Chapter 233 Reunion with My Cheap Dad
Wu Shaogan hadn't said anything, but Zhong Cai knew him so well! She immediately understood everything.
Zhong Cai lunged forward menacingly and clung to Wu Shaogan.
Wu Shaogan remained as steady as a rock, not moving an inch.
Zhong Cai: "..."
Wu Shaogan: "..."
The next instant, Wu Shaogan seemed to collapse backward as if "unable to bear the weight," as if he had been crushed by Zhong Cai.
Zhong Cai lay on top of Wu Shaogan, feeling awkward for a second.
but!
Old Wu acted as if he was being suppressed, which meant he was being suppressed!
Zhong Cai's frozen smile immediately melted away, transforming back into a "ferocious" expression as she stretched out her claws and scratched at Wu Shaogan's waist.
What else could Wu Shaogan do?
His wife, A-Cai, said he would get tickled, so he got tickled!
Next...
Although neither of them were young, they still rolled and played happily on the grass.
The kind that doesn't involve any intimacy whatsoever.
Beside them, two rare beasts, one green and one silver, had turned into little dumplings. One flapped its short wings and flew up and down, while the other tumbled left and right with its short legs, chasing and playing with each other.
Before they knew it, the two dumplings rolled together.
·
After they had played enough, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan leaned their heads together.
Little Qingyu and Little Qinghui huddled together, as if they had merged into a two-colored dumpling, soft and cute.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan both had relaxed smiles on their faces.
Both people and rare animals were covered in grass clippings.
Returning to familiar places and reminiscing about the past is indeed quite heartwarming.
However, the two of them have evolved from best friends to inseparable partners, so there is no sense of "things have changed". Instead, they can't help but smile when they recall their friendship that was once "secretly carried out".
It's very, very good now, and it was very, very good back then too.
After a while, as it grew slightly dark, the two got up and tidied their clothes.
Wu Shao chuckled dryly and asked, "Which way to go first?"
Zhong Cai thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to my adoptive father's place first. We probably don't have much to talk about with him. We can spend more time with him when we go to my maternal grandfather's place."
Wu Shaogan nodded.
The two exchanged a glance.
Zhong Cai shoved herself into Wu Shaogan's arms—
Wu Shaogan grabbed Zhong Cai and moved with lightning speed, like a shadow, weaving through the alleyways.
Because it was dark and Wu Shaogan was moving so fast, no one noticed their presence.
Before long, the two arrived at the Zhong family's house.
A moment later, they easily slipped in—and went straight into Zhong Guanlin's yard.
At this moment, Zhong Cai suddenly thought of a question.
[Is my cheapskate dad just indulging in a life of debauchery?]
Wu Shaogan raised an eyebrow slightly, but did not answer.
After all, he couldn't be sure either.
Given my father-in-law's personality, it's normal for him to do whatever he wants.
·
Fortunately, both of them were lucky.
Zhong Guanlin was in a rare good mood today, having a small family dinner with his wife Luo Fengxian and their two children.
Perhaps because they were the only ones in the Zhong family with a good relationship with Zhong Cai, the bond between Zhong Guanlin and his wife deepened. Zhong Guanlin would also occasionally call Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er over to give them some pointers and help them cultivate their relationship.
Now, Luo Fengxian poured Zhong Guanlin a glass of wine, smiling sweetly: "Husband, warm yourself up."
Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er also served food to Zhong Guanlin.
The family seemed quite harmonious.
But just as Zhong Guanlin was about to eat the food in his bowl and enjoy his children's filial piety, he was surprised to find that another piece of food had silently appeared in his bowl.
Zhong Guanlin was immediately startled.
The four of them were sitting in a circle! None of the three people opposite him put food on his plate, so where did the food on his chopsticks come from?
But then, a somewhat familiar voice rang out.
"Father, have you also tasted the filial piety of your sixth son?"
Zhong Guanlin was taken aback, then immediately realized what was happening and looked toward the source of the sound.
