Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, ten days had already passed. Ye Liangchen continued to practice the Hunyuan Jue and the Five Elements Divine Fist daily in Zizhuyuan, building a strong physical foundation.
After ten days of practice, his strength had greatly increased, and he could now lift his own weight. When he was just an ordinary person, running three kilometers would take a long time and exhaust him, but now he could do it in no time, and effortlessly, without even breathing hard.
The Hunyuan Jue was truly a peerless martial art! He had only just begun learning, and yet he was already experiencing such effects. If he could master the next two chapters, what would be even greater?
His increased practice had also doubled Ye Liangchen's appetite. He devoured his meals with a ravenous look, surprising Shui Bing'er and her sister. However, they assumed it was normal for a young man to eat more, given the miles he ran daily.
One day, Ye Liangchen and Shui Bing'er were enjoying dinner, chatting happily as they ate.
"Click..."
At that moment, the door opened from the outside, and two stunningly beautiful women, seemingly in their thirties, and an elderly woman in her fifties entered. Seeing the three children happily enjoying dinner, the scene was heartwarming, and smiles of satisfaction spread across their faces, their eyes filled with fondness.
These three were Lan Xiaodie, Lan Xiaoling, and their mother, Shui Lingfeng. They had been away from the academy for a month, helping over a dozen level 40 students obtain fourth spirit rings. Now, they had finally returned.
"Dean Grandma, Aunt Lan, you're back!" Ye Liangchen exclaimed, naturally greeting his elders.
Lan Xiaodie, 46, possessed the Ice Phoenix spirit and was a level 82 Soul Douluo. To reach this level at her age, her innate spirit power must be at least level 9. Shui Bing'er was her descendant. Lan Xiaoling was just shy of that, possessing the Jade Dolphin spirit and a level 75 Soul Sage. She was two years younger than her sister.
Although both were over 40, they looked only in their 30s, their faces breathtaking. Both were truly stunning beauties, second only to the likes of Bibi Dong and Lan Yinhuang, considered mothers.
Shui Lingfeng, over 70, possessed the Ice Phoenix spirit, possessing a level 83 Soul Douluo cultivation. She looked only 50, not a hint of age, her features kind and strikingly beautiful.
Shui Lingfeng was also a stunning beauty in her youth. Her flawless genes were passed down to Lan Xiaodie and her sister, who in turn passed them down to Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er, creating a family of beauties.
"Mom, Grandma, we missed you so much!"
Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er cheered in delight, immediately running to their loved ones to act coquettishly. Now only six or seven years old, they'd naturally missed their elders after a month apart.
"We missed you too!" Shui Lingfeng reached out and hugged her two granddaughters, feeling incredibly relieved.
"During this month while we were away, you two little girls took such good care of your brother," Lan Xiaodie smiled brightly.
"Mom, we're almost seven years old now. Taking care of little brother Xiaochen is a piece of cake." Shui Bing'er and her sister waved their hands, acknowledging their own growth. Over the past month, they'd taken excellent care of Ye Liangchen.
Lan Xiaodie came over and scooped up Ye Liangchen, who was eating. Looking left and right, she noticed a significant change in the little guy.
"Wow! In just a month, our little darling has grown so much taller."
"Hehe...! Not only that, the little guy's body has become much stronger." Shui Fengling reached out and pinched Ye Liangchen, feeling the immense strength of the little guy's body and was amazed.
"Bing'er, Yue'er, what did you feed your little brother? How come he's grown so much stronger in just a month?"
Lan Xiaodie and her sister were also amazed at the little guy's physical fitness. It felt even stronger than Shui Bing'er's, who was already a Level 12 Spirit Master.
"Little Chen saw us practicing and wanted to learn, so we taught him meditation. He's been running to Grandma's Purple Bamboo Courtyard every morning to practice, and he says he might even reach full innate soul power someday!"
"Little Chen is a real eater now, he's eating twice as much as before..."
The Shui Bing'er and her sister explained the changes Ye Liangchen had undergone in recent days. Honestly, they were also amazed by the little guy's transformation.
Ye Liangchen, too, had a naive smile. As a time traveler, now a child again, he naturally had to play the role of a child in front of his elders.
"Our little Chen is amazing! He's already practicing. He'll definitely become the strongest soul master."
Lan Xiaodie kissed Ye Liangchen's cheek vigorously, praising him profusely. The little guy was so adorable, and she thought to herself, "Ye Feng, Liu Ruyan, if your spirits are still in heaven, rest in peace."
"Full Innate Soul Power could indeed be in Xiaochen."
Shui Lingfeng glanced at her two daughters. They knew that Ye Feng and Liu Ruyan both possessed full Innate Soul Power back then, reaching the rank of 89 Soul Douluo at the age of 40. Their children would undoubtedly be exceptionally talented.
The Spirit Hall's former High Priestess had a close relationship with Ye Feng and his wife, favoring them and inviting them to join the Spirit Hall. However, the couple preferred a carefree lifestyle and refused to join any faction.
Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick on them. Just as they were about to ascend to Titled Douluo status, they encountered the God of Killing and perished.
