Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1649 - 1642: All Day Long Separation

Chapter 1649: Chapter 1642: All Day Long Separation

As Feng completed the breakthrough ceremony, the Advance Team’s days in Bicheng Mansion finally came to a temporary end.

Huayu Ting helped Feng break through two levels in one go. While her combat abilities may not have undergone a qualitative leap, they were significantly stronger than before.

Even more commendable was that Huayu Ting taught her many martial techniques unique to the Jianghu of Kyushu—skills forged through raw experience, not simply learned through cultivation.

With this accumulation of various knowledge and skills, Feng’s overall strength saw a tremendous improvement compared to before. Coupled with her modernized weaponry, she was now capable of handling opponents whose cultivation levels were at least two ranks above hers.

As for Huayu Ting’s three children, they were still in the introductory stages. Magic itself is notoriously difficult to master; before they could cast spells, they needed to spend at least a year memorizing spell chants and rune patterns.

This process was not only monotonous but could not be rushed. An unsteady foundation would inevitably cause trouble when casting magic in the future—a lesson Tangmo and Baiyue understood deeply as fellow mages.

Although there was an air of reluctance, Huayu Ting understood the determination of the Advance Team. He chose not to hold them back but rather hoped they might return to mentor his children further or bring them to the Western Continent for advanced studies.

He had already decided—seeking a peaceful life required sacrifices. If he blindly pursued familial closeness in Kyushu, it would inevitably lead to separation. For the sake of the future, he must be willing to send away one or two of his children if necessary.

Of course, the month had not been entirely filled with good news; ominous tidings had also arrived.

It was reported that members of the Wuting Clan were ambushed by an unknown expert upon their return. This individual singlehandedly slaughtered over a hundred elites of the Wuting clan, even killing Wuting Yan outright. As for Wuting Li, he narrowly escaped under the desperate protection of his subordinates.

Out of the two hundred people from the Wuting Clan, more than half were lost, leaving only a few who managed to return to report the tragedy to their Patriarch.

The assailant, a lone figure, boasted the terrifying cultivation of the Golden Core Realm. He singlehandedly dismantled the strength of two hundred trained fighters, showcasing the overwhelming dominance of quality over quantity in Kyushu’s cultivation hierarchy.

Although Golden Core Realm experts were common in the Jianghu, ones this formidable were still traceable. However, the man’s techniques were remarkably sinister, making it impossible for the Wuting Clan to discern his identity. They could only surmise he might be affiliated with the Imperial Court.

The Advance Team, of course, knew the true identity of the perpetrator. If Hun Jiansi had not deceived Cheng Ziang, this individual was likely a Lieying Tang assassin dispatched by the Emperor’s Sect to deal with the Wu Family’s schemes regarding the Saint.

In fact, Cheng Ziang had always carried a lingering question: the Wen Family relied on the Emperor’s Sect for handling dirty work, but when the sect carried out such actions, should they be attributed to the Wu Family or the Wen Family?

These high-tier cultivators were loyal to the Cabinet—a rather peculiar phenomenon. After all, one could hardly expect every individual to possess vulnerabilities like Huayu Ting’s attachment to his wife and children.

The current state of Kyushu could be summed up in one sentence: "Virtue crumbles, music dies."

Or rather, one could argue that Kyushu never had true virtue to begin with. The Wen Family’s actions were essentially attempts to restore ceremony to a society that revered martial strength and violence.

The Advance Team harbored little goodwill toward the Dongsheng Empire due to its treatment of the Demon Clan—a cruelty far beyond the limits of what modern civilized societies could accept.

As members of modern civilization, the Advance Team could never condone the innocent invasion of other nations, nor the enslavement of foreign peoples.

Regardless of how gentle the methods or how justified the rationale might seem, to the Advance Team, such behavior was simply criminal—a mere excuse for barbarity.

Acknowledging the innate equality of all humans, refraining from discrimination based on race, appearance, or custom, is inherently a duty for every citizen in a civilized society. If one cannot meet this standard, even if they embrace modernity, they are nothing more than a contemporary Roman Empire.

