Chapter 474 Liu Ruhua on the Scene

Jiang Yun stood on the steps in front of the treasury door. His eyes, hidden beneath the mask, swept across the sea of people filling the plaza, and he froze in place.

He remembered very clearly.

Less than half a day ago, when he entered the treasury, the outside had been completely deserted.

The vast plaza had only a few scattered managing Elders guarding the Formation and Disciples on duty; even speaking aloud had echoed.

At that time, it had felt like a quiet, almost deathly silent, reclusive ancient residence, everywhere exuding the depth and reserve of a clan that had lasted for hundreds of years.

But now?

The plaza was densely packed with people.

Thousands of gazes converged on him simultaneously from all directions, and those gazes burned with all sorts of emotions.

Fanaticism, worship, curiosity, jealousy, greed, longing, and even a few scorching gazes that made the back of his neck feel cold.

Young Disciples were screaming, female Disciples were waving their arms, managing Elders were whispering to each other, and the Grand Elders on the high platform had expressions that varied wildly.

The entire plaza was like something thrown directly from an ice cellar into a volcano, with waves of clamor rising higher and higher.

Jiang Yun's footsteps faltered slightly.

What was going on?

It wasn't like this when he went in, was it?

How had it turned into a temple fair out here after only half a day?

And the expressions on these people...

Why did they all look at him like wolves that had been starving for half a month seeing a piece of meat?

Could it be...

A rather ominous thought suddenly flashed through Jiang Yun's mind.

Did the Liu Family regret letting him take so many treasures?

Did they want to rely on their numbers to snatch the treasures back in public?

With their gazes being so fanatical, could this be the prelude to them making a move?

Just as Jiang Yun was secretly on guard.

A purple figure suddenly rose into the air from the high platform and flew straight toward him at an extreme speed.

The speed was so fast that it even left a purple afterimage in the sky above the plaza.

Jiang Yun's pupils shrank slightly.

He instinctively took half a step back.

But he quickly saw the appearance of that figure clearly.

It was a beautiful woman dressed in a purple dress. Her willow eyebrows were arched, and her phoenix eyes held a hint of spring. Although one could tell she was no longer young, her well-maintained Face still retained its charm, and the belt of her purple dress was tied tightly around her waist, outlining a mature curve.

She flew through the air, her purple dress fluttering and snapping in the wind.

Her landing posture had been meticulously designed.

Her left toe touched the ground first, her right leg bent slightly, and her waist twisted with the momentum, causing her entire body to strike an extremely graceful pose the moment she landed.

One hand lightly stroked her hair bun, the other rested on her waist, her chin was slightly raised, her phoenix eyes were half-squinted, and she gazed straight at Jiang Yun with a look she believed to be extremely seductive.

It was none other than Elder Ruhua.

The entire plaza fell into a deathly silence at that instant.

The pupils of thousands of Liu Family Disciples dilated simultaneously, and every one of those young Faces was filled with the same expression.

Disbelief.

" W-what the hell!! "

A young Disciple was the first to break free from the silence, his voice becoming sharp and distorted from shock.

" That's Elder Ruhua!! Grand Elder Liu Ruhua!! Why did she fly straight in front of Grand Tutor Dongxuan?! What is she trying to do?!"

" No, no, no! Look at her posture! Look at her eyes! Look at her waist! She's wiggling her waist, right?! That is definitely wiggling her waist, right?! A Grand Elder is wiggling her waist at a sixteen years old boy?! Am I seeing things?! Someone slap me and tell me I'm dreaming!!"

" Isn't she supposed to be questioning Grand Tutor Dongxuan about taking the treasures? Isn't she supposed to be upholding the Liu Family's reputation? What's with that expression? Wait! Elder Ruhua, you wouldn't!! You are a Grand Elder!! You are a Grand Elder who has lived for over two hundred years!! You can't do this!!"

The ordinary Disciples were already this shocked.

The Grand Elders on the high platform were even more up in arms.

The moment Elder Ruhua rose into the air, Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan realized things were going wrong.

He instinctively reached out to grab Elder Ruhua's sleeve, but Elder Ruhua's speed was simply too fast, and he only grabbed a handful of air.

Watching that purple figure fly straight toward Jiang Yun, Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan's hand froze in mid-air, his entire Face filled with the despair of 'it's over, it's over, everything is completely over now.'

" Oh no!!"

A conservative Grand Elder abruptly stood up from his seat, his finger trembling as he pointed at Elder Ruhua, who had already landed in front of Jiang Yun on the plaza. His lips quivered violently several times before he managed to squeeze a complete sentence out of his throat.

