After the ceremony, Xiao Yunfeng and Huyan Xiong withdrew to discuss the future of their children. Meanwhile, Xiao Ning'er quickly changed into a more casual outfit and joined Chan Wei, with little Kyu joyfully trotting beside her. The two young lovers strolled through the peaceful gardens of the estate, savoring the moment and their newfound freedom.
"Would you like to come with me to meet my family?" Chan Wei asked the young woman who had agreed to share her life with him.
"Yes, I'd love to meet your family. By the way, I heard the Dark Guild tried to attack Nie Li, but he fought them off. The Alchemist Guild has sent a few Black Gold-ranked guards to protect the Heavenly Marks family," she said, surprisingly well-informed.
"I'm not too worried about Nie Li. I left him with a Gold-rank shadow beast, and with his skills, there are few who could defeat him," Chan Wei replied, though a flicker of concern crossed his face. "I'll contact the Inscriptionist Institute to have guards placed for Du Ze and Lu Piao as well. We don't know if this is all because Nie Li revealed his Gold rank so young, or if there's something else going on. But security is key," he added, leaving the Winged Dragon family estate with his fiancée and the young wolf cub.
As the three of them crossed paths with Huyan Xiong, who was also emerging from the family complex, a wave of warmth and affection swept through Chan Wei.
"Son, where are you going?" the man asked. Chan Wei was growing increasingly fond of being called "son" by the man who had raised him.
That title resonated more deeply within him each time.
"I'm heading to the Inscriptionist Institute for a quick errand, and then I'll probably go visit some friends before coming home with my fiancée to introduce her to grandma and grandpa," explained Chan Wei, while Xiao Ning'er, shy, clutched the hem of her robe for comfort.
Patriarch Huyan chuckled at the girl's timid demeanor—it reminded him of his beloved wife, who had passed too soon."Alright then, don't keep your grandparents waiting too long," he said, continuing on his way before stopping abruptly."Ah—I almost forgot to tell you. There's an auction happening soon, if you're interested," he added, handing a token of entry to his son before heading off.
The couple resumed their path, while Chan Wei's serpent, Little Bai, played on the back of Little Kyu. It had been a while since the two creatures had seen each other."It's an auction organized by the Hong family," Xiao Ning'er noted as the two walked hand in hand.
"It starts mid-afternoon, so we better hurry," said Chan Wei as he summoned a cloud of smoke. From it emerged his icy falcon, Yinifère, a majestic creature with wings as wide as ship sails, spanning over fifteen meters.
Yinifère was a vision of power and grace, its dark metallic feathers glinting like obsidian.
The young man looked at his fiancée with playful mischief before lifting her into his arms and leaping onto his summoned beast. Xiao Ning'er let out a surprised cry as he swept her up, but she didn't have time to complain before they soared into the sky. Little Bai and Little Kyu barely managed to leap onto Chan Wei just in time.
The majestic ice falcon radiated a chilling Yin aura of extreme purity. No one but Chan Wei could touch it without risking injury. Yet the young woman quickly forgot his mischievous gesture, nestled like a princess in his arms as she marveled at the aerial view of Glory City.
The little wolf cub and serpent curled up on her belly, watching the breathtaking scene with wide eyes.
Chan Wei wanted to give his fiancée an unforgettable memory, though he hadn't fully thought through the consequences of his actions. From high above, they admired an incredible panorama: rooftops looked like multicolored tiles, and the winding streets like silver veins flowing through the city.
They were likely the only ones below Legend rank who had ever enjoyed such a view.
As they neared the Inscriptionist Association, Ye Zong himself intercepted them. The couple exchanged confused glances as Ye Zong's face displayed pure disbelief.
He quickly composed himself and motioned for Chan Wei to follow him into the courtyard of the Inscriptionist Association. They landed together, and Chan Wei swiftly recalled Yini the falcon, concealing it with another smoke scroll.
