Section 35: A Honey Trap for Chu Yun

"...At the time, we were locked in a fierce battle with the Shu Family Army. Suddenly, reinforcements from Shu Family Island arrived. They set their warships ablaze, wrapped themselves in Jade Sea Kelp, and hung copper bells from their waists. When our side saw the enemy charging through the flames, the sound of the bells deafening, we were struck with terror and suffered a massive rout..."

"...The leader of the reinforcements, Chu Yun, charged straight at the Remnant Wolf. As the two sides clashed, the Drunken Snow Blade suddenly recognized its master and erupted with a heaven-shaking blade glow. The Remnant Wolf was careless and was struck down. Seeing that the situation was beyond saving, this subordinate quietly retreated..."

"...Afterward, I made inquiries and learned that after that one battle, Chu Yun was completely exhausted and fell into a coma on the road to his triumphant return. The remnants of the Shu army were left to three old centurions from the past, who took charge of the big picture, organized the battlefield, and rounded up the captives. That is the gist of what happened..."

Having said this, White Prowler sighed deeply. It was unclear whether he was lamenting his own retreat and the missed opportunity for a great victory, or marveling at the fact that Shu Tianhao's life was not meant to end there and at Chu Yun's fierce bravery.

At this moment, sitting before him were several elderly men, decrepit in appearance but with eyes that held a sharp, piercing light.

White Prowler stood ramrod straight, showing the utmost respect; he had just finished reporting the course and outcome of the battle to these elders.

White Prowler, the dignified strategist of the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group and the number one figure under the Remnant Wolf himself, was actually bowing his head in submission to these old men!

If such a scene were to be made public, one could only imagine how many people would be left slack-jawed, their jaws dropping in utter shock.

Only a very small number of people in this world knew White Prowler's surname—Ning!

He was a man of Ning Family Island, loyal only to his clan. He was a dark piece placed many years ago, lurking within the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group. He had been undercover for decades. This fact was something even the Remnant Wolf himself remained ignorant of.

And these old men sitting before him now were the elders of Ning Family Island, the holders of supreme power.

"A tiger father has no dog for a son. This Chu Yun is so young, yet he has accomplished such a staggering feat. He is just like the All-Star Fierce Tiger of yesteryear..." In the ensuing silence, the Head of the Ning Family spoke first.

"The Fierce Tiger has already become a sick cat; who would have thought another little tiger would emerge! Shu Family Island... Shu Family Island..." one elder lamented.

"We clearly had such a massive advantage in this battle, yet it was somehow turned around in the end. Sigh, with this, the entire Remnant Wolf Pirate Group has been completely wiped out, Shu Tianhao is safe and sound, and our plan for the Ning Family Army to seize the opportunity to station troops on Shu Family Island can no longer be set in motion."

"For all these years, our Ning family has been secretly doing everything in our power to erode the influence of Shu Family Island. Who would have thought that in the end, we would fall short of success. We have even lost the Remnant Wolf, an important chess piece; it can truly be called a crushing defeat."

"A chess piece is just a chess piece; if it's lost, it's lost. The key is that as soon as Shu Tianhao returned to Shu Family Island, he publicly announced Chu Yun as his official successor, sparking cheers and support from the entire army. With such a tiger father and dragon son, when will our Ning family's expansion plan ever be realized?"

The elders discussed, their words heavy with anxiety.

"Indeed, it doesn't matter that the Remnant Wolf is dead. Besides, he seemed to have sensed something recently and even grew suspicious of this subordinate. Even if he had conquered the Shu Family Army, he would have died sooner or later. By comparison, the Shu father and son are the true major threats!" White Prowler remarked.

This statement immediately drew nods from everyone present.

"This Shu Tianhao is both brave and resourceful. Over the years, he has sensed the infiltration of our Ning Family Island's influence. He has always held a firm grip on the primary power, and that girl Ning Qishuang is also quite calculating. But under his suppression, she has been able to accomplish almost nothing."

Ning Qishuang was Lady Shu's original name.