They had never imagined that someone from such a prestigious and upright sect could be such a murderous, heartless hypocrite.
Lan Xiaodie would never forget the hatred she harbored for that hypocrite. Her husband had also perished in that battle, and only in the end did Ye Feng and his wife self-destruct to save themselves and stop the enemy's attack.
But Ye Liangchen was still young, and she didn't want him to get involved right away. Furthermore, their enemy was a Titled Douluo, so revenge was crucial.
"Aunt Lan, Sister Yue'er's Spirit Power has reached level 10, and Sister Bing'er's has reached level 13."
Ye Liangchen changed the subject, giving them a surprise. Then he returned to his stool and quietly ate, avoiding the three women's notice of his physical changes.
"Hehe...! I'm amazing, aren't I!"
Shui Yue'er spun around in front of the three elders, showing off her accomplishments with a delighted, angelic air. Shui Bing'er was more reserved, perhaps because her spirit was the Ice Phoenix.
"My dear daughters, is this your surprise for Mommy?"
"Mom's so happy."
Lan Xiaodie and Lan Xiaoling were overjoyed to see the two little girls' increased Spirit Power levels. They each hugged their daughters and showered them with kisses.
Shui Fengling used her spirit power to sense her two granddaughters' bodies and discovered that their foundations had become more solid, their spirit power was incredibly strong, and their talents had improved significantly. Shui Yue'er's changes were particularly surprising.
"Great...Great...! My two wonderful granddaughters may one day aspire to become Titled Douluo."
"Mother, our sect hasn't produced a Titled Douluo in hundreds of years since its decline. Reaching that realm is incredibly difficult."
"What we can't do might happen to Bing'er and Yue'er. If those two girls truly reach that level, we'll rebuild our sect. I hope I'll live to see that day."
"The current Tiandou Empire's royal family is utterly corrupt, especially that prince. He's exploiting his royal power to covet your sisters' beauty. It's disgusting. One day, we must become independent and no longer rely on any power."
"Mother, don't worry. We can protect ourselves."
Shui Lingfeng and her two daughters imagined the future. The Tianshui Sect was once a major sect, boasting its own Titled Douluo. But it declined hundreds of years ago. Later, the Tiandou Empire extended an olive branch to the sect, and the sect became affiliated with the empire. Later, the sect directly established itself as the Tianshui Academy, a legacy passed down through generations.
However, facing the scheming of those in power in the imperial family, Lan Xiaodie felt immense pressure.
Ye Liangchen listened quietly to all this, thinking: Someone else is still coveting the beauty of Lan Xiaodie and her sister. It must be that LSP, Prince Xuexing. That old man is truly no good. He's greedy, lustful, and a slave trader, doing all sorts of evil things. When I become stronger, I'll find a chance to kill him. To dare to go after my family is like lighting a lamp in the toilet.
With my help, Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er becoming Titled Douluo is child's play.
However, I have to find a way to help Lan Xiaodie and the others improve their strength. After all, they are my relatives in this world. If I can make them Titled Douluo, it will be a great thing for the entire Tianshui Academy and myself.
I wonder if the Foundation Building Pill will still work for them now? But I have to give it a try. Maybe there will be unexpected gains. After all, the Foundation Building Pill is a valuable treasure from the game. …
Shuiyueer's soul power has been raised to level 10, and it's time to obtain a soul ring. After breakfast the next day, Lan Xiaodie and Lan Xiaoling took the two little girls to the Soul Beast Forest to hunt soul beasts for Shuiyueer and obtain her first soul ring.
Shui Lingfeng did not go out with them, but stayed to take care of Ye Liangchen's life. Now this guy is only 4 years old, and they can't bear to leave him alone in the academy.
Ye Liangchen returned to Zizhu Courtyard with Shui Lingfeng. He also asked many questions about the history of Tianshui Academy, and the old man patiently answered Ye Liangchen's questions.
Ye Liangchen also learned that Tianshui Sect was once a super sect, and the Ice Phoenix was the inherited martial spirit of Tianshui Sect. In order to ensure the inheritance, the direct line women in Tianshui Sect were married by recruiting sons-in-law, and the children born also took the mother's surname.
Women of the Tianshui Sect's direct lineage typically choose husbands who are water-attributed spirit masters, though weaker than their own. This ensures the inheritance of their spirits in their children. However, marrying outside the clan often results in changes to their spirits. For example, Shui Yue'er and her mother, Lan Xiaoling, inherited their spirits from the man's side.
Other spirit masters of the Tianshui Sect now live in Tianshui City, some serving as officials. Even the city lord is a Tianshui Sect elder, a Level 65 Soul Emperor.
"Dean, why does Tianshui Academy only accept beautiful spirit masters?"
Ye Liangchen asked curiously. After all, this rule was established by Shui Lingfeng when she was managing the academy.
"You little brat, why are you asking such questions?"
Shui Lingfeng sneered. She couldn't reveal her past sufferings to this little one.
"Dean, please tell me about it."
Ye Liangchen suspected that Shui Bing'er's grandfather must have hurt this woman's heart, so he pleaded with the elder, displaying his childish curiosity.
"Humph! No man in the world is a good thing." Shui Lingfeng snorted coldly.
