After listening to Yang Kai’s answer, Yang Zhen didn’t show any surprise, seemingly having expected such a response, nodding lightly he simply said, “Since this is your choice, this old master won’t say any more. This Old Master will only remind you that since the other seven families have already begun to move, it is impossible that they will give up easily. My Yang Family will not fall out with the other seven families just for you. The only option we can offer you is to have you return to the family to receive protection; otherwise, whatever consequences come from your decision you must face on your own.” 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶 After saying his piece, Yang Zhen stood up and left with the other Elders. The middle-aged woman was the only one to look back at Yang Kai before leaving and whispered, “Consider the family’s proposal, it’s not a bad offer, even if your cultivation is abolished, you can still live a good life in the Yang Family, anything you want from the family will be open to discussion.” In response, Yang Kai simply stared back at her coldly and indifferently. The woman slowly shook her head and no longer said anything, quickly following the others out of the mansion. After they left, Yang Kai let out a light sigh and a trace of exhaustion appeared on his face. An ordinary man is innocent, but treasures make him guilty. Such was the case with the Myriad Drug Liquid, which was why Yang Kai had always tried to keep it hidden. Only a few of his most trusted confidants knew of its existence while others were kept in the dark. However, the Eight Great Families, over time, had been able to infer some things from observing him and the people around him. This was something Yang Kai couldn’t avoid. However, it was something he absolutely did not wish to talk about. Unfortunately, if one were to obtain something good, would anyone really question about its origins? Even if he were to ask his parents to trust him, they would still have some doubts in their minds. The reason for the rapid increase in strength of everyone in his mansion was because Xia Ning Chang was using the Myriad Drug Liquid when she performed Alchemy, allowing the effects of the elixir to seep into every pill she produced while simultaneously enhancing the primary function of each pill. The end result was a cleansing effect on everyone’s body, optimizing their aptitudes. However, the improvement in their cultivation pace wasn’t too exaggerated; after all, they weren’t directly using the Myriad Drug Liquid. Judging by the actions of the Eight Great Families and the attractiveness of the Myriad Drug Liquid, this incident would likely become very problematic and may even develop into a full blown crisis. Outside the main hall, Yang Kai met with a slightly panicked Qiu Yi Meng. Yang Kai had rarely seen such an expression on Qiu Yi Meng’s face. The Qiu Family’s First Young Lady had always been calm and steady, even in the face of great danger she was able to remain level headed and make appropriate decisions. But now, she was showing clear signs of anxiety and fear. As long as one wasn’t blind, they would be able to tell how disturbed she was. “Yang Kai.” Qiu Yi Meng whispered softly, her voice trembling slightly. Yang Kai did his best to remain calm and looked straight at her, “What happened?” “A letter was just delivered ordering me to return to my family.” Qiu Yi Meng replied quickly. “Such a fast reaction.” Yang Kai smiled, but his eyes remained cold as ice. Yang Zhen had barely left his front door before someone from the Qiu Family had arrived to deliver Qiu Yi Meng and order to return to the Central Capital; it seemed like the Eight Great Families were really grasshoppers on a rope. “What do you mean?” Qiu Yi Meng looked at Yang Kai suspiciously. When she had received the letter, Qiu Yi Meng didn’t know what was happening or how she should respond and, in a panic, rushed over to see Yang Kai, but after mentioning her concerns, his response was only these inexplicable words. Such a strange reaction only compounded her concerns. “Nothing.” Yang Kai casually brushed aside her question and smiled temperately, “When do you leave?” “As soon as possible.” Qiu Yi Meng bit her red lips, “Also, father ordered me to bring the people from the Autumn Rain Hall back