Imperial Scepter

A new day quietly dawned, and the morning light outside the window spilled through the windowpane, casting a clear and bright halo.

Gao Chun slowly opened his eyes, only to find that the excruciating pain in his body had dissipated, and he felt much more relaxed and comfortable.

He was stunned for a moment, still feeling a bit dizzy, before he felt a sense of relief.

The pain that had tormented him for so long had actually disappeared.

A sense of relief at surviving the ordeal quietly washed over me.

"Xiao Chun, you're awake?"

A gentle voice, so soft it seemed to drip with tenderness, suddenly came from the doorway.

The door was gently pushed open, and Gao Xuemei slowly walked in carrying a steaming bowl of black herbal medicine. The rich aroma of the medicine instantly filled the room.

Everyone knows that in Gaojia Village, Gao Xuemei is notoriously domineering and assertive, with a quick temper and decisive actions. She never conceals her profound energy aura at the Silver Realm level, and everyone in the village, whether elders or peers, gives her a wide berth, with no one daring to disobey her in the slightest.

She was extremely strict with her family, especially her son Gao Chengzhi and daughter Gao Chengyao. She would scold them harshly if they slacked off in their cultivation, and she would even physically punish them for being naughty. She was a strict mother known to everyone in the village.

But at this moment, this woman, who is sharp and authoritative outside and dignified at home, showed no trace of her usual toughness and coldness on her face.

Her gentle face was filled with unconcealed concern and heartache, her brows furrowed with deep worry, and she walked very lightly and slowly, afraid that even the slightest sound would disturb her younger brother who had just woken up.

She walked step by step to the bedside, her gaze immediately falling on Gao Chun.

When I saw the bandages covering his entire body, and the deep and shallow wounds faintly visible through the gaps in the bandages, my heartache almost overflowed.

At the same time, a deep sense of shock lingered in his eyes, which was difficult to completely fade away.

Gao Xuemei knew better than anyone that her younger brother, who had just woken up and was covered in injuries, had actually reached the fifth level of the Bronze Realm.

Twelve and a half years old, Bronze Realm Five-Star!

This is a terrifying talent that is enough to shake the entire cultivation world and drive all the major sects and clans crazy.

"Gao Chun's bloodline ability to accelerate cultivation is truly this heaven-defying?"

"Before leaving home, his cultivation was only at the fourth level of the Bronze Realm. However, after just one trip to Li Family Village, he broke through the realm and steadily stepped into the fifth level of the Bronze Realm."

"Such a terrifying cultivation speed is unheard of, not only in the current Eastern Chen Empire, but even in the most prosperous sects of ancient times!"

Gao Xuemei's thoughts drifted as she gazed at Gao Chun, a burning fervor surging deep within her eyes.

This is her younger brother, a blood relative with whom she shares a common destiny, and the sharpest and most trustworthy weapon on her path of revenge.

The stronger Gao Chun becomes, the closer she gets to her long-cherished wish of destroying the Dongchen Empire and restoring the glory of her sect.

The hatred and ambition buried deep in his heart for many years almost burst out of his chest at this moment.

Her heart was already churning with turmoil and murderous intent, but Gao Xuemei's face remained gentle as water, without revealing the slightest ripple.

She sat gently on the wooden stool by the bed, holding a medicine bowl in one hand and a small porcelain spoon in the other. She scooped up a spoonful of the medicine, blew on it to cool it, and then carefully brought it to Gao Chun's lips.

Her words carried a mixture of concern and a hint of reproach, yet her tone was as soft as cotton.

"You kids, how did you end up like this after just one trip to Lijia Village?"

All five of them were seriously injured, especially you; you're covered in wounds. How could you be so careless with yourself?

Normally, Gao Xuemei would scold people with a stern voice and a powerful aura.

But at this moment, when speaking to her younger brother, there was not a trace of sternness in her voice, only deep heartache and concern.

Gao Chun obediently leaned against the headboard, listening to her sister's slightly complaining nagging, not daring to refute in the slightest, nor wanting to refute.

She simply smiled and drank the medicine, obediently enjoying her sister's meticulous care.

The bitter medicine slid down my throat, carrying a hint of warmth.

But Gao Chun felt an indescribable warmth welling up in his heart, a sweet feeling that washed away all the pain and exhaustion.

In this cruel world fraught with danger, where the strong rule and the weak are prey to each other, the safe protection and gentle treatment of his family are his strongest support.

"Thank you for taking care of me all this time, sister. Otherwise, I might have really ended up with a disability."

While enjoying her sister's service, Gao Chun asked softly.

"Sister, I clearly saw my brother-in-law appear before I fainted. The enemy was a protector at the King Realm level. How did he manage to save us?"

