Chapter 139: Venturing Into the Depths of Hell

"Ah, Young Master Fang Che! Young Master Fang Che is back!"

Someone else from the Fang Clan had recognized Fang Che, and they immediately rushed inside to report his arrival.

Almost immediately thereafter, Fang Qianyi rushed out of the manor with an excited expression.

She let loose a joyful cry upon catching sight of Fang Che, and she rushed over to him to give him a hug, but he had grown far too tall and broad for her to fully embrace, so she could only settle for wrapping her arms around one of his instead.

"You've become so skinny! Life must be really hard in the academy," she said in a sympathetic manner.

"I haven't become skinny at all!" Fang Che protested. "I've only grown taller and stronger!"

"I say you've grown skinny, and that's that!" Fang Qianyi harrumphed, then dragged Fang Che into the manor. "Come and see your uncle with me. He's been really happy with the progress that your cousin has been making. He was telling me that he can finally answer to our ancestors now, and he was getting drunk from celebration and throwing up everywhere!"

Fang Zhenghang had already emerged from the manor, and he hurriedly interjected, "That's utter nonsense! Don't listen to her! I've been drinking all my life, and never have I thrown up even once!"

Fang Zhenghang was accompanied by his wife, who nodded in agreement with a smile as she supported, "That's right, your uncle never throws up. I was the one throwing up everywhere."

Everyone erupted into laughter.

Everyone knew that Mistress Fang was a non-drinker.

Fang Zhenghang immediately became flushed with embarrassment, and he hurriedly dragged Fang Che inside as he said, "Che'er hasn't been back for half a year, so we have to hold a celebratory feast tonight!"

Fang Qianyi stuck close to her son's side as she sized him up with pride and joy, running her hands affectionately over his back and arms.

Fang Che felt all warm and fuzzy inside.

This was his family.

All of the servants in the manor had been sent out in a hurry. It was already quite late, and they had to buy a lot of things for the celebratory feast tonight.

Meanwhile, the old man at the entrance of the Fang Manor was looking at Fang Che with a contemplative expression.

I was stationed because a demonic church was supposed to make a move against the Fang Clan, yet nothing has happened even after all this time. Could there have been a mistake?

***

That night, the Fang Clan was brightly lit, and the commotion of their festivities could be heard far and wide.

They had even gifted each of the nearby underprivileged households half a bolt of cloth, fifty kilograms of rice, and one kilogram of salt.

Additionally, the congee stall set up outside the city was expanded to cook an additional 250 kilograms of congee a day.

Clearly, Fang Zhenghang was ecstatic to see Fang Che's return.

After having a few drinks, Fang Zhenghang asked, "How is your cousin doing at the academy?"

"He's doing great," Fang Che replied. "His cultivation base has really advanced of late, and there are always lots of female students around him. He's so busy dealing with them that he rarely even comes to see me anymore!"

Fang Zhenghang was very displeased to hear this, but he reined in his temper, not wanting to spoil the occasion with a temper tantrum.

He had made up his mind to whip Fang Qingyun again the next time he returned home.

He had just begun experiencing a period of rapid growth, this was not the time to be getting entangled with women!

"Why are you back so early? Why didn't your cousin come back with you?" Fang Zhenghang asked.

"My master secured me a spot to cultivate in a secret area, and I leave tomorrow night. I wanted to come back home and visit everyone before I left," Fang Che explained.

"You need to get your priorities in check!" Fang Zhenghang scolded. "An opportunity to cultivate in a secret area is extremely precious, something that people from small clans like ours never get to experience! Why have you wasted all this time coming back home? You should be focusing all of your time on cultivation!"

"You're right, Uncle. I'm sorry," Fang Che hurriedly apologized.

He had just slandered Fang Qingyun, and even though Fang Zhenghang had reined in his temper, he was most likely bubbling with rage beneath the surface, so Fang Che had to be on his best behavior.

Otherwise, if Fang Zhenghang had a reason to throw a fit, then all of his pent-up anger would be released.

The better Fang Che behaved now, the more vicious the beating Fang Qingyun would receive the next time he returned home!

It was just a pity that he wouldn't get to see Fang Qingyun's suffering.

Fang Che raised his cup to his lips to hide his sly grin.

***

After a splendid meal, Fang Che returned to his room in his little courtyard.

Everything was still the same as he had left it, but the entire room was completely spotless.