" Ruhua, she... she isn't going to... in public... in public..."

In the end, he was unable to finish that sentence.

Because the scene that followed said it for him.

Elder Ruhua stood in front of Jiang Yun, first raising her hand to gently tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, then turning her head slightly to Face Jiang Yun with what she considered her most perfect forty-five-degree angle.

Then, she shifted her weight from her left leg to her right leg, twisted her waist to the side in an extremely exaggerated arc, placed one hand on her hip, raised the other, and slowly traced her fingers across her collarbone.

" Little Friend Dong Xuan~~~"

Her voice had also been carefully adjusted.

It was half a pitch higher than when she usually spoke, the ending drawn out, long and soft, and carried a slight breathy quality.

That tone was like a half-melted butter candy, sweet and cloying, sticking and oozing its way into one's ears.

The air in the entire plaza seemed to have been sucked out in that instant.

Thousands of Liu Family Disciples collectively turned to stone.

Some had their mouths open, forgetting to close them; some had outstretched fingers frozen in mid-air; some had tea cups fall from their hands and shatter on the ground, yet they were completely unaware.

Those young female Disciples who had just been screaming 'Grand Tutor Dongxuan, I want to marry you' now had their eyes wide open, their expressions seeming to say:

We are young maidens, at least.

How old are you, trying to compete with us?!

On the high platform.

A Grand Elder who was drinking tea spat it out directly, splashing the back of the person in front of him.

The Grand Elder in front, however, had no reaction.

Because he had been completely stunned silly.

" What a disgrace!! What a disgrace!!!"

A veteran Grand Elder with white hair and beard covered his Face with both hands, revealing a pair of eyes filled with despair from between his fingers, his voice full of heartbreaking indignation.

" In front of so many Liu Family juniors!! In broad daylight!! A Grand Elder!! A Grand Elder who has lived for over two hundred years!! Making seductive poses at a sixteen years old boy!! This is simply... this is simply... I have lived for so many years and have never seen such... such... I don't even know what word to use!!"

Another Grand Elder beside him also covered his Face with his hands, his shoulders trembling violently, not knowing whether he was crying or laughing.

" It's over... it's all over... the reputation of the Liu Family as a reclusive clan of hundreds of years has been completely lost today. If this matter spreads in the future, what will outsiders say about our Liu Family? The Liu Family where a Grand Elder wiggled her waist in public at a sixteen years old boy? Just thinking about that sentence makes me want to find a crack in the ground to crawl into..."

" But fortunately, our Liu Family does not go out into the world, so it won't spread..."

But the most dramatic person in the entire plaza was Liu Lie.

This conservative Grand Elder, who had been secretly in love with Elder Ruhua for over a hundred years, was currently standing at the edge of the high platform, gripping the railing tightly with both hands.

His eyes were wide as copper bells, the whites of his eyes filled with blood-red veins, his entire Face flushed to the color of a pig's liver, and the muscles on his cheeks were twitching rhythmically.

He stared fixedly at the beautiful woman on the plaza who was wiggling her waist in front of Jiang Yun, his lips moving violently as if he were silently roaring something.

He saw it.

He saw the arc of Elder Ruhua's waist wiggle.

That arc—he had secretly loved her for over a hundred years and had never seen it.

In front of him, she had always been a dignified, reserved, and unsmiling Elder.

But now, in front of a sixteen years old boy she had known for less than half a day, she was wiggling that waist like a water snake.

Liu Lie felt as if his heart were being clutched in someone's hand, being squeezed hard, beat by beat.

He felt his world collapsing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Over a hundred years of secret love, over a hundred years of silent protection, over a hundred years of longing—everything had been blasted to dust by that damned waist wiggle of Elder Ruhua.

" Damn it..."

He squeezed the two words out through his teeth, his voice so low that only he could hear it.

" Little Brat Dong Xuan... I... I..."

Meanwhile.

In the center of the plaza.

Jiang Yun looked at the old woman in front of him who was wiggling back and forth, tracing her fingers across her collarbone, and looking at him with an ambiguous gaze that seemed like she wanted to eat him. His entire Face beneath the silver-white mask froze.

He was well-traveled and experienced.

He had been to Secret Realms, seen Vicious Beasts, and fought True Dragons.

He had also seen the world.

He had been challenged by many geniuses at Sky Dome Academy, harassed by various traps and Formations in the Dong Xuan Secret Realm, and hunted in Black Rock City.

He believed that there was no situation in this world that could make him lose his composure.

But he had truly never seen this situation before.

What was this situation?

What was this old woman doing?

