Chapter 131: Making a Name in the Capital
In mid-January, the capital city appeared somewhat desolate. The tall trees lining the streets had long since shed their leaves, leaving only bare branches standing against the cold wind. Patches of snow lingered in some corners by the roadside, not yet fully cleared away. The air was bitterly cold, and the breath of passersby formed visible white mist as they walked.
The New Year was approaching.
From the Fireborn Star, his older brother had sent an email, saying that he was still very busy this year and unable to return home for the New Year. Yet he mentioned specifically that his cultivation realm had significantly improved, and life there was much more relaxed—far more comfortable than before. Although he didn’t elaborate, Song Yue understood what he meant.
Chen Jue… was still doing well.
Recently, Qian Qianxue hadn’t come over or sent any news. It seemed that this time, she had resolutely entered seclusion to achieve a breakthrough. According to Song Yue’s estimation, Qian would likely form her Golden Core after this retreat.
On the other hand, Wen Rou visited Song Yue frequently. Her family had no objections and had never interfered. Wen Rou’s alchemy skills had been improving steadily, especially after acquiring some top-tier materials; her proficiency in pill refining had leapt forward. A few days ago, she secretly told Song Yue she felt close to breaking through!
Yes, this soft and adorable little sister, Wen Rou, was about to step into the Pill Gathering Realm—a domain that billions of cultivators in the world found nearly unattainable. Such a rapid leap was truly astonishing. Song Yue could distinctly feel the change in her aura.
Strength was the foundation of confidence!
No wonder the ancients said: “To hear the Way in the morning, to die in the evening is fine.” In the Age of Decline, people understood the Way mostly as knowledge—truths governing the universe. But for cultivators in this era, the Way was the real cultivation realm itself. To hear the Way meant to comprehend, master, and advance. That meant a breakthrough in realm!
Thus, the latter phrase “to die in the evening is fine” was merely an expression of admiration. With a breakthrough and greater strength, even death becomes worthwhile. For cultivators, enlightenment of the grand Dao not only did not bring death but often heralded a significant increase in longevity.
Since receiving the alchemy manuals, Wen Rou had quietly come a long way on the path of pill refining, surpassing countless cultivators. Though many high-grade materials she attempted were wasted, and even the successful pills were not always of the highest quality, the benefits to her Dao were immeasurable. The pills she refined were still considered precious treasures, even if inferior to those made by great masters. Though young, she understood where all this came from.
To Song Yue’s family, Wen Rou was as gentle as her name suggested. She was deeply loved by Xiao Mei, who almost treated her as a daughter. Xiao Mei’s Dao injury had healed mostly, and her strength was quickly recovering to the level before her descent to the mortal realm. The Golden Core inside her body, once shattered beyond reconstitution, had finally been fully formed.
Meanwhile, Song Yu had reached the pinnacle of the Unification Realm and was making a push toward the Pill Gathering Realm. Although her close friend had been resurrected and the shadows in her heart had largely dissipated, the trauma of that event would never fully fade. She vowed to take control of her own fate.
As for Song Yue himself, he remained a grandmaster of martial arts. Yet his combat power had multiplied many times over compared to before—no longer on the same scale. Perhaps this was the cruel joke of martial artists: even among grandmasters, the disparity in strength could be vast.
Recently, he had been focusing on integrating all his battle power seamlessly, solidifying his foundation. He had fully mastered the third chapter of the Taiyi Body Tempering Scripture. When practiced, his blood could erupt with unparalleled force in the shortest time, supporting increasingly complex energy structures and amplifying the power of all his attacks.
He had also glimpsed the supreme secrets of the Eight Desolation Dao Scripture. Though the terrifying power hidden within those ultimate techniques was difficult to fully unleash at his current level, he had found the threshold and the correct path.
His mental arts and physical cultivation had also made great strides. Notably, the secret technique to dramatically boost physical power not only unleashed greater strength but extended its duration significantly.
An interesting point was that Song Yue’s rarely used transformation technique had now advanced enough to coordinate with his mental arts. Through the mental realm, the transformations had become more deceptive and subtle, with finer control over details reducing flaws. Unfortunately, the duration was still short, only slightly improved.
