[Evening, Hu Zhongxuan's residence]

"Come, He Yu, drink!"

You and Hu Zhongxuan drank freely together.

During the drinking, you told Hu Zhongxuan about the Danxia Sect's situation, while he informed you about the capital's political landscape.

You chatted about everything under heaven while drinking like there was no tomorrow.

Hu Zhongxuan had been stationed at Yajiangkou for most of his career and hadn't spent much time in the capital, so he hadn't made any close friends here.

Seeing you, a fellow sect member, come visit him today naturally made him extremely happy, and he kept refilling his own cup again and again.

After clinking cups with Hu Zhongxuan once more, you glanced at the cold jade coffin containing Deng Wanshu beside him.

Except when attending court, Hu Zhongxuan never went anywhere without Deng Wanshu.

Naturally, Deng Wanshu was currently lying beside their dining table.

Hu Zhongxuan had specially crafted an exquisite wooden stand slightly lower than the table to place the cold jade coffin, so he could always look at Deng Wanshu inside while eating.

With Deng Wanshu's "company," Hu Zhongxuan could eat two extra bowls of plain rice.

Stories about Hu Zhongxuan's devotion had long spread throughout the capital, with officials praising him as Great Qian's most devoted husband.

What these court officials didn't know was that another man equally devoted still lay buried in Danxia Sect's graveyard.

You asked, "Uncle, is Auntie's condition stable?"

Hu Zhongxuan gazed tenderly at Deng Wanshu beside the table and smiled, "Wanshu is fine. I've been taking good care of her."

You nodded: "What about the Earth Source?"

Hu Zhongxuan, previously in high spirits, suddenly fell silent.

After a long pause, he finally said, "Not easy to obtain, but I'm trying."

You knew Hu Zhongxuan would have to pay an enormous price to acquire that Earth Source.

Seeing Hu Zhongxuan's low mood, you comforted him: "Uncle, don't be too disheartened. Maybe there are other pills that could wake Auntie?"

Hu Zhongxuan set down his cup and sighed lightly: "Your master tried for so many years. We've tested everything possible. Apart from the Reviving Yang Pill, nothing else would work."

You laughed: "Uncle, don't be so pessimistic. What if I accidentally become a ninth-grade pill refiner?"

Hu Zhongxuan shook his head with a wry smile: "If you really reached ninth-grade, your master would be so happy he'd climb out of his grave!"

After drinking a while longer, you concluded the meal.

You each retired to your rooms.

But that night, you secretly sought out Hu Zhongxuan again.

You told him about your plan to stay long-term at his residence, and also mentioned being targeted by a particularly ruthless Ultimate Grandmaster.

Hu Zhongxuan naturally agreed to let you stay and promised you protection.

He asked if you'd offended Duan Qian or Prince Yongning Li Yu and been discovered.

You said no, it was Yan Zhixue who was after you.

Hu Zhongxuan looked surprised: "I heard from the sect leader that you and the Extermination Sect's Holy Maiden were getting along well. Why would Sect Leader Yan want you dead?"

"It's complicated, but that's the situation now."

Seeing your hesitation, Hu Zhongxuan suddenly had an epiphany: "You got the Holy Maiden pregnant, didn't you!"

"What? No!"

"Don't deny it! You got her pregnant and ran here to avoid responsibility!"

You sighed helplessly: "Uncle, what nonsense is this? Stop making up stories - I'm still practicing virgin cultivation techniques!"

Hu Zhongxuan frowned skeptically: "Really?"

"Really! I swear - if I'm lying, may my master never win his resurrection match!"

"With such a vicious oath, I'll believe you."

You finally smiled: "See, Uncle is reasonable after all."

"After I attend court, I won't need to rush back immediately. Could you look after your aunt during that time?"

"No problem. I'll stay in the residence cultivating and take good care of Auntie."

From then on, you took up permanent residence at Hu Zhongxuan's home.

Hu Zhongxuan told others you were Deng Wanshu's distant nephew.

You hardly ever went out, spending all your time cultivating and refining pills in Hu Zhongxuan's residence.

Two peaceful years passed like this.

In the thirty-fourth year, you turned forty-nine.

During these two years, whether Yan Zhixue couldn't find you or feared Hu Zhongxuan, she never came looking for you once.

This allowed you to cultivate in peace.

Your true qi underwent its second refinement.

You comprehended two more Earth Source sword qi, bringing your total to twelve out of twenty-four - over halfway through comprehending this Earth Source.

At this rate, once fully comprehended, you'd become history's first non-Grandmaster-peak martial artist to fuse with an Earth Source.

You weren't entirely sure if you could successfully fuse - you might just explode on the spot.

But that would just be the simulated He Yu exploding, having nothing to do with the real forever-fifteen He Yu.

Your pill refining skills also improved, advancing from beginner to initial achievement in seventh-grade pill refining.

Seeing your rapid progress, Hu Zhongxuan became as happy as a 106-year-old child.

With your mastery-level Divine Micro-Vision and Mind Awakening Technique, your pill refining progressed faster than Xie Huide's back in the day.

This made Hu Zhongxuan gradually realize that having you refine an eighth-grade Reviving Yang Pill wasn't an impossible dream, but an achievable expectation.

Your Divine Micro-Vision remained at mastery level, with no clear indication when it might reach perfection - there wasn't exactly a progress bar.

During these two years with Hu Zhongxuan, you also learned much about Great Qian's capital officials and the Li imperial clan.

Emperor Xuanwu Li Anlong was an Ultimate Grandmaster who had firmly held the throne for over seventy years since inheriting it at fifty-two.

The current crown prince wasn't actually the crown prince but the crown prince's grandson - the original crown prince had been outlived by Li Anlong.

That poor crown prince tried every life-extending pill but still couldn't outlast Li Anlong's two-hundred-year lifespan.

On his deathbed, Li Anlong sat beside him telling him to go in peace.

The unlucky prince couldn't hold back on his final day, cursing his own grandmother at Li Anlong before promptly dying.

You also kept tabs on Prince Yongning Li Yu, who was closely connected to Duan Qian.

This Li Yu was somewhat strange - while possessing exceptional martial talent reaching Grandmaster peak by his sixties, he'd voluntarily requested poor, remote fiefdom from Li Anlong and lived there quietly with minimal public appearances.

Were it not for his top-tier martial talent among the Li clan, few would probably notice him.

After careful consideration, you suspected Li Yu's extreme low profile wasn't just personality but strategy.

Most likely, Li Yu feared his martial talent would make Li Anlong wary, so he deliberately secluded himself in impoverished lands to demonstrate no ambitions.

Another possibility was Li Yu's close ties to Duan Qian, who engaged in large-scale human trafficking.

This cast doubts on Li Yu's rapid martial progression.

Perhaps it wasn't natural talent but some life-sacrificing dark cultivation method requiring remote locations to avoid exposure.

You couldn't determine which scenario was true but decided to monitor Li Yu closely.

After organizing this information, you continued your normal cultivation routine.

One day, Hu Zhongxuan mysteriously sought you out, saying he needed to return to Danxia Sect temporarily and insisting you lay low until his return.

You couldn't help asking: "Uncle, what's happening that even an Ultimate Grandmaster like you is nervous?"

Hu Zhongxuan wouldn't explain, only saying in a suppressed voice: "The storm is coming!"

You frowned: "Will it affect us?"

After consideration, Hu Zhongxuan said: "Not directly, but keep a low profile recently."

Relieved that your cultivation wouldn't be disrupted, you didn't care how big the storm grew.

Still, you couldn't help feeling annoyed: "Why does trouble follow me everywhere like some damn curse?"