After leaving Divine Mountain, Yang Cheng returned directly to the Myriad Phenomena Dao Academy.
The academy was still as orderly as ever, its atmosphere calm and well-disciplined.
Yang Cheng went back to his residence, spending the next few days lecturing the disciples of the Pill Institute. In his spare time, he closed his eyes to meditate and adjust his breathing.
Xu Qingxue also returned to the pill chamber. Her refined alchemy skills astonished Wang Rou.
Previously, Xu Qingxue's alchemy had been far inferior to hers—but now, it seemed Xu Qingxue had even surpassed her slightly.
"Qingxue, you've only been away for one month. What on earth happened? Did you have some sort of sudden enlightenment?" Wang Rou asked in disbelief.
"You could say that," Xu Qingxue replied lightly.
Of course, she couldn't tell the truth.
The truth was, she had actually cultivated for more than eight years atop Reincarnation Mountain.
—
A few days later, Yang Cheng realized he hadn't seen Dongfang Sheng in quite some time. Curious, he asked Xu Letian, "Where's Dongfang Sheng?"
Xu Letian scratched his head. "Master, Dongfang Sheng has been acting strange these past few days. He leaves early and returns late every day. I don't know where he's been going. When I asked, he only said he had some private matters to handle and told me not to worry about it."
Yang Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly. Dongfang Sheng might be a bit reckless at times, but he wasn't a thoughtless person.
Still, Yang Cheng didn't think too much of it and let the matter pass.
—
Wasteland Realm, Wudong River.
A luxurious pleasure boat floated gently along the water.
Inside the cabin, Dongfang Sheng sat calmly across from a burly, broad-shouldered middle-aged woman. She wore a tight black outfit, her exposed arms covered with bronzed muscles. Her aura was deep and heavy—clearly, she was a powerhouse at the Insight God Realm.
"Young Master."
The woman inclined her head respectfully.
Dongfang Sheng lifted his gaze and said indifferently, "Aunt Liang, there's no need for formality."
Aunt Liang nodded slightly, then clapped her hands.
At once, the cabin door opened.
Eight graceful women entered in a line. They were all beautiful and dressed in light gauze, their eyes soft and full of allure. It was obvious they had been carefully selected.
"Young Master," Aunt Liang said evenly, "these women were specially chosen for you. All of them are clean and untainted. If you're interested, you may enjoy their company as you please."
The eight women knelt gracefully and bowed, their voices sweet and delicate. "Greetings, Young Master."
Dongfang Sheng frowned and waved his hand. "No need. Send them away."
Aunt Liang didn't press the issue. She gestured, and the women silently retreated.
Once the cabin was quiet again, Dongfang Sheng looked at her and asked directly, "Aunt Liang, why are you here?"
Her expression grew solemn. "Young Master, I came under the Lord's orders—to ensure your safety."
Dongfang Sheng's face darkened. "Aunt Liang… did something happen at home?"
Aunt Liang sighed softly. "The war between the White Fish Society and the Lingxi Sect has grown fiercer by the day. Somehow, Lingxi Sect managed to gain the support of the Jiang family from the Central Domain. Their strength has increased sharply, and our side is under heavy pressure. The Lord fears they may resort to desperate measures and send someone to the Wasteland Realm to harm you. That's why I was ordered to come and watch over you."
"Lingxi Sect… Jiang family."
A cold glint flashed in Dongfang Sheng's eyes.
The White Fish Society and Lingxi Sect were the two great powers of the Western Region in the Horn Constellation Realm. They had been locked in a bloody feud for thousands of years, a hatred that could never be resolved.
Aunt Liang's tone shifted slightly. "Young Master, the situation is no longer in our favor. With Lingxi Sect backed by the Jiang family, we can't stand against them much longer. It might be time to consider forming an alliance through marriage with the Xu family.
If we can connect with them, the Jiang family will surely hesitate to act."
"Absolutely not!"
Dongfang Sheng slammed his palm on the table, his voice sharp with anger. "That woman is a venomous snake! I'd rather die than marry her!"
Just the thought of that Xu family daughter sent a chill through his entire body.
He could still clearly remember it—the sight from when he was five years old.
That year, the eight-year-old young lady of the Xu family, relying solely on her own strength, had brutally slaughtered more than ten people who tried to provoke her—right there in front of everyone.
The cruelty of her methods was so terrifying that even he, the young master of the White Fish Society, who had grown up amidst blood and blades, had felt his scalp go numb and his heart freeze in fear.
