Chapter 703 - Storm over Jade Capital, the Unfilial Descendant, Let the Enemy Come in His Own Time - Part 2

Lady Yu, the proud and once-mighty matriarch of the Tang Sect, was reduced to a tearful mess. Her whole demeanor had changed. It was almost absurd.

But to Li Yuan, this confirmed something important.

His power

did

work against those in the Lesser Insight Realm, but not in a straightforward way. It didn’t just strike them down instantly. Instead, it wore at them slowly, dulling their movements, amplifying their sorrow, and pushing them toward an emotional collapse. And once that collapse happened, recovery took far longer than it would for an ordinary person.

In short, it acted slow and gave the enemy a chance to react. But once the tipping point was passed, there was no coming back. If someone in the Lesser Insight Realm couldn’t deal real damage to him early on, they were doomed.

“All right, all right...” Li Yuan sighed.

He held her close, gently patting her back like one would comfort a child. She clung to him as though her soul had cracked open. Whatever she’d just endured, it had the feel of a spiritual wound, deep, disorienting, and hard to soothe.

With no other choice, Li Yuan played the role of doting househusband. He went into the kitchen, whipped up three simple dishes, cooked a pot of congee, and after delivering two servings to Xie Yu and Tang Nian, he returned to Lady Yu’s bedside.

Spoon by spoon, he fed her patiently.

Only after finishing the meal did she finally drift into sleep.

Li Yuan sat at the edge of the bed, gazing down at his hand.

He slowly curled his fingers into a fist. A faint golden glow pulsed in his palm.

What he’d displayed earlier was, frankly, absurd. This kind of power hadn’t even existed in the previous era.

So this is the power of Heaven and Earth...

All-encompassing. Limitless.

And this is just the Greater Insight Realm. If I could fully fuse the two golden membranes...they’d become saturated with the essence of Dusk itself. When that happens, my combat strength might instantly soar to the peak of third rank in the old world.

And if I can reach that mysterious fourth realm...even my original self might not be my equal.

He couldn’t help but feel a thrill of gratitude.

The power system of this new world wasn’t just more tyrannical, it was easier to master.

If he’d remained idle for a few centuries and returned to the human world only after too long...he might’ve found himself completely outclassed. The local cultivators could’ve grown so strong that even his original body wouldn’t stand a chance.

And then he’d become a cautionary tale, some ancient powerhouse returning only to be wiped out by the rising stars of a new generation.

No. Better to always keep a young heart. A curious mind. Never let pride blind you.

He let out a long breath, his gaze softening as it fell on the sleeping woman beside him.

He would never forget that the reason he had been able to step into this world’s new system so quickly, all of it was because of her.

If not for Lady Yu, he would’ve had to fumble his way forward, groping in the dark, crawling up from the bottom. It would’ve taken him decades longer to set foot into the realm of transcendence.

And by then...transcendence might already be widespread. He would’ve had to start from scratch, hiding, biding his time, trying to claw his way into dominance once more in a world where he was already late to the game.

Back in his old world, Li Yuan had read plenty of stories about ancient bosses waking up from long slumbers, only to be promptly wrecked by some hot-blooded protagonist of a new era. Now he realized...that wasn’t just fiction. That was a very real possibility.

My lord, the times have changed.

The phrase drifted into his mind, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

With that, he loosened his robes, slipped beneath the light spring blanket, and nestled beside Lady Yu.

She rolled over, face flushed like she was running a fever, and burrowed into his arms.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

The night passed quietly.

By morning, Lady Yu was herself again.

Her gaze was clear as she looked at him, but the memory of her complete meltdown yesterday made her want to crawl under the bed. It was beyond embarrassing.

Li Yuan opened his eyes. Their gazes met.

With a sigh, Lady Yu said, “Husband...you’re terrifying. If we were enemies, I would’ve been nothing more than a toy in your hands.”

Li Yuan replied casually, “That’s just because I’m one whole major realm above you.”

She blinked. “There’s more realms beyond transcendence?”

Li Yuan nodded and laid them out for her, Lesser Insight, Greater Insight, True Will, and the mysterious fourth realm that even he had yet to fully grasp.

“Where did all that come from?” she asked, frowning.

“I’ve felt it. Seen it. So naturally, I named it,” he said.

Lady Yu was surprised at first, but then it clicked. She smiled faintly and said, “Then from today onward, the cultivation realms used for the next thousand, ten thousand, maybe even a hundred thousand years...will all start from you.”

Li Yuan chuckled.

In the old era, he had climbed a ladder built by others.

Now, in the new era,

he

was the one laying the rungs. And soon, others would start climbing.

The thought was strangely comforting.