That waist of hers...

At her age, wasn't she afraid of spraining it by wiggling it like that?

What was she doing with her fingers tracing across her collarbone like that?

Was she drawing a talisman?

No, that wasn't how one drew a talisman.

That look in her eyes.

She was half-squinting when she looked at him; were her eyes uncomfortable?

Was it windy and sandy outside the Liu Family treasury, and she got sand in her eyes?

Countless question marks flashed rapidly through Jiang Yun's mind, but all of them eventually converged into a single thought.

Could the Liu Family treasury be a 'buy five get one free' deal?

After taking five treasures, did they include an exciting performance as a bonus?

But if they were going to arrange a performance, they should have arranged something better. Although this dancing old lady was well-maintained, for her to come out and dance so energetically at her age—wasn't the Liu Family being too inconsiderate to the elderly?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt this explanation was the most reasonable.

This must be some kind of traditional ritual of the Liu Family.

Just like how some Sects would arrange singing and dancing to see off honored guests, as a reclusive clan of hundreds of years, it wouldn't be strange for the Liu Family to have such etiquette.

Although the taste of this performance was indeed questionable, when in Rome, do as the Romans do; as a guest, he shouldn't be too picky.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yun took a deep breath, trying hard to make his tone sound polite and courteous.

He raised his hand and cupped his fist in a salute toward Elder Ruhua, who was wiggling her waist in front of him.

" This Elder of the Liu Family."

His voice was calm and polite.

" I have already obtained all five treasures. There is no need to continue this performance; please do not dance anymore."

Elder Ruhua's waist, halfway through a wiggle, froze.

The entire plaza fell into a deathly silence once again.

Then, it exploded.

" P-performance?! "

A young Disciple clutched his head with both hands, his Face full of the bewilderment of having his worldview shattered and then pieced back together.

" Grand Tutor Dongxuan thought Elder Ruhua was performing for him?! He thought that... that thing Elder Ruhua was doing was dancing?!"

" Hahahaha!!!"

Another Disciple was already laughing so hard he couldn't straighten his back, one hand clutching his stomach while the other pointed at the center of the plaza, laughing so hard that tears were flying out.

" Grand Tutor Dongxuan!! Is that dancing!! That's not dancing!! That is... pfft hahahaha I can't take it anymore!! Did you see Elder Ruhua's Face!! She froze!! She froze completely!!"

" Wait... was it a performance arranged by the Patriarch?! Why would the Patriarch arrange for a Grand Elder to dance for Grand Tutor Dongxuan's entertainment?! Is Grand Tutor Dongxuan's Face that big?! After taking the treasures, they even include a Grand Elder performing in person as a bonus?! The next time Grand Tutor Dongxuan comes to the Liu Family, will the Patriarch have to go down and dance a segment himself?!"

Some Disciples were laughing wildly while patting their companions on the shoulder, laughing until they were convulsing.

" You know what! Given the commotion Grand Tutor Dongxuan caused in the treasury today, I think it wouldn't be impossible for the Patriarch to go down and dance a segment!"

The companion was also laughing so hard he was rocking back and forth, barely able to speak clearly.

On the high platform.

The expressions of the Grand Elders were even more spectacular to the extreme.

A white-haired Grand Elder covered his Face with his hands, the old eyes revealed between his fingers filled with shame and embarrassment.

In all the years he had lived, this was the first time he felt that standing on the high platform was such an agonizing experience.

Although those thousands of gazes below were all focused on the center of the square, he couldn't help but feel that everyone was secretly glancing up at the high platform.

They were glancing at his colleagues, the peers of Elder Ruhua, silently mocking the entire Grand Elder Council of the Liu Family.

"I... I have never been so humiliated in my entire life..."

He muttered to himself, his voice filled with the despair of a dead heart.

Another Grand Elder turned around completely, facing the wall behind the high platform, not daring to look at the scene in the square again.

His shoulders were trembling slightly, whether from anger or shame, it was unclear.

Liu Qingshan stood at the very front of the high platform, his Face as dark as if it had just been scraped from the bottom of a pot.

His hands were clasped behind his back, his knuckles turning pale from excessive force. His lips were pursed into a pale, straight line, and the veins on his forehead were throbbing.

"Elder Ruhua..."

He squeezed out these four words through his teeth, each one sounding as if it had been ground up between them before being spat out.

"After today, I will certainly propose to the Council of Elders that she be removed from her position as Grand Elder. It is not that I do not value our collegial relationship, but today she has completely disgraced the entire Liu Family Grand Elder Council. Disgraced before the square, before the juniors, before thousands of people, and even made them think it was a program arranged by the Patriarch. My old Face—I will have to scrub it three times with a whetstone tonight to get it clean!!"

