Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

It wasn't long before Master Pang Qi left.

Meanwhile, the corner of Qin Chuan's mouth lifted in satisfaction.

He had managed to talk his way out of it again.

The whole "unintentional efforts yielding results, pouring oneself entirely into tomb raiding without focusing on alchemy recipes, and the recipes will naturally appear"—was simply perfect!

As long as Master Pang Qi maintained that mindset, even if he didn't find anything for ten years, he wouldn't grow anxious.

And when, someday in the future, he finally stumbled upon a recipe, he would think back on Qin Chuan's advice and realize—Master Qin didn't deceive me after all!

Though, Qin Chuan wondered if by that time, Pang Qi would still care as much about alchemy.

After all, if one pours their heart and soul into tomb raiding for too long, a certain attachment to the profession might grow, even eventually turning into a belief or passion.

By then, Master Pang Qi might be a full-fledged tomb raider, forever grateful to Qin Chuan, occasionally bringing him some rare items as offerings.

After all, in Pang Qi's eyes, Qin Chuan was a guiding mentor, a beacon who had illuminated his path during a time of confusion. He had given his previously mundane life newfound purpose and meaning...

"Based on that guy's experiences over the past few months, he really is made for tomb raiding—a gift from the ancestral masters."

Recalling the bizarre "tomb experiences" Master Pang Qi had shared, even Qin Chuan felt a shiver run down his spine.

For most people, those encounters would have been deadly. But somehow, Pang Qi had managed to survive and even benefit from them.

It was only the lucky few who could transform danger into opportunity—like being poisoned but having the poison cure old injuries or falling into a deadly trap only to have it unlock hidden potential…

"This guy's future is looking more and more promising."

With a chuckle, Qin Chuan pulled out the Qinglian Sword Art and began studying it. The technique was profound, something that would take time to fully comprehend.

…

Another month passed.

Finally, one early morning, Qin Chuan heard the system's familiar voice in his ear again.

"Ding! A Saint-level, Tier 4 expert has developed murderous intent toward your son. In keeping with the boundless love of a father and the principle that 'a father must always win,' your cultivation will be elevated to Saint-level, Tier 4, and you will be invincible within that tier!"

Immediately, Qin Chuan felt an overwhelming surge of power swell within him.

It was as if two nuclear bombs had gone off inside him simultaneously. His body felt like it was about to explode, every particle of his being glowing as if they were about to dissolve and disintegrate!

Powerful—too powerful!

And within him, the Saintly Dao Palace gained two more radiant rings of light, bringing the total to four.

"But... where did that kid provoke such a powerful expert?"

Soon, Qin Chuan's brow furrowed.

By all accounts, there shouldn't be such experts in the Seven Kingdoms, aside from the royal family of the Nine Suns Dynasty.

And since he had developed a friendly relationship with the Nine Suns royalty, who were currently concealing their strength, it was unlikely they would send a top-tier expert to kill Qin Zi.

So where had this expert come from?

"Could it be that old fiend? Kekekeke. Did Qin Zi use the Hellfire Lotus and get discovered by him?"

Qin Chuan speculated.

From the traces left behind at the site of that old fiend's seal, it was clear that he had once been incredibly powerful.

But no matter how strong a demon was, after being sealed away for so long, he would be at his weakest upon breaking free.

Back then, when Qin Chuan had been at the Nirvana level, he had thrown a Hellfire Lotus at the freshly unsealed demon, resulting in a mushroom cloud explosion...

Now, his son had reached a similar cultivation level—perhaps even a bit stronger than he had been at that time.

If that old fiend saw Qin Zi using the Hellfire Lotus, he might mistake him for the same "attacker."

This was a grudge that stuck like glue!

As Qin Chuan had no idea where his son had run off to, there wasn't much he could do to help at the moment. He decided to let things play out.

That kid probably wouldn't die.

The next day.

A disheveled young man arrived above the Seven Martial Sect, looking as haggard as a beaten dog.

"Prodigy of the Eastern Domain, requesting an audience with Elder Qin Chuan!"