"Chan Wei, you've caused quite a stir in the city," Ye Zong finally said as he approached. His brows were furrowed, though he quickly relaxed. Still, he scolded the young man, recounting the panic that had spread throughout Glory City.
Chan Wei realized that summoning a Gold-rank demon beast to fly over the city may not have been the smartest idea. He was completely embarrassed to be getting lectured in front of Xiao Ning'er, who was eyeing the leader of Glory City with a mix of awe and fear.
"I'm sorry. I'll ask the Association to issue a notice to the city informing them of my mode of transport. But I won't stop using it—it's the fastest way for me to get around," he declared with renewed confidence.
"I'm glad you're taking the necessary measures," Ye Zong said before smiling at the couple and taking off, leaving them there.
The two quickly went to meet with Ye Zhan to ask for his help in ensuring their friends' safety, and to arrange the citywide notice regarding Chan Wei's summon. Afterwards, they rented a carriage to visit Lu Piao, since he lived not far from the Association.
When they arrived at the main building, they found Lu Piao meditating in the courtyard, bitterly cultivating on the training plate Chan Wei had gifted all his friends. Every time the young man tried to stop for a break, an aura would flare above his head, and he would quickly resume cultivating with fake tears in his eyes.
"The familiar sight of Nyx forcing Lu Piao to train is still hilarious," Chan Wei said aloud, just as the little chaos ant charged at him, demanding attention. Lu Piao took the opportunity to stop cultivating the moment his tiny tormentor left.
Xiao Ning'er giggled at the usual scene, while Chan Wei gently patted the head of the tiny ant, who had reached Silver rank. Though she could change her size at will, she preferred staying tiny so she could continue living in Lu Piao's hair.
She played for a while with Kyu and Bai, the three of them overjoyed to be reunited. They were all bound by Chan Wei's Yin energy, considering him their father.
"Brother, please tell her to calm down! She's making me cultivate fifteen hours a day," Lu Piao pleaded, crocodile tears glistening in his eyes.
"I see that Nyx's persistence is paying off. You've already reached Bronze rank, five stars, and it's only been two days since we last met," said Chan Wei, ignoring Lu Piao's pleas as he let Nyx return to him.
"NNNOOOO!" Lu Piao shouted as he tried to flee, but he wasn't fast enough. He returned to the couple with a defeated look on his face, his hair bouncing wildly under Nyx's teasing. It was downright hilarious.
"On a more serious note, I've arranged for some Black Gold-ranked guards to protect you from afar, since Nie Li was attacked," Chan Wei said seriously.
"Is Nie Li alright?" Lu Piao asked quickly, clearly worried.
"He's fine. It looks like he fought them off on his own," Xiao Ning'er reassured him.
"Congrats on your engagement, by the way," Lu Piao added quickly.
"Thanks," the couple replied in unison."We'll let you get back to cultivating," Chan Wei said with a mischievous grin as he left with Xiao Ning'er, while Lu Piao stared at his destiny for the days to come.
"Mercy!" Lu Piao pleaded, but Nyx forced him back onto the cultivation plate, condemning him to continue training. His heart was heavy, knowing he'd miss the chance to spy on the girl he loved during her bath.
Nyx seemed to savor his despair, subjecting him to even harsher training sessions. She dripped formic acid onto the stone in front of him, drawing a large "15" before crossing it out with two more streams of acid.
Lu Piao's heart skipped a beat in hope. "Only 15 hours now?" he asked, eyes gleaming, only to see Nyx draw an "18" next to the crossed-out number.
He could only weep silently as he resumed cultivating, under the proud gaze of his father, who watched for a moment before leaving—completely unaware of his son's suffering.
Chan Wei picked up Little Bai while Xiao Ning'er cradled Little Kyu in her arms. Then, lifted by Chan Wei, they flew once again—this time summoning Yini much higher in the sky to avoid unnecessarily alarming the public. Their destination was a small village on the outskirts of Glory City's western wall, where Du Ze lived.
