"My name is Wang Yue. It is an honor to meet you all," Wang Yue said, cupping his hands in a formal greeting. His proactive introduction immediately dissolved Yang Linâs lingering awkwardness.
Upon hearing Yang Linâs explanation, the tension in the air evaporated. The wariness in the eyes of the elders transformed into warmth and even a flicker of profound gratitude.
The man in the lead returned the gesture. "Well met, young hero Wang. I am Yang Guang, the Patriarch of Yang Village. I cannot thank you enough for saving my sonâs life."
"You are too kind, Patriarch," Wang Yue replied politely. "It was a simple matter."
"It may have been simple for a man of your talents, but for my son, it was a debt of life itself," Yang Guang insisted. He bowed slightly once more before gesturing toward the village.
"Please, let us speak inside."
The father and son led Wang Yue into a small courtyard.
As the Patriarch, Yang Guangâs home was no more luxurious than any other in the villageâa fact that made Wang Yue respect the man even more.
The rest of the group followed closely behind. They were genuinely grateful to the savior of their young master, but they were also burning with curiosity about this young powerhouse.
Though they couldnât precisely gauge his cultivation, they could tell by his bone structure that he was definitely under twenty.
To save Yang Lin from a peak-Transcendence beast and earn the title of "Senior" from him, the youth had to be a master of at least the same level.
They wondered what kind of titanic organization could produce such a monster at so young an age.
Since the house was too small to comfortably fit everyone, Yang Guang had his family bring out over a dozen chairs. The group settled into the courtyard to accompany Wang Yue.
"Young hero Wang," Yang Guang began with deep sincerity, "great kindness cannot be repaid with mere words. If there is ever anything you require of me, you need only speak. I cannot speak for the entire Yang clan, but my son and I will move mountains to assist you."
"Now, Patriarch, that wonât do," one of the other Transcendence elders interjected immediately. "Young hero Wang saved our future Patriarch; he is a benefactor to the entire village. If he has a request, we all stand ready to help."
"Exactly!" the others chimed in, nodding in unison.
Wang Yue watched them closely.
Thanks to his exceptionally pure True Qi, he could sense every subtle shift in their energy and expressions. He realized they were being entirely genuineâthere wasnât a trace of hypocrisy in the yard.
This was a rare find. In his experience, large factions were usually nests of intrigue and power struggles.
Even his own family back in Jinling wouldnât have been this harmonious if fate hadnât left him as the sole male heir. Yet, the phrase "moral corruption" clearly didnât apply to the people of Yang Village.
While they spoke, Wang Yue subtly expanded his divine sense, sweeping through the entire village.
Because the settlement was small, it took only a moment. He found no woman whose face matched his motherâs, nor even anyone who looked similar.
A shadow of doubt and worry crossed his mind. The Yang family couldnât have known his purpose, so they couldnât have hidden her away.
If she wasnât here, had something happened to her years ago?
The gloom in his heart deepened. He abandoned the pleasantries and cut straight to the point.
"To be honest, I did come here with a request. My meeting with Brother Yang Lin was no coincidence; I was already on my way to find the Yang family."
"Oh?" Yang Guang looked intrigued. "And what business does young hero Wang have with our humble family?"
"Let me reintroduce myself," Wang Yue said, his expression serious. "I am Wang Yue, of the Wang familyâone of the three Great Families of Jinling."
"The three Great Families of Jinling?" Yang Guang and the others exchanged blank looks. Clearly, the name carried no weight here, or it was a title they had long since forgotten.
Wang Yue felt a momentary sting of embarrassment but pressed on. "My mother is Su Mengyan. She has a twin sister named Su Mengchen."
"What?! You are Mengchenâs nephew?!"
The reaction was explosive. Several men actually bolted upright from their chairs, and Yang Linâs gaze toward Wang Yue became incredibly complex.
"So, you remember her?" Wang Yue asked, his eyes narrowing. His voice took on a cold, dangerous edge.
His aunt had been sent here at the age of six; their reactions confirmed that much.
But if she wasnât in the village now, the most likely scenario was that something had gone wrong.
While it might not be the Yangsâ fault, Wang Yue was prone to misdirecting his angerâhe always prioritized family over logic.
