Chapter 1041 - While The Rich Wine And Dine
Yang Chen wasn't about to let her get a hit off. With speeds faster than lightning, he grabbed the broom from her and used it to slap her right cheek!
"Ouch!" the woman screamed.
She staggered onto the floor while holding her numb cheek. With a dizzy head, she got up and pointed at Yang Chen.
"Somebody please come! He hit me! Come out here!" She shouted.
The people in the house quickly dashed out at her pleas. Based on the commotion, they knew that something had gone wrong.
After a short while, three tall and grouchy men ran out of the door with a frivolous middle-aged woman.
"Sister Hua! What happened to you! Who are they?!" A bearded man asked her.
Sister Hua cupped her cheek while wailing, "It's all their fault! The little wretches! They invited these troublemakers in. They're accusing us of child labor and they hit me when I tried to teach them a lesson!"
"Damn it, how could they do this! Let's get them!"
The buff man roared and charged towards Yang Chen with two others behind him!
However, they had underestimated Yang Chen's abilities. With the broom, he knocked their ankles and they all fell down immediately!
Yang Chen tossed the broom and lifted the man up by gripping his collar
The man broke out into cold sweat when his feet left the ground. How was it possible for Yang Chen to do this? He was over two hundred pounds!
"Bro...brother, forgive me! Forgive me!"
The little girls lifted their heads warily and they stared at Yang Chen with glinting eyes, realizing that Yang Chen had defeated them singlehandedly.
The boys watched him anxiously while the other woman typed on her phone secretly as if she was trying to send a message out.
"Shut up!"
Yang Chen was getting impatient and he threw the man down. The man rolled away immediately, not daring to move any nearer.
Yang Chen said flatly, "Stop shouting and tell me, where do the kids come from?"
The plump woman turned docile when she realized Yang Chen was a formidable opponent. She retreated far behind before replying to him, "Sir...don't misunderstand. We...we are not bad people..."
"Huh," Yang Pojun said with an authoritative voice. "Bold of you to call yourselves good guys. Are they really willing to work?"
The back of their hair stood up, feeling intimidated by his attitude. A retired commander was still a commander in the past.
"Sir, we really aren't bad guys...these kids have parents and they left them in our care. Their parents asked them to work. We're just taking care of them on their behalf..." Sister Hua sounded wronged.
"How is that possible! No parents would let their children sell expired mooncakes. Also, you abused them, we saw their wounds!" Guo Xuehua widened her eyes out of indignance.
The men and women's faces fell whereas the children shrank by the side, not daring to say anything.
At this moment, the sound of emergency breaks could be heard from outside.
A truck and a minivan stopped outside with the words 'Law Enforcement' stuck on it!
Soon, six men ran out of the car dressed in the Law Enforcement uniform. Each of them was holding a stun baton with frowns on their face.
The leading man was a bald one. He glanced over Yang Chen and others before landing his gaze on Lin Ruoxi.
"What's going on?! I heard that someone trespassed and is wreaking havoc here?!"
"Hubby! Save me!"
The other woman rushed forward and hugged his arm. She pointed at Yang Chen while chiding, "It's them. They barged in and he even hit Sister Hua and others. They even accused us of child labor!"
The bald officer snickered. "How dare you! Who do you think you are? How dare you accuse others of breaking the law? You're breaking the law! This is trespassing!"
Yang Chen finally understood it now. No wonder they dared to do this. They had an officer backing them!
Guo Xuehua exchanged gazes with Yang Pojun and they were both equally furious. Compared to Yang Chen, they were extremely infuriated to see this happen in Beijing.
Even though Lin Ruoxi was furious, she knew she wasn't of any use so she stood behind Yang Chen and glared at them coldly.
"Hah, I'm pretty sure you guys are law enforcement officers, not police officers. How dare you sound so bold when they've committed child trafficking and child labor? Are you in charge of Beijing?"
"Hehe." The bald man smirked. "Are you guys from somewhere else? You should not meddle in other people's business. I, Liu Yue, am the most powerful person here!"
"Oh, you're Liu Yue. Why aren't you called Liu Chan? You should have been aborted. Tsk tsk, what a shame that you mom wasted nine months on someone like you." Yang Chen shook his head.
"You bastard did you just insult me?! Let me tell you something! Don't think you can talk law with me just because you're educated. I'll be honest with you, you can sue me all you want and I won't even tremble! These children are left in their care by their parents. It has nothing to do with us! The things that they were asked to do, their parents should be held responsible for this, not us! We did nothing wrong!" Liu Yue said cockily.
Yang Chen and the others didn't believe it when Sister Hua said the children weren't abducted but when Liu Yue said the same thing, they became puzzled.
Guo Xuehua furrowed her brows. "Are you guys kidding me? The kids look around seven to eight years old, which is the elementary school age. How can their parents leave them to work here!"
"I don't care if you believe us! You guys should leave this place. We aren't easy targets if you dare to fight us. No one would dare to say anything if we incapacitate you guys and put you in jail!" Liu Yue said with a vicious gaze.
"How dare you! I don't believe it, how can a law enforcement officer be so powerful!"
Yang Pojun was furious. He had been a soldier for years and when fury took over him, he could no longer hold himself back in the face of tyrants.
While growling, Yang Pojun dashed forward and landed a kick on Liu Yue's chest!
Even though he wasn't a master and had not participated in hand-to-hand combat in years, he still managed to knock Liu Yue down.
"Boss! Are you okay?!"
Liu Yue covered his chest and he said in an exasperated manner. "What are you guys doing! Finish him!"
The other officers finally snapped out of it and they raised their stun batons at Yang Pojun!
Yang Pojun seemed to be struggling as the five people surrounded him with their stun batons.
Guo Xuehua was getting anxious and she gripped Yang Chen's shoulder. "Son, don't just stare! Help him!"
Yang Chen didn't expect Yang Pojun to be so righteous, to the point that he would fight the officers for the children. He chuckled at Guo Xuehua's words and said, "Don't worry, he won't get hurt when I'm here. He might think of me as a hindrance if I helped him."
"You guys are truly father and son! Both of you are equally stubborn!" Guo Xuehua scolded him.
At this time, Yang Pojun's wounded arm throbbed suddenly!
Just as Yang Pojun paused because of the pain, the stun batons came close to his head!
Yang Chen's reflexes were quicker than him and he managed to block the batons with his arm before it hit Yang Pojun's head!
Naturally, nothing happened to Yang Chen's arm.
Yang Chen said nothing and he grabbed one of the batons to whip the officers with it!
Chapter 1042 - The Poor Die Of Cold
All his punches landed on their lips, knocking off their teeth in the process!
Yang Pojun broke out into cold sweat. He hadn't fought in years and he almost got hurt because of his wound.
Yang Chen had already taken care of everything by the time he realized what was going on. He was both relieved and conflicted at the same time to see this.
It was impossible for him to thank Yang Chen. After all, weren't his injuries because of him?
Fortunately, Yang Chen wasn't even expecting his gratitude as he did it for the sake of Guo Xuehua.
Liu Yue almost peed himself when his subordinates were all knocked down by Yang Chen in one fell swoop.
As for Sister Hua and her gang, they had retreated to a corner of the property.
The children looked up to him in awe when they witnessed his abilities.
Yang Chen pointed to Liu Yun's chin with the stun baton. "What happened? I suggest you tell me everything. We have our ways of extracting the truth. If you lie, I'll cave your head in. I believe that you're the leader here but I'm sure you won't dare to risk your own life..."
Having said so, Yang Chen patted Liu Yue's bald head with the baton.
Liu Yue could clearly feel the icy chill from Yang Chen which was starting to seep through his bones.
"I...I'll tell you...I'll tell you everything..."
Cold sweat beads formed on his forehead.
It turned out that the children's parents were farmers from other places.
In a well-developed city like Beijing, it was hard for them to get a permanent job. Their children couldn't even be registered residents. Due to a lack of contraceptives, they gave birth to many children.
They were poor and homeless. Schooling wasn't even an option if they couldn't put meals on the table.
Even though some of the kindergartens allowed the enrollment of children from such families, how would they afford it?
So the parents were left with no choice but to leave their children here.
The residents here mostly get some simple jobs from the small scale factories nearby.
They also dealt with morally grey businesses. For example, selling expired mooncakes, low-quality clothes or stock clearance.
As for the plastic bags and paper boxes, the factories nearby passed it to the kids to organize it since it was an easy job.
Their parents would get some money out of it and their children could sleep and eat here. It was a way to survive.
Well, obviously since the parents were desperate to leave their kids here, it would mean that the people here could do anything to them. They had the right to scold or hit them.
