Fu Xue seemed not to hear. Her eyes stared blankly at her phone screen, her mind overflowing with terms like "advanced two levels in a row" and "slain three Level 6s." And, of course, the four prominent characters: "Yuanshi Tianzun."
Fu Xue's current feelings could not be described in simple words. Shock, doubt, astonishment, ecstasy, excitement—all manner of emotions surged within her.
She acknowledged Yuanshi Tianzun's talent; otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen to wait and see. By her assessment, if Yuanshi Tianzun could advance from Level 4 to Level 5 within three months, then he would stand a chance of pushing for Dominator within the next two years.
If so, she would gladly accept him as her son-in-law.
Conversely, if Yuanshi Tianzun's rate of progress through the Saint stage was merely mediocre, it would show his talent had run dry, and Fu Xue would choose the Miller family without hesitation.
Never in her wildest dreams had she expected it would take so little time.
It had only been a week since she returned from Songhai, yet Yuanshi Tianzun had skipped two levels in a row, instantly becoming a standout of the Saint stage.
Even Fu Qingyang hadn't been this horrifyingly brilliant back in his day!
After the shock came pure ecstasy—like winning the grand prize in the lottery, stumbling upon a rare chicken cup at an antique flea market, or landing an eight-hundred-year business contract.
Setting aside what Fu Qingyang had said about the Fu family shifting its strategic focus, on the merits of Yuanshi Tianzun's aptitude alone, Fu Xue felt there was nothing left to hesitate over.
Compared to marrying Guan Ya off into the Miller family for a modest kickback, becoming the mother-in-law of a figure with boundless prospects was the true pinnacle of life.
She might even use this to become a member of the Council of Elders in the future.
At this thought, Fu Xue's breathing grew rapid.
"It looks like something has come up on your end, so let's wrap up our sailing for today." Chen Shu crossed her legs and leaned back against her chair, leisurely lifting her fruit juice. "I have a business meeting this afternoon."
"Ah..." Fu Xue snapped back to reality. "What did you say?"
Chen Shu looked at the phone in her hand. "Care to share?"
Fu Xue's exquisitely penciled brows lifted at once, and a delighted smile bloomed across her pretty face. "My son-in-law has advanced to Level 6! Not only that, he took down three high-level Saints from evil organizations, shaking the whole country."
Her term of address had transitioned seamlessly from "my daughter's boyfriend" to "my son-in-law."
Chen Shu froze. "Isn't your son-in-law Level 4?"
"That's why the entire country is shaken! Skipping two levels in a single dungeon—even Xuanxuan never pulled off such a feat back then. You won't find a second example among all the geniuses in the First District." Fu Xue's eyes danced with glee.
"I'm suddenly starting to admire that brat's eye for people. Her knack for picking men is miles ahead of mine. Tsk, tsk. From Level 4 to Level 6, this son-in-law of mine only took two months!
"Genius can't even describe him; he's a downright monster! Granted, I know luck must have played a part this time. He might even be able to enter the killing trial at the end of the year. Once he becomes a Dominator, he will be the fastest-rising Dominator in the official faction's history!
"Chen Shu, I might actually make it onto the Fu family's Council of Elders in the future!"
She chattered on in high spirits, practically glowing with the euphoria of someone basking in good fortune.
The more Chen Shu listened, the more something felt off. Lifting her juice, she frowned. "Who is this son-in-law of yours?"
"I don't think I ever mentioned his handle to you," Fu Xue said with a beaming smile. "Yuanshi Tianzun! You must have heard of that ID, right? The Five Elements Alliance's rising star. I hear he's still in college."
When she spoke the name "Yuanshi Tianzun," her tone and expression carried a distinct tinge of bragging.
*Pfft!*
Chen Shu spat out a mouthful of juice.
"Cough, cough, cough..." Chen Shu set down the glass, coughing violently.
Her female assistant hurried over from nearby, offering tissues and a glass of water.
*He's already Level 6? How is he already Level 6?!* Chen Shu sat dazed, as if struck by lightning, her reaction virtually identical to Fu Xue's moments ago.
"Boss? Boss?" the assistant called out softly.
Snapping out of her trance, Chen Shu lurched back to reality. Taking the tissues, she hurriedly wiped the juice from her lips and chest, her voice rushed:
"Give me my phone."
The assistant hastily fished out both of her boss's phones from her pockets—one for business, one personal.
