Our Emperor Qin, aren't you going to introduce him

Qin Hao activated his jade pendant, bringing Xu Siya back to the Qin family estate.

Standing beside Qin Hao, Xu Siya looked up at the towering gatehouse before her, her heart pounding. The vermilion gates stood nearly a hundred feet tall. There was no plaque above them; only a single, archaic character for "Qin" was carved right in the center of the lintel. The strokes were vigorous and powerful, seemingly containing an indescribable, oppressive aura.

The two stone lions in front of the gates were incredibly lifelike. However, upon closer inspection, they weren't stone sculptures at all, but two genuine ancient mutated beasts. At this moment, they were resting with their eyes closed, exhaling faint spiritual mist with every breath.

"Is this the Desolate Ancient Qin Family?"

The absolute pinnacle family across the Three Realms and Nine Heavens didn't need any plaque to flaunt its status; the single character "Qin" was more than enough. Xu Siya subconsciously leaned closer to Qin Hao, her fingers involuntarily gripping his sleeve.

"Don't be afraid," Qin Hao gently patted the back of her hand, his voice gentle. "I'm here."

Xu Siya nodded and took a deep breath, trying hard to make herself look less nervous. Yet, her hand still clung to Qin Hao's sleeve, refusing to let go.

Qin Hao took her hand and stepped over the threshold.

The moment his feet landed inside the gates, the entire gatehouse seemed to come alive. The two slumbering ancient beasts opened their eyes simultaneously. Their golden pupils reflected Qin Hao's figure as they let out a low, deep growl—not out of warning, but in submission.

Immediately after, a resonant voice echoed from within the gates, layering and spreading from near to far like ripples on a lake.

"The Emperor's Son returns to the estate—!"

Before Xu Siya could even process what was happening, she heard the sound of uniform footsteps. The noise rang out from all directions simultaneously, yet it was so synchronized it sounded like a single person. Tens of thousands of armored soldiers surged from both sides of the corridors, forming two neat rows along the bluestone avenue. Their movements were crisp and decisive, without a single stray sound.

Silver armor gleamed like snow; long spears stood like a forest.

Faint spiritual light flowed across the armor of every soldier, a luster born from years of being steeped in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Xu Siya couldn't see through their cultivation bases at all—not because they were deliberately hidden, but because they were so high she simply couldn't perceive them. These experts, who would be powerful enough to establish their own sects in the outside world, were merely ordinary guards of the Qin family here.

"Respectfully welcoming the Emperor's Son back to the estate!"

Tens of thousands of voices roared in unison, shaking the tiles on the gatehouse until they trembled slightly. There was no flattery or fawning in their voices, only a loyalty etched deep into their very bones.

Startled by this grand display, Xu Siya instinctively shrank behind Qin Hao.

In her entire life, Xu Siya had never seen such a massive spectacle. The grandest scene she had ever witnessed was when her father went on an inspection tour, and the city guards lined up at the gates to see him off. But that was only a few hundred people; it couldn't even begin to compare to the tens of thousands of silver-armored guards before her.

The scale was secondary; the main shock was the sheer quality. Every single person here had a cultivation so high that Xu Siya couldn't fathom it. In the Desolate Ancient Qin Family, even a mere guard was likely a mighty figure her father couldn't afford to offend.

Xu Siya secretly stole a glance at Qin Hao. He stood there, his expression clearly showing he was completely accustomed to this.

"Rise," Qin Hao said indifferently. The tens of thousands of guards stood up in perfect unison, moving as one. They parted to make way, standing with their hands by their sides, their respectful gazes watching as Qin Hao walked past.

Holding Qin Hao's hand, Xu Siya's palms were sweating—not from fear, but from absolute awe.

Feeling the gazes of the Qin family guards, Xu Siya felt as if she were walking in a dream.

......

Just as Qin Hao was leading Xu Siya back to his own residence, five women were sitting at the entrance of his courtyard.

Su Qingyue, dressed in a moon-white dress, was as cold and clear as frost. She sat upright on a stone stool, holding a cup of tea. The tea had already gone cold, yet she hadn't taken a single sip, her beautiful eyes fixed intently on the doorway.

Jiang Xinyao, wearing a fiery red dress, had her arms crossed over her chest and her legs crossed. A faint, enigmatic smile played at the corners of her mouth. It was a beautiful smile, but it made one feel that something dangerous was hidden beneath it.

Xia Lingxi sat just below Su Qingyue. Dressed in snow-white, her posture was elegant and dignified. She let out a soft sigh, a sigh so light yet inexplicably capable of softening one's heart.

Shen Suning sat next to Jiang Xinyao, wearing a pale purple dress with a gentle and mild expression. She looked like the easiest person to talk to, but those familiar with her knew that when Shen Suning wore this exact expression, she was at her most difficult to deal with.

Qin Kexin sat on the far edge, wearing a light yellow dress. She was holding a pastry and stuffing it into her mouth. With bulging cheeks, she mumbled indistinctly, "We really need to teach him a good lesson. He went missing during his heavenly tribulation, and we were worried sick. But look at him, running off to provoke other women instead."

Holding Xu Siya's hand, Qin Hao turned the corner of the final corridor and saw his courtyard from a distance.

The courtyard gates were wide open, and five people were sitting inside. No, not just sitting—waiting. Five pairs of eyes landed on them almost simultaneously. Or rather, they landed on the hand that was holding Xu Siya's.

Xu Siya felt as if those five gazes were five invisible blades slashing toward her in unison. She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but Qin Hao squeezed it even tighter.

"Don't be afraid. They are all very easy to get along with."

Qin Hao cleared his throat lightly. "I'm back."

No one answered him.

The atmosphere made Qin Hao feel somewhat awkward, so he smiled to break the ice:

"Haha, everyone is here. This is the first time we've all been gathered so completely. Qingyue, how was your experiential training outside?"

Su Qingyue set down her teacup, the porcelain making a soft, crisp clink against the stone table. The sound wasn't loud, but in the quiet courtyard, it was startlingly clear. She looked at Qin Hao, her voice cold and clear: "Aren't you going to introduce her?"

Qin Hao turned sideways, letting Xu Siya stand beside him. "This is Xu Siya, daughter of the City Lord of Northern Profound City in the Emperor's Watch Heaven. When I was undergoing my tribulation... she took care of me for a long time."

"Oh—" Jiang Xinyao dragged out the syllable, looking at Xu Siya with that enigmatic smile. "Took care of you for a long time?"

She stood up, her red dress blazing like fire, and slowly strolled toward Qin Hao. Her steps weren't fast, but with every step she took, Qin Hao's expression grew a fraction more unnatural.

"And how exactly did she take care of you?" She stopped in front of Qin Hao, tilting her head up to look at him, the smile on her lips deepening. "Did she take care of you even better than we do?"

Jiang Xinyao's words made Xu Siya blush instantly. Qin Hao's mouth twitched. Something wasn't right; everyone's attitude today was a bit off.

"Xinyao, it's not like you guys don't know my situation. This is also a channel for me to improve my strength, right?"

Hearing this, the grievance in Jiang Xinyao's heart grew even thicker. "We know, how could we not know? Back then, when our great Emperor's Son Qin finished his mission, he tried his absolute best to sever all ties, acting like we would never see each other again until the day we died."

"So why is it that now, you've taken the initiative to bring someone right back home?"