It can be said that even though the adults benefited from it while the children suffered on their behalf.
It wasn't a rare sight here since there were at least a dozen houses that were doing the same thing.
Law enforcement officers like Liu Yue and the others chose to keep things hidden in order to earn bribes from the factories and local residents.
Guo Xuehua and Lin Ruoxi were on the verge of tears as they listened to Liu Yue.
The children were suffering from malnutrition and were constantly surrounded by smelly plastics. This was basically poisoning their future!
"Big brother and sister, it really isn't our fault. If it wasn't for us, they couldn't have lived till now. Even if they are facing hardships now, it's still better than death!" Liu Yue muttered softly.
"Shut up!!"
Guo Xuehua's eyes were red with fury and with dewy eyes, she yelled at him, "How could you say such a cruel thing!"
"Big sister! It's not our fault. We didn't do it..." Liu Yue pulled a long face.
"Keep bullshitting and I'll tear your mouth apart." Yang Chen threatened him.
Liu Yue covered his mouth.
Lin Ruoxi wiped her tears before walking to Xiao Jia. She bent down and held her hand to roll her sleeves up.
A pained smile formed on her lips when she saw her scarred arm. "Your name is Xiao Jia, right?"
"Mmh." Xiao Jia nodded.
"Do you guys always get hit? Where have they hit you? Tell me. Don't worry, you don't have to be afraid."
Xiao Jia glanced over at Sister Hua and her gang before turning to look at Yang Chen who was calm and composed. She mustered her courage and lifted her shirt while turning around.
They could see terrifying whip marks on her back and there were even bloodstains on her undergarment!
Xiao Jia pulled down her shirt and turned around to face them, "If we fail to sell the things or if we couldn't finish our work, we wouldn't get any food and we would also get beaten up."
"Scums...such scums..." Yang Pojun cursed. "I never would've thought this kind of thing would happen in Beijing. Wouldn't it be worse in other places?!"
Guo Xuehua was worried too and she sounded disappointed with herself. "I've been doing charity work for a long time but I can't believe I was so uninformed about my hometown."
Lin Ruoxi who had been quiet for a while held Xiao Jia's hands. "It must have hurt a lot, to be beaten up so badly..."
Xiao Jia shook her head and answered frankly. "It only hurt a little. I couldn't eat anything so I was starving..."
"How can it only hurt a little when you're bleeding?"
"It really doesn't hurt." Xiao Jia lowered her head.
Yang Chen sighed from the side. "Ruoxi, she's telling the truth. She really doesn't think it's painful."
"What do you mean?" Lin Ruoxi and Guo Xuehua looked over with a curious gaze.
Yang Chen's facial expression was hard to read and his gaze was dark.
"If you're subject to beatings every day, it'll eventually become a normal thing to experience. It'll feel like a daily routine like eating and sleeping. Who feels pain while they sleep or eat?"
Yang Chen gave a self-deprecating laugh while saying this. Didn't he share the same past, being filled with pain all the time? If it wasn't for this incident, he would never bring up the memory once again.
It felt as if he was back to the training field in Siberia. A skinny abused kid who was struggling to survive in the unforgiving wasteland that was Siberia.
Guo Xuehua, Lin Ruoxi, and even Yang Pojun realized he was talking about his personal experience.
Guo Xuehua was stirred up the most. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her heart and she trembled while sobbing, "Yang Chen...it's all Mom's fault..."
Lin Ruoxi bit her lip, not daring to look at Yang Chen's smile.
Yang Pojun watched from the side silently and his fists had tightened unknowingly. His eyes were filled with pain when he noticed the children's confused faces.
It suddenly dawned on Yang Chen that his words caused his mom and wife to feel a grieving pain. He grinned and said, "Why are you guys crying? I'm doing fine now. Isn't there a proverb that says no pain no gain? If I wasn't beaten like a dog, how would I beat others like a dog?"
"How can you joke about these things?!" Guo Xuehua wiped her tears.
Yang Chen shook his head while chuckling before bending down to stroke a boy's head. It was the boy who talked to Xiao Jia earlier.
"Kiddo, what's your name?"
"I...am Liuzi." The boy replied to him with a soft voice.
Yang Chen nodded his head. "Liuzi, getting beaten up is a part of life. It's fine if you get beaten today but you must remember to never give up! You can return the favor when you are bigger and stronger! If someone bullied you today, you have to bully them tomorrow! I was beaten up by a lot of people when I was young too. They stole my food just because they were bigger and stronger than me. But when I was older, I beat them up to the point they could no longer eat! Remember, as long as you are alive, don't give up"
Chapter 1043 - No Need To Worry Sometimes
Liuzi was still young and even though he listened to Yang Chen attentively, it was difficult for him to process.
"Big brother, were you beaten up too last time?"
Yang Chen nodded firmly.
The boys' eyes glinted as if they had found hope. They were all looking forward to avenging themselves when they grew up!
Lin Ruoxi's heart warmed at the sight of her husband encouraging the kids. But at the same time, there was a burning hole in her heart.
"Xuehua, what should we do?" Yang Pojun returned to his senses and he started thinking about ways to solve this matter.
Guo Xuehua dried her tears before saying, "We can't let them go. Capture all of them and interrogate them. They have to be sentenced accordingly."
Cold sweat dripped down officers' foreheads when they heard that. They were so confident a moment ago.
"Big...big sister! Forgive us! We didn't kill anyone and we can't be fully blamed for this!" Liu Yue willed and begged.
Guo Xuehua snorted. "Relax, we'll capture everyone who's involved with this!"
Having said so, she turned to Lin Ruoxi. "Ruoxi, I remember that your company has some sort of mass media?"
Lin Ruoxi seemed to understand her intentions and she nodded while saying, "Mom, are you planning to let them report about this?"
"That's right," Guo Xuehua said. "Our clan might be powerful but interfering with the government is a different thing. For them to be punished, we need the government's help so that these children and their parents can be saved. The best way to do it is to let the media report about this. If that wasn't the case, God knows how long it would take."
Lin Ruoxi thought it made perfect sense.
This wasn't a hard thing to do but without the Yang clan's support, the government would have shut the news out before it was officially released.
With such strong support, the media could now report the dark underbelly of society without repercussions.
"We might be able to build orphanages and primary schools but we wouldn't have sufficient manpower. We will still need to rely on greater support." Guo Xuehua sighed. "Having witnessed so many disheartening things, it's becoming harder for me to let go of my work."
The rest listened to her in silence.
Guo Xuehua was the most experienced in taking care of things like this. Officers from various departments were summoned over and they searched through the district. Just as they had suspected, child abuse was a serious matter here.
Since Guo Xuehua and Yang Pojun grew up in Beijing, they were familiar with officials who would try to please them.
Even though the Yang clan's reputation was slightly affected by Yang Gongming's bloodline, it didn't really cause much damage because of their deep-rooted authority. They might look down at the Yang clan behind their backs, but they wouldn't dare to do anything in front of their faces.
The children were all sent over to the nearest orphanage and the staff from Guo Xuehua's charity organisation would send them necessities and also contact their parents in regards to their education.
Although Guo Xuehua was used to it, getting it done in a day was still a challenge.
The sky had already darkened by the time they bade goodbye to the children and made their way home.
Yang Gongming wasn't anxious from their late return since he had already received a call from them earlier on. He motioned the servants to serve dinner when he realized they were home. "Xuehua, you made the right choice. These children really needed your help." Yang Gongming complimented his daughter-in-law while sipping on alcohol.
Guo Xuehua forced a smile. "Father, it might be solved for now but I just can't feel at ease."
"Tell me, is there anything I could do to help you out?"
Guo Xuehua analyzed the situation for him. "I think the biggest problem is the wealth gap. Their parents came to the city to earn some money for their families but they couldn't even afford to raise their children. These outsiders don't have residency in Beijing so obviously their children would not have one either. They were raised in Beijing and the kids that they've met on the streets are well taken care of. They get to go to school. Their parents own a house and a car. They've been feeling inferior to them since young and if they grew up without proper education, proper background or even identity! They are still young now so they wouldn't think much about it, but by the time they understand the importance of this, it would be too late. There would be no future left for them."
Yang Gongming sipped his baijiu and nodded along silently.
"I can give them a place to stay and food to eat. I can also give them an opportunity to study but that's all I can help with. There are so many cities across the nation and it's not just Beijing. I'm sure this is happening in Zhonghai too. I just can't feel at ease at the thought of other children suffering in places that I've never been to." Guo Xuehua put down her chopsticks, having lost her appetite.