"Drink the medicine quickly. It's a good medicine specifically for your external injuries and will help you recover."

Gao Xuemei gently gave her instructions, her eyes filled with undisguised love for her younger brother.

As she slowly fed Gao Chun the herbal medicine, she casually explained:

"Your brother-in-law couldn't possibly fight a King-level expert head-on. He only managed to escape with you all thanks to a special talisman he had prepared beforehand."

"I don't know the specific details either. You can ask him yourself once you've recovered."

Gao Chun nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

My brother-in-law has always been calm and collected; since he was able to bring them back safely, he must have been prepared beforehand…

Just as the siblings were having a tender conversation, a clear and urgent shout suddenly rang out from outside, like a small firecracker being lit, instantly shattering the tranquility inside.

"Uncle! Uncle! I heard you're awake?!"

His voice was full of barely concealed eagerness and excitement, as well as a touch of a child's unique liveliness and domineering nature.

Gao Chun's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

Without even guessing, he knew that the person rushing over must be his innocent, adorable, clever, and incredibly curious little niece—Gao Chengyao.

The door was pushed open almost with a "whoosh".

A small pink figure rushed in, her hair styled in two round buns, the red ribbons tied to them bobbing with her movements like two little butterflies about to take flight.

Her little face was flushed from running, and her big, dark eyes shone like two black grapes soaking in water.

Upon seeing Gao Chun, who was already awake, her eyes lit up immediately. She took short strides and, like a nimble little cannonball, pounced straight to the bedside.

"Uncle! You're finally awake! You've been asleep for two whole days and two nights!"

"The night before last, when Dad carried you back, you were covered in blood and had cuts all over your body. It terrified me. I cried for a long, long time because of you..."

"I heard you only went to Li Family Village, how did you get so badly injured? Not only were you badly injured, but my brother Gao Chengzhi was also seriously injured, although he woke up yesterday..."

The chirping sound, like the clear, melodious song of a lark, brought Gao Chun a sense of comfort.

Seeing his niece's concerned expression, Gao Chun felt even warmer inside.

While feeding Gao Chun his medicine, Gao Xuemei sternly scolded him:

"Gao Chengyao, you're already six years old and a Bronze Realm cultivator, yet you're still so impulsive and loud. Your uncle just woke up and hasn't fully recovered yet..."

Gao Chengyao immediately pursed her lips, not daring to refute.

Her biggest fear at home is her mother.

My mom has a domineering and impatient personality. She really will spank someone if they talk back. She got a lot of punishment when she was a child.

She secretly made a funny face at her uncle.

Her uncle was the closest to her; he was the one who often took her out to play when she was little.

Gao Chun smiled gently.

He raised his little niece for most of her childhood, so he naturally understands her personality best.

So he began to comfort him:

"Sister, it's okay. I get bored being alone. It's good to have Yao Yao to talk to."

"By the way, Yao Yao, your brother woke up yesterday. How are his injuries? Have Huang Xiaoming, Li Daoqiu, and Wang Hu woken up yet?"

At this moment, Gao Chun still misses his four comrades-in-arms.

Recalling the scene two days ago when the five of them fought against the genius of the Puppet Sect together, sharing life and death and shielding each other from harm, Gao Chun couldn't help but smile gently.

Even though the wound still hurts, it can't stop the warmth in my heart.

With brothers like these, even the worst injuries are worth it.

Gao Chengyao immediately started chattering, her voice as clear and melodious as a nightingale's:

"My brother's injuries are also quite serious; he'll need to stay in bed for at least a month."

Daoqiu, Xiaoming, and Wanghu all woke up yesterday, and the first thing they asked about you was how you were doing...

"They were also badly injured, just like you, their bodies wrapped up in bandages..."

"Uncle, what exactly happened to you yesterday? How come all five of you are injured like this?"

Gao Xuemei finally finished feeding her daughter the medicine. Seeing her daughter's persistent questioning, she couldn't help but put on a stern face again:

"All you do is ask questions. Why don't you go and cultivate? You're only at the first star of the Bronze Realm. Instead of being so curious, you should focus more on your cultivation."

Gao Chun quickly tried to smooth things over:

"Sister, I'm also injured. Let Yao Yao stay with me for a while. Talking to her will help me relax." After saying that, she went to cultivate.

He knew his older sister's domineering and forceful style all too well; reasoning with her wouldn't work. So he could only leave Yao Yao behind as an injured person, and also find out about the situation of his brothers.

Seeing this, Gao Xuemei could only keep a stern face and reprimand Gao Chengyao:

"Your uncle is injured, so you should stay quietly with him and not disturb him."

Gao Chengyao immediately put on a well-behaved and sensible demeanor:

"Okay, Mom, I will definitely take good care of my little uncle."