"Heroes rarely overcome the trials of beauty, but Shu Tianhao is an exception; he is difficult to conquer. I disagreed when that girl Ning Qishuang married into that family back then. The All-Star Fierce Tiger is past the age of showing off his bravery and seeking fame. Although Ning Qishuang is now the Lady of the City, she holds no real power. Recently, she even lost those four Spirit Beast Master bodyguards," an elder complained with some dissatisfaction.

The Ning Family Head's eyes suddenly brightened: "Shu Tianhao's personality had already settled down by that time. But now, that Chu Yun is in the prime of his youth, a dashing young man!"

"Island Master, are you saying..."

The Ning Family Head nodded: "Actually, Ning Qishuang did not fail. Over these years, how many shops has our Ning family opened on Shu Family Island, and how much profit have we reaped? Everyone knows it in their hearts. This time, I intend to use a beauty trap on Chu Yun once more."

The elders whispered among themselves, and after some deliberation, they all nodded in succession.

"But as for the candidate..." an elder asked.

"That child Ning Yiyi is deeply calculating and possesses a flower-like beauty. Since she was small, she has often left the boys around her dizzy with infatuation. She is my granddaughter, and her loyalty to the family is beyond question. What do you all think?" The Family Head asked those around him with a smile.

The group hesitated for a moment, but soon, an elder carefully chose his words and spoke tactfully: "Ning Yiyi is a fine seedling. She has great talent as a Spirit Beast Master; to marry her off to that barren Shu Family Island? Family Head, don't you think it's a pity?"

Someone immediately echoed: "That child Yiyi was originally being groomed to be planted in Tie Family Island. Now, to use her on that Chu Yun, doesn't the Island Master feel it's a waste of talent?"

Among the All-Star Archipelago, Ning Family Island was the wealthiest, and Shu Family Island was the most valiant. But in terms of comprehensive strength, Tie Family Island firmly held the top spot, with strong troops and sturdy horses, high walls and deep moats, and a prosperous economy.

Island Master Ning, however, slowly shook his head and said: "Do you elders still not understand? If Ning Yiyi marries into the Tie family, at best she will only gain a foothold and become a matriarch. Like Ning Qishuang, she might help us open up the market on Tie Family Island. But if she marries Chu Yun, with Ning Qishuang's assistance, if we can bring Chu Yun under her skirt, the entire Shu Family Island will be ours. When that time comes, we will have the wealth, and even more so the military might of Shu Family Island—who among the All-Star Archipelago will be able to stop us then?"

His words were profound yet simple, hitting the nail on the head.

The group fell silent, and after a moment, someone spoke: "The Island Master is wise."

Following this, the others echoed their agreement. The gazes cast toward Island Master Ning were filled with admiration and praise. In the face of such a heavy defeat, only the Island Master could remain calm, analyze the situation coolly, and devise a brilliant strategy. He was truly worthy of being one of the very few men in the All-Star Archipelago capable of steering the course of events!

White Prowler asked: "Then what should we do next?"

Island Master Ning smiled: "Since the Shu Family Army has won a pyrrhic victory over the Remnant Wolf pirates, as their in-laws, Ning Family Island will send consolation gifts, healing medicines, silks, wine, and more. At the same time, out of admiration for the young city lord's peerless bravery, we shall bring a proposal of marriage!"

Waking up slowly, the simple yet familiar bedroom immediately came into view.

"This is my bedroom. How am I back in Shu Family City?"

Chu Yun lay on the bed, his eyes somewhat dazed. But in an instant, memories flooded back, making him understand everything that had happened.

"How shameful. After saving my old man, I exhausted almost all of my mental energy. I must have fainted on the way back; it seems they brought me here."

Chu Yun's mind was sharp, and with a quick turn of thought, he deduced the truth.

A soft whimper came from beside him, and a small, furry, adorable head poked out. It was the Heavenly Fox; while he was in a coma, it had never left his side, keeping watch the entire time.