However, Elder Ruhua's rigidity lasted for less than three seconds.

After all, she was someone who had lived for over two hundred years; what kind of scenes hadn't she seen?

This minor setback before her was not enough to extinguish the burning heart of spring within her.

She quickly adjusted her expression, turning the awkwardness of the moment into an even more charming smile, and then spoke again in a tone that was both resentful and filled with an unwillingness to give up.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan..."

Her voice was even softer than before, as if coaxing a dim-witted child.

"Could it be that you are not attracted by my beautiful eyes? Not conquered by my charm and grace? Is there no..."

She lowered her head slightly, her phoenix eyes glancing up, looking at Jiang Yun with a gaze she considered extremely seductive, her voice carrying a slight, breathless quality.

"No desire to take things a step further with this Elder... to have a heart-to-heart talk... to drink together under the moon... to not return home for the night..."

"...on your mind?"

She said the last four words one by one, enunciating each clearly, with the tail of each word drawn out, as if she were afraid Jiang Yun wouldn't understand.

Boom. The square exploded once again.

"A... a confession!! Elder Ruhua is confessing her love!! She is confessing to Grand Tutor Dongxuan in public!!!"

A Liu Family Disciple clutched his head with both hands, springing up as if struck by lightning, his voice reaching a pitch so sharp it was almost ultrasonic.

"My ears!! Are there problems with my ears?! What did Elder Ruhua just say?! A heart-to-heart talk?! Not returning home for the night?! What kind of scandalous words are these!! A Grand Elder saying 'not returning home for the night' to a sixteen-year-old youth!! My worldview has collapsed!! Completely collapsed!!"

"Over two hundred years old!! She is over two hundred years old!! Grand Tutor Dongxuan is only sixteen!! That's a difference of over ten generations!! Over ten generations!! My great-great-grandmother isn't as old as Elder Ruhua!! She is confessing to a youth who could be her great-great-great-grandson!! I don't feel well!! What on earth is happening to this world!!"

"Do you remember what Elder Qingshan said just now? That the Liu Family Disciples were too young, lacked resolve, and were losing Face—hahahaha!! Who is the one lacking resolve?! Who is the one losing Face?! At least when the young Disciples shout, it's between peers, but a Grand Elder is saying 'not returning home for the night' directly to a youth who could be her great-great-great-grandson!! Elder Qingshan!! Who were you saying those words to just now?! Say it again if you dare!!"

That Disciple was laughing so hard that tears and snot covered his Face; he slumped over the shoulder of his companion, convulsing with laughter, unable to even stand steady.

On the high platform, Liu Qingshan's old Face could no longer be described as merely dark.

It was a deathly gray, the look of someone who had completely entered a state of numbness after extreme shame, anger, and despair.

His lips were trembling slightly, as if silently repeating something, but no one could hear what he was saying anymore.

The misunderstanding about it being a program arranged by the Patriarch was already enough to make him want to find a crack in the ground to crawl into, and now Elder Ruhua had publicly uttered such scandalous words as 'not returning home for the night'...

He felt that all the dignity and reputation he had built up over his lifetime had been destroyed, leaving not even a scrap behind, by Elder Ruhua alone on this very day.

And Liu Lie... he had already gripped the railing so hard that visible cracks appeared.

As an Eclipsing Moon Rank Beast Tamer, crushing black iron with his bare hands was nothing to him, and at this moment, the white marble railing in front of him was cracking inch by inch under the strength of his fingers.

The whites of his eyes had turned completely blood-red, the muscles on his cheeks were twitching violently, and his chest was heaving frantically, each exhalation carrying a stream of scorching hot air as it shot from his nostrils.

"Not returning home for the night... not returning home for the night... she actually said 'not returning home for the night' to that kid..."

He repeated this sentence frantically in his heart, and every time he repeated it, his heart felt like it was being crushed.

He had been secretly in love with her for over a hundred years; never mind 'not returning home for the night,' he hadn't even spent more than half a cup of tea's time alone in a room with her.

Now, the woman he secretly loved was saying 'not returning home for the night' to a sixteen-year-old youth right in front of him.

Liu Lie felt like he was about to explode on the spot.

And Jiang Yun, at this moment, finally sensed something not quite right from Elder Ruhua's increasingly explicit words.

Wait. Not a program? Not dancing?

What the hell was this old woman rambling on about? 'Beautiful eyes attracted'? 'Charm and grace'? 'Take things a step further'? 'Not return home for the night'? What is all this nonsense?