Lin Ruoxi bit her chopstick. "Now that Mom mentioned it, I'm reminded of Zhenxiu. She must have felt so hopeless back when she was a street vendor. She's a good kid. I heard from Yanyan that she used to be a delinquent but she turned over a new leaf afterwards. I'm worried about how society will treat them."
The atmosphere turned heavy suddenly.
"Dear, have a drumstick. The black-boned chicken smells so good. It's nutritious for you too!"
Yang Chen placed a drumstick into Lin Ruoxi's bowl while holding the other piece in his hand.
Lin Ruoxi would have glared at his heartless behavior. Nutritious my ass! How could he still have an appetite in such a gloomy mood?
Well, considering Yang Chen's words this afternoon, his behavior didn't seem weird at all.
It was normal. How would he feel anything from their suffering?
Maybe he was able to face it cheerfully because he had been in a much more despairing situation.
"Don't you have anything to say? Look at you enjoying your food." Lin Ruoxi asked.
Yang Chen mumbled, "It's only been less than two years since I got back. I know these things can't be changed easily. If you come across it, you can help. If you don't, you would never know. It's true that they have suffered a lot but there's plenty of children out there who are in the same situation. How can you help all of them?"
Yang Gongming's lips twitched. "You're really open-minded huh, are you trying to say that we're worrying too much?"
"That's not what I meant but I really don't have anything to say." Yang Chen turned to Guo Xuehua. "How about this? Mom, if you need money for your charity fund, I can lend some to you. I'll charge you a lower interest rate than the bank."
"Go away, who wants your money?" Guo Xuehua rolled her eyes at him in a joking manner.
When they were almost done with dinner, Yang Chen inched close to Lin Ruoxi and whispered into her ear, "Dear, I'm going out later to take care of something. I might be home late so you can sleep first if you're tired."
Lin Ruoxi contemplated for a while before saying, "You are going to find Sister Cai Ning right?"
Yang Chen was startled. "How did you know that?"
"You didn't want me to know where you were going and this is the only plausible reason," Lin Ruoxi gave him a side-eye. "Of course I'll sleep first when I'm sleepy. Who would wait for you?"
Even though she wasn't willing to accept it, she was also unable to stop him. She could only express her displeasure through her words.
Yang Chen stroked his hair with a silly grin. Cai Ning and Tang Wan probably wouldn't return to Zhonghai so early so he ought to give them the Bodhi pills tonight. Especially for Cai Ning who was now in the Xiantian phase. Perhaps tonight was going to be her breakthrough.
Chapter 1044 - Up Till Late Night
After dinner, Yang Chen headed straight to the Tang mansion.
Ever since the incident with Yan Buwen, Tang clan members had been terrified of Yang Chen and as a result, welcomed him with smiles on their faces.
Even though Tang Zheshen had passed away, the Tang clan was still the wealthiest of the four major clans. Their business empire was planted throughout the world. The loss of a political leader did not affect international business.
As for the inheritance of the clan, people were surprised to know how peaceful it turned out to be.
Tang Wan volunteered to give up the inheritance to Tang Huang, who had also kept his hands off of her Maple Group.
Well, Yang Chen's contributions to these changes were very present. As long as Yang Chen remained on Tang Wan's side, no one dared to oppose her.
Yang Chen ran to Tang Wan's mansion after dismissing the servants.
She was already waiting for him there since Yang Chen has already notified her of his arrival.
Once Yang Chen got into the mansion, he immediately noticed Tang Wan sitting on the sofa while looking at a tablet.
From the side, Yang Chen could see her bust under her wide collar. Even though she was wearing a purple lace bra, her breasts weren't fully covered. Few strands of hair were draped around her slender neck, emitting an alluring vibe.
Yang Chen almost gulped at the spectacles she was wearing. It made her exude an intellectual vibe while maintaining her seductive looks.
"You're here." Tang Wan looked up and smiled gently when she heard the doorknob turning.
"Why are you wearing glasses?" Yang Chen wondered if she was trying to seduce him.
"Oh, it has no prescription. It helps me stay focused." Tang Wan took off her spectacles and placed the tablet aside. She leaned on the sofa and smiled at Yang Chen with her head cocked to the side. "Lin Ruoxi didn't follow you?"
Yang Chen was puzzled at her question. "Why would she follow me?"
"Oh...I thought she would be worried about us being together."
With a bitter smile, he said to her, "You're exaggerating things. She's hostile towards you because you keep joking around her."
"I wasn't joking. If I was ten years younger. I would have ensured your divorce. I wouldn't want to be a mistress." Tang Wan bared her teeth.
Yang Chen walked forward and wrapped his arms around her waist. He lifted her easily and proceeded to throw her onto his shoulders!
"Hey! What are you doing! Aren't you supposed to help me with my cultivation?!" Tang Wan's face went scarlet.
Yang Chen spanked her perky butt, causing it to bounce in response.
"Who asked you to babble nonsense? It's still early now, we can still cultivate after your punishment."
Having said so, he strode upstairs.
For the following hour, they shared an intense lovemaking session on Tang Wan's bed.
Tang Wan was lying on the bed panting when Yang Chen patted her perky butt in a smug manner. "Don't be lazy, sit up and cultivate properly."
Yang Chen ignored her protests and he took out a Bodhi pill from the Sumeru ring before placing it next to her mouth.
Tang Wan was fascinated by it and she sniffed the pill in a playful manner. "It smells like herbs."
Yang Chen's lips twitched. "This was made by mixing all sorts of herbs, it couldn't possibly smell like butter right?"
Tang Wan swallowed the pill and sat up obediently with crossed legs.
Having trained and cultivated Yang Chen's scripture for a while now, Tang Wan's physical condition had improved significantly.
The Bodhi pill might be a low-quality pill but it was still a perfect tonic for Tang Wan who wasn't even in the Xiantian stage!
Yang Chen insisted on guarding her, worried that the spiritual energy backlash was too intense for her.
Ten minutes later, Tang Wan's meridians started to swell as expected.
The spiritual energy bounced around her meridians and Tang Wan frowned at the painful sensation of pricking needles.
"Stay focused. Direct the energy to your dantian by using your acupressure points as guidance." Yang Chen guided her nervously.
Compared to Rose, Tang Wan was struggling to follow his directions. Obviously her cultivation would increase greatly if she got through this phase but if something went wrong, she would suffer from a serious internal injury!
Tang Wan's skin started to turn red as more spiritual energy was used up, Yang Chen knew it was an indication that her capillaries were starting to rupture.
Having left with no choice, Yang Chen had to summon a surge of Heaven and Earth Restoration Energy to protect and heal her. Even though it was disadvantageous to her cultivation, slower progress was infinitely better than irreversible damage.
As a matter of fact, if it wasn't for the lack of time and his desperation, Yang Chen wouldn't have given them the pills now. It would've been safer to wait for another year.
Fortunately, Tang Wan forced herself to stay strong and she managed to preserve until her scripture was revolving in her body steadily.
Yang Chen breathed out in relief. Based on her current speed, she would need around three hours to absorb the pill fully and by then, she should be at the final phase of the Houtian stage.
It wasn't surprising since this pill was meant for cultivators in the Xiantian stage and the Soul Forming stage. If it wasn't for Yang Chen's protection and scripture, she wouldn't be able to survive this since her foundation wasn't solid enough.
Most importantly, a cultivator in the mundane world wouldn't even have gotten a chance to obtain these pills from Hongmeng.
With this in mind, Yang Chen became more resolute to look for ingredients. Well, he needed to master the Samadhi True Fire before being able to manufacture his own pills.
Now that Tang Wan was already feeling alright, Yang Chen decided to leave after whispering goodbye into her ears.
Tang Wan couldn't be bothered to react as she was deeply immersed in absorbing the spiritual energy and nourishing her meridians with it.
It felt as if her dead skin cells were being replaced with new ones and she could feel everything around her so clearly.
On the other side, Yang Chen arrived at the Cai clan rather quickly.
The Cai clan was more isolated since it was within the military zone. Yang Chen's car had a military sign so he didn't have to waste time at the security checkpoint.
Just when he was about to walk the main gate after parking his car, Cai Ning showed up.
He was startled to see her. "Ning'er, you've been waiting for me?"
Cai Ning shushed with her finger and beckoned Yang Chen over. "Follow me, let's go through the backdoor."
Yang Chen was puzzled. "What's wrong? Why should we go through the backdoor?"
Cai Ning closed the door carefully before saying, "We might bump into my mom if we walk through the front door. She will definitely talk to you and she just told my dad to bring me to your place for the Mid-Autumn Festival."
Yang Chen felt awkward but it wasn't unexpected. She could come if she wished as it wasn't his choice to decide. But then again, if she really showed up, their Mid-Autumn Festival wouldn't be a peaceful one.
