Chapter 11: Visiting the Jade Sun Palace Master

In Dongning Prefecture, on the third floor of a restaurant, there was a private room – the only one on that floor.

Yun Fu'an comfortably drank wine and listened to music. A woman in a green dress sat nearby, strumming a zither and singing softly. Yun Fu'an swayed his head, completely engrossed.

After the song ended.

“Xiang Yin, your singing has become truly divine,” Yun Fu'an said with a smile. “It nearly melts my heart.”

“Brother Yun, you flatter me,” the woman in green replied. “I still have much to learn from my teacher.”

“No, no, it’s different,” Yun Fu'an countered. “While your teacher is highly skilled, her age means her voice can’t compare to yours. This profession truly depends on talent, and your voice is exceptional; anything you sing sounds beautiful.”

“Then I’ll sing another song for you, Brother Yun,” the woman in green said with a hand over her mouth and a chuckle, before resuming her strumming.

Of course, she had to keep Yun Fu'an happy.

The Yun family patriarch had five sons and one daughter. The eldest three sons endured significant hardships during their upbringing, experiencing trials alongside their father. They were now all masters of the Flawless Realm, two of whom had even comprehended ‘momentum’. Their influence was immense, and they were known as the ‘Three Heroes of the Yun Family’. In contrast, the fourth, fifth, and youngest daughter had not experienced much adversity.

Yun Fu'an, for example, had a father who became a God-Devil when he was still a child. His life was carefree and easygoing. At that time, the Yun family patriarch had just achieved a breakthrough and was focused solely on cultivating to consolidate his power, neglecting to properly discipline his children. As a result, the youngest three children turned out somewhat undisciplined.

Yun Fu'an was somewhat unique, being the youngest son. Having grown up among many young masters, he became very cunning. He was adept at reading people, quick to criticize or flatter as needed, and well-versed in various underhanded tactics. For these reasons, the Three Heroes of the Yun Family quite liked their younger brother and entrusted him with many tasks, which he always executed flawlessly.

Consequently, Yun Fu'an wielded significant power, responsible for many family affairs. With a single word, he could make a famous performer disappear from the world, or elevate an unknown woman to stardom.

“Mmm,” Yun Fu'an hummed softly along with the music.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted downstairs in the restaurant. The loud noise made Yun Fu'an frown slightly. The private room was soundproofed, and being the only one on the third floor, it was usually very quiet. However, the current clamor was undeniably loud.

“What’s happening?” Yun Fu'an asked with a frown. “Ah Fu, go downstairs and see what’s going on.”

“Yes, master,” the servant outside the door replied, immediately heading down.

Soon, the servant returned, speaking quickly from outside the door: “Master, something significant has happened.”

Yun Fu'an extended a hand, and the woman in green immediately stopped playing. She understood well that nothing should interrupt Master Yun when he was attending to serious matters.

“Come in and tell me,” Yun Fu'an instructed.

The servant pushed the door open and whispered, “Not just this restaurant, but likely the entire Dongning Prefecture is abuzz, all because of Young Master Meng Chuan.”

“What about him?” Yun Fu'an frowned, a hint of disdain on his lips. He didn’t think highly of the entire Meng family these days. While his Yun family was flourishing, the Meng family was in decline.

“At Mirror Lake Dao Academy, Meng Chuan performed the Falling Leaf Blade Secret Art, ‘Three Autumn Leaves’,” the servant explained. “He even defeated the academy’s former senior disciple, Wu Qi, who was at the perfected Body Tempering Realm, to become the current senior disciple of Mirror Lake Dao Academy. To be able to use a secret art, and defeat someone at the perfected Body Tempering Realm while still at the Marrow Cleansing Realm himself… he has clearly comprehended a blade art secret technique, Master—”

“Get out!” Yun Fu'an, his face completely clouded with gloom, roared.

The servant immediately fell silent, obediently left, and closed the door behind him.

Yun Fu'an sat in silence for a moment, then rose and walked to the window. He opened it, and the sounds from the street outside immediately grew louder. Words like “Meng Chuan” and “secret art” were faintly audible. Clearly, this event had become the most talked-about news in all of Dongning Prefecture.

“That brat actually made a breakthrough?” Yun Fu'an muttered, his face dark. “Hmph, so what if he comprehended a secret art? Becoming a God-Devil is still a long way off.”

He slammed the window shut.

Across Dongning Prefecture, the other three God-Devil families also found the situation amusing. This was because the Yun family had recently annulled a marriage contract, specifically the engagement between Yun Qingping and Meng Chuan. Had the Yun family known that Meng Chuan could master a secret art at the age of fifteen, their decision would likely have been very different. But how low was the probability of a peerless genius being born?

