Genius Beast Tamer

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Cheng Kun, Cheng Zhu, and Cheng Xiao did not return home all night. It took Cheng Nan Kuang an entire night to recover from the grief of losing his son.

"Report," came the subordinate's voice from outside the door.

Cheng Nan sighed and said coldly, "Speak."

"Master... Cheng Kun's life tablet has shattered."

Cheng Nankuang showed no surprise, as if he had already anticipated this outcome. He asked with a cold laugh, "Where are Cheng Zhu and Cheng Xiao?"

The subordinate outside the door answered truthfully: "Only the life tablet enshrined by Cheng Kun is broken. There is no news of either Cheng Zhu or Cheng Xiao."

"Go down." Cheng Nankuang waved his hand wearily.

A lion's roar echoed throughout the entire Cheng family—"All worshippers, come before me!"

Five dark figures landed like a whirlwind in front of Cheng Nankuang's door.

"Greetings, Master!" the five said in unison.

Cheng Nankuang narrowed his eyes, his sinister gaze filled with venomous intent. He said calmly, "Cheng Kun is dead."

"Cheng Kun is dead?" The five people stared wide-eyed in disbelief, a faint fear flashing deep in their pupils.

"It seems Long Wu has some powerful backing." Cheng Nankuang narrowed his eyes dangerously, his voice low and laced with sinister sarcasm. "No wonder he dared to kill this time; he felt he had a powerful figure backing him up, so he acted as if he wanted to do whatever he wanted."

"Master, do you want us to go and investigate the truth?" asked a shrewd-looking, long-faced retainer.

"True or False?" Cheng Nan sneered, "Cheng Kun is dead, and Cheng Zhu and Cheng Xiao haven't returned either. They've obviously been held captive. Although I trust the elders, I can't rule out the possibility that they might reveal all our secrets. The enemy probably knows us inside and out. Going there would be suicide. Among the five of you, does anyone think they're more capable than Cheng Kun?"

The shrewd, long-faced retainer said with a sense of shame, "I am no match for Brother Kun. Whoever can kill Brother Kun would certainly not take me seriously. I am incompetent."

"Wait." Cheng Nankuang uttered a single word with a profound meaning.

"Wait?" The five looked at each other, puzzled.

Cheng Nankuang said meaningfully, "Since Cheng Zhu and Cheng Xiao are not dead, the enemy will naturally come looking for us after leaving them alive to interrogate them and find out our strength. Let's wait patiently and prepare to lure them into our trap."

……

"Sister Wuxie, why don't you come with us to Chengjia's place?" Han Xingyu winked, seemingly in a very good mood.

Han Wuxie pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said in a low voice, "We shouldn't go."

"Why?" Han Tianci asked, puzzled.

Han Wuxie asked with a faint smile, "According to the information you obtained, Cheng Nankuang is an extremely cunning person. Seeing that his men hadn't returned today, he must have already guessed that they were either dead or injured. So, if you were in his shoes, what would you do?"

"We are him?" Han Xingyu's expression darkened slightly, and he put away his previous antics.

"When making any pre-battle decision, first consider: if you were the opponent, what would you do?" Han Wuxie narrowed her eyes, her gaze full of wisdom. She smiled faintly and said, "This is something my great-uncle always says."

Han Tianci joked, "Sister, after learning the 'way of being a person' from Uncle for a few years, you seem to have become just as cunning as him!"

Han Wuxie pinched Han Tianci's cheek hard as a form of punishment, laughing and scolding, "How could you talk about your great-uncle like that? If he hears this, you'll be in big trouble!"

Han Tianci rubbed his face, feigning pain, and said plaintively, "He's in the Immortal Realm, far away from here!"

Han Wuxie shook his head with a wry smile, then suddenly became serious and earnestly instructed, "What my great-uncle taught me wasn't cunning or scheming; he simply taught me to put life first. No matter what you do, success or failure isn't the key; the most important thing is to stay alive!"

"Save your life?" Han Xingyu shook his head and retorted, "Those who hesitate and think things through are not like a real man."

Han Wuxie shook his head and explained earnestly, "Thinking things through before acting is not cowardice, but rather a sign of caution. Only the cautious will avoid making mistakes that others might exploit and cause them to lose their lives. Only by prioritizing one's own life can one be so careful in everything one does, ensuring that everything is done flawlessly."

