Qin Family Banquet, Two Seek Help

At the gates of Yanjing City, the flow of people was like a weaving loom, and the guards were systematically inspecting those entering and leaving. Yun Ce and Qin Yu walked side by side. The three small beasts on their shoulders—Black Feather, the Red Phoenix, and the Dragon Rock Lion—poked their heads out curiously, occasionally rubbing their little heads against the cheeks of the two men. Their behavior was so clever and spirited that passing pedestrians frequently glanced their way, though they merely assumed they were three exotic pets kept by the pair and thought nothing more of it.

The two walked through the bustling streets, heading toward the Qin Family estate. Three years had passed, and Yanjing City remained as it had always been, but Qin Yu's state of mind was no longer what it once was. He, who had once been the second young master of the Qin Family unable to cultivate internal energy, was now a cultivator at the Golden Core Mid Stage. With his master's protection and three divine beasts by his side, he was no longer the child who needed the shelter of his father and clansmen.

Before long, the imposing main gate of the Qin Family estate appeared before them. The vermilion doors were tightly shut, and the stone lions on either side stood with majestic solemnity. When the guards at the entrance caught sight of Qin Yu, they were stunned for a moment before a flash of pleasant surprise crossed their eyes. They hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, "Third Highness! You have returned!"

Qin Yu looked at the familiar guards, a gentle smile appearing on his face, "I am back. Are my father and the others in the estate?"

"Yes! Yes!" The guard nodded repeatedly, his tone excited, "The Retired Emperor learned you were returning and has been waiting in the estate since early this morning. Master Feng, General Zhao, and Master Lian are all here as well! I shall go and announce your arrival immediately!"

With that, the guard turned and hurried into the estate to report. Not long after, the gates were slowly opened. Qin De walked out first, followed by Feng Yuzi, Qin Feng, Zhao Yunxing, Lian Yan, and others, each of their faces filled with joy.

"Xiao Yu!" Qin De spotted Qin Yu at a glance, his eyes brimming with excitement. He stepped forward quickly, looking him up and down, "Good! Good! It is good that you are back! Three years have passed, and you have grown quite a bit!"

Qin Feng also stepped forward quickly, grabbing Qin Yu's arm with a hearty tone, "Third Brother! You have finally returned! These past three years, training under Senior Yun Ce, you must have become much stronger! Quick! Tell your big brother, what realm are you at now?"

Feng Yuzi turned his gaze toward Yun Ce, bowing respectfully, "Brother Yun, thank you for your meticulous guidance of Xiao Yu over these past three years. Words cannot express my gratitude!" Zhao Yunxing and Lian Yan also stepped forward to greet Yun Ce.

Yun Ce smiled faintly, raising his hand to signal them to rise, his tone gentle, "No need for such formalities. Xiao Yu is my disciple; teaching him is my duty. He has been very diligent over these past three years and has not failed everyone's expectations."

Hearing this, the joy in Qin De's eyes deepened, and he hurriedly invited them, "Brother Yun, Xiao Yu, please, come in! A banquet has already been prepared in the estate to welcome you home!"

The group crowded around Yun Ce and Qin Yu as they entered the estate. Xiao Hei, on Qin Yu's shoulder, continued to look at everything in the Qin Family estate with curiosity. Xiao Hei even used spiritual sense transmission to say to Qin Yu, "Big Brother, the Qin Family has changed so much!"

Qin Yu smiled and gently patted Black Feather's little head without speaking. The group walked into the living room and took their seats as guests and hosts. As the maids served tea and snacks, Qin De asked impatiently, "Xiao Yu, Brother Yun, how was your training in the Great Wilderness these past three years? Everything went smoothly, I hope? What realm have you reached now?"

Just as Qin Yu was about to speak, Yun Ce spoke first, "Everything went smoothly. Xiao Yu is gifted and willing to work hard; he has already broken through to the Golden Core Mid Stage. Black Feather has also passed the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation and reached the Golden Core Mid Stage."

"What?! Golden Core Mid Stage?!" Qin De, Feng Yuzi, and the others were shocked, their eyes filled with disbelief. Three years ago, Qin Yu was only at the Xiantian realm; to have reached the Golden Core Mid Stage and passed the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation now—this speed was simply heaven-defying!

