Chen Yuyang knew very well that after today’s events, the grudge between the Hehuan Sect and the Qiankun Sect was completely irreconcilable.
There was no longer any room for compromise.
Now, the only difference was whether they had completely torn off the mask of civility in public.
Since he had already offended them to the point of no return, he might as well take this opportunity to squeeze more out of them.
That was the most practical approach.
After all, they were currently in the wrong, and with Yan Dangmo pressuring them from the side, it was the perfect time to manipulate them.
As for himself — the debt with the Qiankun Sect had to be settled.
His current forbearance was merely a matter of expediency.
Once his strength grew enough, he would make the Qiankun Sect pay the price for their actions today!
Of course, before that, he didn’t mind inflicting some small punishments on them…
Chen Yuyang already had a preliminary idea of how to proceed.
Under Yan Dangmo’s arbitration, the compensation was quickly settled.
The Qiankun Sect was required to compensate the Hehuan Sect with 1,600,000 top-grade spirit stones, plus a spirit stone vein with rich reserves.
The value of this vein was initially estimated at approximately 2,000,000 top-grade spirit stones.
In addition, Chen Yuyang made Mo Chen return the damaged flags of the Nirvana Annihilation Array.
Once the compensation was agreed upon, Mo Chen didn’t want to stay for even a single moment.
He dropped the array flags, promised to deliver the spirit stones and the title deed to the spirit mine in a few days, and then fled the Hehuan Sect with the Qiankun Sect’s forces as if he were escaping a disaster.
The matter had settled, bringing this chapter to a temporary close.
By then, the first light of dawn was already creeping across the horizon.
…
“Kid,” Yan Dangmo said, looking back at Chen Yuyang.
“Your business is over for now. After this, the Qiankun Sect shouldn’t dare to make any rash moves for a short while. This old man will be heading back now.”
Chen Yuyang quickly gave Yan Dangmo a deep, respectful bow.
“Thank you for your help today, Senior Yan. I will never forget this kindness. If you have any orders in the future, I will do my utmost to repay you!”
Hearing this, Yan Dangmo simply waved his hand with a meaningful smile on his face, but he didn’t say much.
At the same time, Yan Dangmo grumbled to himself.
‘Repay? What kind of repayment could I possibly want from you?’
‘If you really want to repay me, give me a great-grandchild sooner. That would be the best reward for this old man.’
“When you have time, come visit my Yan family more often. That girl Luobo has been nagging about you.”
Leaving that sentence behind, Yan Dangmo didn’t stay any longer and vanished into the sky.
Only after Yan Dangmo left did the atmosphere within the Hehuan Sect truly relax.
Gu Qiushui and the others approached Tai Lingxuan, wanting to say something or ask questions.
However, Su Chunshuang had a better sense of propriety.
She said to the approaching group, “Alright, Master has just woken up and needs rest. Everyone should head back for now. We can discuss other matters later.”
Hearing this, the crowd bowed to Tai Lingxuan one after another and took their leave.
The area in front of the Great Hall soon became quiet.
Even Su Chunshuang bowed and withdrew, leaving only Tai Lingxuan and Chen Yuyang behind.
Chen Yuyang didn’t leave.
Tai Lingxuan knew that many things must have happened inside and outside the sect while she was unconscious.
She needed, and wanted, to ask Chen Yuyang for a clear explanation.
At the same time, Chen Yuyang had a few things he wanted to confirm with Tai Lingxuan.
…
Chen Yuyang followed Tai Lingxuan as they walked into the main hall, one after the other.
The hall was spacious.
The warm morning sun poured through the window lattices, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow on the floor.
As Tai Lingxuan walked slowly toward a side room behind the hall — which was also her bedroom — she was the first to speak.
“That mountain-protecting array… was it your handiwork, Yuyang?”
Chen Yuyang nodded and admitted frankly, “Yes.”
However, he didn’t go into specific details.
Tai Lingxuan didn’t press for details that might involve his secrets.
She entered the room, sat at the table, and turned to look at the youth.
Her gaze was complex as she faced Chen Yuyang.
“This time… I truly owe it to you.”
“If not for the array flags and talismans you gave me before, I’m afraid I would have been killed by Long Zhizheng.”
Tai Lingxuan sighed softly, her voice still trembling slightly.
Especially at the thought that she had almost been separated from the person before her by death, she felt a lingering fear.
“It’s also my fault for being useless. I caused the array flags you gave me to break, and even those talismans were completely exhausted…”
“Master, you’re overthinking it.”
Chen Yuyang took a step forward and sat across from her.
His expression was calm, but his tone was solemn.
“The matter is in the past. I only know that you are safe now, and the sect is safe as well. That is enough.”
“What does the loss of a few items matter? In my heart, they are nowhere near as important as your safety and the safety of the sect.”
Hearing Chen Yuyang’s words, Tai Lingxuan felt a warmth in her heart.
Looking at the youth before her — who was becoming increasingly responsible and important — her eyes shimmered.
Tai Lingxuan felt her heart flutter, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks.
He was so captivating like this.
Taking a light breath, Tai Lingxuan suppressed her emotions and changed the subject.
“Speaking of which, after I lost consciousness this time, I seemed to have had a very strange dream…”
“Oh?”
Chen Yuyang raised an eyebrow, looking surprised and curious on the surface, but he wasn’t shocked in his heart.
He knew exactly what his Master was referring to.