Han Xingyu's eyes flickered slightly, as if he was weighing the deeper meaning behind her words.

After a long pause, he finally nodded in agreement.

Han Xingyu was not a stubborn person, nor was he the kind of person who believed everything he heard. He liked to carefully consider everything he heard before accepting it. If it was wrong, he would not blindly believe it. He had a yardstick in his heart, which was his principle and standard. However, it was not unwavering. He would only accept it if it was worth moving that yardstick.

Han Xingyu analyzed solemnly and seriously: "If I were Cheng Nankuang, and my three mid-stage Martial Emperor subordinates were gone, I would guess that the other side must have three experts above the mid-stage Martial Emperor level, or even experts at the peak of Martial Emperor level. My subordinates are all mid-stage Martial Emperors, and I myself am only at the peak of Martial Emperor level. I would definitely not rashly send people to kill Long Wu again."

Han Tianci continued Han Xingyu's words and analyzed, "I don't know whether my three mid-stage Martial Emperor experts are dead or alive, so I must prepare for the worst. That is, there must be survivors who have fallen into the hands of others. Since they are only worshippers and not family elders, under strong pressure, it is possible that the hostages will not reveal all my secrets."

Han Xingyu nodded and said, "Then the enemy will know that I, Cheng Nankuang, am only at the peak of Martial Emperor, and my subordinates are only at the mid-stage of Martial Emperor. There are no higher experts in the family. If the enemy has a peak Martial Emperor, they are very likely to attack the Cheng family and destroy my clan."

Han Wuxie smiled with satisfaction and nodded, then asked, "So, how would you prepare under such circumstances?"

Han Xingyu frowned and said, "I will lay a trap."

Han Tianci said solemnly, "Please step into the trap."

Han Wuxie raised an eyebrow with a mischievous smile and asked, "Since you know the other side will lay a trap to lure you in, do you still want to go and have some fun at the Cheng family's place?"

Han Xingyu hurriedly waved her hand, her eyes dim and helpless, and said listlessly, "I'm not going. Cheng Nankuang now suspects that we are experts at the peak of Martial Emperor, so the trap must be aimed at experts above the Martial Emperor level. He will definitely not come out to fight head-on. Even if we have a weapon to resist the pressure of divine sense, we can't compete with him. Going there will only be jumping into the trap. A trap for a peak Martial Emperor is not something a Martial King like me can get through."

Han Tianci stretched and said, "I wasn't really interested to begin with, but Han Xingyu wanted to go and insisted on dragging me along."

"Damn it, you were clearly really enthusiastic!" Han Xingyu roared in dissatisfaction.

Han Wuxie said helplessly, "Not going is the right choice, but there are also potential problems."

Han Xingyu's face darkened as he said, "If I were Cheng Nankuang, and after setting a trap, no one came to the Cheng family, I would guess that the other party was not a peak Martial Emperor, but only three mid-stage Martial Emperors. Or perhaps Long Wu guessed that someone would come seeking revenge and set a trap in the house. The three retainers he sent were simply defeated by the trap."

"Then Cheng Nankuang will no longer be afraid." Han Tianci said with a wry smile, "In a few days, he'll be the one coming to our door to 'have some fun'!"

Han Xingyu's eyes lit up, and she grinned mischievously, "Then let's give them a taste of their own medicine!"

"We've laid a trap, luring Cheng Nankuang into it!" Han Tianci's eyes were filled with a cunning, wicked smile.

Looking at her two younger brothers' cunning expressions, Han Wuxie rubbed her forehead. Why did she feel that she had unintentionally corrupted them?

I initially told them to be cautious in their actions and to put themselves in the enemy's shoes. But these two little guys actually took it a step further and started plotting how to frame the enemy from their perspective!

As soon as Han Wuxie turned around, the two little guys immediately started plotting what kind of traps to set, what kind of formations to deploy, and other insidious things.

……

Han Wuxie arrived at Mo Wu's room, knocked on the door, and asked, "Sister Mo Wu, are you there?"

For a long time, no one responded from inside the room.

