137: Big brother will always love you

One month later, inside the Cangfeng Residence.

The aura of a Breakthrough flashed and vanished.

In the next instant, the door to the cultivation room slowly opened. Cao Bu stepped out with his hands behind his back, his sleeves still carrying the lingering fluctuations of spiritual energy.

Yan Ruyu, who was waiting outside the door, immediately stepped forward, her tone full of joy: "Congratulations, Master! Felicitations, Master! Another step forward!"

Cao Bu smiled slightly: "It's just a minor Breakthrough within the Realm King Realm. You, little girl, are more concerned about it than I am."

Yan Ruyu stepped forward and took his arm, her eyes sparkling: "It takes ordinary people years or even decades to break through a minor stage in the Realm King Realm. Master only took a little over a month. Isn't that worth congratulating?"

"In my opinion, at this rate, Master will surely step into the Realm Emperor Realm within a year!"

Cao Bu flicked her delicate nose: "Your mouth is getting sweeter and sweeter."

"Sharing Master's worries and making Master happy is what Xiaoyu should do." Yan Ruyu gently shook his arm, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness.

Cao Bu nodded and changed the subject: "How are the preparations for the Sequence Battle coming along?"

Yan Ruyu immediately restrained her playfulness and took out a lustrous Jade Slip from her storage ring, offering it with both hands: "Master, all the details have been organized in this Jade Slip."

Cao Bu took the Jade Slip. With a slight movement of spiritual energy from his fingertips, his Divine Sense delved into it. After a moment, he nodded: "Thoughtful and thorough. You've worked hard."

"Being able to share Master's worries is Xiaoyu's blessing," Yan Ruyu replied softly.

Cao Bu put away the Jade Slip and started walking out of the courtyard: "I'm going to the Lingxiao Courtyard. Cultivate well and don't be lazy."

"Safe travels, Master." Yan Ruyu stood in place until Cao Bu's back disappeared at the courtyard gate, then she turned and entered the cultivation room.

Inside the living room of the Lingxiao Courtyard, sandalwood incense curled in the air.

Seeing Yun Shang walking in from outside the hall, Cao Bu stood up to meet her and handed over the Jade Slip: "Yun Shang, these are the regulations for the Clan Competition in a month."

"This competition is to select Sequence One through Sequence Ten, as well as the subsequent cultivation resource arrangements for these ten people. Take a look first."

Yun Shang took the Jade Slip, and the spiritual energy swirling at her fingertips seeped into it.

After reading the contents, she frowned slightly and looked up at Cao Bu: "Big Brother, the ten selected people will represent our clan in the Heavenly Pride Battle."

"But in our Gu Clan's younger generation, there isn't even a single Void Breaking Realm Cultivator."

"When the time comes, as the organizers of the Heavenly Pride Battle, if we don't even have the qualifications to participate, won't we be laughed at by other forces?"

Cao Bu let out a long sigh, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the black jade thumb ring.

"There's no other way."

"Other Emperor Clans, even ordinary Holy Lands, have Legacies much older than the Gu Clan's. Our Gu Clan has only truly risen for a few hundred years. Even with Adoptive Father's help, only a few of you can meet the participation standards."

He paused, his tone adding a hint of helplessness: "Brother Yun has already been expelled from the clan. Even if he hadn't been, the situation at the time would have made it impossible for him to participate."

"Brother Feng, on the other hand, meets the requirements. With his strength, if he were to participate, first place in the Heavenly Pride Battle would definitely be his. But he is now the Gu Clan's Clan Chief; how could he lower his status to participate in the Heavenly Pride Battle?"

"As for you, as the Gu Clan's Clan Chief's wife, you naturally cannot either."

"Currently in the Gu Clan, only Ling Shuang has the qualifications to participate. Yiner is still a bit lacking."

"However, the Heavenly Pride Battle doesn't start for more than a year. If she wants to break through to the Void Breaking Realm, there should be enough time."

"But I've asked the two of them before, and neither intended to participate."