Chan Wei landed Yini on the edge of the village, unnoticed, and made his way to the village square to ask for Du Ze's home.
"It's that house over there," said a kind old woman, pointing to a rather rustic home.
After thanking the lady, Chan Wei and Xiao Ning'er headed to the house and found Du Ze meditating under a tree in the inner courtyard. Unlike Lu Piao, Du Ze exuded a deep harmony while cultivating, with the natural elements dancing around him.
Chan Wei smiled, noticing the ruby-carved necklace his sister had gifted Du Ze.
After gently interrupting his meditation, Chan Wei addressed him. "Du Ze, Nie Li was attacked by the Dark Guild, so I arranged for Black Gold-ranked guards to protect both you and Lu Piao, just in case."
"Thank you. I heard about what happened to Nie Li last night—people from my village work in the herbal fields of the Heavenly Marks family," Du Ze replied thoughtfully. "And congratulations on your engagement," he added, thinking of how he'd propose himself one day.
"Don't worry, Du Ze. My sister loves you, and if you need help preparing the engagement gift, just let me know," Chan Wei reassured him. "I plan to venture to Mount Saint Ancestral soon to further improve my strength, so I'll be collecting more treasures."
"Thanks, brother. I've already reached Silver rank, 2 stars, ever since I started training with your gift," Du Ze said, gesturing to the cultivation plate.
"Believe me, you'll end up with the one you love," Xiao Ning'er said confidently, still clinging to her lover.
"Thank you, Xiao Ning'er. I'll make sure to prove myself, so that Huyan Lanruo won't feel ashamed of my status."
Chan Wei placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I believe in you," he said, before leaving, as Du Ze returned to his cultivation, fully focused on becoming stronger.
Having wrapped up their tasks, the couple returned to the Huyan family estate. As soon as they arrived, Little Bai and Little Kyu raced joyfully into the manor. Chan Wei guided his fiancée to his grandparents' quarters, finding them just outside.
"Grandfather Kang, Grandmother Wen, this is my fiancée, Xiao Ning'er," Chan Wei introduced her, as the young woman bowed respectfully to her elders.
After studying Xiao Ning'er carefully, Grandfather Kang smiled and said:
"I see my grandson has quite the eye for beautiful girls," he said mischievously, causing Chan Wei to blush in embarrassment. "I thought he was too prud—Ouch!!" he yelped as Grandmother Wen yanked his ear.
"You old fool, can't you see our little Wei is already flustered? And you've completely embarrassed poor Ning'er!" she scolded with a smile.
"Welcome to our home, dear. Don't pay attention to my husband—he's always been like this," she added, dragging her husband away while his groans of pain echoed behind them.
"Your grandparents are quite the characters," said Xiao Ning'er with a smile as Chan Wei guided her to meet his younger brother and sister. Along the way, they ran into Huyan Lanruo in a hallway.
"Big sister, Du Ze is really eager to get engaged to you. If you don't work harder, he's going to surpass you," he teased with a chuckle, causing his older sister to blush furiously before pinching his cheeks.
"Now that you're engaged, you're teasing me without mercy," she whined, pretending to cry. "Ah, hello, sister-in-law," she quickly corrected herself upon seeing Xiao Ning'er hiding behind Chan Wei.
"Hello, big sister," the young girl replied with a smile. "Chan Wei's not teasing you. We stopped by to see Du Ze, and he's focusing on growing stronger so he won't bring shame to himself when he asks for your hand."
Huyan Lanruo placed a hand over her heart with a dreamy expression before heading back to her room.
Chan Liang and Chan Zhang were found outside, playing with Little Bai and Little Kyu. After chatting with the kids for a while, the couple left them in the care of their animal companions and headed off to the auction.
Author's note: Sorry for the delay, but here's the weekend chapter ^^ Attached is an image of Yini.