Where will Sister Mo Wu go?

Filled with doubt, Han Wuxie searched around and found Mo Wu practicing her sword alone deep in the courtyard. Although many of her movements seemed clumsy, judging from the sweat on her brow and her determined look, she must have been practicing for a long time.

Han Wuxie chose not to disturb her and continued to stroll around the house. He passed by the residence of Hei Feng and the others and saw Hei Feng and Qing Lang sparring. Long Wu's arrival meant that Man Niu was no longer lonely and had a sparring partner.

Everyone in the house was busy with their own things, and Han Wuxie suddenly felt a little lost.

Han Wuxie sighed softly and muttered to himself, "The purpose of coming to the Martial World Continent is not to have everyone lock themselves in their rooms to cultivate. If everyone cultivates in their residences, what difference is there between that and the three years we spent on the Nine Provinces Continent?"

The people here seem to take me as their guide. If I stay in the house, they will naturally continue to cultivate there and live the same way they did in the Nine Provinces Continent.

To change all this, I must start with myself.

"Staying stuck at the early stages of the Martial Emperor realm isn't a long-term solution. How can I break through this bottleneck?"

Han Wuxie took a deep look at the courtyard where the Deer King and the others lived.

If Hua Qianye were here, he would probably tell me what to do, but he's very busy right now.

Was he training those contracted beasts so diligently because, subconsciously, he was afraid of suddenly disappearing, and that's why he wanted to make those contracted beasts stronger?

Han Wuxie left the house and decided to go for a walk outside.

There were always many unfriendly eyes staring at her in the town, which made her very uncomfortable. Coupled with her many frustrations and worries, her mood worsened.

Looking at those troublemakers on the martial arts continent, and those places where fights break out all the time, she suddenly felt an urge to find someone to have a good fight with.

She was never one to cause trouble, so she was somewhat surprised when the thought crossed her mind. She chuckled bitterly and murmured, "Have I been assimilated by the atmosphere here? Become frivolous and impetuous?"

As she was talking to herself, a frail voice suddenly rang out: "A youth without recklessness is a wasted youth!"

"Huh?" Han Wuxie looked towards the source of the sound and realized that he had stopped in front of an old man.

"Lift your feet a little," the old man's aged voice rang out again.

Han Wuxie looked down and realized he had stepped on someone else's rice bowl. He hurriedly and awkwardly lifted his foot, but the old man was quick and caught the rice bowl in his arms.

The old man, dressed in rags, should have had snow-white beard and hair, but because it was so dirty, it appeared grayish-white.

The old man looked somewhat confused. He should be a beggar, but seeing a beggar in the martial arts world was a very strange thing, because the people here were all warlike and no one would be kind enough to give anything to a beggar. So even if there were beggars here, it was impossible to get anything from them. This old man was an exception, the only beggar in this town.

"I'm sorry." Han Wuxie looked at the old man with some guilt.

The old man looked dazed, as if he hadn't slept for days. He waved his hand, squinted his eyes, which looked shrewd, and said in his distinctive, aged voice, "Give me a steamed bun, and this matter will be over."

"Steamed buns?" Han Wuxie couldn't help but laugh. "Grandpa, are you deliberately robbing me?" Although she said that, Han Wuxie still went to the steamed bun shop next door and bought a bag of ten steamed buns, which she gave to the old man.

The old man was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Interesting, interesting! She's actually a little girl in the early stage of Martial Emperor."

"I didn't use any force, how do you know I'm a Martial Emperor in the early stage?" Han Wuxie didn't dare to underestimate this old man. Qinglang once said that no one on the martial arts continent should be underestimated. Even the waiter in the teahouse might be a hidden master.

The old man didn't answer, but instead started eating the steamed buns. He wolfed them down as if he hadn't eaten in a long time.

Han Wuxie didn't urge him, but sat down next to him and waited for him to finish eating.

The old man squinted slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it. His eyes became cloudy again, as if he were drowsy and hadn't slept for several days, as he ate the steamed bun with relish.

The martial arts practitioners passing by all looked at them with disdain. When they saw a pretty young girl like Han Wuxie, their eyes turned greedy and lustful, but they all seemed to be afraid of something, and no one dared to step forward.