Still, as a pioneer, he couldn’t let himself get complacent, not when others would eventually catch up.

And as with every major breakthrough before, one needed a great battle afterward to truly stabilize the realm.

But here was the problem. Right now, the

Transcendent Path

was in its Stone Age. Li Yuan, armed with a metaphorical bronze spear, couldn’t find anyone even remotely qualified to fight him.

He sighed with frustration, then let out a quiet, self-mocking lament.

If only I’d reincarnated three hundred years later. By then, the world would be brimming with powerhouses, maybe even ones my original self couldn’t beat. I could’ve started from scratch again, renting a tiny little room in some bustling town, slowly climbing the ranks, maybe falling in love with a cute neighbor and making her my wife...but no. No such luck now.

“It’s a shame,” he said suddenly, pulling Lady Yu tightly into his arms. “I can’t find a single worthy opponent.”

She thought for a moment and offered, “Then why not attack the Western Capital? Bring the Divine Dominion under Tang Sect rule.”

Li Yuan smiled and shook his head.

She tilted her head, puzzled.

He explained, “The highest form of warfare is strategy. If that fails, diplomacy. Only when there’s no other way do you resort to actual fighting. Who goes around randomly invading neighboring countries for fun? All you’re doing is helping a chaotic land unite and turn against you. And if a strong cultivator becomes reckless out of arrogance, then their downfall isn’t far behind. I do need worthy opponents...but I’m not about to throw common sense out the window.”

Lady Yu blinked her charming eyes and said, “I understand now. Husband, you’re planning to do what I did when I ruled the martial world, use spies and counter-spies, support local powers, borrow others’ blades to do your killing, and ride the tide at just the right moment. Isn’t that it?”

Li Yuan gave a casual nod and got out of bed.

The light spring blanket slipped away, revealing his well-defined figure and a glimpse of soft, ivory skin beside him, a stark contrast of strength and allure.

Lady Yu pulled the blanket back over herself, watching him as he dressed, putting on pants and robes with practiced ease.

Li Yuan caught a glance of himself in the mirror. He could sense this body’s condition clearly.

One word, it was weak.

If he hadn’t experienced the old era, maybe he would’ve thought himself powerful now.

But in the past, he had been nearly unkillable. And now...if someone snuck up behind him with a dagger and struck him in the heart, he’d just

die

. Simple as that.

“A fragile yet terrifying form of transcendence,” he muttered.

Like handing a toddler a nuclear warhead launcher.

“This kind of power...it’ll shatter mountains and drown the world in blood.”

After bathing and dressing, he sat still as a new attendant gently combed his hair.

Now that the original four maids had been promoted to Guardians of the Tang Sect, the central tower needed new attendants.

And the ones allowed into this inner sanctum were never ordinary girls. Each had been selected through multiple rounds of scrutiny, their backgrounds subtly reflecting the internal power structure of the Tang Sect.

The new four were named the Auspicious and Prosperous.

The one currently attending him was Tang Yueru.

She had a delicate elegance to her, unlike the bold and straightforward women of Westgorge. She carried the shyness and gentle refinement typical of a southern beauty.

But her real surprise was hidden in her combat power, 10~14. That range might seem modest, but it spoke volumes.

Decades ago, even the Lord of Arms of the Great Zhou’s martial forces had only been 13~18. And the reincarnated, low-profile Xie Yu only measured 15~20.

Tang Yueru stole glances at the man in the mirror. She’d heard the rumors, half-whispers about how her predecessors had risen in status. Most were just gossip, but the underlying message was clear. If she wanted to rise quickly, she had to win the sect master’s favor.

He seemed like a man of sentiment. Get into his bed, and you’d never be mistreated.

But unfortunately, she couldn’t throw herself at him too obviously. All she could do was try to express her intentions through subtle looks and delicate gestures.

And yet he showed no reaction at all.

Of course, Li Yuan knew exactly what the girl was thinking. But things were different now.

The last time, he had taken in the four maids not for pleasure, but to complete a ritual of mutual trust. One that allowed him to move freely, keep Lady Yu unaware, and buy time until he and Xie Yu could reach the sacred peak for the bestowal ritual.

He’d accomplished that mission and had repaid the four maids with exactly what they’d wanted, intimacy, closeness, and status.

But now...he had no need for another set of maids.

No matter how beautiful they were, he wasn’t taking any more.

The young maid's eyes flickered with quiet disappointment as she withdrew. Li Yuan acted as though he hadn’t noticed a thing.

He rose, left the quarters, and returned to the mechanical traps tower. There, with Tang Xitu’s assistance, he began poring over volumes of records, meticulously researching the state of the martial world and the latest affairs beyond its borders.