Just like that, Yu Shaoqing was released by the Emperor. However, he could not leave Lotus Flower Town without permission because he was a suspect. Yan Congming, who was also a suspect, could not leave the Capital without permission.

Among the two of them, there will be one who is the true hero who saved the people. The people did not have any objections to the Emperor’s actions. They only hoped that they could find evidence as soon as possible and let everything come to light.

He straightened his body with much difficulty and breathed. As a result of this series of actions, his face became even paler, and there seemed to be a sharp pain circling in his chest, almost shredding his organs!

A few of his bones were broken, and he was overly exhausted. Now, he was just relying on his stubborn willpower to continue walking forward.

He lowered his head to take a look. There was a broken and sharp white bone on the dried grass.

Half of it was stuck in the ground, and the other half was hidden in the grass. As he didn’t see it previously, he stepped right onto it.

Someone’s corpse was just left here.

Chu Ning retracted his gaze and continued walking forward. The chains on his arms and legs seemed heavier as they suppressed him, and he couldn’t breathe.

Every step he took seemed to be walking on the tip of a sword.

Everything on his body was either lost or damaged. Only his tortured body was living like a zombie.

He didn’t know how he came to this place, and he couldn’t recall how long he had been here. The only thing he could do was walk forward continuously, hoping that he could leave this place one day.

Chu Ning swallowed the bloody taste in his mouth and clenched his teeth tightly. I… can never die! Yue’er is still waiting for me!

…

Ling Xiao Academy.

Fengmin Mountain.

On the first floor, after Elder Meng repaired the barrier and the main entrance, he couldn’t help but turn back, shake his head, and sigh. Luckily, basically nobody comes to Fengmin Mountain, and very few people appear in the vicinity. If not, the commotion that Rong Xiu previously caused would… If word got out, many people would be shocked until their jaws dropped.

Elder Meng flicked the dust away and stroked his beard, planning on going up to take a look. Suddenly, a strange commotion came from the six doors.

He knitted his brows and focused on the six doors floating in midair!

On the surface, these doors looked exactly the same as they normally would. However, Elder Meng had guarded this place for many years and was very familiar with everything. He could confirm that it was not an illusion!

He walked nearer to the six doors and meticulously examined them for a while. However, that ripple didn’t appear again.

Everything was normal.

Elder Meng knitted his brows. For some reason, these few doors seem amiss lately…

Thinking of this, his heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly went upstairs!

When he passed by the second floor, he stopped in his tracks and said to Rong Xiu, “Rong Xiu, take good care of him. You can tell me if anything happens!”

Rong Xiu lightly nodded. “Thank you, Elder Meng.”

Then, Elder Meng rode on the dust and continued going upward. His steps seemed hurried.

Rong Xiu squinted his phoenix-like eyes slightly. Then, he got up and walked a few steps forward.

Standing by the stairs, he looked down.

There should’ve been seven doors there, but only six were left.

His hand gently held the pole, and his slender and white fingers knocked against it twice before he looked up.

The stairs in the middle of the pagoda spiraled all the way up.

Looking up from here, the stairs of every floor intersected and formed a disciplined and illusionary image.

Elder Meng’s figure quickly disappeared into the top floor.

Rong Xiu seemed calm, yet his phoenix-like eyes were so deep that one couldn’t see the bottom of them, causing one to be unable to see through him.

The location of the last door… seemed to be understood without speaking.

A soft sleepy voice came from behind.

Rong Xiu looked over and tightly held the pole as veins vaguely appeared on the back of his hand. Her failing to break through at such an important juncture will definitely cause some harm to her. But luckily, she failed when she tried to break through to become an intermediate stage-nine warrior—this can still be handled.

If something happened when she broke through into the Apotheosis Realm… Rong Xiu’s eyes turned dark.

After a moment, he took out something from the Cosmic Ring. Then, he lightly extended his fingers, and a layer of faintly golden dust scattered in the air.

…

Outside Fangzhou City.

In the deserted land of a hidden place, the air rumbled. Following a ray of purple light, a tall and slender figure walked out from the dark space!

It was a young lady dressed in red. Her skin presented a healthy malt color, but it didn’t hide the youthfulness in her almond-like eyes.

“Hu… I’m finally here!” She lightly exhaled. I felt like I was in the transportation formation for ages… But luckily the process was very stable, or perhaps because that person was too strong, so I didn’t feel any aftereffects at all.

“Did he directly create a transportation formation…” She smacked her lips and guessed with some uncertainty, feeling even more shocked.

She wondered about the extent of that person’s strength…

Aunt did not know anything about the Dali Temple. She only felt that all the places where prisoners were imprisoned were called the magistrate prefecture.

Yu Shaoqing hesitated for a moment before telling them the whole story. However, he avoided the injustice he suffered in the army and the painful and cruel experience on the snow mountain.

Yu Feng frowned. “In that case, it was that General Gui De who snatched Third Uncle’s military achievements. He was conferred the title of Marquis, but Third Uncle was unjustly imprisoned.”

“Gui De? Why does this name sound so familiar?” Yu Wan paused and exchanged a look with Yu Feng. Their hearts skipped a beat.

“Dad, what’s the background of General Gui De?” Yu Wan asked.

Yu Shaoqing said, “He’s the son of Old General North Garrison Manor.”

The North Garrison General Manor… Wasn’t that Yan Ruyu’s father? As a daughter, she was shameless. As a father, he was even more shameless. He could even do something like snatching military merits. He was really worse than a beast!

However, she might not have heard that Marquis Yan was Yan Ruyu’s father, but it was impossible for Yan Jiuchao to not know about it. However, he stood on her side without hesitation. Did that mean that between Marquis Yan and her father, he chose to trust her father?

This realization made Yu Wan suddenly happy.

