Chapter 144: Fame Spreads Far and Wide

Looking at Chen Ronghua's aggrieved appearance, a trace of heartache flashed in the depths of Chen Yang's eyes, and he sighed softly.

"Forget it. This time one can see the other party still held back; he had no intention of truly taking your life. Otherwise it wouldn't just be a matter of one hand."

"Your left arm — later I'll use pills to nurture it back to health and then reattach it for you. No need to worry."

Ultimately, toward this son of his, he was still doting.

Chen Ronghua lowered his head and replied in a low voice.

"Let Dao Friend Shen see a joke." Seeing this, Chen Yang's complexion once again returned to calm. He turned his head toward Shen Xingchen and said:

A strange color flashed through Shen Xingchen's eyes. He smiled and shook his head: "Dao Friend Chen is indeed good to his son. Be careful lest this become a weak spot in the future."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang did not speak. When his son was mentioned, a cold light was fully revealed for an instant — but only an instant — and he paid no heed to Shen Xingchen.

"Later I'll take you personally to the Qiyao Pavilion for a trip, to properly apologize. Let this matter pass just like that."

"Yes." Chen Ronghua replied in a low voice. Before this father of his, he did not dare have the slightest arrogant air.

…………

On the other side, inside the Qiyao Pavilion.

"Pfft—"

Yu Changsheng's complexion flushed red, the corner of his mouth curved sweetly, and a mouthful of fresh blood spat out without any warning.

A tearing pain swept through his Sea of Consciousness, his vision blurred with dizziness, and his body swayed slightly beyond his control. At this moment his body had weakened to the extreme.

"Brother Changsheng, what's wrong with you?"

Yu Dahai was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly supported Yu Changsheng, his expression panicked.

"It's nothing."

Forcibly suppressing the weakness and severe pain in his mind, striving to adapt so as not to faint on the spot, Yu Changsheng waved his hand, fished out several bottles of pills and swallowed them all in one go. Only then did he ease somewhat.

"Just help me go rest a bit."

Having done all this, Yu Changsheng slowly let out a long breath of turbid Qi. His expression and tone were not without weariness as he spoke.

"Good. You take care. If you need anything, just tell me. Do you need me to go find someone to take a look?"

Yu Dahai hurriedly agreed, the worried look on his face not diminishing in the slightest.

"No need to worry. I know my limits."

Yu Changsheng waved his hand in refusal, then sat cross-legged and entered meditation. His breathing gradually rose and fell evenly, slowly repairing the tearing pain in his Sea of Consciousness. Yu Dahai sat quietly by his side, acting as Protector for him.

Sensing the withering of his Sea of Consciousness, Yu Changsheng smiled wryly.

Separated by such a distance, even though I had long ago planted a Divine Sense Seed on Jing Rong, coordinating with the instantaneous eruption of the Thousand Thoughts Slash, my body still found it very hard to bear. A Golden Core level Divine Sense is ultimately too strong.

He did indeed instantly destroy all of Jing Rong's life force, but he also let himself suffer backlash.

When it comes down to it, my Divine Sense reaching Golden Core extent is fine, but my cultivation base is still too low, insufficient for me to fully exert the power it ought to have. Once I overdraw, both soul and body will have the risk of backlash.

Fortunately the result is good. This way, for a very long period of time, no one will suspect that this fake Golden Core of mine does not exist.

And that Chen Yangzi? He's a smart man. I also didn't take his son's life — merely one arm as punishment. Naturally he is unlikely to take desperate risks because of that.

…………

Several days later, Chen Yang appeared at the entrance of the Qiyao Pavilion bringing Chen Ronghua, drawing quite a few people's secret attention.

"This Little Friend, Chen Yangzi has brought his unworthy son to the door to offer apologies. Please announce them."

