Yang Yuanhong

After eighty-eight days of secluded cultivation, Yang Lingrui successfully broke through to the seventh level of Qi Gathering, reaching the late stage.

He had completed the time-limit goal set for him by He Shenglai more than six years ahead of schedule.

The stone door slowly rumbled open.

Outside the cave dwelling, Elder Yu and Yang Lingshu stood together, welcoming him back to the world.

"Yang Lingshu greets the Family Head! Congratulations to Elder Brother on breaking through and emerging from seclusion!"

Yang Lingshu bowed deeply in greeting.

Previously, he had been cultivating under Chen Yang's guidance within the ancestral hall of the Songshan Restricted Grounds, having only arrived at Sanglu Valley a few days ago.

Under the dual enhancement of the Spirit Pearl and the Qi-Gathering Divine Ability, he had already reached the second level, trailing only slightly behind Yang Lingrui's breakthrough speed from years past.

Yang Lingrui looked Yang Lingshu over, a genuine smile gracing the corners of his mouth.

"Well done. From now on, the burden on your shoulders will not be light either. Are you mentally prepared?"

"Lingshu is fully prepared!"

"Good."

Yang Lingrui turned and bowed deeply to Elder Yu. "Elder Yu, over these past twenty-plus years, you and Patriarch Guanfeng have labored endlessly. From this day forward, let Lingrui bear the heavy mantle of the family."

Hearing those words, Elder Yu froze slightly. His heart, long as still as an ancient well, stirred with a rare, tumultuous surge of emotion.

Tears welling in his eyes, he stepped forward to brush the accumulated dust from the tips of Yang Lingrui's hair and shoulders.

This child, whom he had watched grow from infancy, had finally matured into a towering tree-a pillar of the clan capable of inheriting the heavy responsibilities from him and Yang Guanfeng.

"Good! Truly excellent! You have done us proud, Lingrui!"

Elder Yu laughed through his tears. As he listened to the young man's resolute vow, the lingering shadow of worry that had weighed on his soul for years completely dissolved.

The Yang family finally had a worthy successor.

"Lingshu, how is Sister-in-law's condition?"

"Her body has recovered, and her spirit is stable, but..."

Yang Lingshu paused, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "Sister-in-law has likely deduced the truth. That day, she spoke with Patriarch Guanfeng in her chambers for an entire afternoon. After the Patriarch emerged, he dispatched me here to the valley."

"Sigh... Brother Hu and Sister-in-law were inseparable. With us gone for so long without word, even if Sister Qing's excuses were flawless, she was bound to notice eventually."

Yang Lingrui stepped forward, deferentially inviting Elder Yu to lead the way. The three of them walked toward a scenic, secluded clearing at the bottom of the valley.

There, Lü Fangxuan was kneeling before a fresh grave, weeping silently.

He had returned to Sanglu Valley alongside Yang Lingshu, only to be struck by the devastating news of his own ancestor's demise.

Sensing their approach, the youth quickly wiped away his tears, turning to bow.

"Fangxuan pays respects to Young Master Lingshu, Second Young Master, and Elder Yu."

Yang Lingrui stepped forward and gently placed a hand on the boy's trembling shoulder, feeling the deep unease radiating from his small frame.

With a warm, reassuring smile, he said, "Fangxuan, do you know? Before Elder Lü departed this world, his only lingering attachments were the Lü family, and you."

Lü Fangxuan stiffened, looking up at Yang Lingrui with wide eyes.

"Do not fear, and do not worry. The main family will never abandon you, nor will we disband the Lü family. This is my promise to you."

"Thank you, Second Young Master! Fangxuan swears to serve at Young Master Lingshu's side for the rest of his days, harboring no treacherous thoughts. I shall brave ten thousand deaths without regret!"

The invisible bonds of the Blood Oath resonated instantly, formally establishing the master-servant relationship between Yang Lingshu and Lü Fangxuan from that moment onward.

Afterward, the three of them moved to a hidden chamber deep within the valley.

Yang Lingrui retrieved the locked Magical Artifact from its pedestal, carefully binding it against his chest with a strip of pure white silk.

"Lingshu, send word to Zhao Qi and the others. We return to the mountain today."

"Understood!"

Songshan Yang Family.

It was the season of autumn winds and cascading leaves, and the entire mountain was cloaked in layers of brilliant gold and crimson.

In the courtyard, Wu Tong was quietly practicing her Heavenly Cycle circulation method when she spotted a chubby, barefoot figure clad only in a bellyband. The little toddler was holding onto the base of the wall, shuffling his feet as he crept toward the outer gates.

As he moved, his large, bright eyes blinked repeatedly, keeping a cautious watch on Wu Tong's movements.

Just as he neared the courtyard threshold, the little infant happily opened his mouth, revealing two tiny teeth while his eyes gleamed with triumphant delight.

However, before his tiny hands could push the gate open, a gentle voice drifted from behind.

"Hong'er, your meditation session is not over yet."