That look in her eyes. That gaze, half-squinting at him. That wasn't sand in her eye; that was her making eyes at him?

Jiang Yun finally reacted, realizing what was going on in front of him, and then he didn't feel well at all.

Because Jiang Yun could never have imagined that he would be harassed by an old woman who was several hundred years old...

He subconsciously took half a step back, his skin under the mask stiffening at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He had seen all kinds of situations, but being publicly confessed to by an old woman who could be his great-grandmother—this, he had truly never seen.

It was even worse than that time at the Appraisers Guild with that Hai Kongnu...

Just as Jiang Yun stood frozen, not knowing how to respond, a thunderous shout finally exploded from the high platform.

"Enough!!!"

Liu Qingshan swept his sleeves violently, his figure swooping down from the high platform like a bolt of lightning.

He landed between Elder Ruhua and Jiang Yun, using his own body to separate them, then turned to Face Elder Ruhua, his entire Face written with unbearable anger and shame.

"Elder Ruhua!! Grand Tutor Dongxuan is an honored guest of the Liu Family!! He is the benefactor who repaired the Nether Phoenix soul crystal and awakened the soul of the nether phoenix!! As a Grand Elder of the Liu Family, how can you engage in such... such shameless behavior toward an honored guest in public!! Where does this leave the Face of the Liu Family?! Where does this leave the Face of the entire Grand Elder Council!!"

His voice was like a thunderclap, silencing the clamor in the square for a moment.

Elder Ruhua was startled by the sudden shout and involuntarily took a step back, but that glimmer of unwillingness still flickered in her phoenix eyes.

"But Elder Qingshan... I really fell for Grand Tutor Dongxuan at first..."

"Shut up!!!"

Liu Qingshan swept his sleeves violently again, interrupting Elder Ruhua with an even louder voice than before.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his churning emotions, then turned around, his gaze shooting toward the high platform like lightning.

"Patriarch!! Don't just stand there watching!! Hurry up and take control of the situation!!"

This shout finally blasted Liu Qingyun out of his deep fantasy about how to turn Jiang Yun into his son-in-law.

Liu Qingyun snapped back to reality, stunned for a full two seconds before he figured out what was happening in front of him.

His gaze first fell on Jiang Yun in the center of the square, then on Liu Qingshan standing in front of Jiang Yun, and finally on Elder Ruhua, who was being blocked behind Liu Qingshan.

Elder Ruhua's expression filled with unwillingness and grievance, Liu Qingshan's Face as black as the bottom of a pot, the dumbfounded expressions of thousands of Disciples in the square, and the miserable sight of the Grand Elders on the high platform collectively covering their Faces.

All these images flooded his brain at the same instant.

He understood. His complexion underwent a full range of changes in an instant: from confusion to shock, from shock to shame, and from shame to rage.

He felt his Face burning, his back sweating, and his scalp tingling.

Elder Ruhua! A Grand Elder! Publicly confessing love to Grand Tutor Dongxuan! Saying 'not returning home for the night'! And it was taken by others as a program arranged by the Patriarch!

He felt his blood pressure skyrocketing.

"Elder Ruhua!!!"

Liu Qingyun's voice exploded from the high platform, the volume a whole level higher than Liu Qingshan's.

He clasped his hands behind his back, his Aura suddenly expanding.

The pressure of an Eclipsing Moon Rank high-level expert pressed down toward the center of the square like an invisible mountain. Although the pressure was not directed at anyone, the mere aftershock of its natural emanation caused the clamor in the square to instantly fall silent.

Although he was usually crushed by Jiang Yun's various Heaven-Defying displays, at this moment, facing his own Grand Elder's absurd behavior, he finally regained the dignity befitting the current Patriarch of the Liu Family.

"You are simply... failing to act your age!! Grand Tutor Dongxuan is the son-in-law I have my eye—cough, cough!! Ptooey!!"

Halfway through the sentence, he suddenly realized something was wrong, and the word "son-in-law" that was supposed to follow the word "the" was swallowed back down his throat.

Because he swallowed it too hastily, he choked on his own words, and his entire Aura trembled three times with those two coughs.

His gaze swept rapidly around. Fortunately, fortunately, the word "son-in-law" had only been half-uttered; in the noisy square, no one should have noticed.

He took a deep breath and quickly picked up the thread of his speech.

