C40 In the past He Was a Young Man but Today He Was an Old Devil

"Faang Yao."

Yu Yuan silently repeated the name, overwhelmed by a flood of emotions.

Three hundred years ago, a young man named Faang Yao belonged to the Ruby Hand. His talent for cultivation was average, and he was considered rather dull.

His greatest attribute was his resilience.

One year, Faang Yao sustained severe injuries while training away from home. His life force nearly extinguished, he was taken to the Order of Healing by his master, who desperately sought a cure.

It was Faang Yao whom he had snatched from the jaws of death, reviving him with several heavenly pills.

Faang Yao's survival hinged not only on the miraculous effects of the pills but also on his indomitable will to live.

That fierce will to live made a lasting impression on him. After Faang Yao recovered, Yu Yuan had a few more encounters with him.

In a past life, both Faang Yao and his master were deeply indebted to him.

The invaluable heavenly pills had left Faang Yao and his master owing him a tremendous debt of gratitude.

Recently, he had assured Yuan Qiufang that if he performed well and obeyed, he would introduce him to the Ruby Hand.

The individuals he had in mind were none other than Faang Yao or his master.

After so much time, he was uncertain whether Faang Yao's master was still alive.

But Faang Yao, having reached the Spirit Walk realm, must surely hold a high position within the Ruby Hand by now.

"After three centuries, the Ruby Hand's youth has become a distinguished Spirit Walk cultivator. It's no surprise that Ann and her senior brother would wisely choose to withdraw."

Within the fiercely burning fireball was merely Faang Yao's Lunar Spirit.

Yet even so, Ann Ziqing and her senior brother had no choice but to abandon the Flame Halberd and leave Yuan Qiufang behind, retreating as a gesture of concession.

"I recognize him, but he no longer recognizes me," Yu Yuan mused, deciding against revealing his identity or meeting with Faang Yao just yet.

With Faang Yao's appearance, the Colddeath withdrew, and the crisis in Asvetaesi was averted.

With the overall situation now under control, there was no need to cash in on his connection with Faang Yao prematurely. It would be wiser to save it for a later date.

This encounter would remain as if it never happened.

"Yuan Qiufang, from whom did you learn the Crimson Soul Spell?" Faang Yao asked with a resonant voice. "Also, how did the Flame Halberd come to be in your possession, and why has its artifact soul accepted you?"

"It's like this," Yuan Qiufang began to explain.

"Follow me."

Faang Yao snorted as the Flame Halberd shot out from the fiery orb, swiftly descending toward Yuan Qiufang.

After a brief hesitation, Yuan Qiufang wisely stepped onto the Flame Halberd.

"Whoosh!"

The Flame Halberd took off, trailing the blazing fireball as it departed from Mount Aureum.

The onlookers in the valley gazed up at the now empty sky, utterly astonished.

"Spirit Walk!"

"A Spirit Walk expert from the Ruby Hand!"

"That elder from the Ruby Hand might be thousands of miles away. He must have projected his Lunar Spirit here in an instant after detecting the Flame Halberd's disturbance."

"Spirit Walk... Even in the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea, he's considered a top-tier figure."

"It's such a rare sight—truly extraordinary!"

The survivors from the three major families buzzed with conversation.

Their gazes toward Yuan Lianyao now carried additional respect, considering that if the Yuan family could leverage Yuan Qiufang's connection with the Ruby Hand, their standing in Asvetaesi would be unassailable.

"Elder Zhao, what about Huang Fan and the others?"

Yuan Lianyao was concerned for her father, but as the mayor of Asvetaesi, she knew the work must go on.

"Most of the Huang family members have been slain, including Huang Tianyi, whom we killed deep within the mountain," Zhao Zhenghao reported the outcome of the battle. "However, Huang Fan, the head of the Huang family, along with a few others, vanished within Mount Aureum. The mountain's labyrinth of stone pathways connects the underground to the outside, making it impossible for us to capture everyone."

"So Huang Fan has escaped," Yuan Lianyao said with a steely gaze. "In that case, everyone must immediately arrange for our family members to return home. Inform our city's residents to encircle the Huang family's estates and assets. Capture any Huang family members within the city alive. Anyone who resists should be executed on the spot!"

"Understood!"

The Yuan, Zhao, and Yu family members were promptly directed to head back to Asvetaesi City.

"Brother Yu?"

Zhao Yafu approached, her expression showing concern as she bit her lower lip. "What am I to do?"

She was referring to the dragon whelp's spirit, still ensnared within her palm, shrouded in a glowing orb of blood.

"Ugh."

Yu Yuan finally snapped out of his deep reverie.

He hadn't yet reconciled the Faang Yao of now with the Faang Yao from his past in his mind.