Besides these, one particularly important matter had recently influenced his future path. When he defeated two Nascent Soul-level experts, he obtained two storage rings. Inside, he found many valuable items from the cultivation world. Yet the most precious to Song Yue was not the magical artifacts, pills, or cultivation scriptures, but an ancient tome.
This tome was very old, made from a special kind of beast hide, weathered by countless years. Despite its age, it was still a hand-copied manuscript, not the original edition. The contents were encyclopedic, a veritable cultivation world encyclopedia.
He made several copies of this beast-hide tome and gave them to those close to him, encouraging them to gain broader understanding of the cultivation world.
The section on martial cultivators was not extensive but very detailed. It included a description of physical body saintship:
“A person who attains physical perfection is called a Saintly Body. Their divine weapons cannot pierce it, magical tools cannot harm it, their fists and feet wield earth-shaking power. Cultivators reaching this realm can sweep away all enemies with sheer divine strength. Their combat power is rare in the world! However, such a Saintly Body is not the strongest in this realm. The true supreme existence is said to possess a body balanced in the Five Elements…”
When Song Yue read the ancient tome’s speculation on the Five-Element Balanced Body, he was surprised. It seemed to describe him!
“The Five-Element Balanced Body exists only in legend, a physique whose origins are unknown, supposedly deduced by supreme beings from the era of immortals and Buddhas.”
“In youth, such beings show no divine power. To cultivators, they appear no different from ordinary mortals who cannot cultivate, as they are naturally unable to gather spiritual energy…”
“If such a physique truly exists, legend says that once perfected, such a person could tear apart innate divine demons with their bare body!”
“Their formidable strength stems from their unique cultivation path, which is astonishing in scope.”
“Normally, cultivators must choose a single path. For example, human cultivators may follow the path of demons, transforming into various powerful demons.”
“Humanoid cultivators who master the Great Roc technique can become a vast roc bird that blots out the sky and sun, transforming from human to demon and gaining peerless divine power!”
“Demons can also cultivate demonic clan techniques, becoming cold-blooded and ruthless with earth-shattering abilities once perfected.”
“But all these paths usually require choosing only one, making it difficult to pursue multiple simultaneously.”
“Only the legendary Five-Element Balanced Body cultivator can cultivate the great Dao of all five factions simultaneously!”
“To cultivate this, such a person must master all five Daos!”
“‘Five-element balance’ means absolute equal quantities of the five elemental energies in the body…”
At this point, Song Yue noticed a marginal note by some great master on the manuscript page:
“Absolute equality of the five elements is impossible! If the Five-Element Balanced Body is truly a perfect physique deduced by supreme beings from the immortal Buddha era, then I firmly believe such a person will never appear.”
Though this sounded absolute, anyone with some understanding of cultivation knew that absolute balance of the five elements was indeed impossible.
Song Yue did not believe such a person existed but found the description intriguing.
“The path of the Five-Element Balanced Body is not simple. One must cultivate the Dao of the heart, Buddha nature (liver), Confucian spleen, demon lungs, and magic kidneys. A single misstep leads to endless calamity!”
Reading this, Song Yue was somewhat dumbfounded. He involuntarily introspected his own darkened kidney, occupied by the “Dark Scripture,” and the lung affected by the scripture from the ancient tomb. The power there was vast and overwhelming.
He was almost certain the Dark Scripture was related to the demonic clan. Beneath the ancient castle sealed within the secret realm lay a terrifying demonic being. Its exact realm was uncertain, but being suppressed in the mortal world—subject to special heavenly laws—was no trivial matter.
When Song Yue obtained the Dark Scripture, the suppressed demonic being was furious and even tried to confuse him. Thus, the Dark Scripture was very likely a demonic scripture.
Whether it was the highest grade, he did not know.
The scripture occupying his lung came from a large tomb not owned by humans. The strange wooden puppets there did not seem human-made but rather independent, sentient beings sealed and controlled for some reason.
That scripture was sealed inside a two-layered coffin.
Song Yue wondered if it might be a demonic scripture.
The section on Five-Element Balanced Bodies was small, hidden in the corner of the martial cultivation section. Even the scribe noted that these accounts were based on ancient legends and their accuracy was unprovable—implying it was an imagined perfect physique transcending all innate Dao bodies, existing only theoretically.
