After what happened with the Immortal Ascension Pagoda, the Yu Family was completely defeated.

　　After the pagoda broke open, Yin Qi continually flowed out, frightening everyone. Nobody thought an Immortal Pagoda which linked directly to the Immortal World would be filled with so much Yin Qi. The entire Huayuan City was affected as a result – the Yin Qi did not dissipate even after several months and the spirit Qi remained scarce. The cultivators left the city in groups. Nobody dared to even come near Huayuan City unnecessarily. Far from being the important central town, Huayuan City was just a dead town now.

　　After the remaining three aristocratic family masters escaped from the pagoda, they announced that they would cut ties with the Yu Family. They also told everybody the truth behind the pagoda. It was not an Immortal Ascension Pagoda – it was a fiendish pagoda that specialised in sucking the power, cultivation and primordial spirit of all cultivators. If it had not been for Invincible Sect’s Supremacy Yi Qing, who fought to break the pagoda with all his might, all the Soul Formation cultivators in the Upper Azure World would still be trapped in the pagoda.

　　The Upper Azure World was shaken by the news. The malevolence of the pagoda was much worse than that of fiendish cultivators. Ordinary cultivators could regenerate their bodies or re-train their cultivation, but as soon as they lost their primordial spirit, they would disappear forever. There would not even be a chance for reincarnation.

　　At once, all the sects and families became enemies of the Yu Family. As much as they held the Yu Family in high esteem earlier, they now hated the Yu Family. While it was originally one of four aristocratic families, it had now fallen from glory. All its disciples either left or changed their names. Within half a month, they became worse off than a small sect.

　　The Invincible Sect, on the other hand, rose to fame in the Upper Azure World. Yi Qing, who had sacrificed himself to save the Upper Azure World, similarly became recognised as the top Sword Cultivator.

　　“From tomorrow onwards, I may have to lock myself up for a while.”

　　“Huh?” Shen Ying finally ate a full meal for the first time in a long time. She turned to glance at the Chef beside her, who had a look of determination. “You haven’t recovered?”

　　“Don’t worry, Master, I am more or less recovered,” Yi Qing frowned. He placed a new dish on the table and continued, “It’s just that after that battle in the pagoda, I’ve been feeling like my cultivation has deteriorated. I want to lock myself up to assess my situation and work on my cultivation.”

　　“Holy shit, you’re not going to have another epiphany, aren’t you?” Lonemoon’s eyes widened, and he stood up. You’re going to go off the charts!

　　“I have better insights on sword intent,” Yi Qing shook his head. “It doesn’t count as an epiphany.”

　　Lonemoon scanned him and started to say something, but he changed his mind and sat down. He continued to eat.

　　“Oh, how long are you going to lock yourself up for?” Shen Ying asked.

　　“If I’m quick, I’ll take one or two months. If I’m slow, I could take about six months to a year,” Yi Qing answered.

　　“That’s really long…”

　　“Don’t worry, Master, I will try to be as quick as possible.”

　　“Okay.”

　　“What’s more, my sword intent has already taken shape. I’m only locking myself up to firm up my cultivation, so I’ll definitely be alright.”

　　“Oh, I have a small problem.”

　　“Master, please tell me.”

　　“While you’re in lock-up… can you come out to cook?”

　　“…”

　　A while later…

　　“Your disciple failed to consider the circumstances properly. How about if I prepare more food and use sorcery to store them?”

　　“Yes, Chef, let’s start with that!”

　　“Yes Master, no problem Master!”

　　Lonemoon: “…” Motherf*cker.

　　He lost his appetite looking at the two people in front of him revert to their stupid antics. “I’m full!”

　　He put down his chopsticks and turned to leave without saying another word.

　　“Supremacy Niu… seems a bit different from before,” Yi Qing frowned.

　　“Yeah,” Shen Ying’s gaze followed Lonemoon as he walked out of the rear hall. He hasn’t blown up today!”

　　“…”

　　Once Father Niu left the rear hall, he seemed to have disappeared. He did not even have dinner with them. Without him around to bicker with Shen Ying, the place felt unusually quiet. Shen Ying glanced at the pastries on the table and sighed. She picked up a plate of pastries and left

　　the rear hall.

　　She made several rounds around the top of the mountain before she found the hillside which the other sisters had guided her to. At the hillside sat Lonemoon, who was staring blankly at the radish field.

