Chapter 298 - 295: Going to the Xu Family Alone
After breaking through to the seventh layer of Qi Refining, Yang Shen felt his already keen five senses become even stronger.
It was a more fundamental, more subtle change.
Even without relying on his Divine Sense, his eyes could perceive more colors, and his dynamic vision was sharper.
His fingertips could register the most delicate touches; he could trace a complex pattern with his eyes closed and clearly discern its shape.
He could hear the stirring of a small bird in a tree, even if it merely tilted its head to preen a feather.
Yang Shen had always been sharp—a natural result of his Innate Rebirth and his Cultivation in Qi Refining—but now he had reached a whole new level.
As if sensing the change in Yang Shen, Xu Bamboo opened her eyes. "Shenzi... did you succeed?"
Yang Shen turned his head, his eyes seeming to shine with a divine light. He pointed to the spot between his eyebrows. "Yes. I’ve now reached the seventh layer of the Secret Transmission."
Xu Bamboo’s bright, wide eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. "That’s wonderful... The seventh layer! That’s so much higher than us."
"You all started a bit later. If you were at the same level as me, it would mean I’ve been wasting my life."
Currently, besides Yang Shen himself, the person with the highest Cultivation Realm in the Yang Family was Xiao Lei Yi.
The fourth layer of Qi Refining...
But the boy was too young, only in the first grade of elementary school, so you couldn’t really talk about his strength. He spent his days in cahoots with the squirrels, playing everywhere, and the family never counted him among their fighting ranks.
As for the rest, Yang Mo, Yang Man, and Lei Lv had all reached the third layer. Xu Bamboo and Long Jiu started later, but being older, they accumulated power faster and were also hovering on the verge of the third layer.
Overall, everyone was growing stronger, with Yang Shen always being the one to forge the path ahead.
Yang Shen gazed at the Rising Sun. Its gentle light had helped him break through realms and gain enlightenment countless times.
’Dongjun is my friend, but what good is basking in this glory alone?’
’By morning, my spiritual altar is brightened; by evening, my heart and mind are serene.’
’Just wait. Now that I have my Divine Sense and Sea of Consciousness, my Cultivation of the Jade Observation Method should go much more smoothly.’
’When the time comes, I’ll put you inside my Sea of Consciousness, and we can go wherever we want!’
---
Breaking through to the seventh layer of Qi Refining was a major step on the path of Cultivation. It was also a long-awaited advancement for the Cultivation Side, one that introduced a "mechanical change."
But compared to Breaking Through to True Gang—a feat everyone was familiar with, one that had even broken records and shaken all of Yanhua—this breakthrough was far quieter.
Only Yang Shen himself knew that its significance was no less profound.
With his Divine Sense, his control over Magic, especially the circulation of Spiritual Qi within his body, had become meticulous. This also meant he could deduce Cultivation Techniques with much greater efficiency.
Whether it was the Martial Arts Side, the Cultivation Side, or even the Qi Dao Side, it felt as though he had gained a completely new perspective.
For the next few days, Yang Shen completely immersed himself in familiarizing himself with his new realm.
He tried out all sorts of Magic to test the extent of the boons from the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
He combined the controllability of the Rising Sun Flame, True Gang, and his Divine Sense.
He integrated the Thousand Silk Force, the Gang Condensation Spear Technique, and the Spiritual Snake Force, which he had previously learned, into the Sun Wheel Body Refining Technique, and also explored ways to adapt the Jade Observation Method.
According to his plan, at the end of January, he would lead a team to the Si Realm. The official reason was to "inspect a medicinal herb cross-breeding project," but in reality, they were going to the Great Cloud Marsh area to wipe out the Dragonification Experiment in one fell swoop.
Therefore, both the forces he would take with him and the ones left behind to guard Cyan Blue needed to be strengthened as much as possible to ensure everything went off without a hitch.
Fortunately, the Yang Family never disappointed him. Just two days later, both Xu Bamboo and Long Jiu successfully broke through to the third layer of Qi Refining.
Furthermore, Xu Bamboo reached the Late-stage Innate realm.
This speed wasn’t just because she had obtained a Cultivation technique. The benefit of Cultivation to one’s Martial Arts Realm was primarily in the form of Source Supplement.
But her efficiency in Strengthening her Qi and Blood Value and her mastery of Cultivation and Martial Techniques were true testaments to her talent.
This speed... was something only Yang Shen could surpass.
In fact... Xu Bamboo’s trajectory in her Cultivation Realm was now essentially on par with that of "Hero Xu City" back in his day.
If Yang Shen didn’t exist, she might have been the one to carry the banner for Jiangti in this generation.
But by the same token, without Yang Shen, Xu Bamboo would never have experienced her Breaking the Cocoon and Rebirth.
However, just when Yang Shen thought that the first thing Xu Bamboo would want to do after her breakthrough was to crush Jiang Xin and avenge their draw, she made a phone call instead.
She proactively contacted the people from the trust fund... wanting to arrange a meeting with the Xu Family.
...
