Spirit Lake Courtyard
After hearing Li Chen's sudden shout, Su Lingxue, who was holding little Li Xuan, grew restless. She hurriedly opened her door and stepped out, only to find Li Chen standing protectively in front of Yu Qingci, whose face showed concern and a trace of lingering fear.
She rushed over.
"Husband, what's happened?"
Li Chen didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gently pulled both her and Qingci closer and calmly said,
"Let's wait and see."
Moments later, an elderly man with an intriguing expression appeared in the courtyard. He walked toward Li Chen and his family with a composed demeanor.
"Are you the new owner of this courtyard?" he asked, his gaze sharp but respectful.
Li Chen glanced at Qingci, then replied confidently,
"Yes, I am."
The man nodded and introduced himself.
"No need to be on guard. I am Elder Han. My master sent me to hand over the authority token."
He pulled out a golden tablet identical in pattern to the stone tablet Li Chen had seen earlier.
Elder Han explained its purpose:
1. It could withstand any attack below the Transcending Realm, provided it was controlled by a Void Transformation Realm practitioner.
2. It restricted surveillance or spying attempts from those at or below the Transcending Realm.
3. It generated a natural barrier to prevent unauthorized entry.
With his task complete, soon Elder Han vanished without another word.
Li Chen's eyes lit up with interest but he kept his expression calm.
Yu Qingci looked dumbfounded.
"Husband…when did you become the owner of this courtyard?"
To her knowledge she only gave him possession token then how.
Li Chen shook his head, smiling faintly.
"I don't know how it happened…"
Of course, he couldn't tell her that it was the system that granted him ownership.
Qingci's confusion only deepened.
Li Chen took both of his wives' hands and said warmly,
"Come, I'll show you something interesting—especially for our son."
Little Xuan's eyes sparkled as he flapped his chubby hands.
"Father! Father, hold me!"
"Alright, alright, you little brat," Li Chen laughed, picking him up.
They walked to a spacious garden behind the residence.
Li Chen silently summoned the Three-Eyed Fire Blazing Falcon through his mind.
Su Lingxue looked around and asked,
"Husband, what are we supposed to see?"
"Just wait," Li Chen replied with a mysterious smile.
Suddenly, the temperature rose. The air grew thinner, wings flapped overhead, and a subtle cry echoed in the sky. A medium-sized falcon descended, its presence majestic and fierce.
The Three-Eyed Fire Blazing Falcon who was flying towards them landed on Li Chen's right shoulder, staring directly at little Xuan.
Xuan instinctively reached out, only to be stopped by Lingxue.
"Xuan'er!" she scolded.
"M-Mother… I was just…" he murmured.
She glared again, and the child fell silent.
Li Chen chuckled and said,
"This is a Three-Eyed Fire Blazing Falcon. The courtyard's owner gave it to us upon purchase. I don't know why, but it'll be staying with us from now on."
That much was true—though the system was behind it, not the so-called owner.
Lingxue and Qingci were speechless.
"This 'owner' is too generous… does he have some hidden agenda with you, husband?" Lingxue asked cautiously.
"We'll have to wait and see," Li Chen answered vaguely.
Then he placed Li Xuan down and revealed his plan—to bind the falcon to Xuan as its master. The falcon's skills and protective instincts would transfer upon the bond.
"No!" Lingxue was the first to object.
"He's just over a year old! What if it hurts him?!"
Yu Qingci intervened,
"Sister, Three-Eyed Falcons are known for their absolute loyalty once bonded. They're gentle to their masters. It could protect him when we're not around."
She added, "They're rare, even in the Immortal Realm."
Lingxue hesitated. She knew Qingci had once lived in the Immortal Realm—she had learned that the day after Li Chen returned with her. That trust gave her pause.
"Alright… if you say so."
Yu Qingci smiled and turned to Xuan.
"Come, my son. Let mother teach you how to tame this falcon."
"Yeah! Mother is the best!" he cheered, raising his arms.
Qingci picked him up and walked off with the falcon.
Meanwhile, Lingxue leaned against Li Chen's shoulder and whispered with a wry smile,
"Such a bootlicker…"
-------
Meanwhile, after returning from the City Lord's Mansion, Bai Ling did not rest. Her sharp eyes glinted coldly as she stood in the quiet chamber of her temporary residence, the moonlight slicing through the window, reflecting off her silver dagger.
She flicked her sleeve, and a shadowy figure appeared, kneeling with head lowered. Soon, two more emerged silently behind him.
"You summoned us, Captain?" one of them asked respectfully.
Bai Ling threw down several scrolls onto the table. As they unrolled, portraits of Li Chen, Su Lingxue, and Yu Qingci were revealed—meticulously drawn, down to their spiritual aura patterns.
"I want all of them investigated. Starting with this man—" she pointed to Li Chen's portrait. "Find out where he came from, who his backers are, and if any hidden masters are lurking in the shadows around him."
The shadows nodded.
"Make no mistake," she continued, voice low and laced with frost. "I don't want just surface information. I want names, sects, cultivation levels, hidden artifacts—everything. Especially whether someone is protecting them from the dark."
One of the shadows asked, "Captain, should we proceed with surveillance only or… take action if opportunity allows?"
Bai Ling's eyes narrowed. "Do not act without my command. Observe. Blend in. And report back quickly."
"As you command."
With a final bow, the three figures melted into the darkness, vanishing as if they were never there.
Bai Ling stood still, eyes lingering on Li Chen's portrait.
"Who are you really…?" she murmured. "Why do I feel danger just from your name?"
Her fingers curled tightly, a silent storm building within her.