For Huayu Ting, this predicament brought substantial trouble. The Wuting Clan’s suffering signified that the Huayu Family had formally clashed with the Wu Family and aligned with the Wen Family.

Though Huayu Ting strove to maintain neutrality, both factions already viewed him as having made his stance clear.

Unquestionably, he would face further complications in the future. Yet he seemed unperturbed; as long as he had his wife and children beside him, the external threats never seemed to weigh heavily on his mind.

Finally, the day of departure arrived. After a month and five days in Bicheng Mansion, the Advance Team resolved to set off once more, heading north toward Shengyuan Prefecture to meet the ruler of Kyushu—the so-called Emperor Wu.

It was evident Huayu Ting didn’t want them to leave. Naturally so, since every day the Advance Team remained in Bicheng Mansion was another day of education for his children.

However, for Tangmo and Baiyue, the current stage of education for the three children had reached its limit. Unless they could consolidate their existing knowledge, there wasn’t enough of a foundation to delve further.

Thus, what the three children needed now was to continuously strengthen what they’d learned and wait patiently for their teachers’ return.

Fei Yu and the three children were left behind in the mansion under the pretext of kinship with the Saint, giving Huayu Ting a convenient excuse to avoid embarrassment.

After all, Kyushu did not recognize marriages between humans and demons. They regarded such unions as utterly absurd, especially when the patriarch of a major family like Huayu Ting risked jeopardizing his reputation.

But Huayu Ting cared little for those rigid constructs. He still remembered, on that riverside one afternoon, the little Fei Yu tossing stones, splashing water that wet his face. That simple memory was enough to last him a lifetime.

At the mansion gates, the carriage awaited. Luo’er had already climbed aboard. Surrounding the carriage were Huayu Family’s elite guard soldiers.

During this time, Huayu Ting had taken complete control over his family’s armed forces. These guardsmen were now his most trusted confidants.

"Everyone, the mountains are tall, the waters long. The road ahead is endless and unknown. Please take great care," Huayu Ting said, dressed in formal attire for their farewell.

"Young Lord, take care of your health. Regarding the matter of the three children, when we return, we will give you a proper explanation," Cheng Ziang responded, bowing.

In the presence of outsiders, he naturally wouldn’t admit the three children were Huayu Ting’s offspring.

"No problem. Let them rest well in the mansion; I will strive to host them appropriately," Huayu Ting nodded knowingly.

"If you encounter hardships along the way, you are welcome to return anytime. Bicheng Mansion will always have a place for you," Huayu Ting added after a pause.

"Thank you, Young Lord," Cheng Ziang replied with a nod.

"No need for such formalities. We are kindred spirits; there’s no need to be so distant," Huayu Ting said sincerely.

"We still owe the Young Lord gratitude for helping Feng break her limits. Without this, her achievements might have been far more modest."

"Take her with you and be cautious. This isn’t meant to threaten you, but rather a solemn reminder—the more people recognize her, the greater her danger," Huayu Ting advised deeply.

"We understand. To an extent, we’ve already pieced together some knowledge about her identity," Cheng Ziang nodded lightly.

"You’re indeed remarkable. Not only does the Wu Family have reasons to target you, but now the Wen Family has justified their pursuit as well," Huayu Ting remarked, chuckling softly.

"We’ve grown accustomed to living perpetually amidst peril," Cheng Ziang responded with a self-deprecating laugh.

"Master!"

As the two conversed, Feng suddenly stepped forward, calling out to Huayu Ting. She held a blade in her hands and walked straight to him, presenting it.

"This is..."

Though exhilarated inside, Huayu Ting maintained his composure.

"A small token of appreciation for Master’s guidance," Feng said as she exerted strength, drawing the blade ten centimeters from its sheath. Within the scabbard was the dazzling blue-and-white porcelain hue of Cheng Ziang’s long blade, which he had gifted to Feng—only for her to now pass it on to Huayu Ting.

Witnessing this, Cheng Ziang smirked helplessly, resigning himself to the outcome. Barring any unforeseen events, it seemed the rightful owner of the blade would ultimately be Huayu Ting.