Therefore, whether he was truly a Five-Element Balanced Body was hard to say.
At least, his views aligned with those of the cold annotation and the scribe: absolute equality of five elements was impossible.
Yet reflecting on his experiences over the past year—from the Kunlun secret realm, to the Heavenly Star’s palace, to the ancient castle, and the unknown tomb—it all seemed strangely connected, as if an unseen, divine force had been guiding him to these places, ensuring he obtained destined opportunities.
Most notably, the celestial master who taught him mental arts, and the one resembling Erlang Shen who passed on body cultivation methods—all seemed miraculous.
Thinking it over, it was somewhat frightening.
Another suspicious matter was how many people around him had obtained the Tongtian Tablet, even Xiao Meng, a reluctant cultivator obsessed with business, was chosen by it.
Was this the universe gathering allies for him? Was he the child of destiny?
Such a feeling was pleasing but also unsettling. If he truly was the Five-Element Balanced Body recorded in the ancient tome, now blessed with many advantages seemingly sent by a powerful will, then he would inevitably bear unimaginable responsibilities in the future.
No one gives benefits without expecting returns.
There was no such logic in the world.
With this in mind, even his master—an unparalleled genius from the Nine Realms—who had fallen from the heavens and guarded him for ten years, seemed part of a grand scheme.
Recalling their encounters and the past decade, Song Yue believed that even if his master suspected something, he could not know everything.
So, was he really the Five-Element Balanced Body—the destined child chosen by gods and Buddhas?
If so… should he try to resist? Like immature movie protagonists who only awaken after suffering?
No, better not.
He wasn’t that foolish.
In any case, this ancient tome, the cultivation world encyclopedia, had opened a new world for Song Yue.
Before he knew it, the New Year had arrived.
Qian had just emerged from seclusion and immediately messaged Song Yue with four simple words: “I gathered the pill!”
Song Yue replied with three exclamation marks, then added, “My Qian is awesome!”
Qian Qianxue: “Want to have a fight?”
Oh, she was getting cocky!
Song Yue: “You pick the place!”
Qian Qianxue: “Virtual world!”
Song Yue: “...” She really knew how to pick a place.
He piloted his flying saucer silently to the Qian estate and spirited her away. Qian Qianxue’s residence was a standalone villa within the vast Qian family manor.
The saucer bypassed all defenses and infiltrated successfully. Qian Qianxue sneaked aboard as if stealing away, and the saucer quickly ascended, piercing through Earth’s atmosphere in the blink of an eye.
Looking down at the blue planet below, she marveled, “This thing is really fun!”
Song Yue said, “I’ll get you one later.”
Qian Qianxue asked, “Is it hard to control?”
Song Yue smiled, “With your current mental strength, controlling it is no problem.”
She pondered, then asked, “Are those aliens all mentally powerful?”
Song Yue sighed lightly, “Yes, their development of mental strength is far beyond our current Earth civilization, having evolved over countless eons. It’s normal they’re superior in this aspect.”
He then smiled and added, “But it’s nothing to worry about. Our cultivation talent is no less than theirs. No matter how strong they are, they still follow the path of cultivation.”
Qian Qianxue nodded, “Yes, we’re not inferior.”
Song Yue was somewhat surprised; she seemed more confident after emerging from seclusion.
He piloted the saucer swiftly to a starship parked near the sun. Qian Qianxue was amazed entering the huge vessel, feeling her little saucer was but a speck of dust entering a colossal steel planet.
“This starship is huge! They just gave it away? So generous!” she exclaimed.
Song Yue, keeping a clear head, avoided the topic and led her inside quickly, putting her into a virtual chamber.
Qian Qianxue probably didn’t yet know that one couldn’t fully bring real cultivation power into the virtual world. The alien high-tech equipment couldn’t perfectly manifest powerful cultivators’ divine abilities without preinputting all data.
Song Yue first showed her around the virtual world to familiarize her with its rules. Then he opened a private room, setting it to disallow spectators.
He proudly explained, “I’m very famous in the virtual world. If I allowed spectators, the room would be instantly packed, ruining our private time.”
