The Yang Family's Rebirth

As he spoke, a servant entered from a side door, holding a letter in his hands.

"Your Excellency, a letter from the Demon-Slaying Bureau."

"Oh? A letter from Old Xing, that is quite rare."

He gestured, and the letter floated toward him. Upon reading its contents, the smile on his face, though partially obscured by his cultivation art, grew noticeably wider.

"He Anping, would you like to hear some good news concerning your family?"

He addressed the He family cultivator waiting below the platform.

He Anping immediately bowed and said, "Your Excellency jests. Is not all good news for the individual families also good news for the Wangchao?"

"Hahaha, your tongue is always so glib."

He flicked his finger, and the letter hovered before He Anping.

He Anping accepted it with both hands. As he scanned the contents, his expression shifted to one of profound astonishment.

The letter recorded the achievements of the Songshan Yang Family. They had not only completed their secret assignment but also secured the inheritances of two hidden treasure sites. Most crucially, one of the three direct disciples who had fallen at Lone Moon Mountain had been slain by the Yang Family!

He Anping was shaken. He had never imagined that this minor, overlooked piece-which they had only decided to include and present to the Wangchao at the very last moment-would yield such astonishing results.

"Excellent! That boy He Shenglai has truly struck gold this time!" He Anping thought, his heart racing with excitement.

"With such results, the Wangchao's rewards will naturally be substantial. Surely your He family should show some appreciation as well?" the cultivator in the upper seat said with a faint smile.

"Your Excellency is correct. It is only fitting. I will make proper arrangements upon my return."

He Anping felt a surge of triumph. Since this Excellency had framed it as "good news for the He family," if the Yang Family truly rose to prominence, the He family would be credited with the primary merit.

Seeing the favorable atmosphere in the hall, Liao Jian folded his hands and asked, "Your Excellency, how shall we dispose of the remaining people?"

"Dispose? Why must anything be done?" The cultivator in the chief seat said slowly. "They have their reasons. 'It is not that they are unwilling, but that they truly cannot.' The Wangchao naturally understands their difficulties. If we were to deal out punishments at every turn, it would make us seem petty."

As he spoke, the crowd below fell into a deathly silence. Those familiar with his temperament knew that when he spoke in such a tone, someone was about to suffer.

"However, since they recognize their own lack of ability, they must undergo rigorous training and improvement. I shall grant them an opportunity."

He gestured, and a light screen appeared in the air, displaying a map of the Zhuhu Wangchao. He swiped his hand, zooming the display onto a specific location.

The crowd looked on to see the Desert Sea region, located west of Wangyue Region. It was a vast expanse of yellow sand, environmentally harsh and devoid of resources. Only sects that required specialized techniques would ever choose to settle there.

"I think this place is quite suitable. There is little competition, few threats, and much potential."

With those words, the other nineteen forces of Wangyue Region were officially discarded. They would soon be forced to relocate their entire families to the Desert Sea, with little hope of ever returning to the Wangchao heartland.

......

The return journey of the four Yang family members was peaceful, devoid of any trouble. With three Qi Gathering Perfection cultivators escorting them, those lurking in the shadows were forced to weigh the risks and ultimately abandon their designs.

Between greed and one's own life, life was far more precious.

The group reached the border between Qiulu and Wangyue Region, where they were met by representatives from the town.

Gao Hui, who had successfully cultivated the secret methods of the Wangchao, was now at the seventh layer of the Qi Gathering realm. Having received word, he waited at the boundary along with two Wangchao cultivators at the Perfection stage.

"Lingrui!"

Seeing Yang Lingrui from a distance, Gao Hui rushed forward. Upon reaching him, he said nothing, simply pulling Yang Lingrui into a tight embrace.

"It is good to have you back! You have worked hard."

He had already learned of Yang Linghu's death through the Wangchao's intelligence channels. While waiting, he had agonized over how to comfort Yang Lingrui, but found all words of solace hollow. He chose instead to express his support through this direct gesture.

Held by Gao Hui, Yang Lingrui felt his eyes moisten. He patted Gao Hui on the back, his voice steady. "I appreciate the trouble, Town Chief Gao. Thank you for waiting. I am well."

After the handover, Yang Lingrui accompanied Gao Hui toward Sanglu Valley. Gao Hui delivered a handwritten letter from Yang Lingqing, which noted that Wu Tong was due to give birth in two months. To protect her from shock, she had not yet told Wu Tong of her husband's death.

"For the next three months, you shall stay in Sanglu Valley. Once your sister-in-law has recovered from her labor, you may return to Songshan."

Yang Lingrui closed the letter. The thought of Wu Tong and the coming child filled him with a bitter ache. His mother and brother had fallen in the Beast Tide; his own path since stepping into cultivation had been one of relentless struggle.

He dared not imagine the state of his sister-in-law's heart when she learned the truth. Her fate was cruelly harsh.

Back at Sanglu Valley, Yang Lingrui and Elder Yu entered the cave dwelling at the base of the valley. The old man, now over sixty, seemed to have aged significantly upon hearing the tragic news, his posture noticeably stooped.

"Elder Yu, I have brought my brother back."

Inside the dwelling, Yang Lingrui opened the Magical Artifact. Elder Yu tremblingly extended a withered, wrinkled hand, gently stroking Yang Linghu's severed arm.

"Good child, you are home."

As the elder spoke, two warm streaks traced paths down Yang Lingrui's cheeks. Though his face remained composed, his tears flowed uncontrollably. He clenched his fists until his knuckles went white, only slowly loosening them after several breaths.

Yang Linghu had been killed by the disciples of Lone Moon Mountain. He burned with the desire to storm their mountain gate and slaughter them to the last, but he possessed no such power. He was held back by his own weakness and his lack of a strong backing.

The current situation of the Yang Family was a reflection of countless small clans within the Canglan Continent. They were like driftwood upon a vast, merciless ocean, rising and falling with the waves. One misstep, and a single surge could drown them without a trace.

From He Shenglai's first visit, to the confrontation with the Su Family at the Golden Scale Dharma Assembly, and now, the death of his brother-Yang Lingrui had reached his limit with this feeling of helpless paralysis. He would not experience it again.

He informed Elder Yu that starting the following day, he would enter Secluded Cultivation to reach the late stage of Qi Gathering. Understanding that Yang Lingrui had obtained an inheritance, Elder Yu took up his post as Dharma Protector outside the stone door, just as he had once done for Chen Yang.

Two months later, Wu Tong gave birth to a son in Songshan. That day, the local villagers looked to the skies, believing they could faintly hear the cry of an infant.

From the three names they had previously considered, Wu Tong selected the character "Hong" for him. Chen Yang communicated with Yang Lingqing, bestowing the character "Yuan," symbolizing the hope that all members of the Yang Family's younger generation might one day reach the Condensed Origin stage.

Thus, the name Yang Yuanhong was decided. As the first confirmed third-generation cultivator of the family, he represented the rebirth and hope of the Yang clan.

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