"Girl, you're quite the troublemaker!" After finishing his steamed bun, the old man patted his bulging belly and said, seemingly casually.

"What do I look like?" Han Wuxie looked up and saw the gazes of the passersby, frowning slightly. "I should be more careful."

"The number of women and men here is disproportionate. Even if someone is of average appearance, they'll probably attract a pack of hungry wolves," the old man said, yawning and looking confused.

Han Wuxie nodded and said, "I've heard from my companions that most of the people here are men. After all, most martial artists are men. Grandpa Xie Xie's reminder means that I will dress up as a man when I go out in the future."

"A reminder?" The old man feigned ignorance. "What kind of reminder could I, a beggar, possibly give you?"

"What you said makes a lot of sense," Han Wuxie said aptly.

The old man chuckled foolishly, "If you think what I'm saying makes sense, you can buy me some steamed buns. That way I'll have dinner tonight and won't have to beg here anymore."

Han Wuxie narrowed his eyes and smiled, "What's so great about steamed buns? Why don't you come home with me?"

"Go home with you?" A hint of surprise flashed in the old man's eyes. He quickly waved his hand and said, "What would an old man like me do with you at home? Girl, don't bring just anyone home, or your parents will scold you!"

"In my family, I am considered the head of the household."

Han Wuxie joked, "Grandpa, you seem quite extraordinary. You could tell my cultivation level, so your cultivation must be much higher than mine, right? Such a master, even if he were living in seclusion, wouldn't be begging for a living here! Come home with me, and I'll make you my steward, okay?"

"What a straightforward child!" the old man said with a wry smile. "I'm incredibly lazy and don't like doing anything. I just like to be served food. Aside from beggars, no one else can live such a carefree life! I can't be a steward!"

Han Wuxie narrowed his eyes and smiled gently, "People say that old people are like treasures, and I treat Grandpa like a treasure. When you come to my house, I will treat you like a precious offering. Whatever you want to eat or drink, just open your mouth, and it will be provided! Giving you the title of housekeeper is just for vanity. That way, when you come to my house, no one in the family will control you. You will be the one in charge of them. Whether you control them or not is your business. My purpose is simply to let you be free and unrestrained. No one in my house will restrict you."

"Girl, do you know why I'm begging here?" The old man suddenly stood up, clutching his rice bowl tightly.

Han Wuxie also stood up, his eyes flashing with intelligence. He confidently said, "What the old man wants isn't steamed buns or money, but a job! To be specific, he wants a job, but one that's more free than a beggar's! If I'm not mistaken, the old man was mistreated in a place where he felt his talents were wasted, and he felt he had no freedom and was even treated worse than a beggar. That's why he so agitatedly chose to become a beggar!"

The old man's eyes flickered slightly, and instantly his cloudy gaze became wise, all traces of confusion vanished, and he became energetic.

"Girl, who exactly are you? This is really interesting. You're already the head of the family at such a young age?" He smiled kindly. "I'm quite curious about what kind of family it is. Why don't you take me to see it? But if the food there doesn't suit my taste, I'll choose to come back and be a beggar."

The old man's words couldn't be clearer. Although he spoke in a very subtle way, Han Wuxie knew that the fact that the old man was willing to go back with him to see the house meant that he had agreed to be the housekeeper. No matter how bad the food was, it couldn't possibly be worse than a beggar's food. The so-called food, of course, referred to whether the people and things in the house satisfied him.

Han Wuxie laughed heartily, "Don't worry, Grandpa, the food will definitely satisfy you!"

"The title 'Grandpa' should be changed." The old man smiled warmly. "It would be a mess if I, who was going to be the butler, was called 'Grandpa' by the head of the family. My name is Bei Chengkong."

"Then may I call you Old Man Bei?"

"That's fine too." The old man said with a faint smile, "The patriarch has a very discerning eye."

"Is what you're saying, Elder Bei, a form of self-praise?" Han Wuxie narrowed his eyes and said with a mischievous smile, "I still prefer Elder Bei to call me 'little girl,' it makes me feel very close to him. I think Elder Bei is a lot like my great-uncle. He is as wise as Elder Bei. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will introduce him to you. Maybe you can become friends."