"Later, I went to see the two Adoptive Mothers. Their meaning was to first select Sequence One through Ten. In the next year or so, the clan will concentrate all resources to nurture these ten people, ensuring they break through to the Void Breaking Realm and get their tickets to the Heavenly Pride Battle."

Cao Bu paused and added: "I've checked. In the Gu Clan's younger generation, there are a total of one hundred and seventy-eight Divine Power Realm Cultivators. Among them, fifteen are at the seventh level of the Divine Power Realm or higher."

"If nothing unexpected happens, the top ten of the Sequence should be selected from these fifteen people."

Yun Shang listened quietly, nodding in agreement from time to time.

After Cao Bu finished speaking, she handed the Jade Slip back.

"I also went to see Mother before. Her meaning is the same as yours, Big Brother. Then we'll follow your arrangements for this matter."

She remembered something and added: "Gu Feng is still in secluded cultivation and I don't know when he'll come out. I'll have to trouble Big Brother to take full responsibility for the preparations for the Clan Competition."

Cao Bu took the Jade Slip and nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, I will definitely select the ten people with the strongest talent and strength in the clan."

"Although I can't guarantee the ranking in the Heavenly Pride Battle, I will never let the Gu Clan lose face in this matter."

Yun Shang gave a soft "mm" and turned to leave.

"Yun Shang." Cao Bu put away the Jade Slip and suddenly called out to her.

Yun Shang's footsteps paused. Before she could turn around, she felt a warm, solid chest press against her from behind.

A familiar scent enveloped her.

Her breath hitched, and her eyes instantly filled with tears. A bit of panic and struggle intertwined in the depths of her gaze.

After what happened last time, she had reflected countless times in the dead of night.

She couldn't keep making mistakes.

Even if she no longer had any affection for Gu Feng, she absolutely could not get entangled with Cao Bu.

Once this matter was leaked, not only would she be spurned by the clan, but even Cao Bu's reputation and status would plummet.

"Big Brother, we can't be like this anymore. Last time..." Her voice trembled slightly as she tried to push away the person behind her.

"Don't speak." Cao Bu's voice sounded in her ear, carrying a hint of hoarse pleading: "Let Big Brother hold you for a while, just for a moment, to feel your warmth."

His words were very light, plucking at the heartstrings of Yun Shang.

The living room instantly fell silent, and the air was filled with an indescribable ambiguity and oppression.

Time flowed slowly.

Yun Shang gradually relaxed her body and leaned into Cao Bu's embrace. With his faint scent swirling around her nose, she inexplicably felt at ease for a moment.

After an unknown amount of time, Cao Bu's breath lightly brushed past her ear, his tone full of guilt: "Yun Shang, it's Big Brother's fault."

"Big Brother shouldn't have made things difficult for you time and again, but I can't control myself."

"Ever since that parting in the cave, your figure has been constantly spinning in my mind."

"I tried my best to restrain myself, but I can't even forget your every frown and smile."

His voice grew lower and lower, carrying a hint of helplessness: "Since you're unwilling, then Big Brother will never pester you again or make things difficult for you."

After saying that, he gently held Yun Shang's shoulders and turned her body around.

His gaze was gentle, locking onto her eyes as he said word by word: "Yun Shang, even if the mountains and rivers collapse and the sun and moon lose their light in the future, you will always be the only glimmer of light I want to protect in my darkness."

As his words fell, he leaned down slightly and pressed a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead, carrying endless treasure and reluctance: "Big Brother will always love you."

Without the slightest hesitation, Cao Bu turned and walked toward the door.

Yun Shang looked at his resolute back. Her heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and a sharp throb of emotion came.

That was the feeling of her heart racing.

It was hundreds of times stronger than the affection she once had for Gu Feng, surging so much that she could barely breathe.

Her fists clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.

Her gaze followed Cao Bu's back, full of inseparable tenderness and regret.

Why?

Why didn't she meet Cao Bu sooner?

Why must people in love always go through so many hardships to get close?

And she and Cao Bu, just because of the shackles of their identities, even getting close had become a luxury.