"Of course we remember her," Yang Guang said with a bitter smile. "I will not hide it from youâmy son, Yang Lin, was the one betrothed to her."
Wang Yue blinked in surprise. He hadnât expected that by saving a random stranger, he had saved his own "uncle-in-law." Fate was a strange thing indeed.
But he didnât care for coincidences; he cared about his aunt. "Then where is she now?"
"She is gone," Yang Guang said, his voice heavy. "Not long after she arrived at the Yang estate, she was taken by the Mystic Maiden Palace."
"Taken? They stole her!" one of the middle-aged Yang men spat indignantly.
Wang Yueâs brow furrowed. "What exactly happened?"
"Itâs a long story..." Yang Guang sighed, beginning the tale of three decades ago.
Back then, Yang Guangânot yet the Patriarchâhad gone out into the world on business.
Having grown up in the peaceful Yang Village, he was ill-prepared for the cutthroat nature of the secular world and found himself struggling. He met Su Yixuan, who helped him out of several tight spots, and the two became friends.
When Su Yixuan learned that Yang Guang was a high-ranking member of a martial arts Sacred Land and had a ten-year-old son, he immediately plotted to link their families through marriage.
Though the Yangs were traditional, they didnât believe in forced marriages. However, Yang Guang was young and didnât know how to refuse a friend, so he agreed.
His original plan was to visit the Su family and find an excuse to break the engagement. But when he saw the six-year-old girl, he was instantly struck by her peerless talent. He went along with the arrangement.
When the girl finally arrived at Yang Village, everyone was overjoyed. Not only was her potential staggering, but she was a sweet, sensible child that everyone grew to love. Yang Lin, then ten, treated her like his own little sister.
It was only later they realized the girl Su Yixuan had sent wasnât the one Yang Guang had originally seen, but her twin sister. However, since both girls were equally brilliant, they accepted the switch.
Yang Guang also eventually learned that Su Yixuan had forced Su Mengyan into the role of a child bride against everyoneâs wishes just to secure the connection.
His opinion of Su Yixuan plummeted, and he cut off all ties.
He even considered taking the other twin as well to save her from such a father, but knowing Su Mengchen had sacrificed herself so her sister could stay with their mother, he ultimately let it be.
Welcoming a disciple of such talent was a cause for celebration. The Yangs invited guests from other Sacred Lands, and everyone was envious. For a while, the village was full of joy.
But the peace didnât last. Word of the girlâs talent spread through the upper echelons of the Sacred Lands.
A year later, a powerhouse from the Mystic Maiden Palace arrived.
After testing Su Mengchenâs aptitude, they took her away without a second thought, leaving only a pile of cultivation resources as "compensation." That was nearly twenty-nine years ago.
Wang Yueâs frown deepened. "If you are both Sacred Lands, did the Yang family just roll over and take it?"
"What choice did we have?" Yang Guang laughed bitterly. "Just as there are hierarchies in the secular world, there are ranks among the Sacred Lands. The Yang family is respectable, but the Mystic Maiden Palace is one of the Ten Supreme Powers."
"The Ten Supreme Powers?" This was news to Wang Yue.
"Indeed," Yang Guang explained.
"The One Palace, Two Halls, Three Sects, and Four Families. The âOne Palaceâ refers to the Mystic Maiden Palace. The âTwo Hallsâ are the God of War Hall and the Beast God Hall. The âThree Sectsâ are the Lingxiao, Elysium, and Fast Blade Sects. The âFour Familiesâ are the Liu, Li, Zhao, and Zhu clans."
"So, the Mystic Maiden Palace is ranked first among the Supremes?"
Wang Yueâs heart sank. He had seen the strength of the Yang family todayâand they were likely hiding their true trump cardsâyet even they were helpless. If he wanted to bring his aunt back, would it be an impossible task?
"Not exactly. The Ten Supreme Powers arenât ranked by strength," Yang Guang clarified.
"That order is just for how it sounds when spoken. It is said the Beast God Hall is actually the strongest, but they have such a foul reputation that no one wants to put them at the top."
Wang Yue leaned forward. "And the Mystic Maiden Palace? What is their reputation? Are they righteous or evil?"