Feng Yuzi stroked his beard, his eyes full of admiration, "Incredible! Truly incredible! Xiao Yu's talent is indeed rare in a century. Combined with Brother Yun's meticulous guidance, to reach the Golden Core Mid Stage in just three years makes our generation feel ashamed. This achievement is truly one in a million, even among the younger generation of the entire Hidden Dragon Continent!"

Qin Feng slapped the table in excitement and said loudly, "Good! Good! My Qin Family's third young master is truly impressive! Golden Core Mid Stage! From now on, let's see who dares to bully our Qin Family!"

Seeing the shock on everyone's faces, Yun Ce spoke slowly again, dropping an even more shocking piece of news, "Furthermore, upon my return, I have also subdued two divine beasts, the Red Phoenix and the Dragon Rock Lion. Both are now at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. From now on, they will follow Xiao Yu and serve as his support."

As he finished speaking, Qin Yu raised his hand, pointing to the Red Phoenix and the Dragon Rock Lion on Yun Ce's shoulders, and said with a smile, "Father, Master Feng, it is these two."

Feeling the gazes of the crowd, the Red Phoenix and the Dragon Rock Lion lifted their heads slightly. A trace of a divine beast's majesty flashed in their eyes, but they remained calm, still lying obediently on Yun Ce's shoulders. The crowd examined the two small beasts closely; although they were small in size, they could faintly sense the violent aura contained within them, and their hearts were filled with even greater shock.

"A... a divine beast at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage?!" Qin De gasped, his eyes filled with awe, "Brother Yun was actually able to subdue a Nascent Soul Middle Stage divine beast. This strength is truly worthy of admiration!"

Feng Yuzi also nodded, his eyes full of wonder, "A divine beast at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage has attack and defense capabilities far exceeding those of cultivators at the same level. That Brother Yun could subdue them shows the extent of his power! I imagine Brother Yun's own realm has also reached a higher level?"

Yun Ce smiled faintly and did not hide it, "I was fortunate enough to break through to the Void-Piercing Realm."

"Void-Piercing Realm!" This time, the crowd exclaimed in succession, their faces filled with disbelief. The Void-Piercing Realm was the pinnacle of the Hidden Dragon Continent; there were barely any such cultivators in the entire Qin Dynasty, let alone the surrounding powers! That Yun Ce had already broken through to the Void-Piercing Realm meant his strength was enough to protect the entire Qin Dynasty for generations to come!

The smile on Qin De's face grew even brighter, and his heart was filled with excitement—with an immortal like Yun Ce at the Void-Piercing Realm sitting in the Qin Family, along with Qin Yu at the Golden Core Mid Stage, and two divine beasts at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, the Qin Family would surely be able to stand firm on the Hidden Dragon Continent and even reach greater heights!

"Good! Good! Good!" Qin De said the word 'good' three times, his eyes filled with joy, "Brother Yun's strength has greatly increased, Xiao Yu has grown rapidly, and we have the help of two divine beasts—this is truly the fortune of my Qin Family! Quick, start the banquet! Today, we shall not stop until we are drunk!"

The banquet was soon set up in the Qin Family garden, with an array of fine wines and delicacies. The group sat together, raising their glasses and drinking, the atmosphere very lively. As the Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Zheng maintained his composure; although he was happy, he remained somewhat reserved, only occasionally raising his glass to exchange pleasantries with Yun Ce, Qin De, and the others, drinking only in moderation.

Qin Feng, however, completely let go, drinking cup after cup while incessantly telling Qin Yu about the changes in the Qin Family over the past three years and his own cultivation progress. Before long, he was dead drunk, slumped over the table and snoring loudly, which made everyone burst into laughter.

Qin De and Feng Yuzi also drank quite a bit, but as cultivators, mortal wine could not make them drunk, and they remained clear-headed. The two occasionally spoke with Yun Ce, asking about Qin Yu's training in the Great Wilderness and seeking advice on cultivation, which Yun Ce answered patiently one by one.

