"How much?!!!"
Ye Hengchuan's voice cracked slightly from shock and urgency, completely losing its usual composure.
At that moment, however, no one cared about such details.
His eyes were locked tightly onto Yu Yuanzhen, who sat across from him with an unmistakably smug smile. The confidence on Yu Yuanzhen's face only made Ye Hengchuan feel even more incredulous.
If he hadn't misheard just now—
Then Yu Yuanzhen had just said that Yu Xiaogang's first spirit ring was over a thousand years old.
A thousand-year spirit ring.
For a first ring.
Ye Hengchuan's mind reeled.
"That… that can't be right," he muttered subconsciously.
A first spirit ring should normally be around a hundred years. Even the most talented geniuses would only dare to push slightly beyond that limit. But a thousand-year spirit ring?
That was something only second rings—or even later—would attempt.
"Wait…" Ye Hengchuan suddenly frowned deeply.
"Xiaogang was only Level 10 when he left, right? He only went out for a short time… he couldn't have already reached Level 20, could he?"
His thoughts quickly aligned.
Which meant—
"It really is his first spirit ring?!"
The realization hit him like a thunderclap.
A thousand-year first spirit ring!
Just thinking about it made his face flush with excitement.
"Big Brother… you're not joking with me, are you?" Ye Hengchuan asked again, his tone filled with disbelief. "Xiaogang's first spirit ring… is really a thousand-year one?"
He asked again.
And again.
Even as he spoke, he felt how absurd it sounded.
Yet—
Yu Yuanzhen did not show the slightest hesitation.
In fact, he seemed to enjoy Ye Hengchuan's reaction.
"I'm certain," Yu Yuanzhen said calmly, though the pride in his voice was impossible to hide. "I watched Xiaogang absorb that spirit ring with my own eyes."
He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms.
"And it's precisely because of that thousand-year spirit ring that he ended up injured like this."
That final confirmation—
Was the last push Ye Hengchuan needed.
He froze.
Then slowly sank back into his chair, his expression blank.
For a long while, he said nothing.
After some time, Ye Hengchuan finally came back to his senses.
His gaze shifted toward Yu Yuanzhen again.
And this time—
He noticed that infuriatingly smug smile.
Only then did realization dawn on him.
"So that's why…"
He narrowed his eyes.
"I was wondering earlier—why you rushed straight to the Thunder Dragon Hall the moment you returned to the sect, without even going home first."
"You even dragged your injured son along with you."
He paused.
Then gave Yu Yuanzhen a sharp look.
"You said you just wanted to inform me of the results…"
"But that's something you could've done in a single sentence."
"There was absolutely no need for you to come in person."
His tone turned slightly annoyed.
"So, in the end…"
"You came all the way here just to brag about your son, didn't you?"
For a brief moment, silence filled the room.
Then—
"Hahaha!"
Yu Yuanzhen burst into loud laughter, no longer bothering to hide his emotions.
"Well said!" he exclaimed, slapping his thigh.
"Good brother, among all the people I've met in my life, there are only a handful I can truly call brothers."
"And you are one of them."
He leaned forward slightly, grinning.
"If I don't share something this interesting with you… then who should I tell?"
In truth—
Yu Yuanzhen had been holding this in for far too long.
From the moment Yu Xiaogang successfully absorbed that thousand-year spirit ring and was confirmed to be safe—
He had been thinking about this very moment.
He had imagined—
How he would tell others.
What expression he would use.
What tone he would adopt.
And most importantly—
How shocked they would be.
For a close brother like Ye Hengchuan, he had carefully chosen this casual, "offhand" way of revealing the truth.
And clearly—
The effect was perfect.
In fact, when Ye Hengchuan had nearly spat out his tea earlier, Yu Yuanzhen had almost lost control and laughed on the spot.
He had only barely managed to hold it in.
"Alright, alright, enough laughing!" Ye Hengchuan said impatiently, waving his hand. "Stop showing off and tell me what actually happened!"
"A thousand-year first spirit ring… this kind of thing has never happened before!"
His eyes were burning with curiosity.