with me.” The Autumn Rain Hall was the only boost that Qiu Yi Meng had brought with her when she joined Yang Kai. “I understand.” Qiu Yi Meng slowly shook her head, a pained expression creeping onto her face, “Well I don’t understand! Ever since I received that letter, I’ve had a restless feeling, as if something big happened without me knowing, and if I leave here, I’m afraid... I’m afraid I won’t be able to come back.” Qiu Shou Cheng ordering Qiu Yi Meng to bring back the people of the Autumn Rain Hall already illustrated that this matter wasn’t as simple as it appeared. Qiu Yi Meng was no fool, on the contrary she was incredibly intelligent, and obviously she had realized something was amiss. However, she didn’t know what the problem was. When she had decided to help Yang Kai participate in the Inheritance War, she had temporarily separated herself from her family. This was her decision and hers alone. It had nothing to do with the will of the Qiu Family. The Qiu Family’s true ally was the Yang Family’s Sixth Young Lord, Yang Shen, yet now, even though the Inheritance War had not ended, for no reason at all, the Qiu Family had suddenly recalled her. “You’re thinking too much.” Yang Kai grinned at her. Qiu Yi Meng grabbed Yang Kai’s arm nervously and stared at him with a look of entreaty, whispering, “Do you know anything?” Yang Kai just shook his head in response, “How would I know what your Qiu Family’s thoughts are?” “Is there some relationship between this and the visit you received from the Yang Family Elder Hall?” Qiu Yi Meng persisted. The insight of the Qiu Family’s First Young Lady was as amazing as ever. “No.” Yang Kai still shook his head decisively, “It’s probably just that Uncle Qiu hasn’t seen you for so long and misses you, so he summoned you back.” Qiu Yi Meng stared at Yang Kai blankly for a moment before slowly letting go of his arm and smiling bitterly, “You’ve always been like this, never willing to tell me anything.” Yang Kai opened his mouth but suddenly found he didn’t know what to say. “Since that’s the case...” Qiu Yi Meng took a deep breath and calmed her nerves, “Then I won’t ask any further, you take care.” “This time, you’ve worked hard, I’ll see you off!” Yang Kai said in a slightly low voice. Outside the house, the members of the Autumn Rain Hall were all ready to depart. Qiu Yi Meng and Yang Kai look at each other, neither of speaking, one of them having a pair of eyes filled with a look of expectation and longing, the other a dull light. The atmosphere was very strange. After a long awkward silence, Qiu Yi Meng’s eyes eventually dimmed. Wearing a wry smile she turned around without a word and led the Autumn Rain Hall back towards the Central Capital. Until the very end, she didn’t hear a single word from Yang Kai. If Yang Kai had asked her to stay, she wouldn’t have hesitated to ignore the recall order from the Qiu Family. But Yang Kai just silently watched her leave. Both of them knew that Qiu Yi Meng really wasn’t coming back. As Yang Kai and Qiu Yi Meng were separating though, a new group of three people appeared. The person in the lead was calm and steady while the two behind him were both Peak Immortal Ascension Boundary masters. All of them had fully restrained their auras and wore somewhat aloof expressions. This was the attitude and bearing of a true heavy-weight individual. Qiu Yi Meng immediately stopped, staring blankly at this group of three before quickly cupping her fists, “Uncle Huo!” The Huo Family Patriarch, Huo Zheng, stopped and smiled at Qiu Yi Meng, nodding gently, “Is little niece Qiu headed back to the Central Capital?” “Yes.” Qiu Yi Meng nodded gently, wearing her usual calm smile. “En, good, go back quickly, your father is waiting for you.” After saying so, Huo Zheng led the two Huo Family masters and strode towards Yang Kai. Qiu Yi Meng on the other hand wore a shocked look. She hadn’t expected that not only was she recalled by the Qiu Family, but Huo Xing Chen was also ordered to return. Huo Zheng appearing here was obviously to catch the delinquent Young Lord, Huo Xing Chen. Besides Huo Zheng, no one from the Huo Family could get Huo Xing Chen to obediently return, so he had no choice but to come in person. Outside the house, Yang Kai stared at these three visitors indifferently but still