　　“Do you want some?” she offered Lonemoon some pastries.

　　He turned to glance at her, rolled his eyes, and turned back to the radish field.

　　“No matter how unhappy you are, you have to eat,” she set the pastries down beside him and patted his shoulder. “Talk, Father Niu. Which family do you want to bankrupt?”

　　Lonemoon hesitated, “Why would I want to bankrupt anyone?”

　　“Isn’t it customary for you CEOs to attempt to bankrupt others?” she joked.

　　“Get lost!” Lonemoon glared at Shen Ying, “What do you even think about all day? Stop bothering me.”

　　“Oh,” she picked up the plate of pastries and prepared to leave.

　　“Come back!” Lonemoon’s mouth twitched, “You weren’t so obedient before. Now, you’re really leaving after I tell you to. Is this how you comfort people? ”

　　“I thought you don’t want it.”

　　“Shut up! Leave the pastries here,” he tutted and turned away from Shen Ying, completely ignoring her.

　　Shen Ying sighed. She had no choice but to walk back to where Lonemoon was. She sat down beside him and stared at the radish field together with him. One by one, she gobbled up the pastries.

　　Neither of them said a word. The silence was a little strange. The only sound came from Shen Ying chewing her pastries.

　　Ten minutes passed…

　　Twenty minutes passed…

　　Thirty minutes…

　　An hour…

　　The sun set and the moon rose in its place.

　　Lonemoon felt as if a vein in his head just burst. “Would it kill you to say something?” What the hell are you doing here, anyway?

　　“Er…” Didn’t you ask me to shut up?

　　“Can’t you freaking comfort me? Why would you sit there and eat and yet not say a word? Why don’t you at least ask why I’m unhappy?”

　　“Oh, why are you unhappy?” I’ll satisfy you.

　　Lonemoon hesitated and frowned once more. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. He hesitated for a long while. Then, he explained, “That disciple of yours… After he comes out of the lock-up, he will at least be a mid-stage Soul Formation cultivator.”

　　“Maybe?” She didn’t know about these things.

　　Lonemoon sighed loudly, “How long have we known each other?”

　　Shen Ying thought for a while, “Four… five years?”

　　“That’s right, four or five years…” his eyes glazed over. “In a mere four or five years, he rose from a Golden Core cultivator to a Soul Formation. He went through two epiphanies in a row. If you told anyone in the Upper Azure World about this, nobody would believe you.”

　　“…” Is it that unbelievable?

　　“Every Soul Formation cultivator got to where they are after four to five hundred years of training. I took 300 years to get to this stage, and that’s because I have high comprehension abilities.” His frown deepened, “Yet, to him, I’m a joke.”

　　Shen Ying’s hand paused midway toward the pastries.

　　“Shen Ying, you tell me… we’re old neighbours after all. Just a few sentences from you can trigger an epiphany in him. Why don’t you help me out?” He stared at her almost pleadingly.

　　“You don’t know what I was talking about before?”

　　“I knew what you were talking about, that’s why I don’t understand.” Lonemoon was utterly confused. “Tell me honestly: you were just bluffing, weren’t you?”

　　“Er…”

　　“But he could use your bluff to improve his cultivation level.” Lonemoon’s expression became even more troubled, “I have been training for hundreds of years, but my training can’t compare to him being bluffed once.”

　　“Whether we’re talking about Yi Qing or other cultivators, everyone seems to be improving, yet I… I’m the only one who is stagnant. If you were in my shoes, wouldn’t you be upset!”

　　“Is my perception really that bad? I can’t even perceive anything.”

　　“What exactly did I transmigrate into this world for? What’s the meaning behind all of this!”

　　“When I was trapped with my mental demons the other day, I returned to the modern age. It has been 300 years. I thought I already forgot what that world was like. I didn’t realise that I still remembered everything so clearly. Perhaps I just don’t belong to… Wu… Wu…”

　　Before he could finish speaking, Shen Ying stuffed a pastry into his mouth. He turned to glare at the person beside him, but she knocked his forehead.

　　“Idiot.”

　　“You…”

　　“Do you know what you look like?” Shen Ying asked seriously.

　　“What?” He responded.

　　She suddenly leaned in and looked him in the eyes. She only had two words for him: “A brat!”

　　“…”