Seclusion, Mu Zhuoyun's Anxiety

For three consecutive days, Chen Jin remained in this sacred ground, keeping an eye on Chen Lang's condition. Once he confirmed that Chen Lang was absorbing the elemental power here to fuel himself, he felt at ease.

Chen Jin did not disturb Chen Lang's secluded cultivation; instead, he ordered a continuous increase in resources to charge the formation outside.

He did this to absorb an even greater abundance of natural Lightning Element, supplying Chen Lang's closed-door cultivation!

After the disaster in Bocheng ended, most of Mu Ningxue's family moved to the Imperial Capital. The remaining few followed Mu He to the Ancient Capital.

Mu Zhuoyun chose not to go to the Ancient Capital because his precious daughter had gained the recognition of the Mu Clan.

Mu Zhuoyun had also wanted to cling to the Mu Clan's tree, after all, it was the main family.

Unfortunately, the Mu Clan only wanted to nurture Mu Ningxue; they had no interest in the Mu family's scrap metal.

But compared to the original world, things were still much better for their Mu family now. Though they had lost their assets, with the Chen family providing them a livelihood, they could at least support themselves.

However, the Mu Clan's refusal to accept them, coupled with the fact that Chen Lang had been taken back to the Chen family for a full three months without any contact with Mu Ningxue...

This left Mu Zhuoyun unable to find peace in his heart... He was truly afraid that Chen Lang had 'eaten his fill and wiped his mouth clean.'

In Mu Zhuoyun's speculation, his precious daughter was probably no longer a maiden...

If he said she was, how could he believe it!

Seeing Mu Ningxue return, Mu Zhuoyun hurriedly asked, "Ningxue, Chen Lang... has he contacted you yet?"

"No."

Mu Ningxue was as concise as ever.

"Then you haven't contacted him either?" Mu Zhuoyun pressed.

"He told me before that he was going back to Bashu for a period of secluded cultivation," Mu Ningxue said.

"..."

Mu Zhuoyun looked at his precious daughter's indifferent expression, his anxiety growing.

But Mu Ningxue had no intention of saying more to him; she turned and walked upstairs.

"Ah..."

Mu Zhuoyun opened his mouth, but in the end, he couldn't get the words out.

When it came down to it, this matter was largely his fault. If he hadn't thought of sending his precious daughter to Chen Lang's bed that day... how could things be so passive now?

He could only hope the Chen family had some conscience and wouldn't cut off their only source of income!

Of course, cursing Chen Lang in his heart was inevitable...

Mu Ningxue returned to her room and frowned in displeasure.

Because, on the balcony of her room, a middle-aged man was sitting there.

Seeing Mu Ningxue frown at him, Pan Xi wasn't surprised and said without much sincerity, "Oh, sorry. I know you don't like me entering your room without permission, so I've been staying on the balcony."

The reason Mu Ningxue had been chosen by the Mu Clan was because of this man.

She didn't know his exact status within the Mu Clan, but he had given her tremendous help.

Her recent rapid cultivation progress, far surpassing her peers, was due to the resources and some fragments he provided.

Mu Ningxue was no stranger to these fragments.

Because the pain she suffered now was precisely because her mother had forcibly fused one of these fragments into her back then.

Seeing that Mu Ningxue had no intention of acknowledging him, Pan Xi continued on his own, "Really cold, aren't you..."

With that, Pan Xi took out another fragment and placed it on the balcony table before standing up. "It's not convenient for too many people to know about me. From now on, on this day every month, I'll give you the fragment at the clan's cable car entrance."

"Fine," Mu Ningxue said flatly.

Seeing that Mu Ningxue had no more words to waste, Pan Xi turned and left.

Mu Ningxue watched Pan Xi leave, frowning slightly.

She had been in the Mu Clan for three months now, but so far, she had never seen this man within the clan.

Yet, without his presence, everything in the Mu Clan went unusually smoothly...

Unable to figure it out, Mu Ningxue stopped dwelling on it.

Come to think of it, she was also a little curious why Chen Lang still hadn't sent any word...

If it were before, she naturally wouldn't have missed him at all.

But after the Battle of Bocheng, Mu Ningxue admitted that she was impressed by him.

After all, without the Chen family's strong support, it was unimaginable how many innocent people would have died in Bocheng.

Mu Ningxue was also puzzled as to why Chen Lang hadn't contacted her for so long, but unlike Mu Zhuoyun, she wasn't letting her imagination run wild...

From the moment Chen Lang entered the family's Element Sanctuary, nearly half a year had already passed.

Because Chen Lang was inside, the sanctuary had to remain open the entire time, which in turn granted a benefit to the younger generation of the clan. Many of his peers were able to cultivate here.

"Rumble rumble rumble~~!!!!"

Chen Lang, who had soaked within this Thunder Pillar for a full six months, finally showed some signs of movement today. And this sudden, violent fluctuation made many of his peers feel uneasy. They had been cultivating here for so long, yet this was the first time they had encountered such a situation.

"Everyone, leave this place." The elder in charge of guarding the area was also baffled at the moment, completely unaware of what had happened. But they knew very well that the priority now was to evacuate the juniors immediately.

Soon, one after another, the younger generation arrived outside the Element Sanctuary. They all watched the situation inside with great curiosity, both fearful and puzzled.

From a distance, Chen Ming, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, asked urgently, "What's wrong? What was that commotion just now?"

Unfortunately, everyone present was equally confused; no one could give him a reasonable explanation.

Just as Chen Ming was about to enter the sanctuary to investigate, everyone suddenly saw that before the electric light at the entrance of Thunder Pool Cave had even fully dissipated, a figure stepped out, treading on fine arcs of lightning.

The person who emerged now looked completely like a savage. His clothes and pants were no longer intact; his knees had two torn, crisscrossed openings, revealing the taut muscle lines beneath. The edges of his pant legs were scorched into charred, frayed hems by the lightning, and the upper part barely covered his vital areas.

Unfaded electric light still clung to his white skin, every inch of muscle seeming to have been meticulously sculpted by thunder. The lines of his shoulders and back were as sharp as if carved by a blade, and on his bulging biceps, black electric current slowly flowed with each breath—an imprint of thunder energy settling deep within his meridians...

"Xiao... Xiao Lang!!"

Although half a year had passed without seeing him, Chen Ming still recognized him at first glance.

Chen Lang raised a hand and brushed aside the long, pitch-black hair covering his forehead. His eyes were several times brighter than when he had entered, and wherever his gaze swept, the air gave off faint crackling sounds.

"Uncle Ming, long time no see!"