Kita Naruto asked curiously, "Doesn't your great-uncle live with you?"

Han Wuxie narrowed his eyes and smiled, "I already trust Elder Bei quite a bit, so I might as well give him a message that will make you feel that following me will be very promising."

"You've got quite the nerve. What information could you possibly have?" Kita-Nari asked with a friendly smile.

"Ascension to the Immortal Realm." Han Wuxie raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is Elder Bei interested?"

Bei Chengkong was naturally a smart man; he understood the meaning behind those four words and asked in surprise, "You mean, your great-uncle ascended to the immortal realm?"

"It's in the Immortal Realm," Han Wuxie said with a smile. "I can give Elder Bei some hope. If you follow me, you can go to the Immortal Realm. If there's an opportunity, I can introduce you to my great-uncle."

Bei Chengkong was slightly lost in thought, then smiled bitterly, thinking that Han Wuxie was joking. His eyes dimmed as he said, "Don't joke with this old man! I've seen through it all in my life. We martial artists can never reach the realm beyond Martial Venerable. Ascension is something that only cultivators on the cultivation continent can achieve. The moment we are born, we have no spiritual roots, which determines that we can never ascend in our lifetime."

Han Wuxie suddenly smiled arrogantly and said, "Follow me, let's create that Martial Venerable realm together. As for spiritual roots, I have a way to conjure them!"

……

Along the way, Han Wuxie learned about Bei Chengkong's past. Bei Chengkong was originally an elder of the Beixuan Sect in the martial arts world. Later, when the sect leader changed, he stood on the wrong side and the person he supported was suddenly assassinated. After the new sect leader took over, he was very resentful of the elders who did not recommend him to be the sect leader and often made things difficult for them.

Later, during an important decision about the sect's future, Bei Chengkong offered his suggestion, but it went against the sect leader's wishes, which displeased the sect leader. The sect leader then deliberately said some things to humiliate him. Bei Chengkong couldn't stand it. He was a person with a very strong sense of self-respect, so in a fit of anger, he left the sect and came to this remote town. He took extreme actions and became a beggar.

Han Wuxie frankly revealed her origins, nearly causing the elderly Bei Chengkong to faint from shock. Who would have thought a young girl would be a celestial being descended to earth? Even more unexpected was her statement: with the inner strength of a Martial Venerable, and with the help of rare and precious herbs, she could fuse that inner strength with the herbs to create a spiritual root. Although the young girl couldn't be sure if it was true or not, hope was always better than nothing. Despite his age, he still harbored the dream of achieving immortality, so even if it was false, he chose to believe and follow Han Wuxie.

The fact that Han Wuxie suddenly brought back a dirty old man puzzled everyone in the house.

Han Xingyu was the most opposed. She pinched her nose and looked at the old man with disgust, saying, "Sister Wuxie, I know you are kind. You can give him some money; there's no need to bring it back."

At this moment, Qinglang, Mowu, Heifeng, Manniu, Longwu, Zitong, Zhufengmo, Xiaobai, Bing, Luwang, Hanxingyu, Hantianci, and even Hua Qianye all gathered in the courtyard.

Han Wuxie smiled knowingly and said, "Now that everyone is here, I'll announce my decision. We're all together now that we've come to the Martial World, so things should change. This place is like a home now, and I think we need a capable steward, so I've brought in Elder Bei to be that steward."

"Old Man Bei? Who? This old man?" Han Xingyu pointed at Bei Chengkong in disbelief, shaking her head vigorously. "Sister Wuxie, are you crazy? Letting a dirty old man who looks like a beggar be our butler? What ability does he have to be a butler?"

Han Wuxie raised an eyebrow and looked at Bei Chengkong, saying, "Elder Bei, shouldn't you show your face too?"

Kita Cheng Kong raised a proud smile and instantly unleashed all his power.

"Peak of Martial Lord?" Green Wolf and Black Wind exclaimed in unison.

Bei Chengkong sighed and said, "Yes, this old man is not talented. At my age, I am only a Martial Lord. For many years, I have been stuck at a bottleneck. Otherwise, I should have become a Martial Saint long ago."

Han Xingyu blinked in surprise, then pulled Han Tianci aside and muttered softly, "Sister Wuxie is too amazing! She turned a beggar into a treasure!"

