“So, you just brought her back to the Yun family like this?”
Even with all the joking, once the conversation turned to serious business, the commanding presence of a superior naturally radiated from Yun Wangji.
After hearing the full explanation from Yun Heng, he stared down at A Xiang, who was shrinking behind Yun Heng. His eyes flickered with a deep, profound light.
“It’s an opportunity, Father,” Yun Heng said.
“Although I haven’t visited the dragon race in my life, I’ve gathered from the idle talk between you and Mother that a major conflict of interests is inevitable in the future.”
“It might be in 100 years, 1,000 years, or even 10,000 years. Now that the dragon race has delivered such a massive ‘secret’ to our doorstep, protecting her is no different from holding a bargaining chip for future negotiations with them.”
In his past life, Yun Heng had returned to the Changsheng Yun family 200 years later. At that time, both he and Ling Yao were already Peak Soul Transformation Stage experts.
With Yun Heng’s help, Ling Yao was able to perfectly conceal all her demon race aura. Therefore, until their confession 1,000 years later, Yun Wangji had never realized Ling Yao was from the demon race.
Yun Wangji remained silent. He walked straight up to A Xiang and reached out his hand.
This time, Yun Heng did not stop him.
A Xiang was terrified. She kept burying her head into the crook of Yun Heng’s arm, her whole body trembling.
However, without the protection of a magical artifact, how could a newly transformed minor demon who hadn’t even reached Foundation Establishment escape the inspection of a Peak Mahayana Stage cultivator?
Yun Wangji flicked his fingers through the air and gave a gentle tug. A second later, a strand of golden thread was drawn out from A Xiang’s body.
“Her soul is quite clean. Like an infant with amnesia,” Yun Wangji muttered to himself. He returned the thread to A Xiang and looked back at Yun Heng with a serious expression.
“Then have you considered what you will do if she recovers her memory one day, perhaps even before you uncover her connection to the dragon race?”
“Until I clarify her specific connection to the dragon race, I won’t let her leave my sight. You are well aware of my talent and special abilities, Father.”
Yun Heng looked at A Xiang and said softly, “She sees me as her only reliance now, and her soul is as clean as an infant’s. This means she is highly moldable.”
“If we can give her a ‘new life’ and let her find a sense of belonging in the Yun family, then even if her memories resurface, she will weigh the ‘kindness of the Yun family’ against her ‘past with the dragon race.’ This is a much stronger shackle than simple imprisonment or exploitation.”
After a pause, Yun Heng looked at Yun Wangji with a calm expression.
“Of course, if the worst-case scenario occurs — if she recovers all her memories and becomes an enemy of the Yun family — I will personally end this causal karma.”
“Since I’m the one who brought her back, I will naturally bear the responsibility. But Father, please rest assured, I will not let things reach that point.”
Yun Wangji stared into Yun Heng’s eyes for a very long time.
After being away from home for less than 10 years, this boy had grown to such an extent on his own… He truly lived up to being Yun Wangji’s seed.
He could see that nothing Yun Heng said was the result of a young man’s impulsive heat. Instead, it was a well-thought-out, visionary plan.
This kind of mental maturity was far more useful than one’s cultivation level.
After all, to survive in the treacherous environment of the cultivation world, being “shrewd” was always the most important foundation.
Yun Wangji withdrew his gaze and let out a long sigh. He then held up one finger.
“One last question. Raising a flood dragon with dragon blood ancestral regression is equivalent to inviting heavenly tribulations to our home. What are your thoughts on that?”
He was Yun Heng’s father, but he was also the current Patriarch of the Changsheng Yun family.
He could show infinite favoritism toward Yun Heng in minor matters, but once the survival and continuation of the family were at stake, there was a high probability that Yun Wangji would draw a line.
“Then the Yun family has even more reason to raise her,” Yun Heng chuckled.
“Father, didn’t you always teach me that ‘the eaves of the Yun family are never used to hide from the rain, but to help others avoid getting wet’?”
Yun Wangji froze for a moment, then laughed and cursed, “You little brat, using my own words against me! I don’t recall teaching you how to use moral kidnapping!”
Seeing Yun Heng smile without a word, Yun Wangji waved his hand helplessly.
“Fine. Let her stay in the West Wing courtyard and set up a triple restriction. If she harms even one member of my Yun family, I’ll personally slice off your muscles and bones to eat as snacks with my wine!”
“Thank you, Father.”
Yun Heng bowed, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
The triple restriction was for protection, not imprisonment.