Yang Chen sighed and gripped her hand. "Thank you for being so thoughtful."
She was always so meticulous.
Yang Chen knew she was doing this for his sake. She waited for him here because she didn't want to cause him trouble. She always knew what was best for him without him saying a word.
Cai Ning was abashed by interactions like this. She blushed and pursed her lips, unsure of what to say.
With Cai Ning's lead, they went into her room through the backdoor.
Yang Chen breathed in the scent in her room. "Ning'er, you're in the Xiantian stage right?"
He didn't mean anything from it. He was just asking this since he noticed it from the battle with Yan Buwen. However, Cai Ning completely misunderstood him.
Her face was flushed red and with her head sticking to her chest. Her next words had Yang Chen completely dumbstruck.
"You...do you want it today?"
Chapter 1045 - He Who Has Sailed The Seas
xYang Chen thought about it and finally remembered Cai Ning's master, Tang Luyi warned him that he had to wait until Cai Ning reached the Xiantian stage before he could take away her virginity.
Yang Chen himself had forgotten about it. He certainly did not think she would remember.
Cai Ning realized she had overthought things when she noticed his facial expression!
She was so embarrassed that she turned around to avoid his gaze. Her heart was thumping so fast it was as if she was talking to her crush.
Yang Chen chuckled while walking forward to wrap his arms around her slender waist. With a gentle voice, he said, "You don't have to be shy around me."
"I...I didn't mean it that way..." Cai Ning tried to justify herself.
"I know." Yang Chen played along. "I'm here today to pass you the pills. As for everything else, let's just go along the flow. You look like you're about to burst into tears."
"No!" Cai Ning felt extremely humiliated that she turned around and rebutted him with rosy cheeks. "I won't cry!"
Yang Chen thought her serious face looked really cute and he couldn't hold his laughter anymore.
Cai Ning became more ashamed. "You...don't laugh! Don't you dare laugh at me!"
Yang Chen spun her around and cupped her cheeks to peck her lips!
"Mmh...!"
Cai Ning widened her eyes in shock, trembling from the surprise.
Yang Chen sucked her lips for ten whole seconds before ending the kiss with a satisfied expression.
He chuckled when he saw her dazed and flushed face. "Alright, get onto the bed. It's time to get started."
Cai Ning was completely taken aback by the change of events and she nodded meekly before walking to her bed.
After taking some time to calm down, Cai Ning recovered to her normal state.
Yang Chen didn't really need to guide her since she was familiar with the theory and practices of cultivation.
He only needed to wait for the effects to take place and watch over her as she absorbed the energy.
The Bodhi pill had a rather apparent effect on her since she had just entered the Xiantian stage not long ago.
For Cai Ning, rich spiritual energy like this could cause her Xiantian True Qi to expand and solidify quickly in her Dantian.
Yang Chen did a rough estimation and he realized that Cai Ning could enter the Xiantian Full Cycle stage by consuming two Bodhi pills.
This showed that compared to possessing artifacts, medicinal pills were much more important to cultivators with a lower cultivation base!
Unfortunately, he only owned low-class pills. For someone like him who was in the Tribulation Passing stage, a high-class pill wouldn't be effective for him, let alone the Bodhi pills. Only the legend-class pills would be of any help to him.
However, he still had to get more pills to help speed up his lovers' cultivation.
From the looks of it, Bodhi pills could increase their cultivation base up to the final phase of the Xiantian stage. As for Rose and Cai Ning, they should be able to reach the Full Cycle easily.
They would probably enter the Xiantian at different times since it also depended on their talents. As for the Soul Forming stage, Yang Chen was willing to play by the ear since it wasn't easy to enter.
Anyhow, he couldn't possibly wait till they were in the Soul Forming stage before getting the pills. It would be too late by then.
Right when Cai Ning became completely focused on her cultivation, Yang Chen left another Bodhi pill in front of her and left the room without making any noise.
He was sure that with her talent, her True Qi should be sufficient to enter the Full Cycle stage by tonight.
Yang Chen checked his surroundings and made sure no one was around before teleporting to his car.
There were barely any stars in the sky when he made his way home under the full moon.
Back in their room in the Yang mansion, Lin Ruoxi had just finished her work and was stretching her body while remaining seated in front of the desk.
She looked up at the clock and realized that it was already 1 o'clock.
"Damn it, Yang Chen, I knew you wouldn't hold it in. I'm not going to wait for you anymore."
Lin Ruoxi mumbled and cursed at him, feeling the heaviness in her heart.
As time passed, she became immune to the existence of his lovers.
However, she did not intend for this to happen!
Lin Ruoxi knew she was a coward. She didn't have the guts, nor did she want to leave him. After all their quarrels and struggles, she still had deep feelings for him. It felt as if she was trapped in quicksand. The harder she struggled, the deeper she sank.
She could no longer retract her feelings and he had taken over her body too.
Somehow, by being with him, she could experience everything a woman ever wanted, except loyalty!
She resented and loved him at the same time.
However, a third person in marriage was a conflict that could never be resolved. She could forget about it but every time she thought about it, it gave her serious headaches.
Their agreement was supposed to end next March but she knew she wouldn't be able to change anything.
Yang Chen wouldn't leave the other women for her and she wouldn't leave him because of them.
In the end, this would turn into an unresolvable conflict.
Lin Ruoxi couldn't understand how women in Middle Eastern countries handled polygamy. How did they stand to be near each other all the time?
Her mind was filled with random thoughts and was interrupted by knocking sounds at the door.
Lin Ruoxi was startled at first but she brightened up eventually as she made her way to the door.
Her emotions quickly turned into astonishment when she realized who was by the door.
"Yang Chen...he isn't back yet?"
Yang Pojun was standing in front of the door with a smile!
Lin Ruoxi was taken aback and she was tongue-tied for a while. With a nod, she answered him,
"Not yet."
"Were you working?"
"Yea...I had to settle my work. I just finished it."
"Aren't you tired?"
"I...it's not that bad." Lin Ruoxi thought their conversation sounded weird.
Yang Pojun seemed very friendly. "Don't be nervous. I didn't come here to look for him. I came to talk to you?"
"Me?"
"Come out and take a walk with me. I'm just a father-in-law wishing to speak to my daughter-in-law."
Father-in-law and daughter-in-law?!
Lin Ruoxi doubted her own hearing for a second. It was impossible for Yang Pojun to say things like this.
Lin Ruoxi closed the door with a dazed expression before following Yang Pojun out to the backyard. The servants had mostly gone to rest so patrol guards would walk past them occasionally.
The backyard was so serene and chilly which made Lin Ruoxi regret not wearing a scarf.
Yang Pojun walked in front of her with a flat expression. Out of nowhere, she started to speak."I heard you took over Yu Lei International before graduating from university?"
Lin Ruoxi answered softly, having calmed down. "I finished my degree but not my postgraduate studies."
"That's fine. Nowadays a master's degree is required to become a government official in a lot of places. You're excellent. Even though I used to be in the military, I've always heard about your achievements which piqued my curiosity. I always wondered how a young female president managed to do so many things. I didn't expect you to become part of our clan at our first meeting."
Lin Ruoxi was overwhelmed by his compliments, not sure how she should answer him.
Yang Pojun didn't give her a chance to voice out and he continued to talk. "I never really got the chance to talk to you because of my relationship with Yang Chen. I know I did a lot of unpleasant things to the both of you and I'm sure that you're looking down on me secretly."
Lin Ruoxi shook her head hurriedly when she heard that. "No, I don't think about you that way."
Yang Chen turned around and he chuckled when he saw her serious yet anxious expression. "I said you don't have to be nervous. I believe you. You're not Yang Chen. He's always joking around."
Lin Ruoxi was kind of weirded out by his smile but at the same time, she felt more relaxed. "He's not always like that. He's sometimes really serious too."
Yang Pojun squinted his eyes and smiled, "Can I ask you something?"
"Please do."
"I would've never associated you with Yang Chen before this. You're such an excellent person. Why would you marry a flippant person like him?" The look of confusion on his face was so strong it was as if he had been troubled with this question for a long time.
Chapter 1046 -Does Not Think Much of Rivers
His question made her blush furiously.
Why did they get married? She couldn't possibly tell him that they had a one night stand after she was drugged at a bar!
Yang Pojun chuckled when he saw her struggle. "It's fine. It's not a big deal if you don't want to tell me."
"Thank you..." Lin Ruoxi let out a breath she did not know she was holding.
Yang Pojun said, "Ruoxi, I know this is shameless of me, but I'm still your father-in-law despite being a shameless one. I'm really sorry for that..."