“Private time my foot!” Qian Qianxue rolled her eyes.
On the virtual arena, as she tried various skills, she awkwardly found many divine abilities that were effortless in reality were hard to conjure here.
She had chosen the virtual world to freely display her powers, only to realize she had been naive.
Seeing Song Yue’s mischievous grin, she scolded, “Did you know this all along?”
“Know what?”
“That the virtual world can’t fully show real cultivation?”
Her bright eyes fixed on him. “You’re just afraid of losing to me!”
Qian Qianxue was turning mischievous! Where was her social anxiety?
Song Yue denied it and said, “Only in such an environment can your true level be tested. When I fought someone using a mech, they used cultivation magic through it.”
Qian Qianxue nodded, “Alright, I’ll try!”
They began sparring.
As expected, Qian Qianxue was soundly defeated. Not because she was weaker than Chen Musheng, but because she knew too little about the virtual world. And having just entered the Pill Gathering Realm, her control over that level’s energy was still immature and needed time to adjust.
So rather than a spar, it was more like Song Yue teasing her—hugging, holding her close, whispering in her ear.
Qian Qianxue soon grew exasperated, her face flushed with embarrassment and anger.
But she didn’t give up. Determined, she resolved to show Song Yue a thing or two.
Finally, she unleashed a genuine divine ability—the Taiyi Five Thunder Technique!
A lightning bolt descended from the sky, striking Song Yue.
This thunder technique was reputed as the strongest offensive divine art. Its terrifying power was beyond Song Yue’s speed, which couldn’t surpass light.
Thus, Song Yue suffered a tragic defeat.
More precisely, he was too overjoyed playing around and didn’t expect Qian Qianxue to really form lightning in the virtual world.
Such comprehension in so short a time!
Crack!
The massive lightning shattered Song Yue’s protective qi shield, then struck his head.
He was stunned.
After leaving the virtual chamber, Qian Qianxue noticed Song Yue’s pale face and low spirits and felt concerned.
“Virtual world… dying there doesn’t really affect you much, right? You have such strong mental power; why do you look like this?”
Song Yue glanced at her weakly: “I adjusted your perception to the lowest, so you barely felt anything, but I didn’t.”
“You… didn’t?”
Qian Qianxue was shocked, her eyes reddening as she trembled, “So you really took that lightning strike for real?”
Song Yue nodded, “Yes, but most of the power was absorbed by my protective qi, and my body is tough enough…”
Qian Qianxue’s tears welled, and she came close, apologizing, “Sorry, I didn’t expect…”
Song Yue smiled warmly, pulling her into an embrace and inhaling the fragrance of her hair: “It’s not as bad as you think. It’s partly my fault—I provoked you, so getting hit by lightning was just an early experience. Now I’ve got the feel for it…”
“Talking nonsense…” she said, not struggling against his embrace.
Thinking, “Was that provocation? No, that was teasing—otherwise, why would I get mad?”
After a while, Song Yue released her and said, “But seriously, that thunder technique is terrifying and lightning fast! It’s far more powerful than my Thunder Fist.”
Qian Qianxue asked, “So you won’t get hit like that again?”
Song Yue grinned, “As long as you want!”
“Yeah, right!” she rolled her eyes.
He worried she might be concerned because that strike had made him feel death itself. The Taiyi Five Thunder Technique was many levels beyond his Thunder Fist. If he could integrate it into his combat system, his attacks would become even more fearsome.
Song Yue would definitely study it seriously after returning.
On the way back, Qian Qianxue took the helm of the saucer since she was unfamiliar, causing a longer stay in space. Upon returning home, night had fallen.
The saucer silently landed in Qian Qianxue’s courtyard. Song Yue planned to chat briefly before flying off in his other saucer when a woman emerged from the villa—a woman in her early thirties, very beautiful and dignified, though her sharp gaze gave a somewhat stern impression.
She was the kind of stunning but formidable woman.
Qian Qianxue was surprised; her mother rarely came to visit. Facing her mother, the slight social anxiety Song Yue never felt around her reemerged.
The woman was equally surprised to see her daughter with a handsome stranger and that strange high-tech flying saucer behind them.
No wonder she couldn’t find her earlier; she had sneaked out to play! And that vehicle was so flashy!