Han Tianci blamed, "I knew long ago that my sister wouldn't bring people back casually. This old man looks very shrewd. Although he doesn't have the same imposing manner as my great-uncle, he does resemble him in some ways. He's obviously not simple. Only a fool like you would mistake a treasure for trash."

"Alright, you've got good taste, haven't you? Everyone makes mistakes, and I rarely misjudge people!" Han Xingyu pouted, somewhat dissatisfied.

Han Wuxie smiled warmly and said, "From now on, everyone will call him Old Bei. He'll be our butler. I think no one will object now, right?"

"That's amazing, how could I dare to object!" Han Xingyu said somewhat awkwardly.

Han Tianci clapped his hands and said, "Anyway, I unconditionally agree to any decision my sister makes!"

"Old Bei, you should understand what I told you on the way, right?" Han Wuxie said with a slight smile.

Bei Chengkong feigned helplessness, saying, "The patriarch hired me as the steward precisely because there are some things he's embarrassed to say to everyone, and he wants me to speak on his behalf, right? Of course, I'll play the villain well!"

"Sister Wuxie, is there something you're embarrassed to say?" Han Xingyu asked, puzzled.

Han Wuxie said awkwardly, "You guys... you should listen to what Elder Bei has to say. I'll excuse myself for now."

Han Tianci quickly stopped Han Wuxie, saying, "Sister, are you trying to run away? What exactly do you want Elder Bei to say? Is it something he's certain we won't agree to?"

"Well... never mind, I'm not leaving." Han Wuxie sighed. "Elder Bei, please tell me quickly."

Bei Chengkong's expression suddenly turned serious. When his wise and intelligent old face became serious, it was somewhat frightening.

"The patriarch has already told me about her origins and yours. Since our goal in coming together is not simply to become martial arts masters, but to defy the heavens, then to do something defying the heavens, we must overcome obstacles that no one else can overcome."

"Get to the point, old man!" Han Xingyu said with a disrespectful sneer.

Bei Chengkong shook his head helplessly and said, "In other words, you can't just shut your doors and work like you did in the Nine Provinces Continent. You have to go out and explore."

"So it's just going out to find people to fight?" Han Xingyu asked excitedly, "That's my favorite thing!"

"That's not the case. I have a lot of knowledge about the martial arts world. After discussing with the patriarch, we finally decided..." Bei Chengkong looked at Han Wuxie with some hesitation.

Han Wuxie smiled and said, "Speak."

Bei Chengkong said, "Qinglang and Mowu were originally disciples of the Yunshan Sect, so let's go back to the Yunshan Sect now."

"What?" Qinglang and Mowu exchanged a glance, both seemingly unable to accept it.

Bei Chengkong explained, "What the patriarch means is that you can have experts to guide you within the sect. Because Qinglang's martial arts are already fully developed, she can't learn any new secret manuals. She can only learn from the secret manuals of the Yunshan Sect. Only her internal energy can be borrowed from the manuals she gave you. She hopes you will go to the Yunshan Sect not only so that you can improve your martial arts, but also so that you can gain a certain position within the sect and use the internal energy cultivation method she gave you to win people's hearts and find some trustworthy people for her to go to that place together in the future."

"The Immortal Realm?" Qinglang seemed to understand and said, "Miss Wuxie hopes that I can help you win over some powerful and trustworthy people."

Bei Chengkong nodded and said, "But I won't let you stay for too long. When you and the people you've recruited reach the Martial Lord level, then you can come back here."

Qinglang and Mo Wu exchanged a glance and nodded in unison. Qinglang said, "Then we'll set off first thing tomorrow morning."

Han Wuxie looked at Mo Wu with some reluctance, but was too embarrassed to say anything. Mo Wu spoke first, "Sister Wuxie, I know you feel embarrassed about asking us to help you find someone, but you have to know that we owe you so much and really want to do our part. If we can help, I will feel much more at ease. Don't worry, Qinglang is a bit careless and too trusting. I will urge him to find someone who will satisfy you."

"Sister Mo Wu..." Han Wuxie said somewhat apologetically, "You must all be careful. Although I'm very sorry, I must give you a timeframe, which is three years. If it's three years..."

