Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

Buzz, buzz, buzz!

In the dark night, a golden dot of light appeared out of nowhere.

It was like a firefly, gradually growing larger until it transformed back into the form of Duan Tianlang's soul—a sharp-browed, sinister-looking young man dressed in black.

With his soul as the core, his body began to reassemble. Initially, it was an ethereal shape, but soon it solidified into flesh.

This was no longer the old Southern King's body; it was his own.

The sinister black-clad youth!

He lowered his gaze, examining his pale palms, then turned them over to look at the backs of his hands. His eyes were distant, as if he found everything surreal.

After a long pause, a self-deprecating smile appeared on his handsome face.

"Heh, so this is what they mean by 'evil never dies' while 'the good die young,' huh?"

"I, Duan Tianlang, have committed countless atrocities throughout my life, deceived so many people, and finally, after dying heroically in one good act, I've come back to life?"

"If I run into old acquaintances now and they see I'm not dead, won't they think I'm a liar? That woman who shed tears for me when I was on my deathbed, won't she come after me with a knife?"

The thought of this made him feel a dull ache.

All this trouble, just because of resurrection!

Earlier, after being killed, his consciousness had fallen into a dark space.

Suspended in the void were nine green spheres of light. Each sphere seemed to hold the life force of an entire forest.

When his consciousness touched one of the spheres, he was resurrected…

But his strength hadn't returned to what it once was.

It seemed that his cultivation had only increased by two minor realms from the base of the body he had been inhabiting, bringing him up to the Saint Realm, Seventh Stage.

"Could it be that these nine orbs represent nine lives, and each time I resurrect, I gain more strength?"

He had his suspicions.

But he wouldn't risk testing the theory.

A theory was just a theory!

Perhaps the green orbs weren't as miraculous as he imagined, or perhaps his resurrection and power boost were simply due to some fluke.

In any case, he couldn't gamble on it.

Though he found his resurrection frustrating and even maddening, the fact that he hadn't immediately ended his life meant he still wanted to live.

Complaints were just a way to rationalize his emotions.

"Hmm, in my current form, the Jiuyang royal family shouldn't recognize me. I can walk right out of the Jiuyang Kingdom and head to the prosperous lands."

"As for them trying to kill me, let's forget about it. It's just a matter of differing perspectives. If I were in their shoes, I'd do the same."

With that thought, he flew off into the distance.

His plan was to lay low and restore his strength.

...

In the royal capital.

The bald elder had informed Qin Chuan that the old Southern King had been subdued, though he hadn't provided the details.

Qin Chuan didn't bother asking.

He already knew that the royal family was deeply secretive and powerful, likely harboring Saint-level elders among their ranks.

However, what piqued his curiosity was how, in this desolate land where most found it impossible to break through to the Saint Realm, the Jiuyang royal family had produced so many Saint-level experts.

How had they managed to counteract the decaying forces of this land?

He wouldn't ask, though. He knew that such core secrets would never be shared with an outsider like him.

It's important to know one's place!

If an outsider fails to maintain boundaries, they'll only end up embarrassing themselves and making things awkward for both sides.

Suddenly, a shocking idea popped into his head.

"What if I send Qin Zi to the Eastern Domain to expose the royal family's underhanded tactics? Wouldn't their Saint-level ancestors be..."

But he quickly shut down the thought.

He couldn't turn into a snitch!

The royal family had treated him well. Qin Zi had bathed in their spiritual pool, he had picked rare herbs from Jiuyang Mountain, and he even took one of their top-tier Saint artifacts—the Azure Lotus Sword.

If he were to betray them after all of that, wouldn't he be the most ungrateful person alive?

No, that wasn't the right path.

His future was destined for greatness, so why tarnish his heart by taking shortcuts like that?

Things were different now.

Back when he was weak and had no sense of security, he did whatever it took to grow stronger quickly.

But now, he had reached the Saint Realm and could be considered somewhat of a powerhouse. He could afford to hold on to some dignity.

"Old brother, I'll be leaving the Jiuyang Kingdom soon," Qin Chuan said to the bald elder after a long silence.

"Where will you go?"

The elder's face turned pale.

After the incident with the Southern King, he was on edge, fearing that the family's secrets might be exposed. He was suspicious of anyone trying to leave the Jiuyang Kingdom.

Qin Chuan looked him in the eyes, calm but firm. "To the Eastern Domain."

"Why not go to the Western, Southern, or Northern Domains?"

The elder's voice was tense.

Qin Chuan's brow furrowed slightly, his tone lowering, "Are you questioning me? Am I not allowed to go to the Eastern Domain?"

"Uh…"

The elder's face stiffened as he realized he had overstepped. With a bitter smile, he replied, "Ah, I've let my worries cloud my judgment. You know I have my reasons."

"You have no choice but to trust me."

Qin Chuan met his gaze, his voice calm yet filled with confidence. "I have no desire to undermine your plans, but if I did, there's nothing you could do to stop me."

"Even if your plan succeeds, and you decide to turn against me… I'll be ready."

His words were filled with unshakable dominance.

The elder trembled slightly, his eyes flickering with fear, before forcing a smile. "Hehe, what are you saying, brother? Why would we ever be enemies? We're friends now, and we'll remain friends in the future."

Qin Chuan's expression softened, and he said calmly, "Let's hope that's true. I value my friendships, and as long as you treat me sincerely, I won't betray you."

He knew when to ease off.

After all, once you've finished showing off, it's wise to find a graceful exit. If you keep pushing, even the most patient person will snap.

And if they did snap, given his current strength, it would be akin to reaching into his pants with both hands—completely doomed!