But as soon as Gao Xuemei turned to leave, she immediately made a face at Gao Chun, leaned closer, carefully touched the bandages on his body, and started asking him all sorts of questions.

"Uncle, uncle, please tell me quickly, what exactly happened yesterday? Why were all five of you seriously injured?"

Although Gao Chun was still in excruciating pain, he felt a warm glow in his heart and slowly began to tell his little niece about what had happened the day before.

"Yesterday we went to Li Family Village and encountered a genius young man from the Human Puppet Sect, and then we fought with him..."

Gao Chengyao raised her cute little head and continued to ask:

"Why did you fight him? Is he that strong? All five of you on your team are multi-talented geniuses from Gao Family Village, how come you were injured by him alone?"

A gentle smile.

His little niece is innocent, lively, and very curious, so he naturally wanted to talk to her more.

"This young man from the Puppet Sect is incredibly powerful. He's only in his twenties, yet he's already reached the sixth level of the Bronze Realm and has mastered two magical techniques..."

"Wow, magic!"

Gao Chengyao gasped softly, her eyes filled with envy.

She is now a Bronze Realm One-Star cultivator and knows very well what techniques and realms represent.

"To reach the sixth level of the Bronze Realm in his early twenties and also know two spells, he is indeed a great genius."

Gao Chengyao nodded in agreement, but her thoughts immediately jumped to another question: "Uncle, what is the Puppet Sect?"

Gao Chun was amused by her unconventional train of thought.

However, I still patiently explained:

"The Human Puppet Sect must have been a powerful sect from a long time ago, during the era of sects. It was once the overlord of Yunzhou. My uncle doesn't know much about the specifics."

Gao Chengyao's curiosity grew even stronger:

"The Puppet Sect... Judging from the name, do they control puppets?"

"Uncle, I heard that before you went to Li Family Village, you were already at the fourth level of the Bronze Realm and had even learned an assassin's technique. How powerful is your technique?"

"What are you doing in Li Family Village? Are you going treasure hunting? Why didn't you call me? Next time you're on something like this, you absolutely have to take me with you!"

"There were five of you against one of him, but only you knew magic. How did you manage to win?"

...The little girl asked one question after another, asking whatever came to mind, without any logic, but full of longing for the outside world.

She is straightforward, clever and cunning, but without any guile; she wants to ask about everything and is curious about everything.

Gao Chun and she had always been close, so he patiently answered each question one by one.

With each reply, the warmth in my heart grows stronger.

She became more and more excited as she asked questions, her little face full of anticipation, her eyes shining as if they held a sky full of stars.

……

Just as the uncle and niece were chatting happily, the door was gently pushed open again.

A gentle, composed, and approachable figure walked in slowly.

The man was dressed in a blue robe, with a gentle face and peaceful eyes. His aura was like the warm spring sun, making people feel close to him without any sense of oppression.

It was Gao Qingfeng.

As soon as he entered the room, his gaze fell on Gao Chun.

She glanced at him gently, confirming that his breathing was steady and his internal injuries were not serious, only superficial ones. Only then did the faint worry in her eyes quietly disappear.

He had personally witnessed the true cultivation level and formidable combat power of a high-purity bronze realm fifth-star cultivator, and he was deeply shocked.

He was the first person to discover the true realm of Gao Chun, and also the one who rescued the unconscious Gao Chun from the dense forest.

But he always kept to himself, seeing through things but not saying anything, knowing but not questioning, silently protecting them in his own way.

"Yaoyao, don't ask questions."

Gao Qingfeng spoke, his tone gentle yet carrying just the right amount of authority.

"Your uncle just woke up and needs to rest. He shouldn't be disturbed."

Gao Chengyao showed no fear towards her father as she had towards her mother; instead, she affectionately snuggled up to him and acted coquettishly.

"Father, let me keep my uncle company... I'm just curious..."

Gao Chun felt a slight warmth in his heart as he watched this scene.

My brother-in-law, Gao Qingfeng, is always like this: intelligent, wise, calm, gentle, extremely approachable, and the most considerate of people.

"Brother-in-law, let Yao Yao stay with me a little longer."

Gao Chun spoke softly, his tone filled with sincere gratitude, "I really thank you, brother-in-law, for saving me and the rest of the team. If it weren't for you, we probably would have perished in the dense forest."

Gao Qingfeng smiled gently, walked to the bedside, and spoke calmly and naturally:

"How are you feeling? Are your meridians feeling congested? Is your body still in a lot of pain? I have some healing pills here to soothe and nourish your meridians."

"As for thank you, there's no need for formalities. We're all family, no need for such formalities. How could I possibly stand by and watch the five of you die in the forest?"

"Everything is fine. Thank you so much, brother-in-law, for saving us. And thank you and my sister for healing us."