"Let me say it!" Bei Chengkong said in a deep voice, "If Qinglang and Miss Mowu have not reached the Martial Lord level by the end of the three-year period, then we shall part ways here."

The blue wolf was taken aback, and a hint of sadness flashed in Mo Wu's eyes.

Qinglang frowned and asked, "You mean we only have three years to reach the Martial Lord level, and if we don't, we'll be eliminated and won't be qualified to join you?"

"I..." Han Wuxie lowered his head in distress and said softly, "My brothers and I don't have that much time to wait. We've given ourselves two years. My brothers and I must reach the Martial Lord level within two years. We've already given you an extra year. We don't know the exact time difference between the Immortal Realm and the Mortal Realm, but we estimate it to be ten years. We expect to return home in three years, which is thirty years in the Mortal Realm. If you don't reach the Martial Lord level in three years, your progress will be even slower. We really can't wait. So if you don't reach the Martial Lord level in three years, you shouldn't force yourselves anymore. I didn't want you to push yourselves too hard, that's why I set this timeframe."

Qinglang and Mo Wu exchanged a glance, both seeing the determination in each other's eyes. Qinglang said, "We will work hard and won't make things difficult for you. If we don't reach the Martial Lord level within three years, we naturally won't be a burden to you."

Han Xingyu said somewhat reluctantly, "Azure Wolf Guardian, you must become a Martial Lord!" As she spoke, she stuffed bottles and jars into Azure Wolf's hands, saying, "These are all good things that can help with cultivation, but you can't rely on them too much. You must also work hard yourselves!"

The bull asked casually, "What about me? Should I come with the leader to the Cloud Mountain Sect?"

Bei Chengkong said, "Man Niu followed Hei Feng to the Hei family."

"The Hei family?" Hei Feng frowned slightly and said, "It's probably not time for me to go back yet."

Bei Chengkong looked at Han Xingyu and said, "Don't you have disguise potion? Give it to Heifeng."

Han Xingyu pouted and said, "You old man, how do you know everything? It seems that Sister Wuxie really trusts you!" Han Xingyu reluctantly handed a pink gourd-shaped bottle to Heifeng.

Bei Chengkong continued, "After disguising yourself, infiltrate the Hei family and keep track of all their movements. If the opportunity arises, also recruit some talented individuals. Don't you suspect that your father was murdered by your eldest brother? This is a good opportunity to settle your concerns. The Hei family has always been a knot in your heart. If this matter isn't resolved, you won't be able to focus on cultivation, let alone follow the family head to the Immortal Realm in the future. The family head will give you three years to resolve your inner conflict and return with the strength of a Martial Lord. If you don't reach the Martial Lord level or your inner conflict remains unresolved, then you don't need to come back."

"If I reach Wu Jun and he still has unresolved issues, am I supposed to stay with the Hei family too?" Man Niu became somewhat anxious.

Bei Chengkong chuckled, "You're as impatient as an ox! If you reach the Martial Lord level in three years, don't worry about him, just come back on your own."

The bull breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Han Xingyu expectantly, saying, "Boss Han, can you give me something too?"

"You?" Han Xingyu scoffed, "No, no!"

"Why is it that when it's my turn, there's nothing left!" Bull said indignantly.

Han Xingyu narrowed her eyes dangerously and said, "I gave Qinglang those bottles and jars mainly because Sister Mo Wu is a woman, and I need to take care of women more. If you're like a woman and think you can't reach the Martial Lord level within three years based on your own strength, then give up now!"

The bull waved his hand hastily, saying, "I can do it! Three years is plenty of time, I'll definitely succeed! Maybe it won't even take three years!"

"Don't boast so much!" Han Xingyu pouted. "Bullshit, if I don't see you in three years, I'll definitely go to the Hei family and give you a good beating!"

Bei Chengkong looked at Long Wu and said, "Long Wu, since you are Han Xingyu's disciple, you naturally don't need to go anywhere else. Just follow Han Xingyu. You are already at the early stage of Martial Emperor. The patriarch is very confident in your cultivation speed, so he hasn't set any cultivation requirements for you. However, the patriarch said that you used to like chivalrous deeds and knew many heroes. We must recruit a few of them to follow the patriarch."