Qian Qianxue was speechless. Song Yue had to speak, partly to protect her and partly out of courtesy.
“Auntie, hello, I’m Song Yue,” he greeted politely.
Liu Qinyin nodded, “I know who you are.”
“Sorry for the trouble; I was teaching Qianxue to pilot the saucer,” Song Yue explained politely.
Liu Qinyin was speechless. Kids these days… so sly! The excuse was too good to be true—teaching her to pilot a saucer! Why not say you gifted her one?
But to be fair, Song Yue was handsome, respectable, and his master was impressive. Normally, dating one’s daughter would be no big deal; elders went through this too. The problem was that he was so troublesome!
As a Qian family member, she had extensive information sources and knew that recent sensational events shaking China and the world were all related to this young man. If he were alone, fine, dating was normal, but he had dragged her daughter into his madness!
As an observer, she might think Song Yue was promising; as a woman, she found him charming; but as a mother, she was constantly worried. What if her daughter got hurt? The Qian family had strength in the cultivation world, but in emergencies, who would she turn to for her daughter’s safety?
She hesitated and tried to soften her tone: “It’s alright, just try to inform your elders next time…”
She then looked at Qian Qianxue: “Remember to let your mother know when you go out!”
Qian Qianxue finally relaxed, afraid her mother might have scolded Song Yue harshly like she often did to her. Such stern expressions were hard to bear.
Song Yue smiled and nodded, “Okay, auntie, I’ll remember. If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave now.”
“Alright, I won’t keep you for dinner then. It’s hard to explain your sudden appearance,” Liu Qinyin said.
Song Yue waved his hand, and another identical saucer appeared on the lawn. He waved to Qian Qianxue, entered, and quickly ascended.
Liu Qinyin looked at the saucer in the yard with surprise and asked her daughter, “What’s that?”
“Mine,” Qian Qianxue’s eyes sparkled with a hint of pride.
Although Earth had encountered alien civilizations for many years and possessed advanced extraterrestrial technology, flying saucers like this were extremely rare. Even the powerful Qian family had only one, treasured and seldom seen, let alone piloted.
Liu Qinyin was stunned and speechless for a long while before asking, “Did he give it to you?”
“Yes,” Qian Qianxue replied.
Liu Qinyin fell silent again, then said softly, “Such a precious thing… you just accepted it?”
Qian Qianxue thought for a moment, “I’ve also given him gifts!”
“...”
Liu Qinyin’s head throbbed. Her silly daughter probably didn’t understand the value of that gift. And Song Yue giving a flying saucer? Who could resist that?
She was about to say something when Qian Qianxue walked indoors, saying, “Mom, if you want to talk, come inside.”
Her mother was bewildered but followed.
In the living room, Qian Qianxue sat on the sofa, looking at her mother in the armchair. She hesitated but finally spoke her long-held thoughts.
“Mom, I’ve grown up. I know right from wrong. Please don’t worry too much about me. My relationship with Song Yue… is not what you think. We’re probably closer than good friends but not lovers yet.”
Qian Qianxue wasn’t entirely sure and added, “He hasn’t confessed to me yet!”
Liu Qinyin wanted to cover her face. That silly girl! She didn’t realize that by saying this so plainly to her fearful mother, she was already deeply involved.
Her mother refrained from interrupting, knowing that despite thinking her daughter was not outstanding and somewhat foolish, she had to cherish this moment of openness. If she crushed her now, she might never open up again.
“And there’s something I can’t tell you… I might leave this world.”
Qian Qianxue struggled to phrase it gently, her exquisite face showing a particularly sweet expression.
Liu Qinyin was shocked, “What? Leave this world?”
Qian Qianxue paused, then quickly explained, “Not what you think. I’ll most likely enter the cultivation world…”
Liu Qinyin looked incredulous and frowned, “Did Song Yue influence you? The cultivation world? What cultivation level do you have to enter it?”
Qian Qianxue looked at her mother and softly asked, “Mom, have I ever made you proud?”
Liu Qinyin, ready to scold, was suddenly speechless. She had hoped her daughter had matured and wouldn’t be scolded like a child anymore. But this caught her off guard.
