Chapter 342: Chapter 341: Enhancing Strength
The next day, Gongsun Shengheng had not yet woken, but Ye Fan was already awake. He carried Gongsun Shengheng out of the wine cellar and took a deep breath of fresh air.
Gongsun Linglong had already been buried on the mountainside behind the villa she loved most. Ye Fan glanced at her tombstone, then turned and left. For him, staying here would only add to his sorrow.
Of course, what Ye Fan didn’t know was that the voice of Gongsun Linglong he’d heard in his dream the night before had not been a hallucination—it was real. He was even more unaware that the "departed" Gongsun Linglong had been reborn from the ashes through a great opportunity. However, it would be a very long time before Ye Fan saw her again. By that time, everything would have changed beyond recognition.
At dusk, Ye Fan arrived at the Gongsun Family estate. Upon seeing the Gongsun Family Master, he apologized, "I’m sorry. If it hadn’t been for me... perhaps..." He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.
The Gongsun Family Master said, "Mr. Ye, this matter has nothing to do with you. Thank you for saving our Gongsun Family."
Ye Fan replied, "Rest assured, she won’t have died in vain. The Mo Sect... I will certainly eradicate them."
Ye Fan had steeled his resolve. The Mo Sect had to be destroyed. This energized the Gongsun Family. Indeed, the Mo Sect had dealt them far too many heavy blows, and every memory was a scene of despair. As long as the Mo Sect existed, they could not find peace.
To guard against them, however, Ye Fan had already ordered the Heavenly King Hall to remain vigilant for any movement from the Mo Sect in the southwest. They were to inform him the instant the Mo Sect made a move.
Afterward, he left the Gongsun Family and returned to Jiangning, where he immediately went into seclusion to focus solely on cultivation.
He took out the purple Jade Pendant, the very one he had acquired from the Gongsun siblings. The pendant was magical, seemingly brimming with dense Spiritual Energy. He now planned to use it to increase his strength.
The Spiritual Power within the purple Jade Pendant circulated endlessly, allowing him to cultivate without any of it going to waste. It was truly a marvelous treasure.
He began to cultivate using it. About ten days later, Ye Fan’s eyes snapped open. He had absorbed an immense amount of Spiritual Power, and his strength had skyrocketed. But there was a limit to what power alone could achieve. Even if he could continuously increase his power, the next realm was not something one could comprehend simply by sitting in meditation.
Therefore, he had to end his seclusion. After emerging, he put the purple Jade Pendant away. If I ever get enough high-quality spiritual materials, I’ll set up the largest Array in the Heavenly King Hall so all the disciples can benefit. But for now, that wish is impossible. I face a host of problems, and the lack of spiritual materials is a major one.
His power had grown during his seclusion. He was now a man at the Emperor-level Peak. But to step into the Supreme Realm, he still needed to gain insight through battle. There were people around him who had entered the Supreme Realm, such as Su Qingxue and the Yan Clan Patriarch, Yan Ning. They were both Supreme-level Martial Artists. Of course, he had also fought a Supreme Realm expert before: Sha Que. Once he stepped into the Supreme Realm, he would dare to challenge the Divine Dragon directly.
However, the breakthrough itself had become a problem. Possessing strength without insight was not enough, and insight was the most difficult part to obtain. Some people could never grasp the essence of the next realm in their entire lifetime and were forced to remain stagnant. But Ye Fan didn’t consider himself someone who would stagnate. For me, breaking through is just a matter of time.
"Chief, several of your ladies came to see you while you were in seclusion for the past ten-odd days," Tiancan told him after he arrived in the main hall of the Heavenly King Hall.
Although Ye Fan longed to see them, he said hesitantly, "I can’t see them right now."
It wasn’t that he was being heartless or neglecting his women, but he still hadn’t recovered from the events with the Gongsun Family. His mood remained as somber as ever. He wanted to take a few more days to get into the best state of mind before seeing them.
Tiancan felt a wave of awkwardness. He realized that ever since the Chief had returned, he had changed completely, becoming almost unrecognizable—as if he’d adopted an entirely new personality. Compared to the sleazy and frivolous Chief of the past, the current one had become more reserved and calm.
But he spoke up again, "Well, Chief, Mrs. Wu has been lingering outside your retreat almost every day. It’s clear she’s been very worried about you lately."
The Mrs. Wu he mentioned was, of course, Yaoyao’s mother, Wu Shiyin.
Ye Fan murmured, "Her..." but trailed off.
"Yes, she prepares meals for you on time every day, afraid you’d be hungry when you came out. It’s just a pity she hasn’t gotten to see you! In fact, she should be here to deliver your meal soon." Tiancan couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. The confidantes by the King of Heaven’s side were truly respectable and admirable.
Ye Fan was taken aback, a warmth surging through his heart. "Then I’ll go find her!" he said.
"There’s no need, Chief. She’s already here," Tiancan said fawningly.
Ye Fan shot him a glare and said, "Then there’s nothing for you to do here. Make yourself scarce."
"Right away, heh heh!" Tiancan replied, vanishing with astonishing agility.
Wu Shiyin walked over, carrying an exquisite food container. Inside were Ye Fan’s favorite dishes. She was always thinking of him. He and Wu Shiyin exchanged warm smiles.
They sat down in the pavilion, and Wu Shiyin asked him, "Are you feeling better?"
"I’m better—no, I’m perfectly fine! This was just for my seclusion," Ye Fan said quickly.
But Wu Shiyin shook her head. "Don’t lie to me. Your real purpose this time wasn’t seclusion, but to release your pent-up anguish."
Ye Fan felt awkward, surprised that she had seen right through him. He had no intention of denying it now.
Wu Shiyin said, "I know you’re in despair. It was a heavy blow, but you have to pull yourself together, because there are so many people standing behind you."
"I know," Ye Fan said, his voice laced with despondency.
She gently straightened his disheveled hair. "These are your favorite dishes. Hurry up and eat."
Without any hesitation, Ye Fan began to wolf down the food.
Wu Shiyin said, "Ye Fan, remember, no matter what happens, we will stand with you, even if we can’t be of much help."
Hearing Wu Shiyin’s encouragement, the gloom that had been looming over him was swept away. "No," he said, "I’m the one who should be protecting you all. Heaven has given me such wonderful wives, and protecting you is my duty!"
Wu Shiyin smiled, gratified.
After they had talked for a long time, Wu Shiyin prepared to leave. She didn’t linger. She was a considerate woman and knew Ye Fan had been through a great deal recently. He wasn’t just physically exhausted; he also had to endure a severe blow to his spirit. Being empathetic, Wu Shiyin understood he needed time to rest and readjust.