Yu Wan’s eyes sparkled as she looked at her father and said, “Uncle Wu went to look for Zhou Huai. I believe he will definitely be able to find him. When he finds Zhou Huai, he will be able to expose Marquis Yan’s scheme and clear your name!”

It was getting late. The family of three returned to their room. Yu Song sent Little Bruiser back.

Yu Wan went to the kitchen to boil a large pot of hot water. When she came out to get some firewood, she saw Little Bruiser sitting on the threshold of the central room. His small figure was lonely and he looked a little pitiful.

Yu Wan walked over with the firewood and sat down beside him. “Why are you in a daze?”

Little Bruiser tucked his right hand behind his back. He was trying to reveal what he intended to hide!

Yu Wan looked at him in anger and amusement. “Stop hiding. Isn’t it just a small stone? I don’t want yours.”

Little Bruiser said crisply, “It’s not an ordinary stone!”

Yu Wan raised her eyebrows. “Oh, what stone is that?”

Little Bruiser remained silent.

Yu Wan playfully grabbed the stone he was hiding in her hand.

“Aiya!” Little Bruiser was so angry that he reached out to snatch it.

Yu Wan avoided his little claw and shone it at the moonlight. “Did you grind it yourself?”

The rough surface of the stone was scratched. It could not be said to be a pattern, nor did it look good. However, the child squatted on the ground and ground it out bit by bit. It was obvious that he had put in some effort.

“Give it back!” Little Bruiser snatched the stone back.

Yu Wan asked him, “It’s so beautiful. Who are you planning to give it to?”

Little Bruiser turned his face away and said, “Anyway, it’s not for you.”

Yu Wan was just asking casually. She really planned to give it to someone. A hint of mischief flashed across Yu Wan’s eyes. “For Dad?”

“No… no!” Little Bruiser denied with reddened ears.

“Sure, it isn’t.”

“It just isn’t!”

Yu Wan gently poked his chest with her fingertip. “It’s useless to lie. I heard everything you said in your heart.”

Little Bruiser covered his heart. “Aiya, how did you hear that?”

He had confessed. Children were so gullible. Yu Wan pretended to smile mysteriously. “I’m not telling you.”

Little Bruiser was resentful.

Yu Wan tapped his little shoulder. “Dad is in the backyard.”

“I, I, I… I don’t care where he is,” Little Bruiser muttered. He turned around and saw that his sister had already gone to the kitchen.

Little Bruiser hesitated for a while before standing up and going to the backyard.

Yu Shaoqing was making a new chicken coop. One of the original chicken coops was broken, and two pheasants were locked in the same cage. When they had nothing to do, they would fight and even peck each other’s eggs. Yu Shaoqing wanted to finish the coop before he fell asleep.

Little Bruiser stood at the back door of the central room and looked at his father, who was sweating profusely in the courtyard. His father was hardworking and capable. He also knew how to cook. He didn’t beat anyone up and didn’t put on airs. Most importantly, he was especially good-looking.

“Bruiser is here?” Yu Shaoqing looked up and saw his precious son. He could not help but smile dotingly.

Little Bruiser hurriedly lowered his head.

Yu Shaoqing patted his head. “I almost forgot.” He put down the cage in his hand and walked over to pick up Little Bruiser.

It wasn’t that Little Bruiser had never been carried by anyone before. His sister had carried him, and so would his big brother and his second brother, but they were all different from this man. Just like… just like how he was so afraid of the dark, but now he wasn’t afraid at all.

Yu Shaoqing carried his son back into the house and pointed at the two boxes on the table. “Open them and take a look.”

Little Bruiser opened the box.

In the box on the left was a set of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. In the box on the right was a medium-sized wooden sword with exquisite workmanship.

Little Bruiser was instantly attracted. His father had promised to buy him two gifts. His father had really done it.

Yu Shaoqing bought it on the way back to the village after he was released from prison. Even though such a big thing had happened, he didn’t forget his promise with his son for a moment.

Yu Shaoqing looked at him and said, “I don’t know if you like to study or practice martial arts. If you want to practice martial arts, I can teach you personally. If you want to study, I’ll send you to school.”

Little Bruiser lowered his head.

“What’s this?” Yu Shaoqing saw the small stone that Little Bruiser had accidentally placed on the table.

“Nothing!” Little Bruiser grabbed the small stone.

Yu Shaoqing smiled. “Then I’ll get going.”

With that, he rubbed Little Bruiser’s head and walked out of the house.

Little Bruiser looked at his back and suddenly said, “Can… can you not get into trouble again in the future?”

Yu Shaoqing turned around in confusion. He had been hiding his imprisonment from the two children at home. Did this little fellow sense something was wrong?

“I… It wasn’t easy for me to have a father. If I lose you just like that…” The voice behind gradually lowered into his stomach.

However, Yu Shaoqing’s eyes lit up. “What did you call me just now?”

“Nothing,” Little Bruiser said as he turned around.

Yu Shaoqing was overjoyed. He strode over and squatted down in front of his son. He looked at his son and said excitedly, “Call me that again!”

“No,” Little Bruiser said.

“Just once,” Yu Shaoqing said.

“No!”

Yu Shaoqing pulled him into his arms and said in a pleading tone, “Be good, call me Dad again.”

“Who wants to call you?” Little Bruiser struggled out of his arm and ran away! He had already run out, but returned to take away the two boxes of gifts on the table.

In the middle of the night, everyone fell asleep. Yu Wan also breathed evenly.

Little Bruiser suddenly opened his eyes and slowly climbed over his sister. He got off the bed, put on his shoes, and went to the room opposite. He tiptoed to the bed and stuffed the hot little stone under Yu Shaoqing’s pillow.

Then, he lowered his head and called out softly to the sleeping Yu Shaoqing, “Dad.”