That was no human being. That was a devil.
Aunt Liang watched Dongfang Sheng's agitated expression and sighed helplessly. "Young Master, it's all for the sake of the White Fish Society…"
"No need to say another word." Dongfang Sheng interrupted her coldly. "That matter is absolutely impossible. As for Lingxi Sect and the Jiang family, I believe the White Fish Society will find its own solution."
Seeing that his attitude was firm, Aunt Liang didn't dare press further. She could only suppress her worries and drop the topic for now.
But the worry in her eyes deepened.
If the White Fish Society truly had a way to deal with this crisis, there would have been no need to send her here to the Wasteland Realm.
—
A few days later, at a restaurant outside the Myriad Phenomena Dao Academy.
Yang Cheng and Tang Xingyu sat by the window, the table between them covered with exquisitely prepared dishes.
They were waiting for Liu Hongfu.
For Liu Hongfu, it had only been one month since she last saw Tang Xingyu.
But for Tang Xingyu, it had been more than eight years since their last meeting.
After all, the two had been on good terms before, so Tang Xingyu decided to meet her old friend again.
Before long, Liu Hongfu arrived—but she wasn't alone. A handsome man followed closely beside her.
"Xingyu, sorry to keep you waiting."
Liu Hongfu smiled as she sat down, then proudly pulled the man closer to her. "Let me introduce you—this is my dao companion, Deng Xiuxian."
She turned to the man and said, "Xiuxian, this is my best friend Tang Xingyu, and this is her dao companion."
Tang Xingyu rolled her eyes but didn't bother to correct her.
On the surface, she still appeared to be thirteen years old.
But after cultivating on Reincarnation Mountain for more than eight years, she was actually twenty-one now.
At this age, she understood far more about people and the world than before.
Deng Xiuxian's gaze swept over Yang Cheng and Tang Xingyu. When his eyes landed on Tang Xingyu, they flashed briefly with admiration. But a moment later, he hid it, turning toward Yang Cheng instead. He nodded with an air of superiority.
"I am Deng Xiuxian, an elder of the Star Sea Chamber of Commerce in the Horn Constellation Realm."
His tone carried clear pride.
Liu Hongfu added with a hint of vanity, "He reached the peak of the Martial Sovereign Realm at thirty years old, and he controls wealth worth several hundred million supreme-grade spirit stones."
As she spoke, her expression was full of satisfaction and pride.
Yang Cheng was speechless. Clearly, Liu Hongfu thought she had found a strong backer—and now that she had some status, her attitude toward him had become faintly arrogant.
Deng Xiuxian turned to Yang Cheng and asked casually, "I wonder, little brother, what is it that you do?"
Before Yang Cheng could even respond, Deng Xiuxian smiled slightly and continued in a lofty tone, "If you don't have a proper place yet, you could come work at my Star Sea Chamber of Commerce. With my recommendation, getting you a managerial position shouldn't be a problem. You'd receive a monthly salary of several thousand supreme-grade spirit stones."
Liu Hongfu's face stiffened immediately.
Yang Cheng—the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the instructor of the Myriad Phenomena Dao Academy—working under Deng Xiuxian? The very thought was absurd.
She wanted to speak up and clarify, but before she could, Deng Xiuxian spoke again.
He shifted the topic as if nothing had happened, his tone pretending to be casual but his eyes flickering with interest. "Speaking of which, I've recently heard rumors about a divine pill spreading through the Horn Constellation Realm—the Earth Spirit Heart Pill. They say its effects are incredible. Have any of you heard about it? Also, there's a certain 'Master Yang' said to have created it and now teaches at the Myriad Phenomena Dao Academy. Do any of you happen to know him?"
He had no idea that the man sitting right before him—Yang Cheng himself—was the very "Master Yang" he was talking about, the creator of the Earth Spirit Heart Pill.
Cold sweat began to bead on Liu Hongfu's forehead.
She silently cursed herself—if she'd known this would happen, she would have warned Deng Xiuxian about Yang Cheng's true identity beforehand. It would've spared them this embarrassment.
But even now, she didn't dare say anything.
The Earth Spirit Heart Pill involved immense profit. She wasn't about to casually reveal Yang Cheng's identity.
From that point on, Deng Xiuxian's attention barely returned to the conversation.
Instead, his gaze kept drifting toward Tang Xingyu.
He frequently ignored Liu Hongfu and seized every chance to strike up conversations with Tang Xingyu, even engaging her eagerly in discussions about the Sword Dao, his tone full of self-importance.