Yang Yuanhong shivered in fright. In the next instant, Wu Tong scooped him up into her warm embrace.

Thus, his eighth escape attempt was declared a total failure.

"Ah... wah... aaah..."

He could not yet speak, so he could only flail his tiny arms toward the gates, trying his best to express his desires.

"No, you cannot go out. If you sneak out now, the Family Head will spank your bottom."

At the mention of having his bottom spanked, Yang Yuanhong's body stiffened, and he instantly grew perfectly docile.

"Be a good boy, Hong'er. Sit quietly for just one more hour, and Mother will take you down the mountain to play."

Wu Tong affectionately pressed her nose against her son's forehead before carrying him back inside the house.

In the center of an earthen enclosure over a meter high sat a miniature meditation cushion. Wu Tong gently set Yang Yuanhong down upon it.

"Wah... ah..."

"Alright, alright, Mother understands. I will not tell the Family Head."

"Ya!"

Hearing her promise, Yang Yuanhong peacefully crawled back onto the cushion. He assumed an adorable, cross-legged posture, closed his eyes, and began to enter a state of quiet meditation.

In less than the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Wu Tong felt his breathing and heartbeat settle into a perfectly stable rhythm. Smiling gently, she stepped out of the room and quietly pulled the door shut.

"Did little Yuanhong try to sneak out again?"

Yang Lingqing's figure descended lightly into the courtyard like a falling leaf.

Since refining the Spirit Pearl, her Divine Sense had grown exponentially. She had already perceived the boy's attempt the moment he scaled the internal barrier.

"Greetings, Family Head."

Wu Tong offered a simple bow. "He has already entered meditation. Ever since you disciplined him those two times, he has become quite terrified of you. One mention of your name, and he stops throwing tantrums."

Yang Lingqing shook her head, both amused and exasperated.

This child, Yang Yuanhong, was destined to be extraordinary from the moment of his birth.

On the day he entered the world, despite the concealment of a triple-layered spiritual formation, his booming cries had still echoed all the way to the foot of the mountain.

By the fifth day, he could roll across the bed.

By the fifteenth day, he was already crawling swiftly throughout the entire residence.

On the twenty-fifth day, he began to wobble and stand upright on his own two feet.

By the thirtieth day, he could walk steadily while supporting himself against the walls.

And now, even the restricted barriers Yang Lingqing forged with her own techniques could no longer hold him back.

Learning to walk within a single month was a terrifying feat in itself, but what truly shocked the family was Yang Yuanhong's naturally monstrous physique and surging, boundless blood qi.

This child's heart beat incredibly slowly.

Yang Lingqing had observed him meticulously. Throughout an entire day, his heart only needed to throb once every quarter-hour to maintain an immensely vibrant and saturated life force.

Once, he had climbed onto a high window sill by himself and plummeted headfirst from a height of over two meters. Yet, he had merely scraped his skin and developed a tiny bump.

By the following morning, the injury had completely vanished without a trace.

While Yang Lingqing and Wu Tong were profoundly delighted by his innate physical talents, there was one glaring flaw-the child was far too restless. He could never settle his spirit, acting as though his powerful physical instincts were dragging his consciousness along.

Even Chen Yang had noticed this anomaly. After thoroughly probing the child's body with his consciousness, he discovered the root cause.

Because his blood qi was too overwhelming, Yang Yuanhong's physical development far outpaced his mental and spiritual faculties.

This caused him to operate primarily on primal animal instincts rather than rational thought.

If left unchecked and allowed to grow wildly, the Yang family might very well raise a human beast driven solely by chaotic ferocity.

This was an outcome the family absolutely could not permit.

Once Yang Lingqing realized the severity of the matter, she did not hesitate to ruthlessly discipline the boy twice the next time he threw a tantrum.

Fortunately, the child possessed a sharp memory for pain.

After being soundly thrashed twice, he became significantly more well-behaved.

Subsequently, with the aid of a Mind-Calming Talisman and under Chen Yang's personal guidance, little Yuanhong successfully achieved his very first state of meditative stillness.

The effects of this regimen were profoundly evident. Once he settled into meditation, his rampant blood qi calmed down, beginning to nourish his mind in an orderly and systematic fashion.

Within a brief span of ten days, Yang Yuanhong's comprehension and cognitive abilities blossomed at an astronomical pace.

Though he was still unable to speak, he could already perfectly comprehend simple phrases and emotional intent.

"I struck him quite harshly those two times. I hope Sister-in-law does not harbor any resentment."

"What are you saying, Family Head? I simply could not bring myself to strike my own flesh and blood, yet I could not watch him stray into ruin either. It is only right that you take charge in my stead."

As the two women conversed, a sudden, solemn breeze swept into the restricted grounds of the Yang family.

Yang Lingqing's expression tautened slightly. She stepped forward, gently taking Wu Tong's arm.

"Sister-in-law... Brother Linghu has returned to the mountain."

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