The young man called out loudly, panting heavily, his face flushed—though it was hard to tell if it was from shame or exhaustion.

His cry immediately drew everyone's attention, and the disciples of the Seven Martial Sect wore expressions of confusion.

A "prodigy"? It was one thing for others to call you a prodigy, but to call yourself one... Was that really okay?

And with the air of defeat hanging around this guy, he didn't seem very impressive…

Of course, these thoughts stayed in their minds. None of them dared voice such opinions, for the young man's aura was terrifying.

He was at the peak of the Nirvana Realm!

To be so young and have reached such a level, he must come from an influential background—definitely not someone they could afford to offend.

Though many of the disciples had heard rumors of the Eastern Domain, describing it as a vast and prosperous region far surpassing the Seven Kingdoms, it was merely hearsay to them.

They didn't dare imagine venturing there, much like how a fish in a river wouldn't dare swim into the ocean, or how a poor man wouldn't dare recklessly visit a place like Shanghai...

"You're here to see me?"

A flash of light, and Qin Chuan appeared in the sky above the Seven Martial Sect, calmly looking down at the young man who had called himself a prodigy from the Eastern Domain.

"Junior Zhou Mo, paying respects to Senior Qin Chuan!"

The young man, feeling the unfathomable Saint-level aura radiating from Qin Chuan, quickly bowed with utmost respect.

"What do you need?"

Qin Chuan clasped his hands behind his back, his voice indifferent. In truth, he already had an inkling of the reason for the visit.

"Senior, I've come to deliver urgent news—Qin Zi is in danger!"

Zhou Mo exclaimed anxiously.

"Don't rush, speak slowly."

Qin Chuan's tone was calm, putting others at ease.

"Here's what happened. I encountered Qin Zi at a relic site in the Heavenly Wind Kingdom. After a bit of sparring, we ended up joining forces to explore the ruins together."

"However, we encountered a terrifying demon inside—a fiend that seemed to be the master of the ruins, reminiscing over the past before a pitch-black pillar. When we trespassed, it wanted to kill us!"

"I had a Saint-level Tier 3 protector with me, but that demon killed him in a single move. It was absolutely terrifying!"

As Zhou Mo spoke, he shivered, his voice trembling as his eyes grew red.

"At the critical moment, it was Qin Zi who led the demon away, buying me time to escape... After I got out, I made inquiries and learned his identity, so I came here to report to you."

"Qin Zi... he's a true friend!"

By the end, Zhou Mo's voice had choked up, and it was clear that, as a pampered young master, he wasn't used to facing such deadly situations.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen."

Qin Chuan said calmly, "If my guess is right, that demon won't be able to catch up to Qin Zi. It will likely come here and wait for him instead."

"W-What? Can't catch up?"

Zhou Mo was taken aback, struggling to comprehend.

Why couldn't it catch up?

Was its horse not fast enough?

"Qin Zi has life-saving methods I've given him. You can rest assured." Qin Chuan could only offer this explanation.

He couldn't exactly say, "My son has natural luck on his side, plus a highly capable master protecting him," could he?

"I see..."

Zhou Mo nodded uncertainly, but the weight on his heart was lifted. Regardless of whether Qin Chuan was worried or not, Zhou Mo had done his duty and now felt at peace.

Earlier, he had felt responsible for seeking help for Qin Zi out of gratitude and conscience. But after delivering the message, that responsibility was now in Qin Chuan's hands. How Qin Chuan chose to respond was no longer his concern.

He had done what he needed to do, and that was enough to set his mind at ease.

The instinct of human nature is to seek peace of mind.

"You seem like a capable young man. Can you tell me about your background?" Qin Chuan suddenly asked.

"Oh! Yes, of course!"

Zhou Mo snapped out of his daze and quickly replied, "I come from the Zhou family in the Eastern Domain. Our family isn't particularly famous across the domain, but we're considered a second-rate family."

Qin Chuan nodded, then asked, "What's the strength of the strongest member of your family?"