Chapter 3563: Time Is Running Out

After hearing this, An Chengxi felt even more admiration for Lin Wanan, and couldn't help but sigh: "Senior's thoughts are meticulous and your strength extraordinary—truly, I, the junior, am deeply impressed."

Having said that, she asked Lin Wanan: "Wu Feiyan is so desperate to obtain that ring—could it be because the ring contains the formula for the Hundred Reversals Thousand Returns Pill?"

Lin Wanan knew that An Chengxi had already found a breakthrough within the Wu family and must have obtained much key information, so she was not surprised to hear him mention the Hundred Reversals Thousand Returns Pill.

She replied calmly: "According to what my father said back then, my grandmaster did mention that the key to the Hundred Reversals Thousand Returns Pill lies within that ring, but my father did not know how to find that clue, nor did my grandmaster ever explain any of the ring's effects. If Wu Feiyan had not suddenly confronted my father, he would not even have known that the ring could save his life at a critical moment."

Lin Wanan concealed nothing, fully recounting how her father had been injured by Wu Feiyan in the past and how the ring had been delivered to her.

An Chengxi felt grateful and astonished, excitedly saying: "So this ring actually has such miraculous effects! Your father used it once, and Chen'er also used it once—this proves the ring can be reused. With it, isn't Chen'er practically invincible?"

Lin Wanan shook her head: "Nothing is certain yet. Young Master, you once had a large amount of spiritual energy drained by the ring, and you only managed to endure it by taking pill after pill. It seems activating the ring once consumes a great deal of spiritual energy, and how many times it can be used remains unknown. The best outcome would be for you to no longer need its help."

An Chengxi nodded solemnly, his face grave: "What the senior says is correct—this matter allows no room for trial and error; one misstep leads to eternal doom."

Lin Wanan smiled faintly, looking at An Chengxi and saying: "When I came today, I considered many possibilities, but I never imagined I would be facing Lady Ye. Yet since we have met and also spoken of the Young Master, many matters still need to be discussed openly and honestly. Clarifying the issues thoroughly will benefit both of us and the Young Master. What do you think, Lady Ye?"

An Chengxi nodded respectfully: "As the senior said, I have decided to meet with you, prepared to speak without reservation and answer fully. Besides, I also have some questions I wish to ask for your guidance."

Lin Wanan smiled and said: "Then let me begin."

An Chengxi raised his right hand, making a gesture of invitation: "Please, senior, speak as you wish."

Lin Wanan said: "Since Lady Ye did not meet the fate the outside world assumed, it stands to reason that the Young Master's life path over these years—including obtaining the Nine Profound Heaven Scripture—was orchestrated behind the scenes by Lady Ye. Since she arranged for the Young Master to marry Xiao Churan, why now does she go to such lengths to separate them?"

An Chengxi gave a bitter smile: "Don't blame the senior, but though I have remained behind the scenes, I am far from capable of strategic planning, nor do I dare to undertake it. When my master foresaw danger, he had already prepared the Cicada's Shell strategy for me. But at the time, I was still in the dark; otherwise, I could not have agreed to this method to preserve my life alone."

"When I learned the truth, my master had already passed away. I could only follow his dying wish, hide my identity and name, and dare not let any relatives or friends approach me."

"Several key points in Chen'er's life path—such as entering the orphanage, receiving the hundred billion from the Ye family, and obtaining the Nine Profound Heaven Scripture—were all prearranged by him. I dare not interfere too much."

"Your mention of the marriage arrangement is also entirely accidental. Neither my master nor I ever imagined Chen'er would meet Xiao Churan's grandfather, nor did we expect someone to come forward and..."

"Xiao Churan's grandfather, many years ago, was once a servant of the Ye family. At a construction site, he recognized Chen'er as a member of the Ye family by his appearance and surname, and on his own initiative, made Chen'er become a son-in-law living in the wife's family home."

Lin Wanan suddenly understood, nodded lightly, and then said: "But if Lady Ye is dissatisfied with this marriage, given her abilities, there are many ways she could have prevented it at the root, aren't there?"

An Chengxi nodded and said: "To be frank, in my view, Chen'er is a descendant of the Ye family and a grandson of the An family—his lineage is undoubtedly illustrious. Moreover, he has been given the Dragon Pattern by his father, forming the Ascending Dragon Fate. If being a dragon trapped in shallow waters is an inevitable stage of growth, then I could stand by and watch Chen'er live in the orphanage, or watch him carry bricks on a construction site and suffer bullying. But what I least wish to see is him becoming a son-in-law living in another family's home."

"So I have considered many indirect methods to obstruct this, including secretly arranging for many prominent figures to pursue Xiao Churan before the marriage, even lobbying the Xiao family—but all to no effect. Had the situation been pushed one step further at that time, it might have been seen as deliberate, and forced interference would only make Chen'er notice... so I could only helplessly call it off."

Lin Wanan nodded and asked: "So Lady Ye is dissatisfied with their marriage, correct?"

An Chengxi shook his head and said: "As for Xiao Churan, I neither dislike nor particularly like her."

"Objectively speaking, the root cause of many strained mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships in Huaxia is that the mother-in-law has not adjusted her mindset. A son is not the mother-in-law's puppet to manipulate—he wishes to marry whom he chooses and live as he wishes, and the mother-in-law should not interfere. She cannot choose a wife for her son, nor can she dislike his wife. Xiao Churan is not my choice, but I also have no right to despise her."

Saying this, An Chengxi turned to Lin Wanan and said frankly: "The reason I have gone to such lengths to separate them is fundamentally that I do not wish for Xiao Churan's family of three to continue holding Chen'er back. I have also secretly observed Chen'er's movements—basically centered on Jin Ling, radiating globally—but every time he leaves home, it seems rushed, and after finishing his affairs, he immediately returns. Even when he returns, he is constantly going back and forth between home. I ask you, senior: if a cultivator has no time to retreat and meditate all day, how can his cultivation possibly advance?"

Lin Wanan nodded slightly, then mused: "My father once said that cultivation is about slowing one's life to the pace of a ten-thousand-year-old redwood—daily practice, meditation, and retreat into stillness. Often, one retreat passes without notice, and months or even over a year go by. Yet to a cultivator, it feels like merely a blink of an eye. My grandmaster once told him that when he reached that level, it was already 'one glance, a hundred years.' If he truly attained the highest realm, even 'one glance, ten thousand years' would not be surprising."

Having said that, she couldn't help but sigh: "The Young Master's previous situation indeed greatly affected his cultivation—he never had enough time to retreat, and the advancement and breakthrough of his cultivation may well have stalled because of this."

An Chengxi, hearing this, felt his heart ease slightly, yet he could not help but sigh: "I also do not wish to interfere so much with Chen'er, but if he does not seize the time, I fear that when Wu Feiyan dies, Chen'er will still not be her match."

Having said that, she spoke with a solemn expression: "Based on my understanding of Wu Feiyan, if her life has truly entered a countdown, she will surely take mad revenge on everyone—Ye family, An family—likely no one will escape. The time left for Chen'er is not much!"