Seeing Chen Yuyang’s reaction, Tai Lingxuan wanted to describe the images and feelings from her dream to ask him about them.
But as the words reached her lips, they became difficult to utter.
Everything in that dream was simply too shameful.
She truly couldn’t say it to Chen Yuyang’s face.
After thinking it over, Tai Lingxuan eventually shook her head and avoided his gaze.
“Never mind, let’s not talk about that…”
“How did things go when you went to the Yan family?”
Tai Lingxuan stiffly changed the topic, her peripheral vision lingering on the youth’s face.
A relaxed smile appeared on Chen Yuyang’s face, and he said casually, “How else could it go? I just stayed there and taught Yan Luo some fire control techniques.”
“Did… anything else happen?”
Tai Lingxuan followed up immediately, her eyes narrowing slightly.
The reason she asked was that she had noticed Yan Dangmo’s unusual attitude toward Chen Yuyang.
This made her worry that Yuyang might have established some kind of connection with the Yan family, or… that something had happened between him and Yan Luo.
Hearing this, Chen Yuyang couldn’t help but laugh.
He could easily guess Tai Lingxuan’s thoughts.
Looking at Tai Lingxuan, Chen Yuyang couldn’t help but ask in return, “Master, in your eyes, am I the type of person who is fickle and prone to changing my mind?”
Tai Lingxuan looked at the youth’s expression, but she couldn’t help but recall that dream.
Thinking of what Chen Yuyang had done in the dream, Tai Lingxuan gave a soft snort, pouted, and replied, “Hard to say.”
Chen Yuyang: “…”
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Chen Yuyang stopped dwelling on that topic and asked instead, “Speaking of which, Master, have you now condensed your Own Law?”
At the mention of this, a trace of pride appeared on Tai Lingxuan’s face, and she nodded.
“Yes, it has been condensed.”
“Then Master, have you opened your own Small World?”
Chen Yuyang asked with anticipation in his eyes.
Above the Mahayana Realm, one could open their own Small World.
A Small World could provide feedback to one’s own cultivation; it could be considered a critically important asset.
Tai Lingxuan nodded again.
“The prototype has already taken shape.”
“Oh?”
Chen Yuyang’s interest was piqued.
He followed up curiously, “Master, what is the core of your Small World?”
The core of a Small World was related to a cultivator’s own personality and preferences.
Simultaneously, it determined the development path of the Small World in its early stages.
This was meant to be a casual question.
However, when Tai Lingxuan heard this, she thought of something again.
Her cheeks instantly turned crimson, and she shot Chen Yuyang a reproachful glare.
“You… you are merely in the Golden Core Realm. Why are you asking so much?”
Chen Yuyang was confused by her reaction and wondered privately.
‘I was just asking out of curiosity. How is that asking too much?’
‘Or could it be that the core of Master’s Small World is something that shouldn’t be seen by others?’
“Anyway, don’t ask about things you shouldn’t ask about!”
Tai Lingxuan said, her voice softening slightly, though she turned her face away and stopped looking at him.
Seeing this, Chen Yuyang didn’t press further.
He gave a wry smile and said, “Fine, if Master doesn’t want to say, then let it be…”
Then, Chen Yuyang shifted the conversation back to business.
“However, regarding that spirit mine compensated by the Qiankun Sect… Once we get the title deed, we can prepare to take it over.”
“Master, I have a secret technique called Heaven and Earth Shifting. It can transplant an entire spirit mine into your Small World. If you can use that spirit mine as the foundation of your Small World, the constant supply of spiritual energy will be of great benefit to its stability and development.”
Chen Yuyang spoke seriously.
Tai Lingxuan’s eyes lit up.
“You even have a method like that?”
Chen Yuyang nodded slightly.
At this point, he and Tai Lingxuan had almost laid their cards on the table.
He could gradually stop hiding his capabilities.
“Of course.”
Tai Lingxuan nodded, looking at the youth meaningfully.
Even she had realized that the methods and abilities Chen Yuyang had displayed so far were far beyond those of an ordinary person.
At the very least, he didn’t seem like the “discarded child of a clan” he claimed to be…
Instead, he seemed like… a pillar of support?
However, Tai Lingxuan no longer cared about these things, nor did she plan to investigate.
The fact that Chen Yuyang was willing to tell her and reveal himself to her was already a sign of great trust.
What would be the point of her prying into every detail?
She only needed to know that he was her disciple.
Her…
Man!
That was enough!
Tai Lingxuan then continued the previous topic.
“No wonder you suggested we shouldn’t take those treasures and materials, but rather insist on the spirit mine as compensation.”
Chen Yuyang nodded.
“It’s just that… is it really okay to give an entire spirit mine worth several million stones to nourish my Small World?”
“Master, right now you are the sole pillar of our Hehuan Sect. The stronger you are, the more stable our Hehuan Sect will be,” Chen Yuyang said solemnly.
“If you hadn’t steadily reached the Mahayana Realm today, and if Senior Yan hadn’t used his absolute strength to intimidate them, things would never have swung in our favor.”
“In the Realm of Cultivation, strength is respected above all else.”
Tai Lingxuan nodded heavily.
“Speaking of which, there is one more thing, Yuyang.”
Suddenly, Tai Lingxuan thought of something and spoke with a serious expression.
“Master, please feel free to speak.”
“Do you know of a secret technique… that can turn a living person into a puppet?”