vastness of the Immortal Spirit Realm. The Sky-Demon Prairie, which sounded immense in isolation, was merely a small corner of one realm.

None of them mentioned their own future ascension. In the eyes of Zhao Min and Gong Chenying, who had read many records, even Spirit Transformation cultivators had no guarantee of a safe passage. It was a journey fraught with lethal peril. They had no intention of taking Li Zhaoyan with them, fearing she might perish mid-way; they preferred she ascend on her own once she was strong enough. Perhaps they could even return to help her, just as Li Yan had.

Li Yan did not mention his plan to store them in his mysterious space yet; his plan needed to be revealed in stages to seem natural.

They talked for another half-hour. Li Zhaoyan, being sensible, eventually bowed to the three elders and retreated to her own courtyard. Zhao Min watched her daughter’s departing figure, her usual coldness replaced by a trace of reluctance. She knew her time with her daughter was growing short, and she finally understood the parting sorrow Li Yan had felt for his family in the mountain village.

“Let’s go inside to talk,” Li Yan said, glancing at the two women. He steeled himself; some things had to be faced. He had been anxious for days. This wasn’t about Li Zhaoyan; he intended to take his daughter with them, but there was also the matter of the son who had suddenly appeared. Such a massive revelation had to be shared with his wives sooner rather than later. He couldn’t wait until the moment of departure; that would leave no room for reconciliation.

“You and Senior Sister Ying go. I… I have some things to attend to,” Zhao Min suddenly spoke. As she reached the end of her sentence, a blush appeared on her porcelain-like cheeks.

Gong Chenying’s face also turned red. Li Zhaoyan had been tactful enough to leave, and they assumed this was meant to be an intimate moment for the three of them.

“I… I also have things to do. You two stay here!” Gong Chenying stood up, her tall figure moving toward the courtyard gate.

Li Yan was stunned by their reaction. It took him a moment to realize they had misunderstood his intentions.

“No, I truly have important matters to discuss with both of you!” Li Yan explained quickly.

Seeing the seriousness in his eyes and realizing their assumption was wrong, the blush on their faces deepened further.

Inside the room, Li Yan activated the cultivation room’s restrictions. He cleared his throat and waved his hand. Two fruits shimmering with a mysterious green light appeared. The moment they emerged, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Ripples of light emanated from the fruits, and ancient, primitive runes swirled within the green glow.

These runes were incredibly complex; the two women couldn’t decipher a single one. They couldn’t even tell if they were patterns or text. Yet, a single glance caused them to lose themselves, their eyes fixed on the runes. In that moment, it felt as though an invisible string had been plucked in their minds. As the string vibrated, an uncontrollable sensation welled up within them.

The strange feeling drew them in, like a sliver of light appearing in a dense fog. Their magical power slowed, drawn by a certain set of laws, as if the fruits were guiding their cultivation. Their Nascent Souls within their Dantians snapped their eyes open, their gazes flashing with insight.

Then, Li Yan sealed the fruits’ aura with his power. Zhao Min and Gong Chenying jolted awake, feeling a sense of loss, as if something vital had been taken from them.

“What immortal fruit is this?” Gong Chenying asked, taking a deep breath.

“The Great Void Fruit. It is a supreme treasure that assists those below the Void Refinement realm in perceiving the laws of heaven and earth…”

Li Yan explained the fruit’s utility. Even for women of their high standards, the news caused their eyes to blaze with intensity.

“Junior Brother, this treasure provides a chance to break through to the Void Refinement realm? Such a thing… is unheard of!” Gong Chenying was shocked.

“Indeed. Even in the Immortal Spirit Realm, this is a heavy treasure, rarely seen in any market.”

“What is your current realm, and how many of these fruits do you have?” Zhao Min asked softly. She called him ‘Husband,’ while Gong Chenying still preferred ‘Junior Brother.’

Li Yan had brought these out for them.

“I am at the Mid-stage Spirit Transformation. I have only these two fruits left. But do not worry about my own breakthrough; I have confidence in my own path. Furthermore, these fruits are not for you to use immediately. Keep them. Only use them if you find yourselves unable to break through to Spirit Transformation in the long term. With your talent, you might not even need them; in that case, you can leave them for Zhaoyan!”

With a smile, Li Yan pushed the fruits toward them. The two women exchanged a glance and took them. As Li Yan said, they might not need them, and if Li Yan needed them later, they could give them back.

After they secured the fruits, Li Yan’s expression turned solemn, and a trace of hesitation appeared in his eyes.

“There is… there is one more thing I must tell you. Ahem… it’s… it’s…”

His voice trailed off, sounding small and uncertain. Gong Chenying and Zhao Min realized he had suddenly turned strange. They were both sharp-witted; Zhao Min stared directly at him, while Gong Chenying’s brow furrowed, a ripple appearing in her eyes.

“Did you… did you take a new cultivation partner in the Immortal Spirit Realm?”

Li Yan, who was still hesitating, froze. He hadn’t expected them to be so perceptive. He had just finished giving them the fruits and was wondering how to start, and they had struck the nail on the head.

His reaction was momentarily sluggish. After a few breaths, he spoke quickly. “Oh… no, not exactly…”

The two women felt a brief sense of relief, but then Li Yan’s tone shifted.

“But… in a sense, I have…”

In an instant, the spiritual energy in the room, which had just begun to flow normally, seemed to freeze. Li Yan felt as though the entire room had turned into a massive block of ice. He felt like a mortal again, experiencing the bone-chilling wind of a winter mountain.

Zhao Min and Gong Chenying fell silent. They remembered the promise Li Yan had made to them. Their expressions seemed calm, but waves were crashing in Zhao Min’s eyes, and a hidden anger stirred; she loathed being deceived. Gong Chenying looked at him and felt that he had changed; this junior brother was beginning to feel like a stranger.