politely greeted Huo Zheng as Qiu Yi Meng had. Huo Zheng nodded lightly and looked at Yang Kai with a complicated expression. “If you’re looking for Young Lord Huo, he’s inside the house.” Yang Kai said calmly. “Good, I’ll find him myself.” Huo Zheng nodded, not saying another word before leading the two masters into Yang Kai’s mansion. Only a moment later, Yang Kai heard Huo Xing Chen squeal like a boiled pig. Not long after, Huo Zheng appeared again, the Central Capital Wolf now being carried out by one of the Immortal Ascension Boundary Ninth Stage masters, completely unable to resist. “Hey old man, let me down!” Huo Xing Chen struggled and yelled, but to no avail, the master who had captured him ignored him completely. “Daring to offend I, your father?! You’re dead! Do you believe father won’t castrate you and feed your meat to the dogs!?” Huo Xing Chen continued to scream. “What did you say? Daring to call yourself father in front of your father!” Huo Zheng glared at his disobedient son. Huo Xing Chen suddenly wore an innocent smile and said, “Father, I’m not talking to you. But just look at you, yelling so loudly for no reason, such a loss of face.” “You shut up and follow me back to the Central Capital!” “Huh, why?” Huo Xing Chen was really confused. “If I tell you to shut up, you shut up! If you dare spout any nonsense, then Father will slap your fat mouth! “Now, now, Father... True gentlemen discuss their problems rather than resort to violence... All right, all right, I’ll go back to the Central Capital with you, but at least let me say a few words to Young Lord Kai in private first. We’ve been together for so long now that we’ve developed a kind of friendship.” Huo Zheng paused and glanced between his son and Yang Kai with a frown before nodded gently. The Huo Family master immediately released Huo Xing Chen. “I’ll wait over there for you.” Huo Zheng snorted. “Got it.” Huo Xing Chen nodded. After the three men from the Huo Family left, Huo Xing Chen chuckled and looked at Yang Kai with interest, “It seems like... something big has happened.” Earlier he had saw Qiu Yi Meng preparing to leave and suddenly felt a bit uneasy. Then, when his dad had arrived along with masters from his family to grab him, Huo Xing Chen realized things were more serious than he had expected. “Is it inconvenient to say?” Huo Xing Chen shrugged his shoulders, “Forget it, pretend I didn’t say anything. In any case, since my old man came personally, I can’t stay, knowing too much won’t do me any good.” Suddenly, Huo Xing Chen’s face became serious as he whispered, “Young Lord Kai, you are destined to be a great man. Don’t die too early. This time, I don’t know what happened, but the coming days will definitely be difficult for you yet you have to persist! No matter what others may think about you, I firmly support you. If you were to die earlier than me, heh heh... I’ll dig up your corpse, string it up, and whip it a hundred times every day... I, Huo Xing Chen have never admired any other man in life, so don’t disappoint me.” Seeing Huo Xing Chen’s usual unrestrained behaviour, Yang Kai’s mouth curled into a grin, “Get out, I won’t see you off!” “See ya!” Huo Xing Chen laughed and walked forward. Two younger generation leaders from the Eight Great Families had left Yang Kai’s mansion in the space of an hour, one of them was even Yang Kai’s right-arm. Outside the mansion, several of the young leaders who had arrived after hearing the disturbance couldn’t help feeling shocked and confused. This change had come so fast, like spring squall, without giving anyone time to prepare. It wasn’t until long after the figures of Qiu Yi Meng and Huo Xing Chen disappeared that everyone recovered from their daze. After a while, many of them clamoured around Yang Kai to ask what was happening. “Settle down!” Han Xiao Qi of Ten Thousand Flower Palace stood up and took charge of the situation, “How do you expect Yang Kai to answer if all of you keep shouting?” The group of youths suddenly went silent, all of them staring towards Yang Kai, hoping he could relieve their doubts. “Everyone come inside first, I’ll explain what I can.” Yang Kai let out a long sigh before turning around and walking into the house. Wishing to hear news of the situation a moment sooner, everyone else rushed to keep up.