"Ah! Dean grandma, what's going on?"
Hearing Shui Lingfeng's words, Ye Liangchen confirmed his guess in his heart, so he pretended to be confused and wanted the old lady to say it herself.
"No! How could I say such a thing? I was led astray by this little guy."
"Stinky boy, who did you learn this from? You know how to set traps, you deserve a beating."
Shui Lingfeng held Ye Liangchen in her arms with one hand and slapped his little butt twice.
"Pa pa..."
The crisp applause rang out, making Ye Liangchen feel what it meant to be cared for by an elder.
"Dean grandma, if you don't want to say it, then why do you have to hit me?"
Ye Liangchen rubbed his sore butt, thinking that this old woman had a really weird temper.
"If I don't hit you, you will learn bad things in the future." Shui Fengling laughed.
"But since Xiaochen wants to know, Grandma will tell you today! Our Shui family..."
Yu Shui Lingfeng recounted some secrets to the youngster. Ye Liangchen brought a small stool and sat beside her, listening quietly.
From Shui Lingfeng's narration, Ye Liangchen learned that the Tianshui Sect, now based on the academy, had always been ruled by women. Shui Lingfeng's husband, Luo Wuji, was also a live-in son-in-law. Their marriage was fine for the first few years. Because she was more dominant, he couldn't stand it over time, but he didn't dare to do anything. So he secretly went to brothels, drinking, whoring, and gambling. Shui Fengling caught him and divorced him. He disappeared without a trace, and it's said he was later buried by a spirit beast. Back
then, Tianshui Academy still had male teachers and students. From then on, Shui Lingfeng, believing that no man was good, dismissed all male teachers and students. The
female-only rule of Tianshui Academy was established from that time on.
Female spirit masters in Douluo Continent were held in lower esteem than their male counterparts. This rule at Tianshui Academy provided significant protection for these women. However, over time, the female teachers at Tianshui Academy developed a sense of pride, leading them to establish a rule specifically for beautiful women, believing that average-looking women would lower the academy's profile. Concerned about a shortage of students, they opened the academy to ordinary students to ensure a steady supply, but only if they were water-attributed spirit masters.
This rule had both advantages and disadvantages: the advantage was that it protected many female spirit masters, but the disadvantage was that it resulted in a large number of unmarried women at Tianshui Academy.
"Xiaochen! Do you think Grandma was right?"
Shui Lingfeng felt a bit guilty about the many older unmarried women at Tianshui Academy, some of whom even planned to remain single for life.
"Grandma! I'm still young, how could I know this?"
Ye Liangchen, of course, understood—wasn't this feminism? But to play the role of a child, he feigned ignorance.
"If Tianshui Academy continues like this, it will surely fade into oblivion. I hope this can change one day!" Shui Lingfeng sighed, shaking her head helplessly.
Shui Lingfeng had already placed her hopes on this little one. Her womanly intuition told her that the little one before her would one day rise to the top of the world.
Ye Feng had once said that Tianshui Academy's teaching methods were too extreme and would eventually decline. Shui Lingfeng recalled those words and felt they made perfect sense.
"Dean, I'm two years away from awakening my martial spirit. Should I go to a spirit master academy outside to train?" Ye Liangchen deliberately probed, testing the waters to see if what Teacher Su Lin said was true.
"Silly child, you're Ye Feng and Liu Ruyan's child, our precious child. How could Grandma send you away?"
Hearing Ye Liangchen's words, Shui Lingfeng remembered that the little one was only three months old when Ye Feng and his wife died. Her heart ached, and she quickly hugged Ye Liangchen to her chest.
"Dean, why don't Aunt Lan and the others have the surname Shui?" Ye Liangchen was deeply curious about why Shui Bing'er and her sister's mother didn't have the surname Shui.
"Bing'er and Yue'er's mothers were originally named Shui Lanxin and Shui Lanyue. After an incident that brought disaster to your parents and Bing'er's father, they changed their names to conceal their identities and better protect you."
"Grandma only hopes you can live in peace, not in hatred."
Shui Lingfeng didn't reveal the enemy's name, but Ye Liangchen knew. Holding the massive hammer, his body radiating blood—wasn't that Tang Dachui's Killing God Domain and the Clear Sky Hammer?
Tang Dachui, oh Tang Dachui, you're done!
Ye Liangchen had now proven his hypothesis, and from now on he could defeat Tang Dachui. After all, this world honors the strong; whoever is powerful is right.
"Dean Grandma, don't worry. One day, I will avenge my parents."
Ye Liangchen stepped down from Shui Lingfeng's arms, then sat cross-legged on a flat stone in the courtyard and began to practice the Hunyuan Jue. Now that he had determined the identity of his enemy, he had to work hard.
Looking at the little guy who was practicing in the yard in good shape, Shui Lingfeng felt very sad. It was too cruel to let him bear the hatred at such a young age.
Shui Lingfeng remembered that some teachers at the academy had been discussing Ye Feng and his wife, so she quietly rushed to the teaching area. She wanted to issue a gag order to all teachers and students, not to reveal Ye Liangchen's identity.