"Cough, cough!! Grand Tutor Dongxuan is a young Prodigy I have my eye on!! He is also a benefactor of the Liu Family!! The grace of repairing the Nether Phoenix soul crystal!! The grace of awakening the soul of the nether phoenix!! Both graces are heavy, and everyone in the Liu Family is grateful!! Your actions are not only a desecration of an honored guest but also an insult to the ancestors of the Liu Family!! What kind of behavior is this!! It is simply absurd!!"

"Get back now!!"

He gritted his teeth and spat out the last four words one by one.

Elder Ruhua was finally stunned by the Patriarch's thunderous rage.

Although her heart was fluttering with spring, she hadn't reached the point where she dared to openly defy the Patriarch.

She stood where she was. That pair of phoenix eyes cast one last resentful glance in Jiang Yun's direction.

That glance contained the grievance of being a pair of mandarin ducks struck by a stick, the shame and anger of being scolded in public, and a sliver of unwillingness—a sign that this Elder would not give up.

Then she lowered her head reluctantly, the hem of her purple dress tracing a listless arc as she turned, and she left, looking back every three steps.

Jiang Yun felt a chill down his spine from Elder Ruhua's final, resentful gaze.

He felt goosebumps growing frantically on his back at an unprecedented speed.

He had seen the killing intent of Vicious Beasts, the Divine Might of True Dragons, and the Aura pressure of various experts.

But being stared at by an old woman over two hundred years old with that "I will return" look—this experience was definitely a first, and he hoped it would be the last.

At the edge of the high platform, Liu Qingshan let out a long, turbid breath as he watched Elder Ruhua finally retreat.

He raised his hand to wipe away the cold sweat that had appeared on his forehead at some unknown time, feeling as if he had finally woken up from a nightmare.

However, when his gaze inadvertently swept over Liu Qingyun, his brows suddenly furrowed slightly.

Something was wrong. That sentence from the Patriarch just now. He said, "Grand Tutor Dongxuan is the son-in-law I have my eye..."

The son-in-law of what?

Liu Qingshan's pupils contracted slightly, but he quickly suppressed this thought.

Perhaps he had misheard, perhaps the Patriarch had slipped up, or perhaps his own ears had developed auditory hallucinations from being tortured by today's farce.

In any case, now was not the time to look into this.

The most urgent matter right now was to end this farce and pick up the Liu Family's Face from the ground, even if it meant cupping it in their hands to carry it back.

After Elder Ruhua left, a subtle silence fell over the plaza.

The young Disciples who had just been laughing wildly and screaming now kept their mouths tightly shut, behaving themselves.

The Family Head was angry.

Although Liu Qingyun was not usually hot-tempered, once he unleashed his Eclipsing Moon Rank high-stage Aura, those Gold Rank and Purple Gold Rank young Disciples didn't even dare to breathe.

Moreover, the anger contained in his scolding just now was genuine, not faked.

"Everyone disperse."

Liu Qingyun's voice was not loud, but every word weighed heavily on the heart of everyone in the plaza.

He offered no further explanation and said no more nonsense; those two words alone were enough for everyone to understand.

Now was not the time to watch the spectacle.

The Disciples in the plaza began to disperse in an orderly fashion.

Although some could not help but sneak looks back toward Jiang Yun, no one dared to speak loudly anymore. The Elders and deacons began to call their respective Disciples to leave, and in less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the entire plaza went from being packed with people to being much more empty.

Once the crowd in the plaza had mostly dispersed, Liu Qingyun, accompanied by a group of Grand Elders, Elder Mo, and Master Fu Shan, slowly walked down from the high platform and arrived before Jiang Yun.

Watching this group of imposing Liu Family higher-ups walking straight toward him, Jiang Yun felt the string of vigilance in his heart tighten once more.

Although he had been a bit bewildered by Elder Ruhua earlier, he had lost none of his alertness.

Right now, the Liu Family Head personally bringing a group of Grand Elders to surround him did not look like a simple farewell.

He took the initiative to raise his hand and cupped his fists toward Liu Qingyun and the Elders, his posture neither servile nor overbearing.

"Family Head Liu, Elders."

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan is too polite!"

Before Liu Qingyun could speak, Liu Qingshan had already waved his hand first, squeezing a decent smile onto his Face.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan, there is no need for such formalities. Today's events… ahem, have made a spectacle of ourselves before you. Elder Ruhua is not usually like this; it was just that you displayed such Divine Might in the treasure vault today, and she was momentarily overcome with excitement, which is why… sigh, in any case, please excuse the embarrassment."

Jiang Yun shook his head, indicating that he did not take it to heart.

Although he actually took it very much to heart, he would not show it.

He paused and got straight to the point.