Luo Fengxian, Zhong Yun, and Zhong Lan'er, the siblings, also heard it and immediately looked over.
Sure enough, under the shade of a tree not far away, a perfect couple stood side by side.
The handsome young man looked over with a smile and waved to them.
Beside this handsome young man stood a tall, elegant young man whose gaze remained fixed on the boy, his eyes revealing an undisguised tenderness.
Zhong Guanlin and the others were all taken aback.
Luo Fengxian, Zhong Yun, and Zhong Lan'er recognized the handsome young man at first glance. On the contrary, the clever young man felt that he looked familiar and took a few more glances before finally recognizing him as their Zhong Cai and Zhong Danshi.
·
It's no wonder they couldn't recognize each other even though they lived in the same courtyard and had known each other for many years. The main reason is that when Zhong Cai was in the Zhong family, apart from showing off in front of her adoptive father, Zhong Guanlin, she was always a nobody and never stood out.
Luo Fengxian treated Zhong Cai well, and Zhong Yun even informed the two of them later. However, although Zhong Cai's personality hadn't changed much, his demeanor was quite different. He was now surrounded by high-level martial arts cultivators and high-ranking alchemists. Even among those alchemists, he was invincible at his level and was treated with special regard by those of higher ranks. It was as if he had been updated many times—the outline was still there, but the overall impression was vastly different.
Zhong Lan'er and Zhong Cai spent even less time together.
The reason they could quickly recognize Wu Shaogan was because before he was crippled, he was a truly remarkable prodigy in Kunyun City, and had been the subject of countless star-studded crowds.
Back then, Wu Shaogan was the focus of attention for the matriarchs of various families, and also someone that the younger generation of each family admired and looked up to.
In addition, Wu Shaogan had an extraordinary demeanor back then, and he still has an extraordinary demeanor now. Even though there is a difference between the two extraordinary ones, in the eyes of people who are much worse than him, isn't his "overall profile" still "extraordinary"?
On the contrary, there wasn't such a big sense of disappointment.
·
However, everyone reacted quickly and stood up immediately.
Zhong Guanlin actually put the food in his bowl into his mouth and ate it before laughing and saying, "Alright, we should accept Xiao Liu's filial piety."
Zhong Cai chuckled at the sight and pulled her husband, Lao Wu, closer.
"Seeing that Dad is in good health, I'm relieved."
Luo Fengxian rearranged the table, brought over a few stools, and then instructed Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er, the siblings, "Go, remove these dishes and bring some fresh ones. Make sure they're the newest ones, and hurry!"
Zhong Cai didn't say anything polite like "Don't bother," but instead said, "Then I'll just wait to eat. I'll trouble Yun'er and Lan'er to run errands for me."
Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er readily agreed and went immediately.
Luo Fengxian smiled and said, "They've eaten so many good things from you, it's only right that they run an errand for you."
Her attitude was quite friendly, but not overly so, which made people feel very comfortable.
Afterwards, Zhong Guanlin took out some good tea leaves for Luo Fengxian.
Luo Fengxian smiled sweetly and quickly brewed tea, giving some to Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan respectively.
Zhong Cai took a sip and said, "Not bad!"
Wu Shaogan also obliged to try it.
The tea was just ordinary to the two of them, but to the fourth branch of the Zhong family, it was like bringing out Zhong Guanlin's precious collection—it was already a very solemn way of entertaining them.
·
Because Zhong Guanlin and Luo Fengxian were both well-regarded by Zhong Cai, they frequently corresponded with each other. Zhong Cai would also occasionally send them resources along with the messages, so naturally Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er also benefited greatly.
Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er have made rapid progress in strength within the Zhong family. Although their aptitude is only at the top level of the Yellow Rank, it is still sufficient for the Zhong family, and they are considered little geniuses that the fourth branch is focusing on cultivating.