Moreover, the Yun family dared not delay! Under normal circumstances, once an engagement was set, marriage had to occur by age eighteen, as military service began at twenty. Since the Yun family couldn't afford to delay, it was naturally better to annul the contract as early as possible.

“He only just mastered a secret art; he’s still very far from becoming a God-Devil,” the Yun family could only console themselves.

At Mirror Lake Meng Residence.

“Ah Chuan, tell me honestly,” Liu Qiyue said, staring at Meng Chuan. “Did you already have your breakthrough when we made that bet?”

“You’re so clever,” Meng Chuan replied with a smile and a nod. “But it was only recently.”

“You, you…” Liu Qiyue was at a loss for words.

“I told you I would get the spot, but you didn’t believe me and insisted on betting with me. Whose fault is that?” Meng Chuan chuckled. “What, are you planning to go back on your word?”

Liu Qiyue lifted her head. “My word is my bond!”

“I’m truly impressed, Sister Qiyue, truly impressed,” Meng Chuan quickly complimented. “Then I’ll be looking forward to a month of dinners cooked by you.”

“Consider it a congratulatory gift for your comprehension of the secret art, Ah Chuan,” Liu Qiyue said, feeling somewhat wronged. “I can’t believe you’re so cunning, Ah Chuan.”

“Chuan’er,” a voice called from a distance.

“My father’s calling me, I’ll go over now,” Meng Chuan said, immediately dashing away.

Liu Qiyue snorted. “Big cheat, he’s truly deceptive. But he’s quite formidable; his blade art has actually reached the Unity Realm.”

In the training ground.

“Father,” Meng Chuan stood before his father.

“I’m very happy that your blade art has had a breakthrough,” Meng Dajiang said, looking at his son. “But you must not become arrogant. There are still three major thresholds before you: 'Momentum', 'Core Formation', and the 'Life-and-Death Ordeal'. Each step is extremely difficult. Others can offer you very little help with these; you will mostly have to rely on yourself.”

“Your son understands,” Meng Chuan replied.

“You’ve been diligent in your cultivation since childhood, so I won’t say much more,” Meng Dajiang encouraged. “Work hard and cultivate to become a God-Devil!”

“Understood,” Meng Chuan nodded.

“It’s been a while since we sparred, hasn’t it?” Meng Dajiang chuckled. “Come, let’s have a father-son match.”

“Let’s do it!” Meng Chuan was also full of fighting spirit.

Of course, his father was a Flawless Realm expert who had mastered blade momentum, ranking among the top cultivators in Dongning Prefecture below the God-Devils. Naturally, he could rough up his son however he pleased.

Evening.

In his study, Meng Chuan was painting a long scroll. He had begun it yesterday, right after comprehending ‘Three Autumn Leaves’, but had only completed a portion. The painting depicted scenes of his arduous training in the practice field, his victory over Wu Qi in the Dao Academy arena, and his father and the elders greeting him as he left the academy. His father was shown ruffling his hair, and beside them, he also drew a wide-eyed, exclaiming Liu Qiyue.

Meng Chuan painted with a smile, completely immersed in his thoughts, his emotions flowing through his brushstrokes. The more intense the emotions poured into a painting, the more absorbed he became.

After a long while.

Having completed the painting, Meng Chuan looked up. Outside the window, the sky had already darkened. Meng Chuan wrote the three characters, “Three Autumn Leaves,” in the upper left corner of the scroll. This painting was titled ‘Three Autumn Leaves’. Looking at the painting, Meng Chuan felt an immense sense of peace and tranquility.

The bustling Dongning Prefecture.

A young man in white robes, accompanied by an old servant, walked through the streets.

“This Dongning Prefecture is quite lively,” the young man in white remarked, his face devoid of any expression.

“It’s a prefecture city with a population of over a million, so it’s naturally bustling,” the old servant chuckled. “Young Master, will we be staying in Dongning Prefecture for the next few years? Or perhaps we could go to the provincial capital?”

“This is my mother’s hometown; I’ll stay here,” the young man in white said coldly.

The old servant sighed helplessly. No one could control the young master’s temper.

Suddenly, he heard pedestrians on the street discussing: “Young Master Meng Chuan is truly amazing; he actually comprehended a secret art! He’s only fifteen this year, isn’t he?” “Yes, exactly fifteen. In my opinion, Young Master Meng Chuan will probably become a God-Devil in the future.”

Listening to the chatter, the old servant also chuckled softly. “I didn’t expect Dongning Prefecture to have such a genius. He’s even the same age as you, Young Master.”

“Meng Chuan…” the young man in white murmured to himself.

“Young Master, if we go this way, we’ll reach Jade Sun Palace,” the old servant said. “We should visit the Jade Sun Palace Master first.”

“Hmm,” the young man in white nodded.

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