Your Strength

Ye Chuan rubbed the fluffy top of Hu Li's head, his fingertips gently stroking along her soft fox ears. She immediately narrowed her eyes in comfort, the bushy white tail behind her wagging even more happily, like a little beast being petted.

No, like a little puppy.

"Hmm?" However, Ye Chuan also noticed that Hu Li's cultivation had unexpectedly reached the Nascent Soul realm.

This was really exaggerated...

No, isn't this too exaggerated?

Ye Chuan touched her, realizing that Hu Li's changes were greater than he had imagined, whether in cultivation realm or otherwise.

"Boss..." Hu Li's ears twitched.

"It's fine, I'm just checking."

Hu Li covered her mouth and looked at Ye Chuan. "Boss, do you want to take a closer look?"

"It's fine, this is enough." He withdrew his hand, his gaze sweeping over the spotless forging table in the back room, showing a look of approval.

Although he had been away for some time, this little Hu Li was not sloppy at all in her work.

"Boss, I've recorded everything I did every day."

As she spoke, she was about to turn around to get the record book, but was stopped by Ye Chuan:

"Hu Li, the shop officially opens today."

"Really?!" Hu Li froze for a moment, but didn't say much else. She just trotted over to open the door.

"Boss, I'll go hang out the 'Open for Business' sign right now! And I'll wipe the forging table one last time! Please wait a moment, Boss!"

In just a moment, the half-closed wooden door was completely pulled open. The plaque reading "Number One Forging Shop in the World" was polished so brightly that it dazzled the eyes under the sunlight of Xuanjing City.

The cultivators who had already been glancing over from time to time instantly froze in their tracks, all looking toward the shop entrance in unison.

The first to react was a middle-aged cultivator who spent all year round in the market. He rubbed his eyes hard, saw Ye Chuan standing at the door with his hands behind his back, gasped, and his voice trembled:

"I'm not seeing things, am I? Is it really the Grandmaster?!"

As soon as these words came out, the surroundings instantly exploded into a frenzy.

"My God! It really is the Grandmaster! Grandmaster, you've finally returned from your travels!"

"Grandmaster! My wife has already given birth to nine kids! I've finally waited until you came back."

"Bullshit, how long has the Grandmaster even been traveling?"

"You're the one spouting bullshit, can't I find nine wives?!"

"I've waited for almost a year! The last time I begged the Grandmaster to enhance my natal sword, you just happened to be out. I came to stake out every day, and I finally caught you!"

As soon as the door opened, someone squeezed over.

"Grandmaster! You're finally back! Can you enhance my magic artifact?"

The surrounding cultivators instantly held their breath, even lightening their footsteps.

Looking at the gathering crowd, Ye Chuan saw many familiar faces who were old customers from before. He smiled and waved his hand. His voice wasn't loud, but wrapped in spiritual energy, it clearly reached everyone's ears:

"I just got back. The shop is reopening today. Since the New Year is approaching, for good luck, any cultivator who comes here today will get their first artifact enhancement at half price."

As soon as this sentence came out, the entire long street fell into a dead silence at first, and the next second it erupted into deafening cheers.

"Half price?! Did I hear that right?! The Grandmaster is actually willing to act for half price?!"

"Heavens! What kind of massive fortune is this! To think I'd be able to wait for the Grandmaster to enhance an artifact at half price in this lifetime!"

"Quick! Go call my senior and junior brothers! Bring all the sect's bottom-of-the-box natal artifacts over! If we miss today, we might not get this chance in our next life!"

An old cultivator with a white beard was trembling with excitement. He squeezed to the very front and bowed deeply to Ye Chuan: "Thank you for your great grace, Grandmaster! This old man's sword has been with me for three hundred years. I beg the Grandmaster to help this old man today!"

"Grandmaster! I came first! I beg you to enhance my protective armor first!"

"Line up! Everyone line up! Don't disturb the Grandmaster! Whoever breaks the rules is making an enemy of all of us!"

The crowd instantly formed a long queue, chaotic yet orderly. Even the mighty figures who had been in secluded cultivation deep in the market for years were alarmed and flew over toward the shop. No one wanted to miss this once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity.

Hu Li stood beside Ye Chuan, her small face full of proud glory, methodically helping to register the cultivators' artifact information. She looked very serious.

Hmph hmph.

It's so good that the Boss is back. Besides cultivating, she finally has something to do!

...

Meanwhile, at the Taichu Holy Land, atop the cloud-shrouded Holy Palace.

Ji Lingxuan was looking down at the ancient secret tome on her desk. The silver-white, gold-trimmed Holy Son robe made her figure look tall and straight, and her dark hair was tied high with a mutton-fat jade crown, revealing a smooth and full forehead.

She was born with the handsome appearance of an elegant and jade-like young master, clearly the face of a young nobleman who could captivate all living beings. Yet, in the flow of her gaze, there hid a delicate gentleness unique to a woman.

Gentle footsteps came from outside the hall. An elder with white hair and beard walked in bowing, respectfully saluting Ji Lingxuan sitting above: "Lord Holy Son."

Ji Lingxuan raised her eyes. Her voice was clear and melodious, carrying the crispness unique to a youth, yet hiding an unquestionable majesty: "What is the matter?"

"To answer Lord Holy Son, news has come from Xuanjing City. That Grandmaster has returned."

The elder paused and added,

"His forging shop reopened today. It is said that as soon as the doors opened, half the cultivators in Xuanjing City swarmed over, and even many reclusive old monsters made a move."

The fingertips Ji Lingxuan used to hold the scroll paused slightly. In her originally calm and waveless eyes, a trace of surprise instantly rippled, which was then replaced by deep interest.

The Grandmaster has actually appeared again?

Ever since the Qingyun Sect was wiped out that time, the Grandmaster had disappeared. Even though Ji Lingxuan sent people to look for him, there was no news or clues at all.

When Ji Lingxuan saw Ye Chuan's many methods back then, she suspected whether he was someone from the Upper Realm.

In that case...

Could it be that he returned from the Upper Realm?

Back when the soul of the God-Sealing Cauldron was trying to break out, she had approached Ye Chuan for help with a "give it a try" mentality. She didn't expect that this seemingly young man would easily solve the headache of the Taichu Holy Land.

Since then, this unfathomable man had left an extremely deep impression in her heart.

His cultivation was unfathomable, and his weapon-refining skills were world-shaking, yet his temperament was casual and relaxed, as if he didn't care about anything in the world.

Ji Lingxuan put down the secret tome in her hand, a very faint smile hooking the corners of her lips.

The hem of her clothes fell gently with her movements. Her figure was tall and slender, but in the subtle curves of her shoulders and waist, the graceful curves unique to a woman were hidden.

"The Grandmaster has returned," she repeated softly, the end of her voice rising slightly, hiding unconcealable interest.

"He's quite an interesting person. Disappearing just like that, and coming back just like that."

"I wonder what he came back for."

"Lord Holy Son, should your subordinate first send someone to Xuanjing City to make arrangements, and then invite the Grandmaster to the Holy Land for a meeting?" The elder had just spoken when he was interrupted by Ji Lingxuan raising her hand.

"No need. I will go to Xuanjing City to take a look myself."

The elder was stunned for a moment, but thinking of Ye Chuan's methods, he didn't say much else.

"Yes! I will go make the arrangements right away!"