Chen Shu grabbed the personal phone and dialed her "son's" number.
"Sorry, the number you dialed cannot be reached at the moment. Please try again later..."
*He blocked me?* Face taut, Chen Shu switched to her business phone and dialed her son's number again.
"Sorry, the number you dialed cannot be reached at the moment. Please try again later..."
"Give me your phone," Chen Shu instructed.
The assistant handed over her own device.
Yet this time, the automated prompt still reported that the call could not go through.
Chen Shu realized her son had blocked all incoming calls from unfamiliar numbers.
She gritted her teeth in frustration.
"What's wrong?" Fu Xue asked again, eyeing her business partner and close friend suspiciously.
"Nothing!" Chen Shu took a deep breath, regaining her composure, and cast a strange look at her.
"I really didn't expect your son-in-law to be Yuanshi Tianzun.
"As I recall, your daughter is twenty-seven, isn't she? Has she had boyfriends before? Is her private life messy? Her personality doesn't seem all that pleasant—otherwise she wouldn't have had a falling out with you. And what about her talent? If the Fu family was willing to marry her off, it must be pretty mediocre..."
Fu Xue listened in utter bafflement. "Did my daughter offend you or something?"
Chen Shu waved her hand dismissively. "Congratulations. You have an enviable son-in-law. Sadly, I only have a son, not a daughter. But I don't think your daughter is a good match for Yuanshi Tianzun. She's a bit too old."
Fu Xue instantly laughed. "Old? A younger guy is just right! If he weren't my son-in-law, I'd have made a move myself."
Chen Shu: "..."
"You'd better drop that unrealistic thought," Chen Shu said, rising anxiously. "Think over the collaboration. Call me when you've made up your mind. I have an important meeting this afternoon, so I'm leaving first."
Without waiting for Fu Xue's response, she hurried off with her assistant.
After briskly walking several dozen meters, Chen Shu dialed a number on her phone.
The call rang for a long time before finally connecting. A grumbling voice came through: "I know it's daytime over there, but could you consider the time difference once in a while? Stop calling me in the middle of the night."
Chen Shu cut straight to the point:
"Is my son Level 6?"
"Huh? How could he possibly be Level 6? It's only been two months since he became a Saint."
Veins bulged on Chen Shu's smooth forehead. "You still don't know? Can you gather intelligence properly for once? Can you stop being such a useless piece of trash all the time? Managing the Relief Society all on my own is exhausting enough as it is!"
A yawn came from the other end of the line.
Chen Shu's chest heaved. Forcing down her fury, she said:
"Now that he's Level 6, according to our original agreement, you need to find a way to get him out of the country so he can take over the Relief Society."
"It's not time yet. His leveling speed exceeded our expectations—it's an anomaly. By my estimation, he shouldn't leave the country until the end of the year."
"But he's already Level 6!"
"Wait a little longer."
***
"Shanhe Yongcun?" The sharp gleam in Elder Sun's eyes withdrew, and he said indifferently:
"If you hadn't mentioned him, I'd have almost forgotten. He returned to the Spirit Realm over twenty years ago. Why bring him up?"
Ling Jun stood beneath the scholar tree, leaning lazily against its trunk. "I want to know how he died."
"Since he returned to the Spirit Realm, he died in a dungeon, of course."
The scholar tree rustled in the night breeze, carrying the giggles of children: "Died in a dungeon~ died in a dungeon~"
Ling Jun let out an "Oh":
"Then why were his records erased? The Taiyi Sect has been established for a century, and quite a few elders have returned to the Spirit Realm. All of them have names, and their files can be found. Why were his records the only ones erased?"
Elder Sun gently rocked in his rocking chair. "This old man hasn't managed affairs for twenty years. You should ask the Grand Elder. That old rascal has held power for half a century and still keeps the Taiyi Sect's affairs firmly in his grasp."
Ling Jun scrutinized the old man in the rocking chair and said:
"Victoria told me that you and Shanhe Yongcun were very close back then. It's impossible for you to know nothing about a close friend's death. And as for his records being erased, you definitely know about it."
Elder Sun kept his eyes closed, swaying with the rocking chair as if he hadn't heard a word.
Ling Jun straightened up, took several steps forward, and said in a low, heavy voice:
"Elder Sun, you're on the younger side among the Taiyi Sect's elders, a member of the prime-of-life faction alongside Victoria. Twenty years ago, you were an elder wielding real power.