Even though they hadn't seen their sixth brother for many years, they had exchanged some letters. Their closeness to Zhong Cai had increased over time, and they were very grateful for the resources Zhong Cai had revealed. With a mother like Luo Fengxian around, they had always maintained a stable mindset. They both understood that their relationship with their sixth brother wasn't deep enough, and they didn't need to be too greedy. They knew they could never catch up with their sixth brother in the future, so as long as they were grateful and tried to repay their sixth brother's grandfather and the others, they wouldn't have let down the kindness they had shown him.
At the same time, their fates also changed considerably.
Both of them are over thirty years old, but they are still unmarried. They are devoted to cultivation and have taken over some of the affairs of the fourth branch. They have become the right-hand men of the current head of the fourth branch.
As long as they continue to proceed step by step, they will definitely have a place in Kunyun City in the future, and should also become important figures in the growing Zhong family.
·
Before long, Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er returned, each carrying several large trays filled with various fresh dishes.
They did everything themselves, without letting any servants get close.
Soon, the table was full and looked brand new.
At their mother's prompting, the brother and sister also sat down at the table.
·
Zhong Cai glanced at these people who were somewhat close to her—to be honest, she had always had feelings for her stepfather, but her feelings for her stepmother and stepbrother and sister-in-law were gradually cultivated through correspondence over the past ten years or so.
Seeing these Zhong family members I haven't seen for many years...
The stepfather and stepmother have hardly changed, except that their abilities have improved a lot.
Of course, this progress is far behind that of the disciples of Canglong Academy, but if we only compare it with the cultivation speed of the Zhong family members, it is at least one or two times faster than before.
It seems that they are all very diligent in their cultivation and have made reasonable use of resources.
The changes were most significant for Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er.
When they parted ways, they were both around ten years old, still teenagers, full of youthful innocence.
So many years have passed, and they have grown into mature young men and women.
Both siblings have facial features resembling those of their family, but Zhong Yun has a more spirited air about him, while Zhong Lan'er is quite beautiful and has a refined demeanor.
However, this leads to a slightly awkward situation...
Although Zhong Cai was a boy back then, he looked more like an older brother. Now, Zhong Cai is still a boy, while Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er, judging from their appearance, seem older than Zhong Cai.
Zhong Cai: "..."
Ignore it.
Anyway, he just wants to stay like this forever, with Lao Wu, and always stay at his best!
·
The group quickly began to eat.
At the dinner table, they would inevitably chat for a bit.
Wu Shaogan remained mostly silent, while the Zhong family members were still somewhat intimidated by him—even though Wu Shaogan and Zhong Caiming had a very deep relationship, they still couldn't become familiar with each other.
Therefore, Wu Shaogan and the Zhong family members basically had no interaction.
It was mainly Zhong Cai who kept nagging.
Wu Shaogan was responsible for finding any good dishes, peeling them, and then putting them into Zhong Cai's bowl, which was very thoughtful and considerate.
The Zhong family members were still a little unaccustomed to this scene, but they all felt that Wu Shaogan had a really good relationship with their sixth son/sixth brother.
Zhong Yun had already experienced this back then, and now he could only sigh even more... His sixth brother and brother-in-law were still so sweet and loving. In his opinion, if things continued like this, the sky would fall and their relationship would be ruined forever!
For a moment, the atmosphere was very harmonious.
·
Zhong Guanlin took a sip of his wine, in a good mood, and asked, "Little Liu, why are you back?"
Zhong Cai said, "It's not that we came back on purpose. We were just about to go on a trip, and since we're already out here and won't be back at the academy for a while, we thought we might as well come and take a look." He smiled and added, "By the way, since we're not sure where we'll be, we won't be receiving any more letters from you, so please don't write to us anymore, Father and Stepmother."
Luo Fengxian's beautiful eyes flickered slightly; she found it somewhat amusing and also quite interesting.
This kid has always been the same since he was a child. He avoids calling her by her name whenever possible, and when he does, he calls her "stepmother" instead of "mother." His correspondence with her is always filled with casual phrases like "How is your stepmother? Which pill is for your stepmother?"
However, her stepmother has now acknowledged her status. She didn't care before, and now that there are vested interests involved, she cares even less.