Gao Chun sincerely expressed his gratitude.

If Gao Qingfeng hadn't appeared in time, he would already be dead.

He always held his brother-in-law, who was gentle and approachable yet possessed unfathomable strength, in high esteem and gratitude.

Gao Qingfeng waved his hand lightly, his tone indifferent:

"We're family, no need for such formalities. Just focus on your recovery. Your sister, your father, and I will take care of everything. Nothing will go wrong."

With just that one simple sentence, all of Gao Chun's worries vanished instantly.

He knew that his brother-in-law was telling him not to worry about the Li family, a powerful clan in the town, investigating him.

There's no need to worry about retaliation from the King-level protector of the Human Puppet Sect.

His sister, brother-in-law, and that mysterious father were his strongest support.

Gao Chun had indeed been very worried.

That's the Li family, a powerful and influential clan in Jiuyang Town!

With numerous mystical members in the clan and the ability to mobilize the town's armed forces, Gaojia Village was simply powerless to resist them head-on.

What he feared even more was the protector of the Human Puppet Sect who was at the King Realm.

My sister, brother-in-law, and father are all only at the Silver Realm on the surface, which is two whole realms away from the King Realm.

But upon hearing his brother-in-law's words, all his unease finally dissipated.

"It seems that my sister, brother-in-law, and father are hiding their true intentions even more deeply than I thought."

A thought flashed through Gao Chun's mind, and the next moment he was completely relieved.

With such unfathomable family members supporting him, he had no more worries.

"Chengzhi is recuperating in the room next to yours. He'll probably be bedridden for over a month. Li Daoqiu, Wang Hu, and Huang Xiaoming are in similar condition; they're all external injuries, nothing serious. Don't worry, I'll take good care of them for you."

Gao Qingfeng said softly.

"Thank you, brother-in-law."

Gao Chun was genuinely grateful.

My brother-in-law is always so understanding, wise and considerate. He never questions or blames me, and he always cares about my health first, then about my brother.

He had considered all the things that worried him most in advance.

This simple sentence gave Gaochun the most solid and reassuring confidence.

With his father and brother-in-law supporting him, he no longer needed to fear the shadow of the Puppet Sect, worry about the revenge of the powerful Li family, or fear that Gaojia Village would be plunged into danger because of him.

Gao Chengyao stood to the side, smiling sweetly, her big, dark eyes still occasionally stealing glances at Gao Chun, the curiosity and anticipation in her eyes undiminished.

"Alright, Yao Yao, your uncle just woke up and needs to rest. Talking any longer will only exhaust him."

Gao Qingfeng gently but firmly pulled his daughter to his side.

"Uncle, take good care of yourself. Yao Yao will come to see you again this evening."

Gao Chengyao was sensible and knew that her father was right, so she obediently said goodbye to Gao Chun.

As she reached the door, she suddenly stopped, turned around abruptly, and shouted loudly at Gao Chun:

"Uncle! You must rest well! When you're better, you must continue to tell me the stories of Li Family Village, okay? Pinky promise!"

After saying that, she deliberately stretched out her chubby little finger and waved it at Gao Chun, her little face full of seriousness and determination.

Gao Chun smiled and nodded slightly.

"Okay, I'll tell you when your uncle gets better."

"yeah!"

Gao Chengyao immediately cheered and skipped after Gao Qingfeng out of the room.

The door was gently closed.

The room finally returned to tranquility, with only the soft sound of sunlight flowing slowly and the lingering faint scent of medicine and warmth in the air.

Gao Chun leaned against the headboard, gazing at the warm sunlight outside the window, his heart filled with clarity and peace.

He let go of the retaliation from the Li clan that followed the killing of Li Tianjiao.

He also let go of the possibility of being hunted down by the King-level protector of the Human Puppet Sect.

He finally understood that his desperate cultivation and patient growth were not just to prove that he was not a good-for-nothing, nor were they solely for his grand ambition of becoming a high-ranking official.

It's all for the sake of protection!

Protect the tenderness in my sister's eyes, protect the peace my brother-in-law seeks, protect the tranquility of Gaojia Village, and protect the forever clear and innocent light in my little niece's eyes...

The road ahead was still fraught with turmoil and surrounded by formidable enemies, but at this moment, he felt no more anxiety or confusion.

Because he was never alone.

The pain gradually faded, and weariness slowly crept in.

Gao Chun closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep amidst the warmth and comfort of the room.

This time, there was no bloodshed or murderous intent in his dreams, no chilling atmosphere of the dense forest, no murderous intent from the black-robed figure, and no oppressive aura from a king.

Only when the warm sun shines down can the family be at peace.

In his sleep, the boy's lips curled up slightly, revealing a clean, calm, and infinitely determined smile.