With this, the first and most difficult step in dealing with Xuan Sun — persuading Yun Wangji to protect A Xiang for 3 days — was accomplished.
“Just remember not to tell your mother. That old lady is quite the nagger. If she finds out and puts pressure on me, I’ll pack the both of you up and send you away the very next day.”
‘You only dare to gossip behind her back when Mother isn’t around… Forget the Changsheng Yun family, in the entire upper three provinces, who doesn’t know you’re completely under your wife’s thumb?’
Yun Heng felt helpless, but considering Yun Wangji had made a huge concession, he didn’t expose his father’s attempt to act tough in front of his son.
“Keke, I’ll leave A Xiang in your care for now.”
Yun Heng turned around and gave instructions to Jiang Keke.
The benefit of the two women becoming friendly so quickly was now apparent. For a minor task like settling someone in, Jiang Keke could easily take over.
“Young Master, are you really going to the demon inspection department?” Jiang Keke asked, instinctively worried.
Yun Heng had just restated his plan. Although Jiang Keke was still confused, it was enough that Yun Wangji understood.
“I have to go get a Golden Verification for myself, otherwise, the subsequent matters won’t be able to proceed.”
Yun Heng smiled and patted Jiang Keke’s head. He then gently pulled A Xiang away and leaned down, tidying the strands of hair on her forehead that were dampened by sweat.
“Do you think my father ‘smells good’?” Yun Heng asked.
“Stinky,” A Xiang pouted.
She hated the smell on Yun Wangji.
He was even stinkier than Jiang Keke had been at first.
“Hey, this little girl — “
Ignoring Yun Wangji’s gesture of rolling up his sleeves as if to strike, Yun Heng untied a cloud-patterned jade pendant from his waist and placed it in A Xiang’s palm.
“I’ll lend you this to play with for a few days. It should smell similar to me. If you’re scared, just hold onto it.”
Because Yun Heng had specialized as a half-step immortal venerable in causal karma in his previous life, he immediately understood the meaning behind A Xiang’s words the moment she pointed it out.
Fragrant was good, stinky was evil.
Jiang Keke was a perfect example. She had initially shown deep malice toward A Xiang, but later, for some reason, she released kindness. A Xiang had captured that and subsequently grew close to her.
And although Yun Wangji almost always acted unrestrained, as the Patriarch of the Changsheng Yun family and a Peak Mahayana Stage cultivator, the “evil karma” he carried — the “malice” he held toward strangers or even strange demons — was likely more than half the people in the Changsheng Yun family combined.
Therefore, he was very “stinky.”
As for why A Xiang could so bluntly mention the concept of “karma,” which was rarely known even among ordinary cultivators, Yun Heng had asked her earlier.
She replied that she didn’t know why, she just knew what those scents represented. Thus, Yun Heng didn’t offer any explanation and simply followed her lead, using “fragrant” and “stinky” as substitutes.
A Xiang looked down and sniffed the jade pendant, then looked up at him. Her eyes were still red, but her fingers were already tightly curled around the warm jade.
“Yun Heng, come back?” she asked.
Yun Heng had told her before that he didn’t like the feeling of being pestered. It would affect his work.
A Xiang didn’t want Yun Heng to dislike her. So, when she saw that Yun Heng seemed busy with something, she wouldn’t pester him.
But she was still afraid — afraid that Yun Heng would abandon her. So she could only plead with red eyes.
“Yes.” Yun Heng stood up, gave her hair one last rub, and turned toward the study door. “When I return, I hope to see that you’ve learned to say, ‘Welcome home.'”
Jiang Keke gently pulled down A Xiang’s outstretched hand and held it.
She looked at the Young Master’s straight but slightly lonely back, and suddenly felt that the Young Master actually really needed someone to say “Welcome home” to him.
Yun Wangji would certainly never say those words to Yun Heng. Because he was the Patriarch of the Changsheng Yun family first, and a father second.
Yun Heng’s return came with a “trouble” that required the family to take a massive risk.
If Yun Wangji said “Welcome home” at this moment, it would be no different from using emotion to kidnap the family’s interests — an insult to his duties as the Patriarch.
Jiang Keke could see this clearly.
And while Jiang Keke wanted to say it, she felt like it wouldn’t be very useful. After all, she was always by Yun Heng’s side, so suddenly saying “Welcome home” would feel out of place.
So, she could only say softly to A Xiang, “Come, sister will take you to see your new room. Maybe… there are candied fruits to eat.”
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