She even occasionally thought that Zhong Cai was only like this because she was relatively close to her.
Zhong Guanlin and Zhong Yun, the siblings, also knew about it, and they couldn't help but exchange a glance, finding it amusing in their hearts.
Zhong Guanlin was used to his sixth son's messy behavior, and his mind was mainly on Zhong Cai's words.
After listening, he was somewhat worried and pondered for a moment before saying, "With your current wealth, I can't give you any useful support. From now on, when you're out and about, be careful about your safety with... with Shaogan. If you encounter trouble, hide if you can, run if you can. Nothing is more important than your life."
Zhong Cai said with a grin, "Dad, don't worry, I'll definitely be the fastest! Let me tell you, Lao Wu and I are given priority in cultivating various movement techniques at the academy. Whenever we encounter trouble, we may not be the fastest than the cultivators at the Palace Building stage, but Lao Wu is definitely the fastest in the Fusion stage, and I'm definitely the fastest in the Suspension stage!"
Upon hearing this, the Zhong family members noticed the two realms Zhong Cai mentioned and were suddenly shocked.
Fusion? Suspended illumination?
Although the group had long known that the two's advancement in cultivation level would be terrifying, they were unaware that Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan had actually reached such a height because the correspondence did not mention cultivation levels.
Is this... the cultivation speed that the chosen ones of an eighth-level power would have?
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan are only in their thirties!
Their strength has actually reached the level of their respective family patriarchs!
Zhong Cai's level of skill is indeed comparable to that of the Zhong family patriarch.
Wu Shaogan's level of attainment has reached the height of the Wu family patriarch.
·
The Zhong family members' pupils contracted, and they were all speechless for a moment.
After a long while, they slowly exhaled and calmed their emotions.
Although Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan's cultivation levels were indeed terrifying, causing them to catch their breath, they quickly came to their senses and were overjoyed!
After all, Zhong Cai was born into the Zhong family, while Wu Shaogan had already broken ties with the Wu family—so his affection for Zhong Cai made him practically a member of the Zhong family as well.
Moreover, both of them had a good relationship with the Zhong family.
Therefore, the stronger the two are, the better. Even if the Zhong family doesn't get much glory, they can still gain a lot of hidden benefits in Kunyun City and the surrounding cities.
·
Zhong Cai had only said it casually, but after seeing everyone's reaction, she immediately understood.
He laughed and said, "My level of cultivation is nothing special in the Azure Dragon Academy, but our Old Wu is different. Back when he was still in the Suspended Illumination Realm, he had already reached the top of the Azure Dragon Ranking! Do you know what that level is? That's the number one in the Suspended Illumination Realm! He was even the number one inner disciple in the Azure Dragon Academy!"
"Don't be fooled by the fact that there are still fusion disciples in the inner courtyard; many of them quickly become teaching assistants..."
"Moreover, it didn't take Old Wu long to reach the top of the rankings. He reached the top shortly after his breakthrough, and once he did, no one dared to challenge him easily! Many disciples know that if they want to fight on Old Wu's stage, they can only wait until he has just reached the top of the rankings. Otherwise, the longer Old Wu stays there, the stronger he will become, and the harder he will be to fight!"
When talking about his old man, Zhong Cai gestured wildly, almost dancing with excitement.
The Zhong family members listened with rapt attention, completely oblivious to Zhong Cai's actions—even those who did notice found him simple and natural, perfectly matching his story!
From Zhong Cai's words, they could glimpse the splendor of Canglong Academy, sense the strength of its disciples, and the various privileges they received... naturally, they were all somewhat envious.
However, they were all aware of their own limitations. With their qualifications, they couldn't even get into some medium-sized sects, let alone an eighth-level power.
They are proud enough that their family has produced one person like this!
·
When Zhong Cai finally finished describing his master Wu's charm and took a big gulp of hot tea to quench his thirst, Zhong Yun and Zhong Lan'er, who had already gained experience, exchanged a glance.