Clearly, Fang Qianyi regularly came in here to clean.

A hint of warmth welled up in Fang Che's heart upon seeing this, and he left his room to chat with his mother.

Fang Qianyi had drunk quite a bit of wine, but her General tier cultivation base ensured that she remained sober. Even so, she was still buzzing as she gleefully squeezed Fang Che's cheeks.

"How did you get so handsome? Your father wasn't this handsome back when he was your age."

"My father may not be handsome, but I take after my beautiful mother," Fang Che flattered.

"That's true!" Fang Qianyi agreed, clearly very pleased.

She then began to ask him about his time at the academy, and Fang Che's replies painted White Cloud Warrior Academy into heaven on earth.

The dean and assistant deans were benevolent and caring, the instructors were like a second set of parents, his classmates were like one big family, and he was progressing rapidly in his cultivation in such an ideal environment.

The academy provided him with all of the cultivation resources that he needed, and he was able to grow and develop without incurring any risk.

Fang Qianyi had never been to a warrior academy, but her heart was put completely at ease by Fang Che's heavily romanticized story.

On the topic of where he was going the following day, Fang Che said in a mysterious voice, "It wasn't easy for my master to secure this spot for me. I heard that this is a secret area owned by a fourth-tier clan, and it's always been exclusively kept to the prodigies of the clan for how safe and risk-free it is.

“It only opens once every ten years, and my master was only able to secure a spot for me as he had saved the life of an important prodigy of their clan. Don't tell anyone else about this. Countless people have been eying this opportunity, and if word of this gets out, my spot will most likely be taken away."

"I won't say anything!" Fang Qianyi hurriedly promised. "Is Ye Meng going with you as well?"

"No. She's a very clever and hard-working girl, so I thought I'd leave her here to keep you company. I'll be away for at least twenty days to a month, so she'll need somewhere to stay as well."

"I see. Why is there no set timeframe for how long you'll be in the secret area?" Fang Qianyi asked.

"The secret area is a test of aptitude and willpower. The more one possesses of those two traits, the longer they'll be able to stay in there, and the more benefits they'll reap," Fang Che explained.

"In that case, you better try and stay in there for as long as possible. Clans like ours rarely ever get opportunities like this, so make sure to make it count."

"I will."

The two of them stayed up chatting late into the night, and the next morning, Fang Qianyi personally cooked her son a pot of nourishing soup.

After that, Fang Che took a stroll around the manor, offering some tips and guidance to the cultivating children that he deemed to possess decent aptitude.

The children and their seniors were ecstatic, and all of them came to express their gratitude to Fang Qianyi.

That night, Fang Qianyi and Ye Meng escorted Fang Che out of the manor.

Upon reaching the front entrance, they discovered Fang Zhenghang already waiting for them there.

He smiled as he explained, "Don't mind me, I'm just out here on my nightly stroll. Are you leaving already?"

"Yes, Uncle."

Fang Zhenghang was silent for a moment, then said, "If it's too hard over there, then just come back. Make sure to prioritize your own safety above all else. Don't worry about us back home. The Hall of Protectionists has been sending people to visit once every few days, so our safety is not under any threat. Go on now, I'm going to stroll for a little longer. Make sure to be safe, you hear me?"

"Yes, Uncle."

Even after he was far away, he could still see his uncle standing at the entrance of the manor, looking up at the moon.

Fang Che unleashed a movement technique and instantly vanished into the night.

By the time Fang Zhenghang turned to search for him, he was already nowhere to be seen.

He heaved a faint sigh before returning home.

"I thought you were going to stroll for a little longer," Mistress Fang jibed.

Fang Zhenghang offered no response.

"If you want to see him off, then just tell him that! Why make up some excuse?" Mistress Fang scoffed.

"Che'er's father has never been by his side, so as his uncle, I need to keep an eye out for him," Fang Zhenghang said.

"Don't worry so much, he's grown up into a splendid young man, has he not? Why didn't you tell him about your back injury? Maybe he could've helped you out."

"We are his seniors! We should be the ones giving him things, not asking for things from him! He already has a heavy burden of expectation on his shoulders, I can't add to his burden!" Fang Zhenghang said in a displeased manner.

Mistress Fang could only heave a forlorn sigh.

***

Fang Che made his way out of Green Wave City, then rose up to a high vantage point to look back at the Fang Manor.

A warm smile appeared on his face, following which he soared into the darkness like a giant bat.