187: Chapter 187 First Love

Taishang Palace.

Mist swirled around, and palace halls rose and fell among the mountains like a fairyland.

A young man walked slowly into the main peak's hall; he was handsome, but his face had a somewhat gloomy paleness, his eyes were hollow, and his expression was numb.

He bowed with hands clasped toward the tall man with a feminine aura in the hall:

"Father, I have successfully broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage and wish to go out and travel, and while I'm at it... visit Mother's Family."

The man slowly turned around, his cold gaze fixed on the youth as he said chillingly, "The outside world is already in chaos. You've only just reached Foundation Establishment; you wouldn't even know how you died if you went out."

Peng Huaixu's tone was filled with disdain and indifference: "Besides, it's just a dead person's Family, what's there to see?"

"Besides, it's just a dead person's Family, what's there to see?"

Peng Xiao's already gloomy face darkened even further upon hearing this; he lowered his head and stood silently in place.

Seeing this, Peng Huaixu swept his sleeve and shouted sharply, "Get back and continue to Cultivate! Once you reach the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, I will allow you to go out for experience. As for your mother's Family... we Cultivators do not need such useless attachments."

"...Yes."

Peng Xiao pursed his lips slightly, still responding respectfully, and then silently withdrew from the hall.

He did not return to his Immortal Cave but instead went alone to a desolate hilltop outside the Sect.

The mountain wind was bleak, and a solitary grave stood alone.

Peng Xiao slowly knelt before the grave, poured a full cup of wine, lit three sticks of incense, and solemnly kowtowed three times toward the tombstone.

"Mother, I've broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage."

He spoke softly to the tombstone, his voice sounding somewhat ethereal in the mountain wind.

"But... Father won't let me go back now; he only allows me to go out for experience after I reach the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment."

"Rest assured, once I break through to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, I will definitely go to visit your Family. To see Grandfather and Grandmother, and to see the place where you were born."

"I will let them all know that your child is a Cultivator with a Spiritual Root, and at that time, I will move your grave back to the Family with dignity."

After saying that, he bowed his head again.

He also poured himself a cup of wine and tilted his head back to drink it all in one gulp.

Three sticks of incense burned quietly, wisps of green smoke rising and drifting past the line of characters carved on the cold stone tablet—

Grave of Mother Peng, née Xiao, Qingwu.

Respectfully erected by Peng Xiao.

...

Yunmeng Ruins, Su Clan Chamber of Commerce station.

Su Yang sat quietly in the room, concentrating on comprehending two Daoist techniques.

One was the demonic secret technique "Heavenly Demon Body," and the other was the Buddhist Spell "Demon-Subduing Golden Body Art."

The "Demon-Subduing Golden Body Art" has a strong restraining effect on Demonic Techniques, which was exactly what Su Yang needed. He comprehended the essentials of Buddhist teachings, intending to integrate them into his Demonic Technique to break the prerequisite restriction that the "Heavenly Demon Body" must be driven by a Demonic Technique.

As for the balance between the two, it would be harmonized using the Five Elements cycle of the "Lesser Five Elements Art."

The Jade Slips and jade tokens of the three techniques floated before Su Yang, with Daoist charms flowing incessantly around them, occasionally emitting a wisp of Buddhist light and Zen intent, and sometimes releasing a trace of chilling Devilish Qi.

"This method is indeed feasible!"

After an unknown amount of time, all the floating techniques were put into his storage ring.

Su Yang opened his eyes with a look of joy and thought to himself:

"If the drawbacks can be removed, this 'Heavenly Demon Body' will be an excellent Foundation Establishment secret technique, and it will still be useful even in the Golden Core Stage."

In a great mood, Su Yang stood up, pushed open the door, and strolled into the courtyard.

Su Xuanxiao and the others were all in the courtyard.

After being busy for over two months, everyone was finally able to relax and enjoy a moment of leisure.

Su Yang's gaze swept across, seeing Cheng Ningxiang and Zhao Wanyi accompanying Su Xuanxiao on either side.

The three of them sat around a stone table, sipping spiritual tea and discussing the Dao in low voices, the atmosphere harmonious.

Su Yang walked over with a smile.

Seeing this, the three of them stood up and bowed together.