“I haven’t…”
“You have.”
Qian Qianxue calmly looked at her mother, “Do you know my current realm?”
Liu Qinyin was truly anxious. If her daughter had shouted or acted hysterically, she wouldn’t worry. But this mature demeanor showed she had truly grown up.
Watching her daughter, she realized she had not paid enough attention over the years, assuming her daughter was average except for her looks, which might become a burden without matching intelligence or emotional skills.
Now, she felt she might have been too hasty in judgment.
“When I say I’m leaving the mortal world to enter the cultivation world, it has nothing to do with others…” She could not say Nine Realms to outsiders, only “cultivation world.”
Qian Qianxue looked at Liu Qinyin seriously: “I’ve already gathered the Golden Core. Under mortal heavenly laws, at Nascent Soul stage, one must leave.”
“That day is not far.”
She gazed earnestly: “I’m telling you now to prepare your heart, so you won’t be devastated when the day comes…”
Liu Qinyin was stunned, finally asking, “Is all this related to Song Yue?”
Qian Qianxue sighed, “Mom, can’t it just be because I’m good? Why don’t you have faith in me? Of course, it’s related to him. The cultivation methods I use were given by him, the pills I use to advance were gathered by him, and Wen Rou’s refining…”
She added, “By the way, Wen Rou should soon enter the Pill Gathering Realm too.”
Liu Qinyin was utterly dumbfounded.
Pill Gathering… such a distant realm!
Most outstanding young disciples in the Qian family were just foundation-building and dreaming of the Unification Realm, yet her seemingly foolish daughter had already gathered the Golden Core.
It felt surreal.
Liu Qinyin looked at her daughter, suddenly strange and unfamiliar.
She confirmed again, “Really… gathered the pill?”
…
At the Wen family.
Wen Rou was currently acting coquettishly toward her great-grandfather.
The Wen patriarch was over 120 years old, with white hair but a youthful face, looking very robust.
He doted on Wen Rou and often asked after her when she hadn’t visited for some time: “Where’s our little Rou? Has she forgotten her old grandpa because she has a boyfriend?”
Therefore, Wen Rou was much cherished at home, the complete opposite of Qian Qianxue’s neglected position in her family.
Children raised in such contrasting environments often differed greatly: confident and happy but sometimes immature and fragile, or, as with Wen Rou, strong and emotionally intelligent from early childhood.
Beneath her cute exterior was a heart full of high emotional intelligence.
She was currently coaxing the patriarch to take a pill she had just refined—a special gift for the family ancestor. She had informed her brother, and Song Yue had no objections.
Unexpectedly, the patriarch refused.
“Ancestor, don’t you trust my skills?” Wen Rou teased, making the old man laugh.
“Oh, our little Rou has become a craftsman? Though I’m over a hundred, I’m still sharp,” he said, looking at the delicate small porcelain bottle on the table with some emotion. “You’re growing up fast. Everyone must age. That pill... is extraordinary. Give it to me; it’d be a waste otherwise!”
The patriarch had spent his life in medicine, skilled but somewhat weak in cultivation, never reaching foundation-building, stopping at the ninth level of qi nurturing.
In his words: “Not cut out for cultivation. Forcing resources only produces a mongrel. Living so long to outlive offspring, what’s the point?”
He knew the pill inside the bottle was top-grade. He had heard that Wen Rou had been busy refining pills lately, despite hearing occasional disparaging remarks like “A young girl running off to others is not good,” or “Stop fooling with cultivation pills and focus on medicine.”
Whenever he heard such gossip, he scolded it—no respect for those meddling in his family’s affairs.
As long as the child did well, the rest was irrelevant.
So the rumors stopped.
The Wen family atmosphere was much better overall than the Qian family.
Wen Rou poured a soybean-sized pill into her palm and presented it proudly to the patriarch: “Not wasteful! Who dares say so, I’ll beat them! I’m about to gather the Golden Core. Few at home can beat me!”
“Hey, look at you, talking about gathering the pill… Hm?” The patriarch was stunned, asking, “Did you just say you’re about to gather the Golden Core?”
“Yes!” Wen Rou said proudly, lifting her delicate face. “So, there will be many more pills refined by a Golden Core expert. Ancestor, will you take them?”