Lin Ruoxi shook her head. "It's fine, everything is going well, isn't it? People make mistakes."
"Yeah. Humans are bound to make mistakes but mine lasted decades." Yang Pojun smiled bitterly. "It's an embarrassing story. Even though I married your mother-in-law when I was young, I still can't help but think that I was her second choice. From then on, I worked hard and tried to prove to her that I'm as good as, if not better than Ning Guangyao. Eventually, I lost sight of my goal. I became more obsessed with power and reputation, to the point that I would quarrel with Xuehua because of these things. If it wasn't for Yang Chen's appearance, I might still be trapped in that state. Even though he's a jerk, he helped me to get rid of my unhealthy obsession."
Lin Ruoxi was surprised to hear this. She didn't expect to hear this story from Yang Pojun.
She couldn't imagine Yang Pojun doing that at a young age, doing everything he could to have Guo Xuehua.
Well, at the end of the day, Yang Pojun was just a pitiful person who lacked self-confidence in his relationship.
"I've finally thought things through and I'm fortunate to have Guo Xuehua by my side. She hasn't given up on me so I have the chance to redeem myself." Yang Pojun smiled. "Sadly, it's impossible for me to patch things up with Yang Chen."
Lin Ruoxi blinked. "Why? He's not that narrow-minded he'll understand."
"You don't get it." Yang Pojun chuckled. "Guys are simple yet complicated. It isn't a communication problem. Plus, I don't like his style and he won't accept me as his father. Things are good right now."
Lin Ruoxi had nothing to say so she nodded in reply.
"I'm actually here to ask for a favor," Yang Pojun said with a stern face.
"A...favor?" Lin Ruoxi was puzzled.
"It's about Lie'er..."
"Yang Lie?"
"That's right." Yang Pojun continued, showing no signs of hesitation, "I heard from Xuehua that Yang Chen had made up his mind to kill Yang Lie. I know Lie'er is no match for Yang Chen."
A bitter smile formed on her lips. "You want me to stop Yang Chen?"
"I know this is too much to ask of you but I could only beg you as his father." Yang Pojun sounded crestfallen. "Lie'er is pitiful in his own way. I know he has committed lots of unforgivable mistakes but I just hope that Yang Chen wouldn't kill his own brother."
Lin Ruoxi sighed helplessly. "I want to help you too but it's impossible to change his mind when he has made a decision."
"That's why I can only beg. You're the only one who can stop Yang Chen..."
Lin Ruoxi's heart softened at his earnest expression. "I...can only promise you that I'll try. But, Yang Lie can't harm my husband or else I will want him dead too."
Yang Pojun smiled in relief. "It looks like you really love Yang Chen. I'm content to have your promise, it's all up to Lie'er now."
Lin Ruoxi nodded but she was secretly doubtful of Yang Lie's chances of survival.
Yang Pojun looked up to the sky and he watched the clouds float past with a dejected look.
"I've discussed with Xuehua, she'll follow you guys back to Zhonghai and I'll stay in Beijing. We might not meet so frequently."
Lin Ruoxi was surprised. "Mom is still going back with us?"
"Why? You don't like to stay with your mother-in-law?" Yang Pojun chuckled.
Lin Ruoxi shook her head hurriedly.
Yang Pojun said, "I know I don't have any right to ask you of this but please take care of Xuehua and Yang Chen. Yang Chen, in particular, might look like he doesn't need it but he needs it more than anyone else."
Lin Ruoxi was stumped for words. This man felt like a stranger to her suddenly.
"Alright, I'm turning into a naggy old man." Yang Pojun let out a self-deprecating laugh. "I'm going back now, you should rest soon."
Lin Ruoxi stared at his back as he made his way back. It took her a while before she could turn around and return to her room.
However, Yang Pojun and Lin Ruoxi weren't aware of Yang Chen's presence who was lying on top of the houses nearby while looking up at the night sky.
Lin Ruoxi returned to their room while rubbing her cold cheeks and was about to close the door when a silhouette popped up in front of her.
"Ah! Oh my God! When did you come back?!"
Yang Chen saw her pouting and he stroked her cheeks.
"I thought you wouldn't be back tonight." Lin Ruoxi shut the door while speaking to him.
"Would you have liked me to spend the night out?"
"At least I would've gotten some peace."
Yang Chen walked to the door and took off his clothes while smiling. "Come on, we've been together for so long, I know what's on your mind. Quickly wash up and sleep."
Lin Ruoxi wanted to say something but she gave up when Yang Chen had walked into the bathroom.
After they were done with washing up, Lin Ruoxi thought Yang Chen would do something to her but Yang Chen was just staring at the ceiling silently.
She realized then that Yang Chen had been acting odd but she couldn't quite put a finger on it.
At this time, Yang Chen turned around and asked her, "What's wrong? Why aren't you turning off the light? Do you still need to work?"
"Oh..." Lin Ruoxi snapped out of it and turned off the lights.
Once the light went out, all that was left was the rhythmic sounds of their breathing.
Some moments later, Lin Ruoxi finally realized that Yang Chen really wasn't planning to do anything.
"What are you thinking about?" Lin Ruoxi asked, no longer able to suppress her curiosity.
Yang Chen breathed out and turned around to pull Lin Ruoxi into his arms. "I'm thinking about life."
"Liar." Lin Ruoxi giggled.
His hands were so well-behaved today. He only placed them on her waist instead of her sensitive spots.
Lin Ruoxi could sense the load on his mind but he was unwilling to confess.
"Don't ask, just let me hug you to sleep."
"Mmh..."
The night passed by and it was the Mid-Autumn Festival when morning came.
Yesterday's incident didn't seem to affect their mood.
Lin Ruoxi followed Yang Gongming into the garden whereas Yang Chen hung out with Li Dun. However, the newlywed husband couldn't bear to leave his pregnant wife for a long time and he returned home before night time.
The Yang clan finally spent a proper Mid-Autumn Festival and after dinner, Yang Chen brought Lin Ruoxi to the carnival located in the city center.
Having spent a relaxing day yesterday, they returned to Zhonghai with Guo Xuehua after eating breakfast.
Lin Ruoxi was eager to go back to see Lanlan, obviously addicted to the feeling of being a mother.
However, they were bewildered to see what had happened in their house while they were gone.
Chapter 1047 - Can't Last Any Longer
There were three Mercedes Benz S600 parked in front of their villa which meant that their unexpected guest wasn't an ordinary person.
Well-built bodyguards with black suits and sunglasses stood next to the cars, bowing to them respectfully upon their arrival.
Yang Chen examined their faces and thought they didn't look Chinese. He tested his suspicions by asking in Korean, "Korean?"
One of the bodyguards nodded and said, "Mr. Yang, long time no see."
Yang Chen remembered who it was. Weren't they the same guys from the Starmoon Group, the ones who came to find Zhenxiu last time?
Just as he had suspected, the man he was looking for walked out the door.
Park Jonghyun was still as elegant as ever, wearing a casual black suit with a white shirt. He even had a black bowtie on with his hair combed back.
"Mr. Yang, President Lin, I heard you two will be coming back this morning."
Yang Chen shook hands with the 'pretty boy', whereas Lin Ruoxi nodded to him.
"Mr. Park, are you here for Zhenxiu?" Yang Chen raised one of his eyebrows and asked.
Park Jonghyun nodded with a bitter smile. "Grandfather can't last any longer and I've come here to persuade my cousin to return to Korea. It is his wish to see her before he dies."
"President Park Cheon...he isn't getting better?" Lin Ruoxi sounded sorry.
As a businesswoman, Lin Ruoxi was well aware of Park Cheon's influence in Asia as the founder of the Starmoon Group. He was a respectable person, who so happened to be one of the top ten billionaires in Asia.
Park Jonghyun sighed. "Grandfather was diagnosed with liver cancer and it's already the terminal stage. The cancer cells have spread throughout his body and if we hadn't spent a ton of money on life support, he would've passed away months ago."
Guo Xuehua said, "Let's talk about it inside."
Having been reminded by her, only then they make their way into the living hall.
Wang Ma and Zhenxiu were seated on the sofa. Zhenxiu's face was pale and when she noticed their entrance, she forced a smile. "Brother Yang, Sister Ruoxi, Aunt Guo, you guys are back."
"Zhenxiu, my dear, are you okay?" Guo Xuehua asked nervously.
Zhenxiu smiled while shaking her head. "I'm fine."
Wang Ma smiled bitterly. "You can't lie with a pale face."
Lin Ruoxi stroked her head and looked around before asking, "Wang Ma, where's Lanlan and Minjuan?"