Zhao Yunxing and Lian Yan also frequently toasted Yun Ce, their eyes filled with awe and envy—one was at the pinnacle of Houtian external martial arts, and the other was at the Xiantian Great Perfection. Both had been stuck at their current realms for a long time, unable to break through, and had long been anxious. Now, seeing an immortal of the Void-Piercing Realm like Yun Ce, a desire to seek the Dao sprouted in their hearts.

The banquet lasted until late into the night before everyone departed, satisfied. Yun Ce was arranged to rest in the best guest room of the Qin Family, while Qin Yu returned to his own room. After settling Black Feather, the Golden Flame Eagle, and the Dragon Rock Lion, he fell into a deep sleep—having been away from home for three years, he finally felt at peace now that he was back.

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Yun Ce woke up. He sat cross-legged on the bed, cultivating the Hongmeng Stellar Art, polishing the Stellar True Essence within his body to consolidate his Void-Piercing Middle Stage realm. He knew that in the future, when heading to the undersea world of demonic beasts, he would encounter more powerful foes and dangers; only by constantly improving his strength could he ensure the safety of Qin Yu and the members of the Qin Family.

Before long, there was a knock at the door, and a maid's voice came through, "Immortal Yun Ce, the Master has brought Master Feng, General Zhao, and Master Lian to visit you."

Yun Ce slowly opened his eyes, a flash of realization crossing them, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth—he had already guessed as much. Qin De bringing Zhao Yunxing and Lian Yan today must be to ask for his help. And the request, in all likelihood, was to help Zhao Yunxing and Lian Yan break through their realms.

Zhao Yunxing was at the pinnacle of Houtian external martial arts and had been stuck there for years, unable to break through to the Xiantian realm; Lian Yan was at the Xiantian Great Perfection, only one step away from the Golden Core stage, yet unable to take that crucial step. Both were capable lieutenants of the Qin Family, and Qin De naturally hoped they could break through to add to the Qin Family's strength. Now that he, an immortal of the Void-Piercing Realm, was in the Qin Family, Qin De would certainly not miss this opportunity.

"Let them in," Yun Ce said slowly, his tone gentle.

As he spoke, the door was slowly opened. Qin De walked in first, followed by Feng Yuzi, Zhao Yunxing, and Lian Yan. All four had expressions of respect; after entering the room, they bowed to Yun Ce.

"Brother Yun, I apologize for disturbing your cultivation," Qin De said first, his tone respectful and his face showing a hint of embarrassment, "We have come today because there is a matter we would like to implore Brother Yun to assist us with."

Yun Ce smiled faintly, raising his hand to signal them to rise, his tone gentle, "Brother Qin De, there is no need for such formality. If there is anything, please speak plainly. If I can be of help, I will certainly not refuse."

Hearing this, Qin De was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Thank you, Brother Yun! It is like this: Yunxing has been stuck at the pinnacle of Houtian external martial arts for many years and has been unable to break through to the Xiantian realm; Uncle Lian is also at the Xiantian Great Perfection, only one step away from the Golden Core stage, yet he cannot break through. Brother Yun is a great expert of the Void-Piercing Realm with vast knowledge, so you must have a way to help them break through their realms. Therefore, I implore you to lend them a hand!"

As he spoke, Qin De signaled for Zhao Yunxing and Lian Yan to step forward. The two hurriedly bowed, their tones respectful and earnest, "We implore the Immortal to help us!"

Yun Ce's gaze swept over Zhao Yunxing and Lian Yan, carefully probing their auras, and he understood—Zhao Yunxing's physical strength far exceeded that of ordinary people, and his Houtian external martial arts had reached the pinnacle, but he lacked a spark of opportunity to draw energy into his body and break through to the Xiantian realm; Lian Yan's Xiantian True Essence was condensed to the extreme, but he lacked insight into the Great Dao and could not condense a Golden Core to break through to the Golden Core stage.

For others, helping them break through might not be an easy task, but for Yun Ce, who cultivated the Hongmeng Stellar Art, it was not difficult. Moreover, Zhao Yunxing and Lian Yan were both capable lieutenants of the Qin Family; helping them break through would further increase the Qin Family's strength, so this was a favor worth doing.