「Mid-January, Yellow Dragon District.」
As the most central of Jianghuai’s five Main City Districts, this area could be called the very origin of Jianghuai.
For the Martial Arts Families of Jianghuai, there was no greater display of a family’s heritage and power than owning a grand ancestral home in the Yellow Dragon District.
The seemingly unremarkable, ordinary road was lined with tall plane trees. Though adorned only with fallen leaves, their bare branches still flourished like an arched bridge, creating a unique atmosphere.
Xu Bamboo stepped out of a black car and looked up at the grand mansion ahead.
What swelled up in her heart wasn’t fear or nervousness, but...
...pure memory.
She turned to look behind her. At the corner, there was a manhole cover...
A five-year-old Xu Bamboo had stood right there, enclosed by a magnificent folding screen.
She couldn’t see outside, couldn’t find her mother, and couldn’t push down the screen that walled her in.
She stood there from morning until evening, her initial confusion slowly turning to tears.
On that day, facing this great gate, she felt as if she would never be able to walk through it in her entire life.
Yang Shen hadn’t come today.
Xu Bamboo was dressed in ordinary pants and a hoodie, with headphones hanging around her neck. She looked like a typical young college student, not having dressed up formally for the meeting.
She just calmly walked up to the main gate and rang the doorbell.
After stating her purpose to someone who seemed to be a gatekeeper or butler, the large gates slowly opened automatically, and Xu Bamboo walked inside.
Compared to the Yang Residence, this place was not a traditional Yanhua Courtyard. Instead, it had a European flair. A long driveway split the greenery into two symmetrical sides, and in the distance stood a wide, three-story building.
A woman who bore a slight resemblance to Xu Bamboo stood at the entrance, her expression complex.
The woman who should have resembled Xu Bamboo the most was Ye Qingyao, but Ye Qingyao’s temperament was too harsh and sharp. Xu Nan, on the other hand...
𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
...it was as if she were looking at a younger version of herself.
"Please, come in. Let’s have some tea."
Xu Bamboo nodded calmly and followed her inside.
Xu Nan observed Xu Bamboo’s expression, unsure of what she hoped to see...
But if this girl showed any curiosity about the mansion, about the steps her father and grandmother had walked on, she felt she might feel a little more at ease.
But there was none.
The two of them passed through the main house and arrived at the backyard. There was a sizable garden here. Even in winter, it was planted with evergreen flowers and plants, giving it a seasonally-displaced feeling under the warm sun.
Xu Nan and Xu Bamboo sat facing each other. The butler-like figure served tea. After just one sip, Xu Bamboo knew it wasn’t ordinary tea, but a rare High Source tea.
Xu Nan seemed to want to start with small talk. "I hear you’re doing very well at Jiangti," she said casually.
"It’s alright," Xu Bamboo replied. "After some ups and downs, I’m back to being third in my year."
"That’s already very impressive," Xu Nan said sincerely. "...After all, your class has someone like Flame Fist."
"Thank you."
Xu Bamboo smiled with delight.
It was because Xu Nan had praised Shenzi.
The two continued to chat about this and that, like two complete strangers carefully selecting the most peripheral topics possible.
Only when the small talk ended did Xu Bamboo take the initiative. "I came today to ’thank’ you and the Xu Family."
Xu Nan, holding her delicate teacup, stiffened slightly. "Thank me?"
Xu Bamboo nodded. "Regardless of the original reasons, or what the Xu Family’s attitude was, I was ultimately raised with the Xu Family’s financial support."
"It was my mother’s last wish," Xu Nan said faintly. "And we couldn’t just stand by and watch... a descendant of the Xu Family live in poverty."
Xu Bamboo smiled, a smile more composed than Xu Nan’s. "It never came to poverty. My upbringing was actually quite good."
’Even though most of the money was squandered by Ye Qingyao.’
’But it’s true I never had to worry about food or clothing.’
Xu Bamboo continued, "My second purpose is to ’apologize’ to the Xu Family."
"Apologize..."
Xu Bamboo took a sip of tea. "Regardless of the cause and effect, my mother and I did indeed cause the Xu Family a lot of trouble back then. For that, I feel very guilty."
"Looking back now that I’m older, it’s not hard to see what... obnoxious roles my mother and I played."
Xu Nan interrupted, "That had nothing to do with you. You were only four years old then; you didn’t understand anything."
Xu Bamboo shook her head. "Only by bravely accepting the karma of one’s parents can one truly move forward. If you always think you were just a child and that it had nothing to do with you, you’ll forever be lost in a tangled mess, unable to find your own place."
"At least right now, sitting at this table, my position is actually on my mother’s side, not the Xu Family’s side. To think otherwise would be a form of escapism."
Xu Nan’s hand, holding the teacup, tightened.
For some reason, she felt a pang of sadness.
"For so long after my mother passed away, I didn’t know how to handle any of this. Fortunately, the Xu Family never showed up, which gave me plenty of time. So, I’ve gradually come to understand many things."
Xu Bamboo lifted her bright eyes.
"So, I also came today to say ’goodbye’."
Xu Nan’s hand trembled.