"Yet for as long as I can remember, you've been living out your retirement in this little courtyard. You've spent over twenty years in retirement here, going from your forties to your sixties."
Elder Sun rested with his eyes closed.
"Before coming here, I looked into your past. In 1999, you suddenly handed over your power, ceased handling sect affairs, and stepped down from the core of leadership. From then on, you rarely left this courtyard. And one month before you stepped down, Shanhe Yongcun returned to the Spirit Realm. That was also the year the children you adopted died in a fire, and now their spirits haunt this scholar tree." Ling Jun adopted an aggressive, interrogative tone:
"Elder Sun, can you tell me why?"
The night breeze blew, but the scholar tree went silent. The children's giggles vanished.
Elder Sun opened his eyes. His pupils were molten gold, and an overbearing, fierce aura instantly flooded the small courtyard.
Ling Jun, who had just been brimming with aggressive momentum, felt his knees buckle and slumped back against the tree trunk.
"Who told you to investigate the past?" Elder Sun's molten-gold pupils were filled with intimidation and apathy. At this moment, his aura was overwhelming and dominant, like a god of war bathed in scorching sun—a world apart from the old man in an undershirt and shorts just moments before.
Gritting his teeth, Ling Jun resisted the Dominator-grade pressure and said in a strained voice:
"My Seventeenth Brother died without explanation. I want to know the truth."
"Your Seventeenth Brother..." The golden light in Elder Sun's eyes slowly faded, and he snorted coldly. "This isn't something you should know."
"I want to know!" Ling Jun gasped for breath, feeling the pressure lift.
Elder Sun sneered. "Figuring out the cause of Ling Tuo's death? Overestimating yourself. You can't even withstand my aura."
He then glanced outside the courtyard. "Don't think Victoria being here can protect you. If I wanted to kill you right now, could she stop me?"
Just as Ling Jun was about to speak, a sudden chill struck his heart.
Elder Sun's implication was clear: if he continued investigating, he would face mortal danger—danger Victoria could not protect him from.
Looking across the entire Taiyi Sect, who could threaten the Sect Master's son?
The answer was obvious.
Ling Jun's expression turned grave, stripped of all his usual flippancy and languor. He whispered:
"Was it him who killed Seventeenth Brother and Elder Shanhe Yongcun?"
Elder Sun closed his eyes, swaying with his rocking chair.
A tacit admission.
*Why...* Ling Jun opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat, and he couldn't bring himself to ask.
***
Fujia Bay.
Zhang Yuanqing gave up his bedroom to Commandery Princess Yinyao and entered Guan Ya's room. Clamping an adorable plush Cancer doll between his legs, he was just about to enjoy a wonderful, deep sleep to replenish the energy and physical stamina depleted in the dungeon.
His phone suddenly rang.
The caller was Jiang Yu'er.
"Auntie?" Zhang Yuanqing answered.
"Your mom called me just now," Jiang Yu'er's delicate, melodious voice came through. "She was looking for you, but couldn't get through to your number, so I told her you weren't home."
"What does Chen Shu want with me?" Zhang Yuanqing sneered.
"Asking about your girlfriend."
*Asking about my girlfriend...* Zhang Yuanqing frowned.
Chen Shu couldn't even be bothered to care about her son, let alone his girlfriend.
Besides, she had blocked him, making it crystal clear she didn't want to be in touch anytime soon. How could she intentionally seek him out over a girlfriend?
"Why is she asking about my girlfriend?" he asked.
Jiang Yu'er let out a cold laugh as well. "Who knows? She said she wanted to find out what kind of person your girlfriend is. I told her she's a wealthy older woman with a taste for pretty boys who's keeping you as her sugar baby, and that you're working yourself to the bone every day trying to satisfy an older cougar.
"She was furious when she heard that and demanded you break up immediately," Jiang Yu'er added. "Where are you? Auntie will come pick you up right now."
"Right in the cozy nest of my rich sugar mommy. Tell her to drop dead." Zhang Yuanqing hung up.
Just as he was about to turn off his phone and go to sleep, the ringtone sounded again. This time it was Fu Qingyang.
"Boss?"
"Night is more suitable for refining yin corpses, so I had someone gather the materials ahead of time and place them in the guild repository. Remember to collect them," Fu Qingyang said calmly.
"Thanks, Boss!" Zhang Yuanqing's spirits were instantly lifted.
Chapter 489