Seeing its master wake up, the Heavenly Fox's eyes flashed. Its petite body immediately pounced onto Chu Yun, extending a warm, moist tongue to lick his face, expressing its joy to the fullest.

"Little one." Chu Yun felt ticklish and quickly reached out to hold down the mischievous Little Heavenly Fox.

"Ah, Young Island Master Chu Yun, you're awake?" The door was pushed open, and a maid, who looked sharp and clever, let out a cry of surprise.

As Chu Yun struggled to sit up, he asked: "How is my foster father?"

"Young Master, please rest and recover. The Island Master is already fine and specifically instructed me to take care of you."

"Hmph, I only suffered from exhaustion; there is no need to rest." Chu Yun gritted his teeth, forcing his weak body to struggle up from the bed until he finally stood on the floor.

The closer one gets to their limit, the more they must resist the overwhelming urge to succumb to exhaustion and strive to persevere. This allows the body to break through its original bottlenecks, elevating physical strength, endurance, and explosive power to a new height.

Sure enough, after this exertion, Chu Yun clearly felt a warm current suddenly surge throughout his entire body, and a brand-new strength began to rise.

This was the merit of the Little Heavenly Fox. It was the spiritual energy it fed back to him that caused Chu Yun's physical constitution to break through.

"Wait, what did you just call me? Young Island Master?" It was only then that Chu Yun reacted, focusing his gaze.

His features were originally refined, and with the transformation from the Heavenly Fox's spiritual energy, he could now barely be counted among the ranks of the handsome. Furthermore, his act of saving his father had already caused a sensation across the entire island. The image of a young hero was deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Seeing Chu Yun look over, the maid felt her heart skip a beat and lowered her head, her face flushing red. Her usual quick-wittedness vanished, and she stammered, "Y-yes. After the Island Master returned, he publicly announced you as the Young Island Master. The entire army was stirred, and not a single person opposed it. Everyone says the Island Master has a worthy successor, and that the Young Island Master is a young hero with the heroic spirit and bearing of the Island Master himself."

As she spoke, her voice trembled, and her beautiful eyes stole glances at Chu Yun again and again, filled with shyness, curiosity, and admiration.

Chu Yun, however, was completely oblivious, lost in his own thoughts: To think that after saving my old man, I've also been named the successor of Shu Family Island ahead of schedule. Not a single person opposed it? Heh, at the very least, I know Lady Shu must be in a foul mood. But now that I have a foundation, she won't be able to stir up much trouble in the short term. I should go see my old man first...

Since his rebirth, he hadn't had a proper meeting with his foster father. That glance on the battlefield didn't count; it was too hurried, too dangerous.

Thinking back on it now, it still felt incredible to Chu Yun that the infamously ferocious Remnant Wolf had actually died by his hand.

At the time, he had no chance of winning in his heart; he only knew that if he cowered, his entire life would be drowned in regret and remorse. He absolutely could not stand by and watch, so he gave his all—man proposes, God disposes. He never expected the result to be victory.

This feeling was somewhat surreal.

Upon meeting Shu Tianhao in the reception hall, Chu Yun was surprised to find that the teacher from Heavenly Song Academy, the White-Browed Alchemist, was also sitting in the hall.

"Haha, my family's unicorn son has arrived." Seeing Chu Yun, Shu Tianhao immediately revealed a smile of immense gratification and satisfaction.

"Old man." Chu Yun opened his mouth, a complex mix of emotions in his heart. Yet, when the words reached his lips, only these two came out.

"You've come at just the right time; I have good news to tell you. But before that, you must accept something." Shu Tianhao stood up, walked back and forth, and retrieved a long, wide wooden box.

"What could be inside..." Chu Yun's eyes brightened, a look of curiosity appearing on his face.

The moment the wooden box was placed in front of Chu Yun, it began to tremble. It even emitted faint calls from within; something inside was affectionately calling out to Chu Yun.

What was it? This call was so intimate and familiar, just as if the Little Heavenly Fox were calling to him.