Good News and Bad News

Qin Hao's head started aching again. He couldn't help but mutter in his heart, why didn't this alternate world have books like "If You Can't Manage a Team, You'll Just Have to Work Yourself to Death"?

If there were, he could observe and learn a bit, saving him from having to bury his head in hard work every time something happened.

Qin Hao shook his head, then revealed a smile, "My dear wives, it's my fault for neglecting you recently. For the next month, I will take the time to properly accompany you."

Hearing this, the expressions of the women finally softened considerably.

Qin Hao said nothing, simply pulling them along as they silently returned to the house.

One month later.

Qin Hao walked out of the house. His collar was wide open, revealing a small section of his collarbone where several bite marks were clearly visible.

Qin Hao took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his gaze somewhat hollow as he looked up at the sky.

"Alas, wine and women have actually made me so haggard. Starting today, I'm quitting drinking!"

After sighing, Qin Hao prepared to leave the Qin family to head to the Heavenly Moon Sect to find Chen Qingning. After finishing Chen Qingning's task, he still had to go to the Myriad Demon Kingdom to find Ji Ruxue and bring both of them home together.

Just thinking about that scene made Qin Hao's hairs stand on end. "It's going to be another fierce battle!"

During this period of dual cultivation, Qin Hao had Jiang Xinyao contact Jiang Changsheng, while he himself contacted Ao Yu. A month ago, the Jiang family patriarch, Jiang Changsheng, and the Northern Wasteland Dragon Tribe's patriarch, Ao Bing, had followed the Qin family's ancestors to the foreign realm to look for Qin Wuya.

"I wonder how things are going on my old man's side. I hope everything goes smoothly."

Just as Qin Hao was feeling a bit worried about Qin Wuya's situation, Lao Liu found him.

"Lord Emperor Son, I have some good news and some bad news."

Qin Hao rolled his eyes at Lao Liu and snorted coldly, "What good news and bad news? Are you trying to keep me in suspense?"

Lao Liu chuckled lightly and then said,

"The good news is that the ancestors have successfully found the Patriarch and met up with him. They are now on their way back."

"The bad news is that the people of the foreign realm intercepted the Patriarch and the ancestors, and they have sealed the passage between the two worlds. They can't come back."

"What? They can't come back? If the passage is sealed, just open it again! Can't we open the passage from our side too? Go contact the other factions and have them help open it!"

Hearing this, Lao Liu gave a bitter smile. "That's exactly where the problem lies. The Jiang family and the Myriad Demon Kingdom are willing to help, but the other Ancient Factions are unwilling to lend a hand. The foreign realm's strength is greater than ours, not weaker. Facing the joint blockade of the foreign realm's numerous Immortal Emperors, the combined power of the Jiang family and the Myriad Demon Kingdom is simply not enough to tear it open."

Hearing this, Qin Hao's brows twisted into a knot. Hadn't the factions of the Three Realms and Nine Heavens agreed to stand united against external threats? Why were these people dropping the ball at a time like this?

"Do the higher-ups in the clan have any solutions right now?"

Lao Liu shook his head. "Everyone at the Immortal King level and above has gone to the foreign realm. Only Immortal Lord level cultivators remain in the clan, and they don't have any good solutions either. They are just running around everywhere, trying to persuade the major factions to lend a hand."

At this point, Lao Liu looked at Qin Hao and said, "Lord Emperor Son, everything depends on you now."

"Depends on me? I'd love to help, but I truly don't have the ability."

Qin Hao now lamented that there wasn't enough time. His cultivation time had been far too short. Although he enjoyed a high status backed by the Ancient Qin family, his actual strength was still somewhat lacking when placed within the Three Realms and Nine Heavens.

Lao Liu smiled. "Lord Emperor Son, sometimes strength isn't the only way to solve a problem. If you can figure out a way to get your hands on the Emperor Daughters of those Ancient Factions and have them do the persuading, wouldn't it be simple?"

"The message sent back from the ancestors also told us not to worry. Even though they can't return, the foreign realm won't be able to take them down anytime soon. The situation in the foreign realm is the same as ours; the Great Dao is flawed. However, they are slightly better off than us. We are missing two-thirds, while they are only missing one-third."

"The Patriarch has grasped the complete Great Dao and also possesses a supreme Dao artifact. Leading over a hundred ancestors, he can hold out for three to five years. You need to think of a way during this period..."

Hearing the plan Lao Liu proposed, Qin Hao gave a helpless smile. Good heavens, they were asking him to save the clan through a roundabout approach of seduction.

"I can only say I'll do my best." Qin Hao shrugged. He couldn't control who the system's orders were sent to either. If he could, he would just directly target those Emperor Daughters with orders next.

[You can, damn host. I have this function. It doesn't cost much—five pecks of destiny. For just five pecks of destiny, I can unlock the targeted order assignment function for you.]

Before Qin Hao could finish speaking, the Damn System's notification rang out in his mind, offering to unlock the targeted order assignment function for five pecks of destiny.

"Damn System, aren't you taking advantage of my misfortune a bit? Even at a generous estimate, I only have nine pecks of destiny right now. You want to take five pecks all at once? With only four pecks left, I'm afraid more bad things will start happening to me."

Qin Hao pursed his lips, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Can I pay in installments?"

[No problem, but there will be interest.]

"How much interest?"

[Five liters of interest. The repayment date will be after each of your orders is completed. I'll collect five liters each time, to be paid off in eleven installments. That's fair enough, right?]

Qin Hao nodded; this was acceptable. "Alright, deal."

After concluding the transaction with the system, Qin Hao said to Lao Liu, "Lao Liu, I still have tasks to complete. If there are any developments with the ancestors, contact me immediately."

Lao Liu nodded. "Rest assured, Lord Emperor Son."

Qin Hao didn't say much more. He directly activated his jade pendant to travel to the Heavenly Moon Sect. The current situation made him extremely anxious, and he was eager to complete his tasks.

"If only Ruyan were here. A Ninth-Life Immortal Emperor who slaughtered her way through the foreign realm alone. If she were here, she could definitely bring my old man and the others back. What a pity she's sleeping in the Immortal Ancient Battlefield."

Qin Hao arrived at the Heavenly Moon Sect, but his arrival did not cause a commotion. It wasn't that no one recognized him, but rather that those who did dared not make a sound. When the mountain-guarding disciples saw Qin Hao, their eyes first went wide, and then they hurriedly lowered their heads to bow, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Qin Hao gave them a slight nod of acknowledgment and walked straight toward the main peak without saying a word. His pace was much faster than usual; the news Lao Liu had brought back weighed on his chest like a heavy stone.

In the courtyard of the main peak, Chen Qingning, who had just finished her cultivation, was spacing out. In her hand, she tightly clutched a jade pendant—the very same one she had picked up to place her order back then.

"He's been gone for a month now. Could it be that he's not coming back?"

Chen Qingning revealed an expression uglier than crying as she gave a self-deprecating smile.

"It makes sense. Who is he? He's the Emperor Son of the Qin family, while I'm merely the Holy Maiden of a sect in the Middle Three Heavens. To him, someone like me can only be considered a passing traveler."