Su Yang looked at his son with a beaming smile and teased, "When do you plan to get married and bring these two daughters-in-law into our Family?"

At these words, Cheng Ningxiang and Zhao Wanyi's faces instantly flushed red, and they shyly lowered their eyes.

Su Xuanxiao's face was embarrassed for a moment, then he straightened his back and answered seriously, "Father, I want to marry them after I reach Foundation Establishment."

Su Yang glared at him crossly, "What does getting married have to do with whether you've reached Foundation Establishment? Why must you wait until then?"

Under the Su Family's abundant resources and Su Xuanxiao's own diligent cultivation, he was now at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, but there was still a long way to go before Foundation Establishment.

Su Xuanxiao explained, "I want to hold the wedding and the Foundation Establishment banquet together, a double celebration."

Hearing this, Su Yang didn't know whether to laugh or cry and said, "Even your father didn't hold a Foundation Establishment banquet, yet you're thinking about it first?"

Su Xuanxiao chuckled and leaned closer, "How about... I hold a makeup one for you? Anyway, the outside world doesn't know exactly when you reached Foundation Establishment."

Not to mention the outside world, even his own son couldn't figure out exactly when his father had quietly stepped into the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Holding a makeup Foundation Establishment banquet now would not only allow them to collect gifts from various parties but also provide an opportunity to expand their network, making it the best of both worlds.

Su Yang waved his hand and sighed, "Forget it, I can't be bothered with such empty formalities."

After speaking, his gaze turned serious as he stared at Su Xuanxiao.

"Since you said you'd marry them after Foundation Establishment, you must keep your word. If you back out after Foundation Establishment, your old man won't let you off! Do you hear me?"

Then he looked at the two girls with blushing cheeks, his tone instantly softening.

"If this boy dares to bully you in the future, come and tell me and his mother at any time; the Su Family will definitely stand up for you!"

"Father! What are you saying!"

Su Xuanxiao immediately retorted, while at the same time winking at Cheng Ningxiang and Zhao Wanyi, signaling them to back him up.

Seeing this, Zhao Wanyi immediately giggled and said in a drawn-out tone, "Clan Chief, Xuanxiao... he indeed bullied me, please punish him severely!"

"Ah?!"

Su Xuanxiao looked shocked, while Cheng Ningxiang looked bewildered, clearly not keeping up with this sudden "complaint."

Just as Su Xuanxiao was about to explain, he saw Su Yang smiling and raising his hand, making a motion to strike.

He jumped away with a startled cry, causing Zhao Wanyi and Cheng Ningxiang's bell-like laughter to echo in the courtyard. Looking at Su Xuanxiao's flustered, embarrassed, and funny appearance, both women found it extremely amusing.

Not far away, Chen Hao witnessed this warm and playful scene, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.

Su Xinyou's eyes showed a look of reminiscence; this scene reminded him of his Father and Mother far away in Qingyuan.

"Speaking of which, it's been quite a while since I last saw my Father and Mother; I miss them a bit," he said softly.

Beside him, Su Xinrui was watching his fourth uncle's antics with interest. Hearing his brother's words, he immediately turned his head.

"Brother Xinyou, I'm planning to go back to find Father and Mother. Do you want to go back with me?"

Hearing this, Su Xinyou indeed felt a momentary stir in his heart.

However, countless images and thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

He was no longer the child who only knew how to indulge in the comforts of home and loved to play.

The experience in the Yunmeng Ruins had made him deeply understand that the peaceful life of the Family was supported by the elders' shoulders.

And he, in the future, would also become an elder who could support a piece of the Family's sky!

He must stay in the Yunmeng Ruins, continue to gain experience, and continue to grow stronger!

Besides, in the Yunmeng Ruins, there was also...

Su Xinyou's gaze unconsciously drifted toward the graceful figure not far away.

Ji Shulan seemed to sense it and happened to look up, meeting his gaze.

She was slightly startled, then her lips curled into a gentle and light smile.

This smile caused Su Xinyou, a young man experiencing the first awakening of love, to have his cheeks instantly stained with a thin layer of red.

His youthful and flustered reaction fell entirely into Ji Shulan's eyes, and the smile on her face became even more tender, rippling like water.