At the entrance of the Qiyao Pavilion, Chen Yang was followed by Chen Ronghua. The latter's severed arm had already been reattached. He did not put on the slightest airs of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Facing Yu Dahai, who possessed only Qi Refining cultivation, he did not dare show the slightest disrespect. He bowed low at the waist and spoke. This scene made quite a few onlookers secretly suck in a breath of cold air.

"Even Chen Yangzi personally came to the door to apologize. It seems the news that a Golden Core Daoneng sits in the Qiyao Pavilion is not false after all…"

"Only a Golden Core could make Chen Yangzi so submissive. It's perfectly reasonable."

………

Listening to the surrounding people's discussions, Chen Yangzi's complexion did not change. He was still respectful as always.

It was Chen Ronghua whose complexion looked somewhat off. He faintly showed signs of flaring up, but endured it under the latter's single glare.

Yu Dahai's eyelid twitched slightly. Calmly accepting Chen Yangzi's Storage Bag, he waved his hand and said lightly: "The Ancestor is in closed-door cultivation and not seeing guests. Please forgive us, Dao Friend. As for the apology gift, we've accepted it. The Ancestor instructed that this matter ends here. Nothing else."

"Good. Then we'll trouble you, Little Friend."

Although he didn't see the person, hearing Yu Dahai speak like this, Chen Yang's heart relaxed. He gave Chen Ronghua a look, and the latter immediately understood.

Chen Ronghua stepped forward. His expression was restrained and respectful — a completely different person from the arrogant and domineering one that day. He bowed at the waist and said: "That day's matter was my ignorance. I've already received a lesson. Today I specially came to apologize. Please, Dao Friend, don't take it to heart."

"It's all already past. No matter."

Yu Dahai waved his hand. He didn't put on airs either. He stopped Chen Ronghua's motion to kneel and bow, and said:

The two didn't delay much. They left the gifts, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then departed.

And this matter also quickly spread out, causing a wave of response. Originally those people who still held a skeptical attitude toward the Qiyao Pavilion completely fell silent. Their wariness of the Qiyao Pavilion deepened.

Everyone knows: the Qiyao Pavilion cannot be provoked, only befriended.

Therefore the Qiyao Pavilion's business became increasingly booming, with an endless stream of customers.

In the following days, almost every day someone came to visit, wanting to request an audience with the Qiyao Pavilion's Golden Core Ancestor. They even brought gifts. But all were refused by Yu Dahai. The gifts were also all declined.

One after another they ate closed-door soup.

And Yu Changsheng's Divine Sense injury also completely recovered not long after. Along with it, his cultivation base advanced a step further.

………

Wanxiang Sect, Outer Sect Trial Grounds.

"This matter will trouble Senior Brother Wang. Huang here offers his thanks."

Huang Suyu spoke gently. A Storage Bag in his hand was quietly passed over, placed into that so-called Senior Brother Wang's hand.

"What words are those, Junior Brother Huang? Since you've already established Foundation, sooner or later we're also fellow disciples. This trivial matter doesn't count as any trouble."

Senior Brother Wang laughed heartily. He accepted the Storage Bag without changing expression. His Divine Sense lightly probed, and the smile on his face instantly deepened. He patted Huang Suyu's shoulder very enthusiastically.

"When you ascend to the Inner Sect, if there's anything you need, just tell me."

"Good, then many thanks, Senior Brother."

Huang Suyu accompanied it with a smile, and after the two exchanged a few pleasantries, Huang Suyu left first.

According to the Wanxiang Sect's rules, there are two paths for an Outer Sect Disciple to enter the Inner Sect: one is to reach Foundation Establishment in cultivation base, after which one naturally becomes an Inner Sect Disciple upon application.

The second is to choose to participate in the annual Inner Disciple Trial; those who pass naturally become Inner Sect Disciples, but this trial has an extremely high elimination rate, and those who pass are few and far between.

And Huang Suyu chose the second path, even going so far as to bribe the disciple in charge of the Inner Disciple Trial; naturally, he had his own plans.

(Chapter End)