Departure from the Tai Xuan Realm

"You've never been this reckless before. What happened this time?"

The death of Wang Zhiwei left Mu Yunyao deeply puzzled. Knowing Chen Chang'an as she did, he wasn’t the type to act so impulsively.

She couldn’t believe Chen Chang'an was unaware of the dangers he would face after killing Wang Zhiwei.

Yet he did it anyway. Mu Yunyao couldn’t quite grasp his reasoning.

"Master, whether I kill Wang Zhiwei or not, you’ll still have to leave, right?" Chen Chang'an asked with a smile.

Hearing this, Mu Yunyao nodded. Now that her whereabouts had been exposed, she couldn’t stay in the Tai Xuan Realm any longer.

"What does that have to do with you killing Wang Zhiwei?" Mu Yunyao questioned.

"I’m your disciple. By killing Wang Zhiwei’s avatar, I’ve effectively made an enemy of the Wang family."

"That gives you one more reason to refuse. Even if it doesn’t change the final outcome, at least it buys you some time."

"Besides, the Wang family won’t swallow this insult. They’ll spare no effort to find and kill me."

"Not only do you have to leave—I have to leave too."

"Only when both of us are gone will the Tai Xuan Realm remain peaceful."

"After all, their targets are just you and me."

Chen Chang'an’s meaning was simple: with the two of them gone, the Wang family would have no reason to act against the Tai Xuan Realm.

The only one truly at risk in this plan was Chen Chang'an himself.

Mu Yunyao, after all, was the eldest daughter of the Mu family. No matter how stubborn she was, the Wang family wouldn’t dare harm her outright.

So their only outlet for vengeance would be Chen Chang'an. In fact, they might even use his safety to pressure Mu Yunyao into compliance.

"Do you realize that by doing this, you won’t just have the Wang family as enemies? Those in the Mu clan who want to force this marriage alliance will also despise you—maybe even seek revenge," Mu Yunyao said.

"Of course I know."

"Doesn’t matter. I’m thick-skinned and tough. Let them come at me," Chen Chang'an replied with a careless shrug.

"Chen Chang'an, your physique is indeed special. Just because I can’t kill you doesn’t mean others can’t."

"You don’t actually think your body is indestructible even in the Primordial Immortal Domain, do you?"

"Are you seriously claiming to have an Immortal Emperor-level constitution?"

"Do you really believe your flesh is imperishable?" Mu Yunyao said angrily.

She understood that Chen Chang'an was doing this entirely for her sake. Yet even so, she couldn’t quell the fury in her heart.

Did her disciple really think she needed his protection now? Was he truly so unconcerned for his own safety?

"Master, are you hungry?"

"Want to eat something before you go?" Chen Chang'an asked with a grin.

Hearing his words and seeing the genuine smile on his face, Mu Yunyao’s anger faded by half.

Master, are you hungry?

This was the phrase Chen Chang'an had loved repeating when he first followed her. Because Mu Yunyao’s cultivation meant she never needed to eat, the young Chen Chang'an had always worried his master might starve.

Mu Yunyao took a deep breath and let out a helpless sigh.

She stepped forward and suddenly noticed how much her disciple had grown—taller, more handsome.

Once, she had to crouch to pat his head. Now, she had to raise her hand just to reach him.

She ruffled his hair, and Chen Chang'an didn’t resist, just like when he was a child.

"Master isn’t hungry."

"Master is amazing."

Chen Chang'an chuckled. To his younger self, a master who never needed to eat was nothing short of miraculous—especially since skipping a single meal left him miserable.

"Enough of that. You’re grown now. Aren’t you embarrassed?"

"Look at Da Huang."

Da Huang?

Chen Chang'an glanced at the dog, whose expression was a riot—torn between laughter and disgust, yet daring neither.

"Da Huang, are you sick?" Chen Chang'an asked, amused.

"No, no! Cough—just feeling a bit off."

"Don’t mind me. Carry on. I didn’t see anything. Didn’t hear anything."

"You two have such a close bond."

"Woof woof!" Da Huang said with a cheeky grin.

"Da Huang, tell me—what do you think will happen when you return to the Qilin clan looking like this?"

Chen Chang'an’s smile was bright but dangerous, sending a chill down Da Huang’s spine. Oh no, he’s plotting revenge!

"Alright, enough fooling around."

"I really have to go."

"And once I leave, you should depart soon as well. But I’ll buy you some time. Stay a little longer and settle your affairs."

Hearing Mu Yunyao’s words, Chen Chang'an and Da Huang dropped their playful moods. This farewell was different from when she’d chased him away years ago.

The Primordial Immortal Domain was vast, and the Mu family was one of its nine great immortal clans. Reuniting might take who knew how many years.

"Here."

Mu Yunyao tossed Chen Chang'an the spatial ring she always carried.

"When I left the Mu family, I took plenty of treasures with me."

"Once I return, I’ll have access to even more."

"When you journey to the Primordial Immortal Domain, you’ll need resources. A traveler must be well-prepared."

"After all, the things you have in the Tai Xuan Realm will be worthless there."

A traveler must be well-prepared?

Hah. How familiar. Da Huang looked between Mu Yunyao and Chen Chang'an. Yep, cut from the same cloth.

"Master, how can I possibly accept this?"

Chen Chang'an spoke even as he clutched the ring tightly, showing no intention of returning it.

"Still as shameless as ever."

"Goodbye."

Mu Yunyao smiled faintly, then with a thought, a massive rift tore open in the sky.

As the fissure appeared, her figure flashed upward, streaking toward it.

Chen Chang'an knew—beyond that rift lay the passage to the Primordial Immortal Domain.

"Da Huang, see that rift?"

"Soon, we’ll be leaving through it too," Chen Chang'an said with a grin.

"Yeah, our turn’s coming."

"Heh heh… The brothels in the Primordial Immortal Domain must be top-tier, right?"

"Right? Right?"

"You’ll take me, won’t you?"

"Wait—no! I’ll be ascending. I can take human form!"

"I’ll go myself."

"The brothels of the Primordial Immortal Domain, your Grandpa Da Huang is coming!"

Da Huang’s face twisted into a lewd grin. Chen Chang'an hadn’t expected this bastard’s first thought to still be about brothels.

"Let’s go. We don’t have much time left."

"Before we leave, there are still matters to settle."