Wang Ma replied to her, "I didn't want her to listen to this so I asked Minjuan to bring Lanlan out."
Lin Ruoxi nodded. Anything was fine as long as she wasn't taken away by her grandfather.
After everyone had sat down, Park Jonghyun faced Zhenxiu. "Zhenxiu, I know you might not be happy about it but I really hope that you can return to Korea with me. Starmoon Group and our clan need you. But our grandfather needs you the most. I'm sure grandfather will grant all your wishes if you're willing to return."
Zhenxiu stayed silent. She was still a mere university student and it was impossible for her to make a decision between her parents' grudge and her relatives' beckoning.
Park Jonghyun sounded helpless. "I know I can't persuade you with this. Grandfather might have made mistakes that you might not have forgiven him for. But this was his final request. Before my departure, Grandfather recorded a video of when he was still conscious. I brought it here so that you can look at it."
Having said so, Park Jonghyun got up to retrieve a CD from his subordinates before walking to the television to play it with the CD player.
The rest of them stay silent as they wait for the CD to play.
Soon enough, a frail old man appeared on the screen. Although he was lying on a hospital bed, they could see recognize the man who used to dominate the corporate world.
The dying man's voice was trembling as he spoke but it was still audible.
"My dear, Zhenxiu...I'm your grandfather, Park Cheon. I know I've let you down, I've let your father and mother down. But please, believe me, the loss of my dearest daughter haunts me day and night. I've been living in regret for the past twenty years, over the misjudgments that I've made. Perhaps this is my punishment. But I can't stop feeling remorseful towards you. I know you have been having a hard time in China but please, I beg of you, please come back to meet me for one last time. Starmoon Group belongs to your mother and I want to give it to you."
He was already in tears at the end of the sentence.
Even though he spoke in Korean, Zhenxiu was still able to understand it due to her mother's influence in her childhood.
Her eyes were red from the pain in her heart but tears wouldn't fall and she could only choke with sobs.
Lin Ruoxi gripped Yang Chen's arms and whispered to him. "Aren't you able to heal something quickly? Can't you save Mr. Park Cheon?"
Yang Chen gave a bitter smile. "I could if it were poison or something else. The cancer cells have spread throughout his body and they have damaged his organs. I could remove the cells but I can't remove his organs just to get rid of the cancer cells, right?"
Lin Ruoxi didn't really understand it. Her heart wrenched at the sight of Zhenxiu breaking down. "Then...what should we do? Wait, what about Miss Jane?! She's so smart, she must be a surgical expert, right?!"
Yang Chen sighed. "Jane is skilled but she's not a god. If it was an early or middle stage cancer, she might be able to do it. But there's no one in the world right now who can cure terminal stage cancer. If Jane could save him, she would've publicized the procedures to benefit the people. If that was really the case, no one would ever die from cancer, am I right?"
"I know...but...Zhenxiu..." Lin Ruoxi's eyes reddened and she looked at Zhenxiu with a pained gaze.
Yang Chen took a deep breath and sat next to Zhenxiu, wrapping his arm around her trembling shoulders.
Zhenxiu couldn't hold it in anymore and she burst into tears with her face buried in Yang Chen's chest.
The living hall fell silent. Wang Ma and Guo Xuehua were wiping their tears.
Yang Chen waited for her to calm down before stroking her back. "If you feel so strongly about this, go back to Korea. What the future holds can wait but you must at least meet him one last time.
Zhenxiu looked up with watery eyes. "I'm sorry...Brother Yang."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"You and Sister Ruoxi helped me so much, you sent me to school and I got into university but I have to leave so soon..."
Yang Chen chuckled. "Silly girl, fate brought us together and we did all this for your sake. Being the heir of Starmoon Group is much better than studying in university."
Park Jonghyun was thrilled to hear this. "Sis! You...are you really willing to go back?! That's great! Grandfather can finally feel at ease now!"
Zhenxiu showed him a faint smile. "That's all that I can do, as for the Starmoon Group, I definitely can't inherit it..."
"You don't have to worry about this, as long as you're willing to return to Korea, we will hire people to groom you. I'm sure with your intelligence and our bloodline, you will definitely be able to take over the group!" Park Jonghyun said excitedly.
Zhenxiu shrank at his glowing eyes.
Yang Chen clicked his tongue and glared at Park Jonghyun. "Why are you getting excited about it? I won't let her follow you back if you scare her."
Park Jonghyun scratched his head out of embarrassment. "I'm truly sorry, it's just that she means so much to us..."
Yang Chen thought it sounded weird but he couldn't quite point a finger at it so he said, "If you bully her, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth. Do you understand?"
Park Jonghyun was startled. Even though he knew it was a threat, he still smiled at Yang Chen. "Don't worry, Mr Yang. We will never mistreat her. She's the heir to our clan."
Chapter 1048 - The Destination Is Near
Zhenxiu's return to Korea was finalized. She had to leave immediately because no one knew how long President Park could last.
Fortunately, Zhenxiu didn't have to pack much. Anything she couldn't pack, the Starmoon Group would be able to provide over there.
The only thing left for her to do was hug them goodbye.
When it was Yang Chen's turn, Zhenxiu tiptoed and pecked his cheek which made him blush slightly.
"Why are you crying? It's just Korea and it's not that far," Yang Chen said with a smile.
Zhenxiu's eyes glinted with hope. "Really? Then you have to come and find me with Sister Ruoxi."
"You'd better not ignore us when you've become the heir to Starmoon Group." Yang Chen joked.
Zhenxiu pouted and said, "I won't do that. Who knows if you'll remember me over the many lovers that you have. You don't even go back home. I doubt you'll visit me in Korea."
Lin Ruoxi glared at Yang Chen at the mention of this and he smiled bitterly as a reply.
This girl, still trying to cause him trouble even when she was about to leave.
Anyhow, Lin Ruoxi didn't have the mood to do anything to him. She walked up to Zhenxiu and hugged her while saying, "I can't believe we're separating so soon. Always remember that this is your home. Remember to study well in Korea."
Zhenxiu nodded with a serious expression. She was choking with sobs, barely able to say anything. No words could truly describe the gratitude she felt towards them.
The things that touched her the most weren't money. It was the love and warmth that she felt staying there.
However, President Park Cheon didn't have a lot of time left, so Zhenxiu got in the car and left the Xijiao Villas with Park Jonghyun right after their farewell.
The atmosphere was kind of blue as they watched her leave.
Right at that moment, a white Land Rover stopped at the door and a crisp voice rang out from inside as the door opened up.
"Mommy!"
Lin Ruoxi was still feeling down but her face brightened at Lanlan's voice.
Lanlan jumped into Lin Ruoxi's arms from four meters away!
Lin Ruoxi had just opened her arms when Lanlan jumped onto her. If it wasn't for her training, she would have fallen flat onto the ground!
"Lanlan, did you miss me?"
"Yes! Lanlan wanted to go to Beijing to find you, but Granny Wang said no!" Lanlan felt wronged.
Yang Chen sulked at the side. Fine, she only missed her mom and not her dad. But then again, she still doesn't like me.
"You naughty girl. Didn't I tell you to listen to Granny Wang? Also, be careful next time, didn't Mommy tell you not to play like this?" Lin Ruoxi pinched her cheeks.
Lanlan hugged Lin Ruoxi's neck and pouted. "But Aunt Rose said I could play however I like."
"Aunt Rose?" Lin Ruoxi snapped out of it immediately. Right, Minjuan couldn't be the one who drove the car.
Just as she had expected, Rose got out of the driver's seat while chatting with Minjuan.
She was wearing a plain white T-shirt with skinny jeans. Her hair was tied up which made her look less amorous and more youthful. She was obviously dressed to play with Lanlan.
Yang Chen's eyes brightened when he saw her. Rose had reached a breakthrough?!
He could immediately sense it! Rose had reached the Xiantian stage in a matter of days!
With the effect of the Bodhi pills and her perception, her cultivation base did improve greatly!
Yang Chen was overjoyed to sense that her aura had surpassed the ordinary form of Xiantian stage, having a rather mystical one!
Obviously, her realm had surpassed the Xiantian True Qi's strength and with sufficient spiritual energy and time, she would be reaching the Full Cycle and entering the Soul Forming stage soon.
Rose caught Yang Chen's gaze and she winked at him cheerfully, aware that he had seen through her breakthrough.
Lin Ruoxi witnessed their interaction which obviously made her feel bitter about it.
"Miss Lin, you're back with Mr Yang. Lanlan has been playing with Miss Rose for the past few days. We just returned from the park." Minjuan grinned.
Lin Ruoxi nodded and gave a cold stare to Rose. "Thank you for bringing my daughter out to play."