"Those bastards?" Long Wu said with a bitter face, "The ones I know are all rogue cultivators, used to a carefree life, there's no way they'd agree to this!"

Han Xingyu jumped up and slapped Long Wu's head hard, saying sternly, "Sister Wuxie is so lenient with you, letting you do such a small thing, and you're complaining like this? Are you looking for a beating? I told you to go and pull a few people over, so go and pull a few. Whether you can pull them or not, we'll talk after you try!" Han Xingyu snorted coldly, "I hate people like this who complain before they've even started! If you do this again, I'll expel you from the sect!"

"So what if I'm expelled? I've already got the manual anyway," Long Wu muttered to himself.

"What did you say?" Han Xingyu narrowed her eyes dangerously, suddenly took out a small medicine bottle, and asked with a wicked smile, "Aren't you afraid of being expelled from the sect? Then aren't you afraid of poison?"

"Oh dear, my master, please spare me!" Long Wu cried out in anguish, scratching wildly at his body.

"This time it's just a little itching medicine as punishment. If you dare to do it again, you'll regret it!"

"I won't do it again, I absolutely won't do it again, it's so itchy!" Long Wu found a big tree and rubbed his back against it vigorously.

Bei Chengkong looked at Zhu Fengmo, Lu Wang, Xiaobai, Zitong, Bing and the others, and frowned, saying, "I know you are the patriarch's contracted beasts. The patriarch has no other instructions for you. Just follow Hua Qianye, whom I cannot see, and do as he instructs."

"What about the two of us?" Han Tianci pulled Han Xingyu over and asked, "What arrangements will the patriarch make for Han Xingyu and me?" When he mentioned the patriarch, Han Tianci deliberately winked at Han Wuxie, making Han Wuxie both laugh and cry.

Bei Chengkong said solemnly, "The Weapon Ancestor Sect is the best weapon-forging sect in the martial arts world. You will set off for there tomorrow to learn. They are currently recruiting disciples. Conceal your strength and enter the sect to hone your will and spirit."

"Me?" Han Tianci was filled with sorrow and said painfully, "The books I read are far better than those secret manuals of the Weapon Ancestor Sect! I am the Weapon Ancestor! What am I supposed to learn there? I think I should be the one teaching them!"

Han Wuxie sighed, stepped forward and patted Han Tianci's back reassuringly, saying, "Your sister hopes you can meet more people and learn more things, not necessarily weapon crafting."

"I don't want to be separated from my sister!" Han Tianci stubbornly shook his head.

"It's only three years," Han Wuxie said in a low voice. "It's only three years. You need to learn to be on your own for three years and learn to be independent. I think even in the Han family, your grandfather will arrange for you to go out and gain experience on your own. He won't let you always be with me. I'm just making arrangements that an elder would make."

"elder sister……"

"Tianci, you not only need to learn weapon crafting and become independent, but also make more friends, friends who can go to the Immortal Realm with you, friends you can trust, and friends who can help you."

Han Tianci lowered his head and said in a muffled voice, "I understand. My sister hopes that I can have friends I can trust and a team of my own. I will try my best to learn to be independent."

Bei Chengkong looked at Han Xingyu and said, "Divine Medicine Valley is a place you must go. It's very mysterious, and I don't know much about it, but it's a place suitable for you."

"What 'Divine Medicine Valley'? It's not the realm of gods!" Han Xingyu pouted. "I'm not going. I'm waiting to deal with that Cheng Nankuang! I don't have time to go to that godforsaken place!"

Han Wuxie sighed and said, "That guy has been keeping watch here. He has already received news that Elder Bei has entered this house, so he won't come unless he also reaches the peak of Martial Lord."

"Then all my efforts in setting up the trap were for nothing!" Han Xingyu said with a sigh of regret. "If I had known that guy was so cowardly, I wouldn't have bothered with all that!"

Bei Chengkong said, "Cheng Nankuang is no simple man. He won't let the murder of his son go so easily. However, he is a very patient person, so he probably won't do anything in the short term."

---Aside---

One more update~

The text has reached a turning point, and they all need to work hard on their own. Hopefully, three years from now, they will all be completely transformed.