"Brother Yu, your friend from the Colddeath has already departed," Zhao Yafu said, emphasizing the word 'friend.' "You can't just leave me to deal with this trouble inside me, can you? Please, I'm begging you, help me out, will you? I didn't really cause you any harm before, right?"

She moved closer, shaking Yu Yuan's arm imploringly, her eyes pleading for his assistance.

Yu Yuan looked down and asked, "Does it hurt anymore?"

"It's not hurting at the moment," Zhao Yafu replied quickly. "But I'm aware it's only due to the effect of the bloody light. I can't predict when it will fade after your friend's departure. Once it's gone, it will be back to its old ways, continuing to consume my vitality and draw upon my Soul Power to grow stronger."

"That bloody light won't fade quickly," Yu Yuan said with a slight frown. "She likely won't retract it."

At his words, Zhao Yafu perked up. "Did she leave it behind as a favor to you?"

Yu Yuan nodded.

"Little sister owes you a great debt, Brother Yu!" Zhao Yafu gushed with gratitude.

"Let's disperse."

At that moment, Yuan Lianyao, looking somewhat weary, gestured for everyone to cease their efforts.

The tri-realm competition was called off due to the unforeseen events.

"Old Mr. Yu, Old Mr. Yu, please come here," she called out softly, beckoning Zhao Zhenghao, Yu Cen, and Zhao Dongsheng. Then she added, "Yu Yuan, you too."

"Don't fret about the dragon whelp's spirit inside you. I'll help you address it another day," Yu Yuan assured her.

"Understood," Zhao Yafu replied, her eyes brightening. She refrained from pressing the matter further and exchanged a knowing glance with Zhao Xi. Together, they turned and made their way out of the valley.

Zhao Dongsheng, as large as a mountain, made his way back from the mountainside to where Yu Lili and Yu Cen were standing. He retrieved the Black Dragon Scissors that had been discarded on the ground.

With great seriousness, he presented the Black Dragon Scissors to Yu Lili with both hands and said, "This item is a gift from the Zhao family. Regardless of whether Yu Yuan decides to honor his private agreement with me, we have already given the Black Dragon Scissors. It's not for any other reason but to acknowledge Yu Yuan's early warning, which spared Asvetaesi from disaster."

Yu Lili was somewhat taken aback by the gesture, hesitating as he held the Black Dragon Scissors.

"Just accept it," Yuan Lianyao chimed in. "If we're talking about rewards, your Yu family should be recognized first and foremost. Forget the three-realm contest; from now on, the Huang family's mines and Spiritvein outside the city will be managed by your family. Naturally, both our Yuan family and the Zhao family will still take a cut."

Yu Cen, confined to his wheelchair, was visibly moved as he expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Mayor!"

"Yu Lili, please accept the Black Dragon Scissors," he urged once more.

"Oh," Yu Lili said, beaming as he clutched the Black Dragon Scissors. He glanced at Yu Yuan, who was approaching at a leisurely pace, understanding that his nephew was the key reason behind this turn of events.

"You've earned this," Zhao Zhenghao declared, endorsing Yuan Lianyao's proposal. "The Huang family is now stricken from the records of Asvetaesi. Until a new family emerges, this city will be under the stewardship of our three families alone. I hope we can all collaborate harmoniously going forward."

His tone betrayed his concern.

He was aware that Yuan Lianyao knew all about the secret dealings between his family and Dragon Lake. Huang Fan and Yu Cen likely had picked up on some hints as well.

He wasn't worried about that.

What truly concerned him was the possibility that the dragon whelp spirit within Zhao Yafu could become a source of trouble, and that her intention to refine it might reach the ears of those at Dragon Lake.

Should Dragon Lake catch wind of this, they would surely not rest. The Zhao family's other connections had yet to provide a definitive response, leaving Zhao Zhenghao and Zhao Dongsheng feeling uneasy.

However, if the Yuan family were to align with the Ruby Hand, and Yu Yuan could leverage Ann Ziqing to establish a connection between the Yu family and the Colddeath, then Dragon Lake might think twice before causing any trouble.

The Zhao family's gesture of sending out the Black Dragon Scissors without claiming the substantial benefits that could have been taken from the Huang family was a clear sign of goodwill.

"Yu Yuan, how will the Ruby Hand representative treat my father?"

Yuan Lianyao, who had already been busy redrawing the Huang family's borders with the Zhao and Yu families, couldn't wait to ask the question as soon as Yu Yuan was within earshot.

Clearly, this was the issue that concerned her the most.

Zhao Zhenghao and Yu Cen, on the other hand, were completely in the dark.

Did it make any sense to ask Yu Yuan about this?

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