Then Zhong Yun, who was more familiar with the two, took the initiative to speak... He suppressed his fear and looked at Wu Shaogan to ask.
"Brother-in-law, my sixth brother must be very powerful too, right?"
The group learned that Zhong Cai was at the Suspended Illumination Realm, and his breakthrough in strength was slower than Wu Shaogan's. However, they also knew that Zhong Cai's alchemy skills must be quite good, as his family had received some pills over the years. So they wanted to know just how powerful Zhong Cai was.
After all, Zhong Cai did not boast about himself during their communication.
So even though they felt a little uneasy looking at Wu Shaogan, they still took the initiative to ask, hoping to hear something from him.
Then……
The Zhong family members then discovered that Wu Shaogan was not actually a man of few words.
Wu Shaogan smiled slightly, and his previously aloof demeanor dissipated considerably.
His gaze finally seemed to fall on the Zhong family members, and his eyes were no longer fixed on Zhong Cai while ignoring everyone else; instead, they held a hint of warmth.
Then he praised, "A-Cai is very capable."
The Zhong family members looked at him.
Wu Shaogan continued to praise, "He's much better than me."
Then, the Zhong family heard Wu Shaogan's calm and unhurried voice, filled with pride.
For example, after Zhong Cai entered the academy, he was quickly noticed by a half-step Pill Emperor and soon climbed up the Pill Ranking...
For example, Zhong Cai's alchemy has a very high success rate and the quality of the pills is also very high...
For example, when Zhong Cai associated with many alchemists, none of them could compare to him, so they all pursued him...
For example, Zhong Cai is not only skilled in alchemy, but also in cultivation, and her strength has never declined...
For example, Zhong Cai went to a place of extraordinary opportunity like the Pill God Tree, where he not only suppressed the alchemists of the Azure Dragon Academy, but also surpassed all the alchemists on the entire continent, climbing to the peak of the Pill God Tree and receiving countless benefits bestowed upon him by it...
For example, Zhong Cai's alchemy skills improved rapidly in just a few years, and he has actually become a terrifying level 5 alchemist!
·
The Zhong family members listened with even greater fascination and awe!
No one expected that Zhong Cai's talent in alchemy could reach such a level!
Zhong Cai is indeed quite skilled in alchemy, and it is truly remarkable that he was able to be admitted to the Azure Dragon Academy. However, they never expected that Zhong Cai would have such an experience... that Zhong Cai could have such a status in the Azure Dragon Academy and be so powerful!
Of course, what shocked them the most was that Zhong Cai was already a fifth-level Pill King.
King Dan!
That's the Pill King!
When has a small place like Kunyun City ever produced a Pill King?
The standards for becoming a Pill King are very high; one must be able to refine a fifth-grade top-quality pill!
Such a person is someone the entire Zhong family can look up to.
Even...
This is enough to make even the once top-tier power, the Wu family, look up to them.
The Wu family had been turned away many times for the fifth-level limb-regenerating pill, and Zhong Cai, strictly speaking, had already married into the Wu family and should be a member of the Wu family.
However, the Wu family mistreated Wu Shaogan, resulting in the loss of not only a fusion powerhouse in his thirties, but also the loss of a fifth-level pill king who could have created countless fusion powerhouses!
The fifth-level Pill King comes from the Zhong family.
This is so joyful, I don't know what to do!
·
At this moment, the Zhong family members couldn't help but look at Zhong Cai, their eyes filled with complex and indescribable emotions.
Is it really that amazing?
They even heard Wu Shaogan mention that because Zhong Cai was so amazing, he was highly valued by his master—who had actually become a Pill Emperor, and who even took the initiative to hold a Pill King Gathering with Zhong Cai.
The Zhong family members didn't know what the Pill King's Small Meeting was, but after Wu Shaogan explained it to them, they could roughly figure out that it was an exchange and exhibition event that was very important to the Pill King.
And their little Liu'er/Sixth Brother was actually hosting the event together with Danhuang!
That's incredible!
The Zhong family actually produced such a person!
It's really...unbelievable.
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