Rose knew she didn't like it but she wasn't afraid of her. "Lanlan's very cute and it's been quite fun to bring her around since I've got nothing better to do. You're always busy with work and you don't have time to take care of her so I did it on your behalf."
Yang Chen hissed. That was really daring of her.
Cold aura seeped out of Lin Ruoxi's body and it felt as if their mansion was going to freeze over.
Yang Chen palmed his face. He couldn't help anyone since they would be spending a long time together and he couldn't possibly help them all the time. The least he could do was to pretend he heard nothing and console whoever had lost the fight.
Lanlan ignored all of it and giggled. "Mummy, Aunt Rose is so strong. She can throw me up into the air and jump up to catch me!"
Lin Ruoxi took a deep breath and stared at her daughter. "You did that with her?"
Lanlan could sense her displeasure and she played with her fingers while saying, "Can't I do that..."
"Of course you can't! What if you got hurt!" Lin Ruoxi almost coughed at her own words. It was technically impossible for Lanlan to get hurt!
Even so, Lanlan wasn't allowed to play with Rose, let alone play games that she wasn't able to do with her!
"You're a girl and you should play with girls' toys. Mommy will bring you out today to buy toys, dolls for the playhouse and giant plushies like your panda. You can't play with other people!" Lin Ruoxi tried to persuade her.
Lanlan looked at her with dewy eyes. "Mommy...Lanlan wants to play with big cars...remote-controlled cars."
"Yeah, I don't think Lanlan likes to play house," Rose interjected. "Lanlan, do you want me to buy you a train set?"
Lanlan nodded with a look of anticipation.
Lin Ruoxi gritted her teeth. She could no longer be bothered with gender differences. "Fine, Mommy will buy whatever you want, but you can't play with your other aunts without Mommy's permission!"
Lanlan nodded even harder and pecked Lin Ruoxi's cheeks. "Mommy is the best!"
Lin Ruoxi seemed to have sighed in relief and she cast a proud glance before going inside the villa with Lanlan in her arms.
Rose covered her mother and chuckled. She knew she couldn't turn Lanlan into her daughter. But teasing Lin Ruoxi was too fun to pass up.
Yang Chen didn't follow her and waited for the others to leave before walking to Rose.
He grabbed her hands and swung it while saying, "Not bad, Babe. You didn't slack off when I was not around. How does it feel to be in the Xiantian stage?"
Rose contemplated before saying, "How should I say this, everything feels new but I can't help but feel like there is a limiter on my abilities. I know I can do better but I can't seem to materialize it."
"It's because of your realm. I thought I was the only genius at cultivation but it turns out that my woman is the same as me. Tsk tsk, we're really the perfect match." Yang Chen sounded pleased.
Rose smiled at his words and said, "Aren't you afraid that your wife will punish you for standing with me?"
Yang Chen smiled bitterly. "Can't you see that she only has eyes for Lanlan? I bet she wouldn't even remember me until it's time for dinner. Let's go somewhere quiet. I want to look at your cultivation progress."
Rose was confused. "Do you really need to look at it? Is there anything else that I would need to keep in mind moving forward?"
They chatted as they made their way towards the hill where they usually trained.
"I don't mean it that way but there are differences between theory and practical applications. I have to guide you so that you can improve faster. I'll be going somewhere far soon and although there are guards and I can protect you by teleporting back, you would still need to be able to defend yourself."
Rose was surprised at his future trip. "Didn't you just return from Beijing, why are you leaving again?"
Yang Chen didn't have anything to hide from her so he told her everything. He began with the incident in Beijing, the fact that he was trying to master the Samadhi True Fire and that he was trying to look for the ingredients for pill concocting.
Chapter 1049 - No Wind, No Rain, No Sun
They had reached the hill after conversing for a little while.
Rose furrowed her brows. "In that case, how would you know where or what they are? Going at it blind is not efficient."
Yang Chen sighed. "I was thinking about this too, but you've tried the pill and you know that even though it's risky, it's worth the risk. I know someone who might be able to help me."
Yang Chen naturally meant Xiao Zhiqing. He had been meaning to find her but he couldn't do so since he had just come back from Beijing.
As for Lin Ruoxi's feelings, Yang Chen couldn't care less.
Rose didn't probe further.
The autumn wind was strong and chilly on the hill.
Rose stood onto a stone and her hair was blown with the wind.
"Hubby, how am I supposed to demonstrate it?" Rose asked.
Yang Chen pointed at his chest. "Try to attack me with your Xiantian True Qi. Do it however you feel comfortable."
"Wouldn't you get hurt?" Rose furrowed her brows.
Yang Chen chuckled. "Relax, it wouldn't have any effect on me."
Rose no longer hesitated when she heard that. While holding her breath, she started to summon her Xiantian True Qi from her body.
Suddenly, a blue cone made out of air fell on top of Yang Chen's head!
Yang Chen stayed still and waved his hands upwards, causing the True Qi to disperse!
Rose's True Qi belonged to the water element and it vanished from the air in the form of splashes.
"Is that it?" Yang Chen asked.
Rose seemed disappointed. "You're making me look weak. I used seventy percent of my True Qi to make that and you just waved it off."
Yang Chen rubbed his chin. "The 'dao' which you have grasped is useful. Your attack was so sudden and it looked like it appeared from nowhere. Besides, it also has a strong impulsive force. You might have an advantage if you meet an opponent who's at the same level as you since. But, if they were any smarter, they would've seen through it and dodged it easily."
"If I trained more, I'm sure I can come up with more techniques," Rose said confidently.
Yang Chen contemplated for a while before saying, "Babe, I can't really tell you how to use your own 'dao' but I think you can't stray too far from the roots. Remember the first feeling you had? Try to advance it in that direction and use it with your True Qi. Perhaps you might achieve something different."
Rose thought about it for a moment before closing her eyes.
Yang Chen smiled. It looked like she understood him rather well.
He wasn't in a hurry so he sat on the ground and waited silently, curious to know if she managed to learn something.
Somehow ten minutes passed and Rose was still in the same position but her face was peaceful and relaxed.
Yang Chen's mind was about to wander off when something changed on the hilltop!
He jolted and sensed that countless of needle-like True Qi had appeared midair!
Before he could think any further, it started to fall down in the form of rain!
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Deafening sounds filled the hill and it felt as though a thunderstorm had happened!
The blue True Qi was turning the hill into a blue ocean!
However, it wasn't an ordinary rain. It was a murder-filled one!
Even though it only covered a small area, the attack was so densely packed that it could defeat a group of opponents in a matter of seconds!
The hair on the back of Yang Chen's neck stood up and he had to open up a barrier to prevent his clothes from being destroyed.
Fortunately, it was only made out of True Qi. If this was True Yuan, he would've had to run to avoid it!
The rain only lasted for five seconds but the hill was already partially destroyed.
Rose opened her eyes with a pale face which was obvious much of her True Qi was consumed by the rain. However, judging from the smile on her face, she must have learned something new.
"I get it now! I finally know what I learned that day! Rain! It's the power of the rain!! Even though it's so fragile and weak, it can still exert a strong force when it falls off the sky!"
Rose ran up to Yang Chen excitedly, jumping up to hug his neck.
Yang Chen patted her buttocks. "Don't get ahead of yourself. If you really grasped the concept, you wouldn't be able to explain it in words. Also, you exhausted yourself from a simple move. You're still behind on your cultivation base. Even though the thunderstorm attack works, it's too simple. But I have faith that you will improve."
Rose knew it too but she was delighted to have such a result as a beginner.
Yang Chen was satisfied with her result but he couldn't rush things since the others weren't progressing as fast as Rose.
He only helped her a little, not really planning to restrict her.
They made their way down the hill and Yang Chen drove to Xiao Zhiqing's place after informing his family.
Xiao Zhiqing was staying at home and she was delighted to hear of Yang Chen's arrival.
As a matter of fact, she hadn't really felt any warmth from others since she grew up in Hongmeng. Yang Chen was the closest friend she had ever had.
Yang Chen got into the apartment and was about to sit down on the sofa when he saw computer science-themed magazines on the table. "You really like computer science huh? I thought you'd be more interested in the classics."
Xiao Zhiqing walked over with a cup of hot tea. "I've learned enough about the classics. The professors in Zhonghai University aren't good and I'm just looking at the hardware aspect. If I want to increase my skills, I still need to learn from professional hackers."
"You don't look like one." Yang Chen eyed her up and down.
"Why? Do I look like a con artist?" Xiao Zhiqing puffed her cheeks.
Yang Chen smiled and scratched his head and he was suddenly reminded of the time when he met Luo Xiaoxiao downstairs. "Have you been doing well on campus?"