"Family Head Liu, Elders, according to our agreement, I have finished selecting the five treasures. Having troubled the Liu Family for many days, it is time for me to take my leave."

Upon hearing these words, the expressions of all the Liu Family higher-ups present changed subtly at the same instant.

The smile on Liu Qingshan's Face stiffened.

Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan frowned slightly.

Although the other Grand Elders maintained calm expressions, the flash of heartache and frustration in their eyes could not be hidden no matter how hard they tried.

Five treasures.

Two of the clan-protecting ultimate treasures from the seventh floor of the treasure vault had been taken, not to mention the beast taming armor condensation, thunder soul crystal, and Origin Law Crystal, which were rare treasures that could stir up a bloodbath in the outside world.

Every one of these treasures was the foundation accumulated by the Liu Family over several generations. Now, they were being openly pocketed by this sixteen years old youth before them, and not only could they not stop him, they had to send him off with a smile.

This feeling was worse than swallowing a fly.

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat oppressive.

Jiang Yun keenly captured the complex and heavy Aura radiating from this group of Liu Family higher-ups, and...

He tilted his head slightly and felt several gazes locking onto him from different angles.

Those gazes contained scrutiny, assessment, heartache, and several others that were filled with an inexplicable fervor.

His heart sank. Could his guess actually be right?

Would these Liu Family higher-ups really go back on their word on the spot and snatch the treasures back?

Although the Liu Family was a hidden clan and logically wouldn't do something so dishonorable, wealth moves hearts, especially when it came to supreme treasures of the level of ancestral dragon essence blood and void seed.

If they really had this thought, with the lineup of Eclipsing Moon Rank experts present, he would definitely not be able to leave, even with his three Divine Beast Bloodline beasts.

Jiang Yun's fingertips once again rested quietly on the entrance to his Beast Taming Space.

However, at this moment, a clear voice suddenly broke this suffocating silence.

"Family Head."

Elder Liu Lan stepped slightly out from behind Liu Qingyun. Her lively eyes darted toward him, the look containing a hint of a reminder, a hint of urgency, and a hint of helplessness that seemed to say, "Stop spacing out, if you keep spacing out, Grand Tutor Dongxuan is going to think we're about to snatch the treasures."

Liu Qingyun snapped out of his daze.

He wasn't actually being silent. His brain was working at high speed, thinking about how to speak so he could maintain the dignity of the Family Head while also keeping Jiang Yun for one more night.

Staying for one night would give him a chance to let Ruyan make contact; with contact, it would be possible to cultivate feelings, and with feelings, he, the father-in-law, would...

But he had been too absorbed in his thoughts, forgetting that his silence combined with the complex and oppressive expressions of the surrounding Grand Elders made it look like they were plotting a collective murder and robbery.

Liu Qingyun quickly squeezed a smile onto his Face. But that smile, to be honest, was uglier than crying.

The corners of his mouth were turned up, but his eyes were drooping. He wanted to display a magnanimous and composed demeanor, but the trace of heartache and pain between his brows, which he couldn't suppress no matter what, betrayed his true emotions completely.

That expression was exactly like a victim who had had two chunks of flesh carved from his heart and still had to smile and say, "Thanks for your patronage."

"Young Friend Dong Xuan..."

He spoke, his voice carrying a hint of unhideable dryness.

"There is no need to rush. These treasures... were all won fair and square by your own strength. Repairing the soul crystal of the Nether Phoenix, awakening the soul of the nether phoenix, and in the treasure vault, using three beasts to defeat the Azure Ancient Dragon and the Void Guardian—for every treasure, you won in an upright and honorable manner, winning in a way that leaves one with nothing to say."

He said this very reluctantly. Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, especially when he said "upright and honorable manner," his teeth were almost grinding the words out.

But he maintained his posture. Every necessary word was said, and the demeanor of a Family Head was present, it was just that the smile on his Face looked like it was twitching.

When the other Grand Elders heard the Family Head's words, the muscles on their Faces also twitched in synchronization.

But since the Family Head had said so, they could only force themselves to nod in agreement, each with a smile uglier than crying, looking at Jiang Yun with eyes that said, "You are right, but our hearts are bleeding."

Liu Qingshan coughed twice, trying hard to make the atmosphere less awkward.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan, the Family Head is absolutely right. Since the treasures were obtained by your own strength, the Liu Family will never have a second word. I wonder when you plan to set off next? In my opinion, it is already quite late today; why not stay in the Liu Family for the night? It would allow the Liu Family to fulfill our duties as hosts."

He was helping Liu Qingyun pave the way.