"If this were anyone else—Spirit Hall, Clear Sky Sect, or Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School—I wouldn't even dare to ask about it."
"But this is Xiaogang!"
His tone softened slightly.
"As your brother… as his uncle… I have the right to know."
Yu Yuanzhen nodded.
He didn't hide anything.
After all, Ye Hengchuan was someone he trusted completely.
"The key to all of this…" Yu Yuanzhen began slowly, "is that Xiaogang himself is promising."
From there, he started recounting everything in detail.
From the moment they left the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect—
To their encounter with Spirit Hall members—
And finally—
To the fateful meeting with the Crimson Blood Flying Dragons.
"At that time," Yu Yuanzhen said, his tone growing more animated, "there were two of them."
"One was about seven hundred years old."
"And the other…"
He paused deliberately.
"Was over a thousand years old."
Ye Hengchuan leaned forward unconsciously.
"And then?"
"I originally planned to ignore them and continue searching," Yu Yuanzhen said.
"But at that moment—"
"Xiaogang stepped forward."
Yu Yuanzhen's eyes shone with pride.
"He pointed directly at the thousand-year Crimson Blood Flying Dragon…"
"And said—he wanted that one."
Ye Hengchuan sucked in a cold breath.
"You didn't stop him?!"
"That was a thousand-year spirit beast!"
"Of course I tried!" Yu Yuanzhen replied.
"But do you know what Xiaogang said?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
"He said—on the path of a Spirit Master, one must take risks to achieve breakthroughs."
"If you're afraid of danger, then what kind of Spirit Master are you?"
Ye Hengchuan fell silent.
Yu Yuanzhen continued, his voice deepening.
"He also said…"
"He remembered all the ridicule he had suffered over the years."
"Not just toward him—but toward me, his father as well."
"He wanted to prove himself."
"To win honor—for both of us."
"And for that…"
Yu Yuanzhen clenched his fist slightly.
"He was willing to die."
The room grew quiet.
Ye Hengchuan's expression turned solemn.
"That's right…"
He nodded slowly.
"That is something Xiaogang would say."
"As expected of your son, Big Brother."
"To have such resolve at such a young age…"
He sighed deeply.
"He's a real man."
As Yu Yuanzhen continued describing the process—
The dangers.
The blood.
The struggle—
Ye Hengchuan listened with rapt attention.
When he heard how Yu Xiaogang had nearly been torn apart during the absorption—
His eyes reddened slightly.
And when he finally heard that Yu Xiaogang had succeeded—
He let out a long breath.
"Whew…"
"I didn't expect something this huge to happen in just a few days."
Suddenly, he straightened up.
"Big Brother!"
"You said earlier you needed nourishing medicinal herbs for Xiaogang, right?"
He slapped his chest confidently.
"Leave it to me!"
"I'll personally prepare the best ones—everything focused on replenishing qi and blood!"
Yu Yuanzhen laughed heartily.
"Of course I trust you."
He patted Ye Hengchuan's shoulder.
But then—
Ye Hengchuan's expression changed.
His eyes darted around slightly.
"By the way…"
"Xiaogang isn't that young anymore."
"Shouldn't we start thinking about his future?"
Yu Yuanzhen blinked.
"…Future?"
Ye Hengchuan leaned in slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.
"I think…"
"My daughter is quite suitable."
For a moment—
Yu Yuanzhen froze.
Then—
Pfft!
He spat out the tea he had just taken a sip of.
"Are you serious?!" he exclaimed.
"If I remember correctly…"
"Your daughter is only three years old this year!"
"So what?" Ye Hengchuan waved his hand dismissively.
"Xiaogang isn't even ten yet. That's close enough!"
"This kind of relationship is best nurtured from childhood."
"It's settled!"
Yu Yuanzhen was left speechless.
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Looking at Ye Hengchuan's determined expression—
He could only sigh inwardly.
"Good son…"
Yu Yuanzhen thought helplessly.
"With talent like yours…"
"You were bound to attract this kind of trouble sooner or later."
And somewhere far away—
Yu Xiaogang, who was still recovering—
Sneezed without knowing why.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)