Xiao Zhiqing was startled, looking down with a dejected expression. "I...quit school. I'm not going to university anymore."
"Why? You don't see the need to study? But why did you enroll in the first place?"
Xiao Zhiqing shook her head. "It's not because of that. I...I just don't want to go to university anymore. Luckily I can still earn money with my computing skills so you don't have to worry about me. I can still afford to pay my rent."
Yang Chen felt bitter at heart when he saw her forced smile but he knew better than to comfort her.
They already shared a physical relationship and if it became an emotional one, it would've been hard to end.
He feigned a few coughs before saying, "I'm here to ask you about pill concocting."
"Pill concocting? You want to concoct pills?" Xiao Zhiqing's eyes widened in shock.
Yang Chen touched his nose. "Why do you sound so surprised? The pills do aid in cultivation. I gave them to my women and it worked so I wanted to make some."
"I know it works for those who have a lower cultivation base but you don't seem to be familiar with the requirements," Xiao Zhiqing said with a bitter smile.
"That's why I came to you. What should I do to make something like the Bodhi pills or better?" Yang Chen asked with high expectations.
Chapter 1050 - Daddy
Xiao Zhiqing sat down with a stern expression on her face. "There are three challenges to pill concocting. The first one is obtaining the medicinal herbs used in the pill. They are becoming increasingly rare and most of the ingredients needed to concoct high-class pills have gone extinct. As far as I know, in Hongmeng or even my clan, the ones who are skilled in pill concocting have not been able to concoct high-class pills, let alone the best of the best. It's all because of the scarcity of the ingredients. As for the normal ingredients, people don't really get enough of it. As for the herbs in the Sumeru ring, those are far from concocting a low-class pill."
Yang Chen nodded. "I heard about this, but this doesn't necessarily apply to other countries. After all, they don't have cultivators that concoct pills."
"Other countries?" Xiao Zhiqing contemplated for a while. "It's possible but I haven't met anyone who traveled abroad to find ingredients for the pills. It might have something to do with the Treaty of Gods. There are all sorts of theories in Hongmeng, some say that we're afraid of the western Gods and some say that we're just holding on to the treaty."
Yang Chen avoided the topic. "I will send people out to search for places that might have medicinal herbs. Where do you think it could be?"
"A good place to start would be going to places with ancient civilizations because it means that there is some sort of spirituality over there."
Yang Chen took note of it before asking, "What about the second challenge?"
"That's even harder." Xiao Zhiqing sighed. "You would need a high-quality cauldron and it must be able to withstand the Samadhi True Fire. Cauldrons like this are mainly made out of a special metal that originates from the Great Ancient times. The Northern Sea iron, Polar iron, and Taiyi gold are good examples of these. These are mainly used to make mystical artifacts but the amount used is nothing compared to a cauldron. As far as I'm aware, the cauldrons that Hongmeng possess were passed down from the Great Ancient times and there are only five of them. The Xiao clan has two, the Luo and Ning clans have one each. Even if the other clans have it, it must be out of use. Up to this point, I'm sure you could guess the third challenge, the Samadhi True Fire. This is the second heavenly fire from the Three Yang Fire tribulation. To acquire this heavenly fire, a huge array of ingredients are needed. Therefore when it comes to concocting middle class and low-class pills, the fuel would be more valuable than the actual ingredients."
Xiao Zhiqing smiled when she noticed his silence. "Do you understand why I didn't want you to think about this? You can't do this on your own."
Yang Chen chuckled. "The Samadhi True Fire isn't a problem but I'm thinking where should I look for the cauldron?"
Xiao Zhiqing was puzzled. "Why is that so?"
Yang Chen could only tell her that he was near to mastering the Samadhi True Fire which made her completely dumbfounded.
"What scripture are you even using? That's crazy, I've never heard of this. But, if that's the case, you might be able to do it, I doubt the cauldron would be more troublesome than the fire."
Yang Chen threw the question back at her. "Why didn't you mention the scripture for pill concocting? Unless it is supposed to be a well-kept secret."
Xiao Zhiqing shook her head while smiling. "The scriptures are almost the same. The Xiao clan is experienced in pill concocting and the key point would be the heat control. But if you can control the heavenly fire, it shouldn't be a problem for you."
Yang Chen was glad to hear some good news. "I'll be cultivating while searching for the ingredients once the location has been determined. Why don't you follow me? I'm not sure what the herbs look like."
"Me? Together?" Xiao Zhiqing was shocked.
"I know it's troublesome but I don't have a choice since I don't recognize any of it. I doubt the herbs are easy to describe in words." Yang Chen smiled bitterly. "You don't have to worry. I'm skilled at outdoor survival so you will not be in danger nor will you be troubled during the search."
Xiao Zhiqing waved her hands and said, "I...I'm not afraid of that. I'm just surprised that you're willing to bring me along..."
Her face became flushed at the end of the sentence.
Yang Chen felt awkward too. Even if he told Lin Ruoxi about it beforehand, she still wouldn't feel good about it. After all, he was going to spend a long time with Xiao Zhiqing.
On the other hand, he couldn't do it without Xiao Zhiqing. She was his only source of information on this
After their conversation, Yang Chen notified Sauron to send people out in search of places that fit Xiao Zhiqing's criteria.
After all, they had to look for a desolate area that was part of the ancient civilisation. On top of that, it couldn't be damaged by humans so this increased the difficulty of the search.
In the meantime, Yang Chen had other things to do.
The most critical point was mastering the Samadhi True Fire. As for his lover's cultivation, he would have to go with the flow.
Yang Chen felt discouraged at the fact that Rose and Cai Ning were the only ones who were making significant signs of progress. The rest were all stuck at the Houtian stage.
Well, compared to normal cultivators, the speed of their progression was shocking, being able to reach this level within a few months with no prior knowledge.
However, in Yang Chen's opinion, it wasn't good enough!
The ladies were extremely excited at their new abilities, especially when performing feats not available to mundane people, such as jumping a few meters high, running a hundred meters within seconds or throwing strong punches.
Obviously, internal energy wouldn't be sufficient to defend themselves so Yang Chen sent out members of the Sea Eagles to teach them about combat. Even if they wouldn't stand a chance against a cultivator, at least they wouldn't be harmed by normal people.
Ever since Lin Ruoxi entered the Houtian stage, she was glad that she wouldn't be knocked down by Lanlan easily.
In the past, she would have worked overtime often, but with Lanlan around, she would rush back home after work to accompany her daughter. They would go to the mall together and Lin Ruoxi started to learn how to cook so that she could feed Lanlan with her dishes.
During night-time, she would sleep with Lanlan, forcing Yang Chen to sleep alone in his own room.
Fortunately, he managed to release his sexual tension with his other lovers while he was 'guiding' them. Lin Ruoxi let him do as he pleased, feeling guilty for ignoring him in favor of Lanlan.
As for Yu Lei Entertainment, even though Yang Chen was still the director, most of his work had been entrusted to Hannya.
Hannya seemed to have gained interest in her job and she started to become close to her colleagues. The cold-blooded ninja was looking forward to having a normal life.
Well, Yang Chen would still attend important meetings, especially when it involved Hui Lin.
Director Yu Shuo's movie was named Sword Spirit. He was aiming to break into Hollywood with his fantasy movie.
Yu Lei had gone all out on this movie, investing one billion in it as the investor!
Naturally, Yu Lei wouldn't be making losses because of Hui Lin and Director Yu Shuo's reputation but it still shocked the world.
Lin Ruoxi was pretty chill about it. She didn't mind spending money on her only sister and even if she ended up losing all of it, it wasn't anything she couldn't earn back.
Time flew by and it was already near the end of September.
Zhenxiu video called them from Korea and it was relieving to know that she was doing well.
Apparently, she had reconciled with her grandfather who was starting to feel better because of her.
Hui Lin's movie had started shooting for a week and Lin Ruoxi was worried whether Hui Lin was feeling comfortable at the set but she couldn't make out time to visit her since she had work to do and Lanlan to take care of. In her stead, she asked Yang Chen to go and check up on her
Yang Chen was rather free since he hadn't received any reports from Sauron, so he agreed to visit Hui Lin.
Prior to his departure, Lin Ruoxi reminded him. "Remember to come back for dinner, I just learned how to make pork stew with corn yesterday."
Yang Chen curled his lips. "You're making it for Lanlan aren't you? I should just eat out today."
Lin Ruoxi rolled her eyes at him. "Why would you be jealous of a kid? No wonder Lanlan still refuses to call you Daddy."
Yang Chen covered his chest from her comment before running out of the door in defeat.