He knew the Family Head's thoughts, and he also felt that if they could keep Grand Tutor Dongxuan for one more night, it would only be beneficial for the Liu Family, with no downsides.

Hearing Liu Qingshan's words, a flash of imperceptible approval flickered in Liu Qingyun's eyes.

Elder Qingshan lived up to being the one who recommended him as Family Head back in the day; at critical moments, he could always think the same way as him.

He immediately used this stepping stone to continue.

"Elder Qingshan's words are very true."

Liu Qingyun's smile finally became a bit more natural. Because he thought of his daughter Ruyan, and his perfect plan to turn Grand Tutor Dongxuan into a son-in-law.

As long as he could keep Jiang Yun for tonight, he would have an entire night to make arrangements.

Let Ruyan come out of seclusion early and have a chance encounter with Grand Tutor Dongxuan at the banquet. The two young people were similar in age and talent—one sixteen years old at the Purple Gold Rank Peak, the other twenty years old at the Purple Crystal Ninth Rank Peak—both were Prodigy-level talents, so they must have plenty to talk about.

As long as Ruyan was a little bit more proactive... With that girl Ruyan's appearance and talent, capturing the heart of a sixteen years old youth should be easy, right?

As for the ancestral dragon essence blood and void seed, giving them away was giving them away. Anyway, once Grand Tutor Dongxuan became his Liu Family's son-in-law, these treasures would ultimately remain in the hands of his own people.

The meat would rot in the pot; fertile water doesn't flow into outsiders' fields. Not only was it not a loss, it was a huge profit.

With Grand Tutor Dongxuan as a son-in-law, for the next hundred or thousand years, what clan-protecting ultimate treasure would the Liu Family need? Grand Tutor Dongxuan himself would be the Liu Family's strongest clan-protecting ultimate treasure!

The more Liu Qingyun thought about it, the better it felt, and the smile on his Face became increasingly radiant.

He seemed to have already seen the image of his daughter Ruyan and Jiang Yun standing side by side, a talented man and a beautiful woman; he seemed to have already heard the milky voice of his future grandson calling him grandfather; he seemed to have already seen the envious, jealous, and hateful expressions of other hidden clans upon learning that the Liu Family had climbed the high branch of Grand Tutor Dongxuan.

"Young Friend Dong Xuan," Liu Qingyun spoke with a smile, his voice carrying a hint of unsuppressible anticipation.

"Why not stay in the Liu Family for the night? Let my Liu Family treat you properly. Come to think of it, my daughter Ruyan is currently in seclusion within the Family, and I feel that you young people should have plenty to talk about..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Jiang Yun shook his head. He refused decisively and cleanly.

"Many thanks for the kindness, Family Head Liu." His voice was calm and polite, yet left no room for negotiation.

"But I truly have pressing matters to attend to and cannot stay long. Having troubled the Liu Family for many days, I have already been delayed for quite some time and must depart immediately."

The smile on Liu Qingyun's Face froze. He opened his mouth, and the topic about Ruyan that he had been preparing to continue was stuck in his throat.

He felt as if he had been picked up from a warm hot spring and thrown directly into an ice cave.

He had just been daydreaming about the beautiful scene of holding his grandson, but the grandson's father wouldn't even give him time for a meal and was about to leave right away.

"This... leaving already?" Liu Qingyun's voice carried a hint of disbelief and undisguised disappointment.

"Not staying one more night? The banquet is already prepared... no, I mean, the banquet can be prepared immediately..."

"I appreciate the Family Head's kindness." Jiang Yun shook his head again; his tone was still polite, but his attitude remained firm.

The corners of Liu Qingyun's mouth slumped downward by a visible margin. He felt that his dream of being a father-in-law had just sprouted only to be doused with a basin of cold water.

But he couldn't show it; he couldn't let people see that he had ulterior motives for keeping Grand Tutor Dongxuan for a meal.

He could only force himself to maintain that smile, which was already on the verge of collapsing, and said with a tone that tried but failed to hide his regret.

"Since that is the case... then I will not force you. Young Friend Dong Xuan, if you have any leisure time in the future, you are welcome to visit the Liu Family at any time. The doors of the Liu Family will always be open to you."

As he said this, his heart was bleeding frantically. It wasn't the pain of the treasures; that pain had already gone numb. It was the pain for his father-in-law plan that had failed before it even started.

However, at this moment, a new plan came to his mind. He suddenly smiled and said, "By the way, Young Friend Dong Xuan, today our Liu Family owes you for your help. The five treasures of our Liu Family are hard to express our gratitude with, so I will personally gift you another Sun-Level treasure."