The patriarch took the pill with satisfaction: “Of course! Our family has produced a formidable Golden Core expert. I’m happy! I’ll live a few more years!”
That night, the Wen patriarch successfully foundation-built, shaking the entire family.
The next day, the Wen family’s current head, Wen Rou’s parents, brought thick gifts and visited the Song family.
At the gate, they met the Qian family heads and Qian Qianxue, who were also bearing gifts.
The six were stunned, exchanging glances before looking at their children.
Wen Rou and Qian Qianxue exchanged smiles.
A few days later, a wind swept through the capital, and countless people flocked to the Wen family seeking medicine, so many as to nearly break down the gate.
At the Qian family, attitudes toward Qian Qianxue reversed completely, their enthusiasm almost overwhelming her, forcing her to hide at Wen Rou’s house.
The Song family was no option—too many people came there.
Even Song Yue initially didn’t understand why he suddenly became so popular, as if overnight.
Later he realized it was due to Qian Qianxue and Wen Rou’s rapid breakthroughs. Once the families knew, they couldn’t keep it secret.
Having prodigies was worth bragging about; it was human nature.
Such exposure also greatly enhanced the family’s reputation and status.
According to rumors, neither family explicitly said Qian Qianxue had gathered the Golden Core; they only said she and Wen Rou had entered the Unification Realm, already impressive enough.
Anyone paying attention knew that the Wen family’s Wen Rou and the Qian family’s Qian Qianxue had been closely associated with Song Yue recently. Plus, Song Yue’s master had ascended.
Thus, Song Yue became a local celebrity.
As Song Yu joked: “He can debut right here.”
Song Yue felt helpless. He had toppled the Li family, intimidated the West, and shook the aliens, yet none of those feats brought him the attention a single foundation-building pill did.
People cared most about matters connected to themselves.
Since the Wen patriarch’s foundation-building, the Chinese cultivation circle was thoroughly shaken. The Li family’s collapse quickly faded from attention.
Song Yue suddenly became sought after. No longer a crude martial artist, but a polite, handsome young man. Many powerful families set their eyes on him.
Rumors said both the Wen family’s little pill master and the Qian family’s pride had taken an interest in Song Yue. The two families even fought over him!
The rumors were detailed enough to make Song Yue admire their imagination.
That day, when the two families went to the Song household together, the initial atmosphere was awkward, but Xiao Mei’s extensive business experience and high emotional intelligence quickly smoothed things over.
Afterward, Xiao Mei and Song Yu pressed Song Yue: “Which of the two girls do you like?”
Song Yue was helpless: “We’ve been flirting for so long, and you still ask who I like? Clearly, you have ulterior motives! Trying to marry both?”
“My mother and sister are too much!”
The New Year arrived amid this light and joyful atmosphere. Song Yue went out to buy fireworks and early on New Year’s Day, went downstairs to a designated area to set them off.
After lighting them, a child following his father watched with wide eyes as Song Yue casually pointed, and the fireworks exploded.
The child was stunned and kept pointing at his own fireworks, which of course didn’t go off, causing him to wail in frustration.
Song Yue grinned and turned to go back to make dumplings with his family.
Qian Qianxue was to come over soon, making him happy.
Turning, he saw a young woman standing not far away, like a fairy stepping out of a painting.
She wore a long pale pink dress, a red ribbon tied at her waist, her hair in a bun. The sleeves barely covered her shoulders, revealing skin as delicate and white as lotus roots.
Song Yue’s first thought: “Is she crazy? In the middle of winter? Isn’t she cold?”
Then he realized no one but him could see her.
She was a powerful cultivator!
The woman approached, bowed slightly with a radiant smile: “Greetings, Young Master Koi.”
Song Yue felt himself drawn into another dimension. He frowned slightly, not wanting his mood disturbed during the New Year.
“Juding Sect?”
The woman nodded and said, “Koi is here to inform you that our sect leader said…”
After speaking, she bowed again and gracefully departed.
Song Yue stood there, somewhat disheveled by the wind, wondering why the great sect he had defeated so many disciples from suddenly changed stance.
But if it was true, it wouldn’t be bad!
They could have a good New Year.
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